Preston Byers Articles - Page 24

A contract extension was thought to be a foregone conclusion for Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. While Sid is no longer a kid, he has remained one of the NHL’s best and most popular players despite entering his late 30s. But there’s now a greater possibility than ever that Crosby will not finish his […]

Drew Bledsoe’s career will forever be tied, in some ways, to Tom Brady’s. Bledsoe was the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback when Brady was drafted with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, and less than 18 months later, Brady replaced an injured Bledsoe and never relinquished the starter position ever again. The […]

The Boston Celtics are the defending NBA champions, but Jaylen Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, is ready to turn the page and start focusing on staving off challengers for the title. Brown told NBC Sports Boston that it’s time to lock in for the 2024-25 season. “Last year is over, to be honest. We […]

Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook’s on-court rivalry is well-documented, with the two former Western Conference foes duking it out in the regular season and playoffs several times. But the feud, according to Lillard, started to gnaw at Westbrook’s then-Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Kevin Durant. While much of the focus when the Thunder and Portland Trail […]

After winning the 2023 NBA Championship, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets fell well short of preseason expectations in 2024, falling in the second round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The offseason has been a mixed bag so far for the Nuggets, with the team losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope but adding Russell Westbrook. But […]

Fans viewed Zion Williamson as a “can’t-miss” prospect when he came of Duke in 2019. However, the New Orleans Pelicans star has struggled to stay on the court consistently. In three separate seasons, he’s played fewer than 30 games, including one season he didn’t play at all. While not confirmed, much has been speculated about […]

Despite assembling a roster often compared to the “Dream  Team” of 1992, the 2024 Olympics version of Team USA sometimes struggled to live up to the great expectations placed upon them. Although the American All-Star roster ultimately won another gold medal, Carmelo Anthony, one of the most successful basketball Olympians of all time believes two […]

Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton went to battle on the hardwood during the New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers second-round playoff series this past season, but it’s possible we could eventually see them on a different battleground: a WWE ring. Brunson and Haliburton, both All-NBA players, likely have some years left in their NBA careers, […]

Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Khalil Mack is one of the NFL’s best defensive players in the last decade, but Mack appears to be at least considering the idea of retirement. Mack, 33, is entering his third season with the Chargers, and while the team is not a Super Bowl favorite, it’s clear that Mack […]

As part of Ohio State football’s makeover after a third-consecutive loss to Michigan, Ryan Day hired UCLA head coach Chip Kelly as the Buckeyes’ new offensive coordinator. But Urban Meyer, Day’s predecessor, said OSU fans shouldn’t expect the “Blur” offense for which Kelly became famous at Oregon. As the head coach of the Ducks, Kelly, […]

The Atlanta Falcons’ decision to trade for the New England Patriots’ Matthew Judon was met with confusion and skepticism, but if Mike Florio’s latest speculation proves correct, then the trade could turn out to be the worst in quite some time. Judon, who is entering the final season of a four-year contract, had been locked […]

Austin Dillon’s NASCAR Cup Series win at Richmond over the weekend drew a ton of criticism, from fans and drivers alike, after Dillon wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to eke out the victory and (temporarily) secure a spot in the playoffs. And Dale Earnhardt Jr. has now weighed in on the incident. Dillon, who […]

After being selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes famously rode the bench as Alex Smith started at quarterback. And while the pair of QBs would only be teammates for that one season, Mahomes said Smith taught him a lot that has helped propel him […]

Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown has had a reputation of being cheap, and according to a former NFL executive, he is also a tough, stubborn negotiator, which may cause issues for wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Chase, who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, is itching for […]

Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze drew some criticism for claiming that he should have four wins, not two, against former Alabama football coach Nick Saban. Freeze had said recently that he, between his stints at Auburn and Ole Miss, should have a 4-2 record against Saban, who retired in January. Offered to expand on […]

For nearly a year in 2022, Brittney Griner was detained in a Russian prison, never knowing if she would return home or play basketball ever again. And today, less than two years after being released as part of a prisoner exchange, Griner won her third Olympic gold medal. Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury […]

As Team USA struggled with a stiff challenge from France in the Olympic final, the internet, as usual, added its two cents. During a game in which the American women had to come back against the French, fans on social media kept bringing up the name of a WNBA player who was controversially left off […]

Following Team USA’s gold-medal victory over France in the finals of the Olympic Games, LeBron James was named the men’s basketball MVP. While James played well throughout the Olympics, Stephen Curry stood out in the semifinals and final, which led former NBA player Stephon Marbury to call out the MVP decision. James and Curry, two […]

The WNBA may be the top women’s basketball league, but the upcoming Unrivaled league is expected to give the best players a shot to earn some major money during the offseason by competing with and against each other. And according to Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled’s one-vs-one tournament will offer a big prize. While Unrivaled will be […]

Nikola Jokic and Serbia nearly upended Team USA in the semifinals of the Olympics, but after a close, heartwrenching loss, the Serbians bounced back to defeat Germany 93-83 and claim the bronze medal. While Jokic struggled with his three-point shot against the Americans — he missed each of his six attempts in the semifinals — […]

