Look, I\’ll be the first to admit that NFL preseason is usually about as exciting as watching paint dry on a rainy Tuesday. But this past weekend? Holy shit, we actually had some moments that made you put down your beer and pay attention.

Shador Sanders Just Made the Browns Look Smart (Maybe)

Remember when everyone was clowning the Browns for taking Shador Sanders in the fifth round? Yeah, well, those people might want to pump the brakes just a little bit. The kid went out there against Carolina and actually looked like he belonged on an NFL field. Two touchdown passes, 138 yards, zero picks, and he didn\’t look completely terrified in the pocket.

Now before you start planning the parade, let\’s remember this is preseason and it was against Carolina. But here\’s the thing – for a fifth-round rookie seeing his first NFL action, the dude looked composed. He made mistakes, sure, but Peyton Manning threw more picks than anyone his rookie year and he turned out alright.

The conspiracy theorists are saying the Browns threw him out there to fail because some coaches didn\’t want him. That\’s bullshit. Kenny Pickett\’s hurt, Dylan Gabriel\’s hurt, Joe Flacco\’s banged up, and Tyler Huntley just got there. Sanders was literally the only guy who knew the offense. Sometimes the simple explanation is the right one.

This Kicker Just Broke Physics

Cam Little. Remember that name because this kid just kicked a 70-yard field goal like it was a goddamn extra point. SEVENTY. YARDS. I was watching at a buddy\’s house and we thought someone was pulling our leg when they said he nailed it from 70. Then we saw the replay and our jaws hit the floor.

The ball looked good from 73, maybe 74 yards. In Jacksonville. Imagine if this kid was playing in Denver – he\’d probably be hitting 80-yarders. Justin Tucker better start practicing because there\’s a new sheriff in town, and he\’s got a rocket for a leg.

Here\’s hoping this isn\’t just some preseason fluke. I want to see this kid attempt bombs in real games. Give me 12 fantasy points on one kick. Make kickers exciting again.

Tom Brady\’s Statue Has People Talking

The Patriots unveiled a 12-foot bronze statue of Tom Brady at Gillette Stadium, and the internet had opinions. Some people love it, some people think the proportions look weird, and Antonio Brown said it looks like Jeffrey Dahmer (which is honestly pretty funny).

The statue weighs 12,000 pounds total, stands 17 feet tall with the base, and has all kinds of symbolic meaning. Twelve feet for number 12, 17 feet total for his 17 AFC East titles, hexagonal base for his six Super Bowls and the six New England states. The sculptor spent 20,000 hours on it.

Honestly? If I was a professional athlete and still alive, I think having a statue unveiling would be the weirdest thing ever. Just sitting there watching yourself get revealed as a bronze monument feels narcissistic as hell. But hey, that\’s just me.

Roger Clemens Has a Wild Idea for Baseball

At the Yankees\’ old-timers game, Roger Clemens proposed something that actually makes sense. He wants to tie your starting pitcher to your designated hitter. Pull your starter before the seventh inning? You lose your DH for the rest of the game.

Think about it – Shohei Ohtani is DHing and Clayton Kershaw is getting rocked in the first inning. Pull Kershaw early? Say goodbye to Ohtani\’s bat for the rest of the game. It would make managers think twice about yanking starters at the first sign of trouble.

Starting pitchers are averaging just 4.2 innings per game right now. For the money they\’re making, that\’s pretty pathetic. This rule would force teams to either let their starters work through some adversity or sacrifice their best hitter. I don\’t hate it.

First Female MLB Umpire Makes History (And Fits Right In)

Jen Powell became the first woman to umpire an MLB game behind home plate, and Twitter had a field day when her very first pitch call was… questionable. The ball was clearly three inches inside and she called it a strike. Everyone was joking that she was fitting right in with MLB umpires.

But here\’s my theory – they absolutely told her to call that first pitch a strike no matter what. For the historical significance, for the commemorative ball, for the moment. Unless that ball was sailing over the backstop or bouncing in the dirt, she was calling it a strike. Mission accomplished.

UFC Just Changed Everything Forever

Here\’s the big one that dropped this morning. The UFC just signed a seven-year, $7.7 BILLION deal with CBS and Paramount Plus starting in 2026. And get this – they\’re ditching the pay-per-view model entirely.

No more paying $80 on top of your ESPN Plus subscription. Just pay for Paramount Plus and you get all 13 marquee UFC events plus 30 fight nights per year. Some events will even simulcast on CBS.

This is huge for casual fans. Instead of dropping $80 for one night when you only recognize a couple names, you pay $15 a month and get everything. It\’s going to grow the sport massively.

But here\’s the potential problem – fighters used to get paid based on pay-per-view buys. Main event fighters could make an extra $5 million on top of their purse if the card sold well. How are they getting paid now? Are they getting a percentage of viewers? A flat fee? This could get ugly if fighters start making less money while more people watch.

Dana White and Paramount better have this figured out, because if they lose their biggest names over pay disputes, fans are going to be pissed.

The Bottom Line

NFL preseason actually delivered some entertainment, baseball is trying to evolve, and combat sports just went through a massive shift. Sometimes sports actually gives you reasons to pay attention, even in the dog days of summer.

Want the full breakdown on all this madness? Check out my video where I dive deep into every story and give you the takes you won\’t hear anywhere else.