New York Jets defensive back Qwan'tez Stiggers (37) reacts during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the New York Giants on Friday, August 28, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J.
Every Jets fan had the same thought in the first quarter Friday night: Save some of these takeaways for the regular season.
Qwan’tez Stiggers and Marcelino McCrary-Ball combined to force an interception and a fumble as the much-scrutinized Jets defense showed against the Giants the opportunistic quality that was missing all last season.
The Jets became the first team in NFL history to go a full season without an interception last season.
New York Jets linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball (41) celebrates after his interception against the New York Giants during the first half at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Friday, August 28, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The streak unofficially continued through the first preseason game, but the Jets recorded two interceptions against the Steelers.
Of course, the zero-interception 2025 didn’t include a chance to face Giants gunslinger Jameis Winston, who infamously had a 30-interception season with the Bucs in 2019.
Winston’s second pass was intercepted when Odell Beckham Jr. slipped on the top of his route and Stiggers came over the top to knock the ball in the air. McCrary-Ball grabbed the ball and set up a short-field touchdown drive.
New York Jets defensive back Qwan’tez Stiggers (37) reacts during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the New York Giants on Friday, August 28, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. AP Photo/Adam Hunger
The Giants were threatening to tie the score on the next drive, but Braxton Berrios — an ex-Jet — was stripped by McCrary-Ball while fighting for extra yards and smelling the goal line. Stiggers recovered the fumble for a touchback.
Stiggers’ first-quarter activity was noteworthy because he was returning from a concussion that led to him fainting on the sideline during an Aug. 11 joint practice against the Buccaneers.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 22: Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jake Golday (41) tackles Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Fagnano (12) during the NFL preseason game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings on August 22nd, 2026, at U.S. Bank in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We finish off the 2026 preseason tonight, as the Minnesota Vikings head to Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos in the final preseason game of the year. Let’s get everyone caught up on everything they’ll need to be ready for tonight’s contest.
Date and Time: Friday, 28 August 2026, 8:00 PM Central time
Location: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
Weather: Partly cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms, temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s, winds from the southwest at 5-10 miles/hour
Radio Coverage: Vikings Radio Network, SiriusXM Channel 225, SiriusXM App Channel 820
Bonus: KFAN (which, again, is doing a simulcast for both radio and TV this season) has promised that new Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell will be joining the broadcast from the sidelines for the entirety of the third quarter of today’s game. Of course, if you’re watching on the NFL Network broadcast, you won’t hear this, because you’ll be hearing the Broncos play-by-play team.
Line: Seriously, don’t bet on preseason games.
Chris’ Prediction: Nope, no prediction for this preseason game, either.
Three Keys
1) No injuries – We made it through the last game without any major ones. Here’s hoping that we can do the same tonight.
2) Quarterback snap distribution – I think I’ve mentioned this for all three games, but it’s still important. J.J. McCarthy missed some practice time this week with an ankle issue, but the team is apparently still hoping he can start tonight’s game. We’ll see whether or not that happens, as well as how long he plays. Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer will see time as well, obviously. (UPDATE: McCarthy will not play tonight after all, per sources.)
3) Last chance to impress – Less than 48 hours after this one concludes, teams around the NFL will be making their final roster cuts. That means this is the last opportunity for all of these young men to make an impression on the coaching staff and the front office before the turk comes to visit on Sunday at 5:00 PM Central time. Who will take advantage?
That should be everything you need, folks! Remember, we’ll be keeping everything for today’s game right here. We’ll also be putting any highlights that get posted on social media over in the Feed, so keep your eyes over there as well.
Here’s hoping for a solid evening of football and that both teams come out of it without any significant injuries.
The Chargers will have to account for several scenarios, especially for a franchise that’s been plagued by injuries and late-game mistakes.
In recent years, the Chargers have dealt with injuries across the offensive line. The Chargers already had some attrition there and will have to lean on second-round pick Jake Slaughter as their new starter, following the season-ending injury to Tyler Biadasz.
Kayode Awosika and Trey Pipkins III were among the contenders for the Chargers' starting left guard spot. Awosika was tabbed as the starter for the last preseason game and may have secured the starting role. He's made just 11 career starts. Pipkins is in his eighth season with the Chargers and has the ability to play both guard and tackle. He’s made 51 starts at tackle and just 15 as a guard.
Gregory Desrosiers will be a player to watch this weekend. He was among the standouts for the Chargers during the preseason finale but is currently listed as sixth on the depth chart. Desrosiers produced 118 yards and a touchdown on nine carries against the Rams. His longest rush of the game was 34 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
"I try to just control what I can control and handle business. Everything will take care of itself," Desrosiers told CBS sideline reporter Jaime Maggio after the game
Justin Herbert is obviously the starting quarterback, but what the Chargers do with the rest of their quarterback room remains unknown.
Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei have both seen time on the field during the preseason. While both showed positives during the three-game sample size, the Chargers could still explore other available quarterbacks from other teams.
There are questions that remain on the defensive side of the ball, including the depth at linebacker. Marlowe Wax, a 2025 undrafted free agent, and Junior Colson, a 2024 third-round selection, could be players on the bubble.
Colson has a level of familiarity, having played at Michigan during Harbaugh's tenure. Wax was given the green dot on his helmet over Colson during the first preseason game, according to Chargers Wire, when both were on the field together.
Chargers depth chart
Here’s what the Chargers’ depth chart looked like on the team’s website ahead of the final preseason game.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach shades a wide receiver while protecting rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
It’s no secret there were a few throws Fernando Mendoza would’ve liked to have back during the Raiders’ preseason finale against the 49ers.
Coach Klint Kubiak knows it but also suggested his struggles weren’t entirely his fault.
Mendoza went 7-of-14 passing for 57 yards, taking two sacks and being intercepted.
Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza likely will start the season as the team’s backup. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The interception happened near the end of the first quarter, when the rookie quarterback fired a pass over the middle of the field toward wide receiver Jalen Nailor.
Mendoza threw the ball high, forcing Nailor to leap, but the ball bounced off the receiver’s fingertips and resulted in an interception.
“I thought it was an excellent throw; he ripped it just like we asked him to, on time,” Kubiak told reporters. “Yeah, it was a little bit high; Jalen’s gotta make a play.”
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak defended rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza on Thursday night. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Raiders have their issues at wide receiver, as they’re thin at the position, but Kubiak’s comments toward Nailor likely point to the first-year head coach doing what he can to keep his rookie quarterback confident.
Mendoza’s preseason started strong in their opener against the Cardinals, but over the Raiders’ last two games, he showed why he’s a rookie. During the preseason, Mendoza was 25-of-45 passing for 240 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked four times.
After all, the Red Sox beat out the catching-in-need Yankees for the three-time All-Star and former Orioles backstop before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
“It’s an important addition. He’s a leader behind the plate, he’s a three-time All-Star,” interim manager Chad Tracy said before the rivals kicked off a four-game series at the Stadium Friday night. “Prior to this thing [with his elbow], he had started to get going with the bat a little bit here. He’s also a very good at-bat. He doesn’t swing at balls.
“He fits the mold of what we’ve done here, which is we grind at-bats, we swing at strikes, we put the ball in play. When he’s right, that’s what he does and on top of that, he’s a really, really good catcher who communicates well with pitchers.”
Rutschman, 28, has yet to hit for the Red Sox, sporting a .146/.255/.244 slash line with a .499 OPS. But he is a quality player and will likely produce soon. Prior to the trade, he had a .764 OPS with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 67 games.
“It’s been really fun. This team is tight-knit, they do a great job of someone new stepping up each night,” said Rutschman, who was back in the Red Sox lineup Friday night after missing the previous two games due to elbow soreness.
Adley Rutschman was acquired by the Boston Red Sox at the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3. Getty Images
There was a chance he could’ve wound up a Yankee. Rutschman had never experienced the trade deadline before and tried to just focus on other things.
“You never know what happens in baseball,” he said. “It’s one of the things that’s very uncertain. It’s part of it.”
The Yankees have gotten very little from their catchers. Austin Wells has a .571 OPS on the season and, after a decent stretch, is in the midst of a 5-for-28 stretch with 12 strikeouts. He has only one extra-base hit in his last 12 games.
Austin Wells has been struggling mightily for the Yankees at catcher. Getty Images
The Yankees tried to land Rutschman, but the Red Sox blew them away with an offer that featured minor league pitcher Anthony Eyanson, their No. 2 prospect, and two other top five prospects. This weekend, losing out on Rutschman could haunt them.
He wasn’t sure what to expect from his introduction to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, but he was picking a good time to experience it with both teams fighting for playoff positioning.
“Take it as it comes,” Rutschman said. “New experience.”
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 01: Christian Darrisaw #71 and Delby Lemieux #62 of the Minnesota Vikings participate in a drill during Training Camp at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center on August 01, 2026 in Eagan, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The old saying used to be that you can’t tell the players without a program. Obviously, we don’t do paper programs anymore, but we can do the next best thing and provide you with an electronic means of giving you a way to quickly locate who’s who when it comes to the Minnesota Vikings roster this preseason, given that there are now 91 players on the roster to keep track of.
We have gone through the entire Vikings’ roster and ordered them in two different ways. Both roster sets are broken down into offense, defense, and special teams, but we’ve ordered one set by player number and one set by their last names. So, if you’re sitting here watching the game with us this afternoon. . .and you should be. . .and you find yourself saying something like, “Wow, that was a nice play by number 35,” you can quickly scan down and find that number 35 belongs to cornerback Jarod Washington rather than having to search all over for it if you don’t catch his name right away.
We hope you find this to be a helpful resource for this year’s three preseason contests. We’ll attempt to bump it before each one and update it if the Vikings make any roster moves in between games.
Minnesota Vikings roster by jersey number
Offense
1 QB Kyler Murray
3 WR Jordan Addison
4 WR Myles Price
6 WR Michael Briscoe
9 QB J.J. McCarthy
11 QB Carson Wentz
12 QB Max Brosmer
13 WR Tai Felton
14 WR Jauan Jennings
17 RB Jermar Jefferson
18 WR Justin Jefferson
19 WR Donate Fleming
21 RB Demond Claiborne
27 RB Jordan Mason
30 WR Trayvon Rudolph
31 WR Marcus Sanders
33 RB Aaron Jones
36 RB Zavier Scott
40 WR Terrill Davis
45 FB Max Bredeson
46 TE Matt Lauter
58 C Gavin Gerhart
60 G Joe Huber
62 OL Delby Lemieux
63 OL Tristan Leigh
64 C Blake Brandel
65 C Michael Jurgens
66 G Vershon Lee
67 OL Tomas Rimac
68 G Henry Byrd
71 OT Christian Darrisaw
72 OT Ryan Van Demark
73 OT Walter Rouse
74 G Donovan Jackson
75 OT Brian O’Neill
76 G Will Fries
78 OL Caleb Tiernan
79 G Joshua Gray
81 TE Marshall Lang
82 WR Jeshaun Jones
83 TE Bryson Nesbit
84 TE Josh Oliver
85 TE Ben Yurosek
86 TE Gavin Bartholomew
87 TE T.J. Hockenson
89 WR Dillon Bell
Defense
0 LB Ivan Pace
2 CB Isaiah Rodgers
7 CB Byron Murphy
8 S Jakobe Thomas
15 OLB Dallas Turner
20 CB Charles Demmings
23 CB James Pierre
24 S Jay Ward
25 S Kahlef Hailassie
26 S Theo Jackson
29 CB Marcus Allen
34 S Zemaiah Vaughn
35 CB Jarod Washington
37 S Tavierre Thomas
38 CB Da’Veawn Armstead
39 S Jacob Thomas
40 CB Bryce Phillips
41 LB Jake Golday
43 OLB Andrew Van Ginkel
44 S Joshua Metellus
45 CB Tre Hawkins
48 LB Jacob Roberts
49 OLB Cam’Ron Stewart
50 DL Levi Drake Rodriguez
51 LB Blake Cashman
52 LB Josh Ross
54 LB Kenny Dyson
55 LB Eric Wilson
57 OLB Chaz Chambliss
59 LB Bangally Kamara
61 DL Jalen Redmond
69 DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
90 DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
91 DL Vilbert Smith
92 OLB Tyler Batty
93 DL Jonathan Harris
95 DL Caleb Banks
96 DL Jahvaree Ritzie
97 DL Domonique Orange
98 OLB Bo Richter
99 DL Elijah Williams
Special Teams
5 P Johnny Hekker
16 K Will Reichard
42 LS Andrew DePaola
47 P Brett Thorson
Minnesota Vikings roster by last name
Offense
3 WR Addison, Jordan
86 TE Bartholomew, Gavin
89 WR Bell, Dillon
64 C Brandel, Blake
45 FB Bredeson, Max
6 WR Briscoe, Michael
12 QB Brosmer, Max
68 G Byrd, Henry
21 RB Claiborne, Demond
71 OT Darrisaw, Christian
40 WR Davis, Terrill
13 WR Felton, Tai
19 WR Fleming, Dontae
76 G Fries, Will
58 C Gerhart, Gavin
79 G Gray, Joshua
87 TE Hockenson, T.J.
60 G Huber, Joe
74 G Jackson, Donovan
17 RB Jefferson, Jermar
18 WR Jefferson, Justin
14 WR Jennings, Jauan
33 RB Jones, Aaron
82 WR Jones, Jeshaun
65 C Jurgens, Michael
81 TE Lang, Marshall
46 TE Lauter, Matt
66 G Lee, Vershon
63 OL Leigh, Tristan
62 OL Lemieux, Delby
27 RB Mason, Jordan
9 QB McCarthy, J.J.
1 QB Murray, Kyler
83 TE Nesbit, Bryson
84 TE Oliver, Josh
75 OT O’Neill, Brian
4 WR Price, Myles
67 OL Rimac, Tomas
73 OT Rouse, Walter
30 WR Rudolph, Trayvon
31 WR Sanders, Marcus
36 RB Scott, Zavier
78 OL Tiernan, Caleb
72 OT Van Demark, Ryan
11 QB Wentz, Carson
85 TE Yurosek, Ben
Defense
38 CB Armstead, Da’Veawn
29 CB Allen, Marcus
95 DL Banks, Caleb
92 OLB Batty, Tyler
51 LB Cashman, Blake
57 OLB Chambliss, Chaz
20 CB Demmings, Charles
54 LB Dyson, Kenny
41 LB Golday, Jake
25 S Hailassie, Kahlef
93 DL Harris, Jonathan
45 CB Hawkins, Tre
90 DL Ingram-Dawkins, Tyrion
26 S Jackson, Theo
59 LB Kamara, Bangally
69 DL Loudermilk, Isaiahh
44 S Metellus, Joshua
7 CB Murphy, Byron
97 DL Orange, Domonique
0 LB Pace, Ivan
23 CB Pierre, James
40 CB Phillips, Bryce
61 DL Redmond, Jalen
98 OLB Richter, Bo
96 DL Ritzee, Jahvaree
48 LB Roberts, Jacob
2 CB Rodgers, Isaiah
50 DL Rodriguez, Levi Drake
52 LB Ross, Josh
91 DL Smith, Vilbert
49 OLB Stewart, Cam’Ron
8 S Thomas, Jakobe
39 S Thomas, Jacob
37 S Thomas, Tavierre
15 OLB Turner, Dallas
43 OLB Van Ginkel, Andrew
34 S Vaughn, Zemaiah
24 S Ward, Jay
35 S Washington, Jarod
99 DL Williams, Elijah
55 LB Wilson, Eric
Special Teams
42 LS DePaola, Andrew
5 P Hekker, Johnny
16 K Reichard, Will
47 P Thorson, Brett
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 19: Cam Whitmore #1 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 19, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are hard-capped at the first apron after making a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson earlier this week. Signing James Harden to a new deal that is expected to start just below $30 million pushes the Cavs closer to the apron. That means they either needed to move one of the players on the roster, find a trade partner for Cam Whitmore, or waive him outright.
Cleveland landed on that final option for Whitmore, as he will be released according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Cavs acquired Whitmore in the deal for Watson to make the salaries line up.
Whitmore is a former first-round pick with the Houston Rockets. He spent last season with the Washington Wizards and averaged 10.5 points in 17.3 minutes per outing.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Believeland shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
With the move, the Cavs have 13 players on the active roster. Teams must carry a minimum of 14 players, not counting two-way deals. This would mean the Cavs will need to sign someone else before the start of the season.
Given the lack of space under the first apron, the Cavs will only be able to sign someone with no years of service time barring other moves. The minimum contract for someone with no years of service is $1.36 million, while the minimum for someone with one is $2.19 million.
There’s only a select number of players that fit into the no years of service category. Cleveland will likely be looking at someone they have the draft rights to, such as Khalifa Diop, or a recent undrafted player.
We’ll see what direction the Cavs go to round out the roster. As of now, it’s safe to assume that the majority of the roster is set heading into the start of training camp in just about a month.
OXNARD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 18: Dallas Cowboys players and New Orleans Saints players fight during joint practice at River Ridge Playing Fields on August 18, 2026 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New Orleans Saints will close out the 2026 preseason tonight in Dallas against the Cowboys. The Saints are looking to bounce back after being shut out in Los Angeles aftee last Saturday’s matchup with the Rams and finish the preseason with a win.
Kickoff:
Friday, August 28th- 7:00pm CST / 8:00pm EST
Location:
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
TV Broadcasts:
WVUE FOX 8 New Orleans (Live)
Featuring: Joel Meyers, Sean Kelley, and Jon Stinchcomb
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 27: Jordan James #29 of the San Francisco 49ers runs against Cian Slone #48 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the second quarter of a preseason game at Allegiant Stadium on August 27, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is one of the more frustrating patterns of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era — the 49ers spend a relatively high pick on a running back, they struggle for playing time and they inevitably move on. However, entering the 2026 season, there is reason for optimism that this could be the year that Shanahan’s commitment to investing draft capital in the running back position bears fruit.
In the first four years of the Shanahan-Lynch regime, the 49ers only spent one draft pick on a back, doing so in their first year in 2017 when they took Joe Williams in the fourth round. Williams never played a snap.
But since 2021, the 49ers have spent six draft picks on the position, the latest being a third-round selection used on Kaelon Black this year.
Most of those picks have had limited success, though Elijah Mitchell led the 49ers in rushing as a rookie in 2021 before injuries derailed his progress with the team over subsequent seasons.
Trey Sermon, a third-round pick that same year, lasted only one season, while 2023 third-rounder Tyrion Davis-Price’s career with the team was similarly short-lived. After encouraging signs in his rookie season, 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo could soon see his time as a 49er come to an end, but the two most recent running back selections by the 49ers offer hope that Shanahan and San Francisco could be vindicated in continuing to throw draft resources at that area of the roster.
Black and James provide reason for hope
The 49ers need backs who can take some of the pressure off the now 30-year-old Christian McCaffrey, who has dealt with ‘tightness’ for much of training camp and preseason.
And both Black and 2025 fifth-round pick James have provided evidence they are ready to do just that.
Black rushed for 61 yards on 12 carries in preseason, an average of just over five yards a carry, but even more intriguing is the play he demonstrated in pass protection. If a younger back is going to eat into McCaffrey’s snaps, they must be able to hold up in pass protection, and the 49ers’ faith in Black’s ability to do so should be boosted following preseason.
49ers 3rd-round rookie Kaelon Black won the RB2 job with his performance in Preseason Week 2. He had two great pass protection reps versus blitzers. His vision stood out between the tackles. He flatten a few guys on contact.
