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ESPN analyst believes Lamar Jackson is getting closer to a legacy few will ever match

ESPN analyst believes Lamar Jackson is getting closer to a legacy few will ever match

USA Todaya day ago
Longtime ESPN voice believes Ravens star Lamar Jackson is on the cusp of immortality
They just don't make them like that anymore... Oh yeah! You remember hearing that a time or two. That's one of those nuggets you probably heard while hanging out with dad (or maybe grandad). It was a phrase meant to show appreciation for the 'good old days, when cars were better built and sofas didn't tear up because you sat on them.
They don't make them like Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson either. He's a walking evolution at the quarterback position. He's this generation's Randall Cunningham, a right-handed Steve Young or Michael Vick. 'Action Jackson' is special, and he can still play at a high level for several more years. That's good news for Ravens fans everywhere.
But, is Lamar Jackson approaching immortality?
Jackson's story is still being written, and it's too early to make determinations about when and how it ends. All we can guarantee is this. If he adds another MVP trophy and wins a Super Bowl or two, we'll be talking about Canton and his Pro Football Hall of Fame argument.
Recently, the most unique and compelling of words was attached to his name: immortal. Hmmm... It sounds interesting. Don't blame us. Blame ESPN's Mike Greenberg. He's the one who brought this up. Here's what he said on the subject.
"For Lamar and Josh Allen, what they're playing for is immortality. Both of them could retire tomorrow, and they'd be in the Hall of Fame. But, if either of them, and we'll use Lamar in this case because that's who we're talking about, wins a championship, all of a sudden he vaults into that place where the conversation on shows like this one are, 'Where does he belong on the list with the great quarterbacks of all time?' Two regular-season MVPs and a Super Bowl starts that conversation."
It's interesting... We'll tell you that. Still, nothing says 'immortal' like having one's bust carved and having it placed in the hallowed football shrine in Canton. Jackson has a chance at having that happen. Winning a Lombardi Trophy will certainly help his argument.
There are Super Bowl winners who were never enshrined. There are HOF enshrinees who never won 'the chip'. The AFC is loaded, but this season represents Jackson's best opportunity to win a ring. Let that be his and the Ravens' goal this season. Immortality can wait, even if we can make successful arguments for why he's on his way to arriving there.
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30 Most Important Bears of 2025: Joe Thuney (No. 3)
30 Most Important Bears of 2025: Joe Thuney (No. 3)

USA Today

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  • USA Today

30 Most Important Bears of 2025: Joe Thuney (No. 3)

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for an exciting 2025 NFL season, which features some new faces within the organization poised to get the franchise back to its winning ways. That starts with the hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach, as well as overhauling the interior offensive line, adding pieces on defense and a potenital impactful rookie draft class. Every day from now right up through training camp, we're counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2025 season. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to 2025 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year. Next up at No. 3 is left guard Joe Thuney, who will be a key role in shoring up Chicago's offensive line and protecting quarterback Caleb Williams. Background Position: Left guard Age: 32 Experience: 10th season 2025 cap hit: $8 million 2024 recap Thuney has established himself as one of the best guards in the NFL, and he showcased why last season with the Kansas City Chiefs. Last season, Thuney started all 17 games for the Chiefs. While he played primarily at left guard, he kicked over to left tackle for three contests as Kansas City dealt with injuries along the offensive line. Thuney once again served as key protection for quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs once again made a Super Bowl appearance. Thuney was named to the Pro Bowl and earned a First-Team All-Pro nod for his 2024 outing. 2025 outlook The Bears focused on overhauling the offensive line this offseason, including the additions of guard Jonah Jackson (via trade) and center Drew Dalman (in free agency). But their biggest addition was Thuney, who was acquired in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Shortly after, Chicago signed him to a two-year, $35 million deal to keep him through 2027. Thuney has the potential to have the biggest impact given his resume and proven production. He's coming off an All-Pro season where he even kicked out to left tackle, but he thrived at left guard protecting Patrick Mahomes. Now, Thuney brings that experience, production and leadership to a revamped Chicago offensive line that will be crucial to quarterback Caleb Williams' success. And if rookie Ozzy Trapilo wins the starting left tackle job, Thuney will be even more crucial for Trapilo as he acclimates to the pro game. The Bears will only go as far as Williams takes them. And Williams will only go as far as his offensive line allows. Thuney will play an integral role in the offensive line's success. Big question: Can Thuney continue to be a top NFL guard in Chicago? The Bears invested a lot in Thuney -- a fourth round pick in 2026 and $33.5 million guaranteed -- so they're banking on him to serve an integral role along the offensive line. Thuney is a two-time First-Team All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl winner and one of the best guards in the entire NFL. Thuney's an elite pass blocker and has been the best pass-blocking guard, per Pro Football Focus, since 2021 with a 90.2 grade. But the question remains whether Thuney will continue that level of play outside of a winning organization like Kansas City. Chicago overhauled the entire interior offensive line, and Thuney will serve as an anchor in the trenches when it comes to protecting quarterback Caleb Williams. 30 Most Important Bears of 2025

