Before Jerry Jones watched the Dallas Cowboys on the field taking on the Green Bay Packers, he addressed the elephant in AT&T Stadium.

The Dallas Cowboys owner has been taking slings and arrows for his decision to trade Micah Parsons ahead of the 2025 NFL season. He spent some of his time on Sunday continuing to defend his position.

‘One player for five or six players,’ Jones said regarding his logic to make the trade. ‘Now you’ll say, ‘You gotta get those players.’ Well, we were able to bring one of them with us when we made the trade.’

Jones added that Parsons is an ‘outstanding’ and ‘rare’ talent, but he didn’t factor into the Super Bowl chances this year.

‘I believe our best chance for a Super Bowl – with Dak Prescott and the makeup of our supporting case – I believe our best chance is in the numbers,’ Jones said. ‘I’ve always been right, or had the best chance of being right, when the numbers are right.’

The ‘numbers’ that Jones is referring to in this case seem to be players. Jones likened the Parsons trade to the famous Herschel Walker trade, the backbone deal of what helped build the ’90s Cowboys dynasty, saying that the swap allowed them to maneuver the roster the way they had liked.

Jones received Kenny Clark in the deal, as well as two future first-round draft picks, which gives the Cowboys some level of flexibility; they can be made to select players or used to move up and down the draft board or swapped for other players in the future. The Walker deal saw a return of myriad of draft picks that helped shape the roster.

The Cowboys owner was effusive in his praise of Parsons, but added that the split came when the pash rushing superstar got ‘caught up in the numbers’ with him. He did admit that he was hurt to see his former star in a Packers uniform.

Still, Jones is confident that the trade may work out for Dallas in the future.

‘It might not be that Christmas that the bicycle got under that tree, but thinking ahead, you could have a motorcycle under that thing,’ he said.

Ahead of his return to Dallas, Parsons notched 15 pressures and 1.5 sacks for the Packers. Only time will tell who ultimately gets the better end of the deal.

The Baltimore Ravens had their wings clipped on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Baltimore suffered a 37-20 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday in a relatively non-competitive matchup that saw quarterback Lamar Jackson injured midway through the third quarter.

Kansas City had their way with their AFC rivals in the matchup. Patrick Mahomes tallied four touchdowns in the throttling, with a late touchdown by Ravens running back Justice Hill maybe icing the bruise a bit, with the score not indicating the type of game it was.

Perhaps the most telling was what CBS analyst Tony Romo said at the end of the fourth quarter, his voice filled with foreboding:

‘There’s cause for concern,’ Romo said about the Ravens.

But was this game more about the Chiefs accomplished, or what the Ravens didn’t? Here’s what USA TODAY Sports NFL experts felt about the game:

Ravens vs. Chiefs instant reactions

The Ravens are in trouble

The Ravens are sitting at 1-3 and were in a bad way even before Lamar Jackson’s hamstring injury. Yes, the Chiefs are the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes – but the Ravens simply did not look crisp, prepared, or like an any way AFC championship contenders in their Week 4 loss. It’s probably not too early to sound the alarm bells, either: They were stunned in Week 1 vs. the Buffalo Bills and got punched in the mouth by the Detroit Lions in Week 3, both teams who have Super Bowl aspirations. – Joe Rivera

The X(avier) factor

Xavier Worthy is back like he never left. After missing Week 2 and 3 with a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 1, Worthy led the Chiefs in targets (8) and yards (83) on Sunday against the Ravens in addition to tying for the team lead in catches (5). His return to the field seemed to open up the Chiefs’ verticality on offense once again and helped lead the Chiefs to a second straight win. – Jack McKessy

Baltimore’s black and blues piling up

The Ravens are legitimately in trouble because of the injuries they have suffered. Their defensive line was already struggling to generate consistent push without Nnamdi Madubuike. Now, they are dealing with key injuries at every level of the defense, as star linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey all left Sunday’s game and did not return. Add in Jackson’s hamstring injury and the Ravens are simply too banged up to be competitive as presently constructed. Their Week 7 bye can’t get here soon enough. – Jacob Camenker

Return of the Chiefs?

The defending AFC champs are alive and well. Kansas City’s red-zone struggles disappeared against the Ravens defense. Baltimore is extremely banged up on that side of the ball but the Chiefs did what any contender would do and took advantage. Xavier Worthy provided a massive boost to the offense, and Rashee Rice’s return approaching next month, the rest of the AFC should be worried…again. – Tom Viera

Lamar Jackson has exited the Baltimore Ravens’ Week 4 game against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a hamstring injury.

Jackson’s last play occurred at the 8:10 mark of the third quarter, when he was sacked for a 2-yard loss. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush took the field with 56 seconds left in the third quarter and the Ravens trailing 30-13.