James did not earn any carries as a rookie until the 49ers’ blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Having fractured his ribs on the second day of training camp, James’ only appearance of preseason came on Thursday as the Niners rounded off their exhibition schedule against the Las Vegas Raiders, and he gave San Francisco reason for encouragement.
James displayed nice burst to the second level and contact balance on a 17-yard run that accounted for the bulk of his 35 yards on eight carriers, and he also demonstrated his abilities as a pass-catcher on a well-designed screen pass that went for 20 yards.
“It was good to see him out there,” Shanahan said afterward. “He missed a ton of camp, too, with his injury, and had the same thing last year where he missed all of training camp. So he only got to play in that one game for us, got a couple carries versus Seattle at the end of the year last year. So I was really excited to watch him tonight, and from what I saw out there live, I thought he ran real hard and ran real well.”
It may be a limited sample size in an exhibition game, but James coming back from injury and flashing as both a runner and a receiver theoretically improves his odds of getting on the field, even if Black likely has the edge as the second-string running back at this point.
The 49ers aren’t likely to ask Black or James to try to replicate McCaffrey’s all-encompassing impact on the 49er offense. Very few backs in the NFL can have the influence McCaffrey has on both the run game and the passing attack.
But as even more miles are put on the legs of a future Hall of Fame starter with a checkered injury history, the need for fresh backs who can take on more of the load increases.
Leaning on Black and James to alleviate the strain on McCaffrey is a gamble given they have zero regular-season carriers between them. However, the flashes in preseason have been enough to suggest that, between them, they can help McCaffrey get the necessary rest and keep the 49er offense on the tracks when he is off the field.
The Niners have waited a long time for Shanahan’s commitment to drafting backs to have a tangible positive impact on the team. There are no guarantees of preseason play translating into regular-season results, but there’s cause to be hopeful 2026 could be the season in which that wait ends.
We're counting down until the Detroit Red Wings begin the 2026-27 season, and with each passing day, we’ll be taking a look back at the best player in franchise history to wear that day’s jersey number.
The Top No. 35 In Red Wings History: Jimmy Howard
While a handful of players have worn No. 35 for the Red Wings, most recently Ville Husso, the obvious choice for the most notable player in franchise history to wear the number is goaltender Jimmy Howard.
Howard, whom the Red Wings selected in the second round (64th overall pick) of the 2003 NHL Draft, ranks third in franchise history in games played (543), wins (246), save percentage (.912), and is first overall in team history with 13,970 total saves made.
Having played college hockey at the University of Maine, Howard began his professional career with the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins in 2005-06, going 27-6-2.
He would also make his NHL debut with the Red Wings that season, ultimately appearing in four games and posting a 2.98 goals-against average with a .904 save percentage. Notably, he became the first and only goaltender to date to face a penalty shot in each of his first two NHL contests.
After the Red Wings did not re-sign Ty Conklin following the 2008-09 season, Howard entered Training Camp that fall penciled in as the No. 2 goaltender behind Chris Osgood, but it wouldn't be long before he'd eventually claim the starter's role.
In his first full NHL campaign of 2009-10, Howard went 37-15-10 with a 2.26 goals-against average, a .924 save percentage, and three shutouts. He also garnered consideration for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.
Upon his retirement from the NHL following the 2019-20 campaign, he'd amassed a record of 246-196-70 with a 2.62 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage, and 24 shutouts.
He also posted a record of 21-26 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the Red Wings never advanced beyond the second round with Howard in goal, he did help them to within one victory of a Conference Finals berth in 2011 and 2013.
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The Dolphins don't have a big crowd tonight at Hard Rock Stadium, but they made a big noise nonetheless.
Dolphins fans let Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have it, according to multiple reports, booing him loudly as he came onto the field as the starter Friday night.
Tagovailoa spent his first six seasons in Miami after the Dolphins selected him fifth overall in 2020. He went to one Pro Bowl and played in one playoff game, ending his tenure there with 18,166 passing yards, 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions.
The Dolphins released him March 9, and he signed with the Falcons in free agency.
Tagovailoa completed 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards, including a 37-yarder to Kyle Pitts on the Falcons' first drive. Atlanta scored a touchdown on Brian Robinson's 3-yard run.
Cale Makar (8) of the Colorado Avalanche passes against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Final at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
There’s a new biggest contract in NHL history — again.
Avalanche superstar Cale Makar agreed to an eight-year, $163.2 million contract extension on Friday, the team announced.
The deal carries a $20.4 million average annual value and will make the two-time Norris Trophy winner the highest-paid player in league history and the first-ever to make more than $20 million annually.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar looks on during the third period of a game against the Minnesota Wild on May 13, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Makar still has one season remaining on the six-year, $54 million deal he signed in 2021.
His new extension will kick in for the 2027-28 season and keep him in Colorado through 2034-35.
“I am so excited and humbled to continue to wear the Avalanche sweater and represent this incredible organization and community,” Makar said in a statement.
Still only 27, Makar has already built the foundation of a Hall of Fame résumé.
