Month: August 2026

The NFL’s long summer of speculation ends on Thursday night. As preseason action kicks off, training camp promises to give way to real evaluation, where hidden breakouts emerge and fragile contenders face their first real stress test. First Things First co-host Nick Wright believes he has the script for how the league will play out. On Wednesday afternoon, he revealed his team tiers entering Week 1 of the preseason, complete with plenty of surprises. Here’s how Wright breaks down the league entering Week 1 of the preseason: History Says… Wright made sure to highlight six teams that are 100-to-1 to make the postseason, as recent history shows someone will. However, in this context, he doesn’t believe any of the Dolphins, Browns, Cardinals, Jets, Raiders, or Titans have a chance this season. “Almost every year, a team that has these odds and these are the six teams in the league,” Wright said. “History says one of them is making the playoffs. Do you have the courage to pick it? I don’t.” Could Be OK! Wright’s tier here is his least enthusiastic on the list. He has very little to say as the Giants, Colts, Steelers and Vikings are hit or miss and could find themselves right in the middle with eight or even nine wins. “Seems like they could be okay,” Wright said. “I don’t really have much to say about them. They could win eight or nine games. They could. I don’t know that I believe they will. They could be okay.” The NFC South The NFC South sits in a tier of its own as the most unpredictable division in the league. Still, Wright is all-in on the Buccaneers, mostly because of quarterback Baker Mayfield and how hot he can get when playing with something to prove. “I like the Bucs,” Wright said. “It’s the NFC South…someone’s gonna go 8-8 and one will win it and I hope it’s Baker [Mayfield]. I hope he gets hot in the playoffs.” Concerning Camps Not only are the Commanders and 49ers off to a rough start in camp, but Wright is now actively concerned about both organizations. It’s a concerning trend, especially considering they are already two of the oldest teams in the league. “Laremy Tunsil’s injury is a huge deal,” Wright said. “We don’t have time to do the 49ers concerning injuries. I don’t. These are older teams we talked about that we don’t love. The fact that they have one of them already has one key guy done for months and the other has a bunch of guys out intermittently. It’s just a bad part of training camp.” Can It All Come Together? Among the many teams facing uncertainty this season, none fit the “boom or bust” label quite like the Houston Texans. Their fate won’t just depend on overall roster depth, but the spotlight and pressure reside squarely on C.J. Stroud. “What is the deal and who is the real C.J. Stroud and who are we going to see if they get just good production from the offense,” Wright said. “That could be a Super Bowl team. The defense and DeMeco Ryans are so good.” Feels Like Something Is Missing The Lions and Packers both have a missing piece heading into the year, but Wright is particularly worried about Green Bay’s defense. The lack of a clear return timeline for Micah Parsons was a major driving factor behind where he tiered the Packers. “For the Packers, I know what I think is missing,” Wright said. “Micah Parsons for maybe, it might be the first half of the season. Seems like it and that to me is concerning. I do think these two teams [Lions] could be excellent, but it feels to me right now in the middle.” High Ceiling, Low Floor The Eagles are the ultimate wild card in the league this season as they could win the Super Bowl or completely miss the playoffs. Wright remains split on the Eagles and questions whether Nick Sirianni can hold it together. “The Eagles might be the highest ceiling, lowest floor and the best example of any team I can remember in recent memory,” Wright said. “I absolutely think they could be the one seed again in the NFC. I also think they could be below .500 after Thanksgiving and we’re talking about the next head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.” Prove It To Us The Broncos and Jaguars were major overachievers last year, and Wright made sure to highlight that. With Bo Nix and Trevor Lawrence under center, both teams sit in a tier dedicated entirely to proving that last season wasn’t a fluke. “14 wins, 13 wins,” Wright said. “Two teams with polarizing quarterbacks. Two teams that their fans feel like don’t get near enough respect they deserve coming off the year they had. Broncos obviously beat the Bills in a playoff game. Jags had a lead against the Bills in the playoffs.” “They got to prove it to us this year,” Wright said. Measuring Sticks Over the next two decades, Drake Maye and Caleb Williams could both put together Hall of Fame careers and define the league. Wright believes their careers will be forever linked, which is precisely why he placed them in the “Measuring Stick” tier to monitor their parallel trajectories. “I say measuring sticks