Ritik Katiyar is pursuing a post-graduate degree in Pharmaceutics. Currently, he lives in Srinagar, Uttarakhand, India. You can find him writing about all sorts of listicle topics. A pharmaceutical postgrad by day, and a content writer by night. You can write to him at [email protected]
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal during Portugal’s Nations League match against Croatia on Thursday.
He made the goal in the 34th minute at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon.
“It means a lot,” Ronaldo said after Portugal’s 2-1 victory. “It was a milestone I wanted to reach for a long time. I knew I would reach this number because as I continue to play, it would happen naturally.”
During the celebration, Ronaldo raised his hands to his face and fell to his knees. “It was emotional because it’s a milestone,” he said.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates in the UEFA Nation League soccer match
“It seems like any other milestone, but only I know, and the people around me, how hard it is to work every day, to be physically and psychologically fit, to score 900 goals. It’s a unique milestone in my career.”
This goal was his 131st in international matches. The goal gave Portugal a 2-0 lead, but Croatia later scored to make it 2-1.
He is the first man to reach 900 goals in official matches for both club and country. Ronaldo plays club soccer for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Jalen Ramsey watches from the sideline during the second half of a preseason NFL football game
All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the Miami Dolphins have reached an agreement on a three-year, $72.3 million contract extension, according to a source who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday.
The source requested anonymity because the team had not yet announced the deal.
NFL Network was the first to report that Ramsey will earn $24.1 million per year with this new contract, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. This agreement comes shortly after the Denver Broncos signed their standout cornerback Patrick Surtain II to a four-year extension.
Surtain’s $24 million average annual salary had previously made him the highest-paid defensive back, surpassing Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield Jr. ($21.025 million) and Green Bay cornerback Jaire Alexander ($21 million). Ramsey’s new deal makes him the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL again.
The Dolphins acquired Ramsey in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams last offseason. He injured his knee early in his first training camp with Miami and missed the first half of the 2023 season due to surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee.
He came back to play 10 games, recording three interceptions, five pass breakups, and 22 tackles.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has called Ramsey the “ultimate chess piece” who can be moved around the field to enhance his impact, a testament to his abilities since being drafted fifth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016.
Jalen Ramsey (NFL)
Ramsey’s career stats include 474 tackles, 22 interceptions, six forced fumbles, and 97 pass breakups.
Coach Mike McDaniel confirmed Ramsey’s extension on Friday, noting that the seven-time Pro Bowler quickly took on a leadership role when he joined the Dolphins. This leadership has been beneficial to the team, even when Ramsey is not playing.
“The real leaders and real influencers on a football team don’t have to play to positively affect their teammates,” McDaniel said.
Ramsey had not practiced for several weeks and was listed with a hamstring injury this week, raising concerns about his availability for Miami’s season opener against Jacksonville.
Weaver mentioned on Thursday that he hopes Ramsey will be ready for Sunday, but with another game coming up on Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills, the team has to be cautious.
“He’s doing everything he can in the training room to try to be ready,” Weaver said. “We just need to be smart and aware that we have two games in a little over a week, so we’ll see.”
Ramsey joined several Miami players who signed contract extensions this offseason, such as receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert.
Star receiver Tyreek Hill also agreed to a restructured contract that increased his total guaranteed money over four years to $106.5 million.
Miami Dolphins players grouping up before the game
Additionally, the Dolphins made quarterback Tua Tagovailoa their highest-paid player with a four-year contract extension worth $212.4 million in July.
The Dolphins also extended coach Mike McDaniel’s contract through the 2028 season last month, hoping he will lead the team to its first playoff win in 24 years.
Ramsey, who won a Super Bowl with the Rams after the 2021 season, was named a team captain for the 2024 season along with Tagovailoa, Hill, and veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell.
“Elite players, there’s several of them in the league that have that captain mentality,” McDaniel said. “And when you have that captain mentality and are a competitor that wants to dictate the terms, you have a rise in everyone’s competitiveness. And that’s a win for the Miami Dolphins.”
Kansas State’s previous visit to New Orleans didn’t end well. The Wildcats also lost their last game against Tulane.
On Saturday, No. 17 Kansas State (1-0) will have the chance to turn things around in both cases.
They’re returning to New Orleans, where they lost 45-20 to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl two seasons ago. They will also face Tulane (1-0), who defeated them in Manhattan, Kansas, earlier in the 2022 season.
This game is seen as an opportunity for revenge, though Kansas State coach Chris Klieman prefers not to focus on that.
Klieman said, “Wildcats who’ve been with the program for two or more years probably remember the loss, but you can’t think of it as revenge. It’s important for this group to go on the road because we need to win some road games to have a successful season.”
Makhi Huges runs with the ball
Tulane could be a strong test for K-State on the road.
The Green Wave has won 24 of their last 29 games since the start of the 2022 season, including a victory over Southern California in the Cotton Bowl at the end of that season. Tulane has also hosted back-to-back American Athletic Conference title games and is now hoping to be considered for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
Last week, Tulane defeated Southeastern Louisiana 52-0 in their first game under new coach Jon Sumrall.
Sumrall was happy with the win but acknowledged the challenges ahead.
He said, “The next few weeks are going to be a rude awakening. The way we played will get you losses. We need to fix some things quickly.”
Caleb Williams speaks in a press confeence after the game
The University of Southern California has retired Caleb Williams’ No. 13 jersey and brought Reggie Bush’s No. 5 back to its honored spot among the retired numbers displayed at the Coliseum.
The university announced these changes on social media Thursday, just two days before the 13th-ranked Trojans’ home opener against Utah State.
USC has retired only the jersey numbers of its eight Heisman Trophy winners, which is more than any other school. The honored numbers, including O.J. Simpson’s No. 32, are shown on large banners hanging from the peristyle steps during home games.
“Home of the Heismans!” USC athletic director Jen Cohen posted on social media. “More Heisman Trophy winners than any other university. Let’s go #5 and #13… Can’t wait to celebrate you.”
Williams played for USC for two seasons and won the Heisman in 2022 after transferring from Oklahoma with coach Lincoln Riley. He was the top pick in this year’s NFL draft by the Chicago Bears.
Caleb Williams (NFL)
Bush won the Heisman in 2005 after his third season as one of the most thrilling running backs in recent college football history. However, his number was removed from the peristyle in 2010 after he returned his trophy due to an NCAA investigation that found he had received improper benefits during his career.
Earlier this year, the Heisman Trust reinstated Bush’s trophy. USC had already restored its connection with Bush after a required separation period imposed by the NCAA.
Bush is still involved in a defamation lawsuit against the NCAA, claiming he was wrongly targeted.
Coach Kyle Shanahan made several significant changes to the San Francisco defense this offseason, aiming to restore the strong performance the team had in 2021 and 2022.
New defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen’s squad will face its first real challenge on Monday night when they play against the New York Jets and their star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers, who is 40 years old, is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury that cut short his first season with the Jets after just four plays. Despite this, the 49ers know he has the skills to take advantage of any mistakes.
Defensive end Leonard Floyd, who has faced Rodgers often in the past, says, “My scouting report is he’s a legendary quarterback and you have to come with your ‘A’ game, because he’s the type where he’ll embarrass you.
If you give him some momentum, he’s going to carry that momentum for the whole game. You just have to be on your Ps and Qs, because he’ll score every time if you let him.”
New York Jets players in the 2nd half of the game
The 49ers have a long history with Rodgers from his time in Green Bay, playing against him nine times in the regular season and four more times in the playoffs.
Under Shanahan since 2017, the 49ers have played Rodgers six times in the regular season and two more in the playoffs. Rodgers won three of those regular-season games, while San Francisco won both playoff matchups. Rodgers has had a strong performance against them, with a 104.9 rating, 11 touchdowns, and only two interceptions in those games.