The 2017 No. 4 overall pick has won two Norris Trophies, the Calder Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy while helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Cale Makar (8) of the Colorado Avalanche passes against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Final at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Denver Post via Getty Images
He finished second in Norris voting last season after recording 20 goals and 59 assists across 75 games.
Makar has 507 points in 470 career regular-season games and is already the franchise leader among defensemen in goals, assists and points.
The NHL’s highest-paid-player benchmark has been reset repeatedly over the past year, and especially this summer.
Wild star Kirill Kaprizov set the mark with his eight-year, $136 million extension carrying a $17 million AAV in September 2025.
Last month, Ducks center Leo Carlsson pushed that mark to $18 million per year with a five-year, $90 million contract before Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini surpassed him just weeks later with a five-year, $94 million deal carrying an $18.8 million AAV.
Tua Tagovailoa's Miami Dolphins career ended unceremoniously. The 2020 No. 5 overall pick was released by the Dolphins earlier this offseason, ending a tenure that at times was explosive, and other times unstable.
Miami fans are clearly disappointed with the way the working relationship ended, if their cold reception in the Miami heat was any indication. As Tagovailoa and the Falcons took the field on Friday night, a smattering of boos broke out amongst those in attendance.
Tagovailoa's exit from Miami was anything but copacetic. The veteran passer said he'd welcome a change of scenery as the season wrapped up, foreshadowing the end of his Dolphins career.
Asked if he is hoping for a “fresh start,” Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa said, “That would be dope. I would be good with it.”
The Dolphins, though, remained on the hook for $55 million of Tagovailoa's contract.
Tagovailoa signed with the Falcons on a one-year deal after Miami chose to release him, immediately entering a quarterback competition with 2024 No. 8 overall selection Michael Penix Jr. Through preseason, Tagovailoa hasn't had the chance to perform much, tallying just 5 passing attempts (3 completions) for 22 yards vs. the Denver Broncos in Week 2.
Be he who laughs last, laughs loudest: Tagovailoa entered his taste of preseason action and performed well, completing 7-of-8 passes for 95 yards in the effort, but also lost a fumble.
The Falcons have yet to decide on a Week 1 starter, though Tua Tagovailoa may have the inside track.
Though Michael Penix Jr. has been cleared for game action, the 2024 first-round pick has not played in any of the preseason. That may give Tagovailoa all the wiggle room he needs to get another crack at a starting job.
Oct 15, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) dunks the ball during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Boston Celtics teammates Neemias Queta and Hugo González sat on opposing benches during Friday’s Portugal vs. Spain FIBA World Cup Qualifying matchup.
Queta, who began his professional career with Benfica in the Portuguese Basketball League, and González, who debuted with Real Madrid in Spain at just 16 years old, took the floor as foes in Portugal’s 95-89 victory.
For Queta, the qualifier was a stage to showcase his incoming leap after signing a four-year, $56 million extension with the Celtics this summer. The 27-year-old scored 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting with nine rebounds and two steals in over 24 minutes, assisting Portugal en route to its nail-biting upset. Queta grabbed five offensive boards and repeatedly outmatched Spain’s bigs with speed and strength.
Neemias Queta powered Portugal to a road win in the Second Round of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers 👏
In the fourth quarter, Queta secured his most notable highlight by baiting Spain’s Aday Mara with a pump-fake three, spinning past Mara and flushing a thunderous right-handed dunk to break a 71-71 tie. That sparked a 7-0 run from Portugal, forcing Spain to take a timeout with 7:55 left in regulation.
González, nearly matching Queta with more than 23 minutes on the court, struggled offensively. He finished with only three points, knocking down just one of four 3-point attempts. Yet, in typical Hugo fashion, González found alternative ways to remain impactful for Spain, including a fourth-quarter lob deflection that prevented Portugal from taking an 84-76 lead with less than six minutes remaining. González stayed composed and rose for a second consecutive contest after Portugal secured the offensive rebound, keeping the deficit at six points.
Queta’s dominance was too much for Spain to bridge, leaving a beneficial impression with over seven weeks left until Boston’s regular-season opener on Oct. 20.
Last season, Queta inherited his biggest role yet and debuted as the Celtics’ starting center after the team parted ways with Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet. With the spotlight on him, Queta repaid the C’s with a career-best breakout, averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks across 75 starts — all career highs.
Over the summer, while Queta continued his offseason work, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla stopped by to visit him in Lisbon, Portugal — Queta’s birthplace and hometown. The visit meant a lot to Queta, who just three years earlier had been waived by the Sacramento Kings, leaving his NBA future uncertain.
“It’s surreal,” Queta told CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell in July. “A couple of years ago if you’d said that an NBA coach is coming to that specific gym just to see me and get to know me, I would’ve been like, ‘You gotta be kidding me.’
“Joe makes sure he wants to make that extra effort just to make sure you feel comfortable. I think that’s one of the reasons why he’s such a good coach. He worries about people, and that’s why I’d run through a wall for him.”