because I believe these two quarterbacks [Drake Maye and Caleb Williams] are going to be measured against each other their entire career,” Wright said. “They both have different and excellent head coaches. I think they’re both in stable organizations.” Doubt Them At Your Own Peril When in doubt, Wright will always have the Chiefs in a tier of their own. “Kansas City Chiefs,” Wright said. “I understand, you’re a homer, Nick. Here’s the other thing I know. There are every other team in the league is allowed to have a bad year and move it..like the Lions they should bounce back. The Ravens, obviously they’ll bounce back.” For Wright, everything hinges on Patrick Mahomes’ health. Provided Mahomes remains healthy, he views 11 wins as the absolute baseline for Kansas City, with 13 wins well within reach if everything goes right. “I think that all unique Patrick Mahomes needs is his health, which he has right now and the stable offensive line,” Wright said. “Their floor in that situation is 11 wins. You add some other elements that I think over the course of the year and it becomes a 12 or 13 win team.” Is The Grass Greener? Wright expressed skepticism over the coaching changes in Baltimore and Buffalo. Even though John Harbaugh and Sean McDermott had reached the end of the line, handing the reins to first-time head coaches Jesse Minter and Joe Brady created a massive layer of uncertainty. “Two teams that said we got to move on from the coach,” Wright said. “Maybe. I get it, but every coach-quarterback combo that has ever won a Super Bowl together won their first one within five years. For Harbaugh-Lamar and for Allen-McDermott it was year eight, so they were like it’s not going to happen.” The Committee Can’t Decide There’s no decision to be made regarding the Rams and Seahawks for the top spot on his tier list. It’s not that Wright is indecisive, but he sees both NFC West powerhouses as equal. With rumors swirling around Aaron Donald’s return making the Rams a Super Bowl favorite, and the Seahawks coming off a dominant Super Bowl victory, Wright has them deadlocked at the top. “Apologies for not being definitive here, but the committee trademark can’t decide,” Wright said. “We’ve gone back and forth between who the best team in the league is to the defending Super Bowl champions of last season. As we sit here today, I can’t decide that in preseason Week 1 tiers.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

On the eve of Week 1 of the preseason games, Wednesday brought more clarity to quarterback battles across the league and bold expectations from a second-year head coach. The Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns made official announcements regarding their preseason starting quarterbacks. In the NFC North, Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson outlined lofty offensive goals, while Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy reacted to losing out on the starting job to Kyler Murray. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, meanwhile, suffered a minor injury during joint practice. Catch up with all the updates across the NFL: Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken announced that Deshaun Watson will start the preseason opener on August 15 against the Chicago Bears. Shedeur Sanders is scheduled to start the team’s second preseason contest on August 22 against the Buffalo Bills. “I’m super excited,” Watson said in comments to reporters. “All the hard work that I put in with the training staff, with my team, my personal team, to get to this stage has been tremendous for me. So, I’m super excited for those opportunities and can’t wait for it.” Monken explained that both quarterbacks are expected to play a half in the opener so each caller can manage a two-minute drill. “I have my reasons for how it’s going to go, and it’s still a competition,” Monken said. “We’re excited to watch guys practice today, let alone on Saturday, and then next week against Buffalo, and we’ll get a chance to see them both.” Watson and Sanders have alternated first-team reps throughout training camp. The Atlanta Falcons have named Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback for Friday’s preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Wednesday. Stefanski clarified that the designation applies strictly to the preseason opener and does not confirm Tagovailoa as the regular season starter. “We’re just now entering Week 1 of the preseason with this game on Friday night. Obviously, Tua is going to play in that game, and I think that’s great to get game action with our guys,” Stefanski told NFL Network. Most Falcons starters will play approximately one series before Cooper Rush and Jack Strand take over under center, Stefanski added in comments to reporters. Michael Penix Jr. remains unavailable for full team drills while continuing his rehabilitation from an ACL tear. “From a preparation standpoint, these guys are on top of it, learning the new system, understanding what’s important on each given play,” Stefanski said. “So I’m very pleased with where we are. I just know in the calendar where we are. We’re not there yet in terms of naming somebody a starter.” Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is setting goals beyond a championship heading into his second season with the franchise. Johnson outlined his vision for the Bears to field the highest-scoring offense in NFL history, surpassing the 2013 Denver Broncos team that averaged 37.9 points per game. “I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored, and I want to surpass them. I want shutouts. I want blowouts,” Johnson told The Athletic. Johnson also referenced the 2003 and 2004 New England Patriots teams that won 21 consecutive games between the regular season and postseason. “Why can’t we do that?” Johnson said. Nick Wright isn’t surprised by the comments, given the confidence Johnson has exuded in his coaching career. ‘It’s hubris to the highest degree,” Wright said on Wednesday’s edition of First Things First. “This is who he’s always been. He has always, at every opportunity, wanted to be, if not the lead actor, the co-star of his team’s offensive movies.” Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy addressed reporters following head coach Kevin O’Connell’s decision to name Kyler Murray as the team’s starting quarterback. “A decision was made that was out of my control, and obviously every competitor wants to play,” McCarthy said. “But moving forward, it’s just about continuing to work hard and just staying ready for when my number’s called.” When asked what he needed to do to win the job, McCarthy deferred to the coaching staff while keeping his focus on personal growth. “That’s a question for Kevin and the staff,” McCarthy said. “I feel like just me continuing to develop and improve in many different aspects is the only thing I’m worried about.” McCarthy added that Minnesota is still the place he wants to be.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

For some teams, winning a Super Bowl takes an extraordinary set of circumstances. However, the Seattle Seahawks’ run to a Super Bowl title in 2025 shouldn’t be viewed as them catching lightning in a bottle. After the Los Angeles Rams dominated headlines this offseason, Colin Cowherd argued that the Seahawks are being overlooked ahead of the 2026 season. “Vegas has the Baltimore Ravens, an 8-9 team last year, with better Super Bowl odds than the Seahawks. Nobody thinks they can repeat. It was a one-off. No way will [Sam] Darnold play mistake-free playoff football again. Things went in their favor,” Cowherd said on Wednesday’s “The Herd.” “No, actually, they did not go in their favor at all. The opposite is true. Sam Darnold goes to arguably the best division in football, has a new coach, a new coordinator, a new O-line, a bad O-line, and a new receiving core, JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba).” Seattle enters the season with the fourth-best Super Bowl odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook), trailing Los Angeles, Baltimore and the Buffalo Bills. But Cowherd thinks even that’s too low, pointing to the rare continuity Darnold will have this season as a key reason why the Seahawks should be viewed as a contender. “Darnold — four teams, four years — for the first time in years, [he has the] same head coach, same locker room, same culture, same city, same house,” Cowherd said. “That kind of continuity to me seems like a huge benefit.” Darnold had a strong opening season with the Seahawks. He was fifth in the league in passing yards (4,048) to go with 25 passing touchdowns as he helped Smith-Njigba win Offensive Player of the Year. But Darnold wasn’t the key reason for Seattle’s success. The Seahawks’ defense was arguably the best in the league. They finished with the best scoring defense in the regular season before putting up a dominant performance in the playoffs, including in their Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. Cowherd added that head coach Mike Macdonald has established a strong identity in Seattle, comparing him to another Super Bowl-winning coach in the same division. “Boy, Mike Macdonald is really impressive. The head coach, he’s Sean McVay [on the] defensive side.” Cowherd said. “They’re not aging out of this. Their older players don’t get hurt much. Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence, Charles Cross, and their best players are all young and getting better.” And beyond that, Cowherd likes the Seahawks’ infrastructure heading into the new year. “Their old guys are healthy. Darnold’s a young 29, never had a lot of injuries,” Cowherd said. “They have the best GM, arguably, defensive coach, arguably, the best receiver, arguably. And over the last two years, they’ve been 15-2 on the road. They’re the best home team without an argument, and yet they’re kind of considered, and they’re not really mentioned.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports