College sports are in a state of chaos — at least that’s what certain corners of Capitol Hill will tell you.

The industry has been thrust into a shift toward professionalism following decades of resistance to changing economics. That rub has created an environment lacking central governance and authority in a world where rules have merely become suggestions in a way that’s never been more apparent.

Those fears from administrators, commissioners and other stakeholders led, at least in part, to the introduction of the Protect College Sports Act in June.

The PCSA is currently weaving its way through Congress and presents the best chance the industry has had for federal legislation — albeit the journey remains arduous and complicated.

Here’s a brief explainer on what it entails and what comes next:

What Is The Protect College Sports Act?

The PCSA is a bipartisan bill spearheaded by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that aims to bring governance to college sports.

It’s essentially a spiritual sequel to the House settlement — a sweeping antitrust suit resolved last summer that combined the House, Hubbard and Carter cases and opened the door for schools to pay athletes directly.

The primary objectives of the PCSA include:

• Implementing a “hard” revenue-share cap and closing loopholes to avoid schools utilizing multimedia rights partners (MMRs) and other partners to circumvent the cap
• Establishing a $22.5 million retention fund, with up to $5 million in additional retention spending earmarked for women’s and Olympic sports ($27.5 million total)
• Adding certification requirements for MMRs, sponsors, apparel companies and vendors to ensure legitimate NIL deals

The bill also stipulates varying regulations around transfer rules, conference realignment, coaching movement and other topics du jour percolating around college sports in the current climate.

The NCAA — which has long supported federal legislation through millions of dollars spent in lobbying efforts — sent its membership a memo on Friday that outlined key points of the bill, such as requiring the NCAA to oversee school compliance, preserving existing broadcast contracts and defining the reach of national eligibility rules.

The conference realignment clause has been a crucial piece of the puzzle in recent weeks as earlier drafts of the bill capped maximum conference membership at 19 schools, while those institutions attempting to depart would be required to spend five years as an independent. Recent reporting, however, indicates that language has been adjusted to force just three years of independence, while that specific provision would sunset after six years.

Not coincidentally, that six-year window that would open the door for schools to again jump ship more freely coincides with the expiration of a number of television contracts across the college sports ecosystem that are slated to come due over the next five-plus years.

Who Are The Major Names That Are Backing The Act?

Cruz and Cantwell have been the key names in the Senate pushing legislation, but there are plenty of other key voices with vested interests in its passage.

The Big Ten and SEC were among the last conferences to offer their support of the bill as they worked through varying language changes with lawmakers over the summer (Again, keep an eye on expansion language). The ACC, Big 12 and others across the FBS have also lent their support to the bill.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti were among the last conference commissioners to offer their support of the Protect College Sports Act. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

–>

The other key name that has been instrumental in the bill’s progression to this point is Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell. The former Red Raiders football player-turned-oil baron and his 501(c)4 Saving College Sports has been a staunch advocate for the bill, running commercials pushing for its approval for months.

Those opposed to the bill include a handful of Senators on both sides of the aisle and a number of organizations designed to represent athletes’ interests in ongoing conversations about labor and college sports.

Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), who himself played football at Stanford, have been among the notable vocal critics of the bill.

When Could The Protect College Sports Act Pass?

The PCSA is still very much in flux.

The bill took an important step last week, receiving 74 of 100 possible votes in its favor to halt debate and invoke cloture in the Senate — technical terminology that effectively means move it to be voted on. 

The shift does not guarantee passage in the Senate, but it marked a crucial move amid a handful of procedural votes required to proceed the bill, eventually, into the House. Now comes two more votes in the Senate before it might be passed — efforts that could happen as soon as Tuesday.

That said, the timeline remains tight and a fight in Congress’ other wing looms.

The Senate is slated to go on its pre-election recess on Oct. 3, giving lawmakers just two weeks to guide the bill onto the House, where it’s expected to receive significant pushback.

The Protect College Sports Act could pass the Senate this week. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

–>

There is also the matter of the coming midterm elections, which figure to reshape the composition of the House and Senate. Given the widespread bipartisan support the PCSA has enjoyed thus far, that may not be a killer. 

However, those involved in the proceedings have cautioned that the House presents a stiffer challenge for passage than the Senate and there figures to be a notable shake-up in who is actually in office by the time this might come to a vote.

College sports might just get its bill through the Senate this week. What happens beyond that? 

That’s anyone’s guess.

Source

It isn’t hard to figure out the storylines going into the 2027 INDYCAR season — even with the opening race still more than five months away.

Alex Palou will have a new teammate in 2027. And two of his former teammates are teammates once again.

Looking at the 2026 offseason and into 2027, here are my top storylines:

1.Alex Palou’s New Teammate

The new teammate for Palou at Chip Ganassi Racing hasn’t been announced, but hopefully Christian Lundgaard’s name can finally officially be a part of the CGR story.

Lundgaard, who finished third in the standings, will replace six-time INDYCAR champ Scott Dixon, who had raced at CGR for the last 25 years.

That’s almost bizarre to write. A driver third in the standings was released from his team and a driver who has spent a quarter century with one team felt it was time to leave.

It’s still TBD on when exactly they get into the cars with their new teams to test.

2.The Rest Of Silly Season

Beyond the CGR No. 9 car, there are five openings left for next year.

