McDowald’s membership to USA Fencing has been terminated for five years following multiple violations of USA Fencing’s Code of Conduct and Athlete Code of Conduct, according to a notice USA Fencing emailed to members Aug. 29.

McDowald, 29, will be eligible to apply for reinstatement Aug. 29, 2030 subject to approval by the USA Fencing Grievance and Disciplinary Committee and the USA Fencing Board of Directors, according to the notice. The notice said the Grievance and Disciplinary Committee issued the decision in the disciplinary matter.

In 2023, McDowald was temporarily suspended for allegations of misconduct, according to the U.S. Center for SafeSport website.

SafeSport is an independent body tasked by Congress with protecting athletes in the Olympic movement.

In 2023, McDowald’s behavior undermined the chances of the men’s epee team to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024. During the final touch of Team USA’s semifinal bout in the Pan-American Senior Games, McDowald kicked a freestanding banner near the strip, “among other actions,’’ according to a press release issued at the time by USA Fencing.

The actions resulted in Team USA being awarded no qualifying points for the Paris Olympics. The men’s epee team did not qualify for the Paris Olympics.

The Cowboys ranked 21st in our power poll … before shipping out Parsons, arguably their best player.
Already our NFC pick for Super Bowl 60, where do Packers check in now ahead of opener vs. Lions?
Big as the Parsons trade is, the three teams atop our power poll remain unchanged.

NFL power rankings with the 2025 regular season set to kick off Sept. 4 … and Micah Parsons on the move (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Philadelphia Eagles (1): There’s little doubt they’re a legit threat to follow the Chiefs, whom they decisively vanquished in Super Bowl 59, as the second team to repeat in a four-season span. The early part of the season already seems to be breaking Philly’s way − the Eagles now set to open against a Cowboys squad devoid of Parsons, rather than the pitch-count version of Parsons, before heading to Arrowhead Stadium and catching the perennial AFC champions on the back end of their 10,000-mile roundtrip to Brazil in Week 1.

2. Baltimore Ravens (2): Looking for a flaw here? They didn’t manage to get in on the Parsons sweepstakes, otherwise … The biggest issue facing Baltimore presently might be avoiding boredom in September and October − and the Ravens have been known to strike some easily avoidable early schedule potholes in past seasons.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (3): You have to wonder just how engaged they’ll be during the regular season given how married they are to Super Bowl success.

4. Green Bay Packers (6): Some of the sager members of the NFL media corps had already picked them as the NFC’s Super Bowl 60 entry … not that anyone, cough, is looking for credit. But with Parsons now coming aboard in the kind of deal Pack fans rarely enjoy? Better buy another bandwagon. Or two.

6. Los Angeles Rams (5): A young team is hoping to pick up where it left off after last season’s resurgence refueled its Super Bowl aspirations. Unfortunately, that young team has an old quarterback with a creaky back who also effectively renders the entire operation a house of cards … all due respect to Jimmy Garoppolo.

7. Washington Commanders (7): They’ve eliminated one risk by resolving the contractual situation of longtime team captain Terry McLaurin. They’ve potentially invited another one by trading starting RB Brian Robinson to the Niners. FWIW, they’re also not going to be able to duck Parsons, drawing a Thursday night assignment in Green Bay in Week 2 − get ready, Laremy Tunsil.

8. Denver Broncos (8): They’re exactly why you don’t judge actual NFL teams by their fantasy football value. Denver arguably has the league’s best offensive line and defense. Who needs Bo Nix?

9. Detroit Lions (9): Much of the offseason focus has understandably been trained on their numerous coaching departures, including both coordinators. But let’s not forget that DE Aidan Hutchinson will be back wrecking shop in Week 1, either.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (10): It’s worth wondering how long it will take QB Aaron Rodgers to practically get a handle on this offense after he sat out the preseason. Conversely, unnecessary penalties or not, fun to see new DB Jalen Ramsey sending the message Pittsburgh’s defense is back.

