Canada’s Jonah Tong has successful major league debut with Mets

After overpowering opponents across two minor-league levels this year, Canadian right-hander Jonah Tong looked like he belonged in his major league debut with the New York Mets on Friday.

The Markham, Ont., native cruised through his first four innings before facing turbulence in the fifth. Ultimately, Tong allowed only one earned run, striking out six while walking none over five innings, but another three unearned runs came around to score.

“Insane, that’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of as a kid growing up,” Tong said after the game.

The 22-year-old started his big-league career with a 1-2-3 inning, setting down the top of the Marlins order with three soft-contact outs on only six pitches. The Marlins’ No. 2 and 3 hitters, rookie standouts Jakob Marsee and Augustín Ramírez, each flew out on first-pitch fastballs pumped right down the middle to end the first.

Tong threw 97 pitches, inducing seven whiffs and getting 17 called strikes. His four-seam fastball maxed-out at 97.7 m.p.h.

There was no shortage of run support for Tong, who was swiftly staked to a 12-0 Mets lead through two innings thanks in part to homers by Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso.

This was more the enough cushion for Tong to earn his first big-league win as the Mets came out on top in the 19-9 slugfest.

“I’m never going to complain about run support and that was insane but I just made pitches on my part,” Tong said.

The first MLB hit allowed by Tong went to fellow countryman Otto Lopez, who snuck a 1-1 changeup into left for a ground-ball double.

Tong struck out a minor-league best 179 hitters this season, posting a 40.5 per cent strikeout rate over 113.2 innings.

Despite his penchant for swing-and-miss, Tong’s first major-league strikeout didn’t come until the third inning when he got Joey Wiemer on three pitches.

Tong managed to get out of a jam unscathed in the third inning – with runners on second and third and one out – by striking out Marsee and inducing a ground-out from Ramírez.

After Troy Johnston hit a soft line-drive single to centre in the fifth, Tong threw a wild pitch advancing him to second. Eric Wagaman then drilled a ground ball through the infield to cash in the Marlins’ first run of the game. Three additional unearned Miami runs came around to score in the inning after consecutive errors by Francisco Lindor and Alonso, and another Lopez hit.

Toronto-born catcher Liam Hicks was caught looking at a called third strike to complete Tong’s debut.

Tong was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 draft and quickly rose three levels in 2024, from low-A St. Lucie to double-A Binghamton. MLB Pipeline’s 44th-ranked prospect, Tong pitched 11.2 shutout innings over only two triple-A outings, striking out 17 and walking three, before being called up to the majors.

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Sabalenka eliminates Canada’s Fernandez from singles in straight sets at US Open

NEW YORK — Leylah Fernandez’s singles run at the U.S. Open is done.

The Laval, Que., athlete was beaten 6-3, 7-6 (2) by the world’s No. 1-ranked player Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on Friday night in a third-round match that took one hour, 37 minutes to finish.

Despite having more unforced errors (18-12) and double faults (4-3) than the 31st-seeded Fernandez, Sabalenka had more winners (25-22) and more aces (6-5).

Sabalenka saved all five break points she faced and won one of three break points. Fernandez went 0-for-5 on trying to win break points, which was her undoing in the second set.

Sabalenka won 56 service points and 11 service games, while Fernandez won 39 service points and nine service games.

Sabalenka advances to the round of 16 and will face Cristina Bucsa of Moldova on Sunday.

Fernandez will be back on the court Saturday with women’s doubles partner Venus Williams. The wild-card pairing will play Eri Hozumi of Japan and Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway.

Fernandez advanced to the third round with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Elsa Jacquemot of France on Wednesday.

Fernandez and Williams upset the sixth-seeded pairing of Lyudmyla Kicheno of Ukraine and Ellen Perez of Australia 7-6 (4), 6-3 in Thursday’s opening round.

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Report: Luke Hughes, Devils disagreeing on term for new contract

Restricted free agent Luke Hughes and the New Jersey Devils have different ideas when it comes to the term of a contract extension for the young defenceman, NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky reported Friday.

The main obstacle, according to NJ.com, is that the Hughes camp wants a five-year deal, to align Luke’s contract with that of brother Jack Hughes’ deal. This would conceivably set up both brothers to be unrestricted free agents ahead of the 2030-31 season.

Jack Hughes signed an eight-year, $64-million contract in 2021.

The Devils, on the other hand, want Luke Hughes to sign either a three-year bridge deal or a full eight-year extension.

Luke Hughes, 21, has 17 goals and 76 assists for 93 points and a minus-34 in 155 career games with the Devils. He’s averaged slightly more than 21 minutes in ice time over two full seasons with the club.

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What to make of Elias Pettersson’s off-season update

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2025 NFL Season Betting Preview: Super Bowl, MVP, playoff odds and more

With the NFL off-season firmly in the rearview mirror, all attention now turns to Sept. 4, when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys.

Normally, the Thursday Night Football matchup sets up the Sunday slate, but football fans will be treated to an AFC West matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday.

With kickoff rapidly approaching, betting markets have mostly settled on expectations for the season. With that in mind, here’s the scoop on some of the main NFL futures you can take advantage of.

All odds courtesy of BetMGM and subject to change

MVP odds

Frontrunners
Lamar Jackson +500 | Joe Burrow +600 | Josh Allen +600 | Patrick Mahomes +650 | Jayden Daniels +900 | Jalen Hurts +1800 | Jordan Love +1800 | Justin Herbert +2000 | C.J. Stroud +2500 | Brock Purdy +3000 | Baker Mayfield +3000 | Matthew Stafford +3500 | Bo Nix +3500

Lamar Jackson is the favourite to win his third MVP after narrowly missing out last season. The rest of the top contenders are the usual suspects — the top quarterbacks in the league. Second-year QBs Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix are also firmly in the mix.

If it’s not one of these top 13 picks, odds are the award will be given to another starting QB who leads their team deep into January/February.

Non-QBs
Saquon Barkley +5000 | Justin Jefferson +10000 | Ja’Marr Chase +10000 | Jahmyr Gibbs +10000 | Derrick Henry +10000 | Nico Collins +15000 | Bijan Robinson +15000 | Christian McCaffrey +15000 | Puka Nacua +15000 | Ceedee Lamb +15000

Only three non-QBs have won MVP since 2005, so these stars are long shots to take home the hardware. Saquon Barkley finished third in the race last season (although he only had one second-place vote and zero first-place votes), so it would take an all-time season plus statistical down years from QBs just for the thought of the dream to become a reality.

Super Bowl odds (plus regular season win totals)

Baltimore Ravens +700 (win total over/under 11.5)
Buffalo Bills +700 (win total over/under 12.5)
Philadelphia Eagles +700 (win total over/under 11.5)
Kansas City Chiefs +800 (win total over/under 11.5)
Detroit Lions +1000 (win total over/under 10.5)
Green Bay Packers +1300 (win total over/under 9.5)
Washington Commanders +1800 (win total over/under 9.5)
Cincinnati Bengals +2000 (win total over/under 9.5)
Los Angeles Rams +2000 (win total over/under 9.5)
San Francisco 49ers +2000 (win total over/under 10.5)
Minnesota Vikings +2500 (win total over/under 9.5)
Denver Broncos +2500 (win total over/under 9.5)
Los Angeles Chargers +2800 (win total over/under 9.5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3000 (win total over/under 9.5)
Houston Texans +3500 (win total over/under 9.5)
Chicago Bears +4000 (win total over/under 8.5)
Pittsburgh Steelers +4000 (win total over/under 8.5)
Arizona Cardinals +5000 (win total over/under 8.5)
Dallas Cowboys +6000 (win total over/under 7.5)
Seattle Seahawks +6000 (win total over/under 8.5)
Atlanta Falcons +8000 (win total over/under 8.5)
New England Patriots +8000 (win total over/under 8.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars +8000 (win total over/under 7.5)
Miami Dolphins +8000 (win total over/under 7.5)
Indianapolis Colts +10000 (win total over/under 7.5)
Las Vegas Raiders +10000 (win total over/under 6.5)
Carolina Panthers +15000 (win total over/under 6.5)
New York Giants +20000 (win total over/under 5.5)
Tennessee Titans +20000 (win total over/under 6.5)
New York Jets +20000 (win total over/under 6.5)
Cleveland Browns +30000 (win total over/under 4.5)
New Orleans Saints +30000 (win total over/under 4.5)

The Philadelphia Eagles own the top odds to repeat as Super Bowl champions, although the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens sit at the top with them. Then there’s the Chiefs, whose three-peat was denied by a beatdown at the hands of the Eagles last February. Detroit is also one of the top five teams favoured to hoist the Lombardi, as Dan Campbell has the feisty Lions on the one-yard line of glory.

Compared to last season’s odds, the two biggest risers are the Washington Commanders and the Denver Broncos. Both teams enjoyed turnaround years with rookie QBs. The Commanders and Broncos were both +12500 to win the Super Bowl last year, and now have win totals of 9.5.

Some of the biggest fallers include Dallas and the Jets. The Cowboys went from a top 10 favourite in 2024 (+1600) down to a middle-of-the-pack club, while New York dropped all the way to +20000 from +1800 following a tumultuous season.

Green Bay made a major jump in the odds following the acquisition of Micah Parsons on Thursday, going from +2200 up to +1300.

