The North Carolina Courage have parted ways with head coach Sean Nahas.

The National Women’s Soccer League team announced the news on social media on Wednesday, Aug. 6.

“The North Carolina Courage remain focused on the continued development of the team and maintaining a professional, competitive environment for players, staff, and supporters,” the team said in a statement.

An interim coach has not yet been named.

The Courage are currently ninth in the NWSL standings with a 5-4-5 (W-D-L) overall record. The team had won two of its last three games, with its most recent game resulting in a scoreless draw.

Who is Sean Nahas?

Sean Nahas was hired as the Courage’s head coach in October 2021. With Nahas at the helm, the team achieved 15 wins, nine draws and 12 losses.

He led the team to the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup championship.

Nahas had been with the team since 2017 but initially took over the head coaching role as an interim coach, replacing Paul Riley.

Riley was fired as part of the league’s 2021 abuse scandal.

When is the North Carolina Courage’s next game?

The Courage will play the Houston Dash on Friday, Aug. 8. The game will air on NWSL+ and Paramount+.

Sex toys have been thrown onto the court during three WNBA games in recent weeks.
One person has been arrested and charged in connection with one of the incidents.
WNBA players and coaches have expressed concern about the incidents, citing player safety.

With a month left in the season, the WNBA is getting increased visibility, but it’s not because of the tight playoff races or three of the league’s stars being injured.

The sports world is talking about objects being thrown on the court, specifically green neon sex toys.

Over the past two weeks there have been three incidents during which a sex toy has been thrown on a WNBA court during live game action. The latest incident happened Tuesday night in a game between the Indiana Fever and the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena in L.A.

‘It’s ridiculous, it’s dumb, it’s stupid,’ Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said after the game. ‘It’s also dangerous. Player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it’s really stupid.’

Roberts’ reaction is starting to become the norm, especially if the trend continues. Here is a timeline of events:

July 29: Valkyries at Dream

The first incident occurred on July 29 during the fourth quarter of the Atlanta Dream’s game against the Golden State Valkyries at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia.

A 23-year-old man, Delbert Carver, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure and criminal trespass.

Aug. 1: Valkyries at Sky

During the Valkyries’ game against the Sky at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Aug. 1, another sex toy was thrown onto the court. Officials stopped play when the toy was heaved from the stands and landed by a baseline near the Sky’s basket. An official kicked the toy away, and a Sky staffer quickly removed it.

Aug. 5: Fever at Sparks

With two minutes remaining in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game, a sex toy landed on the court in the lane near Fever forward Sophie Cunningham, who earlier in the week went on social media to plead with fans not to throw things on the floor and posted another reaction after the game. Sparks guard Kelsey Plum kicking it into the stands.

WNBA response to sex toys being thrown during games

Each WNBA team has policies and security procedures about what spectators can and cannot bring into a specific arena. The league strongly encourages fans not to bring bags into venues, and every bag that is allowed within certain specifications is subject to search.

The arenas also have an extensive list of what is allowed in arenas, with the obvious items such as weapons, fireworks, hazardous items, and tools being prohibited.

The WNBA has issued warnings against any fan throwing objects on the court, saying violators would be ‘immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban,’ and could face charges from authorities.

‘The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league,’ the WNBA said in a statement. ‘Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.’

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of the three-event FedEx Cup playoffs, is about to kick off. The first round is set for action at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler enters the first leg of the playoffs in a favorable position, having won four PGA Tour events, including two major titles this season in his quest for a second-straight FedEx Cup title.

Another crucial storyline unfolds as we await to see which golfer will seize the opportunity to climb the FedEx Cup standings in the absence of Rory McIlroy. McIlroy, the Masters Champion and current second in the FedEx Cup standings, has opted out of playing in the St. Jude Championship as he aims to reduce his workload this season.

Stay tuned for live updates from the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs at the St. Jude Championship from Memphis.

FedEx St. Jude Championship leaderboard

This section will be updated as play begins. You can click here for an updated leaderboard and tee times.

What time is the FedEx St. Jude Championship?

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship will begin on Thursday, August 7, with the first round of play. The tournament concludes with the final round on Sunday, August 10. The first tee is 8:20 a.m. ET.

How to watch 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship: TV channel, live streaming, schedule

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, which marks the beginning of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, will be televised nationally on the Golf Channel and NBC and can also stream it live on ESPN+, Peacock, and Fubo.

Below is the complete broadcast schedule for all four rounds:

All times Eastern

Thursday, August 7 and Friday, August 8

8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
2-6 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo

Saturday, August 9

8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
1-3 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo
3-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock

Sunday, August 10

8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
12-2 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo
2-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock

Watch the FedEx St. Jude Championship with Fubo

Tee Times for St. Jude Championship:

Round 1 – Thursday

All times ET.

