Ben Shelton won the biggest match of his life, finally beating Carlos Alcaraz, whom he had never beaten before, as a huge underdog.

Shelton defeated Alcaraz at 3:33 a.m. in New York on Tuesday in what was the latest US Open finish in the tournament’s history.

Many people ask why the US Open has finishes this late, but those watching were enthralled by the instant classic on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The match had high expectations, but many experts thought Alcaraz would win easily, and after the first set it felt that way, as Shelton played well and still lost in a tiebreak. Alcaraz played poorly in the next two sets, and Shelton led two sets to one.

Alcaraz found his gear eventually and won the fourth set in blowout fashion, which had many people believing yet again the match was Alcaraz’.

Alcaraz had an outstanding 15-1 record in fifth sets in his career, but Shelton upped his level and, from a mini-breakdown in the tiebreak, stunned the Spaniard and defending champion with a signature ace to close the match.

It was a massive upset, and the best match of the young Shelton’s life.

It also gives Shelton a huge chance to claim his maiden US Open and Grand Slam title. Now the second favorite, his path is much more alive than it looked before the Alcaraz match.

With world number one Jannik Sinner out with an injury, one-seed Alexander Zverev is the toughest test that stands in the way if Shelton gets to the final. Zverev is playing great tennis, but is a much more likely option than Alcaraz was to get through.

Ben will take on fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals on Friday.

The Dallas Cowboys have waived quarterback Joe Milton III, as the team announced Sam Howell as the backup quarterback to Dak Prescott.

Milton spent the past season as the backup to Prescott, where he impressed many in the preseason, completing 29 out of 43 passes for 378 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Milton was cut to make a roster spot for recently acquired Emari Demercado.

The Cowboys looked to trade Milton before the 53-man roster cuts, but couldn’t find the right deal. If Milton clears waivers, the Cowboys could bring him back to the practice squad.

The Cowboys signed Demercado before waiving Milton, leaving some to believe the competition was still ongoing. Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer said the competition between Milton and Howell would continue. 

“We’re still piecing the puzzle together, and that’s where this thing is very fluid,” Schottenheimer said. 

Howell signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million guaranteed as a free agent. He showcased his skills in the preseason, completing 27 of 40 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He also recorded a rushing touchdown as well. 

Compared to Milton, Howell has spent time as a starter, with 18 career starts during his tenure with the Washington Commanders in 2022 and 2023. Milton has appeared in five games, but none as the starter.

The Cowboys chose experience for this QB2 battle. Milton has not yet signed with a new team but may find a new home in the coming weeks.

After one of the most decorated careers in sports, Lionel Messi has called it quits for the Argentine National team after over 20 years. His 207 international appearances and 125 international goals will have him widely regarded as one of the best international players of all time.

This decision was expected and comes after the 2026 World Cup campaign, which saw Argentina lose in the final.

His two Copa América trophies and one World Cup all came after the first time he called it quits. In 2016, following a Copa América Centenario loss to Chile in a penalty shootout, he said that the national team was over for him. He was devastated by the loss and stated that he did all he could. He was hurt that he could not bring a major trophy to Argentina while being one of the best players in the world.

The decision was quickly reversed, and he came back stronger. Finally, in 2021, Messi got his trophy for the country, winning the Copa America. This preceded his big win and career-defining moment as he led them to victory at the 2022 World Cup in a historic penalty shootout win over France. Messi had two goals in the game and came second in the tournament in goals to Kylian Mbappe of the French squad.

This completed a legendary career, and there was really no reason for him to come back in 2026 for the most recent World Cup. He did, and even though he now plays in the MLS, which is a smaller league, he proved that he was still one of the best players in the world with some staggering performances for a man his age including a hat trick against Algeria.

The 2026 World Cup was expected to be his farewell to the national team, and they were one goal away in regulation time from sending him into the sunset in storybook fashion. Unfortunately, it ended with a heartbreaking loss to a strong Spain team.

The expected announcement has now come for Messi, leaving behind a history of memories and leaving his mark on the sport forever.

Novak Djokovic’s first US Open round 1 loss leaves his body to blame, and yet again proves that Father Time is undefeated. The 24-time major champion was up two sets to one and a break at one point in the match before he began to vomit and cramp.

The loss comes to gritty Argentine Mariano Navone. Navone specializes on clay but has built a solid first-week resume at the major tournaments over the last two years.

This was by no means a match that you could have expected Navone to win; however, he lacks a big serve and any weapons other than speed that could harm Djokovic even in the latter stages of his career. The match seemed over when Djokovic got the early break in the fourth set, but Navone quickly broke back, and from there Djokovic’s body left him unable to compete with Navone’s high level.

Take nothing away from Navone, who played one of the best matches of his life and needed to even with Djokovic’s failing body. The story won’t be that Navone won, rather that Djokovic lost, but it was still an incredible effort from the clay-court specialist.

The moment that broke tennis fans’ hearts came in the 5th set as the match was slipping away from Djokovic. He was left in tears mid-match on the court, a sight nobody has seen from him. The realization began to set in for him, and it makes you realize this could be the last time we see this great talent in New York at the US Open.

Nobody knows whether this is it for Djokovic, who has said he’d like to play until the 2028 Olympic Games, but if this is it for the game’s greatest talent, it is a mellow ending to one of the most polished and complete careers in sports.

Betting markets are predicting a blockbuster trade that would potentially make the Miami Heat a super team and reunite Jrue Holiday with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The proposed trade would be a three-team move between the Miami Heat, the Houston Rockets, and the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Heat would receive Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. Portland would receive Nikola Jovic and two second-round picks. Houston would receive Davion Mitchell.

It makes a lot of sense for the Rockets and the Heat, as the Heat would add a great player in Holiday. The Rockets would obviously get a great defender and guard.

While it makes sense for those teams, it only makes sense for the Trail Blazers if they feel they need to get rid of one of their star guards. They are currently splitting duties between four right now. After acquiring Ja Morant, the team now rosters him, Damian Lillard, Holiday and Scoot Henderson.

Another reason the Blazers would look to get rid of Holiday is his contract. With Holiday now 36 and owed over $30 million a year, it is a risky contract to have. The Blazers have shown no signs they want to get rid of him or think he is slowing down.

The Blazers return is still fairly low for a player of Holiday’s level, and they are the likeliest of the teams to shut this down.

Miami having to give up two players for Holiday would also mean a depth issue that they are already dealing with after using some of that and prospects to get Antetokounmpo.

However unlikely this trade is due to that, it is a frightening idea for the NBA to picture Holiday in Miami with all their recent acquisitions. Klay Thompson, Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Bam Adebayo all on the court would be a tough task for any group in the league.

With many doubles specialists upset that the mixed doubles event at the US Open has shifted to a singles-style format, they didn’t back themselves on day one.

Of the 32 doubles players in the draw, only nine of them were doubles specialists. Four doubles specialist teams entered, and world No. 5 player Taylor Townsend teamed up with Roland Garros Champion Sascha Zverev. Every single one of those nine players was eliminated on day one by singles players.

Doubles and singles are two completely different styles of the sport, and two doubles specialist teams had to qualify to get into the event, including Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova, the number 1 doubles players in the world on the men’s and women’s side, respectively.

There was a lot of discourse about how it was unfair that they had to qualify while the singles players got in automatically. The argument was that singles players bring the eyeballs, while also giving the best doubles players in the world a chance to compete. During qualifying, Siniakova expressed her displeasure at having to qualify for a doubles tournament while being number one in the world.

Unfortunately, like everyone else, they did not back up their argument that they are the better doubles players. Patten and Siniakova were one of four doubles specialist teams eliminated on day one, losing to Elina Svitolina and her husband, the retiring Gael Monfils. This was a massive upset, as Monfils and Svitolina were up to four-to-one on some odds boards. Many people considered them a charity wild card team as part of Monfils’ farewell tour. They were the longest shot pre-tournament to win the event.

They were not the only team to lose in such fashion, as the headlining team of Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams came back from a break down and bulldozed their way through the doubles specialist team of Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe in another huge upset. Alcaraz and Williams would go on to lose in round two, but it was one more round than they were expected to make it to.

The other doubles specialists also lost to teams made up of singles players, in what seemed like a rattling experience for many of them. The team of Routliffe and Glasspool looked stunned, making mistakes they never make on the doubles court. Perhaps the pressure of being the favorite on such a big stage against such big names got to them, and they were not all able to handle that pressure.

