The Atlanta Dream captured a 2-1 series lead over the Golden State Valkyries in large part because of Reese’s dominance. She finished Game 3 with 21 points and 12 rebounds, marking her third straight double-double in the WNBA Finals.

“Y’all not taking this from us, and that’s in my heart,” Reese said postgame. “Like, I’m not letting you take this from us. I think [that confidence] becomes contagious within the team. They feel that confidence too.”

After leading the Dream to a win Wednesday night, Reese had a wholesome encounter with her former college coach, Kim Mulkey.

Mulkey, who won a national championship at LSU with Reese, gave her former star forward a big hug after the Dream secured their 97-71 victory at State Farm Arena.

Coach got to witness history up close 🫶

Angel Reese catches up with former @LSUwbkb head coach Kim Mulkey after making WNBA history with another monster Finals performance.

21 PTS | 12 REB | 3 AST | 3 STL | 2 3PM#WNBASeason30 | #2026WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/U2wCb2HgLg

— WNBA (@WNBA) October 22, 2026

Angel Reese received some motivation postgame.

Even though Mulkey no longer coaches Reese, she gave her some words of encouragement after Game 3.

“Her words, I can’t share. But she just kept telling me to go get it,” Reese told reporters.

The WNBA Finals will resume on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. The Dream are hoping to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Former ESPN radio host Dan Le Batard sat down with Wilbon for an extensive interview about “Pardon the Interruption” and the future of sports media. Le Batard brought up how Wilbon and his “PTI” partner Tony Kornheiser went from newspaper writers to successful TV personalities.

After Le Batard revealed that the New York Times wouldn’t let their writers appear on TV programs from their newsroom, Wilbon unleashed an epic rant.

“They bailed. They were the first to bail. F— the New York Times,” Wilbon said, via Awful Announcing. “I worked for a better section anyway. You think I wouldn’t take the section with Tom Boswell and Dave Kindred and Tony Kornheiser, Sally Jenkins, and David Remnick, and David Aldridge, and J.A. Adande? I’m skipping a whole generation of people: Barry Lorge, the greatest tennis writer of all time. Half those people went to television. F— the New York Times, which bailed on our profession. It bailed. It took the sports section away, gutless motherf—–s.”

Michael Wilbon isn’t afraid to call out major publications.

Back in February, Wilbon unleashed a rant on The Washington Post after the iconic newspaper eliminated its sports department.

“It’s a death, I’m not overstating it,” Wilbon said. “This we’ll never get over. This is the death of something, if not someone. For those of us who participated actively, proudly, arrogantly, we’ll never get over this.”

Wilbon, who spent three decades with The Post, will be honored this upcoming February when he officially receives the 43rd Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.

On Thursday, the NFL released a statement announcing that the “Steelers House” fan event in Paris has been cancelled. The league cited “recent events in the Bastille neighborhood” as the primary reason for doing so.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming fans to France for the first-ever regular season NFL game, as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the New Orleans Saints this Sunday,” the NFL’s statement began.

“Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris.

“Preparations for Sunday’s NFL Paris game at Stade de France continue as planned, with the NFL working closely with local authorities and partners on all operations and security matters.

“Fans can find the latest information on NFL events taking place across Paris throughout the week via the NFL OnePass app.

“Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to welcoming you to Paris and Stade de France for Sunday’s game.”

NFL to Steelers fans in Paris: It’s not safe enough for us to host a Steelers fan party. But the game will be fine. And awesome. And there’s nothing to worry about. pic.twitter.com/qVGlRSzxlt

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) October 22, 2026

The Situation in Paris

Paris is grappling with some of France’s worst civil unrest in years after demonstrations on October 17, 2026, escalated into violent clashes, arson and looting. The protests grew out of student-led demonstrations over deteriorating school conditions, rising living costs and declining public services, attracting hundreds of thousands of people nationwide.

While many demonstrators marched peacefully, groups of masked rioters smashed shop windows, looted businesses, burned vehicles and damaged public property in central Paris. Police used tear gas and other crowd-control measures as confrontations spread across the capital and other French cities.

Authorities reported approximately 2,400 arrests nationwide over the weekend, including 855 in the Paris region, as the unrest also injured police officers and firefighters. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence while acknowledging that peaceful protesters had legitimate grievances.

The government blamed radical far-left groups and opportunistic criminals, while critics questioned police tactics and the authorities’ failure to anticipate the scale of the disturbances. The unrest has intensified political tensions as France approaches its 2027 presidential election.

As for their NFL, their mindset is “the show must go on.”

It was reported earlier this season that Peyton and Eli’s “ManningCast” dipped in viewership, with roughly 661,000 people tuning in for a Week 2 showdown between the Giants and Rams. Although they had off for the Commanders-49ers game in Week 6, ESPN televised “Monday Night FootballField Pass” with McAfee and his crew.

Despite being a polarizing figure in the sports media industry, McAfee couldn’t give ESPN a boost in ratings.

According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Monday night’s alt-cast for McAfee had 351,000 viewers.

“That is around half of what the Mannings have received,” Marchand added. “ESPN declined to confirm the McAfee numbers, which is not common practice.”

McAfee will get another chance.

While it doesn’t seem like McAfee has the juice to replace the Manning brothers, he’ll get a few more chances to prove that “Monday Night FootballField Pass” should co-exist with ESPN’s standard broadcast.

“Monday Night Football FieldPass” will officially televise the following games:

• Week 9 – Bills at Vikings
• Week 12 – Panthers at Buccaneers
• Week 14 – Steelers at Jaguars
• Week 16 – Giants at Lions
• Week 18 – doubleheader TBD

ESPN has also announced that McAfee’s alt-cast will be part of its Super Bowl coverage at SoFi Stadium.

Reese finished Game 3 with 21 points and 12 rebounds, which marked her third straight double-double in the WNBA Finals. She’s the youngest player in Finals history to accomplish that feat. In addition to dominating on the boards, Reese got into Golden State’s head with her trash-talk on the court.

There was a moment in Game 3 where Reese was caught yelling “You a bum” from Atlanta’s bench.

“Y’all not taking this from us, and that’s in my heart,” Reese said postgame. “Like, I’m not letting you take this from us. I think [that confidence] becomes contagious within the team. They feel that confidence too.”

Even though Reese was a bit ruthless on the court, WNBA fans loved watching her leave all of her emotions out there on the court.

“Angel Reese out here Rebounding like Dennis Rodman, trash talking like Ant and still defending like Garnett. How do you hate on that,” a fan commented.

“Trash talk is part of hoops. Most players do it. It ain’t beef. it’s just basketball. I watch angel and Paige trash talk each other and that’s why they said they both love playing against each other. Her and phee that’s why people love watching them. Stop taking ts serious,” a second fan added.

“Angel Reese doesn’t know who is a rookie or a vet and she plays them all the same way coaches, vets, rookies all are getting the trash talk from her, they are just opponents to her,” another fan said.

The ATL Barbie is FIRED UP at home 😤

Angel Reese is letting the Golden State bench hear it early 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fdyXkN5RUj

— espnW (@espnW) October 22, 2026

Reese is truly chasing greatness.

At the age of 24, Reese is already a three-time WNBA All-Star, an NCAA champion, an All-American and the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Suffice to say, she’s on the path to greatness.

If the Dream continue to play at a high level against the Valkyries, Reese should add a championship and Finals MVP to her résumé.

Game 4 of the WNBA Finals is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

Back in May of 2025, Wright suggested that Reese needs to improve her game in order to remain a true superstar in the WNBA.

“Angel Reese needs to be better at basketball,” Wright said. “I’m not talking about as a person, I’m not talking about as a podcaster. She needs to be better as a player if we want this rivalry to have some staying power. She had a very busy offseason, but at this moment, it doesn’t seem like the offseason involved a lot of Mikan drills of left-handed layups. Right now, Angel Reese, she is a wildly famous rebounder.”

One year later, Reese took her game to a new level and helped the Dream make a run to the WNBA Finals. In Game 3 on Wednesday night, she had 21 points and 12 rebounds in a 97-71 win over the Valkyries.

Even though he’s been critical of her in the past, Wright gave Reese her flowers after last night’s performance.

“If Angel Reese was going to have her status as a player stay at the level of her status as a celebrity she needed to get better,” Wright said. “Well, this year that changed considerably. She’s been phenomenal. Angel Reese’s performance this playoffs gives her the opportunity to be a step behind A’ja Wilson as the top player in the sport.”

So close to adding another accolade.

Reese had a great regular season with Atlanta, averaging 16.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. She was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in her career.

Although she had zero playoff experience prior to this season, Reese has looked like a 10-year vet in crunch time. In fact, she’s averaging 19.4 points per game in the playoffs on 48.1% shooting from the field.

The Dream are two wins away from winning a WNBA championship. If Reese continues to play well, she’ll end up being the Finals MVP.

Prior to the start of the 2026 NFL season, Rodgers shared public photos of a reconciliation with his family. It’s been heavily reported for a while now that Rodgers isn’t on great terms with his family members, but he spent quality time with them during a trip to Nashville.

“There’s been a lot of conversation about it outside of my own conversation for so many years,” Rodgers told Kyle Brandt. “You know, a big part of it was getting married and having those conversations with my wife that allowed me to kind of open up to the possibility of coming together. It’s been a couple-year process now, the conversations with them, but, you know, I’ve been very, very closed off about that part of my life, and I want to keep it that way. But there’s been a narrative that’s gone on for too long, that I wanted to kind of shut down.

“And it’s been really beautiful to reconnect with them. All of them. And I got to spend a week, a long weekend recently. Those pictures are from in Nashville. My parents, my brother, and his sweet wife, and their incredible two kids. I got to be an uncle. It’s just really — it’s really special. So a lot of my life has been full circle I think the last year. And that was part of it. I knew it was part of it. And I’m happy to be reunited, and that part of my life is a really beautiful addition, and I’ve got to give my wife a lot of credit for — not that she was pushing me, because she never was, but just the way that she loves and supports me, having her by my side during this process has been really special. And I missed those relationships. And there was reasons for it that don’t need to be talked about, but I’m thankful that that’s come all the way back around.”

Well, according to Page Six, the Rodgers family reunion didn’t exactly solve all of their problems.

Page Six has been told that Aaron and his brother, ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers, aren’t that friendly with each other at the moment.

“JoJo [Fletcher] and Jordan are cordial with Aaron,” a source told Page Six. “It seems like Aaron has led the public to believe things are better than they actually are with Jordan.”

Why was there tension between Aaron and Jordan?

According to previous reports, Aaron had an issue with Jordan sharing family drama on ABC’s “The Bachelorette.”

It’s unclear if Aaron or Jordan have spoke since the family’s reunion in the summer. To be fair, no one explicitly said that Jordan attended that trip. It’s possible Aaron’s other brother, Luke, was the one who showed up.

We’ll see if Rodgers addresses Page Six’s report in the coming weeks.

Doncic and Lendeborg had plenty of words for each other during this Wednesday’s season opener at Crypto.com Arena. Once the game went final, Lendeborg made it clear that he no longer has any respect for Doncic.

“I had a lot of respect for him [because] I didn’t really watch the NBA much. I just watched highlights and seen him kill people,” Lendeborg told reporters. “But being in it firsthand and seeing all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect. That was awful. Like me getting frustrated, it’s not about the foul being called, it’s about him complaining the entire game. And then you get the foul call – congratulations. Then you talk to me like you did something great. C’mon, dog. That s— is weak. It kind of threw me off because I have so much respect for him. Gone, man. Gone.”

Lendeborg then shared some of the trash talk he had for Doncic during Wednesday night’s game.

“He can’t score on me. You talk but you can’t score on me. I said it the whole game. I said a couple cuss words, obviously. That’s why I got the technical. But I was letting him know.”

Yaxel had success against Luka.

Even though Doncic scored 28 points in the Lakers’ 127-105 win over the Warriors, he didn’t have a ton of success when Lendeborg was his primary defender.

According to ESPN’s tracking stats, Doncic went 1-of-6 from the field when guarded by Lendeborg.

“He was talking crazy,” Doncic said when asked about Lendeborg. “But I wasn’t trying to talk back. This season, I’m not trying to get techs.”

The Lakers and Warriors will meet again on Oct. 30 at the Chase Center.

Watt was named Tony Romo’s replacement prior to Week 1, but fans weren’t sure he’d remain Jim Nantz’s broadcast partner for the 2027 season and beyond. Speculation surrounding Watt’s job truly ramped up once it was revealed that Troy Aikman is set to be a free agent in the offseason.

On Thursday, however, CBS announced that Watt has been signed to a new multi-year contract. He’ll be the network’s lead analyst for years to come.

“I am incredibly honored and grateful to have the opportunity to represent CBS Sports and all of the fantastic people who make this place so special,” said Watt. “From the brotherhood of THE NFL TODAY to my crews calling games, I couldn’t ask for better teammates alongside me on this television journey. I am thankful to David Berson for his leadership, vision and trust. I love this job and can’t wait to see ya Sunday with Jim and Tracy and many more Sundays to come!”

Watt will call this Sunday’s AFC North battle between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens

What’s next for Tony Romo?

CBS parted ways with Romo a few months after he was charged with unsafe passing on the right, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possessing open intoxicants.

During an appearance on Jimmy Traina’s podcast, Nantz said he expects Romo to land another TV gig.

“I think unquestionably he will work again,” Nantz said, via Awful Announcing. “I don’t know if it’s calling games or being in studio, but he’s got a lot of talent. He’s got a lot of people who like him, and he’s a star. He’s got a personality that’s different, and that’s a good thing. …And I don’t know where Tony’s head is on that right now, so I’m not going to speculate, but I think you’re asking me ‘will he ever work again in the business?’ I think there will be plenty of opportunity for that, because he’s got game.”

For now, Romo is a free agent in the sports media industry.

The National Weather Service is warning four different U.S. states about potentially significant thunder and lightning storms on Thursday. The strong storms could hit throughout the day. Tornadoes are possible, too.

The following four U.S. states have been put on alert for possible tornadoes, ranging from a 2 percent chance to a 5 percent chance:

• New Mexico
• Arizona
• Utah
• Colorado

As a reminder, here’s what to do when storms hit:

• Stay Weather-Ready: Continue to listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about tornado watches and warnings.
• At Your House: If you are in a tornado warning, go to your basement, safe room, or an interior room away from windows. Don’t forget pets if time allows.
• At Your Workplace or School: Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.
• Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately if a tornado is approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent.  If you have time, get to a safe building.
• In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine.

Stay safe, all.

Green played all 13 of his NFL seasons and 182 consecutive games for the Dallas Cowboys from 1962 to his retirement in 1974. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro selection. In 1971, he was the starting safety for the Cowboys when they defeated the Miami Dolphins to win Super Bowl VI.

“We are sad to share news of the passing of Cowboys legend Cornell Green this morning. Cornell was a true trailblazer having never played football in college, yet becoming a multi-time Pro Bowler, All-Pro and NFL Super Bowl Champion with the Cowboys playing defensive back from 1962 to 1974. He was a member of the 25th Anniversary Cowboys Team as well. Cornell remarkably never missed a game in 13 seasons, becoming one of the best and most dependable teammates to ever wear the star. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

pic.twitter.com/efU2l57gxv

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) October 21, 2026

Unconventional Dominance

Green has one of the rare distinctions of becoming an elite NFL player without having ever played a single down of college football. He only played a single year of football – in junior high school – before going into college basketball at Utah State.

The NBA’s Chicago Zephyrs actually made him a fifth round pick in the 1962 NBA Draft, but when the Dallas Cowboys offered him $1,000 to join their roster and see if he could parlay his athletic ability into a role on the team, Green took the deal and the rest is history.

Over the 182 regular season games he played, Green recorded 34 interceptions, two pick-sixes, seven fumble recoveries, two fumbles returned for touchdowns.

After retiring, Green went into scouting, spending his first seven years as a scout with the Cowboys and another 28 years with the Denver Broncos.

Our hearts go out to Green’s family and loved ones.

The Vice President was in attendance at Bengals practice on Wednesday, with video from the facility showing Vance greeting some of the players in the halls. Bengals tight end Drew Sample shook his hand.

Prior to being elected Vice President in 2024 after a successful run as President Donald Trump’s running mate, Vance served as a U.S. Senator for the Buckeye State. Vance grew up in Middletown, Ohio – a Cincinnati suburb – and is a longtime fan of the organization.

JD Vance greets Bengals players on the way out pic.twitter.com/lMKvYRpMfE

— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) October 21, 2026

Joe Burrow Speaks on the Visit

The vice president left before practice was over, so Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was asked about the visit afterwards. He said he did not get a chance to meet with Vance in person and said that Vance “left with swiftness and efficiency,” so he missed his chance.

“We did not. He came with everybody and left with swiftness and efficiency before the end of practice. So I didn’t get to,” Burrow said, per Yahoo.

As for his reaction to Vance’s presence, Burrow said that he’s grateful for everyone who comes by and visits the team practice.

“Yeah, a lot of people around. You know, that’s what, that’s what I love about what I do is it brings a lot of people together, and people want to take time out of their day to come and watch what we do, watch what I do, and watch all the work that I’ve put in to come and watch greatness,” he said. “And that’s everybody in the locker room. That’s why we do what we do. And whether it’s on the TV, whether it’s in person, whether it’s on the practice field, you know, that’s what we do.”

According to The Athletic, the vice president of the United States showed up to the Kettering Health practice fields at around 2:15 p.m. local time. Vance, an Ohio native, is reportedly a lifelong Bengals fan.

After practice wrapped up on Wednesday, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was asked if he spoke to Vance.

“We did not,” Burrow replied. “He came with everybody and left with swiftness and efficiency before the end of practice so I didn’t get to.”

Burrow then made an unusual comment about why he loves being in the spotlight.

“A lot of people around. That’s what I love about what I do – it brings a lot of people together. People want to take time out of their day to watch what we do. That’s why we do what we do.”

Joe Burrow hasn’t been quiet about his views.

Back in 2020, Burrow made headlines when he offered his support to people who protested the death of George Floyd.

“The Black community needs our help,” Burrow wrote on social media. “They have been unheard for far too long. Open your ears, listen, and speak. This isn’t politics. This is human rights.”

Burrow has also been outspoken on women’s rights over the past few years.

“I’m not pro-murdering babies,” Burrow posted. “I’m pro-Becky who found at her 20-week anatomy scan that the infant she had been so excited to bring into this world had developed without life-sustaining organs. I’m pro-Susan who was sexually assaulted on her way home from work, only to come to the horrific realization that her assailant planted his seed in her when she got a positive pregnancy test result a month later.”

We’ll see if Burrow has something to say about American politics ahead of this November’s midterm elections.

In a statement, Huggins’ family announced that he has been living with a “progressive cognitive condition” that has begun affecting his memory and daily life. The family said that it feels now is a good time to make this announcement since he is slated to appear at the University of Cincinnati this Friday to be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

“Bob is living with a progressive cognitive condition that has begun to affect his memory, and aspects of his daily life. While the family has chosen to keep this matter private over the past several months, they believe this is an appropriate time to share the news with the many people who have supported Bob throughout his remarkable career, particularly as he prepares to be honored with induction into the University of Cincinnati’s James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame,” the statement reads, via Emily Sanderson of WLWT.

Bob Huggins’ family has released a statement.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/LrxelhcQuC

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 21, 2026

Bob Huggins’ Legendary Career

Born in West Virginia, Huggins played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers and got his first coaching job as an assistant for the team in 1977. From there, he began a coaching career where he would hold top jobs for the better part of 45 years.

His first head coaching job came in 1980 at Walsh in the NAIA. He quickly turned the team into a powerhouse, going from 14 wins in his first year to 23 wins and conference title honors in his second year, to 34-1 and conference title honors again the following year.

After leaving Walsh to spend one year as an assistant at UCF, he became head coach at Akron in 1984. During his five years with the Zips he went 97-46 and led the team to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1986.

In 1989, Huggins moved to Cincinnati, where he turned the Bearcats into a national powerhouse. Between 1992 and 2005, Huggins’ Bearcats reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times and winning eight conference tournaments and 10 regular season titles. In 1992, he took the Bearcats all the way to the Final Four for their first time in three decades

Huggins spent one year at Kansas State from 2006-07 before becoming West Virginia’s coach in 2007, where he replicated some of his magic from his Cincinnati days.

In 2010, in Huggins’ third season with the team, he led the Mountaineers to the Final Four for the first time since 1959 after winning the conference tournament title for their first time since 1984.

Huggins’ tenure at West Virginia ended under controversial circumstances in 2023, but only after he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame the year prior.

Huggins’ career as a head coach ended with a career record of 935 wins and 414 losses. He ranks No. 8 on college basketball’s all-time wins list. 11 of his former assistants and players went on to become head coaches in the NBA or other colleges.

Ahead of Game 3, Front Office Sports reported that State Farm Arena in Atlanta has sold out its 17,044 tickets for the game. After being told this news, Reese had one simple request for Dream fans: Show up on time.

“Hopefully (our fans) are on time tonight. We would love that,” Reese said on Wednesday.

Angel Reese has one request for fans attending Game 3 in Atlanta 😅 pic.twitter.com/gT3fQgurf8

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 21, 2026

A Dream Finals Run

The Dream reached the WNBA Finals after sweeping both the Washington Mystics and the New York Liberty in the playoffs. It’s their first appearance in the Finals since 2013 and back then they struggled to even get 6,000 people to appear in their one Finals home game.

But in advance of the Finals, the Dream reached a deal with State Farm Arena – home of the Atlanta Hawks – to play there instead of the much smaller Gateway Center Arena. If the Dream can get just 12,000 fans to attend, it will break their franchise record for attendance in a home Finals game.

Suffice it to say, the Atlanta Dream are pretty excited for this one.

Monday’s win over the Valkyries actually marked Atlanta’s first-ever win in a WNBA Finals game. They were previously 0-10, getting swept by the Seattle Storm in 2010 and then by the Minnesota Lynx in 2011 and 2013.

Now that they’ve finally gotten that first win, perhaps more are on the way.

The Dream are 3.5-point favorites heading into the game, per Yahoo Sports.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Field Yates projected Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith going No. 1 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2027 NFL Draft. Yates then asked Kiper if there’s any chance Smith won’t be ranked No. 1 on his big board.

“I think that’s pretty much locked in,” Kiper said. “You write that in pen. He’s a great player. We’ve seen it since the freshman year where we would have probably had him in our top three to five overall big board, maybe a little higher. So we’ve been waiting for this moment this year.”

Yates added that Smith might be “a little bit better” than Julio Jones as a prospect. That’s high praise to say the least.

Jeremiah Smith would be a great pick for the Chargers.

Yates pointed out that Los Angeles doesn’t have a wide receiver in the top 50 for receiving yards per game this season. The Chargers would immediately revamp their offense overnight if they added Smith in the offseason.

Since joining Ohio State in 2024, Smith has hauled in 215 passes for 3,542 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s been a menace for the Buckeyes this fall, averaging 18.9 yards per reception.

We have no doubt Smith will be one of the top-three picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Despite going 2-1-1 as the starter for the Giants, Winston lost the job in Week 6 by tossing two interceptions in a loss to the Saints. It certainly didn’t help his case that McCarthy looked great in relief duty, throwing for 243 yards and leading the G-Men on three unanswered scoring drives.

While speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon, Harbaugh confirmed that McCarthy will get the start Week 7 against the Texans.

“I thought Jameis has done a tremendous job, won us games, played well,” Harbaugh told reporters. “As we go forward here, this is going to be our direction. We think it gives us some good options on offense.”

When asked about being benched, Winston made it clear that he won’t have any negative feelings towards McCarthy. Instead, he’ll try his best to uplift his young teammate.

“Every single week, you’re defined off of the last time you stepped foot on the field. Last game, my job is to lead the New York Football Giants to a win, and that didn’t happen,” Winston said. “I’m extremely grateful that I still get to do what I love, and that’s play football at a high level for the New York Football Giants. Being able to accept roles and understand, ‘How can I be the best at my role with this team?'”

Golden opportunity for McCarthy.

McCarthy struggled for the Vikings in 2025, completing 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The organization clearly felt he wasn’t good enough to keep on the roster, which is why he was traded to the Giants for a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Now, McCarthy has a second chance to prove that he’s capable of leading an NFL franchise.

“Being here and getting this opportunity, I’m just so blessed and thank God every single day; thank the Mara family and this organization for allowing me this opportunity,” McCarthy said.

We’ll see if McCarthy revitalizes his career in the Big Apple. A win over the Texans would certainly do wonders for his confidence.

TMZ reported on Wednesday that Bailey was found dead in his Florida home by his wife on Tuesday. The family reportedly believes that he died of natural causes.

Bailey played 10 NFL seasons, the first eight of which were with the Chiefs, who drafted him in the 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and the final two with the Atlanta Falcons. Both teams have since released statements offering their condolences.

“Allen Bailey was an excellent teammate, generous man, and kind soul,” the Chiefs said in their post on X. “We’re deeply saddened to hear of his passing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

Allen Bailey was an excellent teammate, generous man, and kind soul.

We’re deeply saddened to hear of his passing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/gdeSp5AxDX

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 21, 2026

“Rest in peace, Allen Bailey. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” the Falcons wrote a short time later.”

Rest in peace, Allen Bailey 🙏

We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends pic.twitter.com/AmtOe4acx9

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 21, 2026

Fans Pay Tribute

Fans and former NFL people on X offered their prayers and heartfelt condolences to the former defensive end.

“So sad to hear to hear about Allen Bailey. He was a great teammate and person. Prayers go out to his loved ones,” former Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel wrote on X.

“RIP this man gave KC his all. I hope Chris Jones and the defense honor him Sunday, dedicate this next game to AB and send him off the right way Chiefs!!!” another Chiefs fan wrote.

“Gone to soon…. May he rest in peace,” wrote a third.

Bailey played in 133 games, starting 70, and finished his career with 22.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, six passes defended, 248 tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 40 QB hits.

Our hearts go out to Bailey’s family and loved ones.

As Golden State explores trade options for the 2024 NBA champ, Porzingis himself is “seriously contemplating” retirement at 31-years-old.

The former fourth overall pick has made over $235 million across his 11 seasons and is currently dealing complications that currently have him ruled out indefinitely to start 2026-27.

Kristaps Porzingis ‘seriously contemplating’ retirement amid health complications

According to NBA insider Shams Charania, stepping away from the game is potentially on the table for Porzingis at this point.

Per Charania: “Golden State has started exploring trade routes for Kristaps Porzingis, who is now seriously contemplating his future in basketball as he deals with recurring symptoms from the autoimmune condition termed as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), sources tell ESPN.”

Golden State has started exploring trade routes for Kristaps Porzingis, who is now seriously contemplating his future in basketball as he deals with recurring symptoms from the autoimmune condition termed as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/w9fb2Tk4kb

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2026

Porzingis signed a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors back in June that only has $3 million of the $20 million in the second season guaranteed.

However, after missing the first two weeks of training camp and the entirety of the preseason, Porzingis has yet to return to Golden State’s facility and has been ruled out for Wednesday’s opener vs. the Lakers.

Not much has materialized for Porzingis as far as a trade market thus far. And if this is indeed it for the 7-foot-2 Latvian, he’d leave the sport with averages of 19.5 points and 7.6 rebounds with one All-Star appearance, an all-rookie selection and the aforementioned championship with the Boston Celtics.

On Tuesday night, the Knicks received their championship rings prior to tipoff against the 76ers. Despite a comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, Brunson and the defending champs came up short to LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the revamped 76ers.

While Knicks fans were disappointed with the season-opening loss, they were actually more annoyed that Brunson struck a new partnership deal on Wednesday. The “Roommates Show,” Brunson’s podcast with Josh Hart and Matt Hillman, has agreed to make Polymarket its presenting podcast partner for the 2026-27 season.

Immediately after Polymarket announced this partnership with Brunson, NBA fans voiced their displeasure online.

“Ah man, this stinks,” one fan said.

“The NBA has warned about the integrity risks of prediction markets and just launched a campaign highlighting their potential harms to fans a week ago. So why is a Polymarket sponsorship on an active-player podcast considered acceptable?” a second fan commented.

“This is so gross,” another fan declared.

“Oh my god why would they embarrass me like this,” a Knicks fan replied.

🚨We’re honored to announce that the Roommates Show with Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart & Matt Hillman has named Polymarket as their presenting podcast partner for the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/WQE9OUwetg

— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) October 21, 2026

Prediction markets are taking over the NBA.

Polymarket, an American cryptocurrency-based prediction market, struck a deal with LeBron James earlier this year. Kalshi, meanwhile, landed Giannis Antetokounmpo as a shareholder prior to last season’s trade deadline.

Kevin Durant isn’t working with a prediction market, but he has a content partnership with FanDuel through Boardroom.

Whether fans like it or not, Brunson and Hart weren’t interested in passing up the chance to partner up with Polymarket.

According to Nolan Rogalski of the Testudo Times – a Maryland student, he and deputy editor Jude Wilkenfeld were waiting outside the football facility in hopes of getting players to comment. Rogalski alleges that an athletics staffer took pictures of them and had police called on them for “suspicious activity.” He says that multiple cops pulled up on them and got their IDs before asking them to leave.

“For @testudotimes, @JudeWilkenfeld and I were outside Jones-Hill House trying to get players to comment. An athletics staffer took pictures of us, and a police dispatch was called for suspicious activity; a cop and 2 cop cars pulled up, and officers ID’d us and asked us to leave,” Rogalski wrote on X.

For @testudotimes, @JudeWilkenfeld and I were outside Jones-Hill House trying to get players to comment. An athletics staffer took pictures of us, and a police dispatch was called for suspicious activity; a cop and 2 cop cars pulled up, and officers ID’d us and asked us to leave. pic.twitter.com/QdAWU7d8PX

— Nolan Rogalski (@NolanRogalski) October 21, 2026

Backlash

As much as sports fans may dislike the media at times, nobody likes a rat and reporting some student journalists to the police is some very rat-like behavior. Complaints from fans all the way up to high-level journalists were outraged at the behavior of Maryland’s athletic department in this instance.

“Maryland’s athletic department has a drastically exaggerated view of its own importance in the world,” one user on X wrote.

“University of Maryland is a public university. There’s nothing wrong with these students standing in a public place. They were not causing any harm or trying to breach the facility. Great job in your reporting efforts Nolan & Jude,” wrote another.

“Absurd overreaction. Let the student journalists do their work,” longtime college sports writer Pat Forde declared.

“What an absolute joke. The players don’t have to talk if they don’t choose to, but calling campus police on student journalists for “suspicious activity” on a public campus? Absolutely shameful behavior @TerpsSID.”

Ultimately, Rogalski and Wilkenfeld were allowed back to the facility later in the day. While the two didn’t get any direct quotes from players, Rogalski noted that the mood among players seemed positive.

Locksley was fired after suffering its fifth straight loss of the season, this one to fellow Big Ten minnow Rutgers. In eight seasons with the team plus a prior six-game stint as interim head coach in 2015, Locksley went 39-54 overall and was just 17-52 in Big Ten games.

At 1-4-1, the Commanders find themselves in last place in the NFC East. After having an inexplicable tie in Week 5 against the Giants, they suffered a 23-17 loss to the 49ers on “Monday Night Football.” Their defense has really struggled, giving up nearly 600 passing yards in just the past two games alone.

Since the Commanders are entering their bye week, Dan Quinn has decided to add some experience to his coaching staff.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Commanders are hiring Steve Wilks to work with defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. Apparently, this decision was in the works well before the Commanders lost Monday night.

“The decision to hire Wilks was made last month. He started last week,” Garafolo said. “Wilks will help with game planning. He won’t be with the team on game days.”

Wilks, 57, has coached for the Bears, Chargers, Panthers, Cardinals, Browns, 49ers and Jets over the past two decades. The hope is that he’ll at least stabilize the back end of Washington’s defense.

What about Dan Quinn?

Quinn had an exceptional first year with the Commanders, leading them to a 12-5 record and appearance in the NFC Championship Game. Unfortunately for the veteran coach, it’s been all downhill since 2024.

After an underwhelming 2025 season where the Commanders went 5-12, there was some hope that Quinn would lead the franchise back to the playoffs this year. While that’s still on the table in the winnable NFC East, he needs to turn things around in a hurry.

That being said, Washington isn’t expected to fire Quinn mid-season.

“It’s clear he did not lose the locker room. Josh Harris doesn’t like firing a coach mid-season,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said. “It seems like based on this effort on the field, Dan Quinn is going to stick around the foreseeable future. The long-term future is still in question.”

In a recent interview, Jones said that he has paid a lot of attention to his former three-time Super Bowl quarterback in his post-playing career. Jones said that he’s proud of what Aikman has achieved so he keeps up with the news about his career.

“I sure am. I think the world of Troy. And I’m always very interested and so proud of what he’s become, the person as well as the career he’s having. And I’m proud of that and it feels good to have been with him early as a player. So yes, I pay a lot of attention to him,” Jones said, via Mark Maske of Front Office Sports.

Jerry Jones on whether he’s paying attention to what’s occurring between Troy Aikman and ESPN: “I sure am. I think the world of Troy. And I’m always very interested and so proud of what he’s become, the person as well as the career he’s having. And I’m proud of that and it feels…

— Mark Maske (@MarkMaske) October 21, 2026

Aikman vs. ESPN

The controversy surrounding Aikman’s status at ESPN centers on the network’s apparent lack of urgency in negotiating a new deal with him. Aikman is in the final year of a five-year contract reportedly worth $90 million, signed when he joined ESPN from Fox in 2022 alongside longtime broadcast partner Joe Buck.

In September 2026, Aikman said he expected an extension to be completed before the season but had not held contract discussions with ESPN. The situation became more contentious after Buck reportedly agreed to a six-year extension worth $108 million, leaving Aikman’s future uncertain despite the duo’s success together for many years.

Tensions reportedly escalated in October when Aikman and Buck argued before a broadcast over their differing contract situations, according to Front Office Sports. Aikman subsequently acknowledged the reports and said he expected to become a free agent after ESPN’s Super Bowl broadcast in February 2027. He suggested the lack of negotiations indicated the network might be preparing to move in another direction. ESPN has declined to discuss individual talent contracts publicly before the Super Bowl, while Aikman has said he intends to finish the season professionally.

Potential destinations include other television networks and streaming platforms, although no departure or replacement has been officially announced. The uncertainty has raised questions about why ESPN might break up one of football broadcasting’s most established partnerships just as the network prepares to televise its first Super Bowl.

According to multiple on-scene reports, Jackson was not a participant in Wednesday‘s practice session after missing the last two games.

And as of right now, it’s not looking promising that the two-time MVP will be ready for Sunday’s 1 PM ET kickoff vs. Cincinnati.

Lamar Jackson not present at start of Wednesday’s practice

With Lamar out, backup Snoop Huntley has gotten each of the last two starts where he’s gone 1-1 with 366 passing yards and four total touchdowns while hitting on 43-of-63 attempts.

As well as Huntley has played though, he’s not Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have some big games coming up on the schedule.

Head coach Jesse Minter mentioned earlier this week that Jackson could “potentially” return to practice in time for Sunday’s game and that he’s been “working his tail off to get back.” He’s officially listed as day-to-day.

Minter is slated to speak with reporters after practice, and Baltimore’s first injury report is due later this afternoon.

No Lamar Jackson once again…. https://t.co/OEj9L815Y9

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 21, 2026

We’ll see how much progress Jackson has been able to make on the ankle ahead of this weekend’s division battle. But Ravens fans shouldn’t be surprised if it’s another week of Tyler Huntley running the offense with the team at 4-2.

LaPorta had an excellent first two years in Detroit, hauling in 146 passes for 1,615 yards and 17 touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Pro Bowler, a back injury limited him to 489 yards and three touchdowns in 2025.

Through the first five games of the 2026 season, LaPorta has already matched his touchdown total from last year. He’s been a tremendous weapon in Dan Campbell’s offense, racking up 27 catches for 316 yards.

During an appearance on “Pardon My Take” this week, LaPorta addressed his future in Detroit. Not only did he admit he’s disappointed that he doesn’t have a long-term contract, he made it clear that he’s not afraid to leave the Lions in the offseason.

“It’s disappointing that you go out there every week and you bear the risk of getting hurt. Like last year, whatever it was, Week 9, Week 10, I break my f—-ng back for this team. And then I’m going out there this year, and I’m ballin’, and maybe they’re just not showing the love,” LaPorta said. “So I’m going to continue to do my thing and ball out, and in three months if I don’t get to wear the Honolulu Blue and play for the Lions anymore, it’s going to be all good. I’ll go get paid somewhere else. So, whatever.”

The Lions will have to pay up.

As of this moment, George Kittle and Trey McBride are the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL. While we’re not so sure LaPorta will top their $19 million salaries, he certainly deserves to be in that discussion.

After all, the Las Vegas Raiders gave their No. 2 tight end Michael Mayer a three-year, $45 million contract extension in September. There’s simply no way LaPorta won’t at least match that figure.

If LaPorta continues to perform at an elite level, the Lions will have no choice but to enter a bidding war.

According to multiple reports, the 28-year-old attempted to retrieve a gun from his car following an altercation with a teammate last Thursday, which resulted in him being released by Tennessee a handful of days later.

The Titans reportedly notified the NFL of the situation and the matter is currently being investigated by the league.

Titans HC Robert Saleh defends Jordan Elliott: ‘He’s a good man’

Speaking to reporters for the first time since the incident went public, Saleh gave an impassioned defense of Elliott despite his low moment.

“I will stand on the table for Jordan’s character,” Saleh said Wednesday. “Unfortunately, rules are rules with regard to guns on property. And sometimes it’s far greater than the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they’re down.”

“My message to 31 other teams would be if you need a helluva run-stopping D-tackle that can help you on a playoff run, give me a call. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about him. He’s a good man. Had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act. It’s unfortunate the way it went down,” the coach continued.

“As far as Jordan’s concerned and the locker room and all that, I think people see it differently here than the knee-jerk reaction of the world.”

#Titans HC Robert Saleh with a passionate defense of Jordan Elliott following his release after going to his car to retrieve a gun.

“I will stand on the table for Jordan’s character. Unfortunately, rules are rules with regard to guns on property. And sometimes it’s far greater… pic.twitter.com/Y5EV1uQN4H

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 21, 2026

The NFL’s firearm policy prohibits any personnel from possessing firearms at any team or league facilities, per a league spokesman.

Elliott signed a two-year, $8.5 million deal with the Titans this offseason and appeared in five games with 1 start. He was inactive for Sunday’s upset win over the Colts.

During the first quarter of this week’s “Monday Night Football” game, the 49ers went for it on 4th-and-3 from Washington’s 11-yard line. Joe Buck brought up how many NFL coaches use analytics to make decisions in these crucial spots. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, on the other hand, trusts his gut.

Even though analytics can certainly be helpful, Aikman made it clear that he’s not fond of them. In fact, he thinks coaches who are analytics-driven will eventually meet their demise.

“I think analytics is a good way to lose your job as a head coach,” Aikman said. “I think you got to be smart about it.”

That remark from Aikman certainly received a lot of pushback online this week.

“When I think of NFL coaches on the hot seat, first name who comes to mind is Kyle Shanahan,” Ben Baldwin of The Athletic sarcastically replied.

“I’ll be happy when Aikman is replaced, and the MNF color commentator is no longer being willfully ignorant about the modern NFL,” Anthony Dabbundo of The Ringer said.

“Honestly wonder what great wrong analytics perpetrated on Troy Aikman for him to hate them with the intensity he does,” Sam Monson said. “Such a bizarre reaction to just being better informed.”

Troy Aikman on analytics:

“I think analytics is a good way to lose your job as a head coach.” pic.twitter.com/BgLZ3f9jo9

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 20, 2026

Aikman’s future with ESPN is in doubt.

It’s been heavily reported that Joe Buck received a six-year extension from ESPN to remain the voice of “Monday Night Football.” Aikman, however, is on an expiring deal and seems ready to join another network.

“There’s probably a time and a place for all that. I don’t know if now is the time. I don’t know if it’s hard to figure out kind of what happened,” Aikman said. “I’ll broadcast through this season and I’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and kind of see what happens. I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this season does hold and the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot may be.”

Aikman and Buck will call the Super Bowl this season for ESPN.

Speaking to the media this week, Steinbrenner said that he spoke to Judge about those comments and stated that he feels the organization went all-in last year. He pointed out that the Yankees had their highest payroll ever this past season and believes that the team’s inability to win the World Series doesn’t mean they didn’t try as best they could.

“I did not listen to the entire interview… was I upset about it? No,” Steinbrenner said. “If I was a player, I would have expectations that my ownership group would do everything in their power every offseason to win a championship. We did that this year. We had the highest payroll in the history of the organization. I definitely think we went all-in this season – we had a team that was every bit capable of winning a championship. No, it did not work out.

“I have expectations of my players. I expect them to obey the rules, work hard, listen to their coaches, trainers, strength guys. Expectations are a good thing.”

Hal Steinbrenner is asked about Aaron Judge’s comments about the Yankees needing to go “all in”, adding that he and Judge spoke yesterday at length:

“I did not listen to the entire interview…was I upset about it? No.

If I was a player, I would have expectations that my… pic.twitter.com/eNQVu6NVZW

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 21, 2026

Not good enough?

Yankees fans weren’t satisfied with that answer from Steinbrenner though. Many feel that it’s not about how much money the team spends, but who they spend it on and if it’s being well spent:

“Highest payroll in organization history with the worst lineup in organization history. Make that make sense…” one user remarked on X.

“He don’t get it man,” wrote another. “We don’t care how much we spend we care that you spend it well. We’d rather see you pay a CF $10M that does something instead of $22M for Grisham.”

“Does the highest payroll in this history of the organization equate to allocating your money correctly? A lot of wasted money on Grisham and McMahon that could of been better allocated,” a third wrote.

The Yankees’ longest-ever drought without winning a World Series was 20 years – all the way back from 1903 to 1922. Lou Gehrig hadn’t even joined the team yet and the NFL had only been around for one year.

The current drought is the second-longest in team history at 17 years. Fans are desperate to see that drought end soon. Preferably next year.

In a conversation with Giants beat writer Pat Leonard this week, Wink Martindale, who coached under Harbaugh for a decade in Baltimore and served as the Giants’ DC from 2022-23, urged New York to make a move for the All-Pro running back if he’s available.

Last year’s fourth-round pick Cam Skattebo has already fumbled the ball four times in six weeks, and the team recently released veteran backup Najee Harris.

Ex-Giants coach says team should trade for Jonathan Taylor ‘in a heartbeat’

Sitting down with Leonard on his “Talkin’ Ball” podcast, Martindale said that he would trade for Taylor “in a heartbeat” if he were Harbaugh.

“I would because you have a chance to win the NFC East. And, you know, nothing’s guaranteed in this league,” Martindale said. “You can say, well John’s here, we’re gonna build a team and you know— but right now you’ve got a chance to win the NFC East.”

“If you could get Jonathan Taylor, you do it in a heartbeat. And I think even John alluded to it when he said ‘I wish I had a Saquon [Barkley] or a [Derrick Henry].’ That gives them that,” the ex-coordinator concluded.

Wink Martindale: Giants should trade for Colts RB Jonathan Taylor “in a heartbeat” if he’s available “because you’ve got a chance to win the NFC East”

John Harbaugh said he’s looking for his Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry. This would give him that.

Our Week 7 episode of… pic.twitter.com/Au0QXokD65

— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) October 21, 2026

Despite the adversity the G-Men have faced this year, New York is still 3-2-1 and atop a very winnable NFC East.

The Giants are expected to start newly-acquired QB J.J. McCarthy against the Texans this week — and could be the first team in the division to win a game since early October.

That’s what ESPN’s Ben Solak seems to believe. In a new feature for ESPN, Solak suggested that Pickens’ “effort level and focus seem to be waning again” and that the team will “struggle” to pay both Pickens and newly acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr. next offseason. He suggested that Pickens might help either the Kansas City Chiefs or Los Angeles Rams and that those two teams should contact the Cowboys about the price of a trade.

“I might think… George Pickens is a trade candidate. His effort level and focus seem to be waning again, and the Cowboys will struggle to pay Pickens and cornerback Joey Porter Jr., whom they recently traded for. If the 2-4 Cowboys keep losing games, I’d call about Pickens on the franchise tag for the remainder of the season — we know he has game-breaking ability when he’s dialed in. Imagine Pickens in Los Angeles to help replace Davante Adams… or in Kansas City as Mahomes’ new downfield target? Exciting stuff,” Solak wrote.

SEVEN THINGS I THINK

🔸I like the Colts giving Steichen the year
🔸Matthew Stafford = 2022 Tom Brady?
🔸Trading some Eagles
🔸…yeah man let’s start McCarthy, why nothttps://t.co/pWH8CQpf8D

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 20, 2026

Pickens on the outs?

Through six games, Pickens has 33 receptions for 428 yards and one touchdown. This time last year he had 32 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns. So Pickens is getting the ball at around the same rate but not taking it down the field or into the endzone nearly as often.

Last year Pickens went on to have an All-Pro season and make the Pro Bowl after a career year with 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns – all career highs. He’s currently on pace for just over 900 yards and three touchdowns – not exactly the production for a player on the franchise tag.

Kansas City’s need for a star receiver might be a little less urgent given that they’re 5-0 on the season and have a top-five offense. Pickens could put them over the top.

As for the Rams, they are currently riding a roller coaster on both offense and defense. It’s hard to pinpoint whether Pickens would be a quick fix to what ails them.

The much bigger question is whether the Rams or Chiefs can even afford to bring him on board. The Rams are already without a first-round pick in next year’s draft due to their blockbuster Myles Garrett trade, while the Chiefs have all of their picks.

Will the Cowboys move Pickens before the trade deadline?

After the Giants lost Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury, Jameis Winston was named their starting quarterback. Although he didn’t exactly play turnover-free football, he helped them pick up wins over the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals.

In Week 6, however, Winston struggled mightily against the New Orleans Saints, completing 14 of 26 passes for 152 yards with a touchdown and an interception. With the Giants trailing 34-10 at home, Winston was replaced by J.J. McCarthy in the fourth quarter. That decision nearly led to an improbable comeback.

McCarthy led the Giants to 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and even had them in position to tie the game in the closing seconds of regulation. Although his comeback attempt fell short, he impressed a lot of people in the Meadowlands.

With the Houston Texans on the schedule for this weekend, the Giants have reportedly named McCarthy their starting quarterback. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was first to break the news Wednesday.

No-brainer for the Giants?

The Giants traded a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for McCarthy in late September, so it’s not really a surprise that he’s getting the chance to start.

While there is some optimism surrounding McCarthy’s outlook for Week 7, he’s trying his best to keep a levelheaded approach.

“The only thing I’m focused on is getting better each and every day,” McCarthy said. “At the end of the day, Coach Harbaugh has to make a lot of decisions. Those are his decisions. I trust him wholeheartedly with any decision he makes.”

McCarthy had a lackluster 2025 season, completing 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. We’ll see if he can revitalize his NFL career with the G-Men.

Despite opening this year’s Finals with a Game 1 loss, the Bayou Barbie and her Atlanta Dream helped make history for the league when it comes to its playoff television audience.

Atlanta dropped a tight first game, 64-68, against the upstart Golden State Valkyries and enter Wednesday night’s Game 3 with a 1-1 tie headed back to State Farm Arena.

2026 WNBA Finals sets Game 1 ratings record

Per Colin Salao of Front Office Sports, this year’s opening game between the Dream and Valkyries was the most-watched in WNBA history by a sizable margin.

“Game 1 of the WNBA Finals drew 2.1M viewers on NBC and Peacock, the most-watched Game 1 in history, according to NBC,” Salao reported. Adding, “It’s up 11% from last year, when the Finals drew 1.9M on ESPN.”

The Atlanta-Golden State series has been extremely entertaining with some big games from Reese and Gabby Williams, respectively. And fans were happy to see the league’s growth continue into 2026:

Inbox: Game 1 of the WNBA Finals drew 2.1M viewers on NBC and Peacock, the most-watched Game 1 in history, according to NBC.

It’s up 11% from last year, when the Finals drew 1.9M on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/QJlAgdfujI

— Colin Salao (@colincsalao) October 21, 2026

“2.1M is just the national viewers. There’re so many international viewers are watching the finals!” a user pointed out.

“Face of the league convo has died. It’s Angel,” another commented. “People tuning in to hate just to see her continue to show up.”

“She told yall 3 years ago that people were watching b/c of her too. She wasn’t lying,” a fan replied.

“The most important WNBA Finals in league history,” another person claimed. “It introduces new fans and viewers to new teams and players, creating new stars and fan favorites. This variety aids the WNBA’s sustainability. Never have just one face.”

“Well damn! Someone’s got motion 👀” another fan exclaimed.

Tonight’s pivotal tip-off can be watched on USA Network and CNBC as Angel and the Dream play their first game in front of their home crowd.

It was reported this week by Bryan Hoch that Yankees manager Aaron Boone will return for the 2027 season. In nine season as the manager of the Bronx Bombers, he has a World Series appearance and three AL East division titles. This past season, the Yankees won 93 games before losing to the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.

In addition to bringing back Boone, the Yankees have decided to give general manager Brian Cashman a new contract. His five-year, $25 million deal was going to expire later this month, but he’s now under contract for the 2027 season.

“We’ve agreed on a new contract that we just have to bang out some minor stuff on the back end of it, but we’re locked and loaded,” Cashman said, via The Athletic.

After Cashman’s new deal was announced, Yankees fans expressed their displeasure online.

“This is outrageous. They’re going to lose me as a fan. Hal is a dreadful excuse of an owner,” one fan said in response to this news.

“Is there gonna be line somewhere in this one that states he actually has to improve the team this time around,” a second fan replied.

“Cashman is going for the record for the longest GM World series drought in baseball history. I for one…… will be happy for him if he gets that record,” another fan commented.

“Wonderful more years of playoffs and no championships coming our way,” a Yankees fan sarcastically wrote.

The World Series drought in New York is hard to ignore.

The Yankees have been a perennial playoff contender under Cashman’s leadership, but they haven’t won a World Series since the 2009 season.

With Aaron Judge set to turn 35 in April, the Yankees are running out of time to maximize his championship window. While they certainly have the starting pitching necessary to win a title, they need to add a few more reliable hitters to their lineup.

“As a whole, they were very inconsistent and for long periods of time,” Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said, via the New York Post. “This has been twice now where the offense hasn’t lived up to their end of the bargain and got the job done. The offense was a big disappointment for me and it has to be better.”

Time will tell if Cashman makes the right personnel moves this offseason.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Locksley has been dismissed following their loss to Big Ten minnow Rutgers, which dropped them to 2-5 on the season. Aazaar Abdul-Rahim will reportedly serve as the interim head coach.

Locksley was 38-49 since becoming their full-time head coach in 2019 and 39-54 overall when factoring in his 1-5 stint as interim coach in 2016.

“Sources: Maryland coach Mike Locksley has been dismissed. Maryland dropped to 2-5 on Saturday after a last-second loss to Rutgers. Locksley is 39-54 overall at Maryland, including his interim stint in 2015. Maryland is on a bye this week,” Thamel wrote.

“Maryland has called a team meeting for 11:30, per sources, where the team will be informed of the change. Per ESPN sources, the interim coach is longtime assistant Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, who has strong ties to the area.”

Maryland has called a team meeting for 11:30, per sources, where the team will be informed of the change. Per ESPN sources, the interim coach is longtime assistant Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, who has strong ties to the area. https://t.co/OMOCgRpXMu

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 21, 2026

Bottom to Top and Back

After winning just five games in his first two seasons at the helm, Locksley successfully led the Terrapins to three straight seasons that ended in bowl wins. The team went 7-6 in 2021, 8-5 in 2022 and 8-5 in 2023, winning the Pinstripe, Duke’s Mayo and Music City Bowls in the process.

But since 2024, the team has fallen back to the bottom of the conference in the worst way. The team has a grand total of 10 wins since 2024 and only two of those wins have come in the Big Ten.

The good news for Maryland fans is that by axing Locksley before any other power conference team has, they can get a head start on finding an ideal replacement.

And with five games left in the season, Abdul-Rahim might be able to make a case for himself if he can make the team look a little more competent. Their remaining games are against Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, USC and Penn State – several of which should be winnable.

Who will Maryland name as their next full-time head coach? Who will be the next coach to fall?

Bailey, a former All-ACC player at Miami, was selected by the Chiefs with the 86th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He stayed with Kansas City through the 2018 season, racking up 207 tackles, 33 QB hits, 19.5 sacks and seven fumble recoveries. He then spent two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before hanging up his cleats.

According to TMZ, Bailey’s wife found him dead insider their Florida home on Tuesday. The family believes he died of natural causes.

Additional details regarding Bailey’s death have not been released at this time.

Devastating loss for the football world.

“This is so sad. Such a good person and teammate,” former Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz said.

“Natural causes at 37. Life is too short,” one fan commented.

“Really sad news. Got a chance to know Allen when I covered #UM #Canes and he was a joy to interact with, always seemed to be grinning and laughing,” Steve Gorten of the Miami Herald wrote.

“RIP to Canes legend Allen Bailey,” another fan said.

There’s no question Bailey made an impact on so many players, fans and media members during his life.

Our thoughts are with Bailey’s loved ones.

On Wednesday’s edition of Kelce’s New Heights show with his brother Travis, Jason offered his well-wishes to Hurts. He said that he understands how much fans and media members want more answers but believes that the team didn’t act as irresponsibly as some are accusing them of.

“I feel for Jalen Hurts, this dude has been a warrior in Philadelphia and for this to be what it’s gotten to, it stinks,” Kelce said.

Questions Linger

As much as Kelce may want to put a positive spin on the situation, fans are still very concerned both for Hurts’ long-term health, his playing career and the way the team has handled this.

“I guess the question should be WHY did the clot form in the first place, and what significance does the leg present. My Dad had them in his lungs, last episode was life threatening. If Jalen is on blood thinners, there’s no way he would be able to play, maybe for life?” one user wrote.

“Complete failure of leadership on multiple fronts by Jeff Lurie/Howie Roseman who have been MIA through all of this letting Sirianni twist in the wind but of course Jason doesn’t call them out. This is where Jason has serious conflicts of interest-eagles, media role, and podcast,” wrote another.

“It is terrible. It’s not ‘appears to look terrible.’ It is not good to place a player in the middle of the physicality of an NFL football game that can get worse by taking another hit,” a third remarked.

The entire situation is bad. But nobody is going to voluntarily take responsibility for making a mistake that could have endangered Hurts’ life, let alone his livelihood. Doing so would open someone (or some-ones) up to crippling lawsuits and maybe even criminal charges.

The best fans can hope for is that Hurts gets proper medical care now and makes a full recovery.

While Kyle has carved out a great career for himself as one of the best fullbacks in recent NFL history, Kristin has become incredibly popular due to her custom NFL game-day designs. She truly blew up on social media after she created custom pieces for Taylor Swift and Simone Biles during the 2023 season.

“I am completely self taught. I’ve learned everything I know from YouTube. I have to say I’ve never felt more fulfilled in my life,” Juszczyk said. “I absolutely love what I do and just want to let you all know it’s never too late in life to rediscover a passion or talent!”

Earlier this week, Juszczyk was invited to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Although she didn’t walk the runway with Irina Shayk, Gigi Hadid and others, she turned plenty of heads in a unique red dress.

“Can Kyle fight? Just asking,” one person sarcastically commented.

“GORGEOUS,” a second person said.

“Gives @dancingwiththestars outfit vibes. Just saying. Maybe a future season contestant. We’ve seen players. Why not some wags,” another person wrote.

“Juice ain’t ever losing,” an Instagram user replied

View this post on Instagram

Kristin Juszczyk rising up the ranks.

Time Magazine named Juszczyk among the “100 Most Influential People In Sports.”

“Juszczyk has built off that momentum, launching her own label, Off Season, in January 2025, with entrepreneur Emma Grede,” TIME wrote. “The label translates her DIY aesthetic into officially licensed NFL, NBA, WNBA, and Formula One apparel; Off Season also partnered with Team USA on a collection ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics. Juszczyk has set her sights beyond fashion: a co-host of the YouTube series Wife’d Up, Mic’d Up, she signed with United Talent Agency in May to develop her own intellectual property in unscripted and sports media.”

We’d have to imagine Juszczyk will be in Atlanta this Sunday to cheer on the 49ers as they face the Falcons.

According to Easton Freeze and Austin Stanley of A to Z Sports, a firearm was involved in the incident. Per the report, Elliott “had grown frustrated” with a teammate during practice on October 15 and was “seen storming out of the locker room upset.” Then this happened:

“According to multiple sources, Elliott then went to the players’ parking garage next to the facility, to retrieve a firearm from his vehicle,” Freeze and Stanley wrote. “The situation was deescalated before there was any altercation involving the firearm.”

Sources: Firearm involved in Jordan Elliott’s release from Titans following frustration with teammate that carried over after practice

https://t.co/cug2PdOSZc

— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) October 21, 2026

Fans were stunned and horrified.

Many NFL fans were disappointed that a player would throw his career away because he got a little too emotional while others believe that he should probably be arrested over it.

“Imagine working your entire life to do your dream job and you throw it away because you’re emotional. What a dummy,” one user on X wrote.

“He needs to be arrested for doing that. He got off the hook lightly,” wrote another.

“It doesn’t get much scarier than this in the NFL,” a third wrote.

“Thankful that JFM was able to help deescalate the situation and prevent this from being a much more tragic incident. I’ll never understand for the life of me why everyone nowadays resorts to guns over the most minuscule of disputes.”

Elliott joined the Titans on a two-year, $8 million contract this past offseason after six solid seasons as a run defender on the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers.

In five games for the Titans before the incident and his subsequent benching, Elliott had 11 tackles.

Woods stepped away from golf after being arrested on suspicion of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. The 15-time major champion received a ton of support from the PGA Tour when it was announced that he was entering a rehab program.

“Tiger Woods is one of the most influential figures the sports world has ever known. Over the last year, I have come to deeply appreciate Tiger not only for his impact on the game, but for his friendship and the perspective he has shared with me as I joined the golf industry,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said. “My thoughts are with him and his family as he takes this step, for which he has my full respect and support.”

While it hasn’t been decided yet if Woods will compete in PGA Tour events next year, the legendary golfer was listed on the 2027 rosters for the TGL. As of this Wednesday, he’s a member of Jupiter Links GC.

After learning about his status for the TGL, fans started questioning if this is the start of yet another career comeback for Woods.

“Never say never when it comes to Tiger,” one fan said.

“That would be great watching him play again,” a second fan wrote.

“Golf’s cultural gravity still orbits around Tiger Woods, regardless of how limited his schedule is,” another person wrote.

“TGL roster inclusion is interesting, but we’ll see if hitting golf balls translates back to competitive form after all that time off,” another person commented.

Is Tiger Woods getting ready to make his return to competitive golf?

The 15-time major champion is giving fans a few reasons to think so. After recently being spotted hitting golf balls, Woods is now confirmed on his TGL team’s roster for next season.

And there’s another… pic.twitter.com/KDyfAb2iBa

— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 21, 2026

What’s next for Tiger Woods?

If Woods is serious about competing in marquee events such as The Masters, fans would like to see him get some practice in at marquee tournaments later this year.

Some fans are holding out hope that Woods will participate in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. That tournament will take place in early December.

Woods hasn’t competed in a PGA Tour event since the 2024 Open Championship.

Barkley, 29, has been sidelined for the past two games due to a hamstring injury. Prior to suffering that injury, he only had 182 rushing yards for the Eagles. Although he’s averaging 5.1 yards per carry this season, he just hasn’t received enough touches in Nick Sirianni’s offense.

With the trade deadline set for Nov. 10, Zach Berman of The Athletic said the Eagles might have a “tough conversation” regarding Barkley’s future in Philadelphia.

While the Eagles have not yet determined if they’re willing to field offers for Barkley, ESPN’s Ben Solak proposed a blockbuster trade involving the Houston Texans. In this hypothetical trade, the Texans would send running back Woody Marks, a 2027 third-round pick, a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to the Eagles for Barkley.

“The Texans are once again on pace to have a bottom-5 rushing attack, but Barkley has the talent behind the line of scrimmage to help cover for a shaky interior offensive line group,” Solak wrote. “By forcing opposing defenses to play more heavy boxes by formation and by the presence of Barkley, the 2-4 Texans could pull further defensive attention away from receiver Nico Collins and field an offense really worthy of a comeback run into the playoffs.”

Could this trade really happen?

It’s certainly possible a team like the Texans pushes all their chips to the center of the table before the trade deadline. Solak also mentioned the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings as potential suitors for Barkley.

The only real hurdle is that trading Barkley’s contract would leave the Eagles with $26.4 million in dead cap next year.

Of course, we also have to factor in that Barkley is still capable of being an elite playmaker. The Eagles may not want to part ways with hm just because the 2026 season hasn’t gone according to plan.

Pavia had a terrific 2025 season at Vanderbilt, racking up 3,539 passing yards, 862 rushing yards and 39 total touchdowns. Despite his success in the SEC, the former Heisman Trophy finalist went undrafted this past April. He then signed a deal with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent.

Although there was some belief that Pavia would get a chance to compete for a spot on Baltimore’s 53-man roster, he was released right before the start of training camp in July. He hasn’t received another offer from an NFL team since then.

That being said, Pavia announced Tuesday night that he’s in negotiations with the United football League. The hope is that he’ll get to play for the UFL during the 2027 season.

“Appreciate everyone reaching out with everything on my career,” Pavia wrote on X. “My agent (Malki Kawa) and the UFL are currently in negotiations to make this happen! whatever team I end up at, I can promise you one thing- You will get everything I got.”

Not a done deal, but it seems inevitable.

Mike Repole, who joined the UFL’s ownership group in July 2025, has already responded to Pavia’s social media post.

“Diego, we would LOVE to welcome you to the UFL!!!!!” Repole said. “I promise you one thing, we will challenge you, push you to reach your highest potential, and help you chase your biggest dreams!!!!”

It sure sounds like we’ll get to see Pavia in the UFL next year.

The Commanders have a 1-4-1 record heading into their bye this weekend. They had a golden opportunity to beat the New York Giants in Week 5, but Jayden Daniels accidentally took a sack to end the game in overtime with the score tied 27-27. One week later, the Commanders had yet another clock management fiasco against the San Francisco 49ers.

It seemed like Quinn lost track of downs during the second quarter, as the Commanders went for it on fourth-and-2 from the 49ers’ 13-yard line. However, he told reporters that wasn’t the case.

“No, I definitely knew it was fourth down,” Quinn said. “We were going for it, and I was — I think what you’re referring to, I was probably saying like, with the illegal shift, there’s not a penalty to go for a field goal. Like, it doesn’t go, like — it’s the turn on downs. I think somebody had asked me, ‘Can we kick a field goal?’ 
So, no, we were going for it. We knew we had to go for some fourth downs to be bold in the game. “

Commanders fans thought there was a chance Quinn would be fired after Monday’s loss to the 49ers, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said a coaching change won’t be made just yet.

“It’s clear he did not lose the locker room. Josh Harris doesn’t like firing a coach mid-season,” Rapoport said. “It seems like based on this effort on the field, Dan Quinn is going to stick around the foreseeable future. The long-term future is still in question.”

Even though Quinn will stick around for now, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said the Commanders are expected to “make some tweaks” before their Week 8 game.

There’s still a chance for the Commanders to be a playoff team.

Although they haven’t looked like a playoff contender, the Commanders have a chance to run the table in the NFC East.

With games coming up against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants in early November, it makes sense for the Commanders to commit to Quinn for at least the next month or so. If he can’t get the Commanders to climb up the standings though, he’ll find himself looking for another coaching gig.

The Commanders are currently in last place in the NFC East.

Back in the offseason, Elliott agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with the Titans. On Tuesday, he was abruptly released from their roster. The Titans said this decision was made due to “an incident at our team facility.”

According to Easton Freeze of AtoZSports.com and Aaron Wilson of KPRC, Elliott went to his car to retrieve his gun after an altercation with Titans offensive tackle JC Latham.

“Employed at the time by the Titans, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott got into an argument with offensive tackle JC Latham stemming from Elliott and Latham tangling play. After being told to leave the field, Elliott, who was officially released Tuesday after this incident transpired last Thursday, took off his pads on the sideline and stormed out of the Titans’ training facility,” Wilson wrote.

“Elliott went to his car in the players’ parking area to retrieve his gun, presumably to confront Latham with the entire sequence captured by security cameras, per sources. The peacemaker that talked Elliott down, per sources: Titans veteran defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers.”

Thankfully, no one was injured during this horrifying altercation.

Will this mark the end of Elliott’s NFL career?

Elliott, a former third-round pick, has 159 tackles, 14 QB hits and five sacks since turning pro in 2020. It’s hard to imagine another team will immediately pick him up after hearing about this incident.

“This was so crazy,” an NFL source told Wilson. “Jordan has been having a lot of problems away from the building and obviously he brought it to work with him. There was no reason for him to go off like that. Everyone thought that was wild. To overreact like that is absolutely crazy. We’re just glad that no one got hurt and it’s over.”

As for the Titans, we’d have to imagine Robert Saleh will face some tough questions during his media availability Wednesday.

While on a Barstool Sports podcast this week, Foster addressed the current state of quarterback play in the NFL. He pointed out how he played in era that featured Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning.

“This is not a good era for quarterbacks right now,” Foster said. “Look at like the era I grew up playing; Peyton, Tom, Drew Brees. These caliber quarterbacks were a different caliber than the quarterbacks playing in the NFL right now.”

There’s no question Patrick Mahomes is going to be a future Hall of Famer, but fans are still waiting for Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson to have their big breakthrough in the postseason. Most of the top quarterbacks of the 2000s and 2010s won a Lombardi Trophy, including Brady, Brees and Manning.

Fans fire back at Foster’s take.

“Every generation thinks its QBs were the last real ones. Give it ten years and kids will be saying nobody throws like Mahomes anymore,” one fan argued.

“Mahomes is a HOF lock. Guys like Allen & Burrow are up there talent-wise. Fair take overall. But the reality is, (we’ll realize this years from now) those times were an anomaly. All-time great QB era that we will probably just never see again in our lifetimes,” a second fan commented.

“Mahomes, Josh, and Lamar are 3 of the best ever,” another fan declared.

It certainly doesn’t help that quarterbacks are getting injured at a high rate in today’s NFL.

At the end of the day though, the NFL has to be glad it has stars like Mahomes and Allen anchoring its product.

Johnson, 54, has starred in a handful of blockbuster movies over the years, including “Fast Five” and “Jumanji.” While fans love his charisma and overall personality, they believe he constantly takes roles that don’t challenge his skills as an actor.

Well, “The Rock” has decided to transform himself for “Lizard Music,” an adventure film directed by Benny Safdie.

A photo of “The Rock” on the set of “Lizard Music” legitimately has fans in awe of his transformation.

“Make all the jokes you want, but I much prefer him challenging himself like this over more mailed-in stuff like Moana and Jumanji 4,” one person wrote on X.

“That can’t be right,” another person commented.

“Wait is that really The Rock? if so the wardrobe and costume team need a raise cause wow,” a social media user said.

As of this moment, fans of “The Rock” can expect to see this new film on Christmas Day 2027.

Prior to Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, it was reported that Cam Skattebo would have a reduced role due to his fumbling issues. Although he didn’t get a single carry against the Saints in Week 6, Harbaugh told reporters that he didn’t bench Skattebo by design. Instead, he gave carries to Najee Harris, Darnell Mooney, Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy.

“One of those guys needs to step up. Somebody needs to step up and be the [No. 1] back,” Harbaugh told reporters postgame. “None of those guys have done that yet.”

Harris questioned the Giants’ running back usage following their loss to the Saints on Sunday. Before he was officially released from the 53-man roster, he received a blunt response from his head coach.

“Our run game hasn’t earned that yet, none of those guys have,” Harbaugh said. “My advice would be, do the most you can with the opportunities you get. Make the most of your opportunities and you’re sure to get more. Do something. I get it, you want to get out there and get a rhythm, but that rhythm is earned, too. And that hasn’t happened yet. I know he understands that.”

Is John Harbaugh already wearing out his welcome?

Judging by some comments being made online, NFL fans believe Harbaugh’s old school approach to coaching is going to eventually cause problems for the G-Men.

“Both Harbaughs shouldn’t be NFL head coaches anymore. The game had passed both of them by. Hire young up and comers instead of retreads who haven’t won anything in 15 years,” Jarrett Bailey of SB Nation wrote.

“It’s just gross, unacceptable mismanagement by John Harbaugh… rotating 4 running backs over 2 games, no consistency no plan no production no coaching… and the players are COMPLAINING,” one person said.

“Harbaugh gave away all of the goodwill from the fan base in one afternoon. Tried playing tough guy and teaching Cam a lesson and cost us a game we had no business losing. Then lies about it to the media. Now I see why Ravens players were celebrating,” one fan commented.

“The Harbaughs are toast man lmao. This is tired and played out,” another fan declared.

At the end of the day, Harbaugh has the Giants (3-2-1) in first place in the NFC East through six games. A playoff berth would certainly silence his critics in the Big Apple.

Nolan was reportedly killed in a car crash this past weekend while traveling with her boyfriend. The second-year medical student at Oakland University was preparing to run at the Detroit Free Press Marathon on Oct. 18. According to her obituary, she passed away just hours before the event.

“Grace’s impact went well beyond her running. She volunteered as a phlebotomist at free clinics in our community, and she helped young girls discover running through Girls on the Run. Everyone who knew her saw her kindness, her drive and her joy. Grace ran her first marathon here in Detroit last year. She said it was the most fun she’d ever had in a race, and coming back was never a question. We are honored she chose to share her running with us,” the Detroit Free Press Marathon wrote. “To Grace’s family, friends, teammates, coaches and classmates: we hold you close and grieve with you. Grace, thank you for the light you brought to every start line. You will always be part of this race.”

Nolan had an accomplished career, winning the 10,000m championship for the Horizon League in 2025 and earning first-team all-conference honors three times.

View this post on Instagram

As you’d imagine, the track community is devastated over Nolan’s death.

“I worked with Grace as a standardized patient at OU. She was always so incredibly smart and kind. A bright star of the second year medical students. She will be truly be missed amongst myself and all of the SPs,” one person wrote on Instagram.

“It speaks to Grace’s incredible legacy that you only continue to learn more and more about the scores of people she touched with her character, service, and grit,” a second person commented.

“Sincerest condolences to her family and the running community ehich she left her impactful mark,” a third person wrote.

“Can we please make one of the miles next year a dedication to her? Mile 25 for her age. The Grace Nolan Memorial Mile,” another person suggested.

Nolan’s impact on her friends, teammates and family members will live on for years to come.

A celebration of life is planned for Oct. 31 at

Prior to signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, James was linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. However, they weren’t at the top of his wish list. Apparently, he wanted to close out his career on the Knicks. The only reason he didn’t choose them is because they just won a championship.

“I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden,” James told ESPN. “One of the best places I’ve ever played. I think it’s the No. 1 arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player. But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, ‘Hey, I can’t.’ I couldn’t do it.”

James may have been interested in playing for the Knicks, but the feeling wasn’t mutual in New York.

During the first half of the 76ers-Knicks game Tuesday night, fans at Madison Square Garden chanted “we don’t want you” as James was at the free throw line.

Clearly, Knicks fans weren’t interested in rooting for “The King.”

Knicks fans are now chanting “WE DONT WANT YOU” at Lebron when he’s at the free throw line pic.twitter.com/CKdDR03xPS

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 21, 2026

LeBron might have a rivalry with the Knicks this season.

When James signed with the 76ers in the summer, he said he had dreams of competing for another championship.

“This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice,” James said. “I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.  Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always be home!”

If James wants to win another title, he’ll need to dethrone the Knicks at some point this season.

Prior to tonight’s season opener between the 76ers and Knicks, NBC had Morgan on its pregame show to share his thoughts on the NBA. For those who aren’t familiar with Morgan’s fandom, he’s been rooting for the Knicks his entire life.

Even though Bronny James and the Lakers aren’t playing this Tuesday, Morgan felt the need to crack a joke about him on national television.

“Bronny look like he got JUCO ball written all over him,” Morgan told NBC’s crew of Carmelo Anthony, Maria Taylor and Tracy McGrady.

In a matter of minutes, Morgan’s joke about Bronny went viral on social media.

Tracy Morgan dissing Bronny James during the Knicks Banner Night ceremony:

“Bronny look like he got JUCO ball written all over him” pic.twitter.com/3aSL3nprKh

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) October 20, 2026

What’s the outlook for Bronny this season?

Bronny, a former second-round pick, averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists per game last season for the Lakers. Although he’s on their roster for this season, he may not have a big role. After all, he struggled in the preseason.

“I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us. I don’t think he’s played well in the four preseason games, but he’s had good practices,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Again, some of it is just rhythm, some of it is who he’s playing with, right? He’s played a lot of minutes especially in the second half of games with our two big guys, you know, and tonight he played with Rafael [Castro] who’s been with us for three days. So some of it is like the group he’s with – it’s not necessarily setting him up for success.”

The Lakers will begin their season on Wednesday against the Warriors.

During Week 1 of the season, the 49ers lost rookie wideout De’Zhaun Stribling to an ankle injury. That was a crushing blow considering they ruled out Ricky Pearsall for the season due to a knee injury. To make matters worse, they’ve lost Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans to injuries in back-to-back weeks.

While the 49ers are 6-0 and in first place in the NFC, fans believe they need to pursue a big name ahead of the trade deadline. Although there’s no guarantee he’ll even be available, fans continue to bring up Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets.

“49ers should go all in on Garrett Wilson,” one fan said.

“New desire unlocked: Garrett Wilson on the 49ers,” a second fan wrote on X.

“49ers, time to check in with Jets and Eagles bring in either Garrett Wilson or DeVonta Smith it’s worth a 1st Round pick the window is always short in the NFL,” another fan declared.

What would it take to get Wilson?

Since entering the NFL in 2022, Wilson has been the No. 1 wideout for the Jets. He has 350 career receptions for 4,062 yards and 21 touchdowns. There’s no question the 49ers would welcome that kind of production.

Wilson is under contract through the 2030 season , but that hasn’t stopped the NFL world from speculating about his future.

For what it’s worth, trading Wilson would leave the Jets with over $24 million in dead money for the 2027 season. If he nets them multiple draft picks though, perhaps that would soften the blow for their front office.

That being said, the 49ers may have to offer a first-round pick and a whole lot more just to start a dialogue with the Jets.