As exhausting and frustrating and ultimately validating as the last decade was for Rory McIlroy, the next and final phase of his career might turn out to be the most interesting.

Above all else, when McIlroy dropped to his knees and unloaded years of emotion onto the 18th green at Augusta National last month, what he earned was a lifetime of mental freedom. For the first time since he was a teenager first coming out on the PGA Tour, there is no longer a single result or tournament that will dramatically change his place in history or, more importantly, his day-to-day happiness and well-being.

“I’ve achieved everything I’ve wanted to do in the game,” he said at a news conference Wednesday before the PGA Championship begins in Charlotte, North Carolina. “I dreamed as a child of becoming the best player in the world and winning all the majors. I’ve done that. So everything beyond this forever, for however long I decide to play the game competitively, is a bonus.”

It’s an undeniably massive turning point in his career; maybe even his life. And it comes at an interesting time: Having just turned 36 at the beginning of May, we can reasonably project that McIlroy has about 10 years left, give or take, to put the finishing touches on his all-time resume.  

For a career Grand Slam champion, and now definitively the best player of the post-Tiger Woods generation, the compiler phase of his career is going to ask a question that none of us – McIlroy included – can yet answer.

What happens when someone like McIlroy has this much of his prime remaining with no white whale left to chase?

Maybe unburdening himself from the psychological grip of the Masters unlocks another level of greatness he didn’t know existed. Or perhaps when he gets in the heat of battle from here on out, not having that desperation to end what had been a 10-year major drought works against his ability to focus the same way under pressure.

It’s impossible to predict, especially because we’re dealing with somebody who just isn’t wired the same way most great champions are.

“Everyone needs to have goals and dreams, and I’ve been able to do something I dreamed of for a long time,” McIlroy said. “I’m still going to set myself goals, I’m still going to try to achieve certain things. But I sit here knowing that (the Masters) very well could be the highlight of my career. That’s a very cool thing. I want to still create a lot of other highlights and high points, but I’m not sure if any other win will live up to what happened a few weeks ago.”

That perspective, that obvious nod to human nature, is what makes McIlroy our most relatable superstar and why so many people – even those who don’t follow golf closely – were so emotionally invested in seeing him complete the long-awaited Masters conquest.

But realistically, we all know Woods never talked that way in the prime of his career. Rafael Nadal didn’t talk that way. LeBron James doesn’t talk that way. You couldn’t even imagine it because they were competitive maniacs who found it very easy to disassociate the momentary satisfaction of winning a title from the unending grind that was necessary to keep winning them.

The truth is, if McIlroy were like that, he’d already have 10 majors by now and would spend the last part of his career trying to chase down Woods and Jack Nicklaus. That’s not who he is, which isn’t meant to suggest McIlroy is lacking competitive instincts or that he’s going to put his work ethic into cruise control.

He’s just a little more normal and, as we’ve seen so many times, quite a bit more vulnerable.

“I feel like I sort of burdened myself with the career Grand Slam stuff, and I want to enjoy this,” he said. “I want to enjoy what I’ve achieved and the last decade of my career and don’t want to burden myself by numbers or statistics. I just want to try to play the best golf I can.”

It’s a wonderful sentiment and probably what most of us would say if we were in the same situation. But from a competitive standpoint, it’s destined to age poorly for someone who plans to be at the highest level for the next 10 years.

In 2009, when Roger Federer finally won the French Open to complete his career Grand Slam in tennis, it felt a little bit like McIlroy’s Masters. A few weeks later, he won his 15th Grand Slam at Wimbledon, setting a new all-time record.

Not long after that, as Federer’s dominance of the game ended, retirement speculation bubbled up. But just when people thought he was completely finished, the footsteps of Nadal and Novak Djokovic motivated Federer to make some equipment and technical changes that spurred three more Slam titles in 2017 and 2018.

Point being, McIlroy’s singular achievement in this era is enough – for now, and maybe forever. But 10 years of golf is a very long time. If McIlroy is going to compile the way his talent demands he should during this stretch of his career, it’s unlikely to be inspired by reliving Sunday at Augusta over and over again.

What ultimately motivates McIlroy to push past that and reach for the next big thing is as unknowable as anyone’s future. But it has to emerge at some point, or else the idea he’s already experienced the highlight of his career will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Former USC Trojans quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was a lock for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft for months.

The Chicago Bears followed through on that expectation, making Williams the franchise’s first No. 1 overall pick since 1947.

New information reveals the Bears caused concern in Williams’ family about his future.

ESPN writer Seth Wickersham’s latest book, ‘American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,’ will be released later in 2025. It shows readers what playing quarterback demands at the high school, college, and NFL levels as well as what it’s like after a player retires.

Excerpts on Williams have shined a light on his pre-draft process and rookie season.

‘[Williams is] worried about me taking bullets,’ Carl told Wickersham, per reports. ‘I don’t care. I just don’t agree with this s—, you know? I’m more interested in making sure that he can do what he wants to do.’

He reportedly commented to Wickersham that ‘the rookie cap is just unconstitutional’ and the current NFL collective bargaining agreement is the ‘worst piece of s— I’ve ever read. It’s the worst in sports history.’

The family reportedly looked into potential ways Williams could circumvent the draft entirely and instead sign with a United Football League team for a year before joining the NFL as a free agent in 2025.

However, after visiting the Bears’ facility prior to the draft, Williams told his father he could be a part of the change in the franchise.

‘I’m going to the Bears,’ he reportedly told Carl.

Wickersham’s book also includes parts of Williams’ rookie season with Chicago that saw coach Matt Eberflus fired mid-season, a first for the franchise. Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times.

Williams reportedly would watch film alone without help from coaches or other staff members.

‘No one tells me what to watch,’ Williams told Carl. ‘I just turn it on.’

The Bears hired one of the most sought-after coaches in the 2025 offseason, former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and Williams has been an outspoken supporter of the move.

He said he was driving when he heard the news and “let out a loud scream of excitement.”

Chicago will open the season in a Week 1 ‘Monday Night Football’ game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Wickersham spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famers John Elway, Warren Moon and Steve Young as well as members of the Manning family for his latest book. ‘American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback’ is anticipated to be released on Sept. 9, 2025.

Former Major League Baseball infielder Rafael Furcal was arrested by Florida authorities and charged with two felonies, including for throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle.

The three-time All-Star was booked into jail at the Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesday and surrendered without incident, according to jail records obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Furcal is also facing a felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

While details of the incident were not immediately available, Furcal, speaking from his home, told reporter Tenchy Rodriguez that the object he used was a rock – but that he had been attacked with a knife.

Furcal played 14 seasons in the majors with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Miami Marlins.

He won the National League Rookie of the Year award with Atlanta in 2000 and was on the roster for the Cardinals when they won a World Series in 2011. Furcal was arrested in 2000 and 2004 while playing for the Braves for drunk driving, spending 21 days in jail after the latter for violating his probation.

The annual unveiling of the NFL schedule is perhaps the most manufactured of all “events” on the sports calendar. But that’s not to say it isn’t informative, provocative and sometimes controversial … even if it’s now morphed into something that takes the better part of three days to reveal before the big picture crystallizes.

Yet the fact that the schedule release has actually become a landmark of the NFL offseason at all is a testament to the league’s brilliant marketing and business acumen combined with the gargantuan – and ever-growing – undertaking NFL vice president of broadcasting Mike North and his team embrace and execute year after year.

What does it all mean? Winners and losers, quite naturally – and a wide range of them:

WINNERS

NFC East

It’s back in a big way, baby. The Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles – those longtime rivals ring in the season with the Thursday night kickoff opener on September 4 – and Washington Commanders are scheduled for six prime-time appearances apiece, tied for second most league-wide following the Kansas City Chiefs.

Buffalo Bills

No team that made the playoffs in 2024 has an easier schedule based on its opponents’ collective winning percentage (.467) from last season. The perennial AFC East champions will also enjoy three prime-time home games during their final season at Highmark Stadium.

Colts’ ‘Indiana Nights’ uniforms

It’s been two years since Indianapolis unveiled its alternate uniform, which features a black helmet and ‘heathered’ uniform design – the team claims the locals clamored for these. Unfortunately, the Colts have been relegated to wearing the “Indiana Nights” kit for 1 p.m. ET kickoffs because they haven’t been relevant enough to play … at night. But fear not, the Colts will host the San Francisco 49ers on “Monday Night Football” in Week 16. Open the Lucas Oil Stadium roof and drink in the Indiana stars, you Hoosiers!

Streaming services

They continue to make inroads into what used to purely be the domain of network broadcasts. This year, Prime Video, YouTube, Peacock, ESPN+ and Netflix will be in the mix in some way, shape or form as the league continues to broaden its content distribution model.

Aaron Rodgers?

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ would-be QB1 – right? – won’t be inordinately saddled with marquee games after North loaded him and the New York Jets up with a mulligan 2024 schedule that didn’t work out to anyone’s satisfaction … though you can bet Rodgers will be raring to go in Week 1, when his apparent Black-and-Gold debut will come on the road against those same J-E-T-S who summarily dumped him after their regime change. Four prime-time games – not to mention being the designated home team in the league’s Dublin debut – feels like a pretty standard Steelers schedule, regardless of quarterback … though you know Rodgers will be licking his chops when the Green Bay Packers come to Pittsburgh for “Sunday Night Football” in Week 8.

NFL’s international footprint

A record seven regular-season games across five countries – including Spain and Ireland for the first time – will be played outside America’s borders in 2025. Good thing NFL games aren’t subject to tariffs. As for the Minnesota Vikings’ two-week European road trip? Don’t worry, kids, they’re only too happy to see Big Ben and Parliament.

Cincinnati Bengals’ travel schedule

The centrally located Stripes are the only team in the league set to have fewer than 10,000 travel miles in 2025. They’ll doubtless reinvest the savings into rewarding DE Trey Hendrickson with the contract he’s more than earned … right?

NFL social media teams (mostly)

The schedule release is tantamount to the Super Bowl for social departments throughout the league as they brew up a mixture of creativity, shade and anticipation while rolling out their respective teams’ fall lineup. USA TODAY Sports’ Jordan Mendoza ranked this year’s efforts, and the Los Angeles Chargers once again distinguished themselves. The Colts did not … hardly the first time the franchise has been embarrassed in the Super Bowl, regardless of version. The team apologized to Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill on Thursday.

LOSERS

Families of Dallas, Detroit and Kansas City players

For the third straight year, the Chiefs will play on Christmas – though at least they’ll be at Arrowhead this season. Yet the twist for 2025 is that the reigning AFC champions will also travel for Thanksgiving at Dallas. Speaking of the Cowboys (and Lions), perennial home fixtures on Turkey Day, both of those clubs also draw Christmas assignments – on the road in each case. Do it up on Labor Day, y’all!

Chargers’ travel schedule

The Bolts are scheduled to log a league-high 37,000 miles getting from Point A – LA – to Points east and far south, including that trip to Brazil in Week 1. Frequent flyer points would be nice but, hey, nobody’s got it better than you.

10 p.m. ET kickoffs

The league had moved away from late-night games it often used to roll out in Week 1 “MNF” doubleheaders, that second matchup often featuring a West Coast team or two – football diehards east of the Mississippi paying a heavy price while trying to post for work on Tuesday morning. This year, the Monday night lineup on ESPN will merely kick off with the Chicago Bears and Vikings to cap Week 1. But Week 2 and 7 will feature twin bills without overlapping games, Las Vegas and Seattle, respectively, earning after-hours spotlights with 10 p.m. ET starts. Keep the Red Bull handy, Right Coasters.

Football fans with Chiefs fatigue

Tired of watching Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Co., who have reached five of the past six Super Bowls and make some folks pine for the “Patriot Way”? Welp. Not only does K.C. have those league-leading seven prime-time appearances, factor in Thanksgiving, and you’ve got eight exclusive broadcast windows.

New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans

Respect is earned in the NFL and these teams … combined for zero exclusive broadcast slots in 2025. Get to work, fellas.

College Football Playoff

It’s set to enter its second year with the expanded, 12-team format … one that didn’t fare well, from a TV ratings perspective, while attempting to intrude on the late-season Saturday time slots the NFL had claimed years ago when the college game had entered its pre-Bowl season hiatus. Moving forward, the pros aren’t willing to concede any viewership eyeballs, either, slotting a pair of compelling division rivalry games on the Saturday (Dec. 20) of Week 16, when the Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers in the league’s longest-running series while the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles will meet in a rematch of last season’s NFC championship game. Good luck with that, Penn State. And be careful, NCAA decision-makers, as you map out future iterations of the CFP.

‘That’s an NFL day,’ Hans Schroeder, the league’s EVP of media distribution, said Thursday when asked about the overlap, noting the NFL has played on the third Saturday in December for 37 of the past 40 years. ‘You’d have to ask the CFP how they’re thinking about the future.’

NBA

If it wasn’t already official, they’ve clearly lost their Christmas showcase – the NFL loading up this year’s Yuletide tripleheader with Mahomes, Jayden Daniels and Dallas. LeBron, Giannis and Co. don’t stand a chance.

Germany

Decades removed from World War II, they’ve been valued American allies for the past 80 years. Yet we keep sending them Daniel Jones as an NFL ambassador? Maybe Volkswagen is still being penalized for that emissions scandal …

Ronald Acuña Jr. apologized to Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker and his teammates for accusing the skipper of having a double standard in a social media post earlier this season.

