The Lead

Thursday was the deadline for NFL players to opt out of the 2020 season, and a number of prominent names — including Dont’a Hightower of the Patriots and Damien Williams of the Chiefs — have decided not to play. The first player to opt out of the season was Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, an offensive lineman for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The Athletic’s Nate Taylor joins us to discuss Duvernay-Tard...

With less than a month until the start of the college football season, more and more players are demanding better protections against COVID-19, scholarship guarantees, and, in some cases, money. The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach joins us to talk about how these unprecedented demands have come about, what impact they could have on the fall season, and why players are speaking up now. More from Nicole...

The Portland Trail Blazers are battling toward a playoff berth, and they’ve been doing it with a big boost from big man Jusuf Nurkic. After being out for more than a year with a gruesome leg injury, Nurkic is back and has been better than ever. The Athletic’s Jason Quick joins us to discuss Nurkic's remarkable return, how far he could help carry the dangerous Blazers, and how his teammates are hel...

Last week, when his team was up against the Astros, Dodgers right-hander Joe Kelly had a very noisy relief appearance, brushing back Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa before both benches cleared. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Andy McCullough to look at how this incident fits into the ongoing backlash against the Astros in the aftermath of their sign-stealing scandal, and what it might take fo...

After more than four months away from competition, the NHL is back -- and the league has gone straight to the playoffs. The Athletic’s Michael Russo joins us to talk about some surprise results on opening weekend, a much-discussed moment during the national anthem, and what the key to success will be in this year’s strange playoff format. More from Michael Russo: https://theathletic.com/author/mic...

At the peak of his career, Daniel Bard was a dominant relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Then, he suddenly and mysteriously lost the ability to throw strikes. Now, seven years and a remarkable journey later, he's back in the big leagues and throwing heat for the Colorado Rockies. The Athletic’s Nick Groke tells us Bard’s remarkable comeback story, including his unusual path to overcoming the y...

More than four and a half months after the season shut down, the NBA is finally back. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Wosny Lambre to look at some of the big story lines as the season resumes at Disney World, including Zion Williamson and the Pelicans fighting for a playoff berth, and LeBron James and the Lakers gearing up for a potential title run. We also discuss what to expect from Kyle L...

There’s a lot happening in the WNBA right now, both on and off the court. The Athletic's Chantel Jennings joins us to talk about the league’s relationship with the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as pushback it has received recently from a U.S. Senator and partial team owner. We also break down what's been happening on the court in the first few games of the season, including with rookie sens...

More than a dozen members of the Miami Marlins have tested positive for COVID-19, and several MLB games have now been canceled as a result. The Athletic’s Andy McCullough joins us to talk about what the team outbreak could mean for the Marlins' season and the fate of Major League Baseball's 2020 campaign. More from Andy McCullough: https://theathletic.com/author/andy-mccullough/?source=theleadpodc...

Last week, before his first game with the Dodgers, and prior to the start of MLB’s abbreviated 60-game season, Mookie Betts signed a massive extension to stay in Los Angeles — for 12 years and $365 million. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Pedro Moura to go inside the mind of Mookie Betts, and learn more about the hyper-competitiveness — in every aspect of his life from baseball to bowli...

Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, and Jennifer Garner are among a group of owners who are bringing a new professional women’s soccer team to Los Angeles and the NWSL in 2022. The Athletic’s Meg Linehan joins us to talk about how the star-studded franchise came together and why it could signal a new direction for the league. And, with the Challenge Cup Final on Sunday, we take a closer look at the two...

Opening Day is here and the Toronto Blue Jays are still looking for a place to play. The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath joins us to talk about why both the Canadian government and the state of Pennsylvania have shut the door on the Blue Jays, what options are still on the table, and how all of this has been impacting the players. More from Kaitlyn McGrath: https://theathletic.com/author/kaitlyn-mcgrat...