“All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner said, “He’s always just had the savvy. The ability to extend plays, to make the big plays, keep control of the game, obviously make the plays in the big-time moments.
There’s nothing that you can just pinpoint and be like, ‘Hey, we got to stop him from doing this.’ You have to prepare for it all. We have a big test. … He does it all. He’s one of the greatest of all time for a reason.”
Rookie Bo Nix worked hard during the offseason and training camp to earn the starting quarterback position for the Denver Broncos.
His reward? He will start his first game in one of the toughest places to play in the NFL against a defensive strategy that is new to everyone.
“Seattle’s a good team. They have a strong defense coming back with a lot of good players and a new scheme. It’ll be interesting to see how they play,” Nix said.
“I think they’re going to be very well coached and talented. It’s going to be a challenging environment, but it will be fun. It’ll be a good first game.”
Nix’s debut is one of many intriguing aspects for Sunday when the Broncos travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks.
The last time Denver played in Seattle two years ago, it was another highly awaited debut for a Broncos quarterback. However, Russell Wilson’s first game with the Broncos was disappointing and set the tone for his time with Denver.
Bo Nix smiles as he sits on the bench
Seattle won that game and ended up benefiting from the trade that sent Wilson to Denver, gaining several draft picks in return. Since then, both teams have undergone significant changes since that Monday night game that began the 2022 season.
Denver is now in its second year of rebuilding under Sean Payton and has given the QB role to Nix, hoping to move past the issues from the two seasons with Wilson.
Nix impressed his teammates so much that he was chosen as an offensive captain. This is the first time since Floyd Little in 1967 that a Broncos rookie has started the season opener with a “C” on his jersey.
“You get a young player like Bo Nix, and he has certain skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Hopefully, we can build on his strengths and address the challenges a young player might face at the start of the season,” Payton said.
Right now, quarterback Dak Prescott and coach Mike McCarthy don’t have contracts with the Dallas Cowboys beyond this season.
This also applies to six-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin, second receiver Brandin Cooks, and longtime pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. The list goes on.
The Cowboys have gone 28 seasons without advancing past the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. The team is eager to reach the NFL’s biggest stage again.
The 2024 season feels like a make-or-break year, and Prescott is fully aware of this as he approaches his ninth season opener, which is this Sunday at Cleveland.
“If we all think about the last year of our deals, it’s going to create some pressure,” Prescott said. “But when you see so many people in that situation, it makes it a bit easier to focus and come together and say it’s up to us to change things, to be here next year.”
Prescott’s situation might change since he mentioned that talks about a new contract are ongoing as he enters the final year of his franchise-record $160 million, four-year deal.
Dak Prescott runs drills in the NFL football practice
Quarterback salaries are now closer to $60 million per year, compared to the $40 million Prescott earned in 2021, when he was still recovering from a serious ankle injury that affected his 2020 season.
Prescott was the MVP runner-up last season after leading the NFL with a career-high 35 touchdown passes.
However, his playoff record dropped to 2-5 after he threw a pick-6 and Dallas had a rough first half in a 48-32 home wild-card loss to Green Bay, which was a surprise to everyone, including owner Jerry Jones.
Prescott will have no trouble getting a high salary if he becomes a free agent, but he has consistently stated that he wants to achieve what Tony Romo could not for the Cowboys in the decade before him: a significant playoff success.
The 31-year-old added on Thursday that winning a Super Bowl with any other team wouldn’t mean as much. Romo had similar feelings when he chose to retire after Prescott took his place due to Romo’s back injury in 2016.
While Prescott’s time in Dallas may not be running out, the question will persist until he signs a new contract.
“Obviously Dak is doing a great job of not letting it affect his work, but I know it can be tough personally,” said All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb, who recently ended a long holdout by agreeing to a $136 million, four-year extension.
Mike McCarthy speaks in a press conference
“But he’s leading us well,” Lamb said. “He knows we’re all supporting him — especially me. We need to get this sorted out quickly so we can focus on winning more games.”
Lamb’s support is shared by others in the Dallas locker room, who hear the ongoing criticism of Prescott. Despite a solid regular-season record of 73-41 and three straight playoff appearances, Prescott continues to face scrutiny.
“It’s crazy and unfair,” said Cooks, who is starting his second year with Prescott. “He performs every year, puts up impressive numbers, and leads his team. He can’t do everything alone.
“Even great quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Drew Brees, who won many games and Super Bowls, had plenty of support around them.”
McCarthy was hired in 2020 partly because of his success with Green Bay, where he led the team to a Super Bowl in the 2010 season. At 60 years old, he has made the playoffs 12 times in 16 full NFL seasons.
Mike McCarthy in a news conference
However, McCarthy also holds the record for being the only coach to lead a team to three straight 12-win seasons without reaching a conference championship game. He is in the final year of his five-year contract.
“I understand how contracts work, but I don’t want to talk about it,” McCarthy said. “There’s nothing to discuss because it doesn’t matter right now. What matters is today. We have responsibilities beyond just winning games, but winning is what truly matters.”
Prescott has achieved many victories, but fans will keep asking questions until he wins the games that count most.
“You’ve got to embrace it,” Prescott said. “It’s part of the challenge. As players and coaches, we don’t fully control our futures. For now, it’s about sticking together and understanding that this team will change after this season. That’s just how it is. It’s all about the present moment.”
The focus is on the quarterback, especially until his contract situation is resolved.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams takes questions from the media after a NFL football training camp
Davante Adams used his weekly news conference on Wednesday to stress that he is not looking to leave Las Vegas.
The question remains: why does this keep coming up? Adams had made similar statements when the Raiders started training camp less than two months ago amid trade rumors.
There are several reasons why Adams often finds himself in this situation. One reason is the Netflix docuseries “Receiver,” where Adams clearly showed his frustration with Jimmy Garoppolo during the first half of last season.
Speculation about Adams’ future will likely increase if the Raiders, who are projected to win 6 1/2 games according to BetMGM Sportsbook, have a poor start.
His salary cap hit will rise from $25.35 million this season to $44.1 million in 2025 and 2026, according to Spotrac.com.
The Raiders might then shift their focus to future plans if immediate success seems unlikely.
Davante Adams (NFL)
The team might consider trading Adams to create more cap space and gain valuable assets. Adams, nearing 32, might also want to join a contending team as he approaches the end of his career.
Since being traded from the Packers and Aaron Rodgers to the Raiders in March 2022, Adams has experienced a significant change.
He went from being part of a team with a future Hall of Fame quarterback and regular Super Bowl contenders to a Raiders team that has a 14-20 record in his two seasons and has made the playoffs only twice in the past 21 years.
During his time in Las Vegas, Adams has played with quarterbacks Derek Carr, Jarrett Stidham, Garoppolo, and Aidan O’Connell. Now, journeyman Gardner Minshew will start the season as the quarterback. None of these quarterbacks compare to Rodgers, who is now with the Jets.
Patrick Mahomes drops back to pass the ball in the 1st half
Patrick Mahomes thought the game might go to overtime, and so did Lamar Jackson, who had found Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone with no time left, seeming to score a touchdown that would tie the game.
However, the NFL season opener on Thursday night was ultimately decided by referee Shawn Hochuli reviewing the play on video.
With a packed crowd, including pop star Taylor Swift, watching closely, Hochuli took just a few seconds to review the final play before announcing his decision: Likely’s toe was on the end line, which meant he was out of bounds.
This gave the Chiefs a 27-20 win as they started their quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl title.
“Definitely nerve-wracking because it looked good from my angle on the sideline,” Mahomes said. “But then the first view you could see his cleat. … You have to wear white cleats next time. That’s my advice for him.”
