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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — In terms of career NFL starts, the Miami Dolphins’ Malik Willis will likely be the least experienced Week 1 starting quarterback in the league. Willis is 27, with four years of NFL experience under his belt. But starts? He has only six, fewer than all of last year’s notable rookies — fewer than the Tennessee Titans’ Cam Ward, fewer than the New York Giants’ Jaxson Dart and fewer than the New York Saints’ Tyler Shough. He’s thrown all of 155 career passes, which is fewer than both Cleveland Browns rookie quarterbacks last year in Shedeur Sanders (212) and Dillon Gabriel (185). And yet Willis is the quarterback the Dolphins will build around this season, having signed him to a three-year, $67 million contract that includes $45 million guaranteed. It’s a low number by today’s gaudy quarterback contract standards, but it represents a significant investment as Miami begins a franchise rebuild with a new general manager and new head coach. That coach, Jeff Hafley, spent the last two years with Willis in Green Bay, seeing him in practice every day and seeing the potential of a former third-round draft pick who learned on the sidelines, under Mike Vrabel in Tennessee before going to the Packers. “He’s become very confident, more consistent,” Hafley said before a joint practice with the Giants last week. “He’s taking care of the football. He’s getting rid of the ball on time. He’s playing in the pocket, but now, what he’s starting to do is, as it gets closer, he’s starting to use his legs not just to run the ball, but to step up, escape, make some throws down the field, or take off or extend plays.” Hafley wanted to test his quarterback in practice one day last week, surprising him with pressure in a walkthrough, just to see how he’d handle it without warning. “I thought we had him,” Hafley said. “I was like, ‘All right, we got him.’ They’re not going to block him. And it was really cool. For the first time, I saw him; he kind of baited it, because it was to his blindside. He kind of baited him, saw him and then spun out and ran and threw a touchdown. And I was angry, because I’m the one who made the call. But I was really happy because I looked at him and kind of smirked. I was like, ‘I’ve got no answer for that.’ So he’s starting to play the game a little bit, more rather than just practice.” Being a starting quarterback carries an expectation of leadership, and that is new for Willis, long accustomed to being a backup and needing an injury or illness to get on the field. How do you command authority from a locker room full of new teammates who have yet to take the field with you in a real game? You go to work every day and show them how you prepare yourself. “He has been amazing,” veteran Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler said. “Just coming in here, hitting full stride, the energy, the great attitude he brings to the facility, the respect towards everyone in the building. The players cling to that and roll with that. Everyone’s just firing on all cylinders. Seeing us grow as a team, seeing him grow as a quarterback to get more and more comfortable each day, it’s been incredible.” It could be a long year ahead for Willis and certainly for the Dolphins. The oddsmakers have their season win total at 4.5 wins — only the Arizona Cardinals have lower expectations — and Miami went 7-10 last year, so some kind of regression is a foregone conclusion. With that in mind, Willis’ challenge in his first full year as an NFL starter is to show enough to convince the Dolphins that they don’t need to use a high first-round pick on a quarterback from a deep and talented group of 2027 prospects. If Willis can sell Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan that the quarterback of their present should be the quarterback of their future, then that same high draft pick could be used on a player to help him, like Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who was born in Miami Gardens and went to high school down the road in Hollywood. In his first few months in Miami, Willis has shown good instincts as a quarterback. He led voluntary workouts with receivers during downtime to build chemistry with them, and he’s using a helmet-mounted GoPro camera in practice to show where he’s looking and how he’s progressing through his reads during a play, reviewing reps from his own perspective in addition to normal cutups. A starting quarterback gets the largest share of practice reps, so he’s savoring the chance to develop and grow faster than at any point in his career. A joint practice with the New York Giants last week, facing one of the league’s most athletic front sevens, was a chance for the Dolphins to test themselves against outside competition, even if it was humbling at times. “Playing football is still fun. It’s still awesome to go out there and compete and see different looks and get to play against guys you haven’t been going against every day,” Willis said. “We got lucky enough to get a few different style defenses. Obviously, there’s different style defenses throughout the league and we hit more than our share of different types and we can see how we want to try to attack that when we get into the season. I think that was awesome.” Miami has as anonymous a receiving corps as you’ll find in the NFL, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle gone and replaced by the likes of Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert. The group became even more anonymous when the Dolphins traded Tutu Atwell to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday. Part of Willis’ job is improving the people around him, and first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has been most pleased by how well he’s taken to that aspect of quarterbacking. “He’s been great on the field, and he’s just consistently gotten better in everything that we’re doing,” Slowik said. “And really there’s a lot that goes along with the quarterback position. You’ve got to handle yourself, you’ve got to handle the huddle, you’ve got to handle the guys around you, you’ve got to make sure that you’re on your stuff, to make sure they’re on their stuff. You’ve got to help guys out post-huddle. There’s just a lot of things that naturally come with the position that he handles with ease really. So that’s been pretty awesome to see. And just to see his continued improvement every day within what we’re doing has been fun.” There were glimpses of promise with Willis last year. He came off the bench to replace an injured Jordan Love and held his own against the Bears, going 9 of 11 for 121 yards and a touchdown and taking the game to overtime before Chicago prevailed. His lone start a week later was a loss to the Ravens, but he went 18 of 21 for 288 yards and one touchdown, rushing for another 60 yards and two more scores. It’s a small sample, but he’s completed 79% of his passes in the last two years. Nobody else with at least 50 passes is higher than 72%. Willis will have a chance to prove himself on a much larger scale this season, trying to find success leading a team expected to have very little of that. Hafley sees steady growth in his quarterback, with the hopes that will continue throughout the season. “Can he take another step?” Hafley said of his expectations in preseason. “Can he take another step with the playbook? Can he take another step with the execution? Can he take another step as the leader of the offense? And then can he start to become a leader of the entire team? … I think he’s a guy that has gotten better every single day, and he’s just been unfazed. He’s the same person. You can’t rattle him, I’m pleased with where he’s at. I think it will be a work in progress for the rest of camp, but I’m excited where he’s at.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES — As reporters shuffled to the back of the Dodgers’ clubhouse to swarm Kyle Tucker after the beleaguered right fielder snapped an 0-for-26 hitless skid at home with a go-ahead single last Saturday, one of Tucker’s teammates chimed in one locker away. “First hit in three homestands!” Miguel Rojas teased loudly with a grin across his face. “Look what happens when you get a hit!” Tucker took the razzing in stride. He knew it was an example of Rojas, one of the veteran leaders in the Dodgers’ clubhouse, trying to provide some levity and a reason to laugh amid a dreadful start to the four-time All-Star’s first season in Los Angeles. On the “On Base with Mookie Betts” podcast, Betts described Rojas as “the person that can really talk to [Tucker] and level with him and kind of keep him going.” Ultimately, Rojas believes the more comfortable he and his teammates can make Tucker feel, the better Tucker will play. Rojas is still figuring out the best way to do that, as he tries to get to know the taciturn outfielder. “For Kyle, it’s a little bit different because he’s a superstar,” Rojas told me. “He needs to be open to accept anything from his teammates, kind of be open to learning new people, but I think our job as teammates in the clubhouse is to take the time to learn him — see what he’s like, what he likes to do — to kind of free him up on the field.” One activity Tucker enjoys, Rojas has discovered, is playing cards. So, Rojas recently taught Tucker a Venezuelan card game, which they’ve been playing in the Dodgers’ clubhouse. Rojas has only played sparingly, but he knows if he can play even a small part in helping get Tucker going, he will have found a way to help his team. “We’ve had conversations to try to make him feel better and unlock his potential out there,” Rojas said. “There’s a lot of pressure because of the expectations: ‘Oh, yeah, we brought you here because we need you to win another championship,’ all that kind of creates a lot of stress. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to let the guy kind of feel good and feel comfortable around you. Sometimes, you have to wait for him to come to you.” Tucker’s four-year, $240 million deal seemed like an excessive luxury that would turn an already loaded Dodgers roster coming off back-to-back World Series championships into an indomitable force. Instead, at least to this point, it has been a detriment. Tucker, who produced an OPS over .800 in each of his last seven seasons, entered Wednesday with a .687 mark. He’s on track to hit below league average for the first time since he was a 21-year-old rookie in 2018, when he played in only 28 games. Most of Tucker’s struggles have come at Dodger Stadium, and neither Tucker nor the Dodgers can figure out how or why he has produced the lowest OPS at home of any qualified hitter in the sport. He also hasn’t helped his cause as a baserunner or in the outfield, where he’s producing his worst defensive season by most metrics. “He’s going through a lot,” Rojas said, “because he really wants to perform.” The lowest point of Tucker’s worst season came a couple of weeks ago. He was given a Saturday off at home against Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski after Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sensed that his right fielder’s frustrations were starting to bleed into his production. Tucker returned to the lineup the next day, then concluded an 0-for-19 homestand by dropping a fly ball at the wall. The defensive blunder was met by boos as the Dodgers lost the game and the season series to the Brewers. One day later, Tucker went 0-for-5 in Colorado. During the loss, he hesitantly attempted to catch a routine fly ball near his ankles. The ball popped out of his glove. “That ball that drops there, that’s because of confidence and feeling the pressure of what’s been going on,” Rojas said. “It’s not because of his ability to catch a fly ball, you know?” Tucker maintained that he felt fine — that he was “all right” and “all good” — even as the results and his body language painted a different picture. But when asked last weekend if this year has been hard on him mentally, he took a long pause before responding. The lull said more than the words that followed, though he did acknowledge the reality. “I mean, it’s been a struggle in the sense that I’d like to help our team win and perform better for the guys in the clubhouse and the fans that come to the games,” Tucker said. “In that aspect, I wish I would’ve done better this year.” Of course, the year is not done. Tucker’s struggles have not sunk the Dodgers, who entered Wednesday with a 9.5-game lead in the division and the second-best record in the sport. And as poorly he has played to this point, Tucker’s performance in October will ultimately trump anything that has happened to this point. So, instead of harping on what has already transpired, Tucker is trying to focus on what remains possible. “We’ve still got a month and a half left and the playoffs coming up,” Tucker said. “So, it’s not over yet.” His teammates and coaches have helped him foster that positive mindset, trying to remain upbeat and optimistic. Last Friday, for example, Roberts claimed that Tucker had “turned a corner,” despite the right fielder coming off a mediocre 3-for-14 series in Colorado. “Mentally and emotionally, I think that he’s freed up,” Roberts explained. “We’re in a fight, and I think that he understands that there’s no other alternative but to keep going forward. We’ve just got to get through this together.” As the season has progressed, Roberts believes he has built enough trust with Tucker that he can start to press the first-year Dodger to be more proactive. “Really challenging him to push himself, to be uncomfortable, to get out of his comfort zone, all the while supporting him,” Roberts told me. “That goes to his work, his preparation, the conversations I’m pushing him to have with other people that he might not be used to doing.” In an effort to find a spark, Roberts encouraged Tucker to switch up his routine. One change came last Friday, when Tucker, who typically only hits in the indoor cage before games, decided to take batting practice on the field. That night, the fans at Dodger Stadium tried to provide a lift, too, giving Tucker an ovation before his first at-bat to start the homestand. It did not produce the intended result, as Tucker went 0-for-4 with a walk in the game. He finished that series against the Pirates just 2-for-11, though his hit Saturday proved to be the game winner. He also reached base twice on Sunday, but he has followed that up with a 1-for-9 start to the Dodgers’ road trip. His OPS (.680) is now the lowest it has been since April 22. It’s hardly the kind of production the Dodgers expected when they gave him a contract with the highest present-day average annual value in baseball history when accounting for deferrals. But if Tucker can find a way to right the ship over the next two months, his first four will be forgiven. “He’s going to help us win a championship,” Roberts told me, “and it’s my job to make sure that he doesn’t lose that confidence.” Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We can’t predict the future, neither can you, and in a sport like college football, chaos, upsets and endless debates are pretty much the only guarantees. But looking ahead to the 2026 college football season, we had to throw down some predictions. From the 12-team College Football Playoff field and the 2026 national champion to coaches’ projections with their new teams and Heisman Trophy finalists, we’re breaking down our bold predictions. Some may come to fruition, and some may not be quite right come January, but this is how we see the season unfolding. So as FOX Sports’ college football experts, here are our 12 bold predictions for the 2026 season. Perhaps my Bloomington roots are showing, but I’m shocked at how much it feels like the defending national champs aren’t being taken seriously to repeat as Big Ten champions. Quarterback is a real question, albeit Josh Hoover has all the experience you could want in someone taking over for a Heisman winner. The defense will be as good as any in the country again and if things click under center, I like the Hoosiers to push Ohio State and Oregon for the Big Ten title. One other note that hasn’t been discussed enough — Cignetti brings back nine of his 10 on-field assistants from last year’s squad. That’s not nothing. — Ben Portnoy In my Ultimate 138 CFB Rankings, I put North Dakota State just out of my initial top 25, and that piqued the interest of many. It might shock you that I believe the Bison will not only enter FBS and be immediately competitive but the best Group of Six team in the sport. In the eyes of the committee, that’s what they’ll have to achieve to make the College Football Playoff this season. As the rules state, only the highest-ranked Group of Six program will be rewarded with a spot in the CFP — regardless of whether that team won its conference title. After announcing their move to FBS earlier this year, I asked Bison coach Tim Polasek a pointed question. “Do you think your team is capable of competing for the College Football Playoff?” I asked. “I think I like our team,” Polasek told me. “We’re going to have some learning and growing to do about our opponents, but I really like our process, the year-round work that we do and how we practice. Those things position us to be very competitive in every game. And if you happen to knock them down one at a time, there’s no reason North Dakota State can’t be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.” — RJ Young After getting off to a rough start in his first year as the Longhorns starting quarterback — who wouldn’t be impacted by all that national hype and expectations? — Arch Manning will look like the five-star talent everyone has been waiting for. He gave us a taste toward the end of last season, especially against Texas A&M and Michigan, but this season he’ll find that next level. Texas has one of the more challenging schedules in the country, but Manning’s leadership and growth will have the Longhorns poised for a national championship run. — Laken Litman When discussing his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy during an interview at Big Ten Media Days last month, Smith told reporters the only way for a player at his position to accomplish that feat is if the production mimics that of former Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who caught 117 passes for a staggering 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2020. There’s an opportunity for Smith to approach that kind of output in a receiving corps lacking proven targets behind him now that Carnell Tate is playing in the NFL. Only one receiver in college football history has eclipsed 2,000 yards in a season: Trevor Insley of Nevada in 1999. It’s time for Smith to push for that milestone. — Michael Cohen Despite all the hoopla surrounding Lane Kiffin — the latest being LSU recruiting tight end Dae’Quan Wright after he was waived by the Cleveland Browns — the Tigers will make the CFP for the first time since the 2019 season when they won the national championship. And in doing so, Kiffin will remind the college football world just how good of a coach he truly is. — Laken Litman Realize Miami, Notre Dame, Washington and TCU combine for three more national title game appearances since 2022 than the SEC. Realize the SEC champion hasn’t reached the national title game since 2022. Realize that Mario Cristobal is 5-1 against the SEC at Miami and won his last five in a row against the league where “it just means more.” Finally, realize the Big Ten has seen a member win the last three national titles and is poised to pull off a feat that only the SEC has in CFP era: feature two members from its own league in the national title game if the rankings hold true. From Ohio State to Oregon to Indiana, there’s every reason to believe the Big Ten can increase its streak to four. But how devastating will it be to fans of the SEC if it goes 0-for-4 in national title game appearances in the same timeframe? I’d like to find out. — RJ Young Lincoln Riley has signaled he believes this might be his best Trojans’ team. A large part of his confidence centers on alignment between himself, athletics director and president at USC. He learned the value of that alignment while at Oklahoma, and has developed it at USC. He also returns a starting quarterback, in Jayden Maiava, who can lead USC past good opponents, and a pair of running backs he believes can be as productive as Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine were on his Oklahoma teams. He brought in a College Football Hall of Fame coach as his defensive coordinator in Gary Patterson. All of this has turned me into a believer in the 2026 Trojans. — RJ Young I picked Miami quarterback Darian Mensah to take home the hardware, but the receiver class could steal the headlines in this year’s Heisman campaign. Cam Coleman is the type of freak athlete that could find his way into the mix if the Longhorns live up to their billing. Jeremiah Smith is, well, Jeremiah Smith, and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t lead the Buckeyes and the Big Ten in receiving this year. Malachi Toney, too, will likely get some consideration if Miami is as good as advertised. What about tailbacks Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss) or Jadan Baugh (Florida)? Or, let’s get weird and see Navy quarterback Braxton Woodson in the mix. Bring it on. — Ben Portnoy The James Franklin era begins at Virginia Tech. The Hokies went 3-9 last year, but Franklin has brought in a strong transfer class, which includes former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who earned valuable experience when he replaced an injured Drew Allar last season. The Hokies have road games at Clemson, SMU and Miami and will win at least one of those, while Franklin’s former employer, Penn State, will struggle in its three toughest games against USC, Michigan and Washington. — Laken Litman DeBoer was arguably the hottest name on the coaching carousel following two incredible seasons at Washington, which ended with a national championship game appearance in 2023. Since then, though, he’s lost four games in each of his first two years at Alabama — a far cry from the impossible standard set by predecessor Nick Saban — including four defeats to unranked opponents. That’s the same number of unranked losses that Saban suffered in 17 years with the Crimson Tide. And while DeBoer signed a new seven-year contract in April that will pay him an average of $12.5 million per season, his buyout of $10 million might be worth stomaching for wealthy Alabama fans if things go awry this fall. — Michael Cohen This isn’t the hottest take on the planet, but I have a really hard time seeing anyone from the ACC outside of Miami challenging for a College Football Playoff spot. Rhett Lashlee has done incredible work at SMU in a relatively short time, moving the Mustangs up from the American Conference to the Power Four, but I’m not sold quarterback Kevin Jennings is the guy to get the Ponies back into the CFP mix. Outside of SMU, who is challenging Miami this year? Louisville? Maybe. Cal? For reasons above, perhaps, but that’s asking a lot. — Ben Portnoy No Big Ten player will receive more scrutiny than Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover, a TCU transfer tasked with following in the footsteps of Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. But head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff have proven they can identify quarterback talent as well as — or better — than seemingly everyone else, so casting doubts about Hoover seems rather foolish. If Hoover can perform anywhere near the level established by Mendoza and predecessor Kurtis Rourke, who also guided Indiana to the College Football Playoff, then this loaded Hoosiers’ roster can extend one of the sport’s best fairytales. — Michael Cohen​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

A word of warning before you scroll down: You’re going to disagree with some of the opinions you’re about to read. I know I’ve never come across an NFL quarterback ranking I’ve agreed with 100%, and the same is almost certainly true for you, whether you lean heavily on analytics, film, or team results. We all have different ideas of what makes one quarterback better than another. How you stack them is determined by what you value most in a quarterback. I prefer to focus on a quarterback’s skill set and how it helps their team’s offense function. The quarterbacks who can do everything for their team go to the top of the list, and they’re closely followed by those who can still carry an offense despite one or two small weaknesses in their game. From there, you have your quarterbacks who can put up big numbers in the right environment and then those who are just trying to hang onto a starting job. And if your team’s quarterback doesn’t fall into one of those four categories, it’s time to start looking for a new one. For this exercise, I’ve placed all 32 of the league’s starting quarterbacks (plus the eventual loser of the uninspiring battle going on in Atlanta) into one of seven tiers, ranging from “Elite” to “A Backup on Any Other Team.” One last thing before we get started: These selections are based on what these quarterbacks have done in the past; they are not a projection of what’s to come in 2026. Click on a tier below to go directly to it. Elite | Franchise Carrier | On The Doorstep | Supporting-Cast Dependent | Good Enough To Start | Erratic But Talented Sophomores | Backups On Any Other Team Tier 1: Elite The best of the very best. These quarterbacks are one-man starter packs for a top-10 offense. They have no limitations on what they can do on the field. They can burn a defense with their arms, legs, or even their minds. No matter what’s going on around them, their teams will be in contention for a title—provided they’re healthy, of course. We can all agree Josh Allen belongs in this tier after putting up another MVP-caliber season in 2025, but Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are probably undervalued, with both missing the playoffs and posting pedestrian numbers by their lofty standards. Let’s start with Mahomes, who’s still the league’s best quarterback, no matter what the league standings or analytical charts from last year say. The Chiefs had no receivers who could separate from man coverage, and Mahomes’ only reliable pass catcher, Travis Kelce, was running like a beer league first baseman. The offensive line was full of holes, the running backs produced just two runs that went for more than 20 yards last season, and Andy Reid’s offense was about four years past its expiration date. Still, this was an above-average offense by any objective measure. Kansas City’s season from hell wasn’t proof that Mahomes has lost a step; it proved that a quarterback can only do so much to prop up a poorly built roster. It’s more difficult to make an argument in favor of Jackson’s 2025 campaign. The two-time MVP did not play well at times and contributed to some of the issues in Baltimore’s passing game by holding onto the ball for far too long and taking avoidable sacks. But I’m willing to give Jackson a one-year pass for two reasons: 1. He was banged up throughout the season, which explains his reluctance to scramble.2. That whole two-time MVP thing. Jackson’s track record of elevating mediocre supporting talent is long enough to warrant inclusion in this tier. If we get a repeat of last year in 2026, we can revisit this discussion. Tier 2: Franchise Carriers These quarterbacks are good enough to match the elite guys throw-for-throw, but there’s at least one weakness in their game that keeps them out of the top tier. While it’s not a guarantee that their teams will contend for a title, they will be in the playoff hunt as long as they’re on the field. There’s only one quarterback in this group without a playoff win in his résumé. That’s Justin Herbert, of course. Quarterbacks are ultimately judged by what they do in the postseason, but we’re talking about a sample size of three games here. Herbert has played 98 regular-season games and has been damn good in them. He also checks every box laid out in the description of this tier. Herbert just dragged a below-average receiving corps and a historically inept offensive line to an 11-win season. As long as Herbert is out there, the Chargers have a chance to win. It’s only a matter of time before that translates to postseason success. Dak Prescott is the other postseason faller in the group, but the perception that the Cowboys quarterback is bad in the playoffs largely stems from two bad games against superior 49ers teams. Fun fact: Prescott and noted playoff riser Jalen Hurts both average 0.07 expected points added per dropback in the postseason, but Prescott’s success rate is nearly 8 percentage points higher, per Next Gen Stats. He also clears Joe Burrow, another supposed postseason riser, in both stats. If we just focus on Prescott’s game, which is built on a mastery of the Cowboys offense and top-end timing, precision, and pocket presence – you know, all the hallmarks of great quarterbacking – his inclusion in this tier is a no-brainer. Tier 3: On The Doorstep These quarterbacks have a few more kinks they need to work out before they can make the leap into the tier above it. Give them a good support system, though, and they’ll perform like a tier-two quarterback. As you can probably surmise by now, I don’t put too much stock in small postseason sample sizes. That’s why C.J. Stroud (just barely) makes it into this tier. Stroud was downright awful in Houston’s playoff run last season, but that shouldn’t overshadow the good work he did in the regular season, with a receiving corps decimated by injuries, an offensive line short on talent, and a first-year play-caller who enters 2026 on the hot seat. Stroud’s season was also disrupted by a concussion that took him out for a month. Statistically speaking, Stroud was a top-10 quarterback after his return, and his tape was just as impressive as the numbers imply. He found more consistency with his accuracy, played more decisively, and showed more command of the offense before the snap. Houston’s offensive setup should improve in 2026, which should coincide with a bounce-back season for the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Out of the four passers in this group, Jordan Love is the closest to making the jump into the next tier. Look at his efficiency numbers, and you’d think he already belongs in that group, but I’d like to see Love maintain that efficiency in a pass-first offense. Given the state of the Packers defense heading into the season, he’ll get his chance to do it in 2026. And then there are the two generational prospects who haven’t quite lived up to the hype. Caleb Williams has had his elite moments, but unreliable downfield accuracy and some overly ambitious decision-making are holding him back from the top tiers. The same goes for Lawrence, who fixed some of his accuracy issues last season but is still good for one or two bozo moments per game. Still, when these two are at their best, there are only a handful of quarterbacks who can match them. Tier 4: Supporting-Cast Dependent This group can produce like top-10 quarterbacks provided the conditions around them are just right. Some in this group require pristine pass protection. Others need an innovative play-caller or a stacked receiving corps. But when those needs aren’t met, they play more like bottom-10 quarterbacks. This is the middle class of NFL passers. The fanbases for these quarterbacks are all thinking the same thing: Why is my guy lumped in with these scrubs? I’d guess that Lions fans are most offended, and they could make a decent argument that Jared Goff belongs in a higher tier based on production alone. Even last season, when Detroit missed the playoffs, Goff remained productive without Ben Johnson calling plays. That ignores the fact that Detroit’s offense was mostly powered by Jahmyr Gibbs’ explosive runs and a receiving corps that could turn a short pass into a monster gain. Goff’s inability to play under pressure is the main reason he’s stuck in this group. He was, once again, one of the worst quarterbacks in the league when pressured, and his lack of mobility, which won’t miraculously improve now that he’s in his 30s, is the root cause. Put Goff in, say, the Chiefs offense, and he’d crumble. If you need proof, just revisit his first season in Detroit when the Lions were still in rebuilding mode. Or just watch any game where he’s under siege. Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels are the two quarterbacks who could make the jump into the next tier this season. Both will have to stay healthy – a tall order given their respective injury histories. Murray has higher upside in 2026, mostly because of a better supporting cast. He also has the stronger arm and has shown more as a pocket passer. Daniels has to regain his short-area accuracy to rediscover the form we saw in his rookie season. Given the state of Washington’s offensive line, even that may not be enough for Daniels to bounce back statistically. This tier also includes three quarterbacks who have played in a Super Bowl, and two of them have won it. Sam Darnold is the defending Super Bowl champ, and he’s coming off a clean postseason run, but he also led the NFL in turnovers last season. Jalen Hurts has led mediocre passing games in three consecutive seasons despite a wealth of surrounding talent. And Brock Purdy has battled injuries and inconsistency since breaking out in 2022 with a superstar supporting cast and Kyle Shanahan calling the plays. Tier 5: Good Enough To Start On their best day, these guys can trick their fan bases into thinking they have a franchise quarterback … but a sobering reminder that they don’t is always right around the corner. I want it on record that I believe Geno Smith and Tyler Shough could force their way into the tier above this one by the end of 2026. Smith was dealt an impossible hand in Las Vegas last season. His offensive coordinator was calling plays that weren’t in the game plan, the unqualified offensive line coach was way over his head, and wide receiver Tre Tucker led the team in targets. Even considering all that, Smith didn’t play well, but there are only a handful of quarterbacks who would have in that environment. I expect the veteran to bounce back behind a solid Jets offensive line and talented skill group. I was pleasantly surprised by Shough’s rookie season but still have plenty of concerns. Deep accuracy and a concerningly high pressure-to-sack ratio are at the top of that list. The second-year pro has the arm talent and mobility to improve in those areas, but he’s already entering his age-27 season, which gives him less room for improvement compared to the rest of his draft class. Despite the large gap in age and accolades, Bryce Young and Aaron Rodgers are largely the same players at this point in their respective careers. Neither is comfortable throwing to the middle of the field, which can hamstring their offenses, but both make up for it with impressive touch on vertical, perimeter throws. Both look physically overwhelmed at times. Tier 6: Erratic But Talented Sophomores Well, this one’s self-explanatory. I’m not ready to give up on either of these guys, but the holes in their games prevent me from fully buying in. If I had to choose one of these quarterbacks for the upcoming season, Jaxson Dart would be my pick. If I were picking for the next five years, I’d go with Cam Ward. Thanks to his scrambling and run-game contributions, Dart is the more useful player. But he’s seemingly incapable of playing in structure and consistently misses even the most basic reads. When reviewing the tape of his rookie season, I lost count of the times he’d be staring directly at an open receiver underneath and not throw the football. It was mildly infuriating, but Dart showed an uncanny ability to salvage those missed opportunities with his legs. On the flip side, his refusal to slide led to countless trips to the blue medical tent. He’s more comfortable in there than the pocket, it seems. Ward’s pocket presence also needs improvement, but he’s shown more as a processor early in his career. The 2025 first-overall pick has no problems reading a defense and making anticipatory throws, but getting the ball to his intended target has been an issue for him. If he doesn’t shore up his accuracy in 2026, the Titans could be back in the quarterback market next offseason. Tier 7: Backups On Any Other Team The teams these quarterbacks play for are already looking forward to their next quarterback. In one case, he’s already on the roster. Kirk Cousins is the inclusion here that might get some pushback, but just ask Falcons fans how excited they are by the prospect of Michael Penix Jr. starting in Week 1 and then remind yourself that Cousins couldn’t beat him out a year ago. While I’ve always liked Malik Willis’ upside, he doesn’t stand a chance in the Dolphins offense. Jacoby Brissett is a career backup, and the Browns naming Deshaun Watson their QB1 has the sport’s most loyal fanbase ready to revolt.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

JACKSONVILLE — Take away the two Super Bowl teams last year, and very few NFL franchises exceeded expectations in 2025 more than the Jacksonville Jaguars did in flipping from 4-13 to 13-4 and winning the AFC South. Trevor Lawrence finished fifth in MVP voting and fifth in the league in touchdown passes with 29, all with a first-time head coach in Liam Coen. And yet the Jaguars lost a close game in the wild-card round and are now not favored to win their division, chasing the Houston Texans in the oddsmakers’ view. So, knowing the outside expectations are that the Jaguars can’t even match last year’s success, Lawrence has a new challenge in 2026, trying to sustain success and validate last year’s team breakout, while also trying to keep up with the lofty personal standards for any former No. 1 overall pick making $55 million a year. How do you set the tone in a new way, to keep the culture of winning on a team that hasn’t gone to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 1999? “I think the whole idea of working your tail off out here and earning the right to be successful to win and to make plays, that’s a real thing,” Lawrence said Wednesday after a second joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “You’ve got to feel that as a team. If you don’t feel that, there is some doubt that can creep in. Are we ready? I know we’re not going to be asking ourselves that come Week 1. We’ve put the time in, put the work in, and we’ve got to continue to do that, and we need to get better.” In the second half of the 2025 regular season, the Jaguars were the best team in the NFL, going 8-0. They had both the most points scored and the fewest points allowed during that stretch as they outscored opponents by 153 points from Week 10 on, a full 51 points better than the next-best team. Success in 2026 most importantly starts with returning to the playoffs, and then winning once you’re there, but that’s a goal that’s months in the future. The focus for Lawrence is incremental progress, and that’s what his coaches have seen to this point. “Progress would probably be in there: process, consistency,” offensive coordinator Grant Udinski said when asked to describe Lawrence’s offseason. “I probably have said it a thousand times; you guys are probably sick of hearing it, how we know that progress is not a straight line. But the consistency to show up day after day after day and build on what we had last year, but not take any of those details and fundamentals and foundational steps for granted and continue to work over and over and over again at those things, whether it’s a drop and technique and fundamentals or whether it’s a read or whether it’s just calling a certain play or a certain motion, all of those things are so important. “They’re critical for the success of not only the quarterback, but all 11 on the offense. And he’s a guy that has continued to work at all aspects of that, which is once again why he’s such a joy to coach.” This is an important year for the Jaguars, whose stadium is covered with scaffolding for major renovations that will relocate them to Orlando (and London) for the 2027 season. The offseason transactions were quiet, allowing linebacker Devin Lloyd (Carolina Panthers) and running back Travis Etienne (New Orleans Saints) to leave and trusting in-house options to take over in third-year linebacker Ventrell Miller and second-year running back Bayshul Tuten. Coen was fortunate to keep both Udinski, 30, and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, 44, after both interviewed for head coaching jobs elsewhere. Lawrence said his confidence starts at the line of scrimmage on both sides, where both lines return nearly intact from last year and will work to set the tone for more of the same this season. “Those guys having that edge, and they’ve done a great job of it. We just got to keep working it,” Lawrence said. “I think we found out what we need to get better at also through training camp and some of the details, the attention to detail, whether it’s formations, motions, different checks, just being ready for everything. Our whole operation needs to continue to sharpen and refine and move quicker. … We got better, but that’s just something that I still think we need to work on.” 1. Tampa Bay will have a considerable impact from their rookies on defense, starting with first-round outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr., who has been the buzz of training camp. Second-rounder Josiah Trotter, who is the son of Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, should start at inside linebacker, with fourth-round defensive back Keionte Scott potentially starting at nickel. Add in veterans like defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, edge Al-Quadin Muhammad and linebacker Alex Anzalone, and there’s a different vibe to their defensive front. “They’re tough,” Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs said of the group on Wednesday. “I think they’re going to be a problem this year. It’s nice to see that kind of a–hole mentality … It’s a mean front.” 2. A year ago, the intrigue was the novelty of Travis Hunter’s balance between offense and defense, but as he returns healthy after being limited to seven games as a rookie, he’s focused primarily on defense. Roughly 75% of his reps have come on defense this summer, according to local beat writers carefully charting his participation. Last year, he logged twice as many snaps on offense before his injury. “It can be a challenge, but I think [we] just continue to chip away when I can over this next week or two,” Lawrence said of working with Hunter as a receiver. “It’s tough. You don’t get quite as much time, but I feel like when the opportunity comes up, we’re going to have him ready and he’s going to be able to do whatever we need him to do.” The third-round rookie joins a talented receiving corps and brings much-needed size to help offset the loss of Mike Evans to the 49ers. “He has some unbelievable potential,” receiver Chris Godwin said Tuesday. “He’s so explosive, especially for that size. He has the ability to jump, make tough catches. He’s doing some really good things.” An under-the-radar value signing for Jacksonville was keeping Brown for three years, $33 million this offseason. They traded away Tyson Campbell last year and let Greg Newsome walk in free agency, and Brown had a deflected interception off Baker Mayfield during Tuesday’s joint practice. “Just the hair on hair,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said of watching a practice scuffle between Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The final week of the NFL preseason has brought starter announcements, more injury updates and a historic decision regarding the Pro Bowl on Wednesday. Kansas City confirmed Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Chiefs’ preseason finale, while a starting quarterback decision could be on the way in Atlanta with the competition intensifying. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson discussed how his injuries impacted his rushing production last season. Meanwhile, New York Giants camp saw a heated practice altercation started by running back Cam Skattebo. In bigger league news, the NFL officially announced it is completely scrapping the Pro Bowl after 75 years. Here is the latest on Wednesday from around the league. The NFL is officially ending the yearly Pro Bowl event, first reported by The Athletic. After decades of format tweaks and noncompetitive play, the NFL is officially ending the Pro Bowl as a standalone event once and for all. On Wednesday, league executives presented a new vision to team owners that folds the festivities directly into Super Bowl week. Under the new format, 88 players are expected to receive Pro Bowl honors without alternates. Even with the traditional Pro Bowl game no longer being played during the annual event, players will still receive recognition and honors. This will continue to impact potential contract incentives throughout the offseason. The NFL’s first All-Star Game was played in Los Angeles in 1939. Decades later, the Pro Bowl made Hawaii its annual home before switching locations on a yearly basis in recent years. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will not play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks, marking the first time in his career he will sit out an entire preseason. Mahomes, who is returning from December knee surgery, remains on track to start Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on September 14. “It’s the amount of time they’ve said from the beginning, that if I did everything the right way, I would be ready to play Week 1,” Mahomes said. “I’m someone, if you put a target in front of me, I want to go out and get it and maximize every single opportunity.” Mahomes shared more about his process leading up to his return. “You know, this week we’ve kind of treated it more like a game week, being able to go in that same process — have Wednesday practice and then a Thursday practice, take my notes the same and watch the same film that I’ll usually watch. I think that’s kind of how I prepare,” Mahomes continued. With backup Justin Fields unlikely to play and Chris Oladokun in concussion protocol, rookie seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier is expected to handle the bulk of playing time. “He’s done a nice job, thrown right in the fire with the first group,” head coach Andy Reid said of Nussmeier. A disastrous 2025 season led the Baltimore Ravens to move on from head coach John Harbaugh, sending shockwaves that directly impacted two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. Beyond missing time, Jackson’s health reshaped how the Ravens offense had to play. Jackson told reporters Wednesday afternoon that last season’s nagging hamstring injuries limited his rushing ability and he couldn’t play like himself. “I believe you know … a lot of people know [that] I was hurt last year, so I really could not do anything like I wanted to,” Jackson said. “It really would not [have] put my team in a good position if I was just running hurt…losing yards, things like that [were] happening.” Jackson played only 13 games last season and put together a solid year, though not quite up to his usual standards. He posted the second-lowest completion percentage of his career, throwing for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. In those 13 games, Jackson averaged just 5.15 rushes per game compared to his career average of 9.31. However, despite those lower rushing numbers, Jackson remained elite as a passer, ranking ninth in the league with a 62.7 QBR. Under newly hired offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, Jackson is primed to put together a strong bounce-back season. His aggressive, downfield scheme paired with Jackson’s explosive dual-threat ability creates a massive upside for head coach Jesse Minter’s offense. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback competition has flown under the radar this offseason, but the dynamic is about to shift. With third-year Michael Penix Jr. closing in on a return, Tua Tagoliova takes the snaps for the third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday night. Tagoliova has played in both preseason games so far, but needing to play in the third week is rarely a good sign. Penix Jr. won’t play against the Dolphins and said only putting together three practices is just far too soon to put him on the field. However, Penix Jr. said he’ll be ready to start Week 1 physically and mentally if he is named the starter by head coach Kevin Stefanski. If Penix Jr. wins the starting job, it will be the first time in his career that he’ll start in the season opener. Penix Jr. appeared in nine games for the Falcons last season before missing time due to injury. During his action on the field, he threw for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and just three interceptions while completing 58.1% of his passes. With Penix Jr. getting closer and closer to a return to the field, all eyes shift toward Stefanski and to make it official on who will start the season opener. A scuffle broke out at New York Giants practice on Wednesday after running back Cam Skattebo slid near defensive backs during a non-contact drill. Safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Greg Newsome confronted Skattebo after the play, escalating an ongoing issue after Skattebo previously made physical contact with linebacker Zaire Barnes during a non-contact session, according to reporters in attendance. Head coach John Harbaugh addressed Skattebo’s physical demeanor and a late 15-yard penalty following practice. “Did you see that? Yeah, it’s infectious,” Harbaugh said. “It can be infectious the other way, an infectious disease type of thing. We want it to be in a positive way.” Skattebo is working his way back into the offense after missing the second half of his 2025 rookie season with an ankle injury.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s about that time, as the offseason winds down, and predictions start looming. Which teams are bound to make waves this college football season? As Oregon returns plenty of production from their 2025 team and Indiana aims for a repeat title, the competition for conference championships and a national title are wide open. Here are Klatt’s predictions for every Power Four conference champion, 12-team bracket and his national champion prediction: Conference Championship Game Predictions Klatt’s thoughts: “I do think that the Big Ten is absolutely loaded at the top. I think all of us know that after all these preseason rankings have finally come out. We saw Ohio State at the top of the AP [Top 25 Poll]. Oregon was at the top of my preseason poll. And you still have Indiana, the defending national champion. You’ve got teams like USC, Penn State and Michigan, who will all be in there vying and trying to level up into that rarefied air of those top three teams in the Big Ten. “Ohio State’s schedule is going to be too difficult. … They’ve got to play at Iowa after opening on the road in Week 2 against Texas. They’ve got to play on the road several times against very difficult opponents. They’ve got to go to USC. They’ve got to go to Indiana. These are all very difficult places to play. That’s why I don’t think Ohio State will make it to Indianapolis. “Oregon’s also got a difficult schedule, but I think they’re going to be prepared to handle it. I think Indiana gets back into that spot. … I’m going to take Dan Lanning and the Ducks.” Klatt’s thoughts: “This is a very deep conference — we all know that. I think there are two, at least in this month, that are maybe better than the rest. We’ll see how it plays out, particularly with a team like LSU. But I really, really like Georgia and Texas. I really like Texas a lot. My wild card is LSU. “You start to wonder to yourself if [Texas coach Steve Sarkisian] can get over the hump. Let’s just say if Ohio State were to beat them early in the season, that could be a real defining moment for that program. For them to turn things around and break some of those barriers later in the season — one of those barriers being Georgia and Kirby Smart. I don’t want to bet against Georgia and Kirby Smart, but I don’t know if they’re going to have the firepower to keep up with what could be a very good offense in Texas. “I think Texas and Steve Sarkisian can get over that hump.” Klatt’s thoughts: “This one’s pretty easy. Texas Tech is the most talented team in the league, and they’ve got a pretty soft schedule. They only have one ranked opponent on their schedule as it stands right now: Week 3 against Houston. “Who will Texas Tech face? I like Arizona a lot, but I just don’t love their schedule in the Big 12. They’ve got quarterback Noah Fifita coming back. I really like what they’ve done with their program. … You just look at these schedules and I just don’t love it for Arizona. They’ve got at BYU, at Texas Tech and home against Utah. “I think the second spot goes to the winner of the Holy War, BYU and Utah. As was the case a year ago, I’m going to lean toward BYU. A lot of turnover at Utah. Meanwhile, BYU, they still have head coach Kelani Sitake, quarterback Bear Bachmaier and running back LJ Martin. “Texas Tech is just at a different level in terms of the roster compilation against the other Big 12 schools.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Miami has a similar gap over the ACC. I don’t see them losing an ACC game this year. They might lose to Notre Dame. I’ll predict that they do lose to Notre Dame. But Miami is not going to have a large issue when it comes to the ACC schedule. “The real question is who is Miami going to face? You start to throw out those teams you think might have the talent and schedule to get themselves into the ACC Championship Game. I have four teams I considered here: Clemson, Virginia Tech, SMU and Louisville. With Clemson and Virginia Tech, I just don’t know. … Louisville and SMU happen to play each other in a monster game in September. I’m going to go with SMU because they’re 14-2 in ACC play since joining the conference a year ago. “But SMU is not in Miami’s hemisphere, at least as it currently stands.” The 12-Team Bracket Klatt’s thoughts: “If Oregon were to win the Big Ten with only one loss, then I think the Ducks take the No. 1 seed. They’re rewarded for winning the Big Ten.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I think Notre Dame goes undefeated, but their schedule is just not anywhere close to Oregon’s.” Klatt’s thoughts: “With only one loss to an undefeated Notre Dame on the road, I think Miami gets the No. 3 seed. … They’re 12-1 with an ACC championship.” Klatt’s thoughts: “The fourth spot is a tough call. I think it’ll come down to a team that did not play in their conference championship game, but beat a conference champion. Texas is going to get the fourth spot because the SEC championship, fresh off a win against Kirby Smart and Georgia, will help give Texas all the love that they want, and they’re going to be one spot ahead of a team that beat them: Ohio State.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Ohio State is going to be rated one spot ahead of the sixth-place team, Indiana, because in this prediction, I’ve got Ohio State with a win over Indiana. Ohio State would have wins over Texas and Indiana, but loses on the final bye seed because Texas has the SEC championship.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Indiana would have the sixth seed because of their loss to Ohio State as an 11-2 team.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Georgia would be No. 7 after the loss to Texas in the SEC Championship Game.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Texas Tech’s strength of schedule is not anywhere close. So, even as a conference champion, unless they were undefeated and beating everyone by 20 or 25 — I could see them losing a game in the Big 12 slate — I’ve got them as the eighth seed.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Now, it starts to get interesting. I think everyone can agree that the first eight teams are the best eight teams. Who in the world is going to play themselves into the final at-large spots? I’m bullish on [USC]. … I think USC is going to have a real fantastic year. I like what they’re doing at the line of scrimmage, both offensively and defensively. I love the fact that they’re going to run the football. I love the fact that they’re returning their starting quarterback. I’ve got them going 10-2 with loss to Oregon and Indiana, but they pick up a huge resume-building win against Ohio State.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I just think LSU is going to come out and play very solid football. That doesn’t mean they’re going to win their conference. I don’t know if they’re going to go to that echelon. But I can certainly see them fixing what happened on the offensive side of the football. … Lane Kiffin’s going to have them generating 500 yards of offense, week in and week out. This idea that it’s somehow a question or anomaly of how this is going to come together with all these players from the transfer portal, let’s not act like Kiffin hasn’t done this before. … LSU is going to be a 10-2 team.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I’ve got three teams going for the final at-large spot in the College Football Playoff: Penn State (they’re going to be 10-2), Alabama (at 10-2) and the winner of the Michigan-Oklahoma game. I think the winner of that game will go 9-3. So, they’re going to have a huge resume-building win out of conference, but they’re still 9-3. … I think Penn State gets thrown out right away because they won’t have a resume-building win. In this scenario, they would have lost to Michigan and USC and there’s not a marquee win on their schedule. Alabama would be 10-2 against either 9-3 Michigan or Oklahoma. “This team should be excellent on defense. … This is a team that I think can get back to that Alabama defensive identity.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Let’s just go with Boise State. Can anyone predict the Group of 5? These rosters turn over with such a huge degree. … I think Boise State will get rewarded with a tougher strength of schedule.” First Round Klatt’s thoughts: “Ohio State should win this game pretty handily.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Kalen DeBoer and company go up to Bloomington and guess what? They still can’t stop Indiana from running the football. Indiana might run it 55 times in the weather up there.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Great year for Lane Kiffin. I do think they need to win a playoff game for them to reach their expectations. … But Georgia moves on.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I don’t think Texas Tech, based on what we saw last year in the postseason when it got shut out by Oregon, will be up to par with a team like USC, who’ll be very tested by that point.” Quarterfinals Klatt’s thoughts: “I like USC a lot, but not in this game. Oregon’s my No. 1 overall seed for a reason.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I think Notre Dame is going to be incredible. They’re going to play against Georgia, and they’re going to win. Notre Dame is going to win that game for the second time in three years.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I thought it was a coin flip… but Miami is just building something. I think Miami wins that game.” Klatt’s thoughts: “This would be the fourth meeting in the last three years. I have to take Ohio State. I think they have something over Texas.” Semifinals Klatt’s thoughts: “I said that Oregon is super talented… at this point, who knows what the depth looks like for Ohio State?… Give me Oregon.” Klatt’s thoughts: “A rematch of that game in South Bend this year. I think Notre Dame wins the first one, I think Notre Dame wins the second one. Notre Dame is that good.” National Championship Klatt’s thoughts: “It might be a curse to be the team that I pick as the national champ. Last year, I picked Clemson. “My national champ in my very first bracket prediction of the year is [drumroll please]: the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Will the Seattle Seahawks be able to fend off the Los Angeles Rams and win the NFC West again? Who will win the tight battle for the NFC North? With the regular season quickly approaching, Colin Cowherd provided his division predictions and projected playoff field for the NFC on Wednesday’s edition of The Herd. Highlighting a mix of returning contenders and rising rosters, Cowherd forecasted three new playoff teams across the conference while breaking down all four divisions. “I’ve got three new playoff teams in the NFC: the Lions, the Saints, and the Giants,” Cowherd said. Here’s how Cowherd predicts the placement of all four divisions in the NFC. Starting with the NFC East, Cowherd picked the Philadelphia Eagles to retain the division crown, pointing to roster continuity along the offensive line and past success under Jalen Hurts. “Jalen Hurts, since he became a full-time starter, has the winningest record in the NFL. I’m just going with this very, very well-run organization,” Cowherd said. Despite losing A.J. Brown, Philadelphia added Dontayvion Wicks and drafted USC receiver Makai Lemon, returning all five offensive line starters with the seventh-easiest schedule in the league. Behind Philadelphia, Cowherd projected the New York Giants to finish ahead of the Dallas Cowboys for second place, should Jaxson Dart stay healthy. “They were one and seven last year in those one-score games, worst in the league,” Cowherd said about the Giants. “And in fact, they blew five games in which they had a fourth-quarter lead. That is going to, even if it evens out, even if it doesn’t totally flip, it will even out. If Jackson Dart can stay out of the blue tent, I think it’s a playoff team.” Following a tough year in close games in 2025, Cowherd thinks the scales will balance out for the Giants in 2026. Cowherd pointed to a trend from last season as the reason why he thinks the Cowboys could hold themselves back. “Here’s the other thing, which has become a disturbing trend for the Cowboys. They were the most penalized team in the NFL last year. They did some big things well, like scoring. They did a lot of little things poorly. I have the Cowboys better, but not a playoff team.” Washington was placed fourth in the division, pointing to roster turnover at key positions like left tackle and overall roster age as major obstacles for their prospects. “Washington just doesn’t have enough talent. They lost Laremy Tunsil, their left tackle, who’s a beast. Second-oldest roster in the NFL. I just don’t like Washington right now going forward,” Cowherd said. Moving to the NFC North, Cowherd went with the Detroit Lions to win the division, citing offensive firepower and draft adjustments. “I think the Lions have a combination of the best roster in the division and the easiest schedule in the entire league this year,” Cowherd said. “I would argue quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receivers, they have the best group in the NFL.” Cowherd added last year was considered a down year for Detroit and the offense still wound up amongst the league’s best. “They were the only team to have a top-five scoring offense in the last four years. Even last year, when they struggled, it was top five.” Last year’s NFC North champions, the Chicago Bears, were picked to finish second in 2026 by Cowherd. “They were a great fourth quarter team last year. They probably can’t quite equal that magic, but when they won the turnover battle, and nobody talks about this one, Chicago, they were 10-1 when they won the turnover battle,” Cowherd said. Cowherd also pointed to Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who does not have a history of turning the ball over. “Caleb Williams doesn’t turn the ball over. He didn’t in high school. He didn’t in college. Even in the Eberflus year, 20 touchdowns, six picks. He is not a turnover quarterback. I have them for second.” The Green Bay Packers were picked by Cowherd to finish third in the division, despite the number of key pieces they have slated to return, ahead of the Minnesota Vikings. “Not only do they get Michael Parsons back in October, but they also get Tucker Kraft back, who looks to be a star young tight end in the NFL for years to come. Christian Watson got hurt. Jaden Reed got hurt,” Cowherd said. Cowherd also suggested the Packers may have reached their ceiling. “They’ve not been a great September team, but they’ve been a wild card team in the last three seasons,” Cowherd said. Minnesota landed in fourth place in Cowherd’s prediction, but he said this shouldn’t discredit what the Vikings are capable of. “Minnesota is going to be the best fourth-place team in the NFL,” Cowherd said. “Christian Darrisaw is back at left tackle. I love the coach and the defensive coordinator. There’s not a lot here I don’t like, but Kyler Murray’s backup is either J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz. I don’t trust either.” Despite an established coaching staff and offensive line talent, backup quarterback depth creates vulnerability behind starter Kyler Murray. Cowherd also pointed out how prone to turnovers and the injury history of all three quarterbacks on the roster. The NFC South featured a surprise pick from Cowherd, with the New Orleans Saints taking first place behind quarterback Tyler Shough, thanks in part to a favorable schedule. “Second easiest schedule in football is the Saints,” Cowherd said. “I thought they played very well at the end of last year. Tyler Shough, nobody paid attention, but they won four of their last five games.” Cowherd added that the NFC South is usually unpredictable most seasons. “This is a division where you see teams go from last to first on a regular basis.” The Carolina Panthers were picked for second place, highlighting leadership under Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan alongside offensive line stability for Bryce Young. “I think Carolina has the coach and the general manager for the future. Dave Canales and Dan Morgan are excellent. I think they’ve given Bryce Young a lot to work with.” Cowherd also pointed out the inconsistencies on the offensive line last year. “They had 11 different starting O-line combinations last year, so it was a bit of a mess in front of Bryce Young. I think they’ll get that corrected,” Cowherd said. Tampa Bay was picked to finish third by Cowherd, who pointed to recent offensive slumps, defensive regressions, and coaching pressure following late-season struggles. “You got a coach on the hot seat. You got a new offensive coordinator, 20th-ranked defense last year. No Mike Evans. Lost seven of the nine games down the stretch,” Cowherd said. “So they were a bit of a mess offensively, and they weren’t great defensively.” Atlanta rounded out the division in fourth place, with Cowherd citing early road schedule challenges and unanswered questions at quarterback. “I like the coach, like the owner. I think the GM is pretty sharp. There’s a couple of players like Drake London, a Bijan Robinson I love, but who’s the quarterback? We don’t know,” Cowherd said. “Cross my fingers with Michael Penix, but they start with three of their first four games on the road.” In the NFC West, Cowherd selected the Seattle Seahawks to claim the division title over the Los Angeles Rams, praising Seattle’s performance in road games and young core talent. “Here’s what I love about Seattle: the last two years best road team in the league, and I mean a fantastic road team, 15 and two,” Cowherd said. “They’re returning all their best players. All of them are in their prime.” Cowherd went on to highlight the Seahawks’ ability to win away from home and performance against other playoff teams as key factors. Cowherd placed the Rams second as Super Bowl contenders, acknowledging both Seattle and Los Angeles rank among the top teams in the league. “They return all 11 offensive starters. There’s no reason to debate this. They could win the Super Bowl. I think these two teams, in my opinion, are the best two teams in the NFL: Seahawks, Rams, one and two in my book,” Cowherd said. However, the hype surrounding the Rams is not enough to convince Cowherd. “I’ll take Seattle to win over the Rams. Everybody in the world’s telling me the Rams are going to win the Super Bowl. The team is hearing that. You know what?” Cowherd said. “They’re going to be a really really good team and win 11 games. I think Seattle could win 12.” San Francisco was picked to finish third by Cowherd, pointing to an aging roster coming off major surgical recoveries and defensive pass rush struggles. “They were 20th ranked in defense. They struggled to get to the quarterback. They have the oldest roster,” Cowherd said. “They are highly reliant at left tackle, running back, edge rusher, linebacker on veteran players who are coming off injuries.” Arizona was projected to finish fourth in the division as the team undergoes a rebuild while playing in arguably the toughest division in football. “Arizona, bit of a mess. 0-6 against the division last year,” Cowherd said. “They’re playing like the Jets for next year’s draft. Arizona at fourth place.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The NFL’s global footprint continues to expand every year, and what was once a novelty is now up to nine games played outside the United States on four different continents. The 2026 lineup hosting NFL games — London, Paris, Madrid, Munich, Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City — is just another step as the league envisions a 16-game international lineup that has every team playing a game every year. So it’s no surprise that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, during an interview with a German television station last week, said he has “no doubt” the league will eventually have teams entirely based in other countries. “At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA,” Goodell said. “I have no doubt that this will happen one day.” Having an international game in that 9:30 a.m. ET window — an afternoon kickoff in Europe — makes for an entire day of live football, allowing fans to go from that to the afternoon slots to prime time, with literally 14 hours of nonstop football if you want. The logistics of travel have been ironed out well enough that an overseas game isn’t the scheduling hurdle it used to be, and teams playing an international game don’t always choose a bye week afterward, able to recover and be back for a regular Sunday the next week. So if the NFL were to import a team to another country full-time, where might it be? The league is in a good place at 32 teams, with a proven scheduling model and playoff structure and teams in all the U.S. markets they want. At some point, it could even expand to have an international division — with four teams, visiting opponents could be scheduled for back-to-back games overseas to lessen the impact of long travel. There’s talk that aviation technology will soon reduce the time required for trans-Atlantic flight, making it even less of an obstacle for teams during the season. Here are five potential landing spots for the NFL’s first international team, with one clear and obvious favorite … 5. Toronto The Buffalo Bills have played games in Toronto, which is just 100 miles or so from Buffalo, and played regular-season games there every year from 2008-13. So, if you wanted a half-measure to officially expand the United States without the travel headaches of crossing the Atlantic, the NFL could look at Toronto, which has supported MLB and NBA franchises for decades. The last Bills games there weren’t at full capacity in the Rogers Centre, and the Toronto Argonauts had the lowest attendance in the CFL for the ninth straight year in 2025, averaging about 15,000 fans. Mexico City has hosted games in the past, but that too would be an unlikely spot for a full-time team. 4. Madrid Spain joined the NFL’s global family last year when the Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins drew a crowd of 78,610, earning a return trip this year for the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons in November. The league also agreed to a multi-year partnership with the City of Madrid in February, signaling that there will continue to be games held in Spain’s capital in the coming years. The World League of American Football and NFL Europe had teams in Barcelona, but Madrid is twice as large as Barcelona and the more likely host if the league were to look at a new home in Spain. Bernabéu Stadium, home to soccer’s FC Madrid, is a natural home for such a major event. 3. Paris Metropolitan Paris has about 13 million people, so in terms of filling a stadium on a consistent basis, it’s not far from London or New York, though the NFL in Paris is a fairly new development. The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers will play at Stade de France in October with a capacity of 80,000-plus, so a successful debut there should put them in the annual rotation and open up a new country to the NFL’s future plans. The Saints, with their fleur-de-lis logo and French Quarter, have a natural connection to Paris, but it’s too early to know how well the city would support the NFL on a more regular or even permanent basis. 2. Munich Frankly, we could’ve also picked Berlin as the city to represent Germany on this list. But a German city should be pretty high up here. Germany will host an NFL game for the fifth straight season in 2026, when the New England Patriots take on the Detroit Lions in Munich. It’ll be the third game played in Munich, and there’s another one scheduled at Allianz Arena for 2028. Berlin hosted its first game in 2025 and it’s scheduled to host two more games in the coming seasons, while Frankfurt has hosted two NFL games. But Germany has a history with the NFL dating back to 1990. There’s a strong, passionate backing for the NFL in Germany — you’ll hear the crowd singing “Sweet Caroline” and “Country Roads” during a game and knowing every single word in a language most of them don’t speak. Could an NFL team exist in Germany and split home games between multiple cities, supporting it as a nation rather than one single locale? If the league ever expanded to have a full four-team European division, this would make sense. A full-time team would almost need to be in Europe, logistically. The league adds Melbourne this year and could eventually have games in Tokyo, but the travel demands are much greater there — a direct flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne is 15 hours, compared to eight hours for New York to London or Berlin. 1. London London has a long head start on most other international options — this goes back to the American Bowl in the 1980s, when preseason games were the NFL’s first outreach to expand their fanbase globally. Wembley Stadium was a regular host for these games and still does so 40 years later, so fans in London have been supporting NFL football in person for all of their lives in many cases. London’s hosting expanded from Wembley to include other venues like what was then Twickenham Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, rugby and soccer stadiums adjusted for NFL football. In theory, a full-time NFL team could build a new football-focused venue as a new home, subletting it to soccer during the rest of the year instead of the other way around. London has no language barrier, easy and direct flights from major U.S. cities and a built-in base of fans that have filled stadiums for multiple NFL games a year, something no other city can boast. The time difference is an hour less than most of Europe’s major cities, and the longstanding relationship with the NFL makes London a heavy favorite for any international expansion.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Ryan Day didn’t intend to be prophetic. While this gathering of boosters inside the Covelli Center in the heart of Ohio State’s athletics campus four years ago was about pushing business opportunities for athletes in the midst of a new world order in college sports, it offered insight into the changing ecosystem. The Buckeyes’ head coach provided the roughly 100 local stakeholders with an incisive figure: $13 million. That’s how much name, image and likeness (NIL) money the Buckeyes needed to retain the bulk of its roster in 2022. “If the speed limit’s 45 miles per hour, and you drive 45 miles per hour, a lot of people are going to pass you by,” Day said at the time. “If you go too fast, you’re going to get pulled over.” Ohio State won the national championship two years later; its ballyhooed $20 million roster was the talk of college football and representative of the increasing commercialization of the enterprise. But with the 2026 campaign kicking off this weekend, that old figure might presently make the Buckeyes competitive at the high end of the Group of Six, let alone within the Power Four. NIL data provider Opendorse released its annual NIL market report in June, estimating Big Ten schools will spend an average of $48.2 million annually across all sports this year. The SEC followed closely behind at $44.5 million, while the ACC and Big 12 were expected to spend around half those figures at $29.4 million and $24.3 million, respectively. “The same thing that drove coaches’ salaries to the moon and buyouts to the moon are driving players’ salaries to the moon,” Opendorse co-founder and president Blake Lawrence told me. “The difference between the two is [that] there is a more direct tie between athlete compensation and championship caliber outcomes — or at least it is easier to sell donors on that potential. “That’s where the story is going to go. It’s going to keep driving up these numbers forever.” The financial requirements to compete in high-major college football have seemingly doubled almost every offseason for the last five years. Coaches and administrators are decrying the rising costs but continue to spend hand over fist to fund football rosters. Congress is involved. Threats of a breakaway from the NCAA and conference-level governance in the SEC and Big Ten have been discussed. And the college football season starts at week’s end. How did we get here? That part is relatively simple: A win-at-all-costs mentality. It’s finding a fix that’s more complex. “At some point, the system’s going to potentially break,” Kansas State athletics director Gene Taylor told me. “Players are going to get paid. Schools are going to over-promise — which I think many of them have already over-promised and are writing checks they can’t cash — and it’s going to break because donors will get tired of it.” ‘Controlled Chaos Mixed With Genuine Excitement’ Times Square isn’t exactly the place for subtlety. No, this part of Manhattan is the amalgamation of a hellish tourist trap crossed with greater commercialism that brings millions to the city weekly, all in search of the perfect Instagram caption or a $4,000 Gucci bag. What better place than this to launch the flashy new world of college athletics? “July 1, 2021, felt like controlled chaos mixed with genuine excitement,” said attorney Darren Heitner, who helped land basketball players Haley and Hanna Cavinder a spot on a Boost Mobile billboard in Times Square to open the new-look college sports ecosystem. Back home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Heitner danced between phone calls throughout the day as interest for the Cavinders as spokespeople rolled in. Three deals in 24 hours felt like too much for proper diligence. Even still, the calls were proof of concept. Brands wanted in — and the money would follow. “Athletes finally had rights they should have had all along,” Heitner told me. “And the volume of activity confirmed how ready the market was.” The NCAA, for its part, has long been opposed to change. But as the pressure from the legal system mounted, college sports’ governing body reworked its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to benefit from NIL. The idea, in theory, was marketing deals with local mom-and-pop car dealerships, sports camps, and efforts of that ilk. The Gatorade and Pepsi campaigns would be the exception rather than the rule. That couldn’t be further from how the world has evolved. The College Sports Commission, which has been charged with regulating NIL dealmaking, released data in July that showed more than 34,000 deals worth $355.24 million (roughly $10,450 per deal) had passed through its NIL Go clearinghouse. Another 1,800 deals representing around $90 million had been rejected. Opendorse’s annual report, meanwhile, suggested Power Four quarterbacks being paid $1.5 million annually are in the 90th percentile of earners, while it estimates this year more than $725 million will enter the NIL ecosystem through “above the cap” deals — agreements through third-party providers that don’t count toward the revenue-sharing cap placed on universities by The House vs. NCAA settlement. “It’s just been very difficult to be able to understand where all those dollars are coming from,” said former Miami athletics director Dan Radakovich, now the executive director of the FBS Athletics Director Association. “You want to be able to say, ‘OK, if a school decides that they want to invest in these programs, they should have the ability to invest in the programs; just as they’ve always had the ability to invest in facilities or stadiums or coaches and staffs.’ But the rules didn’t read that way.” The House settlement — a combination of the House, Hubbard and Carter antitrust cases involving lost NIL opportunities for past college athletes — was supposed to provide impediments to the rampant spending that has pushed across the ecosystem. The proceedings that were finalized last summer laid out a $20.5 million cap, among other measures, that would enable schools to pay athletes directly through varying revenue streams that had previously lined athletics departments’ coffers. The cap, however, has been anything but. Schools are regularly blowing past the number through third-party endorsement deals — which are not subject to the cap — and other measures of creative accounting. “I think 99% of these schools would tell you they can’t keep up with it,” said Altius Sports Partners president Andrew Donovan, whose company consults on revenue-generating projects for a number of Power Four schools. “Now, they probably would’ve told you that same thing if we had the same conversation every year for the past three to four years — and somehow they found a way. “That goes back to the competitive element, but, at the end of the day, what they’re doing is looking at other ways to subsidize the departmental revenue in the name of finding ways to get third-party NIL payments to athletes to satisfy obligations that have been made directly and indirectly through the recruiting process.” ‘We Need National Standards’ The broader issue with the rising market is sustainability. Schools are over-leveraged across the board. Middle-of-the-pack SEC schools are spending $15 million or more annually on their men’s basketball rosters. Big Ten football programs are doubling or tripling that figure. The perpetual refrain in college sports has been that there is always money to be had. Shake the couch cushions hard enough, and the bills will flow. That approach hasn’t necessarily changed. “We need national standards; we need national rules; we need national enforcement,” Texas Tech athletics director Kirby Hocutt, whose school has been as representative of the new-look powers of the NIL era as any, told me. “We’ve taken the mindset that this is not a time to manage our way through. Of course, we are trying to manage costs wherever we can, but managing costs in football and basketball right now is not the strategy that we’ve taken nor will we take as long as we continue to navigate through this type of landscape.” Yet athletics departments nationwide are getting tapped out, and schools are increasingly turning toward the university side for help. A U.S. Government and Accountability Office report issued in July found Power Four “college contributions” (institutional support and student fees combined) had nearly tripled from $445 million to $1.2 billion between 2014–15 and 2023–24, while 71% of those schools spent more than they generated in 2023–24 (up from 65% a decade earlier). Cal Chancellor Rich Lyons said last year the university would match booster donations of up to $6 million in football and $1.5 million for men’s basketball. Florida State recently took advantage of a new authorization from the state that allows up to $22.5 million to be transferred to athletics. Even Nevada reported that more than half of its nearly $58 million budget for the 2024 fiscal year came directly from public funds. “That’s the underreported question,” said Nebraska athletics director Troy Dannen, who told me the school’s investment in NIL has skyrocketed 400% in two-and-a-half years. “Because, for the most part, this is happening with state and public dollars and student fees, and not truly happening at the desires and behest of corporate sponsors. … Higher-education spending is already challenged. At some point in time, is that prioritization going to change on campuses?” The most pertinent hope for curbing overspending resides on Capitol Hill. The Protect College Sports Act — a bipartisan effort from authors Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) remains in flux on Capitol Hill, where college sports leaders have spent tens of millions of dollars and almost a decade lobbying for congressional action to help provide stability. The bill touches on myriad current issues plaguing college sports, including: That the bill might even come to a vote — or receive enough support in the Senate — is an open question. The Senate already blew past its Aug. 7 recess deadline, which many on Capitol Hill had hoped would serve as a line in the sand to introduce a vote on the PCSA. The Senate returns to session on Sept. 14, but, like anything, time kills deals. “I want to see college sports preserved for future generations to enjoy,” PCSA co-sponsor Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) said in a statement earlier this month. “If Congress doesn’t step in to restore order to an increasingly chaotic system, programs across the country could be forced to shutter.” So what is Plan B? That’s less clear. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and his SEC counterpart Greg Sankey have hand-waved at the idea of self-governance; that the conference offices might take on a more direct role in enforcing rules and regulations related to their members, albeit that has its own antitrust challenges. Both leagues could also take up portions of the PCSA and look to introduce their own versions of a retention cap — effectively a bonus pool of money designed to let schools spend above the House settlement cap to keep their own players (The Big Ten has already explored such a change as far back as March). “We have to clarify what the caps are,” Ohio State athletics director Ross Bjork told me. “Retention, we all agree with that concept — a retention cap and the original House cap. But if we don’t close all the loopholes, then we’ve done nothing. “If there’s gray areas, what’s the old phrase? ‘If you’re explaining, you’re losing.’ If we have to explain, ‘Well, if you do it this way, then maybe it’s permissible, but if you do it this way, it’s not.’ If we have to explain some matrix, then we’ve lost because somebody’s going to find a loophole.” Attending a wedding in recent weeks, Taylor ran into a former Kansas State football player whose time with the Wildcats coincided with the early days of the NIL era — and an annual compensation package of around $150,000. “How much more,” they asked, “would I make now?” Quipped Taylor: “A hell of a lot more than you made.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports