The Lead

On Monday Night Football tonight, one the NFL's hottest dynamic duos will take center stage: Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen. The Athletic's Daniel Popper recently sat down with Herbert and Allen, and he joins us to explain how, after a rocky start, the two have developed a special kind of chemistry -- and why comparisons to all-time great QB-WR duos are not out of the question. Then, we break dow...

On Thursday, The Athletic’s Meg Linehan published a bombshell report that led to the near-immediate firing of Paul Riley, head coach of the North Carolina Courage and two-time NWSL coach of the year. Meg joins us today to talk about the troubling accusations in her story, and the moment of reckoning it has created within the sport. Read Meg Linehan's full report: https://theathletic.com/2857633/20...

The NFL has managed to get the vast majority of its players vaccinated, thanks to a set of rules that make life pretty difficult -- and football careers much more challenging -- for those who refuse to get a shot. Meanwhile, the league has also made moves to cut down on taunting, causing some critics to bring back the old "No Fun League" label. Lindsay Jones, a national NFL writer for The Athletic...

At the start of this month, the St. Louis Cardinals were barely hanging on at the fringe of the playoff picture. Now, they've clinched a spot in the postseason and are on a 17-game winning streak. Today, Katie Woo, who covers the Cardinals for The Athletic, breaks down the factors behind the team's dramatic turnaround and historic run, including the two veteran stars who have been with the team fo...

Last week, just days before the start of their training camp — and a few weeks before the start of the NBA season — the Minnesota Timberwolves made a decision that shocked a lot of people, firing their President of Basketball Operations, Gersson Rosas. The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania reported on all the factors that led the team to fire Rosas now — including the impendi...

After three weeks of competitive action, it looks like the AFC West is the most competitive division in the NFL. The Los Angeles Chargers upended the five time divisional champ Chiefs, while the Raiders and Broncos remained undefeated. Today, The Athletic's Ted Nguyen breaks down the already white hot divisional race out west and he tells us if Justin Fields rough debut in Chicago could have a lon...

From the time he started playing baseball, Sang Ho Baek told his parents that he was going to become a famous pitcher, and would buy them a house someday. Then, after the family moved to the U.S. and Sang began blossoming as a player, his dream seemed within reach. But now the family is trying to bear the weight of a terrible tragedy -- and is looking for answers. Read Stephen Nesbitt's story abou...

AC Milan is one of the most successful clubs in European soccer history. The Italian giants won 7 European titles and changed the way soccer was played on the continent on more than one occasion. Over the past decade, the once indomitable team has fallen on hard times. Two failed ownership bids and poor financial management meant the club had to completely revamp the way it did business. Fortunate...

In a season where they have legit Super Bowl aspirations, the Los Angeles Rams are off to a 2-0 start, and their defense — led by superstars Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald — has been a huge part of that equation. But this season, the Rams’ high-powered D is also in the hands of a new coordinator — former NFL head coach Raheem Morris — and today, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue tells us ho...

The Milwaukee Brewers are absolutely running away with the NL Central this season, and that’s thanks largely to their incredible pitching staff. So what exactly is going on in Milwaukee? The Athletic's Eno Sarris recently crunched the numbers and spoke with MLB insiders, and he joins us today to talk about what sets the Brewers' pitchers apart, and how a forward-thinking front office has led to ex...

Back in January, after a third straight losing season, the Detroit Lions hired a new head coach — former NFL tight end Dan Campbell — who wasted no time in making an unforgettable impression at his introductory press conference. With the Lions set to face the Packers on Monday Night Football, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Chris Burke and Nick Baumgardner, who spoke to former friends and team...

One of the key pieces to last year's Super Bowl run by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- and an important part of their title hopes once again this season -- is wide receiver Mike Evans. But as important as Evans has been on the field for the Bucs, he has become even more beloved off it -- both in Tampa and in his hometown of Galveston, Texas. Today, Greg Auman, who covers the Bucs for The Athletic, exp...

When Jon Gruden returned to the Raiders, big promises were made about the team's return to its historic winning ways. But so far, wins and postseason berths are in short supply in Las Vegas. Despite numerous changes to the roster, the coaching staff, and the front office, the Raiders are still in the doldrums of NFL mediocrity. Today the Athletic's Vic Tafur takes us through all the ups and downs...

Lately, one of the hottest teams in baseball has been one with a flair for the dramatic: the Toronto Blue Jays, led by Cy Young contender Robbie Ray and MVP candidate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath to look at everything this team has been through in 2021 — including not having access to their home field — and why they are, all of a sudden, so...

The Las Vegas Aces' offense has been virtually unstoppable for most of the season. And while the team (and, in particular, reigning league MVP A'ja Wilson) have been lighting it up on the court, they’ve also been having a ton of fun off it. Today, The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings joins us to discuss the Aces' unique blend of offensive firepower, team chemistry, and TikTok dance parties -- and to br...

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers flopped... badly. Joe Burrow led the the Cincinnati Bengals to an overtime victory. Kyler Murray stole the show. And Trevor Lawrence actually lost a regular season football game. The Athletic's Arif Hasan joins us to break down some of the most surprising moments of the NFL's opening weekend, along with some of the things we've come to expect (like Patrick Mahomes lea...

Two weeks ago, Saints head coach Sean Payton was at a press conference, answering questions about preseason, when a reporter asked him if the team had a contingency plan for the storm that was forming off the Gulf Coast. Payton said it was the first he had heard about it. Twenty-four hours later, he and others were scrambling to evacuate players, staff, and family members from the city. The Athlet...

Seven months after Tom Brady and the Bucs beat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, the 2021 NFL season gets underway tonight, with the defending champions taking on Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys. Today, The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia gives us seven (mostly) bold predictions for the upcoming season, including his picks to reach the Super Bowl, and some high-profile teams that coul...

One of the greatest soccer players in history is, in his words, coming home. Two weekends ago, Cristiano Ronaldo re-signed with Manchester United, the club where he first became world famous almost two decades ago. And now, on the heels of becoming the all-time leading goal scorer in international men's soccer, Ronaldo is expected to make his second debut with Man United this weekend. To...

A new Netflix documentary, released today, explores the life of American tennis star Mardy Fish, who famously withdrew from a U.S. Open match against Roger Federer back in 2012. In the years since that fateful day, Fish has opened up about his struggles with severe anxiety, and has become an outspoke advocate for change. Mardy joins us today to talk about the film, his life, and how things have an...

The Athletic's Katie Strang recently broke the news that the Arizona Coyotes are essentially getting kicked out of their home arena in Glendale, AZ, citing multiple notices about outstanding and delinquent balances owed by the Coyotes. So, to explain how things have gotten so bad, we're replaying an episode that first aired back in February, when Katie joined us to explain some of the problems she...

On Sunday afternoon, two high school football teams took the field in what looked like an ordinary game, broadcast live on ESPN. And then things got weird. In the days that followed, the Internet became obsessed with one of the teams, Bishop Sycamore, and its elusive head coach, Roy Johnson. Now, amidst a public outcry and a firestorm of questions, the governor of Ohio has called for an investigat...

One of the NFL's most compelling off-season storylines was the growing quarterback competition up in New England. The New England Patriots drafted Mac Jones to be the quarterback of the future, but it quickly became apparent that Jones might usurp incumbent starter Cam Newton — and that's exactly what happened. Head Coach Bill Belichick and his staff made the bold move to release Newton on Tuesday...

It is the all-important month of September in Major League Baseball, with top contenders (including the Yankees and the Dodgers) aiming to peak at exactly the right time, and superstars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Shohei Ohtani hoping to make their MVP push. Today, The Athletic’s Joe Posnanski breaks down the biggest storylines to watch during the final month of the season, including the Giants-Dodgers...

Back in 2015, Logan Thomas was a quarterback on the Miami Dolphins practice squad, living out of a room ($68 a night) at a La Quinta Inn, with his wife, three kids and Great Dane — for 150 days. Five years later, in 2020, he emerged as a difference-making tight end for the Washington Football Team, and received a new $24 million contract this offseason. Today, The Athletic’s Dan Pompei tells...