Nothing builds anticipation for a new college football season like carping about future playoff restructuring. Here we go again, letting the politics of an exhausting, never-content, always-bracing-for-mayhem sport overshadow the fun on the horizon. The 2025 campaign hasn’t had its first game, and the parents already are arguing about the seating chart at their grandchild’s wedding.

College football refuses to stay in the moment. There is too much money to pursue. There are too many factions to satisfy. There is too much power to protect, even if it results in compromises that threaten the stability and long-term interests of a sport rooted in tradition. The latest ego-driven nonsense involves the Big Ten, which floated the idea of expanding the playoff from 12 participants to a 24- or 28-team format. It’s probably a ploy to motivate other stakeholders to support a 16-team setup that the Big Ten prefers.

Despite the chatter – okay, outrage – the Big Ten stirred, it’s not worth debating the merits of a supa-dupa playoff because the conference’s goal was to be preposterous. Such disingenuous tactics come with the warning that, if the Big Ten isn’t guaranteed a larger plate of food, it just might yank the tablecloth and ruin everybody’s meal.

College football stopped dealing in good faith long ago. Maybe it never did. Determining a true national champion isn’t the objective; forging tenuous alliances to fatten the revenue stream is. Every program is for itself until forced to profit together. At the Football Bowl Subdivision level, it took the sport 145 years just to create a miniature, four-team playoff in 2014. That lasted 10 years, and then it became clear that expanding to 12 would be more lucrative. In 2021, a wave of conference realignment began that resulted in the obliteration of the Pac-12, once the jewel of West Coast football.

All of a sudden, with the SEC and Big Ten swelling to a combined 34 schools, it only made sense to alter the postseason. But amid all the chaos, the conferences agreed to stop eating each other and expand the playoff to 12 teams for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The temporary solution made the current fight inevitable.

In March 2024, ESPN and the College Football Playoff agreed to a six-year, $7.8 billion contract that begins in 2026 and runs through the 2031 season. The playoff field can grow or remain the same. But the power dynamics behind the format have changed. The current system required Notre Dame and the 10 conference commissioners to reach a consensus. In the new deal, the SEC and Big Ten hold the control, and their only obligation is to discuss matters with Notre Dame and the eight other conferences.

In earlier discussions, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey expressed interest in a “5+11” expanded format: five automatic bids, 11 at-large bids. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti has been more enthusiastic about a “4-4-2-2-1-3” structure: four automatic bids apiece for the Big Ten and SEC, two each for the ACC and Big 12, one for the highest-ranked conference champion outside of the Power Four leagues and three at-large bids.

One structure is as clean as it gets in college football. The other is tough to remember and, sadly, is most representative of the mess the super conferences have made. With its incomparable depth, the SEC would collect plenty of its proposed 11 at-large bids every season. In comparison, the Big Ten is more top-heavy, which is why four guaranteed seats at the table appeals to Petitti. The Big Ten dreams of a scenario in which its third and fourth automatic bids could be decided via play-in games, a possible engine to drive big-time money from television as well as ticket sales.

The flip side of stacking automatic bids for major conferences is that you’re forcing a structure – for appeasement purposes – that could produce weaker fields in some seasons.

The SEC and Big Ten have until Dec. 1 to agree on a format. With the Big Ten throwing 28-team haymakers with 3½ months left, it will be an obstacle to find middle ground.

“I think there’s this notion that there has to be this magic moment, and something has to happen with expansion, and it has to be forced,” Sankey said last month.

It seems he would be okay remaining in stare mode until the clock expires.

“That’s fine,” Sankey said. “We have a 12-team playoff, five conference champions. That can stay if we can’t agree.”

Petitti has tried to be similarly chill. Even as decision time looms, he has said, “I’m not going to put any deadline on it.” But this new idea sparked reaction and raised the urgency to a level that felt on par with next week’s Texas-Ohio State showdown.

Perhaps that’s a sign to stand down and stop changing a sport that has changed dramatically the past few years.

Playoff expansion is the most popular and laziest answer to drive revenue. It’s happening in every sport. Television and streaming companies always want more sports inventory. But college football can withstand only so much expansion – from the toll on players’ bodies and academic requirements, to the audience’s bandwidth, to the quality of play.

Last season, the first with a 12-team tournament, nine of the 11 playoff games were decided by double figures. Growing the field to 16 could result in nothing more than four more mediocre games. Growing beyond 16 would ensure early-round snoozers. The transfer portal and pay-for-play allowances increased parity in college football, but there’s still a significant gap between the top tier and the rest of the contenders. Watering down the product will just make that reality clearer to viewers.

For the most compelling tournament, eight teams would be the perfect number. Twelve makes it just inclusive enough to pretend to be a national competition with access for all. Right now, anything bigger does nothing more than massage the shoulders of the most powerful conferences.

Let ’em stew for a while. Let us adjust to all of the recent change. You shouldn’t need to buy a new handbook every year to know how college football functions.

There is no perfect playoff format for a sport that doesn’t truly believe it needs a playoff. It’s just a mechanism for money, pride and status. In this case, the status quo doesn’t mean irresolution. For this warring sport, it would feel a lot like peace.

DETROIT — Another preseason game, another receiving touchdown for Isaac TeSlaa.

The rookie, after scoring in each of the Detroit Lions‘ two previous exhibitions, recorded a 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Saturday’s 26-7 loss to the Houston Texans at Ford Field. TeSlaa had one-on-one coverage with cornerback D’Angelo Ross, and quarterback Kyle Allen didn’t hesitate on first down, launching the deep ball down the right sideline.

TeSlaa hauled it in right as he was crossing the goal line.

“It was a very detailed route,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said postgame. “That tells you that he’s taking the coaching, and he’s growing.”

TeSlaa, who moved the chains with a well-executed slant pattern on third down three plays prior to his touchdown, finished the preseason with 10 catches (13 targets) for 146 yards and three touchdowns. He’s shown the ability to do a bit of everything through four exhibitions, routinely showcasing his contested-catch ability and knack for explosive plays on crossing routes.

With every play he makes, he’s gaining the trust of not only the coaching staff, Campbell said, but also his teammates. All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said earlier this month TeSlaa’s tenacity as a run blocker has led to the former Hillsdale College and Arkansas standout receiving respect from the position’s veterans.

“That’s my ultimate goal,” TeSlaa said Saturday, when asked about earning that belief from his teammates and coaches. “Obviously, as a rookie, (I’m) still trying to find my role on this team. Just to be able to build that trust from the coaching staff and the offense as a whole, the play-callers, and then, ultimately, my teammates, I think is a super big thing for me as a rookie.”

TeSlaa said he’s still refining the “small details” it takes to play receiver on the outside. He spent most of his time in the slot while at Arkansas, but his measurables (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) certainly fit the profile of someone who can win near the boundary.

There’s still growth to be had, Campbell made clear. But considering how rapidly he’s developed since arriving for training camp last month, the coach is hopeful TeSlaa will be ready to help during the regular season, sooner rather than later.

“He’s going to continue to get better and better,” Campbell said of TeSlaa. “I’m very pleased. We’re very pleased with where he’s at after six weeks of camp because that’s really what it’s been. We just finished six weeks, so I’d say, if you took most receivers, he’d be in the upper echelon of those, as far as development. It’s pretty good. It’s not easy to develop as a receiver in this league and be ready to go.

“I think there’s a place for him to help us early in this season.”

The NFL is making sportsmanship and illegal celebrations by players a point of emphasis for its on-field officials this season.

The officials have stressed that to players and coaches during their visits to teams’ training camps, according to Walt Anderson, the NFL’s officiating rules analyst.

“It’s just one of those areas that the league wants to work actively on,” Anderson said during a video news conference Thursday. “There are plenty of ways for players to be able to celebrate. And they come up with some very unique and often entertaining ways. So we want them to focus on those and not the inappropriate areas.”

The NFL previously has eased its restrictions on some player celebrations in trying to address its reputation as the “No Fun League.” But it also has said it does not want those celebrations to be aimed at opponents in a taunting manner. And Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, said player celebrations that include violent gestures have no place in the sport.

Infractions will result in 15-yard penalties.

“The sportsmanship is a point of emphasis and clarification for the players and the clubs this year,” Anderson said. “I know Troy addressed this in the annual video that all of the clubs see during training camp from the standpoint of our taunting was up, I believe, about 55 percent last year. Unsportsmanlike gestures, whether they were either simulating either shooting a gun or brandishing of a gun or inappropriate gestures like a throat-slash or unfortunate sexual gestures that were made, those were up almost 133 percent. … The officials have made it a point of emphasis to all of the clubs.”

Five things to watch before the season

1. Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback situation: Matthew Stafford resumed practicing, but his back issues have been concerning. The Rams badly need him in the lineup.

2. Contract disputes: The contract situations of Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin and pass rushers Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals remain unresolved. And now the season is almost at hand.

3. New Orleans Saints’ quarterback decision: Coach Kellen Moore must choose between Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough for the starting assignment. Rattler starts the preseason finale Saturday against the Denver Broncos.

4. Rashee Rice suspension: The representatives for the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, the NFL Players Association and the league still could reach a settlement on the length of a suspension under the personal conduct policy ahead of Rice’s scheduled Sept. 30 disciplinary hearing.

5. Cleveland Browns’ quarterback depth chart: Coach Kevin Stefanski has named Joe Flacco the Week 1 starter but must decide what to do with Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

NFL back in its offices

The NFL has bolstered the security at its offices in Manhattan with employees back at work there following last month’s shootings.

The changes were overseen by Cathy Lanier, the NFL’s chief security officer and formerly the police chief in D.C.

“We are working with the building and the other tenants within the building on building security,” Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, said Thursday. “We’re very lucky that our security chief Cathy Lanier … has tremendous experience in this space and that we have terrific partners in the building as we look for ways to make it even more secure than it was before.

“Our owners committee on security has met on a couple of occasions and will report out to the full ownership in the coming weeks on some further recommendations that they have, not just for 345 Park [Avenue] but obviously throughout the NFL and any increased security that can be recommended to make sure that we are all remaining safe or safer.”

Field conditions for Brazil game

The NFL is being mindful of the field conditions as it prepares to play a game in Brazil on the Friday of Week 1 for a second straight year.

The Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are scheduled to play Sept. 5 at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo.

“Last year there was a lot of discussion around the field and the playing conditions,” said Dawn Aponte, the NFL’s chief football administrative officer. “And what we’ve done this year to address some of that was we have recently reseeded the entire field as well as restitched it. It is a hybrid stitch field. So we do think that there are measures that have been taken that will address some of the concerns that we did see last year.”

Ongoing discussions on the tush push

The tush push, the Philadelphia Eagles’ signature short-yardage play, remained legal for this season when the Green Bay Packers’ proposal to ban it fell two votes shy at the May owners’ meeting of the 24 needed for ratification.

The play is expected to generate ongoing discussions by the NFL competition committee and league health and safety officials in the coming months and perhaps beyond, Miller acknowledged Thursday.

“I am sure that it will continue to be an ongoing topic of conversation, both this season and in the offseason,” Miller said.

More cameras for replay rulings

The NFL says it plans to utilize a dozen fixed cameras installed in each stadium along the sidelines, goal lines and back lines of the end zones to assist this season with instant replay officiating rulings.

The additional camera angles will directly feed into the league’s instant replay center and will be made available to the on-field referee if needed.

“Those 12 cameras will be part of the instant replay process throughout the game for replay-assist, for coaches’ challenges as well as for booth reviews,” Anderson said. “And so those camera angles that we will have access to very often will help us be able either to either confirm or make decisions relative to reversing a play that in the past we just didn’t have those camera angles for. If we do use those camera angles to make a decision, then we have a process that we will send that view to our network [broadcast] partners so that they can share that view with the audience.”

Someone should notify Bill Belichick. The former New England Patriots coach said in 2014 that the league “could have a bake sale to raise some money” if needed for additional camera angles for replay

Fantasy football draft season has arrived, and every edge matters if you want to outsmart your league. That’s where we come in. Welcome to the 2025 edition of the Perfect Draft, your round-by-round road map to building the strongest possible roster from any draft slot.

Before we dive in, a quick reminder of what we mean by “perfect.” This isn’t about following average draft position blindly or chasing last year’s breakout stars. Instead, we optimize each pick by blending expert rankings with 2025-specific factors: injury risk, projected opportunity, positional scarcity and strength of schedule.

The result? Draft strategies that are built to outperform the average team week after week, positioning you to make a deep playoff run.

Our process begins with consensus expert rankings from FantasyPros and layers on our own projections, adjusted for injury probability and other context. This allows us to pinpoint where the real value lies. You can read more about the methodology here.

Keep in mind: This is the perfect draft based on our 2025 outlook, which may differ sharply from public average draft positions. That’s by design. When a player goes earlier or later than expected, it can give you an advantage. Use it.

(The draft grids below were crafted for a 12-team, point-per-reception league using the following starting lineup: one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one flex player (RB/WR/TE), one defense, a kicker and seven bench players.)

Prioritize elite running backs early, chase upside late

When drafting in the top two rounds, only take a running back if you can land a true difference-maker. Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons) remains the premier option, offering three-down volume, red-zone usage and receiving upside. Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions) is another ideal early-round target in point-per-reception formats, thanks to his elite explosiveness and pass-catching ability.

Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles), however, is a risk because of his age, injury history and previous workload. Draft him with caution.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty is drafted higher here than most cheat sheets, thanks to a big expected workload under new Coach Pete Carroll. In the past two NFL seasons he coached, 2022 and 2023, the lead backs in Carroll’s offense averaged 57 percent of the team’s carries, per data from TruMedia, compared to the league average of less than 50 percent. Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, is poised for a big debut season.

If none of the elite backs are available, pivot to wide receiver and embrace Zero RB – a draft strategy in which you skip running backs early and load up on wide receivers, a top tight end and a top quarterback. You then draft late-round or waiver-wire running backs with breakout potential. Be warned, though, you need these late running backs to be productive or your whole season will fall apart.

Invest in wide receivers early, and stack depth throughout

From Rounds 1 through 7, focus on securing alpha wideouts who can anchor your weekly scoring. Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals) and Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings) are the top options, but our projections like Brian Thomas Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars) as the No. 3 option, followed by Nico Collins (Houston Texans) and Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams. Even if you miss on the top options, though, you’ll find tremendous value in emerging breakout candidates such as the Falcons’ Drake London and the Giants’ Malik Nabers.

From Rounds 8 to 12, the goal shifts to depth and upside. Target slot specialists such as Josh Downs of the Indianapolis Colts or point-per-reception-friendly players such as Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints) who can deliver WR3 production. Also look for rookies with major roles (Tetairoa McMillan of the Carolina Panthers or Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

In later rounds, stash wide receivers with WR3 or flex potential if things break right. That includes return-from-injury candidates such as Christian Watson (Green Bay Packers) or young wide receivers in unsettled depth charts such as Marvin Mims Jr. (Denver Broncos). These picks won’t win you the week early on but they could be difference-makers by November.

Overall, wide receiver is where you should be aggressive early and often.

Lock in a top tight end early, or wait for breakout candidates

For 2025, the optimal tight end strategy is simple, either secure an elite option early or wait for mid-to-late value – just don’t consider the middle tiers.

If selecting in Rounds 2 to 4 target Brock Bowers of the Raiders, Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals or George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers. Bowers dominated as a rookie with record-setting reception and yardage totals, earning all‑pro and Pro Bowl honors. McBride posted 111 receptions for 1,146 yards last season and projects as a high-floor, high-ceiling target monster. Kittle remains a volatile but elite playmaker with weekly upside in a potent offense.

In Round 13, make a TE2 dart throw, perhaps a rookie such as Colston Loveland (Chicago Bears) or the Colts’ Tyler Warren, players who carry major upside if given opportunity later in the season.

Be patient at quarterback and wait for value

The perfect quarterback draft strategy in 2025 hinges on patience and positional value. In Round 3, consider drafting a top quarterback such as Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, the Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen or Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts.

However, the sweet spot for landing your QB1 is Rounds 6 to 10. This is where you’ll find high-upside options such as Justin Fields, now operating in a more modern New York Jets offense, and Brock Purdy, a steady, efficient producer in a loaded San Francisco scheme. In general, you should prioritize quarterbacks with either elite rushing upside or a high weekly floor tied to offensive efficiency.

If looking to round out your roster with a backup quarterback, take a shot on one playing in a new system or bounce-back situation, such as Las Vegas’s Geno Smith or the Seattle Seahawks’ Sam Darnold.

DETROIT — Here’s who we think stood out, either positively or negatively, in the Detroit Lions‘ 26-7 preseason loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday.

Stock up: S Loren Strickland

Three safeties entered Saturday’s game on seemingly similar footings: Strickland, do-it-all man Erick Hallett II and undrafted rookie Ian Kennelly. Strickland impressed most, finishing tied with linebacker Trevor Nowaske with a team-high nine tackles. He had a 4-yard tackle for loss in the third quarter, and he planted tight end Harrison Bryant to get off the field later on that same drive. He also had a shoestring tackle of receiver Cornell Powell, who brought in a quick pass on second-and-short and looked primed to rack up yards after the catch, only to be tripped up by Strickland’s outstretched arms.

Stock down: QB Hendon Hooker

Here we are again. Hooker’s development on the practice field is obvious, but he’s had four chances this preseason to prove those skills translatable. He went 0-for-4, finishing the preseason with a passer rating of 36.2. That doesn’t account for the two fumbles he lost in Atlanta. He completed six passes against the Texans, including three checkdowns and a screen. His worst throw came in the fourth quarter, immediately following cornerback Tyson Russell’s interception of Texans QB Kedon Slovis. Hooker gave the ball right back, sailing a pass intended for receiver Dominic Lovett right into the arms of safety Jalen Mills. The Lions preach patience and, in a vacuum, would presumably love to continue their development of Hooker. His play in the preseason, though, has made it difficult to justify keeping three quarterbacks on a roster aiming to win the Super Bowl.

Stock up: QB Kyle Allen, WR Isaac TeSlaa

We’ve opted to combine Allen and TeSlaa into one section. Both players were consistently impressive throughout the preseason, and there isn’t much to add to the conversation about either. Allen found TeSlaa, who scored against the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 8 and the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 16, for a 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter. TeSlaa finished his first preseason with 10 catches (13 targets) for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Allen, securing his role as the top backup behind starter Jared Goff, wrapped the preseason 35-for-44 (79.5%) for 401 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. That’s good for a passer rating of 123.6.

Stock down: CB Nick Whiteside

Whiteside hit the ground running after being signed as a summer addition, quickly moving up the depth chart and getting some first-team opportunities in practice. His performance against the Dolphins was lackluster, however, and his outing Saturday was his worst of the preseason. He was on the wrong end of multiple chunk plays, including a 24-yard reception by receiver Xavier Hutchinson on a crossing route and a 13-yard gain by rookie Jayden Higgins. Whiteside was also flagged for defensive holding on a third-and-long toward the end of the first half, giving the Texans an automatic first down. His rapid rise still likely justifies a spot on the practice squad. That’s a notable feat, given his late arrival to training camp.

Stock up: RB Craig Reynolds

Reynolds only had five carries for 12 yards, but he picked up a pair of receptions to move the chains in the first quarter, showing off some wiggle to collect 12 yards before he made linebacker E.J. Speed miss in the open field on an 8-yard gain. Second-year back Sione Vaki, dealing with an injury, didn’t play against the Texans. Reynolds, though his position on the roster never truly felt in jeopardy, took advantage of the early reps.

Stock down: Pass rush

The Lions are desperately thin at defensive end, with sixth-round rookie Ahmed Hassanein (pec) down for the foreseeable future and the timing of Josh Paschal’s return from the non-football injury list a bit clouded. There was opportunity to be had for some of Detroit’s depth pass rushers (namely, Nate Lynn and Isaac Ukwu) to prove themselves, and there were few moments in which they took advantage. Slovis and fellow QB Graham Mertz constantly sat comfortably in the pocket, even in obvious passing situations. The Texans faced third-and-7 or longer five times. They converted twice and benefited from Whiteside’s penalty on another. The Lions had no sacks on those plays. Al-Quadin Muhammad did get home on a second down to close the first half, in fairness, and Lynn had a couple pressures that series, including a hit on Mertz.

Stock up: DL Myles Adams, LB Trevor Nowaske

We’ll end with some recognition of a couple of veterans, in Adams and Nowaske. The former, on the heels of a recent shoutout from head coach Dan Campbell, was in on two run stops on Houston’s first drive. Nowaske, meanwhile, was active, often rallying to the ball and showing good pursuit. He teamed up with defensive end Mitchell Agude for a tackle for loss, and he had, alongside Strickland, a tackle of running back British Brooks for no gain midway through the fourth quarter. Nowaske also wore the green dot, relaying play calls to his teammates.=

DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Torkelson homered to help the Detroit Tigers win their fifth straight game, 4-2 over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

The teams entered the game with the best records in the American League in August. Detroit has won nine of its last 10 games.

Chris Paddack (5-11) picked up his second win as a Tiger, allowing one run in five innings.

Michael Wacha (8-10) had his four-start winning streak snapped, giving up three runs on eight hits in six innings.

The Tigers took the lead on Jake Rogers’ RBI double in the third, but Vinnie Pasquatino doubled home Bobby Witt Jr. in the fourth.

Torkelson hit his 27th homer to make it 2-1 in the fourth, and Rogers gave Detroit a two-run lead with an RBI single in the fifth.

Witt, though, homered off Tigers reliever Troy Melton in the sixth to pull the Royals to 3-2.

Witt singled with one out in the eighth, took second on Riley Greene’s error and moved to third on Pasquatino’s grounder back to the mound. A.J. Hinch brought in Will Vest, who struck out Maikel Garcia to end the inning.

Andy Ibáñez made it 4-2 with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth. Vest finished for his 19th save.

Key moment

The Royals had runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, but Tyler Holton came out of the bullpen and got pinch-hitter Nick Loftin to ground into a 5-4-3 double play.

Key stat

Pasquatino entered the game with homers in five straight games, matching the franchise record set by Mike Sweeney in 2002 and tied by Salvador Perez in 2024. He went 1 for 4 with the RBI double in the fourth inning.

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions will have a tough decision to make on third-string quarterback Hendon Hooker when compiling their 53-man roster early next week.

Hooker turned in another poor performance while playing the final three quarters of Detroit’s preseason finale, finishing 6-for-11 passing for 70 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in a 26-7 loss to the Houston Texans at Ford Field on Saturday.

Hooker entered the game on the third drive, after backup quarterback Kyle Allen started 5-for-5 for 66 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa.

Hooker completed his first pass — a 14-yard checkdown to running back Jacob Saylors — and didn’t complete another pass until 6:44 remained in the third quarter on another checkdown to Saylors.

Hooker finally got in a minor groove near the end of the game, completing a pair of 18-yard passes to wide receiver Ronnie Bell and running back Deon Jackson. He finished that drive with four completions, the latter two being a screen and a checkdown. He was sacked on fourth down while trying to escape the pocket.

Over four preseason appearances, Hooker went 22-for-40 passing for 187 yards, three interceptions and two fumbles. Not only did he not throw a passing touchdown all preseason, the Lions did not score a touchdown of any kind with him at quarterback over four games.

Hooker’s ineffectiveness in Saturday’s game was to the detriment of a couple receivers who are on the bubble entering cutdown day (Tuesday at 4 p.m.). Neither Jackson Meeks nor Dominic Lovett, both of who are sitting firmly on the fence, ended up with a reception.

Houston took a 3-0 lead with 7:12 left in the first quarter. Lions defensive tackle Myles Adams came up with a critical stop on third-and-1, and Ka’imi Fairbairn put home a 53-yard field goal after the Texans took a false-start penalty before fourth down.

The Lions took their first and only lead of the game on TeSlaa’s third touchdown of the preseason. After TeSlaa moved the chains by crossing up a Texans defensive back on a slant route, he ran a go down the sideline and Allen put it right in the bread basket for a 33-yard connection to put Detroit up, 7-3, with 1:52 left in the first quarter.

The Texans regained the lead on running back Woody Marks’ score with 12:22 left in the second quarter. Lions lineman Keith Cooper Jr. got penetration but couldn’t get hands on the ball carrier, as Marks ran right by Cooper and edge defender Nate Lynn on his way to a 9-yard touchdown.

Ex-Lions receiver Quintez Cephus added to the Texans’ lead. He hauled in a fade route over Lions cornerback D.J. Miller Jr. for a 6-yard touchdown reception. Fairbairn whiffed on the ensuing point-after attempt, resulting in a 16-7 Texans lead with 4:46 remaining in the second quarter. Cephus had four catches for 51 yards.

Lions cornerback Tyson Russell came up with the team’s first pass defense of the day with 14:53 left in the fourth quarter. As Cephus struggled to haul in a throw with his helmet, Russell was in the right place at the right time to steal the ball off the bobble.

But Hooker gave it right back on the next play from scrimmage, overshooting Lovett on a ball that landed right in the hands of Texans defensive back Jalen Mills.

The Texans took a commanding 23-7 lead with 12:58 to go. After Cooper and Anthony Pittman teamed up for a 2-yard loss near the goal line, Texans receiver Daniel Jackson got lost in a sea of bodies and ended up wide open for a 3-yard touchdown reception.

Houston added a 48-yard field goal to make it 26-7 with 6:35 left in the game.

Starting lineup

• Offensive starters: QB Kyle Allen, RB Craig Reynolds, WRs Isaac TeSlaa and Tom Kennedy, TE Zach Horton, LT Giovanni Manu, LG Netane Muti, C Kingsley Eguakun, RG Kayode Awosika, RT Dan Skipper

• Defensive starters: DL Pat O’Connor, Chris Smith, Myles Adams, Al-Quadin Muhammad; LBs Trevor Nowaske, Zach Cunningham and Grant Stuard; CBs Nick Whiteside and Allan George; S Rock Ya-Sin and Erick Hallett II

Key takeaways from Detroit Lions’ loss against Texans

More observations

• At least three reserve players who would otherwise be expected to play were absent from the contest: Running back Sione Vaki, cornerback Luq Barcoo and offensive tackle Jamarco Jones. Vaki and Jones both suffered undisclosed injuries during Detroit’s joint practice against the Texans on Thursday.

• Eguakun, a bubble player who’s fighting for the reserve center job, started the game. He was knocked back on third down during Detroit’s opening possession, leading to a sack of Allen, but was relatively solid the rest of the way on first watch.

• Hooker’s biggest gain of the preseason, a 30-yard completion to receiver Bell in the third quarter, was called back for a holding penalty on offensive guard Zack Johnson. With Hooker turning in another poor performance over three full quarters, the wide receiver production struggled, too.

• Still, the Lions made a significant improvement in their discipline. Detroit was called for just five accepted penalties (47 yards) after being called for 13 penalties the week prior.

• Stuard reprised his role as the team’s kick returner to start the game and returned the opening kickoff 44 yards to Detroit’s 45-yard line. He was replaced by Lovett after the opening kick.

• The final impression from cornerback Nick Whiteside, one of the darlings of training camp, was underwhelming. He was the nearest defender on at least four big chunk plays and was later flagged for defensive holding on third-and-11 on the Texans’ final drive of the second quarter.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ 26-7 loss to Texans in preseason finale

• With plenty of jobs available on the defensive line, the Lions’ pass rush was relatively nonexistent outside of a two-play sequence near the end of the first half. Lynn registered a quarterback hit on a play that was ultimately called back for offensive pass interference. On the very next play, Muhammad sacked Texans quarterback Graham Mertz to end the half.

• Lions safety Loren Strickland, who made the team as an undrafted rookie last season, was all over the place in the second half. He finished with a team-high nine tackles, including one for loss. Nowaske also had nine tackles.

• With Vaki out of the lineup, none of the Lions’ running backs ran the ball particularly well. Reynolds had five rushes for 12 yards, Saylors had nine for 32 yards, and Jackson had two for 3 yards.

• In addition to his tackle-for-loss near the goal line, Pittman came up with another tackle-for-loss in the fourth quarter, stopping Texans running back British Brooks for a loss of 3 yards.

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions will add another name to the Pride of the Lions during the 2025 season, announcing Saturday that former defensive end Robert Porcher will join the team’s ring of honor.

Porcher, a three-time Pro Bowler who played 12 seasons in Detroit (1992-2003), is still the team’s all-time leader in single-season (15) and career sacks (95.5).

The team plans to do Porcher’s Pride of the Lions ceremony at halftime of the Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears.

“We are thrilled to cement Robert Porcher’s legacy as one of the all-time Lions greats,” Lions president & CEO Rod Wood said in a statement. “As someone who spent his entire 13-year career in Detroit and holds our franchise record for career sacks, he is incredibly deserving of this honor. He was a model of stability and tenacity as a player and will always be someone our fans and even current players can look up to.

“We look forward to welcoming Robert back to Ford Field for what will be an extra special celebration when we take on the Chicago Bears for our home opener.”

Porcher, 56, was a first-round pick (26th overall) out of South Carolina State by the Lions in the 1992 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl in 1997, 1999 (when he had a franchise-record 15 sacks) and 2001. He played 14 or more games in every season and played all 16 games in eight of his 12 NFL seasons.

Porcher started 158 games, the second-most by a defensive player in Lions history and the third-most of any player in franchise history. Porcher also holds the record for the most double-digit sack seasons (five) in Lions history. He played in 12 seasons but is officially recognized as having played 13; in 2004, he retired midseason after not appearing in the team’s first seven games.

Recent Pride of the Lions inductees include wide receiver Calvin Johnson (2024), offensive tackle Lomas Brown (2023) and linebacker Chris Spielman (2021).

The Detroit Lions have drastically improved their roster since head coach Dan Campbell took over back in 2021.

With the floor raised, several members of the training camp roster have made it quite difficult for the coaching staff to decide their upcoming future.

Detroit’s battle at wide receiver and along the defensive line was quite competitive all throughout training camp.

Campbell expressed prior to the preseason finale against the Texans that the joint practice aided the team in learning and processing new information from a team that had a much different defensive philosophy.