11. Arizona Cardinals (12): A 5-2 start coming out of a Week 8 bye seems quite reasonable for a team that struggled to get out of the blocks during its first two seasons under coach Jonathan Gannon. It might also be enough to distinguish the Cards in what appears to be a tightly packed NFC West.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14): Similar to the Lions, let’s not try to obsess over the delayed 2025 debuts of LT Tristan Wirfs and WRs Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan − not to mention the departure of OC Liam Coen … which we’ve now mentioned. Instead, let’s focus on the opportunity first-round WR Emeka Egbuka now has to make a run at Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

13. San Francisco 49ers (11): In the event you’d lost track, Russell Gage, Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Robbie Chosen (the latter two on the practice squad) are now part of the Niners’ expanded − by necessity − suite of wideout options. If that seems problematic … yep.

14. Seattle Seahawks (16): In the event you’d lost track, Dareke Young, Cody White, Jake Bobo, Ricky White III and Tyrone Broden (the latter two on the practice squad) are now part of the Seahawks’ expanded − by necessity − suite of wideout options. If that seems problematic … well, Seattle still has Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp on what’s likely going to be a run-oriented offense that isn’t overly reliant on new QB Sam Darnold.

15. Minnesota Vikings (17): Their forecast was tempered at best at this time a year ago. So discount the Vikes at your peril. It also would have been crazy to wonder a year ago if J.J. McCarthy could fill Darnold’s shoes. Maybe the return of WR Adam Thielen, who will certainly ease the temporary absence of Jordan Addison, helps that cause.

16. Houston Texans (13): With RB Joe Mixon’s absence set to extend well into the fall, and his return nowhere in sight, an offense that already had a convulsive offseason has another major question mark going into Week 1 and beyond.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (18): With DE Trey Hendrickson sufficiently appeased (for 2025 anyway), this roster basically heads into the season intact, albeit a significantly more expensive version compared to the disappointing 2024 edition. Good luck with that.

18. Los Angeles Chargers (15): You don’t want to undersell a team coached by Jim Harbaugh. But there were enough concerns about portions of this roster before newly extended Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater blew out his knee.

19. New England Patriots (19): Exciting new head coach. Exciting free agent additions. Exciting rookie class. The new recipe may not coalesce immediately, but this team should be cooking with grease soon.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (22): Are we already souring on the grand Travis Hunter experiment now that he’s apparently already been sideswiped by injury before the games that count have even started?

21. Chicago Bears (20): After an offseason seemingly overflowing with justifiable optimism, the last few weeks have been something of a reality check as rookie HC Ben Johnson gets his sea legs under him while his players try to stay afloat in their new reality. Fun fact, Bears are actually great swimmers.

22. Atlanta Falcons (24): Amazing how (relatively) quiet RB Bijan Robinson 1,887 yards from scrimmage in 2024 were but good bet he breaks into the coverage of Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry in 2025.

23. New York Jets (23): Preseason was a mixed bag, similar to their new Nike ‘Gotham City Football Club’ uniforms. But even if the new-look offense struggles at times in 2025, which is probably a given, don’t expect the toughness rookie HC Aaron Glenn is injecting into this organization to take a day off.

24. Carolina Panthers (25): There’s fresh hope around this group after it finished 2024 on the upswing. But, wow, is QB Bryce Young’s receiving corps green following the trade of Thielen and release of Hunter Renfrow.

25. Dallas Cowboys (21): There’s no way to spin the departure of Parsons − at least to this locker room − as anything other than a gut punch. And what becomes of first-year coordinator Matt Eberflus’ defense, which has been stripped of Parsons, its linchpin, and DeMarcus Lawrence? Seems like the Cowboys could be morphing into Bengals West … without the same level of offensive firepower.

26. New York Giants (29): If the NFL crowned preseason champs, you’re probably looking at ’em. Alas. But nevertheless, even though it may not be reflected much in the 2025 win column, plenty of good feels around this team − primarily generated by rookie QB Jaxson Dart and LB Abdul Carter. Factor in WR Malik Nabers, and the Giants’ may just have the league’s premier trio of youngsters … at least based on what we saw in their dominant August. In a Parsons-less NFC East, maybe Big Blue now has a legit shot at third place.

27. Las Vegas Raiders (26): Maybe first-round RB Ashton Jeanty justifies the hype. Maybe Tyree Wilson, their top pick in 2023, is finally ready to help DE Maxx Crosby. Maybe QB Geno Smith won’t have to give way to recently obtained Kenny Pickett. Notice a theme of maybes?

28. Miami Dolphins (27): If this summer taught us anything, there are still concerns about what’s going on inside the building and also on the field. Factor in several key starters nursing training camp injuries, and a problematic team that usually starts well under coach Mike McDaniel may struggle to replicate even that.

29. Tennessee Titans (28): September could be tough, but don’t be surprised if this team becomes an incrementally tougher out as the season progresses … and rookie QB Cam Ward starts imprinting his unmissable stamp on the organization.

30. Cleveland Browns (31): There are some good players in this lineup. Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders isn’t one of them … and that will almost surely be the story until that changes.

31. Indianapolis Colts (30): Quarterback notwithstanding, this roster has plenty going for it. But despite how hard it is to trust Daniel Jones, Indy nevertheless decided he was a preferable option to Anthony Richardson as QB1 … so drumming up much optimism here is a tough ask.

32. New Orleans Saints (32): Maybe new QB1 Spencer Rattler, 24, has grown leaps and bounds after six ugly starts as a rookie in 2024. But the fact second-rounder Tyler Shough, 25, couldn’t beat him out just feels like this organization’s latest setback.

Entering September, MLB’s playoff picture is getting more clear.
Locked in division and wild-card races, the Yankees need more from shortstop Anthony Volpe.
Shohei Ohtani is easing back into action and is an X-factor for the Dodgers in October.

With Major League Baseball’s playoff field coming into greater focus each week, the final sprint through September may be missing some of its typical drama.

Yet plenty is at stake with division titles, first-round byes and worrisome issues for top contenders to clean up before the annual bracket challenge is at hand.

A little less than 30 games remain for most clubs, time enough for swing adjustments, a few more spins around the rotation and bullpen roles to gain or lose definition. USA TODAY Sports takes a look at six players crucial to their teams’ prospects of getting in – and staying in – the playoffs:

Anthony Volpe, Yankees SS

There are multiple authors of this uninspired Yankees season, but the club seemed to tacitly say the quiet part out loud in giving Volpe a two-day “mental reset” recently. And within that span, the club concocted a five-game winning streak to stabilize its hold on a playoff spot.

But this season has been mystifying for the once-Gold Glove shortstop, who outside of his 18 homers has been beaten badly at the plate (.207, 83 adjusted OPS) and brutal afield.

He ranks fourth-to-last among major league shortstops with -7 outs above average, which only partly illustrates how the cog of the Yankees’ defense has set a sloppy tone for the entire unit.

By season’s end, Volpe and the Yankees will reach a key checkpoint. He’ll have three years of service time under his belt, eligible for arbitration and halfway to free agency. Any significant revamp on either side of the ball will likely have to come in Volpe’s offseason. Yet how the Yankees and Volpe finish will frame their playoff prospects and his long-term stature in the organization.

Shohei Ohtani – the pitcher

It seemed unthinkable just a couple months ago, when the Dodgers were slow-walking Shohei Ohtani’s pitching ramp-up and an October of one- and two-inning bursts seemed likely.

But after striking out nine and maintaining his stuff over five innings of his last start, it’s only fair to wonder: Will we see The Full Ohtani in the postseason?

Ohtani threw a kitchen sink of seven pitches at the Cincinnati Reds in notching his first win of the season. Better yet, his four-seam fastball hovered at 98.2 mph, just 0.1 off his season average, while his sinker was at 96.6 mph, 0.4 above average.

And perhaps most important, Ohtani is learning to wean himself off his sweeper, a pitch he probably fell too in love with before succumbing to a second Tommy John surgery in 2023.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ pitching plans continue to stay weird. Where it once looked like they’d be back to spackle-and-Casparius postseason plans, the horses are aligning: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, followed by now-healthy Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. Clayton Kershaw has found the Fountain of Something at age 37. Youngster Emmet Sheehan is throwing the ball very well.

And then there’s the 6-foot-4 full-time DH, an enticing weapon come the playoffs. Should Ohtani continue taking steps forward in his last four or five starts, it would be hard to put a ceiling on what he may do through October.

Orion Kerkering, Phillies RHP

Autumn is nearing and Kerkering is a member of the Phillies bullpen and that means it’s spooky szn. And this Phillies squad seems even more extreme than the past two editions undone in October by the relief core: The club has at times resembled the class of the NL, yet its best-laid bullpen plans have long since gone awry.