8:20 AM – Matti Schmid
8:30 AM – Min Woo Lee, J.T. Poston
8:40 AM – Jordan Spieth, Wyndham Clark
8:50 AM – Harry Hall, Akshay Bhatia
9:00 AM – Tom Hoge, Matt Fitzpatrick
9:10 AM – Taylor Pendrith, Denny McCarthy
9:20 AM – Brian Campbell, Thomas Detry
9:30 AM – Ryan Fox, Jacob Bridgeman
9:40 AM – Sam Stevens, Sungjae Im
9:55 AM – Sam Burns, Justin Rose
10:05 AM – Brian Harman, Hideki Matsuyama
10:15 AM – Cameron Young, Shane Lowry
10:25 AM – Keegan Bradley, Maverick McNealy
10:35 AM – Ben Griffin, Harris English
10:45 AM – Russell Henley, Justin Thomas
10:55 AM – Nico Echavarria, Patrick Rodgers
11:05 AM – Rickie Fowler, Davis Riley
11:15 AM – Erik van Rooyen, Cam Davis
11:30 AM – Jhonattan Vegas, Max Greyserman
11:40 AM – Joe Highsmith, Aaron Rai
11:50 AM – Kurt Kitayama, Bud Cauley
12:00 PM – Si Woo Kim, Jake Knapp
12:10 PM – Xander Schauffele, Aldrich Potgieter
12:20 PM – Michael Kim, Jason Day
12:30 PM – Daniel Berger, Ryan Gerard
12:40 PM – Viktor Hovland, Lucas Glover
12:50 PM – Chris Gotterup, Patrick Cantlay
1:05 PM – Nick Taylor, Collin Morikawa
1:15 PM – Ludvig Åberg, Robert MacIntyre
1:25 PM – Andrew Novak, Corey Conners
1:35 PM – J.J. Spaun, Tommy Fleetwood
1:45 PM – Scottie Scheffler, Sepp Straka
1:55 PM – Stephan Jaeger, Mackenzie Hughes
2:05 PM – Tony Finau, Chris Kirk
2:15 PM – Kevin Yu, Emiliano Grillo

FedEx Cup standings

Listed below are the top-10 finishers in the FedEx Cup standings. These are the golfers that have qualified for the St. Jude Championship this weekend. For a full list of standings, click here.

Scottie Scheffler – 4,806 points
Sepp Straka – 2,595 points
Russell Henley – 2,391 points
Justin Thomas – 2,280 points
Ben Griffin – 2,275 points
Harris English – 2,232 points
J.J. Spaun – 2,144 points
Tommy Fleetwood – 1,783 points
Keegan Bradley – 1,749 points
Maverick McNealy – 1,672 points

‘The Pommel Horse Guy’ is back for another spin.

Stephen Nedoroscik returns to competition for the first time since the Paris Olympics this week, looking to win a fifth consecutive title on pommel horse at the U.S. gymnastics championships. Fellow Paris Olympians Hezly Rivera, Brody Malone, Frederick Richard and Asher Hong are also planning to compete at nationals, which are Thursday through Sunday at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans.

Results at nationals will help determine who makes the world championships in October in Jakarta, Indonesia. There is no team competition at this year’s worlds, with only individual titles — all-around and events — at stake.

In addition to the usual all-around and event titles awarded at nationals, there will be a ‘squad showdown’ this year. Each rotation group will be considered a ‘squad,’ and their highest three scores on each event on the first day of competition will be counted in the ‘showdown.’ The squad with the highest score wins.

Here’s everything you need to know about the U.S. gymnastics championships:

Where are the U.S. gymnastics championships?

The U.S. gymnastics championships are being held at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.

It’s the first time the national championships have been in New Orleans since 1995. The state first hosted the event in 1977, when nationals were in Baton Rouge.

When are the U.S. gymnastics championships?

Competition is Thursday through Sunday, with the men and women alternating days. Here’s the schedule (all times Eastern):

Thursday, 8-10:30 p.m., men’s competition, day 1.

Friday, 7:45-10 p.m., women’s competition, day 1.

Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m., men’s competition, day 2.

Sunday, 7-9 p.m., women’s competition, day 2.

How can I watch the U.S. gymnastics championships?

The U.S. gymnastics championships will be shown on Peacock, NBC and CNBC. Here’s the schedule:

Thursday, 8-10:30 p.m., Peacock.

Friday, 7:45-10 p.m., Peacock.

Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m., CNBC.

Sunday, 7-9 p.m., NBC.

Watch the US gymnastics chamoionships with Peacock

Who are the gymnasts to watch?

Stephen Nedoroscik, aka ‘The Pommel Horse Guy,’ became a fan favorite at the Paris Olympics when he was seen looking positively Zen-like on the sidelines as he waited to compete in his one event with a rare medal for the U.S. men on the line. He and the U.S. men won the bronze, their first Olympic medal since the 2008 Games.

Nedoroscik then added an individual bronze on pommel horse.

Olympic teammates Frederick Richard, Asher Hong and Brody Malone are also competing, though Malone is not expected to do the all-around.

Hezly Rivera, who was the youngest member of Team USA at the Paris Olympics, and Paris alternates Leanne Wong and Joscelyn Roberson are all expected to contend for their first all-around title. Skye Blakely, a favorite to make the Paris team until she ruptured her Achilles at the Olympic trials, is expected to do the uneven bars and balance beam.

Also keep an eye on up-and-comers Claire Pease, Simone Rose and Jayla Hang.

Is Simone Biles competing?

No.

The seven-time Olympic champion is taking time off, just as she did after the Rio and Tokyo Games. Biles has said repeatedly that she still hasn’t decided whether she’ll compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Biles is the most-decorated gymnast in history, male or female. In addition to 11 Olympic medals and 30 medals at the world championships, Biles is a nine-time U.S. all-around champion.

Are Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey competing?

Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, all two-time Olympians, will not compete at the U.S. championships this week. But don’t rule out seeing Carey and Chiles in the future.

Both Carey and Chiles are taking breaks after competing in NCAA gymnastics this season, Chiles for UCLA and Carey for Oregon State. Chiles won a national title on uneven bars while Carey won bronze on balance beam.

Chiles has already said she intends to return to UCLA for her senior season. Carey’s collegiate career is over, and she told Olympics.com she thinks the time off will help her decide whether she wants to compete elite again.

‘Right now, (I’m) taking time and going to see where things end up,” she said. “So, it’s not a no, but it’s not a yes.”

As for Lee, the all-around champion at the Tokyo Olympics, she said in Paris that she was content with her career.

Health issues had sidelined Lee for the better part of a year before Paris, getting so bad she was struggling to get out of bed seven months before the Games. But after doctors got her medications right, Lee was able to resume training. She won three more medals in Paris: a gold with Team USA, and bronzes in the all-around and on uneven bars.

‘If I don’t (come back), I feel like I had a really good run. I’m super proud of everything that I was able to accomplish. Especially this year, not even knowing if I would be able to make it here,’ Lee said in Paris.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – For somebody who won’t participate in the Baltimore Ravens’ preseason opener on Aug. 7 against the Indianapolis Colts, Tuesday’s joint practice against the team that used to call Baltimore home can be invaluable to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson – even if there is a mid-session melee.

A joint practice means Jackson can mimic the feeling of a preseason game. It also makes for funny reunions, like Jackson’s with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. For six seasons, while Anarumo coordinated the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense, Jackson routinely torched Anarumo’s unit. The two-time MVP owns a 10-1 career record against the Bengals with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions in those games, all but one of which came during Anarumo’s Bengals tenure.

Anarumo was fired following last season and landed two hours West down I-74 as the Colts’ defensive coordinator, presenting a chance for Anarumo to approach Jackson on the field in between practice periods.

“He was telling me that was glad he doesn’t have to face me twice a year anymore,” Jackson said. “But I told him it’s always going to be competitive.

“We get great work out of these types of practices.”

For Jackson and the Ravens’ offense, a banged-up Colts secondary wasn’t the most challenging practice opponent. Besides, Baltimore’s starting secondary, as Jackson noted, features multiple first-round talents whose play often explains their draft position.

But going against a different-colored jersey helped get the competitive juices flowing, Jackson said.

“We don’t see these guys every day,” he said. “We get to see different looks from different guys, different types of coverages, see how different guys guard different people, different blitzes and stuff like that. So, definitely, we get a lot out of these types of joint practices.”

Chemistry with receiver DeAndre Hopkins is building, Jackson said; the two had a miscommunication on a hand signal that sent Hopkins on the wrong route, and Jackson was upset with himself after the rep.

That wasn’t the only time Jackson reacted strongly to his own wrongdoings. In the final two-minute drill session of practice, Colts’ seventh-round rookie safety Hunter Wohler intercepted Jackson (Wohler later also picked off backup Cooper Rush to end practice).

Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts get into joint practice brawl

“Watching how my guys are out there on the field and how we’re moving in the ball during certain periods, I felt like we did pretty good, besides the little ‘BS’ interceptions,” Jackson said. “Too many, but it happens.”

Baltimore, with offensive coordinator Todd Monken calling plays for the third season, has struggled in camp with the procedural penalties as the coaching staff continues to give Jackson additional pre-snap authority at the line of scrimmage.

