Month: June 2026

The long wait finally ended on Monday when the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles completed a trade that was literally months in the making. The Eagles sent receiver A.J. Brown to the Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, as everyone knew they eventually would. The Patriots got the No. 1 receiver they so desperately needed, while the Eagles got rid of a problem. On the surface, it seems like the rare win-win trade for two teams with their sights set on Super Bowl LXI. Here are three quick takeaways from the long-awaited deal: With all due respect to DeVonta Smith, and whatever rookie Makai Lemon will eventually become, the best receiver on the Eagles before Monday was, by far, A.J. Brown. He’s averaged 75 catches, 1,147 yards, and eight touchdowns in each of his seven NFL seasons, and when training camp begins, he’ll still only be 29 years old. That’s a huge hole to fill, even for a receiver as capable as Smith and as promising as Lemon, but the Eagles have reason to believe the Brown trade can be addition by subtraction. He’s not the sole reason their passing offense seemed so disjointed and dysfunctional too often over the last three seasons, but his maddening inconsistency and obvious disinterest at times certainly have been a big part of that. It’s been obvious to everyone that something has been wrong. His once-tight relationship with best friend (and quarterback) Jalen Hurts isn’t what it once was. Brown’s own body language and cryptic nature made it clear he was unhappy with his role. And his antics were sometimes difficult to deal with, whether it was sideline outbursts or simply an odd decision to read a book on the bench during the game. Smith and Hurts seem to have the chemistry that Brown and Hurts once had, so starting over with a new No. 1 made a lot of sense. It’s not clear anyone can put up the kind of numbers Brown did in his first two years in Philly, when he averaged 97 catches for 1,476 yards and nine touchdowns. But the combination of Smith, Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown is formidable. And if they’re happier, that could be what finally gets the Eagles’ passing game back on track. Maybe it’s because he had four months to prepare, or maybe it’s because he’s the best general manager in football, but Eagles general manager Howie Roseman sure did fortify the Eagles’ receiver room in advance of the Brown trade. Clearly, DeVonta Smith is the key player, but Roseman made sure he’s surrounded by quite a cast. That’s a big change from recent seasons when Roseman struggled to find a third receiver to complement Brown and Smith. Now, even with Brown gone, he’s got a receiving group that goes four deep, maybe more. The big move was when he used two fourth-round picks to trade up three spots (with Dallas) in the draft to take USC receiver Makai Lemon 20th overall. He was the third receiver taken, and some scouts believe he could instantly be one of the best slot receivers in the entire league. They also signed the speedy Hollywood Brown, who finally looked a little like his old, healthy self in Kansas City last season (49-587-5) and is still only 29 years old (as of Thursday). And they signed Dontayvion Wicks, who caught 30 of the 46 passes thrown to him in Green Bay last season, where the promising 24-year-old was tragically underused. It’s not an all-star cast beyond Smith, but there’s more depth and potential as a corps than they’ve had in years. Take the No. 1 receiver off of most teams and they probably couldn’t survive it. But the Eagles might actually be set up to thrive. The Patriots have arguably the best young quarterback in the NFL, fresh off a near-miss at both an MVP win and a Super Bowl championship, and heading into the third year of his rookie contract. The financial window is closing a bit, even as his championship window is just starting to open up. Fresh off a trip to the Super Bowl, they had to treat this as a win-now opportunity before Drake Maye becomes something of a financial burden. So it made sense to take on the expense of Brown and to part ways with a first-round pick two years from now to get the No. 1 receiver they so desperately needed. Stefon Diggs did fine last season (85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns), but he’s 32, and fine isn’t good enough for a team on the verge of a title. Brown can be better, especially if he’s the focal point of their attack, which he almost certainly will be. The Patriots did sign Romeo Doubs, who is a formidable No. 2, but he’s not good enough to tempt offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to build a game plan around him with Brown on his team. Is that enough to put the Patriots over the top and win them their first post-Bill Belichick/Tom Brady title? Not by itself. They still need to fix the offensive line issues that left Maye battered during the playoffs, and they still have to prove they can stand up to a much more difficult schedule this season. But adding an elite receiver like Brown certainly will help and will make their road much easier if they figure everything else out.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