The lone doubles specialist team in last year’s draw to win the title, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, began their defense with a first-set win over singles stars Andrey Rublev and Mirra Andreeva, but in a final-set tiebreak, the defending champions exited in the first round.

Errani and Vavassori winning the title as the lone doubles team last year upset many people who felt singles players should have had all the spots, and it helped explain why there were more doubles specialists in the draw this year.

It is common for doubles specialists to beat singles teams in main draws on both the men’s and women’s doubles sides. With added pressure now on the doubles specialists on a huge stage this year at the US Open, they folded and were outclassed throughout the day by the singles players.

This mixed doubles format at the US Open is only two years old, so it will be interesting to see what changes they make next year after this shocking performance from the doubles players. No matter what happens today, the US Open mixed doubles champion will be a team of two singles players.

As the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up training camp on August 20, the team’s longest-tenured player is setting the tone for the young players.

Travis Kelce, who has played for the team for 13 seasons and holds the longest-tenured title by quite some margin, isn’t embracing a farewell-tour mindset as his career winds down and this may be his last season. After training camp ended, coach Andy Reid shared his biggest takeaways while praising Kelce’s leadership and effort as he enters his 14th season.

Kelce’s mindset in training camp had coaches needing to slow him down, Reid said. “We have examples like Kelce who came out every day and worked to where we had to yank him out of there.”

Veteran linebacker Nick Bolton also praised Kelce’s leadership in practice, saying that Kelce’s ability to always give 100% really “resonates with the team.”

Even when Kelce is not feeling 100%, players and coaches say he shows up with a no-excuses mindset.

The Chiefs are now the second-youngest roster in the NFL, and Reid mentioned that there is a huge expectation being put on the young guys, saying “we have a lot of them” and that he was very proud of how they handled their business. Leadership plays a huge role in that, as he also mentioned other leaders on the team, like Patrick Mahomes, who “didn’t miss a day.”

After last season’s disappointing letdown, mainly due to injuries, the Chiefs will look to get back to the winning ways that got them to the Super Bowl just two years ago. Still with plenty of star power, the Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce connection is still one of the core pieces of their success.

James Harden is staying in Cleveland. The veteran guard has agreed to a three-year, $97 million contract with the Cavaliers that will keep him with the team through the 2029-30 season.

Inside the Contract

The deal includes a player option for the 2028-29 season and a trade kicker. Once completed, the contract will push Harden’s career NBA earnings past $500 million, making him just the eighth player in league history to reach that mark, joining LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Paul George, Donovan Mitchell and Joel Embiid.

How the Deal Came Together

The agreement followed nearly two months of negotiations. Harden declined his previous player option to pursue a longer-term deal at a lower annual cost, giving Cleveland added financial flexibility. The real catalyst was the Cavaliers’ acquisition of wing Peyton Watson from Denver in a five-team sign-and-trade worth four years and $88 million, which cleared the roster and cap space needed to finalize Harden’s new contract.

Harden’s Impact in Cleveland

Harden, 37, joined the Cavaliers midseason last year and helped drive the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. He averaged 20.5 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds across 26 regular-season games, with his playoff numbers dipping slightly to 19.2 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds as Cleveland was ultimately swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks.

The Roster Around Him

Cleveland also locked in its core by re-signing Donovan Mitchell to a max extension alongside the Harden deal, though the team lost depth with the departures of Dean Wade, Max Strus and Dennis Schröder. The projected starting five now features Harden, Mitchell, Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Why It Matters

Retaining Harden on a team-friendly, multi-year deal gives Cleveland continuity around its core after an Eastern Conference Finals run, while positioning the future Hall of Famer to chase a title with a roster that’s kept its key pieces largely intact heading into next season.

Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from professional tennis after testing positive for cocaine, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed.

In 2021, Kyrgios was accused of assaulting his girlfriend.

Timeline of the Case

The positive sample was collected on June 22, 2026, during a lower-tier grass court event in Mallorca, Spain, where Kyrgios was competing while ranked 919th in the world. The result was confirmed positive on July 17, and the ITIA applied a provisional suspension on August 4. The case became public on Tuesday.