Jackson doesn’t seem to be too concerned, and No. 8 made plays all day in every setting – 7-on-7, red-zone, 11-on-11 – against the Colts. His connection with tight end Mark Andrews appears stronger than ever. Fellow tight end Isiah Likely out for several weeks with a foot injury, opening the door for Charlie Kolar to have a big day with some wide-open chunk catches.

“We’re right where we need to be right now,” Jackson said.

In 2024, Jackson – who slimmed down during the offseason to become more elusive – led the NFL’s top-ranked offense (424.9 total yards per game) that finished third in scoring. Jackson’s rushing capabilities, along with the offseason acquisition of running back Derrick Henry, produced a balanced attack that became the first in league history to post at least 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a single season. Baltimore was the first team in league history with more than 40 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns. 

Jackson himself set career highs in passing yards (4,172), passing TDs (41) and passer rating (119.6), while throwing just 4 INTs. He also had 915 rushing yards – averaging 6.6 yards per carry with four scores on the ground – to become the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 4,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in a season. Jackson’s seven games with a passer rating of at least 135.0 also set a single-season NFL record, and his 119.6 rating for the season ranks fourth all time. He was the first player to ever record more than 40 passing touchdowns and less than five interceptions.

Monken, never shy with a microphone around, said what everybody who watches football in the Mid-Atlantic region has been thinking since Andrews dropped the football in the end zone in Orchard Park, New York, six months ago.

All of the work – even an honest day’s worth in August against another team – will come down to one, likely cold, day in January.

“I think every day is important,” Monken told reporters. “To say that one extra joint practice is going to lend itself … in terms of having a great regular season – which is what we’re trying to do – I mean, then we’ve got to finish it off. You’ve got to have a great regular season to put yourself in position for the backend.”

ESPN announced Tuesday it had agreed to acquire numerous media assets from the NFL in a landmark agreement.

Most notably, ESPN acquired NFL Network and the league’s ever-popular RedZone channel, which shows every touchdown from every game, as part of the deal. The NFL will acquire a 10% equity stake in ESPN as part of the deal.

ESPN has also acquired the NFL’s fantasy football product, making NFL Fantasy a part of ESPN Fantasy Football.

What will that mean for fantasy football managers? Here’s what we know about that element of the merger as the 2025 NFL season approaches.

How ESPN, NFL fantasy football merger will impact leagues

ESPN announced it was planning to ‘merge [the NFL’s fantasy product] into its existing platform’ after acquiring it from the NFL. That means all NFL Fantasy leagues will eventually be a part of the ESPN Fantasy Football app, and ESPN Fantasy Football will be the official game of the NFL.

A timetable for the app merger has not yet been finalized. That said, it seems unlikely to happen before the 2025 NFL season, as the agreements between ESPN and the NFL are subject to approval from both government regulators and NFL owners. Such a delay would allow those using the NFL Fantasy App to continue doing so in 2025.

ESPN did not immediately respond to USA TODAY Sports’ request for more details about the pending merger of the two products.

It’s worth noting ESPN changed the interface of its fantasy app on Monday, Aug. 4, one day before the agreement with the NFL was announced. ESPN outlined the changes made to the app for the 2025 fantasy football season, ‘will provide improved roster management options and a more personalized experience tailored to your teams and leagues.’

It’s unclear whether the pending merger was part of the impetus for the changes, nor is it clear whether the upgrades will facilitate ESPN’s eventual integration of the NFL Fantasy App’s data into its product.

LOS ANGELES — It’s always Sonny in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Football Club officially unveiled Son Heung-min, their reportedly record-breaking signing, at a press conference at BMO Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 6.

‘I’m here to win, I will perform. I will definitely show you something exciting,’ Son said.

Son, 33, is considered to be arguably the greatest Asian soccer player ever, having appeared for South Korea 134 times (scoring 51 goals). In a decade with Tottenham, Son scored 173 goals and added 101 assists, captaining the London-based club to its first trophy in 17 years as Spurs won the 2024-25 Europa League final in May.

The now-former Tottenham star noted that LAFC was not originally his first choice when moving from the north London side, but was convinced by LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington.

‘I honestly and openly share what this club is about,’ Thorrington said at the press conference. ‘I ask: ‘Does this match with your ambition?’ and in this case … it has.’

Son is one of the highest profile signings in the club’s – and arguably league – history following the footsteps of Carlos Vela, Gareth Bale and Olivier Giroux into the Hollywood spotlight.

Thorrington said the move was nine years in the making.

‘What I call the walking paradox that is Sonny, that is this unbelievably charismatic guy but matched with his humility that he walks around with, and his patience, that’s what we aspire to be,’ Thorrington said.

The fee LAFC shelled out to seal his move to MLS is to be the largest in league history, according to multiple reports.

While MLS clubs have rarely been willing to share exact transfer fees, GiveMeSport reported Aug. 5 that the transfer will surpass Emmanuel Latte Lath’s move to Atlanta United this past winter for $22 million. ESPN and The Athletic reported ahead of the announcement that the fee would be at least $26 million, which would mark a new transfer fee record for the league.

Thorrington declined to disclose the terms of the contract when asked.

Debut timetable to be determined

Son did not provide a timetable on when he will join the team on the field, saying that he will work with the coaching staff to get on the pitch as soon as possible.

‘I came here to play soccer and I’m ready to play, but there is some preparation work to be done,’ Son said.

LAFC stands in sixth place in the Western Conference on 36 points with 12 games remaining in MLS play. The team’s next three league games are on the road at the Chicago Fire, New England Revolution and FC Dallas. If the club intends to hold the debut until their return to Expo Park, it could be made in a Sunday showcase against San Diego FC on Aug. 31.

A 2-1 win over UANL Tigres – with a heavily rotated side and Son looking on from a suite – on Tuesday, Aug. 5 gave LAFC a long-shot chance at progressing in Leagues Cup.

Son recognized that LAFC’s vocal fan base, led by the supporters’ groups that make up the 3252, will hold the star to his promises.

‘Fans are the most important part of football and also all of the sports,’ Son said. ‘We should appreciate that there is support. That should never be free.’

Korean-American community buzzes about Son signing

Rumors of the Black and Gold signing the South Korean superstar sent a buzz through the Korean-American community as news on the progression of the deal were reported out, principally by Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport and international transfer maven Fabrizio Romano.

‘Son Heung-min’s transfer to LAFC presents a rare and powerful opportunity to shift that attention toward LAFC and the MLS,’ Kyeongjun Kim, a writer with The Korean Daily, the largest Korean-language media outlet in the U.S., told USA TODAY in an email ahead of Wednesday’s press conference. ‘Already, many Korean fans are posting on social media asking how to buy LAFC season tickets or inquiring about the match schedule.’

Photos published by Agance France-Presse show fans lining up at Los Angeles International Airport at the rumored time of arrival for Son, with one sign reading ‘Welcome to LA’ in Korean.

Daniel Park, a native of South Korea who was already in the country on a business trip but took time to visit BMO Stadium just before the press conference, described Son as a celebrity who transcended sports.

Beyond his success on the field, Son is a behemoth in the advertising world. Adidas, Burberry, Calvin Klein and Tumi have all named Son a brand ambassador and launched major ad campaigns around him, while he is one of just five soccer players to have a custom character ‘skin’ in one of the most popular video games in the world, Fortnite.

‘Son’s move to the LAFC is as exciting — if not moreso — than when Chan-ho Park and Hyun-jin Ryu joined the Dodgers,’ Kim wrote.

Son is not the first South Korean signing for the club, which had defender Kim Moon-hwan from 2021-2022.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

For the first time this summer, all of the NFL’s teams will be strapped up for a weekend’s worth of preseason action. With few exceptions – for better or worse – most of the 32 squads have fully taken shape, though a few important positional battles and contract standoffs await resolution. Still, this is the time of year when most clubs project confidence and optimism that, if everything falls into place, they could wind up in the playoffs and maybe even vie for a Super Bowl berth.

Yet the cold truth for most of them is that some level of disappointment awaits – whether that’s a tough loss on Super Sunday or winding up with a top-five draft pick in 2026 (though that would be an optimal outcome in some quarters). Remember, this is a zero-sum game. Despite the good vibes emanating from most camps, there’s no avoiding the reality of math − meaning for every 14-win team, there’s a mirror image somewhere with 14 losses.

So how will it all shake out? With every roster basically finalized (and maybe optimized) for the season ahead, let’s try to forecast the 2025 season with record projections for every outfit.

(A note on methodology: Using the most current information amid a few iterations of this exercise, I predict winners and losers for all 272 regular-season games to arrive at my projections. The outcomes allow me to apply tiebreakers, when needed, to determine and slot the 14-team playoff field – seedings in parentheses – before arriving at a champion. Warning, past performance is no guarantee of future returns.)

AFC East

(2) Buffalo Bills (13-4): Barring an injury to reigning league MVP Josh Allen, a sixth consecutive division title seems all but inevitable. Following their Sunday night opener against Baltimore, the Bills play six consecutive non-playoff teams from 2024 – an entire circuit through the AFC East with three other games against NFC South crews – which could catapult them to a very good start, which also includes home games in four of the first five weeks. Buffalo could also finish with a strong kick, four of its final five games against opponents who didn’t reach the postseason last year.

New York Jets (7-10): Rookie coach Aaron Glenn has probably inherited a more talented team than his former boss, Dan Campbell, did in Detroit – Campbell’s 2021 Lions losing 13 games. But these Jets could get off to a slow start, four of their first six games against clubs that reached the 2024 postseason, including a “home” game against Denver in London. But if new QB Justin Fields and his talented fellow youngsters jell over the course of the season, they could build momentum going into 2026 – nine of their final 11 opponents failing to reach the playoffs last season.

Miami Dolphins (5-12): Will HC Mike McDaniel, who enters the season under some pressure from ownership, even make it to the stretch drive? If he does, the Fins’ final five games are either in outdoor northern cities and/or against teams that had winning records in 2024 … and, historically, his team hasn’t played well in either of those circumstances.

AFC North

(1) Baltimore Ravens (14-3): Could this finally be the year QB Lamar Jackson takes his team all the way? An upgraded secondary should address what was Baltimore’s Achilles for much of 2024. And how good is an offense that seems to (somehow) get an improved version of Jackson every year, including 2024 when he was probably robbed of a third league MVP? Consider that recently signed WR DeAndre Hopkins, likely a future Hall of Famer, is probably the sixth option when you consider an attack that has a second tight end like … Isaiah Likely. Yes, I like, like, like these Ravens – and considering they have a midseason stretch when they play two games in 27 days, good way to stay fresh as they pursue a second No. 1 playoff seed in three seasons.  

(6) Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6): Optimism is riding high as new/old QB Aaron Rodgers assimilates with his new mates in the sweltering Latrobe, Pennsylvania, camp environment. There’s little question this roster is stacked, more so after a bold offseason plan executed by coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan. Whether it coalesces remain to be seen. Five of the Steelers’ first six opponents didn’t make the playoffs last year, perhaps a nice layout as Rodgers and Co. work out the kinks, though that stretch also includes a trip to Dublin. But four of the final six games are against 2024 division winners, and Pittsburgh collapsed down the stretch last season against strong competition. Still, it does feel like there’s enough ammo here to end the franchise’s run without a playoff win at nine years.

(7) Cincinnati Bengals (9-8): Since QB Joe Burrow was drafted in 2020, they’re 1-9 collectively in Weeks 1 and 2 – the lone win coming in 2021, when Cincy reached Super Bowl 56. The ongoing drama with All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson seems to portend another rough start – and the Bengals open at Cleveland, where they rarely win, followed by a stretch of six games that includes five 2024 playoff opponents. Starting in October, the Bengals leave Ohio once in a six-week period, so perhaps that’s when they catch fire. Still, as much money as they’ve already spent this offseason, the Stripes seem to have fallen further behind Baltimore and Pittsburgh, teams that finished ahead of them last season.

Cleveland Browns (3-14): Whoever wins their high-profile four-way quarterback competition will still be the division’s weakest QB1. And with so many other question marks, especially on offense, it does feel like a team that has two first-round picks next year is already somewhat aimed toward the 2026 draft.  

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-9): Though they’re not projected to advance to the Super Bowl 60 tournament in this scenario, this could be a team that surprises – especially if rookie HC Liam Coen can elicit results from QB Trevor Lawrence at least somewhat comparable to what he got from Baker Mayfield in Tampa last year. There’s a fair amount of established talent on this roster, and that doesn’t include rookie WR/CB Travis Hunter, who’s now its highest-profile member. Over the season’s final six weeks, the Jags face just one 2024 playoff team.

Tennessee Titans (5-12): A team set to start a rookie quarterback, No. 1 pick Cam Ward, will start out swimming in even deeper water with four of its first six games on the road. But maybe Ward gets on a subsequent roll with three successive games in Nashville following a Week 10 bye.

Indianapolis Colts (4-13): Even if they were settled behind center – which Indy most certainly is not – a schedule loaded with the entirety of the AFC and NFC West was going to present a serious challenge for a team that’s generally hovered around .500 since QB Andrew Luck retired six years ago.

AFC West

(3) Denver Broncos (12-5): The focus will naturally be on Year 2 of the Bo Nix-Sean Payton union, which comes off a spectacular honeymoon. However the Broncos don’t get enough attention for an elite offensive line nor a defense which may be the league’s best – particularly after it was further fortified by free agency and the draft. After playing the Jets in London on October 12, the Broncos will only make one road trip over the ensuing 48 days – a good time to gain altitude at altitude. But ending K.C.’s nine-season run atop the division won’t be easy – particularly when the Chiefs get a bye ahead of their trip to Denver and, later, host the Broncos on Christmas, which lands on a Thursday.

(5) Kansas City Chiefs (11-6): Coming off what was probably the flimsiest 15-victory regular season in league history (average margin of victory 7.1 points), could they actually win four fewer games, relinquish the divisional throne … and still functionally be a better team when the playoffs start? Absolutely, especially with RB Isiah Pacheco and WRs Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice healthy, though a suspension could still likely curb the latter’s contributions. But don’t be surprised if the dynasty stumbles out of the gate as the new offensive line takes shape – while weathering a trip to Brazil before Arrowhead welcomes the Eagles, Ravens and Lions for its first three home dates.

Los Angeles Chargers (9-8): Coach Jim Harbaugh took the 49ers to the Super Bowl during his second year in San Francisco, so it’s tempting to foresee the Bolts taking a quantum leap, too, despite how badly they performed in last season’s playoffs. But the offense still seems a bit light on weaponry − despite WR Keenan Allen’s return − the defense lost some stalwarts in free agency, and the Chargers must navigate a schedule that includes nine dates with 2024 playoff squads.

Las Vegas Raiders (5-12): They should be more competitive and entertaining with coach Pete Carroll, QB Geno Smith and titillating rookie RB Ashton Jeanty aboard. Yet it’s hard to envision the Silver and Black making up any ground in an otherwise loaded division and, despite DE Maxx Crosby’s presence, this defense could be regularly overrun. Doesn’t help when a team from Sin City is forced to play three 1 p.m. kickoffs in the Eastern time zone in the season’s first five weeks.

NFC East

(1) Philadelphia Eagles (12-5): Viewed through the lens of a single season, the 2024 Eagles are probably one of the top three or four teams of the 21st century, so little reason to think they won’t be really strong again despite significant personnel losses on the defensive side. But though the Chiefs have made it seem routine, defending an NFL title is exceptionally hard – and the Eagles have to do it with a first-place schedule that includes the entirety of the AFC West and NFC North. Brutal. And awesome as Saquon Barkley, 28, was last season – maybe the best season a running back has ever had – it would be more realistic, given his personal history, to expect he misses a few games with injuries than an encore performance. It wouldn’t be a shock if the Eagles repeat … but history is decidedly against them.

(7) Washington Commanders (10-7): Their Cinderella run exceeded everyone’s wildest imagination – especially that of a long-suffering fan base. But are expectations ratcheted up a bit too much now? Washington’s schedule is basically as challenging as Philly’s yet also includes a stretch between Weeks 4 and 8 with just one home game. After what was arguably the greatest rookie season in league history, maybe QB Jayden Daniels takes an MVP step in 2025. But if he plateaus or even suffers something of a sophomore slump … and/or pricey veteran acquisitions like Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel don’t live up expectations … and/or if this defense proves suspect – especially up front – then the Commanders’ season could be defined following a Week 12 bye, a gauntlet that includes the Broncos, Vikings, Cowboys and Eagles … twice.

Dallas Cowboys (9-8): They’re almost always relevant when QB Dak Prescott survives a full season or close to it – which he didn’t in 2024. But the Cowboys are adjusting to a rookie head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, still have a glaring concern at tailback, have yet another change at defensive coordinator (Matt Eberflus) and are currently playing contractual games with DE Micah Parsons, arguably the franchise’s best player. Also? Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, Chargers, Commanders, i.e. the murders’ row Dallas must face from Weeks 12-17. Woof.

New York Giants (2-15): A team coming off a 3-14 season somehow draws the league’s toughest schedule based on opponents’ 2024 winning percentages (.574). So much for competitive balance. This record projection isn’t indicative of the young talent on this roster, including WR Malik Nabers, LT Andrew Thomas, rookie OLB Abdul Carter and others. But it’s very hard to find wins on this schedule or expect QB Russell Wilson will enjoy a renaissance at age 36, especially when pressure to play quarterback of the future Jaxson Dart as the season wears on is only likely to incrementally grow.

NFC North

(2) Green Bay Packers (12-5): Unlike the rest of their divisional rivals, they should benefit from continuity. And if QB Jordan Love remains healthy, rookie Matthew Golden makes the consistent impact not always provided by this receiving corps and they get off to a strong start – and the early part of the schedule seems to set up nicely – the Pack might just find themselves in the Super Bowl.

(5) Detroit Lions (11-6): They’re going to have to adapt – without coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn and six other staff members from a team that earned the NFC’s top playoff seed in 2024, to say nothing of the retirement of tough-as-rawhide C Frank Ragnow. Talent remains in abundance here, and the return of DE Aidan Hutchinson should bring a needed jolt to the defense. But finding synchronicity could be tough, especially with four of the first six games on the road.

Minnesota Vikings (9-8): They’re going to have to adapt – to new QB1 J.J. McCarthy, who lost his entire rookie season with a knee injury and watched Sam Darnold blossom into a Pro Bowler during his on-field absence. Similar to his time at the University of Michigan, McCarthy should have everything a quarterback could want in a supporting cast, including a fantastic coach in Kevin O’Connell. But the Vikes will have to weather WR2 Jordan Addison’s three-game season suspension to start the season. And following their (voluntary) two-week European vacation, they’ll have the Eagles, Chargers, Lions and Ravens lined up on the opposite side of a Week 6 bye. Replicating last season’s 14-3 record – or even something close to it – seems like a long shot.

Chicago Bears (7-10): They’re going to have to adapt – to Johnson, their new head coach, who’s changing the culture, scheme and expectations (yet again) after this organization’s disastrous 2024 campaign. And the learning curve is amplified by a schedule that, statistically, is second only to the Giants’ in terms of difficulty. Six of the Bears’ final eight opponents made the playoffs last season.

NFC South

(4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8): They probably don’t get enough credit for their recent dominance of the division, which they’ve won the past four seasons – albeit by an average of one game since the start of the 2022 campaign. That could again be the case with teams like the Panthers and Falcons at least displaying the potential to be threats. The Bucs could also be hamstrung as long as LT Tristan Wirfs, arguably their best player, remains sidelined by recent knee surgery expected to cost him at least a handful of games – and against formidable defenses. But even if they endure a rocky start, Tampa Bay could finish with a surge – its last six games against teams that didn’t make the playoffs in 2024.

Atlanta Falcons (7-10): So much boils down to the quarterback position, but especially here. Michael Penix Jr. flashed in three starts as a rookie but is hardly a proven commodity. QB2 Kirk Cousins is battle-tested … and his presence is likely to add to the burden of Penix, who will almost undoubtedly struggle at some point – and perhaps from the jump, Atlanta facing four postseason squads from last season among its first five opponents.

New Orleans Saints (2-15): A rookie head coach (Kellen Moore). Likely a rookie quarterback (Tyler Shough) or one coming off a rough rookie season (Spencer Rattler). Schematic changes on both sides of the ball. The biggest questions here seem to be if players like RB Alvin Kamara and WR Chris Olave remain beyond the trade deadline and/or if hometown hero Arch Manning winds up back here via the 2026 draft.

NFC West

(3) San Francisco 49ers (11-6): On the opposite side of the scheduling scale from the Giants, the Niners, little more than a year removed from an overtime loss in Super Bowl 58, drew the league’s easiest schedule (.415 opponent winning percentage in 2024) – one that includes all of the AFC and NFC South teams and three additional last-place operations from last year. San Francisco opens with four 2024 non-playoff teams and finishes with seven of the same. Make no mistake, a new-look defense has much to prove, and the team’s best players – RB Christian McCaffrey, LT Trent Williams, WR Brandon Aiyuk – have to stay on the field, and Aiyuk (knee) may not be ready for Week 1.

(6) Los Angeles Rams (11-6): Again, it’s worth noting that this team came the closest to knocking off the loaded Eagles on the road to Super Bowl 59, the Rams nearly pulling off the upset … on the road … in the snow. Imagine what they can do with a promising young defense one year better, not to mention being somewhat past the LA wildfires that affected this team and its city last January. So much hinges on the health of QB Matthew Stafford, 37, whose back has kept him sidelined during training camp, though by design, according to ESPN. But if he can continue posting on game day, as he usually does, he and his team have a legit shot at a second ring in a five-season span.

Arizona Cardinals (9-8): They went from bad (4-13) in HC Jonathan Gannon’s first year to quietly middling last season (8-9). If QB Kyler Murray and the young players around him can take another collective step forward, a postseason return seems very much in play – especially if they can leverage a schedule that opens against six teams that didn’t reach the playoffs in 2024. However the Cards will only have two home games after Thanksgiving.

Seattle Seahawks (9-8): A tiebreaker cost them a playoff berth last season. They might be on the razor’s edge once again but not for lack of trying. Heading into his second year, coach Mike Macdonald and GM John Schneider have done more than retool this roster – especially a passing game that has a new coordinator (Klint Kubiak), quarterback (Darnold) and receiver (Cooper Kupp). Yet it’s also fair to expect these Seahawks to be far more reliant on the run, per Macdonald’s wishes. Seattle seems more philosophically calibrated for the long haul, but that could mean another round of uneven performances in the near term.

AFC playoffs

Wild card: (2) Bills def. (7) Bengals; (6) Steelers def. (3) Broncos; (5) Chiefs def. (4) Texans

Divisional: (1) Ravens def. (6) Steelers; (5) Chiefs def. (2) Bills

Championship game: (1) Ravens def. (5) Chiefs

NFC playoffs

Wild card: (2) Packers def. (7) Commanders; (6) Rams def. (3) 49ers; (5) Lions def. (4) Buccaneers

Divisional: (6) Rams def. (1) Eagles; (2) Packers def. (5) Lions

Championship game: (2) Packers def. (6) Rams

Super Bowl 60 (Santa Clara, California)

Ravens def. Packers