The past three years have been immensely rewarding for Queta. He’s gone from a little-known pickup signed by the Celtics to a two-way contract in September 2023 to an NBA champion to a first-year starter with a $56 million payday, all in the span of three years. He’s become one of the biggest developmental successes under Mazzulla’s coaching tenure, with Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens leading the front office.
With the offseason free agency signing of Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, $47.3 million contract, coupled with the reimplementation of Jayson Tatum to the lineup full-time, the decision ultimately falls on Mazzulla, Stevens, and the rest of Boston’s brass. They can either keep Queta as the team’s starting big or run Robinson at the five when the Celtics open up against the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 20.
Queta and Portugal will next take on Georgia on Monday, continuing their FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers campaign.
Nathan De Sousa in action during the basketball match PAOK vs Cholet for the first leg of the semi-finals of FIBA Europe Cup at PAOK Sports Arena in Thessaloniki, Greece on March 26, 2025. (Photo by Konstantinos Tsakalidis / SOOC / SOOC via AFP) (Photo by KONSTANTINOS TSAKALIDIS/SOOC/AFP via Getty Images) | SOOC/AFP via Getty Images
Xaivian Lee committed to Gonzaga on Wednesday, announcing it on his Instagram eight days after a California court granted him a fifth year of eligibility and the ability to enter the transfer portal.
The Zags have their guy at the point guard spot. What’s still uncertain is who their “backup guy” will be. And I’m of the opinion that the value of Nathan de Sousa has gotten lost in the excitement over Gonzaga’s other two recent point guard signings.
The Saga So Far…
If you’re all caught up with who’s eligible and why for the Zags or if you aren’t interested in a refreshing neener-neener sidenote on why Donovan Dent’s decision to sign on at LSU has proven deliciously ironic, please feel free to skip ahead, here.
The commitment of Xaivian Lee ends (for now…) a migraine-inducing Gonzaga backcourt drama that began months ago, when former commit Jack Kayil elected to stay in the NBA Draft process, and former point guard Mario Saint-Supery signed a multiyear deal with Valencia Basket in mid-July, leaving Gonzaga’s backcourt effectively decimated.
The Zags had already added Nathan de Sousa on June 26, before Saint-Supery’s exit. De Sousa is a 23-year-old French point guard who spent the last five seasons with Cholet Basket of the LNB Elite. Then on Aug. 5, Gonzaga secured a commit from Javon Bennett, a 5-foot-10 fifth-year guard who started all 37 games for Dayton last season. Bennett committed after court rulings gave him a fifth year of eligibility. The following week, the injunctions that granted it in the first place were put on hold pending appeal by the NCAA.
To add weird insult to weirder injury, UCLA fifth-year transfer Donovan Dent, the other point guard Gonzaga had been linked to all month, committed to LSU, stepping out of the frying pan and directly into the fryer of Division I eligibility.
A Quick Note on the Situation at LSU…
The finger-licking irony for any Zag fan miffed with Donovan Dent for signing on in Baton Rouge is that LSU currently has just four players whose eligibility for the 2026-27 season isn’t in significant jeopardy. Four. Total.
Recent UCLA transfers Skyy Clark and Dent bring the count of eligible players to six but with an important asterisk, as that eligibility is currently being challenged on appeal by the NCAA.
The other six players that coach Will Wade signed this offseason (five legit European pros and former Utah Jazz signee RJ Luis) are still waiting on a first ruling to decide whether their professional status precludes them from a return to college. Luis’s preliminary injunction lasted exactly one day before the SEC itself approved a new policy that would prevent him and any other former pro from playing in the conference at all; a policy which comes with massive penalties for any school that violates that order.
That’s the roster situation at LSU. Dent signed on two weeks ago knowing all of it, securing a hefty bag for himself but betting his last season of competition on a team where two-thirds of the roster is looking less and less eligible by the day.
The Eligibility Math
This may all be a moot point in the first place. Javon Bennett’s eligibility was successfully stayed by the NCAA, so his only path forward is either to throw his name into another state-level suit or to keep his fingers crossed that the NCAA’s appeal process plays out lickety-split.
Nathan e Sousa’s case for eligibility in the first place is also probably significantly stronger than Bennett’s. De Sousa still needs the NCAA to process an international eligibility waiver, part of the same review of overseas pros keeping most of LSU’s roster sidelined. His case is more straightforward than coach Will Wade’s, though. What he was paid in France likely falls well below the compensation threshold that would classify him as a true, legitimate professional in the eyes of the NCAA and thus wouldn’t preclude him from college eligibility. The second problem is a travel visa. He told The Spokesman Review on Aug. 22 that he expected it within days and planned to be in Spokane this week. Based on his Instagram story, he’s still in Paris, watching the French national team in the FIBA World Cup 2027 European qualifiers.
Visa approval can be a bizarre and Kafkaesque bureaucratic nightmare. There’s no way to check in on that timeline from the outside, so for now it’s a waiting game.
Back to Spokane
What it all boils down to is that Xaivian Lee is now the first of the three committed point guards who is both eligible and cleared to play (again, for now…).
