The 35-year-old Donald made his decision after several weeks of discussion and nearly three months of intensive workouts for a star defensive lineman who reigned atop his position in a Rams uniform from 2014 until his retirement in early 2024.

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Donald joined a light practice at the Rams’ training complex later Sunday, shaking hands and exchanging hugs with Myles Garrett and the rest of his teammates, both old and new.

While he hasn’t decided whether he will play in the Rams’ season opener against the 49ers in Australia next month, Donald is eager to complete a comeback that seemed improbable only three months ago.

“Do I feel like I can play at a high level? Yes,” Donald said. “Do I feel like I can still be myself? One hundred percent, and if I didn’t feel like that, I wouldn’t be here.”

Donald agreed to a one-year contract, and ESPN reported he will make at least $20 million in an incentive-laden deal.

Donald became one of the greatest defensive players of his era during a decade spent entirely with the Rams in St. Louis and Los Angeles. He won three AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards while earning 10 Pro Bowl selections, eight All-Pro selections and a Super Bowl ring before he retired somewhat abruptly following the 2023-24 season.

After two years of tending to his business interests and enjoying ample family time, Donald began to entertain the notion of a comeback this summer after the Rams traded young lineman Jared Verse in a deal for Garrett, one of Donald’s few peers in contemporary defensive line play.

“I already thought it was a stacked D-line with Verse … and then you bring a guy like Myles Garrett, a generational talent, and then it’s like, ‘Gosh, that could be fun,’” Donald said with a grin.

Donald and Garrett have combined to win five of the AP’s past nine Defensive Player of the Year awards, including two of the past three for Garrett with the Cleveland Browns. While Garrett said he wouldn’t attempt to influence Donald’s decision, the two have exchanged numerous text messages while Donald went through the training necessary to become his teammate.

With MVP Matthew Stafford returning to lead the league’s most productive offense, Los Angeles was already the betting favorite in most sportsbooks to win its second Super Bowl title under coach Sean McVay even before Donald’s comeback. Along with Garrett, Los Angeles added cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from Kansas City to a defense that now looks more equipped to keep pace with the Rams’ offense, which returns every major contributor around Stafford.

“I think this is a complete team with me here or without me here, so for me to even have the opportunity to be a part of this, to be with this team, I take nothing for granted,” Donald said. “It’s a blessing to be retired from the game for two years and then have the opportunity to come back and be a part of something special.”

McVay has seemed confident for weeks that Donald was leaning toward a return. Donald said he finalized his decision to return about two weeks ago after being in almost daily contact with McVay for several weeks.

“He means a lot to me, and it’s way bigger than football,” McVay said. “There’s a lot of history. There’s a lot of experiences that we’ve shared, a lot of love for each other’s families. I’m excited to start this journey.”

Donald stayed in decent shape during his retirement, and he was pleasantly surprised by the way his body responded to its return to NFL-level training. He also says his famed defensive line technique hasn’t declined.

“I’ve been in a football mindset for the last 14 weeks,” Donald said. “If anything, it’s just getting back on the grass and knocking the rust off as far as playing football again, 11 on 11. Work on my eyes, getting the feel for the game, certain reaction things that made me who I am. I put myself in the best position the best way I can with training to get to where I’m at now.”

Donald’s 111 career sacks are the Rams’ franchise record and the second-most in NFL history among linemen who primarily played on the interior. His ability to generate a pass rush between the tackles is the primary basis of his greatness, but Donald also was a run-stuffer whose agility and technique forced defenses to double-team him regularly, freeing up his teammates to excel.

The decision resets Donald’s eligibility clock for his all-but-automatic induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he’s much more interested in seizing the strong opportunity to play for a second ring while lining up alongside Garrett and talented young contributors Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske on what should be an opponents’ nightmare of a defensive front.

Donald joins a significant group of recent NFL stars who have ended retirements and returned to this punishing sport, including Philip Rivers, Jason Witten, Marshawn Lynch, Rob Gronkowski and Eric Weddle, the safety who came back from 2 1/2 years away and joined Donald on the Rams’ short-handed defense for its playoff run to a championship in early 2022.

The 39-year-old shared the news on Monday, more than a month after he made his final appearance for his country in the World Cup final.

“After the time that has passed since the final, and after giving it a lot of thought, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the Argentina national team…” Messi said in an Instagram post.

“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come.

“I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”

Messi shared in a footnote that “*I wrote these words on July 21st, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before.”

Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, died earlier this month at a hospital in the central Argentina city of Rosario. He was 68.

Messi is Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer and most capped player, scoring 125 goals across 207 matches with the senior national team. He led the country to its third ever World Cup title in 2022, which culminated with a thrilling shootout victory over France in Qatar.

Messi had previously announced his retirement from international play in 2016 following three straight defeats in finals between Copa América (2012 and 2016) and the World Cup (2014). He reversed course shortly after and led Argentina to Copa América triumphs in 2021 and 2024.

This year’s World Cup was the sixth of Messi’s storied career. Messi and Argentina pulled off several miraculous comebacks en route to the 2026 final against Spain, but they ultimately lost 1-0 in extra time.

“There’s not much time left and chapters are coming to a close; this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved and will always love being part of the national team,” Messi wrote in his post. “I’ve given my all; I’ve nothing left to give, and besides, there are some brilliant young players coming through who deserve their place.”

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The two-time World Cup Golden Ball winner is second in all-time World Cup goals with 21, trailing only Kylian Mbappé of France (22). His six World Cup appearances are also tied with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most of any player in history.

Messi will be 41 during Argentina’s next major tournament, the 2028 Copa América. He will turn 43 during the 2030 World Cup, which will have one match in Argentina but will be primarily hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you, together with my teammates, moments we could only have dreamed of,” Messi wrote. “It was incredible to have experienced it all with you. I love you all!

“Thank you, God, for making me Argentine.

“Come on, Argentina!”

Messi did not address his club future in the Instagram post. The Inter Miami star has been playing in Major League Soccer since 2023 and scored four goals in his last match with the club on Saturday. He is still under contract for two more years.

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After a blowout in the Bay Area in February, the NFL’s big game is staying in-state with another familiar host in 2027.

While we won’t know the exact matchup until Jan. 31 with the conference title games, there’s plenty about Super Bowl LXI that we do know — including the date, host city, watch info and early favorites.

Here’s what to know about Super Bowl 61:

When is the Super Bowl in 2027?

Super Bowl LXI will take place on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027.

Where is the 2027 Super Bowl taking place?

The next Super Bowl will be held in Inglewood, California, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.

Super Bowl 61 host stadium

SoFi Stadium will hold the Super Bowl for the second time in its history.

The stadium first hosted the Super Bowl in February 2022, when the hometown Rams held off the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to win Super Bowl LVI.

SoFi Stadium just opened in 2020, but Los Angeles had hosted the Super Bowl seven times before the 2022 game. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum hosted in 1967 and 1973, and the game was at the Rose Bowl in 1977, 1980, 1983, 1987 and 1993.

How to watch Super Bowl 2027

The 2027 Super Bowl will air on ESPN and ABC and stream on the ESPN app and Disney+. There will also be an alternate stream of the Manningcast on ESPN2.

It will be the first time ABC airs the Super Bowl since 2006, and the first time ever that ESPN airs the game. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be on the call for their seventh Super Bowl together after six previous games on FOX.

Super Bowl 2027 favorites

You don’t have to leave SoFi Stadium is find the Super Bowl LXI favorite.

After adding Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie to their defense over the offseason, the rich got richer when Aaron Donald announced his return to the Rams. Los Angeles has the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford, an elite coach in Sean McVay and the one of the league’s top wideouts in Puka Nacua. It’s fair to call the Rams the overwhelming favorite to win the NFC.

The top challenger in the NFC will likely be the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. Mike Macdonald’s squad could feel slightly disrespected with how much hype the Rams are getting, so they shouldn’t have any complacency going into the season.

The Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have legitimate arguments to contend with the NFC West powerhouses, but those rosters all have questions.

In the AFC, the defending champion New England Patriots had a busy offseason to reload, adding A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs and Kevin Byard. With Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson still in their primes, the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens should also be contenders to reach their first Super Bowls with the MVP quarterbacks.

The Kansas City Chiefs will also be a team to watch after bottoming out last season before Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL. The AFC West is loaded, though, with the AFC finalist Denver Broncos still in the mix and hometown Chargers adding a new play-caller in Mike McDaniel.

The 46-year-old lost 6-2, 7-6 (6) in what could be the final singles match at a Grand Slam, if not her illustrious career. It was Williams’ 14th consecutive singles defeat dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025.

Williams has now lost six in a row at the U.S. Open since winning in the first round in 2019. With doubles coming up later this week with sister Serena, Venus was not ready to contemplate her future in tennis.

“I don’t think I should have to,” Williams told a small group of reporters after the match. “My mind is fully focused on that: how I recover from this completely insane evening and get ready for the next one.”

She and her 27-year-old opponent waited extraordinarily long to take the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, delayed by Novak Djokovic’s 4-hour, 36-minute defeat to Mariano Navone that threatened to move them next door to Louis Armstrong Stadium. The men’s action ended just in time to play on Ashe — but not before making some history.

At 12:13 a.m., it was the latest start to a match at the U.S. Open, six minutes later than the previous record of Aryna Sabalenka against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the round of 32 in 2024.

“It’s not ideal,” Williams said. “I would have preferred something else, definitely. It wasn’t great for either of us, so I think we both tried our best.”

Kenin needed just 32 minutes to win the first set, but Williams took advantage of mistakes and made some shots in the second that gave the late-staying crowd reason to cheer, rallying from down 4-2 to force a tiebreak before losing several set points and striking the ball into the net to end it.

“Venus obviously was playing some amazing tennis,” Kenin said. “I just tried to keep fighting. I didn’t feel 100% game-wise, some nerves, but I tried to do the best to stay strong in those moments.”

Concluding at 2:01 a.m., it became the latest finish for a first-round match in U.S. Open history. It is the third-latest for a women’s match at any stage of the tournament.

“I had a lot of great moments,” Williams said. “As the match progressed, I just kept pushing myself to try to find my best tennis and to find my rhythm. It’s not easy to do in the first round. It’s not easy to do at 1 or 2 a.m. in the morning to try to find your rhythm and play your best, but I tried my best.”

Williams is a quarter-century removed from her second of back-to-back championships in New York. She also won Wimbledon five times from 2000-08 to give her seven Grand Slam singles titles.

Williams and sister Serena won 14 in doubles, including the U.S. Open in 1999 and 2009. They are expected to compete in doubles again this year after receiving a wild-card entry.

“I always try to appreciate it, but it is definitely all business and there’s no room for error,” Williams said. “Try to soak it in, and soaking it in is more fun when the ball’s going in.”

The 39-year-old is out of the U.S. Open after a first-round defeat to Mariano Navone on Sunday night, losing 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a five-set marathon that lasted four hours and 36 minutes. It was the longest opening match of a Grand Slam in Djokovic’s career and became his earliest exit in one in two decades, dating to the 2006 Australian Open. He had never lost in the first round at the U.S. Open.

“I didn’t enjoy myself,” Djokovic said. “I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me.”

The record holder with 24 major titles threw up at least once and later appeared to be cramping when he grabbed at his left foot. Djokovic swallowed pills brought to him by a doctor and had his lower back massaged during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets, and he grimaced after several shots.

Djokovic made 70 unforced errors in a painful performance that ended mere minutes before midnight.

“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there,” Djokovic said. “Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. Yeah, the back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”

With this defeat, 21 years to the day of his U.S. Open debut, the question now lingers as to whether this was Djokovic’s final match at this or any Grand Slam. After the loss, he said he was “trying to address really what’s going on and how far I can go this way.”

It was clear Djokovic was not himself, and the wear and tear of sickness and soreness took its toll. The No. 4 seed from Serbia cruised to early 3-0 and 4-1 leads before blowing them and losing the first set — the first time that happened to him in the first round of the U.S. Open since ’06.

“Just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match,” Djokovic said. “When it comes to match itself and overall feeling of how I felt with body and playing, it was really not enjoyable. I pretty much despised every moment that I spent on the court for that.

With his wife, Jelena, watching from the stands with worried looks on her face, Djokovic had moments where he looked like one of the best to play the sport. His fist pump was reserved after winning the second set, and he put his hand to his ear and gestured to the crowd for applause on the way to taking the third.

But Navone — a 25-year-old from Argentina who earlier this year won his first ATP singles title — did not go away.

Neither did the frustration of not being healthy or at his best. After firing a shot wide in the fourth set, Djokovic landed awkwardly and dropped his racket.

Djokovic all but conceded the fourth set. But he was unable to muster enough for the what would have been his 43rd five-set victory as Navone picked up his first, calling it a dream come true.

“(It) was very tough for me because you are playing with the ‘GOAT’ on this court,” said Navone, who idolized Djokovic growing up. “For sure it’s the best thing I’ve had on court. This is an amazing court and the biggest stage. It’s amazing, the way we play. I mean, five sets. … I’m very happy. I don’t know. What can I say?”

It extended a nightmare stretch for Djokovic, who also lost in the first round at the hardcourt tuneup in Cincinnati earlier this month. That was his first action since losing to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals at Wimbledon.

Djokovic expressed hope Saturday that his early exit at Cincinnati gave him more time to prepare for the U.S. Open but acknowledged concern that the first match at any tournament has become challenging for him in recent years. Instead of overcoming the hurdle and building from there, he is left to contemplate an uncertain future.

Now, the champs can relax and enjoy a treat or two.

Juriënsly De Windt and Shardijon De Lanoi each drove in three runs, and Curaçao won its second Little League World Series title, beating Nevada 11-2 in the championship game on Sunday.

“Every kid (will eat) McDonald’s,” Curaçao coach Railison Gijsbertha said, smiling ear-to-ear, alongside three beaming players who couldn’t wait to take the trophy home to their tiny island nation for the first time in 22 years.

De Windt started on the mound and allowed two runs, one earned, in three innings. Giendry Ryan and Steven Felix were nearly flawless in relief with four strikeouts over the final three innings for the tiny island nation, which previously won the tournament in 2004.

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Curaçao had advanced to the finals by winning the international title in 2005, 2019, 2022 and 2023. This time, the group from Pariba Little League in Willemstad had enough firepower from the mound and at the plate to beat the U.S. champion.

Curaçao went unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament before overcoming an early two-run deficit to the team from Henderson, Nevada.

Ryan fanned four in 2 1/3 innings. Felix forced Nevada’s final batter to pop out to Giendry in center field. Once the ball was safely in his glove, the celebrations began.

Giendry tossed his glove in the air as his teammates swarmed him in the outfield. Curaçao’s infielders showered each other with water as a pack of fans tucked behind the third base dugout waved the Curaçao flag.

Curaçao’s support grew beyond its native fans as the tournament wore on. Many fans from the United States began wearing its signature navy blue and yellow hat, some loaded with signatures that Curaçao players were happy to provide throughout the week.

“When we went to the shop, we saw people from the States were buying our stuff,” Gijsbertha said. “Our team is a good team, a great team, and when they ask us to sign a ball, we do that.”

They were quiet early as it looked like Nevada, the first U.S. team to advance to the championship without a home run, would finally crack Curaçao’s standout pitchers.

Following a bunt from Nevada’s Michael Kleiner, Maddox Bryan lined a single to center field, driving in two runs. Nevada fans along the first base line waved signs, including one featuring World War II icon Rosie the Riveter and dedicated to Carsynn Meyer, the first girl to play for the U.S. in the championship game.

Meyer, who became the first girl to get a hit in the U.S. championship when Nevada beat Ohio on Saturday, went 0 for 2 against Curaçao.

Curaçao tied it when De Lanoi lined a ball off the glove of a diving Kleiner at second base for a two-run single.

The international champs took the lead for good on a two-run double by Jaymiëll Martina in the fourth. De Windt added a bases-clearing double in the fifth that brought the Curaçao fans to their feet. The Curaçao radio broadcast team, which led the crowd in the country’s national anthem before the game, began to exult.

Nevada also was the runner-up last year, falling to Taiwan in the championship game.

“When they look back and kind of realize what they’ve accomplished and what they’ve gained from here on out,” Nevada coach Cory Edwards said, “I hope they shoot me a text or give me a call and just remember that it was a hell of a ride.”

With three rounds of preseason games in the books, teams are analyzing which players are worth keeping, while others look for new homes or join a practice squad.

Several quarterbacks were released, such as Kyle Trask, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, and Nick Mullens, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Former first-round picks on both sides of the ball also couldn’t secure their respective spots.

Let’s look at the notable names that were released on cut day Sunday:

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QB Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

The Levis days are done in Tennessee. A popular 2023 second-round pick, Levis never fully developed after starting in 2024, where he threw 13 touchdowns and 12 picks in 12 games. Cam Ward’s arrival as the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 moved Levis down the ladder, so the 27-year-old QB will look for a new home.

DT Mazi Smith, New York Jets

After being involved in the Dallas Cowboys‘ trade for Quinnen Williams last season, the Jets are moving on from the 25-year-old Smith. A 2023 first-round pick, Smith broke out in 2024 but ended up not doing enough to convince New York early in his tenure. Time will tell how the decision unfolds.

OT Evan Neal, New York Giants

It’s a tough fall for a former first-round pick. The Giants took Neal as the No. 7 overall pick in 2022, but the 6-foot-7 offensive lineman just didn’t pan out. He re-signed with the team this spring, but ultimately couldn’t make it stick in the Big Apple.

WR Mecole Hardman Jr., Buffalo Bills

Hardman Jr. is having a tough time finding a new home that isn’t in Kansas City. This time, it is the Bills that are letting the speedy receiver go. A second-round pick in 2019, Hardman Jr. was a steady contributor for his first four seasons as a Chief, but it just hasn’t worked anywhere else.

DT McKinnley Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are moving on from a once-promising defensive tackle they drafted in the third round in 2024. Jackson played 13 games as a rookie in Cincinnati’s rotation, totaling 15 tackles and 2.5 stuffs. But his sophomore season was underwhelming, thus paving the way for this decision.

LB BJ Ojulari, Arizona Cardinals

Arizona is moving on from a second-round pick in 2023. Linebacker/EDGE BJ Ojulari was one of the key cuts, as the 24-year-old hasn’t bounced back after suffering an ACL tear in 2024. He had a promising rookie season in 2023, where he logged 40 tackles and four sacks in 17 games.

Scheffler signaled his rally with a 5-iron to within 2 inches of the cup on the 211-yard second hole. He caught Viktor Hovland with a 25-foot birdie on the fourth hole, pulled ahead for the first time on the 13th and held on to win at East Lake.

“This was a week I brought a lot of good energy to the course and tried to do my best,” Scheffler said at the trophy presentation. “Coming from behind and being able to win tournaments is a really cool feeling.”

Scheffler won for the third time this year — twice in the last three weeks during the PGA Tour’s postseason — to match Chris Gotterup, Matt Fitzpatrick and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark for most titles in 2026. He won his first FedEx Cup two years ago.

Players vote on the Jack Nicklaus Award for PGA Tour player of the year. Scheffler has won the last four years — another would tie him with Woods for most consecutive awards.

Taking over the top spot in career earnings was inevitable. The $40 million purse at the Tour Championship now counts as official money. Scheffler won $10 million, pushing his career total to $130,390,661.

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Woods, who never played for more than a $10 million purse during his peak years from 1997 through 2008, had been at the top of the career money list for nearly 26 years.

It was a small slice of redemption for Scheffler, who lost in a playoff to Hovland at the Travelers Championship, one of his five runner-up finishes this year.

Hovland made only one birdie and closed with a 72 to finish alone in second, worth $5 million.

Scheffler had two bogeys — one a bad miss with a wedge from the fairway on No. 7, the other from a gnarly lie in the rough on the 14th — and still was the only player from the last three groups of the final round to break par.

The final birdie came from a fairway bunker to 11 feet on the 16th. Hovland had three putts in a four-hole stretch catch the lip of the cup — two for birdie, one for par.

Ryan Gerard, one shot behind Hovland staring out, made double bogey on the opening hole, followed with 13 straight pars and shot 72 to finish alone in third.

Scheffler, who won his season opener in The American Express, ended the year with the 22nd title of his career — 13 of them by at least three shots — and 25th worldwide, including an Olympic gold medal in Paris two years ago.

MicahJo Barnett, a junior business administration major at the Division II school, had a health crisis on the sidelines following the score, according to a statement released by the college.

The home game against Fort Lewis College at Greene Stadium in Liberty, Missouri, was canceled after the incident.

Neither William Jewell athletics nor the NCAA, which also released a statement on Barnett’s death, disclosed the nature of his medical emergency.

Barnett was a Liberty native who played at Liberty North High School, where he helped lead the team to a state championship in 2023, according to records.

“Micah’s life was taken far too soon, leaving his family, friends, teammates, and community heartbroken,” read a message on a GoFundMe page set up for his family by one of his former youth coaches. The post described Barnett as “a talented and kind young man who was loved by so many.”

The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is coming out of retirement and returning to the Los Angeles Rams, he announced on Instagram on Sunday.

Donald is signing a one-year deal worth $20 million that could be worth up to $30 million in incentives, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported.

Donald, one of the most dominant defensive players in NFL history, retired in March 2024 after just 10 NFL seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in each of those 10 seasons, adding in three Defensive Player of the Year awards, eight first-team All-Pro selections, a Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a Super Bowl title in 2022, which the Rams won in their home stadium of SoFi Stadium against the Cincinnati Bengals. He has 111.0 career sacks and 176 tackles for loss, numbers made all the more impressive coming from a defensive tackle.

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The 35-year-old returns to a Rams team that boasts another multi-time Defensive Player of the Year. Los Angeles pulled off the biggest blockbuster of the NFL offseason by reeling in defensive end Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. Garrett comes to L.A. after earning the league’s top defensive honor in 2023 and 2025, along with a new NFL single-season sack record.

The team’s surplus of talent isn’t limited to defense, where it also traded for former first-team All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. The Rams are the first team in NFL history to have the reigning MVP at quarterback (Matthew Stafford) and reigning Defensive Player of the Year on the same roster. The team also has the 2025 NFL leader in receiving touchdowns in Davante Adams and the No. 2 leader in receiving yards in Puka Nacua.

The Rams went to the playoffs in both seasons without Donald, but they are still chasing a division rival. They fell to the Seattle Seahawks in last season’s NFC Championship Game, and Seattle went on to dismantle the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.

Now, with the Super Bowl returning to SoFi Stadium in February, Donald and the Rams are loading up for another potential championship run.

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The summer transfer window deadline day is approaching, meaning the 20 Premier League clubs don’t have much time to finalize their squads for the first half of the campaign.

Once the window closes, teams can no longer sign, sell or loan players, with some exceptions due to other leagues having a later deadline day.

Here’s what to know about the Premier League’s deadline day as the date approaches:

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What is the Premier League Deadline Day?

Deadline Day is the last time a team can sign, sell or loan a player for the rest of the transfer window — until the next one opens. In this case, the next window is January 2027.

When did the Premier League transfer window open?

The summer transfer window opened on Monday, June 15 for the Premier League.

When is the Premier League’s Deadline Day?

Premier League clubs have until 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 1 to make any deals. There is also a two-hour grace period after the deadline for clubs, as long as the respective paperwork is submitted on time.

Who are Premier League players to watch for on Deadline Day?

Two big transfers involve Manchester City buying from fellow “Big 6” clubs. Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo and Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez could be possible additions to stay in the title race.

Gakpo’s arrival would likely be contingent on Liverpool securing another forward, with Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr and Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh two options.

Reigning champions Arsenal are set to part ways with Brazilian forwards Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, so a new forward could join, too. It remains to be seen whether Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez will budge from his Barcelona dream.

Champions League side Aston Villa also need new recruitments following many key sales, while more surprises could be in store.

Messi snapped a 1-1 tie in the 40th minute when he found the net for the 15th time, scoring off a free kick.

The reigning Golden Boot Award winner and league MVP scored for a 3-1 lead in the 52nd minute. His 17th and 18th goals of the season came in the 83rd and sixth minute of stoppage time with the final one also coming off a free kick. Messi began the day two behind Petar Musa of FC Dallas in the goals race.

Carlos Casimiro scored with a header off a corner kick by Telasco Segovia in the 20th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. It was the first goal for the 34-year-old midfielder in his sixth league appearance and a career-best ninth assist for Segovia in his second MLS season.

Montreal tied it in the 37th minute on a goal by Fabian Herbers — his first of the campaign.

Luis Suárez scored his 11th goal with an assist from Messi — his 10th — for a 4-1 lead in the 80th minute and 18-year-old rookie Alexander Shaw made it 6-1 in the 89th with his first goal in three appearances and 37 minutes of play.

Dayne St. Clair finished with three saves for Inter Miami (12-4-6), which finished August with a 1-2-2 record after a fifth straight victory over Montreal.

Thomas Gillier saved five shots for Montreal (5-11-6).

It was Inter Miami’s first victory since beating Montreal 1-0 on the road to close out July. Suárez won that one on a penalty kick in the 81st minute.

Trent Mosley caught seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown in the Orange County product’s dynamic debut for the Trojans, who showcased several promising newcomers in coach Lincoln Riley’s offense. Kayden Dixon-Wyatt also caught a TD pass in his debut, while Riley Wormley and Shahn Alston rushed for their first TDs.

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New USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson’s unit mostly looked sharp while the Trojans built a 35-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but new San Jose State quarterback Luke Weaver led three late touchdown drives against USC’s backup defenders to tighten up the final score considerably.

USC has College Football Playoff aspirations with a restocked roster around Maiava, who went 25 for 29 as the Trojans won their opener at the Coliseum despite being without several expected key contributors due to apparent injuries. Star defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart and presumptive starting receivers Tanook Hines and NC State transfer Terrell Anderson were the biggest absences.

Hawaii transfer Weaver passed for 234 yards and threw fourth-quarter TD passes to Jerry McClure and Jordan Anderson before rushing for a late score. The Spartans’ thoroughly overhauled roster will get a boost from its strong finish to head coach Ken Niumatalolo’s third-season opener.

Maiava began his third season as the Trojans’ starting quarterback by rushing for a score on the opening drive. Dixon-Wyatt caught a short scoring slant in the second quarter, and 2025 breakout star King Miller rushed for a TD and a 28-0 lead right before halftime.

The Trojans lost All-American receiver Makai Lemon and counterpart Ja’Kobi Lane to the NFL, but their possible replacements looked awfully promising. A few defensive players also popped — particularly defensive end Luke Wafle, the top overall recruit in last year’s class by some evaluators. Freshman quarterback Jonas Williams, Maiava’s possible successor next season, played the fourth quarter and passed for 55 yards with an interception.

San Jose State visits Eastern Michigan on Friday, Sept. 4.

USC hosts Fresno State on Friday, Sept. 4.

The Dodgers nearly took the lead in the top of the inning, but with two outs, Báez sprinted over from left field to run down Teoscar Hernández’s drive to the deepest part of the ballpark.

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He then led off the bottom of the ninth with a double and took third on Max Clark’s sacrifice bunt. Jack Dreyer (5-2) intentionally walked Gleyber Torres, but then walked Hao-Yu Lee unintentionally to load the bases.

McGonigle then hit a deep fly to left-center field that hit the warning track and bounced into the Dodgers bullpen. Because the winning run was on third, the play was ruled a single rather than a ground-rule double.

Each starter pitched well, but neither was involved in the decision. Blake Snell allowed one run on three hits in five innings, striking out 10, while Tigers starter Keider Montero gave up one run in 5 1/3 innings.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the third. Báez walked, took second when third baseman Max Muncy misplayed Max Clark’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Gleyber Torres double. McGonigle walked to load the bases with one out, but Snell struck out Dillon Dingler and Eduardo Valencia to end the inning.

Alek Thomas led off the sixth with a double and took third on Shohei Ohtani’s groundout. Freddie Freeman followed with an RBI single, and Mookie Betts’ single ended Montero’s day. Tyler Holton walked Muncy to load the bases, but Tommy Edman hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

The teams finish their three-game series on Sunday afternoon. Tigers LHP Framber Valdez (8-9, 4.35) will pitch for Detroit, while the Dodgers have not announced if Ohtani (8-2, 1.79) will pitch an inning in what would be his first mound appearance since July 3.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Saturday’s 2-1 loss that Ohtani’s knee still isn’t pain free, and he’s also having minor issues with the biceps muscle that troubled him earlier in the inning.

After the game, Roberts said Ohtani would not be used against Detroit and his next pitching outing is up in the air. Tyler Glasnow, who was expected to follow Ohtani, will now start Sunday’s game.

The two-way star hasn’t pitched since throwing six innings in a 4-3 win against the San Diego Padres on July 3, and would have only pitched an inning or two on Sunday.

“The hard part right now is trying to figure out if he’s not 100% in the overall body, is it worth giving him an inning to build him up,” Roberts asked.

Ohtani has been able to hit through the problems – he’s batting .274 with 12 homers in 45 games since his last pitching performance – and the addition of Tarik Skubal has made it easier to win without him in the rotation.

“Luckily enough, I was able to make it to the tunnel before more happened,” Skubal said after allowing one run over six innings to help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 on Friday night. “It’s tough. This is the place I’ve known my entire career since 2018.

“It’s special.”

Skubal was welcomed with cheers and a smattering of boos in his return to Detroit, pitching for the first time against the middling franchise that traded him to the two-time defending World Series champions.

When the visitors’ lineup and Skubal were shown on the videoboard and his name was announced before the first pitch, most of the crowd at Comerica Park clapped for him while some jeered.

The Tigers showed highlights from his seven-season career with the team and posted a message at the end: Thank you, Tarik.

Skubal turned his head to the right a few times to watch the video as he walked from the bullpen beyond the left-field wall and toward the Dodgers’ dugout with a white towel draped around his neck, which he used to wipe away sweat and tears.

He extended his right arm, holding his glove, toward his former teammates and used his left hand to pat his chest.

After the game, Skubal returned to the field to catch up with some of his former teammates.

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Skubal did not appear to react to, or acknowledge, the fans before or during the game and didn’t get a chance to do so as he exited the game because a pitching change was made after the sixth inning in a 1-all game. He struck out seven over six innings with 83 pitches, the fewest since he threw 74 in the season-opening game in March.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the plan was to limit Skubal’s pitches after he threw 106 and 109 in his previous two starts.

In a crowd that had mixed emotions about Skubal’s return, a couple young fans had fitting outfits sporting white Tigers jerseys with 29 and Skubal on the back — and a blue Dodgers hat.

When the left-hander jogged to the mound to pitch for the first time as a visitor in the Motor City, booing fans were heard first followed by more cheers from fans in the stands.

His first pitch was delayed because he appeared to have trouble with his communication device.

After throwing a 96-mph fastball for a ball, Gleyber Torres hit Skubal’s second pitch to center for a double and the crowd roared in unison.

Skubal settled in, striking out Hao-Yu Lee and All-Star Kevin McGonigle and getting All-Star Dillon Dingler to fly out.

“It’s weird to see him on the other side,” McGonigle said before the game.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said the team’s familiarity with Skubal might not be helpful at the plate.

“If anybody knows him, it’s us,” Hinch said. “You can know everything about a pitcher, that doesn’t make it easy to hit.”

That was evident when Skubal retired 12 straight batters, including striking out the side in the third, before Eduardo Valencia led off the fifth with a double. Max Clark followed with a two-out triple in the inning to break a scoreless tie.

The 29-year-old Skubal was drafted by Detroit out of Seattle University in the ninth round of the 2018 draft and spent his entire career with the Tigers until they dealt him earlier this month.

Skubal said in July that it was his preference to finish the season with the Tigers and to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984. The Tigers, though, thought it was wise to trade him before the deadline to acquire three minor league prospects instead of likely losing him in free agency.

Federer, who won 20 Grand Slam events — including a record-setting eight Wimbledon titles — during his career, realizes this is a moment to savor.

“This is important stuff,” he told Carson Daly in an interview that aired Aug. 28 on TODAY. “It’s taken me a lot of hours of playing tennis and a lot of numbers to get here. But this ranks very high, because I’ve achieved a lot, but this is, like, the final hurrah. So I’m very, very excited.”

The Swiss native, who has a hopelessly devoted fan in TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, spent 237 weeks as the No. 1 ranked men’s player in the world. He said he was never focused on being inducted into the hall of fame, but hopes his work on the court will be a blueprint for future generations of tennis players.

“I would like the juniors of the futures to think, ‘I want to be world No. 1, want to get into the Hall of Fame,’” he said. “In Switzerland and in Europe, we’re not so much when it comes to the whole hall of fame thing — ”

“It’s an American thing,” Carson said.

“It’s an American thing, but I think it’s a really good thing, you know, how you preserve history very nicely in this regard,” Federer continued.

Federer and Rafael Nadal volleyed as the greatest tennis players of their generation, enjoying one of the most heated rivalries in the history of the sport. In 2008, they played one of the most memorable matches in history when Nadal won a five-set thriller in the Wimbledon final, ending Federer’s five-year run as champion of the tournament. A few weeks later, Federer was no longer the top-ranked player in the world.

“You strike me as a type of guy that the comeback might be greater than the sustaining of success,” Carson told him.

“I think for me, it’s equal in many ways, you know, the ascent. I thought the ascent to the unknown, let’s say world No. 1 or Wimbledon champion or winning in New York is very, very hard,” Federer said.

“And then maintaining it, I feel like I had a little bit more clarity because I knew what I needed to do. And then comes the unknown again, like, ‘How do I get back?’ Get back on the horse after defeat or how do I get back after surgery? I learned a lot through those moments, and maybe that’s also partially obviously that made me a hall of famer.”

Federer retired in 2022 and has no regrets about calling it quits, saying his body told him it was time.

“My body and my knee has gone through, like, five surgeries,” he said. “That knee is tired. That knee deserves a break, and I played until I was basically 40 years old. I squeezed that lemon out. And I knew that by the end.

“And I’ve also always been of the opinion myself from my own experience in my own career, I can’t speak for anybody else, but I’m not the kind of guy who’s gonna retire and then come back.”

Federer played in an exhibition match earlier this week at the U.S. Open where fans warmly greeted him.

“It was a great moment,” he said. “For me to be able to personally say thank you, also sharing the court with (John) McEnroe, (Andre) Agassi and (Andy) Roddick, all U.S. Open champs, hall of famers. And just, being all together like that and being able to sell out a crowd. That was very, very cool.”

Federer hasn’t left sports behind. He now spends time golfing, spending time on the links with none other than Nadal, who isn’t exactly a pushover there, either.

“The problem is he’s that good that there’s no real rivalry yet, because like chess, when you enter a chess game, you know who’s going to win,” he said.

As Federer reflects on his career in tennis, he is gratified at what he was able to accomplish and leave behind for others, including today’s top stars, like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

“I’m very proud that I was able to play this game,” he said. “When I see the Sinner and Alcaraz do what they’re doing nowadays, I’m, like, ‘What? I used to be there and do something somewhat similar on these courts with the pressure.’ I’m happy that I was able to live that life. And hopefully have also inspired young kids to pick up a tennis racket or do sports and go out there and do it.

“It’s been a wonderful, wonderful journey. I’m very happy and proud of that.”

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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The Atlantic Coast Conference joined its peers in the Big 12, Big Ten and Southeastern Conference on Thursday by approving a ban that also covers professional athletes seeking to return to college to play men’s or women’s college basketball. The Big Ten and SEC implemented their plans Tuesday, while the Big 12’s ruling followed Wednesday.

In its statement, the ACC said its board of directors had unanimously adopted its resolution.

“The board’s action reflects the ACC’s commitment to preserving college sports as an opportunity for college students that is clearly distinct from professional sports, protecting opportunities for current and future student-athletes, and promoting competitive equity,” the league said.

This all has been in response to a rule change passed by the NCAA granting future athletes five years of eligibility. The change has spawned lawsuits seeking to open that rule to players whose four-year careers ended earlier this year — even leading to the once unthinkable notion of players leaving college, signing with professional teams and then returning to college.

At least two players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents this offseason were hoping to play for No. 11 LSU.

“Just to me, that’s kind of a cutoff, when a guy goes pro,” N.C. State football coach Dave Doeren said after Thursday’s practice and before the ACC adopted its policy. “And we say ‘Goodbye, good luck,’ and we move on. And there shouldn’t be the ability to come back. If it’s the Big Ten, SEC — it doesn’t matter to me: it’s an amateurism rule.”

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The ACC’s plan lays out guidelines for ineligibility

Under the ACC resolution, a school is not permitted to include an individual on its football or men’s or women’s basketball roster when he or she:

— Has previously declared for an NFL, NBA, or WNBA draft and did not appropriately withdraw consistent with NCAA requirements to retain eligibility;

— Signed a contract with the NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, WNBA (or affiliate) or any team that is a member of any such league.

— Been listed on any roster for an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) team.

Generally, the conferences covering the top teams in college sports have all adopted a similar stance in seeking to head off the NFL issue with the college football season set to begin with Week Zero games this weekend. But their structures vary.

The Big 12’s rule bars its schools from adding professional athletes in football or any other conference-sponsored sport. The league said its rule would apply independently of the status of NCAA eligibility determinations. The SEC banned players who have been drafted by NFL, NBA or WNBA teams or listed on rosters in those leagues. The Big Ten only included football in its decision and was expected to later address other sports.

On Wednesday, the NFL made it clear that players who leave the NFL to return to college won’t be allowed to come back to the league this season.

Conference-level rules differ from those implemented broadly by the NCAA

There are a number of court cases around the country that are still pending against the NCAA, whose initial ban on pro players dates back more than 100 years.

The question now is whether those players and their attorneys will decide to challenge rules now being set at a conference level.

“I think where this case is headed is nowhere,” said Rick Karcher, a faculty athletics representative at Eastern Michigan and former practicing attorney in sports law. “From an antitrust perspective, as long as conferences aren’t colluding, they can make their own rules about allowing, or not allowing, former professional players to compete.

“And regardless of any injunction order that may be issued, it doesn’t require any school to allow any player to compete on the field and I highly doubt that any schools are going to violate conference rules.”

This is the second time this year that conferences have banded together to essentially stop something that was proceeding desipte NCAA rules against it.

Transfer quarterback Brendan Sorby hoped to play at Texas Tech despite violating NCAA rules against gambling. He won a temporary injunction against the NCAA to compete, though the Big 12 had filed a complaint in U.S. District Court seeking an order backing its ability to use its bylaws for possible sanctions against Texas Tech. Sorsby eventually decided not to play and focus on making an NFL team next season.

“We don’t know for 100% certainty but I think that the conference-level rules have a much better chance of withstanding legal attack than NCAA rules do,” said Mit Winter, an attorney who specializes in sports law. “Because it’s conference by conference deciding to set these rules, it’s really hard to argue that any one conference has market power. To have a successful antitrust claim, the person you’re suing has to have market power.”

AP College Football Writer Eric Olson contributed to this report.

Matchweek 1 featured plenty of twists and turns, including Manchester United falling 2-0 at newly promoted Hull City while Brentford crushed Tottenham 3-0 at home.

Up first in Matchweek 2 is Crystal Palace hosting Manchester City. Enzo Maresca’s side left it late to secure a home comeback win vs. Bournemouth, while Palace fell 2-0 at Everton.

Saturday’s slate will include Tottenham hoping to bounce back at home to a new-look Newcastle side, while two promoted teams in Coventry City and Hull City square off.

The action wraps up on Monday when Aston Villa welcomes reigning title winners Arsenal in a battle of two teams in the Champions League, though the former is dealing with a depleted squad.

