Angel Reese expressed frustration with the Chicago Sky’s losing season in a recent interview.
Reese suggested she might seek other opportunities if the team doesn’t acquire more talent.
Following a win, Reese apologized to her teammates for her comments.

Two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese has faced criticism for her recent comments about the Chicago Sky organization, and she has apologized to her teammates for her remarks.

As the regular season nears its conclusion, Reese sat down for an interview with the Chicago Tribune and during the conversation, she shared her frustration with yet another losing season, emphasizing the team’s performance and the need for additional talent. She mentioned that she ‘might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me’ if the team does not bring in more players to enhance next season’s outcome.

On Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Sky beat the Connecticut Sun 88-64 as Reese contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds. The Sky (10-30) have already been eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive year. In a postgame interview, Reese said her comments to the Chicago Tribune were not intended to be directed at or hurt her current teammates.

‘I think the language is taken out of context. I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates, because they’ve been through this with me throughout the whole year,’ Reese said. ‘I want to apologize to my teammates, which I already have about the article and how it was misconstrued about what was said. And I just have to be better with my language.’

Reese has averaged a team-high of 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season for the Sky.

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When the Dallas Cowboys traded edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in August 2025, some were quick to label it one of the worst trades of all time.

But where, if anywhere, does it actually rank among the worst in NFL history?

Only time will tell how the Parsons deal ages. There have been plenty of other miserable trades in the league’s past, some recent and others much older, that aged extremely poorly in the months and years after they happened.

There are seven trades, in particular, that USA TODAY Sports is ranking as the worst deals in NFL history.

Worst trades in NFL history

7. Falcons trade Brett Favre to Packers

The Parsons trade was not the first time the Packers have been the beneficiaries of a poor decision by another team, though it’s hard to blame the Falcons too much, given what they knew at the time.

In his rookie season in 1991, Favre played two games for Atlanta and was intercepted twice on four pass attempts and had zero completions. So when the Packers came calling and offered a first-round pick for the former second-rounder, the Falcons accepted what, at the time, was a no-brainer deal. The rest is history.

Favre went on to earn two Pro Bowl nods in his first two seasons with Green Bay, then won three straight NFL MVP awards from 1995 to 1997. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

6. Titans send A.J. Brown to the Eagles

The writing was on the wall in Tennessee ahead of the 2022 season. Their star receiver was set to hit free agency following the season. With the recently inflated wide receiver market leading to trades of other stars around the league that offseason – Davante Adams to the Raiders and Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins – the Titans decided that they weren’t going to pay Brown and would recoup draft capital for him instead.

The Titans ended up sending Brown to Philadelphia on draft night for the Eagles’ No. 18 overall pick. They used it to select Treylon Burks – whom the team waived just a few seasons after he was selected – and Brown went on to have the best couple of years of his career in the two subsequent seasons, leading him to sign another extension with the Eagles in 2024.

5. Chargers trade up for Ryan Leaf

The Chargers were desperate to take a quarterback in the 1998 NFL Draft, but there were only two highly touted prospects, and they had the No. 3 overall pick. Their solution? Trading their third overall pick, their second-round pick, a 1999 first-round pick and All-Pro kick returner Eric Metcalf to get the second overall pick from the Cardinals.

When the Colts took Peyton Manning with the first pick, the Chargers took the other top quarterback prospect, Ryan Leaf. He went on to be one of the biggest busts in NFL history, playing just four seasons and winning four of his 21 games as a starter.

4. Browns nab Colts’ first-rounder in Trent Richardson trade

Richardson began his career in Cleveland after the Brown traded up to the No. 3 overall pick to select him in the 2012 NFL Draft. He finished his first season with the Browns with 1,317 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns, then made it only two games into his second season in Cleveland before he was traded.

The Colts sent their 2014 first-round pick to the Browns to acquire Richardson after Week 2 of the 2013 season in the wake of an injury to Vick Ballard in what wound up being his final career game.

Richardson never came close to the level of production he had in his final season at Alabama (1,740 yards, 21 touchdowns) or even his rookie season with the Browns. The Colts waived him after the 2014 season.

3. Broncos send five picks, three players to the Seahawks for Russell Wilson

Wilson’s time in Seattle was nearing its expiration date by the end of the 2021 season. The Seahawks had fired offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer – then-architect of the ‘Let Russ Cook’ era that saw some of Wilson’s best years between 2018 and 2020 – after the 2020 season, a move that frustrated Wilson.

So, the Broncos took another shot at finding their post-Peyton Manning era replacement by sending five picks, including two first-rounders, to Seattle. The trade also sent quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to the Seahawks.

Wilson’s two-year stint in Denver was very disappointing. He led the Broncos to a 4-11 start in his first year with the team under head coach Nathaniel Hackett in 2022, and he was the NFL’s leader in sacks taken with 55.

In 2023, new head coach Sean Payton righted the ship a bit more – to the tune of a 7-8 record with the veteran under center – but still benched Wilson for the final two games of the season in a move that indicated Wilson’s time as a Bronco was up. The team released him the following offseason

2. Browns trade three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson

The Deshaun Watson trade is one of the two deals on this list so bad it has its own Wikipedia page.

In March 2022, after the then-Texans quarterback had sat out a full season following an unsuccessful trade request, multiple – nearly two dozen in total – massage therapists came forward accusing Watson of sexual assault.

Two days after the first allegation came to light, the Browns traded their first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, along with a 2022 fourth-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick to Houston in exchange for Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick. Cleveland then immediately signed the quarterback to a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract extension in an unprecedented move.

The NFL suspended Watson for 11 games in the wake of the sexual assault allegations, meaning the quarterback did not make his Browns debut until Week 13 of the 2022 season, nearly two full years since his last appearance in a game.

Watson has since played a total of 19 games for the Browns as he’s battled numerous injuries and has never come anywhere close to playing like the 4,000-yard passer and three-time Pro Bowler he was in Houston. He is set to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season after re-rupturing his Achilles tendon while rehabbing from the original rupture he suffered in October 2024.

Meanwhile, the Texans used the extra picks the Browns gave up to rebuild their roster. After a 3-13-1 2022 season, Houston drafted C.J. Stroud with the second overall pick in 2023 and have won a playoff game in each of the two seasons since.

1. Vikings trade so many picks for Herschel Walker

This trade is the other one to earn a distinction of ‘so bad it has its own Wikipedia page.’

After the Cowboys drafted him in 1985 then signed him in 1986, Walker established himself as Dallas’ best player by 1988, his third season as a pro.

The year before, the former Georgia Bulldog led the NFL with 1,606 yards from scrimmage on 269 touches and earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro nods. In 1988, he rushed for 1,514 yards and five touchdowns and caught 53 passes for 505 receiving yards to put him at 2,019 scrimmage yards.

When the Cowboys began the 1989 season 0-5, they started a bidding war over Walker, and the Vikings emerged as ‘winners.’ All they had to give up was their first- and second-round picks in 1990, 1991, and 1992, as well as a sixth-round pick in 1990 and a third-round pick in 1992.

Minnesota had actually traded five players and just three draft picks to the Cowboys initially, offering extra draft picks to Dallas that were conditional on those five players’ releases. The Cowboys cut all four of the players that reported to Dallas – and traded running back Darrin Nelson, the lone holdout, to the Chargers – to claim all of those additional, conditional picks.

Team owner/general manager Jerry Jones used that extra draft capital to construct the super-powered Cowboys rosters of the early ’90s and won three Super Bowls in four years.

As for Walker, he played just two more full seasons for the Vikings and never surpassed 900 rushing yards in those seasons. The Eagles signed him in 1992, ending his tenure in Minnesota.

Jack Leiter was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 MLB draft but struggled to start his pro career.
Rangers remain in the AL wild-card race, hoping to chase down the Mariners.
The 25-year-old is the son of two-time World Series champion Al Leiter.

PHOENIX — He’s a 25-year-old kid and was already being called a bust.

He was the second pick in the 2021 amateur draft but was branded a failure.

Here are with three weeks to play in the regular season, and Jack Leiter is now being heralded as the Rangers’ savior, instrumental in Texas’ stunning ascent to playoff contention.

“This is one of the things that we have to fight in terms of pitching development,’ Chris Young, Rangers president of baseball operations, told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s not linear. When you have bumps in the road in the development processes, it’s actually a positive because you learn how deal with adversity. Because at no point did he ever quit working. At no point did he ever feel sorry for him. And at no point did he ever question or lose confidence in himself.