Mahomes threw for 291 yards and connected on a touchdown pass to Xavier Worthy, who also scored a rushing touchdown in his NFL debut.
This win allowed the Chiefs to not only avenge their loss in last season’s AFC title game but also to beat the Ravens for the fifth time in their last six meetings.
Zay Flowers reacts after missing a pass in the end zone
This record has been especially frustrating for Jackson, who has called the Chiefs the Ravens’ “kryptonite.”
Jackson played exceptionally well on Thursday, passing for 273 yards and a touchdown, and rushing for 122 yards. But the review of the final play left him disappointed, as it was another missed chance to finally overcome Mahomes and the Chiefs.
“I thought it was a touchdown,” Jackson said. “Still think it was a touchdown.”
The Ravens were down 27-17 in the fourth quarter before kicking a field goal. They then got the ball back at their own 13-yard line with 1:50 left and no timeouts. Jackson completed a few passes to Likely, who had 111 receiving yards and a touchdown, and made a crucial scramble for a first down.
A couple of plays later, Jackson found Rashod Bateman down the sideline for a 38-yard gain, putting the Ravens at the Kansas City 10-yard line with 19 seconds left.
Jackson’s first pass was thrown away, and his second one missed a wide-open Zay Flowers in the back of the end zone. Then came the final pass, after Jackson had scrambled for what felt like a long time, and it looked like Likely had managed to tie the game.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh even signaled for a 2-point conversion attempt that could have won the game, but the chance never came.
“I thought our guys (overcame) setbacks at times, and fought like crazy to overcome. It looked like we had an opportunity there to tie the game up and try to win,” Harbaugh said. “Didn’t happen at the end, but our guys fought.”
Patrick Mahomes celebrates as he leaves the field
The dramatic finish followed a 20-minute delay at the start of the game due to a storm that brought heavy rain and lightning.
The Ravens began the game with an 11-play, 70-yard drive, ending with Derrick Henry, who had troubled the Chiefs in previous games with Tennessee, scoring a 5-yard touchdown for an early lead.
But the Chiefs, eager to avoid losing their second consecutive season opener, responded quickly. Mahomes connected twice with Rashee Rice, who has avoided any NFL punishment related to an alleged street-racing incident in Dallas. Worthy then demonstrated why he was the Chiefs’ first-round pick with a 21-yard touchdown run.
After those initial drives, the first half was marked by mistakes. Jackson was sacked and had the ball stripped by Chris Jones deep in his own territory, leading to a field goal for Kansas City.
Flowers was stopped short of the first-down marker on a fourth-and-3 near midfield on the Ravens’ next drive, leading to another field goal for the Chiefs. Even Justin Tucker, known for his accuracy, missed a 53-yard field goal attempt.
The Chiefs also made mistakes. Mahomes threw an interception to Roquan Smith on a bad pass late in the first half, leading to a short field goal that brought Baltimore to within 13-10 at halftime.
The Ravens, who had trailed at halftime only twice all of last season, struggled to turn the momentum in their favor.
Travis Kelse misses to catch the ball
In the second half, the Chiefs quickly scored on an 81-yard drive to extend their lead.
After Jackson connected with Likely for a 49-yard touchdown on a broken play, Mahomes responded by leading the Chiefs on a 70-yard drive against the top scoring defense from last season, which resulted in a touchdown that made it 27-17 with 10 minutes left.
Tucker narrowed the gap with a field goal with 4:54 remaining, and the Ravens forced a quick punt. Despite Jackson’s passionate efforts, he had to leave the field after another tough loss to the Chiefs.
“It was a fight down to the end,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “When they say it’s a game of inches, might be shorter than that.”
Austin Hays is greeted by the teammates in the dugout
The Philadelphia Phillies put outfielder Austin Hays on the 10-day injured list on Thursday due to a kidney infection.
Hays has been out since August 28. He was with the Phillies during their series in Toronto but returned to Philadelphia for further testing.
