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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.

Defector

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

A Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals fan are seen prior to a game at Paycor Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. There is snow all around them.

The Bengals Left It To Their Fans To Clean Up The Snow

Ray Ratto

Philip Rivers of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates his touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks on December 14, 2025. That's like five years after his last NFL game.

Philip Rivers Is Like A 44-Year-Old Kid Out There

Kelsey McKinney

a woman with brown hair wearing a jacket leans forward in the back of a car

Defector At The Movies

Everything I Remember About ‘Ella McCay’

Lauren Theisen

Kirill Kaprizov #97 and Quinn Hughes #43 of the Minnesota Wild stand on the blue line during the National Anthem

Minnesota Goes Wild For Quinn Hughes

Maitreyi Anantharaman

K.J. Macura, Joe Sherburne #13 and Jairus Lyles #10 of the UMBC Retrievers address the media after the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Crosswords

The Crossword, Dec. 15: Out Of Court

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 14: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs lays on the ground after sustaining an injury during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Patrick Mahomes Tore His ACL And The Chiefs Tore Off The Bandage

Tom Ley

J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings leaves the field after his team defeated the Dallas Cowboys at AT&amp;T Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.

J.J. McCarthy Did A Little Dance He Wasn’t Supposed To Do

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 13: Navy Midshipmen celebrate during a game between the Navy Midshipmen and Army West Point Black Knights at M&amp;T Bank Stadium on December 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland.

College Football

Aaaaaaauuuuuggghhhhh!!!

David Roth

Victor Wembanyama and his long ass arms grab a rebound over Jaylen Williams of the Thunder during the fourth quarter of a semifinal game of the Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Spurs Showed How To Beat The Thunder

COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 13: Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines handles the ball in the second half against David Coit #8 of the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center on December 13, 2025 in College Park, Maryland.

College Basketball

Michigan Is Routing Everyone

Dave McKenna

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore

Fired Michigan Coach Sherrone Moore Arraigned On Home Invasion And Stalking Charges

Billy Haisley

Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Real Madrid, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Manchester City at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on December 10, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.

Soccer

Real Madrid Is Stuck

Patrick Redford

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 1: Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and Tamari Davis compete in the women's 100m race at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania on June 1, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Track And Field

Michael Johnson’s Track Start-Up Declares Bankruptcy

Kathryn Xu

Daniel Craig as the detective Benoit Blanc in a still from 'Wake Up Dead Man'

‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Defines Justice Differently

Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels walks onto the field prior to the game against the NC State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Bill Belichick’s Lackeys Have Become His Fall Guys

Becca Young

Arts And Culture

Maggie Nelson Sputters And Stalls In ‘The Slicks’

Audi Crooks #55 of the Iowa State Cyclones takes a shot as Layla Hays #12 of the Iowa Hawkeyes blocks in the first half of play at Hilton Coliseum on December 10, 2025, in Ames, Iowa.

Audi Crooks Makes Every Minute Count

Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears walks off the field after a loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 7, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Podcasts

All Things Must Pass, With Matthew Coller

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 Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills takes on the Cincinnati Bengals during the NFL 2025 game between Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 7, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.

Jamboroo

Now We Must All Become Bills Fans

A general view of an NBA on NBC camera during the game between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 25, 2025.

Let’s Check In On The State Of The NBA’s National Broadcasts

Culture Writer

Israel Daramola

Somewhere Between Pettiness And Journalism Lies Netflix’s Diddy Documentary

Head coach Sherrone Moore of the Michigan Wolverines looks on before the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Michigan Coach Sherrone Moore Fired, Arrested On Same Day

Pete Alonso #20 and Edwin Diaz #39 of the New York Mets celebrate after defeating the Washington Nationals

The Mets Are Going To Look A Lot Different Next Year

Piers Morgan, Nick Kyrgios, Aryna Sabalenka

Tennis

An Extended Conversation Between Piers Morgan, Nick Kyrgios, And Aryna Sabalenka Was Always Going To Turn Transphobic

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

Alex Sujong Laughlin

a photo of a woman dressed in drag as Santa Claus holding a flaming shot glass looking at a blurry man