Jackson had completed 14 of 20 passes for 147 yards, one touchdown and one interception at the time of his departure. He also ran for 48 yards on six carries.

Lamar Jackson injury update

Ravens coach John Harbaugh did not provide a concrete update on Jackson following the Ravens’ 37-20 loss to the Chiefs. He simply addressed his quarterback’s hamstring injury in a bulk update about Baltimore’s injuries from Sunday’s game.

‘I don’t have any updates on the seriousness of the injuries right now,’ Harbaugh told reporters. ‘There’s nothing that looks like its season-ending by any stretch for any of those guys, but we’ll have to look at those injuries tomorrow and see where we’re at.’

The Ravens announced Jackson was ‘questionable’ to return because of a hamstring injury. Baltimore did not officially rule Jackson out for the remainder of the game, but he did not return to action.

Jackson was seen standing on the sidelines after exiting the game.

CBS reported that Jackson was tended to by training staff and had a wrap around one of his legs. He was not seen with trainers when CBS returned from their commercial break.

What happened to Lamar Jackson?

Jackson suffered a hamstring injury against the Chiefs. It wasn’t immediately clear when the Ravens quarterback suffered the injury, but he exited the game after being sacked midway through the third quarter and was replaced on the ensuing drive by Rush.

Who is the Ravens backup quarterback?

Cooper Rush is the Ravens’ backup quarterback. The 31-year-old veteran is in his first year with the Ravens after spending most of his career as the Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback.

Rush entered the 2025 NFL season with a 9-5 career record in 14 starts. He has completed 60.7% of his career passes for 3,463 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Ravens QB depth chart

The Ravens currently have two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and three within their organization. Below is a look at their quarterback room:

Lamar Jackson
Cooper Rush
Tyler Huntley (practice squad)

Huntley signed to the Ravens’ practice squad after spending the 2025 preseason with the Cleveland Browns. The 27-year-old initially signed in Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2020 but has bounced around the league in recent seasons.

Huntley has completed 64.6% of his career passes for 2,786 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has a career record of 5-9 as a starter and went 2-3 across five starts for the Miami Dolphins last season.

(This story will be updated as more information becomes available.)

Call it a massive comeback. Call it a massive collapse. Call it whatever you want.

But, for the second consecutive season, call the Cleveland Guardians champions of the American League Central.

The Guardians, who found themselves eight games under .500 and 15½ games behind the Detroit Tigers on July 6, officially clinched the division Sunday by virtue of the Detroit Tigers’ 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox, before walking-off the Texas Rangers in the 10th inning of their season finale for good measure.

Cleveland’s reign continues despite it trading away fan favorites such as Josh Naylor and Andres Gimenez during the offseason and Shane Bieber at the trade deadline, while losing starter Luis Ortiz and All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase in the middle of the summer due to a gambling investigation.

The Tigers held a 14-game lead in the division on July 8 but went 28-41 since. The Guardians, meanwhile, went an astonishing 48-26 after losing to Detroit on July 6. That included winning 18 of 22 games from Sept. 5 and taking five of six from the Tigers since Sept. 16, when the Guardians still found themselves 5½ games out of first.

The Tigers held on to secure the AL’s final wild card berth.

It’s no surprise that at the center of the Guardians’ success has been Jose Ramirez. The do-everything star third baseman has turned in a second consecutive season of 30-plus homers and 40-plus steals, while slashing .283/.360/.503 with an .863 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

The surprise, though, comes in the starting rotation, which is what allowed the Guardians to claw back into the race and, ultimately, earn their third division title in the past four years. Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Slade Cecconi (acquired from Arizona for Josh Naylor), Logan Allen and rookie Parker Messick are hardly household names outside of Northeast Ohio, but the starters have prospered since manager Stephen Vogt turned to a six-man rotation on Sept. 5.

From that point through Sept. 24, the six allowed two runs or fewer in 19 consecutive games, the longest streak since the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019. The 1917 Chicago White Sox hold the record with 20 consecutive starts with two or fewer runs allowed.

The Guardians will be the AL’s No. 3 seed, which would pit them against the No. 6 seed: the Tigers.

Alonso has spent all seven seasons of his major league career with the Mets, but he will become a free agent if he decides to opt out of his deal.

The slugger didn’t need time to think about the decision.

He was asked by reporters during postgame media availability if he planned to opt out of his contract, to which he simply replied, ‘yes.’

Alonso, 30, signed a two-year deal worth $54 million with the Mets on Feb. 5, 2025. The second year of that contract is a player option worth $24 million.

The Mets, who once held the best record in baseball, struggled throughout the last few months of the season and missed the playoffs.

Alonso expresses gratitude toward Mets

Before sharing his willingness to opt out of his contract, he was asked about his thoughts regarding the future with the Mets.

‘Playing for this organization, this city – they’ve continued to believe in me,’ Alonso told reporters. ‘I love playing here. There are some great guys in this clubhouse, some great people on the staff. Every single day, it’s been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue.

‘I’ve really appreciated it and have been nothing but full of gratitude every single day. Nothing is guaranteed, but we’ll see what happens – I’ve loved being a Met. Hopefully, they’ve appreciated me the same.’

MetLife Stadium’s long and sordid history with significant player injuries added another unfortunate chapter on Sunday.

In his team’s 21-18 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered what initial reports indicate is believed to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which would sideline him for the remainder of the season.

MetLife Stadium’s turf has been the subject of widespread ridicule for years amid several notable injuries to marquee players, with San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan speaking out about it in 2020 after defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas each suffered a torn ACL in the same game at the venue.

In 2023, however, a multi-layered, dual-polymer monofilament fiber called the FieldTurf CORE system was installed to provide better stability.

‘Installation of the new FieldTurf CORE system reinforces the commitment we have to providing the best playing surface for our teams,’ president and CEO of MetLife Stadium Ron VanDeVeen said in a 2023 statement. ‘The research that FieldTurf has put into the heavyweight infill design for this new field system will equip MetLife Stadium with one of the premier surfaces in the league.’

But even since then, the stadium has seen a number of big names go down with injuries that sidelined them for some time. Here are some of the more notable cases in recent years:

New York Giants WR Malik Nabers: Potentially torn ACL, 2025
Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips: Torn Achilles, 2023
New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers: Torn Achilles, 2023
Baltimore Ravens CB Kyle Fuller: Torn ACL, 2022
Giants WR Sterling Shepard: Torn ACL, 2022
Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson: Torn ACL, 2022
San Francisco 49ers DE Nick Bosa: Torn ACL, 2020
49ers DL Solomon Thomas: Torn ACL, 2020

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. —  Nobody can ever say the United States 2025 Ryder Cup team rolled over. On the final day of competition, the Americans won six of the 11 singles matches and tied three others. 

It just wasn’t enough. 

Because of the significant hole in which they entered the final day of competition, the USA lost to Europe, with the Europeans becoming the first team to win the tournament on foreign soil since they did so in 2012. 

Only Ludvig Åberg recorded a full victory for the Europeans, who avoided a potential all-time chokejob by doing enough in the first four sessions of the tournament and entered the final day with a 11.5-4.5 lead.

The tournament came down to the 18th hole in a match between the USA’s Russell Henley and Shane Lowry. Henley hit his tee shot into the bunker but pulled off a ridiculous approach to set up a birdie putt. Lowry somehow stuck it inside him on the exact same line. Henley went first and missed, and Lowry sunk it to halve the match and give Europe a total of 14 points, good enough to ‘retain’ the cup in the event the Ryder Cup ends in a 14-14 tie.  

Tyrrell Hatton and Collin Morikawa, and Sam Burns and Robert MacIntrye also halved their matches to solidify Europe’s 15-13 win.

Bryson DeChambeau found himself down five holes through the first seven against Matt Fitzpatrick but dug deep to tie the match on the 17th hole and secure half a point for the U.S.

The day started with half a point for each team when Europe’s Viktor Hovland withdrew with a neck injury he aggravated during play Saturday. That resulted in his match against Harris English, the American ‘envelope player,’ being essentially nullified with .5 for each side.

USA TODAY Sports had complete coverage from the final day of the 2025 Ryder Cup:

Ryder Cup 2025 standings, points

Match 1: Cameron Young 1 Up vs. Justin Rose (finished)
Match 2: Justin Thomas 1 Up vs. Tommy Fleetwood (finished)
Match 3: Matt Fitzpatrick tied vs. Bryson DeChambeau (finished)
Match 4: Scottie Scheffler 1 Up vs. Rory McIlroy (finished)
Match 5: Ludvig Aberg 2 & 1 vs. Patrick Cantlay (finished)
Match 6: Xander Schauffele 4 & 3 vs. Jon Rahm (finished)
Match 7: J.J. Spaun 2 & 1 vs. Sepp Straka (finished)
Match 8: Russell Henley tied vs. Shane Lowry (finished)
Match 9: Ben Griffin 1 Up vs. Rasmus Hojgaard (finished)
Match 10: Collin Morikawa tied vs. Tyrell Hatton (finished)
Match 11: Sam Burns tied vs. Robert MacIntyre (finished)

FINAL: Europe 15, U.S. 13

Coming into the day, no one expected the United States to make this tournament competitive. The United States gave it their best effort though with five wins in the singles matches on Sunday, compared to Europe’s one (Ludvig Aberg over Patrick Cantlay). Still, despite such a heroic effort, their deficit over the first two days was too much to overcome and Europe was able to win their sixth Ryder Cup in the last eight tournaments and ninth of the last 12.

The two-point margin of victory is the closest margin since Europe won back-to-back tournaments by a tally of 14.5-13.5 in 2012 and 2010.

Hatton par secures outright win for Europe

Although Europe was already going to retain the Ryder Cup with a tie against the U.S., Tyrell Hatton’s par on 18 was enough to tie Collin Morikawa and push Europe’s point total to 14.5 for the weekend.

With only 28 points total being up for grabs, the U.S. no longer had an opportunity to tie the tournament.

Europe has now won six of the last eight Ryder Cup tournaments.

Shane Lowry secures Europe tie with putt on 18

The United States needed to win each of the final four matches outright to win the 2025 Ryder Cup. After a terrific shot out of the bunker by Russell Henley, it looked like the U.S. would have that chance. But Shane Lowry followed that up with a terrific shot that ended up between the hole and Henley’s ball.

Henley would leave his putt just short, opening the door for Lowry to tie the round if he could sink a medium-length putt. He did, and the excitement was palpable.

J.J. Spaun defeats Sepp Straka

With the U.S. on their heels, J.J. Spaun came up big, defeating Sepp Straka by two holes to win a full point. The United States needs to win every match outright, and Spaun’s win may have sparked something in the rest of his teammates, as Ben Griffin has also taken a lead over Rasmus Hojgaard with three holes to play.

Justin Thomas completes comeback against Tommy Fleetwood

Team USA is not going away! Tommy Fleetwood was up 2-Up after seven holes, but Justin Thomas rallied and his birdie on No. 18 clinched the win. Thomas tossed his putter aside and let his emotions show.

Cameron Young finishes off Justin Rose

After Justin Rose evened their match, Cameron Young drained a birdie putt on No. 18 to clinch the win. And the American crowd roared.

Rose continues to battle

After an impressive shot on the 13th hole that seemed to give Rose the much-needed spark, he cuts Cameron Young’s lead down to one after winning the 13 and 14 hole. Young is 1 up through the 15th hole.

Scheffler and Rory go back and forth

Scottie Scheffler’s lead didn’t last long after Rory McIlroy, despite the heckles, nailed an impressive uphill birdie putt to even the score with Scheffler. Scheffler and McIlroy are tied through 11 holes.

Thomas storms back

Justin Thomas is on fire after winning his third consecutive hole, making a birdie on No. 12 to take a 1-up lead over Tommy Fleetwood.

Morikawa birdies at No. 5 to win the hole

Collin Morikawa celebrated after making a birdie on the No. 5 hole, putting him 1 up against Tyrell Hatton.

Scheffler putting woes continue

Scottie Scheffler cannot seem to figure out the putting on Bethpage Black. Scheffler and World No. 2 Rory McIlroy are tied after nine holes.

DeChambeau chips away at Fitzpatrick lead

Bryson DeChambeau makes a birdie on the No. 8 hole, prompting the crowd to erupt in cheers, while Fitzpatrick misses the putt that would have cut his lead to 3 up.

Fitzpatrick up by 4

Matt Fitzpatrick is displaying a stellar performance as his American opponent continues to struggle and misses another putt on the No. 6 hole to go 4 up.

Justin Thomas must-see shot

Justin Thomas makes a 79-yard eagle on the No. 6 hole to cut Tommy Fleetwood’s lead down to one.

Scheffler cuts the lead

Scottie Scheffler nails the par putt on the No. 4 hole to cut Rory McIlroy’s lead after McIlroy misses a 10-footer.

DeChambeau can’t find his rhythm

Bryson DeChambeau falls further behind after his birdie attempt rolls past the hole and then he misses his par putt on the No. 3 hole. Matt Fitzpatrick is now 2 up against the American.

Schefflers struggles continue

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s rough weekend continues as he lands in a tough grassy area on the second hole and struggles to get out of it, with his next shot hitting the lip of the cup but doesn’t go in. Rory McIlroy capitalizes on Scheffler’s struggles and sinks a 20-foot birdie with ease to take the lead.

Fitzpatrick leads DeChambeau

Matt Fitzpatrick starts off with a tough tee shot but recovers himself while DeChambeau’s failed chip gives Fitzpatrick the lead after the first hole.

Young leads Rose early

Cameron Young takes the early lead over Justin Rose in the first singles match of the day after Young nails the putt on the first green.