A.J. Foyt Racing hasn’t announced who will drive its No. 4 car and Dale Coyne Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing have not announced their lineups.

Rinus VeeKay is expected to return to JHR, which possibly could go through an ownership change with Brad Hollinger potentially assuming full control of the organization. Caio Collet (A.J. Foyt Racing last season) and Nolan Siegel (Arrow McLaren) are possibilities for the other seat, driven in 2026 by Sting Ray Robb.

Dennis Hauger has already announced a move from DCR to Foyt and whether Romain Grosjean returns at DCR is debatable.

Among the candidates, in addition to Collet and Seigel to be in new places next year on the INDYCAR grid are: Callum Ilott, who was on the sidelines this year while under contract with Prema; Santino Ferrucci (although he possibly could return to Foyt at least in an Indy 500 capacity); Indy NXT champion Nikita Johnson; and Indy NXT competitors Enzo Fittipaldi and Josh Pierson.

3.New-Look McLaren

As mentioned earlier, Scott Dixon is headed to Arrow McLaren. He will be joined by Felix Rosenqvist, the Indianapolis 500 winner who will move from Meyer Shank Racing to McLaren. 

Rosenqvist, a former driver at McLaren as well as a former driver at Chip Ganassi Racing, is very familiar with former (and now current) teammates Dixon and Pato O’Ward.

The moves are designed to give the organization a better shot at winning the Indianapolis 500. 

4.   Ganassi vs. McLaren

I know, I know, they race against all teams.

But the comparisons will be inevitable next year, especially if Lundgaard builds on his 2026 breakout season. 

These two organizations do not like each other (or at least the ownership doesn’t). And whoever gets the best of the Dixon-Lundgaard trade will likely be considered part of the organization’s legacy.

5.2027 Schedule

INDYCAR has announced the first eight races of its 2027 season, but what about the second half of the year? And what about more international events?

It seems as if there is a back and forth about whether the series will go to additional international locations. 

INDYCAR will be back at Markham in Ontario next season but will there be other races abroad in 2027 or 2028? Brazil? Colombia? Spain? Mexico? 

Teams won’t be thrilled with extra costs, considering they are preparing for a new car. But in an effort to grow the sport’s international fanbase, another race outside the United States could likely help.

6.IR-28 Testing

Speaking of the 2028 car, more testing is occurring over the next month. 

A Sebring test is scheduled for October and a test at one of the short ovals is also expected. Once that testing is complete, production of parts and pieces and engine development will accelerate.

7.Will Team Penske Return To Prominence?

Team Penske drivers finished fifth (David Malukas), sixth (Scott McLaughlin) and eighth (Josef Newgarden) in the 2026 standings. Those finishes — combined with three victories (two for Newgarden and one for McLaughlin) — indicate a solid season. 

But they still ranked behind drivers from Ganassi (Alex Palou), Andretti Global (Kyle Kirkwood) and Arrow McLaren (Christian Lundgaard, Pato O’Ward). 

Penske isn’t used to being fourth in line. 

The first step is to get healthy, as both Newgarden and Malukas were saddled by injuries during the season.

8.Dreyer & Reinbold Is Back Full Time

After purchasing a charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Dreyer & Reinbold are back full time for 2027. They have Conor Daly as their driver and will have a relationship with RLL as a Honda team. 

It will be interesting to see how this team builds to returning to full-time competition instead of solely an Indianapolis 500 team.

9.Officiating Changes

After one year of an Independent Officiating Board, what changes will they incorporate for 2027? 

Will there be any new processes and procedures or any new key officials? They made some changes during 2026, including the issuing of post-weekend reports, and it would be natural to think more changes could be on the way.

10.What’s Next For Colton Herta?

What will Colton Herta do after his miserable Formula 2 season that didn’t produce as many FIA super license points as hoped? A return to INDYCAR isn’t likely for 2027 but many in INDYCAR will be watching to see if he can navigate his way into a Cadillac Formula 1 seat.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

Some of the biggest names in INDYCAR — including a past champion — will be making moves after the 2026 season. Here’s the latest.

Source

Since EA Sports College Football made its comeback in 2024, fans have been asking for real-life coaches in the game. That feature was finally added in last year’s game, but Deion Sanders was missing for Colorado.

Well, on Tuesday, that changed when EA Sports College Football 27 officially added Sanders to the game. His inclusion completes the full Buffaloes coaching staff in the game, joining offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve.

Sanders was one of several high-profile coaches missing from the game when it was released in July. Other notable missing coaches include Bill Belichick (North Carolina), Mario Cristobal (Miami), Kirk Ferentz (Iowa) and Neal Brown (North Texas).

The addition of Sanders comes as quite a surprise, considering he was asked about his absence at last year’s Big 12 Football Media Day. His response focused on EA Sports potentially not paying enough, while also revealing he was barely aware of the situation.

“I don’t know about the video game,” Sanders said. “I have a wonderful team that handles a lot of business for me. If I’m not in the game, that means they weren’t paying enough. It didn’t fit where we’re going right now. That’s probably it. It was probably that simplistic.”  

Whether Sanders and EA Sports officially settled on a licensing deal remains unknown at this time. However, his long-awaited debut finally gives fans their first chance to see Coach Prime on the virtual sidelines since the recent college football game releases.

With Sanders now officially included, players get an authentic look at building the Colorado program around him. The Buffaloes were given a B+ prestige grade, reflecting a strong, above-average standing that positively influences recruiting and team reputation.

Sanders’ win-loss record at Colorado has been mixed, but fans can now step into his shoes coaching the program.

Source

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 

The MLB regular season is heading into its final week, with playoff seeding and postseason berths still up for grabs across both leagues.

New users can use Kalshi promo code FOXSPORTS55 to get $55 in bonuses and trade on the markets surrounding the final days of the regular season.

The Brewers can clinch the NL No. 2 seed and a first-round bye with a win over the Phillies or a Braves’ loss to the Reds. The Cubs can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Marlins or a Diamondbacks’ loss to the Rockies, while the Padres can clinch with a win over the Dodgers and a Diamondbacks loss. 

In the AL, the Rays can clinch the AL East and No. 1 seed with a win over the Yankees in either game of their doubleheader, while the Yankees can clinch the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage in the wild-card series with a win in either game or a Red Sox loss to the Guardians.

With playoff berths, division titles and postseason seeding still being decided, there are plenty of MLB markets to follow as the regular season comes to a close. Use the Kalshi promo code FOXSPORTS55 to get $55 in bonuses.

For more information and full terms and conditions, visit our Kalshi promo code page.

How to Claim the Kalshi Welcome Bonus

1. Click this ‘Claim Now’ link to visit Kalshi and start the signup process.
2. Create a new Kalshi account using your email address and basic registration details.
3. Enter Kalshi promo code FOXSPORTS during signup, so the welcome offer is attached to your account.
4. Complete identity verification, which Kalshi requires before users can deposit and trade.
5. Deposit funds and trade at least $25 in prediction markets to receive up to $25 in trading credit.

MLB Games Today

*Probabilities are subject to change* 

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
MIL Brewers	40%	40¢	61¢
PHI Phillies	61%	61¢	40¢

Cleveland Guardians vs. Boston Red Sox

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
CLE Guardians	49%	49¢	52¢
BOS Red Sox	54%	52¢	449¢

Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
TB Rays	47%	47¢	54¢
NY Yankees	53%	54¢	47¢

San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
SD Padres	47%	46¢	55¢
LA Dodgers	54%	55¢	46¢

More markets available on Kalshi.

Source

The Los Angeles Rams are back, and quarterback injuries were just a couple of the storylines from an interesting Week 2 of the NFL.

Colin Cowherd revealed his Herd Hierarchy rankings, which featured a new team at No. 1 and five new teams in the rankings after their dominant wins last weekend.

Here are Cowherd’s Week 2 Herd Hierarchy rankings: 

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: Unranked

Cowherd’s thoughts: I’m going to put the Lions at 10 because of their firepower. They’ve scored 30-plus in both games and allowed 30-plus in both games. Outside of Aidan Hutchinson, not sure who else I trust on the defensive side. But Jared Goff is the only quarterback this season with six touchdowns and no picks. They rank second offensively in big plays, but last in big plays allowed. I like the GM, I like the coach, I like the offensive firepower. 

Once again, it feels like an annual thing; they’re banged up defensively. I don’t trust them holding leads. But it’s an offensive league; they’ve got a ton of firepower.

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: Unranked

Cowherd’s thoughts: Is anybody paying attention to the Saints? They outscored the Ravens in Baltimore 15-0 in the fourth. Tyler Shough, they found their guy. He’s sneaky athletic. He’s got size. He’s throwing the ball to the right guy, Chris Olave. In the fourth quarter in overtime this year, two road games, 78% completion. 

They have a real roster. We picked them to win their division. They looked very good in the second half of both Detroit and Baltimore. They dominated the Ravens like people don’t do in Baltimore.

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: Unranked

Cowherd’s thoughts: Drake Maye’s been uneven. A.J. Brown is unavailable. But I’ll put the Patriots, who are 14-2 in their last 16 games. They win, and when Christian Gonzalez is healthy, it is an excellent defense. They’re one of seven teams to allow 300 or fewer yards in the first two weeks. They held the Steelers to three and a half yards per play. 

I still think their O-line is mid. We’ll keep our fingers crossed on how A.J. Brown works, but coaching, culture, defensive front, elite secondary — I got the Patriots at eight.

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: Unranked

Cowherd’s thoughts: We all know the Rams are better than seven, but they don’t have Myles Garrett; they don’t have Puka Nacua. They’re not, I don’t think, dialed in yet. [Matthew] Stafford got lucky a few times last night. Davante Adams made some insane catches, but it’s a little Noah’s Ark.

Three tight ends I like, two defensive interior linemen, a couple of rush edges, two good running backs. Stafford is not going to give you a lot of wiggle. They’re, right now, not entirely polished, not playing clean football. There’s fumbles. There’s interceptions. There’s penalties. They’re better than seven, but that’s where I’ll put them now.

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: 10 ↑

Cowherd’s thoughts: I’ll say the same about the Eagles; they’re in a three-and-out factory. In September the last five years, they’re 14-2. Nobody wins ugly like Philadelphia. I will say, [Dontayvion] Wicks and DeVonta Smith are a real tandem. Makai Lemon hasn’t done anything as a rookie wide receiver; they haven’t needed him. 

The offense isn’t clicking. They’re 14th in scoring, 14th in yards per play. I can like Jalen Hurts simultaneously and think sometimes he holds them back.”

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: 9 ↑

Cowherd’s thoughts: Keep your eye on Cincinnati. The Bengals spent money on defense. It was the worst run defense in the league. All I’m going to say is, it’s not anymore. They look different. They are forcing turnovers. They have a very physical defensive front. They didn’t even play well against the Texans, and dominated them. They held the running backs to 18 rush yards on 14 carries. 

They have solved a big dilemma. I think they were going to be viewed as one of the most improved teams in the NFL, and so far, they are.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 7 ↑

Cowherd’s thoughts: They don’t have Josh Simmons; that does worry me. But have you noticed that Travis Kelce looks 26 years old? It’s amazing when you have a legitimate running game, you can’t cheat against Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice. Suddenly, Rice looks like a great deep threat. And Travis Kelce is wide open. And that’s what happens when you have a run game and safeties can’t cheat and linebackers can’t cheat. 

[Patrick] Mahomes looks spry. If you look at yards per play allowed, it’s Andy’s best defense. Is it? I don’t know. But they’re only allowing four and a half yards per play.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 6 ↑

Cowherd’s thoughts: It’s hard to judge the Niners. All the old guys are healthy, and Miami’s going to help everyone’s data look great. But Brock Purdy, playing with leads, and he’s barely been hit, and he hasn’t been sacked. So it’s kind of hard to say. It’s like a dominant college team; Brock Purdy hasn’t even been rushed. 

But I will say this: they’ve had 11 incomplete passes and 10 scoring drives. So they’re accomplishing what they should. And we know when healthy: [Christian] McCaffrey, [George] Kittle, Trent [Williams], Fred Warner, these are all Hall of Famers, and [Nick] Bosa. We know their top end’s great. But the question is, will they be available on Thanksgiving?

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 1 ↓

Cowherd’s thoughts: Offensive coach with Josh Allen has really been pivotal. Dalton Kincaid leads all tight ends in receiving yards. The defense looks good enough; they’ve spent a lot of draft capital on this defense. But I think Josh Allen, I think most quarterbacks are all better with an offensive head coach. 

Doesn’t mean you can’t win Super Bowls, like Seattle with a defensive head coach. They’re facing the Los Angeles Chargers this week; good luck to Los Angeles there.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 2 ↑

Cowherd’s thoughts: Only Seattle can go to a backup [quarterback] — a backup most of us don’t love — and throttle teams. I don’t know what their weakness is. They’re even good on special teams. They lose a running back, but they still have a great run game. They lose a top corner, two of them, and still have good corners. 

[Jaxon Smith-Njigba] is 40% of their offense; you worry a little about that. They’re very JSN-dependent. He has four of their five total touchdowns this year. But [Sam] Darnold gives them an athletic lingo they don’t currently have with Drew Lock. They’re allowing 3.8 yards per play. They are the fastest defense, to me, sideline to sideline in the NFL.

NFL Related Stories

Source

Nick Wright’s quarterback mountain has a new occupant at the top. 

Trevor Lawrence’s stay at No. 1 lasted exactly one week, and after a Sunday that included a bad half from Lamar Jackson, a big statistical outing that still wasn’t enough for Patrick Mahomes to take the top spot.

The injury list keeps growing, too. Sam Darnold, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart are all off the mountain due to injuries. 

So who does that leave at the top? Here’s how Wright sees the league’s quarterbacks entering Week 3:

Justin Herbert falls, Dak climbs, Will Josh Allen or Purdy beat Patrick on Mahomes Mountain? | FTF

Nick Wright lists his QB hierarchy entering Week 3, including Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, Brock Purdy, and Patrick Mahomes. Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes add their input as well, including giving Joe Burrow more credit, and lowering Matthew Stafford on the mountain.

Off The Mountain:

Wright: “Sadly, we must start with off the mountain, and the growing list of quarterback injuries. Take a moment, pour one out for 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers. I don’t know if he gets back on the mountain. I don’t know how interested he is in climbing the mountain, and I’m sure it’s all Mike McCarthy’s fault.”

“Jameis Winston is going to be pressed into service. Cam Ward almost got the best win of his career. Malik Willis is in a tough spot.”

On the injury list, Wright said: “Jayden Daniels evidently might not want to have surgery. Jaxson Dart, we’re still awaiting the news on. Darnold could be back soon, but he’s been out, so he’s off the mountain.” Caleb Williams stays eligible: “Caleb hasn’t missed a game yet and might play, so he’s still mountain eligible.”

7th Row:

Wright: “Bake show, It hurts my heart, man. That was rough…I’m glad he got his money.”

“It’s been a rough going of it, Justin Herbert. It’s not your fault, man. What’s not your fault is that you are this polarizing figure in the NFL, that the sycophantic nerds have decided you’re the one $55 million-a-year quarterback in the league that has no accountability to the team’s offensive success whatsoever. It’s Trey Harris’s fault. It’s Jim Harbaugh’s fault. It’s the left guard’s fault.”

“Daniel Jones, Geno stay where they are. Penix makes the mountain just because I believe in him. Deep sleeper, Mariota — I thought he played well, and as far as limited time goes, that’s why he wasn’t on the mountain before now. Deshaun Watson makes the mountain for the first time all year. Couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

6th Row:

Wright: “Sixth row. Jordan Love stays where he is. Drew Lock’s playing well, man.”

“Bo Nix, again, the sliding-door stuff. The Broncos were one quarter away from full-blown panic. They have that. Trevor throws a pick, they have the fourth-quarter comeback, and now maybe they’re feeling like it’s last year all over again. Didn’t play well for three quarters, got it together in the fourth, defense stiffened. You’re not playing the juggernaut Kansas City Chiefs, but Bo Nix got his mojo back. He moves up.”

“Kyler moves up from off the mountain…He’s back. He’s going to be fine. He’s on the same row that he was going into the season.”

“Jacoby Brissett, again, was really good week one, tough week two. That’s going to be Jacoby Brissett. It’s fine.”

5th Row:

Wright: “Fifth row, which happens to be young quarterbacks in different states of transition. Caleb moved down because of his performance before he got injured. We’re not penalizing him for being injured, he just hasn’t missed time yet.”

“Drake Maye had a really, really poor start to this season. I don’t know what we want to attribute it to. I do know that thus far the Patriots’ defense has been better than I thought it would be, and I am more pessimistic about their team than I was going into the year. It’s almost entirely because I don’t know what version of Drake Maye we’re going to get. If you were to ask me what would surprise me more this week, an awesome Drake Maye game or another game like the first two weeks, the awesome game would be more surprising for me. That’s concerning.”

“C.J. (Stroud), I know they only scored six points, but I didn’t think he played terribly against Cincinnati. I thought he played pretty well, saved the final fumble against the Bills in Week One. I think C.J.’s been fine, which the Texans would probably sign up for.”

4th Row:

Wright: “Joe Burrow, who again has been fine, but he usually struggles early in the year. He’ll get better.”

“Jalen Hurts, very interesting game, where they dared him to pass. He did, and it didn’t go well at all until he beat them by passing.”

“Jared Goff, they’ve scored 30-plus in each of their games. That game against the Bills, his numbers were awesome. Now the game got out of hand pretty early, but Goff solidly deserved to move back up.”

3rd Row:

Wright: “The prince’s reign atop the mountain, sadly, was short-lived.”

“Lamar (Jackson) drops just a bit. Disappointing second half, took a couple bad sacks. The pick at the end, I’m not going to kill him for, but it obviously wasn’t great. So he moves down.”

“Brock Purdy’s been absolutely sensational… absolutely great. Keeps losing receivers, doesn’t matter.”

2nd Row:

Wright: “Now I know what everyone’s expecting — fresh off 400 yards, three touchdowns, a perfect pass rate, Patrick Mahomes to be atop the mountain. He is not. Row two of the mountain, along with Matthew Stafford. Patrick is going to climb his way up to the top. I am confident in that.”

“Stafford is obviously getting some last-year benefit of the doubt. He’s the reigning MVP. He had a bad game in Australia. He was great last night.”

1st Row:

Wright: “Josh Allen, who is arguably as good as any — not arguably. There is no player, maybe in the history of the NFL, certainly in the league right now, you would rather have quarterbacking your team when it’s pumpkin spice latte season. That is Josh Allen. He is atop the mountain.”

FOX SPORTS NEWSLETTER

Your teams. Your sports. Your inbox.

Follow your favorite leagues, teams and players for a personalized daily newsletter.

Sign up for the newsletter

Create or log in to your FOX Sports account.

]–>

Source

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 

The MLB regular season is entering its final week, with playoff berths, division titles and postseason seeding still being decided. New users can use Polymarket promo code FOX to get $50 in bonuses.

With some games already underway and playoff races coming down to the wire, there are plenty of markets to follow as teams fight for postseason positioning.

In the AL, the Rays can clinch the AL East and No. 1 seed with a win over the Yankees in either game of their doubleheader, while the Yankees can clinch the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage in the wild-card round with a win in either game or a Red Sox loss to the Guardians.

The Brewers can clinch the NL No. 2 seed and a first-round bye with a win over the Phillies or a Braves’ loss to the Reds, while the Cubs can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Marlins or a Diamondbacks’ loss to the Rockies. The Padres can also clinch with a win over the Dodgers and a Diamondbacks loss. 

New users can use Polymarket promo code FOX to claim a $50 bonus and trade on MLB markets throughout the final week of the regular season. 

For more information and full terms and conditions, visit our Polymarket promo code page.

How to Claim the Polymarket Promo with Code FOX

1. Click here to download the Polymarket app on iOS or Android.
2. Create a new Polymarket account using your email address.
3. Enter promo code FOX in the promo code or invite code field during registration.
4. Complete identity verification as prompted inside the app.
5. Deposit a minimum of $10 to your Polymarket account.
6. Your $50 trading bonus will be credited to your account automatically after the qualifying deposit.

MLB Games Today

*Probabilities are subject to change* 

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
MIL Brewers	40%	40¢	61¢
PHI Phillies	61%	61¢	40¢

Cleveland Guardians vs. Boston Red Sox

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
CLE Guardians	49%	49¢	52¢
BOS Red Sox	54%	52¢	449¢

Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
TB Rays	47%	47¢	54¢
NY Yankees	53%	54¢	47¢

San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
SD Padres	47%	46¢	55¢
LA Dodgers	54%	55¢	46¢

More markets available on Polymarket.

Source

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 

The MLB regular season is entering its final stretch, and Novig Promo Code FOXSPORTS gives new users a $25 bonus to get involved in the action as part of Sydney Sweeney’s “Just Sports” promo. 

MLB’s final week features several postseason races still to be decided, including the tight AL West and Wild Card battles. The NFL also rolls into another loaded weekend, with matchups including Chiefs vs. Dolphins, Chargers vs. Bills, Ravens vs. Cowboys and Rams vs. Broncos. 

College football Week 4 brings a loaded slate of ranked matchups, including No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee, No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida, No. 2 Georgia vs. Oklahoma, No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan and No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC.

New users can use Novig promo code FOXSPORTS to get a $25 bonus and trade on MLB, NFL and college football markets throughout the week. 

How to Claim the Novig Promo

1. Click on any Novig linkin this article.
2. Download the app from your chosen App Store/platform
3. Enter the requested details and answer the quick questionnaire
4. Apply Novig promo code FOXSPORTS in the promo field before you deposit.
5. Verify your ID and link a payment method. The final four digits of your SSN will be requested
6. Deposit $10 or more and then your $25 in bonuses posts once the deposit settles.

Top 25 Matchups In Week 4

• No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee — 12 p.m. ET
• Illinois at No. 7 Ohio State — 12 p.m. ET
• No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida — 3:30 p.m. ET
• No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan — 3:30 p.m. ET
• Oklahoma at No. 2 Georgia — 3:30 p.m. ET
• No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU — 7:30 p.m. ET
• No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC — 7:30 p.m. ET
• No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State — 7:45 p.m. ET

Best NFL Games In Week 3

• Falcons at Packers — Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET
• Chargers at Bills — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
• Chiefs at Dolphins — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
• Bengals at Steelers — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
• Texans at Colts — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
• Ravens at Cowboys — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
• Rams at Broncos — Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
• Eagles at Bears — Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

Current Potential Wild Card Series

American League

• No. 3 Rangers vs. No. 6 White Sox
• No. 4 Yankees vs. No. 5 Red Sox

National League

• No. 3 Braves vs. No. 6 Phillies
• No. 4 Cubs vs. No. 5 Padres

Source

Losing Jaxson Dart to a knee injury on Monday night was a “gut punch” to the New York Giants, in the words of his replacement. And that was before they learned that their franchise quarterback might be lost for the entire season.

Now that body shot is in danger of turning into a knockout blow, ruining what once seemed like such a promising season. And only Jameis Winston can step in and save the Giants.

But that’s mostly because the Giants have no other choice.

Like it or not, the 32-year-old Winston is the best of the terrible options facing the Giants if it does turn out that Dart is done for the year. There is no Joe Flacco-like, plug-and-play starting quarterback sitting in free agency. Most of the backups who might be available in a trade aren’t much of an upgrade either. And the good ones who could provide some excitement will surely cost more than the Giants would be willing to give up.

With Jaxson Dart out for an extended period, the Giants will have to add to their QB room regardless. But will it be for a new QB1? (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

–>

Which is why it’s Winston-or-bust for this star-crossed team in 2026, if what Giants coach John Harbaugh called the “ongoing process of evaluation” of Dart’s knee reveals the season-ending injury they so obviously fear. The Giants will say that’s not so bad. After all, they liked Winston enough to sign him to a two-year, $13 million contract extension just two weeks ago, making him one of the highest-paid backup QBs in the league.

But their faith in him was mostly a short-term proposition. They saw him, according to a team source, as a solid veteran who was smart and talented enough to get them through a short stretch if Dart went down. Their faith gets shakier when it’s a long-term proposition they were hoping to avoid, especially since Winston last started more than seven games in a season seven years ago.

That year, if you don’t recall, was a great example of the full Jameis Winston experience. His cannon arm threw for 5,109 yards for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019 — still the fifth-highest total ever. He also threw a career-high 33 touchdown passes. But he countered that with a ridiculous 30 interceptions (seventh all time, and the most in more than 30 years) as the Bucs went 7-9.

Ideally, the Giants could keep their playoff hopes alive by acquiring someone that would make them less … nauseous. But look at the landscape. The other options are mostly even worse. Flacco would be an upgrade, even at age 41. He was terrific for the Bengals in six starts last season, and he’s got a long history with Harbaugh from their days in Baltimore. But he’s the only backup to Joe Burrow on the roster of a team with Super Bowl aspirations. He’s their insurance policy, so he’s not going anywhere.

Everyone else? Yuck, either because of what they’d cost or who they are. Let’s run through some names to illustrate the point (and the Giants’ predicament).

Mac Jones: The 49ers have reportedly wanted a second-round pick plus more when teams inquired about him over the past year. That’s too high of a price to pay, even if the Niners are selling.

Shedeur Sanders: He’s got his supporters, but even the Browns aren’t sure he has a future. And the last thing the Giants need is a quarterback learning on the job.

Derek Carr: There have been rumors that he’d consider unretiring for the right opportunity, but he’s 35 and hasn’t played in almost two full years.

Should the Giants check on whether Derek Carr is interested in coming out retirement? (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

–>

Carson Wentz: He was with Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy in Kansas City last year, but the Vikings don’t like J.J. McCarthy enough anymore to trade Kyler Murray’s backup.

Jacoby Brissett: Presumably, the Cardinals could deal him if they decide to move on to Gardner Minshew or rookie Carson Beck. But if Brissett loses his job to either of them, is he really an upgrade?

Jimmy Garoppolo: The 34-year-old is also open to unretiring, but the last anyone really saw him was when he lost his job to Aidan O’Connell. That was three years ago now.

Tommy DeVito: The Italians of Northern New Jersey would be thrilled, but even if the Patriots made him available, the Giants already know his train won’t carry them far. 

Jaxson Dart injury is ‘TERRIBLE’ for Giants, Rams ‘righted the ship’, Is Stafford back? | FTF

–>

There are others, of course. Josh Johnson’s never-ending NFL story is currently playing out on the Bengals practice squad. Maybe Eagles GM Howie Roseman would be willing to swindle the Giants into a lopsided deal for veteran Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee. See, if there really are better options out there, they probably aren’t available anyway. Because why would any team be willing to trade a capable backup in the wake of the Week 2 carnage that saw three talented young quarterbacks (Dart, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams) go down? This after Sam Darnold and Murray were knocked out in Week 1 and Tua Tagovailoa was injured before the season opener.

At least Winston knows the Giants’ offense and has had time practicing with their players. That doesn’t count for much, but it’s better than nothing at all.

OK, maybe it’s not much better. The Giants are almost certainly damned no matter what they do. Their best hope is that Winston can be the short-term solution they believed he was and guide them through the easiest stretch of their schedule — New York’s next three games are at home against the Tennessee Titans (0-2) and the Arizona Cardinals (1-1) and then at the Washington Commanders (0-2). If the Giants’ defense and running game are what they think they are, a 3-2 or 4-1 record with Winston at the helm isn’t that far out of reach.

After that … well, that’s where the Jameis Winston experience could get wild. But there just aren’t many better rides out there that would get the Giants to the place they eventually hoped to be. So their best bet is to commit all their first-team reps to Winston and see where he takes them.

It could be a very bumpy ride, though. Buckle up, Giants fans.

Source

Welcome to the Quarterback Notebook, where I’ll cover the past week in NFL quarterbacking — from the most interesting passers, plays and storylines to some other stuff that caught my eye while watching film this week. 

This week, we’ll look at how Aaron Rodgers is holding the Steelers’ offense back, check in with Drew Lock, and ask Baker Mayfield to chill out. 

Let’s talk quarterbacks.

The Steelers’ offense has been flat-out unwatchable to start the season. Even with the aid of a Cooper Rush turnover spree in Week 1, Pittsburgh ranks 31st in points per drive, expected points added (EPA) per play, and success rate. The offense is generating explosive plays at the fourth-lowest rate, and only the Packers have been worse on third down. 

Through two weeks, nothing is working, and Aaron Rodgers is pointing fingers at himself … kind of. 

“We need to be better, and it starts with me,” the Steelers quarterback said after Sunday’s three-point performance in a loss to New England. But just when you thought he was about to take some accountability, he kept talking: “It starts with me, at like, making sure Mike [McCarthy] knows what’s working and not working, so we can call stuff that has a better chance.” 

That’s right, Rodgers believes the solution to Pittsburgh’s offensive woes is more play-calling input from himself. 

In the second half of the Patriots game, we got a little preview of what the Steelers’ offense could look like with Rodgers running the show, and it looked a lot like the offenses we’ve seen him lead in Pittsburgh and New York over the past few years. Rodgers lined up in the gun and got rid of the ball as quickly as possible. The main aim of his preferred offensive approach seems to be reducing the hits he takes. 

Rodgers doesn’t want to hold the football any longer than he has to, and the explosive plays McCarthy is so keen on creating require it. And that’s the primary issue with the Steelers offense: Rodgers gets worse the longer he holds the ball. That’s what separates this version of Rodgers from the back-to-back MVP we saw in Green Bay at the start of the decade. 

On dropbacks that last more than 2.5 seconds, Rodgers is averaging just 5.6 yards per attempt through two weeks, per Next Gen Stats. That’s down from 6.8 in 2025, continuing a downward trend dating back to 2021.

Rodgers wants to play a point-guard-like role but is no longer interested in creating. That, of course, would require him to hold onto the ball longer and expose himself to more hits. 

And maybe that’s for the best. Rodgers still has some talent left in his right arm. He’ll show it off a few times a week, but he can no longer hit tough throws with regularity, which was a hallmark of his game when he was playing at an MVP level. He has a sub-40 passer rating on throws with a completion probability under 50%, averaging just 2.9 yards per attempt, per Next Gen Stats. 

Back in 2021, Rodgers had a passer rating over 90 on such throws, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. Once again, we’ve seen a steady decline in his production on those plays over the past few years. 

Rodgers seems to think he can make up for his waning physical abilities with his advanced football IQ by getting the Steelers into good plays based on what he’s seeing pre-snap. Rodgers likes to boast about his pre-snap acumen, but plenty of examples show him making poor decisions at the line.

Take this play from Sunday’s loss. McCarthy has a toss play to the running back called, and the Steelers have the right blocking matchups to make it work.

But Rodgers sees Pats cornerback Christian Gonzalez playing off-coverage on DK Metcalf and decides that flipping a quick pass out to him is the better option. It was not …

Had Rodgers just stuck with the original play, the Steelers might’ve picked up a nice chunk that kept them ahead of the chains. Instead, they ended up in a second-and-long with a quarterback uninterested in pushing the ball downfield. You can probably guess how that series ended. 

I’m not sure if there are any remedies for what ails the offense, but leaning on Rodgers even more than they already have won’t fix anything. Like a Rodgers dropback, the sooner this era of Steelers football ends, the better. 

After three rough halves to start the season, the Broncos’ offense flipped a switch in their second-half comeback over the Jaguars. Whether it was first-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb or head coachSean Payton acting as a shadow play-caller, someone on Denver’s staff came up with the idea to get Bo Nix on the move, and it seemed to unlock something in the third-year passer. 

Nix connected on 4-of-5 passes made on the run and averaged over 11 yards per attempt in the second half, per Next Gen Stats. That doesn’t include this 49-yard dime to Jaylen Waddle, which led to Denver’s first points in the second quarter.

Nix isn’t known for his downfield passing prowess, but when he gets outside of the pocket, that part of his game seems to open up. Nix has really struggled when throwing to the intermediate parts of the field, which is awfully important for sustaining an effective NFL passing game. He’s completed just 46% of his attempts into that range when throwing from the pocket, per Next Gen Stats. 

Put Nix on the move, though, and his completion percentage on intermediate throws jumps to 55%. He’s one of the rare quarterbacks who’s more accurate when throwing on the run.

That’s more of an indictment of Nix’s ability to throw from a stationary position than anything else. His production when throwing on the run is around league average. It’s less of a superpower and more of a crutch — a crutch the Broncos coaching staff has leaned on heavily. Since he entered the league in 2024, Nix has thrown for more passing yards on the run than any quarterback in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats. 

I’m not sure Payton and Webb can squeeze any more juice out of Nix’s mobility than they already have. And calling designed rollouts can limit the passing game, as it usually cuts the field in half for the offense. Nix must improve his play from the pocket if this offense is going to take the next step and get the most out of a stacked supporting cast. The 26-year-old did offer some glimmers of hope against Jacksonville. This was a throw Nix has rarely made with confidence throughout his career.

And there were a few other examples of Nix ripping a throw into a tight zone window with confidence and anticipation in Sunday’s game. That’s a good sign. As Nix gets more comfortable targeting the middle of the field, we should see even more of those flashes; but until he cleans up his footwork in the pocket, accuracy will be a limiting factor, and Denver’s coaching staff will have to find more creative ways to get him moving.

The ink is barely dry on the three-year, $165 million extension Baker Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers right before the season, but I’m wondering if the last two weeks have the front office already looking for an off-ramp. 

General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles said a lot of nice things about their quarterback throughout the somewhat contentious negotiations, but it wasn’t hard to read between the lines to figure out where their concerns lay. 

“The main thing is not turning the ball over and sometimes checking it down,” Bowles said in the offseason. “Understanding when he gets out of the pocket — he makes some great scrambles — but understanding how to get down and putting himself out of harm’s way.”

We’re two games into Mayfield’s new contract, and not much has changed. He’s tied for the league lead in “turnover-worthy plays” (per Pro Football Focus), and we’ve already seen a handful of daring scrambles that make it look like Mayfield has been possessed by the spirit of Cam Skattebo. This play against the Bengals was a two-for, with Mayfield taking an unnecessary hit and coughing up the ball in the red zone.

Hopefully, someone on the Bucs coaching staff talked with Mayfield after this play in the loss to the Browns, where he decided that taking a defender head-on was a better option than running out of bounds or throwing the ball away. 

Look, when Mayfield was on heavily discounted deals, those displays of toughness were admirable. Now that he’s making top-of-the-league money, they’re unacceptable. 

For better or worse, the Bucs are locked into the Baker Mayfield business for the next three seasons. In 2029, the team can get out of the deal without taking on a massive cap penalty. If his judgment doesn’t improve—whether it’s protecting himself or the football—that will feel like a long wait.

I’ll give Drew Lock this: he’s a lot of fun to watch. Watch him whip a throw over the middle of the field, and you can see why the Broncos once viewed him as their quarterback of the future. If he can keep this up while Sam Darnold works his way back from a hip injury, another team may view him in the same light next offseason. My money’s on the Falcons. 

I’m still not a believer after Sunday’s impressive showing. Seattle’s offensive line kept him in clean pockets all day, and we still saw glimpses of the inaccuracy and shoddy footwork that sabotaged Lock’s stint in Denver. There are far better ways to spend $30 million. 

You have to watch this one from the end zone angle to fully appreciate the play Joe Burrow makes here. With pressure bearing down on him, Burrow throws a no-look pass that dekes the defender in coverage and opens up the window to hit Tee Higgins and move the chains on third down. The play requires pocket presence, accuracy, anticipation, and a little bit of creativity. 

Look, I’m not the biggest fan of Michael Penix Jr.’s game, but I am thankful that he’s returning for Week 3. I couldn’t do another week of Cooper Rush, who’s still making rookie mistakes in his 10th year. This pick was a high school-level blunder. Devin Lloyd barely moves on the play, and Rush throws it directly to him. To make matters worse, Rush badly whiffs on a tackle and nearly takes his teammate out in the process. 

FOX SPORTS NEWSLETTER

Your teams. Your sports. Your inbox.

Follow your favorite leagues, teams and players for a personalized daily newsletter.

Sign up for the newsletter

Create or log in to your FOX Sports account.

Source