Category: Sports Fox

Whatever you think about the old rest vs. rust debate, the NFL believes the possible perceived advantage either side might have doesn’t matter — and it has the data to back that up. Following the unveiling of the 2026 NFL regular season schedule, one of the details scrutinized for fairness is rest disparity, which measures how much time a team has to prepare for a given game, compared to its opponent. All 32 teams have 17 games in 18 weeks, so there’s a balance in that — you’d think every team has one week with an extra week of rest and preparation compared to the team they’re facing, but that logically evens out when an opponent is coming off their bye. That doesn’t happen evenly, however. The Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers each have four games this season where their opponent is coming off its bye week, and the Las Vegas Raiders have three such games, while 14 NFL teams never have to face an opponent well-rested after its bye week. About 40% of NFL games have one team with a day or more of additional rest than its opponent. Add in games where one team is coming off a Thursday kickoff and the other a normal Sunday game, and the imbalance can be substantial. The Chicago Bears, for instance, have a plus-15 rest differential, which is to say they have 15 more days to prepare for their games than their opponents. The Chargers are at the other extreme, with a minus-24 differential — between the two, the net net, if you will, is a difference of 39 days of rest and preparation. Yet, when one NFL executive was pressed about the issue after the regular-season schedule release, NFL vice president of broadcast planning Mike North said the league has data showing there’s no advantage to having extra rest. “We’ve got a really robust data and analytics team here in the office … and they have been very clear with us, that rest disparity is not a thing,” North said during a remarkably thorough 100-minute conference call with reporters Friday morning. “You do not have a competitive advantage when you’re coming off your bye, and you certainly don’t have a competitive advantage when you’re one day, two days or three days more well-rested. If the data suggest that there’s a there there, we will adjust. We absolutely will. “But we’ve been very conscious, we’ve been very careful, and we’ve been very connected with our data team … [they] have been adamant that rest disparity does not impact performance, expected win percentage, expected points scored.” Sure enough, if you look at every game where one team is coming off a bye and its opponent is not over the last two seasons, those teams are combined 27-27. Teams with the bye week advantage went 14-12 in 2025 and 13-15 in 2024. So, both seasons were within a single win of a coin flip, and combined they’re 27-27, suggesting there is no advantage at all. Even over the course of a full season, teams that have had some bad rest luck have exceeded expectations. Of the 28 teams with the most extreme rest differential disparities since 2002, 18 of them went over their projected win total, per Sumer Sports. One of those teams nearly won a Super Bowl as well, with the San Francisco 49ers having a minus-19 rest day differential in 2023. The perception is certainly there. One team has two weeks to focus solely on its game plan, and the other has just one. That’s also in addition to the added physical recovery to get players back from injuries and generally catch up on rest. NFL teams, and their fans, notice when they should have this advantage, and understandably complain when they don’t. “I won’t hide the fact that the teams are aware, and have long memories, and remind us,” North said. “What we’re really trying to focus on is the data: Is there a competitive advantage to playing a team when you’re coming off your bye week? I would have told you not that long ago, the answer was clearly ‘Yes.’ I remember [longtime NFL executive] Howard Katz having a real commitment one year to really trying to avoid or at least minimize a team having to play a road game … when you have to travel to a more well-rested team, it was something like the visiting team won 38% of the time, instead of 44% of the time. A 20% impact on win percentage is relevant, and that was absolutely something that, for several years in a row, we were very, very cognizant of, and writing rules in the software to prevent. If you check the math, it’s flipped.” The NFL’s CBA now requires teams on a bye to give players a full four consecutive days off during a bye week, so while coaches have more time to prepare a game plan, they’re still implementing the same one-week timeframe for the most part. It brings back the rest vs. rust argument, whether a team that has a long weekend out of its facility and meeting rooms gains more in the break than it loses by breaking out of routine and schedule and the normal rhythm of preparing for a game every week. Two analysts for the NFL, Mike Lopez and Tom Bliss, wrote a paper in 2024 titled “Bye-bye, bye advantage: estimating the competitive impact of rest differential in the National Football League,” laying out their research. Before the Collective Bargaining Agreement that was agreed to in 2011, teams coming off a bye had a 2.2-point advantage on other teams. But once the CBA mandated time away from the team for players, that advantage lessened, suggesting the edge was in additional practice time, not just time to rest and prepare. Their estimate in the 2024 paper was that teams coming off a bye week have a 0.3-point advantage, nearly negligible in a game’s outcome. There’s another argument to be made. Essentially, well-coached teams will be well-coached regardless of how much prep time they have, and poorly coached teams will still be poorly coached even with an extra week of poor coaching. Whether that will play out in this year’s results remains to be seen, but the last two seasons show the impact of one team having an extra week yielding the same .500 overall record as the entire league has over an entire season. “I’m sure the Chargers are a little disappointed,” North said. “But I’d remind them that a few years ago, I think it was the 49ers who had the [worst] rest disparity in the league at a minus-22 or something like that, and went to a Super Bowl. So good teams overcome challenges to the extent that rest disparity might be one, but our data does not support that that is a competitive disadvantage.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

More than a quarter of the way through the season, Fernando Tatis Jr. is still looking for his first home run, Cal Raleigh ranks last among qualified catchers in slugging percentage, and Bo Bichette has been one of the worst hitters in the sport. Surely, it won’t remain this way all year. For now, though, it’s been a forgettable start for some of the game’s most dynamic offensive forces. In this week’s power rankings, we’ll look at the standout players on every team who need to step up going forward. They were swept by the Guardians and Dodgers — who outscored them 31-3 over three games — and now have the worst record and run differential in MLB.  There’s a lot wrong here, clearly, so no one player is going to remedy this. They need more from Yusei Kikuchi when he gets healthy (0-3, 5.81 ERA) and could use more offense from Logan O’Hoppe, whose .545 OPS ranks 26th among the 30 MLB catchers with at least 100 plate appearances this season. Two years ago, Ezequiel Tovar received down-ballot MVP votes. This year, the 24-year-old is playing below replacement level and ranks last among qualified MLB shortstops in fWAR. The Astros, with their flurry of pitching injuries and MLB-worst ERA (5.43), need Tatsuya Imai (9.24 ERA) to figure things out quickly after giving him three years and $54 million. Two years ago, Jarren Duran had a 9.0-WAR All-Star season that saw him finish eighth in MVP voting. This year, he’s hitting 50% below league average with the lowest on-base percentage of any qualified outfielder. Whether it’s Salvador Perez (.595 OPS) or Vinnie Pasquantino (.624), the Royals need one of their offensive standouts to start giving Bobby Witt Jr. more help. We can include one on both sides of the ball here: Many expected Eury Pérez to be a dark-horse Cy Young candidate this year, but the 23-year-old has a 5.33 ERA through 10 starts. Meanwhile, 2025 All-Star Kyle Stowers has played below replacement level since returning from a hamstring injury last month. They were swept by the Mets then lost a series to the Blue Jays and have now dropped 10 of their last 12 games. Getting Casey Mize back will help their beleaguered rotation, but the Tigers need more from Jack Flaherty (0-5, 5.77 ERA) while Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander are sidelined. Hampered by knee and hamstring injuries over the last few years, Royce Lewis has seen his OPS drop every year since launching 15 homers in his spectacular 58-game sample in 2023. He’s currently slashing .163/.261/.279. Last week was a big step in the right direction for Willy Adames, whose OPS now starts with a “6” instead of a “5.” The Giants will need that to continue for their $182 million shortstop after a slow start to the year. This was a big week for the Mets, who swept the Tigers and then took the Subway Series. But they’re still waiting for Bo Bichette to get going. He’s in a 3-for-37 rut and has a .531 OPS. Given their pitching woes, they’re going to have to outslug every opponent. To do that, the Orioles will need Gunnar Henderson to build on his four-hit day Sunday, which lifted his batting average up over .200 on the year. His hard-hit rate is down while his strikeout and chase rates are way up to start the year. The fractured toe may be playing a role, but George Springer has a .566 OPS in 27 games after logging a .959 OPS and finishing seventh in MVP voting a year ago. He’s not hitting the ball with nearly the same force. Not helping matters, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had gone 23 straight games without a home run before going deep Sunday. The Jays need more of that. The Nats captured series wins against the Reds and Orioles last week and are creeping their way toward .500 despite a starting rotation that’s 9-15 with a 5.17 ERA. Really, they just need anyone from the starting staff to provide more consistency; perhaps that player will be Cade Cavalli, who has 39 strikeouts and six walks in 31 innings over his last six starts and might have the highest upside of the group. (It’s worth noting that Foster Griffin had been tremendous until coughing up nine runs to the Reds last week.) The obvious answer here is Cal Raleigh, who’s slashing .161/.243/.317 coming off last year’s eruption. But since he’s on the injured list and therefore can’t improve upon the slow start right now, it’s worth mentioning Luis Castillo. The three-time All-Star has an ERA over 6.00 for a Mariners rotation that hasn’t dominated the way many anticipated. Ketel Marte has one home run in his last 25 games and a .637 OPS on the season. He has the highest chase rate of his career, likely trying to do a little too much to get his bat going, but his quality of contact suggests better days ahead. Corey Seager was hitless in his last seven games before being sidelined with a back issue. The Rangers are still determining the severity of the injury, but it’s hard to imagine them making a deep run if he’s out or hitting below league average, as he is right now. The Reds have lost 12 of their last 16 games, and their bullpen is in disarray. But the rotation hasn’t been much better. As they wait for Hunter Greene to return, they need someone other than Chase Burns (5-1, 1.87) to give them quality innings. The answer could be Andrew Abbott, who has a 1.19 ERA over his last four starts after a poor start to the season. After hitting more than 20 homers each of the last two seasons, Lawrence Butler has the third-lowest slugging percentage among all qualified outfielders this year (.272). He has been a well below league-average hitter (82 OPS+) since signing his seven-year, $65.5 million extension before last season. The two highest-paid pitchers on the White Sox roster are relievers Jordan Hicks and Seranthony Dominguez. The former has a 5.51 ERA while the latter has a 4.82 ERA after blowing his third save of the year Sunday, but that didn’t stop the party on the South Side. The White Sox still came back to win and have now won 13 of their last 18 games. Marcell Ozuna, who was brought in to be the Pirates’ designated hitter, has been one of the worst hitters in MLB this year. The 35-year-old is slashing .182/.271/.311 for a career-low .582 OPS. Steven Kwan has the lowest slugging percentage of any qualified outfielder, the lowest hard-hit rate in MLB and a career-low .201 batting average. Others are picking up the slack, though, for a Guardians team that has won eight of its last 11 games. Well, that turned quickly. The Phillies have now won 15 of 19 games since Don Mattingly took over as manager. They’re still waiting for Trea Turner to get going, though. The three-time All-Star is hitting .236 with the lowest on-base percentage (.286) and highest chase rate of his career. The Cardinals are far surpassing expectations for a team with a bottom-five luxury-tax payroll. If we’re going to nitpick, Dustin May, Kyle Leahy and Matthew Liberatore all rank in the bottom 10 among qualified MLB starters in strikeout rate, so it’d be nice to see someone from that trio start to miss a few more bats. Austin Wells has a .556 OPS, Trent Grisham is hitting .166, Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been a below league-average hitter (though he is heating up), and David Bednar has an ERA close to 5.00 after blowing a save Sunday against the Mets. Now Max Fried is injured, too, adding to the concerns for a Yankees team that has dropped seven of its last nine games. Fernando Tatis Jr. has now played 45 games without hitting a home run. Prior to this year, he had never gone even 30 straight games without hitting a homer. It’s remarkable the Padres have jumped out to this start with Tatis (.581 OPS), Manny Machado (.604) and Jackson Merrill (.603) all scuffling offensively to this degree. The Brewers’ top three saves leaders this year — Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe and Angel Zerpa — are a combined 2-6 with a 5.45 ERA and six blown saves. Despite the late-inning uncertainty, they’ve won eight of their last 10 games. The Cubs have now dropped each of their last three series. Dansby Swanson is hitting a career-worst .192, while offseason pitching acquisition Edward Cabrera has a 5.26 ERA over his last seven starts. Many expected the Rays to be in a transition year based on their offseason moves (*raises hand*), but they’ve won seven straight series and are 18-4 in their last 22 games. Cedric Mullins got off to a dreadful start, but it’s hard to find much wrong in Tampa right now. Pitching injuries and an aging roster might be the only things that can stop them. Mookie Betts is hitting .180, though he has only played in 13 games this year. Freddie Freeman’s .739 OPS is his lowest mark in a season since he played in 20 games as a rookie in 2010. The Braves just faced the Dodgers, Cubs and Red Sox and took all three series. It hasn’t been the start to the year that the Braves’ corner outfielders would’ve envisioned — Ronald Acuña Jr. had a .740 OPS before injuring his hamstring, Mike Yastrzemski has a .643 OPS, and Jurickson Profar is suspended for the year — but the team is still rolling.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Aaron Rodgers emerged from his annual offseason darkness retreat over the weekend and confirmed what we expected all along: He will be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026. Perhaps head coach Mike McCarthy can turn back the hands of time and help Rodgers rediscover the magic that helped him become a four-time MVP and first-ballot Hall of Famer. The second marriage between the one-time Super Bowl champion coach and his former franchise quarterback is a last-ditch effort by the AFC North reigning champions to make another run at a title with a veteran-laden roster featuring former All-Pros and Pro Bowlers. While the 2020 version of Rodgers with this roster would undoubtedly rank as a Super Bowl front-runner, this current iteration faces long odds of knocking off the NFL’s heavyweights with a 42-year-old quarterback directing a redesigned offense with a respected quarterback whisperer at the helm. Say what you will about McCarthy, but he is coming off a successful run with Dak Prescott that saw the four-time Pro Bowler play the best ball of his career while guiding the Cowboys to three straight 12-win seasons within a five-year span. Considering McCarthy also led the Green Bay Packers to eight double-digit win seasons in a 13-year period with Rodgers and Brett Favre leading the way, the grizzled veteran coach will give his former pupil the best chance to end his career (on a high note). From Gunslinger To Game Manager The quarterback he inherits in Pittsburgh is drastically different from the one who helped him win his only Super Bowl win. The Rodgers who dazzled as an improvisational wizard in the 2010s has become a stationary pea shooter who peppers opponents with quick-rhythm throws at short range. Last season, Rodgers led the NFL in the percentage of throws that did not travel beyond the line of scrimmage (32.5%), per Next Gen Stats. Additionally, the 22-year pro finished with the fastest time-to-throw average (2.59 seconds), using a variety of screens, swings and quick routes to counter heavy pressure from defensive coordinators intent on disrupting his passing rhythm. Rodgers’ extensive utilization of “tags” (attaching a quick game concept to a running play) and audibles led to a bunch of “catch it and rip it” throws to the perimeter. With Rodgers excelling at small ball at this stage of his career, McCarthy must tweak his playbook to accentuate his QB1’s strengths (football intelligence, diagnostic skills, and experience) while minimizing his weaknesses (athleticism, mobility and fear of being hit ) in the pocket. In addition, he must fix the Steelers’ offensive line woes and upgrade the personnel to close the gap on their opponents. Adjusting the playbook to maximize Rodgers’ talent will be an ongoing process that extends to the regular season, with McCarthy routinely bouncing schematic ideas off the veteran to determine which plays should remain on the call sheet. Despite their extensive history and collective success in Green Bay, the duo cannot rely on nostalgia to spark a change in Pittsburgh. The veteran offensive architect must rework the playbook to feature more than the shotgun and spread concepts that were staples in the Packers’ playbook. Although Rodgers’ lack of mobility limits the Steelers’ under-center options, particularly the bootleg and naked package, the utilization of play-action could open up the field for the four-time MVP and create more big-play opportunities for the offense. Souped-Up Supporting Cast As Rodgers settles into his role as a game manager, the Steelers’ supporting cast must handle the heavy lifting for the offense to play at a top-10 level. The playcaller, playmakers and protectors must grade out as honors students for their work to help the veteran close the gap on the elite quarterbacks throughout the AFC. To their credit, the Steelers have upgraded the talent around Rodgers with wideouts Michael Pittman (acquired via trade) and Germie Bernard (selected No. 47 overall in the 2026 draft) to add a pair of dependable “chain movers” to the lineup. With an ultra-physical receiver (Pittman) and a polished route runner (Bernard) joining DK Metcalf, Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, the Steelers have surrounded Rodgers with a diverse collection of rugged playmakers who can consistently win on short and intermediate routes within a 10-yard box to build out an efficient, ball-control passing game. The combination of size, strength and skill should enable Rodgers to throw the slants, stick routes, and screens that are staples of the quick-rhythm aerial attack that he prefers. Additionally, the aggressiveness and physicality of the Steelers’ perimeter players should bolster the team’s running game, as the unit becomes a bigger part of a blocking scheme that pits wideouts and tight ends on linebackers and safeties. If the Steelers can get buy-in from their pass-catchers to make strong contributions as blockers in the running game, McCarthy can establish the punishing ground attack he needs to alleviate pressure on his quarterback. Pittsburgh invested heavily in the running game this offseason, with offensive lineman Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker coming aboard as key picks in the 2026 draft. The young duo is slated to play on the right side at right tackle and right guard, respectively, with Troy Fautanu potentially moving to left tackle if Broderick Jones is unable to play early in the season. The reshuffled lineup should enable the Steelers to put their “best five” on the field and control the line of scrimmage. Moreover, the team can throw in Freiermuth and Washington to create a robust “12” personnel package (one running back, two tight ends and two wide receivers) to maul opponents with a downhill running game. The Steelers’ running back corps (Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson) is built to grind it out on various downhill runs behind a massive offensive line that should be able to generate a consistent push at the point of attack. The three-headed monster in the backfield features a trio of runners with complementary skills, which should lead to more continuity and consistency in the running game. Although Rodgers will retain his veto power at the line, the Steelers’ upgraded front line and backfield should lead to a greater commitment to a “ground-and-pound” approach that yields better performance and production from a unit that wants to dominate time of possession and protect a quarterback in the twilight of his career. While Rodgers is no longer the dazzling playmaker who could single-handedly tilt the game in his team’s direction with his spectacular play, the Steelers’ upgraded supporting cast should enable the fading superstar to lead another playoff run in a managerial role.