Last week, the New Orleans Saints re-signed their own in Cameron Jordan, as he was extended and given the most guarantees and average salary in NFL history for a defensive player his age – 34 years old.

On Friday, Saints defensive end Jordan agreed to a two-year, $27.5 million guaranteed contract extension that ties him to New Orleans through the 2025 season, his agents, Doug Hendrickson and CJ LaBoy, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The veteran pass rusher is the Saint’s all-time sack leader and eight-time Pro Bowler, as he will likely retire with the team that drafted him in 2011 as a first-round pick, a rare move for any NFL player regardless of age.

“I want to finish my career here,” Jordan said. “I want my storyline to be here. I would love it if my story has been drafted here, kept here, been here, and never played a season without guaranteed money here. That’s probably in a category of its own right there. The story is to let unfold, finish, and be here. So maybe Year 15, if there is a Year 16 [possibility], we’ll talk about it then. Probably won’t be.”

Jordan had his family in attendance when the Saints announced the deal and will follow in his father’s footsteps, as former NFL great tight end Steve Jordan played for Minnesota from 1982 to 1994 and is a part of the Viking’s ring of honor.

With new teammate Derek Carr, the former Raiders quarterback, the New Orleans veteran pass rusher said he was looking forward to possibly taking him back to Las Vegas to play Super Bowl LVIII in Allegiant Stadium this season. He also said he was excited that the Super Bowl is coming back to New Orleans for the 2024 season.

“And then hopefully by then I’ll be looking for my second ring,” Jordan said.

This is the fourth multiyear contract between Jordan and the Saints, as he signed a three-year, $52.5 million deal with $42 million guaranteed back in 2019 that lasted up to the 2023 season.

“Fourth contract technically,” Jordan said. “Really like the third earned. Everybody is granted that [first] contract. … Fourth overall, 13 years in, looking to play to Year 15, spoke it into existence at Year 8 or 9. Honestly to have my family behind me … I’ve been truly honored and blessed to enter a market like New Orleans, [which has] everything that you want as a football player.”

He surpassed Hall of Fame Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson as the franchise sack leader last year with 115.5 sacks and is second in the NFL among active players, behind only Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller (123.5). Jackson has the unofficial record with 123, but the NFL didn’t recognize his rookie season as individual sacks were not counted that year.

Jordan is looking toward beating that record this upcoming season, as he is just eight and a half shy.

“Earning the official record last year was a phenomenal milestone,” Jordan said. “I’ve still got to get that unofficial. We’ll talk about it later.”

The veteran New Orleans pass rusher can also get close to beating future hall-of-fame quarterback Drew Brees‘ record of most games played in a Saints uniform if Jordan can finish out his new contract playing. Brees has 228 games under his belt, while Jordan is at 192 games currently, slated to at least beat Jackson (195) and legendary Saints kicker Morten Andersen (196) this season to move into second behind Brees.

“It has been such a phenomenal and amazing experience that I couldn’t see myself being in anything but Black and Gold,” Jordan said.

As the projected second-ranked Saints player to play the highest number of games for just New Orleans, Jordan, the three-time All-Pro from California, has plenty of accolades to boast about as a likely future Hall of Famer.

In her final World Cup appearance before retirement, USWNT’s Megan Rapinoe‘s missed penalty kick summarized their painful loss to Sweden 5-4. The United States women’s national team exited in the round of 16 for the first time in its history in Melbourne, Australia.

But Rapinoe wasn’t the only one to miss their penalty kick, as she was one of three U.S. players to miss their penalties in a shootout after the game was scoreless through regular and extra time.

Asked what she was thinking when she stepped up to take her penalty, Rapinoe said: “I’m gonna score. Back of the net. Always.”

“A sick joke,” Rapinoe said. “That’s why I had that smile on my face. Like, ‘You got to be f—ing kidding me. I’m going to miss the penalty?’ I honestly can’t remember the last time I missed a penalty. Not in a game for a very long time.”

“But that’s the way it goes. I’ve definitely thought about that before – it’s always a possibility when you step up there. But I thought I was going to make it. I thought everyone was going to make it.”

Rapinoe correctly remembered that her last missed penalty in general, regardless of country or club, was in 2018, when goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made a save against her in the NWSL.

Prior to the World Cup starting in early July, Rapinoe announced the Australia and New Zealand tournament would be her last, planning to retire at the end of the 2023 NWSL season making this year’s World Cup her final one.

“I feel so lucky and so grateful to play as long as I have and been on as many successful teams as I have, and be a part of a very special generation that has done so much on and off the field,” Rapinoe said. “It would be hard to feel disappointed in any type of way.”

In 2006, she made her USWNT debut and was part of the World Cup-winning squads in 2015 and 2019.

“Obviously there’s the immediate disappointment of being out of the tournament, but I’m ok. I’m ready in a lot of ways to be done and I feel at peace with that.”

Rapinoe was moved to tears when asked to reflect on her final World Cup and her career.

“I’ve loved every bit of my career,” she said. “I’ll miss it to death, but it also feels like the right time and that’s ok.”

“It’s some dark humor, me missing the penalty at the end of this game,” she added, laughing.

Rapinoe will be known as one of the most impactful figures in the history of soccer in the U.S. and in the global women’s game as an icon. On the turf, she was reputable for scoring in creative ways and had a handful of clutch performances. Her personality defined her game and was a vocal supporter of many social issues including LGBTQ rights, racial inequality, voter rights, and gender and pay equality.

The MLB announced suspensions and fines to White Sox’s Tim Anderson, six games, and Guardians’ José Ramírez, three games, after their brawl Saturday night.

Managers Terry Francona of the Guardians and Pedro Grifol of the White Sox, and Guardians third base coach Mike Sarbaugh have been suspended for one game. Cleveland pitcher Emmanuel Clase also got a one-game suspension for his role in the fight.

Along with the suspensions, added undisclosed fines are being charged. Two other players are being fined but not suspended, White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech and Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias. Both Chicagos’ Anderson and Clevelands’ Ramírez will appeal for their skirmish but the others will serve their one-game suspension immediately.

At Progressive Field in Cleveland, punches were thrown by Anderson and Ramírez after a tag play, as words were exchanged at second base. The All-star third baseman slid between Anderson’s legs, and after pointing at his head, the two 30-year-olds began to square off.

“He said he wanted to fight,” Ramírez told reporters after the game. “And if he wanted to fight, I had to defend myself.”

The two were jawing for a few minutes while the bullpens of both teams emptied prior to punches being thrown.

“I’m not sure I know everything,” Francona said about the brawl. “Before it started, I know Anderson was yelling at (Gabriel) Arias – I think the umpire went and told him to knock it off – and then when José slid into second, I think José felt like he kind of stood over him. Then things got away from everybody.”

All those involved were ejected from the game, including the names suspended. For reference on previous suspensions due to fighting, Rougned Odor was suspended eight games (reduced to seven after appeal) for punching José Bautista back in 2016. Odor was a part of the Texas Rangers and Bautista was on the Toronto Blue Jays at the time. The suspensions given to Anderson and Ramírez are likely to be one less game but if not, aren’t as bad as some previous cases.

“I’m going to let MLB figure this out. They have some work to do,” Grifol said following the game. He added Anderson, who did not speak to reporters after the game, was not hurt in the brawl, even though he did take a swing to the head by Ramírez.

For Cleveland, the result of their suspensions from the swings take on the field is worse for them, compared to Chicago, since the Guardians have a playoff spot on the line. Lacking score-getters, the Guardians not having Ramírez for any period of time hurts them the most over the White Sox not having Anderson.

Cleveland was no-hit earlier in the week by the Houston Astros and was being no-hit by Kopech into the sixth inning Saturday. With their star first baseman Josh Naylor out for a few weeks due to an oblique strain, the Guardians will need some help with both their two best players out for a while.

The White Sox won their series over the Guardians 2-1 over the weekend. Chicago won that game with the brawl 7-4, but are out of contention at 45-68 and ranked fourth in the AL Central. Cleveland is second in the AL Central at 54-58 and fourth and a half games back behind the first-place Minnesota Twins.

Over the past week, many NFL coaches and players have commented on Broncos’ new head coach Sean Payton comments about former Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett, now the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets.

Last week, Payton told USA Today in an interview that Hackett’s 15-game run with the Broncos last season was “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL” and that there were “20 dirty hands” around quarterback Russell Wilson.

He also jabbed his new team in New York, suggesting they were infatuated with the “pomp and circumstance” of a blockbuster offseason that included the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers. Payton hinted that the Jets were a “dream team” that is doomed to failure.

The former New Orleans Saints head coach (15 years) and Fox Sports analyst (one year) said days later that he made “a mistake,” saying he planned to call Hackett and Jets head coach Robert Saleh to apologize “at the right time.”

After last Friday’s practice, Payton spoke to his players about his comments in a team meeting, saying, “I needed a bit more restraint, I regret that.”

“Listen, I had one of those moments where I still had my Fox [network television] hat on and not my coaching hat on,” Payton said. “I said this to the team: We’ve had a great offseason relative to that, I’ve been preaching that message, and here I am the veteran stepping in it. It was a learning experience for me, a mistake obviously. I need a little bit more filter.”

Hackett responded after Jets training camp earlier this week on Tuesday, saying he hasn’t received an apology from Payton, adding that he doesn’t expect him to follow through on his promise.

Not referring to Payton by name, Hackett said he wasn’t surprised by his remarks, claiming his Denver successor has been blasting him publicly for a year and his criticism about his coaching performance last season violated an unwritten coach “code.”

“Obviously, [the] last week has been a very unique week for this organization,” Hackett said. “I’ve been involved in this business my whole life – 43 years. As a coach, as a coach’s kid, we live in a glass house. We know that. We all live in different rooms, and we all have a key to it. It’s one of those things, there’s a code, there’s a way things are done in that house.”

“This past week, it’s frustrating and it sucks, but we’re all susceptible to it – the things you do, the mistakes you make. It costs you time on the field, it costs you your job … all those things. And I own all that stuff. That’s a fact. I’ve got no excuses.”

Asked if he believes Payton broke the code of the coaching fraternity, Hackett said, “I do. I do.” He said the criticism was “very expected. You knew it was going to happen. You knew he was going to handle it that way at some point. That’s how it was going all last year.”

As a part of Fox last year, the current Bronco’s head coach judged him for letting Wilson have a private coach and his own office at the team facility. Going 4-11 before getting canned, Hackett had trouble with discipline and clock management all year, and Payton went after him verbally for it.

Payton was hired by new ownership to help turn around the veteran quarterback’s career, as Wilson had his worst statistical season last year, dating back to having the worst year than any season he had as a Seattle Seahawk prior to getting traded.

Current Jets quarterback Rodgers was also vocal and supported his offensive coordinator about this beef between him and Payton, as he has a history with Hackett when he was the offensive coordinator for the Packers from 2019-2021. Rodgers had two MVP seasons in Green Bay with current head coach Matt LaFleur. At that time, it also helped Hackett land a head-coaching gig in 2022.

Rodgers, in a previous response to Payton’s comments prior to Hackett’s, said “a lot of people were surprised” by Payton’s criticism.

“I didn’t like it at all,” said Rodgers, who called the current Broncos head coach “insecure” in a previous interview. The veteran signal-caller continued and defended Hackett, stating it was out of character “for a coach to do that to another coach.”

The former Packers star also said Sunday that “my love for Hack goes deep,” adding that he is “arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL.”

“It made me feel bad that someone who has accomplished a lot in the league is that insecure that they have to take another man down to set themselves up for some easy fall if it doesn’t go well for that team this year,” Rodgers told NFL+ in a sit-down interview after practice. “I think it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth.”

Hackett was hired this offseason after his release from Denver to replace their former offensive coordinator, Mike LaFleur, who is now the OC for the Los Angeles Rams. The addition of this new OC in particular helped land Rodgers in a blockbuster trade to New York, as he and Hackett are very close.

“We had some great years together in Green Bay,” Rodgers told NFL+. “[We] kept in touch. Love him and his family. He’s an incredible family man and an incredible dad. And on the field, he’s arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL. Just his approach to it. He makes it fun, how he cares about the guys, just how he goes about his business with respect, with leadership, with honesty, with integrity.”

Payton’s comments also reached Saleh this week, as he spoke out against the criticism of Hackett.

“I kind of live by the saying, ‘If you ain’t got no haters, you ain’t popping,'” Saleh said. “So hate away. Obviously, we’re doing something right if you’ve got to talk about us when we don’t play you until [Week 5].”

Hackett said the stir has actually been beneficial for the team, as the noise seemed to help him feel supported by the Jets community with them reaching out in retaliation, including players and coaches, current and former.

“Everybody has been unbelievable,” Hackett said. “I think that’s something that’s just awesome. It has brought our team together.”

Asked about the Week 5 matchup in Denver in October, Hackett smiled and said, “It’s just another game.”

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has given praise to his former backup in Green Bay before, as the veteran gave more props to current Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

“I always felt like it was a part of the job to help those young guys out, and get them ready to play,” Rodgers said Thursday during the Hall of Fame in an interview with NBC Sports announcers Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth. “There was a great one behind me in Green Bay.”

With training camp beginning a few weeks ago, teammate and Packers starting Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones gave praise to Love in an interview earlier this week, stating he is “a true leader” and doesn’t see “too many differences” between him and Rodgers, his former quarterback and saw both on the field or in practice the last two years.

“The development to see [Love] grow in the three years that he’s had sitting behind [Rodgers] has been huge,” Jones told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The 2020 former first-round pick from Utah State will be the new starting quarterback for Green Bay after 15 years with Rodgers, a quarterback with a Super Bowl win/MVP and four NFL MVPs under his belt as a ten-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro.

Earlier this offseason, Love, now the incumbent Packers signal caller, was contacted by the current Jets quarterback after news broke that he was traded.

“He wished me the best and said he’d always be there for me if I need anything or have any questions,” Love said. “I will always be grateful to be around him, and the time I had with him where I was able to learn and be behind him. I’m very grateful for it.”

With one start to his name entering his third year in the NFL, he was behind Rodgers when the veteran won two MVPs in the last three seasons before the Packers traded the future hall-of-fame quarterback to New York this offseason as a part of Gang Green.

The 24-year-old will get his first Week One start with the team, as he was contacted by his mentor when training camp began last Tuesday wishing him all the best. He will also debut in the first preseason game as the starter, just like Rodgers back in 2008.

“Aaron reached out to me last night and that’s exactly what he said. … He said ‘Just be yourself, have fun, enjoy it, that it’s obviously my time now and to enjoy it.'”

Back in May after Rodgers was traded, Love said a few words about his predecessor.

“I learned a lot and I was just able to watch a great quarterback: how he works every day, how he handles business in the locker room, interacts with teammates, and how he attacks every day. To be able to sit back as a quarterback and observe him, his footwork, how the ball comes out of his hands, how he practices every day and takes it into the game, is very valuable stuff that I was able to pick his brain on and watch him work. … Watching him, watching the confidence that he has, how he operates every day, how quickly he makes calls and is able to process information, and how well he knows the system. All those little things, to get to see it from a guy who’s been doing it a long time elevates your game by building all that into [my game].”

This is the total opposite of how Rodger’s predecessor as a Packer, legend Hall of Famer Brett Favre, took his mentorship role once it seemed that Favre was on his way out of Green Bay.

“I don’t know that the present starter [myself in that case] is paid to be a mentor, so to speak, or if that’s part of the job, so to speak,” Favre said in an interview with Graham Bensinger in 2017.

“I don’t owe him anything in my opinion except that of being a nice guy. I don’t give him any insights into what I do or don’t do. I think as a starter my job is hard enough to win ball games and be a leader. You’re not a babysitter, by no means am I talking about Aaron. He’s the starter now. … Nowhere does it say you have to take that guy under your wing and teach him the ropes. You don’t have to do anything. What keeps you around is winning ball games for whoever you’re playing for. Whether or not you take a guy under your wing, that means nothing. If there’s a belief out there that I didn’t help Aaron Rodgers or other players, that’s wrong. To what extent did I help them and how does that compare to other guys around the league, I don’t know.”

Love hopes to be the third consecutive quarterback to make his mark for Green Bay, with high expectations to come close to historic icons for the Packers franchise in Favre and Rodgers that came before him.

During their first week of training camp, the Seattle Seahawks are already having injuries to their running back group, as head coach Pete Carroll announced after their fourth training camp practice on Sunday that lead back Ken Walker III has a groin injury and rookie back Zach Charbonnet has a shoulder injury.

Walker is week to week, as the groin injury has kept him out of three consecutive practices, while Charbonnet’s shoulder discomfort has kept him out of the last two. Both injuries are probably precautionary but the timetable for them to return is unknown for both former second-round pick running backs.

“Yeah, because it’s a groin, we’ve got to make sure,” Carroll said. “He doesn’t feel bad. It’s not a terrible injury or anything like that. We just don’t want to aggravate it now and make it something that lingers through camp.”

Carroll didn’t offer a specific timetable for Charbonnet, saying, “We’ll take some time to figure it out.”

“It just kind of crept up on him, really,” Carroll said. “He didn’t get hit or anything like that. Just all of a sudden, he started to feel something, so we’re just checking him out and being really cautious right now.”

The Seahawks have had poor injury luck at the position in years past, with Rashaad Penny, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Chris Carson, who retired last offseason at the age of 27 due to injuries after five years in the NFL.

To add to their running back room for the preseason and training camp, Seattle signed undrafted rookie SaRodorick Thompson on Monday, the day after the other running back injuries were announced. The Seahawks also have second-year Bryant Koback and undrafted rookie Wayne Taulapapa for depth as well to make up a young group of ball carriers.

But unless another big move is made at the position, the two that will likely take the lion’s share of the workload are fourth-year veteran DeeJay Dallas and rookie Kenny McIntosh. The 24-year-old Dallas has started two games for Seattle in the past three seasons, but based on camp reports, it seems that former Georgia’s seventh-round pick McIntosh is in the lead for taking the first team reps so far.

Both Dallas and McIntosh, along with the other backs mixed in, will likely take over in the preseason while Walker and Charbonnet rest up for the regular season. If McIntosh can prove he is more than just a third-down back, it will be interesting to see how his skillset meshes with the projected starting duo.

The two-time Super Bowl champion running back Sony Michel announced his retirement at the age of 28 years old after five seasons in the NFL.

The former first-round pick from Georgia back in 2018 won it with the New England Patriots in his rookie year and with Los Angeles Rams in 2021. Playing a pivotal role, especially with the Pats as a rookie in the playoffs, Michel also had short stints with the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers in 2022 before landing back with the Rams before his retirement announcement.

Head coach Sean McVay announced the news publicly during a media availability after Saturday’s training camp practice and had a conversation with him before practice Saturday, as Michel informed him of his decision to retire, according to senior Rams staff writer Stu Jackson.

“I thought just being back around him in these last couple of days, you just appreciate the influence that he has, the way that this guy works,” McVay said. “I think when you look at what he’s done going back to Georgia, throughout his rookie year when he broke my heart in ’18 and did a great job in New England, thought he was a hugely instrumental piece for our Super Bowl team a couple of years ago. The epitome of a pro, a great competitor, and his next chapter is going to be exciting. He’s got so many gifts he can offer to people. We’ll wish him the best. It’s a bummer, but his body is feeling like it’s talking to him, and I have nothing but respect and appreciation for the competitor that he is. Love Sony, and we’ll continue to stay in touch.”

To potentially replace his experience and to add size to the position, the Rams signed Royce Freeman, as the 27-year-old started one game and played in three others for the Houston Texans in 2022. This would be his fourth stint with a different team, as the journeyman was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.

After starting for them but not keeping the starting job for three seasons, the former Oregon Duck signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2021 (eight games) and then the Texans in 2021 (seven games) to then re-sign in 2022. He was then cut and demoted back to the practice squad for Houston, as he only had 1,473 career rushing yards and nine total touchdowns in his five years in the NFL.

For the Texans last year, Freeman had 117 yards on 41 carries as a spot starter or backup due to injuries.

The backup spot behind starting running back Cam Akers was already up for grabs, but this left a void in the running back room in terms of experience. The 24-year-old has had a tumultuous career with the Rams, especially the last two seasons, with McVay, to say the least.

Akers, before the 2021 season, tore his Achilles but then came back sooner than expected five months after sustaining the injury in July. However, the former Florida State Seminole did not look fully healthy, as that team did win the Super Bowl, but on the ground, Akers was mostly ineffective.

Drafted in 2020 in the second round of the NFL Draft, Akers started off the 2022 season essentially on the bench after only getting three carries in the Week one opener against the Buffalo Bills. He then requested a trade apparently after Week  5 once he was not being used as the starter he once was. After not playing for three consecutive weeks after his rumored request for an unknown reason, Akers came back in early November and denied ever requesting a trade.

Assuming that his relationship with McVay is repaired entering his third season, Akers will be the lead back for the Rams heading into 2023, as he finished last season with three consecutive 100-yard games on the ground.

Still with Akers as the lead back, the Rams do lack experience in that group, with second-year backs Ronnie Rivers (undrafted) and former fifth-round pick Kyren Williams from last year’s NFL Draft on the roster, along with sixth-round rookie Zach Evans. Among them, none of them has more than three years in the NFL.

Both Rivers and Williams got chances to start last year but underperformed, so there is a chance a veteran back like Freeman could make the team. The free agent signing can be just a training camp/ preseason back to show what he has left in the tank for a team that is trying to get back into the postseason with their stars now healthy.

According to Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, star quarterback Joe Burrow will miss a couple of weeks with a calf strain and didn’t suffer a major injury last Thursday in practice.

The 26-year-old will likely miss all of the preseason to make sure he is fully healthy for the opener Week One against their divisional opponent, the Cleveland Browns.

The former number-one overall pick from LSU back in 2020 was spotted in the locker room during the media access period, and Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports that Burrow walked normally with a compression sleeve on his right calf.

The Bengals franchise signal caller was rolling to his right during drills when he pulled up short and suffered a noncontact injury, as he was carted off the field.

“He was just scrambling,” Taylor said to reporters, via Fox 19 Now in Cincinnati. “This is football. Guys go down with an injury…. That’s just part of football in training camp.”

Cincinnati dodged a potentially massive blow for their team and organization, as Burrow is also the last big-name quarterback to get a massive extension to join the likes of Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts (who all signed earlier this offseason). One that would likely make him the highest-paid player/ quarterback in the NFL, so it’s not a matter of “if” but “when.”

On Wednesday, one day before Burrow suffered a calf injury, he was asked about being healthy and having a normal training camp for the first time in his career, but unfortunately, this statement was short-lived.

“Knock on wood – I feel great,” Burrow said. “This time last year I was sitting in a hospital bed. It’s good to be out there with the guys. Excited about where we’re at.”

With Burrow missing the remainder of training camp, it will be his third in a row that he has not been able to participate fully due to injury.

In 2022, the Pro Bowl passer had a ruptured appendix that required surgery days before the start of training camp. In 2021, the former NFL Comeback Player of the Year and NFL Completion Percentage Leader was recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, one that ended his rookie campaign.

It is unknown if this injury could linger, as the Bengals didn’t specify what degree of calf strain Burrow suffered. If he were to miss any sort of time during the regular season, the backup quarterbacks behind him on the Cincinnati roster currently are veteran 31-year-old Trevor Siemian and journeyman 27-year-old Jake Browning. NFL Media’s Steve Wyche mentioned Browning is taking most of the first team reps in camp so far.

On Sunday, the Bengals did make a move for another camp arm to compete for the backup quarterback job and signed XFL’s Reid Sinnett, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, as the 26-year-old was with the Miami Dolphins for most of his 2022 tenure in the NFL. Cincinnati also worked out 25-year-old XFL and former Bengal quarterback Drew Plitt but opted for the more experienced Sinnett.

“It’ll be good to get another arm in there because that’s a lot of throws for these two guys,” Bengals head coach Taylor said on Friday.

Veteran quarterbacks, like Carson Wentz or Teddy Bridgewater, are still available in free agency if Burrow somehow suffers a setback or isn’t ready for Week 1, as their signing of another camp arm is likely to show that his injury isn’t serious enough to warrant panic his early.

With Burrow, the Bengals have a chance at repeating as AFC North Champions, but without him, if he misses any sort of meaningful time, it will hurt their playoff chances.

Bengals star wide receiver and Burrow’s good friend Ja’Marr Chase told reporters last Thursday why he thinks Burrow will be fine.

“We always give each other that nod,” Chase said after practice, via Dehner Jr. “He gave me a nod [to say] he’s all right. He’s a strong dude.”

“I wasn’t really worried,” Chase said. “I believe he’s all right.”

The three-time All-Pro cornerback will be out for at least the first three months of the upcoming NFL season, as star Jalen Ramsey underwent a complete repair of a torn meniscus last week.

This occurred after he collided with wide receiver Tyreek Hill on a pass breakup in an 11-on-11 drill in practice last Thursday, as Ramsey was carted off with a left knee injury. Instead of just trimming the meniscus, which would take a shorter period of time to recover but would be more detrimental to his career longevity, the six-time Pro-Bowler decided to do the full repair and is projected to be back after the midpoint of the season at least.

The 28-year-old was traded back in March from the Los Angeles Rams, as he was part of the 2021-2022 team that won in Super Bowl LVI. Miami gave up a 2023 third-round pick (No. 77 overall) and tight end Hunter Long. The Rams ended up taking an edge rusher in Byron Young from Tennessee with that third-rounder from this past NFL Draft.

Now the Dolphins will be without their top projected cornerback for most of the 2023 season, as Ramsey was their big pickup in the offseason to help bolster a secondary that mostly struggled last year. Miami second-year head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the Ramsey injury on Monday.

“He was in good spirits, and, you know, I think the surgery went about as well as it could have,” McDaniel continued. “So, we’re elated about that. And, you know, in terms of where his mindset is at. He’s a self-proclaimed alien, and you know he couldn’t have a better mindset with which to attack this process.”

“He’s immediately, ‘Tell me whatever the timeline is, that I’m gonna beat it by a month. What I like about that is, thankfully, we have a training staff that really does a good job of protecting players against themselves. So I know that he won’t be rushed.”

In seven seasons, four mainly with the Rams and the team that drafted him back in 2016 as the fifth overall pick, the Jaguars, the star veteran corner has 19 career interceptions, seven forced fumbles, 21 tackles for loss, and 92 pass deflections. Ramsey was in Jacksonville for three full seasons before he was traded to Los Angeles back in 2019.

Without Ramsey, Miami will need another corner to step up to pair with veteran Xavien Howard. For depth and competition for a starting job, the Dolphins signed former Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants cornerback Eli Apple to a one-year deal in the wake of the injury to their starter.

Other than former 2020 first-rounder Noah Igbinoghene, who had his fifth-year option declined, the biggest candidate to take the outside corner role opposite Howard is second-round rookie Cam Smith from South Carolina. The former Gamecock had six career picks and 18 pass deflections in four seasons where he played different roles in the secondary.

Miami’s cornerback depth will be tested, as the Dolphins brought in new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this offseason. On the roster, second-year undrafted standout Kader Kohou exceeded all expectations last year as the starting nickel cornerback with veteran Nik Needham and Trill Williams dealing with their own injuries.

The former Denver Broncos head coach as the new D.C. will have his work cut out for him to revamp a defense that held the Dolphins back the last few years, as Miami is looking to win more than nine games this upcoming season. They will have to do so now without their big-name cornerback pickup.

The MLB trade deadline has been a busy time for the New York Mets, as they have shipped two-star pitchers so far but more moves could potentially be done before August 1.

On Friday, the Mets traded right-hand reliever David Robertson to the Miami Marlins for two minor leaguers, 18-year-old middle infielder Marco Vargas and 19-year-old switch-hitting catcher Ronald Hernandez.

The day after, the Mets starting right-hand pitcher Max Scherzer talked with ownership on the team’s direction after the Robertson trade, to then get shipped off to the Texas Rangers on Saturday for a shortstop, second baseman, and center fielder in 21-year-old Luisangel Acuña.

“I do want to be clear that it’s not a rebuild. It’s not a fire sale,” General Manager Billy Epplers said Sunday at Citi Field. “It’s not a liquidation.”

The brass for the Mets believe they are not selling, yet a big name like 40-year-old starting pitcher Justin Verlander could be next on the move potentially, with the team ranked fourth currently in NL East at 50-55 and out of playoff contention.

Asked if the Robertson trade is the first of more deals to come for the Mets, Eppler said the team is “listening to where clubs are when they call us.”

“If that economic equation points to us making the deal that’s best for the organization, then we’re gonna have to consider it,” Eppler said.

Robertson, 38. was not surprised he was shipped, as he said following the trade. “I figured I would be moved, I just didn’t know where,” Robertson said Thursday night. “Just really didn’t have an idea of where, so it’s kind of a shock, but it’s part of this game.”

After 29-year-old Mets closer Edwin Diaz injured his knee during a World Baseball Classic celebration back in the spring, closer Robertson took over the ninth-inning role and finished the game. He has been a solid replacement before the trade, posting a 2.05 ERA over 44 innings, striking out 48 and saving 14 games.

The Marlins, who are right in the playoff mix, traded their 32-year-old reliever Dylan Floro to the Minnesota Twins for 30-year-old reliever Jorge Lopez last week. Robertson joins them in a revamped relief group for Miami that second in the NL East at 57-49 at the moment.

The Mets attempted to build a team that was playoff caliber, but it never was meant to be due to injuries and the efforts in replacing those players just didn’t work in the bullpen. Their team structure just never could mesh despite re-signing of Diaz and 30-year-old center fielder Brandon Nimmo, along with adding stars Verlander and Scherzer in the last two offseasons.

“It’s not a complete surprise. You knew this was a possibility,” Nimmo said after Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Nationals. “But it’s setting in that this is the path that we’re going down. That’s never an easy pill to swallow. You can’t sit here and say you that were completely blindsided by it. You had to know this was a possibility. You were just hoping that we could do enough in this last week and a half or so to maybe give it a shot and go and see what we could do in the last two months. I think they kind of made it clear the direction we’re going in. The rest of us just have to take in stride, keep going out there and try to win games.”

But now with Scherzer allowing the trade to go through since he waived his no-trade clause, it is clear that the Mets are in the first steps of unloading star players with big payroll.

