Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
BEREA, Ohio — Sunday’s matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions pits one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses against one of the league’s most explosive offenses. But Browns star pass rusher Myles Garrett is downplaying comments by Lions offensive coordinator John Morton, who said Cleveland hadn’t faced a challenge like what Detroit will offer.
“He’s entitled to his opinion. He hasn’t seen a defensive front like ours,” Garrett said Friday. “He’s entitled to say what he wants, and we have the privilege to see who’s right. I think it’ll be a battle of ideologies, and I think our [defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz] also has some things to say. We have to be the ones to put it into action. We’ll have to meet and see who’s right.”
Garrett was responding after Morton said Thursday that his Lions will pose a much tougher test to the Browns’ top-ranked run defense than the previous three opponents.
“Our front, right now, we’re moving guys,” Morton said. “I don’t think they’ve seen a run game like ours yet. We have patience. We stick with it. I think that’s the biggest thing. Let’s keep doing what we’ve been doing. We gotta do that so we can stay manageable on third down and two-to-six, we’ve got to be in that area. So first and second down is going to be crucial.”
The Lions rank fourth in rushing yards per game (149.0) and are coming off a statement road victory over the Ravens in which they ran for 224 yards.
Multiple Browns defenders and Schwartz emphasized stopping the run as a priority this week.
“They want to run the ball as much as possible, and we love stopping the run,” Garrett said. “Our DC is very much stuck in his ways and wanting to be stubborn in, ‘This is how we’re going to do things. We’re going to man up on the outside, and we’re going to get after guys with four.’
“They want to get the ball out quickly, want to get it to their skill guys, want to get to the perimeter. And after that, they want to go downhill on you. I think those two ideologies will come to a head this Sunday.”
Shwetha Surendran is a reporter in ESPN’s investigative and enterprise unit.
Sep 26, 2025, 02:01 PM ET
Shane Tamura, the man who killed four people and then himself in a July shooting at NFL headquarters, was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to a statement from the New York City Officer of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Tamura, 27, had claimed in a note found in his wallet following the shooting that he believed he had CTE and wanted his brain tested for it after his death. The medical examiner’s office finding determined “unambiguous evidence” of CTE in Tamura’s brain tissue. The testing determined Tamura suffered from “low-stage CTE.” CTE can only officially be diagnosed after death.
Tamura entered 345 Park Avenue around 6:30 p.m. on July 28 and killed four people: Didarul Islam, an off-duty police officer; Wesley LePatner, a real estate executive at Blackstone; Julia Hyman, an associate at Rudin Management and Aland Etienne, a security officer. He also wounded an NFL employee and according to law enforcement was believed to be attempting to reach NFL headquarters but took the wrong elevator.
In August, a source close to Tamura’s family told ESPN that Tamura began playing tackle football at age 6 through high school in the Los Angeles area before moving to Nevada, where he worked in private security and then in surveillance at a Las Vegas casino.
The source also told ESPN Tamura suffered from mental health issues as an adult, including headaches and took injections in the back of his head to try and deal with the issue.
Las Vegas law enforcement officers were also called twice during his time in the city for mental health checks, according to information released by the Las Vegas Police Department. That included a 2022 call where Tamura’s mother was concerned her son was going to kill himself. In that call, Tamura’s mother told law enforcement he was being treated for depression, concussions, chronic migraines and insomnia.
He also had a mental health hold in 2024 and was arrested in 2023 at the Red Rock Casino in Henderson, Nevada following a disagreement about showing identification following casino winnings. Prosecutors declined to charge Tamura in the 2023 case.
ESPN’s Anthony Olivieri contributed to this report.
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Rory McIlroy waited two years to play again with Tommy Fleetwood at a Ryder Cup. It took mere minutes for them to look like the perfect teammates again.
They weren’t the only ones. Jon Rahm hit a splendid shot out of the rough to bail out Tyrrell Hatton on the sixth hole. Hatton did the same for Rahm moments later, when a stick inches away from their ball threatened to derail the duo on the seventh.
While captain Luke Donald did not run it back with the exact lineup that won in Rome in 2023, he kept Europe’s two most reliable pairings together — and the result was a dominant start at Bethpage Black and a 3-1 lead over the U.S. following morning foursomes on Friday.
“We have a lot of great players and a lot of great partnerships,” Fleetwood said. “As a team, there’s a lot of continuity there.”
The “Fleetwood Mac” tandem rolled past Collin Morikawa and Harris English 5-and-4. Rahm and Hatton rallied from a rough first few holes to beat Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas 4-and-3.
Eliciting the sing-song “Ole! Ole! Ole!” chants from fans waiting at the 18th hole they didn’t come close to needing, Rahm’s and Hatton’s mutual admiration more than ran its course.
“This man is a joy to be partnered with,” Rahm said. “We spend a lot of time together and he can be very, very dependable when things get going difficult. I have full confidence every single time, and just glad we were able to get it done.”
DeChambeau and Thomas were 1 up through five when Hatton’s tee shot went left and into the rough. Rahm chipped his second shot to around three feet, and they halved the hole.
“Jon hit an amazing recovery shot,” Hatton said. “I don’t think anyone thought that we’d be putting second.”
They tied it on No. 7 after Hatton rescued them with his shot over the stick and through the trees to land it on the green. They went 1 up on No. 8 and never relinquished the lead the rest of the way.
“We didn’t have our best start during the first seven holes, (but) we battled, we stayed in it and from then on we started hitting good shots and getting really positive vibes,” Rahm said.
Returning 11 of the 12 players who won at Marco Simone two years ago, Donald split up Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg , putting them with new partners. Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick beat Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley, while Hovland and Robert MacIntyre lost to Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
By juggling things a bit, Donald may have found a new winning combination. Asked about beating Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world, Aberg said: “I had a great partner. I think that speaks to it.”
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Fans who filled the massive grandstands in darkness Friday morning at the Ryder Cup nearly two hours early got what they came to see: Bryson DeChambeau cranked his driver 344 yards just short of the green and the Americans won the opening hole.
And thus began perhaps the most anticipated Ryder Cup on U.S. soil, played at notoriously rowdy Bethpage Black on Long Island amid tighter security for the late morning arrival of President Donald Trump.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley showed up 90 minutes before the opening shot, grabbed a microphone to address the crowd and said, “Let’s (expletive) go, boys!”
The chanting and singing so typical of the start at the Ryder Cup was flat and somewhat disconnected, one side of the grandstands starting one cheer while the other had something else going. And it was foul at times, particularly when Rory McIlroy was shown on the video board warming up on the range.
Even during regular play on this New York public course, the most common four-letter word in golf that starts with “F” is not fore.
The energetic vibes didn’t hold. Europe led three of the four matches as foursomes reached the turn, subduing the American fans, many of whom also faced delays entering prompted by enhanced security.
The Americans have won the last two times at home, although Europe has dominated by winning 10 of the last 14 times. Team Europe, which won comfortably in Rome two years ago, returns the same 12 faces — the one newcomer is Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark, whose identical twin Nicolai played last time.
DeChambeau has not played foursomes in the Ryder Cup since France in 2018 — he lost both his matches — but Bradley wanted to start this Ryder Cup off with a bang. He got that.
DeChambeau and Thomas emerged from the tunnel — every movement was shown on the video board — with an American flag draped on their backs as they walked shoulder-to-shoulder.
Jon Rahm, who is 4-0 in the foursomes format, hit driver to the right rough. DeChambeau turned to face the crowd, took two powerful practice swings and then launched it over the trees and short of the green, 45 yards from the back pin. Justin Thomas hit a pedestrian pitch to 15 feet and DeChambeau holed the putt for a 1-up lead.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player who did not win a match in Rome, followed. McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood — the successful “Fleetwood Mac” pairing from last time, were in the third match, with Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in the anchor match.
Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
BEREA, Ohio — Days before the Browns’ preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams in late August, Shedeur Sanders lined up for a rare practice rep against Cleveland’s first-team defense.
With star pass rusher Myles Garrett in his peripheral vision, the rookie quarterback went to work against the starting defense with a group of third-string roster hopefuls.
In the coming days, Sanders’ spot on the Browns’ 53-man roster was officially secured. He was one of three quarterbacks — along with Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel — to stick with the team. Those August practice reps in the lead-up to the final preseason game, though, were a glimpse of his immediate NFL future. Since then, Sanders has been running the scout team as the No. 3 QB and continuing to learn as he waits for his opportunity — one his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado coach Deion Sanders, has predicted will arrive this season.
A month into his rookie season, and amid discourse around his decision not to go to Baltimore and back up Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Shedeur Sanders recently told ESPN he was “thankful” for his situation in Cleveland.
“It’s fun going out there and competing every day,” Sanders told ESPN in an interview last week. “I’m thankful for my situation. I’m thankful I’m able to see ball in a different light and to be able to get a different perspective than I have and I’m able to grow mentally, physically, emotionally, everything, to become my best self.
“So that’s [what] I’m so excited about, is that whenever I’m able to showcase it, you know what, even if it’s this year or not this year, I know at the end of the day I’m getting closer to where I want to be.”
Sanders has had an unexpected start to his NFL career — from assumed first-round pick to Day 3 selection to learning as the scout team No. 3 QB — but it’s one he says he believes has him more prepared for his moment, whenever it might arise.
AFTER A STANDOUT college career at FCS program Jackson State and Colorado, playing for his father at both stops, Sanders was ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s top-rated quarterback prospect before falling to Day 3. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported earlier this month that the Ravens had intended to draft Sanders with the No. 141 pick. Sanders, though, let it be known he didn’t want to back up the 28-year-old Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player award winner who was not going to be losing his job as Baltimore’s starting quarterback in the near future.
The Ravens bypassed selecting the Colorado QB, and the Browns, with an opening at the position, traded up to No. 144 to draft Sanders. He was the second quarterback Cleveland took in April’s draft, following Gabriel, who was picked No. 94 in the third round.
While Shedeur recently sidestepped a question on the validity of the report, Deion confirmed it during an appearance on Jason and Travis Kelce‘s “New Heights” podcast released Monday.
“I played for Baltimore, so me and [former Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome] are cool,” Deion said. “We understood that whole conversation, and he wanted to talk to Shedeur as well as he wanted to talk to me. And I put Shedeur on the phone, and I don’t want to say how it went, but how in the world can somebody fault him for saying or thinking, ‘Why in the world would I go back up Lamar for 10 more years?’
“I’ve never sat on the bench and said, ‘Well, I learned a lot today.’”
The Browns held a quarterback competition during training camp, but Sanders didn’t receive any starting reps like Flacco, Gabriel or Kenny Pickett, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of roster cutdown day on Aug. 25.
Before Flacco was named the starter, Sanders took advantage of an opportunity to start the Browns’ preseason opener. He threw for two touchdowns in a win against the Carolina Panthers but struggled in the preseason finale against the Rams and was sacked five times.
As Flacco was named the starter ahead of the preseason finale, Sanders embraced his immediate future: learning from the sideline and putting his focus on scout team QB reps.
SANDERS, LIKE ALL the quarterbacks, is studying the weekly game plan on the off chance he has to play. During the Browns’ roughly 15-minute practice period that is open to reporters, Sanders goes through individual drills with his teammates.
The offensive skill positions then break into two groups: at one end of the field, Flacco and Gabriel throw to starters and other pass catchers expected to be active on game day while offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave oversee the operation. On the other end, Sanders and practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe mirror the drills, throwing passes to practice squad players as passing game coordinator Nick Charlton and assistant wide receivers coach Stephen Bravo-Brown give instructions.
Once the viewing period ends and the reporters leave, Sanders splits time with the scout team offense alongside Gabriel and Zappe as game prep begins. The scout team is primarily made up of practice squad players and members of the active roster who will be inactive on game day. Sanders also often stays after practice to get reps on plays that are geared to Flacco’s and Gabriel’s game prep.
The ultimate goal of the scout team is to get the starters prepared for the opponent, but there’s also real competition. “Sometimes you get them and then sometimes they get you,” Zappe said.
Sanders says the concepts are key during the scout team reps.
“Anytime you’re throwing the ball, there’s only so many ways you can get to different spots,” he said. “I just enjoy it and like I say, that’s my game day. It’s my game day. Being able to go out there and go against the ones because I’m not out there to be mid. I’m out there giving a real look. They have the luxury of having an NFL QB in practice every day and great receivers and honestly, the whole practice squad, scout team, could possibly be starters somewhere. So, definitely thankful, for real.”
Official game days for Sanders are spent in uniform as the team’s inactive (but emergency) third QB and listening to the playcalls through an earpiece. The offensive staff’s attention is devoted to Flacco and the overall operation: coach Kevin Stefanski relays playcalls, Rees oversees from the coaches booth and Musgrave debriefs with Flacco on the sideline in between each possession.
Sanders often paces along the sideline and watches the game, conversing with teammates. He told ESPN that at times, he’ll talk about the game and situations with Deshaun Watson, who is on the physically unable to perform list as he rehabs an Achilles injury.
Being a backup is a change for Sanders and Gabriel, as both had lengthy college careers as starters but are now attempting to learn with limited practice reps during the week. During the local broadcast of the Browns’ preseason finale against the Rams, general manager Andrew Berry likened Sanders’ transition to the pros to someone who is “fluent in English and now you have to learn Mandarin.”
“Being in this offense from when I first got here to now, I’m 10 times more comfortable in this space,” Sanders said. “So it almost guarantees a certain level of success whenever you get out there and have your opportunity.”
DESPITE HIS FATHER predicting Shedeur would start at some point this season, there’s a long runway to arrive at that reality.
The Browns (1-2) and their offense have struggled with Flacco under center, but Stefanski has remained committed to the 40-year-old veteran despite repeated questions about a change. Stefanski said “that’s not really my focus” when asked about giving Gabriel more opportunities after a blowout loss to the Ravens in Week 2.
“If you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I’m capable of doing better than that,” Sanders told ESPN Cleveland on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the status of Watson, who has posted workout videos on his social media of increasing activity on his surgically repaired Achilles, remains unclear.
“I don’t really compare anybody’s story to mine, and to me, I know being a believer in God, I’m going to have an opportunity,” Sanders said.
“… Everything that’s happening is intentional and you don’t really get fazed by anything. Of course I want to start, but my reality is I’m not going to start and that’s fine because I’m able to live those reps through Joe. I’m able to live those reps through talking to Deshaun, through Dillon, through everybody that’s in the room. So I feel like I’m happy that I’m able to see different perspectives.”
We’re down to the final days of the 2025 regular season and in for some exciting baseball, as there are still quite a number of teams that have something to play for — including a few who are fighting tooth and nail for their postseason lives.
The Tigers, Guardians, Mets, Reds and Diamondbacks fall into that category — and all moved significantly in our final power rankings of the season. After holding a 12½-game lead over Cleveland as recently as Aug. 25, Detroit is now a game behind the Guardians, who sit atop the AL Central after beating the Tigers Tuesday and Wednesday following what might be one of the greatest comebacks/collapses of all time over the final month of the season.
There’s a similar sentiment around the Mets, who hold a slight one-game lead over Cincinnati and Arizona for the final wild-card spot as a late losing skid highlighted their second-half woes and put their playoff hopes on the line.
Which clubs will get to keep playing into October? And which will watch their playoff aspirations come to an end?
Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castillo to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.
Getting healthy on the mound is the top priority for the Brewers heading into the postseason as Jose Quintana and Brandon Woodruff are the latest pitchers to go down. With Trevor Megill, Logan Henderson and DL Hall also on the mend, it’s a good thing the Brewers have a bye and go straight to the division series. That extra time could be a difference-maker. As it stands now, it’s anyone’s guess what the roster will look like when Milwaukee hosts its first playoff game on Oct. 4, but it’s safe to say the Brewers will get at least a few of the above arms back for playoff baseball. They’ll be needed. — Rogers
Record: 93-65 Previous ranking: 2
Losing Zack Wheeler for the season was a cruel gut punch, but the Phillies’ rotation remains stout with Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo leading the charge. On the position player side, Alec Bohm returned from the injured list Sunday and Trea Turner could be activated this weekend. With Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper anchoring the lineup, and closer Jhoan Duran nailing down the ninth inning, the Phillies are a real World Series contender even without Wheeler. — Castillo
Record: 89-69 Previous ranking: 4
Shohei Ohtani reached unchartered territory in his 14th and final regular-season start Tuesday, pitching six innings while keeping the Diamondbacks scoreless. Over his past four starts, Ohtani has given up only one run in 19⅔ innings, scattering 10 hits, issuing four walks and striking out a whopping 27 batters. He is one of several Dodgers starters pitching really well heading into the playoffs. The bullpen? That’s a completely different story. After Ohtani departed Tuesday, three relievers combined to give up five runs. The Dodgers wound up losing. They’re clearly willing to stretch Ohtani a little longer, but he can’t pitch all nine innings. — Gonzalez
Record: 90-68 Previous ranking: 3
The Blue Jays were the first AL team to clinch a playoff spot, but they have the misfortune of being in the same division as the team with the second-best record in the AL. As a result, winning their first division title in a decade requires a strong finish against the Red Sox and Rays to fend off the Yankees with the Jays playing without Bo Bichette (knee) and Chris Bassitt (back). Toronto activated outfielder Anthony Santander from the IL on Tuesday for the final push, designating former AL Cy Young Award finalist Alek Manoah for assignment. The pressure is on to avoid the wild-card round. — Castillo
Record: 89-69 Previous ranking: 8
The Mariners are becoming a fashionable pick for October. They’re hot and could be starting to peak on the mound, where they’ve actually underachieved this season. Not lately though. The pitching staff was fantastic during a road sweep of the Astros as George Kirby and Bryan Woo are rounding into form — that is until Woo suffered a pectoral injury. The team says he could still pitch in October as treatment continues.
Regardless, Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo, who has given up only one run in his last 12 innings, have also been good. Seattle has plenty of options on the mound, and that includes in the bullpen, where Andres Munoz has been stellar. The Mariners feature the AL home run king in Cal Raleigh, but it’s their pitching staff that will lead them in the postseason. — Rogers
Record: 90-68 Previous ranking: 7
The Yankees clinched their postseason spot Monday. Whether they catch Toronto for the AL East title — and subsequently earn a bye to the NLDS — or settle for a wild-card spot, one question remains: Who would start a Game 3 after Max Fried and Carlos Rodon? The candidates are Luis Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year; Cam Schlittler, who has impressed as a rookie this season; and Will Warren, who has made 32 starts. Gil and Schlittler are the favorites. — Castillo
Record: 89-69 Previous ranking: 5
A perfect storm has led to the Cubs’ longest losing skid of the season — coming right after a sweep of Pittsburgh clinched a playoff berth. Their subsequent opponents, the Reds and Mets, are playing desperate baseball in an attempt to get into the postseason themselves, leading to Cincinnati sweeping a four-game series against Chicago and New York taking the first of a three-game series.
The big concern for next week is Cade Horton. He left Tuesday’s start against the Mets because of some back/rib soreness after being ill all weekend. If it’s his last time on the mound until the postseason — assuming he’s healthy — he’ll have thrown a total of 29 pitches in two weeks, not exactly the sharpest way to enter the postseason. Offensively, the Cubs came out of their slumber against New York, putting up seven runs Tuesday, as they try to build momentum toward October. — Rogers
Record: 87-72 Previous ranking: 9
The Padres celebrated a return to the postseason after defeating the Brewers on Monday. They then beat the Brewers again Tuesday and suddenly began eyeing the NL West title once more. By that point, they trailed the Dodgers by only 1½ games. L.A. holds the tiebreaker and will also finish the season in Seattle. The Padres will finish at home against the Diamondbacks. For the Padres, winning the division would mean hosting the wild-card round at Petco Park, where they’re 49-29 this season (compared to just 38-43 on the road). It’s a big deal. — Gonzalez
Record: 87-71 Previous ranking: 10
Boston’s top three starting pitchers — Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito — give the team a real chance in a three-game wild-card series against anybody, but they need to get there first. For that to happen, the offense needs to find some life without Roman Anthony. The lineup has struggled since Anthony landed on the IL on Sept. 3 because of an oblique strain, averaging 4.7 runs in 17 games without him, but has started to pick up again more recently. The Red Sox are 9-8 in that span. — Castillo
Record: 86-72 Previous ranking: 14
The Guardians’ surge feels like a movie. On Sept. 4, they were 11 games out in the AL Central. Since then, they’ve won 17 of 19 games, the last two against the division-rival Tigers, defeating Tarik Skubal to tie them on Tuesday and cruising behind Tanner Bibee to victory on Wednesday to jump into first place for the first time since April 22. Longtime Cleveland ace Shane Bieber now pitches in Toronto while lights-out closer Emmanuel Clase is on paid leave amid a gambling probe, and yet the Guardians’ pitching staffholds a major league-best 1.58 ERA since Sept. 5. The Mariners are the only other team that even holds an ERA under 3.00. — Gonzalez
Record: 85-73 Previous ranking: 6
