LOS ANGELES − The calendar says it’s May, but Friday night felt a whole lot like October at Dodger Stadium.

It was a heavyweight prize fight.

Power vs. power.

Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani.

The New York Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers.

These two juggernauts went toe-to-toe for nine innings, and in the end, it was Ohtani and the Dodgers thrusting their arms into the air with a wild 8-5 victory in front of 53,276 screaming fans.

If this was a preview to this year’s World Series, an encore after their 2024 World Series, let’s flip the calendar to October now.

The game, with suites selling as high as $15,000, the clubhouses jammed with more than 100 reporters and Hollywood stars in attendance, was a May classic.

It began with a massive 446-foot Judge home run into the center-field pavilion in the top of the first inning.

Ohtani answered with a 417-foot home run in the bottom of the first.

“I thought he was copying me,’ Judge said. “He’s impressive. He’s one of the best players in the game for a reason.’’

It was the first time in baseball history, including the postseason, that two reigning MVP winners homered in the same inning of a game.

“If you’re a baseball fan it doesn’t get much better than that, right?’ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. “It was a great baseball atmosphere. It was good to be part of it.’’

There were five home runs hit in the first three innings, including four by the Yankees, but by the end of the night, it was Ohtani and the Dodgers beating Yankees ace Max Fried (season-high six earned runs) and their bullpen.

Fried, who entered the game with a 7-0 record and 1.29 ERA, was handed a 5-2 lead only for the Dodgers to score four runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh. It was reminiscent of the deciding Game 5 of the World Series last year when the Yankees coughed up a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning.

“Both teams started on a really good note,’’ Ohtani said, “and I really thought it was important to score in that situation knowing that momentum is really important in the game today.’’

Ohtani stole the show hitting his 21st and 22nd home runs of the season, giving him 15 homers in May, tying a franchise record last accomplished in 1985. He also set a team record by hitting 22 homers in the Dodgers’ first 57 games and is now on pace to hit 63 home runs and score 173 runs.

“Shohei would probably say it’s just like any other game,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “but when you see the other reigning MVP on the other side and going out there and performing, that brings out even more of a competitor in Shohei.’’

Judge was the best supporting actor in this drama by hitting his American League-leading 19th homer, 15th double, and is now hitting a major-league leading .392 with a 1.236 OPS.

“It’s fun, this is Yankee baseball,’’ Judge said, “and especially going against the Dodgers. They’re having a great start to the season. It was just a fun atmosphere out there.’’

It was just like the glory days when these two teams met 11 times in the World Series over a 40-year span, and again last season.

And, for a night in May with more than 100 regular-season games still to be played, it certainly lived up to its hype.

“You certainly marvel at some of the players on the field tonight,’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I mean, there’s a number of MVPs, All-Stars, and just great, great players. Judge had a great game with the homer and the double and an outstanding play in the game. So, some of the stars really showed up tonight.’’

Said Judge: “This is why I signed here, to play in big games, play in big moments, play for the best team.’’

Well, the best team on this night was the same team that was spraying champagne on each other in October. The Dodgers didn’t taunt the Yankees as they did over the winter, but the Dodgers public address announcer reminded everyone an hour before the game that the Dodgers are the defending World Series champions, and showed videotape highlights of Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1.

“We love superstars, and to start the game off with Judge hitting a homer and Shohei answering in the bottom half,’’ Roberts said, “was pretty exciting for everyone. But it was a huge game for us to win. I think the intensity of the game, you can see the way that Aaron managed with urgency. I managed with urgency. It was a game that we both wanted.’

And, at the end of the night, it was the Dodgers coming out on top once again.

Thanks to you-know-who.

“Every time he comes to the plate,’ Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin said of Ohtani, “we’re expecting something awesome to happen. And he doesn’t let us down a lot of times. So it’s really cool to have someone like that on our team.’

The second round of the three-round fight is Saturday, and while it may be the Yankees against the Dodgers, the baseball world will be focused on the latest bout between Judge and Ohtani, the two greatest players in the game.

“I try not to think about it,’’ Judge said. “I got a job to do on the field. I try not to get too hyped into that. That’s for you guys to do.’’

Stay tuned.

The sequel awaits.

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That doesn’t mean, though, that every ballplayer fits snugly into the Los Angeles Dodgers’ blueprint.

It is a ruthlessly impatient operation, where a championship is the only acceptable conclusion by year’s end as a high-priced mélange of free agents buttressed by elite prospects aims for the game’s apex.

He spent seven years in the Dodger organization, playing sporadically in 129 big league games over three seasons before the inevitable transition from prospect to asset, and hardball heaven to record-setting baseball hell: Traded last July in a three-way deal to the 121-loss Chicago White Sox, a swap that netted L.A. postseason heroes Tommy Edman and reliever Michael Kopech.

Vargas produced 0.0 WAR in his L.A. tenure but did not come away empty-handed; he should receive a World Series ring when the White Sox visit L.A. in a month and retains friendships with countless players and staff in the organization, most notably Mookie Betts and Andy Pages.

And while Vargas produced perhaps the two least productive months by a big-league regular after his trade to White Sox, he’s found so much more: A runway to succeed, a devastating swing and a tight group of young players with which to grow.

Vargas knows that was probably never possible in L.A., a fact he greets pragmatically.

“Every baseball player needs a little bit of time to show up in the major leagues,” Vargas tells USA TODAY Sports. “Some of them, it’s now, they go out there and show it right away. Other guys, they need some time, learning the game, knowing how it’s played.

“When you’re on a team that doesn’t have time for that type of stuff, it’s hard to grow and be better.”

And perhaps Vargas had to journey to the bottom in order to find himself.

‘Anything can happen’

It wasn’t just that Vargas dropped 44 games in the standings when on July 29 he was dealt from the 63-44 Dodgers to the 27-81 White Sox. Nor that the White Sox’s woes were only just beginning, as they lost 39 of 53 games once Vargas joined them to set a modern major league record with 121 losses.

No, it could be argued, for the final two months Vargas might have been the worst hitter on the worst team in history.

He had 14 hits in 135 at-bats, striking out 41 times to just 17 walks, with a .104/.217/.170 line and a 13 adjusted OPS. The bad times spilled into this season, when the White Sox – still on a subterranean floor of their rebuild – rolled Vargas out at third base and saw him produce 11 hits in 79 at-bats, a .139/.236/.203 line over his first 22 games.

If you’re into math, that’s a 25-for-214 sample stretching across two seasons.

At that point, it would be easy to posit that a 25-year-old slugger who once cracked the top 30 of baseball’s greatest prospects was simply suspect. A miss in an industry filled with them.

But back to that onramp.

White Sox coaches continued working with Vargas and, in a fateful meeting in Minnesota, convinced him to make a relatively minor mechanical fix: He held his hands higher in his set-up, aiming to leave himself less vulnerable to fastballs in the middle and upper thirds of the strike zone.

It sounds like granular mechanical minutiae, but it’s now been five weeks since that fateful summit meeting with hitting coaches in Minnesota, and Vargas remains unlocked: He’s on a 38-for-121 tear, with eight homers, a .371 OBP and .904 OPS in his last 32 games.

Sure, that’s not quite 20% of a season, and pitchers will undoubtedly adjust, forcing Vargas to maneuver like he does in one of his many clubhouse games of chess. Yet it also represents the most sustained stretch of production for a prospect who might just reattach the ‘vaunted’ tag in front of his name.

‘It worked right away, and I trusted it,’ says Vargas. ‘That’s all a hitter needs, is having that confidence. You can do some damage when you have that mindset.

‘Anything can happen.’

Including inserting yourself a bit more firmly into a team’s plans. The White Sox optioned longtime first baseman Andrew Vaughn – mired in a .189/.218/.314 funk – to Class AAA on May 23, and Vargas has split time between both corner infield positions.

‘He’s always been a confident guy. I think he understands he’s a good player and sees the game in an advanced way,’ says Will Venable, the White Sox’s first-year manager. ‘Now, after he made that adjustment, he’s impacting the baseball how he’s envisioned it.

‘He’s going into every game with all the tools and abilities he always believed he had and going out and playing great baseball.’

Vargas’s promising, non-guaranteed – but certainly sunnier – outlook mirrors the White Sox at large.

This must be the place

The clubhouse felt almost every one of last year’s 121 losses hard, a campaign that saw manager Pedro Grifol get fired and spare parts like Kopech and starter Erick Fedde spun to other teams.

That’s the environment Vargas found himself in when the White Sox penciled – more like etched – his name in the lineup. Great opportunity, but also a lot to take on for a guy who never got more than 94 at-bats in a single month during his stint with the Dodgers.

‘I think I put a lot of pressure on myself,’ says Vargas. ‘I have way more expectations than what I did here last year.

‘I was trying to navigate my way up. And I was a little bit frustrated.’

Even the greatest players – see Juan Soto – can take a minute adjusting to new environs. It’s even more a whirlwind when the only organization you’ve known casts you aside.

‘It’s hard when you get traded. Especially the first time,’ says White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield. ‘You’re used to an organization, you’re familiar with everybody, the surroundings, the coaches and players. There’s comfort in that.

‘When you’re the headliner in a trade, not only do you have to get used to a new league, a new environment, but you’re also trying to prove to everybody that you were worth the trade. Prove it to the fan base. It adds a lot of pressure.

‘At the time he came over he wasn’t getting to play a lot, and probably didn’t have the feel and confidence he has now. When a guy comes over, it’s hard to know what’s real and what just takes time.’

Or perhaps a bit of home cooking.

Vargas did not necessarily set significant physical or developmental benchmarks for the offseason after his initial two-month White Sox stint. He needed home, more than anything, and so he returned to his Miami base, where his mother and father, along with his brother, grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins awaited.

At one point, 12 people filled Casa de Vargas this winter, a balm for a ballplayer needing a mental reset. Vargas and his father, Cuban baseball legend and two-time Olympic gold medalist Lazaro Vargas, left Cuba in 2015.

Other family eventually followed, and now the unit is intact in South Florida.

‘I think they are the most important thing for me,’ says Vargas. ‘Having them on my side, spending time with them, getting figured out that this is just a small window, this year. When you have your loved ones by your side, spending time with them, it makes me feel better.

‘Coming into this year, I just wanted to enjoy the game and it’s been good times out there.’

Dine and mash

He’s not wrong. Even as the White Sox have posted an 18-39 record – a still-ghastly 51-111 pace – the club’s makeup augurs better times. The offseason deal shipping Garrett Crochet to Boston yielded their current leadoff hitter, shortstop Chase Meidroth, and elite catching prospect Kyle Teel, who probably isn’t far away from a promotion.

The future may ride even more heavily on left-handed pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, each ranked in the top 30 of all prospects. But for now, it’s the young position players hoping to take cues from veterans and set a tone.

On an off night in Baltimore, Meidroth and Vargas went out to dinner, ostensibly a night away from the game. Naturally, they talked hitting.

‘He loves talking about hitting and the game. He’s an awesome guy,’ says Meidroth. ‘It was just a matter of time before he cracked through. He’s an unbelievable hitter, unbelievable player, great teammate.’

And with each passing day, the player with the .889 career minor league OPS gains a little more knowledge on how to stick for good, be it through workshopping his swing or gleaning what he can from the Austin Slaters and Michael A. Taylors populating the clubhouse.

The onramp, finally, is long enough for Vargas’s ample skills.

‘It’s hard to create confidence if you don’t have the success,’ says Barfield. ‘Now you see him go to the plate and it’s like when he was in the minor leagues: He looks like he’s in control of the at-bats, he’s getting pitches and not missing them, where before he was.

‘It doesn’t matter who he’s facing now. He feels like he’s going to have success in every at-bat and you can see that in how he’s carrying himself.’

Perfection achieved for the LSU Shreveport baseball program.

The Pilots completed a perfect 59-0 season with a 13-7 win over Southeastern (Fla.) at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho, in the NAIA national championship game on May 30. LSU Shreveport ended the season with a perfect 59-0 record to win the first national title in school history.

LSUS is the first NAIA baseball team to complete an unbeaten season. The Pilots’ 59-game win streak topped the previous college baseball record of 57 straight wins achieved by junior college Howard College of Texas, which ended up finishing its 2009 season with a 63-1 record and winning a national title.

Despite the perfect record, the path to baseball immortality and the championship was not always a smooth one. The Pilots faced 4-0 and 7-5 deficits in the championship game. However, back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning by Jackson Syring and Ian Montz helped them overcome a season-high deficit of four runs.

LSUS set the college baseball record for winning streak with its 58th straight win a day earlier with a 14-4 victory over Hope International (Calif.). LSU Shreveport achieved a 30-0 record in Red River Athletic Conference games and won 28 games by 10 runs or more.

Brad Neffendorf, who is in his sixth year as the coach, has posted a 270-49 record with the Pilots.

“It’s the most unbelievable thing we may ever see in college baseball,” Neffendorf told the SBC Advocate. “They deserve to be applauded like there is no tomorrow. They haven’t done anything but continue to put their foot on the gas pedal to keep getting better.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 8-5 in a World Series rematch at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, where a Yankees fan reported being hit by a falling piece of concrete, according to The Athletic.

Yankees fan Ricardo Aquino told The Athletic that during the third inning, while sitting in Section 10, he was hit by a piece of concrete and experienced pain, but he did not suffer any life-threatening injuries. Medical professionals examined Aquino, and the Dodgers have released a statement acknowledging the claim and confirming that they are investigating the situation.

“We are aware of the report,” the Dodgers stated to The Athletic. “We cannot comment further until we have all the information, which we are currently collecting.”

Other fans claimed to see the piece of concrete fall, first thinking that someone threw it at him.

“I initially thought someone had thrown something, and my first instinct was to call for security,’ a fan recounted to The Athletic. ‘But then Aquino showed us the rock, and it was clear that it had fallen from the stadium and hit him.”

Dodgers Stadium

Dodger Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, opened in 1962 and is the third oldest Major League Baseball stadium in the United States. Over the past decade, the stadium has undergone significant renovations, with the most recent major updates completed in 2021. The most recent renovations focused on enhancing the Centerfield Plaza and included the addition of fan-centered entertainment options such as restaurants, bars, and standing room viewing areas.

Texas softball finally exorcised its demons against Red River rival Oklahoma in the Women’s College World Series.

The No. 6 seed Longhorns defeated the No. 2 seed Sooners 4-2 in the winner’s bracket of the WCWS at Devon Field in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday. Texas had never beaten Oklahoma in the tournament, a streak which includes getting swept in last season’s championship series.

Watch Texas vs Oklahoma softball, Women’s College World Series on Fubo (free trial)

Texas ace Teagan Kavan struck out Gabbie Garcia and Hannah Coor with the tying runs on base to preserve the victory for the Longhorns. Kavan finished with eight strikeouts and just two walks, allowing one earned run on seven hits in her complete-game effort. Kavan said she pitched for her grandmother, who died earlier in the day, in her postgame interview.

Texas’ Kayden Henry hit the go-ahead home run for the Longhorns in the fifth inning, with Joley Mitchell adding a solo home run in the sixth inning as insurance. Mitchell now has three home runs in two WCWS games this postseason.

Texas will find out its next opponent following a pair of elimination games on Sunday. Meanwhile, Oklahoma will play Oregon in an elimination game on Sunday, putting the Sooners’ chance at a historic five-peat in serious peril.

Catch up here for scores and highlights from the Longhorns’ historic WCWS win over the rival Sooners:

Texas vs Oklahoma softball live score

Texas vs Oklahoma live updates

Final: Texas 4, Oklahoma 2

Teagan Kavan works out of trouble in the top of the seventh inning to help Texas hold on to a 4-2 victory over Oklahoma to advance in the winner’s bracket. With runners on first and second and one out, Kavan struck out Gabbie Garcia and Hannah Coor to finish off the victory.

Oklahoma will play Oregon in the loser’s bracket in an elimination game on Sunday. Texas will play in the semifinal, needing one win on Monday to advance to the championship series.

End of sixth inning: Texas 4, Oklahoma 2

Texas three outs away from first win over Oklahoma at WCWS

Joley Mitchell adds a crucial insurance run for the Longhorns with a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Now, Texas is three outs away from sending Oklahoma to the elimination bracket and putting its chance at a five-peat in danger.

It won’t be easy, though, as the Sooners will send the top of their order up in the top of the seventh inning.

Joley Mitchell home run gives Texas insurance run

Joley Mitchell hits her third home run in two WCWS games to put Texas ahead 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Mitchell had two home runs against Florida.

Oklahoma strands runner on third with chance to tie game

Teagan Kavan bares down to keep Texas in front 3-2 after the Oklahoma fifth inning. Cydney Sanders reached base on a leadoff single before being lifted for pinch runner Tia Milloy. Milloy advanced to second on a groundout and to third on a wild pitch.

However, with a runner on third and just one out, Teagan Kavan struck out Maya Bland and induced a foul out off the bat of Abigale Dayton to escape the jam.

The Sooners are down to their final two outs, but do have the top of the order coming to the plate in the seventh inning, including Ella Parker, who had the walk-off home run against Tennessee.

End of fifth inning: Texas 3, Oklahoma 2

Kayden Henry home run gives Texas lead

Kayden Henry gives Texas a 3-2 lead with a one-out solo home run to right field. It’s the fourth home run of the season for Henry. That’s the Longhorns’ first run since the first inning.

End of fourth inning: Texas 2, Oklahoma 2

Texas strands pair of runners in fourth inning

Despite getting runners on first and second with two outs, Texas is unable to capitalize and score any runs to re-take the lead. Oklahoma starter Sam Landry gets Kaydee Bennett to line out to third base for the final out of the inning to keep the game tied 2-2.

Teagan Kavan works around leadoff walk

Tegan Kavan has now pitched 11 shutout innings of 12 thrown at the 2025 WCWS. In the top of the fourth, she worked around a leadoff walk to Ailana Agbayani to once again keep the Sooners off the scoreboard.

End of third inning: Texas 2, Oklahoma 2

Sam Landry works around leadoff single for scoreless 2nd

Ashton Maloney reaches on a leadoff infield single, but is stranded on second to keep Texas scoreless as Sam Landry retires the next three hitters in order to get out of the inning with the game tied 2-2.

Teagan Kavan records 1-2-3 inning

Teagan Kavan bounces back from a two-run second inning by Oklahoma by retiring the Sooners 1-2-3 in the top of the third inning. Kavan picked up a strikeout of Sydney Barker, her second of the game, in the inning.

Bottom of second inning: Texas 2, Oklahoma 2

Oklahoma scores two runs, leaves two on

Aided by an error by second baseman Kaydee Bennett, the Sooners are able to even the score 2-2 in the top of the second inning. Teagan Kavan strikes out Joley Mitchell swinging with runners on first and second and two outs to prevent Oklahoma the opportunity of taking the lead.

Oklahoma ties game in second inning

Abigale Dayton drives in Cydney Sanders on a single and Kasidi Pickering plates another on a fielder’s choice. Sanders opened the inning with a walk, Alana Agbayani reached on an error and Isabela Emerling laid down a sac bunt to set up the scoring opportunities for Oklahoma.

End of first inning: Texas 2, Oklahoma 0

Kayden Henry steals home to give Texas lead

Kayden Henry steals home on a delayed steal when Oklahoma tries to nab Mia Scott stealing second. Scott advanced to third on an error and scores a play later on a sac fly by Reese Atwood.

Teagan Kavan works around 2 singles for scoreless first

Teagan Kavan allows a one-out single to two-hole hitter Ella Parker and a two-out single by Gabbie Garcia, but works around it for a clean first inning. Parker’s single was a screamer to center field, while Garcia’s single put runners on the corners with two outs. Kavan gets Sydney Barker to pop up to second to end the threat.

Kavan is up to eight scoreless innings in the WCWS so far this year.

Oklahoma to bat first as designated road team

The Sooners bat first as the ‘designated road team’ for the matchup against Texas in the winner’s bracket. They’ll try to get the scoring going early against Teagan Kavan.

Pregame

Oklahoma starting lineup

Here’s a look at the Oklahoma starting lineup against Texas for today’s game:

Kasidi Pickering, LF
Ella Parker, DP
Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, 3B
Gabbie Garcia, SS
Sydney Barker, RF
Cydney Sanders, 1B
Ailana Agbayani, 2B
Isabela Emerling, C
Abigale Dayton, CF

Starting pitcher: Sam Landry

Texas softball starting lineup

Here’s a look at the Texas starting lineup against Oklahoma for today’s game:

Ashton Maloney, RF
Kayden Henry, CF
Mia Scott, 3B
Reese Atwood, C
Joley Mitchell, 1B
Katie Stewart, LF
Leighann Goode, SS
Katie Cimusz, DP
Kaydee Bennett, 2B

Starting pitcher: Teagan Kavan

Oklahoma softball seeking to make history

Oklahoma is looking to join rarified air with a fifth straight national championship. If coach Patty Gasso and the Sooners can pull off the WCWS win, they’d join John Wooden and UCLA basketball as the only college program to win five straight championships.

Texas-Oklahoma softball history

The Longhorns’ last win in the series was a 2-1 win on April 7, 2024, in Austin, Texas. Texas is 1-11 all-time against Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The lone win was a 3-1 win on May 13, 2005.

What time does Texas vs Oklahoma softball start?

Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Where: OGE Energy Field at Devon Park | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

What TV channel is Texas vs Oklahoma softball WCWS game today?  

TV: ABC
Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

The headline-making quarterback possesses the remarkable talent of making news, whether he speaks or not. In fact, Rodgers is generating more interest this offseason because of his silence rather than anything else.

That remains a constant theme for the four-time NFL MVP, who hasn’t been known for his play on the field in recent years, but rather everything that comes with the experience off it. It was believed Rodgers would sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers after the New York Jets released the future Hall of Fame signal caller.

As the clock continues to tick, it’s anyone’s guess whether he plays for Pittsburgh or announces his retirement.

During an appearance on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ on Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero spoke about Rodgers’ immediate NFL future and why there is still a good bit of uncertainty.

‘I have been told that he has not affirmatively told the Steelers that he’s coming,’ Pelissero said. ‘There’s all these signs that he’s coming, but he’s not affirmatively said, ‘Hey, June 9, book me the ticket, I’m coming in and I’m gonna join this team.’ That has not happened as of this point.’

Pelissero added that the Steelers are operating under the assumption that Rodgers will eventually sign, but he pondered the idea that the quarterback could change his mind given his unique nature.

Options have dried up on the open market for Pittsburgh, who put all their eggs in the Rodgers basket this offseason. Russell Wilson left to sign with the New York Giants and Justin Fields inked a deal with the Jets, essentially emptying their quarterback room from last season.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on Saturday that the Steelers are just hanging around right now.

‘When I talk to people with the team they say the same thing, that they have had contact with Aaron Rodgers,’ Fowler said. ‘They’ve remained optimistic that he will be a Steeler, but there is just nothing fast and firm yet on him signing with the team. So they continue to develop Mason Rudolph and Will Howard in OTAs.’

Fowler noted that the situation has been unpredictable.

Steelers’ mandatory minicamp is slated for June 10-12, leaving little margin for any bumps in the road going forward.

Rodgers previously visited the Steelers’ facility, but has offered little certainty surrounding the situation in his few public appearances.

He said on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ in April that retirement was still a possibility and that he was dealing with some personal things behind the scenes. Rodgers also made an appearance on ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ but didn’t discuss anything football related.

More recently, he offered up some information on the “You Know What I Mean” podcast, saying he wouldn’t play for the Chicago Bears, but there is a team that makes a trip to the Windy City next season.

As the season quickly approaches and the offseason begins to fade, the Steelers are stuck in a holding pattern.

After all, only Rodgers knows what will happen and what his future holds.

Everyone has an opinion on the 35-year-old, who is coming off, statistically, the worst season of his career since becoming the starter for the Kansas City Chiefs. As he authors the final pages for the story of his football career, Kelce’s retirement continues to be a topic.

In an interview with USA TODAY’s Mackenzie Salmon, former NFL tight end and current Fox Sports broadcaster Greg Olsen spoke about Kelce’s future.

‘He’s got the world at his fingertips,’ Olsen said. ‘I think he’s one of the unique guys that’s gonna be able to control how he leaves the game and when. And that’s not the reality for most guys.’

Kelce, who will turn 36 in October, is coming off a bad season by his standards. He totaled 97 receptions, 823 yards and only three touchdowns. While that may be a career-year for some, it continued a downward trend that began following the 2023 season.

Despite that reality, Olsen highlighted how he was also 36 in his last season, noting that he wasn’t as productive as Kelce has been at this stage.

‘He was highly productive last year,’ Olsen said. ‘I think we’ve kind of gotten spoiled that we think every year he’s gonna have twelve-hundred yards and 10 touchdowns. And I don’t think people realize just how hard that is. I wouldn’t put a limit on anything he does.’

He added that he could call it quits after this upcoming season or play a few more years.

Olsen maintained that Kelce has done enough throughout his career to be afforded the opportunity to leave when he wants to. Retirement talk has been a common theme throughout the Chiefs’ run of success, especially in the lead-up to Super Bowl 59 before they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Now with training camp around the corner, even quarterback Patrick Mahomes is being asked about Kelce’s future.

‘If it’s the last ride, you would never know,’ Mahomes said in a press conference Thursday. ‘The way he’s talking about football, the way he’s talking about working and trying to be even better this year than he was last year. He doesn’t seem like a guy that, it’s his last ride or he’s tired of the job. He’s in here, he’s working. I know his body feels good. I think it feels better than even last year before going into last season. I think he’s motivated to go out there and have an even better year.’

Kelce appeared to truly debate walking away from the game this offseason but elected to return for another season. He spoke about that decision during the March 5 episode of his ‘New Heights’ podcast with his brother, Jason.

‘I think the biggest thing is that I (expletive) love playing the game of football,’ Kelce said. ‘I love playing. I still feel like I can play it at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year. I don’t think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I’ve been in years past. I want to give it a good run. I got a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended the year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was to the people around me.’

Of course, the Chiefs have played a lot of football over the years and the miles can begin to add up.

It’s not out of the question that Kelce’s drop in production could be attributed in part to fatigue, especially given the attention he receives from defenses every week.

All eyes will be on Kelce as he enters his 13th season NFL season and 12th as the starter, which will be the final year of his current contract. It carries a $19.8 million cap hit for 2025, according to Spotrac. Having already accomplished so much, these final years can be about chasing more rings and putting a bow on a great career.

He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion, a four-time All-Pro and has been selected to the Pro Bowl 10 times. He’s a lock for the Hall of Fame and statistically ranks amongst the best tight ends in NFL history – No. 3 in receptions (1,004) and yards (12,151), despite playing just 11 seasons as the Chiefs primary starter at the position.

Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten, the two who rank above Kelce in those categories, each finished their careers with 16 seasons as a starter.

Off the field, Kelce is one-half of arguably the biggest celebrity couples going right now given his relationship with Taylor Swift. He has a successful podcast with his brother, helping him maintain his media presence.

Retirement will continue to be a storyline on the field. Off of it, however, Kelce appears to just be getting started.

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers is expected to miss at least the next two games after being placed in concussion protocol, the team said Friday.

She suffered a concussion during a 97-92 loss to the Chicago Sky on Thursday.

Bueckers was making a move with the basketball when she appeared to bump heads with Courtney Vandersloot of the Sky during the final minute of the second quarter.

Bueckers, the WNBA No. 1 overall pick, has averaged 14.7 points, 6.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game during the first six games of her rookie season.

Tyasha Harris could start in place of Bueckers. Harris was listed as questionable with a knee injury for Saturday’s game after not playing in Thursday’s game.

When do the Dallas Wings play next?

The Wings will host the Sky on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on KFAA (Dallas) and WCIU (Chicago). The game will also be streamed on WNBA League Pass.

Dallas’ road game against the Seattle Storm will be played on Tuesday, June 3 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.