How to watch Ryder Cup 2025: TV channel, streaming Sunday

All times Eastern

Sunday, Sept. 28

Noon-6 p.m.: Ryder Cup, Day 3 singles (NBC/Peacock/NBC Sports app)
6-9 p.m.: Live From the Ryder Cup (Golf Channel/NBC Sports app)

Watch the 2025 Ryder Cup with Fubo

2025 Ryder Cup matchups, tee times

All times Eastern, Team USA on left side

Sunday Singles:

12:02 p.m.: Cameron Young vs. Justin Rose
12:13 p.m.: Justin Thomas vs. Tommy Fleetwood
12:24 p.m.: Bryson DeChambeau vs. Matt Fitzpatrick
12:35 p.m.: Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy
12:46 p.m.: Patrick Cantlay vs. Ludvig Aberg
12:57 p.m.: Xander Schauffele vs. Jon Rahm
1:08 p.m.: J.J. Spaun vs. Sepp Straka
1:19 p.m.: Russell Henley vs. Shane Lowry
1:30 p.m.: Ben Griffin vs. Rasmus Hojgaard
1:41 p.m.: Collin Morikawa vs. Tyrrell Hatton
1:52 p.m.: Sam Burns vs. Robert MacIntyre

Viktor Hovland forced to withdraw from singles

Team Europe’s Viktor Hovland will not participate in Sunday’s Ryder Cup singles matches due to a neck injury that forced him to withdraw. Hovland also had to sit out the four-ball session on Saturday to undergo an MRI. His teammate, Tyrrell Hatton, stepped in and teamed up with Matt Fitzpatrick, resulting in a victory for their match.

As a consequence of Hovland’s withdrawal from the singles match against Harris English on Sunday, each team will receive half a point. The current leaderboard shows Europe with 12 points and the USA with 5 points.

Ryder Cup MC steps down after leading chants against McIlroy

In a surprising turn of events, the PGA of America reported that a Ryder Cup master of ceremonies stepped down after leading an inappropriate chant toward Rory McIlroy on Saturday.

On Sunday, the PGA released a statement announcing that comedian and actress Heather McMahan will not return to emcee the first tee on the final day at Bethpage Black. This decision follows her involvement in directing the crowd to participate in an expletive chant directed at McIlroy.

The atmosphere at the Ryder Cup has been rowdy, with the crowd doing everything they can to distract the European team, which is heading into the final day of competition with a significant lead. Team Europe is leading 11.5 to Team USA’s 4.5 as the singles matches are set to tee off in a few hours.

2025 Ryder Cup odds

Ryder Cup odds according to BetMGM, entering play Sunday

Moneyline: USA (+4000); Europe (-10000); Tie (+3300)

Ryder Cup weather forecast: Latest updates for Sunday

Weather forecasts are according to the Weather Channel:

Sunday, Sept. 28: Partly cloudy. Low: 63F; High: 81F

How to stream the Ryder Cup for free

The 2025 Ryder Cup will be broadcast across various networks under the NBCUniversal umbrella. NBC and USA Network will have coverage throughout the competition. Streaming is available across the NBC Sports app, Peacock, and Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Ryder Cup location: What to know about Bethpage Black

The 2025 Ryder Cup will bring teams representing the United States and Europe to the famed Black Course at Bethpage State Park.

Bethpage Black is located in Farmingdale, New York, roughly an hour east of Manhattan. The Long Island golf course has hosted some big events in recent years, including the 2002 and 2009 editions of the U.S. Open as well as the 2019 PGA Championship. The par-71 course is considered a major test even for the best professional golfers, while its location near New York City makes for easy access for a big, noisy crowd.

The venue was chosen all the way back in 2013, though Bethpage Black was originally set to host the 2024 Ryder Cup. However, a delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic pushed the tournament – which is played every other year at venues alternating between the U.S. and Europe – back a year, bringing one of golf’s biggest events to the notoriously challenging course in 2025. — Jason Anderson

Ryder Cup past winners, champions

Most recent Ryder Cup winners. For a full list, click here.

2023: Europe
2021: United States
2018: Europe
2016: United States
2014: Europe
2012: Europe
2010: Europe
2008: United States
2006: Europe
2004: Europe
2002: Europe
1999: United States

Ryder Cup format: How many points to win event?

The Ryder Cup is scored via match play. Essentially, it doesn’t matter how many strokes you take on an individual hole. All that matters is that you take fewer strokes than your opponent.

When each round is done, whichever player won more holes, wins a point for their team. If both competitors are tied, each earns half a point for their team.