As the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, much was expected of Kyler Murray coming out of Oklahoma. While leading the Arizona Cardinals, however, there have been rampant questions about his commitment and maturity, issues that have reportedly begun to subside. Late in the 2022 season, Murray, […]

Former Michigan football and current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has effectively been banned from college athletics for the next four years, and the coach finally commented on the NCAA ruling that came down this week. During a Chargers training camp press conference, Harbaugh was asked about the NCAA’s punishment for recruiting violations. […]

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke on the impact and his feelings on the death of Billy Bean, the former MLB ambassador for inclusion and senior vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bean, one of the first openly gay former MLB players, died after a battle with cancer on Tuesday. Bean was drafted […]

Following the dismissal of manager Pedro Grifol, as well as multiple coaches, the Chicago White Sox have chosen former Cleveland Guardians player Grady Sizemore as the club’s interim manager. Sizemore, who played for the then-Indians from 2004 to 2011 and then with the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and Tampa Bay Rays during the 2014 […]

While it seems like San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will eventually be traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the deal is not done — as you have probably read from many reporters — and now reports are surfacing that the Steelers’ offer to Aiyuk and the Niners may not be as high as it […]

For the first time since 2019, the Buffalo Bills will be without Stefon Diggs. The perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver played four seasons in Buffalo with quarterback Josh Allen, but following another postseason disappointment, the Bills traded Diggs to the Houston Texans. The divorce between Diggs and the Bills seemed destined to happen at some […]

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk seems destined to land with the Pittsburgh Steelers, beating out several reported suitors, including the New England Patriots. While the Patriots seemed like an odd fit as they attempt to rebuild in their post-Bill Belichick era, the Patriots reported contract offer to Aiyuk may have been the best […]

Lauri Markkanen has been one of the most talked-about players this NBA offseason, in large part due to swirling trade rumors involving the 2023 Most Improved Player. However, after signing a five-year, $238 million contract extension with the Utah Jazz, those rumors will have to be put on ice. A Markkanen trade this coming season […]

LeBron James is often on the receiving end of alley-oops, but during Team USA’s Olympic quarterfinal vs. Brazil, James tossed a particularly beautiful pass to Jayson Tatum for a last-second oop before the halftime buzzer. With 6.3 seconds remaining in the first half, the Americans, leading by 25 points, had one last chance to add […]

The last 12 months for Jim Harbaugh has been up and down and all around. After losing in the College Football Playoff semifinals to end the 2022 season, Harbaugh led Michigan to a national championship despite being suspended for the first three games by the university for recruiting violations and then another three games by […]

It wasn’t easy, but Novak Djokovic got it done. Just weeks after losing to Carlos Alcaraz for the second consecutive year in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic completed a career golden slam at Roland Garros by defeating Alcaraz in the Olympics’ gold medal match. In his quest for his first Olympic gold medal, Djokovic bested Alcaraz […]

Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA and women’s basketball has been a hot topic among media members, athletes, and fans since she became one of the fastest-rising stars in sports as the star of the Iowa women’s basketball team. The conversation has continued throughout her rookie WNBA season with the Indiana Fever, and Sue Bird […]

Team USA is the clear favorite to win men’s basketball gold at the Olympics, but Steve Kerr, the team’s head coach, is trying to prepare his all-star squad for a tough game against Brazil in the quarterfinals. The Americans won their final game of the group stage on Saturday, cruising to a 104-83 victory over […]

After a 2020 Olympics to forget, Simone Biles has dominated the 2024 Summer Olympics and delivered several unforgettable moments, including in today’s women’s vault final. Biles won her seventh all-time gold medal today with a fantastic showing in the vault, where she beat out Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and the USA’s Jade Carey, who won silver […]

Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his contract, and whether the Dallas Cowboys will pay Prescott or not has been one of the most fascinating subplots of the NFL offseason. In the regular season, Prescott has massively overperformed, especially considering the Cowboys selected him with a fourth-round draft pick back in 2016. However, […]

The New York Yankees are fighting for first place in the AL East, and poor effort or mental gaffes won’t be tolerated in their chase for a division title. That was at least the case for Gleyber Torres last night. In the second inning of yesterday’s 8-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees […]

Jayson Tatum has been one of the most talked-about players on the vaunted Team USA men’s basketball roster at the Summer Olympics. However, it has not been for any positive reasons. Instead, Tatum never left the bench during the Americans’ first game vs.  Serbia, a decision by head coach Steve Kerr that has drawn criticism, […]

During the offseason, the New York Yankees reportedly had interest in signing free-agent pitcher Blake Snell. And according to various reports, the team still had interest when Snell, now with the San Francisco Giants, was rumored as a potential trade piece. However, the Yankees reportedly balked at actually acquiring Snell. As one of several teams […]

To say the Aaron Rodgers era, however brief, with the New York Jets has not gone according to plan so far would be quite the understatement. After a season-ending injury in his first game with the team, Rodgers is now taking part in training camp, which has sparked a few seemingly odd moments, including a […]