Division winner odds (plus playoff chances)

AFC North
Ravens -160 (make playoffs: -625 | miss playoffs: +450)
Bengals +260 (make playoffs: -145 | miss playoffs: +120)
Steelers +550 (make playoffs: +118 | miss playoffs: -140)
Browns +3300 (make playoffs: +750 | miss playoffs: -1200)

Baltimore’s the favourite to win the division, and rightfully so. The Ravens topped the vaunted AFC North the past two seasons and show no signs of slowing down. Cincinnati somehow managed to retain Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, all while beefing up its interior offensive line with Dalton Risner and rookie Dylan Fairchild. The Steelers still possess one of the NFL’s top defences, but does 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers still have what it takes to be effective under centre? And the Browns, well, they’re the Browns.

AFC East
Bills -325 (make playoffs: -750 | miss playoffs: +525)
Patriots +550 (make playoffs: +145 | miss playoffs: -175)
Dolphins +850 (make playoffs: +225 | miss playoffs: -275)
Jets +1800 (make playoffs: +475 | miss playoffs: -650)

The AFC East runs through Buffalo. The Bills, led by reigning MVP Josh Allen, are looking to make it six straight division titles. Second-year QB Drake Maye and the Patriots would like to make the leap to a contender, and certainly spent like a team poised to make a run with the signings of Stefon Diggs, Carlton Davis, Milton Williams and Harold Landry. The Dolphins appear to be experiencing some turbulence with their stars, such as Tyreek Hill, and have already moved on from Jalen Ramsey. Meanwhile, the Jets are undergoing some more roster turnover under new management.

AFC West
Chiefs -118 (make playoffs: -400 | miss playoffs: +310)
Broncos +310 (make playoffs: -145 | miss playoffs: +120)
Chargers +310 (make playoffs: -130 | miss playoffs: +110)
Raiders +1700 (make playoffs: +300 | miss playoffs: -375)

Is this the year Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will finally be dethroned? The AFC West provided three playoff teams last season, with L.A. making the post-season in its first season under Jim Harbaugh, while Sean Payton and Nix led Denver to its first playoff birth since its Super Bowl 50 victory during the 2015-16 season. The Raiders, now under Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll, added veteran QB Geno Smith to lead the Silver and Black.

AFC South
Texans -105 (make playoffs: -140 | miss playoffs: +115)
Jaguars +310 (make playoffs: +165 | miss playoffs: -200)
Colts +375 (make playoffs: +195 | miss playoffs: -235)
Titans +775 (make playoffs: +425 | miss playoffs: -600)

The AFC South is one of the more up-for-grabs divisions in the NFL. Houston has taken the crown every season with C.J. Stroud under centre, but a suspect O-line may prove costly. The Jags boast one of the best young receiving duos in Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie Travis Hunter, while the Titans are hoping first-overall pick Cam Ward is their franchise guy. Indianapolis is playing .500 ball in two seasons under Shane Steichen, and nine wins could be enough to sneak into the post-season. The question is, will it be Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson that takes them there?

NFC North
Packers +170 (make playoffs: -200 | miss playoffs: +165)
Lions +200 (make playoffs: -185 | miss playoffs: +150)
Vikings +320 (make playoffs: -115 | miss playoffs: -105)
Bears +625 (make playoffs: +165 | miss playoffs: -200)

The Lions were the favourites to reign atop the NFC North until the Packers swung a blockbuster deal for star pass rusher Micah Parsons. While there are questions in Green Bay’s secondary (with the exception of Xavier McKinney), the addition of Parsons alongside Rashan Gary will ease the burden on the backend. Minnesota, coming off a 14-3 season, turns to second-year QB J.J. McCarthy to lead its talented offence. And with Brian Flores calling the shots, a defence that added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave up front is a recipe for disaster for opposing offences. But don’t sleep on Caleb Williams and the Bears, who may boast a highly potent offence under Ben Johnson.

NFC East
Eagles -150 (make playoffs: -425 | miss playoffs: +325)
Commanders +225 (make playoffs: -140 | miss playoffs: +115)
Cowboys +675 (make playoffs: +240 | miss playoffs: -300)
Giants +2200 (make playoffs: +650 | miss playoffs: -1000)

The addition of Deebo Samuel creates a more dynamic offence for Daniels and the Commanders, but is it enough to dethrone the reigning Super Bowl champs? Dallas’ chances of overcoming its playoff shortcomings took a major hit with the loss of Parsons, but at least a duo of Ceedee Lamb and George Pickens will be must-see TV. And for the Giants, quarterback remains the biggest question mark. Can Russell Wilson find his former self, or has that ship sailed? Is Jameis Winston force-feeding Malik Nabers enough, or does rookie Jaxson Dart get some run as the starter?