In total, there are 28 points up for grabs, meaning the first team to 14.5 points wins the tournament. Theoretically, the tournament could end in a 14-14 tie, but that has happened only twice in history (1969, 1989). If it happens this year, the previous winner will retain the trophy, which would be Europe in this instance. — Jon Hoefling

Is Tiger Woods playing at the Ryder Cup?

One notable player absent from the U.S. Ryder Cup team this year is the legendary Tiger Woods. The 15-time major champion was neither selected as one of the 12 golfers nor appointed as the team captain, primarily because he is prioritizing his health and other obligations.

Although Woods was considered for the captaincy, he declined the opportunity, opting instead to take on additional responsibilities as a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board and the PGA Tour Enterprises Board of Directors. However, he made it clear that this does not rule out the possibility of serving as team captain in the future. — Elizabeth Flores

Ryder Cup purse, pay

For nearly a century, golfers were not directly compensated for their participation in the Ryder Cup. 

In addition to the charitable donations ($300,000) the PGA of America gave on behalf of the 12 American players and the captain since 1999, the organization voted in November 2024 to also fund a $200,000 stipend for the U.S. squad. 

Europe captain Luke Donald noted in an interview with SkySports on Monday, Sept. 22 that European players would never accept the idea of being paid to play in a tournament as prestigious as the Ryder Cup. 

‘Every one of them was like, ‘This isn’t a week to get paid,” Donald told SkySports. ‘We have such a strong purpose in this team and what we play for.’

USA TODAY Sports’ Chris Bumbaca has more on the pay and charity behind the 2025 Ryder Cup.

Ryder Cup wives, girlfriends and families

The Ryder Cup isn’t just a showcase for the best golfers from the United States and Europe. The lead-up to the sport’s most prestigious international team event also puts a spotlight on their wives and girlfriends.

Yes, the WAGs of professional golf are part of the 45th edition of the Ryder Cup and they were out in full force on Tuesday, Sept. 23, for the traditional Ryder Cup welcome dinner before the first tee shots of 2025 were hit Friday morning. This year’s gala feast was held at Hempstead House, a 50,000 square foot, Tudor-style mansion in New York near Bethpage Black Golf Course, and the annual photos featuring the Ryder Cup golfers and their significant others have once again turned into popular talking points.

USA TODAY Sports’ Mark Giannotto has a list for the wives and girlfriends of every Ryder Cup golfer.

Will Bethpage Black go ‘beast’ mode at Ryder Cup?

Not many golf courses come with warning signs. This one does. 

“WARNING,” the red-lettered notice reads as players walk to the first tee.“The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers.”

At the 2025 Ryder Cup, the Bethpage Black Course won’t live up to that brutal reputation, which has flummoxed golfers at all proficiency levels, from 30-handicaps to professionals. Brooks Koepka won the last major here, the 2019 PGA Championship, by shooting four-over par over the four days of play. Tiger Woods won the first major at Bethpage, the 2002 U.S. Open, at -3, three shots ahead of second-place finisher Phil Mickelson. 

USA TODAY’s Chris Bumbaca has more on the iconic course.

Ranking Ryder Cup winners, champions

Both the United States and Europe have produced memorable teams in the Ryder Cup’s modern era. Ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup, it seemed prudent to rank the best ones to help put into context what could be at stake when the best golfers in the world match up for golf’s most prestigious team event.

Here’s where all the recent Ryder Cup winners stack up (and yes, as part of our patriotic duty to highlight the most-discussed American Ryder Cup comeback ever, this exercise involves ranking the best Ryder Cup teams since 2000 ‒ or so).

USA TODAY Sports’ Mark Giannotto has a ranking of the 12 best most recent Ryder Cup winners.

If the New York Yankees are to defend their American League pennant, they’ll have to take the long road to get there. The Toronto Blue Jays made sure of that.

The Blue Jays won their first AL East championship in a decade, getting a pair of home runs – including a grand slam – from catcher Alejandro Kirk and defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 13-4 to lock down the top seed in the AL playoffs.

Toronto and New York both entered Game 162 tied, but the Blue Jays held the tiebreaker and needed either a win or a Yankees loss to Baltimore to win the division. The Yankees did their part, defeating the Orioles 3-2 to put the onus on the Blue Jays and finish 94-68.

MLB PLAYOFFS: See the full bracket and final baseball standings

Thanks to a four-homer barrage, the Blue Jays were up to the task and earned five days off before awaiting their assignment in the AL Division Series, beginning Oct. 4.

Their opponent very well could be the Yankees, who will have to contend with the Boston Red Sox in the best-of-three wild card series, beginning Sept. 30.

That was the all-or-nothing dynamic both teams brought into the final day of the regular season. The Yankees will have to burn lefty aces Max Fried and Carlos Rodón to get past the Red Sox, along with another top arm should the series go to three games.

And Fried will be locked in a Game 1 battle against Boston lefty Garrett Crochet, the likely Cy Young Award runner-up.

The Blue Jays? They have the option of bringing back Kevin Gausman – who started Game 162 – or newly acquired Shane Bieber in Game 1 of the ALDS.

Ah, the spoils of a division winner.

They will enjoy that position thanks to Kirk, whose first-inning grand slam broke a 1-1 tie. After the Rays battled back within 6-4, Kirk crushed a two-run homer for an 8-4 advantage. Addison Barger and George Springer’s two-run homers piled on further.

Meanwhile, the Yankees were embroiled in a standoff with the Orioles and ultimately powerless to control their fate. That’ll change Sept. 30 – just in a rivalry series they’d just as soon have no part of. 

The second-year receiver celebrated his big play – during which he made a contested catch and managed to outrun a couple of Los Angeles Rams to get to the end-zone – by holding the ball out in front of him as he approached the goal-line.

However, Mitchell’s move dislodged the ball from his grasp. It fell to the turf and skittered out of the back of the end-zone as the 22-year-old desperately chased after it and attempted to recover it.

Ultimately, Mitchell could not wrangle the ball while in bounds. The fumble out of the end zone resulted in a turnover and a touchback, setting the Rams up on their own 20-yard line.

Below is a look at the play, courtesy of the NFL’s social media accounts.

Mitchell had just one catch for nine yards before his game-changing play. The Colts were trailing 13-10 at the time of his fumble, so his critical drop prevented Indianapolis from taking the lead.

The Colts will look to overcome that mistake as they look to remain undefeated through the first four weeks of the 2025 NFL season.

Chase Elliott went for broke on the final restart of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, sensing an opportunity to steal a victory and secure an automatic berth in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

And when it was over – following one leader being pushed up into the wall and the other being door-slammed – it was Elliott who celebrated with the checkered flag in the early evening of Sunday, Sept. 28, prevailing in double overtime over Denny Hamlin, who had dominated most of the race.

Elliott restarted eighth as Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell led the field to green, before the two made contact, opening the door for Hamlin. Elliott, meanwhile put the pedal to the floor and surged into the top five, though it appeared the race would come down to a battle between Wallace, who drives for 23XI Racing, and Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing but co-owns 23XI with Michael Jordan.

NASCAR’s most popular driver had other plans, though. After Hamlin drove Wallace up the racetrack, squeezing him toward the outside wall, Elliott darted to the bottom and moved into position to battle the two leaders. With Wallace being forced to lift to avoid hard contact with the wall, Elliott drove alongside Hamlin and eventually door-slammed him heading into Turn 4 before edging him at the line by 0.069 seconds.

“Everything worked out perfect for me. The seas kind of parted and just was able to keep my momentum up. That was really it,’ Elliott said in a post-race interview with NBC Sports.

“What a crazy finish. Hope you all enjoyed that. I certainly did. We’ll certainly enjoy this, man. This is pretty cool. Just never take this stuff for granted because they’re hard to come by.’

Bell finished third and Chase Briscoe fourth as JGR drivers took three of the top four spots. Wallace finished fifth.

Elliott joins Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney, who won a week ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in the the third round of the playoffs. Six berths remain up for grabs, and four drivers will be eliminated at Charlotte Motor Speedway next weekend.

Hamlin won the first two stages of Sunday’s race and led a race-high 159 laps despite battling a power steering problem in his No. 11 Toyota.

“Just super disappointing,” Hamlin said in a post-race interview. “I wanted it bad. It would have been 60 (wins) for me. … I don’t think I’ve ever had a car that good to the competition. Man, I wanted it for my dad. I wanted it for everybody. Just wanted it a little too hard.”

The race went to double overtime following a scary crash involving Zane Smith, who’s No. 38 Ford flipped upside down on the race track multiple times after being forced into the wall by John Hunter Nemechek. Smith’s car actually rode the Turn 4 wall vertically with the driver side face down on the race track before it began flipping. Smith was able to exit the car under his own power before being checked and released from the infield care center.

‘It was a wild ride, no doubt,’ Smith told reporters following the incident. ‘I had a decent restart going, and I just get wrecked by the 42 (Nemecheck). He just drives through me and then I was sliding on the wall. I was just mad at that point from how our day was going and this just pissed me off even more because that’s what really hurt was just flipping down the track. 

‘It was violent, no doubt, but we had such a fast Speedy Cash Ford today. It’s just a bummer.’

