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Saturday was showtime in Canton, Ohio, as the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s five inductees saw their busts for the first time. In front of a packed house at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Vinatieri, Luke Kuechly and Roger Craig all had a chance to say thank you to those who helped them achieve the ultimate goal of wearing a gold jacket, which they all received at the annual dinner on Friday night. Here are some highlights from the big day for the five players, who bring the total to 387 busts in Canton. Payton, the former New Orleans Saints and current Denver Broncos head coach, had to hold back tears while talking about what Brees meant to him during his introductory remarks. “We were better coaches when he was our starting quarterback,” said Payton, who presented Brees. “We were a better team when he was our leader. Drew, it has been an honor to have a front-row seat watching you play quarterback for the Saints at such a high level. “You made my job easy, and all of us are better for having been a part of this with you.” Brees closed out the five presentations with an entertaining, heartfelt and emotional speech. It paid tribute to an ultra-competitive family that pushed him to reach his potential, as well as the bumps along the road he had to hurdle to become better at his craft. “I don’t take for granted that I got to play the most coveted position of all of sports,” Brees said. “From as far back as I could remember, I wanted to play quarterback. I never saw the position as pressure, but rather one of great responsibility.” “The quarterback is the distributor of hope and confidence, a master of probability,” he added. “The ultimate problem solver. I’ve always seen the game of football and quarterback as a true art form, as a song or a dance. The key to the art form was controlling the rhythm of the game.” A former Minnesota Vikings ball boy back when receivers Randy Moss and Cris Carter lit up the scoreboard in the 1990s for head coach Dennis Green, Fitzgerald followed in their footsteps by earning a gold jacket. He is one of the best receivers in NFL history, having been drafted by Green, ironically, when he took over as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. Fitzgerald said he didn’t glean anything from Moss as a player because he could do so many things that others couldn’t do on the field. As a mentor, Fitzgerald said he took the out-of-this-world receiver’s generosity and willingness to help others. Presenting Fitzgerald was his son, Devin, who followed in his father’s footsteps and is playing receiver at Notre Dame. The younger Fitzgerald said his father’s most memorable play, in his opinion, was the slant route he caught for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII against the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving the Cardinals a late lead. Ultimately, Pittsburgh overcame the deficit for a dramatic victory. Fitzgerald paid tribute to his parents, Larry Sr. and Carol Fitzgerald. His mother died from breast cancer while Fitzgerald was in college at Pittsburgh, while his father, a longtime sports reporter in Minnesota, passed away earlier this year. “Even though our parents, Carol and Larry, are no longer with us, I still try every day to make them proud,” Fitzgerald said. Vinatieri was presented by Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon. The third pure place kicker enshrined in the Hall, Vinatieri helped Irsay-Gordon’s father, Jim, win a Super Bowl with the Colts after the 2006 season. Irsay-Gordon said that while her father, who passed away last year, couldn’t be there, he was surely watching from above as Vinatieri received the ultimate honor of entering the Hall of Fame. “So, here I stand at the top of the mountain, the pinnacle of greatness and the highest achievement in my professional career,” Vinatieri said. “And I can officially say my biggest dreams have come true.” Vinatieri thanked his parents, Paul and Judy, who were both teary-eyed in the stands while watching their son praise them on the stage. “You gave me far more than opportunities; you gave me values,” Vinatieri said. “You taught me that hard work, humility, accountability, perseverance and faith. You taught me that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing it right.” Vinatieri paid tribute to his New England Patriots days, which included three Super Bowls with head coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft, neither of whom made the cut to enter the Hall. “Your time to join us on this stage and in the Hall are right around the corner,” Vinatieri said. Vinatieri later joked: “Unfortunately, Bill couldn’t make it here today. There’s a lot going on at UNC right now. He may be on a recruiting trip looking for the next Lawrence Taylor. I thought it was because training camp had already started, but in truth, it was because he’s judging his girlfriend’s cheerleading competition.” Kuechly’s father, Tom, handled the introduction for the talented linebacker, who was a five-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. “His driving influence is his desire to compete, perform to the highest that he can and win,” Tom said. Kuechly did just that with the Panthers, who went to the playoffs four times and reached a Super Bowl during his eight seasons with the team. “This game teaches you a lot if you’re willing to listen and willing to observe,” Kuechly said. “It’s taught me resilience, consistency and toughness. The value of communication and how to find common ground. And most importantly, it taught me to enjoy it along the way.” And after a 28-year wait, the first player to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season (1985) finally earned his gold jacket as a senior candidate. The Nebraska product joined former San Francisco 49ers teammates Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Charles Haley and Ronnie Lott in Canton. “You spend your whole life trying to prove that you belong,” Craig said in pre-recorded video remarks. “And then one day you’re told you’re one of the all-time greats. Man, it’s overwhelming.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

This may be it. “As you get older, things change in your life. Your children get older. Your parents get older. Just to put this thing into perspective, it’s looking like this is probably potentially going to be my last year,” Philadelphia Eagles star right tackle Lane Johnson said about his NFL future at a press conference on Saturday morning. “Just because I am getting to that point of those priorities away from football are starting to merge. Not that I don’t enjoy this [football]. I love everything about this game and preparing for it, but that’s kind of where I’m at in my career. “I’m just looking forward to this year, playing the best I can, staying healthy, and that’s about it.” The 36-year-old Johnson is entering his 14th NFL season in a career spent entirely with the Eagles (2013-present). A two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Johnson has been Philadelphia’s primary right tackle, serving as a bookend for their 2017 and 2024 Super Bowl triumphs. Johnson’s 2025 campaign ended after 10 games due to a foot injury. Over the games he did appear in, Johnson ranked ninth among offensive tackles in pass blocking grade (80.4), 18th in overall grade (77.4) and 33rd in run blocking grade (69.8), according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed no sacks or hits. Philadelphia’s offensive line, from left to right, projects to be the same as last year: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen and Johnson. Johnson, who’s under contract through 2027, was selected by the Eagles with the No. 4 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. He enters this season ninth in franchise history with 168 games played. Should Johnson play each of Philadelphia’s 17 regular-season games this year, he’d move into fifth place.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

A Texas native, Drew Brees wanted to play football in his home state. But like the rest of his football journey, Brees took a fortuitous detour to Indiana, where he went to star in college at Purdue. After lighting it up for the Boilermakers, Brees eventually ascended to a Hall of Fame career in the NFL. So, it’s no surprise that Brees will have plenty of people to thank in his induction speech, set to take place in Canton on Saturday. Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, his head coach at New Orleans, will introduce Brees at the ceremony. Joining Brees on stage as part of this year’s Hall of Fame class include Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Vinatieri and Luke Kuechly. “The way I really look at it is, this is my opportunity to convey my appreciation, gratitude to so many of the people and places that were a part of this journey,” Brees told reporters this week. “That’s what I’m most looking forward to, is all the people I’m going to have a chance to see and appreciate and let them know just how valued they are.” Standing at exactly 6 feet tall and weighing 209 pounds, Brees did not have the ideal stature of a quarterback. But through grit, a relentless work ethic and cerebral approach to the game, Brees developed into a 13-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. Brees pointed to creating a culture of connectivity that led to sustainable winning during his time in the league, which included stints with the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. “So much of my thought process each and every season was how do you recreate so much connectivity and chemistry with the guys that are on your side of the ball,” Brees said. “And then the team dynamics. How are we feeding off each other and how are we complementing each other? To me, that’s where a lot of the magic lies on a team is just how you build that chemistry. And how you build those relationships.” Now, let’s look at the 10 best moments from Brees’ Hall of Fame career. 10. Winning Comeback Player Of The Year In 2004 Brees’ tenure with the San Diego Chargers was a bit more successful than some might have remembered. After the Chargers took him with the first pick in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Brees earned the starting job a year later in 2002. He went 8-8 that year before going 2-9 as a starter in 2003. With Brees and the Chargers struggling in 2003, San Diego selected Philip Rivers in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. But Brees not only fended off Rivers for the starting job in each of the next two seasons, he also led the Chargers to the playoffs for the first time in seven years in 2004. He won the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award for his play that season before going 9-7 as a starter in 2005. Brees finished his time in San Diego with a 30-28 record as a starter. He completed 62.2% of his passes for 12,348 yards, with 80 touchdown passes and 53 interceptions. 9. Gold Jacket Connection: Brees Catches TD From LT An underrated athlete and accomplished basketball player in high school, Brees got to show off his skills when he caught a 21-yard touchdown pass for a score from fellow Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson during a Week 4 contest against the Raiders in 2003. It was one of seven touchdown passes the multi-talented Tomlinson threw in his NFL career, and it was one of the eight receptions Brees made in his career. 8. Eclipsing Johnny Unitas’ Record For Consecutive Games With A TD Pass Breaking a record by Unitas that lasted in the record books for 52 years, Brees completed a touchdown pass in 54 consecutive games between the 2009 and 2012 seasons. Brees threw the touchdown that broke Unitas’ record of 47 games against his former team, the Chargers, in Week 5 of the 2012 season with a 40-yard touchdown to Devery Henderson in the Superdome, giving him 48 at that time. His record of 54 consecutive games with a touchdown pass still stands. 7. Becoming The First QB To Throw For 5,000 Yards In Over 20 Years Dan Marino was the first quarterback to throw for over 5,000 yards, totaling 5,084 passing yards in 1984. But Brees became the second quarterback to accomplish that feat when he threw for 5.069 yards in 2008. And he produced one of the most prolific seasons three years later, completing 71.2% of his passes for a career-high 5,476 yards, with 46 touchdown passes and a 110.6 passer rating in 2011. Brees holds the NFL record by eclipsing 5,000 passing yards in five different seasons. 6. Setting The NFL’s Single-Season Record For Completion Percentage Accuracy is an important statistic NFL scouts and talent evaluators consider when assessing if a quarterback can make the transition to the pros. And while smaller in stature, Brees was the gold standard for moving inside the pocket and finding throwing lanes between linemen to push the ball down the field. Brees holds the NFL record for completion percentage in a single season, completing 74.4% of his passes in 2018. Brees actually holds three of the top five season marks for completion percentage in a season. His 67.7% career completion percentage is the third-best mark in NFL history. 5. Leading Saints To Victory In First New Orleans Game After Hurricane Katrina Brees’ first home game with the Saints was one their fans will remember for ages. After Hurricane Katrina displaced the Saints for the 2005 season, they returned to the Superdome for the first time in Week 3 of the 2006 season. They decisively defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 23-3, with Steve Gleason’s punt block that led to a touchdown return serving as the memorable moment from that game. Brees didn’t put up terrific numbers, but he gave New Orleans a steady hand that night. He threw for 191 yards, leading his team to four scoring drives. 4. Surpassing Peyton Manning For Most TD Passes Ever For about a year, no quarterback had more regular-season touchdown passes than Brees. In Week 15 of the 2019 season, Brees threw his 540th career touchdown pass on a throw to tight end Josh Hill. The touchdown pass broke Peyton Manning’s record for the most regular-season touchdown passes in NFL history, and it came against one of Manning’s former teams, the Indianapolis Colts. Brees’ pass to Hill was also his 20th-straight completion in that game. Tom Brady wound up breaking Brees’ record in 2020. 3. Breaking The NFL’s All-Time Passing Yards Record A year before Brees set the touchdown passes record, he broke the NFL’s all-time passing yards record. He also surpassed Manning for that record when he threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Tre’Quan Smith in Week 5 of the 2018 season. Brees would finish his NFL career with 80,358 passing yards, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 80,000 yards. When he retired in 2020, Brees was the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yardage, completions (7,142) and passing attempts (10,551). Brady wound up breaking those marks in the following seasons. 2. Helping Saints Reach NFC Title Game In Year 1 Brees’ tenure with the Chargers ended with him suffering a devastating shoulder injury, leading the team to part ways with him as a free agent in the 2006 offseason. But that opened the door for a move that helped change the course of NFL history. After the Miami Dolphins were urged by team doctors not to sign Brees due to his recent shoulder surgery, the Saints picked up the quarterback in March 2006. The Saints were rewarded for taking on a significant risk. He led the team to a 10-6 record in his first year and was named first-team All-Pro. Brees threw for 243 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ 27-24 divisional round win, helping the team secure their NFC Championship Game appearance. They lost to the Chicago Bears in that game. 1. Delivering First Super Bowl To New Orleans and Winning MVP The defining moment of Brees’ career came in the 2009 season. Four years into his New Orleans tenure, Brees helped the Saints get over the hump when they defeated the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. His 32 completions were tied for the most in a Super Bowl at the time, and Brees won Super Bowl MVP as he threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns in that game.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY (Portland, Ore.) — A year ago, INDYCAR drivers came to Portland knowing that Alex Palou could clinch the championship with a couple of races remaining in the season. He did clinch the title at Portland a year ago. It was his third consecutive and fourth in the last five years. The 1.964-mile, 12-turn Portland road course is earlier in the season this year, with five races remaining after the 110-lap affair on Sunday, Aug. 9 (4 p.m. ET, FOX). But it is the same in that the field is once again chasing Palou. Here’s everything you need to know about this quest. What’s Left In The Season? This weekend at Portland is a known commodity to the teams, as they have raced on the permanent road course for the last seven years. But the next two weekends are not as familiar. A new circuit in the Toronto suburb of Markham replaces the race at the Toronto exhibition center. The new layout is a 2.19-mile, 12-turn street course. And then comes a biggie. A 250-mile affair in Washington, D.C., where the course appears relatively simple at 1.7 miles and seven turns. But 250 miles will be the longest street course race since the series raced in the 1980s on the Cleveland airport. The series ends with a doubleheader weekend at The Milwaukee Mile, a 1-mile oval where they will race on both Saturday and Sunday of the weekend before heading to the 2.238-mile, 11-turn permanent road course at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. How Big Is Palou’s Lead? It’s big but not totally insurmountable. There are 54 points available on a race weekend. There are 50 points based on finishing position and up to four bonus points (one for winning the pole, one for leading a lap and two for leading the most laps). The Chip Ganassi Racing driver already has more than a one-race lead on the field. He has an 83-point lead on Team Penske’s David Malukas. Following Malukas, Palou has an 87-point edge on Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood and 104 points on Christian Lundgaard. Can anyone catch him, needing nearly to cut 14 points a race at a minimum? INDYCAR veteran Graham Rahal isn’t convinced. “The championship, I hate to say it, but it’s over really. Unless something crazy happens, I just don’t see it going the other way,” Rahal told me Friday morning at Portland. Who Has The Best Shot To Catch Him? I could give you my thoughts, but FOX Sports analyst and former INDYCAR driver James Hinchcliffe already has. So take a look here: Is This The Biggest Margin With Six Races To Go? No it’s not. That record belongs to Scott Dixon, who had a 117-point lead in 2020 with six races to go to win the championship. Palou had a lead of 106 points — 23 more than this year — at this point last season. What Is The Biggest Comeback With Six To Go? Back in 2010, Dario Franchitt rallied from 50 points behind Will Power to win by five points. Power, by the way, is the defending winner at Portland. How Does Palou Feel? Palou very much displays an “it isn’t over until it’s over” type of vibe. He knows anything can happen. He also understands that with a couple of unknowns at Markham and Washington coming up, that could change how things play out. But first things first. Portland is a place where he has to feel good. He has won twice and finished on the podium in four of his five Portland starts. Are His Competitors Confident? They are confident in their abilities. They just aren’t confident that Palou could make enough mistakes or have enough misfortune that they would need to catch him. Kirkwood sees the two upcoming races at Markham and Washington as ones where he could potentially close the gap. “If history repeats itself, we’ve been really good on new tracks and new street courses, especially,” Kirkwood told me Friday. “Arlington [this year] was a new one. When we rolled out at Detroit a couple years back, we were definitely the cars to beat there. “So if that stays true, we have a really, really good opportunity at both Markham and D.C. to claw back some of the points’ deficit that we’ve had. But we’ve got to tie together [strong runs] all the races. … If we can do all of it, we’ll have a chance at a championship.” Does Palou Think That The Two Races After Portland Make Him Vulnerable? Palou, as mentioned earlier, never takes anything for granted. “I don’t know,” Palou told me Friday. “We never know, especially being a street track … Hopefully that doesn’t give them a chance to be any more competitive. “We know it’s going to be tough in terms of what are we doing on strategy, on setup, on how much can I push? It’s going to be an adventure.” How Does Malukas Focus On The Championship vs. Winning His First Race? Malukas doesn’t have an INDYCAR win, so he is somewhat just trying to win as well as remain in the championship battle. He indicated as much on Friday. “There is still somewhat of a championship battle that we really want to focus on and that’s kind of our main objective,” Malukas told me and other reporters. “So nothing too risky. But if the opportunity arises, we’ll go forward and try to get that first win.” How Is Malukas After The Nashville Crash? Malukas bruised his right knee in a crash at Nashville three weeks ago, but he said he is fine. “The knee is good,” Malukas said. “I’m pretty much back to 100 percent. I have full range of motion and was able to get back to the gym.” What is painful is that Malukas will have a six-spot grid penalty at Portland for exceeding the engine limits this year. He had a grid penalty at Nashville and then ruined another engine in the crash. “It makes it tough considering obviously the championship battle,” Malukas said. “This track is very qualifying important. We want to make sure we can qualify as good as possible considering the penalty on top of it.” What Are The Keys At Portland? The key at Portland is like many other tracks — have a good handling car and don’t make mistakes. That’s exactly why it fits into Palou’s wheelhouse. And he was one of the few drivers who has actually tested at Portland. “I love this track,” Palou said. “Last year was good. We were not the fastest but I just love this track. I’m glad we tested here a couple of weeks ago. It allowed us to find some areas where we were missing last year.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

When the Green Bay Packers hired Matt LaFleur to replace Mike McCarthy — who was fired during the 2018 regular season — in 2019, it was to squeeze out another Super Bowl run with Aaron Rodgers. Well, to date, Green Bay hasn’t advanced past the NFC Championship Game under LaFleur with both Rodgers (2019-22) and Jordan Love (2023-present) under center and has been eliminated in the NFC wild-card round in back-to-back years (2024-25). And while LaFleur signed a new contract in January, could he actually be coaching for his job this season? “Matt LaFleur has been in the league a while, and he’s probably on the coolest hot seat any coach has ever been on,” Colin Cowherd said on Friday’s edition of “The Herd.” “It’s not your usual hot seat, but two things are working against the Green Bay coach. No. 1, his division has Ben Johnson [Chicago Cubs] and Kevin O’Connell [Minnesota Vikings], brilliant offensive head coaches, top of the league, and then, the ultimate alpha-dog coach, Dan Campbell [Detroit Lions]. Over the last two years, the NFC North has won seven more games than the next division. It is probably or arguably the best coach division in football … “Here’s the other thing: Matt LaFleur has now developed a reputation, and the Packers’ front office knows it, and they’re watching the last couple of playoff losses, where they get that big lead, very smart, sophisticated game plan, and then they’re not tough enough to finish the game off.” The Packers, who began last season 9-3-1, lost their last four regular-season games before blowing a 21-3 halftime lead to the archival Chicago Bears in the wild-card round, marking five combined losses to end the year. Under LaFleur (2019-25), the Packers are a combined 76-40-1 in the regular season, 3-6 in the postseason and have won three division titles (2019-21). His 76 regular-season wins and 65.4% winning percentage each rank fourth in team history. Regarding this season, Green Bay has a new defensive coordinator in former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, who replaces Jeff Hafley, who left to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Gannon’s defense will begin the 2026 campaign without superstar defensive end Micah Parsons, who tore his ACL in Week 15 of last season. As for their competition, one could argue the Packers’ division, the NFC North, is the best in the sport. The Bears are coming off their first division title since 2018 and are entering their second season with Johnson as head coach; the Lions missed the playoffs last season, but they won 15 games in 2024 and have posted a winning record in four consecutive seasons (2022-25); the Vikings, who won 14 games in 2024, still went 9-8 last season in a campaign that saw them start three different quarterbacks (J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer). “Smart gets you a lead in pro football. Toughness gets you the win,” Cowherd said about LaFleur’s Packers. “At the end of games, eight, 12-play drives; no passes; head down; you’re bloodied; you pick up a third-and-1 three separate times, and I think that’s the question about Matt LaFleur and Green Bay. And I don’t think it’s a cheap shot. I think we got some data that it’s probably true.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

In Driver’s Eye with James Hinchcliffe, the six-time INDYCAR winner will bring you inside the mind of a racer while breaking down the nuts and bolts of the sport for fans. There is no denying that Alex Palou is having (another) dominating year in INDYCAR. Five wins on the season and a healthy points gap are the reward for his and his Chip Ganassi Racing team’s efforts. With six races remaining and a penchant for being Mr. Consistent, there’s no doubt he is the odds-on favorite to win a fourth consecutive INDYCAR title. That said, there are a few drivers who are more than just long shots heading into the marathon run of six races in five weeks to close out 2026. This final stretch of races has a perfect mix of two road courses, two ovals and two street circuits, with each type of track playing to different strengths of different drivers fighting for the title. So let’s break down who has a real shot at dethroning the champ. INDYCAR CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN CHEVROLET Pato O’Ward may have been Palou’s closest rival at the close of 2025, but with six races to go this season, significantly moving up in the standings and making a title run is likely out of reach. O’Ward sits in fifth in the INDYCAR standings, 121 points out of the championship lead. With 324 total points yet to be claimed — and with Pato having a consistent, if not spectacular run of form so far this year — realistically, race wins are now the focus for the No. 5 Arrow McLaren squad. So let’s keep moving up through the top five. CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD, NO. 7 ARROW MCLAREN CHEVROLET Christian Lundgaard sits fourth and 104 points from the top spot. Having finished first or second on every road course so far this year, and with two still to come — including Portland, where he was on pole last year — he has a good chance to earn some strong points there. He has been strong on street courses this year, too. And though his oval results are still lacking compared to the other title challengers — his best oval finish so far was 10th at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway — if McLaren show up to the Milwaukee Mile for the doubleheader with a strong package, and Palou has a few rough rounds, it’s not impossible. Improbable, but not impossible. KYLE KIRKWOOD, NO. 27 ANDRETTI GLOBAL HONDA Kirkwood is third and 87 markers back. Even though he’s a few behind David Malukas in second, I think he represents Palou’s biggest threat. There are two street courses in these last six races. Both of them are brand-new tracks to the calendar. Arlington, back toward the start of the season, was the last time we went to an all-new street track, and Kirkwood annihilated the competition. If he can capitalize on the strength of the Andretti Global package there, and keep up his killer consistency of top-3 and top-5 finishes, on the remaining ovals, he could be a real thorn in Palou’s side. The Andretti pit stops have been markedly improved from the start of the year, he has one of the best strategists in the series in Bryan Herta calling his races, and he is having a career year with the second-best average