NFL coaches, scouts, and executives voted on the best NFL players aged 25 or younger as the 2026 season begins. Detroit Lions offensive lineman Penei Sewell was named the top player, followed by defensive and offensive players from other teams. No quarterback made the top 10 list.
Key Facts
Penei Sewell, an offensive lineman for the Detroit Lions, ranked as the best NFL player aged 25 or younger.
The top five includes Jalen Carter (Defensive Tackle, Eagles), Brock Bowers (Tight End, Raiders), Kyle Hamilton (Safety, Ravens), and Trent McDuffie (Cornerback, Rams).
Sewell has made four straight Pro Bowls and earned three consecutive All-Pro honors.
The Lions have ranked in the top five in total yards and points for the past four seasons.
Dallas Cowboys’ Tyler Smith and Chicago Bears’ Darnell Wright were the only other offensive linemen to make the top 25.
No quarterback was in the top 10; Drake Maye is ranked 11th among young players.
Some well-known players, such as Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, did not make the top 25 list.
The list was created by polling NFL coaches, scouts, and front-office personnel.
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San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling had a strong performance in the preseason, catching four passes for 46 yards in the second game. Quarterback Brock Purdy praised Stribling’s ability to catch the ball well, and the team sees him as an important player after losing another receiver to injury.
Key Facts
De’Zhaun Stribling caught four passes for 46 yards in the 49ers’ second preseason game.
Quarterback Brock Purdy praised Stribling’s strong hands and skill in catching the ball from defenders.
Stribling led the team in the first preseason game with seven catches for 63 yards.
Stribling was the 33rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Some experts thought picking Stribling so early was too soon, but the 49ers believe in his talent.
Stribling is expected to play a bigger role after wide receiver Ricky Pearsall injured his knee and is out for the season.
Stribling plays alongside veterans Mike Evans and Demarcus Robinson on the 49ers.
During college, Stribling played for Washington State, Oklahoma State, and Ole Miss, recording 216 catches, 2,964 yards, and 23 touchdowns.
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Drake Maye, the New England Patriots quarterback, was ranked No. 11 in the NFL Top 100 list. Maye had a strong last season, leading the league in passer rating and earning praise from teammates and opponents.
Key Facts
Drake Maye is the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots.
He was ranked 11th in this year's NFL Top 100 player list.
Last season, Maye threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.
Maye led the league with a passer rating of 113 and a QBR (quarterback rating) of 77.1.
Patriots players, like Marcus Jones, praised Maye's ability to make precise throws.
Former teammate Jaylinn Hawkins called Maye a special player and person.
A highlight of Maye's skills was a well-placed touchdown pass to Kyle Williams.
Several players in the video called Maye the best player in the NFL heading into the new season.
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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke out against people criticizing the league over transgender athlete participation. She said some people are using the league to create political conflict and called them "haters."
Key Facts
Cathy Engelbert is the commissioner of the WNBA.
She said some critics are trying to cause division in the league over transgender athlete eligibility.
Engelbert called these critics "haters" and said they use the league as a "political football."
She made these remarks during a Wings game against the Indiana Fever.
The controversy followed comments by Sophie Cunningham, a Fever player, about protecting young girls in the locker room.
Engelbert said the league is now a legitimate sports and entertainment product facing criticism.
The debate centers on whether transgender athletes should compete in the WNBA.
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Jannik Sinner will not play in this year’s US Open because he is still recovering from a right knee injury. He won the 2024 US Open but has missed other recent tournaments due to this injury.
Key Facts
Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the 2024 US Open tennis tournament.
He is recovering from a right knee injury that has kept him out since his Wimbledon win.
Sinner won the US Open in 2024 by beating Taylor Fritz.
He also won Wimbledon recently, giving him five Grand Slam titles.
Sinner has a record of 44 wins and 3 losses this year, with six titles.
Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner’s recent rival, will attend the US Open after recovering from a right wrist injury.
Sinner last missed a Grand Slam tournament in 2019, when he made his debut at the US Open.
Sinner expressed sadness at missing the tournament because New York is important to him.
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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington has missed this week's preseason game due to an injury but is expected to return to practice next week. Washington had a strong previous season and is an important player for the team’s passing game.
Key Facts
Parker Washington is a fourth-year wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He missed this week’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers because of an injury.
The team expects him to return to practice next week.
Washington had a breakout season with 58 catches, 847 yards, and 5 touchdowns in 16 games last year.
He was picked in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft from Penn State.
Over three seasons, Washington has made 106 catches for 1,369 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Jaguars have other wide receivers like Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Travis Hunter.
Having Washington back will make the Jaguars’ passing attack stronger.
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Texas Tech is trying to win the Big 12 football championship again after their first title win and College Football Playoff appearance last season. Several teams including BYU, Utah, and Houston hope to become the seventh different Big 12 champion in seven years.
Key Facts
The Big 12 Conference has had six different champions in the last six seasons.
Texas Tech won the Big 12 title last year and plans to repeat as champions.
Texas Tech’s quarterback Will Hammond recovered from an ACL injury and will start after the previous quarterback Brendan Sorsby was ruled ineligible.
BYU had its best season since 2001 with 12 wins but lost twice to Texas Tech last season.
BYU’s top players include running back LJ Martin and quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who contributed both in rushing and passing.
Houston improved from 4 wins to 10 under coach Willie Fritz and returns dual-threat quarterback Conner Weigman.
Utah retains most of its offense from an 11-win team but lost longtime coach Kyle Whittingham to Michigan.
Arizona and Arizona State showed strong performances recently, with Arizona State winning the Big 12 title in its first league season in 2024.
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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud attracted attention on social media for a strange warmup routine before a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Fans shared many jokes about his actions, although some suggested he was doing exercises to prevent dizziness.
Key Facts
C.J. Stroud is the quarterback for the Houston Texans.
He was seen doing a warmup where he held both hands out with thumbs up and moved his eyes between them.
Some fans thought he was doing exercises to help with vertigo or balance.
Many fans joked that he looked like he was doing a sobriety test or calibrating a game controller.
Stroud completed 4 of 6 passes for 27 yards during the game.
He led a 69-yard touchdown drive in the Texans' first series.
Stroud was replaced by backup quarterback Davis Mills in the Texans’ second drive.
This incident followed earlier fan attention over his new haircut style.
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George Russell earned pole position for the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix, leading the qualifying session by a small margin. Russell is third in the championship, aiming to close the points gap to leader Kimi Antonelli, who qualified fifth.
Key Facts
George Russell took pole position for the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Russell was 0.041 seconds faster than Lando Norris, who qualified second.
Kimi Antonelli, Russell’s Mercedes teammate and championship leader, qualified fifth.
Max Verstappen qualified sixth, and Lewis Hamilton, second in the championship, qualified seventh.
The sprint race is shorter, about one-third the length of a full Grand Prix.
Aston Martin faced issues with their redesigned Honda engine, affecting Fernando Alonso’s qualifying, who qualified last.
Alonso reported engine and brake problems and was unable to use the car’s straight-line mode to reduce drag.
Lance Stroll, Alonso’s teammate, qualified 19th.
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Awak Kuier set a new Dallas Wings record by blocking seven shots in one game, helping the team win 91-85 against the Indiana Fever. She also scored 11 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and made four assists during the game.
Key Facts
Kuier broke the Wings’ single-game blocks record with seven blocks.
The previous record was five blocks in a single game.
Kuier turned 25 just one day before setting the new record.
She scored 11 points, had eight rebounds, and made four assists in 36 minutes.
Earlier in the month, Kuier became the Wings’ all-time blocks leader, surpassing 113 career blocks.
Kuier averages 1.4 blocks per game, ranking sixth highest in the WNBA.
The team needed Kuier to perform strongly after teammate Azzi Fudd had a season-ending knee procedure.
Wings coach Jose Fernandez praised Kuier’s athleticism and versatility for disrupting opponents.
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FIFA has banned three Argentina players after a fight broke out at the World Cup final against Spain. Leandro Paredes received a 10-match suspension, while Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada were also banned for several games and fined. The Argentina football federation was fined for various incidents during the tournament.
