Sports
Bryce Elder's effective outing steers Braves to win over Nationals
Jul 31, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder (55) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Matt Olson and Michael Harris II hit home runs and Bryce Elder pitched six strong innings, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 6-2 win over the visiting Washington Nationals on Friday.
Atlanta has won both games in the four-game series and holds a 6-3 lead over the Nationals in the season series. The Braves are on a three-game overall winning streak, while the Nationals have dropped three in a row.
Olson went 2-for-4 with a double and a first-inning solo homer. Harris finished 2-for-4 and put the game away with a three-run shot in the sixth inning.
Elder (7-6) allowed one run on four hits and three walks while striking out three. He earned his second win over Washington this season.
Atlanta’s Elieser Hernandez covered the final three innings in relief. He gave up five hits, including a solo homer to Andres Chaparro in the ninth, but fanned four, walked one and earned his first career save.
CJ Abrams also went deep for Washington.
Most of Atlanta’s damage came against Foster Griffin (12-3), who pitched 5 1/3 innings and permitted six runs on nine hits and two walks, striking out three. Griffin saw his eight-decision winning streak end.
Olson socked his 29th homer with two outs in the first, a 396-foot shot into the right field seats.
Atlanta added a run in the second when Jim Jarvis, who finished with three hits, lined an RBI single to center field.
Abrams cut the Nationals’ deficit to 2-1 leading off the fourth, when he crushed an elevated cutter from Elder high into the right field seats. It was his 28th homer and eighth in his past 12 games.
The Braves broke the game open in the sixth by scoring four times. Olson led off with a double, Ozzie Albies followed with a single and Harris lined a three-run blast 421 feet into the right field seats for his 20th home run.
Griffin soon exited with a runner on base, and Jarvis came through with an RBI single against Trevor Williams.
The Nationals got two runners on base in the seventh and eighth innings but came up empty both times. Washington finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 on base.
–Field Level Media
Sports
DeAndre Hopkins joins Georgia Tech as assistant WRs coach
Nov 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) reacts after making a catch against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins has been hired as an assistant wide receivers coach at Georgia Tech.
Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key made the announcement on Friday for Hopkins, who auditioned for a coaching role last week with the New England Patriots.
“DeAndre is one of the greatest receivers of all-time, but his value to our program goes far beyond that,” Key said in a statement. “He has an exceptional knowledge of what we’re doing on offense due to his long relationship with (offensive coordinator) George Godsey and strong familiarity with the ACC, but most importantly, he’s a leader of men that I’m very excited for our players to be around, on and off the field.”
Despite his foray into coaching, Hopkins took to social media to note that his playing career isn’t done.
“I Haven’t retired from the @NFL … But if you’re a WR and you want to be great, come to @GeorgiaTechFB,” Hopkins wrote on X on Saturday morning.
Hopkins, 34, recorded just 22 catches for 330 yards in 17 games (three starts) last season with the Baltimore Ravens.
He has totaled 1,006 receptions for 13,295 yards and 85 touchdown catches in 195 NFL games (172 starts).
Hopkins has seven career 1,000-yard receiving seasons and has caught over 100 passes four times. He earned first-team All-Pro honors three straight years (2017-19).
Hopkins spent his first seven seasons with the Houston Texans before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals. He spent three seasons with Arizona before being released, and he also played with the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bills S C.J. Gardner-Johnson carted off practice field
Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (35) reacts against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images Buffalo Bills veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson sustained an injury to his lower right leg on Saturday and was carted off the practice field.
The severity of the injury was not immediately known for Gardner-Johnson.
Gardner-Johnson, 28, won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2024 season before he was traded to the Houston Texans on March 11, 2025.
He played just three games with the Texans before catching on with Chicago and playing seven more contests with the Bears. He totaled 66 tackles and three sacks and two interceptions in 2025.
Gardner-Johnson has 20 interceptions, 370 tackles and seven sacks in 87 career games (71 starts) with the New Orleans Saints (2019-21), Eagles (2022, 2024), Detroit Lions (2023), Texans and Bears.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chiefs rookie WR Cyrus Allen carted off practice field
Jun 9, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen (13) runs drills during the Kansas City Chiefs mandatory mini-camp at the Chiefs practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Kansas City Chiefs rookie receiver Cyrus Allen was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury on Saturday after he collided with a teammate during a special teams drill.
The severity of the injury was not immediately known for Allen, who had difficulty putting weight on his left leg before a cart was summoned to take him back to the locker room.
Allen, 23, impressed head coach Andy Reid during the first few days of training camp.
“He’s done a nice job,” Reid said Friday. “The quarterback trusts him.”
Listed at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Allen was selected by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Cincinnati.
–Field Level Media
DeAndre Hopkins joins Georgia Tech as assistant WRs coach
I put the Camp Snap 2 to the ultimate test: Capturing my honeymoon