finish of anyone after Palou. DAVID MALUKAS, NO. 12 TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET P2 overall right now is Malukas, with an 83-point gap to Palou. The young driver in his first year with the Penske squad has been mighty impressive. Poles and podiums have come his way, though he is yet to bag that elusive first win. But Malukas has shown such strength across all types of tracks that he can certainly not be counted out. Ovals especially seem to be where he excels at the moment. His last-to-third run at Nashville was a perfect example. Penske has had good cars at Milwaukee for years, and with back-to-back races there in a few weeks, that first win might be around the corner. And as we’ve seen time and time again in racing, once that first win comes, the floodgates can open with more wins coming thick and fast. Should that happen, it would set up Malukas for a massive comeback in the fourth quarter of the season. Long story short, yes, Palou’s year has been outstanding. But there is a hungry pack well within reach to make this final stint in the season as tough and stressful as the four-time champ has ever dealt with. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE FAST: PORTLAND Portland International Raceway is next up, and the quirky little road course is known for throwing some curveballs to the finishing order — despite Palou and Will Power combining to win five of the last six races on the 1.967-mile track. It’s short, flat and made up of predominantly long-duration, high-speed corners. The double dose of Turns 4 and 5 right is one of the coolest combos of the year. The pair of turns require incredible commitment with a super high-speed turn in, and then remarkable balance as you sit the car on whatever the limiting tire is — left front or left rear, depending on your balance — through what feels like a never-ending corner. It’s tough on cars, tires and necks. The chicane at the back of the circuit is also a ton of fun in an Indy car. You arrive at it at the top of sixth gear, and it’s a quick stab of the brakes and knock it down one gear before you hustle into the left-right corner sequence, threading the needle between the two apex curbs. You have to use some curb to maximize the apex speed. But use too much, and the car gets unsettled on landing and can fire you off into the tire wall, which seems miles away, but at those speeds, it comes at you quickly. But for all the talk of high-speed corners, Portland is, rightly or wrongly, often defined by Turns 1 and 2 — the slowest on the track and one of the tightest chicanes of the season. The frontstraight is a literal drag strip, with a long full throttle section, nice and wide, that files down into that first turn. It’s so inviting for a late lunge, and, as a result, starts and restarts are a hotbed for contact. It can be a real hero or zero kind of prospect. It feels slow and clunky behind the wheel of an Indy car through there, but having stood track side since retiring, I assure you it is anything but! It’s a fun little sequence that requires the perfect compromise of apex speed at Turn 1 and car placement for Turn 2. Tons of time can be made or lost there. So love it or hate it, the fastest drivers learn to embrace it. 1 FOR THE ROAD Portland, for me, has been a feast-or-famine circuit. In my INDYCAR career, that first turn was my kryptonite. In three races racing in the main game there, I never made it past Turn 3, getting hit twice and then taken out before getting to the apex of Turn 1! But in the junior formulae coming up, it was one of my best tracks, winning a few and never finishing worse than second there in many different series. Even with that success when I was younger, Portland still also holds a special place in my mind as one of the most painful losses of my career. It was 2005, the Star Mazda Championship. I had led all day until a late restart with only a handful of laps to go. I defended to the inside along the frontstraight, as I had a few times already. I thought I had closed the door enough, but a young and exuberant driver from Ohio had decided there was just enough room to squeeze to the inside. Turns out, to the tune of about an inch, Graham Rahal was right. He had the line into Turn 1 and took the lead, and with only a few laps to go, I couldn’t get him back. That one stung so badly, but at the same time, it was a great lesson. I remembered that moment several times throughout the rest of my career, and it helped me win a few races down the line! Never made that mistake again. And even though the net result was a gain over my career, that one still haunts me to this day. The worst part? Graham knows it and reminds me every chance he gets! My personal pain aside, I am looking forward to getting back there to watch these 25 drivers go at it for 110 laps to see who can get momentum on their side at the top of the final stretch of 2026. MORE DRIVER’S EYE:​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The New York Giants concluded the 2025 season with a 4-13 record and lost their head coach along the way, but a second-year Jaxson Dart could turn things around for the Giants this season. Dart was drafted No. 25 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft and was named the starting quarterback in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Now, the pressure is on for Dart to perform under new head coach John Harbaugh and an elite and healthy roster. For FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd, he’s impressed with the little things Dart brings to the table as a quarterback, rather than the Giant’s overall record. “But it’s interesting because Jaxson Dart, with a new coach, has been pretty uneven… Whenever a young quarterback comes into the league, and he’s in a bad situation like Dart was, all I look for are ‘Wow’ moments. I do not care about records,” Cowherd said on Thursday’s edition of ‘The Herd. Following the Giants 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 10, the Giants fired former head coach Brian Daboll. The firing of Daboll also came at a time when wide receiver Malik Nabers had torn his ACL, and running back Cam Skattebo was sidelined with a broken ankle. However, Dart still produced impressive numbers. In his 12 total starts for the Giants, Dart threw for 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.  He added nine rushing touchdowns, which is the most in a single season by a Giants quarterback and the third-most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback. Heading into his second season, Dart can build on top of his rookie performance with a talented supporting cast. Despite Dart having his ‘Wow’ moments and the added components, that is what makes him a star quarterback entering his second season. “You’ve got some ‘WOW’ stuff. Super athletic, fearless running the ball… you can see the athleticism, the confidence, the leadership. The kid had more rushing touchdowns as a rookie than Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson,” Herd said. “[Malik] Nabers is healthy, [Cam] Skattebo is back, legitimate coaching… Jaxson Dart gives you ‘Wow’ and eight of his starts he completed over 65% of his throws. So I got a guy that can hit the layups, (and) I got a little wow.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Finally, we have a real taste of football. The first preseason game of the 2026 season took place on Thursday, with the Carolina Panthers taking down the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game. Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck was the storyline from Thursday’s game, impressing in his unofficial NFL debut. While we finally had game action on Thursday, though, more contract matters dominated the news in the NFL. We saw a pair of star running backs agree to pricey extensions, including a record-setting deal. Meanwhile, in Tampa Bay, the news down there is about a pair of stars who haven’t received pricey extensions. Here are the headlines to know from Thursday around the NFL. There typically aren’t too many highlights or takeaways from the Hall of Fame Game, but this year’s edition brought us one. Beck completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown in Thursday’s game. The rookie made all sorts of throws in Arizona’s loss, completing deep balls as he helped the Cardinals put up 17 points. Kedon Slovis played the second half for the Cardinals. Beck’s showing adds some intrigue to a Cardinals team widely viewed to be one of the worst in the NFL entering the season. It could also add some heat on veteran Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, who didn’t play in Thursday’s game. Undrafted rookie free agent Haynes King had the best outing of any quarterback on Thursday, though. After replacing Kenny Pickett, King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. But he made the play of the game with his feet, rushing for a 5-yard score as time expired to give the Panthers a 33-30 victory. Shortly after the Atlanta Falcons made Bijan Robinson the NFL’s highest-paid running back, the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions secured their own star halfbacks to massive deals. Jahmyr Gibbs agreed to a deal that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. The two sides agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $75.75 million with $51.5 million fully guaranteed, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, ESPN reported. Gibbs had a massive year for the Lions in 2025. He racked up 1,223 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, while making a huge impact in the passing game with 77 catches for 616 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Hours before news of Gibbs’ deal broke, the Colts and star running back Jonathan Taylor agreed to a two-year, $44 million extension, per ESPN. The deal is worth up to $47 million and also includes $39 million in guaranteed money for Taylor as he enters his age-27 season. Taylor is coming off one of his best seasons since entering the league in 2020. He ranked third in the league last season with 1,585 rushing yards and a league-leading 18 touchdowns, while adding 46 receptions for 378 yards and two receiving scores. No running back appears to be an imminent threat to break Gibbs’ record. No running back taken in the 2024 or 2025 drafts has been as productive as him. Of course, that could change in the coming years. Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht addressed the status of two key veterans on Thursday, stating the team has no plans to trade Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea amid ongoing contract discussions. “We love Vita,” Licht told reporters. “We’ve been engaged with his agent recently. I don’t know how it’s gonna end, but we’ve been engaged and that’s at least some progress.” Licht also discussed quarterback Baker Mayfield, noting that while placing the franchise tag on Mayfield in 2027 remains an available tool if necessary, it is not the team’s primary plan. He emphasized that the franchise’s main objective remains securing a long-term contract extension with Mayfield. “I’m not going to get into specifics about the contract and all that stuff, but yeah — we do think he is [a franchise quarterback],” Licht told reporters. “We love Baker. … Baker’s in a great place right now. We’re in a very good place.” Mayfield is entering the final season of a three-year contract. Tensions flared on the practice field between New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and wide receiver A.J. Brown on Thursday. Gonzalez and Brown have repeatedly sought out head-to-head matchups and exchanged words throughout training camp practices, according to reports at practice. Following lockdown coverage by Gonzalez, competitive back-and-forth trash talk between the two players escalated, nearly requiring the pair to be separated as the team transitioned to a new drill. “It’s good on good,” Gonzalez told reporters following Thursday’s practice. “He’s a No. 1 receiver in this league going up against a No. 1 corner. That’s how it’s going to go. It’s football at the end of the day. There’s never no disrespect or anything. We’re just battling and getting each other better. He’s going to face corners like that, that are going to yap at him and going to try to get in his head, and I’m going to face receivers like that who are strong and come right back at me. It’s great work for the both of us.” The Houston Texans and head coach DeMeco Ryans are doing whatever it takes to keep the young nucleus of their defense intact. The Texans and linebacker Henry To’oTo’o have agreed to a two-year, $16 million extension, first reported by NFL Network. Entering his age-25 season, To’oTo’o can earn up to $1 million more in incentives in the deal. To’oTo’o is coming off his first full 17-game season with Houston, establishing himself as a big contributor for one of the league’s premier defenses. He recorded 95 total tackles, with 42 of them being solo, along with 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Los Angeles Rams are the offseason Super Bowl champs because of their blockbuster moves through the draft and free agency, and the actual defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, also play in their division. So, should the lowly Arizona Cardinals even show up to play this year in the best division in football, the NFC West? I posed that question to receiver Michael Wilson, one of the last players to leave the field after running routes with starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett, coaxing raised eyebrows and a smirk. “The Cardinals have always not gotten a lot of respect,” Wilson told me. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve never been a team that people thought were going to win a bunch of games. But it is what it is. “Truthfully, we really don’t care because in Week 1 we’ve got to play the Chargers. The following week we play Seattle and the next week we have to play San Francisco. So, none of that matters. It’s just all optics and fluff to us.” Yes, the Cardinals have the longest odds to reach the Super Bowl and are led by their fourth different head coach in a decade. Former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is now leading the show, and he showed the same energy as Wilson as he high-fived players and bounced around the field. Arizona lost nine straight games to finish the 2025 season, losing by an average of 16 points a game and resulting in the firing of defensive-minded head coach Jonathan Gannon after three seasons. Still, there’s a belief here among core returning players that they have enough talent to hold their own this season. NFL observers will get their first look at the Cardinals as they take on the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame Game. LaFleur will sit most of his starters, including No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love. “The Super Bowl is not tomorrow,” Brissett told me when asked about his team’s low expectations nationally. “Everybody’s 0-0 right now. We’ve had a long offseason getting ready for the preseason and training camp. The teams that look forward that far ahead, that’s where you think about how far you’re getting from the end goal. I think for us, our mindset is just getting better each day. You stack up days, keep putting one foot in front of the other and the end goal kind of comes to you, rather than you having to go run to it.” The reason for that optimism in the desert is the offense, which returns most of the starters from a group that finished seventh in passing offense last season. Brissett, 33, will be playing with core players for a second season in a row for the first time in his 11-year NFL career, which means the Cardinals do not have to reestablish chemistry and rapport among their playmakers. However, Brissett is behind in learning the offense after a contract impasse that kept him out of offseason work and lasted until the start of training camp. Brissett, who represents himself, eventually agreed to a reworked deal that provided him a deserved pay bump to $15 million in base salary that could be worth up to $21 million if incentives are met as the team’s starting quarterback. Brissett has plenty of playmakers at his disposal, including one of the best tight ends in the league (Trey McBride), a player looking to make a jump in (2024 No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr.) and versatile wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. The Cardinals also have one of the deeper running back rooms in the league, led by the explosive Love, free-agent pickup Tyler Allgeier and bruising veteran runner James Conner. Allgeier and Love split reps with the first group during training camp as Conner works himself back from a season-ending leg injury. But perhaps the best example of the Cardinals’ potential is Wilson. The Stanford product had just eight catches for 52 yards and a score through the first five games of last season. Wilson turned it on after that, though. He finished the year with his first 1,000-yard season, totaling 78 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. Wilson earned an expanded role in the offense when fellow receiver Harrison suffered appendicitis that required surgery and a foot issue that forced him to miss a handful of games in the second half of the season. “After last season, it was like ‘Holy sh–,” Wilson told me. “I think over an eight-game stretch I was second in every receiver stat to Puka Nacua. And in my book, Puka Nacua was the best receiver in the NFL last year. And so now I know that’s the standard and I’m capable of being a top 10 receiver in the NFL. “I’ve always had such a high standard for myself. In high school, within my community and region, I was always one of the best receivers. In college, within my team, I was always one of the best. When I went to the Senior Bowl, I was always one of the best. So, I feel like regardless of the room I’m in or the situation, I feel like on a long enough timescale I’ll find a way to rise to the top.” Wilson has earned the role as the team’s No. 1 receiver and will be used in a similar manner to Robert Woods and Nacua in a Sean McVay-style offense brought over by LaFleur. Tasked with helping to implement the offense will be new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. A former head coach himself who served as an offensive coordinator for Mike LaFleur’s older brother, Matt LaFleur, in Green Bay, Hackett will be upstairs in the booth and not call plays. And Hackett will help take some of the offensive game-planning responsibilities off LaFleur’s plate. He offers a wealth of experience in the West Coast offense. One of the originators of the innovative offense developed by Bill Walsh is Hackett’s father, Paul Hackett, who was at practice during my time at Arizona’s training camp. “He’s the original O.G.,” Hackett told me about his father.  “He’s been around some of the best, so he knows what it looks like and what you have to do to be great in this league. So, it’s fun to have him come in and talk about why things were originally started. He was there when some of our protections were invented the very first time. To have a guy like that is just unbelievable, and the players he’s coached.” Hackett said expectations are high for Love, who will not play in Thursday’s Hall of Fame game but has looked good running the football during training camp. “It’s a lot like the stuff he’s done in the past,” Hackett told me when I asked about Love’s transition to a new offense. “We’re a combination of outside zone, downhill runs and all kinds of stuff. He’s got to learn the system and get comfortable with it. Learn the intricacies, the footwork and where his eyes are. As a rookie, it takes them some time, but he’s got some amazing talent and he works hard, so it’s going to be fun to watch him grow.” Hackett told me he’s also been pleased with the growth and development of rookie third-round draft pick Carson Beck, who will start at quarterback for the Cardinals against the Carolina Panthers in Canton. Hackett said the Cardinals were attracted to Beck’s 43 college starts and the adversity he faced in leading Miami to the National title game after transferring from Georgia. “That’s unbelievable experience,” Hackett told me. “Because when you get to this league, if you have one bad game it’s a fascinating experience (laughs). I think just to see how he operated in that way. He’s very talented; he’s also very smart. “And those are some of the things that we’re very excited about him. But just being out here, it’s been great to see when he makes a mistake, he doesn’t get in the tank. He appreciates it, and he doesn’t make that same mistake twice. I really like that about him.” But in my conversations with Arizona players about the upcoming season, they emphasized that the Cardinals are not waving the white flag and playing for draft position to potentially select a franchise quarterback in 2027. The Cardinals believe they can challenge the rest of the NFC West — even if the rest of the league has serious doubts. “I remember when we were in Jacksonville, and we were supposed to be the worst team ever,” Hackett told me. “We came out, won the division and went to the AFC Championship Game and almost went to the Super Bowl. So, the season is so fluid. The season changes so much. What we look like this moment might look different in Week 10. “Of course, people are going to have their predictions and say what they’re going to say. And they’re going to think about us how they think about us. But in the end, we just go out and do our job.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Layne Riggs hasn’t been shy talking about his hopes for an eventual NASCAR Cup Series ride. It likely won’t happen full-time in 2027, but he hopes that, if he keeps winning truck races, a team will look at him and say he’s ready for Cup. That could very well be his current team, Front Row Motorsports. But like most young drivers, time is of the essence. And that’s because a young driver must strike when they’re hot but also make sure they remain positioned for success no matter the level. “All I can do is impress the right people and from everybody I talk to, all I can do is just keep doing what I’m doing — getting poles and winning races and trying to impress everybody,” Riggs said after winning the pole at North Wilkesboro last month. “That’s all I’ve got to worry about, in a nutshell. If I just keep doing what I’m doing right here, hopefully the right opportunity will come to me.” So which drivers will be the ones who have the best chance to make it in Cup and be a regular Chase contender at NASCAR’s top level? Here is my mid-season prospect list. It is based on performance and it also factors in drivers’ ability to obtain and keep funding. Some parameters: no driver who has had a season in Cup — or is about to have a full season in Cup — is on this list. For example, Corey Heim, who earned two Cup victories this season, dropped off of eligibility on my list with his two Cup victories. Also, all drivers must be younger than 28 to be included. Meza has six TransAm TA2 victories this year and sits second in the point standings. He was the top rookie in the Mazda MX-5 Cup last year. Retzlaff sits ninth in the O’Reilly Series standings as he has shown to be consistently top 10 in driving for Viking Motorsports. He is expected to be back there next year and if he continues to run well, it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to get a look from one of the top teams in that series or a Cup team. Caruth is 14th in the O’Reilly Series points as a rookie, where he has run the majority of races at JR Motorsports. Having online racing as his roots, Caruth looks like he needs a little more time to get comfortable as he moves from series to series. Assuming he gets another season at JRM next year, that is one where he will need to start challenging for wins. Eckes is fourth in the truck standings and has had the best results from the Chevrolet truck stable. For the most part, he’s doing the most with what he has, but he really could use some wins. Mayer has had a disappointing season when it comes to results, as he sits 10th in the O’Reilly Series standings. Where he races next year is yet to be announced, although he will most likely remain in the O’Reilly Series. He needs more consistency to get a good look from a Cup team. Lewis has shown promise in his six truck starts and if he runs the full season next year as expected, that will be pivotal in his quest for a Cup seat in the upcoming years. Lewis also has a CARS Tour late model stock win this year. Avedisian has three top 10s in her four ARCA starts this year as she continues the transition from sprint cars. One of the Toyota Racing Development drivers, she will continue to get opportunities as she is showing a lot of promise. Buice has finished in the top five (including one second-place finish) in all four of her ARCA Series starts this year. She is part of the Chevrolet program and is proving she’s deserving of more opportunities. Brown has finished in the top three — including one win — in all six of his ARCA starts this year. A Richard Childress Racing development driver, he very well could end up in an O’Reilly Series car for RCR next year. He makes his series debut with Jordan Anderson Racing this weekend at Iowa. Ruggiero has shown steady progression this year, as he sits fifth in the truck standings while also having won four ARCA wins this season. McKee has an ARCA win and a runner-up among his five starts in the series, as well as three ARCA East triumphs this season. He sits second in the standings. A Spire Motorsports driver, he will make select truck starts later this year. Harvick has two top fives in three CARS Tour pro late model starts and sits second in the CARS Tour West standings. He won two CARS Tour West pro late model races this year. For such a young driver, his race craft is impressive, which shouldn’t shock anyone considering he has his father (former Cup champion Kevin Harvick) to guide him. Gray has one victory in the O’Reilly Series but is battling to make the Chase field. He’s already signed to race for JGR in the series again next year, and as long as he shows improvement, he will likely have a ride and an eventual move to Cup is quite possible. Smith is third in the truck standings with two victories this year. He is expected to make his return to the O’Reilly Series next year at Richard Childress Racing. If he can perform well there, he could have a Cup ride in a few years. Kvapil, who earned his first O’Reilly win at Indianapolis, sits second in the series standings. His path forward to Cup still seems a little unclear, as JR Motorsports has had to piece together sponsorship for him (and even have him run a handful of races for another team) just to get him a full season. Honeycutt sits a spot behind Riggs in the truck standings, where he earned his first career victory earlier this year. He will likely get another year of trucks at Tricon. Here’s a question: As long as he wins races, is a year of O’Reilly in his future or will he jump straight to Cup? If he sticks with Toyota, Legacy Motor Club would be the most likely option in 2028. Day is fifth in the O’Reilly Series standings. He has two wins as he continues the transition from full-time sprint cars to stock cars. He is doing almost everything Hendrick Motorsports could ask of him. A little inconsistency should be expected considering his lack of stock-car experience. He should have eyes on a Cup ride in 2028, but whether that is at Hendrick or another Chevy team (Spire?) is still to be determined. Layne Riggs has five victories in the trucks this year and has all but clinched the regular-season title. His path to Cup is most likely through Front Row. But as mentioned earlier, it appears that 2028 will be the first full season and not 2027. Love, the defending O’Reilly Series champion, is third in the series standings. He’s still looking for his first win this year, but he already knows what he’s doing next year; he’ll replace Josh Berry in the Wood Brothers No. 21 Cup car. Crews is battling for a Chase spot in the O’Reilly Series, despite missing four races this year. He still seeks his first win in the series but has been impressive. He appears to be a candidate for the No. 11 Cup car in 2028, although that will likely be contingent on his performance over the final portion of this season and the start of 2027. Even if he isn’t in the JGR Cup car in 2028, as long as he does perform, there should be a path for him to Cup. 25 Others To Watch: Thomas Annunziata, Luke Baldwin, Austin Beers, Jake Bollman, Gavan Boschele, Cole Denton, Parker Eatmon, Luke Fenhaus, Jake Finch, Jake Garcia, Conner Jones, Isaac Kitzmiller, Caden Kvapil, Treyten Lapcevich,  Ben Maier, George Phillips, Max Reaves, Tyler Reif, Taylor Reimer, Isabella Robusto, Nick Sanchez, William Sawalich, Lavar Scott, Sammy Smith and Mason Walters.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports