OJ Brigance, a former NFL player and long-time Baltimore Ravens adviser, has died at age 56 after battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Brigance inspired many with his positive attitude and support for players despite living nearly 20 years after his ALS diagnosis.
Key Facts
OJ Brigance died at age 56 from ALS, a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
He played seven seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Miami Dolphins, and one season with the Baltimore Ravens.
After retiring from playing, Brigance served as a senior adviser for player development with the Ravens.
He was diagnosed with ALS at age 38 and lived almost two decades beyond the initial prognosis.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta praised Brigance for his humility, determination, and positive influence on the team.
Brigance was known for supporting players through personal challenges and spreading optimism despite his illness.
His life and work left a lasting impact on the Ravens organization and the NFL community.
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Football analyst Dan Orlovsky said the quarterback competition for the Cleveland Browns is not close after their first preseason game. He believes Deshaun Watson played better than Shedeur Sanders in the game against the Chicago Bears.
Key Facts
The Browns lost their preseason opener 34-10 to the Chicago Bears.
Deshaun Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards in his first NFL game since September 2024.
Shedeur Sanders threw for 79 yards but also had one interception in 11 attempts.
Orlovsky previously supported Sanders as the starting quarterback.
After watching the preseason game, Orlovsky said Watson played faster and more effectively.
Orlovsky noted Watson had a couple of rusty moments but outperformed Sanders overall.
Sanders showed rookie-like decision making in key moments, according to Orlovsky.
The Browns’ next preseason game is against the Buffalo Bills.
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Malik Nabers, a wide receiver for the New York Giants, practiced at full speed for the first time since his knee injury last season. Nabers tore his ACL and damaged his meniscus about 11 months ago and is showing signs of recovery as he prepares for the new NFL season.
Key Facts
Malik Nabers is a wide receiver for the New York Giants.
He injured his right ACL and meniscus in Week 4 of the 2025 season.
He practiced fully in both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills recently.
Nabers said returning to team practice made him feel alive again.
ACL injuries take a long time to heal, especially for explosive athletes.
In his 2024 rookie year, Nabers caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Nabers earned Pro Bowl honors in his rookie season.
The Giants are hopeful he will be ready to play in Week 1 of the upcoming season.
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The Kansas City Royals have removed Starling Marte, a 15-year major league veteran outfielder, from their roster. They made this move to create space for other players returning from injury and new call-ups.
Key Facts
The Royals designated Starling Marte for assignment on Monday.
Marte is a 37-year-old outfielder with 15 years of MLB experience.
He joined the Royals this offseason after four years with the New York Mets.
Marte has hit .284 on average over his career, with 165 home runs and 363 stolen bases.
The team reinstated injured players Vinny Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia to the lineup.
They also sent Josh Rojas and Jose Cuas to their Triple-A minor league team to make room.
Left-handed pitcher Connor Thomas was called up to the Royals with a 2.40 ERA in the minors.
Marte’s designation gives him a chance to join another team and aim for his first World Series.
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The Washington Commanders have released kicker Jake Moody after a competition with rookie Drew Stevens during training camp. Both kickers performed well in preseason, but the team decided to keep Stevens moving forward.
Key Facts
Jake Moody was a former third-round pick for the San Francisco 49ers.
Moody made 19 out of 23 field goals last season, including 10 out of 11 with the Commanders.
He also made two field goals over 50 yards, with a longest kick of 56 yards.
Rookie Drew Stevens was an undrafted free agent from 2026.
Both kickers scored perfectly in the preseason game, making all field goal attempts and extra points.
The Commanders chose to keep Stevens based on practice performance.
Moody had struggles early in his career but improved after joining the Commanders.
The final roster decisions must be made by August 30.
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James Pearce Jr., a key player for the Atlanta Falcons, was suspended without pay for the first eight games of the 2026 NFL season due to a violation of the league's personal conduct policy. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said the team will follow the league's rules while preparing Pearce in the preseason games before his suspension starts.
Key Facts
James Pearce Jr. was suspended for eight games without pay in the 2026 NFL season.