Key Facts
Midfielder Leandro Paredes got a 10-game ban for grabbing Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat and pushing Gavi down.
Defender Nahuel Molina was banned for seven games, and midfielder Thiago Almada got a one-game ban.
Paredes and Molina were fined $90,000 each; Almada was fined $30,000.
Argentina’s coach, Roberto Ayala, received a three-game ban and a $30,000 fine.
The Argentina football federation was fined $110,000 and ordered to spend $100,000 on anti-racism projects.
The federation was also fined for players showing a political banner and for discriminatory fan chants.
Spain’s player Gavi was banned for one game due to similar incidents.
Argentina earned $34 million in World Cup prize money.
Suspensions could last about a year, covering 10 national team games through June 2027.
Argentina’s longer bans and fines can be appealed to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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Jenny Simpson, a U.S. Olympic medalist in track, has retired from running after collapsing due to a rare heart condition. She was diagnosed with a disease that affects the heart’s electrical system, making it unsafe for her to continue competing.
Key Facts
Jenny Simpson is a 39-year-old American track star.
She collapsed while running in North Carolina and required CPR and a defibrillator before going to the hospital.
Doctors diagnosed her with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a heart condition involving scar tissue that disrupts heart signals.
Because of this condition, Simpson said it is too dangerous for her to keep running professionally.
She won a bronze medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Simpson also won the 1,500 meters at the 2011 World Championships and earned silver medals in 2013 and 2017.
She was a multi-time national champion at the University of Colorado and previously held the American record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Simpson shared a positive message, asking fans not to feel sorry but to be glad she is still alive.
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Will Anderson Jr. was ranked No. 12 in the NFL Top 100 players before the 2026 season, rising 34 spots from last year. The Houston Texans praised Anderson on social media after he became the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league with a new contract.
Key Facts
Will Anderson Jr. is ranked 12th in the NFL Top 100 players for 2026.
He improved his ranking by 34 places compared to last year.
Anderson was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2023 with the No. 2 pick.
He has recorded 30 sacks in three NFL seasons.
Last season, he earned All-Pro honors with 12 sacks, 23 quarterback hits, and three forced fumbles.
The Texans’ defense allowed an average of 277.2 yards per game, second-best in the NFL.
Anderson led the league in quarterback pressures on third down, especially pressures under 2.5 seconds.
In April, he signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension with $134 million guaranteed and a no-trade clause.
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The New York Yankees have signed pitcher Eli Morgan to a minor league contract. Morgan recently played for the Kansas City Royals and has experience pitching in both the major and minor leagues.
Key Facts
Eli Morgan signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.
He was released by the Kansas City Royals earlier this week.
Morgan pitched in 16 games for the Royals during this season.
His record this season with the Royals was 0-1 with a 5.12 earned run average (ERA).
Morgan also played in Triple-A baseball in 22 games, where he had a 4-0 record and a 1.40 ERA.
Over six MLB seasons, Morgan has played 184 games with an 18-14 record and a 4.25 ERA.
He has played for the Cleveland Guardians, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City Royals in the major leagues.
The Yankees signed him to add more pitching options with some major league experience.
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Jannik Sinner, the world’s number one tennis player, announced he will not play in this year’s US Open due to a knee injury. He is taking more time to recover after returning to practice in Monte Carlo but decided to skip the tournament to avoid worsening the injury.
Key Facts
Jannik Sinner is currently the No. 1 ranked male tennis player.
He will miss the US Open this year because of a right knee injury.
Sinner and his medical team decided he needs more time to recover.
He returned to practice in Monte Carlo before making the decision.
Sinner last played at Wimbledon, where he successfully defended his title.
This is the first Grand Slam event Sinner will miss since 2019.
He won his second Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2024.
Carlos Alcaraz, another top player, announced he will compete in the US Open.
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Ezri Konsa has joined Arsenal from Aston Villa for £51 million on a four-year deal with an option for a fifth year. The 28-year-old England defender signed after helping Villa win the Europa League and playing in the World Cup, aiming to continue winning trophies with Arsenal.
