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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


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

Jacksonville, Florida, January 14, 2023 - Head coach Brandon Staley stands washes in stunned silence outside the locker room, waiting for all his players to leave the field after losing 32-30 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Wild Card game at TIAA Bank Field.

Brandon Staley And The Chargers Left The Door Open

Tom Ley

Drawing of the construction of London Bridge

Announcements

Programming Notes


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

Creaturefector

More Scientific Images Should Go This Hard

Patrick Redford

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brandon Staley of the Los Angeles Chargers walks off the field after a win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

Brandon Staley’s Ass Is Precariously Close To The Jackpot

This Is So Stupid

As A Son And A Brother, I Think We Should Cut Jadeveon Clowney Some Slack

Luis Paez-Pumar

AL KHOR, QATAR - DECEMBER 04: Jude Bellingham #22 of England reacts during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between England and Senegal at Al Bayt Stadium on December 4, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar.

Soccer

Window Shopping: There’s Nothing Jude Bellingham Can’t Do

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<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
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Casey Taylor

SAN FRANCISCO - JUNE 09: Apple CEO Steve Jobs watches a video of the new iPhone 3G as he delivers the keynote address at the Apple Worldwide Web Developers Conference June 9, 2008 in San Francisco, California. Jobs kicked off the 2008 WWDC conference with a keynote where he announced an upgraded version of the popular iPhone called the iPhone 3G. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Capital

Quiet Quitting Is A Stupid New Name For An Old Fight

Albert Burneko

Old-timey scientists fiddle with knobs and toggles on a contraption

Science

Are Your Memories Indexed By Year?

Samer Kalaf

Maitreyi Anantharaman

‘Hard Knocks’ With The Cardinals Was A Dark Workplace Comedy Starring Kliff Kingsbury

Dana White speaks to the media at the UFC Vegas 67 media day for the first time since he was caught slapping is wife on New Years Eve. January 11, 2023, at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Dana White Says His Punishment For Hitting His Wife Is Being Dana White

Giri Nathan

Ja Morant Resumes Violence On Jakob Poeltl

Soraya Roberts

Defector At The Movies

An Interview With The Cop Who Stole ‘M3GAN’

<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>


Drew Magary

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the sideline as the Baltimore Ravens play against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on January 1, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Jamboroo

Truly, What The Fuck Is Going On With Lamar Jackson?

Derek Carr And The Raiders Begin Their Awkward Little Dance

Zach Lavine takes the final shot as his teammates look on in horror

Bulls Go For Two, Down Three

Laura Wagner

Goodell, wearing a Damar Hamlin No. 3 hat, poses with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula prior to a game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 08, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York.

The NFL Is A Family


<p>Alan Hanson is a writer from California. He writes creative nonfiction, essays, and poetry. He’s worked in advertising for over a decade because he likes to eat. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/iluvbutts247" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@iluvbutts247</a> unless of course he gets suspiciously suspended.</p>


Alan Hanson

This screen grab shows the Twitter account of billionaire Tesla chief Elon Musk on October 27, 2022.

Stories

I Was Almost Elon Musk’s Twitter Voice

Ray Ratto

LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 1: George Kittle #85, Brock Purdy #13 and Josh Johnson #17 of the San Francisco 49ers in the locker room before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on January 1, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 49ers defeated the Raiders 37-34. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Kittle;Brock Purdy;Josh Johnson

A Prayer For Josh Johnson

Lauren Theisen

Stage of WWE's Crown Jewel event in Riyadh

Pro Wrestling

Saudi Arabia Hasn’t Bought WWE Yet, But Its Wrestlers Should Be Ready

An aggressive insect approaches a hapless honeybee on a purple flower.

It’s A Bee Brawl In The Flower Patch!

UNITED STATES - JANUARY 5: Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., walks through the House chamber before the start of the 7th failed attempt to elect a speaker in the Capitol on Thursday, January 5, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Politics

George Santos Claimed To Be A Volleyball Star At College He Never Attended

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


Chris Thompson

Media Meltdowns

Celebrated Public Intellectual Attempts Math, Falls Down Open Manhole

Barry Petchesky

Defector Reads A Book

Let’s Speak Of The Devil (And His Fat Cat) In ‘The Master And Margarita’


<p>Amanda Ruggeri is a multi-award-winning freelance journalist who lives in Switzerland. She writes on topics including science, travel, and sometimes ski racing.</p>


Amanda Ruggeri

Mikaela Shiffrin of United States of America during the flower ceremony of Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Womens Slalom race on January 10, 2023 in Flachau, Austria. (Photo by Hans Peter Lottermoser/SEPA.Media /Getty Images)

Olympics

Mikaela Shiffrin Resets

Mikko Rantanen and Colin White jostle on the ice