The 2023 NL MVP, who is working his way back from ACL surgery, addressed the team in Atlanta on May 14.

“(I) just (want to) apologize and ask for (Braves manager Brian Snitker’s) forgiveness for what I posted and for being a distraction,” said Acuña through an interpreter. “Just wanted to clear the air and move on.

“I was just frustrated with my situation in the sense of my being able to return to the team,” said Acuña. “I’m coming off a second major injury, I’m in Florida away from my teammates, the team is struggling. Those were sort of the things that were frustrating me … I wanna be here (in Atlanta) my whole career. So just seeing the team and my teammates going through that and not being able to help and not being able to be with them was where the frustration was coming from.”

Snitker said Acuña apologized to him before he spoke to the team.

“He had a meeting with us and he handled it well,” said Braves pitcher Bryce Elder. “He did his part. That’s all you can ask for. We’re ready to have him back.”

On April 19, Acuña was critical of Snitker in a since deleted viral post on social media when he didn’t remove Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic from the game for not hustling after he didn’t run out a ball and was tagged out at second.

‘If it were me, they would take me out of the game,’ Acuña posted on social media, replying to a reporter who shared Snitker’s postgame quote.

For context, Acuña was benched from a game following a similar play in August 2019. After that game, Snitker said: ‘He didn’t run. You’ve got to run. It’s not going to be acceptable here. As a teammate, you’re responsible for 24 other guys and that name on the front is a lot more important than that name on the back of that jersey.’

All is in the past now and the Braves are trying to get back on track. After starting 0-7, Atlanta has gone 21-15 with the hopes of having their star outfielder back in the lineup soon. In his first minor-league rehab game earlier this week, Acuña hit a home run in Class AAA-Gwinnett (Ga.) . 

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The NFL released its full, 272-game schedule for 2025 on Wednesday, officially marking the point many football fans start looking ahead to the upcoming season.

Naturally, football junkies immediately began poring over the schedule to find its most exciting matchups.

Often, those matchups are in primetime and feature matchups between some of the top projected teams in the league. However, there are also a handful of intriguing revenge games and homecoming that should be on the radar of NFL fans ahead of the 2025 season.

What are the most interesting matchups of the 2025 campaign? Below is a look at one matchup on which to keep an eye each week.

NFL schedule 2025: Most interesting matchups by week

Week 1

Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets

If Aaron Rodgers signs with the Steelers, this could end up being a double revenge game. Rodgers, who has been tied to Pittsburgh throughout the offseason, would likely relish a chance to hand Aaron Glenn a defeat, as the veteran quarterback wasn’t happy with how the Jets handled his release during the offseason.

Meanwhile, Justin Fields started the first six games of last season for the Steelers, leading them to a 4-2 record before being benched in favor of Russell Wilson. He will have a chance to show Mike Tomlin and Co. what they missed by letting him walk in free agency.

Week 2

Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs

Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit comes in a close second in a loaded Week 2 slate, but it’s hard to overlook an early-season Super Bowl rematch.

The Chiefs will be seeking vengeance after being blown out by the Eagles 40-22 in Super Bowl 59. It will be a great test for Kansas City’s new-look offensive line and will also be a litmus test for the Eagles, who have replaced a handful of key starters on their defense, notably defensive linemen Milton Williams and Josh Sweat.

Week 3

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills

The Dolphins and Bills met on ‘Thursday Night Football’ in Week 2 last season. In that contest, Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion that knocked him out four weeks and helped cause Miami to get off to a slow start from which it couldn’t recover.

Miami will be looking to keep Tagovailoa healthy in its first of two ‘TNF’ games while also looking to challenge the Bills early in the AFC East race.

Week 4

Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs

Many believed Lamar Jackson and the Ravens might face the Chiefs in the postseason. Instead, the Bills knocked the Ravens out in the divisional round, robbing Baltimore of a chance to avenge its 27-20 regular-season loss to the Chiefs.

The Ravens will get an early chance to see Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs again. The Mahomes vs. Jackson battle will be one of the best quarterback matchups of the first four weeks of the NFL season, and both playmakers should bring their A-game to what figures to be an early battle for control of the AFC.

Week 5

Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals

The Lions and Bengals sported two of the NFL’s best offenses last season. Detroit averaged a league-high 33.1 points while ranking third in offensive EPA while the Bengals ranked seventh in points per game (27.8) and seventh in offensive EPA.

Both offenses are returning a majority of their starters in 2025, so this figures to be an exciting shootout. It will also be a good test of the Lions’ offensive ceiling after losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who took the Bears coaching job during the NFL offseason.

