espn Page 3 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Stephen A. Smith may take a late night television jalopy out for a spin next year
It’s opening night for the 2025 NBA season. After Inside the NBA guffaws its way through the opening game, a portion of the audience siphons off to Apple TV or Prime Video, where Stephen A. Smith is starting his opening monologue. Except he isn’t ranting and raving about Donovan Mitchell and Jalen B...

ESPN didn’t say Aaron Rodgers was dumb, they said his joke was dumb
The firestorm engulfing ESPN is a product of its own doing, which is what makes all of this Pat McAfee-Aaron Rodgers drama so funny. The worldwide leader hired comic relief and, shockingly, he simultaneously lit Disney and Bristol ablaze from Indiana. In case you missed the fallout from Rodgers insi...

NCAA-ESPN's new broadcast deal is great for women's sports
The NCAA and ESPN agreed to an eight-year, $115 million annual deal to broadcast 40 different championships including the women’s college basketball tournament....

Stephen A. Smith weighs in on Pat McAfee and, as usual, gets it wrong
Last time I checked, Stephen A. Smith, a man who epitomizes the “embrace really loud debate” and who, just this week, had a man sniffing a female colleague’s shoe on his show, has decided to speak for journalism....

It’s time for ESPN to put an end to Pat McAfee’s Aaron Rodgers disaster
There was a time in journalism when allowing people to spew false information in a public forum was frowned upon. That was before the ghouls at FOX News realized that there was a lot of money in telling people what they want to hear — truth be damned — first as wild speculation about where former Pr...

ESPN apologizes for Sugar Bowl boob flash
What happens on Bourbon Street doesn’t always stay on Bourbon Street. In one case, it gets broadcast to millions of people. ...

College football team gains access to videos — and it's not Michigan
The NCAA is investigating an unnamed football team for gaining unauthorized access to materials on Catapult, a company that handles video and film for college football teams....

Kevin Durant is reportedly <i>not</i> frustrated with the state of the Phoenix Suns, according to Kevin Durant
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Christmas Day that members of the Suns organization believed that Durant had grown frustrated with the team and their current roster amid injuries to Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. According to Wojnarowski, Phoenix “has got to change soon” in order to right the ...

Why does the NFL refuse to return the bench press competition to Pro Bowl weekend?
The list of events for the Pro Bowl games was released on Wednesday. This annual celebration of the NFL’s top players has turned into summer camp. Like summer camp for kids, not training camp or an Illinois music festival. The players compete in events like dodgeball and tug of war, and the game is ...

The Bucks-Pacers rivalry is now spectacular. Thank you, NBA's In-Season Tournament
The NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament has been worth it for all involved. For the Los Angeles Lakers, many men who could use a $500,000 direct deposit got it. Tyrese Haliburton emerged from the tourney as the newest NBA superstar. Also, a real inter-division rivalry is budding. The Indiana Pacers...

Al Michaels phased out for nepo baby
After 17 years of legendary calls, Al Michaels has officially been completely phased out of NBC’s NFL coverage. According to the New York Post, Michaels is out of NBC’s NFL playoff coverage. ...

Give us more Charles Barkley insulting Stephen A. Smith
ESPN and TNT have combined their coverage of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, and as always, Charles Barkley kept things interesting....
![Jon Rahm takes LIV handout [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/c18d05b9e135ef80adf8c769d73efb6a.jpg)
Jon Rahm takes LIV handout [Updated]
Update Dec. 7: Rahm has officially joined the Saudi Tour. ESPN, citing sources, said the deal is believed to be three-plus years, and reportedly worth more than $300 million....

Spongebob to co-host Nickelodeon's Super Bowl LVIII broadcast
The folks that gifted us Slimed Mike McCarthy, Patrick Star’s commentary of a Russell Wilson interception, and the Mitchell Trubisky NVP are coming back for the Super Bowl....

Patrick Kane reveals why he chose to sign with Red Wings
Three-time Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Kane signed with the Detroit Red Wings last month and is eying a return to the ice this week against San Jose after having hip resurfacing surgery this past summer....

Stephen A. Smith wants to be ESPN's biggest earner
Stephen A. Smith’s future at ESPN could be up in 18 months if the money isn’t right....

This year’s College Football Playoff controversy is the sport at its best
Amidst all the outrage and taunting on Sunday, I hope everyone took the time to enjoy the rush. A reminder about college sports: the athletes are not as good as the pros. The game is not nearly as polished. What makes up for the majority of participants having no chance at becoming well-paid profess...

The week in the NBA: Josh Giddey accusations drama, Ball brothers injury bug, Jason Kidd loses it for no reason
When you continue to embrace a man who reportedly impregnated a 13-year-old when he was in college, and honor that same man regularly by inviting him to marquee league events (like the 2023 All-Star Game) alongside Kareem Abdul Jabbar and LeBron James, it makes it really hard to discipline a current...

The week in the NFL, college football: Sean McDermott facing heat, Deion Sanders fools everyone, Bobby Petrino gets another chance
The Buffalo Bills might be the biggest disappointment of this NFL season. A supposed Super Bowl contender, as predicted by many, can barely stay alive in the wild-card race. Buffalo lost another game on Sunday in Philadelphia, which they could’ve won had their coach not folded in crunch time. Too ma...

Hey, Jason Kidd: Learn how to take a compliment
Jason Kidd was in a foul mood after the Dallas Mavericks’ 121-115 victory against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. It was the final game of the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament for the Mavericks, since they will not be advancing past the group stage. Them missing out on the knockout round would...