On Thursday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers kick off the preseason by hosting the Green Bay Packers. This will be the first look at the new and hopefully improved Steelers under new head coach Mike McCarthy. Here are the big four things to watch for versus the Packers.The young quarterbacksAll eyes will be on Will Howard and Drew Allar, both of which will make their Steelers preseason debut on Thursday. Howard missed all of his rookie campaign and is currently in a battle to make the roster with the rookie Allar.Is the pass rush back?After suffering under former defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, the pass rush is back with a vengeance and some huge paydays. We want to see how this new system maximizes the talent on the roster, even in a preseason setting.New and improved Roman WilsonThe star of training camp on offense has been Roman Wilson. He took it personally that the Steelers drafted his replacement and has outplayed him at camp.Using the tight end position in the passing gameThere are rumors that McCarthy is actually throwing to the tight ends at training camp practice and we want to see if it pays off in the preseason. The tight end has been so underused historically that this might be the most exciting change of them all on offense.This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers vs Packers: 4 things to watch in Thursday's preseason matchup

Beck sustained the injury during the Hall of Fame Game

The Chicago Bears have never had a 4,000-yard passer. Can Caleb Williams change that in 2026?

The Bengals have the offense to win a Super Bowl, but the defense ...

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 18: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts after a dunk against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 18, 2016 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Thunder defeated the 76ers 111-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)Getty ImagesNow that Russell Westbrook has officially ended his 18-year NBA career, how should he be remembered?Westbrook and his fans will focus on his unyielding competitiveness, his league-leading triple doubles and his community-oriented work that often lacked any self-promotion. Westbrooks critics will focus on how his game didnt age gracefully, how he became a journeymen toward the end of his NBA career and how he often got in his own way. Tribute videos and eventually Hall-of-Fame induction speeches understandably will showcase only the highlights. The toxic social media debates and blooper reels will only showcase the shortcomings. But when it comes toward evaluating Westbrooks actual 18-year NBA career, all of the commentary have to be included.Thats because both Westbrooks positive and negative attributes explain both his ascension and his downfall. His competitive edge and triple-double efficiency lifted an Oklahoma City Thunder franchise for 11 years (2008-19) through one NBA Finals (2011), nine playoff appearances (2010-19) and consistent regular-season success (501-320). His poor shooting, ball-handling efficiency and stubbornness also led to playoff shortcomings. The Houston Rockets (2019-20), Washington Wizards (2020-21), Los Angeles Lakers (2021-23), LA Clippers (2023-24), Denver Nuggets (2024-25) and Sacramento Kings (2025-26) all welcomed Westbrook for how he impacted winning with his disciplined work habits and empowering leadership style with teammates. But Westbrook also became a journeymen because the law of diminishing returns emerged with his flaws both with his game and adaptability. His generosity toward philanthropic causes, his family and team staff all appeared genuine. Westbrook rarely sought accolades for his good deeds and preferred to value authenticity over self-promotion. But his abrasiveness in a public setting in post-game press conferences and locker room scrums often reeked as unnecessary at worst and unnecessary at best. Westbrook rarely addressed criticism kindly and needlessly belittled anyone attempting to do their job. Though a persons character is often judged for how he treats close ones and those around him, it is fair to judge someone how they behave in professional settings. Simply put, Westbrook became one of the NBAs most competitive and accomplished players in this generation for the same reasons he became one of the most divisive. Both admirers and critics both agree that Westbrooks disciplined ensured consistent durability and intensity that bettered both himself and his team. There lacks enough consensus on what led to his downfall. Admirers will contend that teams had flawed rosters that didnt put Westbrook in a position to succeed and required him to accept diminished roles. Critics will rebut that Westbrooks shortcomings stemmed more from self-inflicted mistakes than his role or his teammates. Neither answer is absolute. But its not a coincidence that the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets and Kings all thought they could let Russ be Russ, only to realize that couldnt help them in the long run. Its also not a coincidence that Westbrook could not figure out how to win an NBA title during his prime years in Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant (2009-2016) and Paul George (2017-18) and on a reduced role on the Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis (2021-23). Despite that checkered legacy, Westbrook still deserves a Hall-of-Fame induction. It took 47 years before anyone could break Oscar Robertsons triple-double record. Westbrook shattered that mark in 2021, and it had little to do with stat-padding. It had more to do with Westbrook impacting the game both with production and intangibles. Even with his high risk, high-reward style of play that ended with faulty shot selection and turnovers, Westbrook still excelled as a point guard that could generate easy baskets for himself and others. Even during the load management and self-promotion era, Westbrook never cheated the game and took shortcuts. He never let his off-court training habits and on-court competitiveness ever dissipate. But that doesnt mean that Westbrook should only be viewed through one lens. He should not be celebrated as a generational talent because his weaknesses shine too brightly. But those weaknesses should not overshadow the enduring strengths he displayed through an accomplished NBA career. Instead, it possible to evaluate Westbrook as both a celebrated and flawed player that yielded both tremendous success and noticeable shortcomings. This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Terrell Owens earned nearly $80 million during his 15 years in the NFL. But before his playing career was over, he says he discovered that much of the money he thought he had was gone.I trusted those individuals to manage my financials, and thats where things took a dive, Owens told Front Office Sports at the third annual Huddle in the Hamptons.Owens was drafted by the 49ers in 1996 and went on to play for the Eagles, Cowboys, Bills, and Bengals. He earned six Pro Bowl selections and five first-team All-Pro honors during his career, before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.Early in his career, Owens was represented by David Joseph of Joseph Athletic Management, a small agency that he described as a mom-and-pop operation. Joseph handled nearly everything for Owens, including aspects of his finances, he said.In 2005, Owens left Joseph and hired prominent agent Drew Rosenhaus. This time, he wanted to separate the responsibilities. Owens decided that Rosenhaus would handle his contracts, while financial advisers would oversee his portfolio and investments.I told him, like, I need somebody to manage the finance part of my portfolio, because the first agent, he pretty much did everything, Owens said.The arrangement allowed him to concentrate almost entirely on football.In order to be the Hall of Famer that I am today, thats what I did, Owens said. I really honed in [during] the offseason, working on my craft and trying to be the best football player that I could be.But toward the end of his career, Owens said he began seeing signs that something was wrong. Thats when we noticed that some of my finances were all over the place, and it wasnt as much as I thought it was, he said.Even with the amount of money that I was being paid, they were late on payments, they werent paying on some things, Owens added. Then, all of a sudden, money was just missing.Earlier this summer, several clips of former pro athletes discussing their finances went viral. Current and former players like CJ McCollum and Dwight Howard garnered attention by lamenting the fact that their big paychecks ultimately didnt leave them with as much as they thought.The general public assumptionwhich is that if you make it to the pros you are set for lifeis far from true, Perigon Wealth Managements head of sports and entertainment Marc Specht told FOS.Owens said he eventually hired forensic accountants to go through his finances. They found another bank account that had been opened using his power of attorney without his knowledge, he said.The problems became even more apparent in 2010 when he was playing his final season with the Bengals. At one point after earning nearly $80 million over his career, he said his savings had fallen to nearly $500,000. It goes fast, Owens said. One day it was like, what happened to my $80 million?In 2013, Owens sued Rosenhaus, but the suit was later sent to arbitration, and by 2018 he dropped his case. He said he withdrew his suit because the alleged fraud was discovered after the legal deadline to file a claim. Rosenhaus declined to comment.In the years since his NFL career ended, Owens has built a second act through media appearances, business ventures, and continued involvement in football.If I was just a 10-year guy who wasnt a Hall of Famer, he said, honestly, Id be struggling.The post Terrell Owens on Losing His NFL Fortune: Money Was Just Missing appeared first on Front Office Sports.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Pretty stress free, Tommy Fleetwood collectively summed up his day alongside Jordan Spieth on what felt like the closest spot to the sun on Thursday.Normally, stress-free Jordan is not optimal Jordan. For the content carnivores, reckless Jordan charging around TPC Southwind muttering to himself and his poor bagman, Micheal Greller, is the most entertaining. The heroic version misses fairways and greens with equal abandon and yet always has the magic touch to keep things afloat.But that wasnt what the sweaty masses got on Day 1 at the PGA Tours playoff opener, the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Paired alongside Fleetwood, who tied for third last year in Memphis, Spieth drove the ball decently, hitting just 9 of 14 fairways and was 10th in strokes gained: off the tee, and was even better with his approach play.If you look at the stats, you'll see four or five missed greens, but I had a putter in my hand on every single one of them, they were on the fringe. If you want to count that as 18 greens, it becomes about as stress free as it can be, said Spieth, who was tied for the early lead following a 5-under 65.Spieth arrives at the post-season lid-lifter in a similar spot statistically to last year, when he rolled into town 48th on the FedExCup points list. This time hes 54th on the list and in need of a top-25 finish, roughly, to crack the top 50 and advance to next weeks BMW Championship.But the FedExCup math is where the similarities stop between the 25 and 26 versions.Despite the lack of results, with no top-10 finishes in 21 starts this year, Spieth is confident his game is in a much better spot than it was last year in Memphis.I think the tougher part was the last couple of years I was very clearly going in this direction [down]. I was not as good as I was earlier in the season, Spieth said. I had a lull this season from essentially Memorial through the British where I was kind of trying to press something that I probably didn't need to, and it got me in trouble. But I stayed on it for five or six weeks and didn't get many results there.The rest of the season statistically has been very good. But outside [the top-50 bubble] looking in versus inside trying to hold onto it is a little different mentality, maybe helpful, but after a good start that all changes, right?With all stress being relative, its a psychologically healthy approach to a situation that, at least statistically, is worse than where he found himself at the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he tied for 38th to finish 54th on the points list.Although most of the Tours current bubbles are not exactly Draconian, missing out on the top 50 has real-world consequences with players like Spieth left to languish outside of the signature events. Even average finishes in signature events, which reward more points, can be a massive lift compared to similar results in full-field events.Its why the weight, and the humid air, is so much heavier this week for players like Spieth who find themselves on the wrong side of the season-long math.Its also why Spieths bogey-free round felt more significant than most opening efforts, even without the wonderous fireworks that normally make his rounds so entertaining.Just knowing that I'm a lot better golfer than I've been in a very long time and continue to believe in that. If low scores come, they come. If they don't, it doesn't change the fact that I know that I'm better than I've been in a long time, he said.Thats not to say he didnt have a few wizardly moments on Thursday.At the par-5 third hole, Spieth hooked his drive into the trees left of the fairway and after taking a drop and chipping his second shot back into play he hit his third shot 225 yards to 20 feet for what was an anything-but-routine par.I had a little mud on the left side of the ball, which with a 4-iron in, with water short and right, that shot could have gotten me in some trouble today, and it was definitely my best swing of the day, Spieth explained. I put a really nice, solid 4-iron to whatever that was, [20] feet, to 225, and that shot was like, OK, like I didn't have that shot [last year]. I haven't had that shot in a long time. I've had it lately, but I haven't had it other years.It was just enough animated magic to remind us why Spieth is so entertaining. Even on his stress free days, hes still a must-watch event.Rory McIlroy wilts to shoot 74; Scottie Scheffler cards patient 68 at scorching FedEx St. JudeRory McIlroy played his final three holes in 4 over par in the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Golf Channel Staff, Golf Channel Staff,

