🎾Americans Show Out at the US Open, 3 Big NFL Contract Extensions, + Our AFC West Preview

Good Morning,

Blitzers! We're already halfway through the week—don't you just love short weeks? We have plenty of top stories to cover in today's newsletter: Americans making history at the US Open, big names receiving contract extensions in the NFL, and more walk-offs in MLB! Plus, with the NFL season right around the corner, we have one of our last NFL previews. It's all coming to you faster than a Frances Tiafoe serve, so keep scrolling!

WTF Stat: The AL Central is currently 34 games below .500 as a division. However, four of the five teams in the division have a record above .500. The Chicago White Sox and their 31-109 record are bringing the whole division down.

🎾 Emma Navarro, Taylor Fritz, and Frances Tiafoe all secured spots in the US Open semifinals yesterday. Navarro had an impressive comeback win against Spain's Paula Badosa. Down 5-1 in the second set but rallied to win the match 6-2, 7-5, clinching her place in the deepest Grand Slam run of her career. She now faces No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.

Fritz defeated Alexander Zverev 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the US Open quarterfinals. This win marked his fourth victory over an ATP top-10 player in a major this season, a feat unmatched by an American since Andre Agassi in 1999.

Tiafoe advanced after Grigor Dimitrov retired in the fourth set, with Tiafoe leading 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 4-1. Tiafoe will face fellow American Taylor Fritz in the semifinals on Friday, marking the first all-American US Open semifinal since 2005.

• 🔥 Take: USA! USA! Let’s go Taylor, Frances, and Emma!

🏈 Three big NFL contract extensions were finalized yesterday:

1. OT Trent Williams and the 49ers ended their contract dispute with a reworked three-year, $82.66 million deal, including $48 million guaranteed at signing.

2. DE Cameron Heyward and the Steelers agreed on a three-year, $45 million contract extension, ensuring the veteran defensive lineman remains with Pittsburgh, potentially for the rest of his career.

3. CB Michael Carter II and the Jets reached a three-year, $30.75 million extension, making Carter the highest-paid slot cornerback in the NFL.

• 🔥 Take: Trent Williams is the best offensive lineman I’ve ever seen play. Usually I only notice offensive lineman when they’re messing up. I notice Trent Williams for all the right reasons. He is insanely athletic and so dominant. Well deserving of the #7 ranking on the NFL player list (the highest for any offensive lineman ever).

NFL SEASON PREVIEW - AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The king stays king. Three Lombardi Trophies in five years, and back to back SBs means that we are in the midst of another dynasty, this time led by QB Patrick Mahomes and Head Coach Andy Reid. Just to make things a bit easier, there is seemingly no team in the AFC West that is close to being a contender to dethrone the Chiefs. Much like the Patriots of old, count on Mahomes and co. being in the playoffs and in the hunt to become the first team to three-peat.

Biggest Additions: WR Marquise Brown, WR Xavier Worthy (R), QB Carson Wentz

Biggest Departures: CB L’Jarius Snead, LB Willie Gay, OT Donovan Smith

Biggest Question: Does a WR finally emerge as a true number 1 as TE Travis Kelce enters his twilight years?

Playmaker: TE Travis Kelce - As reliable as they come, was 16 yards away from 8 straight 1,000 yards receiving seasons, still the best bet to lead the Chiefs in receiving.

Name You Should Know: DT Chris Jones - Got the bag this offseason, registered back to back 10 sack seasons and is one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL.

Sleeper: WR Xavier Worthy - Another high capital wide receiver draft pick, has speed for days (current 40-yard dash record holder, posting a 4.21 at this years combine).

Projection: 13-4

2. Los Angeles Chargers

HC Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL coincided with some major turnover on the offensive side of the ball. The perennial underachievers lost WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams along with RB Austin Ekeler. They still have one of the better QBs in the league in Justin Herbert and they drafted the best offensive lineman, OT Joe Alt. Historically, Harbaugh prefers a ground-and-pound style of football which would be a refreshing change of pace for the Charger faithful. However, there are too many unknowns with this team on both sides of the ball to think they would be threats to the Chiefs.

Biggest Additions: HC Jim Harbaugh, OT Joe Alt (R), WR DJ Chark, WR Ladd McConkey (R), RB Gus Edwards, RB J.K. Dobbins

Biggest Departures: WR Keenan Allen, WR Mike Williams, C Corey Linsley, RB Austin Ekeler

Biggest Question: Who fills the voids left by all the departed skill players?

Playmaker: S Derwin James - When healthy, one of the most instinctual and disrupting safeties in the NFL.

Name You Should Know: WR Joshua Palmer - Likely the newest favorite target of Herbert, has shown flashes in his first few seasons in the league.

Sleeper: TE Will Dissly - After coming over from Seattle, Dissly has a chance to be a game-changer in a new offense.

Projection: 7-10

3. Las Vegas Raiders

The move to Las Vegas hasn’t been fun for the Raiders. The past few years have been a struggle. They gave Antonio Pierce the reins after a disastrous run with Josh McDaniels. QB Gardner Minshew was given the nod to start at QB and the ominous task of keeping star WR Davante Adams happy. The Raiders did go 5-4 under Pierce last year, so maybe there’s room to believe, but that room is like Harry Potter’s childhood bedroom/cupboard under the stairs.

Biggest Additions: QB Gardner Minshew, DT Christian Wilkins, TE Brock Bowers (R), RB Alexander Mattison

Biggest Departures: RB Josh Jacobs, QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Biggest Question: Will the good vibes under Pierce continue or will the Black Hole continue to be a section of sad, painted men in 2024?

Playmakers: WRs Davante Adams and Jakobi Myers - 4 straight years of 100 rec, 1,000 yards for Adams and Myers is a solid second option for gunslinging Gardner.

Name You Should Know: DE Maxx Crosby - Mad Maxx is a monster, posted a career high 14.5 sacks in 2024 and has the highest motor in the league.

Sleeper: RB Zamir White - A lot of carries up for grabs with the departure of Josh Jacobs, White has the opportunity to make a name for himself.

Projection: 6-11

4. Denver Broncos

The QB Russell Wilson era is over for the Broncos and it could not come a moment sooner for the Mile High fan club. Head Coach Sean Payton, still has his work cut out for him. He named rookie QB Bo Nix as the starting quarterback after picking him 12th overall in the 2024 draft. Nix showed promise in the preseason, but the Broncos are in full rebuild mode in 2024 hoping that their young QB proves to be the guy for the future.

Biggest Additions: QB Bo Nix (R), QB Zach Wilson, S Brandon Jones, RB Audric Estime (R), WR Josh Reynolds

Biggest Departures: QB Russell Wilson, WR Jerry Jeudy, LB Josey Jewell, S Justin Simmons

Biggest Question: Does Sean Payton have enough patience to do a full rebuild or will this be his last season in Denver?

Playmaker: CB Patrick Surtain II - In the conversation for the best lockdown corner in the NFL and is the lone superstar on an underwhelming roster.

Name You Should Know: RB Javonte Williams - After a stellar rookie season, Williams has dealt with the injury bug, but still has some juice to help the offense.

Sleeper: TE Greg Dulcich - Entering his third year, has a chance to be a primary target for Nix.

Projection: 4-13

• Phillies 10, Blue Jays 9: Kyle Schwarber blasts 3 homers including a 3-run HR in the 9th to take the lead:

• Guardians 7, Royals 1: Tanner Bibee goes 6 innings of 2-hit ball, Brayan Rocchio had 4 RBIs out of the 9th spot in the order.

• Rangers 7, Yankees 4: Wyatt Langford plays the hero once again, fulfilling every kids dream, hitting a walk-off grand slam:

• Diamondbacks 8, Giants 7: Randal Grichuk homered twice as the D-backs manage to hold of the Giants comeback efforts.

See the full MLB scoreboard here and the current standings here.

1991 MLB Statistical Accuracy Committee votes to drop asterisk next to Roger Maris' 1961 home run record of 61 (passing Babe Ruth's 60). In 1961, AL owners extended the season from 154 games to 162 games. In the middle of the season, baseball commissioner Ford Frick (a friend of Ruth) announced at a press conference that unless Ruth's record was broken in the first 154 games of the season, the new record should be shown separately in the "record books", with some "distinctive mark" next to it indicating it had been done in a 162-game season. Maris would go on to break Ruth’s record in the last game of the season. The record caused quite the controversy. Maris saying later about breaking the record, “"They acted as though I was doing something wrong, poisoning the record books or something. Do you know what I have to show for 61 home runs? Nothing. Exactly nothing." I recommend watching movie if you’re interested in learning more about the story.

Yesterday’s Trivia Time Answer

Which two college teams played in the very first college football game ever?

A. Rutgers and Princeton - Rutgers and New Jersey (later known as Princeton) faced off in what is considered to be the first American football game ever played on Nov. 6, 1869. Rutgers won 6-4.

Check back in tomorrow for today’s trivia answer and more info!