“These big-hyped prospects, it’s hard to live up to, but it’s the mind that separates them. Once they mentally understand how good they are what they have to do to be successful, the results seem to happen. I always knew it was in there. You just didn’t know when.’

Well, when happens to be now, with Leiter showcasing his talents just when the Rangers (72-69) need him the most in their playoff push. He has gone 5-3 and yielded 2.89 ERA in his last 12 starts, striking out 75 in 62 ⅓ innings. He gave up two runs in the first two innings on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, then proceeded to retire 13 of the final 14 batters, giving up just three hits and striking out eight in six innings. It was his third consecutive quality start for the first time in his young career.

“What a great job Jack did,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said in his office. “Early, he was a little off with his command, regrouped, and he just put it in another gear. It just shows you the growth of this young man.’

Leiter is showing just why the Rangers never stopped believing in him, showing a glimpse during this nine-week stretch why he could become one of the preeminent young pitching stars of baseball.

Leiter’s prowess has helped the Rangers overcome the most horrific stretch of injuries manager Bochy has ever seen, losing eight players in 12 days to the injured list. They’ve had heartbreaking defeats with 25 one-run losses and 38 losses by two or fewer runs. Their offense has been abysmal they’ve played 51 games in which they’ve scored two or fewer runs.

And yet after winning nine of their last 12 games, they are back in the playoff race and beginning a critical homestand Friday night against the Houston Astros, thanks to the Seattle Mariners’ struggles.

“I mean, it’s just unreal the number of injuries we have seen here,’ Bochy says. “We’ve had some gut punches. I’ve never had a season like this where we had so many players go on the IL. It started in spring training, graduated from there, and just got worse.

“That’s why Jack can be huge for us. Really, he already has. He’s always had great stuff, but now he’s just learned to harness it. And we’ve sure needed him.’

‘This is a game built on failure’

This is the Leiter everyone envisioned when the Rangers drafted him with the second pick out of Vanderbilt, a kid who pitched a no-hitter in his SEC debut with 16 strikeouts, struck out 179 strikeouts in 110 innings, and featured a 97-mph fastball and lethal curveball.

It’s where expectations got out of control, with fans believing he’d morph into Stephen Strasburg or the second coming of Rangers Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

When Leiter struggled his first three years as a pro – going 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA in nine MLB games for the Rangers last season, yielding 61 baserunners in just 35 ⅔ innings – questions arose whether he’d ever live up to the hype.

The criticism was harsh. And it was painful.

“It’s just society in general,’ Young said, shaking his head. “The expectations and pressures on today’s players are greater than ever. There’s more exposure than ever. And there’s a bigger following than ever. It’s a lot to live up to.

“This is a game built on failure, and very few people go through this game without really experiencing a certain level of failure. And when you have those types of pressure and expectations, it seems like it’s under a microscope, which isn’t fair.’

Leiter, the son of two-time World Series champion and two-time All-Star pitcher Al Leiter, and the nephew of 11-year veteran pitcher Mark Leiter, refused to let the ridicule burden him. He stays away from social media. Doesn’t read the press clippings. And doesn’t bother with talk radio.

“That can be tough, but at the same time,’ Leiter said, “those are outside perceptions. I’m not on social media or anything like that. I just kind of just keep to my inner circle. I’ve got my family, my friends, my teammates, and that’s more than enough for me.

“The only expectations I have are for myself, which are obviously high.’

Hey, when you are throwing a 99-mph fastball, a slider, sinker, curveball and newly improved changeup, who wouldn’t set goals to pitch 200 innings and be a 20-game winner?

“I really feel good right now,’ Leiter said. “I would say this is definitely the most confident I’ve felt in my big-league career.

“I’ve learned a lot because even from the bad games there’s always glimpses of good things. You learn from the bad, and you take the good from the bad. There hasn’t been one moment or one game where the confidence has just skyrocketed necessarily, it’s just part of the process.’

Leiter will tell you it has taken a village for him to get here. He’ll prop up a chair and listen to Nathan Eovaldi’s scouting reports. He soaks in the knowledge from two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom. He has learned lessons of perseverance from veteran Patrick Corbin. And he’s always open to advice from his veteran catching corps, led by Kyle Higashioka.

When you’re surrounded by World Series champions and Cy Young winners, Leiter says, it would be foolish for him not to take advantage.

“He’s such a great kid,’ deGrom said. “I don’t want try to overwhelm him because sometimes you get too many people telling you stuff, and you over-think things. But I’ve talked to him about trusting his stuff, and going right at guys. I tell him if you’re in a tough spot, go with your best pitch. That’s the approach I take, I don’t want to get beat on my third or fourth-best pitch.

“You saw him nibble early in the season, but now he’s attacking those hitters, and saying, ‘Here it is, let’s go.’ He had ups and downs early, but kept a level head and kept coming, which is tough for a young kid.’

Said Corbin: “What really stands out to me is that he’s so mature for a young guy. You just see how his work ethic is a lot different from some of the young guys. You’re going to have some failures for sure, but you never saw it get him down.

“Really, there’s no reason that he can’t be one of the best pitchers in the game once he really trusts his stuff, and goes out and lets it go. Really, his stuff is as good as anybody in the game.’

Jack Leiter has ‘this desire to be great’

He’s old-school, too, just like his pop. He’s not trying to throw as hard as he can possibly throw, and high-fiving teammates after going four innings. He’s angry when he doesn’t go at least six or seven innings. He says his job is to go deep, keep his team in games, and give them every possible chance to win.

Leiter has gone at least six innings in six of his starts during the 12-game stretch, including three in a row. He has already had 11 games in which he’s thrown at least 90 pitches, and has still sustained his velocity through his final pitch.

“Jack just has this desire to be great,’ said Young, who pitched 13 years and won a World Series with the 2015 Kanas City Royals as a player and the 2023 World Series with the Rangers as their GM. “When you have guys like that, you have a high level of confidence they’re going to reach their full potential.’

Who knows, with Leiter coming on, deGrom dominating and Merrill Kelly arriving at the trade deadline, maybe the Rangers have what it takes to sneak into the postseason. They can’t expect the Mariners to keep losing, but if they can survive a 12-game stretch against the Houston Astros (six), Milwaukee Brewers (three games) and New York Mets (three), they finish the season with nine against the Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians.

“When people started going down, we definitely didn’t think that we’d be playing better,’ Higashioka said. “We kind of kicked it into gear a little bit. We’ve got a sense of urgency now.’

No one gave the Rangers a chance in 2023 when they lost the AL West on the final day of the season, had to travel to Tampa, and proceeded to win 11 consecutive road games in the postseason to win their first World Series.

But here they are, somehow alive, refusing to quit even with $500 million worth of infielders on the injured list with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, Cy Young candidate Eovaldi done for the season, and outfielder Adolis Garcia perhaps the next to hit the IL.

“You never put limitations on a group of guys that play for each other and believe in each other,’ Young said. “I believe chemistry is the most important aspect of a baseball team, and to see what the guys are doing, and the way they’re fighting and playing for each other right now, I’m just sitting back and enjoying it.

“I love being the underdog, and that’s where are right now. This is the fight we signed up for. I’m excited to see how we finish it.’

A certain 25-year- Who knows, maybe season could wind up with a certain 25-year-old on the mound, with the Rangers’ fate resting on his shoulders?

“Pitching in under this pressure is not going to affect him at all,’ Higashioka says. “Really, nothing fazes him. His fastball is as good as anybody’s, and that changeup makes him so dangerous. Who wouldn’t want him on the mound?

“The way he’s pitching right now, hey, we would all love to see it.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Nearly $80 million in name, image and likeness deals were cleared by the newly established College Sports Commission from June through the end of August, the clearinghouse announced on Thursday,

According to a report detailing the commission’s first two months, over 8,000 NIL deals were cleared, with values ranging up to $1.6 million and beyond.

The commission said more than 28,000 college athletes have registered to use the program, called NIL Go, which was created in the wake of the House settlement that allowed universities to distribute payments for the use of NIL directly to athletes. Schools are allowed to spend up to $20.5 million per year to athletes. The deas athletes have with schools do not go through the College Sports Commission. Only deals with external parties must get approval from NIL Go.

In a given week since going live on June 11, NIL Go has been used by an average of 1,658 athletes and 507 institutional users, the commission said.

There have been 332 proposed NIL deals that have not been approved, with 75 deals since altered and resubmitted for approval. The most common issues with rejected NIL deals were delays in submitting information, contradictory deal terms or incorrectly entered information, and proposals that failed to “satisfy valid business purpose requirements.”

There are currently no deals in arbitration, according to the report.

The commission currently outsources the review of proposed NIL packages to law and accounting firms, which measure packages based on factors such as whether the deal would apply to a general member of the public.

Alabama’s season-opening loss to Florida State knocks it out of latest College Football Playoff projection.
Tennessee among the newcomers in this latest CFP bracket prediction.
What to do about Texas? Don’t overreact to loss to Ohio State. Arch Manning can recover.

Alabama needs a breakfast ball. Too bad there are no mulligans in college football – or in column writing.

My season-opening College Football Playoff predictions aged like egg salad in the South Florida sun, which is to say they spoiled like Boise State in the South Florida sun.

Time to scramble the lineup. (Kalen DeBoer might want to consider this, too.)

Here’s my latest projection of what I think the bracket will look like come selection Sunday on Dec. 7. Subject to change, of course.

As a reminder, teams do not need to be a conference champion to receive a first-round bye, after a change to straight seeding.

1. Ohio State

College football looks good on Matt Patricia. Formerly a failed NFL coach with the Detroit Lions, Patricia polished his reputation by outwitting Texas coach Steve Sarkisian in the season opener. Arch Manning wasn’t up to the task of facing the Buckeyes. Ohio State’s linebacker Arvell Reese caused destruction, and its secondary shrink-wrapped the Texas wide receivers. Patricia’s effective game plan helped, too. Ohio State’s ceiling will be determined by Julian Sayin’s growth, but the Buckeyes’ defense provides a high floor.

2. Texas

I’m not ready to discard Manning after he failed to solve a defense that rates among the nation’s best. In defeat, Texas showcased a commendable defense, a promising offensive line and a reliable run game buoyed by CJ Baxter’s return from injury. Sarkisian admitted his game plan failed to properly incorporate Manning’s repertoire. The Texas quarterback looked jittery playing in front of a scarlet-clad crowd of 107,524. A surname proved an insufficient security blanket for a 21-year-old’s nerves. Manning will get a chance to settle in against San Jose State, Texas-El Paso and Sam Houston State. He could steady by the time Texas travels to The Swamp in October.

3. Penn State

If Drew Allar could complete passes against Nevada’s defense every week, Penn State would be national champs. Alas, games against Oregon and Ohio State await, but not before the Nittany Lions dine on more catnip in games against Florida International and Villanova. Ohio State’s defense proved in Week 1 that it could withstand the loss of veteran talent. At Penn State, the departures of Abdul Carter and Kobe King might loom large, but we won’t really know the answer for a few weeks. Penn State treated this like a COVID-19 year and prolonged its preseason by scheduling a cupcake feast the first few weeks.

4. Georgia

The fanfare for Carson Beck – all deserved, by the way – overshadowed that Gunner Stockton snapped right into place for Georgia. Granted, Georgia played an opponent that Penn State might like to make room for on the schedule. Vulnerabilities shown by Alabama and Texas are a good sign for the Bulldogs. They’ll play each. If Stockton runs as well against SEC opponents as he did against Marshall, Georgia will enjoy a more dynamic offense. Transfer wide receiver Zachariah Branch addressed a need, too.

5. Miami

It’s good advice to not overreact to Week 1 results, but I also won’t ignore what I saw. Considering how Miami played against Notre Dame, it could have its best defense in years. Pair that with a quarterback who’s good enough to win the Heisman Trophy and a batch of wide receivers that most SEC coaches would covet, and Miami has the goods to win the ACC. The Hurricanes will play just four regular-season road games. If coach Mario Cristobal can stay out of his own way, he’s got a playoff team on his hands.

6. LSU

Brian Kelly spoke to the heart of the matter when he said LSU demonstrated “the composure and the resolve” to beat a program as well oiled as Clemson’s. It’s been a minute since LSU had the composure, the resolve or the defensive mean streak necessary to win an SEC championship. This team possesses those ingredients. You never know how a team will gel after a player-buying spree like the one LSU went on in the offseason, but the Tigers looked plenty cohesive in taking apart Clemson. They showed a spine when Clemson tested them with a late rally, and Garrett Nussmeier played like he’s the nation’s best quarterback, which he might be.

