Former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is evaluating a return to the NFL following a rigorous training programme, according to head coach Sean McVay.
The legendary pass rusher retired in March 2024 after an illustrious 10-season career, but could reverse his decision ahead of the upcoming campaign.
McVay revealed that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is currently testing his body to see if he can still handle the intense physical demands of professional football.
Garrett trade sparks comeback thoughts
Speculation regarding a potential comeback intensified after the Californian franchise acquired Myles Garrett in a blockbuster June trade.
The Rams coach initially contacted his former star for an opinion on the Garrett deal, which naturally led to discussions about a formidable partnership on the defensive line.
“I did not ever really think this would be something, but I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m not excited about the possibility of it,” McVay admitted.
If the future Hall of Famer decides he is ready to step back onto the gridiron, the organisation has confirmed they will do everything possible to facilitate his reinstatement.
Training camp gets underway
The surprising revelation regarding the defensive stalwart came during the opening day of training camp at Loyola Marymount University.
McVay also provided updates on his wider squad, confirming that wide receiver Puka Nacua is expected to participate fully in practice as he enters the final season of his rookie contract.
Meanwhile, left tackle Alaric Jackson will be present at camp while the team continues to gather information regarding an ongoing legal situation.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will be limited at the start of training camp after sustaining significant injuries in a mid-July car crash.
The offensive mastermind suffered a broken nose, three fractured ribs, a broken hand and a severe concussion following a collision with an SUV near his California home.
He also required more than 40 stitches to his face but was released from a local hospital later that same day.
Police confirm no citations issued
Palo Alto law enforcement confirmed that neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in the incident.
Authorities stated that both drivers cooperated fully with the investigation and no citations were issued.
With the team’s first pre-season practice scheduled for Sunday, doctors have mandated that all concussion symptoms must subside before he receives full medical clearance.
Foerster to assume interim duties
Assistant head coach Chris Foerster will step up to handle primary managerial responsibilities during this recovery period.
General manager John Lynch is expected to provide further updates during a scheduled news conference this weekend.
A formal statement from the franchise expressed gratitude to the emergency personnel who provided immediate care at the scene.
‘Coach Shanahan will participate in team activities on a limited basis at the start of training camp while he recovers.’
Approaching a historic milestone
The upcoming 2026 campaign marks his tenth year in charge of the Bay Area organisation.
This tenure ties the legendary Bill Walsh for the longest managerial reign in the history of the franchise.
He currently sits third on the team’s all-time wins list with 82 regular-season victories, needing just 11 more to surpass Walsh for second place.
San Francisco officially open their new NFL season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on 10 September.
American cyclist Sepp Kuss has narrowly escaped a potentially fatal fall during stage 20 of the 2026 Tour de France after crashing into safety netting on a sheer mountain descent.
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider lost control at high speed on a right-hand bend while approaching the iconic Alpe d’Huez finish line.
He collided with a low wall and flipped over the edge, but was miraculously caught by barriers strategically installed by racing organisers ASO.
Praise for life-saving safety measures
TNT Sport pundit Matt Stephens believed the horrifying incident could easily have ended in tragedy.
“This could have been a life or death moment. The other side of that netting is a precipitous drop.”
“The organisers have played a blinder. They knew that if anybody got it wrong, that’s where they’d maybe come off. I think that netting might have saved his life.”
Road cycling inherently carries extreme risks, especially during the gruelling final days of a three-week Grand Tour when competitor concentration inevitably wanes.
Fellow analyst Robbie McEwen highlighted the pure intensity of the race and the severe consequences of a single error.
“You’re racing at the limit. You make one tiny mistake and it’s very, very costly.”
Stage 20 victory slips away
The dramatic plunge was actually the American’s second crash of a chaotic finale, having earlier fallen inside a dark tunnel.
He had previously launched a blistering attack from a breakaway group with 17 kilometres remaining and looked poised for a memorable mountain victory.
Instead, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz capitalised on the misfortune to reel him in, surging past to secure the win for EF Education-Easypost.
Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel also overtook the bloodied but smiling breakaway leader in the closing metres to claim second place.
Pogacar closes in on fifth yellow jersey
Further down the mountain, overall race leader Tadej Pogacar safely negotiated the treacherous penultimate stage without incident.
The Slovenian superstar now holds an unassailable lead of more than seven minutes over Evenepoel in the general classification.
He is fully expected to ride triumphantly into the finish on Sunday to claim a historic fifth Tour de France title.
While four riders have tragically lost their lives throughout the long history of the prestigious event, extensive safety improvements mean there have been no competitor fatalities since 1995.
The New England Patriots have offered Christian Gonzalez a long-term contract that would make him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
Speaking ahead of the team’s first training camp practice in Foxborough, owner Robert Kraft confirmed the historic proposal on Saturday.
The billionaire owner revealed that the prospective agreement would also represent the most lucrative deal in the franchise’s history.
“We love Christian Gonzalez. We love him as a player, as a person, and that’s why we’ve made an offer to him to make him the highest-paid player to ever play that position in the NFL,” Kraft said.
Setting the market
Contracts for elite defensive backs have surged recently, with average yearly salaries now comfortably exceeding the $30m mark.
The Los Angeles Rams currently set the benchmark after signing Trent McDuffie to a four-year, $124m deal in March.
The former first-round pick is eligible for an extension for the first time, having originally been selected 17th overall by New England.
With two years remaining on his current rookie deal, the talented defensive standout is scheduled to earn a base salary of $2.26m this season.
Ongoing negotiations
The highly-rated defender shares representation with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who is concurrently eligible for his own mammoth extension.
Head coach Mike Vrabel openly acknowledged the business realities surrounding his star player as preparations for the new campaign began.
“Contract negotiations are ongoing between the club and his agents,” Vrabel stated.
“I’m excited about having Christian back here with us and the impact that he can make on our football team, and I really enjoy the person, enjoy the player.”
Despite the shared agency, the Patriots boss dismissed any notion that the two negotiations are linked.
“I don’t think they have anything to do with one another. We’re not negotiating with the Seahawks; we’re negotiating with Christian’s representatives,” he added.
Financial expert Stefan Borson has described the prolonged delay in delivering a verdict on Manchester City’s alleged financial breaches as “inexplicable” and “totally unacceptable”.
The reigning Premier League champions were initially charged with 115 alleged breaches of financial fair play regulations in February 2023.
That figure has since risen to 130, covering a period of intense domestic success between 2009 and 2018.
A hearing into the allegations concluded in December 2024, but a final outcome remains unpublished.
Industry frustration over drawn-out process
Many within English football anticipated a resolution ahead of the upcoming top-flight campaign.
However, with no public announcement forthcoming, Borson has expressed bafflement at the extended timeline.
Speaking to TalkSport, the financial specialist suggested that a definitive conclusion remains completely absent.
“The general feeling around the industry is that there’s been no decision yet, as remarkable as that is. 19 months on, 20 months on almost, still no decision.”
“Totally unacceptable, of course, beyond all of the parties’ expectations about when they would receive a decision. Broadly inexplicable by any sport of norms in these sorts of matters.”
Stefan Borson
Comparisons with Chelsea’s FA charges
The current delay is not an isolated administrative incident within the English game.
Borson highlighted a similar lag regarding Chelsea, who faced a Football Association hearing in November over 74 alleged rule breaches involving football agents.
Despite being a straightforward sanction hearing, an outcome for the Stamford Bridge club is still pending eight months later.
“I don’t really know what’s going on with these cases in terms of the timings and why they’re so elongated, but they’re completely out of the realms of normality.”
Etihad spending points to confidence
Despite the looming threat of severe sanctions, the Manchester club continues to operate aggressively in the market.
Recent outlays on player contracts, backroom staff and a £400m stadium development project indicate a distinct lack of internal panic.
According to Borson, this sustained financial commitment suggests the Etihad hierarchy remain highly confident of clearing their name.
A 54-year-old construction worker has died following a fatal accident during the ongoing redevelopment of Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium.
Catalan regional police confirmed the man suffered a fatal blow while working at the site on Friday.
Emergency services were immediately called to the scene, and authorities have now launched a formal investigation into the incident.
Club offers condolences
The La Liga side released an official statement to express their deep regret over the workplace tragedy.
Joan Laporta, the club president, also offered his personal support to the grieving family.
“FC Barcelona deeply regrets the death of the worker who lost his life yesterday in the workplace accident that occurred during the renovation works at Spotify Camp Nou.”
The statement added that the Catalan giants extend their heartfelt support to the victim’s family, friends and colleagues.
Major stadium redevelopment
Construction work at the iconic Spanish ground began in June 2023 as part of a massive modernisation project.
The extensive rebuild is expected to cost approximately £1.1bn and will eventually increase the venue’s capacity to 105,000.
This ambitious expansion will make the renovated arena one of the largest sporting grounds in world football.
The overall architectural project is scheduled for completion in early 2028.
American Kickboxing Academy founder Javier Mendez has admitted feeling sorry for Conor McGregor following his devastating knee injury at UFC 329, while simultaneously preparing Islam Makhachev for a looming title defence at UFC 330.
The legendary Irishman suffered a torn ACL and meniscus with the first kick he threw against Max Holloway earlier this month.
That bout was abruptly halted after just over a minute of the opening round, curtailing the 36-year-old’s return from a five-year hiatus.
McGregor has since undergone surgery and is targeting a comeback in the summer of 2027.
Overcoming new mental hurdles
By the time of his proposed return, the former two-weight simultaneous world champion will be approaching his 39th birthday.
Mendez believes the road back to the octagon will now be significantly more challenging for the Dublin-born superstar.
“There’s no secret that I’m not a big fan of his, but I’m a big fan of any fighter that trains hard and is able to go out there and showcase what they trained hard doing.”
The veteran coach stated he took no pleasure in watching the former featherweight and lightweight titleholder suffer such a severe physical breakdown.
“I felt bad for the guy because he deserved to go out on a win or die with his best effort out there, not like this.”
Mendez compared the fighter’s recent trajectory to the movie Rocky, suggesting that returning to rigorous, gruelling training after enjoying a wealthy lifestyle is an incredibly arduous task.
“It was the same scenario, but he wasn’t successful because his body failed him.”
Makhachev prepares for Garry challenge
Mendez is currently focused on his duties as head coach for reigning welterweight champion Makhachev.
The Dagestani titleholder is scheduled to defend his championship against Irish challenger Ian Machado Garry in the main event on 15 August.
Many MMA pundits have characterised the upcoming UFC 330 showcase as a classic clash between a grappler and a striker.
However, the esteemed trainer insists his camp is waiting to see how the contest unfolds before committing to a rigid tactical approach.
“Ian Garry’s biggest advantage is his range.”
He acknowledged the contender’s ability to effectively utilise kicks alongside robust scrambling and takedown defence.
“Islam is well-rounded, so he is able to adapt to anything.”
LeBron James has signed a two-year veteran minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer attempts to win a championship with a record-breaking fourth different franchise.
The veteran forward has committed his final two seasons to the Eastern Conference franchise in a deal worth approximately $3.9m per year.
This represents a staggering financial sacrifice for the four-time NBA champion, who earned nearly $53m during his previous campaign.
By accepting a rookie-level salary, the 22-time All-Star has made his singular championship intentions undeniably clear.
Chasing unprecedented NBA history
The Akron-born superstar already holds the league’s all-time scoring record and boasts unmatched longevity as he enters his 24th professional season.
However, securing a championship ring with a fourth distinct organisation remains an unwritten chapter in the sport’s history.
The basketball icon previously led the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers to the sport’s ultimate prize.
Sentimental returns to Cleveland or Miami, alongside a potential pairing with Stephen Curry at Golden State, were all rejected in favour of this final challenge.
A franchise starved of championship success
“I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
Rejecting those comfortable options, the American chose an organisation that matches his desperate hunger for victory.
“I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind.”
Philadelphia provides an environment desperately craving the success that has followed the future Hall of Famer throughout his decorated career.
The Sixers have not hoisted a championship banner since 1983, a year before their new marquee signing was born.
Furthermore, the Pennsylvania franchise has notoriously failed to progress past the second round of the playoffs since 2001.
Partnering the game’s most prolific scorer with a hungry Sixers roster could prove to be the ultimate bargain in modern sports history.