defector-orange-no-empty-space

lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_sidebar

lede_post_card_highlighted_post

lede_post_card_horizontal_a

lede_post_card_horizontal_c

lede_post_card_related_post

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_content

lede_article_content_wide_width

lede_article_content_full_width

lede_byline_avatar_post_card

lede_byline_avatar_highlight

lede_profile_coral_avatar

lede_logo

lede_logo_banner

lede_logo_footer_banner

lede_logo_simple_header

lede_sponsorship_logo

lede_sponsorship_logo_river_card

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card_logo

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card

Footer Legal

Header - Categories

Header Menu

The last good website.

Topics

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-no-empty-space

Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

back-in-stock-for-a-limited-time

Merch v3

VictorPortraitWClaw

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.

US Vice President Kamala Harris campaign rally in Washington DC closing argument address

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.

San Francisco 49ers  v Las Vegas Raiders

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.

Atlanta Braves v New York Mets – Game Two

Mr. Met Has Fallen Down The Stairs

skalaf-photo

Samer Kalaf

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

espn-nfl-mnf

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.

NFL: SEP 24 Bears at Chiefs

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

image0 (5)

Israel Daramola

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

Screenshot 2023-09-12 at 1.18.17 PM

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.

drewkid-1-e1599592436888

Drew Magary

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

Indianapolis Colts v Jacksonville Jaguars

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)

2021 NFL Draft

Funbag

Let’s Remember Some Disappointments!

justin

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.

2023 Kelce Jam

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)

2018 Cleveland Browns Training Camp

Let ‘Hard Knocks’ Die Already

ratto-ray_400x400

Ray Ratto

Cleveland Browns Training Camp

The NFL And Deshaun Watson Did The Math

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

Miami Marlins v Los Angeles Angels

Baseball As Antidepressant, With Albert Burneko And Kelsey McKinney

150896222_10159099371879636_7101222369896621357_o

Laura Wagner

Screen Shot 2022-03-31 at 1.54.13 PM

Media Meltdowns

ESPN Concludes Adam Schefter Is Worth The Embarrassment

Visual Editor. Runs <a href="http://defectorstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defectorstore.com</a>. Philadelphia-based, if you couldn’t tell.

DFmBbTQF_400x400

Dan McQuade

backyard

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 Football Team v Denver Broncos

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-dhm

Infinite Replay

The Bonk That Redeemed A Playoff Humiliation

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

New York Jets v Miami Dolphins

Talking Brian Flores And Shaming The Shameless, With Diana Moskovitz

Seattle Seahawks v Jacksonville Jaguars

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)

President Bush Welcomes New England Patriots To White House

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

Investigations Editor. You can reach her at diana@defector.com or, if you prefer protonmail, dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. If security is a concern, download the Signal app and send her a text at 929-251-8187.

DFM New Headshot

Diana Moskovitz

Deshaun Watson

There’s Nothing Complicated About The Deshaun Watson Lawsuits

Carson Wentz, seen here warily assessing The Distraction logo.

GettyImages-1293663217

Trading The Untradeable, With Kalyn Kahler

Tom Brady, seen here looking exultant and weird.

Way Of The Pizza Dad, With Justin Halpern

AJSfPYY9_400x400-1

Kelsey McKinney

Cam Newton, quarterback, of the New England Patriots, looks on from the sideline wearing a mask and rain jacket during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Cam Newton

333 NFL Players Were Placed On The COVID-19 Reserve List This Season, And Other Findings From Our Data Collection