NASCAR playoff standings through Kansas race

Here are the updated playoff standings following the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. Four drivers will be eliminated following next weekend’s race on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

Ryan Blaney (New Hampshire winner) ….. Clinched berth in Round of 8
Chase Elliott (Kansas winner) ….. Clinched berth in Round of 8
Kyle Larson ….. 54 points above cut line
Denny Hamlin ….. +48 points
Christopher Bell ….. +44
William Byron ….. +40
Chase Briscoe ….. +21
Joey Logano ….. +13
Ross Chastain ….. 13 points below cut line
Bubba Wallace ….. -26 points
Tyler Reddick ….. -29
Austin Cindric ….. -48

Chase Elliott wins Kansas playoff race in double overtime

Chase Elliott won an eventul NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway, stealing the Hollywood Casino 400 in double overtime after edging past Denny Hamlin to take the checkered flag.

Zane Smith involved in scary crash as car flips upside down

Zane Smith walked away from a scary crash following the first overtime restart of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

John Hunter Nemecheck got into the driver side of Smith in Turns 3 and 4, sending Smith’s No. 38 into to the wall where it turned onto its side. Smith’s Front Row Motor sports Ford vertically rode the wall with the driver side face down on the track for the entirety of Turn 4 before it rolled back onto the middle on the track and flipped upside down multiple times before finally coming to a stop.

The safety crew immediately attended to Smith, who was able to exit the car under his own power. NASCAR officials then threw a red flag to stop the race for cleanup before preceding to the second overtime.

Denny Hamlin sweeps first two stages of Kansas playoff race

Denny Hamlin continued his domination of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway through two stages. Hamlin won Stage 2 over Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell after winning the opening stage of the Round of 12 playoff race. Hamlin has led 93 of 165 laps, with the race scheduled for 267 laps.

Bell finished second in Stage 2, followed by Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, respectively, with JGR’s Chase Briscoe rounding out the top five full of playoff drivers. Nine of the top 10 finishers in Stage 2 were playoff drivers with Bubba Wallace sixth, Joey Logano seventh, Ross Chastain eighth, Ryan Blaney ninth and non-playoff driver Alex Bowman 10th.

Among the remaining playoff drivers, Tyler Reddick was 14th, Austin Cindric 17th and William Byron 23rd.

Denny Hamlin wins Stage 1 of Kansas playoff race

Denny Hamlin led 55 laps in the opening stage of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway and held off Kyle Larson at the line to win Stage 1 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race. Hamlin started second, alongside pole winner and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, who led 19 laps in the 80-lap opening stage.

Larson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott finished second and third, respectively, followed by JGR’s Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing. Briscoe took sixth in Stage 1, with reigning series champion Joey Logano in seventh, Chris Buescher eighth, Zane Smith ninth and Carson Hocevar 10th.

Among the other playoff drivers remaining in the Round of 12, Bubba Wallace was 13th, Ryan Blaney 14th, William Byron 15th, Austin Cindric 19th and Tyler Reddick 24th.

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas start?

The Hollywood Casino 400 is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas on?

The Hollywood Casino 400 will be broadcast on USA Network, the channel for most of the Cup Series playoffs. Pre-race coverage will start at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas?

Yes, the Hollywood Casino 400 will be streamed on Peacock, HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the NASCAR race at Kansas on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas?

The Hollywood Casino 400 is 267 laps around the 1.5-mile track for a total of 400.5 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 80 laps; Stage 2: 85 laps; Stage 3: 102 laps.

NASCAR playoff standings

Here’s how the field stacks up with the gap to leader in parentheses. Four drivers were eliminated after Bristol: Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen and Josh Berry.

Ryan Blaney
William Byron (-2)
Kyle Larson (-8)
Christopher Bell (-20)
Denny Hamlin (-22)
Joey Logano (-25)
Chase Elliott (-35)
Chase Briscoe (-37)
Ross Chastain (-49)
Austin Cindric (-56)
Tyler Reddick (-60)
Bubba Wallace (-64)

Who won the NASCAR Cup playoff race at Kansas last year?

Ross Chastain didn’t make the playoffs but ensured he wouldn’t go winless in the 2024 Cup Series season by taking the checkered flag at Kansas Speedway last September. He overtook Martin Truex Jr. for the lead on a restart with less than 20 laps to go and kept William Byron far enough behind to get the win. Byron, Truex, Ryan Blaney and Ty Gibbs rounded out the top five.

What is the lineup for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas?

Here is the lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway (car number in parentheses; P=playoff driver):

Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (P)
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (P)
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (P)
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (P)
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (P)
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota (P)
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (P)
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (P)
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota (P)
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford 
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford (P)
Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford (P)
JJ Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford (P)

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