“It was work that we were looking forward to. That’s a good opponent over there, they’ve got a really talented, young roster,” Campbell said during his pregame interview with Lions flagship radio. “Their scheme is a little different than ours, particularly defensively. It’s a little more penetrating up the field, and if you haven’t seen that in a while, that’s difficult. It’s great for us to get that, Green Bay is a little more like that. It was a really good test for us. I feel like we got better and learned a few things that we didn’t know before.”

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ preseason finale against the Texans. Detroit ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard, losing 26-7.

Kyle Allen gets start

It was pretty safe to assume that barring a drastic setback on Saturday, the veteran signal-caller had won the starting backup quarterback job.

His poise in the pocket and his play during the team’s four preseason games made it an easy decision for the coaching staff.

After the Texans took a 3-0 lead, Allen smoothly led the offense on a 10-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. Allen hit Isaac TeSlaa on his final pass of the game, as he exited after two drives. He finished 5-for-5 for 66 yards and a touchdown, with a 158.3 passer rating.

Hendon Hooker sputters again as Lions drop preseason finale to Texans

Isaac TeSlaa records touchdown in third-straight preseason game

One of the biggest stories that emerged from Detroit’s 2025 training camp was the strong play of its third-round draft pick.

Detroit’s front office and general manager Brad Holmes have credited the tall, sure-handed wideout with displaying his toughness, as well as his play-making abilities, all throughout the preseason.

Against the Texans, TeSlaa recorded a 33-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter. It was his third-straight preseason game with a touchdown reception. It gave Detroit a 7-3 lead heading into the second quarter.

Afterwards, the talented wideout broke out “the worm,” which represented his most expressive celebration after scoring.

Defense gashed in first half

Texans QB Graham Mertz was efficient, firing multiple strikes to Cornell Powell, as well as Xavier Hutchinson and Jayden Higgins. He would connect with former Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Running back Woody Marks also found the end zone, as he scored from nine yards out. Houston had 14 first downs in the first half compared to Detroit’s six, and outgained the Lions, 212 to 110.

Hendon Hooker does not spark offense in any meaningful way

Unfortunately, it appears the former third-round pick’s fate has been sealed in Motown.

All throughout the preseason, Hooker was unable to lead many meaningful drives. When he did make a play, it was often followed by a penalty or error that ended up negating a positive gain.

After the Lions recorded an interception, Hooker immediately turned the football over, tossing an interception to Texans cornerback Jalen Mills.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ 26-7 loss to Texans in preseason finale

Notes

1. Linebacker Grant Stuard started the game with a 44-yard return for the Lions.

2. Detroit’s starting defense included ends Al-Quadin Muhammad and Pat O’Connor, tackles Chris Smith and Myles Adams, linebackers Trevor Nowaske, Zach Cunningham and Stuard, cornerbacks Nick Whiteside and Allan George and safeties Rock Ya-Sin and Erick Hallett.

3. Detroit’s starting offensive line included Giovanni Manu at left tackle, Netane Muti at left guard, Kingsley Eguakun at center, Kayode Awosika at right guard and Dan Skipper at right tackle.

4. The Lions donned a uniform that featured all-white pants and a blue top. It had mixed reviews online, with some supporters hoping they do not ever again see that particular jersey combination.

5. The reported attendance at Ford Field was 49,017 on Saturday afternoon.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Detroit Lions wrapped up their preseason slate on Saturday with a 26-7 loss to the Houston Texans, as the positional battles went down to the wire.

Here are the highlights of Saturday’s loss, in photos:

Hendon Hooker sputters again as Lions drop preseason finale to Texans

Key takeaways from Detroit Lions’ loss against Texans

The post Detroit Evening Report: Uncertainty surrounds Michigan’s access to updated COVID-19 vaccines appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley is no longer the target of an FBI investigation focused on wire fraud, gambling and prop bets, opening a potential path to return to the National Basketball Association, his lawyer told The Detroit News on Friday.

The decision by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York followed a series of meetings between Beasley’s lawyers, Steve Haney and Mike Schachter, and comes seven weeks after The News reported Beasley was under investigation.

Beasley, 28, is a free agent since the Pistons pulled back a three-year, $42 million offer after news emerged about the FBI investigation.

“Malik is not charged, not indicted and not a target of the investigation, but he’s unemployed because of it,” Haney told The News on Friday. “It is flat-out un-American to be deprived of the right to work based on a mere allegation. Hopefully, this gives some new hope to his situation of being gainfully employed in the new year.”

Though Beasley is not a target of the FBI investigation, according to his lawyer, it is unclear whether Beasley will be charged with a crime.

“I have no idea,” Haney said. “That is the frustrating thing. You live in a state of purgatory with a cloud hanging over your head for what? Forever? And you’re out of the league and can never play basketball again?”

It also is unclear whether Beasley could be punished following any internal investigation by NBA officials.

There was no immediate comment from a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York.

Last year, Beasley signed a one-year, $6 million contract with Detroit and played a crucial role in the team’s resurgence. He finished in second place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, averaging 16.3 points on 41.6% shooting from 3-point range. Beasley was also one of three players who finished the regular season with at least 300 3-pointers made, joining the Minnesota Timbersolves’ Anthony Edwards and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry.

Haney emphasized that the gambling allegations predated his career in Detroit.

“He’s a great guy. He was a great Piston. He was great for the city. Hopefully, people can remember what a great teammate he was. And maybe there is a pathway for him to return to Detroit,” Haney said.

Beasley’s lawyer also is trying to help the NBA star recover from $8 million worth of financial problems, which in recent years have included failing to pay a celebrity barber, a lender, a marketing firm and a dentist. The dentist started garnishing Beasley’s paychecks from the Pistons in February.

Beasley was evicted from his high-rise apartment in downtown Detroit earlier this month after being accused of failing to pay rent at The Stott. The historic high-rise apartment building in downtown Detroit is owned by Bedrock Detroit, the real estate arm of the business empire built by Dan Gilbert, who owns the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

Beasley has been sued twice by the landlord this year for failing to pay a collective $21,500 in rent.

Haney, the lawyer, has been working to clear up Beasley’s debts and anticipates the basketball star could reclaim the apartment as early as next week.

“A lot of his problems came from, I think, a lack of management and not having somebody diligently coordinating a lot of his financial matters,” Haney said. “And though I’m not his business manager, I am trying to help coordinate whatever I can to get him back in better standing.”

In January, a celebrity barbershop with a long roster of NBA stars won a $26,827 judgment against Beasley. The barbershop, Cairo Cuts, operates in Milwaukee, where Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks from 2022-2024.

“He did not owe a barber $30,000 for haircuts. It was a personal loan,” Haney said. “It was a matter between he and the barber. It was not for services rendered.”

Beasley’s financial situation has been mischaracterized, his lawyer said.

“It is not fair to characterize him as being broke,” Haney said. “Athletes are very busy. They have had a life of privilege. They are not used to handling business affairs. Most of these NBA players get people around them that they trust to handle business affairs. Malik obviously did not have people in his management circle that were diligent. We are working with him to go through and solve some of the problems.”

DETROIT — For most of the season, it’s felt like the Tigers’ race in the American League Central was with the Cleveland Guardians.

Don’t look now, but here come the Kansas City Royals. After their win over Texas on Thursday night, they had won eight of 10 while the Guardians lost seven of 10.

And when the Royals came into town for three games this weekend, they will be the Tigers’ closest challenger in the division.

Not that it matters much to the players.

“We still have 30-some games left,” outfielder Riley Greene said. “Anything can happen. We’ll just stay focused on playing our brand of baseball and trying to win every day. We’re not focused on what the Guardians are doing or what the Royals are doing. We’re focused on what we need to do every day to win the game.

“We just don’t care what anybody else is doing. We care about what we’re doing. That’s what we can control.”

After sweeping the AL West-leading Astros and going 10-3 in a stretch of 13 games in 13 days, the Tigers went into the weekend where they’ve been most of the season — owners of the best record in the American League (76-53).

It’s where they’ve been since last August.

“We’re a good baseball team,” catcher Jake Rogers said, with a shrug. “We’ve been good all year. Obviously, we had a little stretch, but it’s crazy how baseball happens. The game is just so hard. But we did a good job of bouncing back.”

That little stretch. They lost 12 of 13 and their double-digit lead in the division shrunk to five games. Maybe there wasn’t full-blown panic in Tiger Town, but the angst among the fan base was real and loudly expressed on social media and talk radio.

Manager AJ Hinch understood the fans’ pain.

“I think we should just thank them for being passionate enough to care,” Hinch said. “I love the emotions that come with sports and I respect them for loving us. I don’t fault people for caring or being super passionate. That’s the kind of city we want.

“But don’t forget to love on us a little bit when things are bad.”

The love was loudly expressed this week. The Tigers drew 86,994 people to Comerica Park for the Astros’ series Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They are expected to surpass the 2-million mark in attendance next month.

“This team responds to the environment we had this month,” Hinch said. “Comerica Park was a legitimate home-field advantage for us.”

With the lead in the division back up to 10 games, Hinch was asked Wednesday if he felt this recent surge put his team in a good place to finish strong.

“Yeah, so, I felt like we were in a good place to finish strong back then,” he said. “It didn’t take this stretch for me to believe in this team. Or for this team to believe in itself. I think you have to play the schedule. I don’t know how many times in a row I have to say it.

“It’s what I believe. It’s what my experience tells you. It’s only going to get more exciting. It’s only going to get more intense. It doesn’t matter what our lead is. If we keep stacking wins and playing good baseball, we’re going to be a problem for somebody.”

But with 38 days and 33 games left in the regular season, this isn’t the time to be counting chickens or calculating magic numbers.

“We have to earn it,” Hinch said. “We still haven’t been declared anything yet.”

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions center Graham Glasgow left Thursday’s practice in Allen Park to be evaluated for a lower leg injury, according to an announcement from the team.

Glasgow, who answered a major question mark by winning the starting center job after Frank Ragnow’s retirement, was injured during the final period of the day. It was unclear how, exactly, he suffered the injury, but he was slow to get up after a completion to wide receiver Kalif Raymond and was later helped off the field by a pair of trainers.

Should Glasgow have to miss extended time, it would be a major blow to the rhythm Detroit’s offense has established throughout camp. No other projected starter has any sort of meaningful center experience, which means the team would likely have to turn to a reserve — Kingsley Eguakun filled in after Glasgow was hurt — in the here and now, or throw rookie Tate Ratledge into the fire. Ratledge spent the first three days of camp at center but has not repped there since.

More injury updates

• S Kerby Joseph: Joseph returned to practice after missing the last three sessions with a minor knee injury that also caused him to miss time earlier in camp. He was spotted wearing a left leg sleeve on Thursday and was a full participant.

• RB Sione Vaki: Vaki, who has missed time over two separate stints in camp, also left practice with what was presumed to be an injury, but the team did not provide an update. It’s unclear why he left practice.

• DE Josh Paschal: Lions coach Dan Campbell said the return of Paschal (undisclosed) will be later than originally thought after he said earlier in camp that he expected Paschal to start practicing in early September.

Paschal began training camp on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list and will not count against the roster limit if he remains on NFI through cutdown day.

“I think Paschal could be a little later than we had hoped,” Campbell said Thursday. “That could sting a little bit. It also cleans (the roster construction) up, too. At least you’re not hoping and waiting and whatever else.”

• DE Ahmed Hassanein: The Lions already are set to be without rookie defensive end Ahmed Hassanein, who suffered a pectoral injury that will require significant time missed. Hassanein posted on his Instagram that he didn’t need surgery, but Campbell was hesitant to update his long-term outlook.

“I’ve got nothing else on him, to be honest with you,” Campbell said.

• C Trystan Colon: Colon, who suffered an elbow injury in a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, was spotted running on the side with a large elbow brace on his arm.

• S Morice Norris: Norris, who suffered a severe concussion in the preseason game at Atlanta, was also doing some light work on the side in a practice jersey. Campbell said earlier this week that his timetable is to be determined.

Injury designations

• Injured reserve (season-ending): CB Dicaprio Bootle (lower leg), OL Keaton Sutherland (knee), S Dan Jackson (leg), CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (shoulder), TE Kenny Yeboah (knee), OL Colby Sorsdal (lower body), Justin Herron (arm)

• Non-Football Injury (NFI): DE Josh Paschal

• Active/PUP: LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee), DL Alim McNeill (knee), OL Miles Frazier (knee)

• Reserve/PUP: DL Levi Onwuzurike (knee)

A long-time and well-known member of the Michigan golf-media scene has had his credential revoked by LIV Golf ahead of this week’s team championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth Township.

Bill Hobson, host of the syndicated television show “Michigan Golf Live” and a podcast personality, was initially approved for a credential for the tournament, set for Friday through Sunday. But after he recorded an interview with former LIV Golf player and current broadcaster Pat Perez, and then published the podcast, LIV Golf informed him Tuesday afternoon that he was no longer getting access to media-designated areas during the championship.

Hobson said LIV Golf was not happy with two of the questions he asked Perez during the 20-plus-minute podcast, including about the controversy behind the 4-year-old tour’s funding ― which comes from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, a nation notorious for human rights violations and, notably, a history of disdain for a free press. Hobson also asked Perez about the tumultuous tenure of original LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, the World Golf Hall-of-Famer who was replaced earlier this year.

Perez engaged on both topics, which made up a small percentage of the entire podcast, which focused mostly on Perez’s experience with LIV Golf, and its maiden voyage into Michigan this week.

“It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, talking about the lack of freedom ― talking about the lack of tolerance, all of the things that regime is known for plays a factor in what just took place,” Hobson told The Detroit News in an interview Tuesday. “And it’s super unnecessary. You talk about unforced errors, goodness gracious.

“In 26 years, I’d like to think that I’ve developed a reputation for being very fair. I’m probably overly bland more than I am controversial. … I had no desire whatsoever to have anything come out of this except for a fun conversation with a guy I find interesting, and that’s what I thought we had.

“When I do screw up, I’m pretty quick to say, ‘Hey man, I’m sorry.’ That didn’t happen here.”

LIV Golf did confirm that Hobson, 57, a broadcaster since his teen-age years who lives in the Saginaw area, did have his media credentials revoked. LIV Golf and Hobson confirmed that LIV Golf offered him free grounds passes for the week ― LIV Golf termed it “revising” Hobson’s access, he said ― but those passes would essentially be fan tickets with no media access to ask questions of tour officials or players, like Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka. Hobson declined those passes; he won’t be attending the tournament.

LIV Golf, which has revoked media credentials in the past, declined to say who in the organization decided to pull Hobson’s credentials. Media access begins Wednesday, and top players will speak to the media Thursday.

When asked about Hobson’s credential being revoked, LIV Golf did provide a statement to The News:

“LIV Golf values open and honest dialogue with media partners and has welcomed a wide range of perspectives since our inception. We are committed to working with journalists who approach interviews with fairness, integrity, and respect for the players and the sport.”

Sent a follow-up question from The News, Ilana Finley, chief communications officer for LIV Golf, responded: “We’ve shared all that we plan on providing on this topic.”