For the first time since 1986, Mexico City will be the site of the opening match of a FIFA men’s World Cup when the 2026 edition kicks off, but it will be even more poignant than the one from 40 years ago. This opener will actually include Mexico’s national team, as the one back in 1986 had then-defending champions Italy taking on Bulgaria. Expect plenty of emotion, but now it is time to remove the sentiment and dive into the team’s 26-man roster. Javier “El Vasco” Aguirre (a member of Mexico’s 1986 squad) is in his third managerial stint with El Tri. Pundits and supporters alike are hoping that playing co-hosts and having the support on home soil will play a significant role towards a successful campaign. And when I say “home soil” I’m also including the U.S. because the team’s support is arguably, distinctively unrivaled. Guadalajara or Los Angeles, CDMX or Dallas—it doesn’t matter. México’s players will always have vibrant and loud support at any of their games, either here or there. Here are my takeaways: 1. Did Someone Call For Aguirre? Aguirre works as something of a crisis-solver. His management is akin to “The Wolf” – Harvey Keitel’s character from Pulp Fiction – where he enters a problematic situation and fixes it. For the 2002 World Cup, México was on the brink of bowing out of qualification and Aguirre stepped in, confirming a spot and even winning the group before losing to its arch-nemesis, the United States, in the knockout stages. For 2010, once again, Aguirre replaced the late Sven Göran-Eriksson halfway through the poor qualifiers and rescued El Tri, taking them once again to the promised land before eventually losing in the Round of 16 to Argentina. For this World Cup, he has adopted a grueling training camp where preparations have been ongoing, including controversially pulling players away from domestic campaigns. Aguirre wants to give them what he went through as a player back in the aforementioned 1986 tournament, where brotherhood-and-blue-collar-like mentality took center stage. Of course, it helped to have the legendary Hugo Sánchez. But you get my point. Aguirre wants México to be made of steel for this tournament, which will hopefully push them through any kind of obstacle, no matter the opponent. The objective? If you ask any Mexico fan, it’s quite simple really. To reach the infamous quinto partido (fifth match) — or sexto partido in this case due to the expansion of the tournament with an extra round — as Mexico has not reached the quarterfinals of a World Cup since — yup, you guessed it, 1986. Aguirre is hoping to change that. 2. Teenage Sensation Mora Leads New Era This squad is diverse, mixed with experience, youth, domestic and international know-how. It could, maybe, offer something special. So let’s hope for the sake of every Mexico fan, the nation rallies behind this squad because this team will never have this kind of home support ever again. The team has defensive veteran presence. Center-back duo César Montes and Johan Vásquez have played in Europe for numerous seasons. Edson Álvarez, who could be used in the backline or in his usual defensive midfielder role, is slowly returning from a prolonged injury. But the main talking point with this roster is that Aguirre is placing a lot of faith in fresh faces. There are 13 players who were not part of the previous World Cup in Qatar, when they failed to get out of the group stage. All eyes especially are on the teenage sensation Gilberto Mora, and at 17 years and 239 days old, the midfielder from Tijuana will become the youngest player to appear in a World Cup match for México if he features in the opener against South Africa—a current record held by Manuel “Chaquetas” Rosas, when the 18-year-old featured in 1930. Mora is a special talent with obvious eyes from Europe interested in him, including Real Madrid. Then there are several dual-national players who will be key to México’s success at this tournament. Colombia-born striker Julián Quiñones, who scored 33 goals this season with Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League (more than England’s Ivan Toney or Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo), could push to start. Spain-born Álvaro Fidalgo, who helped Club Ámerica win three Liga MX titles before a move to Real Betis, feels like a lock in the midfield. And two U.S.-born players in Brian Gutiérrez and Obed Vargas (how often do you see an Alaskan playing for Atlético Madrid?) provide some flexibility, balance and youth in a very demanding tournament. 3. Memo’s Back, But Will There Be A Party? When it comes to this sport, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are in rarefied air. So it’s pretty unique for a player to join those two in anything. Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa is set for his sixth trip to the World Cup, joining Messi and Ronaldo in this feat. And while the 40-year-old stopper has only played in four of those editions (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), Ochoa could help his national team once again. The door swung open for Ochoa to make history after presumed starter Luis Ángel Malagón suffered a devastating Achilles injury in March while on duty with Club América. Raúl “Tala” Rangel from Chivas has taken over the starter role for Mexico, but to have Ochoa in the unit is a special opportunity, and you never know, he might just be called up to action. 4. A Strikers Conundrum There was never any doubt that the dynamic duo of Rául Jiménez and Santiago Giménez were going to be called up, but the bigger question is: can they play together? Or is this an out-and-out battle for the No. 9 role? Aguirre has used them both before, including the successful Gold Cup run from last summer, as Jiménez often drops deeper whilst the AC Milan man infiltrates the box, feeding from his partner. But if you ask me, I think this should be an either-or situation, because México is at its best when there is a 4-3-3 philosophy with one target man feeding off supply. In addition, Giménez has gone through an injury-ridden season with AC Milan, so his starting role is not guaranteed. There is also a great weapon on the bench with Chivas forward Armando ‘La Hormiga’ González, who is a goal-scoring machine in Liga MX. And don’t forget Quiñones, who could be most in form of them all. Whatever the case, there is hope for Aguirre that all these weapons will compliment each other and eventually create a dynamic unit of goalscoring. Veremos.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The Los Angeles Rams have done it again! The Rams acquired two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick on Monday, proving once again that they’re in “F them picks” mode. General manager Les Snead, who has been with the team since 2012, ushered in the “F them picks” era not long after the Rams moved to Los Angeles in 2012. They’ve given up several premium draft picks over the last decade, surrendering a swath of valuable selections to help build their Super Bowl-winning roster in 2021. That led to Snead creating the term “F them picks” during the team’s celebration. As a result, the Rams have made just two first-round picks since 2018. They took Verse in 2024, who was just traded in the deal for Garrett, and quarterback Ty Simpson in this past NFL Draft, a rare move that signaled that the team was building for the future. The Rams’ Super Bowl title in 2022 and 10 playoff victories since 2018 are proof that this aggressive philosophy has paid off in a big way. Now, following the blockbuster move for Garrett that shocked the entire NFL world, let’s take a look at the timeline of the major trades that helped build the Rams into the powerhouse franchise they are today. Timeline Of Rams’ Blockbuster Trades The Rams acquired 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters and a 2018 sixth-round draft pick for a 2018 fourth-round draft pick and a 2019 second-round draft pick. He was a key piece in helping the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII. The Rams acquired Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round pick from the Patriots in exchange for the No. 23 overall pick in the 2018 first round and a sixth-round selection. Cooks spent two seasons in Los Angeles, emerging as a key deep-threat weapon during the team’s run to Super Bowl LIII. The Rams acquired All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, plus a 2021 fourth-round pick. Ramsey was an instrumental part of their Super Bowl run in 2022. The trade that changed everything. This blockbuster trade redefined the NFL over the last five seasons and is widely considered the biggest win-win trade in NFL history. Matthew Stafford brought a Super Bowl to LA, won an MVP and has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL over that span. The Rams acquired Sony Michel from the Patriots in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick and a conditional sixth-round pick that later became a fourth-round selection after Cam Akers suffered a torn Achilles during a preseason workout. The trade occurred just before the start of the 2021 season and proved to be a valuable addition. Michel rushed for 845 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season, then added 140 rushing yards and a touchdown during the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning playoff run. At the 2021 trade deadline, the Rams pushed all their chips to the center of the table, acquiring Von Miller from the Denver Broncos in exchange for second-round and third-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Miller played a massive role in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship run, recording 31 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, and 5.0 sacks in just eight regular-season games. He then elevated his play in the postseason, adding 14 tackles and 4.0 sacks during the Rams’ four-game march to a Super Bowl title. After coming up just short in the 2025 NFC Championship game, the Rams have now gone all in once again. With their secondary a glaring issue last season, the Rams traded a 2026 first-round pick (No. 29 overall), a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick for McDuffie. Shortly after the trade, the Rams signed the 25-year-old Southern California native to a record-setting four-year, $124 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. The current Super Bowl favorites have acquired the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. Garrett logged 23 sacks last season, setting the NFL’s single-season all-time sack record.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports