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🏈 Five things to know Friday
- Carson Beck and Haynes King were standouts in the Hall of Fame Game. In what might have been the most dramatic NFL preseason opener ever, the Panthers walked off the Cardinals with a game-winning touchdown run. King scrambled into the end zone from 5 yards out to put Carolina on top in a 33-30 thriller that saw two rookie quarterbacks dazzle in their professional debuts. While King put the cherry on top, Beck was the first of the two to turn heads, as the third-round pick checked all the boxes in a 15-for-19, 188-yard, one touchdown performance.
- Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers might have used a second sponsorship agreement to circumvent the salary cap. The alleged no-show endorsement contract Leonard held with Aspiration remains under NBA investigation, and as that probe continues (and holds up his trade to the Raptors), there is potentially even more to the story. Leonard reportedly also had a hidden multimillion dollar deal with scoreboard manufacturer Daktronics, which built the videoboard for the Intuit Dome. Investigative reporter Pablo Torre alleges the Clippers used this sponsorship agreement to funnel money to Leonard.
- Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor joined the top tier of running back contracts. Just two days after Bijan Robinson signed the largest contract by a running back in NFL history, Gibbs topped him with a three-year, $67.5 million extension with the Lions that includes $51.5 million guaranteed. A few hours earlier, Taylor agreed with the Colts on a new two-year, $44 million deal. The ballcarriers created a new club of $22 million-per-year earners, which reestablishes a premium market for a position that had been devalued in the 2010s.
- Team USA’s roster for the FIBA Women’s World Cup is set. WNBA superstars are plentiful on the American squad as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and other perennial MVP candidates headline the roster. Young talent will be well represented, as well, with Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and Aliyah Boston set to make their international debuts. World Cup play begins Sept. 4 in Berlin, where Team USA will vie for its fifth consecutive title.
- Indiana welcomed back another standout player, while USC and North Carolina are without key pieces. Three key personnel developments unfolded across college football Thursday, with the most notable coming from the reigning national champion Hoosiers. Two days after the return of Stephen Daley, Indiana brought another fifth-year edge rusher back in the form of Kellan Wyatt, who racked up eight tackles for loss in seven games last year. USC, on the other hand, saw one of its veterans go down with a season-ending injury in practice. Starting center Kilian O’Connor is done for the year with a non-contact knee issue. And at North Carolina, offensive coordinator Steve Belichick is on medical leave and will be away from the team indefinitely.
⚾ Do not miss this: Post-trade deadline MLB playoff predictions
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The dust has settled on an active trade deadline that saw perennial All-Stars and a two-time Cy Young Award winner switch from one team to another. With that kind of talent on the move, the postseason race looks a little bit different now than it did just a few days ago. But even with the addition of Tarik Skubal, we’re not fully convinced the Dodgers are the team to beat in the National League.
Our Matt Snyder sees the Brewers as the eventual No. 1 seed in the NL, and he says even the Cubs could chase them down. So… what about the Dodgers?
- Snyder: “They’ve lost six straight games right now, a good illustration that they aren’t quite as indestructible as many casual fans believe. Still, they’ll have no trouble holding their lead in the NL West. Even with the skid, they have an eight-game lead over the Diamondbacks.”
Adley Rutschman was the other biggest star on the move at the deadline. His arrival in Boston aids the Red Sox in their quest for a playoff berth, and if you had said any of that about a month ago, you would’ve looked crazy. Here are Snyder’s three projected American League Wild Card teams, including the scalding hot Red Sox:
4. Red Sox
5. Yankees
6. White Sox
Oh, and speaking of trades, is it too early to start thinking about which players could be on the move this offseason?
⭐ Every NFL team’s best active Hall of Fame candidate
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After the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on Saturday, the attention will shift from this year’s inductees to the debate over who belongs in the Class of 2027. While no active players will be eligible for next year’s class (they have to wait five years after retirement), there are a number of stars who will suit up this season that have spots in the Hall of Fame waiting for them.
Look no further than Aaron Rodgers, who might be the first of the active players to join the fraternity in Canton, Ohio. He is set to embark on his final season in 2026, and our Bryan DeArdo says there is no question whether he will get into the Hall when first eligible.
- DeArdo: “Rodgers is a shoo-in first-ballot Hall of Famer. His bona fides include four league MVPs, a Super Bowl MVP and the greatest touchdown-to-interception ratio in league history. Rodgers is hoping to cap off his career in style with the Steelers, who have another surefire Hall of Famer on the roster in T.J. Watt and another potential Hall of Famer in Cameron Heyward.”
Yeah, the Steelers are stacked with future inductees. Not every team is so fortunate, though. Only six teams have at least one Hall of Fame “lock” on their roster. Here are three of them:
- Chiefs: TE Travis Kelce
- Rams: QB Matthew Stafford
- Saints: EDGE Cameron Jordan
👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
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- You have to see this collision between Marlins outfielders that resulted in a Ronald Acuña Jr. home run.
- Anthony Davis will have to wait for a new contract. Extension talks between him and the Wizards are reportedly on hold until the season starts.
- The Liberty waived Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and we identified three potential landing spots.
- Jaylen Brown addressed his Celtics exit, his relationship with Jayson Tatum and more in his first media session with the 76ers.
- Mets reliever Jefry Yan is not apologizing for his viral strikeout celebration, which already has the ire of opposing fanbases.
- Sahith Theegala started hot, but it’s Beau Hossler who holds the lead through 18 holes at the Wyndham Championship.
- In an exclusive interview with CBS Sports, Mike Boynton Jr. detailed his initial conversations with Michigan’s administration.
- If the Pirates miss the postseason, Paul Skenes might actually be somewhat to blame.
- Flau’jae Johnson spoke with CBS Sports about the highs and lows of her rookie season.
- Real Madrid set a club record with their $155 million transfer fee for Yan Diomande. Rival Barcelona, meanwhile, entered the bidding war for Real Madrid target Rodri.
- Mike Renner’s NFL Draft scouting series continues with the top 10 defensive tackles in the Class of 2027.
- With the NWSL season past the halfway mark, we revisited our picks for MVP, league championship and more.
- Our Bryan DeArdo sorted fact from fiction after spending time at Steelers training camp.
- Good luck airing it out against the 10 best secondaries in college football.
📺 What we’re watching this weekend
Friday
⚽ Carabao Cup: Port Vale at Wolverhampton, 2:45 p.m. on CBS Sports Golazo Network/Paramount+
🥎 LLWS: Florida vs. Washington, 3 p.m. on ESPN2
⛳ Wyndham Championship: Second round, 3 p.m. on Golf Channel
🥎 LLWS: Puerto Rico vs. New Jersey, 6 p.m. on ESPN2
⚾ Mets at Pirates, 6:40 p.m. on Peacock
⚾ Braves at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
🏀 Dream at Mystics or Mercury at Sun, 7:30 p.m. on Ion
⚾ Guardians at White Sox or Twins at Brewers, 7:40 p.m. on MLB Network
⚽ Leagues Cup: Pumas at Cincinnati, 8 p.m. on Apple TV
⚽ Wave at Gotham, 8 p.m. on Prime Video
🤼 WWE SmackDown, 8 p.m. on USA Network
⚾ Orioles at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. on Apple TV
⚽ Leagues Cup: Minnesota at Tigres, 9 p.m. on Apple TV
🏀 Valkyries at Wings, 9:30 p.m. on Ion
⚾ Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 9:40 p.m. on Peacock
⚾ Rays at Mariners, 10:10 p.m. on Apple TV
⚾ Astros at Padres or Tigers at Giants, 10:30 p.m. on MLB Network
⚽ Leagues Cup: Whitecaps at Juarez, 10:30 p.m. on Apple TV
Saturday
⚽ Carabao Cup: Millwall at Queens Park Rangers, 9 a.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Carabao Cup: Portsmouth at West Ham United, 10 a.m. on Paramount+
🥊 Zuffa Boxing 10: McKenna vs. Oliha, noon on Paramount+
🏈 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, noon on ESPN
⚽ Carabao Cup: Southampton at Colchester United, 12:30 p.m. on Paramount+
🏀 Aces at Lynx, 1 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
⛳ Wyndham Championship: Third round, 3 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🥎 LLWS: Semifinal 1, 3 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Fever at Sky, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
⚽ Royals at Summit, 4 p.m. on Ion
⚾ Angels at Marlins, 4:10 p.m. on FS1
⚽ Dynamo at Revolution, 4:30 p.m. on Apple TV
🤼 UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld, 5 p.m. on Paramount+
🥎 LLWS: Semifinal 2, 6 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ Leagues Cup: Leon at Orlando City, 6:30 p.m. on Apple TV
⚽ Courage at Spirit, 6:30 p.m. on Ion
⚾ Orioles at Rangers or Tigers at Giants or Astros at Padres, 7:15 p.m. on Fox
⚽ Leagues Cup: Monterrey at Inter Miami, 8 p.m. on Apple TV
🏀 Storm at Fire, 8:30 p.m. on NBA TV
⚽ Current at Dash, 8:45 p.m. on Ion
⚽ Leagues Cup: Dallas at Guadalajara, 9 p.m. on FS1
⚾ Rays at Mariners, 9:50 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
⚽ Leagues Cup: Atlante at Real Salt Lake, 10 p.m. on Apple TV
⚽ Leagues Cup: LAFC at Toluca, 11:10 p.m. on FS1
Sunday
🥎 LLWS: Third-place game, 10 a.m. on ESPN
⚽ Carabao Cup: Sheffield United at Mansfield Town, 11 a.m. on Paramount+
⚾ Reds at Nationals, 12:15 p.m. on Peacock
🏀 Aces at Liberty, 12:30 p.m. on ABC
🏀 Big3: Triplets vs. Power, 1 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏀 Big3: Amps at Ball Hogs, 2 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
⛳ Wyndham Championship: Final round, 3 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🥎 LLWS: Championship, 3 p.m. on ABC
🏀 Wings at Lynx, 3:30 p.m. on NBC
🏁 NASCAR at Iowa, 3:30 p.m. on USA Network
⚽ Leagues Cup: Queretaro at Sounders, 3:30 p.m. on Apple TV
⚽ Thorns at Legacy, 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
⚾ Tigers at Giants, 4:05 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
⚾ Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 4:10 p.m. on MLB Network
⚾ Rays at Mariners, 4:10 p.m. on Peacock
🏀 Valkyries at Sparks, 7 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ Leagues Cup: NYCFC at Cruz Azul, 7:30 p.m. on FS1
⚾ Astros at Padres, 8:20 p.m. on NBC
⚽ Angel City at Reign, 9 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ Leagues Cup: Timbers at Club America, 10:15 p.m. on FS1