Week 6

Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders

Last time the Bears and Commanders met, Jayden Daniels completed an improbable Hail Mary to give Washington a win and send Chicago into a losing streak. The Bears lost 10 straight games following the Hail Mary and fired coach Matt Eberflus as it sputtered to a 5-12 finish.

Suffice to say that game left a sour taste in Chicago’s mouth. Caleb Williams will look to even up the series between the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft while cornerback Tyrique Stevenson will look to atone for his lack of attention to detail during the Hail Mary throw.

Week 7

New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans

Mike Vrabel is back in the NFL coaching ranks after taking the Patriots’ job following the dismissal of Jerod Mayo. He will return to Tennessee as he looks to prove the Titans made a mistake in firing him after the 2023 NFL season.

Vrabel already has a slight edge on the Titans after they sputtered to a league-worst 3-14 record in Brian Callahan’s first season with the team. Beating Tennessee with a rebuilding New England squad would provide another feather in the cap of the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year.

Week 8

Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Rodgers has never played against the Packers after spending the first 18 seasons of his career in Green Bay. Could that change in Week 8? Again, Rodgers hasn’t yet signed in Pittsburgh, but if he does, many fans will be eagerly watching to see if the 41-year-old can become the fifth quarterback in NFL history to beat all 32 teams. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Drew Brees are the others.

Week 9

Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills

Five of the last six Bills vs. Chiefs games have been decided by one score. That has included three postseason matchups all won by Kansas City.

Buffalo has typically performed well against its rival and has earned three consecutive regular-season wins over Kansas City. If the Bills can continue doing that, it may give them a path to the AFC’s No. 1 seed. That makes this a rare midseason matchup that could prove crucial to the AFC playoff picture.

Week 10

Detroit Lions at Washington Commanders

The Lions’ season ended at the hands of the Commanders in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Washington crushed Detroit 45-31 in a game during which Jared Goff threw three interceptions and the Lions defense couldn’t stop Jayden Daniels.

Dan Campbell’s squad will be looking to avenge that loss, which brought to an early end one of the greatest seasons in Detroit’s franchise history. With a healthier, Aidan Hutchinson-led defense, the Lions could have a better chance to compete with the NFC runners-up.

Week 11

Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles

Here’s our chance to see what many believed the NFC championship game would be last season. If the Lions can beat the Commanders and Eagles in back-to-back weeks, it will lead Detroit fans to wonder what may have happened if the team’s defense was able to stay healthier in 2024.

This matchup could also help to determine who has the inside track for the NFC’s No. 1 seed in 2025, so this game will be an important one.

Week 12

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams

The Buccaneers and Rams have both made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and have jockeyed with one another for playoff position in seasons past. That figures to happen again in 2025, as Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are both expected to compete for division titles once again.

The other element of this game? Baker Mayfield had a brief stint with the Rams in 2022, so it will be fun to monitor how Sean McVay schemes against his former quarterback.

Week 13

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

The Vikings replaced Sam Darnold with J.J. McCarthy this offseason. The two will face off in Week 13 in what could be an important game for Minnesota’s chances of winning the NFC North. Darnold may relish an opportunity to diminish the Vikings’ postseason chances, so that storyline should make this a fun game to watch.

Week 14

Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns

This game probably won’t come with the same playoff intrigue as some of the others being played at this time of year. However, this could end up being a matchup between No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, who endured one of the most surprising NFL draft slides in recent memory.

Sanders was a fifth-round pick, so it’s hardly guaranteed he will start this game. That said, the contest will still be of interest, as the Browns were reportedly interested in Ward during the draft process. He may have been the choice had he been on the board with the No. 2 overall pick, so Cleveland fans can get a glimpse of what the team’s future might have been.

Week 15

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

The matchup between Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow is always exciting. It could be even more thrilling if the Ravens and Bengals are close together in the AFC North race at this late stage in the season.

Week 16

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos

If you’re looking for a good time to see Travis Hunter in action, this might be it. He played collegiately at Colorado, so this will be something of a homecoming for him. It will also be a great test of the two-way star’s abilities, as he will be tasked with beating a stout Broncos defense on offense while covering a solid receiving corps led by Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr.

Week 17

Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills

The Chiefs edged the Bills in the AFC championship game last season, but Buffalo was close to winning the game and getting a chance to match up against the Eagles in Super Bowl 59. Perhaps their late-season meeting will end up being a preview of Super Bowl 60 instead.

Week 18

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

A classic, AFC North rivalry that could have playoff implications in Week 18? Sign us up, especially if Mike Tomlin needs to keep his consecutive streak of non-losing seasons alive.