The issues between Hobson and LIV Golf seemed to stem from early June, when LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neill addressed the Detroit Economic Club at The Cardinal. LIV Golf made O’Neill available for a short interview with Hobson, who was hosting a radio show for WJR 760-AM. Hobson asked O’Neill multiple questions, including one about the controversy surrounding LIV Golf’s funding.

Still, LIV Golf approved a credential for Hobson to cover the team championship, arguably its crown-jewel event.

Then, last week, Hobson secured an interview with Perez, known as a funny and affable personality, through a request with Outlyr, a public-relations firm contracted by LIV Golf to help with the team championship media obligations. Hobson has long known the Outlyr rep, who also works LPGA tournaments in Grand Rapids and Midland.

Perez did the interview Friday, over the phone from Indianapolis, site of last week’s LIV Golf tournament. A short while later, Hobson said, the rep from Outlyr called, concerned with some of the topics Perez talked about. Hobson edited the interview slightly, to remove some profanity by Perez, but posted the podcast Sunday morning to his “Fore Golfers Network” platform.

Hobson said he then began fielding a flurry of texts and calls from Outlyr and LIV Golf officials, who asked him to edit out those questions. He refused. They then, Hobson said, offered to get him another guest if he pulled down the podcast. He refused. They then, Hobson said, demanded the podcast come down, and suggested credentials could be revoked if he didn’t. Again, Hobson declined. His credentials were officially revoked Tuesday. Denying media credentials is not uncommon; revoking them after they are granted is much more rare.

“LIV (Golf) has a history of contentious dealings with journalists that don’t often make sense in terms of the bigger picture of access to the golfers and the tour,” said Joanne Gerstner, a professor of sports journalism at Michigan State who worked at The Detroit News for 10 years and has written for PGA Magazine. “Obviously, (LIV Golf is) a private entity. They can credential who they want.

“But they don’t have a right to go back and demand journalists remove content or tailor content to the way the tour wants. That’s not journalism. That’s public relations.”

Hobson has a unique job, in that it’s part journalism and part not. For his “Michigan Golf Live” TV show, which is in its 26th year and features course reviews from throughout the state and airs on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, Chicago Sports Net and on YouTube, he does receive payment from the courses. Earlier this year, he did an episode from The Cardinal, with Saint John’s paying him for the exposure.

Hobson’s other work, including the podcast, is considered to be more journalism, as he regularly talks to newsmakers in the industry. He was not paid by LIV Golf to do the Perez podcast, nor would he have accepted payment had they offered, he said. Asked what he considers himself, Hobson said “media member,” not journalist.

Still, he has covered more than 100 professional golf events throughout the state and country, and this is the first time he’s ever had a credential revoked, he said.

Hobson said he was given some suggestions on topics to talk about with Perez, and he hit on all of those, he said. But Hobson said he never agreed on a pre-approved list of questions. (A sampling of questions from media members to PR reps isn’t uncommon; agreeing to stick to said topics is considered a no-no for the media.) Hobson said there was nothing off-topic.

Hobson even texted with Perez after LIV Golf began asking for the podcast to be turned down. Perez responded in a text, before Hobson’s credential was revoked: “It’ll be fine. I don’t think you were antagonizing in any way. You are entitled to your opinions and thoughts.”

Hobson has been a long-time critic of LIV Golf, mostly because of the funding source ― players who defected from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf for huge paydays have been loudly criticized, given Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who controls the purse strings for the PIF, is widely believed to have ordered the assassination of Washington Post journalist and Saudi Arabia government critic Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

Hobson said he felt it was a responsibility to make his stance clear to Perez during the podcast, for fear of being labeled hypocritical by anyone who already knew his admitted negative stance on the rival golf league. Hobson also told Perez he was looking forward to seeing LIV Golf in person, because that’s the only way to fairly assess the league’s merits, Hobson said. Now, he’s not going.

“I’m kind of the most harmless guy with a microphone in the business, I think,” said Hobson, whose podcast on average gets a few hundred views, with the most popular creeping into the thousands ― modest figures for sure, he acknowledged. “Now, on a podcast that normally is heard by not very many, they are treating it like it’s Joe Rogan or Adam Carolla. It goes to the overall paranoia to the whole thing.

“I encouraged people to go to the tournament and see for themselves what it’s like, and this is how they react.

“I have no interest in being another PR arm for the LIV tour.”

Instead, Hobson now plans to take his grandson to the zoo this weekend.

“Which will be slightly less wild,” said Hobson, “than what’s happening this week (at The Cardinal).”

On page 2 of its four-page media accreditation policy, LIV Golf states: “Editorial Independence: For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in the present terms and conditions (or in any other document referred to herein) is intended to be, or shall be interpreted as, undermining or in any way restricting the editorial independence of Credential Holders or the party or parties on behalf of whom they are covering LIV Golf League events, or restricting or preventing the exercise of normal journalistic activities in respect of those events, including expressions of views or comments.”

The post Detroit Evening Report: Emerald Alert system, Home Heating Tax Credit, and more appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

INDIANAPOLIS – Kiki Iriafen is the oldest of three siblings, the oldest of her cousins and the first grandchild in her corner of the family. That comes with responsibility.

Over the years, her learned ability to watch out for others became innate and transcended into other areas of her life. She was student council president in middle school and a representative in high school. Once she arrived at Stanford, she began getting involved in the athletic council.

“I was just always interested in that stuff,” Iriafen said. “Like, how can I help? I feel like I have natural leadership qualities. If I saw something was an issue, like in middle school and high school, I wanted to be able to fix it.”

Now a Washington Mystics rookie, Iriafen is part of a growing cohort getting involved in the WNBA’s contentious labor negotiations.

The players association is eyeing a new collective bargaining agreement that will earn it a larger slice of revenue, and a meeting at All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis last month provided a glimpse of that struggle. Forty players attended the meeting, showing their commitment to a better deal after they opted out of the current CBA last year.

Iriafen is quite familiar with Women’s National Basketball Players Association President Nneka Ogwumike; they are both former Stanford players and have parents with Nigerian backgrounds. But hearing the 10-time all-star speak at last month’s meeting was different.

“I was just in awe, and it truly just inspired me to be like, ‘Wow, one day I want to be able to do that,’” said Iriafen, who was also selected as an all-star. “To be able to be one of the best players in the world, dominate every single day on the court, but then to still be able to be so well prepared and being the president of the PA – she knows she knows her stuff.”

There’s a long way to go before the sides agree on a deal. But when that agreement eventually nears its end, these negotiations will be valuable to the next generation – players such as Iriafen. These players might be uniquely prepared, given that they received lessons in the business side of sports as name, image and likeness issues erupted during their collegiate careers.

That young group – which includes Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Aliyah Boston – got its first taste of in-person labor negotiations, featuring lawyers, the WNBPA executive committee, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA labor relations committee.

“This is really their CBA, right?” said Chicago Sky center Elizabeth Williams, the WNBPA executive committee secretary. “I think they have that understanding. I also think there’s an engagement with the younger players that’s really important. So they do have the understanding that this is labor. These are labor negotiations. So, yeah, I think they have the understanding that this will affect them and they’re going to have that leadership role moving forward.”

The players in this wave will play a large chunk of their careers under an agreement expected to be unprecedented after the league has seen dramatic growth in attention, ticket sales and viewership. Six expansion teams will take the floor between 2025 and 2030, and the last three paid record fees of $250 million. A $2.2 billion media rights deal is set to begin, too.

Ogwumike is serving her third term as president, and she began to get involved immediately as a rookie in 2012. She was her team representative in her first year, moved to the executive committee two years later and was elected president in 2016. Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally successfully ran for an executive committee position as a rookie in 2020 and is now a CBA co-committee chair alongside Ogwumike.

There is no age limit for players to get involved. Each team elects a primary and an alternate to be on the board of player representatives. That group then elects officers. To be considered as an officer on the executive committee, a player must be nominated, or self-nominate, and submit a written statement.

All but two players on the executive committee are 30 or older. Ogwumike, 35, is nearing the end of her career. Soon, it will be up to the next generation.

“Every labor leader knows that young members bring excitement, fresh energy and keep the union forward-looking,” said Terri Jackson, the WNBPA’s executive director.

Reese, an all-star in her first two seasons with Chicago, said she didn’t understand how important the process was before attending the Indianapolis meeting. She got to see how players in different financial situations are affected by the deal. Not everyone is a first-round pick, and even that hasn’t guaranteed a roster spot as a rookie, let alone a long career.

Reese is in a better position than most, given her long list of endorsements, including her signature shoe with Reebok and her status as one of the cover athletes for the “NBA 2K26” video game. As one of the most visible players in the league, Reese wants to be on the board one day.

“Knowing my platform, knowing my voice, it’s important for me to be in those meetings,” she said. “The WNBA saw who showed up and saw we were there for business, and that was really important for all of us. … I know me continuing to do it for the next generation is really important.”

Sonia Citron, another Mystics all-star rookie, noted the complications when she attended the meeting in Indianapolis. Revenue sharing received the most attention, but there’s minutia in contract structure, the free agency environment, benefits, medical coverage, injury provisions and discipline. The current deal is 342 pages long.

“There’s a lot of nitty-gritty things that you don’t really think about,” Citron said. “… I’m young right now, and it’s a little bit intimidating … but I definitely think that as I get older and get more experience and feel more confident in my voice, it’s something I’ll be interested in.”

Ogwumike knows everyone is watching – internally and externally. Disappointment in the league’s initial proposal, in part, pushed players to take the conversation public. In the weeks leading up to the All-Star Game, players around the league began to discuss negotiating points in larger spheres.

The meeting took place the Thursday before All-Star Weekend. In interviews Friday morning ahead of the skills contest and three-point contest, CBA negotiations dominated the conversation.

Then, before Saturday’s game, players came out wearing T-shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” Fans in Gainbridge Fieldhouse chanted “Pay them! Pay them!” as Engelbert presented Napheesa Collier with the MVP trophy. Guard Brittney Sykes maneuvered behind the presentation with a sign that read, “Pay the players.”

“I’m not sure that there’s much else that I can necessarily say rather than what they can experience,” Ogwumike said. “… Being on text chains, reading emails, sure. But if you can get players in the room, they have that frame of reference to now understand, ‘Okay, I want to be involved.’”

This latest generation only knows a world in which the WNBA exists. Every player selected in the 2025 draft was born in the 2000s, years after the league began play in 1997.

Their turn to grow the league and advance the business side for players is on the horizon, and Iriafen certainly took notice in that meeting.

“I think my eyes were just opened,” she said. “Being in that player meeting and seeing all the women in there speak up on what we’re fighting for and what we’re trying to gain from the CBA was super empowering, honestly. I was very motivated and felt very inspired to hopefully one day be able to be in a position of leadership.”

DETROIT (AP) — Jack Flaherty struck out nine batters in seven scoreless innings and the Detroit Tigers went on to beat the Houston Astros 10-0 on Monday night.

Wenceel Pérez, Riley Greene, Trey Sweeney and Colt Keith homered for the Tigers, who were coming off a 5-2 road trip.

Flaherty (7-12) allowed three hits and a walk to win for the second time in 12 starts. Former closer Alex Lange, who underwent lat surgery last season, pitched the ninth — his first MLB appearance since May 22, 2024.

Spencer Arrighetti (1-4) gave up five runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings.

Houston loaded the bases on two hits and a walk in the first inning, but Victor Caratini lined out to end the inning. Flaherty only allowed two more runners — a hit batter and a single.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Pérez’s 10th homer of the season, and they added four runs in the fifth.

Trey Sweeney tripled in the sixth and scored on Keith’s sacrifice fly to make it 6-0. Sweeney hit a three-run homer in the seventh and Keith homered two batters later.

Outfielder Chas McCormick pitched a scoreless eighth for Houston.

Key moment

The Tigers missed an opportunity for a big inning in the second. With runners on first and second and no one out, Dillon Dingler hit a high fly to left that bounced off the fence. Appearing to think the ball had gone for a home run, the runners ended up advancing one base.

Arrighetti then struck out Sweeney before Javier Báez hit into an inning-ending double play.

Key stat

Gleyber Torres played in his 1,000th major league game. He entered the game with a .265 batting average, 151 homers, 499 RBIs and 57 stolen bases.

Up next

The teams played the second of three games on Tuesday night, with Tigers ace LHP Tarik Skubal (11-3, 2.42 ERA) scheduled to face St. Clair Shores native RHP Hunter Brown (10-5, 2.45).

ALLEN PARK — Roy Lopez still remembers the sequence.

It was third-and-12, and the Arizona Cardinals, down by seven points with 2:20 remaining, were one defensive play away from getting the Detroit Lions off the field, and giving their offense a chance to tie or win the game. The Lions, as they so often did in 2024, found a way, with quarterback Jared Goff hitting receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown over the middle for 18 yards. Another first down two snaps later slammed the door on the Cardinals, whose comeback bid in Week 3 last September fell short, 20-13.

Now, nearly half a year after signing with the Lions and one month into his first training camp with the team, Lopez understands how Detroit was able to get the job done in Arizona.

“The game was a little closer in my eyes than what they thought, to be honest,” Lopez said Monday. “We always joke around with it. … Going through these dog days — I’ve expressed that to this team, as well — you understand why they had a little bit more in the tank than us. St. Brown, the guy is staying after practice every day, catching the ball. You can count on him late in the game. I think that’s the biggest thing, is seeing it firsthand.”

Lopez signed with the Lions in March because he saw a group of kindred spirits, a collection of players and coaches who’ve built a team matching his style of play. The run-stuffing defensive tackle comes from a family of football coaches, and the opportunity to play for headman Dan Campbell, a former player turned coach, was too good to pass up.

A two-time state champion with a record of 113-3 at Mesquite High School in Arizona, Lopez credits his time as a wrestler for forging the mentality with which he plays football. Lopez, a sixth-round draft pick by the Houston Texans in 2021, has totaled 70 defensive stops (a tackle that constitutes a “failure” for the offense, per Pro Football Focus) in his career.

“Lining up across from somebody, I know you didn’t work as hard as I did,” Lopez said. “I know you didn’t put in seven days a week for the past 10 years. I just know you didn’t. You weren’t traveling at 7 years old, spitting in a water bottle with the heater on in the car and the sweatsuit on and dad (is) yelling at you. You didn’t do it like I did. That’s just something that was instilled in me at a young age. Now, it’s the fourth quarter or whatever it is — tough days in camp, dog days — I know I’ve got a little bit more in me.”

The Lions have been everything Lopez expected, and “maybe a little more.” He’s happy be on this side of it, and he hopes to now contribute to the culture that lured him to Detroit.

“I came into an organization, came into a room that loves ball, that understands everything about it,” Lopez said. “To be in a room that shares the same mental, shares the same love for getting better, for the game of football as a whole, it’s a blessing, man. To be able to see guys like (Aidan Hutchinson), guys like (DJ) Reader, (Marcus) Davenport, (Alex) Anzalone, Jack (Campbell), all these guys flying around every day, there’s no shortcuts, man.

“It’s an old saying, right? An old cliché saying: There’s no shortcuts. But here, it’s a true definition.”