The Rangers gave up the younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. with Luisangel in the Scherzer trade with the Mets. Acuna was hitting .315 with seven home runs, 51 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases in 82 games for Double-A Frisco in the Rangers’ system.

The former Mets ace will opt in for the Rangers, as New York also sent cash to Texas in the deal. Scherzer will get $22.5 million from the Rangers, while the Mets will cover more than $35 million of the remaining terms.

During the 2022 season, the former Mets pitcher was as advertised, with a 2.29 ERA in 145⅓ innings over 23 starts. But for 2023, Scherzer was inconsistent, as he was 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA, struck out 121 and walked 30 in 107⅔ innings, and allowed a National League-high 23 home runs.

The Rangers, top of the AL West with the fifth-best record in the MLB at 60-46, have solidified their pitcher rotation with the Scherzer addition. Texas will look to make a run at the playoffs as they currently have a one-game lead ahead of the Houston Astros in the AL West.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ former first-round pick has taken a pay cut.

Derek Barnett will now get more guaranteed money and incentives but less total salary and bonuses in his current two-year deal with the team, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

The former Volunteer was extremely productive in college as the all-time sack leader with 33. In his three-year collegiate career, he broke Reggie White’s sack record (32) at Tennessee.

But so far, that production hasn’t translated in the NFL due to mostly injuries and a lack of above-average athletic traits. His career in Philly hasn’t lived up to the hype with only 21.5 career sacks in his six years in the league.

Now entering his seventh year, Barnett is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in the season opener in 2022 that caused him to miss the season.

Barnett was drafted 14th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft and had his most productive season in 2019 as a rotational pass rusher with six and a half sacks. Although he did start for a few seasons opposite veteran Brandon Graham at defensive end, defensive end Josh Sweat took over when Barnett was out as the starter.

The 27-year-old was part of the team that won the championship back in 2017-2018. That was his rookie season when he played a key role and had five sacks that year, making a clutch play against quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

His 2019 season resulted in his fifth-year option being exercised by Philadelphia, as his 2020 season was not as great, but it still led to his two-year extension after his 2021 season during free agency.

The Eagles likely brought him back to prove himself on a cheaper deal, as his career stats of 147 tackles, 76 quarterback hits and 36 tackles for loss aren’t bad as a pinch starter or depth rotational piece on the defensive line moving forward, assuming other starters stay healthy.

At the defensive end position, Janarius Robinson and Tarron Jackson are the only other backups, as Graham is coming back at age 35 on a one-year deal and Sweat has had his own injury concerns.

Going into training camp prior to the contract restructure, Barnett could’ve been outside looking in but now at least has a shot to make it. Or at least be a trade candidate later on, as a lower salary overall could entice teams needing a starting pass rusher.

Either way, Barnett will have to stand out when given the chance, as he was limited at the start of training camp, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. It is positive he did not land on the Physically Unable to Perform (P.U.P.) list prior to camp starting this week.

According to Over The Cap, Barnett was previously due a $7.5M salary ($1.5M guaranteed) with up to $1M in per-game bonuses (max value $8.5M) for the final year of his contract. He will now make a $3.5M guaranteed salary, with $250K in per-game bonuses and up to $2.25M in incentives (max value $6M).

For Philly, this move does clear a little over $1.5 million, as the Eagles currently have $13,867,023 in cap space, according to Over The Cap. 2023 will have to be a definite make-or-break year for Barnett.

He would also be behind star outside linebacker Haason Reddick and speed demon first-round rookie Nolan Smith in the pecking order at edge rusher. Despite not playing the exact position, it still is a loaded pass-rushing group and the 27-year-old would be behind four other starting caliber edges mentioned previously, which is the norm in Philadelphia ever since their first Super Bowl.

But what Barnett offers is flexibility to support against the run as well, like Graham. The veteran spoke on Barnett and what it means to still be on an NFL roster to make the most of it.

“I just want to be there for them guys because mentally a lot of people don’t realize how great of a spot they’re really in,” Graham said. “And sometimes the media or what people say sometimes get to people and I always try to help them with that. Y’all got a job to do just as much as we got a job to do. We got to make sure we block the noise just as much as you gotta keep the noise up. I think helping him with that, knowing that he’s still got a chance by what he does out there and what he put out, out there.

“I didn’t know I was going to be here this long. Sometimes, I thought I was gonna be gone,” he added. “But what they couldn’t take away from me when I got the opportunity, was my attitude and what I put out on that film. Like I told him, you control that part and we’ll see where the cards lay when they come up. I’m happy for him.”

Barnett will hope to have a similar career arc with the Eagles as Graham. The veteran became the starter in his fifth season, wasn’t a Pro Bowler till his 11th season, and didn’t have a double-digit sack season till his 13th season.

“Everything could come in the back end,” Graham said. “I feel like in the beginning it didn’t start off so well for me. But everything now has been in the back end. But it’s that perseverance you’ve gotta have through that hard time. Yeah, the media is saying you might not be here, you might be here, you don’t know. Right now, you’re here so take care of the right now. That was my mindset.”

After an off-site incident jet skiing, it was announced by NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport that Buffalo Bills running back and special team ace Nyheim Hines will likely miss the entirety of the upcoming season due to an ACL injury that will require surgery this week.

According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, the 26-year-old was “sitting stationary on a jet ski” when he was “struck by another rider,” as Hines will likely be placed on the non-football injury list for the rest of the 2023 season with a torn ACL in his left knee.

This is just two days prior to training camp starting for each NFL team, including the Bills, this coming Wednesday. Hines thankfully suffered no life-threatening injuries and will look to make his return in 2024.

The veteran scatback was a last-minute acquisition trade prior to the deadline back in November 2022, as the Indianapolis Colts shipped him off for running back Zach Moss and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2023 that turned out to be a fifth-round pick (tight end Will Mallory) in the most recent NFL Draft.

Back in March, Hines restructured his deal to stay with the Bills, as he would “convert part of his base salary to a signing bonus to provide some cap relief” and add “incentives that give him the chance to earn more than his previously scheduled $4.79 million” per the report by NFL Network.

But with the injury occurring off the field away from the team facilities, Buffalo could void his $2.56 million base salary and create immediate salary cap space if they choose to do so with the risk of the running back filing for grievance.

Although Hines was essentially a change of pace back in the offense and not used that often even as a receiver, he was their primary returner on kicks/punts and was a threat to score when he got the ball. In his first year with the team, he was behind running back Devin Singletary, now with the Houston Texans, and former rookie James Cook.

The former N.C. State fourth-round pick from 2018 really made his name known in Buffalo with an epic opening kickoff return for 96 yards in Week 18 against the New England Patriots. This historical and emotional play was their first since safety Damar Hamlin suffered from on-field cardiac arrest against the Cincinnati Bengals a week later. The shifty return man then took another kickoff 101 yards to the house, leading to a Bills win over the Pats.

Now with the electrifying playmaker out for this upcoming season at least, Buffalo could look to add another running back, as they brought in Damien Harris from the Pats and journeyman Latavius Murray in free agency. Second-year Cook will look to take a step forward as the incumbent starter, most likely splitting starting reps with Harris and Murray spelling both occasionally.

But with the news of Hines’ injury, the Bills worked out three running backs on Monday, to then sign Darrynton Evans out of the group. Kylin Hill and Abram Smith were the two other running backs Buffalo worked out with Evans, as they were urgent to find some depth at the position right before training camp.

There is still a looming possibility for the Cook brothers to reunite, as star Dalvin Cook is still a free agent and is heavily tied to all the AFC East teams, including Buffalo. But as of now, the Pats have the highest odds to land the former Minnesota Vikings All-Pro running back, with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets right on their tail.

