Welcome back to school, Patriots! Following summer inactivity, we are back for the new 2025-26 school year. NFL Preseason. MLB Trade Deadline. Micah Parsons. College Football’s return. NBA Free Agency. These are just a few of the recent headlines over the past two months plus. This fall will produce arguably the most exciting sports atmospheres on the planet each year. Now, enough said, let’s get you guys up to speed.
NFL
We had to wait until the final week of August for the biggest football headline of the summer: Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons heads to the Packers in exchange for Kenny Clark and two first-rounders. Parsons also signed a record four-year, $188 million contract with $136 million guaranteed, creating championship expectations for the Pack.
There were some glimpses of potential breakout players during preseason. Some examples include rookies in Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa, and Giants QB Jaxson Dart, who can all be OROTY sleepers. Oh, and watch out for Chargers UDFA Eric Rogers, a linebacker from Rutgers, on defense.
Some teams have also named their week one starting QBs, including Spencer Rattler (Saints), Russell Wilson (Giants), Joe Flacco (Browns), and Daniel Jones (Colts), and these decisions have received quite the criticism. Their roles, of course, are subject to change during the season.
Meanwhile, some other preseason movements have been shocking. QBs Kenny Pickett, Dorian Thompson-Robisnon, and Sam Howell, who were all traded to the Browns, Eagles, and Vikings respectively, won’t play a single game for those teams. Pickett was traded to the Raiders, DTR was cut, and Howell was traded to Philadelphia. Former Bucs WR Trey Palmer was claimed by the Saints off waivers, former Commanders RB Brian Robinson was traded to the 49ers, and QB Carson Wentz was signed by the Vikings.
CB Xavien Howard and TE Darren Waller are returning to the NFL with the Colts and Dolphins after a year on the sidelines. In other unfortunate news, Vikings WR Rondale Moore suffered his second straight season-ending injury. Chargers OT Rashawn Slater is also done for the year, a huge blow to their o-line.
MLB
The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby All-Star Game were held at Atlanta’s Truist Park from July 14-15. Cal Raleigh of the Mariners may have won the Derby over the Rays’ Junior Caminero, but fans were laughing at Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm’s lackluster 3 HR performance.
The next day, the All-Star Game was held with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal starting for the AL and Pirates ace Paul Skenes starting for the NL. Following Mets closer Edwin Diaz’s blown save for the NL in the top of the ninth, the game went into an inaugural swing-off to break the tie. AL manager Aaron Boone selected Brent Rooker (A’s), Randy Arozarena (Mariners), and Jonathan Aranda (Rays), while NL manager Dave Roberts chose Kyle Stowers (Marlins), Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), and Pete Alonso (Mets). The National League ended up winning after Schwarber’s 3 for 3 run combined with Stowe’s 1 for 3 total was enough to surpass the three homers hit by the AL trio.
The MLB trade deadline hit on July 31, 2025. Both New York teams went in on relievers, the Phillies got a much-needed closer in Jhoan Duran, the Padres loaded up with more studs, and the Astros and Mariners welcomed back old friends in Carlos Correa and Eugenio Suarez.
NBA
Just before we left for the summer, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games to win their first NBA Finals since moving to the city in 2008. OKC’s Shai-Gilgeous Alexander was named NBA Finals MVP, and Tyrese Haliburton of Indiana tore his achilles tendon in the game, joining Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum as players that will miss the 2025-26 season.
A few days later, the Mavericks selected Duke’s Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick. Rutgers stars Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey went to the Spurs and Jazz at second and fourth overall, respectively. The 76ers selected VJ Edgecombe of Baylor with the third pick, and Duke’s Kon Kneuppel rounded out the top five after being selected by the Hornets. 2025 Most Outstanding Player from Florida, Walter Clayton, Jr. was traded to the Jazz on draft night after being selected by the Wizards at #18.
Free agency saw a ton of dominoes fall. The Celtics, Hawks, and Nets were among those that cleaned house, Dame Time is returning to Portland, Kevin Durant is in Houston, Desmond Bane went to Orlando, the Pistons gained some sharpshooters, and the Lakers have a new center.
Oh, and the New York Knicks hired former Kings coach Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau.
NHL
The Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in six games to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy, and the team looks to three-peat this upcoming season.
In other brief news, the New York Islanders selected Hamilton, Ontario’s Matthew Schaefer with the first pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
NASCAR
After a long 2025 regular season, the NASCAR Playoffs have begun! Here are the sixteen drivers that will fight for a title in NASCAR’s Cup Series from Darlington on Labor Day Weekend to Phoenix in November…
Kyle Larson, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Shane van Gisbergen, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman
The NASCAR Xfinity Series also announced that they would be gaining a new title sponsor in O’Reilly Auto Parts next year, replacing Xfinity after a decade-long run.
In addition, the 2026 schedules for all three series were revealed. The NASCAR Cup Series will be making points-paying returns to North Wilkesboro and Chicagoland, as well as making its debut at the San Diego (Coronado) Street Race. Dover Motor Speedway has been controversially moved to the All-Star Race, losing its only points date. The NASCAR Xfinity Series lost Portland in favor of a second Darlington date. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be making its return to Dover after a six-year hiatus, and will introduce new street courses in San Diego and St. Petersburg, FL. Pocono, spring Martinsville, and Las Vegas were removed from the schedule.
NCAA Football
College football teams named their starting quarterbacks for the new season. Some were 100% expected like Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik, and Drew Allar, but others are simply test subjects for now and will be made permanent down the road.
Most teams will be playing non-conference matchups to start the season before beginning conference play in mid-September. Marquee matchups include Texas vs. Ohio State, Clemson vs. LSU, and Florida State vs. Alabama.
The Iowa State Cyclones defeated the Kansas State Wildcats in a Dublin, Ireland ‘Farmageddon’ rivalry on August 24, 24-21.
Oh, and Bill Belichick is making his college coaching debut in the UNC vs. TCU Monday Night game.
WNBA
The WNBA teams are getting ready to make a playoff push before the NBA season even starts. Crazy, eh? Teams have already begun to clinch playoff spots, such as the Lynx, Aces, Dream, and Mercury.
In late June, the league announced an expansion to 18 teams, with Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030) joining the party. The Boston Celtics owners announced a month and a half later that they are planning to move the Connecticut Sun to Boston as soon as 2027.
The league also had its trade deadline in early August. Aaliyah Edwards (Mystics -> Sun) Brittney Sykes (Mystics -> Storm), and DiJonai Carrington (Wings -> Lynx) were among the players moved around during this time frame.
