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Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas) — Thursday only marked the unofficial start of the Fernando Mendoza era in Las Vegas, but he gave the Raiders plenty of reason for hope in his preseason debut. The Raiders’ rookie quarterback and the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown with zero turnovers in the team’s 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday. Mendoza played four drives, getting his first taste of NFL action after Kirk Cousins got the start at quarterback for Las Vegas. Here are my three takeaways from Mendoza’s preseason debut, which also featured the debut of Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, who was the third overall pick in the draft. 1. Can Raiders Keep Mendoza On Bench For Long? Cousins got the start in Thursday’s game and did as well as anyone could’ve asked. The veteran completed 5 of 6 passes for 50 yards, throwing a touchdown pass in his only drive of the game. But all of the excitement was waiting for Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to a national title last year. His first drive wasn’t great, converting a third-and-8 pass to wide receiver Jack Bech before the drive reached a halt due to a holding penalty by a backup offensive lineman. However, Mendoza’s second drive was enough to get Raiders fans excited. He threaded a pass between two defenders to Malik Benson for a 19-yard gain to get the drive going. Then, after another Raiders rookie, running back Mike Washington, broke loose for a 53-yard run, Mendoza made sure Las Vegas found the end zone. He took a sack on first-and-goal, but avoided another to help set up a third-and-goal at the 6-yard line. Mendoza came through on that play, completing a quick slant to Bech for a touchdown and the highlight of his preseason debut. That was the only time the Raiders put up points when Mendoza was on the field, although the team got into field goal range in his final drive of the night. Still, that might have been enough, though, to make you wonder how long Las Vegas will keep him on the bench behind Cousins, as Mendoza played into the fourth quarter. Las Vegas head coach Klint Kubiak reiterated after Thursday’s game that the starting job was Cousins’ “to lose.” Kubiak’s comment won’t stop Raiders fans from getting excited about Mendoza, though. Ahead of Thursday’s game, there was a group of fans I saw holding a flag with Mendoza’s face wearing an eyepatch in place of the Raiders’ logo. 2. Raiders Offense Looks Much Improved A rare Thursday home kickoff allowed Raiders’ minority owner Tom Brady to watch the game in person, as he’s usually busy calling games for FOX Sports when the team’s playing. And in his appearance, Brady got to see an upgraded Las Vegas offense. It was a solid offensive debut for Kubiak, who came to Las Vegas after helping the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl as their offensive coordinator this past season. His team put up 317 yards of total offense on Thursday. And you can’t take much from a preseason opener, but Las Vegas’ offensive line should be much better in 2026 after dealing with a slew of injuries last season. Center Tyler Linderbaum got one of the biggest deals in free agency and upgrades the middle, and having tackle Kolton Miller healthy helps the pass protection. Even with emerging running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders were last in the NFL in rushing yards per game and yards per carry, but that won’t be the case in 2026. It was the Raiders’ offensive depth, though, that showed out (outside of Mendoza and Cousins) on Thursday. Bech, who the Raiders took in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, had three receptions, including the touchdown grab. Tight end Michael Mayer, a second-round pick in 2023, caught Cousins’ touchdown pass. 3. Love At First Glance? Mendoza wasn’t the only marquee rookie making his preseason debut Thursday, as Jeremiyah Love saw his first NFL action and impressed. The Cardinals running back had a spin move to the left on third-and-short in the red zone to set up one touchdown, and hurdled through the Raiders’ defense for a 15-yard gain just before halftime, providing one of the highlights of the night in the NFL. Love finished Thursday’s game with 58 yards on 11 carries in the first half. It’s easy to write off the Cardinals and Raiders as last-place teams in insanely difficult divisions, but both have talented young running backs and new offensive-minded head coaches in Kubiak and Arizona’s Mike LaFleur, so there’s reason for measured optimism. Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew went a combined 15 of 15 for 123 yards in the first half, with touchdown passes on all three drives.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Nobody really thought John Harbaugh deserved to be fired in Baltimore. He had been there for 18 mostly successful seasons, and even the 8-9 disappointment last year was largely because his superstar quarterback got hurt. So when owner Steve Bisciotti did it anyway, and replaced him with Jesse Minter, a 43-year-old first-time head coach, there were definitely shock waves felt in the Ravens locker room. And there were some skeptical players who needed to be convinced that this unexpected switch was going to be good. “Yeah, but I think he did it in his first team meeting,” second-year safety Malaki Starks told me after practice Thursday. “He came in and set his expectations and his standards. He didn’t come in with a big chest saying ‘I’m the guy.’ He also didn’t come in not talking at all. He came in authentic to himself. “And we could see he’s an easy man to follow.” The Ravens better hope that’s true, and that Minter is really up to the task, because no first-year coach has more pressure on him in 2026 than he does. Minter, the former Chargers defensive coordinator, inherited a loaded team, with an MVP-winning quarterback, and more than enough talent to make a real run at Super Bowl LXI. It’s not often that a first-time coach gets to take over a team this good, with super high expectations. All he has to do is not screw it up. “Yeah, but I think the confidence that he has in himself allowed him to really come in and be himself,” Starks told me. “He came in knowing that the team that he has, and he can handle it. That’s who he is and who he wants to be. “And we all have confidence in his ability.” So far, the early reviews on Minter are good. As a former Harbaugh assistant (2017-20), he didn’t come in and rip up the foundation that his predecessor had established over the better part of two decades. He just put his own twists and personality on it. Minter told the players on the first day that his door was open, and he welcomed their input. He shortened the practices a bit from the marathon sessions Harbaugh used to run. But mostly, he worked hard every day and eventually convinced them that there’s a reason he got this job. “He’s the definition of a leader, to a T,” Starks told me. “And he’s super smart.” The defense, in particular, is counting on that “super smart” part. That was the most disappointing thing about last year’s Ravens. They ranked 24th in total defense and 28th in sacks. It’s not solely why Baltimore missed the postseason for the first time in four years, but it definitely was part of the collapse. Minter, who coached the Ravens defensive backs in 2019-20 and will call the defensive plays this year, directed one of the NFL’s best defenses the past two seasons with the Chargers, who’d been one of the worst in 2023. He brings instant credibility to that side of the ball with his new players, simply on the strength of his résumé. But it didn’t take long for them to understand why his system has succeeded. “I think the biggest thing is it’s set up to make plays,” Starks told me. “Attack the ball, fly around, and play as a unit. I think we’re going to thrive in that. I really do. Guys are really buying into it.” So far, the Ravens are buying into everything Minter is selling them, which is easy considering they haven’t even played a preseason game yet. The real proof will come in the months ahead, when they’ll really find out if their new coach is capable of making that leap. Because he certainly has the right team to make a big impact in his first season. It’s rare that a coach is the team’s biggest question mark. But the Ravens seem convinced that Minter is the right answer, too. Derrick Henry is a big man. I know, that’s not a revelation. He’s 6-foot-3, 252 pounds. But he looks bigger in person, and he must look like a freight train to defenders when he gets moving. He’s 32 years old now and, between high school, college and the NFL, has tallied more than 4,600 carries. Yet, there’s still no running back I would fear more if I played defense. “He’s a big man,” Starks told me. “Just the things he’s able to do at his size and how valuable he is to this team doesn’t get talked about enough. I’m grateful I don’t have to see him on Sundays.” If Henry is healthy all season, the Ravens rushing attack should again be unstoppable. And it’s a decent bet he’ll be healthy, since he’s missed just 12 games in his 10-year career — nine of which came in the 2021 season. The guy is just a marvel and one of the greatest running backs in the history of the game. “Lamar Jackson is aging like fine wine.” — Ravens QBs coach Israel Woolfork A Super Bowl Contender Once Again That’s nothing new for a franchise that has had double-digit wins in six of the past eight seasons, but it is a little odd for a team coming off a coaching change. Minter landed in the best spot of any new coach, though, because he inherited a powerhouse. He has an All-Pro QB and RB, an elite receiver in Zay Flowers and an elite pass-rusher in Hendrickson. Considering the rest of the supporting cast is pretty good, too, that should be more than enough. They have to stay healthy, of course. If Jackson or Henry go down, their outlook changes. Same, to an extent, for Flowers, since he’s their only reliable wideout. And Minter, known for his defensive wizardry, does need to fix a defense that struggled last year. But all the pieces are right there for the Ravens to win 10-plus games, even in what could be a much more competitive AFC North. And if the 1-2 punch of Jackson and Henry get rolling in the playoffs, the Ravens could make a deep run. I’m now headed to Latrobe, Pa., home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the birthplace of Rolling Rock beer, the banana split and Mr. Rogers (Fred, not Aaron). (Actually, I’m going home first before making the six-hour trek across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on Saturday, so I can be at St. Vincent College for Steelers practice on Sunday morning.) You can learn a lot while driving across Pennsylvania if you take time to read the many billboards. For example, you learn that God has a phone number, and you are heavily encouraged to call Him if you are addicted to gambling or porn. You also learn that you can get almost anything made out of sheep skin. And you learn that even though the state (excuse me, the Commonwealth) is 300 miles long, a personal injury lawyer is never very far away. Once I do get there, I’m looking forward to seeing what Mr. Rodgers (Aaron) has left in his 42-year-old right arm. At this point, you have to see him as much as possible before Father Time completely catches up. I’ve never been to Latrobe, but Pittsburgh is one of the most underrated cities in America. And PNC Park is the best ballpark west of CitiField. So, if you see me there for Red Sox-Pirates this weekend, please don’t tell my boss.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The next two weeks will bring challenges like no other for INDYCAR drivers. Two new street circuits. Back-to-back weeks of unknowns. First up this weekend: A race on the streets of Markham, a suburb of Toronto. It’s a 2.19-mile, 12-turn course on streets that have mostly been repaved. Then next weekend: A race on the streets of Washington, D.C., around the National Mall. The relatively simple 1.7-mile, seven-turn course will go by some of the most iconic institutions in the nation’s Capitol as part of a celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States of America. Here’s everything to know about how drivers will handle the next couple of weeks. How Do They Prepare? Drivers have worked in racing simulators just as they have for other events, although the scan of the Markham track was done before it was repaved. So many of the bumps are no longer there. Also, for new street courses, teams have no data on the surface and how it reacts to tires and the like. If they were going to an existing track, they could have had a tire test. There’s another issue. Obviously, the temporary barriers have been installed in just the last few weeks, and while the track designs are close to actuality, a wall in a different spot by a few feet can make all the difference. Some drivers refuse to do the simulator or don’t put much stock in it. “I hate the simulator,” Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward told me Thursday morning in Markham. “It’s so useless. It’s good for a video game. It’s not good for getting to know exactly what the car is going to feel like. “And the problem is, whenever you go to these new places, that is your first sensation of a new circuit. Then you get there and you’re like, ‘Hey, that’s not the same.’ Well, no sh–, Sherlock, it’s not the same. It’s important to know where the track goes, which I do know.” Lundgaard, a teammate of O’Ward, told me he decided not to do the simulator. “I did it in Arlington and in all honesty, I thought it hurt me. So I didn’t really want to do Markham or D.C.” But Some Have Done Simulator, Right? Rinus VeeKay, who is 10th in the series standings driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing, said he has done the simulator for both tracks and there are a lot of differences between Markham and Washington. He said he actually dislocated a rib doing the Markham simulator because of the bumps in the surface before it was repaved. The Markham track has a very tight hairpin, much like Long Beach — except drivers will be carrying much more speed into that turn at Markham. “I’d say D.C. is more of a straight-forward track, really wide with all the streets,” VeeKay told me Thursday morning. “They’re just really wide there. Markham is a lot tighter, a lot more unorthodox. “Corners we haven’t really seen with that weird hairpin there. This is going to be an interesting race. It’s going to take a lot of skill to be quick around this track here at Markham.” And there’s some feeling that this could be one of those places where preparation isn’t as important. “We’re just going to rock up and do our best,” Meyer Shank Racing driver Marcus Armstrong told me. So Who Will Be The Favorites? You could go with Kyle Kirkwood, who won the inaugural race on the new Arlington (Texas) street course earlier this year and has been one of the top drivers on street courses the last few years. And then, of course, there’s championship leader Alex Palou. He has won on the streets of St. Pete, Long Beach and Detroit this year. “You never know until you practice one or two times,” Palou told me and other reporters last week as far as who will be good this weekend. It was at Arlington where Kirkwood made a daring pass on Palou for the win. Christian Lundgaard, who has won two races on road courses this year, isn’t sure fans should expect much difference when looking at the top of the board. “I feel the strong teams will be at the strong end of the field as always,” Lundgaard told me and other reporters last week. “There may be drivers that figure it out sooner than others. I feel like it’ll be pretty similar to Arlington.” Will This Be An Even Playing Field? That’s a good question. With no driver truly knowing exactly what he needs, that could open up the chances of a driver hitting on the right setup. Or maybe even bigger, there’s more likelihood that a driver just makes mistakes and ends up in a barrier. “For a smaller team, I think it’s a good thing,” VeeKay said. “We can guess right, while some big teams maybe don’t.” As Christian Rasmussen of ECR told me: “I don’t think it hurts us guys.” Shouldn’t It Be Tougher On Teams With Smaller Budgets? It very well could. A.J. Foyt Racing driver Santino Ferrucci will admit that much. “It’s probably a bigger challenge for us than others, but I’m looking forward to it,” Ferrucci told me last week. “We’ve had four new tracks [including the Phoenix oval] this year, three of which have been brand new. “It’s just great for the sport. Venues that we need to be going to and tracks that need to be changed. …. I’m excited about it.” Romain Grosjean, a driver for Dale Coyne Racing, might run on the tightest budget of any team in the garage. Coming from Portland last week and then having Milwaukee and Laguna Seca (Monterey, Calif.) in the two weeks following Washington to end the INDYCAR season will be a challenge. “It’s a tough one for everyone,” Grosjean told me Thursday. “It’s a lot of races in a row, it’s a lot of travel. West Coast to East Coast to West Coast. But we’ll do our best. It’s exciting to have many races. “It’s exciting to be here in Markham and then D.C. is going to be a big one.” Why Are They Not Racing Where They Normally Do In Toronto? Several reasons. Construction in the area around Exhibition Place had made things a little more difficult and the streets were not in the best shape. Plus, with the World Cup at the soccer stadium, that made the timeline for trying to get the course set up even more challenging. Greene Savoree — which has the INDYCAR promotional rights for Toronto and is also the promoter for St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio and Portland — found a new home in the Toronto suburb of Markham. The city has paved many of the streets. And having this race in Markham is a long-term deal. The new location is about a 22-mile drive from Exhibition Place. How Did The D.C. Race Come Together? The D.C. race was not on the original 2026 calendar. However, an executive order by Donald Trump that was signed in January allowed for it to be operated primarily on federal property. This put the race into high gear. It has been a scramble to get everything done for a race on the streets of Washington. The race was added and increased the schedule to 18 competitions from 17. Is It Tough To Put Up A Street Course? Yes, and especially a new one. Hundreds of concrete barriers and miles of fencing are required. Manhole covers need to be welded shut (Washington had more than 200). At Markham on Thursday, workers were scrambling to finish the track build, delaying the scheduled time for INDYCAR teams to set up in the pits so that vehicles working on fencing and barriers could get their work done. INDYCAR teams are scheduled to practice Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Why Do Street Courses? Street course events bring racing to people who don’t necessarily get to see it and can also be considered an economic generator for the area. They also create iconic images. NASCAR had its race earlier this year in San Diego with aircraft carriers in the background. The race in Washington will feature both the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument in the background. “Sports generally is a show,” said Grosjean, a former Formula 1 driver. “Racing in the capital of the country is the right thing to do. Going to big cities with St. Pete and Long Beach always works really well. … I’m excited for it and looking forward to be racing there.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We’re coming off an incredible summer and arguably the best World Cup in history. Never had we had 48 teams spread across three host nations and so many of the star players actually produce some iconic goals. Certainly the U.S. men’s national team could have done better, even though Mauricio Pochettino’s squad did deliver some big moments in its run to the round of 16.  And now attention turns back to the European club calendar for key figures such as Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic, and Weston McKennie. That gives FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas the opportunity to take stock of which of the USA’s European-based stars improved their standing after the World Cup. Who could build on the summer’s momentum, and who needs to get back on track? Club performance last season: 43 appearances, 19 goals, 4 assists If there was a breakout star for the USA this summer, it certainly was Balogun. The 25-year-old striker finished the tournament with three goals (including two in the opening win over Paraguay). His summer was slightly marred by the controversial red-card reversal, but his form bodes well for both the USA and his club. “What a summer. I think he came out probably on top if you’re power ranking who came out in the best possible light,” Lalas said. “Even with the red card controversy, I don’t think it hurt him in the least. … He did what he needed to do in terms of scoring the goals. … “People who didn’t know soccer knew who Balogun was.” The question is: will that club still be Monaco, or could he be set for a reported move to a Premier League side like Tottenham Hotspur? Club performance last season: 34 appearances, 10 goals, 4 assists It’s hard to gauge where Pulisic would have been more impactful this summer had he not suffered an early leg injury that limited him the rest of the tournament. The 27-year-old winger didn’t find the back of the net at the World Cup, and now returns to AC Milan to play under a new manager in Ruben Amorim. “Keep in mind his stock was down even before the World Cup started,” Lalas said. “He didn’t harness the power of being the poster boy of this American team … there was an element of not living up to the hype and, in particular in a home World Cup, where there were so many eyes on him.” Pulisic will hope to rebound in what will be a pivotal season for him at one of Italy’s biggest clubs. He started last Serie A season with a flourish but hasn’t scored for AC Milan since last December. Club performance last season: 48 appearances, 9 goals, 8 assists McKennie’s time at Juventus hasn’t always been the easiest amid always having to prove himself to the club’s rotating cast of managers. But the 27-year-old midfielder always finds a way to show why he remains an essential player for Juventus. “Unlike Pulisic in Italy, he had a banner year. He was able to adjust to whatever the circumstances … and make himself a valuable asset very quickly,” Lalas said. “Did he have the best World Cup? No, but he was fine and did what he needed to do. I think people really enjoyed seeing him as a player; they enjoyed his personality.” Club performance last season: 26 appearances, 2 goals, 2 assists Adams remains a reliable presence in the midfield and looked solid this summer after a season at Bournemouth that was interrupted by injury. At 27, Adams is in his prime years and should factor in the lineup under new manager Marco Rose. “What’s been the big knock been on Tyler Adams? Well, the knocks that he takes and the injuries and the time out,” Lalas said. “Again, I don’t think we have yet to see the best of Tyler Adams as a player, but I don’t think he hurt himself this summer.” Club performance last season: 42 appearances, 8 goals, 1 assist Two goals – including a set-piece game winner against Bosnia & Herzegovina in the round of 16 win – showed why the 24-year-old attacking midfielder is one of the USA’s brightest talents. Tillman will now need to build on that in his second year at his German club, which saw him struggle amid managerial changes. “He had a wonderful World Cup, the way that he showed different facets of the game and the layers that he showed, I’m not sure everybody projected that or saw that coming into the World Cup,” Lalas said. Club performance last season at Borussia Mönchengladbach: 20 appearances, 1 goal, 1 assist Reyna had one of the USA’s best goals at the World Cup with his trivela in the win over Paraguay (even making our Top 50 World Cup goals list), but went quiet the rest of the way. At 23, Reyna is now at another club after a transfer to the French club Strasbourg. A change of scenery (again) could help Reyna reach his potential, but it also feels like a last chance to impress in Europe. “I think this move says how much talent he still has and how much people still believe that they can find something,” Lalas said. “This move to Ligue 1, you can even frame it as a step-down in competition. But sometimes you have to take two steps back to take a step forward.” Club performance last season: 27 appearances, 1 goal, 5 assists Dest has proven his versatility throughout the years in both fullback positions and in a more attacking role. But after an up-and-down World Cup campaign, what’s in store for the 25-year-old defender? “I think he is still a quality player, although there might be a moving on from him when it comes to Pochettino and the national team,” Lalas said. “Which is kind of unthinkable if you look back a couple of years and what Sergiño Dest was.” But Dest is still on the radar for a return to Europe’s biggest leagues after a title-winning season with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. Could the former Barcelona player leverage that to somewhere like the Bundesliga? “Maybe I should have put a stock up, down, or sideways,” Lalas said. “I could make an argument for stock up and down.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The Dallas Cowboys having high expectations isn’t anything new, but maybe this is the year they can meet those expectations. After predicting every game on the Cowboys’ schedule, “First Things First” co-host Danny Parkins believes that Dallas will finish the season 11-6. Parkins envisions the Cowboys starting the year strong, going 5-1 as he thinks they’ll pick up wins against the New York Giants and Washington Commanders before upsetting the Baltimore Ravens. “I think they are going to continue to have a ton of success against the Giants and Washington,” Parkins said. On Baltimore, he added, “I just don’t know that Baltimore is ready to win a shootout. I am not as optimistic on Baltimore’s offense as I am on their defense, and I think their defense will be better later in the year than early.” As for the games the Cowboys will lose, Parkins sees them falling to the Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. However, Parkins also believes Dallas will win one of its matchups against Philadelphia and take down the Green Bay Packers (who could have former Cowboys star Micah Parsons healthy for that game) and the Jacksonville Jaguars. “Dak Prescott is a more reliable commodity than Trevor Lawrence,” Parkins said, explaining why he likes the Cowboys to take down the defending AFC South champion Jaguars late in the year. “Overall, an 11-6 season.” Dallas isn’t projected to win 11 games in 2026, so Parkins’ prediction is certainly on the optimistic side for the Cowboys. Most oddsmakers have the Cowboys’ win total at 9.5, with over 9.5 wins sitting at +105 at DraftKings Sportsbook. But the Cowboys were favored in 11 games on the look-ahead lines. While Parkins and some others might be feeling bullish about the Cowboys, our Ben Arthur isn’t. He predicted Dallas to go 6-11 when the schedule was released in May. “It helps that the NFC East isn’t as threatening as it was a year ago at this time. But their non-division schedule is brutal,” Arthur wrote. “Expectations are high in Dallas, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it take a step back.” However, the start of training camp could help spark some more hope in Dallas. The Cowboys made sweeping changes to their defense this offseason, poaching Christian Parker from the Eagles and making him their defensive coordinator. Dallas also has eight new starters on defense, including safety Caleb Downs, edge rusher Rashan Gary and cornerback Kobie Durant. With those changes in place, our Eric D. Williams believes that the Cowboys might have a defense suited to help their offense after finishing last in points allowed last season. “Every day we come out here, we want to compete at a high level and do your one-eleventh,” Durant told Williams following a recent Cowboys practice. “And it’s on display every day we come out here. High energy, everybody doing their part and bringing what we do in the classroom and make it come to life on the field.” If the Cowboys’ defense is better than it was last year, maybe they’ll make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Dallas went 7-9-1 in 2025, with Dak Prescott and the offense doing much of the heavy lifting.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

NEW YORK – This was unusual. On Tuesday night, struggling Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh stepped in front of the cameras and recorders — before his manager spoke about Seattle’s fifth straight loss — in an impromptu and surprising admission of how poorly the slugger has performed this season. “It starts with me. I’m awful,” said Raleigh, who was still in his game cleats and full uniform after swinging through three high fastballs from Yankees closer David Bednar for the final out of the game. “Gotta find a way to be better and help the guys along. We gotta play better. We’re playing very, very bad baseball in every facet of the game. We gotta pick it up from the energy standpoint, to the execution, to the little things in the game that help you win, and we’re just not doing those things right now.” Raleigh went from on top of the world last year to one of the worst hitters in baseball this year. Similarly, the Mariners go as their catcher goes. Last season, Raleigh posted a 168 OPS+ and finished as the American League MVP runner-up. Across 159 games, a playing time that was unheard of for a catcher, he led the majors with 60 home runs and accumulated 7.2 WAR, which was second only to Yankees slugger and AL MVP winner Aaron Judge. This season, Raleigh owns a -0.1 WAR and 65 OPS+ in 87 games. He has hit only 12 home runs, and his strikeout rate has elevated dramatically from 26.7% last year to 32.2% this year. On Tuesday, Raleigh ventured out of the visitor’s clubhouse at Yankee Stadium to speak to the media before his much-maligned manager, Dan Wilson, could take the heat for his team continuing to tumble down the standings. There’s an unwritten order for postgame press conferences in MLB. Managers speak first, followed by players in the clubhouse. Raleigh broke away from that custom. The speculation that the Mariners may soon part ways with Wilson and relieve him of his duties has never been higher. As much as Wilson has held firm that “a good streak can change the outcome pretty quickly,” he’s worn down by the club’s 57-65 record after Thursday’s win over the Bronx Bombers. So Raleigh, rather bluntly, taking accountability and shouldering the blame for the Mariners’ season-long slump was crucial timing. “We just gotta bring that edge every day,” Raleigh said when asked what the first step should be. “It’s tough when things aren’t going your way. It’s hard. You feel like the world’s against you. You gotta have a good attitude. You have to bring that edge, because nothing’s given to you. We gotta go take it. And sometimes, you’re feeling bad for yourself, you get a little lackadaisical out there. You have less energy. You don’t have that edge that you should have every single day. “That starts with me. I need to do a better job of that each and every night, just being prepared and being ready to go every single night. Ultimately, we’ve just gotta play with a little more urgency.” On Thursday, before Seattle narrowly avoided being swept by New York, I asked Raleigh to elaborate on some of those mental adjustments he believes the team needs to make. But Raleigh declined, saying he doesn’t want to talk about it. “I said what I said. It is what it is,” Raleigh said. “The performance has to show it.” He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the series finale in the Bronx. Even so, this was another honest response from Raleigh that anyone should respect, particularly his manager and teammates. Wilson supported Raleigh’s decision to take questions from the media before the skipper’s usual postgame press conference. “I love that Cal stepped up and had a lot to say,” Wilson told me on Thursday in the visitor’s dugout at Yankee Stadium. “I think our guys understand where we’re at, and understand the urgency of what the standings have us at. We got a big series coming up. There’s definitely some urgency. As a team, we’re all pretty aware of that. We’re ready to go.” There is some truth to Raleigh admitting he’s one of the biggest reasons that the Mariners offense has been floundering this season. The lineup has mimicked Raleigh’s poor decisions at the plate, including off-balance swings and a complete absence of clutch hitting. Seattle has scored the fewest runs (469) in baseball this year after scoring the ninth-most runs (766) in the majors last year. The Mariners own a .681 OPS, which ranked 28th in MLB entering Thursday. They were batting .215 with runners in scoring position before the win over New York, which ranked 29th. All of this is confounding for a talented team that, just last October, pushed the Blue Jays to an AL Championship Series Game 7 and fell just short of the franchise’s first-ever World Series appearance. The Mariners were expected to run it back this year. Instead, they’re one of the most disappointing teams in baseball. No one understands that feeling of whiplash better than Raleigh. “It’s not just him,” Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez told me. “I feel like all of us could do better, especially on the offensive side of things. He tried to take all the blame, but at the same time, we got nine guys. So, I can say the same thing. I’m shifting more of my focus to, what can we do now? Instead of the whole season where we’ve struggled, we’ve battled, we’ve done a lot of things. “But what can we do now? I’m focusing on that. It’s not for him to take all the blame.” What can the Mariners do now? Due to the parity in the AL, where only five teams are playing above .500, Seattle still has a chance to qualify for a wild-card spot. The M’s are 3.5 games behind the final spot, with six teams ahead of them, which can feel daunting. The Astros lead the AL West with a five-game advantage over Seattle, but Houston has its own problems, and they’re hardly running away with the division. If the Mariners can somehow get through a brutal schedule the rest of this month without dropping further down the standings — which in itself would be a remarkable feat, since they’re slated to play the Brewers, Cubs, Phillies, Blue Jays and Red Sox in August — then they can look forward to a soft schedule in September. In the final month of the regular season, Seattle will go up against the Athletics, Rangers, Angels, and Rockies. Despite the baseball calendar coming to an end, they believe they have it in them to make a run. Before the season started, FanGraphs’ projection system gave the Mariners a 79.6% chance of making the playoffs. That number had plummeted to 24% entering Thursday’s game, but it’s not zero. Until Seattle is mathematically eliminated, it will still have hope. “We have a ton of time,” Raleigh said. “We’ll make some adjustments. That’s just how it is. Baseball is a very hard sport. You have to dig deep sometimes and try to figure out what’s going to be best for you, your circumstances, and whatever the team needs.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

One need only be reminded of the fact that quarterback Sam Darnold just won the Super Bowl to understand that when it comes to the NFL, patience truly can be a virtue. Darnold was in his eighth NFL season and the Seattle Seahawks are the fifth team of his professional career, but the point is the same with second-year breakout candidates. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the latest draft class and overlook other young players set to pop. With that, here are my picks for which 2025 draft picks I believe will take the biggest leaps in their sophomore season. NFC EAST Coming off a torn ACL, Revel didn’t see the field until Week 11 of his rookie season. Now that he’s fully healthy, I’m expecting big things from the long-armed 6-foot-2 corner. Revel is big, physical and aggressive. With he and 2026 rookie Caleb Downs leading the way, I believe the Cowboys will show massive improvement in their secondary this season, positioning the team for a postseason run. Given the downhill running game John Harbaugh prioritized in Baltimore, there probably wasn’t a player on the Giants’ roster more excited about the arrival of the longtime Ravens head coach. Skattebo flashed last year prior to sustaining a horrific lower leg injury that abruptly ended his rookie campaign after just eight games. He scored seven times, showing not only bruising running ability but also soft hands out of the backfield. He’ll be Harbaugh’s bell cow with a chance to at least double his production in 2026 — if he can stay healthy. Admittedly, listing Campbell here is pretty low-hanging fruit. He’s a former first-round pick who started 10 games as a rookie and is slated to play even more in Year 2 with his primary competition of a year ago — Nakobe Dean — now on the Raiders. But I don’t think Campbell is just going to start — I think he’s going to star. He is a remarkable athlete at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, offering Vic Fangio all sorts of flexibility with how to use him. He has the size and burst to excel as a pass-rusher with the speed to chase down backs in the running game. His pass coverage was outstanding at Alabama and even better in his rookie season, when he ranked eighth among all NFL linebackers (with at least 200 snaps) in completion percentage allowed, per Pro Football Reference. Campbell is a blue-chip chess piece that has the talent to become one of the faces of a fierce Eagles defense. Scoring eight touchdowns and being named the NFL’s Rookie of the Week four times last season suggests that Croskey-Merritt has already arrived. His role should expand this year, however, with his vision and burst a nice fit for the wide zone concepts new offensive coordinator David Blough is implementing. I’m expecting a committee approach at running back, similar to what Blough used in Detroit. But I see Croskey-Merritt as the front-runner to lead the position. He runs with deceptive speed and power and is not afraid of traffic. NFC NORTH I believe last year’s production (47 catches for 652 yards and two touchdowns) is only the tip of the iceberg for Burden. He caught at least three passes in each of the Bears’ final 10 games (regular season and playoffs) after snaring that many in just two of his first seven games. With veteran D.J. Moore now playing in Buffalo and Rome Odunze fighting through recurring foot pain, Burden is a good bet to become Caleb Williams’ most trusted wideout in 2026. One could argue that after hauling in six touchdown receptions as a rookie, TeSlaa already enjoyed his breakout campaign. With four of those scores coming in the final six games of the season, however, TeSlaa may only be warming up. He’ll need to score a lot more of them before opponents will start shifting their coverages toward him rather than Detroit’s more established playmakers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Fantasy football enthusiasts should prepare for some possible TD regression, as few receivers were more efficient in the red zone than TeSlaa, who scored six times despite catching just 16 total passes. Golden is the third receiver from the NFC Central listed as a breakout candidate, and because he’s the fastest (and was the first of the trio selected in the NFL Draft), he will likely enter his second NFL season with the most hype. His talent and anticipated workload warrant it. Golden’s opportunities will jump with Romeo Doubs now playing in New England, and he boasts the run-after-catch ability and breakaway speed to quickly become Jordan Love’s favorite big-play target. Along with first-round guard Donovan Jackson, Price was one of the few impactful rookies for the Vikings in 2025 — which speaks to why the team hired a new general manager (Nolan Teasley) during the offseason. The former undrafted free agent from Texas Tech generated a whopping 1,777 all-purpose yards as the Vikings’ starting punt and kickoff returner, finishing third among all NFL players. Minnesota has several quality candidates pushing Price for the returner job — including 2025 third-round wideout Tai Felton and 2026 sixth-round running back Demond Claiborne. But the vision, elusiveness and burst Price demonstrated as a returner could also make him a dangerous target out of the slot, though he’d need to take real strides in this area after seeing just a few snaps at receiver as a rookie. NFC SOUTH It’s worth noting the Falcons had only a five-man draft class in 2025, and four of those players — edge rusher Jalon Walker (ACL), edge rusher James Pearce Jr. (legal), defensive back Billy Bowman (Achilles) and offensive tackle Jack Nelson (waived) — are tracking to miss extended time this season. The lone exception is Xavier Watts, who led all NFL rookies with five interceptions last season, finishing fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. So while he may, in fact, continue playing a starring role in 2026, his breakout was last year. Conversely, as an undrafted free agent who spent half of last season on Atlanta’s practice squad, Bryant isn’t a lock to even make its roster. But the trash-talking 6-foot-1, 185-pounder punches above his weight class as a tackler, offers legitimate man-to-man cover skills and is a cerebral special teams performer, giving him a solid chance to build upon last year’s production (10 combined tackles, one pass breakup, one TD allowed) in seven games. The NFL is the ultimate copycat league, so I expect we’ll see many teams utilize the three safety look that the Seahawks used so successfully in last year’s Super Bowl run. Ransom, the 122nd overall pick in 2025, moonlighted in this role as a rookie behind veterans Nick Scott and Trevon Moehrig. With Scott now 31 and never a consistent turnover producer, don’t be surprised if Ransom forces his way onto the field sooner rather than later. After recording 10 pass breakups over just five starts as a rookie, Riley appears ready to step into the huge vacuum left behind by departed standout Alontae Taylor. Riley is a quality athlete, but his instincts are what stood out most between his rookie season and six seasons in college. This experience has taught Riley above-average route anticipation and poise when the ball is in the air. He led all cornerbacks from the 2025 class with 15 career interceptions and I think he might top the Saints in this category this season. I am as excited as anyone about Rueben Bain Jr., but my enthusiasm for the Bucs’ building off of last year’s 37-sack performance doesn’t end with the club’s first-round pick in 2026. Walker missed all of his rookie season after suffering a torn ACL during training camp. He’s back healthy, and all reports suggest that his trademark twitch remains. Playing at a stumpy 6-foot-1, 263 pounds, he’ll be a bit of a pass-rush specialist this season, but I think he’ll prove to be an effective one with at least a handful of sacks. NFC WEST Little went right for the Cardinals in 2025 and that included their prized first-round pick — Nolen — suffering through an injury-plagued rookie campaign that limited him to just six games. The burst and agility that warranted the No. 16 overall pick, however, was obvious. Now that he’s healthy following surgery to repair a torn meniscus, I expect Nolen to emerge as one of the NFC’s better young pass rushing defensive tackles. Given that the Rams pulled off the biggest trade of the offseason by prying Myles Garrett away from Cleveland, suggesting another pass-rusher is about to break out for them should terrify opponents. Garrett’s mere presence will command extra attention, opening opportunities for his teammates. Stewart doesn’t need much assistance. His combination of quickness and compact strength make him a tough block. The former third-rounder likely won’t start this year, but I think Stewart will prove a quality sub option who might just double last year’s production (22 tackles, three sacks). The 49ers were as snakebitten by injuries as any team in the NFL last year, with Martin (as well as first-round pick Mykel Williams) among the many to miss significant time. Martin was placed on injured reserve midseason following a concussion, finishing with just 11 tackles after being selected No. 75 overall. The tape suggests he’ll be a future standout. Martin is an agile and highly aggressive downhill defender with plus closing speed and power. The 49ers brought back Dre Greenlaw, but only on a one-year deal. Don’t be surprised if Martin is starting (and starring) by December. A remarkable rookie class led by first-round left guard Grey Zabel and Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist Nick Emmanwori played a huge role in Seattle winning the Super Bowl. Mills recorded a sack in the title game but otherwise recorded just three other tackles on the season after missing most of his rookie campaign to rehab a torn ACL suffered in college. While playing time will be a challenge given Seattle’s talent up front, coach Mike Macdonald constantly rotates his defensive linemen. A healthy Mills would’ve been drafted a couple of rounds earlier than where Seattle stole him — in the fifth, at No. 142 overall. He should prove as much this year, with 30 tackles and five sacks being realistic goals.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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

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

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