Lee is a 6-foot-4 fifth-year guard from Toronto who played three years at Princeton and one at Florida. In the Ivy League, he averaged 17.1 points as a sophomore and 16.9 as a junior and took first-team all-conference in 2024 and 2025. Last season he put up 11.6 points and a team-high 4.2 assists as Florida’s starting shooting guard. Although the NCAA is still appealing the status of every class of 2022 athlete, Gonzaga, for the time being, has a point guard.
But Lee won’t play 40 minutes a night, and the Zags have struggled to maintain offensive continuity in the past when their table-setting lead guard takes a rest. Whoever steps in behind him has a crucial role to play. The assumption up til now has been that it falls to Javon Bennett, but the Zags have another good option available.
In Defense of Nathan de Sousa
“NDS” came off the bench in all 36 of his appearances for Cholet last season and averaged 10.2 points in 19.2 minutes a game. He posted a 42.6 percent assist rate and a 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio while using nearly a quarter of Cholet’s possessions, which is a starter’s workload with a reserve’s minutes. Cholet finished fifth in a 16-team league at 19-11 in the regular season with him running the second unit.
It’s easy to see why the assumption would be Javon Bennett over Nathan de Sousa. He’s a known, box-score-proven guard who just averaged 15.8 points on a first-team All-Atlantic 10 season and beat BYU and Florida State doing it. De Sousa is an unproven 23-year-old walking in from a foreign pro league most fans have never heard of. That instinct makes sense on name recognition but falls apart once you look at what Xaivian Lee contributes on the floor and what might be needed when he’s off it.
Bennett’s last season at Dayton ran on volume. 12.7 shots a night across 34.5 minutes, 471 attempts on the year, the most on Dayton’s roster, to get to 15.8 points a game. Scale that down to the 12 or 13 minutes a backup point guard in Gonzaga’s system is likely to play, and it lands around five or six points, and that assumes he shoots exactly like himself against Pac-12 defenses that are a step up from the A-10 in size and physicality.
Five or six points isn’t nothing, but it also costs you the distribution the offense actually runs on. Lee puts up 6.1 assists per 40 minutes. Bennett puts up 3.4. The guard you’d bring in to cover a cold shooting night from Lee might be the more consistent outside threat, but he moves the ball at roughly half the rate, which is trading one problem for another.
Defense is the bigger problem. The knock on Lee through four years of scouting is that bigger, more physical guards move him off his spot, and at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds Bennett gives up height and weight to Lee himself and to the guards he’d be checking in Lee’s place. Pull Lee for a shooting slump, put Bennett in for a scoring nudge, and the perimeter shell gets worse in the process.
De Sousa doesn’t have either problem. He played those 19.2 minutes a night in a complementary role and still ran close to five assists a game, a rate that scales to better than 10 per 40, and he did it while playing hard-nosed, aggressive defense. Listings run from 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-3 at 194 pounds, and the scouting language out of France consistently mentions his toughness and his passing feel.
What he does with the ball looks nothing like what Lee or Bennett do with it. Lee led the Gators with 4.2 assists per game in 27.4 minutes a night, creating off the dribble and pulling up for a clean look or kicking to the right man in traffic, the same face and demeanor whether it drops or rims out. Lee has always been all business. De Sousa, on the other hand, gets downhill, finds the roller, draws fouls at the rim, and then screams in a defender’s face about it. The Zags have not had a Nathan de Sousa in a long while, maybe ever. They’re two very different point guards, and two completely different looks when something needs to change.
Lee is the higher-usage engine, undoubtedly, built to create off the bounce and put the ball in the right hands when it needs to be there, with the thinner frame that comes with that game. De Sousa is built to guard up, keep the offense moving without needing touches, and absorb minutes against backcourts with more size than Lee can handle. Lee running it and de Sousa spelling him for up to 15 minutes a night plays to what each is built to do and lets the Zags switch looks and get some much-needed spark based on who’s across from them.
Final Thoughts
Xaivian Lee solves the no-point-guard problem. He doesn’t solve the logjam behind him. Javon Bennett’s game needs touches he won’t get in a bench role, and his size compounds the problem on the defensive side. De Sousa, however, has already shown he can do exactly what Lee doesn’t: body up larger guards and pump up the energy with his aggressive and chaotic style of play. He did it all while playing bench minutes for a professional club and without needing the offense to run through him.
The temperament gap makes it more interesting. Lee gets a shot up and jogs back down the floor, quiet about it either way. De Sousa’s temperament can best be described as “high energy” or “hustle guy” or “absolute maniac.” A team needs two speeds at that position sometimes. Lee and De Sousa give Gonzaga that. Lee and Bennett give Gonzaga a bad answer to a tough question of size, skill, and fit.
None of it may end up mattering, remember. Bennett’s eligibility is stayed, maybe for good, and Nathan de Sousa is still in Paris waiting on a visa and a waiver with no public timeline attached. But if this breaks the way it looks like it’s breaking, Gonzaga isn’t scrambling for a fallback behind Lee. They already have the guy who committed back in June, before any of this started. That’s a decent place to land in the last week of August.
