While college sports awaits a final ruling on the House settlement, the newly formed "NIL Go" will soon start regulating deals made with players. Will schools and collectives play by the new rules, or will the new system create even more headaches?
Inside Coverage: Are the Steelers a playoff team with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
It remains the biggest question in this NFL offseason: Will Aaron Rodgers play quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers this upcoming season?
That's yet to be answered, but let's dive a little deeper. In the latest episode of the Inside Coverage podcast, Frank Schwab, Charles Robinson and Jason Fitz debate this question: Are the Steelers a playoff team with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback?
Frank Schwab is clear — he does not think the Steelers are a playoff team even if they add Rodgers
"No, no. I think that they got kind of lucky to get in the playoffs last year," Schwab explains. "And this whole [Mike] Tomlin thing is very, very — it's impressive, but they're barely squeaking in. I think they're clearly the third-best team in the division. The AFC as a whole is pretty tough when you start looking at the AFC West. And I just — no, no, I don't think the Steelers are a playoff team regardless."
He does leave room for being proven wrong, saying, "Mike Tomlin has proved me wrong a few times in the past few years here."
Charles Robinson says the Steelers will have a surprisingly good year with Rodgers under center
"I'm going to go the opposite way, I think only because this is how the universe works. This is such a crap show — everything screams it's going to break, right? Because this is how the universe usually works, it's gonna be the opposite. I think it's gonna be Brett Favre, Minnesota."
Robinson predicts the Steelers will go 11-6, be "exciting and fun and a huge story all year long," with an unexpected late-career resurgence for Rodgers.
Jason Fitz doesn’t give a direct yes/no on playoffs, but he argues strongly that Rodgers is not worth all the drama
"If you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, you're allowing yourself to be hamstrung to sign a quarterback that I think, at best, if he comes out and has the best that he can be today, he's the third-best quarterback in his own division today. We are talking about this version of Aaron Rodgers like he's an MVP and this version of Aaron Rodgers isn't."
Fitz seems doubtful that Rodgers can elevate the Steelers into playoff contention, equating him to current-level Kirk Cousins or Mason Rudolph.
To hear more NFL discussions, tune into Inside Coverage on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
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Is Tarik Skubal on his way toward surpassing Justin Verlander's legend in Detroit?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Detroit's Tarik Skubal is making a compelling case to stake his claim among modern Tigers legends —potentially even challenging Justin Verlander’s status in Detroit. In this episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman go in depth on Skubal’s masterpiece Sunday against Cleveland and what it means for his place in Tigers history.
Here’s how they frame the comparison:
On the mound
Skubal’s most recent complete-game shutout (13 strikeouts, 94 pitches, 102.6 mph on his final pitch) was described as “one of the best games we’ve ever seen pitched.” The combination of dominance, efficiency and drama left a huge impression — not just on the hosts, but on the home crowd as well, who gave Skubal a hero’s ovation.
Personality and connection to Detroit, and underdog status
Mintz makes the point that Skubal has a certain charisma and openness to being “about the Detroit of it,” performing for the fans in a way Verlander didn’t always express. Skubal’s emotional reaction — wiping away tears after the standing ovation — shows just how much this team and city means to him.
Skubal’s journey (a ninth-round draft pick in 2018 rather than a top draft prospect) adds a special “underdog” flavor to his legend that sets him apart, even from Verlander, who was a No. 2 overall pick and highly touted from Day 1.
Rob Tringali via Getty Images
Shusterman and Mintz suggest there’s a unique energy around Skubal, a connection to the fans, an on-the-mound swagger, and the sense that Detroit can “dream on him” the way they did with Verlander in his prime.
“Skubal seems to love this and plays to the crowd … in a way that I don’t feel like Verlander ever was," Mintz said. "There’s just something about the way that Skubal goes about pitching that just connects there.”
Skubal's statistical dominance
Skubal had an outrageous strikeout-to-walk ratio (82 Ks, 3 BBs). While Verlander obviously has longevity and milestones (MVP, Cy Young, World Series, etc.), Skubal’s current run is the kind of sustained dominance that could build toward that kind of legendary status.
While Verlander’s legacy as a Tigers legend is carved in stone — thanks to years of elite pitching, a no-hitter and a Cy Young — Skubal is absolutely putting himself in the conversation. If he continues this trajectory, stays healthy, and leads the Tigers back to sustained relevance, there’s every chance we’ll be talking about the “Skubal era” in Detroit for years to come.
He’s not there yet — but he’s laying down the path, and fans (and the Baseball Bar-B-Cast crew) are here for it.
For more of the latest baseball news and debates, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
With college sports in limbo and key issues coming to a head, the spotlight is on the SEC: ‘It’s going to get heated’
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What to make of Dodgers' recent losing streak and roster shakeup?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers got swept at Dodger Stadium for the first time in almost two years — by the lowly Angels. On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz dug into how the sweep exposed the team’s depth issues, why the front office is making some tough calls and what it all means for this Dodgers club.
Let’s break down their conversation.
A new kind of wake-up call
“This is kind of the worst the Dodgers have looked in quite some time,” Jordan acknowledged, recapping the Angels’ surprising three-game sweep. Whether it was Clayton Kershaw grinding but not dominating in his return or the bullpen faltering, the Dodgers' pitching just didn’t have the answers. More surprisingly, none of their usual magic — stellar late-game hits and superstar heroics — emerged to save them.
But what really stood out to the Bar-B-Cast hosts was a sense that the Dodgers finally feel pressure — in their division and within their organization. Both Jake and Jordan pointed out how the Dodgers are “starting to sweat,” with the rest of the NL West surging and their own margin for error getting slimmer.
"The 2025 Dodgers are Jordan Shusterman's academic career in middle school," Jake offered. "So much talent that they can coast to decent grades. But there does come a point where you have to start doing your work."
No time for sentimentality
One byproduct of the pressure? The Dodgers released Chris Taylor on Sunday. As Jake noted, Taylor is “not good anymore and didn’t fit on the roster and was a waste of a roster spot” at this stage. And it wasn’t just Taylor; Austin Barnes, a clubhouse legend, got DFA’d last week to make room for top prospect Dalton Rushing.
For a franchise that so often rewards veteran loyalty, these moves signal a shift. The front office, led by Andrew Friedman, seems to have realized that the bottom of their roster can’t be dead weight — not when the Padres and Giants are breathing down their necks.
"The division is competitive," Jake said, "and the Dodgers, in their minds, need to win the division.
"Because the Dodgers know what they're doing," he continued, "they are responding to the reality that is going on in the world, and they are making what are difficult decisions to cut ties with players that matter in the room because they simply aren't good anymore."
Jordan and Jake both credit the front office for acting decisively, even if it means awkward locker room moments and the end of an era for two clubhouse fixtures.
The big picture
Sure, the Dodgers lost three straight to the Angels — in a year when the Halos have been largely forgettable since a hot start. Then L.A. dropped the series opener against the Diamondbacks 9-5 on Monday. On the positive side, they got Teoscar Hernandez back in the lineup Monday.
So now the bigger story is what happens next. After years of being able to coast to success, L.A. has to adapt. Young guys have to step up. The rotation needs answers. And everyone, not just the stars at the top, has to contribute.
As Jordan summed up: “They’re at least realizing — we can’t have too many bad players on our roster at this point. We need everyone to help out.”
For perhaps the first time in years, the Dodgers’ front office is acting like it.
For more of the latest baseball news and debates, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Did the San Francisco 49ers make a mistake in signing Brock Purdy to $265 million contract extension?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Did the San Francisco 49ers make a mistake in signing Brock Purdy to a massive five-year, $265 million contract extension, with $181 million guaranteed?
That's the question Frank Schwab and Charles Robinson debated on the latest edition of the "Inside Coverage" podcast.
Frank's verdict: Yes, the 49ers made a mistake
Schwab criticized the extension. He acknowledges that Purdy has earned his contract and that it’s a feel-good sports story. However, he doesn’t believe the 49ers can win a Super Bowl with Purdy now making $53 million a year. He argues that the team's previous Super Bowl window was due in large part to having a quarterback on a rookie contract — which allowed them to spend more on elite talent around Purdy.
"I don't think they could put the pieces around him to replicate what they've done the past few years," Schwab contends. "I think this is the one team that should have leveraged the rookie deal with quarterbacks because I think Kyle Shanahan could find the next Brock Purdy."
Schwab is emphatic that head coach Kyle Shanahan "is the cheat code" who is capable of finding and developing another quarterback, and the 49ers lost a big advantage by moving Purdy to a top-tier contract.
"They would have won a Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo had the defense done its job on a third-and-long against Patrick Mahomes," Schwab argues.
He believes that paying Purdy, who he believes is a mid-tier quarterback, such big money is detrimental and that the team should always be looking for the next cheap rookie contract to build around.
Charles' verdict: No, the 49ers did not make a mistake
Robinson disagrees. He points out that the contract does not reset the quarterback market and is actually the seventh-highest QB deal in the league, sitting alongside the likes of Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff.
Robinson notes that there are limited alternatives — either teams extend the quarterbacks they know, or they gamble with total uncertainty and risk losing their window with the veterans on their roster. He argues that unless the 49ers want to completely reboot and tank, paying Purdy at his current rate is a reasonable and necessary move.
"If you can tell me what a better alternative was, because it wasn't in the draft this year," Robinson presses. "They're not going to have a pick high enough, really, to get an elite player next year."
Robinson emphasizes that it’s the kind of deal you sign if you have a good, but not necessarily elite, quarterback.
From Robinson's perspective, the 49ers made a practical decision consistent with the market for quarterbacks of Purdy’s caliber and their current situation as a contending team. He stresses that unless there is a clear, better alternative, extending Purdy at this value was the only realistic path.
To hear more NFL discussions, tune into Inside Coverage on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
2025 NBA Draft: One-on-one interviews with top prospects
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The 2025 NBA Draft is fast approaching. Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Kevin O'Connor sat down with top prospects during the draft combine in Chicago last week. Watch the interviews below, and check back for more interviews in the coming days.
Kon Knueppel
Big Board ranking: No. 5
Knueppel, a projected top-10 pick, discusses his development as a shot creator at Duke, his focus on expanding his offensive arsenal, and the lessons learned from a heartbreaking loss in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. He also talks NBA playoffs, his basketball influences, including Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler, and the impact of family and faith on his career.
Check out the full interview on YouTube.
Cedric Coward
Big Board ranking: No. 11
Coward, who has risen from D-III basketball player to projected first-round pick, details his versatile skill set, draft combine performance, and the work ethic that led to his improved shooting and playmaking. He also shares lessons learned from his Olympic gold-medalist grandfather, his NBA player comps (including Kawhi Leonard) and what drives his obsession with basketball.
Check out the full interview on YouTube.
Tune into "The Kevin O'Connor Show" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Financial Fair Play leveling the field in Europe + should MLS teams refuse to do business with rivals?
Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros react to Crystal Palace winning their first ever trophy alongside Bologna & Newcastle ending trophy droughts. Has Financial Fair Play leveled the field and fixed soccer? Christian and Alexis break down the drama with LAFC’s Mark Delgado receiving last season’s MLS Championship ring and why MLS teams shouldn’t make trades with their rivals. Later, Christian and Alexis bring back Rápido Reactions and react to the latest transfer news and rumors across Europe.