A Career Already in Decline

Kyrgios, 31, has struggled significantly since his standout 2022 season, when he reached the Wimbledon final. He has won just 2 of his last 10 ATP singles matches, a steep fall from his peak form. The positive test adds another setback to a career already defined by injuries and inconsistent results in recent years.

What Comes Next

Kyrgios faces a potential suspension of up to four years under anti-doping rules, though a lighter sanction is expected because the ITIA determined the cocaine use occurred outside of competition. A comparable case offers some precedent: British player Dan Evans received a one-year ban in a similar 2017 case involving cocaine.

Kyrgios Responds

Kyrgios did not dispute the finding and publicly took ownership of the situation. “I made a huge mistake and take full responsibility for it,” he said. He connected the episode to a difficult personal stretch, describing feelings of being “helpless and alone” amid ongoing injury struggles, and announced he would step away from social media for 28 days to focus on his recovery.

Why It Matters

The suspension marks one of the most significant off-court controversies of Kyrgios’s career, arriving at a moment when he was already fighting to regain his footing on tour. How the ITIA ultimately rules on sanctions will determine whether Kyrgios has a realistic path back to competitive tennis or faces an extended period on the sidelines.

Future Hall of Fame pass rusher Von Miller is heading home. The Dallas Cowboys announced Sunday night they agreed to terms with Miller on a one-year contract worth $5.5 million, with a maximum value of $7.5 million.

The move reunites the 37-year-old edge rusher with the region where his career began. Miller attended DeSoto High School just south of Dallas before starring at Texas A&M, and the Denver Broncos selected him second overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He confirmed the signing on social media with a simple post reading “Hereee Weee Gooo,” accompanied by an image of himself in a Cowboys uniform, capping weeks of speculation that began when he teased the move with a photoshopped Instagram post in July.

Miller is expected to join the Cowboys at their training camp in Oxnard, California, on Monday, with Dallas set to wrap up its West Coast camp before a preseason matchup at Arizona.

Miller arrives in Dallas as the active NFL leader in career sacks with 138.5, a total built over 14 professional seasons. He was named the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 after recording 11.5 sacks in his debut campaign, earned three All-Pro selections in his first six seasons, and won Super Bowl MVP honors as part of Denver’s dominant defense in Super Bowl 50. He added a second championship with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 after being acquired from Denver in a midseason trade.

His tenure with the Buffalo Bills that followed was hampered by injuries and a domestic violence case in Dallas that resulted in a four-game suspension.

After being released by Buffalo in a salary-cap move, Miller signed with the Washington Commanders last year and turned in his most productive season since 2018, recording nine sacks, six tackles for loss and 19 quarterback pressures despite playing just 37% of Washington’s defensive snaps. It marked the first time since 2018 that he played every game in a regular season.

The signing addresses an obvious need for Dallas, which has lacked a defined identity at edge rusher since trading All-Pro Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers before the 2025 season. The Cowboys ranked 26th in the league in sack rate last season while surrendering more passing yards than any other team. Miller is expected to join a rotation that includes Rashan Gary, 2026 first-round pick Malachi Lawrence and second-year pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, likely occupying a role similar to the one Jadeveon Clowney filled for Dallas in 2025 as a veteran situational piece in the pass rush.

Former professional boxer Prichard Colón has died at 33, nearly 11 years after suffering a traumatic brain injury during his final fight, his father confirmed on social media Thursday.

Colón entered his October 2015 bout against Terrel Williams undefeated at 16-0 with 13 knockouts, fighting on national television in Fairfax, Virginia. Throughout the fight, Colón repeatedly complained about illegal punches landing behind his head. Referee Joe Cooper deducted a point from Williams in round 7 for the infraction after allowing earlier fouls to go unpenalized. In the closing seconds of round 9, Colón was knocked down by another shot that landed behind the head — the round’s second knockdown — though Cooper again did not rule it illegal.

>SPORTS LEGENDS WHO DIED IN 2026 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW!

A Fatal Sequence of Events

Colón’s corner removed his gloves after round 9, mistakenly believing the fight had ended. One round remained, and Colón was disqualified for failing to answer the bell for round 10. Shortly after returning to his dressing room, he became dizzy, vomited and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital, diagnosed with a subdural hematoma, and underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain.