Here’s everything to know for Matchweek 2 on NBC and Peacock:

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When is Matchweek 2 of the Premier League?

The next round of games will run from Friday, Aug. 28, to Monday, Aug. 31.

Where to watch Premier League games on TV, online in USA

Premier League games in the U.S. are available across NBC’s platforms, such as Peacock, USA Network and more.

Premier League Matchweek 2 schedule

Here’s a breakdown of the schedule and where to watch each contest:

Friday, Aug. 28:

• 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT: Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City — USA

Saturday, Aug. 29:

• 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT: Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest — USA
• 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT: AFC Bournemouth vs. Everton — Peacock
• 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT: Coventry City vs. Hull City — USA — USA
• 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT: Tottenham vs. Newcastle — NBC/NBC.com

Sunday, Aug. 30:

• 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT: Chelsea vs. Brighton & Hove Albion — USA
• 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT: Leeds United vs. Brentford — USA
• 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT: Sunderland vs. Fulham — Peacock
• 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT: Manchester United vs. Ipswich Town — USA

Monday, Aug. 31:

• 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT: Aston Villa vs. Arsenal — USA

UEFA said Thursday it filed documents in a Manhattan court requesting discovery of potential evidence from the New York investment fund, Thrive Capital Management, founded by Joshua Kushner.

UEFA also filed a request in a southern Florida district for authorization of discovery “in a foreign proceeding” against FIFA itself, which has offices in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables.

Thrive and Kushner were to be the anchor investors intending to pay FIFA $4.2 billion for a 20% stake in a subsidiary that would run the soccer body’s commercial events, including the World Cup.

“UEFA and its counsel are contemplating a Swiss criminal proceeding against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code,” UEFA’s lawyers state in a 56-page document seen by The Associated Press.

The document suggests the $4.2 billion figure could be a “fraudulently off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit.”

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Infantino dropped the sell-off plan on Aug. 1 after a furious backlash by global soccer leaders, including UEFA.

UEFA first threatened to take legal action on Aug. 3 when it warned FIFA against destroying or hiding any “relevant materials” related to the plan.

“Infantino claimed that the plan would ‘unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that FIFA has,’” UEFA lawyers told the courts. “In truth, it was a vehicle for Infantino and that small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and otherwise profit from FIFA’s most valuable assets to the detriment of FIFA, its members, and other parties within the football family.

“Under the terms Infantino announced, those investors stood to acquire a permanent financial interest in FIFA’s commercial arm for $4.2 billion, implying an absurdly low enterprise value of only approximately $20 billion, a figure that was neither the product of an open, competitive auction, nor tested by any independent valuer.”

Spokespeople for FIFA and Thrive have been approached for comment.

The 40-year-old veteran, whose real name is Josimar Évora Dias, arrived in South America on Aug. 2 after Colo-Colo announced his signing on July 24. Paperwork issues and personal matters had delayed his arrival three times, raising concerns among fans and team officials.

Upon landing, Vozinha immediately joined training with the domestic leaders, who currently hold a 13-point cushion over rivals Universidad de Chile.

Since his arrival, the Cape Verdean goalkeeper has been part of the squad for three matches — including last Sunday’s “Superclásico” against Universidad de Chile at the National Stadium — though he remained on the bench for that fixture.

He faces stiff competition for the starting role. With regular goalkeeper Fernando De Paul out injured, 19-year-old academy product Gabriel Maureira has firmly established himself as the team’s starter, earning praise for his standout performance in the “Superclásico.”

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Coach Fernando Ortiz made it clear that Vozinha won’t be handed the job, emphasizing that he will have to earn the starting spot on merit.

“It’s going to be a great competition between Vozinha, Gabriel, and the others who are here,” he said at a media conference prior to the goalkeeper’s arrival. “A big name won’t change my way of thinking; whoever deserves to play will play.”

Vozinha arrived in Chile after wrapping up his stint with Chaves in Portugal’s second division and delivering a standout performance at the World Cup — a tournament where he became a key figure thanks to saves that held their own against powerhouses like Uruguay, eventual champions Spain, and Messi’s Argentina, the team that eliminated Cape Verde in the round of 32.

His performance brought him meteoric fame both on and off the pitch: the Cape Verdean saw his social media following skyrocket from just under 50,000 before the World Cup to over 29 million.

Beginning in February 2022, Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, created fictitious investments to defraud numerous women in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California, according to court documents.

Authorities said both men were arrested when Chan flew from California on Monday to meet Love in Boise, Idaho. Both were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Love would meet most of the women through dating apps and pretend to have a lavish lifestyle on social media, falsely portraying himself as a 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor, according to authorities.

The attorney’s office said Love convinced victims they were in sincere romantic relationships with him, that he was a sophisticated investor and that Chan was his “investment adviser,” who helped Love to grow a fortune of tens of millions of dollars.

Love told the victims he wanted to build wealth and a future with them, authorities said. Officials added Love advertised nonexistent investment vehicles, claiming these investments would generate massive returns for both him and his victims.

Court documents said Love used phone apps to create fictitious bank and investment accounts and balances to show the victims and legitimize the scheme.

Authorities said Love and Chan exchanged electronic communications in which Chan pretended to be Love’s investment adviser and would send messages encouraging Love to invest in new opportunities. Love would then send screenshots of those messages to the victims to convince them to send money to either of them, according to court documents.

The attorney’s office said the pair would have video calls with the victims to show them falsified investment gains and encourage them to part with their money. Authorities added if the victims did not have money, Love sometimes instructed them to take a loan; if they were left with no more money to invest, or asked too many questions, Love would block them, stop any communication with them and keep the money.

Financial records show the pair received about $1.3 million from victim investors, according to authorities. Officials said 26 victims have been identified, but the FBI believes there could be more.

The Williams sisters received a wild card Wednesday and will play doubles together next week, the United States Tennis Association announced.

This will mark the 10th time the pair have played alongside one another in the U.S. Open, a doubles event they have won twice in 1999 and 2009, respectively. The duo has captured 14 major titles together.

The news of their return comes less than a day after Serena Williams, 44, teamed up with 23-year-old phenom Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic mixed doubles run Tuesday. Both returning from injury, Williams and Alcaraz — who boasts seven Grand Slam singles titles — wooed fans with dazzling rallies and impassioned gameplay in an opening round win before getting knocked out in the quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.

Following the loss, Williams told NBC News she was just happy to be back on the court.

“It felt great,” she said. “I haven’t played a ton of tennis, but it still felt good to kind of get back out there and just kind of feel your groove. I honestly never, ever thought I would be back here playing tennis. So it’s kind of surreal.”

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Williams is widely considered the greatest women’s tennis player of all time. She has 39 Grand Slam titles (23 singles, 14 women’s doubles and two mixed doubles) and spent 319 weeks ranked No. 1 in the world. Along with Steffi Graf, she is one of only two women to win all four Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic singles gold medal.

Though she never officially retired, she said she was “evolving away from tennis” in 2022.

Alcaraz, the world No. 3 player, called it a “privilege” to play alongside Williams this week at the U.S. Open.

“I felt the pressure,” he said. “It’s kind of as if I was playing the final of the Grand Slam. I just loved it and I enjoyed every single second.”

Alcarez is coming off a four-month layoff following a right wrist injury he suffered at the Barcelona Open in April.

Williams, meanwhile, returned in June to competitive tennis after a four-year break only to injure her right knee during her first-round singles match at Wimbledon. Given the time away from the game and additional recovery, she noted that her relationship with the game has evolved.

“My relationship with tennis is like a love hate thing,” she told NBC News. “I love it, and then I hate to lose … But it’s definitely more fun now. I just try my best not to put as much pressure on myself.”

The first round of the women’s doubles tournament begins Sept. 3.

The former top Warriors draft pick has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves that includes a player option, his agent Aaron Turner told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Wednesday.

Per Charania, Kuminga will start for the Timberwolves during the 2026-27 NBA season.

Following his up-and-down tenure in the Bay, Golden State traded Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks in February, along with Buddy Hield, in the deal that brought Kristaps Porziņģis to the Warriors. The Hawks subsequently declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option in June after the young forward averaged 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds across 16 games with them.

As the Warriors’ No. 7 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga averaged 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 278 games with Golden State . As a rookie, he helped Golden State win the 2022 NBA championship, and his best season came two years later when he averaged 16.1 points in 74 contests.

But Kuminga was in and out of Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s rotation during his last few seasons with the team and eventually demanded a trade, bringing an end to an often-tumultuous tenure with Golden State.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings were linked to Kuminga this offseason, but instead he lands with a different Western Conference competitor. Kuminga and the new-look Timberwolves will play the Warriors in Golden State’s fifth game of the 2026-27 season on Oct. 28 in Minnesota.

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That streak is ending.

The NFL announced on Wednesday it is eliminating the Pro Bowl event from its calendar. After surveying players over the years, the league will move on from hosting a game or skills games, instead focusing on the individual honor of receiving a Pro Bowl nod.

“The Pro Bowl has always been about recognizing the players who distinguish themselves as the very best in the NFL,” Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president, club business, international and league events, said in a statement. “A Pro Bowl selection will return to its original purpose, honoring the best of the best. We want that distinction to carry even greater meaning for the players, their families, their clubs and our fans.”

In place of the event, Pro Bowlers will receive an invitation to Los Angeles for an in-person celebration in February.

There will be 88 players on offense, defense and special teams across both conferences selected.

The process of voting for Pro Bowlers will also remain the same. Ballots cast by players, coaches and fans are weighted equally to determine the selections. There will be no alternate selections.

The 2027 Pro Bowl roster will be revealed in December “through an enhanced announcement,” the league said.

Additional details on the Pro Bowl celebration, roster reveal and player recognition will be announced by the league at a later date.

NBC Sports on Wednesday said the game averaged 3.31 million viewers across the platforms, making it the most-watched regular-season game since the WNBA’s inaugural opening weekend in 1997.

The game peaked at 3.82 million viewers as the Fever won 113-90 behind Caitlin Clark’s 37 points and 10 assists.

The game now ranks as the third-most-watched all time in the regular season, trailing the following two 1997 opening weekend games: New York Liberty-Los Angeles Sparks (5.04 million) and Charlotte Sting-Phoenix Mercury (3.59 million).

Both games were also on NBC.

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The 2026 WNBA season marked the league’s return to NBC for the first time since 2002.

There was controversy in the Sky-Fever game, however, as former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected following a courtside confrontation with Chicago guard Natasha Cloud.

Kanter has since been banned from Chicago’s home games.

NBC Sports’ regular-season WNBA coverage will conclude on Monday, Sept. 21. The Liberty will host the Atlanta Dream on Peacock and NBCSN, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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The Cup Series will visit Daytona International Speedway in Florida for its second race of 2026 at the historic track. While it’s not as prestigious as the season-opening Daytona 500, the annual summer event serves as the last race before the Chase for the Championship begins.

The regular season started at Daytona in February and will now end at Daytona in August. Drivers will battle it out on the 2.5-mile oval this weekend, marking their last chance to get into the postseason and keep their championship hopes alive.

So, what’s in store for Daytona? What’s the TV schedule for the weekend? And who could contend for the win on Saturday night? Here’s everything to know for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

When is the NASCAR race this weekend at Daytona?

Before the race, there will be a two-round qualifying session and one driver will not make the race. All 41 drivers hit the track for single-lap qualifying to set their fastest speed, with the slowest non-chartered car missing the race. The top-10 drivers in the first round will advance to round two, where they will get another lap to set the top-10 order. Positions 11-40 will be based on first round speeds.

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NASCAR TV schedule this weekend for Daytona

Leigh Diffey (play-by-play), Jeff Burton (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call for USA Sports, with Marty Snider, Kim Coon and Dave Burns reporting from pit road.

Here’s the full schedule for Daytona:

Who is racing at Daytona? Here’s the entry list

Forty-one drivers will show up to Daytona, but only 40 can make the race. The 36 full-time cars are locked in, leaving five part-time entries to fight for four spots. Austin Hill will continue to fill in for Kyle Busch, as he has since the former champion died in May due to sepsis.

The drivers not locked into the race include NY Racing Team’s Joey Gase, Beard Motorsports’ Casey Mears, Garage 66’s Gray Gaulding, 23XI Racing’s Corey Heim and Live Fast Motorsports’ Daniel Dye.

Here’s the entry list for the Coke Zero Sugar 400:

NASCAR Chase for the Championship standings

The battle for the championship is heating up with NASCAR’s new postseason format, with Daytona serving as the regular season finale.

Ditching the convoluted playoff system used from 2014 to 2025, the series is going back to the “Chase” format used from 2004 to 2013. The top 16 drivers after Daytona will make the Chase, with an incremental points gap from the top to the bottom. Whichever driver leads the standings after the 10-race Chase is the champion.

Entering the Daytona finale, the top 13 drivers have mathematically clinched a spot. There are five drivers fighting for the final three spots, with everyone below them already eliminated. Here’s the points standings and clinching scenarios entering Daytona:

1. Denny Hamlin, 1,001 points (clinched No. 1 seed)
2. Ryan Blaney, 924 points
3. Ty Gibbs, 880 points
4. Tyler Reddick, 860 points
5. Christopher Bell, 738 points
6. Chase Briscoe, 727 points
7. Kyle Larson, 708 points
8. Chase Elliott, 707 points
9. Joey Logano, 682 points
10. Chris Buescher, 676 points
11. Carson Hocevar, 672 points
12. William Byron, 644 points
13. Daniel Suárez, 638 points
14. Bubba Wallace, 630 points (needs two points to clinch automatically)
15. Austin Cindric, 599 points (needs 33 points to clinch automatically)
16. Shane van Gisbergen, 586 points (needs 46 points to clinch automatically)
17. Ryan Preece, 555 points
18. Brad Keselowski, 520 points

NASCAR Daytona picks and predictions

Daytona can produce some random winners, but Team Penske’s dominant summer should continue at Daytona.

All three drivers for the organization are past winners at the track, with Ryan Blaney visiting victory lane there last summer. Joey Logano has led themost laps of all drivers at Daytona since 2023, and Austin Cindric won the Daytona 500 in his first attempt in 2022.

Beyond the Penske Fords, the other contenders could include Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher.

Byron is a three-time Daytona winner, including his first career victory at the summer race in 2020. Wallace is a three-time runner-up at Daytona and led a race-high 40 laps in February’s Daytona 500. Buescher has six top-10s in his last seven Daytona starts, with a win in the 2023 summer race.

Daytona is often about finding sleepers, though, and that’s the hardest part about predicting this track. Erik Jones got his first career win at Daytona in 2018, and he was fifth last summer. Alex Bowman has four top-10s in his last seven Daytona starts. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was second in the Daytona 500 and he has two wins at this track. All three of those drivers, who are eliminated from Chase contention, could surprise the field on Saturday.

NASCAR past winners, race history for Daytona

Twelve of the 41 drivers entered are past winners at Daytona.

Byron and Hamlin lead the way with three victories each at the track, followed by Blaney, Dillon and Stenhouse Jr. with two each. Keselowski, Cindric, Reddick, Buescher, Logano, McDowell and Jones are one-time winners.

The statement comes after Walter sold his controlling interest in the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger in a major shakeup for the 17-time NBA champions and a stunning record-setting deal just months after Walter purchased the franchise. The TWG Global statement said Walter was approached by Kusher, the brother of President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his investment team about the transaction.

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“Mr. Walter was approached by Josh Kushner and his team about this transaction and the agreement represents a 25% premium to the price paid by Mr. Walter less than a year ago (and an even higher premium to the $5.0 billion valuation Mr. Walter paid in 2021) — hardly a ‘fire sale,’” the statement said. “Regarding the Los Angeles Dodgers, to be clear, the team is not being sold and no sale process has been initiated. Dodgers’ president Stan Kasten, who is the public face of the franchise, has emphatically stated this position in on-the-record interviews in no uncertain terms.”

Kasten on Friday issued a forceful response to questions about a possible Dodgers sale.

“The Dodgers are not being sold. They’re not for sale. There’s no process that has been started to sell it, period,” he told reporters before the team’s game against Pittsburgh. “We are planning only to win.”

The lengthy TWG statement added that Walter and his Dodgers ownership partners “continuously” receive interest from prospective buyers and co-investors.

“TWG is not looking to sell its sports assets at ‘fire sale’ prices to raise capital for its insurance operations,” the statement continued.

Walter is the CEO of global investment and advisory firm Guggenheim Partners and CEO and co-chairman of holding company TWG Global. Walter and Guggenheim Partners are being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and the Securities and Exchange Commission for potential insurance fraud, according to multiple reports.

Walter is cooperating with the investigation.

During his tenure with the Dodgers, Walter has typically remained behind the scenes with Kasten or other team executives making public statements.

“I know nothing involving the Dodgers is part of the investigation,” Kasten said Friday.

The statement referenced what the company called “multipronged attacks against TWG” and represented its most detailed public response related to the investigations.

Attention on the investigations was renewed with news of the Lakers transaction in early August. The Lakers deal requires the approval of the NBA’s board of governors. The panel is scheduled to meet in New York next month.

Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers in 2012 for $2.15 billion. In the statement, the company rejected allegations of financial misconduct in the purchase and operation of the club, which has won three World Series titles since the transaction.

“The Dodgers transaction was subject to significant scrutiny and complied with all rules and regulations that govern the purchase of Major League Baseball teams,” TWG Global said in its statement. “The transaction was subject to a full investigation conducted by an outside law firm on behalf of insurance regulators from multiple states, which identified no irregularities and resulted in no further action, effectively resolving the matter.

“The Dodgers have the highest revenue in baseball, and it significantly exceeds the team’s obligations to its players.”

Walter’s other sports properties include the LA Sparks, Professional Women’s Hockey League and TWG Motorsports.

His agreement to buy a controlling stake in the Lakers last summer was valued at $10 billion, eclipsed only by the Iger-Kushner deal.

The $12.5 billion price tag for the Lakers is far beyond previous record NBA deals. Just three years ago, former Bulls superstar Michael Jordan sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets for a $3 billion valuation. The Boston Celtics were sold last year to private equity mogul Bill Chisholm at a valuation of just over $6 billion.

The Lakers most recent title was 2020 at the end of a pandemic-shortened season.

Teams are under construction as decision-makers frantically try to meet requirements for both the active roster and practice squad.

Some cuts will be easy, while others will be difficult decisions that could come back to haunt teams. Can you keep a hidden gem on your practice squad, or will they be scooped up by a savvy rival? The regular season is inching closer with the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots kicking things off Sept. 9 on NBC and Peacock.

Here’s a full breakdown of NFL cutdown day in 2026:

What is NFL cutdown day?

Cutdown day is the deadline when teams must trim their preseason rosters to fit the regular season roster size. They can accomplish this by releasing players, trading players or moving players to the practice squad.

When are NFL roster cuts in 2026?

Previously, there were cutdown days after every preseason week to gradually trim rosters down from 90 to 53. That rule changed in 2024, as there’s now just one date when teams must get to 53 players: Sunday, Aug. 30.

By 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, rosters must be in compliance with regular season rules.

Notable NFL roster cuts this year

Teams have already started to trim their rosters ahead of Sunday’s deadline. Here are some of the players who have been cut so far (as of the Wednesday, Aug. 26):

• Browns TE Dea’Quan Wright
• Bengals OT Cody Ford
• Texans LB Marte Mapu
• Raiders WR Noah Brown

When does the NFL preseason end in 2026?

The third and final week of the 2026 preseason concludes on Saturday, Aug. 29.

That leaves every team with limited time to make their final roster cuts. Week 3 will have four games Thursday (Aug. 27), 10 games Friday (Aug. 28) and two games Saturday (Aug. 29) before roster cuts Sunday (Aug. 30).

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How many players are on an NFL team in 2026?

Teams are allowed to carry 90 players in the offseason, but rosters must be cut to 53 players by Aug. 30 and remain at that number throughout the season.

Despite having 53 players on the roster, only 48 can be active on game day.

In addition to the 53-man active roster, each club can carry up to 17 players on its regular season practice squad. Players can also be placed on injured reserve or non-football injury list, which doesn’t count toward the 53-man roster.

NFL practice squad rules for 2026

Practice squads can consist of up to 17 players, as long as one is considered an international player. That player can be chosen through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program or via their own scouting department.

Here are the qualifications for practice squad players, who can be signed by any other team and leave immediately at any time if it’s for an active roster spot:

• Players who do not have a season of NFL experience (rookies).
• Players who were on the active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only season (second-year players).
• Up to 10 players per team who have played no more than two seasons (no game limitations).
• Up to six players per team with no limit to their number of seasons played (veterans).
• However, the number of players in those last two categories cannot exceed 10 players combined.

The 2026 Milan Cortina star announced on social media that she will take the rest of the 2026-27 figure skating season off before returning for the 2027-28 season.

“While people are announcing programs, imma take this time to announce that I will not be competing this season,” Liu wrote in an Instagram post. “I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve. It’s important to me that my sport reflects my personal growth. I’m gonna take the time to recalibrate, fine-tune things & whatnot. So fear not, I’ll be back, & in the meantime I’ll be rooting for my teammates near & far. See yall soon!!”

It’s been a whirlwind year for the Bay Area native, who was raised in Oakland. In February, Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic singles gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002. That breakout performance led to incredible opportunities off the ice, including sharing a moment with Taylor Swift, appearing in a music video for Laufey and attending the Louis Vuitton show at Paris Fashion Week.

This isn’t the first time that Liu is stepping away from figure skating, but she didn’t have any plans to return the last time she did it. Following her 2022 Olympic debut, Liu retired at age 16 before returning unexpectedly two years later with a newfound love for the sport.

Liu, now 21, dominated upon returning from her brief retirement. She won gold at the women’s world championships in 2025 before her Olympic run earlier this year.

It’s unclear exactly where Liu will return to competition, but the earliest would be in July 2027. She had previously been scheduled to compete at Saatva Skate America from Nov. 13-15 in Everett, Washington.

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The SEC’s rule goes beyond the one adopted earlier in the day by the Big Ten, which only included football in its decision and is expected address other sports later.

The news was the latest in a head-spinning week of court rulings, emergency rulemaking sessions and player signings, all of which point to a college sports landscape in disarray. The moves by the nation’s two biggest conferences, four days before the start of football season, are intended to tamp down the latest crisis — one involving players who came back to college after being released from pro rosters.

“I feel like I took a freaking gummy,” said Sean McVay, the coach of the Los Angeles Rams, when asked about the prospect of a player he released returning to college. “I don’t even understand it.”

The rules — which seem likely to be challenged in court — came after a series of losses for the NCAA in state courts around the country, where judges are granting players who graduated high school in 2022 a fifth year of eligibility. In June, the NCAA passed a rule giving most players five years to finish five seasons of eligibility in college, but did not grandfather in the Class of ’22.

Hundreds of those players saw their fourth — and supposedly final — year of eligibility run out last spring. They are arguing that they’re being denied educational opportunities and the chance to earn name, image and likeness money that they could get in a fifth year.

College rosters are largely set and incoming freshmen and other new players on teams are now faced with sudden competition from athletes whose eligibility had supposedly run out.

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LSU was quick to nab players after court rulings

The SEC rule puts LSU on notice. This week, Tigers coach Lane Kiffin was adding Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, a pair of undrafted players out of Mississippi who had tryouts in the NFL over the summer, but were released by their teams during training camp.

The rule, which also applies to players signed by the NBA G League, will impact players like R.J. Luis Jr. On Monday, the former St. John’s star won a court ruling that allowed him to sign with Will Wade’s basketball program at LSU despite having briefly been under contract with the Jazz and Celtics of the NBA.

Kiffin suggested in a news conference Monday that if LSU didn’t take these newly eligible players, other teams certainly would. Now, nobody can — at least not among the 34 teams that make up the two biggest leagues in college and play an outsize role in spearheading policy across the industry.

There was no immediate comment from LSU.

“Over 100 athletes in multiple sports were cleared and said you could go play. That’s a court order,” Kiffin said earlier Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN. “If you think back on all the different court orders of great players that were granted — whether that’s Diego Pavia or, now, Trinidad (Chambliss) that were allowed to play a sixth year, we followed all court orders. I think you get into a really interesting situation as a conference if you’re now saying, ‘Well, we’re not going to follow this court order.’”

The Big Ten’s penalties for violating its rule include a half-season suspension for the head coach and a fine for the school. The SEC did not immediately divulge its penalties, though commissioner Greg Sankey is expected to have wide latitude in figuring out punishment.

The other Power Four leagues, the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conferences, are expected to discuss the issue Wednesday.

“I don’t think anybody in our league likes the idea of taking away opportunities from existing college students and graduating high school players, which is exactly what is happening when a school signs a player out of an NFL camp to their team,” Wake Forest athletic director John Currie wrote in a text message to The Associated Press.

The leagues and NCAA are using the eligibility crisis as a selling point for the Protect College Sports Act, a bill in the Senate that would give the NCAA some protection against the sort of lawsuits that are upending college athletics.

But that bill is weeks away from a vote. Football season starts Saturday, with the featured game taking place in Ireland, where TCU faces North Carolina.

“It’s a rudderless ship right now,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “I mean, I don’t know who’s in charge of football anymore.”

Duke coach Manny Diaz said the Power Four conferences need to present a unified front.

“You wouldn’t run any other type of corporation, organization, anything else, the way we’re being run right now,” he said. “And so I hope the leagues do step up because somebody has to right now, because when there’s a vacuum, this is what you see.”

___

AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard and Stephen Hawkins and AP freelance writer Dan Greenspan contributed to this report.

Thompson held his introductory press conference on Tuesday and shared why he chose to join Miami, emphasizing his desire to play for head coach Erik Spoelstra even with no prior relationship.

“Not really, but I know Coach Spo’s story,” Thompson told the media. “I know the respect he commands in the world of basketball is very high. We’re from the same city, so I’ve heard great things. He went to Jesuit just like my brother did and they got a lot of family friends who have known him for a long time. And nothing but great things have been said. I know him and Steve Kerr worked together for a couple of stints with Team USA and Steve had nothing but great things to say and so did my friends who have played for the Miami Heat.

“I know it’s a demanding atmosphere and it’s one that’s really competitive and that’s what attracted me to being here. That’s something that I think reflects my mindset to a tee, so that was an easy choice for me.”

Thompson was set to enter the final year of a three-year, $50 million contract that he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2024, but after agreeing to a buy-out, he agreed very early on to join Miami. Thompson left money on the table when he signed with the Heat, instead choosing a destination where he could compete for another NBA championship.

“The opportunity to play high-level basketball throughout the season and a chance to make a deep postseason run,” Thompson said. “Those things were so attractive to me. Obviously, you want to maximize your earning potential as an athlete, but I’ve tasted winning before and there’s really nothing like it. Even getting there and failing is better than not even having a shot at it. I’m not saying that’s gonna happen, I’m just saying the opportunity to win again at a very high level was attractive to me. Looking at the roster, it looked like a great fit as far as me being able to space the floor and attack from the perimeter and have great help defenders behind me.

“And especially at this stage in my career, I get to play a specific role and my voice will go a long way hopefully with this team and lead by example.”

Thompson, a four-time champion with the Warriors who spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the franchise, developed into one of the NBA’s best shooters and formed the Splash Brothers with Steph Curry. A five-time All-Star and a multi time All-Defensive team selection, Thompson’s career in Golden State was a legendary one. But after missing both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with injuries, Thompson’s performance slowly declined and the Warriors chose not to re-sign him following 2023-24.

Thompson is 36 years old and in the twilight of his career, but the Bay Area legend is eager for one last ride with one of the NBA’s most historic franchises.

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The celebration was short-lived.

After winning their debut playing together, Williams and Alcaraz got knocked out in the mixed doubles quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 5-4 (4), 4-1 on Tuesday. Cobolli before the match called their opponents “the queen of tennis and the king of now.”

The star-studded duo with a combined eight U.S. Open singles championships certainly earned that praise. Williams and Alcaraz bounced back from a slow start in the first round to defeat Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1, much to the delight of fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium who were clearly on their side.

“I never expected to be back on this court,” Williams said after her first match at Flushing Meadows since 2022. “I never thought this would happen.”

Now the question is whether she will seek an encore performance in women’s doubles alongside older sister Venus. Serena, who is back playing tennis at age 44, does not plan to play singles.

Williams in her latest mixed doubles cameo — she won the U.S. Open with Max Mirnyi in 1998 — hit some vintage shots that looked straight out of her prime. Early on, she even carried Alcaraz, the 23-year-old defending champion who’s ranked third in the world in men’s singles and was clearly rusty in his first competitive action since April 14.

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“I think everybody could see: I double-faulted on the first point,” said Alcaraz, who missed the French Open and Wimbledon because of a right wrist injury and wore a sleeve on that arm. “I was really, really nervous. I was out for four months … I almost forget how it feels.”

Fans chanted, “Come on, Carlos!” and “Let’s go, Serena, let’s go!” But the pair was overpowered by Bencic and Cobolli, letting a first-set tiebreaker slip away and getting dominated in the second.

Bencic was in awe of the aura Williams and Alcaraz carried on to the court, even after beating them, and Cobolli acknowledged being tight just because of the opponents.

“I don’t know how I landed on this court to play Carlos and Serena,” Bencic said. “It was an honor to play.”

The matches in the first three rounds feature sets to four games, with a tiebreaker at 4-all and a 10-point tiebreaker instead of a third set. Only the final on Wednesday night will resemble a regular match, with traditional sets to six games.

The champions get $1 million in the second year of the new mixed doubles format that is meant to attract top players.

Owner Michael Alter made the announcement in a rare news conference on Tuesday. Alter told reporters Freedom is not allowed inside of Wintrust Arena for Sky games “unless sometime in the future, he’s able to prove to us that he’s able to abide by our rules without being a potential threat.”

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Freedom was removed from Sunday’s game after he was confronted by Sky guard Natasha Cloud late in the third quarter.

Freedom was sitting along the baseline wearing a black shirt that read “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”

The Fever called for a timeout after Cloud scored inside with 1:22 left in the third. Cloud then did a chest bump with teammate Aicha Coulibaly before turning around and walking in Freedom’s direction.

Cloud, 34, started yelling and pointing at Freedom, 34, as she approached him. A standing Freedom held his arms out and stepped onto the court as security and a handful of Sky players moved in between the two.

“It was pretty clear to us that his purpose of coming here was trying to be provocative and see how much attention he could get,” Alter told reporters from the Chicago Sun-Times and other media outlets.

Freedom stopped near the basket to plead his case to security as he was escorted from the court area. He spun around while holding his shirt out and encouraged the crowd to respond as he walked toward the front lobby.

He had a conversation with a group of police officers before departing the arena.

“I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN!” Freedom wrote on social media. “Let that sink in, AMERICA!”

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Freedom and Royce White, another former NBA player, have declared for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women. But a person familiar with the decision told the AP on Monday that they are not eligible. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.

The WNBA has been the subject of recent debates on whether transgender women — people assigned male at birth who transition to align with their gender identity — should be allowed to participate in the league. There has never been such a player in the WNBA.

Although the league’s collective bargaining agreement says the WNBA is restricted to women, it contains no more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth.

Pirela, 34, was detained earlier this month at El Paso International Airport while on a work-related trip, and was released on bond after just over a week. Online federal detainee records do not show him in custody, while Pirela’s family members told news outlets he has returned home to his family in Arizona.

Pirela’s family members have said he came to the United States from Venezuela, has a pending asylum case, and has a work permit.

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement earlier this month that Pirela entered the U.S. legally in 2014 and “was granted permission by the Obama administration to remain in the country until February 10, 2018.”

The spokesperson said Pirela then “overstayed his welcome” and was arrested after he was found without legal documentation.

The San Diego Padres baseball team released a statement on Tuesday, saying: “We are pleased that Oswaldo Pirela has been released on bond and reunited with his family. Out of respect for his privacy and the ongoing matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”

Before joining the Padres’ minor league system as a coach in 2024, Pirela played from 2009 to 2011 for the Texas Rangers organization in the Dominican Summer League.

“Obviously it’s a very tough situation,” Shanahan said. “Views for organization going forward is the same, as usual. There won’t be any difference in that, but I know it’s just extremely fresh. I think it’s a very, very personal situation. 

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Jed, I’ve got a lot of respect for Danielle [York]. Their family does mean a lot to me, so with it being this personal I’m trying as hard as I can to keep it that way.”  

Prior to pleading no contest to two misdemeanor charges, the team owner has not been around the facility during training camp, spending time in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. While his imprint is on the organization as the majority owner, the players, coaches and staff in the building are working though the dog days of training camp and preparing for their third exhibition game with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday evening. 

Shanahan did not feel the need to address the situation with his players, and while the incident has been discussed informally, Tuesday’s on-field session went on as scheduled. 

“It’s the same as always,” Shanahan said. “Jed has been as good as it gets since I’ve been here, letting the football people make football decisions. Jed always wants to be informed and a part of things, but Jed has just been exactly what he said he would be, letting us make those decisions. 

“He always wants to know about them, and whether he’s here in the building or a text away or on a phone call that doesn’t change anything.” 

Fred Warner was in lockstep with his coach in regards to York’s privacy. The team captain shared that while his teammates comprehend what transpired, there was no need to delve into details any further than what already was publicized. 

“We are all aware,” Warner said after practice. “We all have social media, so we see things. But at the same time I got a lot of love, a lot of respect for Jed and don’t feel the need to comment on the situation. I think the team is the same way. 

“It really wasn’t a conversation being had in the locker room. Of course you notice it, but we are all so hyperfocused in this building of trying to prepare for Week 1. A lot of guys are on the bubble trying to make the team. We are just trying to get better as a football team. That’s a personal situation, and letting it stay personal with him. 

Since Shanahan and general manager John Lynch took over the helm of the team 10 years ago, York has taken a much more hands-off approach than was seen in his earlier days as CEO. From 2008 and leading up to the opening of Levi’s Stadium in 2014, York was more vocal, making broad statements about the future of the team. 

Since the arrival of Lynch and Shanahan in 2017, York has kept his promise to let the two executives take care of the football side of the business. 

“That’s what people love about this place,” Shanahan said. “Jed’s trusted over football to people who are involved in football, and players feel that. I’ve been in too many other buildings where things do trickle down, and when they do trickle down, and things don’t totally make sense. It wears on players more than anything. 

“Here it is pretty black and white for them. They know it’s always football decisions. Everything has always been football decisions because they know that Jed has put us in charge of making those.”  

The team will travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday afternoon after a walk-through in preparation for their preseason finale on Thursday evening. 

Golf was never meant to have a Super Bowl or a World Series, no matter how hard the tour has tried to make it feel that way over the last 20 years. What matters is a green jacket in April and a silver claret jug in July. Golf has been defined by four majors since Arnold Palmer said so in 1960.

So whether the new postseason format that CEO Brian Rolapp announced Tuesday — seven days of match play over two weeks in two cities — is an improvement over the previous iterations remains to be seen.

But he delivered the right message with one phrase when Rolapp called it “one of the most difficult tournaments to qualify for and win.”

That’s all it is, and that’s enough.

The season starts with as many as 20 tournaments against the strongest fields, and the leading 90 players advance to the BMW Championship. The No. 1 player at the end of the week is the season winner (“Champion golfer of the year” is already taken) and handsomely rewarded.

The top 32 advance to the two-week Tour Championship — four players in eight groups (World Cup fever!) and the top two from each group move on to the final week. Then it’s single elimination with a twist — everyone has to stick around to the end so there’s more than just two players on the course by Sunday.

Odds are the leader in points before the Tour Championship will have played the best golf (lately that has been Scottie Scheffler). And it’s just as likely that players who captured one or more of the majors that year would not be losing any sleep if the year didn’t end with a FedEx Cup title.

Rory McIlroy is the only three-time winner of the FedEx Cup, and he was never golf’s best player any of the years he won. It was Jason Day early and Dustin Johnson late in 2016. It was Brooks Koepka in 2019. And it was Scheffler, whom McIlroy beat by making up a six-shot deficit at East Lake on the final day in 2022.

He was proud of all three titles for different reasons. McIlroy had lost chances to win in 2012 and 2014, so it was important just to have his name on the trophy. It felt big in 2019, too, mainly because the year before he was in the final group when Tiger Woods got swallowed up by the gallery on the 18th hole. That was a cool moment, and then McIlroy got his turn.

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“You could argue that each of the FedEx Cups I’ve won I maybe wasn’t the best player of the entire year,” McIlroy said Tuesday. “But I always felt like it was a way to redeem myself or end the year on a really positive note.”

And starting in 2028?

In some respects, it’s going back to previous times when there was a Tour Championship winner and a FedEx Cup champion. Those trophies were presented the same day. Now it’s two weeks apart.

Dual winners famously happened in 2009 when Woods won the FedEx Cup and Phil Mickelson won the Tour Championship. That prompted Mickelson to say at the trophies presentation: “Let me see if I get this straight. I shot 65 … and he gets a check for $10 million.”

It was funnier back then.

More awkward was in 2018 when Woods won the Tour Championship, his first victory after five years and four back surgeries. That might be one of the great trivia questions: Who won the FedEx Cup that year? Justin Rose.

And that led to the infamous change to “starting strokes,” which was a lot better than it sounded.

It rewarded the best player through the season — with increased points value in the two playoff events — and he was given a two-shot lead at 10-under par before any shots were hit. It sounded goofy, yes. But it was the same advantage as resetting points based on seeding.

The media lampooned it from Monday to Thursday. No one really talked about it the rest of the week because the leaderboard was clear without doing longhand math on a whiteboard. Then again, the player who took the fewest shots that week could finish second (Xander Schauffele).

And now it should be clear. The best player. A bonus competition for the 32 best players, whittled down over two weeks on two golf courses in match play. The hardest tournament for which to qualify, the toughest to win.

The ultimate measure of success is how long it lasts before it gets changed.

At least one in four NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had the degenerative brain disease, a new study published Tuesday in the British Medical Journal revealed.

Of the 878 players who appeared in at least one NFL game and died in that six-year period, 235 had their brains donated to research with 215 of them found to have CTE, according to the study.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been linked to concussions and other repeated head trauma common in contact sports like football. It can only be diagnosed after death, so the research is only possible if brains are donated by players or their families.

Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, the study’s lead author, said the estimate of 25% is on the “low end.” More than 90% of brains donated for the study had CTE, but Daneshvar said the true rate is likely “somewhere in the middle.”

“Similarly, we and others have shown that in NFL players, specifically, there is about a four times higher rate of death from neurodegenerative disease than the general population,” he added.

The study included research collected from Mass General Brigham, Boston University and the Concussion & CTE Foundation. Daneshvar is the chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.

“The NFL continuously strives to make the game of football safer, including by implementing strategies to reduce concussions and head impacts,” the league said in a statement. “The NFL remains committed to ensuring that the NFL community has access to a robust — and expanding — set of resources to enhance their physical and mental well being.”

Daneshvar said that cumulative force of hits to the head are the biggest predictor of CTE. Eliminating hits during practices and limiting youth participation in tackle football will help mitigate risk, he argued.

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“If the changes that have been implemented at the NFL level, including reducing the amount of contact in sports practices to less than one per week, were propagated at the collegiate, high school, and youth levels, athletes would be better off,” Daneshvar said.

“We know that nearly 70% of head impacts are occurring in practice. So without changing a single minute of game time at any of those levels, we can be substantially reducing the cumulative head impact burden that these individuals are experiencing throughout their lives.”

The tyke somehow managed to sneak onto the pitch at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, during Minnesota’s 5-1 victory. The moment took place during stoppage time in the second half.

“There’s a baby on the field,” Apple TV announcer Kyndra de St. Aubin said, as a staffer working the match carried the child onto the sidelines. The person handed off the youngster to the sidelines.

“How did they make it all the way out there?” de St. Aubin continued.

“You could hear the noise, and then you’re looking to see what it is. Oh, man, it’s a little bit too early to get a lifetime ban from a stadium,” Minnesota coach Cameron Knowles joked after the game, according to The Athletic.

On X, de St. Aubin also mentioned the incident, tweeting alongside game footage, “Definitely a moment I won’t forget!”

Minnesota alluded to the incident while celebrating its victory.

“Like taking money from a baby,” it wrote on X.

While a child on the field of play in a professional sporting event is not something you typically see, it is something that has happened before during an MLS match.

In June 2025, the D.C. United’s match in Washington, D.C. against the Chicago Fire was interrupted when a toddler got onto the pitch.

In 2021, a mother zipped onto the field to bring in her 2-year-old son after he made his way there when FC Cincinnati hosted Orlando City FC.

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Squads from the AFC South and NFC North are joining the program this season after Nike debuted the collection in 2025 with the AFC East and NFC West.

Each team wears its Rivalries uniform for one game per season against a divisional foe. Teams who had new uniforms last season will bring them back for this year, making it now half the league with a Rivalries set. The collection will expand to eight more teams in 2027 (AFC West and NFC East) and the final eight in 2028 (AFC North and NFC South).

Here are the new NFL Rivalries uniforms for 2026 (listed alphabetically):

Chicago Bears

Uniform debut: Week 16, Dec. 25 (vs. Packers)

From the team: “Gives Bears heritage a modern update, using a midnight palette, burnt orange accents and striping inspired by classic team design and the Chicago flag. Bold orange pants and heritage details nod to George Halas and the return of the ‘Monsters of the Midway.'”

Detroit Lions

Uniform debut: Week 8, Nov. 1 (vs. Vikings)

From the team: “Honolulu blue meets black to mimic the intense gaze of a Lion as it locks on to its prey with unwavering focus; adding a fierce edge.”

Green Bay Packers

Uniform debut: Week 5, Oct. 11 (vs. Bears)

From the team: “A fresh take on the iconic green and gold celebrating the franchise’s unique legacy and the traditions that have defined the Packers for more than a century.”

Houston Texans

Uniform debut: Week 11, Nov. 19 (vs. Colts)

From the team: “Built from the fabric of the city’s streets, the HOUSTON/US uniform puts H-Town on full display. Wrapped in Liberty White, H-Town Blue and Battle Red, the uniform combines Houston’s signature blue-and-white street tiles, the city’s earliest expression of street art, with details inspired by the iconic “Be Someone” bridge and custom car culture.”

Indianapolis Colts

Uniform debut: Week 3, Sept. 27 (vs. Texans)

From the team: “The “Anvil Strike” design is inspired by the power of one of the team’s most recognizable symbols. More than a gameday tradition, the anvil stands as a symbol of strength, resilience and the relentless spirit that defines Colts football.”

Jacksonville Jaguars

Uniform debut: Week 8, Nov. 1 (vs. Colts)

From the team: “Embodying the spirit of “Fortune Favors the Bold,” the features are unapologetically DUUUVAL from the “904” mark on the teal-glossed helmet with striking gold face mask to the “Since ’95” inscription on the outer collar honoring the franchise’s inaugural season. The cursive script spelling out “Jaguars” serves as a nod to the team’s Southern roots.”

Minnesota Vikings

Uniform debut: Week 15, Dec. 20 (vs. Lions)

From the team: “The Rivalries Uniform design was inspired by the textures of Viking armor; natural materials such as iron, wood and stone that connect both Minnesota and the ancient Viking world; and elements from Minnesota Vikings game-day rituals, including runestones, the Gjallarhorn and the Skol Drum.”

Tennessee Titans

Uniform debut: Week 10, Nov. 15 (vs. Jaguars)

From the team: “Blends the Titans’ Two Tone Blue heritage with Nashville’s music culture, featuring a navy base, Titans Blue accents, neon-inspired numbers and guitar/amplifier-inspired striping.”

NFL Rivalries uniforms returning from 2025

All eight Rivalries uniforms from last season will be back for 2026.

Here’s a refresh of those designs and when each team will wear them:

• Arizona Cardinals: Week 2, Sept. 20 (vs. Seahawks)
• Buffalo Bills: Week 11, Nov. 22 (vs. Dolphins)
• Los Angeles Rams: Week 16, Dec. 25 (at Seahawks)
• Miami Dolphins: Week 17, Jan. 3 (vs. Bills)
• New England Patriots: Week 13, Dec. 6 (vs. Bills)
• New York Jets: Week 16, Dec. 27 (vs. Patriots)
• San Francisco 49ers: Week 14, Dec. 13 (vs. Rams)
• Seattle Seahawks: Week 16, Dec. 25 (vs. Rams)

The opening two games of preseason gave fans a look at some of the depth on each roster, with veterans also making cameos.

Week 3 will likely be another opportunity for young talent to get playing time. Not as many starters are expected to play with the regular season approaching. We’re just two weeks away from the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots kicking things off on NBC and Peacock next month with their Super Bowl rematch.

Here’s what to know entering Week 3 of preseason action:

When does the NFL preseason end?

The preseason began with the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6, when the Carolina Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 33-30 in Canton, Ohio. Week 1, with all 32 teams in action, took place from Aug. 13-15, followed by Week 2 from Aug. 20-23.

Now, it all wraps up with Week 3 from Aug. 27-29. The last preseason games will be played on Saturday, Aug. 29, followed by a week off before the regular season gets underway Wednesday, Sept. 9, on NBC and Peacock.

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Preseason NFL schedule Week 3

The third week of the preseason features eight games on national TV over three days. Here’s the full Week 3 preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 27

• Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills, 7 p.m. ET
• New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns, 8 p.m. ET
• San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders, 8 p.m. ET
• Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers, 10 p.m. ET

Friday, Aug. 28

• Washington Commanders at Baltimore Ravens, 6 p.m. ET
• Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET
• Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers, 7 p.m. ET
• New York Jets at New York Giants, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles, 8 p.m. ET
• Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs, 8 p.m. ET
• New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m. ET
• Arizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers, 8 p.m. ET
• Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos, 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, Aug. 29

• Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET
• Chicago Bears at Tennessee Titans, 6 p.m. ET

Which NFL games are on TV this week?

Eight games will be available to watch nationally in Week 3 on CBS, Prime Video and NFL Network.

Here are the games airing nationally:

• Thursday: Steelers-Bills (NFLN), Patriots-Browns (Prime Video) and Rams-Chargers (NFLN)
• Friday: Commanders-Ravens (NFLN), Bengals-Eagles (CBS) and Vikings-Broncos (NFLN)
• Saturday: Lions-Colts (NFLN) and Bears-Titans (NFLN)

How to watch preseason NFL games

Aside from the national games, you can also watch preseason games locally on each team’s TV affiliate network in your market. Live out-of-market preseason games are available to watch with NFL+.

NFL starters playing in preseason 2026

With just three games to get ready for the regular season, teams have mixed philosophies on the preseason.

Some teams, like the Rams, don’t play their starters in any preseason games. Others play their starters in select games for certain amounts of time, depending on the situation.

Select coaches have started revealing their plans for Week 3. Here’s a roundup of some starters who will or won’t play in Week 3, as of Tuesday, Aug. 25:

• Bills: Some starters will play in Buffalo’s game vs. Pittsburgh, but Josh Allen will not suit up, coach Joe Brady said.
• Browns: Starting QB Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders will not play in Cleveland’s game vs. New England, coach Todd Monken said.
• Rams: Rookie QB Ty Simpson will “definitely” play in the Rams’ game vs. the Chargers, coach Sean McVay said.
• Falcons: Starters will play in Atlanta’s game vs. Miami, but it’s unclear if Michael Penix Jr. (returning from injury) will see the field, coach Kevin Stefanski said.

Reese set a WNBA record with 26 rebounds in the Atlanta Dream’s 78-71 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday, pushing her past the season record in the same game.

“Last time I was here, I didn’t miss any shots. Tonight I couldn’t hit (anything) so I knew I was going be able to get them on the rebounding side,” Reese told the postgame show. “I just want to be there for my team. Offensively, defensively, whatever it takes to win.”

Reese surpassed Chamique Holdsclaw’s record of 24 rebounds, set on May 23, 2003 for Washington. She now has 458 rebounds on the season, seven more than A’ja Wilson’s mark set in 2024.

Reese secured her WNBA-leading 27th double-double of the season on a basket with 13.9 seconds left in the game that gave her 11 points.

“That’s a talent,” Dream guard Allisha Gray said. “I’m just in awe watching her rebound.”

A three-time WNBA All-Star, Reese set a WNBA rookie record with 13.1 rebounds per game and the all-time league record with 15 straight double-doubles with Chicago in 2024. She led the league in rebounding her first two seasons and is leading again this season at 12.0 per game.

A recent rule passed by the NCAA has resulted in confusion, lawsuits and the once unthinkable notion of players leaving college, signing with professional teams and now leaving those teams to head back to college.

Among this week’s headline grabbers are Dae’Quan Wright, an undrafted tight end out of Mississippi who had tryouts with the Eagles and Browns over the summer, but now has a deal in place to play this season at Ole Miss’ rival in the Southeastern Conference, No. 11 LSU.

Wright is among a number of college athletes who have sued for the right to return to college to play as the start of both the college football and NFL seasons approach. A quick look at how we got here:

NCAA passes a new rule allowing for five years of eligibility

This part happened in June, and by the NCAA’s plodding standards, it happened quite fast.

The rule now allows athletes to play five seasons over the span of five years. Most college athletes now see the “clock” start on their eligibility either when they enroll full-time in college or at the start of the regular school year immediately following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.

The rule itself isn’t all that outlandish. A lot of players were taking redshirt years (and getting extensions due to the pandemic) to prolong their eligibility to five, six, seven years and more, so putting some guardrails around it made some sense.

But the NCAA’s decision to start applying this new rule to athletes who graduated high school in 2023 is what caused the chaos. By not including those from the Class of ’22, many of whom saw their fourth and final year of eligibility end after last school year, they opened themselves up to trouble.

The members of the Class of ‘22 are arguing they’re being deprived of education and potential NIL financial benefits by being excluded from the rule.

Meanwhile, college athletes are suddenly looking at unexpected competition for roster spots and playing time coming from a class of players they thought would be gone this season. And teams, most of which have locked in their football rosters, are seeing a potential influx of talent they didn’t expect.

A federal lawsuit filed by those who only got 4 years of college

A basketball player named Brock Wisne filed a federal class-action lawsuit, saying the NCAA violated antitrust law by excluding that Class of 2022 from the new rule. A judge in Denver ruled in favor of Wisne, opening the door for everyone in the class to come back to college, but only to their former college. The judge left NCAA transfer portal rules intact, meaning the players couldn’t come back, enter the (currently closed) portal and find a new school.

An appeals court last Friday temporarily halted that judge’s order, though that was hardly the end of the confusion.

State lawsuits pile up as a workaround to the federal case

Despite the federal court ruling, players across the country have filed lawsuits in state courts and many judges granted orders allowing them to come back to school. This “find a local judge” approach has generally been successful for the athlete over the past couple of years.

In some cases — including the case involving Wright in Louisiana — a judge not only said the players could come back, but also ordered a weeklong reopening of the transfer portal, which gave the players a chance to shop around.

Side note about Wright’s potential move from Ole Miss to LSU: The SEC forbids moves within the conference such as that one, unless they come when the transfer portal is open, which in football is January. There is no clarity on how the ruling impacts the SEC rule.

The issue prompted conference leaders to meet Monday and draft a statement saying that allowing players to move back and forth between the pros and college “will blur the line between college and professional sports, create significant equity concerns and reduce opportunities for high school and current college athletes.”

Sam Ehrlich, a former lawyer who follows college sports litigation at Boise State, said the state lawsuits were filed “just in case” the federal order got overturned. It did, and that federal case had no bearing on the various state lawsuits.

According to Ehrlich’s College Sports Litigation Tracker, at least 26 eligibility cases have been filed in state and county courts across the U.S. In at least 10 of those, judges have granted a restraining order or injunction favoring the players. In only one — involving basketball player Filip Borovicanin — has an appeals court overturned the initial decision, leading to a favorable outcome for the NCAA.

When will this all be decided?

Court cases move slowly, and in the Wisne case, odds are nothing will be final until long after football (and maybe basketball and baseball) season is over and there’s no relief left to give to the impacted players.

While football teams are madly scrambling, trying to make sense of it all, basketball teams are also feeling some pressure. Teams are allowed to start practice on Sept. 25. A notable instance of where confusion might set in is Gonzaga, which recruited two players from that Class of ’22 who (presumably) had their eligibility restored.

One, however, is Javon Bennett, who was part of the Borovicanin lawsuit that an Ohio court overturned. The other is Chauncey Wiggins, who comes from Florida State and was part of a case in Georgia, where the ruling favorable to the players remains in force.

Chelsea ended Matchweek 1 on Monday with a 3-2 win at Fulham to mark a successful start to the Xabi Alonso era.

The league’s highly anticipated return started on Friday when reigning champions Arsenal cruised past newly promoted Coventry City 3-0.

It wasn’t a pretty weekend for other notable teams, however, as Manchester United and Tottenham were dealt significant reality checks once again.

Let’s break down the opening week with winners and losers:

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WINNER: Arsenal start on track

There wasn’t going to be any other result. The Gunners began their title attack, as manager Mikel Arteta put it, with a commanding home showing vs. Coventry. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard got on the goal sheet as all three stars hope to stay fit, which was not the case last year.

William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and Bruno Guimaraes were not involved due to injury, though new signing Ezri Konsa appeared in front of the fans following his recent move from Aston Villa.

LOSER: Hull City upsets Manchester United

Ironically, it wasn’t the most shocking scoreline. Manchester United have suffered some silly results over the years and manager Michael Carrick has to build a tougher team to avoid more. Hull City capitalized on a United side that looked off both physically and mentally in the 2-0 win.

The Red Devils will host fellow promoted side Ipswich Town next, but the Tractor Boys are coming off an impressive win of their own and won’t make it easy.

WINNER: Brentford routs Tottenham

An opening-week London derby produced a scoreline that not many probably saw coming. Brentford hosted a Spurs side now coached by Roberto De Zerbi. It was Brentford that cruised to a 3-0 win with scintillating play. Igor Thiago also missed a penalty that should’ve made it 4-0.

Tottenham have spent a considerable sum this window on new players, particularly league-proven ones. It will take time for everyone to jell together, but results like these have become the norm for the side for too many seasons running.

LOSER: Aston Villa crushed at Brighton

The Villans might be in the Champions League, but Unai Emery’s squad has become depleted. Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Konsa, Lucas Digne and more key starters have either left, are set to leave or are injured. That combination led to a 4-0 defeat at Brighton, and it doesn’t get easier as Arsenal are next.

Aston Villa must end the transfer window on the right note otherwise it risks a significant fall in the table as the league gets tougher and tougher.

WINNER: Chelsea off to promising start

Arsenal may be seen as the favorites to win the league again, but there is typically a second team that challenges at the summit. The race for that crown is currently up for grabs, as the most recent champions in Liverpool and Manchester City have dropped a tier or two.

That has opened the door for a club like Chelsea to come in. With no European football, a credible manager in Alonso and quality players like Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Rogers from Villa in attack, the opportunity to finally make a title push is there. The defense is still a bit suspect, but one game a week should help.

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NBC Sports has released its 2026 broadcast schedule for premier Big Ten matchups and the Notre Dame lineup.

Up first is a California battle between the USC Trojans and San Jose State in Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 29.

More games throughout the season will include rivalries like Western Michigan at Michigan and Washington State at Washington.

Wisconsin and Notre Dame will also duke it out at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, on Sunday, Sept. 6.

The Fighting Irish will also host Michigan State, Stanford and Miami later in the season for some marquee battles.

Here’s the lineup of games so far that NBC and Peacock will carry:

Injuries are an unfortunate reality of training camp and preseason football. This year has been no different, with many teams already losing key players for short-term or extended time periods.

So, who are the key players that have gotten hurt so far? What are the return timelines looking like? And which players are already lost for the season?

Here’s a look at some of the most notable injuries from training camp and the preseason:

Biggest injuries of the NFL preseason

Ashton Jeanty, Raiders RB

One of the latest names added to this list, the second-year running back suffered an ankle sprain at practice on Aug. 23. Jeanty was helped off the field, and reports say the Raiders still aren’t sure how long he’ll be sidelined. An ankle injury isn’t ideal for a running back, especially one who struggled behind a weak offensive line as a rookie. With the Raiders’ opener less than three weeks away, Jeanty’s status is worth monitoring.

Jeremiyah Love, Cardinals RB

Speaking of highly-drafted young running backs with ankle injuries … look no further than Love. The third overall pick suffered a high ankle sprain in the Cardinals’ preseason game against the Raiders on Aug. 13. At the time of the injury, that team essentially ruled him out for the preseason and reports suggested he could miss the start of the regular season. The injury occurred exactly one month before Arizona’s opener.

Jonathan Greenard, Eagles LB

The Eagles’ prized offseason acquisition didn’t even make it to training camp before going down. Greenard suffered a pec strain while lifting just days before practices began. After trading for Greenard from the Vikings in April, the Eagles gave him a four-year, $98 million contract to be an elite pass-rusher. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on Aug. 19 there’s concern that Greenard will miss the start of the regular season.

Coby Bryant, Bears S

Bryant is another offseason addition who was injured before preseason games. The Bears safety went down with a knee injury at training camp on Aug. 3. He had surgery on Aug. 7 after suffering a hyperextended left knee, bone bruise and small fracture, which will rule him out for four-to-six months. Bryant was a key contributor during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run last season and signed a three-year, $40 million contract in March.

Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers WR

The second-year wideout is dealing with a toe injury, which he suffered during joint practices with the Jets on Aug. 12. It’s unclear what the exact diagnosis is, whether it’s a toe sprain or turf toe. Either way, the Bucs reportedly are optimistic that Egbuka will be available for Week 1. Tampa Bay needs a healthy season out of Egbuka after losing Mike Evans in free agency, so we’ll see if they are cautious with him.

Players already ruled out for the season

The following five players have already been placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering injuries this summer.

Jayden Higgins, Texans WR: The second-year receiver suffered a torn ACL in a joint practice on Aug. 18.

Tyler Biadasz, Chargers C: The Chargers’ starting center, signed in the offseason, suffered damage to his ACL and additional injuries to his left knee in a joint practice on Aug. 18.

Ricky Pearsall, 49ers WR: After participating in a few training camp practices, the starting wideout underwent surgery for a nagging PCL injury that dated back to last season.

Jalon Walker, Falcons DE: The Atlanta pass-rusher, a first-round pick in 2025, suffered a torn ACL in practice on Aug. 4.

Laremy Tunsil, Commanders LT: While technically not on IR yet, the Commanders’ left tackle is expected to miss most of, if not all of the regular season with a torn triceps suffered on Aug. 8 at practice.

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Other NFL injuries to monitor from preseason

The following five players are dealing with injuries. Return timelines are mixed, with several still expected to be healthy for Week 1.

Breece Hall, Jets RB: The Jets’ starting running back suffered a groin strain on Aug. 17 at practice. He is expected to miss two-to-three weeks, but head coach Aaron Glenn expects him back for Week 1.

Sam LaPorta, Lions TE: The Lions’ starting tight end suffered a hip injury at practice last week and his status for Detroit’s opener is unclear.

Luther Burden III, Bears WR: Chicago’s second-year receiver suffered a strained groin on Aug. 8 at practice. At the time, he was ruled out for about a month, but the team was hopeful he’d return for the opener.

Jordyn Tyson, Saints WR: The rookie receiver suffered a hamstring injury on Aug. 13 at a joint practice, and he’s expected to miss about two months.

Tyler Warren, Colts TE: The Colts’ second-year tight end suffered a groin injury on Aug. 19, but he’s only expected to miss a week and his Week 1 status isn’t in danger.

York pleaded no contest to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools during a court appearance Monday morning. An administrative judge found him guilty following the plea and ordered him to pay just under $1,300 in fines and court costs.

York was arrested Sunday morning at a mobile home community in East Palestine, near where he was born and raised in Youngstown. He was booked into the Columbiana County Jail just after 10:40 a.m. Sunday, according to a jail official.

Court records show that York initially was charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors amended that to disorderly conduct. York was charged with possessing criminal tools for using his phone to respond to an undercover online prostitution advertisement, according to prosecutors.

York posted $5,000 bail and was released before 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the jail official.

As part of Monday’s court proceedings, the judge ordered York’s cellphone returned to him. However, $160 in cash seized by police will be forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, according to court records.

Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino said most of these prostitution cases typically end in plea agreements.

“Each case is looked at individually and for specific facts of the conduct, what evidence the police provide, and input from the arresting officer,” he said in an email. “You also have to factor in criminal history of the defendant, and whether or not they have committed these types of offenses in the past, and importantly, what the judges will allow.”

Legal analyst Steven Clark said the public may never know all the details of the case.

“What Mr. York is trying to do now is get his case expunged so that we will not have access to the police reports,” Clark said. “There could be some very salacious details in there that certainly would not look good in the court of public opinion.”

The NFL issued a statement saying the league was aware of the arrest and would review it under the personal conduct policy. Owners are subject to possible fines or suspensions for violating the personal conduct policy. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was investigated but not punished by the league after he was arrested in Florida in 2019 for allegedly paying for sex with a woman at a massage parlor. The charge was later dropped after a court ruled that police violated the rights of Kraft and the other customers when they secretly installed video cameras inside massage rooms at the spa.

The 49ers also issued a statement Monday.

“As this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time,” the team said in a statement.

York took over day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. He became the team’s principal owner in 2024. After some initial struggles under York’s leadership, the team has been a consistent contender since hiring coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in 2017.

The Niners have made the Super Bowl three times under York’s leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and the 2019 and ’23 seasons under Shanahan and Lynch.

York also oversaw the building of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The team moved from San Francisco to the new stadium in 2014. The stadium has hosted two Super Bowls, a World Cup and a College Football Playoff title game.

The video was deleted by Good Good and Callaway late Friday after criticism that it portrayed violence against women, though clips of the ad still made the rounds on social media after the official accounts took it down.

The characters in the ad are both with Good Good — Garrett Clark, who rushes over to shove Alexis Miestowski and then says to her as she lies on the ground, “Do not touch my new driver.”

Good Good apologized Saturday in a statement on social media that said, “We posted a video to our channels that ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand. We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologize. Good Good has always stood for making the game of golf more inclusive to all, and we will continue to ensure that is our mission going forward.”

Good Good Golf was launched as a YouTube channel in 2020 and now is among the largest content creators in the sport, featuring eight men and four women competing in golf and various challenges. It has made-for-TV shows, apparel and other merchandise.

Callaway Golf partnered with Good Good in 2023.

“We are disappointed by the content that was posted, and are appreciative of Good Good for addressing this. We look forward to working together to ensure a more inclusive space in golf,” Callaway Golf said in a statement.

The PGA Tour has been embracing content creators over the last several years, and Good Good took a big step this year when it became title sponsor of the Good Good Championship, part of the FedEx Cup Fall that will be played Nov. 12-15 in Austin, Texas.

“The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all. We do not condone violence in any form, and the since-deleted video does not reflect our values or commitment to inclusivity and respect,” the tour said in a statement.

The Ferris wheel at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will display “LA (heart) 24” and “LA (heart) 8” in Lakers purple and gold beginning at sunset, about 7:30 p.m., and continuing until midnight. Custom patterns and transitions celebrating Bryant‘s career and legacy in Los Angeles will also be displayed across the wheel’s 174,000 LED lights.

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Aug. 24 is observed as Kobe Bryant Day in Los Angeles, with the 8/24 date representing the two jersey numbers Bryant wore during his 20-season career with the Lakers. The observance comes one day after Bryant’s Aug. 23 birthday.

Bryant spent his entire NBA career with the Lakers from 1996 to 2016, helping the team win five NBA championships and earning 18 All-Star selections. He was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and was twice named NBA Finals MVP.

The Lakers retired both of Bryant’s jersey numbers, No. 8 and No. 24, in December 2017, making him the first player in franchise history to have two numbers retired.

Nine people, including the 41-year-old Bryant and 13-year-old daughter Gianna, were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on Jan. 26, 2020.

Deshaun Watson was named the starting quarterback for Week 1 over Shedeur Sanders, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport first reported. Head coach Todd Monken officially announced the decision later on Monday.

Cleveland’s quarterback battle was one of the few competitions across the league this summer, and the winner was in question all the way through Saturday’s second preseason game.

Sanders, a second-year player out of Colorado, started that game against the Buffalo Bills after Watson started the first preseason game. He played the entire first half, going 9 of 11 for 74 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Watson entered after halftime to heavy boos from the Cleveland crowd, and he didn’t give the home fans any reason to cheer. The former Pro Bowler went 5 of 12 for 36 yards and an interception, generating negative-one yards on his first two drives before the turnover on his third.

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Sanders started seven games as a rookie last season with mixed results. The team went 3-4 with him starting, but he totaled just seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions on the season.

Returning to Watson, despite his tumultuous tenure in Cleveland, is a surprise given how he performed this summer. He was traded to the Browns in 2022 amid sexual assault allegations and a subsequent suspension. When he’s been on the field, Watson has never recaptured the star form that he showed with the Houston Texans earlier in his career.

The 30-year-old Watson suffered a ruptured Achilles in 2024 and then re-tore it in 2025, so he hasn’t played a regular-season down since October of 2024. He had sharp criticism of the Cleveland crowd after Saturday’s game, so naming him the starter likely won’t be popular with that fanbase.

“It has nothing to do about the performance,” Watson said of the boos. “It’s a little bit personal. I think that’s a disrespectful thing. I’m going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that. Just move on.”

The Browns have one preseason game remaining at their home stadium, hosting the New England Patriots on Thursday night. Monken said over the weekend that he doesn’t anticipate playing any of his starters in that game.

Watson will take the field in Week 1 as Cleveland visits the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Sept. 13. The Browns don’t play their home-opener until Week 3 against the Carolina Panthers.