Top lefty Jose Alvarado cannot pitch in the postseason due to a PED violation. Projected closer Jordan Romano has an 8.23 ERA and has made a mess of any role, though he’s now on the IL. Joe Ross has been DFA’d, Lou Trivino is here and the club hopes to wring a few clean innings from 40-year-old late-season mercenary David Robertson.

Yes, the club landed top-flight closer Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline. The lefty crew – Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks – is pretty solid. The overall depth will be buttressed by a starter – perhaps Taijuan Walker – dropping into the ‘pen for the playoffs. But in a Zack Wheeler-less universe, there will be more innings for relievers to cover.

And it would greatly aid the Phillies’ cause if Kerkering can punch his way up the pecking order.

His strikeout-walk ratio has fallen by almost half from his rookie year (4.35 to 2.32) and his WHIP has risen (1.08 to 1.33), as hitters have tracked his devastating sweeper more effectively. And while the Phillies have aimed to start him with clean innings, he’s failed this month when dropped into the fire, allowing six of nine inherited runners to score.

For a guy like Kerkering, things can turn on a dime. Teammates still swear by his stuff. He’s still striking out 10.1 batters per nine in his young career. He just needs to find it – and hopefully before the Phillies see a tightly-contested NLDS turn on their bullpen failings.

Riley Greene, Tigers LF

Make no mistake: Greene is a great player having a season worthy of his All-Star selection. And there are many reasons why the Tigers roared to a 59-34 start, only to go 19-23 since, most notably a pitching rotation that simply is what it is after ace Tarik Skubal.

But the Tigers’ slide in some ways mirrors Greene’s softer second half. He’s been almost metronomic from a power standpoint, his 34 longballs coming in bursts of six or seven each month of the season.

On the downside, he’s running away with the major league strikeout title with 168, coming at a 30.8% clip. Greene took a .284 average and .879 OPS into the All-Star break, but that was accompanied by a highly unsustainable .365 batting average on balls in play.

It’s all come back to earth some, with a .250 second-half BABIP and a .216/.284/.433 line. The body of work is framed by mid-range hard-hit percentages (45.1%) and average exit velocity (90 mph).

In short: Streaky dude. That doesn’t mean Greene can’t perk up to solidify the Tigers’ first-round bye – and take that into the playoffs.

Dylan Cease, Padres RHP

Left unspoken in the will-they-won’t-they trade discourse surrounding Cease and the Padres last month was the fact he hadn’t pitched particularly well this season. He took a 4.59 ERA into deadline week and has backtracked further, with a 5.72 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in six starts, failing to pitch past the fifth in five of them.

Remarkably, the Padres went 5-1 in those starts, but the stakes are rising for all parties. San Diego still has a shot at the NL West title, sitting two games behind the Dodgers. And they could easily land in any of the three wild-card slots, the difference between hosting or having to play, say, at the division-winning Dodgers in the first round.

Cease has his own motivations: He’s a free agent after this season and has a high-profile window to salvage this platform season with a strong stretch run and playoff performance. Further regression may create a quandary of accepting a shorter-term deal and trying to pump his value next season.

Andrew Vaughn, Brewers 1B

Within the game’s most unlikely story – Milwaukee Brewers, best team in baseball – resided an even more startling development:

Andrew Vaughn, indispensable cog.

The Brewers were good – 50-40, four games behind the Chicago Cubs – when they summoned Vaughn to the big club to fill in for injured Rhys Hoskins, days after acquiring him from the Chicago White Sox, where he was one of the worst hitters in the game.

Yet the .189/.214/.314 banjo hitter on the South Side suddenly blossomed into a slugger worthy of the No. 3 overall pick in 2019, as Vaughn was. The Brewers won their first nine games with him in the lineup and entered Friday 33-12 – with a 6 ½-game NL Central lead – since he joined the squad.

Late August, though, hasn’t been as kind: Milwaukee dropped its last two series, to sub-.500 teams, and Vaughn is in an 8-for-40 (.170) hole with just one extra-base hit in his last 13 games. Meanwhile, Hoskins has a .924 OPS in the first eight games of his rehab assignment for a thumb sprain and should return next week. The Brewers can do some mixing and matching to get both Vaughn and Hoskins in the lineup, such as depositing Christian Yelich in right field every so often. This final stretch of games, though, should determine just what they have in Vaughn – a summer curiosity or an October staple.