Thursday is Opening Day in Major League Baseball, and in the weeks leading up to this abbreviated season, an unexpected star has emerged for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clubhouse attendant Francisco “Chico” Herrera got a chance to play the outfield for L.A. out of necessity during training camp, and responded by making some remarkable plays — catching the eye of teammates Justin Turner and Joc P...

NBA teams have been holed up in Disney World for several weeks now, as they prepare to resume the season late next week. The Athletic’s Joe Vardon joins us from inside the NBA bubble, to talk about what life is like there (hint: waterslides and fishing poles are involved), what NBA players think of the so-called “snitch line,” and how players are coping with the threat of the coronavirus. Rea...

The Washington Post recently published a highly anticipated investigative report about the experiences of more than a dozen women working for and within the Washington NFL team. The report described sexual harassment and verbal abuse occurring throughout the organization and spanning more than a decade. The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones joins us to discuss what the report means for the future of the tr...

This spring, Alex Charlton — a football coach at Division II Midwestern State in Texas — made a bold decision. He left behind his coaching job to work as a nurse in Manhattan — in a COVID section of the emergency room — at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in New York. Today, The Athletic’s Chris Vannini tells us Charlton’s story.  Read Chris Vannini’s story about Alex Charlton...

Last week, Patrick Mahomes signed a ten-year contract extension to stay with the Kansas City Chiefs through the 2031 season. It’s reportedly the richest contract in sports history, worth upwards of $475 million. The Athletic’s Nate Taylor joins us to talk about how the deal came about, what challenges it creates for the Chiefs, and how Mahomes and the team will now define success. Read Nate Taylor...

Major League Soccer returned to play last week, kicking off its MLS Is Back tournament. But things haven't exactly gone smoothly. The league's reigning MVP, Carlos Vela, elected not to play in the tournament, and two teams withdrew after multiple players tested positive for the coronavirus. The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio joins us to talk about the league’s rocky restart, which players and teams have...

On Monday, the Washington football team announced that it would be changing its team name and Native American logo, which many people find offensive. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker to talk about why the team and its owner, Dan Snyder, have resisted changing the name for so long and why they finally gave in to pressure now. Follow Rhiannon Walker's coverage: https://theathlet...

First, the Ivy League announced that it would not have any sports this fall. Then, the Big Ten and Pac-12 said they would only be playing in-conference games, if any. And now, the entire college football season seems to be teetering on the brink. The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach joins us to talk about the seismic shift that has begun in college sports, including what’s happening on college campuses...

The world's biggest soccer club has fallen on hard times. The league title seems to be slipping away, and ongoing mismanagement continues to create problems within the organization. The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan joins us to talk about what’s going wrong at Barcelona, what superstar Lionel Messi has had to say about it, and why the reticent superstar can sometimes make things difficult. Follow Der...

This week, NBA teams started arriving at Disney World in Orlando as they prepare to restart the season. One team that has already arrived is the Utah Jazz, whose All-Star center Rudy Gobert was the first known NBA player to test positive for the coronavirus — and became embroiled in controversy when he intentionally touched reporters’ microphones and recorders. Today, we’re joined by The Athl...

Eight years ago, we saw one of the most dramatic free agent decisions in the history of the NFL, when Peyton Manning joined the Denver Broncos. The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala recently spoke to Manning about his wild fortnight of free agency, and discovered some fascinating details about the next-level secrecy from the people (including John Elway and Jim Harbaugh) and the teams that were pursuing h...

After an outstanding freshman season at USC, hoops star Onyeku Okongwu is projected to go very early in this year’s NBA draft, which is now scheduled for October. The Athletic’s Seth Davis joins us to talk about how the young power forward went from relative obscurity to college star, how high he could go in the NBA draft, and the family tragedy that gave Okongwu renewed focus and still inspires h...

A number of All-Star-caliber MLB players have decided not to take part in the 2020 season, including David Price, Felix Hernandez, Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond. Meanwhile, Mike Trout and Buster Posey are among the star players who are on the fence. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli to look at why some of these players have chosen to sit out, and whether many more will follow. F...