Arena Football

CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Ray Ratto

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 11: Myles Garrett #95 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up prior to the NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

A Whole Lot Changed In One Week For The Rams

Barry Petchesky

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Chris Johnson #28 of the Tennessee Titans is introduced before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars during play at LP Field on December 24, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans won 23-17. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

They Don’t Come Much Cooler Than Chris Johnson

Renardo Green #0 of the San Francisco 49ers catches the ball during the NFL football game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026.

The 49ers Struck A Blow For Sensible Travel Strategies And Thumped The Rams

Patrick Redford

Head coach Mike McDonald of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans during the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl LX victory celebration and parade at Lumen Field on February 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Interviews

How NFL Teams Avoid The Great Big Middle

Nehemiah Pritchett #28 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with teammates after an intercepting a pass intended for Romeo Doubs #87 of the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter of the game on September 9, 2026.

The NFL Opener Had That Wednesday Night Football Feeling

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

Jamboroo

The Gift Of Forgetting

Podcasts

And Now For The Premiere Of ‘All Ball,’ In Which I Am Far Too Nice To The Vile Packers

Australian Football

Better Hate An Owner

Bowling

Chess

Climbing

Cricket

Curling

Cycling

Darts

Death To The NCAA

Disc Sports

Gaelic Football

Gambling

Golf

High School Sports

Horse Racing

Hurling

Infinite Replay

Lacrosse

Olympics

Parasports

Pro Softball

Pro Wrestling

Racing

Rugby

Running

Skateboarding

Soccer

Sports Highlight Of The Day

Tennis

The Fights

The Great Outdoors

Volleyball

Why Your Team Sucks

Wings Week

Sports

Tom Ley

The Rams Play In Australia In Two Days And They Haven’t Left Yet

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 20: Sam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks fumbles the ball in the end zone as Will Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans tackles him during the third quarter at Lumen Field on October 20, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Seattle Seahawks

Announcements

Defector Has A New NFL Podcast, And It Won’t Have Any Gambling Shit In It

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco on February 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fanatics)

Journalismism

There’s A New Loser In The Russini-Vrabel Scandal

DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 21: Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos looks on during a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field At Mile High on August 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Tyler Schank/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Denver Broncos

Matt Ufford is the head of video and audio at Yahoo Sports.

Matt Ufford

Head coach Sean McVay celebrates after a third quarter touchdown from Puka Nacua #12 of the Los Angeles Rams against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Los Angeles Rams

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

A detail view of the NFL logo painted on the field prior to a preseason NFL football game on August 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.

NFL Puts Three Players On Paid Leave

<div dir="ltr">
Mike Tanier has covered the NFL for 20 years for Football Outsiders, the New York Times, The Messenger, Bleacher Report, Sports on Earth, and other ancient empires. He&#8217;s a co-author of Aaron Schatz&#8217;s FTN Football Almanac and the author of the Y/A novel for grownups Long Snapper&#8217;s Blues. He lives off Exit 3 of the New Jersey Turnpike with his long-suffering wife, two sons and a 70-pound American Bully named Frank the Tank. His newsletter, <a href="https://too-deep-zone.ghost.io/">Too Deep Zone</a>, has officially launched.
</div>

Mike Tanier

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Houston Texans

Life's Rich Pageant

Daejon Love Will Go Down As A Scammer For The Ages

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: San Francisco 49ers

Giri Nathan

Pat McAfee reacts in the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Indianapolis Colts

Reds Week

I Played Pat McAfee’s Album For Another Frequently Red-Faced, Sleeveless Baby

Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and DJ Moore #2 of the Chicago Bears visit on set of the Wildcard on Prime post game show after an NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field

Why Your Team Sucks 2026: Chicago Bears

General Manager John Lynch, CEO Jed York and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers in the locker room after the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions on January 28, 2024.

The San Francisco 49ers Have Revolutionized The Concept Of Losing The Offseason

Jed York at Sportico Invest in Sports New York 2025 at Nasdaq HQ on November 04, 2025 in New York, New York. He is sitting down, wearing a suit, and holding a mircrophone.

Here’s All The Court Documents Jed York Asked To Be Sealed

Sarah York

Head coach Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars stand for the national anthem prior to a NFL football game against the Houston Texans