Key Facts
Konsa moved to Arsenal from Aston Villa for £51 million, potentially rising to £55 million with add-ons.
He signed a four-year contract with Arsenal, with an option to extend for one more year.
Konsa played 286 games for Aston Villa since 2019 and helped them win the Europa League in 2023.
He was a key player for England at the recent World Cup, playing every game until the semi-finals.
Arsenal’s sporting director praised Konsa’s versatility and strong defensive skills.
Arsenal has some defenders injured, creating a need to strengthen their defense.
This signing follows Arsenal’s big summer spending, including moves for Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis.
Manager Mikel Arteta values having a right-footed center-back, which Konsa provides.
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Elena Rybakina, a top tennis player, retired from her Cincinnati Open quarterfinal match because of a left ankle injury. This happened just days before the U.S. Open, one of the biggest tennis tournaments of the year.
Key Facts
Elena Rybakina stopped playing while trailing 4-1 in the first set against Iga Swiatek.
She took a medical timeout for her left ankle and then retired after testing the injury.
Iga Swiatek expressed concern and hopes Rybakina will be ready for the U.S. Open.
Rybakina won the Australian Open earlier this year, her second grand slam title.
The U.S. Open starts on August 23.
Rybakina is ranked No. 2 in the world and close to becoming No. 1.
Health is considered a priority by players during important tournaments.
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Rachaad White, running back for the Washington Commanders, missed practice due to a hamstring injury he got during a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, not from slipping during an ice bucket challenge video. His injury is not serious, but he will likely miss the upcoming game against the Detroit Lions.
Key Facts
A video showed Rachaad White slipping during an ice bucket challenge, sparking injury rumors.
NFL reporter Warren Sharp suggested White might have injured himself in the video.
The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala confirmed White was hurt during practice with the Dolphins, not the video.
White’s injury is a hamstring strain and is not expected to be long-term.
He likely will miss the Commanders’ next game against the Detroit Lions.
White signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Commanders this offseason.
He played four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, rushing for 2,656 yards and 14 touchdowns.
White competed for playing time with teammates Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kaytron Allen, and Jeremy McNichols.
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The University of Georgia women's soccer team set a new NCAA attendance record for both men's and women's soccer with 25,433 fans watching their 6-0 win over James Madison. The game was held at Sanford Stadium and celebrated the 30th anniversary of the U.S. women's national team's 1996 Olympic gold medal victory at the same venue.
Key Facts
Georgia women's soccer team attracted 25,433 fans, breaking NCAA attendance records for both men's and women's soccer.
The Bulldogs won the game 6-0 against James Madison.
The match honored the 30th anniversary of the U.S. women's national team winning the 1996 Olympic gold medal at Sanford Stadium.
The previous women's attendance record was 14,410 at the 1999 NCAA championship game between North Carolina and Notre Dame.
The previous men's attendance record was 22,512 during a 1980 rivalry game between Saint Louis and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
This record-setting game was an early non-conference match with teams that do not have a long rivalry.
Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, is the site for these major soccer attendance records.
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Jacob deGrom, a pitcher for the Texas Rangers, reached 2,000 career strikeouts during a game where he pitched six scoreless innings and helped his team win 2-0 against the Washington Nationals. He is the second-fastest pitcher in Major League Baseball history to reach 2,000 strikeouts.
Key Facts
Jacob deGrom struck out his 2,000th batter by getting Abimelec Ortiz to swing and miss.
He needed 272 games to reach 2,000 strikeouts, second only to Randy Johnson who did it in 262 games.
DeGrom pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only one walk and striking out 10 batters in the game.
His 1,661 innings pitched to reach 2,000 strikeouts is the second-fastest behind Chris Sale.
DeGrom is a two-time Cy Young Award winner, given to the best pitcher each year.
This season, deGrom has 157 strikeouts over 126.2 innings.
DeGrom had not struck out 10 or more batters in a game since May 10 before this start.
He recently left a game early due to right triceps fatigue but returned strong in this game.
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