You probably know the numbers by now, but we might as well hash them: The Tigers held a 14-game lead in the AL Central on July 8, an 11½-game lead on Aug. 23 and a 9½-game lead on Sept. 10. At the end of last week, they still led the Guardians by a very comfortable 6½ games. Then, on Tuesday night, the Tigers fell to a surging Cleveland team despite having Tarik Skubal on the mound and found themselves not leading the division for the first time since April. It was their seventh loss in a row. Their eighth followed roughly 24 hours later. An unbelievable collapse, to say the least. — Gonzalez
Record: 84-74 Previous ranking: 11
The last week has not been kind to the Astros, especially at the plate, where they ranked near the bottom of the majors in OPS. It included three games at home against Seattle — all losses — in which they scored seven total runs. Add just a single tally in their series opener loss against the A’s on Tuesday and you can see why Houston is in danger of losing the division or even a postseason berth. The loss — again — of Yordan Alvarez obviously hurts. And perhaps the return of Isaac Paredes will give the Astros a boost, though it hasn’t yet. They need a hot finish from players such as Carlos Correa and Jeremy Pena to extend their playoff streak to nine years. — Rogers
Record: 80-78 Previous ranking: 17
A four-game sweep of the Cubs over the weekend vaulted the Reds into the playoff picture, but they need to finish the job to make their first postseason appearance since 2020 and first in a full season since 2013. They also hold the tiebreaker with the Mets, so all Cincinnati has to do is match New York in the standings. It has become clear that the starting staff is the driving force behind anything good that happens in Cincinnati. Hunter Greene has been fantastic, as has Andrew Abbott. But despite their surge, the Reds remain just an average team at the plate, ranking in the bottom third in key offensive categories over the past couple of weeks. Some timely home runs have helped their cause. — Rogers
Record: 81-77 Previous ranking: 13
The Mets had the best record in baseball on June 13. Since then, they’ve had one of the worst — bad enough to enter the final week of the season on the edge of a historic collapse. Their fate could ultimately come down to the three rookie right-handers in their starting rotation. The Mets didn’t expect to need Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat this season, but injuries and ineffectiveness forced the hand of president of baseball operations David Stearns. Now, the Mets are counting on them this week to help secure a spot in October. — Castillo
Record: 80-78 Previous ranking: 15
The wild, nausea-inducing roller-coaster ride that is this 2025 Diamondbacks season continues. Since the start of August alone, the team has navigated three losing streaks of three or more games but also eight winning streaks of three or more games. Arizona sealed its latest one Tuesday night, when it overcame a four-run deficit against the division-rival Dodgers and remained just one game back of the Mets for the final wild-card spot. That the D-backs are even at this point, in a year when they traded two of their best hitters and one of their best starters at the trade deadline, is wild. — Gonzalez
Record: 80-78 Previous ranking: 12
A late win streak was followed by a later losing skid, eliminating the 2023 champs from the postseason for a second consecutive season. On the docket for Rangers brass is the future of manager Bruce Bochy and how to get more out of their inconsistent offense. That has now been a two-year question, though recent injuries to Marcus Semien and Corey Seager didn’t help. Neither was having a fantastic year anyway. As they age, the team needs new leaders at the plate. Wyatt Langford has looked the part at times. At 23 years old, he should be the next Rangers star. After an offensive evaluation is completed, president of baseball operations Chris Young’s winter goal will undoubtedly be to improve their run scoring. — Rogers
Record: 78-81 Previous ranking: 16
The Giants blew a five-run lead against St. Louis on Tuesday and were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention by the end of it. It was only 11 days prior that they stood a half-game behind the Mets for the final NL wild-card spot. San Francisco then lost nine of 11 games to miss out on the playoffs for a fourth straight year — despite being 19-12 by the end of April and acquiring Rafael Devers in the middle of June. “This year is probably the most frustrating,” Giants ace Logan Webb told reporters. “No offense to the teams we’ve had before, but this is the most talented team I’ve been on.” — Gonzalez
Record: 79-79 Previous ranking: 18
The Royals won their third consecutive game on Sept. 6 and found themselves only one game back of the final wild-card spot. They needed a hot stretch to give themselves a chance over the final couple of weeks. Instead, they lost six of their next seven, falling seven games back and setting themselves up for what occurred Tuesday: being mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, moments before a series opener against the Angels. The Royals still have a chance at a second consecutive winning record, but they entered 2025 with far bigger expectations than that following their 2024 postseason run. — Gonzalez
Record: 77-81 Previous ranking: 19
The Rays’ sale to a group led by Jacksonville real estate developer Patrick Zalupski reached another checkpoint Monday when MLB’s owners unanimously approved the transaction. Atop the new ownership group’s to-do list will be securing an agreement for a new ballpark. That will be the question hovering over the Rays this offseason — assuming the sale will be finalized — before they move back into Tropicana Field for 2026. — Castillo
Record: 78-81 Previous ranking: 20
Longtime executive John Mozeliak is set to say goodbye after this weekend, handing the keys over to new Cardinals decision-maker Chaim Bloom. His first order of business could be deciding the fate of manager Oliver Marmol, who deserves some credit for holding the team together during a stated transition year. Next, Bloom needs to rebuild the pitching staff beyond Sonny Gray, who is signed for one more season. Youngsters Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy have received valuable growth time this year while the team will say goodbye to soon-to-be free agent Miles Mikolas. The bullpen also needs some work. Bloom has plenty on his plate in his first offseason in charge. — Rogers
Record: 75-84 Previous ranking: 23
The 2025 season was a nightmare littered with injuries and underperformance for the Braves, a club that entered the year with World Series expectations. While most major players on the roster are under team control through 2026, one prominent figure is considering moving on: manager Brian Snitker. The 69-year-old skipper, whose contract expires after this season, has said he is considering retiring. If he does, Snitker’s 10-season run would conclude with seven postseason appearances and a World Series title in 2021. — Castillo
Record: 77-81 Previous ranking: 24
The Marlins entered Game No. 158 on Wednesday still mathematically in postseason contention. The chances are remote, but staying alive this late is a win for an organization attempting to produce a consistent contender for the first time in franchise history. Never have the Marlins, despite two World Series titles in their 33-year history, reached the playoffs in consecutive seasons. They’re slowly stacking the building blocks. And, considering they moved Sandy Alcantara‘s start back to face the Mets this weekend, Miami is thirsting to play spoiler. — Castillo
Record: 75-83 Previous ranking: 21
All in all, it’s going to be a successful year for the A’s, who blew past their preseason over/under win total for the season this week. They boast the likely Rookie of the Year in Nick Kurtz and saw positive seasons from several offensive players not named Brent Rooker or Lawrence Butler, with the latter having a quiet season at the plate. Left fielder Tyler Soderstrom and catcher Shea Langeliers count as those success stories.