7. Oregon

After Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy remarked that Oregon “is paying a lot” of money to its roster, Ducks coach Dan Lanning weighed in: Gundy’s correct. Oregon’s roster is well-funded. That’s the way Lanning wants it. “We spend to win,” Lanning said. He’s done a consistent job of that throughout his tenure, and it must have been reassuring to see new starting quarterback Dante Moore carve up a Championship Subdivision opponent in Week 1. Oregon won’t play Ohio State amid a schedule that’s made for playoff contention.

8. Notre Dame

Keep Notre Dame in the playoff mix despite its loss to Miami. The Irish rebounded and reached the national championship game last season after losing to Northern Illinois. Notre Dame’s playoff hopes are squarely pinned to a Week 3 home game against Texas A&M. The Irish’s schedule will become accommodating after that. If they can survive the Aggies, they can overcome their loss to Miami. CJ Carr showed promise in his first career start, but Notre Dame needs to showcase tailback Jeremiyah Love more. He was underused in the opener.

9. Iowa State

In the anything-can-happen Big 12, I’m retreating toward a team that’s already 2-0 and owns a conference victory. Iowa State finished as the Big 12 runner-up last season, and veteran starting quarterback Rocco Becht is off to a fine start. The Cyclones’ schedule included just six home games, but they’ve already survived a trip to Ireland, emerging victorious against Kansas State.

10. Tennessee

I’ve entered the danger zone for a Week 1 overreaction, but the Vols and their transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar looked dynamite while blasting Syracuse. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in Tennessee who would welcome back Nico Iamaleava after Aguilar’s performance. The wide receivers looked dynamic, too, and the schedule is Tennessee’s friend. The Vols got served the SEC’s four weakest teams. Can Tennessee split games against Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma and Florida? That’s the formula for playoff entry.

11. Tulane

South Florida smashing Boise State will help position the American Conference to nab the Group of Five’s bid into the playoff. The question becomes, who will win the American? The Bulls established themselves as a front-runner, but so, too, is Tulane. The Green Wave already whipped Northwestern. They’ll also play Duke and Mississippi, but they won’t need to sweep those Power Four games to make the playoff. Winning the conference is the ticket. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff, a transfer from Brigham Young, aids that possibility.

12. Clemson

The Tigers were fortunate to lose to LSU by only seven points. Clemson got sorely outplayed. It’s also fortunate that neither this result nor its game against South Carolina will affect its opportunity to qualify for the playoff by winning the ACC. The larger issue for Clemson could be future opponent Florida State’s surge in sturdiness. But, Clemson will benefit from not facing Miami in the regular season, and Dabo Swinney remains in possession of a talented and veteran roster. It’s premature to count out Clemson.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings did not get long-term job security with a new tweak to his current contract, but he did get his bag.

On Sept. 3, Jennings and the 49ers agreed to terms on a deal that could pay the wideout up to $3 million in play-time incentives, per multiple reports. Last year’s leading wide receiver in San Francisco is still set to become a free agent after this season, but he’s in line to make $3 million more in 2025 than he was previously due.

Jennings, 28, had a massive breakout last year, five years after beginning his career on the 49ers’ practice squad in 2020. A season-ending injury to 49ers’ lead wideout Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel’s battle with pneumonia gave Jennings a chance to shine in the passing offense.

He took full advantage of the opportunity, finishing the 2024 season leading all 49ers wide receivers with his 77 catches, 975 yards and six touchdowns. All of those marks also set new career highs for the former Tennessee Volunteer and opened up the door to receiving a pay bump ahead of 2025.

Jauan Jennings contract details

Length: Two years (2025 is final year)
Value: $15.4 million + $3 million in play-time incentives
AAV: $7.7 million

Entering this season, Jennings is set to make up to $10.5 million if he remains healthy throughout the year. It’s a significant raise from the $7.5 million he was originally due.

Jennings will still hit free agency after the 2025 season, as his new agreement with the 49ers did not include any extension of his current contract.