NFC West
49ers +160 (make playoffs: -200 | miss playoffs: +165)
Rams +180 (make playoffs: -150 | miss playoffs: +125)
Cardinals +450 (make playoffs: +120 | miss playoffs: -145)
Seahawks +525 (make playoffs: +170 | miss playoffs: -210)

The Rams and 49ers are nearly a pick ’em for the division title, and both teams are already surrounded by health issues. San Francisco is consistently one of the most injured squads in football, and is already down receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. And will Christian McCaffrey be Christian McCaffrey? Meanwhile, L.A. will go only far if Matthew Stafford stays healthy. The QB’s been dealing with a back injury that has kept the 37-year-old out for most of training camp, but he’s on track to play Week 1. The Cardinals are a dark horse candidate for the division with a young and talented team on both sides of the ball, while Seattle looks to improve on its 10-7 record with Sam Darnold at the helm.

NFC South
Buccaneers -115 (make playoffs: -165 | miss playoffs: +140)
Falcons +225 (make playoffs: +150 | miss playoffs: -185)
Panthers +425 (make playoffs: +280 | miss playoffs: -350)
Saints +2000 (make playoffs: +650 | miss playoffs: -1000)

The NFC South is essentially a two-horse race between Tampa Bay and Atlanta. Do Michael Penix Jr. and the young Falcons squad have what it takes to halt the Buccaneers from taking their fifth straight title? Carolina is on the outside looking in, but Bryce Young showed flashes of why he was a first-overall pick. If he continues on that trajectory, the Panthers can make some noise if their inexperienced defence holds strong. And Saints fans, Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough flashed some upside, but hopefully Arch Manning declares for the 2026 draft.

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Blue Jays’ Varsho not in starting lineup day after leaving game with hand injury

The Toronto Blue Jays will be without a key player as they take on MLB’s best.

Centre fielder Daulton Varsho won’t start in Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers after leaving Friday’s contest with a hand injury.

Varsho is dealing with pain and swelling but could enter the game as a pinch hitter or defensive substitute, manager John Schneider told reporters pre-game.

Myles Straw will bat ninth and play centre in his place.

Varsho was hit by a 96.9 m.p.h. sinker from Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby in the seventh inning and immediately exited. Post-game X-rays came back negative.

The 29-year-old has endured an injury-plagued 2025 season after starting the year on the IL as he recovered from off-season shoulder surgery.

When he returned near the end of April, he mashed a team-leading eight homers before a hamstring strain put him back on the shelf for two months.

He rejoined the team Aug. 1, and clubbed seven homers with 22 RBIs in the 23 games since.

Varsho is more known for his league-leading defence, but he ranks among MLB’s best in slugging over his limited plate appearances this year with an unqualified .574.

Live coverage of the Blue Jays-Brewers game on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ begins with Blue Jays Central at 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT follow by first pitch at 3:07 p.m. ET / 12:07 p.m. PT.

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Sei Young Kim takes lead at halfway point of rain-delayed FM Championship

NORTON, Mass. — Sei Young Kim traded the stop-and-start rhythm of the rain-delayed FM Championship for a long day Saturday. She shot a 7-under 65 to complete the second round and build a three-shot lead at the halfway point.

Miranda Wang took 10 hours to complete her second round Friday at the TPC Boston because of so many delays that kept half the field from finishing.

Kim played only four holes of the second round and then returned Saturday morning to clean conditions. She made three straight birdies and then had another stretch of an eagle and two birdies. She finished at 14-under 130, three shots ahead of Wang.

Rose Zhang shot 64 and was in third place, four shots behind.

Nelly Korda returned and played her last 14 holes in even par, leaving her seven shots behind as she tries to win for the first time this year.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson, in her first start since winning the CPKC Women’s Open at home, sits tied for 25th at 5-under for the tournament.

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Avila: Alejandro Kirk is ‘breath of fresh air’ at catcher position

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Alejandro Kirk’s all-star season no shock amongst Blue Jays teammates

TORONTO — There are many ways to quantify the kind of season that Alejandro Kirk is having, but let’s start with Max Scherzer’s thoughts on the Toronto Blue Jays‘ catcher.

“Unbelievable what he’s doing on both sides of the ball,” Scherzer said. “He’s nails there behind the plate. And what he does offensively, he goes up there and delivers big hit after big hit for us.

“He’s just one of many reasons why we’re a great team. But he’s definitely a big part of it.”

Your turn, John Schneider.

“Some people call him an unsung hero but to us and the people in here, this is what we expect out of him,” the Blue Jays’ manager said. “What he can do on both sides of the ball, it’s pretty remarkable. It’s a physically taxing position and he’s putting together a really, really good offensive and defensive year for a catcher that kind of flies under the radar.”

That’s a small sample illustrating how Kirk’s 2025 all-star campaign is being appreciated by those around him. Ask anyone inside the Blue Jays’ clubhouse and you’ll get another version of the same answer.