With Hines gone, they will need second-year wide receiver Khalil Shakir or free-agent Deonte Harty to step up as special teamers, as Super Bowl 57 showcased why having a good return man can pay dividends.

On their second day of training camp, the Cleveland Browns are already dealing with a plethora of injuries to their wide receiving core.

Star receiver Amari Cooper had to leave Sunday’s practice early due to a “minor tweak,” as he is day to day on the team’s unofficial injury report. General manager Andrew Berry confirmed it was a minor tweak but did say it was unrelated to the core muscle surgery Cooper underwent earlier this offseason.

According to Mary Kay Cabot, Browns beat writer, he spent much of Sunday afternoon in the therapy pool within the Browns’ temporary West Virginia facilities after telling reporters on Saturday that his previous surgery wouldn’t hamper his training camp appearance. Berry also declined to say where the tweak was or how Cooper suffered the injury.

The former Dallas wideout dealt with injuries his first year in Cleveland, as he had over 1,000 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns for the Browns in 2022. The four-time Pro-Bowler was traded to the Browns back in March 2022 for a 2022 fifth-round pick essentially, as the Cowboys swapped sixth-round picks with Cleveland. That fifth-rounder turned out to be offensive tackle Matt Waletzko from the 2022 NFL Draft.

Cooper being day-to-day is only concerning with the timing, as the four other receivers on the roster are battling their injuries. That includes free-agent speedsters Jakeem Grant (ruptured Achilles) and Marquise Goodwin, who recently found out that he has blood clots in his legs and lungs.

Other young depth players fighting for a roster spot like Anthony Schwartz (Non-Football Injury list for hamstring injury) and Michael Woods, who is also coming back from an Achilles injury, are also out for the time being.

As of now, 24-year-old Donovan Peoples-Jones and offseason trade addition Elijah Moore are fighting for the top spot at receiver. DPJ will look to take another step forward from last season as the number two, amassing 839 yards in 2022. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, the former sixth-round pick from Michigan in the 2020 NFL Draft will have to prove it even more to earn that payday.

Moore, 23, could be the favorite to step right in as a potential starter, as the former New York Jet was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. In March 2023, the Browns sent a second-round pick in 2023 for a third in 2023 and the former Ole Miss pass catcher. He certainly has the pedigree to live up to the potential as a former second-rounder, or at least can thrive in the slot to start.

The third-round pick acquired in the Moore trade, from the Jets, allowed the Browns to select former Tennessee receiver Cedric Tillman of this past NFL Draft. The 23-year-old rookie will look to make an impact early, as he can compete on the outside if Cooper misses even more time. Not to mention Brown’s former third-round pick from last year’s draft David Bell, as he didn’t get many chances to start while not making a big impact on the field.

Even with a seemingly loaded wide receiver core on paper, health could be an issue for them entering the 2023 season. With Cleveland looking to lean more towards passing compared to previous years, the Browns will need more from their younger pass catchers if they want to compete in the AFC North.

The Lion’s secondary had some encouraging news from a potentially devastating situation that could have been way worse.

A source told ESPN’s Field Yates that C.J. Gardner Johnson‘s right knee showed no structural damage (coming back with a clean MRI) and is considered day-to-day after being carted off in practice due to a non-contact incident.

In a light contact team drill, the defensive back was helped off by trainers to the cart after he struggled to put pressure on his right leg. CGJ’s new teammates were worried after he sustained a scary-looking injury, as the former Eagle was emotional on the practice field.

“It’s hard to see your brothers go down. You never want to see it, especially early in camp or really any day, regardless of the position or the player,” cornerback Cameron Sutton told ESPN after practice. “It’s kind of hard to detail. All you can do is send up prayers.”

Several Lions, including quarterback Jared Goff, went to support and check on Gardner-Johnson, and after practice, awaited patiently on the status of his injury and hoping for some positivity.

“When I went over there, I think he said somebody stepped on it, but I didn’t see it. I just saw him go down and I saw him grabbing it. I went through that, too, where I grabbed mine,” cornerback Jerry Jacobs said. “Not saying that I know what it is, but I’m just praying that it’s nothing like [an ACL]. To see a guy like that with great energy and a great attitude changes the room. S— is so sad. I’m going to go in and check on him. But it’s sad because he’s a great guy.”

The projected starting nickel cornerback and hybrid safety signed a one-year deal worth up to $8 million in March as their big-name free-agent acquisition for a young defense looking to turn it around from years past.

“You hate when people go down, especially without pads on – it’s camp. We haven’t even played a game,” linebacker James Houston told ESPN. “So, first, I’m praying for him, and I think the whole team is praying for him and we just hope he’s going to be OK.”

“You can’t let things like that affect you. The show must go on,” he continued. “Somebody else has to go in and fill in and we’ve got to be able to keep the beat going. Obviously, yeah, it sucks, because that’s your homeboy, that’s your teammate. I’ve known him for a very long time, so I definitely will be praying for him.”

For the Eagles on their Super Bowl run, Gardner-Johnson tied the NFL in most picks that season, with six, despite missing five games due to a lacerated kidney. Since the 1970 merger, the safety was the only Philadelphia defensive back to record interceptions in five consecutive games.

Despite Detroit drafting Alabama defensive back Brian Branch in the second round of the most recent NFL Draft, the pick might pay off even more now, regardless of the roles they play in the secondary. Both Branch and Gardner-Johnson have safety and slot cornerback experience, as they can rotate around safeties like second-year Kerby Joseph and 28-year-old veteran Tracy Walker III in the secondary.

That said, the Lions will likely take it easy with the 25-year-old Gardner-Johnson, as the rookie Branch is the future at that position for Detroit and could prove early why he was the perfect insurance policy pick from the 2023 NFL Draft.

It seems like many big-name college football head coaches still aren’t a fan of the NIL system, as college athletes have been able to make money off of their name, image and likeness for the past two years.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban, LSU head coach Brian Kelly and Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin have been vocally against NIL and have been pushing for more ways to regulate the system. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, along with the other head coaches mentioned, went to Washington, D.C., to make a case for the government to step in to regulate how college athletes can earn money off NIL.

Kelly also stated back in June that college athletics are “in jeopardy” and at a crossroads if NIL “doesn’t get fixed.”

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said he is more against the “professionalization of college athletics” and “anything that devalues education.” He also had a one-liner that went viral in 2022, saying, “We built this program in God’s name, image, and likeness” when talking about the Tigers football program.

Kiffin, like Sweeney, is also against the “pay-for-play” phrase that best describes NIL for many, as the college athletes that are offered the most money often go to those schools or are paid off of fame and image with sponsors and partnerships.

“When this first came out, basically said, whatever programs have the most aggressive boosters with the most money are going to get the players,” Kiffin said at SEC Media Days on Thursday. “And now we are adding some states that you don’t have to follow the NCAA, and now the university can take their money and give it to the collective to give it to the players.”

“This is a disaster coming because you just legalized cheating, and you just told donors they can pay the players is what you did.”

LSU’s Olivia Dunne and Miami’s Cavinder twins, Haley Cavinder and Hanna Cavinder, are extreme examples of the latter, as they net around seven-figure salaries on looks.

“Now we are seeing you really can get paid three times if you want to,” Kiffin said. “You can get paid coming out of high school. You can one-time transfer, go in, get the most money, and get paid again. And then you can grad transfer and then get paid again. Eventually, you’ll not be able to do that, I would think and have that leverage every semester to be able to do that. I’ve told them it’s an awesome time for them.”

College coaches, including Kiffin, know that players are taking every advantage of the system understandably with the negotiation periods while they are still in college.

