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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

Israel Daramola

NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell discusses the state of the union and its direction for the upcoming year before fielding questions from the media on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Bills Week

Bills Players Among Many In Need Of New Union Head

David Roth

Kamala Harris smiling out at the crowd at her big rally in Washington, D.C. on October 29, 2024. There's a bunch of people cheering behind her and she's wearing a suit.

Podcasts

Watching The Game, With Denny Carter

Head coach Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers, at Allegiant Stadium on August 23, 2024.

The Good, The Bad, And The Kalyn, With Kalyn Kahler

Mr. Met cheers during game two of a doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets at Citi Field on August 12, 2023 in New York City.

Mr. Met Has Fallen Down The Stairs

Samer Kalaf

A view of an ESPN Monday Night Football logo on a TV camera.

Journalismism

If The NFL Buys A Stake In ESPN, Expect More Ass-Kissing

Taylor Swift watching the Kansas City Chiefs game on Monday night in a luxury box with Travis Kelce's mother, Donna.

Pinning Your Ears Back For Taylor Swift, With Giri Nathan And Samer Kalaf

A screenshot of the Manningcast reacting to Aaaron Rodgers's injury

The Manningcast Was The Perfect Companion To That Insane Jets Game

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

xxxx during the NFL game between Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 2, 2016 in London, England.

A Comprehensively Stupid 2023 NFL Season Preview, With Kalyn Kahler

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: Trey Lance poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onstage after being selected third by the San Francisco 49ers during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Funbag

Let’s Remember Some Disappointments!

Justin Ellis

Travis Kelce #52 of the Kansas City Chiefs samples pizza at a Papa Johns food stand during Kelce Jam at Azura Amphitheater on April 28, 2023 in Bonner Springs, Kansas.

This Is So Stupid

We Are Now Forced To Consider Whether Travis Kelce Is, In Fact, Too Turnt Up

BEREA, OH - JULY 28: Microphones of HBO's "Hard Knocks" series hover over the Cleveland Browns offense during a training camp practice on July 28, 2018 at the Cleveland Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images)

Let ‘Hard Knocks’ Die Already

Ray Ratto

The NFL And Deshaun Watson Did The Math

Shohei Otani, seen in this image keeping a positive approach near the Distraction logo.

Baseball As Antidepressant, With Albert Burneko And Kelsey McKinney

Laura Wagner

Media Meltdowns

ESPN Concludes Adam Schefter Is Worth The Embarrassment

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

Dan McQuade

Why The NFL Combine Should Be In My Backyard: A 1,000-Word Essay

WFT defensive tackle Jonathan Allen jogging off the field, thinking of strange answers to big questions.

Washington DT Jonathan Allen: I Would Love To Introduce My Grandfather To Adolf Hitler

Infinite Replay: Defector - Erik Williams bops William Fuller on the head

Infinite Replay

The Bonk That Redeemed A Playoff Humiliation

Brian Flores coaching for the Miami Dolphins, also seemingly glowering at The Distraction logo.

Talking Brian Flores And Shaming The Shameless, With Diana Moskovitz

A 40-Team NFL Is A Terrible Idea That I’d Absolutely Live With

WASHINGTON - APRIL 13: U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA) (L) shakes hands with Patriot's quarterback Tom Brady after a Rose Garden event to honor the Super Bowl Champion's the New England Patriots April 13, 2005 at the White House in Washington, DC. Kerry had knee surgery recently. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

No, Tom Brady Won’t Run For Office

An array of football helmets set up in anticipation of the NFL Draft.

How To Duff The NFL Draft, With Tyler Dunne

Pablo Sandoval circles the bases after homering, blithely unaware of the controversy to come.

The Inalienable Right To Host The All-Star Game

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