And this isn’t just because Kirk is a loveable figure. As the Blue Jays enter what’s shaping up to be an exciting stretch run, Kirk stands as arguably the most important player on their roster. He’s simply irreplaceable in the batting order, as a defender, and as a game-caller and receiver to the pitching staff.

Perhaps the most telling metric is that Kirk entered Tuesday tied with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., for a team-leading 3.8 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs. Only one catcher in all of baseball has been more valuable — Seattle’s Cal Raleigh, whose 7.3 fWAR is coming amidst a dream season in which he’s already reached the 50-homer mark.

Kirk’s contributions are almost equals parts offence and defence. For years he’s been considered among the premier defensive catchers in the sport and that reputation has continued throughout 2025. His blocks above average of 14 ranks in the 100th percentile while his framing metrics sit in the 98th percentile, according to Baseball Savant.

There’s also a component of toughness to his game and that was on display during Tuesday’s 7-5 loss to the Twins when Kirk sustained a visible bruise on his right hand after he was hit by a foul tip while behind the plate. He remained in the game, though.

“His strength was good, gripping the bat was fine, throwing the ball back, that was fine,” said Schneider. “I got to check with the medical group to see if he’s going to get X-rays — I don’t think he’s going to. Kirky’s got some solid hands. I think it looked a little bit worse than what it really was.”

Additionally, the offensive success that the 26-year-old has experienced this season has essentially made the five-year, $58-million extension he signed in March look like a bargain.

Kirk’s 91st percentile hard-hit rate (51.4 per cent) is a whopping 37 percentage point improvement over last year’s mark. He’s also hitting .335 with an expected batting average of .325 against fastballs, numbers that stand as career bests outside of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

He’s also as clutch as it gets, batting an impressive .358/.397/.491 in late and close situations.

Lately, though, Kirk’s also shown off impressive power, with four home runs in his past nine games. During Monday night’s 10-4 win over the Twins, he drilled an opposite-field homer in the first inning that really stood out to his manager.

“It seems like he kind of goes in waves a little bit at times, not with the on base or the contact, but with the home runs,” Schneider said. “But lately, man, he’s been taking some great swings to go the other way. (That) really shows me that he’s in a good spot.”

Kirk added a sharp RBI single to right field in the first inning of Tuesday’s 7-5 loss to the Twins and when asked about his swing, he agreed with his manager.

“Especially lately, I’ve been feeling a lot better,” Kirk said. “Right-centre, that’s me. Obviously, if I need to react on something in, I’ll do it as well. But basically my entire approach is to strike through the middle and the other way.”

It’s a simple answer, but nothing his teammates don’t already know and appreciate.

“There’s a lot of big names on this team and rightfully so from what they’ve done and their contracts and all that kind of stuff,” Schneider continued. “But he’s just a constant presence. Unsung hero? Sure. But I think within the walls here, the 26 guys on the staff that know and trust him, this is what we expect.”

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Report: Packers won’t sign Canadian QB Taylor Elgersma to practice squad

Taylor Elgersma’s NFL chance will have to wait.

The Green Bay Packers will not be signing the Canadian quarterback to their practice squad after waiving him on Tuesday, Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated reported on Wednesday.

Green Bay will start the season with just two quarterbacks, starter Jordan Love and Malik Willis, on its active roster.

The six-foot-five, 227-pound Elgersma completed 16-of-23 passes (69.6 per cent) for 166 yards and a touchdown in three pre-season appearances with Green Bay. He also had a four-yard run.

Elgersma signed with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent after attending the NFL team’s mini-camp. He became just the fourth Canadian university quarterback to sign south of the border and first since ’87.

Elgersma led Laurier to a Vanier Cup appearance last season. He was later invited to the Senior Bowl, becoming just the second Canadian university player to earn the honour and first U Sports quarterback.

–with files from The Canadian Press

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NFL eases restrictions on Tom Brady’s role as Fox Sports analyst

The NFL is easing some of its restrictions on Tom Brady as he prepares for his second season as Fox Sports’ top analyst.

The league will allow Brady to participate in production meetings with teams, as long as they are conducted virtually or via Zoom. He still isn’t allowed to watch practices or set foot in a team’s training complex.

The Brady rules were put in place due to the seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback having a 5 per cent stake as a limited owner in the Las Vegas Raiders.

Brady was allowed to attend production meetings with Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles players and coaches before Super Bowl 59. He wasn’t able to view practices.

“The ability to join and be able to talk to a coach, coordinators or players and help him prepare for his job was one that felt like a natural step forward,” Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Many of the network broadcast crews have done their production meetings with teams virtually, even though some still prefer getting into a city on Friday to watch the home team and then talk to the visiting team at their hotel the next day.

Before the Super Bowl, Brady said that not being allowed in production meetings did not affect his research when preparing for games, even though there were other benefits he acknowledged he missed.

“I think the best part (of production meetings) is there are just genuine relationships that get built up over time, and it’s a shared experience with people on your own crew sitting on calls and talking,” he said.

“From a research standpoint, I listen to press conferences all week. To me, there’s no difference in a media member asking a question on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday press conference that would be any different from any of the questions I would ask or the crew would ask.”

Fox’s top crew of Brady, Kevin Burkhardt, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will call the NFC East matchup between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders on Sept. 7 before the Eagles face the Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch the following week.

Fox Sports president of production and operations/executive producer Brad Zager said in an interview with the AP earlier this year that any inferences about a potential conflict of interest between Brady calling games and being part of the Raiders’ decision-making process are unfounded.

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With World Cup looming, Canada’s Marsch makes leadership top priority

Of the many assignments tasked to Canadian men’s head coach Jesse Marsch, creating a strong leadership group was perhaps not front and centre when he took the helm. Early results and a superb Copa America propelled the various narratives to skew extremely positively.

Marsch’s decision to hand the captain’s armband to Alphonso Davies before Copa was questioned in some quarters, but was generally accepted as typical of modern football: Give the big name the job, he’ll be the face of the team, it makes sense. Given the team’s performance at Copa, the choice was vindicated.  

But ahead of next month’s friendly window, when Canada meets Wales in Swansea and Romania in Bucharest, Marsch has suddenly pushed the leadership situation to the forefront.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Marsch’s feelings were clear.

“We have a lot of really good, talented, established players in the national team now, but we need more big leaders that understand what the best games are about, how to manage big moments and how to make sure, next summer, we know as a group out on the pitch how to handle things,” he said.

Unprovoked, Marsch doubled down: “We have great guys, absolutely flawless character men in this team, but we need established leaders, like experienced, established, savvy, vocal leadership, and it has to come from within. So this is, for me, the biggest next step in our team: how strong is our mentality and how strong is the communication, and how strong is the understanding of how to handle every moment, and especially what that means for the World Cup.”

Clearly, the Gold Cup raised some concerns. After the brilliant opening 6-0 win against Honduras, Canada would then look like a team that assumed the win in a dour draw with Curacao. Then came that appalling El Salvador match, where the opponents did everything they could to destroy any possibility of good football, clearly succeeding in getting under Canada’s skin.

Similar tactics were provided by Guatemala, which benefited from Jacob Shaffelburg’s lack of composure in his sending off before Canada eventually lost on penalties after Cyle Larin and Luc de Fougerolles failed to convert.

Pointedly, post-match, Marsch said “we beat ourselves.” Perusing my notes from the match, I queried whether teams were beginning to figure out how best to play Canada as testing the composure of the team seemed to become a familiar tactic.  

Given Marsch’s comments on Tuesday, it appears he concurs.  

It should be remembered that the Marsch era coincided with the retirement of Canada’s greatest leader of recent times: Atiba Hutchinson. What Marsch wouldn’t give to have the opportunity of sliding old No. 13 into this midfield when games were tight and testy.

It is also a reason Junior Hoilett was called up. The veteran has not played for his country since scoring in a win against Suriname last November. At 35, it was assumed his Canadian career may be over, but he’s still an important squad player at Hibernian in Scotland. And, set to enjoy his first European Cup experience this season in the Conference League, Hoilett clearly has game left, and will bring that added element that Marsch seems to now demand from his group.

“(Junior) is someone who we still value,” Marsch said, “who is still playing at a very high level and someone who I think we really need to think carefully about what he means now and what he could mean next summer, to what he means both on the pitch and the kind of leader and kind of person he is within the team.”

All of this is not to say it is a team devoid of leadership. Davies leads, Alistair Johnston also leads, as does Moise Bombito. However, all three are unavailable because of injury for the upcoming window, which is hardly ideal for a squad looking to grow that side of its mentality.

Larin is someone Marsch leans on, but with Larin’s wife is expecting Sept. 5, his availability next week is in question as well. Stephen Eustaquio is another that Marsch will look to, and the Porto man is still a de facto captain, whether he wears the armband or not.

More is needed, however.  

Still a young squad, Canada’s youth is exciting, for sure, but it needs to be led through the pitfalls and fires that will come with international soccer. There is no better example than Ismael Kone. In football terms, 23 is not exactly young anymore, but Kone is inexperienced and is coming off a very difficult stint at Marseille. Having fallen victim to coach Roberto De Zerbi’s wrath last season, Kone was sent packing to Sassuolo in Italy this summer. Making his Serie A debut last weekend, Kone received two yellow cards and was sent off versus champion Napoli — ardly the example he was hoping to set at his new club in a season that might well be make-or-break for the former CF Montreal man.  

Living two hours away from Kone in Italy, Marsch is able to visit regularly. It sounds as if Kone is a bit of a pet project.

“Ismael and I have got to know each other really well and I really like the opportunities he and I have had (one on one),” Marsch said. “We sit down and talk about things and talk about his life and his development, and I’ve made it very clear to him that we believe in his talent, but we have to refine him as a football player and the discipline and concentration and what he does on the pitch along with his ability to move with the ball, and be creative and find attacking moments.

“So, I’m definitely not trying to limit his talents and his creativity, but I’m trying to add to it more with tactical discipline and understanding of what the best games look like, and how he can fit in specifically more defensively. So, I think this move is really good for him and I thought he played well, even though he got the double yellow. I think he’ll be in good form and push to continue to show all of the things we need from him with the national team.”

Wales and Romania will pose significant challenges in this window, even if they are just friendlies. At the very least, a composed and mentally strong Canada will be expected from the head coach, and perhaps in the absence of some strong leaders, others will step up, and add to the overall collective, as it continues to take shape with the World Cup looming on the horizon.

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2025 NFL quarterback rankings: Can Allen build on MVP success?

The NFL is a quarterback’s league, and as much as we’ve seen — and enjoyed — the resurgence of the run game of late, every fanbase knows the fate of their season is in the hands of the man under centre. 

So, how confident are you that your team’s quarterback can be the difference-maker? Which quarterback would you most like to have on your team in 2025? It’s with those two major questions in mind that this 2025 quarterback ranking — which includes all 32 (likely) Week 1 starters — came together. 

With a mix of legacy and present-day performance and a healthy dose of recency bias and expectations for the year to come, here’s our take on how today’s starters stack up.

The MVPs

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

The top tier of our ranking includes the three most recent MVPs, a pair of Super Bowl MVPs, and an elite passer who’s come thisclose to claiming both. Truthfully, you could rank Allen, Jackson, and Mahomes in any top-three order and you’d be right — but the edge this year (however slight) goes to Allen, thanks to his title as reigning MVP who wears the crown for one more week before it’s up for grabs again with a new season. Like Allen, Jackson is under massive pressure to finally get his team to the Super Bowl — with both elite athletes now holding an MVP trophy, no two men have more pressure to add a Lombardi to the cabinet. If only Mahomes would let them. Mahomes’ resume has him in a league of his own in terms of overall greatness, but despite yet another trip to the Super Bowl last February he sits third thanks to a statistically down year in 2024. 

Burrow led the league in passing yards last year and almost overcame some serious defensive deficiencies to launch the Bengals into the playoffs, and now faces the same hurdle this year if he’s to get them there. And while Hurts’ passing numbers may not scream top-five gun-slinger, they don’t have to. It’s Hurts’ legs and leadership that do the talking, and his ability to steer the Eagles’ outstanding offence to a Super Bowl title should have the league on notice.

The best of the rest

6. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
7. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
9. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
10. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Recency bias alert! Watching Daniels light up the league as a rookie was one of the best stories in 2024, and if he can follow up his first year with a second to match, he’ll launch himself into the top tier. Few players understand that pressure like Stroud, though — the darling of 2023 took the Texans from irrelevant to the playoffs, much like Daniels did last season, but couldn’t overcome a long list of injuries and a porous offensive line in Year 2. Did Houston do enough to set him back on track? He’s still a top-10 talent, but this season has the ingredients to test that status. 

Health will likely be the biggest hinderance for Stafford, too, whose back injury has been a major talking point not just in L.A. but league-wide. When healthy, he’s got the Rams in Super Bowl conversations thanks to their upstart defence, an offence that added veteran Davante Adams, and a head coach that knows how to get the most out of everyone. It’s Super Bowl or bust for Goff and his Lions, too, but the more pressing question out of the gates is how Goff will navigate an offence not led by Ben Johnson. You could argue the biggest storyline around Herbert, meanwhile, is… all of the above. He’s dealt with injuries, coaching changes, a lack of weapons, and still put up impressive individual numbers, but pressure is mounting for him to propel the team beyond a playoff berth and into a championship. 

The top-10 challengers

11. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
13. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
14. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

A steady stream of injuries hindered Tampa Bay’s pass-catchers in 2024, and yet the unit still posted the league’s third-highest passing yardage and finished the season tied for the second most touchdowns through the air thanks to the steady play and durability of Mayfield at the helm. You could argue Mayfield’s accuracy, chemistry with his receivers, and well-timed risks (and, yes, his ability to shake off a poor one) should perhaps place him in the top 10, but it’s crowded there. You could argue the same for Love, too. While his ability to air out the ball has gotten him in trouble at times when his decision-making hasn’t been equally up to the task, his constant status as one-season-away from putting it all together with consistency and jumping into the elite tier (where he may already reside, in some eyes) has him billed as one of the most intriguing QBs in the league. 

