One of Patrick Mahomes’ top protectors is staying put for the long-term.

Guard Trey Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs agreed to a four-year, $94 million deal Tuesday to keep the Pro Bowl offensive lineman with the team for the foreseeable future, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Those reported figures make Smith the highest-paid guard in NFL history.

Smith, 26, finished out his rookie contract in the 2024 NFL season. He was set to hit free agency but the Chiefs initially put the franchise tag on him to keep him with the team at least for the 2025 season.

This deal means they can rest assured he’ll be there for many more years.

Kansas City drafted Smith in the sixth round, No. 226 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. A standout lineman at Tennessee, Smith fell in the NFL Draft due to medical concerns. Tennessee’s medical staff discovered blood clots in his lungs during his sophomore year and he sat out part of that season.

That concern ended up helping the Chiefs as he was available late in the 2021 draft but has missed just one game in his four years in the league. He and fellow 2021 draftee Creed Humphrey at center make for one of the best young center-guard combinations in the league.

Here’s what to know about Smith’s deal with the Chiefs.

Trey Smith contract details

Smith agreed to an four-year deal worth $94 million for an average annual value (AAV) of $23.5 million and includes $70 million guaranteed. This AAV makes him the highest-paid guard in the league, per OverTheCap.

Playing on the franchise tag in 2025 would’ve given him the highest AAV of any guard in the league but for the sake of long-term stability. For a few million less per year, he’ll have security going into the future.

He’ll be lining up next to the highest-paid center in the league by AAV in Humphrey. The Chiefs signed him last offseason to a four-year extension that put him at the top of the position league-wide.

While the Chiefs are spending on Smith and Humphrey, they’re relying on free agents and draft picks to fill out the rest of the offensive line. Former second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia is slated to start at guard opposite Smith. Josh Simmons, the team’s top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to start at left tackle with free agent acquisition Jaylon Moore as a backup option.

Smith is now secured long-term with Humphrey. That duo and incumbent starter Jawaan Taylor at right tackle to give the Chiefs some stability opposite the new starters on the left side in 2025.

The nation’s No. 1-ranked linebacker found his new home on Tuesday, July 15.

Five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson committed to Texas over Georgia, Oregon and Clemson, announcing the decision live on the Pat McAfee Show.

‘It’s just been a hard process, hard decision (to make) just to pick one school,’ Atkinson said live on the show. ‘I wish I could play for all four schools, but that’s not reality. … I’m just thankful for all of them.’

The 6-foot-2 linebacker attends Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, where he totaled 166 tackles in 15 games, helping lead his program to a Georgia AAAAAA championship in 2024.

Atkinson is the No. 9-rated player nationally and No. 1 linebacker, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He’s also the No. 1 player in Georgia.

The Longhorns, who had the No. 1-ranked recruiting class nationally last offseason, improved to the No. 8 team ranking with the addition of Atkinson to their 2026 cycle. He’s Texas’ third five-star commit of the class, joining quarterback Dia Bell and edge rusher Richard Wesley.

Atkinson took his final official visit of the summer to Texas on June 20, after also visiting Georgia (June 13), Oregon (June 6) and Clemson (May 30) in consecutive weeks.

Atkinson was the highest-rated uncommitted player of the 2026 class until he chose Texas, now handing off the honors to edge rusher Anthony Jones, the No. 16-ranked player nationally.

Rory McIlroy says he’s ready to compete for the Claret Jug on home turf this time. It might be just what he needed to fully emerge from his post-Masters funk.

The 2025 Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, McIlroy’s home country and the site of Irishman Shane Lowry’s 2019 British Open win and coronation as a national hero. McIlroy hasn’t been in quite the same form since he won the 2025 Masters and missed the cut six years ago. But McIlroy is optimistic returning to a place he once shot a course record 61 as a 16-year-old.

‘If I can’t get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home,’ he told reporters this week, ‘then I don’t know what can motivate me.’

McIlroy, however, is not the pre-tournament favorite at the British Open. The distinction belongs to Scottie Scheffler, with LIV Golf stars Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau rounding out the list of top contenders heading into the final major of the 2025 golf season. The field has a more international flair with exemptions allocated for the top golfers on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf.

It’s shaping up to be another dramatic week at Royal Portrush, with early morning tee times across the pond. How do all the favorites, contenders and potential sleeper picks stack up heading into the 153rd Open Championship? Here’s a look at where every golfer in the field ranks based on their odds to win the 2025 British Open, as well as how to watch the final major tournament this year.

The Open Championship 2025: Power rankings based on odds

BetMGM odds as of Tuesday, July 15 at 10:30 a.m. ET

Favorites

1. Scottie Scheffler: +500
2. Rory McIlroy: +700
3. Jon Rahm: +1200

Contenders

4. Bryson DeChambeau: +2200
T5. Ludvig Åberg: +2500
T5. Shane Lowry: +2500
T5. Tommy Fleetwood: +2500
T5. Tyrrell Hatton: +2500
T5. Xander Schauffele: +2500
10. Viktor Hovland: +2800
T11. Collin Morikawa: +3300
T11. Robert MacIntyre: +3300

Dark horses

13. Matt Fitzpatrick: +4000
14. Sepp Straka: +4500
T15. Justin Thomas: +5000
T15. Russell Henley: +5000
T17. Joaquin Niemann: +5500
T17. Justin Rose: +5500
T19. Jordan Spieth: +6000
T19. Patrick Cantlay: +6000
T21. Adam Scott: +6600
T21. Brooks Koepka: +6600
T21. Corey Conners: +6600
T21. Patrick Reed: +6600
T21. Sam Burns: +6600
T26. Hideki Matsuyama: +8000
T26. Ben Griffin: +8000
T26. Cameron Young: +8000
T26. Jason Day: +8000
T26. Ryan Fox: +8000
T31. Aaron Rai: +9000
T31. Chris Gotterup: +9000
T31. Harry Hall: +9000
T31. J.J. Spaun: +9000
T31. Keegan Bradley: +9000
T36. Cameron Smith: +10,000
T36. Harris English: +10,000
T36. Maverick McNealy: +10,000
T36. Min Woo Lee: +10,000
T36. Nicolai Hojgaard: +10,000
T36. Si Woo Kim: +10,000
T36. Taylor Pendrith: +10,000
T36. Wyndham Clark: +10,000
T44. Brian Harman: +12,500
T44. Daniel Berger: +12,500
T44. Marco Penge: +12,500
T44. Rickie Fowler: +12,500
T44. Tom Kim: +12,500
T44. Tom McKibbin: +12,500

Watch the 2025 Open Championship with Fubo

Never say never

T50. Andrew Novak: +15,000
T50. Carlos Ortiz: +15,000
T50. Nick Taylor: +15,000
T50. Rasmus Hojgaard: +15,000
T50. Sungjae Im: +15,000
T50. Thomas Detry: +15,000
T50. Thriston Lawrence: +15,000
T50. Tony Finau: +15,000
T58. Akshay Bhatia: +17,500
T58. Christiaan Bezuidenhout: +17,500
T58. Dean Burmester: +17,500
T58. Dustin Johnson: +17,500
T58. Jordan Smith: +17,500
T58. Kevin Yu: +17,500
T58. Louis Oosthuizen: +17,500
T58. Lucas Herbert: +17,500
T58. Matt Wallace: +17,500
T58. Max Greyserman: +17,500
T58. Michael Kim: +17,500
T58. Sergio Garcia: +17,500
T70. Aldrich Potgieter: +20,000
T70. Byeong Hun An: +20,000
T70. Davis Thompson: +20,000
T70. Matt Schmid: +20,000
T70. Thorbjorn Olesen: +20,000
T75. Bud Cauley: +22,500
T75. Chris Kirk: +22,500
T75. J.T. Poston: +22,500
T75. Niklas Norgaard: +22,500
T79. Daniel Brown: +25,000
T79. Jesper Svensson: +25,000
T79. Kristoffer Reitan: +25,000
T79. Laurie Canter: +25,000
T79. Lucas Glover: +25,000
T79. Marc Leishman: +25,000
T79. Matthew Jordan: +25,000
T79. Nico Echavarria: +25,000
T79. Sahith Theegala: +25,000
T88. Haotong Li: +30,000
T88. Lee Westwood: +30,000
T88. Mackenzie Hughes: +30,000
T88. Martin Couvra: +30,000
T88. Matt McCarty: +30,000
T88. Stephan Jaeger: +30,000
T88. Tom Hoge: +30,000
T95. Antoine Rozner: +35,000
T95. Brian Campbell: +35,000
T95. Jhonattan Vegas: +35,000
T95. Matteo Manassero: +35,000
T95. Matthieu Pavon: +35,000
T95. Padraig Harrington: +35,000
T101. Jason Kokrak: +40,000
T101. John Parry: +40,000
T101. Phil Mickelson: +40,000
T101. Romain Langasque: +40,000
T101. Davis Riley: +40,000