The Cowboys’ defense is facing a radical shift in the wake of the Micah Parsons trade.
While Jerry and Stephen Jones have emphasized improving the run defense, a pass rush that counted on Parsons’ disruption faces plenty of uncertainty.
Dante Fowler Jr. might have to do a lot of the heavy lifting for a unit that otherwise features few proven products on the edge.

When things first began to click for Donovan Ezeiruaku in training camp, the Dallas Cowboys rookie sparked a competition of sorts with his fellow pass rushers.

‘We just had a two-minute period, and the first thing Dante (Fowler Jr.) said to me was, ‘I’ll meet you back there (in the backfield),” Ezeiruaku said in late July. ‘I said, ‘No, I’m going to get there first.’ And then the first play, I got back there so I asked, ‘Where you at?”

One month later, the Cowboys now are counting on Ezeiruaku, Fowler and a host of other faces to be the ones to hold court in opponents’ backfields.

On Thursday, Dallas agreed to trade two-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for two first-round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The move served as a stunning resolution to the escalating friction between one of the league’s most accomplished young defensive stars and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, with the two having clashed over negotiations for a contract extension.

But regardless of what led to the split – Jones insisted it was driven by a belief that his team could be better both right away and well into the future – Dallas now must recalibrate a pass rush no longer ignited by Parsons, who not only offered prolific production but a gravitational pull for the rest of the defense. And with the season-opener against the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles less than a week away, the unit has little time to sort things out.

Here’s a look at how the Cowboys might move forward, from this season and beyond:

Where do Cowboys go next in 2025 after Micah Parsons trade?

In terms of generating sacks and pressure from a singular source, replicating Parsons is a non-starter.

Parsons recorded 52 ½ sacks in four seasons in Dallas. The five defensive ends on the active roster – Ezeiruaku, Fowler, Marshawn Kneeland, Sam Williams and James Houston – have combined for 73 sacks in their careers. Last year’s defense ranked second in sack rate at 9.22% largely thanks to Parsons, who had twice as many sacks as any other player and created both clean-up opportunities and favorable looks for others with the attention he demanded.

But in changing the narrative to center on a run defense that was gashed through former coach Mike McCarthy’s previous playoff faceplants and final disappointment of a 7-10 season, Jones and his son Stephen, the team’s executive vice president, seemed to indicate the unit is shifting its focus rather than attempting to recreate what it once had.

“We feel like in addition to the depth, you can scheme pressure as well,” Stephen Jones said in a news conference Thursday evening. “I think (defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus) has been really good at that, in terms of using scheme to get pressure on the quarterback. But what is tough to scheme is to stop the run.’

Jerry Jones also left open the possibility that the team could use any of its four first-round draft picks in the next two years ‘to go get somebody right now.’ But between the scarcity of top pass rushers typically available on the market and the high cost that typically accompanies acquiring and paying players at the position, Dallas probably won’t have any sizable additions coming in the calendar year.

And that means cobbling together a pass rush in the aggregate.

Fowler might have to shoulder much of the early load. The 10th-year veteran enjoyed a surprising 2024 breakout that included 10 ½ sacks, with his eighth-ranked pass rush win rate placing him among the league’s elite. But operating as the main attraction is a steep challenge for the 31-year-old, and the players behind him are largely unproven.

Micah Parsons trade grades: Who won deal between Packers, Cowboys?

Kneeland, who looks set to hold down the other starting spot, did not record a sack as a rookie in 11 games. At 6-3 and a burly 275 pounds, the third-round pick is built to set edges and overwhelm blockers with his bull rush, but there’s not much more to his game at the moment. Williams remains a wild card after missing all of last season with multiple torn knee ligaments, though his pre-injury burst and fluidity made him a tantalizing prospect. Houston pushed his way into a roster spot with a promising camp and preseason performance. And Ezeiruaku, the second-round pick who ranked second in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2024 with 16 ½ sacks, might be called on to provide a spark even earlier than anticipated.

Cowboys’ 2026 free agency options

At this moment, the 2026 free agency class looks particularly promising at edge rusher. Don’t expect it to stay that way, though.

Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto seems like a virtual lock to stay with the Denver Broncos, while the Miami Dolphins likely won’t want to let Jaelan Phillips go so long as the 2021 first-round pick can stay healthy. Trey Hendrickson appears headed for his long-awaited split from the Cincinnati Bengals and a trip to the open market, but Jones almost surely would have reservations about paying top-of-market money to a sack artist nearly five years older than Parsons. And while the Seattle Seahawks’ Boye Mafe and Baltimore Ravens’ Odafe Oweh could price themselves out of their current teams’ plans, Jones has largely been content to surf the smaller later waves of free agency rather than make a big splash with marquee names.

Cowboys’ 2026 draft options

If the Cowboys are to draft another edge rusher after using three second-round picks at the position in the last four years, it would make sense for the team to target the kind of high-end difference-maker it lacks with Parsons gone.

Eight months out from the 2026 draft, the class doesn’t have a clear-cut, elite disruptor in the mold of Parsons or Abdul Carter, the fellow Penn State product who went No. 3 overall to the New York Giants in April. But plenty can change with an entire season still to play out.

Winners, losers of Micah Parsons trade: Ample fallout for Cowboys, Packers

Here are seven draft prospects who could be of interest to the Cowboys if the team sets its sights on a potential replacement for Parsons:

1. Keldric Faulk, Auburn

At 6-6 and 285 pounds, he’s potentially the picture of what the Cowboys are seeking for their new age on defense. Comfortable tossing aside blockers, he’ll be a force in the run game and help set the tone up front from Day 1. His seven sacks in 2024 belie his overall pass-rushing ability, which is still in need of refinement. But supersized, stout edge rushers are en vogue, and Faulk is the kind of project the Cowboys – or any other team – likely will be eager to take on.

2. T.J. Parker, Clemson

With 11 sacks, 19 ½ tackles for loss and six forced fumbles in 2024, he’s both one of the more proven and most promising edge rushers in this class. Parker might not be the overbearing force that teammate Peter Woods is along the front, but his disruptiveness against the pass is hard to match.

3. LT Overton, Alabama

Like Faulk, he fits the bill of the powerful inside-outside threat that Dallas seems to be gravitating toward. The 6-5, 283-pound former five-star recruit is very much a work in progress as a pass rusher after notching just two sacks last season, but he could flourish with the bevy of stunts, twists and slants Eberflus loves to employ.

4. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon

A 6-5, 272-pound defensive end nicknamed ‘Young Concrete’ has to be of interest to the Cowboys. Uiagalelei is among college football’s most forceful players, consistently tapping into a dogged pursuit that helps him wear down blockers.

5. Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)

After a soft-tissue injury hampered him as a sophomore, Bain has some work to do to re-establish himself as a premier prospect. But if he’s able to recapture his form he displayed as a freshman, when he stormed onto the scene with 7 ½ sacks and consistent pressure, the 6-3, 275-pound power rusher should stir plenty of interest as a potential early pick.

Micah Parsons had some parting words for the Dallas Cowboys and their fans a day after the blockbuster trade that sent him to Green Bay.

“The moment I got drafted, I had a second home, and they welcomed me. They opened their hearts out to me. They poured into me. That fan base is one of one, so thank you to the fan base,” Parsons said of the Cowboys and Dallas in his first official press conference as a Green Bay Packer. “Thank you to all the players that I played with. I’m gonna miss my dog (Trevon Diggs). That’s like a brother to me. There’s a lot of people that I got close relationships with over there, and I’m gonna miss them regardless.”

Parsons conceded in a social media post Thursday that he never wanted his Cowboys “chapter to end.’ He expressed similar sentiments Friday during his introductory press conference, but told reporters he’s happy to be a member of the Packers.

“I wish, you know, things didn’t have to be like this. But I’m happy for this opportunity. I’m happy to be here, and I’m ready to win some games,” Parsons said.

Parsons has 188 million reasons to be happy in Green Bay. The Packers signed the two-time first-team All-Pro to a four-year, $188 million deal, including $136 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, a person familiar with the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

Parsons acknowledged there are expectations that come with being the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.

“I’m not even going lie, there is a lot of expectations. I’ll be a fool to not think that there isn’t expectations, or there isn’t pressure in the position that I’m stepping into,” Parsons explained. “But then again, that’s a blessing in itself. That means that they believe in me. They believe I’m that much of a future in this organization. And they showed that in every which way. So that just alone just shows me the type of person I need to be in this building every day. I’m very determined.”

Parsons told reporters he saw a picture of Packers legend and Hall of Famer Reggie White while at the team’s facility. Coincidentally, Parsons and White are the only two players in NFL history to compile 12 or more sacks in their first four NFL seasons. Parsons said he’s motivated to be mentioned amongst Packers legends such as White who starred for the Packers for six seasons.

Micah Parsons trade signals dreaded rebuild for Dallas Cowboys

“Reggie is like one of the goats,” Parsons said.” I just looked at him like somebody who won here. He can do that. I think I can do that too. I think I can do anything I put my mind to. I looked on that wall and I saw Brett Favre, I saw Reggie, I saw all those legends and I was like, ‘I got to be there.’”

Green Bay’s defense can sure use an impact edge rusher like the late-great White.

The Packers generated a 29.6% pressure rate when rushing four-or-less, which ranked 21st in the NFL in 2024, according to Next Gen Stats. Parsons has led the NFL in pressures (335) and pressure rate (21.1%) since entering the league in 2021. He’s registered 52.5 sacks in his first four seasons.

The new Packers star will sport No. 1 in Green Bay. According to various reports, no player has worn that number since the legendary Curly Lambeau almost 100 years ago. Lambeau was one of the founders of the franchise, was named to the 1920s All-Decade team as a player, and also coached the Packers. Lambeau last wore the number in 1926.

NEW YORK — American Ben Shelton, thought to be one of the favorites for the US Open outside of top-seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner and No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz, retired from his third-round match against Adrian Mannarino on Friday, Aug. 29, because of a shoulder injury.

Shelton, the No. 6 seed, gutted it out for the three-hour match and had to retire with the match square at two sets a piece. It was the first time in 178 career matches that Shelton was forced to retire.

Shelton said he couldn’t pinpoint when he got hurt, as he was healthy going into the match.

‘Really high,’ Shelton said after the match when he asked what his level of pain was. ‘I’m not sure. You know, I never retired before. I’m not a guy who would retire if I could continue. Even though I was in pain, I was just kind of in that competitive mindset of trying to find a way and push through it.’

Shelton was the first of two ranked American men to fall at the US Open on Friday. A short time after Shelton’s loss, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe was stunned by qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) in his third-round match.

Mannarino, a 37-year-old from France and ranked No. 77 in the world, advances to the fourth round to face No. 20 seed Jiri Lehecka, a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 winner over Raphael Collignon. It was Mannarino’s first win against a top-10 player in a Grand Slam tournament in 23 attempts.

“When he started to have pain, he was leading in the match,” Mannarino, who is the oldest man to break into the Top 20 in ATP Rankings history at age 35, after achieving a career-high No. 17 in 2024, said after his victory. “Honestly, he probably would’ve won that match. That’s unfortunate for him, and lucky for me. I don’t really know what to say right now. I’m happy to be through, but I wish him the best, of course.”

The 22-year-old Shelton was leading in the second game of the fourth set when he screamed in pain during a forehand shot. He called for a trainer and received treatment on the shoulder, and was in obvious discomfort and emotional on the bench.

“I did something to my shoulder. I don’t know what it is,’ Shelton could be heard saying to his coach’s box.

After losing the fourth set, and during the changeover before the fifth set, he was again visited by medical staff, and, in tears, he decided he couldn’t continue.

‘Usually I’ll play through anything and just kind of find a way. And whether it’s sickness or injury, like, if I can stay out there, I can stay out there. I never felt anything like this before,’ Shelton said.

Shelton made the semifinals of the 2023 US Open and reached the semifinals of the 2025 Australian Open in January.

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Miami linebacker Adarius Hayes was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving in connection with a two-car crash on May 10 that killed three people.

Hayes was arrested after he turned himself into authorities on Friday, Aug. 29, the Largo Police Department in Florida announced, two days before Miami begins its 2025 season against Notre Dame.

