For the first time in a decade, the Carolina Panthers returned to the top of the NFC South. Their breakthrough season ended in January with a home wild-card thriller, where they pushed Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams to the brink.

After picking up Bryce Young’s fifth-year option and adding key pieces across the roster, the Panthers enter 2026 with higher expectations as the team eyes a second consecutive division title. But Carolina’s offensive line took another hit Tuesday, creating the latest test for a unit charged with protecting the former No. 1 overall pick.

Taylor Moton, the Panthers veteran starting right tackle, will be sidelined when the regular season kicks off in September. Moton learned in late June that doctors had discovered a blood clot in his left lung. The Panthers confirmed on Tuesday that the 31-year-old will miss the start of the season.

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Taylor Moton No. 72 of the Carolina Panthers looks on during an NFL game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Nov. 9, 2023. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

Moton’s setback comes with starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu still recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee. Ekwonu suffered the injury during the Panthers’ playoff game.

Ekwonu underwent emergency appendectomy surgery last August.

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Moton was moved to the non-football injury list, joining two-time Pro Bowl defensive back Jaycee Horn.

The cornerback missed a Week 12 game against the San Francisco 49ers last season but finished the year with 16 game appearances. Horn landed on the non-football injury list this week after cutting his foot while running, according to the Panthers.

Jaycee Horn (8) of the Carolina Panthers looks on during the first half of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)

After the diagnosis, Moton was put on blood thinners and the team said he has responded well to the treatment. Carolina’s medical staff continues to monitor the veteran lineman day-to-day.

The Panthers had already moved to protect themselves on the left side, signing veteran tackle Rasheed Walker in March as a potential replacement for Ekwonu. Moton’s absence could now create an opening on the right side for Monroe Freeling, the offensive tackle Carolina selected with the No. 18 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Panthers wasted little time addressing the left side of the offensive line, signing Rasheed Walker in March as insurance for Ekwonu. The next month, Carolina doubled down up front by selecting Monroe Freeling in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton (72) during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Nov. 24, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)

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The Panthers selected Moton in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan. He has spent all nine seasons of his NFL career with Carolina.

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While many believe his signature wins came against Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe, Evander Holyfield believes his “greatest night” arrived against a different opponent.

‘The Real Deal’ became a two-division world champion in 1990, dethroning James ‘Buster’ Douglas with a third-round finish to claim the WBC, IBF and WBA heavyweight titles.

He then made three successful defences before losing to ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe, who won their first encounter by unanimous decision in 1992.

The following year, Holyfield exacted his revenge by majority decision but would suffer an eighth-round stoppage defeat in their trilogy showdown two years later.

As for his two clashes with Tyson, Holyfield proved the more measured fighter on both occasions and won by 11th-round stoppage and a third-round disqualification in 1996 and 1997, respectively.

But while these victories over Bowe and ‘Iron’ Mike were defining moments of his career, the American has suggested that he was at his very best against Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

The pair collided for Qawi’s WBA world cruiserweight title in 1986, with Holyfield winning by split decision in a closely-contested 15-round battle.

Speaking with Boxing News, Holyfield placed this particular win ahead of those against Bowe and Tyson.

“I feel my greatest night in the ring was my fight against Dwight Muhammad Qawi. That was 15 rounds and, at the time, I had not gone past eight-rounds. And geez, that fight was like a marathon.

“To be tired in the fourth round, when there were still 11 rounds to go [laughs], it was a stressful time. And that guy [Qawi] was so cagey. He had a great defence and he threw lots of punches as well. That made it a really difficult fight.”

The two cruiserweights locked horns again in 1987, with Holyfield scoring a fourth-round finish to retain his WBA and IBF titles.

Luke Littler continued the defence of his World Matchplay title with a tense 11-8 win over Nathan Aspinall in Blackpool.

The reigning champion produced a nine-dart finish in the opening leg, coming incredibly close to a second nine-darter within four legs.

Aspinall fought back from 7-5 down just as it looked like the match was getting away from him, and himself managed a 170 checkout, though Littler ultimately proved too strong.

Littler, who progresses to the quarter-final, told Sky Sports: “That was amazing. That’s the best game me and Nathan have had.

“Seeing the averages, I thought his was going to be a bit better. He gave it his all.

“His 170 was the best ever hit against me, fair play to Nathan Aspinall. I’m glad to take part in such an amazing game.”

Littler will next take on Josh Rock, who defeated an off-colour Stephen Bunting 11-6 in the final match of the night.

In Tuesday’s other matches, Michael van Gerwen’s campaign was ended by a 14-12 defeat to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.

Van Gerwen recovered from 8-4 down to level the match at 10-10 but Van Duijvenbode won out.

Scotland’s Gary Anderson also progressed to the last eight with an 11-7 win over Welshman Jonny Clayton.

The close friendship between President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino might become a working relationship.

Trump reportedly wants Infantino to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations, per the New York Post.

Trump has faith that Infantino is “respected by everyone around the world,” and following the first-ever FIFA World Cup in three different countries, the 45th and 47th president of the U.S. believes the world “recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together,” a source told The Post.

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President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hold the FIFA World Cup winner’s trophy before handing it over to Spain captain Rodri at the award ceremony following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19, 2026. (Getty Images)

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital on this matter.

Infantino, the Swiss-born leader of soccer’s largest governing body, grew close to Trump while organizing the World Cup. Trump was included in many different aspects, including Infantino awarding him FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize back in December.

Trump was also seen handing out the Club World Cup trophy last year at MetLife Stadium, and he was present to give Spain’s Rodrì the World Cup trophy on Sunday afternoon at the same venue after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 to win the tournament.

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During the match, Trump was seated between First Lady Melania Trump and Infantino, while the World Cup trophy was spotted in his suite for viewing prior to handing it out on the pitch.

The next secretary-general of the UN will be elected later this year, and that person will begin their post on Jan. 1, 2027. Portugal’s António Guterres will be stepping down come December.

Whether Infantino will be considered for the role remains to be seen. He must first be endorsed by all 15 members of the Security Council before receiving confirmation from the General Assembly. The Security Council’s five permanent members each have veto power.

Infantino must also want the post himself, and it’s unclear whether that is the case here. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.

US President Donald Trump and FIFA president (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) Gianni Infantino talk in the Oval office of the White House after signing an executive order for a task force related to the FIFA World Cup, in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2025 (Jim WATSON / AFP)

If Infantino wishes to run for secretary-general, The Post learned that Trump believes he would be running against seven “lame” candidates, including Chile’s former socialist president, Michelle Bachelet.

Argentina’s Rafael Grossi also could be a contender for the role, though the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency may face resistance from the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands — a heavily disputed situation between the two countries which found its way into the World Cup.

Paolo Zampolli, who serves as Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, said to The Post Infantino “would do a great job,” believing he is “liked by everybody.”

Zampolli has reportedly dealt with FIFA in the past, as the Italian-American businessman and diplomat pitched to Infantino to replace Iran with Italy for the World Cup in an effort to repair the relationship between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Zampolli was also a former ambassador to the UN for Dominica.

“At the United Nations, you have to deal with 193 member states. In FIFA, there are over 200 members [and] Gianni’s great record shows he knows how to manage,” he told The Post.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attend the awards ceremony after the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19, 2026. Spain defeated Argentina with a goal from Ferran Torres in the 106th minute of extra time. (Getty Images)

Infantino, however, did come under fire by some soccer organizations around the globe after the reversal of Folarin Balogun’s red card for Team USA in the World Cup ahead of their Round of 16 match against Belgium. Trump confirmed he called Infantino for a review of the controversial red card, which would’ve had Balogun, the team’s leading goal scorer at the time, miss the win-or-go-home match.

Infantino faces an election of his own next year, as March 2027 will be when the FIFA Congress decides whether he will run a fourth term.

Meanwhile, Trump has not shied away from his views about the UN since returning to office, cutting the U.S. contributions to the organization, while pulling out of the World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO and the UN Human Rights Council.

President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hold the FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy before handing it over to Spain captain Rodri at the award ceremony following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Getty Images)

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If Infantino doesn’t want the post with the UN, and he is re-elected by the FIFA Congress to remain president, he will be organizing yet another tournament in 2027. The FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Brazil, takes place before an even bigger FIFA World Cup in 2030.

To honor the 100th anniversary of the tournament, the matches will begin in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay before the majority of them are played in Spain, Morocco and Portugal. Much like this year’s World Cup, history will be made as no tournament has ever been played in six different countries and three different continents.

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The Yankees‘ scheduled game against the Pirates Tuesday night was postponed due to weather, setting up a doubleheader on Wednesday and it’ll include some big-name pitchers for New York. Former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole will get the ball for Game 1 and All-Star lefty Max Fried is now scheduled to start Game 2 in his first appearance in more than two months.

Fried has been on the shelf since May 16 due to a bone bruise in his left elbow and hasn’t pitched in the majors since May 13. Interestingly, earlier on Tuesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone (via MLB.com) said Fried would take one more minor-league rehab start before rejoining the rotation. Things have apparently changed in the hours since. 

In 32 starts last season, Fried was 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA, finishing fourth in AL Cy Young voting in his first season with the Yankees. In 10 starts this season prior to his injury, he was 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 50 strikeouts against 19 walks in 61 ⅔ innings. 

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Matt Snyder

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Fried only made one rehab start, giving up two runs on five hits in three innings on 52 pitches. Given that he’s not fully stretched out just yet, it seems possible that Will Warren (originally scheduled to start on Tuesday) could piggyback Fried in this outing. 

An interesting wrinkle here, with Cole and Fried pitching on the same day, is that it’ll be the first day both are on the Yankees’ active roster together. Fried was signed as a free agent in the offseason leading into 2025 and Cole missed all of 2025 after having Tommy John surgery. He returned to the rotation on May 22 this season, roughly a week after Fried went down with an injury. 

Along with Fried and Cole, All-Star Cam Schlittler is another frontline starter for the Yankees and they’ll look to add former All-Star lefty Carlos Rodón back from the injured list in the coming weeks. Warren and Ryan Weathers add depth in what could be a stellar rotation down the stretch. 

The Yankees enter Wednesday’s doubleheader at 56-44, 1.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East standings. 

Vikings Territory Breakdown Podcast

Minnesota Vikings 2026 Training Camp has arrived. Rookies report on Sunday, July 26, and two days later the rest of the team joins them at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. The team comes to camp with a new general manager, retooled roster and a fresh quarterback competition. The quarterbacks in question—Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy—will garner most of the attention from the patrons in the stands at TCO. But there are plenty other questions to be answered as the team grinds out in the late-summer Minnesota heat. Let’s look at a few.

Will Dallas Turner and Jacoby Thomas make up for the loss of Jonathan Greenard? Is Ivan Pace on the bubble and in danger of being cut? What will the secondary look like on opening day (and what will happen with Harrison Smith)? What do we expect the running back rotation to be with the aging Aaron Jones, backup Jordan Mason and the rookie speedster Demond Claiborne? Is the offensive line healthy and ready to take a step forward? And will it protect the cornerback enough for either one to succeed?

And how important is this season to Kevin O’Connell? He’s had a few seasons in which the “quarterback whisperer” couldn’t get over the hump with the quarterback position, plus he missed the playoffs last season. There’s a new general manager, so is the scrutiny from the GM a little more intense on the coach since GM Nolan Teasley didn’t choose him?

Plenty of questions to consider. And that’s what the fellas at the Vikings Territory Breakdown podcast—Joe Oberle, senior writer at vikingsterritory.com and purplePTSD.com, and Mark Craig, NFL and Vikings writer for the Star Tribune and startribune.com—are here to do. Tune in and check it out. Skol!

Joe Oberle is a veteran sportswriter/editor/reporter and has covered the Vikings since 2008. The author of three books, he … More about Joe Oberle

I don’t think I have taken a look at an Athletics game in this space in 2026, but that changes Tuesday. The A’s have been flailing for weeks, though they did manage a victory Monday night. Still, they look to be in a good fade spot tonight at Arizona in the second game of their three-game series. It’s a 9:40 p.m. ET first pitch from Chase Field, and the Diamondbacks are -136 money line favorites in our consensus MLB odds, while the Over/Under for total runs scored is 9.5. 

Athletics-Diamondbacks MLB pick (DraftKings)

• Arizona to not bat bottom 9 (+110)

It might seem like forever ago to Athletics fans – what few are left with the team leaving Oakland – but the club spent 44 days alone or tied for first place in the AL West earlier this season. As recently as following a June 18 victory over the Angels, the A’s were sitting at 38-38 and only a half-game out of the division lead. They had about a 30% shot of making the playoffs via the SportsLine Projection Model.

Now the club is 43-57 with a 1.3% shot and much closer to the AL West last-place Halos than a wild card spot. In fact, the Athletics have the worst run differential in the majors by far at minus-111. Part of that is playing many games in that hitter-friendly Sacramento minor-league park. They also had a handful earlier this year at a Las Vegas minor-league park that proved to be an utter launching pad. Manager Mark Kotsay is on a major hot seat.

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I don’t really get this because there is some really good young talent on the roster, led by All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers. They also have 2025 AL Rookie of the Year and outfielder Nick Kurtz and shortstop and 2025 AL ROY runner-up Jacob Wilson – he homered in Monday’s 5-2 victory. The lineup generally hasn’t been the problem — the pitching staff has. It owns a 5.29 ERA that is better than only Colorado. The Athletics have 20 quality starts, 34 fewer than the MLB-leading Dodgers.

JT Ginn has been pretty good in the rotation, and rookie Gage Jump has shown promise, but that’s about it. Every other pitcher who has made double-digit starts has an ERA of at least 4.16. Converted reliever Jack Perkins (2-5, 6.87 ERA) gets the call tonight, his seventh start and 25th appearance of the season. The Athletics have lost his past five trips to the mound. Perkins followed an opener last time out in Detroit but still took the loss, allowing three runs over three innings.

The 26-year-old faced Arizona last year as a rookie and was shelled for four runs and five hits over three innings of a home loss. The model projects him at 5.3 innings, 5.9 strikeouts, 4.5 hits allowed and 2.7 earned runs tonight. That all seems generous.

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Arizona should be a buyer ahead of the trade deadline, sitting only a half-game out of the final NL wild card spot. That race could be fascinating the rest of the way with a good six teams in the mix. The Snakes are -245 for extra baseball and +200 for No. The model gives them a 22.0% chance.

Do the Diamondbacks have the pitching themselves to get there? Maybe if Corbin Burnes makes it back from Tommy John surgery, but now that’s apparently not before September if even then. Usual stalwarts like Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are having down seasons. Gallen and fellow starter Michael Soroka are on the injured list – Gallen’s season might be over — so Arizona needs a body for Tuesday, and that apparently will be rookie lefty Kohl Drake on the mound in the 26-year-old’s debut in the Show.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder, one of three prospects who came over from Texas at the 2025 trade deadline, is ranked as the franchise’s No. 10 overall prospect. He is 3-5 with a 6.92 ERA in 66.1 innings this season at Triple-A Reno.

Obviously, that’s not a good ERA, but you can often throw that number out in the Pacific Coast League (where Reno plays) as all those parks are quite hitter-friendly. Drake has been called up a few times the past couple of years but has yet to pitch. The Athletics have struggled against lefties at 12-22, and the model forecasts Kohl at 5.0 innings, 4.9 strikeouts, 6.2 hits allowed and 2.5 earned runs. 

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The Athletics took advantage of no Corbin Carroll in the Arizona lineup on Monday, but Carroll should be back in there and Sacramento last won back-to-back games June 25-26. Obviously, I wish it were a veteran pitcher for the Snakes and not a guy making his debut, but they should hit Perkins around. Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter. 

The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.

During a friendly 4-ball, teeing off on a blind par-4, my playing partner could not find her tee shot. The group searched for more than 3 minutes for her ball. My partner decided to “pick up” rather than head back to the tee. Soon enough, another player in the group checked the hole for fun — no one had thought to look there, since it was a par-4 … and there it was. A hole-in-one! But was it really, given the circumstances? – Teresa White, Purchase, NY

Really, it was, even if it sounds like the group didn’t get the free round of drinks owed at the 19th hole.

Your partner indeed made a hole-in-one — and, even rarer, an albatross to boot! The fact that the ball wasn’t found in the search time didn’t matter, nor did her “picking up,” because she had already completed the hole. Rule 6.5, “Completing Play of a Hole,” completely covers this situation.

For the answer to another hole-in-one query, read on …

A member at our club made an ace, then called a penalty on himself, claiming he teed the ball ahead of the marker. All this to avoid paying for drinks after the round, when tabs have reached $2,000. Was this legal? – John Karam, St. Petersburg, Fla.

The thrill of victory and the agony of… the bar tab.

Let’s say this occurred in match play. Under Rule 6.1b, which covers playing from inside the teeing area, the opponent gets to choose whether to cancel Mr. Cheap Ace’s stroke, so if that opponent prefers a free drink and losing the hole, so be it — don’t cancel the stroke and the hole in one stands.

In stroke play, once the player has called the penalty on himself, he gets two penalty strokes — but remember, the stroke into the hole now doesn’t count and the player has to correct the mistake by playing from within the teeing area (as opposed to “That’s a 1 with a 2-stroke penalty for a 3”).

If he doesn’t correct the mistake, he’s disqualified. Some might argue that a player calling a penalty to gain an advantage is antithetical to golf’s spirit, and the Committee could go the DQ route via serious misconduct under Rule 1.2a.

But the game of golf assumes honorable golfers and takes them at their word, unless there’s hard evidence to the contrary. Suspicions aren’t facts, and the “advantage” here is purely financial, not competitive — quite the contrary, since he has cost himself strokes. Maybe it seems a bit naive, but Rules Guy, for one, prefers it that way, even if it means paying for his own single-malt Scotch at the 19th hole.

Contract extensions can be tricky things. Re-sign or extend too soon, and the player may fall short of expectations, causing regret. Re-sign too late, and things can get ugly in a hurry, leading to increased dollar amount and possibly bad blood. That too, might be something to regret. Even an act of indifference such as letting a deal expire and letting the player walk free and clear is a potentially regretful situation for the Dallas Cowboys to find themselves in.

While contract extensions will always be second-guessed, regardless of the logic and regardless of the circumstance, we will attempt to hammer out some today as we navigate these tricky extension situations facing the team in 2026

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The Cowboys have more than a few players up for new deals, but which players demand extensions now, which ones are more wait-and-see and which are too risky to re-up and just something that should ride out?

Williams is locked in through the 2027 season, but the Cowboys’ commitment to him is obvious and the intention to extend has been made clear. Instead of waiting until this time next year, it may be more economically responsible to extend him now.

Williams, 28, is slated to count over $21M in 2026 and over $25M in 2027.  With the market currently set at $35M/year, getting ahead of this now makes more sense than waiting until the market grows larger and Williams is on the wrong side of 30. An extension with a boost in pay now could soften the blow, ease the tension and commit to a player everyone feels extremely good about.

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This is an impossibly difficult situation that has me firmly on the fence. On one hand, Overshown is a game-changing talent with All-Pro ability. On the other hand, he’s a player who had multiple knee injuries and someone who’s missed more games than he’s played.

It comes down to this: Even if Overshown stays healthy and plays brilliantly in 2026, can the Cowboys afford to pay a player with his medical history top of the market prices? That question led me to propose a one-year extension earlier in the offseason. Giving him a megadeal off just one healthy season is too risky but if he can stay healthy for 2026 and 2027, it makes such a committment a little less scary. But deals like that are rare, and for the purposes of this exercise, Overshown is too risky to sign on a high-dollar deal now, or over the next offseason.

The deadline to an extension has already come and gone for Pickens and the Cowboys, so this really just came down to “reassess” or “ride it out” status here. If Pickens repeats his 2025 breakout campaign and posts over 1200 yards and double-digit touchdowns, the market will explode for him. If he falls back to the production levels of previous years and/or raises behavioral concerns, his value will tank. It all makes the Cowboys’ approach to wait-and-see completely logical.

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At the end of the day, Pickens’ high is too high to rule out an extension. Even with all the money going to the offense already, a multi-year deal has to be considered if he proves dominant once again. His situation demands open minds and potentially open wallets.

You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 Cowboys in need of contract extensions, 3 different paths