Sports
Aaron Rodgers on Davante Adams trade request: 'Out of my hands'
Dec 19, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) celebrates with quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) after scoring a second quarter touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared to choose his words carefully when asked about a potential reunion with three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams.
Rodgers played eight seasons in Green Bay with Adams, who recently requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I don’t know how much I can say about it. There’s tampering,” Rodgers said on Friday, two days ahead of the Jets’ game versus the Minnesota Vikings in London.
“But I still have a close friendship with him. We spend time in the offseason together. He’s a great guy, and a great player. And the rest of that’s out of my hands.”
ESPN reported Adams would like to play with a quarterback with whom he’s comfortable, and that brings readily to mind either Rodgers or Derek Carr of the New Orleans Saints.
Rodgers was asked Friday about what message he’d send Adams about starting over after a trade. The four-time NFL MVP knows a thing or two about that, considering he spent the first 18 seasons of his career with the Packers before joining the Jets.
“Yeah, I mean, the grass is green where you water it,” Rodgers said. “There’s the fear mongering that goes along with the adage that the grass is not always greener on the other side. But the grass is green where you water it: you put the time in, you put intention and attention to whatever you’re doing and you can make a special situation out of being anywhere.”
Adams, 31, has 18 catches for 209 yards and a touchdown in three games this season. He is nursing a nagging hamstring injury that caused him to sit out last week’s contest for the Raiders.
A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Adams has 890 catches for 10,990 yards and 96 touchdowns in 153 career games (146 starts) with the Packers (2014-21) and Raiders.
Rodgers, 40, has thrown for 849 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in four games this season.
He passed for 59,904 yards, 480 touchdowns and 106 picks in 235 games (228 starts) for the Packers (2005-22) and Jets, compiling a record of 150-77-1. He made 10 Pro Bowls and led Green Bay to a Super Bowl XLV victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Caitlin Clark Shines After Barack Obama's Message Before WNBA All-Star Game
As portions of a WNBA All-Star record crowd booed her introduction Saturday night, Caitlin Clark maintained her smile and focus.
“Don’t lose that joy,” a former sitting U.S. President had reminded her one day earlier.
Clearly, Clark listened.
Of course, Barack Obama might not have approached Clark individually if she weren’t already tough enough to be transcendent. With the ball in her hands – and then quickly spinning through the air at the United Center in Chicago – Clark embraced and seized a moment she aims to experience regularly.
“You’re kind of just like a young kid running around out there and having fun and shooting whatever shots and being creative and playing with flow, and I really enjoy that about the game of basketball,” she said. “So, it was really fun for me to get back out there.”
Clark was an All-Star months after the Indiana Fever selected her with the top pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft. Still, she reflected Saturday that the format influenced the feeling of that game seeming less like a usual midseason showcase.
The U.S. Women’s National Team faced a team of league All-Stars including Clark in a leadup to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.
Two years later, a WNBA All-Star Game-record 19,783 fans packed an NBA venue to watch teams that were drafted by Hall of Famers and league pioneers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon as the “W” hailed its 30th anniversary.
Clark was one of eight Team Spoon players to finish in double figures in a 129-122 victory. She scored 11 of the team’s first 13 points on the way to a 17-point, four-rebound, five-assist effort.
She delivered a trio of deep 3-pointers in the first 2:23, connecting from a few feet inside the half-court line with the final trey of that sequence.
Grinning and occasionally sticking her tongue out as she jogged back down the floor in a familiar gesture, Clark channeled the jubilation of the moment plus some on reserve.
An injury kept her from the 2025 All-Star Game hosted by the Fever. The rival Chicago Sky last summer also shifted two regular-season games against Indiana from Wintrust Arena to United Center, but Clark was sidelined for those, too.
“Obviously, last year really stunk in it being in our home city. Like, you never want to miss that for the fans,” Clark said. “So, you know, I love to show up and get to compete and play.”
Clark’s popularity after a stellar collegiate career at Iowa has helped drive a surge in WNBA interest. Chicago also hosted the 2022 All-Star Game but kept it at Wintrust, where 9,572 fans showed up.
With fame comes what Obama called “immersion in nonsense” in a candid conversation with Clark that an observer shared to social media. The former president surprised All-Stars on Friday during practice at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Obama also playfully attempted to defend New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, later the All-Star MVP.
Clark was set to travel back to Indiana after the game with the team flying to Seattle on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s second-half opener.
With Indiana on a 5-1 tear entering the break, the joy figures to follow. Clark became the first player in league history to notch a 45-point, 10-assist game on July 17.
She and the Fever are set to return to the United Center when they face the Sky on Aug. 8.
“The reality is that that young lady brought so many people and so many eyes,” said Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell, who scored 28 points for Team Coop, “but I think the transformation for us and the Indiana Fever was that we brought culture back. We brought a sense of purpose and the game.”
Sports
Drew Rasmussen, Rays blank Guardians to complete series sweep
Jul 26, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit over seven shutout innings while Chandler Simpson manufactured the game’s lone run as the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 1-0 win Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rasmussen (9-5) walked one and struck out nine. Garrett Cleavinger pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Bryan Baker worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his 28th save.
Simpson had two hits for Tampa Bay, which won for the sixth time in its last seven games and has the American League’s best record at 62-43.
Cleveland was held to one hit and lost its fifth straight game. The Guardians were shutout for the second consecutive game and eighth time this season.
Parker Messick (8-6) was a hard-luck loser after giving up one run on six hits over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out six with zero walks.
The Guardians went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and have scored a total of four runs in their last four games.
Tampa Bay broke the scoreless tie with a run in the fifth inning. Simpson hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Ben Williamson’s groundout before scoring on Cedric Mullins’ bunt single.
Rasmussen settled in quickly after yielding Steven Kwan’s double to begin the game. He struck out four of the next six batters and retired the last 12 batters he faced.
Cleavinger replaced Rasmussen to begin the eighth inning and recorded three outs with a strikeout on 11 pitches.
Messick retired the first seven batters he faced before Nick Fortes doubled with one out in the third inning. Fortes moved to third on Richie Palacios’ groundout, but he was stranded when Yandy Diaz lined out to first.
Tampa Bay put two runners on with one out in the seventh inning, but Messick struck out Mullins and Fortes to escape unscathed.
Baker completed the Rays’ eighth shutout of the season in the ninth by striking out Brayan Rocchio with a runner at first for his second save in as many days.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lucas Herbert wins LIV Golf United Kingdom with record-setting score
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Lucas Herbert lines up a putt on the 18th green during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Lucas Herbert wasn’t about to be denied the LIV Golf United Kingdom championship on Sunday.
Entering the final round at 20-under with a three-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau, the Australian holed 10 birdies for a final-round 62 and a 30-under-par 258 for the four-day event. That gave him a six-stroke victory over England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who turned in a 63.
DeChambeau closed with a 68 to finish 21-under par and in third place at JCB Golf & Country Club in Rocester, England.
Herbert’s dominance this week — his 62 was preceded by rounds of 61, 66 and 69 — led Rippers GC to a 52-under finish, four strokes ahead of captain Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII.
The 30-under finish by Herbert marked the lowest in LIV history. This was his second individual victory of the season — he also won LIV Golf Virginia in May — and he also set the league record for most birdies in a tournament with 30. His combination of 32 birdies and eagles in a tournament also broke a LIV record.
Herbert said confidence in his game grew after his strong finish at the Open Championship last week at Royal Birkdale, where he finished four shots behind winner Ryan Fox and tied for sixth.
“Just wanted to really carry that into this week the best I could,” Herbert said. “I think I got out of my own way the first two rounds and I started thinking about it yesterday. It was just good to play like that today when I was being pushed by two of the best players in the world.”
Hatton pushed as hard as he could with nine birdies, but it wasn’t enough given Herbert’s unprecedented four rounds.
“Obviously Lucas played amazing today, Hatton said. “I wanted to get off to a fast start, which is what I did, but unfortunately Lucas did as well. Yeah, I’m very proud of how I played. It would have been amazing to win in front of home fans, but I tried my best. But actually Lucas was incredible this week.”
Herbert said he did a good job at something else — hiding his nerves.
“I was definitely feeling it out there. I can only do what I can do,” Herbert said. “I was able to take care of what I needed to do today pretty well to get me over the line. I knew it wasn’t going to be a day where even par, 1-under, was going to get it done for me. I knew I had to go out there and get it. Just kept pushing myself the whole way, and here we are.”
Australian Cameron Smith shot a 69 on Sunday to finish in fourth at 17-under. Mexico’s Abraham Ancer (71) and Caleb Surratt (67) shared fifth at 14-under.
–Field Level Media
Caitlin Clark Shines After Barack Obama's Message Before WNBA All-Star Game
Drew Rasmussen, Rays blank Guardians to complete series sweep