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The cars, drivers and teams are still getting ready and are now in a time crunch, but the 2026 Indianapolis 500 field is set. Alex Palou will lead the 33-car field to green for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing on Sunday (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX). Palou won the pole during qualifying this past Sunday, posting a four-lap average of 232.248 miles per hour at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He edged out Alexander Rossi and David Malukas, who will join him with a front-row starting position for the 110th Indy 500. This is his second Indy 500 pole (2023), and he’s also the first defending Indy 500 champion to win the pole for the following year’s race since Hélio Castroneves did it in 2010. But, as we’ve seen many times throughout past Indy 500s, no one is guaranteed anything, and a little luck is necessary to winning, along with a speedy car, of course. Experience matters too, and there are nine previous Indy 500 winners in the field: Alex Palou (2025), Josef Newgarden (2023, 2024), Marcus Ericsson (2022), Hélio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), Will Power (2018), Alexander Rossi (2016), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014) and Scott Dixon (2008). Here’s a look at the full starting grid for the 2026 Indy 500 on Sunday on FOX. Note: The qualifying runs for Caio Collet, who was 10th, and Jack Harvey, who was 29th, were disallowed after technical violations were found on their cars. They will start at the back of the field. Row 1 1. Alex Palou, No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (232.248 mph) 2. Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Chevrolet (231.990 mph) 3. David Malukas, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet (231.877 mph) Row 2 4. Felix Rosenqvist, No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (231.375 mph) 5. Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet (230.846 mph) 6. Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet (230.442 mph) Row 3 7. Kyffin Simpson, No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (230.883 mph) 8. Conor Daly, No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet (230.712 mph) 9. Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet (230.577 mph) Row 4 10. Scott Dixon, No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (230.347 mph) 11. Rinus Veekay, No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet (229.585 mph) 12. Takuma Sato, No. 75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda (230.995 mph) Row 5 13. Ed Carpenter, No. 33 ECR Chevrolet (230.829 mph) 14. Hélio Castroneves, No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (230.811 mph) 15. Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Chevrolet (230.705 mph) Row 6 16. Marcus Armstrong, No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (230.701 mph) 17. Marcus Ericsson, No. 28 Andretti Global Honda (230.667 mph) 18. Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet (230.661 mph) Row 7 19. Will Power, No. 26 Andretti Global Honda (230.279 mph) 20. Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet (230.213 mph) 21. Louis Foster, No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda (230.212 mph) Row 8 22. Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 31 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet (230.202 mph) 23. Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet (230.165 mph) 24. Romain Grosjean, No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda (229.791 mph) Row 9 25. Kyle Kirkwood, No. 27 Andretti Global Honda (229.607 mph) 26. Katherine Legge, No. 11 HMD Motorsports w/ A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet (229.456 mph) 27. Mick Schumacher, No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda (229.450 mph) Row 10 28. Graham Rahal, No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda (229.017 mph) 29. Dennis Hauger, No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda (228.982 mph) 30. Jacob Abel, No. 51 Abel Motorsports Chevrolet (228.169 mph) Row 11 31. Sting Ray Robb, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet (226.572 mph) 32. Caio Collet, No. 4 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet 33. Jack Harvey, No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The NFL’s regular-season schedule is official. And it’s a behemoth, with 18 weeks of games — not including the postseason, or the three weeks of preseason, or the Hall of Fame Game. This season will feature games on every day of the week except Tuesday. It’s football all day and all night and at basically any moment you might want it. So let’s get into the nitty-gritty of this week’s activity — with some thoughts on the schedule and other NFL happenings. This is “Sound Smart,” where I try to spin forward, dive deeper and think outside the box. If I do my job, you’ll have a better understanding of what really happened over the past week of the NFL offseason. 1. IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE SCHEDULE, IT’S THAT …. You will have ample excuses to avoid your family during the holidays. Let the record show that I’m a big fan of hanging with the family during the months when you can build a fire, enjoy a warm drink, dim the lights and do your best (but inevitably fail) to avoid discussing politics. That said, I know the holidays aren’t everyone’s favorite time of year. And the NFL seems to know that, too. Because the league has made this year’s holiday slate impossible to avoid. The NFL has replaced small talk with ball talk. I have been as vocal as anyone that the NFL is in danger of oversaturation. But the only way the league could have delivered on this type of schedule — one with a game at all times over the holiday weekends — is if those games were appointment TV. And for the most part, that’s what the NFL plans to deliver. There’s no clearer example than the decision to put the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving night. That’s the type of game that the NFL usually places into a random Week 12 slate to give it some life. The Chiefs and Bills deliver incredible drama, time after time. By scheduling it at a time when everyone would have been watching anyway, the league delivered what is often the best game of the year — and in a window that’s likely to maximize viewership. This is all to say that I’m excited to enjoy (and enjoy covering) these games during the holidays. I’d be remiss not to mention that — with the NFL tossing all its logs on the fire during these holiday games — I also can’t help but wonder whether the slower parts of the season will feel especially slow this year. The NFL decided that there’s only one way to find out. 2. MONDAY MORNING CONTROVERSY As exceptional as Patrick Mahomes is, his ACL injury could keep the Chiefs out of the playoffs. I get that folks in Kansas City are saying that the three-time Super Bowl MVP is accelerating through his timeline in his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered in mid-December. I get that Mahomes is special, physically. I get that the Chiefs signed running back Kenneth Walker III, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, to take some of the offensive burden off Mahomes. That’s why many folks see the Chiefs making the playoffs. This is all good, in theory. But historically, it’s been hard for quarterbacks to make an immediate comeback from an ACL injury. And the left side of the Chiefs’ offensive line remains a question, with youngsters Josh Simmons (tackle) and Kingsley Suamataia (guard) yet to make the developmental leap. If the line can’t make the expected leap, then that’ll negatively impact Walker and Mahomes — which is to say that, like last year, that left side of the line could tank the whole offense. For the past few years, Mahomes was the No. 1, 2 and 3 reasons to believe in the Chiefs. But there’s a real chance he can’t be the same explosive playmaker until 2027. And in that case, the offense, which was 12th-worst in scoring last season, might not take the step forward that everyone expects. That’s why I don’t anticipate that the Chiefs will make the 2026 playoffs. Not right now. That could change if they dominate their first four games. They host the Denver Broncos in Week 1, then they have three fairly easy games: home against the Indianapolis Colts and on the road against the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders. If Mahomes can’t play in those first four weeks, then the Chiefs might be 2-2. Remember: They didn’t win a game without Mahomes last year — suffering losses to the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Broncos and Raiders. The Chiefs will go into their Week 5 bye primed to make a push for the playoffs — and they’ll need to be ready, because their schedule is grueling after that early bye. I’ll admit that Mahomes has a knack for remarkable achievements, which is why I understand why people are hesitant to doubt the Chiefs’ playoff chances. But it’s not coming from a logical place. This isn’t a come-from-behind victory where Mahomes can manage the clock and eke out the four points he needs for victory. This is an injury where doctors have as much control as Mahomes does. The healing process takes time. And if he can’t make it all the way back at a speed that few have accomplished, then the Chiefs won’t have the bounce-back season that everyone seems to assume is coming. 3. WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS AFRAID TO SAY The Saints could be an offensive juggernaut. Coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough kept getting better at the end of last season. After turning to the rookie Shough at midseason, the Saints didn’t exactly look like world-beaters, with a 5-4 record that included two wins against the playoff-bound Carolina Panthers — but two losses to the Atlanta Falcons. If you watched closely, however, New Orleans had a competence that I didn’t expect after its horrid first half of the season. It was clear the Saints were building something real in those final nine games. And it was also clear that Shough was winning over the building. Now, I’m not here to promise that Shough is going to be the team’s QB1 in 2027. He felt like a flier in the second round last year — almost a bridge quarterback, given his age, (lack of) upside and lengthy college experience. But I do think the Saints have set him up with every opportunity to succeed this year. And there is some increased urgency because, despite it being his second season, Shough will turn 27 in September. (He was in the same high school recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence!) Between that and Shough’s draft status as a second-rounder, the QB will have to turn things around quickly … or else. But the Saints have something impressive in place to avoid that “or else” outcome. Moore’s offense seems primed to put Shough into a point-guard role, where he can distribute to receivers Chris Olave and rookie Jordyn Tyson and tight ends Juwan Johnson and rookie Oscar Delp. The Saints signed free agent running back Travis Etienne to take over for aging veteran Alvin Kamara. New Orleans’ offensive line is solid and appears to be ascending, particularly at tackle where the Saints have two former first-rounders who went 14th or higher. There’s a lot to like, and normally, they’d be a plucky group of ruffians who enjoy an any-given-Sunday kind of season. But in the NFC South, the Saints can actually compete. The Falcons are talented but are undergoing a quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa?) and coaching change (Kevin Stefanski). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to be retooling after missing the playoffs. And the Panthers are building something compelling, but they have one of the league’s hardest schedules in 2026. The Saints will be fun. And the Saints have an easy schedule. I’m on board with them making the playoffs. 4. PEELING BACK THE CURTAIN The Steelers are doing … what … to Drew Allar? After Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp, there was serious discussion about how the Steelers are handling the former Penn State quarterback’s development. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that new head coach Mike McCarthy was “uninstalling everything [Allar has] learned and they’re re-uploading” a new system, methodology and set of mechanics. It’s an overhaul. That drew flippant remarks on social media and sports talk radio. The sentiment? Allar is doomed. Maybe. But it won’t be because of the comprehensive way McCarthy is approaching the third-round pick’s development. To the contrary, the overhaul is on par with what Allar appeared to need before the draft. “We’re teaching him different than the way he’s played before. He hasn’t spent a lot of time under center,” McCarthy told reporters during rookie minicamp on May 9. “He’s a run-and-shoot guy in high school. He’s played from nine yards deep. So, there’s just a lot of newness to him.” McCarthy added about Allar “He made a very good first impression.” Allar was trending toward being a first-round pick when he ended the 2024 college season. But his 2025 season derailed his prospects, in part because the Penn State offense began to demand more of him. He couldn’t seem to handle that load. That doesn’t bode well for a guy who will have to do even more in the NFL. But it doesn’t make him hopeless. It’s, frankly, common for a player with Allar’s tools to slip into Day 2. Those types of quarterbacks only slip if they have fundamental issues with their footwork, throwing motion and decision-making. They only slip if they’re a major developmental undertaking. Look at Will Levis, Malik Willis, Drew Lock and Colin Kaepernick. Different players. Similar problems. Different careers. That’s why there’s really no reason for concern when listening to McCarthy’s take on Allar. “Everybody teaches footwork a little differently. Everybody has a system of offense and how you tie your quarterback, particularly in the pass game, to that. There’s a lot of work there [for Allar],” McCarthy said. “We’re able to adjust some fundamentals that we think will help him.” When the Steelers drafted Allar, I hoped they would do so with a vision for him playing in 2027 or 2028 — and not in 2026. Now that starting QB Aaron Rodgers has finally decided to return, that might be possible. This is exactly what Allar needs. McCarthy knows what he’s doing. The Steelers have a plan. And even though it’ll inevitably involve more Rodgers-created drama, I like the timeline of what they have. At age 42, Rodgers might be trending downward, but he can start for at least one more season. That’ll give the Steelers a solid year to see if Allar is making the necessary progress behind the scenes. And if Pittsburgh doesn’t think Allar is ready in 2027, the Steelers can either draft a quarterback in Round 1 or pursue their options in free agency. Would I have preferred they go after Malik Willis in free agency this year? Absolutely. Or Kyler Murray? Also, yes. But once those ships sailed — Willis signed with the Dolphins and Murray with the Minnesota Vikings — this plan made enough sense to pursue. And above all, the approach with Allar looks sound.