With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, the physical demands on professional footballers have never been higher.

Today players need to consistently maintain their strength and upgrade their durability and mobility throughout demanding physical seasons. As a result, elite players are extending their preparation beyond club facilities—into their own homes.

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This fitness model is shown in the campaign “Strength Built At Home,” which highlights the new collaboration between the home-fitness brand RITFIT and Marco Reus, former captain of Borussia Dortmund, German football icon, and current LA Galaxy midfielder. The campaign focuses on how athletes can work on their performance and consistency when they are not on the pitch.

The Increasing Physical Demands of Football

A massive amount of pressure is put on modern football players, and conditioning and strength programs have become more important than ever before. In fact, players are now concentrating heavily on their lower-body fitness to prevent injury and improve their mobility and stability.

RITFIT has positioned itself at the intersection of professional-grade performance and home-accessible training and gives athletes the flexibility that they need to implement training, recovery days and off-season months.

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Inside Marco Reus’ Home Training Environment

The “Strength Built At Home” campaign looks at how modern athletes such as Marco Reus, can now bring professional-level training into everyday living spaces. Built around a fully integrated RITFIT home gym environment, the setup supports everything from strength and conditioning work to recovery-focused movement, all within a compact and practical footprint.  Reus’s home gym showcases equipment such as the M3 Smith Machine package, Gazelle Pro, AURASPIN Grip Plates, and Gator Weight Bench, all of which work together to create a system that is high in performance, and easy to incorporate into daily living.

Because lower-body training is central to a football training, exercises that combine controlled resistance workouts remain particularly important especially when it comes to supporting acceleration, balance, agility, and injury prevention.

The M3 Smith Machine package is central to this system, and players can perform compound movements like presses, rows, pull-downs, and cable exercises.

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Upper-body and core training is also an important aspect of building stability and overall physical resilience of players during match time.

For players who want to add to the versatility of their workouts, the Gator Weight Bench supports pressing movements and seated exercises, and the AURASPIN Grip Plates help with progressive resistance training.

The Gazelle Pro adds conditioning and accessory training options for recovery-focused sessions.

Why Home Gyms Appeal to Professional Athletes

Home training is inherently efficient, and this is perhaps one of its biggest advantages, especially when professional players are trying to manage busy schedules and family responsibilities.

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A home gym now means that professional athletes can supplement their workouts without adding commute time to already demanding schedules.

Athletes are continually looking at fitness as something that can fit into their daily lives outside of official training sessions.

Overall, the campaign shows us that fitness can become part of a balanced home environment while complementing athletic preparation.

A Shift Toward Long-Term Wellness

Home fitness has gained popularity beyond that of professional sport, and everyday users are now able to train around their work and family commitments.

The biggest challenge of exercising for most people is finding the time to do it; however, home gyms take away these barriers completely and allow users to work out whenever it best suits their daily routines.

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This is a massive move towards accessibility and flexibility, which is why multifunctional gym equipment is continuing to grow in popularity.

The Continued Growth of Multifunctional Fitness Equipment

RITFIT, founded in the US in 2015, started off by focusing on beginner-friendly fitness products. Soon after, it expanded into strength- training systems that were able to fit seamlessly into home environments.

Their aim is to make fitness designed for professionals more accessible to everyday users at various levels of experience. Equally important is the brand’s focus on multifunctionality as it recognizes that users prefer equipment that can support varied workouts without needing more space.

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A Smith machine package appeals to those who want to do varied exercises all within one easy setup, and with football continuing to demand exceptional fitness, home gyms are likely to become an important part of player performance.

For footballers like Marco Reus, home-based training allows for flexibility to work out of the comfort of their own homes while supporting recovery and long-term physical wellbeing.

Allen Park — For the first time in his career, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff will be working with a new starting center in three consecutive seasons.

Goff, entering his 11th year in the NFL, has managed transitions at the position before — Tim Barnes (2016), John Sullivan (2017-18), Austin Blythe (2019-20), Frank Ragnow (2021-24) and Graham Glasgow (2025) have all began seasons as the quarterback’s primary snapper — but continuity has especially lacked since Ragnow’s sudden retirement in June 2025.

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The Lions hope to have found their long-term answer with Cade Mays, a former standout with the Carolina Panthers who signed a three-year deal worth $25 million in March. Mays, at least on paper, still has plenty of room to grow, having made only 20 career starts at center, including 12 in 2025.

Fostering an enviornment for chemistry to build between himself and Mays is near the top of Goff’s priority list this offseason.

“We haven’t had much time yet, but we will,” Goff said last week, when asked if he’s had the opportunity to spend much time with Mays off the field. “We’ll do some dinners with the O-line and whatnot. I intend to be intentional about building that relationship with him.”

Mays described the center-quarterback relationship as “very important,” in that “we’ve just got to be on the same page (and) communicate the same.” He’s been relying on Goff to assist in his understanding of Detroit’s offense, which Goff has captained since 2021.

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“It’s a new offense for me,” Mays said. “(Goff)’s been a part of it a long time, so just leaning on him, asking him questions, what he sees, what he’s looking for, and seeing it through his lens.”

Mays was selected in the sixth round of the draft in 2022. He played his most snaps last season (793) and allowed 13 pressures across 476 reps as a pass protector, according to Pro Football Focus. He hasn’t been credited with giving up a sack since Week 17 of the 2023 season.

Though he didn’t grade out well as a run blocker — Mays’ 58.4 mark from PFF ranked 28th out of 33 qualified centers (minimum 200 snaps) — Lions coach Dan Campbell explained earlier this offseason how the Lions don’t feel “restricted” in the run game with Mays because “we do feel like we can do the pin and pulls, the wide zones, the gaps with him, we think he’s got enough versatility and all that.”

Whether Mays has what it takes to pull together Detroit’s formerly vaunted offensive line will be determined on the field this fall. In the meantime, he’ll be working closely with Goff, soaking up information from the veteran to best see the game from his perspective.

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“In the NFL, I don’t know if there’s ever that point,” Mays said, when asked when he’d feel 100% confidence in his alignment with Goff. “There’s new looks every week, so you just keep growing. But I feel like we’ve done a great job this week. Jared’s been awesome with helping me with the questions I have and the looks (we’re getting from the defense), so it’s been great.”

rsilva@detroitnews.com

@rich_silva18

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff being ‘intentional’ with new C Cade Mays

Fox News contributor and OutKick founder Clay Travis unleashed on the National Football League in a heartfelt testimony regarding the cost of watching games from home.

During his testimony, Travis “advocate[d] for the reasonable fan” in efforts to put an end to what he dubbed unlawful “pay-per-view.”

“Every single day, sports fans are getting gouged now for the opportunity of watching their favorite teams. Fans now pay far more money every year for something that by law in 1961 you all guaranteed for them should be free,” Travis began.

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NFL fans walk outside the Super Bowl Experience at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 6, 2026. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

“Most of your constituents are frustrated. They don’t know how to find games, and they are having to pay far too much when they have the opportunity to actually watch those games. I don’t know how many of you remember back in the day when you can have one remote control in your hand, and you can easily flip to any different game… They just want to be able to watch their favorite team and not have to struggle to do so.”

“You guys have an important responsibility and an opportunity to apply the law fairly, freely, and help fans everywhere across the entire nation pay less and get more.”

Travis then said the NFL “quite clearly … is violating the plain intent of the law.”

Netflix and NFL signage advertises the NFL’s two Christmas Day marquee games streaming live on Netflix in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

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“It was designed to make sure that fans get free access to games. Anything that fans are having to pay for, outside of broadcast television, arguably is outside the scope of that 1961 exemption,” Travis said.

Back in March, the Senate Judiciary Committee asked for a revision of the act. Congress passed the act to let leagues pool their media rights and sell them nationally — a move that helped make NFL games a staple of free network television. Today, those same collective rights deals are increasingly being sliced up for streaming platforms, sparking backlash from fans frustrated by paywalls and platform hopping.

If one were to strictly stream all NFL games throughout the 2025 season on Sunday Ticket, Netflix, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN Unlimited, and NFL+, it would have cost a minimum of $575, and others (prior Sunday Ticket watchers) nearly $800.

The sports leagues have cashed in on the pivot to streaming, with the NFL landing $1 billion a year to air “Thursday Night Football” on Amazon as an example. The Sports Broadcasting Act exemption passed in 1961 applies only to broadcast television.

The NFL logo is painted on the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, prior to Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8, 2026. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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Courts have ruled in the past that it does not apply to other media, including cable, satellite, and streaming. The Sports Broadcasting Act includes a rule allowing blackouts of local games, which still applies to out-of-market packages sold by the leagues.

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The Minnesota Vikings have a quarterback competition ongoing this summer, one involving a young quarterback, so there just have to be trade rumors, or so it goes in 2026. Some have suggested that J.J. McCarthy could be traded, but if the decision is up to him, McCarthy enjoys where he’s at — with the Vikings.

McCarthy did not sound like a guy who would request a trade anytime soon; perhaps the rumor mill will die down.

McCarthy Would Rather Just Stay Put. Source? Him.

McCarthy: This Is Where I Want to Be

A media member asked McCarthy about recent trade rumors, and without hesitation, the 23-year-old replied, “I think I made it very clear I wanted to be here before I got here, and I love this organization. I love the coaching staff. I absolutely love these players and that this is where I want to be.”

“I feel like I can thrive in this system. Everything played out exactly how I wanted it. I wouldn’t want anything else to change.”

The odds of Minnesota trading McCarthy are quite low, but one theory suggests that he could grow disgruntled in a backup quarterback’s role.

A QB2 Role Likely Incoming

While McCarthy, in theory, could dethrone Murray for the QB1 job, it will take a monumental effort and a surprise. Murray didn’t sign with the Vikings to play second fiddle, and as a former first overall pick, Murray has all the tools for the QB1 job, along with seven years of experience.

McCarthy has incumbency, youth, and height on his side — and that’s about it.

Therefore, McCarthy’s commitment to the Vikings could be tested in two months if head coach Kevin O’Connell names Murray the starter, as widely expected. McCarthy doesn’t have much experience as a backup quarterback, meaning on-the-job training is near.

Saying you don’t want to be traded in June when you’re competing for QB1 is a bit different than in late August as a QB2.

McCarthy also said Tuesday about his performance at minicamp, “I feel the best I’ve ever felt playing the game of football, especially in this team. I think things being instinctual when you hear it, being able to pop into your mind very clear and very fast. And that helps a lot with just playing instinctual out there and making the right plays when the ball snaps.”

No Hints from Vikings about a Trade

Trading McCarthy? A shaky idea. Injuries have derailed two of Minnesota’s last three seasons. Trading a young QB now is exceptionally risky, especially since the acquisition of Murray was intended to prevent a single snap from derailing their entire season.

Murray provides the Vikings with a crucial element they lacked last year: a robust contingency plan. Both McCarthy and Murray possess a legitimate chance at earning the starting role, which represents a marked improvement. It alleviates the pressure on Minnesota to gamble their entire future on a single young quarterback developing perfectly while disregarding other viable options.

The glaring flaw in the Vikings’ 2025 QB strategy became evident pretty quickly. They had committed entirely to McCarthy, with Sam Howell, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer as their backup plan. The strategy backfired when the quarterbacks underperformed. McCarthy didn’t quite meet expectations, the Vikings missed the playoffs, and now the quarterback situation is once again uncertain.

While Murray isn’t a miraculous solution for flawless QB performance, having both Murray and McCarthy offers Minnesota two credible long-term options, rather than relying solely on one highly speculative prospect.

NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper noted on the Vikings’ quarterback battle, “Reports from an open OTA practice in late May pegged Murray as the leader in the battle for the No. 1 job and McCarthy was asked if he’s given any thought to what his future might hold if he fails to win the job.”

“McCarthy may have a different view on that last point if Murray is officially named the team’s starter, but, for now, the next rep is the sole focus for the quarterback.”

Who Could Come Calling?

Suppose McCarthy changes his mind later this summer or before the NFL trade deadline in November. These teams might come calling about his trade price:

• Arizona Cardinals
• Indianapolis Colts
• Los Angeles Chargers
• Miami Dolphins
• New York Jets
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Cardinals make the most sense because they’re on deck to feature Jacoby Brissett, Carson Beck, and Gardner Minshew at quarterback — not a dazzling cocktail. The Colts, too, could check some boxes if Daniel Jones‘ Achilles tendon recovery takes a nasty turn.

Ultimately, McCarthy says he doesn’t want to leave, and his word should probably be accepted at face value.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Scottish Rugby has imposed a 12-month ban on Alloa RFC president Alan Stewart attending matches following an after-dinner speech, described as “racist, homophobic and sexist” by some present.

Stewart has also been suspended from holding any role within the game over the same time period.

Multiple objections were made following remarks by Stewart during Musselburgh RFC’s annual dinner on 18 April and an independent disciplinary panel has upheld a misconduct complaint.

Stewart, who can appeal against the decision, has also been instructed to undergo equality, diversity and inclusion training.

Charges against Musselburgh RFC and their president were not upheld.

In April, the board of Musselburgh RFC issued an apology to those who attended, saying: “We particularly wish to recognise and acknowledge the hurt caused to our women’s team, who we are extremely proud of and to whom we are committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment.”

The club criticised the “very poor judgement of the speaker” and said he had sent a written apology.

In a statement issued at the same time, Scottish Rugby said it is “committed to equality, diversity and inclusion at every level of the game”, adding: “There is no place for discriminatory behaviour in our sport, or in wider society.”

BBC Scotland has approached Stewart and Alloa AFC for comment.

England captain Ben Stokes will miss the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval following the nightclub incident, with Joe Root set to lead the side as interim captain.Stokes has been left out of the squad along with fast bowler Gus Atkinson after the pair breached the team’s midnight curfew in the early hours of Monday.The England & Wales Cricket Board said Stokes and Atkinson “have not been made available for selection.”The two players were present at a nightclub when a member of England’s security staff was struck by Saracens rugby player Totoa Auvaa.Although Harry Brook is England’s vice-captain, he has not been chosen to lead the team for the match.Brook was involved in an incident last year when he was punched by a bouncer outside a nightclub in Wellington on the eve of an ODI against New Zealand.Root will therefore return to the captaincy for the first time since stepping down from the role in 2022. The former skipper led England in a record 64 Tests between 2017 and 2022.The 35-year-old remains England’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket. He resigned as captain after England managed one win in 17 Tests and was succeeded by Stokes.England have also added fast bowler Jofra Archer and batter Jordan Cox to the squad that won the opening Test against New Zealand by 115 runs at Lord’s.The second Test against New Zealand begins at The Oval on June 17.Meanwhile, some reports have suggested England Ben Stokes may even retire from cricket following the nightclub controversy involving him and teammate Gus Atkinson.The development comes after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) launched an investigation into an incident involving Stokes and Atkinson at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday, hours after England’s 115-run win over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s.England Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Rew, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue.

This November will mark 10 years since the Chicago Cubs were champions for the first time in several generations.

On Nov. 2, 2016, the Cubs broke a curse that had lasted 108 years, winning their first World Series title four years before the Titanic even sank, and many members of the team will get back to Wrigley Field next month to celebrate.

“It’s crazy. Time flies. I mean, it was a special team, special run, and it’s gonna be fun to celebrate it,” Anthony Rizzo recently told Fox News Digital.

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Chicago Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo celebrates victory during Game 7 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 2, 2016. (David E. Klutho/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Now in retirement, Rizzo, who signed a one-day contract to retire a Cub after spending nearly four years with the New York Yankees, has been back in Chicago attending Cubs games and recording a podcast with former World Series teammate David Ross. But recently, as the World Cup nears, he partnered with Abbott and Real Madrid to help give rising soccer stars in Chicago a chance to play for the Abbott Dream Team.

The 16 selected male and female “Abbott Dream Team” members, ages 18–19, will travel to Spain on an all‑expenses‑paid trip to train at Real Madrid’s official facilities.

“Giving back in the community here in Chicago means the world to me, and these kids getting an opportunity to go to Real Madrid, practice, and train there is pretty special,” Rizzo said. “It’s a really cool program, they’re both respective leaders in their industry, bringing together kids playing soccer, and then harping on the nutrition side of it, as well, means a lot, because it takes a lot to get to the next level, and the fact that Abbott’s drilling these kids with nutrition and the importance of it, I think is very important as well.”

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo celebrates during the team’s World Series victory rally at Grant Park in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 4, 2016. (Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)

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“Everyone’s talented when you get to the higher levels, right? Everyone has the talent, but it’s the mental capacity, it’s the little things, and nutrition is, I think, for me, one of the most important things,” Rizzo added. “You don’t really see the results on the field, but you feel you’re gonna recover better, you’re gonna sleep better, you have more energy, so taking care of your body is very important, and I let them know that when you get to a certain level, the talent level evens out, and it’s what separates you from making it, or getting that opportunity, or being ready for that opportunity when it comes.”

Rizzo, of course, knows what it takes to get to, and succeed at, the next level. He found the ultimate success with that 2016 title, which obviously came with additional pressure. But the former first baseman said that, despite fans’ desperate desire for a drought to end, he was able to maintain business as usual in the World Series in which he hit .360 with a 1.084 OPS.

“You don’t really feel as much of that weight, because you’re in the World Series, you’re at the highest level, you’re one of two teams standing, right? So, all the drought stuff comes in on the outside, and I was only there for five or six years up to that point, so, the previous 102 years … You just have to, you have to be able to have perspective on it,” Rizzo said.

Chicago Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo celebrates on the field after recording the final out in the 10th inning to win Game 7 and the World Series championship against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 2, 2016. (Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

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“You have to be able to laugh about it, and for us, we just kept all the outside noise outside, and we just focused on what we had to do to win.”

The 2016 Cubs will gather on July 18, 10 years to the day Rizzo hit a three-run homer off New York Mets pitcher Steven Matz in a 5-1 victory to go to 56-36.

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His Napoli years – the Serie A title in 2024-25 and the adoration that came with it – have turned him into a player who is worshipped in Naples and identified throughout the world.

McTominay is the superstar of this Scotland team, the guy with a giant mural on the side of a house near Hampden and whose frame – mid-bicycle kick against Denmark on the night of all nights last November – is on a bank note.

For club and country he has scored 13, 16 and 17 goals in the last three seasons, some of them to win a title in Italy, others helping Scotland to the World Cup.

McTominay has 70 caps and has played multiple positions – right-sided centre-back, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder. He is now exactly where he wants to be, in every sense.

Naismith has watched him grow into a player of huge substance, on and off the field. “He can glide across the pitch with elegance. He’s such an athlete,” he said.

“And see his passing – it’s as if you’re in a computer game. It’s like in Super Mario where you get a mushroom and you’re bigger, if that makes sense. He’s just more powerful than everybody else.

“The last part is you just hope he’s not an arsehole – and he’s not. He’ll hang about with the youngest players in the squad at dinner and he’ll chat away to them.

“And then the next day he could be sitting with [John] McGinn and Robbo [Andy Robertson] and Kenny McLean and Grant [Hanley] and be part of that.

“And then he might just be by himself for a bit. He’s a social butterfly and it’s all pure happiness for him.”

It’s taken a lot of hard work to get McTominay happy. A nation will be hoping he’s still smiling in the wake of their opener against Haiti, Scotland’s first World Cup game since the great thoroughbred in their midfield was barely out of nappies.