Baseball Hall of Fame 2025 induction: Best moments from Ichiro, Sabathia, more
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USA Today

timean hour ago

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Baseball Hall of Fame 2025 induction: Best moments from Ichiro, Sabathia, more

The Baseball Hall of Fame welcomed five new members on Sunday, July 27, as Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner, Dave Parker and Dick Allen were inducted in Cooperstown, New York. Suzuki became the Hall of Fame's first Japanese player – assembling a 19-year MLB career after nine decorated professional seasons in Japan – and was just one vote shy of a unanimous election. Sabathia also got in on his first ballot after winning 261 games as one of the best starting pitchers of the new millennium. Wagner ranks eighth on the all-time saves list with 422, while Allen (1972) and Parker (1978) were MVP award winners. An enormous crowd showed for the festivities, with Suzuki a fan favorite on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Sabathia also had a huge number of fans on hand with Cooperstown a four-hour drive from Yankee Stadium, where Sabathia pitched 11 seasons. 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He started his speech talking about how his mother inspired his love for baseball, and how he can still remember the starting lineups from certain All-Star games, pointing out fellow 2025 Hall of Fame class member Dave Parker as a player he loved watching growing up. At the same time, he did poke fun at Ichiro Suzuki, who Sabathia claims "stole [his] Rookie of the Year award in 2001." Sabathia's speech was all about family, from the women who raised him in Vallejo to the brothers he found during his Major League career to his own kids. He's had a lot of homes throughout his career, but home isn't where you live, it's wherever you feel most at peace, and that is very clearly the case for CC Sabathia. Dick Allen's widow speaks on his character Phillies' legend Dick Allen was known for his strong build, but his widow Willa, made most of the acceptance speech about his kind heart. 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The best moment of the poem though was the finale. After mentioning that Cooperstown would be his last stop, Parker wrote, "I didn't lie in my documentary, I told you I wouldn't show [to my acceptance speech]." Considering Parker's recent death, this line hit infinitely harder. Billy Wagner leads off Hall of Fame speeches Renowned for his closing ability, Billy Wagner led off the Hall of Fame acceptance speeches reminiscing about being a kid who never thought he'd end up in Cooperstown. Wagner's speech was preceded by incredible words from fellow Hall of Famer and former teammate, Craig Biggio. Wagner continued on, speaking about his luck to finish his career with his hometown team, the oddity that he never closed a game in the minors and never started a game in the majors, and thanking his family for their support, even getting teary-eyed while mentioning his wife. 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Red Sox manager Alex Cora claims ESPN 'made s--- up' about MLB trade rumors during his time at network
Red Sox manager Alex Cora claims ESPN 'made s--- up' about MLB trade rumors during his time at network

Fox News

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora claims ESPN 'made s--- up' about MLB trade rumors during his time at network

With less than one week left before the MLB trade deadline passes, teams are revving up the phones, while players await their fates for the remainder of the 2025 season and beyond. Players will tell you they try to keep the outside noise just that – outside. But it's hard not to see it coming up on social media feeds, sports talk shows, and more avenues of acquiring news. However, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora doesn't want his players to believe everything they hear and read. He singled out one outlet in particular – the one he used to work for. "I can tell them stories about ESPN in the green room, how people made s--- up – you know, trades," Cora said to reporters on Sunday. "And I can tell them that don't believe everything that is said, you know?" Cora is aware the trade deadline rumors are what fans want to see, as teams try to make their squads better or look ahead to the future by dealing away top talent for future assets. "You get into any social platform, and if you're looking for baseball, then your feed is going to be full of baseball stories, right?" Cora continued. "And there's a lot of people that are very responsible with their trades, rumors and their contacts. Others, they're not. So just block it." A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that ESPN stands by its reporting, though it wasn't clear what Cora, who departed the company nearly 10 years ago to join the Houston Astros' coaching staff, was referring to. "I got stories, man. I don't wanna bury people," Cora said when a reporter asked who at ESPN he was referring to. Cora understands how tough the trade deadline can be from a player perspective considering his 14 seasons as one in MLB. The Red Sox are one of those teams with a rabid fan base always watching to see what they're going to do this time of year. It's also worth noting that one of the top trade names going around is Jarren Duran, the team's All-Star outfielder who could be on the move before 6 p.m. on Thursday. Boston, though, currently sits in a good playoff position out of a tough AL East division at 57-50. They own the second Wild Card slot in the American League, just behind their division-rival New York Yankees.

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