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The NASCAR All-Star Race was won by one of the favorites. But how it would unfold few could predict, as Denny Hamlin triumphed to capture the $1 million prize. From a fiery crash for Ryan Preece on the opening lap to a handful of wrecks that knocked some of the potential contenders out of the race before the main segment, the first All-Star Race at Dover had its moments. “Overall, this is a typical All-Star Race when that stuff happens,” Hamlin said in his FOX interview after the race. “I just knew the game changer for us was long runs and obviously the ability to pass when we were behind someone.” Here are my takeaways: 1. Hamlin Proves Triumphant Hamlin won the All-Star Race for the second time in his career and first in 11 years. He was dominant, withstanding a challenge by Joe Gbibs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe during the final stage. He led 103 of the 350 laps, including the final 30. It won’t count in his career victory total (he has 61 points wins), but it is another testament to Hamlin’s ability. “If we’re going to a track that turns left, I expect to win every single week,” Hamlin said in his post-race news conference. “This is just very unique, especially in the era where all the cars are so similar, and I’m racing guys that have all my information. They see my setups, things like that, and I still can get it done in the end.” 2. Preece’s Scary, Short Day Preece blamed himself for the wreck on the first lap, where he and Kyle Larson had contact. The rear of Preece’s car erupted in flames, and Preece calmly got out of his car. “I’m fine,” Preece said in his FOX interview after exiting the medical center. “If it was my fault, I’m sorry. A tough way not to finish a race on Lap 1.” 3. Format Will Get Scrutiny With the All-Star Race going to Dover, the concern for track officials was that their fans were used to seeing the stars run for 400 laps. So only giving them half of that didn’t sit well. So a format was devised where the event would be 350 laps broken into segments of 75, 75 and 200 with the field reduced from 36 to 26 after the first two segments. Race winners from 2025 and 2026 and past champions were guaranteed to be in the final segment. But then Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott didn’t even make it to the final segment as they were knocked out early. “First thing is let’s give Dover their points race back, and then let’s figure out where we’re going to go, and then figure out the format,” Hamlin said. 4. Big Run For Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones finished third. And while this was an exhibition event, it was a solid day for a driver who had to race his way into the final segment. “We’ve been pretty bad at Dover the last handful of years, so I know it is a little bit of a unique deal, but a great run,” Jones said after the race, according to a Toyota release. Jones is 25th in the series standings. 4 ½. What’s Next The longest race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule awaits as the traditional 600-mile race in Charlotte will cap the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. At least the All-Star Race got drivers ready for a long event but certainly a more straight-forward event. It is also one of the most important races because it has an additional stage. There will be four stages of 100 laps each on the 1.5-mile oval.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.) — Yes, again. Alex Palou, the defending Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time INDYCAR champion who seems to win all the big events these days in INDYCAR, captured the Indy 500 pole Sunday. No surprise there. Unless you’re Alex Palou. “Very surprised,” Palou said in his news conference after winning his second career Indy 500 pole. “We did not have the speed. Even on Fast Friday [practice two days ago], we tried and tried and tried to get more speed. It was OK.” It certainly was more than OK on Sunday when it counted most. Here are my takeaways: 1. Rosenqvist disappointment Felix Rosenqvist posted the fastest four-lap qualifying run of the day at 232.599 mph. But that came in the top-12 session that determined the six drivers who competed for the pole. Rosenqvist could only muster a four-lap average of 231.375 mph in the Fast Six round, while Palou posted a qualifying speed of 232.248 mph, followed by Alexander Rossi (231.990) and David Malukas (231.877). Rosenqvist had been fastest in early rounds in past years at Indy, and this one was just another disappointment for the Meyer Shank Racing driver. “I’ve been so close so many times so it’s kind of annoying that I am not able to do it,” Rosenqvist said told me after his run. “At least I did the run I could with what we had. There was not much more in it.” 2. Notable Qualifiers No one expected pole-winning runs from Mick Schumacher and Katherine Legge. But there were plenty of eyes on each of them in their qualifying runs. Schumacher, the former F1 driver and son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, will start 28th in his first Indy 500 as a rookie at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “Overall, it’s been great,” Schumacher told me and other reporters after his laps. “It’s been step by step, and that’s what you want you really want out here. You want to build the confidence. … Unfortunately, we didn’t quite hit the [fast] window here.” Legge will start 27th as she attempts to do the Indy 500-Coke 600 double next Sunday. “The team has done a phenomenal job getting me a car that is fast and comfortable in normal conditions,” Legge told me and other reporters after getting out of her HMD Motorsports car that is being fielded as part of a partnership with A.J. Foyt Racing. “I feel we’ll have a really solid race car.” 3. Rossi Quietly Confident When Alexander Rossi talks about his victory in the 2016 Indianapolis 500, he indicates that he plans that it won’t be his only win in the race. The ECR Racing driver will start second next Sunday, and has had a quiet confidence about him all week, even though he had an engine expire earlier in the week in practice. [INDY 500 HISTORY: Counting Down The 10 Best Finishes Ever] “This year has been a little bit of failed to meet expectations in some areas and exceeded in others, but internally we’re performing at a much higher level and doing a better job than we were last year,” Rossi said in his post-qualifying news conference. 4. No crashes? INDYCAR drivers made it through four days of practice and a full qualifying day without anyone having to go to the infield medical center because of a crash. It is rare to go a full week without having at least one car significantly damaged. “This whole grid is pretty damn good, man,” Santino Ferrucci told me after he qualified fifth for the Indy 500. “You’re seeing a lot of wheeling out there.” Rossi said it certainly isn’t because the cars are less than a handful. “It’s not easier, I can promise you that,” Rossi said. “That was one of the harder qualifying days I’ve had around here.” 4 ½. What’s Next? INDYCAR teams get two hours to practice Monday and then get a final two-hour practice Friday (Carb Day) before the race Sunday. The Friday slate includes a concert and the Wienie 500. Many of the drivers who were happy with their cars in practice in race trim will be glad to back to where they have speed. Teams get extra boost for qualifying, and that seemed to upset many of the cars, including that of two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden, who will start 24th. “I could tell from the beginning of the week [qualifying would not be good],” Newgarden told me and other reporters after his laps. “You know very early at this place. Race trim will be a different conversation.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

CITI FIELD (New York) – The Mets entered the Subway Series red-hot, on the heels of sweeping the Detroit Tigers at home. Meanwhile, the Yankees slumped into the weekend having lost five of their last six games. It was a scenario that, just a few weeks ago, would have seemed preposterous. The tables had turned, and it created a buzz. During a warm and sun-splashed weekend that finally felt like summer was around the corner, fans with different New York alliances traveled to Flushing and packed out the stadium every day of the three-game series. The atmosphere was charged. The stakes felt high. The drama was waiting to unfold. In the end, it was the Mets, the team with one of the worst records in baseball, that stunned the Yankees, the club that’s built to go to the World Series again. The Mets took two out of the three games, winning the first meeting of the season between the longtime crosstown rivals. Here are my takeaways: 1. Worst Gut Punch In A Season Full Of ‘Em Out of all the comebackers that could’ve hurt the Mets, this one burned like no other. Mets right-hander Clay Holmes absorbed a 111 mph line drive off the bat of Yankees rookie slugger Spencer Jones in the fourth inning of Friday’s series opener. It bounced off Holmes’ right leg and broke his fibula. He is expected to pitch again this season, but not for a very long time. A best-case scenario includes Holmes returning to the mound sometime around August. After Friday’s game, a 4-0 loss to their crosstown rivals, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza looked devastated. Reliever-turned-starter Holmes entered his Subway Series outing representing the Mets’ most consistent and dominant arm in their rotation. He carried a 1.86 ERA into his ninth start of the year before what he termed “a freak accident” derailed his season. As long as Holmes was churning out ace-level performances every five days, the Mets liked their chances of climbing up the NL East standings. But, without him? This was the toughest gut punch in a season full of them. “It’s tough. Clay is a guy who shows up every day. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve seen in my career,” Juan Soto said on Friday. “It’s really sad what happened to him. We’re going to support him in any kind of way that he needs us. But it just sucks.” The Mets are without Francisco Lindor (calf strain), Francisco Alvarez (torn meniscus), Jorge Polanco (Achilles), Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation), and Ronny Maricio (thumb fracture) for the foreseeable future. None of those position players have a definitive timeline to return. And yet, Holmes’ injury hit the Mets clubhouse the hardest, Mendoza said. On the heels of yet another lifeless loss, it seemed like the final nail in the coffin for their playoff hopes. The best thing about hitting rock bottom? The Mets were left with a blank slate. Even though it’s brutal, the only place to go was up. The only thing left to do was start over. 2. Mets Bullpen Then Shines In An Inspiring Win After deep devastation came a reason for celebration. The Mets showed up to Citi Field on Saturday with a vengeance, refusing to let Holmes’ injury sabotage their season even if it thwarted his. The Mets lineup rallied against the Yankees pitching staff and jumped ahead for a two-run lead that the Bronx Bombers were threatening to erase in the seventh inning. The Yankees loaded the bases with nobody out, thanks in part to a dropped ball from Mets rookie right fielder Carson Benge, when Mendoza turned to his eccentric setup man in the bullpen. Entering an impossible situation, Luke Weaver somehow pulled off the unimaginable against his former team. The wiry right-hander punched out his first two batters, then induced a groundout to end the inning with no runs crossing the plate. Weaver got it all done in just 11 pitches, so the Mets asked him for more. He came back out for the eighth, this time against the top of the Yankees order, and again he faced the minimum. Weaver delivered six king-sized outs for the Mets in a difficult spot. So, of course, he smirked as he walked off the mound. In the dugout after, Soto told Weaver he’s a unicorn. “You feel like there’s a little bit of an injury bug that we’ve had, and it feels never ending sometimes, especially in the midst of what’s going on with us this year,” Weaver said on Saturday. “But it’s games like tonight where every day is an opportunity to hit the refresh button.” Closer Devin Williams, another former Yankee, picked up some of Weaver’s leftover magic when he took the mound in the ninth inning. Trailing by three runs, Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger battled Williams but eventually whiffed on the sixth pitch of the at-bat. Williams followed up his toughest matchup by retiring his final two batters with ease, securing his sixth save of the season. After some inconsistency in their first few weeks as Mets, Weaver and Williams have bounced back so far this month. Williams has not allowed a run in his last 8.2 innings pitched (nine relief appearances). He’s given up just one hit and two walks in that stretch, while recording four saves. Weaver, too, has not allowed a run in his last 7.1 innings pitched (six relief appearances) with 11 strikeouts in that span. 3. Rodon’s Outing Was Bad News For Yankees’ Fried-less Rotation The Yankees avoided the worst when they learned on Friday that Max Fried’s elbow pain was due to a bone bruise. The left-hander won’t need surgery, and in a few weeks the team will re-evaluate whether Fried can resume throwing. In the meantime, the rest of the rotation has some very big shoes to fill. After Cam Schlitter, Fried was their best starter on the staff, helping the Yankees stay afloat until ace Gerrit Cole and southpaw Carlos Rodon returned from their respective injuries. Cole is one or two more rehab outings away from returning to the Yankees rotation for the first time since 2024. And now with Fried down for a while, there is more pressure on Rodon to perform like the 2025 version of himself, when he delivered an All-Star season and finished sixth in American League Cy Young award voting. But Rodon didn’t even make it through the fourth inning against the Mets on Saturday, which was his second start of the season since completing his rehab from left elbow surgery. He lacked command all night, eventually throwing a wild pitch that allowed the Mets to take the lead. Rodon’s erratic performance arrived at the worst time. The Yankees need him to settle in and find consistency as the No. 2 starter in the rotation now, particularly because Fried was a workhorse that saved manager Aaron Boone from having to overuse his bullpen. “I’m never going to make an excuse,” Rodon said on Saturday. “I think I should be dialed in right now. It’s frustrating.” Given what’s left of New York’s rotation — Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, Elmer Rodriguez, Schlittler, and Rodon — it’s fair to question whether this staff will be able to maintain its strong season. Yankees starters possess the second-best ERA in the AL, and it will be an uphill climb to try and keep it that way. 4. Extra-Innings Drama Returns To Subway Series After the Mets rallied for a victory on Saturday, the Subway Series finale on Sunday afternoon became an intense rubber match. The crosstown rivals were tied at 1-1 through five innings until the Bronx Bombers put up a four-run rally on Mets starter-turned-reliever Sean Manaea in the sixth inning. Boone had emptied his entire bench heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. Then he went to his closer, David Bednar, trusting him to deliver a Yankees win. They were one out away from him doing just that when Tyrone Taylor had other plans on his mind. Taylor, the Mets’ fourth outfielder, executed the swing of his life — slugging a game-tying three-run home run off Bednar to resurrect the Mets back from the dead. He tied the game at 6-6, sending it to extra innings, as Citi Field went berserk. Williams took care of the Yankees again in the top of the 10th inning, expertly stranding the ghost runner at third base before Benge walked it off for the Mets in the bottom of the frame. “Bummed out to happy,” Taylor said of his emotions at the plate on Sunday. “Hitting’s contagious.” Boone seemed to panic throughout the series finale, over-managing with pinch-hitters early and often until there was no one left to do damage when the Yankees needed it in the 10th. Taylor and the Mets, meanwhile, kept the faith. In the fifth, Taylor came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and ripped a liner that had an expected batting average of .680 to center field, where Spencer Jones made a terrific diving catch to take away an extra base hit. Again, Taylor ran into an unlucky out in the seventh inning on a lineout to left. In the dugout, his Mets teammates encouraged Taylor to keep swinging. When he finally did, he hit the ball so far that no Yankees fielder would get in his way. “I blacked out for him,” Benge said of Taylor’s at-bat on Sunday. “Hopefully we can get our at-bats going. Our arms are shoving. We’re trending in the right direction.” 4 ½. What’s Next? The Bronx Bombers’ ugly road trip has mercifully reached an end. The Yankees went 2-7 against the Brewers, Orioles and Mets — their first spell of true adversity in what has otherwise been a terrific start to the year. They go home to host the division-rival Blue Jays on Monday. The four-game series is their first meeting against Toronto since the Blue Jays eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs last October. The Mets will try to keep the good times rolling on a quick road trip that holds the best opportunity yet to change the course of their season. Beginning Monday, they face the Nationals and Marlins, also known as the two teams that are ahead of the Mets in the NL East standings. If they can stack up more wins on the road, the Mets have a chance to jump from last place to third in the division. The Yankees (28-19) and Mets (20-26) will meet again on Sept. 11 in the Bronx. Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Who’s $1 million richer after Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race? Sunday’s All-Star race — a 400-lap exhibition event at Dover Motor Speedway’s one-mile track — didn’t disappoint, was filled with action and delivered a two-time All-Star Race winner. Let’s break down what happened at the Monster Mile after a chaotic start and long green-flag runs. The Winner Is… Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag at the Monster Mile track on Sunday, beating out Chase Briscoe by 0.887 seconds to win the exhibition race. Erik Jones, Austin Dillon and Connor Zilisch rounded out the top-5 finishers. How The Race Was Won Denny Hamlin had, by far, the most dominant car at Dover on Sunday, leading 103 laps after starting up front for both the first and final race segments. Pushing hard against Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, Hamlin passed Briscoe for the lead on Lap 322 and never relinquished it.Although it’s a NASCAR Cup Series exhibition event, this is Hamlin’s second victory of the 2026 season after he won the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway back in March. One Big Moment The NASCAR All-Star Race got off to a dangerous start on Sunday afternoon when a multi-car crash erupted on the second lap of the exhibition race. Approximately nine cars were collected in the frontstretch wreck, which caused Ryan Preece’s car to burst into flames. Preece is, thankfully, OK, but it was a scary scene. Top-10 Results 1. Denny Hamlin2. Chase Briscoe3. Erik Jones4. Austin Dillon5. Connor Zilisch6. Austin Cindric7. William Byron8. Michael McDowell9. Alex Bowman10. Brad Keselowski What’s Next? Next weekend is NASCAR’s next crown-jewel race with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday. One of the biggest stories headed into NASCAR’s longest race is Katherine Legge, who will attempt the Memorial Day Double and try to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. It’s a logistical challenge, and Tony Stewart remains the only driver to finish all 1,100 miles.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Alex Palou just keeps finding ways to make history, and this time he did it during qualifying. Sunday was all about the speed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and with the fastest qualifying performance, Palou won the pole for the 2026 Indianapolis 500 and will lead the 33-car field to green next Sunday (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX). Palou is now the first defending Indy 500 champion to win the pole for the following year’s race since Hélio Castroneves did it in 2010. This is Palou’s second Indy 500 pole after also winning it in 2023. On the iconic 2.5-mile track, Palou put up a four-lap average speed of 232.248 miles per hour to win the pole, edging out Alexander Rossi and David Malukas, who will join him on the front row at the start of the Indy 500. But there was a ton of on-track action Sunday — especially after bad weather forced the Saturday session of qualifying for the Indy 500 to be postponed a day — to determine the Indy 500 starting order for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. There were three qualifying sessions, the first of which determined the starting order for positions 13-33. Then there was the Fast 12 Shootout, followed by the Fast Six for the pole. Here’s a look at the results from Indy 500 qualifying and the race’s starting lineup with each driver’s four-lap average speed. 1. Alex Palou (232.248 mph) 2. Alexander Rossi (231.990 mph) 3. David Malukas (231.877 mph) 4. Felix Rosenqvist (231.375 mph) 5. Santino Ferrucci (230.846 mph) 6. Pato O’Ward (230.442 mph) 7. Kyffin Simpson (230.883 mph) 8. Conor Daly (230.712 mph) 9. Scott McLaughlin (230.577 mph) 10. Caio Collet (230.539 mph) 11. Scott Dixon (230.347 mph) 12. Rinus Veekay (229.585 mph) 13. Takuma Sato (230.995 mph) 14. Ed Carpenter (230.829 mph) 15. Hélio Castroneves (230.811 mph) 16. Christian Rasmussen (230.705 mph) 17. Marcus Armstrong (230.701 mph) 18. Marcus Ericsson (230.667 mph) 19. Christian Lundgaard (230.661 mph) 20. Will Power (230.279 mph) 21. Nolan Siegel (230.213 mph) 22. Louis Foster (230.212 mph) 23. Ryan Hunter-Reay (230.202 mph) 24. Josef Newgarden (230.165 mph) 25. Romain Grosjean (229.791 mph) 26. Kyle Kirkwood (229.607 mph) 27. Katherine Legge (229.456 mph) 28. Mick Schumacher (229.450 mph) 29. Jack Harvey (229.207 mph) 30. Graham Rahal (229.017 mph) 31. Dennis Hauger (228.982 mph) 32. Jacob Abel (228.169 mph) 33. Sting Ray Robb (226.572 mph)​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports