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		<pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 22:02:58 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[Everything To Know About INDYCAR Freedom 250: A Spectacle & Endurance Test]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-freedom-250-severything-know-dc</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-freedom-250-severything-know-dc</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
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				    <![CDATA[The inaugural Freedom 250 hits the streets of D.C., on Sunday. Here's all the details on the one-of-a-kind INDYCAR event.]]>
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				<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:29:40 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Wait a minute, INDYCAR is racing where? Yes, the streets of Washington, D.C. But not near the Capitol, right? Well, across the street. And by the Washington Monument and Smithsonian? Yup. That’s sick. In what is guaranteed to be a spectacle, INDYCAR drivers will navigate a 1.7-mile, seven-turn course on streets well known to the world, including Pennsylvania Avenue (the course does not reach The White House) and through the National Mall on Sunday afternoon. The FOX prerace show will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the green flag scheduled for 1:13 p.m. ET. Here’s what to know about the Freedom 250 this weekend. Where Is The Course? The start-finish line is across from The Capitol on 3rd Street. It then takes a left on Pennsylvania Avenue — a street wide enough to include a pit road. There then will be a left on 9th, a left on Constitution Avenue and then a right on 7th where the Washington Monument will be in the backdrop. The cars then take a left on Independence Avenue by the Smithsonian to get back to 3rd Street. How Long Is The Race? Loooooong. The race, at 250 miles, is the longest street race since some of the early Cleveland airport races in the mid-1980s. The race will likely be close to three hours instead of the usual two hours. "It very well will be a three-hour race," ECR driver Alexander Rossi told me and other reporters last week. "It’s awesome. We have a four-[pit] stop street race. That’s just really cool. "It opens up the strategy and what you can do and the variables that go along into that." For comparison, here is the length (in miles) of the other five street courses on the INDYCAR circuit. Arlington: 191Markham: 189St. Petersburg: 180Long Beach: 177Detroit: 164 "It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be super long, especially on a street course where the races already feel long and there’s so much going on," series points leader and three-time series defending champion Alex Palou told me and other reporters last week. "It will be like an endurance race, a survival race, where we just need to be able to stay alive, keep our nose clean and get to the end. It will be fun. It’ll be super challenging for everyone, and hopefully we’re good there." So Will That Be A Problem? Maybe. "I kind of look forward to it because I love those sort of challenges," Andretti Global Will Power told me and other reporters last week. "That last 50 [laps] will be pretty tough. I think once you see the end coming, things just get easier because you know you’re going to get there. "You’re probably going to be at the halfway point going, at [lap] 70 or 75, ‘We’ve got another 75 to go? Oh my God.’" Will The Heat Be A Concern? For sure. Well, the humidity. The mugginess of Washington, D.C., will make this a miserable race for the drivers. They train for it and they have cool shirts — shirts where cold water is bumped through to keep them cool — but the current INDYCAR is incredibly hot because it wasn’t built with the current aeroscreen in mind. "The humidity makes it much tougher because the cooling is just nowhere near as efficient — you go from St. Pete to Long Beach, it’s about the same temperature, but the difference of physicality is massive just because of the humidity," Power said. Drivers do train during the offseason and then throughout the year to be able to handle the high temperatures. "I’m sure there’s going to be drivers out there that fall out of the seat, there’s no doubt," Penske driver Scott McLaughlin told me and other reporters last week. "But at the same time, you feel like you train for this and get ready for it." As of Tuesday, the forecast is for a heat index in the upper-80s. Not great but certainly not as hot as it was in Washington in the last month. "It’s going to test us for sure," Pato O’Ward told me last week. "When you build in the humidity and the heat, that’s what makes it tougher. We don’t get a lot of fresh air into these races. "Some guys are going to feel it. I think we’re all going to feel it. There’s some that are going to feel it much more than others. Will It Be Physical? Oh, yes. These cars do not have power steering. It will test their arm strength. What About Pit Crews? The pit crews will be tested, too. Typically, the debate on the street courses is whether there will be two or three stops. This race likely will have four pit stops. Did They Adjust The Schedule? A little bit. Typically, on street and road courses, INDYCAR has one practice Friday, another practice and qualifying Saturday and race on Sunday. But to limit disruptions in the city, they are only on track Saturday and Sunday. That will put both practice and qualifying on Saturday. Ironically, because the track last weekend in Markham wasn’t finished on Friday, the schedule ended up being the same as it will be this weekend in Washington. The schedule means limited time in evaluating data and deciding on the changes to improve the car to get ready to race. "Markham being a two-day event was hard for everyone but at least we got a taste of it," Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood told me Monday. "We kind of understand what the cadence needs to be on a street course to be ready for qualifying at the end of the day on Saturday. "It’s going to be hard. It’s not going to be easy for anybody, but we got a taste of it last weekend, so it might actually help." Will The D.C. Course Be Ready? All indications are that Penske Entertainment, which is handling this race (and also operates INDYCAR, promotes street races at Detroit and Long Beach and owns Indianapolis Motor Speedway), is on good pace. There are streets that they don’t get access to until this week, which isn’t rare for a street event. For instance, when NASCAR raced in Chicago, it didn’t get full access to Michigan Avenue until the day before the race. Will President Trump Be There? Yes. What Other Parts Of The Spectacle Will Be Cool? Don’t want to give everything away. But among the pagentary, this race will have an epic flyover. Will It Be A Good Race? Don’t know. This is part race and part spectacle. And it depends on who you talk to on whether that matters. "It’s the fact that this a race that is a showcase for our series and the nation," Rossi said. "That’s really cool." Of course, a good race makes it even a little more of a showcase. "Ultimately, we’re in the entertainment business, and if we’re not entertaining, then our jobs are going to be no longer," Kirkwood said. "This is obviously going to be an event that a lot of people around the world, particularly in America, are going to be watching. ... We want it to be a good competition, something that gets people jazzed up for INDYCAR." But It’s Important To Win, Right? Yes, for two reasons. Drivers always want to win. But this also most likely will be the only time they race on this circuit. "I’m a competitor — I want to win the race," two-time INDYCAR champion Josef Newgarden told me Monday. "I want my team to be successful, but I want the series to be successful, and I want to get as many eyeballs on the sport as possible. "I’m hoping that this D.C. event will draw more attention to our sport, which will draw more interest. As a driver, I’m going to be focused on the competition side more than anything. Everything else around it will sort of take care of itself." Will There Be A Freedom 251? While the Washington, D.C., area potentially could have another race, it most likely wouldn’t be on this circuit. "It’s an event that as soon as it was announced, you were counting the days until you get to do it," Rossi said. "As we all know, it’s probably going to be a one-and-done thing. "So I’m just super looking forward to getting there and experiencing it and doing something that very few people will get to do."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Sam Darnold Connects With JSN, But Titans Pack A Punch Of Their Own]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seahawks-titans-joint-practice-sam-darnold-connects-jsn-titans-pack-punch</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seahawks-titans-joint-practice-sam-darnold-connects-jsn-titans-pack-punch</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's what stood out from the Seahawks-Titans joint practice on Friday ahead of the teams' Sunday night matchup on FOX.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:52:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During a break in 11-on-11 drills at Friday’s joint practice between the Titans and Seahawks, the quarterbacks from both teams gathered in the middle field at the Vanderbilt Health Football Center. Before Sam Darnold could even complain about the heat — mid 80s, plus humidity — Tennessee's QBs essentially thanked the Seahawks for the reprieve. "They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s a beautiful day! You brought the cool weather with you,’" Darnold said post-practice, laughing and shaking his head in disbelief. That pretty much summed up how the defending Super Bowl champions felt in the muggy heat, much different from the cool weather they’re used to in Seattle. Several Seahawks battled heat-related issues. On the practice field, the champs traded blows with a Titans team hoping for better days under new coach Robert Saleh. Despite their pedigree, the Seahawks have questions of their own. Perhaps the biggest one facing Seattle entering 2026: What will its offense look like? Darnold is a proven Pro Bowl quarterback. Superstar wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, is one of the NFL’s best players. The Seahawks had the league’s No. 3 scoring offense last season. But they have a first-time playcaller in Brian Fleury, who replaces Klint Kubiak, who was named the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach in February. Fleury spent the past seven seasons as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers. "I think for him, it’s just like learning the flow of [playcalling]," Darnold told me. "When to call a certain play. When to get the play in. How much time we’re going to have on the play clock. When we want to get into tempo. … It’s tough sometimes to be the offensive coordinator, but he’s really, really smart and we know he can handle it." My takeaways from Friday’s joint practice: Titans quarterback Cam Ward gave the Seahawks’ elite defense fits in a Week 12 matchup last season, and he had more success against Seattle on Friday. In a red-zone period at the start of practice, last year’s No. 1 overall pick threw a short touchdown pass across his body to second-year receiver Elic Ayomanor. Ward also capped off a two-minute drive late with a touchdown pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger. Ward didn’t force shots deep, taking what Mike Macdonald’s defense gave him underneath for several short completions. It wasn’t all perfect — Ward threw a pick-six to Seahawks safety Ty Okada — but it was an encouraging day overall for the young quarterback, who hopes to make big strides in his second season with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Playing well against a Super Bowl defense is a great sign. After an uninspiring preseason opener last week, Ward has strung together a handful of strong practices. "He can extend plays, I think that’s a big part of his game," Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV said post-practice. "I think he was on time with his throws today, getting to his check downs. I think he’s growing and getting better." And it wasn’t just Ward playing well for the offense. Ayomanor drew an interference penalty to set up Bellinger's score in the two-minute drill. Running back Tony Pollard ripped off several great runs thanks to a great showing from Tennessee’s offensive line. Ward agreed with the sentiment that there were "A-plus" plays on the ground. "They made some holes for us, for sure. They were the first ones to the ball," Ward said. "I’m happy to have those guys in front of me." Not surprisingly, the All-Pro receiver was a standout on the day. With the Seahawks deep in negative territory during team drills, Smith-Njigba beat Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor with ease down the left sideline to catch a Darnold pass. Later in the same period, he wiggled his way through the middle of Tennessee’s defense to find open grass, making a grab around the one-yard line. A two-time Pro Bowler, Smith-Njigba is coming off a season in which he led the league in receiving yards (1,793). He’s just 24 years old and his numbers have improved across the board in each of his three seasons, so he should continue to ascend — a scary proposition for opposing defenses. Early in team drills, Jeffery Simmons stuffed first-round running back Jadarian Price up the middle. The All-Pro defensive tackle proceeded to chirp at the Seahawks’ offense. It set the tone for what turned out to be a strong showing for Tennessee’s defense against a talented Seattle offense. "You see the aggression, you see kind of the pressure they put on the quarterback," Darnold said. "Their four-man rushes are really, really good, and then they bring five or six-man rushes. And even when they bring fire zones [blitzes], they’re really, really good. Their back end is really good at disguising right now. They’re showing a lot of different things defensively. … That defense is going to be really good this year." Taylor had a pick-six off Darnold in the first play of a two-minute period. Linebacker Cody Barton broke up a pass in the red zone. The Titans’ defensive front held up well in the run game. Tennessee’s secondary came under fire for a poor showing in last week’s preseason opener against San Francisco's backups, but the defensive backs — and the defense as a whole — bounced back against Seattle. Seattle’s backfield faces a bit of uncertainty entering 2026, with reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III departing in free agency for the Kansas City Chiefs and Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL suffered in January. The Seahawks will need unproven players to step up at running back this season. At Friday’s practice, backup George Holani answered the bell. The third-year pro had a pair of touchdowns as a pass-catcher — one off a deep pass on third down, and another on a short catch and run. Price, who has missed time in training camp due to lower-body soreness, continued his ramp-up by participating in full contact work at joint practice. "They may be hungry, but we're starving. Let's continue to starve to get to where we want to get to." — Titans DT Jeffery Simmons after practice with the Super Bowl champs]]>
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					<![CDATA[INDYCAR Freedom 250 Course In DC: A Complex Road To Completion]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-freedom-250-course-dc-complex-road-completion</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-freedom-250-course-dc-complex-road-completion</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[A short time frame to completion and millions of dollars invested, Penske's Bud Denker said INDYCAR's Freedom 250 course is one he'd race again.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:15:26 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Washington — There's something about Washington that breeds bureaucracy. Just to create a 1.7-mile racetrack, Penske Corporation needed 1,350 pages of permits. Compare that to 200 or so for a similar-sized course in Detroit. And there in Detroit, the organizers would work with local and state police with a little bit of help from the FBI. Maybe 200 officers in total. Washington? More than 500 National Guard will work the event, in addition to 1,300 Metro Police Department personnel, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms personnel, FBI, Capitol Police, U.S. Parks Police and the Secret Service. Penske Corporation President Bud Denker, who has spent most of the last seven months living in Washington D.C., said he expects 140,000 people each day on Saturday and Sunday. What has been the biggest challenge since President Donald Trump signed the executive order in late January to make the event possible? "Complexity in a compression of time," Denker told me as he drove me around in a parade car on the nearly completed course Wednesday morning. Such is the challenge for what INDYCAR hopes will be an epic event on Sunday — 147 laps (250 miles) on a course that includes Pennsylvania, Constitution and Independence Avenues. "The places that we’re racing on [are] the three most important streets in our country," Denker said. In order to have a 40-foot-wide racetrack and a pit road (with a 17-foot-wide pit box and two 11-foot-wide driving lanes) and the walls, they need a 91-foot-wide ride. Pennsylvania Avenue is 92 feet wide. They had 288,000 requests for tickets, the bulk of which were free and will either be inside the track perimeter or in the National Mall area outside the perimeter. There will be approximately 70,000 fans on each side, and their tickets likely won't let them go both inside and outside the track perimeter. Denker estimates that 40 percent of the fans will come from outside the metro area, with many from the East Coast, where INDYCAR doesn’t have many races. While all street races disrupt local life, the fact that Congress is not in session and school is starting across America, means this is not as busy a time for hotels and restaurants, according to Denker. The concrete barriers for the course were built in Fredericksburg, Virginia. There were 1,800 of them. The pit road walls, which were not as big, came from Chicago. More than 200 manhole covers had to be welded and several had to be covered with a temporary surface because they were recessed into the street. There was also one area from Independence to Maryland Avenue where they had to remove part of a median and take out a traffic light. Rarely would that be done at other tracks, Denker said. Adding to the complexity was the ownership of land that is part of the footprint, which includes various federal properties (such as the Smithsonian, federal office buildings, the National Mall) and city properties. There are reports that Penske has spent $35 million on this race. Denker indicated it was more than that. They have massive three-story temporary suites that should rake in millions to help offset the costs, but they also spent a pretty penny on them. Typically, the temporary suites wouldn’t have restrooms built into them and they would be at the bottom of the structure. But these have them on each floor, at a cost of $1 million, according to Denker. They brought in viewing platforms from the Long Beach Grand Prix (also a Penske race) for those with general admission tickets. The race also has attracted sponsors such as Starlink and Boeing, companies that typically aren’t active in motorsports but whose government business is precious. Penske Corporation only had 13 full-time staff come in from Detroit to do much of the pre-event work. Monumental Sports — which owns the NBA Washington Wizards and the NHL Washington Capitals — handled the suite sales. Harbinger Events, another local company, is handling much of the interior fencing and logistics. The transit authority has been helping get the word out about the traffic disruptions as well as trying to get the word out for people coming to the track on the best way to get there and the entry points. "The INDYCAR Series, Penske Entertainment, they’re working on the event as a whole and making it pretty incredible for everybody that’s going to tune in and we’ll be a part of that," two-time series champion Josef Newgarden told me on Monday. "I more so want to focus on what the track's going to be like and what do we need to be doing to win the race?" The first thing he’ll have to do is manage the unique start. Assuming Trump waves the green flag, he most likely can’t be in the flagstand. He would do it from the bulletproof-glass-encased suite in Turn 1. So drivers will take the green just after coming off a turn, which could be an adventure in and of itself. That probably isn't going to be the easiest way to start a race, but it's part of the challenge in putting on this spectacle. As workers continued construction of that area, it was pretty easy to see that security measures were being put in place. It is a lot for what will likely be a one-time effort. This was such a big lift, but Denker feels he could do it again. "I could race this course again," Denker said. "Everybody’s been that cooperative. That’s not the issue. The issue is you only have one 250th anniversary."]]>
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					<![CDATA[MLB Roundtable: Is It Too Late For Kyle Tucker And Paul Skenes To Turn Things Around?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/mlb-roundtable-too-late-kyle-tucker-paul-skenes-turn-things-around</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/mlb-roundtable-too-late-kyle-tucker-paul-skenes-turn-things-around</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Paul Skenes isn't the only big-name MLB star slumping right before the postseason.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 18:25:41 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[A slumping star player is the last thing a team wants with the MLB postseason just around the corner. And yet, everyone from the World Series favorites to the Wild Card hopefuls is dealing with it in some capacity. The question now is whether it's too late for those players to turn things around or if there's still time for them to build enough momentum for a postseason peak. FOX Sports MLB writers Rowan Kanver and Deesha Thosar dive into that and more in this week's MLB Roundtable: What is the most important thing or player for L.A. to fix over the next few weeks, as rosters expand and the postseason looms? Kavner: Kyle Tucker. Edwin Díaz is a close second, but even if Díaz never threw another pitch this year, the Dodgers demonstrated last season when Tanner Scott struggled in the first year of his four-year, $72 million deal (and then didn’t appear in the postseason) that they can withstand the loss of a high-leverage reliever and make up for it in other ways. Some of their starting pitchers will likely again find their way in the bullpen once October arrives. There aren’t as many ways to mask Tucker's struggles, which show up on both offense and defense. He has the lowest OPS at home of any qualified MLB player, and he has dropped catchable fly balls in each of the Dodgers’ last two series. His frustrations at home got to the point last Saturday that Dave Roberts gave him a mental day off. Last year, when Michael Conforto struggled in L.A. on his one-year, $17 million deal, the Dodgers gave Conforto all year to try to get right before ultimately holding him off the postseason roster. That’s a lot harder to do with a player making $60 million a year, so they need to try to find a way to get Tucker’s confidence back to a place where he can at least be an additive supporting piece. He doesn’t have to be an All-Star caliber player, like he was the last four years. He just can’t be this. Thosar: As much as I want to say fixing Kyle Tucker’s season-long slump is the biggest priority, I actually think Mookie Betts getting hot at the plate is exactly what the Dodgers need down the stretch run. He’s the stabilizing force in the lineup, and we’ve seen Betts carry the offense when he’s hitting well. Plus, the Dodgers seem to go as Betts goes. He’s batting .315 with an .888 OPS, three home runs and eight RBI over the past two weeks, and Los Angeles went 8-6 over that span. The Dodgers seem to find their footing and reclaim their momentum when Betts is right in the middle of their production. Is Pete Crow-Armstrong just this good of a player, where he’s a genuine MVP candidate who could lead a team to a World Series, or is there concern that another shoe will eventually fall? Kavner: Can I say both? Right now, this version of PCA looks like a player capable of carrying a team to a championship. He is providing value in every way imaginable, and this is no longer a small sample of elite production. At the same time, with any player who has a history of chasing and is prone to swing and miss, there’s always concern about a slump at some point. (It’s easy to forget now, considering how he has played since, that Crow-Armstrong had a .669 OPS at the end of April and a .713 mark at the end of May.) To his credit, PCA has followed his slow start to the year with three extraordinary months, during which he has registered an OPS over 1.000 in each of June (1.249), July (1.011) and August (1.002 entering Thursday). That’s a long stretch without any dramatic dips, and it’s not a coincidence that both his whiff and chase rates have been down considerably over that time. If he can keep those close to league average, he should remain a superstar and could be headed toward a 40-40 season. This looks like an MVP player right now. Thosar: The evidence from this season, in particular, points to he’s really just this good. Even if this exact level of production comes down a little, the underlying metrics and the player he is suggest this is all real. He’s only 24, and he’s already reached his second consecutive 30-30 season, doing it all while playing an elite center field. Beyond the stats on the back of his baseball card, the biggest reason to believe PCA is maturing as a hitter is the incredible jump in his walk rate. He went from a 4.5% walk rate last season to a 11.9% rate this season, which coincides with the huge uptick in his on-base percentage. Plate discipline paired with his ability to adapt to pitchers figuring him out has really increased his ceiling in ways that suggest he’ll be a star in the league throughout his prime. With Adley Rustchman now behind the plate and Roman Anthony due back relatively soon, does Boston have enough for a deep postseason run? Kavner: This is definitely a team capable of making a deep October run, but it will all come down to how their bats perform. Their pitching is without question good enough to make a deep October run, especially if Garrett Crochet and Garrett Whitlock are back contributing by then. The offense has come and gone, though, and even after their spectacular month of July and terrific start to the second half, the lineup has been exactly league-average overall this season. I trust the bats of Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the postseason, and with Caleb Durbin heating up, it’s worth pointing out he was the Brewers’ best hitter in the NLCS against the Dodgers last year. But getting Rutschman and Roman Anthony going could be the difference between a nice season and a championship one. Thosar: If Anthony returns looking remotely like the player he was last season, the lineup gets substantially deeper. Especially with Rutschman behind the plate, suddenly the Red Sox look like they can run out a playoff lineup with multiple high-end offensive threats rather than asking one or two guys to carry the entire offense. So, yes, the combination of those two bats makes them a legitimate October threat. But I’m not convinced that, even with Rutschman and Anthony slugging, the Sox are a World Series contender. They would have to be overwhelmingly dominant to get there. Thanks to their quality pitching, they can make opponents uncomfortable in a short series. It all goes back to how effective Anthony will be, and how soon he will get there. Expecting him to instantly become an MVP-caliber hitter after being out since May is a touch unrealistic. Paul Skenes has seen his ERA jump nearly two full runs, and Pittsburgh trails four teams for the last NL wild-card. Can the Pirates realistically make a run at the postseason with Skenes unable to get further than the fifth inning? Kavner: Maybe if they found a way to switch to the American League? No, realistically, I can’t see a world in which the Pirates reach the postseason if this is the version of Skenes they have for the rest of the year. The signs lately have not been promising. He hasn’t gone more than five innings in any of his last four starts, his fastball velocity is down and fluctuating, he has a 5.67 ERA since the start of July, and he still labored through 4.1 innings his last time out even after extra rest. The Pirates have to win the games he starts, and they have done that just once in his last five outings. Given the hole they’ve dug themselves to start the second half, it would be difficult at this point for the Pirates to reach the playoffs even if Skenes suddenly found a way to tap back into his Cy Young form. As of Thursday night, FanGraphs gives the Pirates a 4.9% chance to make the playoffs. Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler are doing everything they can to try to lift the rotation, and the return of Oneil Cruz provides some needed upside for an offense that has struggled to produce since the break. But they need their ace to get on track if they want any shot at ending their 10-year playoff drought. Thosar: Absolutely not. Skenes’ performance this season is the biggest reason Pittsburgh’s margin for error has completely disappeared. It would be one thing if he was showing signs of getting back on track around now, but things are still going downhill. He’s allowed 17 earned runs in his last 23 ⅔ innings pitched, good for a 6.46 ERA over five starts. The Bucs went 1-4 in those outings. Things have been so bad for so long that it’s fair to wonder whether he’s dealing with an underlying injury. And then there’s the issue with Pittsburgh’s offense, which is fifth-worst in the league since the All-Star break. When the lineup isn’t carrying the team, as it did in the first half of the season, and the pitching staff overall has taken a turn for the worse, it would be a mistake to think the Pirates could realistically make a run for the postseason.]]>
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					<![CDATA[The Freedom 250 Continues The History Of DC Races Celebrating America's Birthday]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/the-freedom-250-continues-the-history-of-dc-races-celebrating-americas-birthday</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/the-freedom-250-continues-the-history-of-dc-races-celebrating-americas-birthday</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Exactly 225 years after Thomas Jefferson celebrated America's birthday with a horse race, the Freedom 250 is taking over D.C.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:52:46 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The Freedom 250 isn't the first race hosted in Washington, D.C. by the U.S. president in celebration of America's birthday. On July 4th, 1801, 225 years ago, to celebrate America's 25th birthday, President Thomas Jefferson helped put on festivities including horseback riding and cockfighting in Washington, D.C., according to the White House Historical Association. Jefferson, the third President of the United States, and the Washington Jockey Club "established a racecourse just blocks from the White House, with part of the course running across Pennsylvania Avenue and through what is now Lafayette Park." According to the White House Historical Association, "the north grounds of the President's Park came alive at daybreak with the raising of tents and booths, soon followed by crowds of people. A festival took place just for the day. Food and drink and cottage goods of all types were sold. There were horse races and parades of the Washington Militia, along with other military companies. After the festivities, Jefferson invited attendees into the White House. The tradition of an annual reception at the White House continued for much of the nineteenth century. Not only did Jefferson host a horse race near the White House, but he was an avid supporter and participant in horse racing. He often attended meets at the National Race Course in Washington, D.C. Now Donald J. Trump, the 47th president of the U.S., is helping to bring a 250-mile, 147-lap race to Washington, D.C. to celebrate America's 250th birthday. "I'm thrilled to be here with some of the most extraordinary figures in the history of motorsports and any sport, if you think about it," Trump said at a Freedom 250 Grand Prix Showcase on July 13. "As we count down to the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, this will be like no other race, ever. I don't think anything will ever be — will ever top what we're going to be having." The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., is the first NTT IndyCar Series race ever held in the nation's capital. The FOX pre-race show will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 23, with the green flag scheduled for 1:13 p.m. ET. The course does not reach the White House, but it runs along Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue and in front of the Washington Monument. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is the second event hosted in proximity to the White House this summer, along with UFC Freedom 250. With this being the initial IndyCar race in Washington, D.C., no drivers have course experience as an upper hand. But Alex Palou (542 points) enters Sunday's race with a healthy lead in the standings, despite finishing fourth at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham last Sunday. The battle for second place is much closer, with Kyle Kirkwood (409), David Malukas (405) and Christian Lundgaard (403) separated by six points. So while the Freedom 250 will be a spectacle to watch, IndyCar's top drivers can't lose focus as the stakes are high.]]>
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					<![CDATA[5 Of The Biggest Obstacles To A Dodgers Three-Peat]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/5-biggest-obstacles-dodgers-three-peat</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/5-biggest-obstacles-dodgers-three-peat</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Dodgers' elite starting pitching might make up for their flaws, but these are five of the biggest concerns standing in the way of another Dodgers championship]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:41:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Last December at the winter meetings, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his confidence in the composition of his roster. There was "really no big splash," he claimed, that needed to be made. Nonetheless, a few days later, the Dodgers gave Edwin Díaz the highest average annual salary ever for a reliever when they signed him to a three-year, $69 million deal. One month after that, they signed Kyle Tucker for four years and a staggering $240 million, a deal that set a record for present-day average annual value. The moves for the best closer and player on the market felt superfluous, but at the very least, both players figured to be additive to the Dodgers' roster and their quest to win a third straight World Series title. Now, those two massive signings could be their undoing. Tucker, whose home struggles in particular seem to be getting to him, has been a replacement-level player and is offering little at the plate or in the field. Díaz has been even worse, with an ERA of 11.85 through 16 appearances, and is back on the injured list for the second time this year. The Dodgers’ elite rotation, star-studded lineup and October pedigree, of course, could make up for their blemishes elsewhere. But as it stands now, these are the five biggest threats to a Dodgers three-peat: 1. Kyle Tucker’s Disaster Season On the road this year, Tucker has an .820 OPS, a respectable tally in line with his career norms. At Dodger Stadium, however, he has been one of the worst players in baseball. Tucker has the lowest home OPS (.558) among all qualified hitters in the sport. At some point during the Dodgers’ last homestand, where Tucker went 0-for-19, Roberts could tell the frustration was getting to his right fielder. He could see from Tucker’s reactions to at-bats. It got to the point where Roberts gave Tucker a Saturday off against NL Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski to try to clear his head. It did not appear to work. The next day, Tucker returned to the lineup and went 0-for-3, dropped a fly ball at the wall and leisurely jogged over to retrieve it in front of a booing home crowd. One game later, he dropped another fly ball. He is not making up for his struggles at the plate with sharp defense or good baserunning, and is in fact also having the worst defensive season of his career by outs above average. The poor play looks worse when the effort also appears unenthusiastic, nonchalant or apathetic, all criticisms of Tucker at past stops. This year, however, is unlike any before it. Over the past seven seasons, Tucker never had an OPS under .800. This year, it is under .700. For the first time since his rookie year as a 21-year-old, he is a below-league-average hitter. While the struggles are much more evident at home, he’s also chasing more overall than he had in any of his last three seasons, whiffing more than he had in any of his last five seasons and struggling to access his pull-side power. His hard-hit rate and average exit velocity are the lowest of his career, and his bat speed has slowed compared to recent years. "I don't know the answer," Roberts said. "We are digging." 2. An Aging, Injured (And Maybe Fatigued) Roster One of the reasons the Dodgers added Tucker, 29, was to inject some youth into the oldest position player group in the sport. Tucker and All-Star center fielder Andy Pages are the only starting position players on the team under the age of 30, and that age and declining athleticism might finally be showing. One example? The Dodgers rank 23rd in sprint speed and 28th in stolen bases and have grounded into the most double plays in the sport. The only player with a bolt — defined by Statcast as any run in which a player’s sprint speed is at least 30 feet per second — is Hernández. He has one on the season, but he is also enduring the worst offensive year of his career. Mookie Betts is also having the worst offensive season of his career, though he has shown signs of life over the last two weeks. "He’s crucial," Roberts said of Betts. "He’s going to be in the middle of things. He’s got the experience, the talent. He’s an emotional guy, and I say that in the sense of when he’s going well, guys feed off that energy. And when he’s not, you’re sort of trying to find it in him and get it in him." Freddie Freeman is having another terrific year, but his slugging numbers are way down in the second half. Will Smith hasn’t played since June due to a neck issue and was having his worst offensive season prior to being sidelined. His expected return before season's end will be crucial, especially with backup catcher Dalton Rushing also sidelined. Some of the Dodgers’ most trusted bullpen arms are also hurt or regressing, perhaps wearing down after two straight trips to the World Series. In addition, the Dodgers’ defense — a surprising hallmark of the club in the first half — has declined considerably since the break. 3. Edwin Díaz And The Scuffling Bullpen A year ago, the Dodgers signed reliever Tanner Scott for four years and $72 million and watched him struggle enough that he ultimately did not appear in a playoff game. To remedy their ninth-inning concern, they signed Diaz this offseason to be their shutdown closer. It has, again, not gone to plan. Nine months later, they’re right back where they started. Díaz missed three months after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He returned in late July and proceeded to allow runs in six of nine appearances before going back on the IL, this time with neck inflammation. He allowed at least one baserunner in all but one of those nine outings. Opponents are hitting .441 against his four-seamer and .323 against his slider. His strikeout rate is the lowest of his career. His walk rate is the highest of his career. In addition, his arm slot continues to drop, perhaps a subconscious reaction to his physical ailments. Díaz was working to remedy that issue as well as his posture on the mound in an effort to get less rotational and more direct to home plate when he allowed another three runs Monday in Colorado. The Dodgers remain hopeful they can get him right before October, but time is running short. And he’s not the only reason the Dodgers’ bullpen ranks 23rd in ERA since the start of July. Coincidentally, Scott — who is 18-for-20 in save opportunities this year — has emerged as one of the Dodgers’ only reliable high-leverage options of late. Blake Treinen and Will Klein are on the IL. Alex Vesia has an ERA over 6.00 in August, while hard-throwing Edgardo Henriquez has an ERA over 6.00 over his last 12 appearances. Evan Phillips has an ERA over 5.00 since returning from Tommy John surgery. A particularly grueling stretch of games — Thursday is just the Dodgers' second off day this month — plus a shorter bullpen with Shohei Ohtani no longer pitching in the Dodgers' six-man rotation haven't helped matters, either. The Dodgers will likely shift some of their starters to the bullpen in October again, but their relief pitching still looks like one of their top concerns. 4. They Haven’t Looked Great In Nearly Two Months Sandwiched between sweeps of the last-place Royals and the last-place Rockies, the Dodgers lost three of four games to the first-place Brewers last week. The Dodgers have a .500 record against teams that are .500 or better (33-33) and have a .500 record overall since the start of July (21-21). Over that time, their offense ranks 18th in OPS and they’ve been swept by the Diamondbacks, Red Sox and Cubs. Asked if he’s concerned that this is just who the Dodgers are now, Roberts pushed back. "I don’t think that’s who we are," Roberts said. "I think we’ve done it long enough, individually, collectively. But I do think that just saying you’re going to come out of it is not the right way to look at it." It’s worth pointing out that last year’s world champion Dodgers went 10-14 in July and 25-27 combined in July and August (and the 2024 champion Dodgers went 11-13 in July), so they can clearly work their way out of a second-half funk. Still, prior to sweeping the Rockies this week in Colorado, Roberts expressed concerns about the consistency of the offense as a whole, the plan of attack at the plate and the lack of urgency on a pitch-to-pitch basis. "This has been four, five, six weeks of below-average production from our offense," Roberts said during the home series loss to the Brewers. "Our pedigree, what we typically do, is control the zone, grind at-bats, create stress. We’re not doing that." 5. The National League Is Better And Deeper This Year This might be a good time for a reminder about the randomness of postseason baseball. In 2024, the Dodgers needed to win two straight elimination games, including a bullpen game, to get past San Diego in the NLDS. In 2025, the Blue Jays came two outs — and one foot — away from winning the World Series. Anything can happen in October. But even beyond the postseason’s unpredictability, the road ahead is more treacherous. The Dodgers got to face the 83-79 Reds in last year’s wild-card series after the Mets’ late-season collapse. That two-game sweep felt more like an exhibition. This year, as the NL West rival Padres and Diamondbacks vie for the final playoff spot, every potential NL playoff matchup offers danger. That’s one reason a first-round bye is so important this year and why the Dodgers were frustrated last Sunday about losing the series and, in conjunction, the season series to the Brewers. They’d still have a bye if the season ended today, but the Braves will be pushing the Brewers and Dodgers for one of the top two NL seeds until the end. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.]]>
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					<![CDATA[From Imagination To Reality: Roger Penske Proud Of 'Iconic' Freedom 250 Course]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/roger-penske-iconic-freedom-250-course</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/roger-penske-iconic-freedom-250-course</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Will the Freedom 250 be as captivating as the Indy 500? Roger Penske believes Sunday's "iconic" race could rise to the occasion.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:40:32 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[WASHINGTON — Roger Penske casually sat on the pit road wall Friday at a race course that he probably thought would only exist in his imagination. The chairman of Penske Entertainment Corp. soaked in the atmosphere as INDYCAR officials prepared to ring the bell for the New York Stock Exchange from pit road. One turn away, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was getting into a two-seater INDYCAR for a ride around the 1.7-mile course. INDYCAR is just two days away from what is expected to be an epic Freedom 250 race on the streets of Washington. The race is the result of a President Donald Trump executive order that allowed the fast-tracking of permitting and use of federal lands, a spend of millions and millions of INDYCAR dollars and plenty of hours of sweat and hustle from INDYCAR and its partners. "To think about just months ago that we came together with FOX and the president — obviously with his executive order — to be able to have an event in the nation's capital is outstanding," Penske told me Friday. "It’s iconic. "I think there would be something that can't be demonstrated anywhere else in the world, and to have it here in the United States and to think INDYCAR is a premier event here. It's terrific." The 89-year-old Penske has chaired Super Bowl committees and owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (in addition to owning INDYCAR). But from when the executive order was issued in late January to today, he has seen a street race come to fruition much quicker than normal. Penske said the bipartisan support from the mayor’s office as well as from cabinet officials has been key. "I can tell you the complexity here has been amazing. We have to deal with so many different opportunities within the city that we need to cover, that we need to have them in alignment," Penske said. "The Super Bowl, obviously, is really an event that's worked on for three or four years. Here, we've had four or five months to get ready. "So I would say this is very, very difficult [to do]." With an estimated crowd of $140,000 each day and Trump expected to attend and wave the green flag, Penske hopes the celebration of the country’s 250th birthday and the buzz of the event will boost INDYCAR's visibility. FOX coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET with the race green flag at 1:13 p.m. "It’s going to give us visibility that we've never had before, and you put this in the same class as the Indy 500 from the standpoint of national presence and worldwide TV audience," Penske said. "It’s a super, super opportunity for us to showcase our sport."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Best CBs In The NFL: Is Pat Surtain II Still The League's Best Cornerback?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-cbs-which-cornerback-best-league</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-cbs-which-cornerback-best-league</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Who are the top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL? We ranked them ahead of the year.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:28:14 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[There might be no position that's tougher to play in the NFL than cornerback. Oftentimes, cornerbacks are tasked with having to stop opposing receivers by themselves, being forced to be in lockstep with them for a few seconds and potentially swatting the ball away. So, which cornerbacks are the best at holding their own against opposing wide receivers? We ranked the 10 best cornerbacks in the NFL ahead of the 2026 NFL season. The position might not get as much buzz as edge rusher, but several cornerbacks bring a ton of value. Denver Broncos star Pat Surtain II won Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, and Seattle Seahawks standout Devon Witherspoon just became the highest-paid player in the history of the position after helping his team to a Super Bowl title. Let's take a closer look at our top 10 cornerbacks in the NFL. Ben Arthur: Gardner hasn’t been able to recreate the highs of his first two NFL seasons, when he was a first-team All-Pro. Traded midseason last year from the New York Jets to the Colts, Gardner also battled injuries to finish 2025. But his elite physical traits and youth (24 years old) can get him back into the top-five conversation at his position. Prior to his Colts’ debut in Week 10 last season, the former No. 4 overall pick had faced No. 1 receivers at the NFL’s highest rate (minimum of 125 matchups), according to Next Gen Stats. He’d also forced tight window throws at the highest rate in the league (52%). Ralph Vacchiano: The real beauty of DeJean is that he might eventually be good and versatile enough to land on this list and the top 10 safeties too. He has mostly played slot corner for the Eagles, but he’s dabbled at safety and the Eagles seem intent on playing him there even more in their base defense in 2026. It’s hard to take him out of the slot, though, where he’s emerged as an All-Pro and still hasn’t allowed a touchdown in his two NFL seasons. DeJean exploded last season with two interceptions and 16 passes deflected, and that’s after he showed off his big-game chops as a rookie with his Super Bowl pick-six. With his speed, range and instincts, the Eagles can play him literally anywhere in their defensive backfield. And they probably will. Greg Auman: Horn, 26, had as many interceptions last year (five) as in his first four years in Carolina combined, with two games with two picks. The Panthers gave the former first-round pick a four-year, $100 million contract last year, and he’s made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons. Carolina’s defense was middling last year — 16th in points and yards allowed — and that will need to improve if they want a winning record in 2026 or a repeat as NFC South champs. Horn staying healthy is ultimately the key — he played in just 22 of 51 games his first three years in Carolina, but has missed just three games in the last two seasons. Bucky Brooks: The crafty CB1 is a masterful technician who routinely blankets elite wideouts on the perimeter. Ward can match speedsters stride for stride while mixing in enough physicality to disrupt their flow and rhythm on the outside. He also shows outstanding instincts, awareness, and ball skills contesting throws in his area, whether playing bump-and-run or sitting and clueing the quarterback from distance. Ward's consistency and steadiness in coverage make it easy to build a game plan around his talents on the island. Vacchiano: Mitchell gets overlooked a lot, even on his own team, but it’s only a matter of time before everyone knows him. He finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting two years ago and was an All-Pro last season, even though he’s still looking for his first regular-season interception. Don’t let that stat quirk fool you, though. He has four interceptions in five career playoff games, and in the regular season, he has 29 pass deflections in his 32 starts. And opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks are wising up and doing their best to avoid throwing in his direction. The public recognition will come when the interception numbers increase. But Philly’s secret is out all over the NFL, where they know he soon may be in the conversation for the best corner in the league. Eric D. Williams: Part of a handful of significant offseason acquisitions that include trading for Myles Garrett and signing teammates Jaylen Watson, McDuffie offers versatility for the Rams, with an ability to play on the perimeter and inside as a slot defender. A two-time All-Pro, McDuffie won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling three interceptions, 34 pass breakups, and eight forced fumbles in four seasons. A Southern California native, McDuffie joins his hometown team and a Rams squad that was in need of a significant upgrade in the secondary. The Rams allowed Sam Darnold to throw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game. Williams: The Illinois product recently signed a new deal, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history ($33 million annually). On the field, Witherspoon is the tone setter for one of the best defenses in the league, with an ability to impact the game as a sticky coverage defender, a sure tackler in the running game and an effective blitzer. With the help of Witherspoon, the Seahawks held opposing quarterbacks to a league-low six yards per completion in 2025. Henry McKenna: Look no further than the Super Bowl to see Gonzalez’s value. Look no further than his insane, layout pass breakup on Rashid Shaheed. That game was an absolute rout — with really one exception: Gonzalez was dominant. And because quarterback Drake Maye’s play declined in the playoffs, it’s safe to say that Gonzalez was the Patriots' best player in 2025 when including the postseason. In 21 games last year, he allowed 55 catches on 117 targets (second most in the NFL) with a 47% completion rate, two touchdowns and one interception. Teams kept testing him. He kept denying anything that came his way. Arthur: After injury issues plagued the end of his LSU tenure and start of his NFL career, few defensive players have been more dominant than Stingley. He’s the ultimate playmaker — 14 interceptions and 46 pass breakups since 2023 — and has been virtually unstoppable in coverage. The former No. 3 overall pick allowed a completion rate of just 37.9% when targeted in zone last season, the lowest mark by any qualified defender since at least 2018, according to Next Gen Stats. Stingley played arguably the best ball of his career last season during the Texans’ nine-game winning streak, allowing zero yards three times (!) and not more than 45 in any of the other six. Brooks: There aren’t many shutdown corners in today’s game, but the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year meets the criteria with his sticky coverage and versatile game. Surtain is a rare find: a high-IQ defender with A-plus man-to-man skills, plus exceptional zone awareness and playmaking ability. As a scheme-friendly playmaker who is comfortable shadowing WR1s or playing strictly on the outside, the two-time All-Pro is a defensive coach’s dream as a CB1.]]>
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					<![CDATA[It Has Never Been Harder To Win In College Football Than In 2026]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/never-harder-to-win-deion-sanders-lincoln-riley-ncaa-eligibility</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/never-harder-to-win-deion-sanders-lincoln-riley-ncaa-eligibility</guid>
				<category>college-football</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[You're about to watch the most competitive season of college football ever.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:11:59 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[I got news for you, and it ain't just that USC gotta Boobie Feaster — eatin'. Or that the Big Ten got two turbos at running back (Richard at Indiana; Rogers at Ohio State) and you ain't even heard the lag hit. Or that UCLA got receiver Major Pride, or that Ampersand U, also known as Texas A&amp;M, got running back Tiger Riden Jr. And the doggone circus ain't even in town. Here it is: You're about to watch the most competitive season of college football ever. It has never been harder to win than it is in 2026. "I agree with you," UCLA coach Bob Chesney told me. "I think that probably a lot of it stems from the fact that every year it's a new team as well, right? There's a lot of new guys on a lot of teams across the country every single year. Some made their team better. Some didn't. "Ultimately, for me, the margins are thin, and that’s what you're pointing toward. It's not easy to be in a position where you just walk out and expect to win a football game. Doesn't really happen anymore in my mind." At Big Ten media days last month, I pointedly asked Chesney about how difficult it is to win a college football game as someone who's coached at almost every level the NCAA offers. From Division III Salve Regina, to Division II Assumption, to FCS Holy Cross, to Group of Six James Madison, to, now, Big Ten UCLA. He’s also won at every one of those levels, and led the Dukes to their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance before USC, Wisconsin or Florida — to name three — could (or ever) do the same. There’s never been a fiercer fight for players, to win recruiting battles, to raise money to fund a roster and a program capable of winning. "I think you got to fight and scratch and claw for everything that you got, and you got to bring these kids together as quickly as you possibly can that maybe never played together before, and with coaches that maybe never coached together before," Chesney told me. "So the continuity we have coming from JMU to here [UCLA], bringing some coaches and players, I think is paying itself forward quite a bit. "But ultimately, I agree with the sentiment. It is a challenge to end up on the left side of that column." The way I see it, 2019 Oklahoma would've never seen a semifinal in this new era of ball. LSU might've never had a chance to stomp a mudhole in the Sooners and walk it dry, as it would've been the No. 1 seed in a 12-team CFP. 2025 Oklahoma might have beaten that 2019 team by three scores, and it gave up the booty (a synonym for treasure, you cad) at home while up 17-0 to an Alabama team that got RKO’d by Indiana. That same Indiana program was a dumpster dweller in 2023. Then Curt Cignetti arrived, and a program I ranked 97th in the 2024 Ultimate 134 CFB Ranking ended its season 11-2 with a berth in the CFP. Perhaps a previous Oklahoma team would've earned a No. 4 seed based on record. But so did Texas Tech in 2025, and the Ducks showed you what happens when the defense is as supremely over-matched as the Red Raiders were in the face of a better team. And Miami showed what can happen if the right quarterback walks through the door at the right time. Still, neither Mario Cristobal nor Miami has ever won the ACC championship because it's damn hard to do. The players are smarter and older, and there's never been more money and resources behind them. Consider that a player can make 60 starts over the course of their career and as many as 80 with the new rules. It's not hard for a Power Four starting quarterback to clear $30 million over five years. I need to catch up people here: This is professional football with a term limit. It will be a theme in my work this year. This is the story of 2026, a sport that is quite literally ungovernable and getting older, more skilled, smarter by the day. It’s never been harder to move the ball. FBS teams averaged just 383.5 yards per game in 2025. That’s the lowest output for total offense per game across the subdivision since 2010. It’s never been harder to score, either. FBS teams averaged just 27.5 points per game last season, and that’s the lowest average points per game across the subdivisions since 2010, too. Predictably, though, since clock rules changed in 2023, offenses are running fewer plays and seeing fewer possessions. Couple that with the knowledge that defenses are increasingly built not to take the ball away or create negative plays but to prevent offenses from executing explosive plays. "It’s a hell of a lot harder for an offense to run a 15-play drive for a score than it is for them to hit me over the head for 70 yards on one play," a Group of Six defensive coordinator told me. "We play sound defense and let the offense do the screwing up." If football is a chess game — and I believe it is — the game has turned from one that values fast-forcing moves and aggressive tactics to one that is simply about eliminating blunders, building a formidable defense and waiting for your opponent to blunder. And if you play with too much tempo — don’t castle your king to safety to press your advantage — that can hurt you in the endgame. This is precisely why Lincoln Riley hired College Football Hall of Fame coach Gary Patterson to coordinate his defense at USC. Riley has famously had a difficult time partnering with a defensive play-caller who can keep up with his explosive offense. When the defense plays as many snaps as it can when Riley’s offense is its partner, that’s more chances to get beat, more chances for mistakes to happen, more chances for the opposing team to find its way back into a game Riley’s teams should be able to put away late in the second half. This has made the game about psychology as much as physicality and preparedness. "Quarterbacks and OCs are people, too," the same defensive coordinator told me. "They want to throw the ball downfield. They don’t like checking down. They don’t like field goals, and they hate punting. Most immature quarterbacks throw into coverage because they’re frustrated. We want to frustrate quarterbacks." But quarterbacks are older and have played more football than their predecessors, and that’s only going to become an even more pronounced signifier of just how difficult it is to win in the modern game. Thanks to the NCAA’s new eligibility rule, players have five years to play five years. That means a college football player could make 60 regular season starts and as many as 80 career starts before leaving the sport. Some of those players return this season. Texas offensive lineman Cole Hutson is taking advantage of the fifth-year rule and could end this season with 60 games played if he plays in all 12 of Texas’ regular season games. Colorado coach Deion Sanders lamented the age eligibility rule as it makes it harder for him to field and recruit a team. "It affects your recruiting," he said. Doesn’t everything, Prime? There has never been a more skilled and experienced labor force in college football than there is now, and because these players are experienced, they take on new concepts and complicated systems better. Multiple tight ends in a formation on one play. A fullback in formation on another. Four wide receivers in a bunch formation in another. This is the kind of sequence offenses can use to force defenses to show themselves, their coverages, that might not have been available to most teams because offensive players just didn’t have time to learn as much as they do now. Programs with returning play-callers and head coaches are just reinforcing their systems each year but adding to them to make themselves more difficult to stop. The inverse is also true. Defenses are more complex, better drilled and prepared for the challenges offenses will present. In this way, offenses and defenses are sharpening each other — growing older and more experienced together — and are able to play at a level heretofore unseen in the sport. That means it’s never been harder to win a college football game. That also means it’s never been a better time to be a college football fan.]]>
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					<![CDATA[INDYCAR's Freedom 250 Will Be An Unforgettable Race With A Monumental Track]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-analysis-james-hinchcliffe-freedom-250-washington-dc</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-analysis-james-hinchcliffe-freedom-250-washington-dc</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[INDYCAR's Freedom 250 will be stunning, as drivers flash by some of the most recognizable American monuments in a 180-mile-an-hour blur.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:34:35 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[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. After a late arrival on the schedule, a myriad of complex logistical hurdles and an unprecedented (but totally justified) amount of promotion and hype, we are finally here: INDYCAR's Freedom 250. For many people, being able to attend an Indianapolis 500 — or indeed any INDYCAR race — could be a once-in-a-lifetime proposition. We in the industry often forget how lucky we are to get to go to the race track for a living. But even those of us who live and breathe motorsports will be in for a once-in-a-lifetime event this weekend. This is shaping up to truly be one of the most exceptional events in the long and storied history of INDYCAR for a number of reasons. Let’s start with the setting. Having a race track built in D.C., around the National Mall no less, is certainly not something many people thought they would see in their lifetime. To build a track, you have to meet certain prerequisites, and — by a bit of luck and a lot of hard work from a lot of people, both on the D.C. side and the INDYCAR/Penske Entertainment side — all boxes were checked. The backdrop will be unmatched and the visuals will be stunning, as Indy cars flash by some of the nation’s most recognizable monuments and buildings in a 180-mile-an-hour blur. The challenge for the drivers will be equally monumental. We’ve already had two brand-new street circuits this season, so the idea of it all seems old hat by now. But with D.C., things are a little different. Unlike the streets of Arlington, Texas, and Markham, Ontario, D.C. has not been laser scanned to make an accurate track model for the sim. There is a track model, but it’s based off a 2-D CAD drawing and is nowhere near as accurate. Furthermore, teams don’t have exact info on surface conditions or grip levels, so it’s all a bit of a guess. When speaking with Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood on my podcast, "Off Track with Hinch and Rossi," this week ahead of the race, he said that the pre-race simulations are predicting a lap time of somewhere between 53 and 60 seconds. A seven-second spread! That would be like the difference between a lap in an Indy car and one in an Indy NXT car! So needless to say, drivers are coming in with even more unknowns than they had for either Arlington or Markham. That said, having had the recent experience of Markham under their belts, the engineers especially will be looking back at what worked and what didn’t on another newly designed, freshly paved circuit. But they can’t simply cut and paste setups because the layout of the D.C. course is comprised of several more 90-degree, slower-minimum-speed-type corners than Markham. This means there will be a huge emphasis on longitudinal grip — straight line braking and traction — and less on higher-speed lateral grip. FREEDOM 250: WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR INDYCAR DRIVERS On paper, D.C.'s 1.7-mile circuit looks like more of a traditional street course than what we saw last week. Think a little more Detroit-ish in nature. But tuning the car is only half the battle. You need to make sure your driver is ready to go, too. Firstly, you have to cover the mental state of your driver. We are in the last few rounds of the season, and if your year hasn’t gone well, the desperation level climbs each weekend. For drivers that haven’t won a race yet this year, time is running out, and bigger risks need to be taken. Likewise for drivers who aren’t just thinking about getting a W on the board for this year but don’t have a contract in place for next season. Every race, every session, every lap of a weekend is part of the job interview that could make our break the next step in your career. And let’s not forget about the magnitude of this race. No, it’s not the Indy 500, but if you thought the list of Indy 500 winners was an elite one, the winner of the Freedom 250 will stand alone. One of one. The only driver to conquer the U.S. capital. D.C. doesn’t have the racing history that Indy does, so it will never mean quite as much to drivers. But there is something undeniably cool about being the only driver to have won such a prestigious event. And it will be prestigious! Not only will there be 100,000 fans observing trackside from the ticket lottery, there are also tons of hospitality suites occupied by some of the biggest companies on Earth, and many of the country’s most powerful people will be in attendance. They will say, "I remember when…" And they will remember who won that race. Not going to lie, that’s pretty cool! THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE FAST: WASHINGTON, D.C. So, once you make sure to keep your driver’s head in the game, you’ve gotta hope their body is up to the task. Street courses are physical, but not in the way a Barber or Mid-Ohio is, with the long, fast corners that place the driver under high G-loads. They are physical because the bumps and surface changes send so much feedback through the steering wheel that it feels like it’s going to rip out of your hands. So you are death-gripping the wheel all day long. And in D.C., the day will be long. Very long… In an attempt to make the distance match the name, a handful of laps were added to make the official race distance 250 miles. That means we are going to be racing for 147 laps. Let me put that into perspective. St. Petersburg is one of the longest races of the year out side of the Indy 500. And it’s also hot and humid with a bumpy street track. Makes it a real physical test. That track is about 1.8 miles, and we race there for 100 laps. Even all green, it’s a nearly two-hour race. Throw in a few cautions and you’re looking at two-plus. That’s a long time strapped into a race car in the heat and humidity. The D.C. track is 1.7 miles long. And remember, we’re doing 147 laps. In a very humid city barely above sea level. Even all green, this is set to be a marathon-type race for the drivers. And if what we saw in Markham is any indication, the combination of a new track, a big event and some late-season desperation kicking in means the likelihood of an all green race is slim to none. This will be a different type of physical challenge for drivers, maintaining their cool in composure in an environment where even misjudging an inch or two could fire you into the wall. 1 FOR THE ROAD I will leave you with one final thought: This weekend is going to be memorable. This is going to be a mini Indy 500. And as such, we at FOX have put together a monumental pre-race show, and if I am being totally honest, I am about as excited about that as I am for the race! Knowing what’s coming down the pipeline has got me telling everybody that as much as this race has the potential to be one for the books, don’t sleep on the pre-race show! It kicks off at 11:30am ET for 90 minutes to set the biggest street circuit stage that the sport has ever seen. And you are not going to want to miss it!]]>
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					<![CDATA[Best LBs In The NFL: Has Fred Warner Been Dethroned As League's Best Linebacker?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-lbs-has-fred-warner-been-dethroned-leagues-best-linebacker</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-top-10-lbs-has-fred-warner-been-dethroned-leagues-best-linebacker</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Who is the best linebacker entering the 2026 season? We ranked the 10 best.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:54:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[No player has arguably been better than their peers at their respective position than Fred Warner since the turn of the decade. But as the San Francisco 49ers' star returns from a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely, is Warner still the NFL's best linebacker ahead of the 2026 campaign? We ranked the 10 best linebackers in the league as we prepare for the new year. Warner, a four-time first-team All-Pro, was one of two players to receive first-place votes in our rankings, with the Detroit Lions' Jack Campbell and the Baltimore Ravens' Roquan Smith among those vying for the top spot. Here's a full look at our top 10 linebackers entering the 2026 season. Greg Auman: Can takeaways be what takes Carolina’s defense from bad to good? In defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s first year in Charlotte in 2023, the Panthers had an NFL-low 11 takeaways, improving to 17 in 2024 and 21 last year. Lloyd signed a three-year, $42 million deal after a breakout Pro Bowl year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, in which he had five interceptions to help his former team record 31 takeaways, second-most in the NFL. It’s concerning that Jacksonville let Lloyd walk from the middle of its defense, but he and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips are two high-dollar additions to Carolina’s defense as they try to improve enough to repeat as NFC South champs. Lloyd is 27 and needs to show last year’s splash plays — notably absent his previous two years — can continue as a defensive spark. Ben Arthur: Bolton has been one of the NFL’s most steady off-ball linebackers since entering the league in 2021, helping the Chiefs win two Super Bowls. The former second-round pick is coming off his second straight season of 100-plus tackles, six pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. In 2025, he tied for third in run stops (86) and 10th in hustle stops (15) among linebackers, according to Next Gen Stats. With Kansas City’s secondary undergoing a makeover this offseason, Bolton will take on a more pronounced role in Steve Spagnuolo’s back-seven as the green dot. Pass coverage is an area for improvement, though. Opposing quarterbacks had a 93.8 passer rating when targeting him in coverage last season, the third time in five seasons he’s allowed a 90-plus passer rating, per NGS. Eric D. Williams: Only 26 years old, Jones has won two Super Bowl rings in six NFL seasons. Since Seattle made a midseason trade for the South Carolina product with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, Jones has been the green-dot playcaller and a leader for one of the best defensive teams in the NFL. Jones finished with a career-high five interceptions (a franchise record for a linebacker) and 126 combined tackles in 2025, earning second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his NFL career. Jones has finished with at least 100 tackles for four straight seasons. Jones spent his first three seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Rams, setting a single-season franchise record with 145 tackles in 2023, including a career-high 4.5 sacks. Arthur: Once in the shadows of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw in San Francisco, Al-Shaair has come into his own as a star linebacker the last couple of years. His aggressive play style sets the tone as the green dot of the Texans’ juggernaut defense. In 2025, the former undrafted free agent registered his third 100-tackle season and posted career-highs in interceptions (two) and pass breakups (nine) to make his first Pro Bowl. Overall, Al-Shaair is one of the league’s best coverage linebackers. Among qualified linebackers last season, he ranked ninth in both tight windows forced rate and coverage EPA and 20th in ballhawk rate, per NGS. Auman: Brooks, 28, is the rare Dolphins star the franchise chose to keep this year, locking him up with a three-year, $48 million deal. He earned first-team All-Pro honors last year, leading the NFL with 183 total tackles, but he’s been productive for a while. Over the last five years, he has the third-most tackles in the league, with more tackles for loss (45) than anyone else in the top five. He’s aggressive at the line of scrimmage, with 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss last year, and he’ll need to be as part of a rebuilding Dolphins roster under new head coach Jeff Hafley. Can the Dolphins win enough games to stay ahead of the Jets and avoid the AFC East cellar? Brooks is a core piece in Miami that’s part of their past and part of their future as well. Ralph Vacchiano: It is still absolutely remarkable that the Eagles viewed Baun as little more than a special teams player when they signed him away from New Orleans in 2024, and instead they got a two-time Pro Bowler and one of their best defensive starters. He was one of the best defenders in the league in 2024 and he had almost identical production last season when he had 123 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. Baun's the perfect versatile linebacker for Vic Fangio’s scheme. He’s got the speed to rush the passer and drop back in tight coverage, and he has better instincts than many linebackers in the league. Linebacker hasn’t always been a strength in Philadelphia. But thanks to the 29-year-old Baun, it is now. Bucky Brooks: The second-year pro quickly established himself as a tackling machine in the middle of the Browns’ defense. Schweisinger’s instincts, range, and awareness as a "see ball, get ball" defender shrink the field for the opponents, leading to fewer explosive plays against the ultra-aggressive unit. With the youngster also controlling the game as the green dot wearer, the Pro Bowler’s intelligence and communication skills set him apart from others at the position. Henry McKenna: Let’s just start with last season when he had 176 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, five sacks and four pass breakups. Sort of like a quarterback whose rare arm talent allows him to use every blade of grass, Campbell has the athleticism, range and awareness to be a threat in just about every part of the field. There really isn’t a defensive phase where he doesn’t make an impact. I’m not sure Campbell gets the love he deserves, in part because he’s a defensive playmaker and in part because his position is no longer considered "premium." But to that point, it takes a truly special linebacker to justify the draft position of 18th overall, where the Lions got Campbell in 2023. And he has absolutely made that pick worth it. Williams: One of the most explosive linebackers in the league, Smith can make plays from sideline to sideline and is one of the best tacklers in the NFL. A four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, Smith has eclipsed 100 tackles in all eight of his NFL seasons. But Smith will have to adjust to a new system with defensive-minded head coach Jesse Minter taking over as the team’s head coach. Smith is looking to take the ball away this season after finishing with zero forced fumbles, sacks and interceptions in 2025. Brooks: The NFL’s prototype at the position displays a rare combination of size, speed, intelligence, and violence. Warner is a menacing sideline-to-sideline defender who covers ground like a gazelle, but attacks runners and pass catchers like the Lion King tracking his prey. Given Warner's penchant for producing big plays as a run defender and in coverage, the All-Pro is the "Mike" linebacker that every defensive coordinator would choose as a foundational piece.]]>
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					<![CDATA[INDYCAR Drivers, Executives Take In Washington Ahead Of Freedom 250]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-drivers-washington-freedom-250</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/indycar-drivers-washington-freedom-250</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Drivers in awe of "spectacular" Washington D.C. as they explore its rich history before Sunday's Freedom 250.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:28:00 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[U.S. CAPITOL AND WHITE HOUSE (Washington) — Scott McLaughlin had never been to Washington, D.C., so he expressed a somewhat simple emotion anticipating his first visit. "I’m excited to go there," he told me a week ago. On his first visit Thursday, like many first-time visitors, he went to the White House. But he was in the White House. In the Rose Garden. The Team Penske driver — a native of New Zealand who became a U.S. citizen last year — was among the drivers who presented a racing helmet to First Lady Melania Trump during an event Thursday afternoon. McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, Graham Rahal and Alexander Rossi made the visit to the White House, while Rahal, Santino Ferrucci, Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward visited the U.S. Capitol grounds and the Cannon House Office Building, the city's oldest congressional office building. "I know I’m not from this country, but this country has given me so much. Just the opportunity to be here as a car driver, be a winner and a champion and to create a family here in the U.S.," four-time (and likely soon-to-be five-time) INDYCAR champion Palou, who is from Spain, said during a news conference. "So this has been incredible." If the government is going to let you race on their grounds, you’ve got to make the stops before getting to the track for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix this weekend. INDYCAR drivers will practice and qualify on Saturday and then race Sunday. In what most likely will be a one-and-done event, the course includes iconic Washington streets like Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue. "We will have this weekend an amazing, iconic 250-mile Freedom Grand Prix," Penske Entertainment Corp. Chairman Roger Penske said in speaking at the White House. "And it will cap off 250 years, an anniversary of our country." For the most part, the event will bring with it a typical street-course vibe. Some locals don’t love streets being closed. There’s debate about whether it’s bringing in enough tourism dollars to justify the needed local spend. All the while, people are stopping at the course admiring the setup and asking if they can go on the track just to take a photo. For what it's worth, it seemed that security was accommodating. But then there are also things that just make the mind explode. The start-finish line is across from the U.S. Capitol. The western part of the course has a great view of the Washington Monument. The local metro transportation authority put an INDYCAR show car on a subway rail and shuttled it throughout the system Thursday to remind people the best way to get to the race. Drivers are hopeful they can put on a good show. The pre-race spectacle includes six flyovers, one for each branch of the military. That is scheduled to begin after the FOX pre-race coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET. The race is 147 laps around a 1.7-mile (seven-turn) course. President Trump is expected to wave the green flag shortly after 1 p.m. for what could be a three-hour marathon. An executive order from President Donald Trump allowed the race to happen by fast-tracking approvals, permits and any road alterations. "It’s not one [political] side of the other," A.J. Foyt Racing driver Santino Ferrucci told me and other reporters Thursday standing in view of the U.S. Capitol. "It’s the nation coming together." As part of the White House event, INDYCAR and FOX Sports announced they are jointly donating $2 million to Melania Trump’s "Fostering the Future" initiative to fund scholarships for those who grew up in foster care. FOX Sports owns 33 percent of INDYCAR. "Together, we aren’t just creating pathways for these incredible students, we are also making history this weekend," FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks said during prepared remarks at the White House. "FOX Sports presents a landmark event this weekend with the Freedom 250 INDYCAR Grand Prix, right here in Washington, D.C., racing through the nation’s capital to celebrate our 250th birthday. "This is going to be a celebration of our great country unlike any other." Drivers don’t get on track until Saturday but most likely will be on the course Friday afternoon during the track walk. That will be the first time many will get to see how the course is laid out versus the models. "Other than the [Indianapolis] 500, this is the event that I feel like you want to win, especially with it potentially just being a one-off," Ferrucci said. "You really want to be able to go home with that trophy because that’s history." Rahal will have a stop to make first. He is going to visit Arlington National Cemetery, where his grandfather is buried. It will be a solemn moment for Rahal but one that reminds him of what it took for there to be a 250th birthday, a Freedom 250. And he admitted he will take in as much scenery as he can. "When you get to come to Washington, you’ve got to take the time to soak in all the history that’s here," Rahal told me Thursday. "It’s a spectacular place for sure."]]>
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					<![CDATA[Why 'Purposeful' Titans Rookie Carnell Tate Is The Receiver Cam Ward Needs]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/rookie-wr-carnell-tate-will-shine-titans</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/rookie-wr-carnell-tate-will-shine-titans</guid>
				<category>nfl</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Carnell Tate's former coaches and teammates explain why the No. 4 overall pick is the perfect receiver for Titans QB Cam Ward.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:15:46 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[In November 2019, during a Chicago-area high school football playoff game, a 14-year-old Carnell Tate couldn’t be stopped. Starring for Marist High School, the freshman receiver caught eight passes for 92 yards against Loyola Academy, a perennial national power and the defending Illinois state champions. When Tate scored the late touchdown that helped Marist push the game out of reach, his teammates went crazy. But not Tate. "Our senior wide receiver came up to me and he's like, 'He won't even celebrate!,'" Matt Shalvis, Marist’s offensive coordinator, told me. "He was humble, so it was hard to get him to react at all out there. He was like a robot — just out there playing the game, consuming everything. Great teammate — not like he was shut off to his teammates — he just didn't like to boast or celebrate his touchdowns or anything. … You could tell he was excited, but he just didn't want to show anybody up or show it." Nearly seven years later, not much has changed. For the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, equanimity appears to be a defining attribute. Tate has stayed emotionally neutral throughout his first training camp with the Tennessee Titans. It doesn’t matter how big of a play he makes. He even kept his cool during a physical, chippy joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers last week. "You got to know how to control your emotions and not let your emotions control you," Tate said after a few weeks of his first NFL camp. "When you’re able to do that, you’re able to consistently play at a high level." That’s what the Titans will need from Tate, of course. He is expected to develop into a No. 1-caliber wide receiver, one who will accelerate second-year quarterback Cam Ward’s development as Tennessee's franchise quarterback. After a catch-less preseason debut last week against San Francisco, Tate will look for his first NFL reception when the Titans host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night (8 p.m. ET on FOX). "I thought he was very physical in the run game," Titans coach Robert Saleh said of Tate’s performance in the preseason opener. "… He played physical, he played fast. He was winning his one-on-ones when he was getting those opportunities. As time goes, we’ll find ways to give him the ball." ‘That’s The Level Of Expectations He Has’ During his time at Ohio State, former Buckeyes offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline would point out "MAs" — missed assignments — when his receivers blocked the wrong guy. But Tate took it a step further. Hartline's MA for him also included blocking the right guy … but using the wrong kind of leverage or the wrong shoulder. If Tate didn’t make contact with the proper play-side leverage, then he didn’t know the play. So that's a mental mistake. Now the head coach at the University of South Florida, Hartline explained that Tate was simply holding himself to a higher standard. "That’s the level of expectations he has," Hartline told me. Before transferring to Florida’s IMG Academy, Tate got straight A's as a freshman at Marist. Every day, he made the long commute from home on the west side of Chicago to Marist, a private Catholic school on the south side. "He was up early, and he was taking buses by himself and putting in that work to make sure he was there," Titans rookie offensive lineman Pat Coogan, Tate’s teammate at Marist, told me. Added Ron Dawczak, his coach at Marist: "There was no detail too small." During Tate’s freshman year at Ohio State, there was one game week when one of the Buckeyes’ top receivers, current Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Emeka Egbuka, was sidelined due to injury. Tate was up to fill the void in the slot — a position he’d never played to that point. But Hartline watched him fit into the offense seamlessly, a testament to the preparation he’d done to understand the entire scheme. When Tate entered the Buckeyes’ loaded wide receiver room, which included Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., he peppered his older counterparts with questions — about Ohio State, playing college ball and football at large. He was a willing blocker. Hartline always knew he could count on Tate in any given play call. No matter if he was banged up or out of gas, Tate had a way of compartmentalizing any feelings that took away from his ability to perform. He embraced constructive feedback and applied it to the field almost immediately. Tate became vocal in the meeting room with seniority, not afraid to call out players at other positions. "He's a quiet kid at heart," Ohio State wide receiver Brandon Inniss told me. "But when he opens his mouth, people listen because they see his potential and abilities on the field." Hartline describes Tate as "very purposeful." "He doesn't like to watch people do half-assed things," Hartline explained to me. "Carnell doesn't do well with stupidity. Carnell doesn't do well with laziness. Carnell doesn't do well with lack of excellence from people, like coaches. It doesn't matter. If you're talking and it's not good, he's gonna tell you it's not good. If you're playing football and you're on his team and it's not good, he's gonna tell you it's not good. "He just calls a spade a spade. He's got his boys. He's really tight with his boys. But when it comes to work and football, it's just more of a matter of fact. He doesn't need the [pat] on the back." ‘He Really Doesn’t Drop Nothing’ During a two-minute drill near the end of Monday’s practice, the Titans’ offense faced a fourth-and-long near midfield. Ward connected with Tate deep down the right sideline to move the chains. It was an impressive catch for the rookie receiver, who stretched his arms wide to make the grab and held on despite a mid-air collision with Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. It added to Tate’s growing list of highlight-worthy plays since the offseason program. He’s been a primary target for Ward on third downs and other got-to-have-it situations. "He really doesn’t drop nothing," Ward said in May. That was the case at Ohio State, too — he didn’t register a drop last season, according to Pro Football Focus. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Tate is a sure-handed, crafty route runner who glides in and out breaks. He’s smooth. He’s a ball tracker and proficient at making contested catches. Whatever he lacks in suddenness, he makes up for with long speed that enables him to get behind the defense at a high rate. "No, he doesn't have 4.2 speed, and he doesn't have a 40-inch vertical," Egbuka told me. "But when it comes to making separation, running clean routes and catching the ball, he does all those things at a very, very high level. And that's what we get paid to do." Statistically, Tate was Ohio State’s second option behind Jeremiah Smith last season. Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin didn’t see it that way, though. "I like to tell people we had two number ones when he was here," Sayin told me. "When you're a quarterback, you have a lot of trust in him." It’s not like being Ohio State's No. 2 or even No. 3 receiver has prevented anyone from becoming an NFL star, either. Egbuka, who was 62 yards short of 1,000 receiving yards as an NFL rookie last year, was the Buckeyes’ No. 2 option to Smith in ‘24. New York Jets star Garrett Wilson, the NFL's 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year, and New Orleans Saints All-Pro Chris Olave ranked second and third for Ohio State in receiving yards, respectively, in their last college season in 2021. The Buckeyes' wide receiver room is regularly filled with guys who, because of all the talent, never get to show what they’re fully capable of in college. The Titans are counting on Tate to add to that list. But at the moment, he’s not actively seeking out the guidance of former Ohio State receivers starring in the NFL. Instead, he’s zeroed in on being the best possible receiver for Titans OC Brian Daboll's offense. "I’m leaning on the guys who’ve been around Dabes," Tate said earlier this month. "Like, Wan’Dale [Robinson] has been with him with the Giants. So I’m trying to learn as much as possible from Wan’Dale. He’s played every position in Dabes' offense. He’s been with Dabes the past four years. And then Rid [Calvin Ridley] is familiar with the offense as well. I just be trying to learn from those two guys." So Tate is focused. You could even say purposeful.]]>
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