“With NIL, you’ve got a lot of pay-for-play going on, and that is what it is,” Kiffin said. “Those two things combining, there’s not a system in place. I don’t think there are any other sports at any level that are like this, that, you every year, can opt into free agency. Twice a year.”

Last year, Kiffin shared a Fox News Digital story on Twitter about Saban reportedly letting a top recruit plus one of his players go after they asked for more than $1 million combined from the school.

“Someone with one of the best corners in the nation [in high school] came to me and asked if we’d pay them $800,000 for the player to sign here. I told him he can find another place to play,” Saban said, according to Baker High School coach Steve Normand. “I’m not paying a kid a bunch of NIL money before he earns it.”

“One of them wanted $500,000 and for us to get his girlfriend into law school at Alabama and pay for it. I showed him the door,” Saban reportedly said before the start of last season.

Many coaches agree with Kiffin and Saban, as the Alabama head coach does support the concept but is not fond of the deals, mentioning he feels the NCAA “needs more ways and means to control it because it’s getting out of hand.”

“I think a couple of things are of concern,” Saban said last August. “We allow alumni through collectives to get involved in recruiting and other things. That’s always something we’ve always guarded against in college football. I think what kind of competitive balance are we able to create if we allow that to happen, which is not going to be great for fans.”

It seems for now, college programs and coaches will have to be patient in how to handle the players and their potential NIL deals, as the answers are still few and far between with future legislation.

Currently boasting the second-best record in the MLB, the Baltimore Orioles sit at the top of AL East over the Tampa Bay Rays, who have been slumping as of late.

Prior to Thursday’s kickoff game for the series against the Rays, the Orioles were already ranked ahead of Tampa Bay, as this was the first time after the All-Star break since August 15, 2016.

Starting July off six and a half games back, Baltimore has the lead over the Rays, who are now two back, after winning Friday’s matchup (3-0) but losing on Saturday against the Orioles (6-5). This is an incredible turnaround for a team that is now only behind the Atlanta Braves from the NL East at 63-34.

“It’s just July, that’s kind of where I’m at right now,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “This team [the Rays] is so good and so hard to play, especially here. We’ve been on the other side of those types of games I can’t tell you how many times.”

Their win 4-3 against the Rays ended in the tenth inning on a sacrifice fly hit by Baltimore rookie outfielder Colton Cowser, who recapped the win Thursday night.

“I think tonight was a great team win,” Cowser said as he wrapped up his 11th major league game.

Center fielder Aaron Hicks started the tenth inning on second base as the automatic runner, advancing on second baseman and pinch hitter Adam Frazier‘s sacrifice bunt. On Cowser’s fly to left against Rays relief pitcher Robert Stephenson (1-4), Hicks was able to get home.

Hyde commented on his relief pitcher Felix Bautista (5-1) after the win, as he had a perfect ninth inning and stayed on for the following 10th inning for the Orioles.

“How about Felix Bautista?” Hyde said. “I’m so lucky to have him. The reason why he pitched the tenth is because he had such an efficient ninth. … He’s amazing.”

Rays first baseman Luke Raley was hit by a pitch from the Orioles pitcher, for Bautista to then strike out Rays left outfielder Randy Arozarena. Second baseman Brandon Lowe‘s ground ball for Tampa Bay resulted in a game-ending double play that led to the Baltimore win.

In the eighth inning, the game was tied 3-3, as Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias when made a diving stop on Rays designated hitter Harold Ramirez‘s grounder with two on and threw him out at first. Tampa Bay was trailing 3-1 before rallying back in the seventh inning, with Ray’s third baseman Taylor Walls singling and Christian Bethancourt, Tampa Bay’s catcher, following up by ending the Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Gibson‘s night with a bunt.

This then led to a two-run double from Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz on Orioles relief pitcher Yennier Cano. But Baltimore had a three-score flurry in the fourth inning, thanks to rookie third baseman Gunnar Henderson. Due to his foot speed paired with intelligent base running, Henderson got to third base after hitting a lead-off triple when Arozarena fielded the hit down the left-field line, resulting in a lobbed throw toward the infield after.

“It was tough to see,” Arozarena said through a translator. “I think it was more my fault throwing the ball really soft.”

Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow followed up with a pitch, as the Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Baltimore first baseman Ryan O’Hearn.

This then led to a charged error for Rays catcher Francisco Mejia after the ball got loose on a tag attempt for Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander, which ultimately resulted in Baltimore’s lead 3-1 after Hick’s single.

The Rays had scoring opportunities, as they had at least one runner in position to score for each inning for the first five, but only scored one thanks to Mejia’s second-inning RBI single. Unfortunately for Meija, on Friday it was announced he will likely be out for 3-6 weeks with the left MCL sprain that sent him to the injured list.

“Ugly, yeah,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of the inning. Tampa Bay previously was on a five-game losing streak before winning on Saturday, on par with the Pittsburgh Pirates in losing record going 4-14 in July.

Following Thursday night’s win and their Friday/Saturday matchups in the rearview for the Orioles, Baltimore ended up winning the series 3-1 over Tampa Bay. Their most recent win over the Rays on Sunday (5-3) further showcases their case as the top team in the American League at 61 wins and 38 losses.

Both teams from the AL East will be looking to contend in the playoffs by the time early October rolls around. There are still two months of the regular season left, so the division leader is not set yet.

Jordan Addison, the former 23rd pick of this past NFL Draft, was cited for driving 140 in a 55 mph zone. He was not arrested. The rookie is still expected to be at training camp for the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The 21-year-old wide receiver from Pittsburgh and USC is reportedly “unlikely” to receive a suspension, but an investigation is ongoing. A Minnesota Police/Fire/EMS cam caught Addison, who was stopped by a state trooper at 3 a.m. on Thursday in his Lamborghini Urus SUV.

Going over 86 mph over the speed limit, the Viking’s receiver could have his license revoked for at least six months, based on Minnesota driving laws.

In a statement Friday, the Vikings said: “We are aware of last night’s traffic incident involving Jordan Addison and are gathering additional information.”

Addison also issued an apology, according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo, relaying this statement from the Minnesota rookie:

No one was injured during the incident. The report from Minnesota State Patrol didn’t mention Addison being under the influence while driving. According to the police report, a patrol officer was traveling eastbound on Interstate 94 just after 3 a.m. when they “observed a driver in a Lamborghini Urus traveling 140 miles per hour in a 55-mile per-hour zone.”

Although the NFL has not finished its investigation on the incident, it will likely not end up in anything close to suspension, like former Las Vegas Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs.

The case is more like Marquise “Hollywood” Brown‘s back in August 2022. The Arizona Cardinals pass catcher was arrested and charged with criminal speeding but didn’t lead to suspension, as he was traveling at 126 m.p.h. in a 65 mph zone.

Minnesota, under rookie head coach Kevin O’Connell, won 13 games in his first year, as the Vikings led the NFC North before losing to the New York Giants in the Wildcard.

Addison will have some work to do, as the first-year pass catcher will replace former Vikings veteran receiver Adam Thielen, now with the Carolina Panthers, and his role in the offense.

The rookie receiver is slated to compete in a star Vikings receiving core, with All-Pro Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn. Addison would be the third option at wide receiver realistically to start off, and eventually ease in to compete with Osborn for the number two spot.

According to a citation filed Monday with the Ramsey County District Court and reviewed by ESPN, Addison told the Minnesota State Patrol that “his dog was having an emergency at his residence and that was the reason for his speed.”

However, due to an unspecified minor injury, the former 2021 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner and consensus All-American has missed the majority of OTAs and mandatory minicamps but was present in the rookie minicamp. Addison is expected to be at the start of training camp this week.

Kevin Byard restructured his contract with the Tennessee Titans and is back prior to training camp, despite trade rumors earlier this offseason with the two-time All-Pro free safety.

Back in March, the Titans asked the 29-year-old to take a pay cut, and once he declined, that led to speculation that he would possibly get traded or cut due to cap space. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he reported that the veteran was at “a crossroads” with the organization.

However, late last month, the two-time Pro Bowler said during a podcast appearance that he and the Titans were “in a good place,” leading to a renegotiation of his current deal. But some movement came through once star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins signed with the team last week, most likely helping the negotiations with incentives.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Byard has agreed to terms on a restructured deal. He’ll now make $11 million in base salary with incentives that can get him back to the $14 million he was originally owed.

The former third-round pick from Middle Tennessee State back in 2016 has been a revelation for the Titans, as he is acknowledged by many as a top-ten, even top-five safety overall in the NFL. Back in July 2019, Byard signed a five-year, $70.5 million deal to make him the highest-paid safety at the time.

According to Spotrac, Byard is still the top-paid free safety, but the fourth-highest-paid safety overall.  Per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, he still has two years and $28.2 million left on his contract, but his $31 million in guarantees had run out, leading to the reworked deal.

Spending his whole seven-year career so far with Tennessee, Byard has started every game and played nearly every snap for the team’s defense since 2017.

In 2022, the Titan’s star safety had 108 tackles, six passes defensed, and four interceptions while playing 98% of Tennessee’s defensive snaps. With 27 career interceptions, the 2017 interceptions co-leader is tied for fourth on the all-time franchise list for the team.

Now looking to get back to the playoffs, Byard and the Titan’s defense will look to get back to form under head coach Mike Vrabel and compete in an interesting AFC South, as Tennessee won seven games last year and ranked second in their division.

After his arrest on July 9, Alex Galchenyuk admitted on Tuesday that he will enter the NHL and NHLPA’s player assistance program.

This comes at the heels of the former Coyotes ice hockey center making death threats toward officers during his arrest in a hit-and-run incident, which led Arizona to cut ties after signing him only two weeks ago.

According to the police report, Galchenyuk told officers, “One phone call and you’re all dead, your whole family, your bloodline is dead,” citing his connections in Russia.

These threats were made after the 29-year-old crashed a car into a sign, with him making racial slurs towards a cop in training a few times while resisting to cooperate during the arrest, according to the report.

Galchenyuk apologized for his “deeply disrespectful and despicable behavior,” as the former professional hockey veteran reached out to four Scottsdale police officers via a letter sent through a prosecutor. This was to express regret to those cops personally, saying he knows he has “a long road ahead of him.”

NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh told ESPN that the players association is still contemplating whether it will file a grievance on behalf of the troubled professional hockey star regarding his contract termination.

Galchenyuk was with his father during the arrest. and was cited with misdemeanor charges but was released. His dad, Alexander Galchenyuk Sr., runs his offseason program as a former professional hockey player from Russia.

In the letters to Scottsdale Police Department officers, Galchenyuk said they “did not deserve that outburst” and he was “sorry for the pain that it had caused.”

“My actions after drinking alcohol were not representative of who I am, but I must take responsibility for them and I hope to one day be able to show you that I am a better person than who you sadly encountered last week,” Galchenyuk wrote. “What all of you do, putting your lives on the line to protect and serve others, is nothing short of selfless and heroic. I appreciate and respect each of you and I want you to know I will work on myself every day with the goal of one day being able to make amends and to try to earn your forgiveness.”

The former third overall pick from the 2012 NHL Draft also apologized via letter separate from the cops, telling the fans, and the Coyotes organization, that his behavior was “deeply offensive, uncalled for, horrendous, embarrassing, disrespectful and just plain awful.”

“I am beyond embarrassed and disappointed with myself and I feel awful for everyone I have let down,” Galchenyuk wrote. “My family was counting on me to be better, the Coyotes and the amazing Coyotes fans deserve better and the brave police officers who risk their lives to keep us safe deserve better.”

It has been a tough year for the journeyman, as he was drafted by Montreal Canadiens (played there for six seasons) but since 2018, has played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Colorado Avalanche. Galchenyuk signed a one-year, two-way deal with Arizona worth $775,000 on the opening day of unrestricted free agency on July 1.

It would have been his third stint with the Coyotes, as he played for them in 2018-19 (72 games) and 2021-22 (60 games). Now, Galchenyuk is a free agent – and hockey will have to take a backseat in his road to recovery.

Jamahal Hill will have to vacate the UFC light heavyweight title for the time being. After suffering a rupture in his Achilles tendon during a basketball game, part of his normal training regiment, Hill announced he would give up the belt.

Stating he will be out “a while,” the six-month champion posted on his YouTube late last week about his torn Achilles, as this is the third time in the past three years that a UFC champion, from the light heavyweight division specifically, has given up the title for one reason or another.

“If I had my choice, would I like to give up the belt?” he said. “No, I wouldn’t. You got to be consistent. I understand it’s business. The show must go on. I’m not exempt from that.”

Hill went under the knife on Wednesday, updating his YouTube on his rehab and the surgery.

“Surgery went great,” Hill wrote on social media. “There’s no doubt I will be back and on a whole next level! I can’t wait for you to show once again nothing is impossible!!!”

Many questioned his decision to play basketball during International Fight Week in Las Vegas, but Hill responded to his critics.

“I’ve been playing basketball for my entire life,” Hill said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. “It’s a workout that I enjoy. It’s a thing that I use for cardio and to cut weight and things like that. I’ve been doing it forever. It’s just one of those things, and it just happened. So at that point, it is what it is. A ruptured Achilles can happen in a number of ways, and it just so happened to be done this way. I’ve chosen to go with the legendary and highly recommended Dr. Neal ElAttrache.”

Dr. ElAttrache is well-known for repairing sports injuries, as the biggest examples of his are “The Notorious” MMA fighter Connor McGregor in 2021 (broken tibia and fibula) and the late basketball star Kobe Bryant (torn Achilles) in 2013. He also repairs torn ACLs like MMA’s Georges St. Pierre‘s in 2011 and both ACL/MCL reconstructions for Francis Ngannou in 2022.

“He’s the same doctor that repaired Kobe Bryant’s Achilles back when he ruptured his Achilles,” Hill continued. “He’s repaired Kelsey Plum’s Achilles, and you’ve seen how she’s come back. The most notable one was the Cam Akers injury. As you know, Cam Akers ruptured his Achilles in the preseason and Dr. ElAttrache and his team were able to have Cam Akers back in five and a half months. He played in the Super Bowl. Not saying that’s the progress that I’m expecting to have, but I’m just saying I’m in the best hands possible.”

Former champion Hill beat the past light heavyweight champ Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January to win the title in 2023. In December 2022, champion Jiri Prochazka was supposed to fight Teixeira, but had to relinquish it due to a shoulder injury from Prochazka. UFC booked a fight for the title between former champion Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev instead at UFC 282, which ended in a split draw so there was no winner of the belt till Hill beat Teixeira a month later.

The current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, prior to Prochazka and Hill, vacated the belt in August 2020 with the desire to move up from light heavyweight to heavyweight. Hill appreciated Prochazka for giving up the belt instead of holding it and setting back the division last year.

“I’ll do the same,” Hill said. “Right now, the biggest thing is focusing on my recovery, focusing on getting back to 100 percent.”

Prochazka gave props to Hill for doing the same he did one year later.

The 32-year-old Hill was the first Dana White‘s Contender Series alum to become a consensus UFC belt winner. The Chicago native at 12-1 (1 NC) won four in a row, winning fight-night bonuses in each of those victories, and has a 6-1 (1 NC) record in the UFC.

The UFC promised “Sweet Dreams” Hill he would get a shot at the title upon his return from injury.

“I already know I’m the real champion,” Hill said. “I’m the true champion. I can’t wait to prove it.”