The crash happened in the city of Largo, Hayes’ hometown about 20 miles west of Tampa. Police said initial reports showed Hayes ‘was traveling at a high rate of speed and maneuvering aggressively through traffic’ before his Dodge Durango collided with a Kia Soul at an intersection.

The 78-year-old driver of the Kia and two children, ages 10 and 4, were killed, and a 58-year-old man in the passeger of the Kia was hospitalized with serious injuries. Hayes was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and eventually released.

Police said an investigation into the crash discovered Hayes ‘made a rapid and dangerous maneuver’ of crossing three lanes of traffic five seconds before the crash before he quickly crossed lanes again without signaling. He reached a maximum speed of 78 miles per hour in 40 mph zone when he crashed into the Kia, which police added was lawfully executign a left-hand turn.

‘The investigation concluded that Adarius Hayes’ egregious speed, aggressive and reckless lane changes, and complete disregard for surrounding traffic conditions demonstrated a willful and deliberate disregard for the safety of others, constituting reckless driving. These actions directly led to the tragic deaths of the three victims,’ officials said.

Hayes was booked Pinellas County Jail and was released on $350,000 bond four hours later, according to jail records.

Miami said Hayes is ‘indefinitely suspended from all athletic related activities per athletic department policy’ and declined further comment.

A four-star recruit in the 2024 class, Hayes played in 12 games for the Hurricanes last season, mostly on special teams. He made four tackles and recorded one interception.

The NFL world wasn’t the only one shocked by the Micah Parsons trade on Thursday evening – Kenny Clark was too.

Less than 24 hours after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys in the blockbuster deal that sent Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, Clark detailed the life-changing call he received while getting some ice cream for his daughter, Kenaii. Clark was informed of the trade that would end a nine-year run for him in Green Bay – the only NFL team he has played for.

‘I was shocked, but once Jerry and all those guys called me, Schotty and everybody, I just felt wanted. It’s a blessing, I’m appreciative of it.’ Clark said, via the Cowboys’ official site.

The three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is ready to introduce himself to the Cowboys defense, saying he is prepared to be the best version of himself.

‘No nonsense, you’re going to get a dawg, somebody that’s just all about football,’ Clark said. ‘I’m here to ball. I’m here to be my best self. I feel like when I’m my best self, there’s nobody messing with me. That’s what I bring to the table, I’m here to play my (expletive) off.’

He won’t have a long time to do that, however, with the Week 1 kickoff set for Thursday, Sept. 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Clark will have to cram an entire offseason’s worth of preparation into just a few days as he prepares for his Dallas debut.

‘First and foremost, just establishing myself by how I play,’ Clark said. ‘And just being myself, establishing myself as a leader. I lead by example, I truly believe in being a pro and doing things the right way.’

Jerry Jones pointed out during a press conference following the deal that stopping the run would be a point of emphasis for the team going forward and Clark is a big reason for that. The 29-year-old explained what it will take for the Dallas defense to accomplish that goal.

‘When it all comes down to stopping the run, it’s all about physicality and setting edges,’ Clark said. ‘I think as long as we’re doing our job as a defense, it all takes 11. It takes all of us understanding how to stop the run and it takes all of us holding each other accountable every day to know our responsibilities and play the run so we can be able to rush the passer.’

While Clark won’t be getting to the quarterback at will like Parsons, there is still some potential for sacks with the former Packer.

He set a career-high with 7.5 sacks in 2023 and has 35 for his career, noting that is part of his game.

‘I pride myself on being an all-around defensive tackle, but I’m primarily a nose tackle. That’s my bread and butter…’ Clark added. ‘I can slide out to three in pass rushing situations or whatever the case may be, but wherever they put me, I’m going to make plays.’

From one historic franchise to another, the goal remains the same – no matter the place.

‘It’s a historic franchise, I wouldn’t want no other thing other than to be sitting here,’ Clark said. I’ve got a chance to win a Super Bowl here and that’s all I could ask for. That’s what I want to do, I want to bring a Super Bowl back to the Cowboys.’

While the trade hasn’t drawn rave reviews from analysts, it will come down to what happens on the field. And if there’s one thing for certain about the NFL, it’s that anything can happen.