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) Baltimore Ravens cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey could return next week from injuries they suffered in training camp this week, coach Jesse Minter said after Thursday's practice.I would say both are trending very well to potentially be back next week, Minter said. Both just dealing with a couple small things, I think. Got good reports on both of them and expect both of those guys back.Wiggins was carted off the field with a left leg injury midway through Tuesday's practice. Humphrey walked off under his own power during Wednesday's session with an undisclosed issue.Given how serious it initially appeared, the update on Wiggins currently considered Baltimore's best cover corner is a particular relief for a defense that finished last season tied for second-to-last in the NFL against the pass.One of the worst feelings is seeing something like that where a guy goes down and obviously you dont know what it is right at the moment, Minter said. Again, happy that its hopefully a good report and expect Nate to be back out there fairly soon.Even if healthy, both players were unlikely to play in Saturday night's preseason opener at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, with Minter indicating Tuesday that most regulars would not participate.That includes two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, who will give way to seventh-year backup Tyler Huntley as the Ravens play their first offensive downs under incoming offensive coordinator and first-time NFL play-caller Declan Doyle.It's some unique ways of getting to our plays, said Huntley. It's a great playbook, and I just can't wait until we just keep digging away at it.___See APs full NFL coverage here

On this episode of the College Football Enquirer, Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey break down the latest LSU Drama between Lane Kiffin and Jayden Daniels.From there we dive into the New York Yankees taking Private Equity funds and the impact it could have on college football.To round out the show, we look at Bryce Underwood calling Ohio State - Michigan "Just another game". Posing the question... Do rivals need to hate each other?All this and more on this episode of the College Football Enquirer.00:00 Show Rundown00:50 Jayden Daniels sends LSU a letter24:55 Yankees take on PE funds, what does it mean for college sports?45:10 Underwood calls OSU-UM 'Just another game'Jayden Daniels #5 of the LSU Tigers runs with the ball during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Jonathan Bachman

Kyle Busch thrived at Bristol, with 22 wins on the track across three series including in 2022 with his final win as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver. And it's for that reason that Bristol is the perfect venue for a Kyle Busch tribute. Kyle's widow, Samantha Busch, announced that Ty Gibbs' No. 54 Toyota would be painted with an M&M's mosaic of moments from Busch's career. "Bristol was always one of Kyles favorite tracks. He loved racing under the lights, found so much success there and the iconic M&Ms car holds some of the best memories of his career and our life together," Samantha Busch posted to Instagram."Going back without him will be heartbreaking. He should be there. But Im so grateful to be able to tell you that those iconic M&Ms colors will be coming back to Bristol one last time, on the 54 car. Its a chance to honor him at a place he loved so much, surrounded by our NASCAR family and the fans who loved him, too. "I know Kyle would want us to be there, to keep showing up, keep racing and keep carrying his legacy forward." Gibbs, who is second in the Cup standings in 2026 behind Denny Hamlin, is the 23-year-old grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs. He ascended to a full-time position in the Cup series in 2023 with Busch's departure from JGR. Ty Gibbs picked up his second win of the 2026 season on Aug. 9 at the Iowa Corn 350 and has 10 top-five finishes and 15 top 10s to go with those victories. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race and Ty Gibbs' tribute car will run on Sep. 19 at Bristol.