“I’m not a doctor, but they’ve told me it’s hard to predict how long this will take,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before the team started a four-game series in Miami against the Marlins. “We initially hoped that 48 hours of antibiotics might resolve it, but it didn’t work.”
Thomson also mentioned that Hays has not shown improvement with the initial treatment.
“We need to understand exactly what’s going on,” Thomson added.
Hays, who is 29 years old, was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Phillies on July 26 in exchange for pitcher Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.
Austin Hays bats in the 4th inning
In his 19 games with the Phillies, Hays has a .269 batting average, one home run, and five RBIs.
This is Hays’ second time on the injured list since joining the Phillies. He missed 13 games last month due to a hamstring strain.
Hays was an American League All-Star last season.
The Phillies have recalled outfielder Cal Stevenson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Hays’ place on the roster, with the move being effective from Monday.
As of Thursday, the Phillies, leading the NL East, are seven games ahead of the Atlanta Braves.
Few people outside of Florida likely believe that No. 12 Miami will face much trouble against Florida A&M this weekend.
The reason is clear: A Power 4 school playing against an FCS school almost always results in a big win. Miami has won its last 10 games against such teams by an average score of 60-5, including five shutouts and allowing only one touchdown in each of the other five games.
This isn’t encouraging news for Florida A&M. Adding to their challenge, the Hurricanes (1-0) are treating the Rattlers (2-0) — who are coming into the game with a 13-game winning streak, the best in FCS — with the same seriousness as they did their high-profile season opener against Florida.
“One thing that the coaches tell us is play the game, not the name,” said Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.
The Rattlers understand they’re at a skill disadvantage. For example, they had their scout-team quarterback practicing scrambling to mimic Miami star Cam Ward’s skills, even though he wasn’t throwing to open receivers.
Cam Ward throws a pass in the 1st half
“I can assure you we have nobody on our football team that can simulate Cam,” said Florida A&M coach James Colzie.
Despite the tough odds, this game is a significant opportunity for the Rattlers.
Colzie, a Miami native who played at Florida State, has fond memories of playing in the Orange Bowl, the Hurricanes’ old stadium. Many players on the Florida A&M roster are from Florida, including over 20 from the greater Miami area.
Many Rattlers have known Hurricanes players since childhood. Playing against Miami is a valuable recruiting opportunity for Florida A&M, and playing in Hard Rock Stadium — home of the Miami Dolphins and a regular Super Bowl venue — is an added bonus.
Tyler Reddick was so sick at Darlington Speedway that he was worried he might not be able to finish the 500-mile race due to his stomach virus.
But with the regular-season title on the line, which came with a bonus of 15 playoff points, Reddick was determined to stay in the car, even if it meant he might get sick in his firesuit or helmet.
“Someone was going to probably have to pull me out of the car,” Reddick said on Wednesday, three days after he narrowly beat Kyle Larson by just one point for the regular-season title.
He had Corey Heim ready to step in if needed, but a few hours before the race on Sunday, he felt better, thinking he had recovered from the illness he caught from his young son, Beau.
“The worst of it was behind me, so I really thought I was going to be OK. Leading up to the race, getting in the car was the best that I had felt in days,” Reddick said.
Tyler Reddick and crew stand by the winner’s trophy after a NASCAR Cup Series auto race
“Once we got going with that extended period of time, with the heat and the bumps off of (Turn) 2, it started going a really bad direction during the race.”
At one point, he told his 23XI Racing crew that he felt he might get sick from both ends, and the team quickly put together a care package for him to use during his next pit stop. While he managed to get the Tums into his mouth, he dropped the smaller Imodium pills all over the floor of his Toyota.
“I can hardly remember sections of the race, I was so out of it at times, but as I remember it, I thought (my crew chief) was asking me if I was more worried about puking or the other, whatever you want to call it,” Reddick said.
“I think he was asking me what I was more worried about, but truly I thought at any moment I was going to have both. I genuinely tried to go — I tried to let it out.”
