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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Carlos Sainz of Spain and Williams, Alexander Albon of Thailand and Williams, Williams Team Principal James Vowles, and the Williams crew cheer for a group photo after the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on September 21, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan

Racing

Carlos Sainz Dragged Williams Back To The Podium

Normal Gossip: portraits

Alex Sujong Laughlin

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Podcasts

Ceara (Almost) Learns To Cartwheel


<p>Visual Editor. Currently on medical leave.</p>


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Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - CIRCA 1975: Goalie Bernie Parent #1 of the Philadelphia Flyers guards the net during a game against the New York Rangers circa 1975 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Parent helped the Flyers to two Stanley Cup Championships in 1974 and 1975.

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You Couldn’t Drag Bernie Parent Out Of Philadelphia

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Tom Brady greets Kavontae Turpin #9 of the Dallas Cowboys prior to a game against the Chicago Bears on September 21, 2025 at Soldier Field in Chicago ,Illinois.

NFL: SEP 21 Cowboys at Bears

Crosswords

The Crossword, Sept. 22: Going Places

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Ray Ratto

Andre Szmyt #25 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates with teammates and fans after kicking a game-winning field goal against the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay Packers v Cleveland Browns

Chaos, Brought To You By Kickers


<p>Investigations Editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


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Diana Moskovitz

Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins runs across the field during an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.

Miami Dolphins v Buffalo Bills

Why Defector Is Intervening To Make Public A Confidential Document In The Tyreek Hill Case

<div>Nate Jackson is a former NFL tight end and author of <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/slow-getting-up-a-story-of-nfl-survival-from-the-bottom-of-the-pile-nate-jackson/6430451?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote9JzWMngZDpSjF2eoL1_JlyPm2QhDfkNgOzqvaB4n9ic0qqUNQ4iCwaAsasEALw_wcB"><em>Slow Getting Up</em></a>. He lives in Denver.</div>
<div></div>


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Nate Jackson

Denver Broncos Training Camp at their training facility on July 29, 2008 in Englewood, Colorado.

Denver Broncos Training Camp

I Played In The NFL. Should I Care If My Son Doesn’t Like Football?

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


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Chris Thompson

HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Victor Robles #10 of the Seattle Mariners makes a diving catch to end the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on September 20, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

Seattle Mariners v Houston Astros

Victor Robles To The Rescue!

The rusted hulk of RFK Stadium, which is being demolished.

Demolition Of RJK Stadium Continues

The Commanders’ D.C. Stadium Deal Is An Abomination

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Barry Petchesky

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 20: George Valera #35 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning of game one of a doubleheader at Target Field on September 20, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Cleveland Guardians v Minnesota Twins – Game One

What In The Hell Is Going On In The AL Central?

Dave McKenna

PROVO, UT - JANUARY 28: Boxer Conor McGregor sports a Brigham Young hat during the second half of the Brigham Young Cougars game agaisnt the Baylor Bears at the Marriott Center on January 28, 2025 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

Baylor v Brigham Young

Politics

Conor McGregor’s Irish Presidential Campaign Was Brief And Humiliating

Kelsey Mitchell #0 of the Indiana Fever speaks with ESPN reporter after the game three of the first round of WNBA Playoffs between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena on September 18, 2025 in College Park, Georgia.

Indiana Fever v Atlanta Dream – Game Three

WNBA

Kelsey Mitchell Is Making Up For Lost Time In The Playoffs

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David Roth

Holland Roden, Joe Pantoliano, and Matthew Daddario sitting on a very Hallmark movie coach, all admiring a little Buffalo Bills ornament that Pantoliano (in a Bills hat and goatee) has received from an anonymous benefactor. It's from the trailer of Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story.

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The Hallmark Channel And The Buffalo Bills Encourage You To “Go For Four”

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Patrick Redford

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces reacts against the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on September 16, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Las Vegas Aces v Seattle Storm – Game Two

A’ja Wilson Is The Smoothest Operator

<p>Abigail Segel is a writer based in Montreal.</p>


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Abigail Segel

Sarah Puntigam #17 of Houston Dash shoots during the NWSL match between San Diego Wave and Houston Dash at Snapdragon Stadium on September 07, 2025 in San Diego, California.

San Diego Wave v Houston Dash

Soccer

In A Typically Chaotic NWSL Season, The Only Safe Place Is The Very Top

Sean Kuhn

An Immaculate Grid filled in with the most-remembered people from the Defector/Immaculate Grid collaboration week.

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Let's Remember Some Guys

Who Gets Remembered? Crunching The Numbers From 36,000 Immaculate Grids

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Israel Daramola

Clemson v Georgia Tech

College Football

The College Coaches Are Going Through It

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Kathryn Xu

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Never Try To Catch A Baseball

Veronica Burton #22 of the Golden State Valkyries reacts after making a three-point shot against the Minnesota Lynx during the second half of Game Two in the first round of WNBA Playoffs at Sap Center on September 17, 2025 in San Jose, California.

Minnesota Lynx v Golden State Valkyries – Game Two

Ballhalla Is A Mindset

Jalen Hurts looking thoughtful after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Kansas City. The Distraction logo is at upper left.

Philadelphia Eagles v Kansas City Chiefs

Teaching Jalen Hurts How To Complain, With Dan McQuade

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks as he presents the new Meta Ray-Ban Display at the 2025 Meta Connect conference in Menlo Park, California, on September 17, 2025. (Photo by Benjamin LEGENDRE / AFP)

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The Machines

Mark Zuckerberg Demonstrates That His AI Smart Glasses Suck And Don’t Work

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Soraya Roberts

American actor Robert Redford wearing a grey tweed blazer over a matching waistcoat and a white shirt, with a diagonally striped tie, with a grey fedora, in a scene from 'The Sting', filmed in the United States, 1973.

‘The Sting’ Publicity Still

Arts And Culture

Robert Redford Made An Art Of The Double Take

Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool FC celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid at Anfield on September 17, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

Liverpool FC v Atletico de Madrid – UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1

Liverpool Can’t Keep Getting Away With This … Right?

<p>Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


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Drew Magary

A blank high school scoreboard with a backdrop of the snow-covered Topatopa Mountains in Ventura County, California.

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