Plymouth Parkway boss Karl Curtis hopes his side can draw an English Football League side after making the FA Cup first round for the first time.
The Southern League Premier Division South club beat seventh-tier rivals Chertsey Town 2-0 at their Bolitho Park home to progress past the fourth qualifying round and make history.
"You want the fans to have their big day and the players, and us as staff as well," Curtis told BBC Radio Devon.
"It'd be huge if we could get a league club here at Bolitho because it would create memories regardless of the result.
"Whatever the outcome might be, it'd be one of those moments and days where people in 20 years' time people will be talking about it."

#first #club

Philadelphia Eagles WR DeVonta Smith caught seven of 14 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown in a Week 6 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
SOURCE: USA TODAY
Why It Matters: Many ******* ysts predicted Smith to have a breakout season in 2026, but a rash of injuries - including one to Smith himself - has kept that from happening so far. The sixth-year veteran set a career high in targets in this one after missing the last two weeks with a hamstring injury. It might be a bit of a ******* py road the rest of the way - certainly for as long as Tanner McKee is his quarterback - but volume should not be an issue for him. (He's averaging 10.3 targets per game in four games this season.) He could catch a bit of a break in Week 7 as the struggling Cowboys pay a visit to Philly on Monday night. Smith could push for WR1 production in that one, although he is a safer WR2 bet.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DeVonta Smith posts 75 yards and a score following two-week absence

#devonta #today #season

Devon Sawa and Macaulay Culkin's internet feud may be over, but one joke persists. Sawa recently opened up about a strange rivalry with Culkin, saying that the "Home Alone" star still owned a website with his name.
Sawa has revealed to E!'s Hot Goss that the playful feud dates back to when Culkin purchased a website connected to him. Culkin bought devonsawa.com around Sawa's birthday. He then proceeded to direct fans towards merchandise and jokes involving the actor.
"He and I had a internet beef," Sawa told E!'s Eyal Booker and Lonnie Marts IIV. "He bought devonsawa.com. He did that, and we did this photo shoot together, and then we just started pranking each other."
The rivalry ultimately "kind of faded out," but Culkin still owns devonsawa.com. "If you want to go to devonsawa.com, you will be purchasing everything from Macaulay Culkin," Sawa joked. "I can't believe I'm giving him free press." Despite the long time they spent trolling each other, Sawa heaped praise on his fellow former child star.
"He's amazing," he said.

#sawa #internet #feud #website

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist) suffered fractured wrist in the Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts, and he is expected to miss several weeks.
Lane was to have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury, and a timetable would then be set for his return. Test results are still pending. He managed one reception for 11 yards on three targets before he was knocked from the game.
SOURCE: RavensWire - Glenn Erby
Why it Matters: With Lane sidelined, and Zay Flowers leaving the game early due to a hamstring injury, the Ravens were down to Rashod Bateman, Chris Moore and LaJohntay Wester as the only healthy receivers Sunday. Devontez Walker was sidelined due to a groin injury, but he could play in Week 2, and rookie fourth-round pick Elijah Sarratt is also a possibility. He was a healthy inactive.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ja'Kobi Lane awaits MRI results

#game #wrist #sidelined #healthy

The Seattle Seahawks are 1-0, so it's time to start scouting their next opponent.
The Arizona Cardinals shocked the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1 with a 26-14 win in which Mike LaFleur became the franchise's first non-interim head coach to win their first game in charge. The matchup was projected as one of the opening week's most lopsided in favor of Jim Harbaugh and Los Angeles, who were coming off an 11-6 record in 2025. Los Angeles made the playoffs and lost to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots in the Wild Card round, albeit without either of their starting offensive tackles—Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt—who were both expected to boost the offense upon their return this season. Arizona's defense had other ideas, and became one of the biggest surprises of any unit across Week 1's Sunday slate, while their offense simply looked more talented and outplayed LA with complementary football. That's what the Seahawks will be looking for in Week 2.
The Cardinals defense played with an energy that stifled Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who only held the ball for 51 plays and 22:29. Arizona ran 21 more plays and had the ball for 15:02 more of the game (more than an entire quarter?!) When watching this game, the attitude from Arizona's defense seemed to disregard the stature of its opponent. LaFleur retained defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, who Phoenix-based sports radio host John Gambadoro credits for helping set the temperature.
It's easy to see Rallis' results. The intensity of the defense that showed up on tape is just as evident on paper. His Cardinals defense ranks second to last in blitz rate so far this season, yet they held McDaniel and Herbert to a measly 2-for-8 on third downs and 0-for-3 on fourth downs. Their front seven was far more formidable than the Chargers on the day, producing 17 pressures on 55 snaps while LA could only muster 12 on 75 opportunities. On the flipside, the Cardinals' offensive line has been projected as their downfall this season. The Seahawks have a clear opportunity to establish their presence as a physically dominant team if they kill the Cardinals momentum. This will be the game for elite run blockers like AJ Barner and run stoppers like Uchenna Nwosu to put the new age film community on watch.
Offensive talent is far from the problem in Arizona. Trey McBride is the best tight end in football. They've got two running backs in Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier who can both be a problem for any team. Marvin Harrison Jr. was a matchup nightmare against the Seahawks last season. In Week 3, he had one of the best battles against Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen of any wide receiver all year. When partnered with a seasoned veteran quarterback with a quick release, they were able to make life easy on their OL. Jacoby Brissett looked like at least an average starting QB, completing 27/37 passes for a respectable 73.0% completion rate while taking only 1 sack on 39 dropbacks. Loo

Week 1 was a great reminder of why we all love fantasy football.
At quarterback, Bryce Young scored more points than Drake Maye, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold combined. At running back, two Bears finished inside the top-10 while Christian McCaffrey was out-carried by a rookie. The current WR1, Jalen ****** er, had more fantasy points than Puka Nacua, DeVonta Smith, Drake London, George Pickens and Ja'Marr Chase combined. Finally, the currently list of TE1s includes Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, Cole Kmet and Kenyon Sadiq. Fun.
Thankfully, we can already start looking ahead to Week 2.
Here's an early look at Week 2 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception) and full PPR to see where players rank in your league's format. Scroll to the bottom to view the complete rankings.
Our team at USA TODAY Sports has you covered with plenty of content to help with your Week 2 waiver wire and roster decisions. Looking for up-to-date player news? We've got it. Wondering who the best waiver-wire claims are? We have that covered, so you can make your pickups. Need to know what players you can drop? We have that as well. We also have a list of the eight best buy low/sell high candidates and our biggest winners and losers from Week 1.

#drake #looking #Football #list

Wide receiver Hollywood Brown was active for Sunday's game, but the veteran never got on the field during the Eagles' 24-22 win over the Commanders.
DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks started for the Eagles with first-round pick Makai Lemon and Darius Cooper also seeing time on offense. At a Monday press conference, head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about how Brown fits into the team's plans.
"So, with yesterday, you know, we have our rotations that we're doing, you know, Hollywood could obviously help us," Sirianni said, via Brooks Kubena of TheAthletic.com. "We obviously want to get him into the football game because his speed is real. It just didn't work out that way yesterday. There are games like that. There are games where you get shut out on catches. Unfortunately, there are games, they get shut out on reps. But we know that Hollywood can help us win football games, and his speed is real, and, quite frankly, just from my end, we want to get him into the football game, right? And so, you know, we'll make a better effort to do that next time, 'cause I know the playmaking ability that he can bring with his speed. But was pleased with how the wideouts played as a whole. Of course, there were things that you want back. They made a lot of plays down the field — and with different things with their job description. But, you know, I do want to see him in that football game and getting reps and contributing to this football team."
The Eagles' offense looked like a work in progress for considerable portions of Sunday's game, which was their first with offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Quarterback Jalen Hurts engineered enough big plays to overcome the rough spots and we'll see if Brown fits into the Week 2 plan to create more of them.

#know #Eagles

In two weeks, USC faces Oregon in the Trojans' game of the year, the one which will shape the rest of their season. Oregon's outlook after the Boise State game is marked by concern and optimism. The concern comes from how poorly the Ducks played. The optimism comes from being able to win in spite of the below-par performance. Ducks Wire noted the good and bad performers from the game. Here are one of each:
Ducks Wire liked what it saw from linebacker Dylan Williams:
"The biggest riser on the defense in my mind was linebacker Dylan Williams, who played a huge role in this game, stepping up alongside Jerry Mixon and Devon Jackson in that linebacker room. While his stats don't jump off the page, Williams was flying around the field and had a huge impact on this game, earning some high praise from Dan Lanning when all was said and done. Expect to see a lot more of Williams this year."
Ducks Wire did not like what kick returner Evan Stewart brought to the table:
"As a wide receiver, Evan Stewart was great on Saturday, with eight catches for 72 yards. As a punt returner, though, Stewart left a bit to be desired. He had a trio of mistakes: a fair catch at the 3-yard line and two ****** ed punts, one of which was recovered by Boise State. In the end, Oregon was still able to get the win, and Lanning expressed support of Stewart after the game, but it's clear that this operation needs to clean up going forward for the Ducks, or we may see someone else back there in the return game."

#game #stewart #oregon #dylan

Eagles news: DeVonta Smith reveals advice to Makai Lemon before NFL debut appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Eagles will be opening their season against the Washington Commanders, and they have some new faces on the team this year that are set to make an early impact. One of those players is rookie Makai Lemon, whom the Eagles selected in the first round of the draft.
Just like any rookie, there could be some jitters coming out into your first game, but luckily for Lemon, he has DeVonta Smith in his corner showing him the ropes. Ahead of their first game, Smith shared some of the advice that he gave Lemon.
"Just go out there and be you, man. Make the plays when they come to you. You can't dwell on if something goes wrong. That's part of the game, that's the flow of the game. No one in this league will have a perfect game. Something is going to happen, whether you miss a block, miss a jump ball, whether it's you run a wrong route. No one has a perfect game. Something is going to happen so it's all about how you respond to it," Smith said via Dave Zangaro of NBCS Philly.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#something #makai #clutchpoints #make

Baltimore Ravens LB Teddye Buchanan (knee) and DL Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) were limited in practice all week and have been ruled out for Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts. WR Devontez Walker (groin) was limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable. DE Calais Campbell (rest) did not practice on Friday, Sept. 11, and no longer appears on the injury report. WR Zay Flowers (hamstring) practiced in full on Friday and is no longer listed on the injury report.
SOURCE: Baltimore Ravens social media
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Baltimore Ravens Week 1 injury report

#week #Ravens #practice #Friday

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has dealt with a lot of trade rumors and highest-paid cornerback speculation over the past few months, but the real issue in contract talks is becoming more clear by the day.
According to PennLive's Nick Farabaugh, as well as Porter's own admission that he doesn't care about becoming the highest-paid corner, the contract negotiations are all about guaranteed money.
"Repeat after me -- It's not the AAV, it's the guarantees! (and always has been)," Farabaugh wrote via X.
So far this year, we've seen cornerbacks like Christian Gonzalez, Devon Witherspoon, and Trent McDuffie completely reset the cornerback market with deals surpassing $30 million per year. Their guaranteed money has been around 75% to 80% of their total contract value.
Previously, we at Steelers Wire predicted that Porter could sign a four-year, $128 million extension that pays him an average of $32 million per season with $101 million in guaranteed money. But it's evident the holdup is more related to the latter.

#million #cornerback #contract #porter

Welcome back, readers! I am happy to return for a second year as The Sporting Tribune's fantasy football ****** yst. If you are new here, my mission is to help fantasy managers with any dilemmas or questions they may have through the course of the season to ultimately win their leagues. For the next 17 weeks, I will produce weekly fantasy content that will go over the waiver wire, rankings, and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em columns.
Being a fantasy manager often means having to make difficult roster decisions, but I aim to take some of the guesswork out of it with my Start 'Em and Sit 'Em column for every position. It goes without saying that I won't include obvious calls like "start Trey McBride" or "sit Tommy DeVito." Instead, I search for players that could be perceived as fringe that could propel your lineups for weekly wins.
As always, if you have any questions or don't see your players on here, feel free to follow me on Twitter (X) – JamesNewell96 and send me a message, where I typically respond in a timely manner.
Kyle Pitts Sr. @ PIT (Projected FPTS - 9.4): Despite the news of Cooper Rush likely being named the Week One starter, I am still high on Pitts. He finished last season as one of the top fantasy tight ends with Kirk Cousins under center. Besides, Atlanta doesn't really have many options for pass catchers after Bijan Robinson and Drake London, and new head coach Kevin Stefanski typically uses his tight ends. Pittsburgh is also a favorable matchup, allowing 11 touchdowns and the third-most points to the position last season.
Dallas Goedert vs. WSH (Projected FPTS - 8.5): Goedert finished last season with a career-high 11 touchdowns. While it's easy to ****** ume some regression, the Eagles traded A.J. Brown, and rookie wideout Makai Lemon is coming off a hamstring injury. Philly's passing attack will likely feature DeVonta Smith and Goedert for at least the early part of the season. He will take on a Commanders team that allowed 12 touchdowns the season before (tied for the second-most). Goedert should expect to see a fair share of targets, making him worth putting in your lineup.

#fantasy #touchdowns #projected

The Minnesota Vikings continue to be relatively healthy as Week 1 approaches. Jakobe Thomas, the team's third-round pick at safety, was the only player who didn't participate in Wednesday's practice due to an illness.
However, it appears Thomas has gotten past that. He was limited in Thursday's practice, as were fellow rookies Caleb Tiernan (ankle) and Jacob Thomas (ankle), the undrafted free-agent safety out of James Madison.
Green Bay's injury list was lengthier, with DL Warren Brinson and LB Ty'Ron Hopper listed as DNPs for the second straight day. Starters who were limited on Thursday included RT Zach Bako-Bewele (knee), LG Aaron Banks (knee), DL Devonte Wyatt (ankle), DL Javon Hargrave (knee), and EDGE Barryn Sorrell (foot).
Starting LT Jordan Morgan (knee) was upgraded to a full participant after being limited on Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Thursday injury report for the Vikings Week 1 matchup

#thomas #thursday #safety #practice

Unpaid carers have received gift boxes in recognition of support they provide to other people.
The boxes hold a range of items intended to remind carers to take some time for themselves, including teabags, biscuits and mugs.
Suzie Walters-Jeffries from Devon Carers at Westbank said the project was designed to thank 100 of the 35,000 unpaid carers across Devon who look after people with dementia, mental health issues, chronic illness and other health challenges.
The project has been coordinated by Devon Carers at Westbank, the Devon Partnership NHS Trust and mental health charity Open Up.
The gift boxes have been given to unpaid carers across the county [BBC]

#unpaid #Health #gift #people

In one of the first deviations from John Harbaugh's usual approach, the Baltimore Ravens did not hold a full practice Thursday, but their estimated injury report included an encouraging development ahead of Sunday's season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
Wide receiver Zay Flowers was listed as a full participant after being listed as a limited participant Wednesday because of a hamstring injury. The upgrade places him on track to play barring a setback during the remainder of the week.
Because Baltimore held a walkthrough, Thursday's participation levels projected how much work each player would handle during a traditional practice. Linebacker Teddye Buchanan was listed as a limited participant for the second consecutive day because of a knee injury. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike was also listed as a limited participant again with a neck injury.
We held a walkthrough on Thursday; our report is a practice estimation. pic.twitter.com/ZUyydo6ZlW
Madubuike's availability will be particularly important against Jonathan Taylor and the Colts' powerful rushing attack. The defensive tackle missed the final 15 games of the 2025 season, making his progression one of Baltimore's most significant Week 1 storylines. Wide receiver Devontez Walker was listed as a limited participant for the second consecutive day with a groin injury. His status could affect Baltimore's receiving rotation and special teams plans.

#participant #limited #wide

The Denver Broncos have named their team captains for the 2026 season and, in doing so, have followed the same approach that they took in the offseason: sticking with what worked.
The Broncos made few changes to their roster this offseason, believing the group in place was good enough to win a Super Bowl and wanted to keep as much of that intact as possible. The same can be said for the team captains.
The Broncos chose the same eight team captains that they had last season, with one addition. Special teams ace and reserve safety Devon Key was added as a special teams captain.
"He was a[n All-Pro] special teamer a year ago, and I think it's the respect of his teammates," coach Sean Payton said of Key being voted a captain. "He's someone that he'll play on defense as well, but just his production I think and his consistency."
Denver quarterback Bo Nix echoed his coach's remarks.

#season

The regular season always brings surprises. Training camp stars don't always become September stars, and preseason momentum can disappear quickly once games begin to count. Still, several Philadelphia Eagles enter Week 1 trending in the right direction.
Veterans are settling into larger roles. Newcomers are earning trust. Young players are building on strong offseason performances. Philadelphia has plenty of reasons to be optimistic. They're preparing for their season opener against the Washington Commanders. Here are a handful of cornerstone pieces looking to build on some spring and summertime momentum.
Neither receiver is likely to challenge DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Dallas Goedert, or Saquon Barkley for featured roles in the offensive attack. Both, however, have done enough to earn attention heading into Week 1.
Cooper flashed relatively early. Brown came on later and put together one of his strongest stretches of the offseason, consistently finding ways to get open while producing whenever opportunities came his way.
The Eagles are confident they have reliable depth behind their top receiving options. Targets may be limited, but both receivers appear capable of making meaningful contributions when their numbers are called.

#philadelphia #season #always #offseason

MIAMI, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Ja'Marr Chase leads my Top 50 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
CeeDee Lamb, Puka Nacua, Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown are my other Top-5 options for the slate of season openers. Tee Higgins, DeVonta Smith, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Zay Flowers are inside the Top 10 of my list.
Make sure to set your starting lineups before 8:20 p.m. EDT Wednesday, when the Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in the first game of the 2026-27 campaign. Continue to monitor reports leading into the next wave of games, as injuries and other developments could impact your lineup.
My weekly rankings are based on potential role in offense, likely game script, previous performance and strength of opponent. They will be adjusted throughout Week 1.
Week 1 wide receiver rankings

#week

Christian Gonzalez has agreed to a four-year, $135 million contract with the New England Patriots that makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, two people with knowledge of the deal told The **** ociated Press on Tuesday.
Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hasn't announced the contract. One of the people said Gonzalez is getting $102 million guaranteed.
Gonzalez surpassed Devon Witherspoon's new contract from the Seattle Seahawks. Witherspoon received a four-year, $132 million deal with $101 million guaranteed last month.
The Patriots and Seahawks meet in a Super Bowl rematch to kick off the NFL season on Wednesday.
A first-round pick by Bill Belichick in 2023, Gonzalez was a second-team AP All-Pro in 2024 and made the Pro Bowl in 2025.

#gonzalez #million #people #deal

The New England Patriots rewarded cornerback Christian Gonzalez with a massive four-year, $135 million deal on the eve of their season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, according to multiple reports. Just last week Gonzalez didn't commit to playing against Seattle as he sought a new deal, so now both parties are satisfied as they enter 2026 with Super Bowl expectations.
Gonzalez, 24, is entering his fourth NFL season after earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2025. While he's not a big turnover producer with three career interceptions, Gonzalez is physical and moves fluidly at 6-foot-1, locking down half the field for Mike Vrabel's defense.
This deal comes three weeks after Seattle made Devon Witherspoon the NFL's highest-paid cornerback. Witherspoon didn't hold the crown for long, as Gonzalez now has the largest contract at the position.
Here's a look at some of the other biggest cornerback contracts.
(Total value)

#gonzalez #cornerback #three

Eliot Baker says helping Great Britain and Ireland win the Walker Cup still has not sunk in.
The 23-year-old from Devon helped his side produce the biggest comeback in Walker Cup history to defeat the United States 13½-12½.
Baker beat experienced United States player Stewart Hagestad on the final hole of his singles match as GB&I overturned a three-point deficit going into the final individual round.
"I was in a complete state of shock for about 20 minutes until we actually lifted the trophy," he told BBC South West.
"It still kind of felt like the trophy was going to be going to them. I think just deep down it was almost what was expected with the scoreline going into the final session.

#great

Plymouth Argyle attacker Caleb Watts should be aiming for at least 10 goals this season, according to boss Tom Cleverley.
The 24-year-old is returning from injury and scored for the first time this season in the 3-2 win at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
Watts, who moved to Argyle from Devon rivals Exeter City last summer, scored seven times in 33 appearances last season.
"He's intense, he's aggressive, and he showed good game understanding and real good quality in the final action," Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon of the forward-thinking midfielder.
"His numbers are off the chart for an attacking midfielder, to be honest," he added.

#watts #midfielder #plymouth

The cornerback market rose again in the early morning hours Tuesday as the New England Patriots and star defensive back Christian Gonzalez agreed to a record-setting four-year, $135 million extension with $102 million guaranteed just ahead of the team's season opener, insider Jordan Schultz reported.
Gonzalez's $33.75 million yearly average sets the new top mark for cornerbacks, just ahead of the $33 million average-per-year contract fellow 2023 draftee and Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon signed earlier this offseason.
Now, only one big-name cornerback contract dispute from the 2023 draft remains: the Steelers and Joey Porter Jr.'s "impasse."
Pittsburgh remains adamant in its policy of not negotiating with players during the regular season. And Porter hasn't closed the door on sitting out games if he isn't extended by Week 1. With the Steelers opening their season on Sunday, Sept. 13, the remaining window for an extension this offseason is rapidly shrinking — and the cornerback market keeps going up.
Porter is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

#cornerback #year #season

The New England Patriots have reportedly agreed to a four-year, $102 million extension with Christian Gonzalez, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
All of the speculation surrounding the star defensive back can finally end.
The Patriots have decided to invest long-term in having one of the best cover cornerbacks in the NFL for years to come. And Gonzalez, Bill Belichick's final first-round draft pick, is digging his roots in as a foundational defensive stalwart in New England's secondary.
The extension comes after the Seattle Seahawks agreed to a blockbuster deal with All-Pro cornerback Devon Witherspoon in August. There was a belief that Gonzalez was waiting for that deal to get done to set a baseline for his negotiations with the Patriots.
It took longer than expected, but Gonzalez and Witherspoon, who share the same agent, have both now made history in less than a month apart.

#gonzalez #agreed #extension #england

Christian Gonzalez and the New England Patriots have agreed on a four-year, $135 million extension late on Monday night, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The 24-year-old is now the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL and the highest-paid player in Patriots history. Defensive lineman Milton Williams owned the record previously after signing a four-year, $104 million ($63 million guaranteed) deal during free agency in March 2025.
Gonzalez is now one of two cornerbacks in NFL history to reach a deal worth more than $130 million. Seattle Seahawks star Devon Witherspoon signed a four-year, $132 million extension last month, which briefly made him the highest-paid player at the position.
The Patriots appeared to confirm the new deal on social media on Monday night.
A second-team All-Pro in 2024 and a Pro Bowler last season, Gonzalez was the Patriots' first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. After playing only four games during his rookie season due to a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder, he suited up 16 times in 2024, recording 50 solo tackles and two interceptions.

#year

Less than 48 hours away from the start of the 2026 NFL season, the second domino in the cornerback market has fallen.
The New England Patriots and All-Pro Christian Gonzalez have agreed to a 4-year, $135 million contract extension with $102 million in guarantees, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz on Monday night.
After the Seattle Seahawks and Devon Witherspoon agreed to a four-year, $132 million ($101 million guaranteed) extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in football, it was a matter of time until the Pats and Gonzalez followed suit and topped that figure — and despite some concern that a deal wouldn't get done before the season opener, they now have come to an agreement.
The extension comes over a month after Patriots owner Robert Kraft told media the team had offered Gonzalez a cornerback-record deal. Gonzalez held off on signing that contract offer, with the ****** umption being he was waiting out Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was also in line to sign a mega-deal at the time.
Both Witherspoon and Gonzalez have emerged as bona fide stars at the position since they were taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, with Witherspoon selected fifth overall and Gonzalez coming off the board at pick 17.

#Patriots #seahawks

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jeremiah Smith has said that if he's going to win the Heisman Trophy, he'll need a season like the one Alabama's DeVonta Smith had while winning in 2020.
The Ohio State junior started making his case Saturday, matching one of Smith's many accomplishments in the process.
Smith had eight receptions for 151 yards and struck a Heisman pose after his second touchdown during top-ranked Ohio State's 56-3 victory over Ball State.
He became the third receiver since 2015 from a Power Four conference to have at least two games with at least 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns in one half. DeVonta Smith had four at Alabama and Ja'Marr Chase did it three times at LSU.
"It was a good start. Came out playing fast as an offense, defense made stops," Smith said. "The first drive (a three-and-out) we didn't come out how we wanted to. Second drive we came out and executed and scored a touchdown. Felt like we had a good day on offense for sure."

#second

Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is buying into Eagles OC Sean Mannion's new West Coast scheme, which asks him to play more under center rather than in shotgun with more timing-based connections to the Eagles' pass-catchers, according to Tim McManus of ESPN on Saturday, Sept. 6.
SOURCE: Tim McManus - ESPN
Why It Matters: Hurts' connection with his pass-catchers this season will never be more important, as he'll be without A.J. Brown for the first time since 2022. Philadelphia added first-round rookie WR Makai Lemon and the team also traded for Dontayvion Wicks to add to mainstays WR DeVonta Smith and TE Dallas Goedert. The run game has worked and will continue to work, but for fantasy, getting the ball in the air and with some passing volume will really boost Hurts' fantasy profile. Consider Hurts a locked-in QB1 this season, but if the passing component works in tandem with his rushing ability, then overall QB1 is within reach this season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jalen Hurts Buying Into New Scheme in 2026

#hurts #jalen #buying #scheme

Two of the biggest figures when Utah took the Rice-Eccles Stadium field Thursday night for its 2026 season opener were starting quarterback Devon Dampier and head coach Morgan Scalley — for obvious reasons.
Dampier is back for his senior year, and after dealing with injury during a successful 2025 campaign, he has his sights set on a memorable season. And more importantly, he's healthy.
Scalley, meanwhile, became the sixth straight Utah head coach to win the first game of his first full season as coach, as the No. 21 Utes rolled to a 66-14 victory over FCS opponent Idaho.
There were plenty of smiles from Utah fans, coaches and players throughout the night, as the Utes kicked off the new era in style.
"He was like, 'Y'all, we've been doing this for months now, so just go out there, do what you do. We're all going to make mistakes, but at the end of the day, forget it, move on to the next play,'" Dampier said of Scalley. "Just the way he carried himself definitely brought a different impact to us."

#utes #head #rice

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez still doesn't have a contract extension, and with the season opener only four days away, he isn't not committing to playing without one.
Gonzalez continues to take a day-to-day approach.
"I'm focused on today," Gonzalez said, via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. "Right now, it is practice in what, a couple, 30 minutes, 40 minutes. Worried on that right now, so we'll focus on that."
Gonzalez answered "I don't know" when asked if contract talks were progressing.
The Seahawks recently signed cornerback Devon Witherspoon to a four-year, $132 million deal, which should provide a template for the Patriots. Gonzalez and Witherspoon have the same agent, Reggie Johnson.

#minutes #doug