On the other hand, the pitching staff will finish in the bottom five of the majors in ERA — the hitter-friendly park in Sacramento didn’t help. Perhaps with a year under their belt there, the front office will have a better understanding of what kinds of arms might be successful until the team moves to Las Vegas. That should be their sole focus this winter. — Rogers
Record: 74-84 Previous ranking: 22
Adley Rutschman‘s 2025 season is atop the list of the disappointments in a lost season for the Orioles. The two-time All-Star catcher continued his regression from last year and landed on the IL for two long stints because of oblique strains on each side. Baltimore activated him Monday for the season’s final six games. It could be his final week in an Orioles uniform; with Samuel Basallo‘s emergence — and contract extension — people around baseball wonder if Baltimore will look to trade Rutschman this offseason. — Castillo
Record: 69-89 Previous ranking: 27
Bubba Chandler is getting his feet wet during garbage time for the Pirates, and that could pay dividends for them next season. Add the return of Jared Jones early next year and Pittsburgh once again looks formidable on the mound. But what will general manager Ben Cherington do to help his offense? It’s a yearly question for the Pirates, as they are set to finish last in run scoring after ranking 24th the previous season. They’re going in the wrong direction. Their third baseman are last in OPS and their catchers aren’t much better. Improvements across the board are needed. — Rogers
Record: 71-87 Previous ranking: 26
The Angels again need to find some productive pitchers this offseason, as they rank near the bottom of the majors in ERA this season. It seems to be a yearly thing, as they ranked 26th in that category in 2024 and 23rd in 2023. Their starting staff has mostly been the culprit, but change is in the air as Kyle Hendricks is almost assuredly retiring while Tyler Anderson is set to become a free agent. One bright spot has been closer Kenley Jansen, who is 28-of-29 in save opportunities. But if a 37-year-old closer on a team out of contention is your lone bright spot, you probably have bigger problems. That’s the case for the Angels heading into the winter. — Rogers
Record: 68-90 Previous ranking: 25
It was only two years ago that the Twins ended a prolonged postseason winless drought and advanced past the wild-card round in a thrilling 2023 season. Now, it seems like two decades ago. The 2025 season was a miserable one for the Twins’ faithful, punctuated by a trade-deadline selloff that felt worse only a couple weeks later when the Pohlad family announced it would maintain ownership of the franchise, angering a fan base that clamored for a replacement who would spend more money. Byron Buxton had a really nice year and Joe Ryan was not traded. Outside of that, there isn’t much to cling to in Minneapolis these days. — Gonzalez
Record: 58-100 Previous ranking: 28
The bar for progress was obviously low after the White Sox set the modern-day record for losses last year, but the franchise nonetheless took some steps forward this season. They played a more competitive brand of baseball, particularly after the All-Star break. Prospects such as Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth showed encouraging signs. Journeymen pitchers such as Shane Smith, Mike Vasil and Jordan Leasure found success. They still have a long way to go, but the White Sox are in a better position than they were at this time last year. That’s … something, at least. — Gonzalez
Record: 65-94 Previous ranking: 29
Pressing questions, from the top down, face the Nationals this offseason after they took a substantial step back in 2025. One was answered this week when the organization decided to hire Red Sox assistant general manager Paul Tobino to run its baseball operations department as Mike Rizzo’s replacement.
Next up: naming a manager. Looming in the backdrop is a more critical matter: Will ownership decide to sell again? If not, will it invest the necessary resources — not just in free agency but in other departments — to build another winner? And then there’s also the question about the future of their local television deal. The Nationals have some young talent — James Wood, MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams have all been All-Stars — but this will effectively be a soft reset in Washington. — Castillo
Record: 43-115 Previous ranking: 30
Only six teams have ever finished a season with a run differential below minus-400, and all of them played before the 21st century. The Rockies are currently on pace to join them. They’ve won only four of 21 games in September and currently sport a run differential of minus-412. The modern-day record is minus-345, set by the 1932 Boston Red Sox. And though the Rockies won’t lose as many games as last year’s White Sox, they’ll probably be outscored by 100-plus more runs than Chicago was. How this gets fixed is anybody’s guess. — Gonzalez
British No 2 Cameron Norrie has been knocked out of the China Open after a 6-3 6-4 defeat to Daniil Medvedev in the first round.
Norrie failed to find his best form in Beijing, making plenty of unforced errors and allowing his opponent to gain a comfortable lead despite world No 11 Medvedev not being at his best.
Medvedev broke Norrie five times in the match, which lasted an hour and 15 minutes, as he exposed issues with his forehand.
Medvedev, who is seeded eighth, will face Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the last 16.
Earlier this year, Norrie claimed one of his best victories with a five-settriumph over Medvedev in the first round of the French Open.
“I didn’t play badly, I served pretty well except for a couple of games, same on the return,” Medvedev said.
“I had a lot of chances to break and I think I deserve to win in terms of the game plan and the stats, so I’m happy to go through.
“I can play much, much better than that. The way back is step by step, and this was a small step forward.
“I was trying to be aggressive. And I think I did. I hit a lot of winners.”
Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Despite Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. struggling through the first three quarters against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t shy away from continuing to throw his way.
The result was nearly a comeback win on national TV.
Harrison caught all four of his targets in the fourth quarter for 42 yards and a touchdown, helping Arizona tie the score late only to lose 23-20 on a field goal by Seattle as time expired.
“He needs me, I need him,” Murray said. “This is a team sport, four-quarter game, and I understand he’s not coming out of the game. I don’t want him to come out of the game.
“So, we got to get this going. And that’s really just what it is. Just conversations on the sideline, keeping his confidence up.”
Through three quarters, which ended with the Cardinals down 17-6, Harrison had caught only two passes on six targets for 24 yards, was the target on both of Murray’s interceptions, bobbling a pass before the second one. He also was part of another miscommunication on a route with Murray.
Murray said he was sure the interceptions were lingering in Harrison’s mind after the game because “I just think Marv expects so much from himself.”
“But I love the way that he fought back and continued to play hard and continued to make plays,” Murray said. “Obviously, he’s probably going to go home thinking about that s—. But at the end of the day, again, it’s football. We all make mistakes. But he continued to battle. I’m excited.”
Murray went right to Harrison on the Cardinals’ first play of the fourth quarter for a 3-yard gain. He looked Harrison’s way again on the last play of the drive for a 16-yard touchdown. Harrison high-pointed the ball as he fell backward deep in the end zone. After the catch, Harrison took a knee to celebrate — the emotion of the moment was obvious.
“He came up clutch in the stretch,” Murray said. “That’s part of football. I got the utmost confidence in Marv. I will continue to have the confidence in Marv. We just got to go back to the drawing board and be better. … The whole offense understands that we got to start faster and play better, complementary football. Because right now it’s too all over the place, and it’s not good enough.”
Coach Jonathan Gannon said he wasn’t concerned about Harrison and called his strong finish after a rocky start “fantastic.”
“I thought he came and lit it up in the second half,” Gannon said.
Despite struggling in the first half, the Murray-and-Harrison connection flourished in the second half. Murray was 5-for-5 for 58 yards and a touchdown targeting Harrison after halftime.
“He played his ass off in fourth quarter,” Murray said. “When he got man, he made [the] plays. The touchdown catch was an amazing catch. So, again, I got the utmost confidence in him. I think he should have it as well.”
Gannon told Harrison he wanted him to play faster Thursday, and he said after that he felt Harrison did just that. There were moments Thursday when Harrison looked dejected, but Gannon said to come back from those emotions, Harrison needed to “control the controllables,” and the team’s psychological training helped him in those situations.
“He wants to help the team win,” Gannon said. “He gets down on himself. He’s got to let that go and control the controllables, which for me for him is just play fast. Control your effort, your mode of play and play fast, and I thought that’s what he did.”
Brady Henderson is a reporter for NFL Nation and covers the Seattle Seahawks for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2017 after covering the team for Seattle Sports 710-AM.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — After their vaunted defense allowed the Arizona Cardinals to score 17 straight points, tying the score late in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks managed to pull out a 23-20 win Thursday night at State Farm Stadium in large part due to the poise their new quarterback showed.
Facing a second-and-10 from their own 40 with 23 seconds left, Sam Darnold hit receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba down the left sideline for a 22-yard gain, setting up Jason Myers’ game-winning field goal from 52 yards out as time expired two plays later.
“Sam made a perfect throw, honestly,” Smith-Njigba said. “Back shoulder throw. The corner was on top of me, so he just placed it perfectly, and it was an easy grab.”
Darnold and Smith-Njigba positioned the Seahawks to put the game away on their previous drive, connecting for a 36-yard gain down the right sideline on another perfectly placed throw. But Myers missed wide right on a 53-yard field goal try that would have put Seattle up 23-13, and Arizona then drove for the tying touchdown.
The Seahawks started the ensuing drive at their own 40-yard line after Arizona’s kickoff failed to reach the landing zone, and Darnold made them pay.
Like all Seahawks contracts, the three-year, $100.5 million deal they gave Darnold in March after trading Geno Smith gives the team a potential out after one season, putting pressure on their new quarterback to deliver immediate results in 2025.
And he is.
After completing 18 of 26 attempts for 242 yards and a touchdown Thursday night, Darnold now has five TDs to two interceptions while leading Seattle to a 3-1 start.
“Sam’s playing out of his mind right now,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “You see him, he’s just such a cool customer. But he’s a guy on a mission. He’s so determined for us to be a great team and a great offense, and he’s doing a great job leading us.”
One of the most impressive aspects of Darnold’s debut season in Seattle so far has been his ability to escape pressure and create big plays while on the run, which he showed again against Arizona.
Late in the second quarter, he found rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo for a 32-yard gain while scrambling to his right. On the next play, he saw an open swath of turf on a bootleg and ran for 24 yards.
Those two plays positioned the Seahawks for a Zach Charbonnet touchdown run that put them up 14-3 at halftime.
“I’m really happy he came down with that one because I think I had 20 yards in front of me of green grass,” Darnold said of his throw to Arroyo. “So I’m really happy he made that play.”
The Seahawks’ halftime lead would have been larger than 11 points if not for three miscues. Coby Bryant fumbled away an interception back to Arizona, fellow safety Julian Love dropped an easy pick and running back Kenneth Walker III took Seattle out of field goal range with a taunting penalty.
The Seahawks were nonetheless in complete control until Arizona stormed back, driving for touchdowns on consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter and necessitating the late-game heroics.
The Seahawks had a chance for a similar finish in their season opener, when Darnold’s 40-yard completion to Smith-Njigba got them in the red zone against the San Francisco 49ers. But the game ended when Nick Bosa strip-sacked Darnold and recovered the fumble.
“He’s just comfortable in those moments,” Darnold said of Smith Njigba, his No. 1 receiver. “He showed that even in the San Francisco game. Obviously we didn’t get the job done when we played them the first game, but he showed his big-play ability not only in two-minute but throughout the game. We have that rapport to where we can trust each other with different routes and feeling leverage and all those things.”
Smith-Njigba was second in the NFL with 323 receiving yards over the first three games, the best start to a season in club history. He didn’t have a catch Thursday night until late in the third quarter before coming alive in the fourth. He finished with 79 yards on four catches.
“Jax, man, one of the best receivers in the league,” Love said. “People need to put some respect on his name. He’s the real deal.”
Macdonald said Seattle’s sideline had little doubt that Myers would make the game-winner despite his miss on the previous drive.
“I golfed with him this offseason, and that’s his mentality in golf, too,” Darnold said of Myers, a single-digit handicap. “He’ll hit a bad sot and he’ll come back and stripe it on the next one. He’s got that mentality. He gets pretty frustrated when he doesn’t make them, but then he comes back and it’s almost automatic when you know he’s going to come in and knock the next one down.”
Darnold’s Pro Bowl season with the Minnesota Vikings ended at State Farm Stadium, which hosted their wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams due to the wildfires in Southern California. He was sacked nine times in a loss, then hit free agency after Minnesota decided to not keep him via the franchise tag.
“It was just another game,” Darnold said. “Obviously it’s in the same stadium, but it’s Week 4 and we did a good job today, but there’s a lot of stuff that we can clean up. Bu I’m going to enjoy this three-day break or whatever we’ve got and watch some Ryder Cup, so I’m excited for that. But it’s going to be a good time to be able to just put my feet up, relax a little bit and get ready to roll for next week.”
KIGALI, Rwanda — On a busy roadside in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, Ronald Yiga bent over his racing bicycle, inspecting the wheels.
Dressed in shiny black sweatpants, a yellow, red and green top and a helmet, the 32-year-old cyclist was preparing for the road cycling world championships in neighboring Rwanda, the first time the event has taken place in Africa in its 104-year history.
For Yiga and colleagues from his Fun Cycling Club, a small but growing community of riders in Uganda, the competition offered a chance to race alongside their heroes and maybe catapult a sport in Africa that has long felt like a pastime.
“This is so big for the continent,” said Yiga, who took up cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic to ride around lockdown public transport restrictions.
Yiga said he will be excited to see Tadej Pogačar, the reigning road race world champion and four-time Tour de France winner, in this week’s championships in Rwanda. The Slovenian rider will compete Sunday in the men’s elite road race, with the women’s race set for Saturday.
“I can’t wait to see him (Pogačar) … because I have been seeing him on TV in the Tour de France. I can’t wait,” said the full-time cellphone repairer, before setting out on a 100-kilometer training ride.
For Aziz Ssempijja, Yiga’s teammate, it is more than just representing Uganda.
“I might perform well in these championships and you never know I might get a team that can be able to spot my talent … that can push my skills to the next level,” he said.
“This could open doors for us,” adds Rwandan national team cyclist Eric Manizabayo. “It’s about my future.”
Like others from Mali or South Sudan, many African riders race with vintage rim-brake bikes when professionals ride much more expensive machines. Yet they remain undeterred.
The championships could provide a breakthrough moment for Africa, said Jacques Landry, director of the World Cycling Center, a development initiative set up by world cycling body UCI.
“They’re not a finality of what’s going on in Africa. They’re a rebirth of what can happen moving forward. I think for most of the national federations, they do see it as a way to ignite more activities in Africa, the linchpin of African cycling,” said Landry.
Across sub-Saharan Africa, cycling is still considered low-key, often associated with commuters or those of modest means. But its popularity is rising, with more local competitions giving riders, including children, “a race to go to, whereas before there were no races,” said Landry.
Thousands of visitors have descended on Kigali, where the competition runs until Sunday. A global audience of over 300 million is expected to watch elite riders from about 100 nations test themselves on courses, including the men’s 273-kilometer (179-mile) road race on Sunday up the Mur du Kigali with over 3,500 meters of elevation gain.
“This is our moment to show the world Rwanda’s spirit,” said Eric Mupenzi, a motorcycle taxi operator navigating the capital’s police-controlled streets. “We will line the hills and roar for every rider, like the whole city is pedaling together,” he said.
“We will cheer so loud that the world can hear us,” vowed Jean de Dieu Uwimana, a fan in Kigali.
Rwanda has invested in turning its hilly terrain into a launchpad for world-class cycling.
“We have gone from community competitions to hosting the world,” said Valentin Bigango, vice president of the Rwanda Cycling Federation. “This is about legacy, inspiring our young talents, growing tourism, and proving Africa is ready.”
The championships crown years of effort by Rwanda to project itself through sport.
President Paul Kagame’s administration has invested in venues like the $100 million BK Arena, which hosted the Basketball Africa League finals, struck partnerships with European soccer teams, and may bid to host Formula 1’s first African Grand Prix in more than three decades.
“The sky is the limit,” Kagame said earlier this year while inaugurating a new sports facility in Kigali. “Sports can bring tens of billions to Africa, and we must be part of that story.”
But Rwanda’s sporting ambitions are not without controversy. Rights groups accuse the government of repression and using high-profile events to “sportswash” its image. U.S. senators last year warned the NBA against complicity in abuses through its Rwanda partnerships.
Still, enthusiasm in the streets is hard to miss. Motorcycle taxi operators pause rides to talk about their favorite cyclists. Market vendors line the hillsides to watch. Children peer out from the crowd to cheer.
Ugandan cyclists see it much the same. Yiga believes the races will lift not only Rwanda but the entire region’s tourism industry.
“These championships have never been in Africa so it’s going to help us a lot. We Africans need to give a good performance so that Europeans can also know that Africans can do cycling,” said his teammate, Ssempijja.
Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University.
Brady Henderson is a reporter for NFL Nation and covers the Seattle Seahawks for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2017 after covering the team for Seattle Sports 710-AM.
Sep 25, 2025, 08:51 PM ET
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals host division rival Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football” to start Week 4’s slate of games.
The Cardinals (2-1) and Seahawks (2-1) hit prime time as they jostle for early position in the NFC West.
Our two team reporters — Josh Weinfuss for the Cardinals, Brady Henderson for the Seahawks — are at State Farm Stadium, and will be keeping you updated on all the biggest plays and highlights.
Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Glenn was known for his electric speed when he was drafted by the New York Jets in 1994 — 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Now, he’s 53 years old with gray hair, but Glenn still has plenty of giddy up. And some dance moves, too.
The Jets’ first-year coach went viral Sunday for his reaction to a stunning touchdown by Will McDonald IV, who blocked a field goal attempt and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to put the Jets ahead in an eventual 29-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Glenn was so excited that he sprinted down the sideline, maybe 40 yards, before breaking into a celebration — an arm-raising, shoulder-shimmying strut. NFL head coaches rarely show that kind of emotion on the sideline.
Glenn’s celebration hit another level when ESPN’s Jenna Laine made edits using tracks from artists ranging from Earth, Wind and Fire to SWV as the background music. The version set to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” drew 2.6 million views — and counting. Coincidentally, the song opens with “Do you remember the 21st night of September?” and the game was played Sept. 21.
So…Aaron Glenn’s sideline celebration is 🔥🔥🔥 with Earth, Wind & Fire attached to it. pic.twitter.com/KRAwV843LI
Glenn said he was alerted by his wife and kids that he had become a social media sensation.
“Here’s what I do know: That’s why I’m going to always be me,” Glenn said Thursday. “And, listen, these guys need someone that’s going to show that they believe in them and that’s going to show they’re proud of them when they make plays.
“I’ll tell you what, if I probably didn’t do that, my wife and kids would have said, ‘What’s happening? What’s going on with you?’ I’m never going to be fake. I’m going to always be me.
“Some people like it, some people don’t. It doesn’t matter. But I’m glad that people can see me, my authentic self, no matter what. And I don’t [know] what it means when some people say, ‘Well, is a head coach supposed to act like that.’ How is a head coach supposed to act? I don’t know, but it was good. It was good.”
Glenn was so fired up because the Jets, trailing by 17 points at the start of the fourth quarter, had rallied to take a 27-26 lead on the McDonald touchdown with 1:49 left in the game. The Jets (0-3) were so close to their first win, but the Bucs kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired.
“I thought it was kind of cool. I might make it my next sack dance, but I haven’t told him yet,” McDonald told ESPN, referring to Glenn’s celebration. “I thought it was funny. … Coach is still young. Don’t let Coach fool you. He might come out of retirement.”
Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor said Glenn’s passion “fired us up.”
“It definitely shows the type of coach he is, bringing energy every single day. We love it. We love it as players.”
Noelvi Marté might have saved the Cincinnati Reds’ playoff hopes when he robbed Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds of a home run with a spectacular catch over the wall in the ninth inning of a 2-1 win
Byron Buxton hit two home runs including a second-straight leadoff homer, Bailey Ober threw six innings with five strikeouts and two hits, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 4-0
ARLINGTON, Texas — Byron Buxton hit two home runs including a second-straight leadoff homer, Bailey Ober threw six innings with five strikeouts and two hits, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 4-0 on Thursday.
The Twins (69-90) outhit the Rangers (80-79) 10-3, with Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Christian Vázquez each recording two hits.
Ober (6-9) tied a season-low in hits allowed and did not allow a run for the first time this year. His last scoreless outing was Sept. 7, 2024, against Kansas City.
Holding onto a one-run lead in the fifth inning with one on and no outs, the Twins converted on a strikeout double play as Kyle Higashioka went down swinging and Alejandro Osuna was caught stealing second.
Kody Funderburk threw a hitless seventh with two strikeouts, and Cole Sands struck out one in the ninth.
Tyler Mahle (6-4) threw five innings with five hits, one run, and four strikeouts.
After Julien and Vázquez each reached on singles in the eighth inning, Buxton swung at the first pitch from Chris Martin and launched his second homer to center field. This one traveled 437 feet, and would be a home run in all 30 Major League ballparks.
Buxton’s 10th leadoff home run of the season followed his leadoff homer in a 4-2 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. It’s the second time Buxton has had back-to-back games with a leadoff homer this season, also doing it June 18-19 at Cincinnati.
Texas: The Rangers visit the Cleveland Guardians, who are one game ahead of Detroit for first in the AL Central. Texas RHP Jack Leiter (9-10, 3.92) faces Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (7-6, 4.15).
Minnesota: The Twins head to Philadelphia to face the NL East champion Phillies. Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (13-9, 3.47) starts opposite Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (4-10, 6.46).
Sale Sharks secure opening-night win of new season at home after coming back from being 10-5 behind to Gloucester at half-time; Nathan Jibulu scores on debut with Tom Roebuck and George Ford also prominent in victory
Last Updated: 25/09/25 11:06pm
New Sale signing Nathan Jibul is tackled during the Sharks’ opening-night win over Gloucester
New signing Nathan Jibulu scored a second-half try as Sale beat Gloucester
27-10 to claim a bonus-point win on the opening night of the new Gallagher Prem
season.
The hooker, a summer acquisition from Harlequins, dived over the line from a driving maul in the 56th minute before Joe Carpenter and Hyron Andrews added late scores to secure the bonus point.
England winger Tom Roebuck’s try put Sale ahead in the 16th minute but George Skivington’s visitors hit back through Jack Clement’s touchdown on the stroke of half-time.
Yet Jibulu’s try levelled matters at 10-10 after Clement had been sin-binned and George Ford’s conversion edged Sale back in front at 12-10.
Ford then supplied the pass to send Carpenter over for the hosts’ third try before Andrews grabbed their fourth for the bonus point.
How Sale came from behind to open new season in style
Sale began brightly with England fly-half Ford looking to orchestrate their attacks with some deft handling and probing kicks.
Ford’s England team-mates Carpenter, Roebuck, Bevan Rodd, Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Ben Curry also started while new club captain Ernst van Rhyn led Sale for the first time.
Gloucester’s club captain Tomos Williams made his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury when playing for the British and Irish Lions during their summer tour of Australia.
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He started alongside new signing Ross Byrne at half-back, while Harrison Bellamy made his first Prem start in the pack and new signing Ben Loader lined up on the right wing.
But Sale opened the scoring when Roebuck collected a loose ball close to the Gloucester line and dived over to claim the first try of the new season.
Ford could not convert but the hosts continued to hold the upper hand and thought they had been rewarded with a second try in the 31st minute.
A Sale lineout on the right flank led to Rodd being driven over the line but the TMO chalked the try off for an obstruction as Gloucester survived.
From there the visitors began to fashion some promising moves and they finally got off the mark in the 35th minute when Byrne kicked a long-range penalty.
And their pressure told on the stroke of half-time when Clement charged through the home defence to cross the line from close range with Byrne converting to give Gloucester a 10-5 interval lead.
Sale thought they had their second try shortly after half-time when scrum-half Gus Warr had a try ruled out by the TMO for a forward pass.
Gloucester then lost their tryscorer Clement to the sin bin for bringing down a maul illegally and they were punished when Jibulu went over from close range and Ford converted before adding a penalty.
Joe Carpenter (left) celebrates his try
With eight minutes remaining, Ford threw an exquisite pass out to Carpenter inside the right channel and the full-back showed his class to power over the line for a try which Ford converted.
In the last minute, Andrews finished off some clever handling in the right corner for the bonus-point try.
The Cardinals will be the first as they wear their desert-themed threads against the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football.” The all-white uniform includes a texture meant to represent sandstorms that occur in Arizona. Copper — Arizona’s state metal — is featured on the number set and pant stripes. Copper also serves as the outline color for a reimagined state flag appearing on the sleeve patch.
The Dolphins are debuting their Rivalry uniforms on “Monday Night Football” against the New York Jets. Miami’s dark pitch-blue look features turbo green and orange stripes on the helmet, pants and sleeves, evoking the power and speed of dolphins in deep water. There are also accents in orange and iridescent aqua across the design.
It’s a strong week for alternates, too. The Denver Broncos will don their midnight navy look on “Monday Night Football” against the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s just the second time Denver is wearing the uniforms after debuting them last season. The Broncos wore navy as their primary uniform from 1997 to 2011 before a 13-year hiatus.
Here’s a look at the Week 4 uniforms for all 32 NFL teams.
Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain suffered a UCL tear in his right thumb in a workout Thursday, the team announced, casting his availability for the start of the season in doubt.
He and the 76ers are working with specialists to determine what the next steps in his treatment plan will be, the team said.
McCain, 21, is coming off averaging 15.3 points in 23 games last season after being the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft before a meniscus tear, and subsequent surgery, in December prematurely ended his season.
McCain was expected to play a significant role for Philadelphia this season, either starting alongside All-Star Tyrese Maxey in the 76ers’ backcourt or coming off the bench.
McCain’s minutes will now go to Quentin Grimes, presuming the restricted free agent eventually comes to an agreement with Philadelphia to return this season, rookie VJ Edgecombe and veteran Kyle Lowry.
Philadelphia is already dealing with uncertain injury situations involving both superstar center Joel Embiid and All-Star wing Paul George. There has been no update on Embiid’s status since he underwent left knee surgery this spring, and hasn’t played in a game since February after playing in only 19 games this season.
Embiid is scheduled to speak at media day Friday. So, too, is George, who underwent knee surgery in July and is expected to have an update on his status soon.
The 76ers are coming off an injury-riddled season across the board that saw them finish with one of the worst records in the league, allowing them to leap up to third in the NBA’s Draft Lottery and eventually select Edgecombe in June’s NBA Draft.
Grimes, meanwhile, remains in a stalemate with the 76ers over a contract, and has until Oct. 1 to take the one-year and $8.7 million qualifying offer for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that Grimes is unlikely to accompany the 76ers to Abu Dhabi for their preseason games with the New York Knicks next week. Philadelphia leaves on Sunday.
DUBLIN — No trip to Newry was complete for the late Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Daniel M. Rooney until he stopped by the Whitegates community center that he helped get off the ground in the 1990s.
“Always visited for half an hour for a cup of tea with the people,” recalled local businessman Feargal McCormack. “He loved a cup of tea.”
The kettle was warm when the Rooneys visited Newry on Thursday before crossing the border — Northern Ireland is part of the U.K. — into the Republic of Ireland for the Steelers’ game against the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin.
Indeed, Sunday’s showdown — Ireland’s first time hosting a regular-season NFL game — represents a Rooney homecoming, technically in two countries.
The family traces its roots to Newry, a small town located 5 miles from the border. Team executive Dan Rooney was there for an event with the Ireland Funds, a philanthropic organization that his grandfather cofounded more than 30 years before becoming U.S. ambassador to Ireland in 2009.
The team announced the creation of a scholarship fund in the name of Daniel and Patricia Rooney.
“It’s really special to be able to do this, one with the Ireland Funds, which meant so much to my grandparents, and two to do it in Newry, where the Rooney family hails from,” Dan Rooney, team vice president of business development and strategy, said in comments reported on the Steelers website.
For the NFL, there was little doubt about which team would play a leading role in the Emerald Isle.
“The Rooney family name carries a tremendous amount of weight, so when they initially expressed an interest in playing a game in Ireland, it meant that a lot of people sat up and took notice,” said Henry Hodgson, general manager of the NFL UK and Ireland.
“Because of the connections and the doors that the Rooney family name opens, because they’ve given so much back to Ireland, they certainly helped make this happen,” Hodgson said.
The Steelers were dominating the NFL in the mid-1970s — winning back-to-back Super Bowls in ’75 and ’76 — when Daniel Rooney turned his attention to the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. He cofounded the Ireland Funds, which has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to promote peace.
Rooney also cofounded the Newry-Pittsburgh Partnership in 1990 to boost business and educational exchanges.
“The fact that he was coming to Newry and that he was encouraging delegations to come — the confidence he gave in those very early years was very significant to ultimately the success which has followed,” said McCormack, a Rooney family friend and senior partner at accounting firm AAB.
McCormack compiled the Rooney family ancestry: Steelers founder Arthur J. Rooney’s great-grandfather emigrated from Newry around 1846.
As U.S. ambassador to Ireland, Daniel Rooney made it a point to visit “all 32 counties” in Ireland — that’s 26 in the Republic and six in the North.
And of course, have a cup of tea in each.
Under the NFL’s global markets program, the Steelers hold league-granted rights on the “island of Ireland.” They can sign commercial deals and hold fan events, all part of the league’s aggressive international growth efforts.
The former ambassador, who died in 2017, had hoped to bring a regular-season game earlier. Croke Park lobbied to get one in 2013 but instead the league added a second London game that year — the Steelers played one of them, losing to the Vikings 34-27.
Steelers President Art Rooney II noted at the time that his father had been “pushing to have a game in Dublin.” In 1997, the Steelers beat the Chicago Bears 30-17 in a preseason game at Croke Park.
A fan of Gaelic games, Daniel Rooney was a frequent visitor to Croke Park. The GAA says Rooney also played a quiet role in the redevelopment of Ireland’s biggest stadium by encouraging designers to make it more multifunctional.
“He has to be acknowledged on that regard,” GAA head of communications Alan Milton said.
Mike Tomlin has always acknowledged his respect for the late ambassador.
“I certainly will be thinking a lot about him when we’re there,” the Steelers head coach said Tuesday. “You talk about a guy that certainly had a lot of passion for Ireland. … I’m sure he’ll be smiling down at us this weekend.”