Longshots

T106. Adrien Saddier: +50,000
T106. Daniel Hillier: +50,000
T106. Francesco Molinari: +50,000
T106. Henrik Stenson: +50,000
T106. John Catlin: +50,000
T106. Nathan Kimsey: +50,000
T106. Oliver Lindell: +50,000
T106. Rikuya Hoshino: +50,000
T106. Sebastian Soderberg: +50,000
T106. Shaun Norris: +50,000
T106. Stewart Cink: +50,000
T106. Takumi Kanaya: +50,000
T106. Zach Johnson: +50,000
T119. Daniel van Tonder: +60,000
T119. Daniel Young: +60,000
T119. Elvis Smylie: +60,000
T119: Jacob Skov Olesen: +60,000
T119: Julien Guerrier: +60,000
T124. Guido Migliozzi: +75,000
T124. Justin Hastings (a): +75,000
T124. Justin Suh: +75,000
T124. Justin Walters: +75,000
T124. Sadom Kaewkanjana: +75,000
T124. Sampson Zheng: +75,000
T124. Yonghan Song: +75,000
T131. Angel Hidalgo: +100,000
T131. Bryan Newman: +100,000
T131. Cameron Adam: +100,000
T131. Connor Graham: +100,000
T131. Curtis Knipes: +100,000
T131. Curtis Luck: +100,000
T131. Darren Fichardt: +100,000
T131. Dylan Naidoo: +100,000
T131. Ethan Fang: +100,000
T131. Filip Jakubcik: +100,000
T131. Frazer Jones: +100,000
T131. George Bloor: +100,000
T131. Jesper Sandborg: +100,000
T131. John Axelsen: +100,000
T131. K.J. Choi: +100,000
T131. Mikiya Akutsa: +100,000
T131. OJ Farrell: +100,000
T131. Richard Teder: +100,000
T131. Riki Kawamoto: +10,000
T131. Ryan Peake: +100,000
T131. Ryggs Johnston: +100,000
T131. Sebastian Cave: +100,000
T131. Shugo Imahira: +100,000
T154. Darren Clarke: +150,000
T154. Justin Leonard: +150,000

Watch the 2025 British Open with Peacock

The Open Championship 2025: TV, streaming and where to watch

Live coverage of this year’s Open Championship will be provided by NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel and Peacock. Live streaming is also available via Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers.

All times Eastern

Thursday, July 17 – Friday, July 18

Rounds 1 and 2
1:30-4 a.m.: Stream on Peacock
4 a.m-3:30 p.m.: Watch on USA Network, NBC Sports app, Peacock, Fubo
3:30-6 p.m.: Golf Channel live from The Open

Saturday, July 19

Round 3
5-7 a.m.: Watch on USA Network, NBC Sports app and Fubo
7 a.m.-3 p.m.: Watch on NBC, Peacock and Fubo
3-5 p.m.: Golf Channel live from The Open

Sunday, July 20

2-5 4 p.m.: Golf Channel live from The Open

Round 4

4-7 a.m.: Watch on USA Network, NBC Sports app and Fubo

7 a.m.-2 p.m.: Watch on NBC, Peacock and Fubo

Is Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts a ‘supporting-cast merchant?’ Has he been carried to success by his ultra-talented offensive line and the super-group of explosive play-makers the team has surrounded him with?

Not in his head coach’s opinion.

‘I think that’s bulls—,’ Sirianni said of the narrative, according to reports. ‘I mean, he plays the most important position in all sports, and it’s the most ultimate team game there is. And what I admire about him is his selflessness of doing anything we need to do to win.

‘Anybody who plays quarterback is going to want to throw it 50 times a game. But he’ll do anything. If he has to throw 50 times a game, he’s ready to do that. If he has to hand it off 50 times a game, he’s ready to do that.’

As is often the case after a team wins the Super Bowl, the Eagles’ quarterback has been the subject of criticism from fans and analysts alike.

The gravitational pull of running back Saquon Barkley’s prowess moved Philadelphia’s offensive focus toward its run game and away from the pass in 2024. Hurts’ 361 pass attempts and 2,903 passing yards were both career-low marks since he took over as the Eagles’ full-time starter in 2021.

Regardless of how it happened, the Eagles won the Super Bowl earlier this year. Hurts won Super Bowl MVP after completing more than 77% of his pass attempts and scoring three touchdowns – two in the air and one on the ground.

‘Anytime I hear (criticism of Hurts), it’s cool, it’s like a nice debate thing that people like to have,’ Sirianni said. ‘And I get it, there’s a lot of hours that TV shows and radio stations have to fill to be able to fill that debate. I understand that, but we’re talking about the ultimate team game there is and he does whatever he needs to do to win each and every game.’

Sirianni went on to point out other quarterbacks, who are considered ‘great’ irrespective of the immense level of talent around them: Tom Brady with Rob Gronkowski and Steve Young with Jerry Rice being a couple of specific examples.

‘I just think sometimes that’s good debate, I guess. I wouldn’t even say it’s good debate, but it’s debate that people are able to have. But yeah, I guess, my first initial thing was it’s bulls—.’

The Tampa Bay Rays will host any 2025 MLB playoff games at their temporary home of George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged Tuesday, July 15.

Speaking to reporters in Atlanta on the afternoon of the All-Star Game, Manfred acknowledged concerns that have been raised about the stadium’s capacity of just over 11,000 being far smaller than any other potential playoff site. But he cut off speculation that the Rays could move to a larger park in another location for the postseason.

‘Our rule has always been that people play in their home stadiums during the World Series. And I’m not of a mind to change that rule,’ Manfred told the Tampa Bay Times. ‘I understand it’s a unique situation. It’s different, but that’s where they’re playing. That’s where they’re going to play their games.’

According to a report last month in The Athletic, there would be few issues with the Rays hosting a wild card or divisional playoff game at Steinbrenner Field.

However, if the team reached the AL championship series or the World Series, the scarcity of seats would create a number of problems for MLB.

The league office holds thousands of tickets for the LCS and World Series in reserve for a variety of participants and stakeholders. The reduced gate receipts would cut significantly into the players’ share of the postseason revenue. And the networks broadcasting the games wouldn’t have the usual amount of space and access needed to provide expanded coverage.

With a record of 50-47 at the All-Star break, the Rays are in fourth place in the AL East division, 5 ½ games behind the Toronto Blue Jays. They are fourth in the AL wild-card race, 1 ½ games behind the Seattle Mariners for the AL’s third and final wild-card berth.

Manfred said construction is on track to have Tropicana Field ready for the Rays’ 2026 season opener. He added that contingencies are in place, however, if the stadium is not ready by opening day.

Major League Soccer Golden Boot co-leader Sam Surridge, and former league MVPs Hany Mukhtar and Carles Gil are among six players added to the 2025 MLS All-Star roster, the league announced Tuesday, July 15. 

Surridge has been a frontrunner in the MLS Golden Boot race this season with 16 goals – a mark recently tied by Inter Miami All-Star Lionel Messi in the last month – but was a notable snub when the All-Star roster was first announced on June 25. Surridge will make his first All-Star appearance. 

The 2025 MLS All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), with the MLS All-Stars facing off against standouts from Mexico’s LIGA MX at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The additions were made by MLS All-Star head coach Nico Estévez of Austin FC. 

Surridge and Mukhtar, the 2022 MLS MVP making his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance, have been instrumental in helping Nashville SC to second place in the Eastern Conference behind the Philadelphia Union. 

Mukhtar is one of four players in MLS with 10 goals and eight assists this season. He joins the other three already named 2025 All-Stars in Cincinnati’s Evander (13 goals, eight assists) and San Diego’s Anders Dreyer (11 goals, 15 assists) and Orlando City’s Martín Ojeda (10 goals, nine assists). Mukhtar leads all players with 76 goals and 132 goal contributions since joining MLS in 2020. 

Gil, a midfielder for the New England Revolution and  the MLS MVP in 2021, earns his third All-Star nod leading the club with 15 goal contributions (eight goals, seven assists) in 21 matches this season. 

San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Cristian Espinoza earns his second MLS All-Star Game appearance. He has 11 assists and four goals in 20 matches, and has recorded at least 11 assists in each of the last four seasons.

Orlando City SC forwardMarco Pašalić, an All-Star for the first time, has 10 goals and four assists in 22 matches during his first season with the club. 

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Obed Vargas, who became the third-youngest player in MLS history to appear in a match at 16 in 2022, is also a first-time All-Star. The 19-year-old midfielder has a goal and three assists in 18 starts during the regular season, and is considered one of the league’s most promising young players.

Messi, 38, is the oldest player on the 2025 MLS All-Star roster followed by his Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba, 36. It’s unclear whether the Argentine World Cup champion and 2024 MLS MVP will participate in the showcase. He did not last year. 

Seven players from the U.S. men’s national team were among MLS All-Stars initially announced: Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte), Max Arfsten (Columbus), Alex Freeman (Orlando), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Sebastian Berhalter and Brian White (Vancouver). 

Austin FC forward Brandon Vazquez won’t participate after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his right knee during the US Open Cup quarterfinal match against San Jose Earthquakes on July 8. 

2025 MLS All-Star roster by position and selection mechanism

GOALKEEPERS (3)

Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC / Voted In)
Brad Stuver (Austin FC / Coach’s Selection)
Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Coach’s Selection)

DEFENDERS (8)

Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Voted In)
Michael Boxall (Minnesota United FC / Voted In)
Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC / Voted In)
Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union / Coach’s Selection)
Andy Najar (Nashville SC / Coach’s Selection)
Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati / Coach’s Selection)

MIDFIELDERS (10)

Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Voted In)
David Da Costa (Portland Timbers / Coach’s Selection)
Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes / Coach’s Addition)
Evander (FC Cincinnati / Voted In)
Carles Gil (New England Revolution / Coach’s Addition)
Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake / Voted In)
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC / Coach’s Addition) 
Jeppe Tverskov (San Diego FC / Coach’s Selection)
Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders / Coach’s Addition) 
Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire FC / Coach’s Selection)

FORWARDS / WINGERS (11)

Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC / Commissioner’s Pick)
Tai Baribo (Philadelphia Union / Voted In)
Denis Bouanga (LAFC / Voted In)
Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC / Coach’s Selection)
Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano (San Diego FC / Commissioner’s Pick)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
Marco Pašalić (Orlando City SC / Coach’s Addition)
Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
Sam Surridge (Nashville SC / Coach’s Addition) 
Brandon Vazquez (Austin FC / Coach’s Selection /Injured)
Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Voted In)

The WNBA’s Portland expansion team is reigniting the flames of history ahead of its 2026 debut.

On Tuesday, the league’s 15th franchise announced the team is reviving a familiar name: the Portland Fire.

The organization, owned by RAJ Sports since 2024, is reimagining the name from the WNBA’s original Fire franchise that launched in 2000 before folding after three seasons. ‘Portland is the city where our fire never died, and the passion to compete still burns,’ a video developed for the announcement said.

The revelation confirms a June 2025 report of multiple filed trademark applications related to the team’s nickname.

A new logo and a striking red, blue, brown and pink color palette was also shared, leaning into a modern reimagining of the team’s nickname in the Rose City. The reemergence of the city’s WNBA team also comes with plans for a first-of-its-kind dual-sport women’s performance center to be shared with the NSWL’s Portland Thorns, also owned by RAJ Sports.

‘There’s a vision that is tied to a goal to make Portland the global epicenter of women’s sports,’ interim president Clare Hamill told USA TODAY. ‘So that’s a big vision, and these two teams, the Thorns and the Portland Fire, fit squarely into that. There’s a vision about having an impact and connecting deeply to Portland and the culture of Portland and the fans with this team, and being a part of [the city] again.’

The excitement around the Fire is already heating up. Portland has surpassed 10,000 season ticket deposits and is reportedly on track to surpass a previous WNBA season ticket record set by the Golden State Valkyries earlier this year. The Valkyries have seemingly become the unofficial standard for expansion franchises in the W.

‘They’ve crushed it,’ Hamill said. ‘I mean, they have done a fantastic job. They’ve done it because they’ve focused on the fans and the fan experience and the audiences that they serve.’

Still, the former Nike executive says despite the desire to excel immediately, there also remains a need to be patient to avoid the pitfalls of the past. In Portland’s eyes, it starts with fans and giving them front row access to the team and opportunities to be involved.

‘The biggest lesson is how involved the fans were and how big a fan base [Portland] had. I mean, even for 2001 and 2002, just attendance at the games. I even talked to one of the former players, and all she could talk about was just the fans when she played here. And so I think if we can fill that gap now and say, ‘Welcome back to the Portland Fire and take a look at this new modern future’ … that’s a lesson.’

Portland joins a wave of WNBA franchises expected by 2030. Next season, the Toronto Tempo will make their WNBA debut before Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia begin play in the years that follow. “The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher,’ commissioner Cathy Engelbert recently said.

“This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball. We are excited for what these cities will bring to the league – and are confident that these new teams will reshape the landscape of women’s basketball.”