The suspension is due to a personal conduct policy violation stemming from a domestic dispute arrest.
Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski supports following the NFL's disciplinary process.
Pearce will play in the Falcons' remaining preseason games before his suspension begins on August 30.
Pearce is considered one of the Falcons' top defenders and an elite player in his position.
The Falcons will rely on other pass rushers during Pearce’s absence, including Azeez Ojulari, Samson Ebukam, and Cameron Thomas.
Pearce will miss regular season games until Week 9, when the Falcons face the Cincinnati Bengals.
Playing Pearce in preseason will help him adjust to the Falcons' new defensive system and prepare for competitive games.
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After playing 18 seasons in the NBA, Russell Westbrook announced his retirement. He turned down a two-year contract offer from the Washington Wizards, who wanted him to play a backup role.
Key Facts
Russell Westbrook played 18 NBA seasons and over 1,300 games.
He is a nine-time All-Star and two-time scoring champion.
Westbrook last played for the Sacramento Kings, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The Washington Wizards offered Westbrook a two-year contract to return to the team.
Westbrook declined the offer because he did not like the role or the contract.
He previously played for the Wizards in the 2020-21 season and averaged a triple-double.
The Wizards added new star players and a top draft pick this offseason.
Instead of joining the Wizards, Westbrook decided to retire and pursue other interests.
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The Boston Red Sox plan to activate Trevor Story soon after starting his rehab, repeating a pattern of activating injured players too quickly. This approach has led to poor player performance and has not helped the team's recent struggles.
Key Facts
Trevor Story may be activated soon after only one rehab game with Triple-A Worcester.
This would be the third time this season the Red Sox activated an injured player within one week of rehab starting.
Romy Gonzalez was activated after six minor league games but performed poorly, batting just .185 over 19 games before being sent back to the minors.
Adley Rutschman was activated after only two rehab games and also struggled, hitting .059 over five games.
Story is recovering from sports hernia surgery and had a low batting average before going on the injured list.
The Red Sox have other players performing well in the minors, like Andruw Monasterio and Franklin Arias, who could be options instead of rushing Story back.
Interim manager Chad Tracy said Story is expected to be the everyday shortstop and Roman Anthony the leadoff hitter and left fielder/DH once activated.
The Red Sox have scored very few runs recently, winning only 2 of their last 9 games after a strong 32-5 stretch earlier in the season.
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The Arizona Diamondbacks placed second baseman Ketel Marte on the restricted list just minutes before a game in Boston because he did not appear at the ballpark. The team replaced him with infielder Jose Fernandez from their minor league team.
Key Facts
Ketel Marte was put on the restricted list shortly before the Diamondbacks' game against the Boston Red Sox.
Marte arrived with the team but did not show up at the ballpark on game day.
The restricted list is used for players who are away for personal or non-baseball reasons and they do not receive pay or service time while on it.
The Diamondbacks called up Jose Fernandez from Triple-A Reno to take Marte’s place in the lineup.
Marte has played 10 seasons with the Diamondbacks and has been an important player with 189 home runs and three All-Star selections.
He had 21 home runs and 67 runs batted in (RBIs) this season with a .760 OPS (a measure of batting performance).
Marte’s absence is not due to injury, and it is unclear how long he will be away from the team.
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The Atlanta Falcons lost their preseason game against the Denver Broncos 27-7. After the loss, the Falcons added wide receiver Beaux Collins, who was waived by the New York Giants, to strengthen their receiving group for the upcoming regular season.
Key Facts
The Falcons lost their preseason opener 27-7 to the Denver Broncos in front of nearly 70,000 fans.
The Falcons' only score came from a short rushing touchdown by rookie quarterback Jack Strand.
Chris Blair was the Falcons' leading receiver in the game with two catches for 37 yards.
The Falcons signed Beaux Collins, a wide receiver who was waived by the New York Giants due to injury.
Collins went undrafted in 2025 but made the Giants' roster as an undrafted rookie free agent.
Collins played nine games last season before a neck injury placed him on injured reserve.
Atlanta already has several receivers including Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, and draft pick Zachariah Brand.
Collins will compete with other players to make the Falcons' final roster and earn playing targets.
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Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that Jamal Adams injured his quad tendon during a preseason game, causing him to miss the entire 2026 season. Adams will have surgery and stay with the team to support his teammates throughout the year.
Key Facts
Jamal Adams tore his quad tendon in the preseason opener against the New York Giants.
The injury is season-ending, so Adams will miss the entire 2026 NFL season.
Adams is a Pro Bowl safety who recently joined the Minnesota Vikings.
He previously played linebacker for the Las Vegas Raiders and shifted back to safety with the Vikings.
Adams suffered the injury in a non-contact play during the first half of the game.
Coach O’Connell said Adams will travel with the team and remain involved during the season.
Adams was the 2017 first-round draft pick and has played for several NFL teams over the past four years.
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Najee Harris, a running back recovering from an Achilles injury, worked out with the New York Giants as a free agent. Giants head coach John Harbaugh said Harris looks good but is not yet fully back to football shape, and the team will decide whether to sign him.
Key Facts
Najee Harris tore his Achilles tendon in Week 3 of the 2025 season while playing for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Harris previously played four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, consistently gaining over 1,000 yards each season.
He visited the New York Giants for a workout as a free agent on Monday.
John Harbaugh, the Giants’ head coach, said Harris looks good but is not at full football shape yet.
The Giants’ current running back leader is Cam Skattebo, recovering from a serious leg injury in 2025.
The Giants will play the Miami Dolphins in their next preseason game on Saturday.
John Harbaugh mentioned Harris has a chance to make the team but it will require a process.
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Derrick White, a key player for the Boston Celtics, had a drop in his 3-point shooting accuracy last season, especially during the playoffs. This season will be important for him to improve his shooting and prove that last year’s decline was a one-time issue.
Key Facts
Derrick White’s 3-point shooting percentage dropped from at least 38.1% in previous years to 32.7% last season.
During the playoffs, his 3-point shooting fell further to 27.3%.
White’s shooting is an important part of his overall offensive value to the Celtics.
Improving his shooting this season will help ease concerns about his performance.
White is favored by analytics, which are numbers and data used to evaluate players.
The Celtics recently moved on from Jaylen Brown, who had less favorable analytics compared to White.
White’s success this season could validate the team’s trust in analytics.
The Celtics are focusing on White’s performance amid other changes on the team.
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Rob Dillingham is starting his third NBA season and has recently joined the Chicago Bulls. After a tough start with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he needs to improve his scoring and playmaking to earn more playtime and help his new team.
Key Facts
Dillingham has played nearly three seasons in the NBA.
He was previously with the Minnesota Timberwolves but did not meet expectations.
The Chicago Bulls recently signed Dillingham, giving him a fresh start.
He needs to be more efficient in scoring points.
Dillingham must show he can create scoring chances for teammates.
The Bulls have multiple good ball-handlers ahead of him, making his playing time limited.
Improving this season could change his career path and provide more value to the Bulls’ backcourt.
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Kevin Lamour, FIFA's chief operating officer and third highest official, left his job after criticizing FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell shares in major football competitions to private investors. The plan was later dropped, and Lamour's departure highlights rising questions about Infantino's leadership.
Key Facts
Kevin Lamour was FIFA's chief operating officer since November 2024.
Lamour publicly opposed President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in competitions like the World Cup.
Infantino's investor plan was called "the project of one person" by Lamour.
Lamour left his role on August 17, 2026, confirmed by FIFA.
Other top FIFA officials supported dropping the investor plan.
This controversy is the first major challenge to Infantino's leadership since 2016.
UEFA and other regional football bodies said "football belongs to no individual" in a joint letter.
Lamour said he accepted losing his job over speaking out and felt at peace with that.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new rookie quarterback, Drew Allar, who played well in a recent preseason game. However, experts suggest the team should still look to draft another quarterback, like Drew Mestemaker, to have strong options when current quarterback Aaron Rodgers retires.
Key Facts
Drew Allar played well in preseason, completing 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards, two touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown.
Allar’s good performance came against backup players from the Green Bay Packers.
Steelers practice reps show Allar is not yet the main quarterback option.
Experts say Allar and another player, Will Howard, are still developing and not ready to replace Rodgers.
A mock draft suggests the Steelers should pick quarterback Drew Mestemaker with the 13th overall draft pick.
Mestemaker led the NCAA in passing yards last season and will play at Oklahoma State under coach Eric Morris.
Adding Mestemaker would give the Steelers more quarterback options before Rodgers retires.
Rodgers is currently the starting quarterback and likely will play most games this season if healthy.
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A new documentary series shows Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressing sadness and frustration over captain Kyle Walker asking to leave the club and their tense relationship in the 2024-25 season. The series also reveals Guardiola nearly decided not to renew his contract after a difficult run of losses and the club’s trophyless season.
Key Facts
Kyle Walker, Manchester City’s captain, asked to leave the club and joined AC Milan on loan in January 2025.
Guardiola told players he was "incredibly sad" about Walker’s behavior and that a captain cannot act the way Walker did.
A heated argument between Guardiola and Walker happened after a December 2024 loss at Liverpool where Walker was blamed for a mistake leading to a penalty.
Walker was chosen by teammates as captain for the 2024-25 season, supported by four vice-captains.
Guardiola signed a new contract shortly before the Liverpool loss, despite the team suffering four consecutive defeats, the first such streak in his career.
The documentary shows Guardiola emotional, telling players he wants to fight for the club and not run away, but also asks if he is seen as a problem.
Walker made 316 appearances for City, winning six Premier League titles since joining in 2017.
The 2024-25 season ended without trophies for Manchester City, only the second time since Guardiola joined in 2016.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak expressed concerns about retaining Guardiola but succeeded despite the manager nearly leaving after the losing streak.
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The Sydney Swans are deciding whether to stand down players under investigation for an alleged sexual assault that happened after a recent game. The police are still investigating, and no players have been charged yet. The club and the AFL are working together on the matter.
Key Facts
Victoria police are investigating a reported sexual assault at the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne.
The Sydney Swans stayed at the hotel after their win over Essendon at the MCG.
Coach Dean Cox expressed disappointment but did not say if players would be sanctioned yet.
Sydney Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich confirmed several players were involved in the alleged incident.
No players have been charged as the investigation is ongoing.
The AFL does not have a strict policy to stand down players charged with serious offences but has done so in past cases.
The Sydney Swans must decide on player selection before their next game against North Melbourne.
The incident affects the team ahead of the finals and is being handled alongside police inquiries.
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The Las Vegas Raiders have a weak group of wide receivers and plan to improve this by drafting Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman with their No. 6 pick next year. Coleman is known for his athletic catches and is expected to help rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza develop as a passer.
Key Facts
The Raiders had one of the weakest wide receiver groups in the NFL last year.
Tre Tucker was the top receiver last season with 696 yards, just slightly ahead of tight end Brock Bowers.
Wide receivers like Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech, Malik Benson, Dareke Young, and Dont’e Thornton Jr. have not stood out.
The Raiders have the No. 6 overall pick in next year’s draft.
Bleacher Report expects the Raiders to use this pick on Cam Coleman, a wide receiver from Texas.
Coleman is known for his spectacular catches and strong physical skills, including jumping and catching contested passes.
Coleman transferred from Auburn and had good stats there despite poor quarterback support.
With top quarterback prospect Arch Manning, Coleman is expected to have a strong draft year and could be a top-10 pick.
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O.J. Brigance, a former Baltimore Ravens player who won a Super Bowl and later battled ALS, has died at age 56. He was known for his work supporting players and raising awareness about ALS through his foundation.
Key Facts
O.J. Brigance won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.
He was diagnosed with ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2007.
Brigance and his wife started the Brigance Brigade Foundation to help people with ALS.
Despite ALS, he worked as a senior advisor to the Ravens, helping players in their careers.
Brigance was the only player to win both a Canadian Football League title and a Super Bowl in Baltimore.
Ravens owner and former players praised Brigance for his spirit and influence.
Brigance continued to motivate others even while using a wheelchair and a communication device.
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