Colón spent 221 days in a coma. When he was ultimately discharged in May 2016, the injury had left him unable to walk or speak, and he required continuous care for the remainder of his life. He later underwent spinal surgery and, according to his family, made limited progress in rehabilitation, including learning to communicate through a computer.

Legal Fallout

In 2017, Colón’s parents filed a lawsuit seeking more than $50 million, alleging medical malpractice against ringside physician Dr. Richard Ashby for failing to act despite Colón telling him he felt dizzy and was in pain from illegal blows earlier in the fight.

Colón’s death brings a close to more than a decade of severe health complications following the injury, and reignites longstanding questions in the sport about officiating, ringside medical response, and fighter safety when repeated fouls go unaddressed mid-bout.

The Minnesota Vikings have named Kyler Murray their Week 1 starting quarterback for the 2026 season, ending an offseason quarterback competition that dominated headlines throughout training camp.

Murray, a one-time NFL MVP candidate, beat out J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings’ 2024 first-round pick, for the starting job. Minnesota signed Murray to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract after the Arizona Cardinals released him earlier this year, betting that a change of scenery could revive his career under head coach Kevin O’Connell.

O’Connell has been bullish on Murray’s trajectory since he arrived in Minnesota, telling NFL Network’s The Insiders that the veteran quarterback showed steady improvement throughout the offseason program and training camp. That growth ultimately tipped the competition in Murray’s favor.

The decision marks the fourth different Week 1 starting quarterback for the Vikings in as many seasons, underscoring the instability the franchise has faced at the position since Kirk Cousins departed. McCarthy, who missed most of his rookie year with a knee injury, now finds himself in a backup role behind a proven veteran as he continues developing behind the scenes.

What It Means for the Vikings’ 2026 Outlook

Murray’s mobility and big-play ability give Minnesota’s offense a different dimension than it had a year ago, and the move signals that O’Connell is prioritizing win-now production as the Vikings look to contend in a stacked NFC North. For McCarthy, the door remains open — Minnesota has not ruled out a future switch if Murray struggles or if the rookie-turned-sophomore forces the issue in practice.

Vikings training camp continues this month as the team fine-tunes its roster ahead of the regular season. Expect more clarity on Minnesota’s quarterback depth chart, offensive scheme adjustments, and McCarthy’s role as the preseason gets underway.

Real Madrid is assembling one of the deepest attacking groups in European football after adding Yan Diomande, securing Carlos Espí and renewing Vinicius Junior‘s contract, giving the club an increasingly formidable collection of young and established forwards heading into the new season.

The centerpiece of Madrid’s attack remains Vinicius, whose new contract keeps one of the world’s most dangerous wingers at the Santiago Bernabéu for the long term. His combination of speed, dribbling and ability to create chances has made him one of the club’s most important players, and retaining him removes uncertainty surrounding one of the team’s biggest attacking stars. Reports indicate the new agreement keeps Vinicius at Madrid through 2032.

Madrid’s addition of Yan Diomande adds another explosive option to the attack. The teenager arrived from RB Leipzig in a club-record deal reported at around €135 million, becoming the most expensive African player in football history. His arrival gives Madrid another versatile wide attacker capable of playing on either side of the field and provides the club with a player who can grow alongside its younger core.

The Diomande signing also changes the complexion of Madrid’s forward depth. Rather than relying heavily on a small group of established stars, the club can now rotate its attackers while maintaining speed and creativity. His ability to operate from wide positions could also allow Madrid’s coaching staff to alter formations depending on the opponent without sacrificing attacking quality.

Carlos Espí represents another piece of Madrid’s long-term planning. The young forward adds further depth and potential to a group that is increasingly built around players capable of contributing immediately while also developing into future stars. Madrid’s willingness to invest in young attacking talent reflects the club’s broader strategy of preparing for the next generation rather than waiting for its current stars to reach the end of their careers.

The depth could become particularly important over a long season. Madrid will compete across La Liga, the Champions League and domestic cup competitions, creating a demanding schedule that requires rotation. Injuries, suspensions and fatigue can quickly expose a lack of depth, but Madrid now has more options capable of changing matches from the bench as well as from the starting lineup.

The attacking group also gives Madrid greater tactical flexibility. Vinicius can continue operating as a primary threat from the left, while Diomande provides another option capable of stretching defenses from the opposite side. With additional young forwards competing for minutes, Madrid can create different combinations without completely changing its attacking identity.

The challenge will be managing those players and ensuring that the competition for minutes remains productive. Young stars need consistent opportunities to develop, while established players need enough playing time to remain sharp. How Madrid’s coaching staff distributes those minutes could ultimately be as important as the quality of the players themselves.

For Real Madrid, however, the direction is clear. The club has secured its most recognizable attacking star for the long term while adding younger players capable of becoming future cornerstones. With Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe remaining at the center of the project and Diomande and Espí joining an already talented group, Madrid’s offensive arsenal appears designed not only to compete for trophies now but to remain dangerous for years to come.

The race for Rodri has developed into one of the most intriguing transfer battles of the summer, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both pursuing the Manchester City midfielder and potentially turning his future into another major chapter in one of Spanish football’s biggest rivalries.

Rodri is one of the most accomplished midfielders in world football and has established himself as a central figure for both Manchester City and Spain. His ability to control possession, dictate tempo and protect the defense makes him an especially valuable target for clubs seeking a player capable of immediately transforming their midfield.

Real Madrid’s interest carries an obvious sporting and emotional dimension. Rodri is Spanish, has already proven himself at the highest level and would fill a position that Madrid has continued to evaluate as its midfield evolves. Adding him could provide the club with an experienced defensive midfielder capable of controlling matches while complementing its younger midfielders.

Barcelona’s interest, however, makes the situation considerably more significant. The Catalan club has entered the race and reportedly submitted an opening bid for Rodri that Manchester City rejected. Barcelona’s pursuit could provide the midfielder with an opportunity to return to Spain while also becoming a centerpiece of the club’s midfield project.

The financial aspect could ultimately determine how the battle develops. Manchester City has little reason to sell one of its most important players without receiving a significant offer, while Barcelona must continue managing its finances carefully. Reports indicate that Barcelona’s initial proposal fell short of City’s expectations, meaning the Catalan club may need to increase its offer or explore alternative structures to complete the transfer.

For Real Madrid, allowing Barcelona to win the race could carry consequences beyond the loss of a transfer target. Rodri would immediately strengthen one of Madrid’s biggest domestic rivals, potentially giving Barcelona a player capable of controlling the midfield in El Clásico. Signing him would therefore represent not only an acquisition for Barcelona but also a potential strategic loss for Madrid.

Rodri’s qualities make the battle particularly important because neither club is simply looking for another attacking star. Both Madrid and Barcelona already possess considerable offensive talent. What Rodri offers is control. His ability to receive the ball under pressure, dictate the rhythm of a match and provide defensive cover could allow either team’s attacking players to operate with greater freedom.

The midfielder’s history in Spanish football adds another layer to the story. Rodri previously played for Villarreal and Atlético Madrid before moving to Manchester City, where he developed into one of the world’s premier midfielders. A return to Spain would therefore represent another major stage in a career that has already included domestic titles, European success and international honors.

For Barcelona, completing the signing could represent a statement that the club is capable of competing with Madrid for elite players despite its financial constraints. For Madrid, winning the race would reinforce its ability to attract established Spanish stars while denying Barcelona the opportunity to strengthen its midfield.

Manchester City, meanwhile, remains in the position of control as the clubs compete for its midfielder. Until an agreement is reached, the transfer remains uncertain, but the growing interest from both Spanish giants has transformed Rodri’s future into one of the summer’s biggest stories.

Whether Rodri eventually chooses the Santiago Bernabéu, Camp Nou or remains in Manchester, the outcome could have implications well beyond one transfer window. If he joins Madrid, the club could gain an elite midfielder while keeping him away from Barcelona. If Barcelona succeeds, the Catalan side could acquire one of the world’s best midfielders while simultaneously denying Madrid a major target. Either outcome would reshape the balance of power in Spain.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and star pass rusher Maxx Crosby were held out of Saturday’s training camp practice, a disciplinary response after the two got into a heated scuffle during Friday’s session that had to be broken up by teammates.

The altercation began during a contentious team period, when Crosby hit Cousins’ throwing arm twice in quick succession. After the second hit, Cousins confronted Crosby, grabbing his jersey and getting in his face before the two were separated amid a heated back-and-forth.

No punches were thrown, according to multiple reports, but the intensity of the exchange between two of the Raiders’ most prominent players was enough to draw a clear response from the coaching staff. It wasn’t the only flare-up of the day, either — defensive lineman Jonah Laulu punched second-year right guard Caleb Rogers earlier in the same practice.

Head coach Klint Kubiak, in his first season leading the Raiders, addressed the incident directly with reporters Saturday, making clear there would be no exceptions to how he wants his team to operate. He said the organization has very clear expectations for how practice and business are conducted, and that those expectations were violated Friday, which is why both players were held out. Kubiak confirmed both Cousins and Crosby would be back on the field for Monday’s practice, but declined to elaborate further, saying the matter had been addressed internally with the team and the organization was ready to move on.

The decision to sideline Cousins gave rookie first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza his first extended opportunity to run the starting offense during training camp, a notable data point given the Raiders open their preseason schedule Thursday night at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Kubiak hasn’t announced how he plans to divide snaps between his quarterbacks in that game, though Mendoza is expected to see meaningful playing time and could even start, with the Raiders widely expected to turn to him as a long-term answer under center at some point this season.

Despite the discipline, several teammates framed the incident in a positive light. Tight end Michael Mayer said the moment reflected the kind of competitive edge Cousins has always carried, saying it’s the sort of fire you want a quarterback to bring in defense of his team. He added that physical scuffles are simply part of padded practices during camp, characterizing Friday’s incident as more about competitive energy than any deeper rift between teammates trying to help turn around a once-proud franchise.

Roger Craig turned what should have been a purely celebratory night into a moment of candor, using his taped Pro Football Hall of Fame acceptance speech Saturday to disclose that he’s living with vascular dementia. The former 49ers running back, now 66, said his medical team believes the diagnosis traces at least in part back to the concussions he absorbed across an 11-year NFL career.

Craig joins a long list of former NFL players to disclose the brain injuries they’ve suffered as a result of the game.

Craig described the condition creeping in slowly rather than announcing itself all at once. Early symptoms, he explained, were easy to wave off — “the changes were gradual,” he said, and for a while they were “dismissed as normal aging.” It was only after his own family began noticing the same shifts that he finally sought a medical opinion, a process that eventually led to the diagnosis he shared with the crowd.

Rather than let the news overshadow his induction, Craig reframed it as a rallying point. “I want people to know this diagnosis doesn’t define me. I am still Roger Craig,” he told viewers, insisting his identity and legacy remain intact regardless of what the condition brings. He said his hope in going public is that others facing unexplained cognitive or behavioral shifts won’t brush them aside the way his own symptoms initially were — and that they’ll feel empowered to raise concerns with a doctor sooner rather than later.

Medically, vascular dementia ranks as the second most common form of the disease behind Alzheimer’s. It stems from reduced blood flow to the brain, often tied to strokes or damaged blood vessels, and can produce a range of effects on memory, reasoning and behavior. Researchers have increasingly examined potential links between repeated head trauma in contact sports and later-life cognitive decline, a connection Craig’s medical team appears to be weighing in his own case.

Craig’s disclosure adds his name to a growing list of former NFL players who’ve spoken publicly about brain health struggles tied to their playing days, a topic that has reshaped conversations around football safety over the past decade.

Royce White, the former NBA first-round pick now running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota, announced Friday that he’s declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft — framing the move as a statement rather than a genuine career pivot. “I identify as a sometimes identifying transgender woman,” White said, a line clearly designed to provoke rather than describe an actual gender identity.

The timing wasn’t coincidental. White’s announcement landed the same day fellow former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom made an almost identical declaration, and the pairing made clear this was a coordinated bit of political theater rather than two athletes independently chasing a second act in women’s professional basketball.

Both men are using the stunt to needle the ongoing national fight over transgender participation in women’s sports, a debate that has become a flashpoint in conservative politics and, by extension, in White’s own Senate primary campaign.

Nothing about the announcement carries any competitive weight. Neither White nor Kanter Freedom has filed formal paperwork with the WNBA, and league rules don’t allow a public remark to place a player in the draft pool, let alone secure a roster spot or contract. In practical terms, the declarations changed nothing about either man’s basketball status — White remains a candidate for office, not a prospective pro athlete testing his skills against WNBA talent.

The league’s players didn’t let the comments pass quietly. The WNBPA, the union representing WNBA athletes, issued a statement condemning the remarks as transphobic, pushing back against what it characterized as an attempt to mock transgender identity for political gain rather than engage with the substance of the athletic-eligibility debate.

White’s basketball résumé gives the stunt a bit of extra reach: he was a first-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, giving him name recognition well beyond his current political ambitions. That history has made his commentary a bigger story than it might otherwise be, even though nothing in his announcement reflects an actual plan to play professional women’s basketball.

For now, the episode functions mostly as a proxy fight — a way for two former athletes with political ambitions to inject themselves into a contentious cultural debate using their basketball credibility as a platform.

The NFL has suspended New Orleans Saints undrafted rookie wide receiver Brock Rechsteiner for the first six games of the 2026 season after he violated the league’s performance-enhancing substances (PED) policy, the team and multiple outlets confirmed Thursday.

Rechsteiner remains eligible to practice with the Saints throughout training camp and to play in all of the team’s preseason games. His suspension will only take effect once New Orleans trims its roster down to 53 players ahead of the regular season, a cutdown deadline set for Aug. 30.

The 23-year-old signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent this past May after impressing the coaching staff as a tryout player during the team’s rookie minicamp. He carried that momentum into the offseason program, drawing praise for his performance during mandatory minicamp before training camp opened in late July. Since camp began, however, his presence had been comparatively quiet, with fellow rookie receiver Barion Brown capturing more attention at the position.

Rechsteiner played his college football at Jacksonville State from 2021 to 2025, finishing his final collegiate season with 36 receptions for 383 yards. Given New Orleans’ existing depth at wide receiver, he was already viewed as a long shot to make the Saints’ 53-man roster even before news of the suspension emerged, raising questions about whether this setback effectively ends his path onto the active roster, though a practice-squad role could remain a possibility depending on how camp plays out.

Beyond the football implications, the suspension has drawn added attention because of Rechsteiner’s family background in professional wrestling.

His father, Scott Rechsteiner, wrestled for years under the name Scott Steiner — also known by the nickname “Big Poppa Pump” — and is enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame. His uncle, Rick Steiner, was his father’s longtime tag-team partner as part of the Steiner Brothers. His first cousin, Bronson Rechsteiner, currently competes in WWE under the name Bron Breakker, one of the promotion’s rising young stars.

Rechsteiner has spoken previously about staying close with his cousin, saying the two train together and go fishing when Breakker is back home in Georgia. According to Rechsteiner, Breakker has encouraged him to keep playing football for as long as possible before eventually considering a transition into professional wrestling himself once his playing career winds down.

For now, Rechsteiner’s focus remains on football, with the six-game suspension adding a significant hurdle to an already difficult roster battle as the Saints continue evaluating their receiver depth throughout the preseason.

Stefon Diggs is heading to Washington, with the Washington Commanders set to sign the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver to a one-year contract worth up to $12 million, according to multiple reports.

Diggs has been plagued by multiple lawsuits – including one claiming he strangled his personal chef (he was later acquitted) – and a very public split from rapper Cardi B.

Diggs comes to Washington after a productive 2025 season in New England, where he caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns while helping the Patriots reach Super Bowl LX, a game they ultimately lost to Seattle.

Despite that production, New England released him in March after the Super Bowl run, largely a cap-driven decision — his contract was structured to jump from a $10.5 million cap hit to $26.5 million in each of the next two seasons, a number the team wasn’t willing to absorb. Diggs had signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the Patriots ahead of the 2025 season, with $26 million guaranteed, making his release after just one year a significant shift in his career trajectory.

The move to Washington marks Diggs’ fifth franchise in twelve NFL seasons, following stops with Minnesota, Buffalo, Houston and New England.

At 32, he joins a Commanders offense built around quarterback Jayden Daniels, giving Washington another established target as it looks to build on last season’s playoff run. Analysts have generally framed the signing as a low-risk, potentially high-reward addition for Washington, given Diggs’ track record of consistent production paired with the flexibility of a one-year commitment for both sides.

The Commanders’ interest comes as teams around the league continue to reshape their receiver depth charts in the late stages of the offseason, with Diggs among the more accomplished names still available on the open market heading into training camp.