With all the noise around the Cowboys, it’s easy to forget that Prescott is just one season removed from an MVP runner-up campaign. When healthy, he’s one of the best ball-distributors there is. Can he stay on the field this year? Purdy, too, is well-positioned to answer major questions this season. With a new contract in hand and turnover on the roster, Purdy is poised to step out of the shadow of his talented cast of weapons and take a little spotlight for himself. He’ll need to. 

The risers, fallers, and middle-of-the-pack question marks

15. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
16. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
17. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
18. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
19. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
20. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

If it feels weird to see Aaron Rodgers’ name sandwiched here in this tier of quarterbacks who’ve struggled more than not, just know that it felt equally odd to write it there. What should we make of Rodgers’ swan song — and, likely, his solo season as a Steeler? So poorly did his two-year tenure as a Jet pan out, it’s easy to forget he opened the 2020s still at the top of his game with back-to-back MVP awards. Four MVPs, a Super Bowl win, and more than a decade displaying the art of football has solidified Rodgers’ legacy, but a bounce-back to cap it off certainly couldn’t hurt. 

Still, as much as Rodgers may refer to himself as an enigma, you could argue he’s the only QB in this tier we actually really know. (Maybe, actually, a little too much.) Smith and Darnold, who are now connected thanks to the Seahawks’ decision to ship the former to Las Vegas and sign the latter in his place, have enjoyed breakout success and now face the challenge of replicating it elsewhere. Can they? Lawrence has false-started his career a few times over in Jacksonville, but the potential is still so enticing it’s hard not to keep giving him the benefit of the doubt. Like Lawrence, Murray and Tagovailoa both earned second contracts with their clubs and yet their future feels less than secure as they enter pivotal years that could very well dictate what comes next. All three are well-equipped with enticing weapons and, if they can stay healthy, have great potential to launch their teams into the post-season at last. Again, the question is… can they?

The second acts (plus one third)

21. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
22. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
24. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

All four quarterbacks in this tier, which is comprised of three second-year players and their third-year peer whose rookie campaign was pretty forgettable, have a major opportunity to rise up the league’s QB ranks in a big way this year. Nix is arguably best-positioned for success, now having had one full season and a complete off-season to learn Sean Payton’s offence. His supporting cast looks stronger, too, and with a defence like Denver’s there’s simply not the same kind of pressure to put up big numbers. Maye and Williams, meanwhile, enter the season with new head coaches. The question for Maye is more about his weapons — can they help him thrive? — while Williams has a receiving corps most QBs dream of and an offensive guru now calling the shots. Pressure’s on. 

The biggest question mark of the bunch is hovering over Young, whose well-timed benching last season launched him into a second-half surge that saw a completely different version of the QB hit the field. If that’s the Young we get for a full 17 games, this could be the year the Panthers finally take a big step forward. 

The QB carousel

25. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
26. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
27. Justin Fields, New York Jets
28. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

All four quarterbacks in this tier open the 2025 campaign on a new roster with plenty to prove. Wilson leads what might be the league’s most fascinating QB room, which includes Jameis Winston and rookie Jaxson Dart, and as he starts for his fourth franchise in five years, it’s unclear whether success for him really equals success for the Giants, or if calls for Dart to take over will grow louder regardless. Former Giant Jones gets a fresh start, having beat out Anthony Richardson for the Colts’ top spot. Is he playing for a long-term stay in Indianapolis, or a second chance elsewhere? The same question applies to Fields, who couldn’t steal the starter’s gig from Wilson in Pittsburgh but now appears to have the time, space and opportunity with the Jets. It could be his last chance to make his mark as a starter. Flacco’s last stand in Cleveland, meanwhile, feels like it’s more about the rookies waiting in line behind him. 

The jury’s still out 

29. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
30. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
31. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
32. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints

Did Michael Penix Jr. win the job last season, or did Kirk Cousins lose it? It feels more like the latter than the former, and while Penix brings all the expectations of a top-10 pick into his second year at the helm in Atlanta, he has yet to really make his mark in the pros. McCarthy and Ward, too, get low billing on this list not for low expectations but simply because we haven’t yet seen what they’re capable of at the NFL level. It’s just the reality of a player who has yet to step onto the pro field. There’s nowhere to go but up, as they say. (McCarthy, though, gets the edge atop this tier thanks to his coach, QB whisperer Kevin O’Connell.)

Neither Rattler, a 2024 fifth-rounder entering his second year in the league with six starts under his belt, nor rookie Tyler Shough outright won the Saints’ starting gig, and the fact we still don’t know which of the two will land atop the depth chart doesn’t really bode well for either at this point. While there’s plenty of room for optimism, the lack of certainty at the position (and the lack of success in Rattler’s rookie year and experience for Shough) places New Orleans’ entry at the bottom of the list.

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