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Happy Friday, everyone! It’s Austin taking the reins from Zach again today. (And, once again, we’ve got live updates from The Open.)
Let’s get to it as we roll into the weekend.
💰 Good morning to all but especially to…
T.J. WATT
After months of speculation about his future, T.J. Watt is staying in the Steel City, and he’s getting paid very handsomely to do so. Watt has signed a three-year, $123 million contract extension to remain with the Steelers through the 2028 season.
When looking at the total value of NFL contracts, it’s important to remember that the guaranteed money is key. In Watt’s case, it’s nearly the entire deal. He gets $108 million guaranteed as part of this deal — and 108 just happens to be his career sack total.
Watt’s extension makes him the richest non-quarterback in NFL history, at least as far as annual salary is concerned. His $41 million per season will put him ahead of Bengals superstar Ja’Marr Chase and Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett.
After the deal was announced, Watt even got a nice shoutout from big brother J.J. Watt.
With his bag secured, Watt will now be searching for the one thing that has eluded him throughout his career — a Super Bowl ring. As Bryan DeArdo explains, Watt hasn’t even felt the exhilaration of a playoff win, let alone football’s ultimate prize.
- DeArdo: “While his individual success is considerable, Watt is hoping to have more postseason success before his career is over. He enters the 2025 season with an 0-5 record in postseason games. Pittsburgh is trying to snap its drought without a playoff win that spans back to Watt’s rookie season.”
While Watt, 30, has already done plenty to work his way up the long list of Steelers’ legends, perhaps his lack of ‘ships is the only thing preventing him from being higher in DeArdo’s ranking of the top 10 Steelers this century.
With Watt signed, all eyes turn to Big D with Micah Parsons looking for a new contract from the Cowboys. Something tells me Parsons’ price didn’t get any lower after this Watt extension. Garrett Podell says Jerry Jones has already gotten burnt badly by waiting until the last minute to get these deals done.
- Podell: “Waiting has only hurt Dallas in the past. Delaying to re-sign quarterback Dak Prescott until hours before kickoff in Week 1 of the 2024 season led to his extension being worth four years and $240 million. That’s an average per year salary of $60 million that still leads the entire NFL today.”
As we await the Cowboys’ next move with Parsons, here are the highest-paid players at every position in 2025, which has been updated to include’s Watt’s new deal.
😃 Honorable mentions
🏀 And not such a good morning for…
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CAITLIN CLARK AND THE WNBA ALL-STAR GAME
Caitlin Clark has announced that she won’t be participating in the WNBA All-Star festivities this weekend in Indianapolis after tweaking her groin in a game against the Sun on Tuesday.
With the All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis this weekend, this isn’t what Clark, the Fever, the league or the fans envisioned. After opting not to participate in the 3-Point Contest last year, Clark was set to headline the event in front of the hometown crowd. Clark is also captaining one of the teams on Saturday, and you can see the full rosters here.
Although she won’t be playing in the game, in which she will be replaced by Brittney Sykes, Clark will still be around for all the fun this weekend.
“I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game. I have to rest my body. I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping Sandy coach our team to a win.”
Clark has battled injuries all season and has been limited to just 13 games. Fever coach Stephanie White that other teams getting away with physical play against Clark has been a “factor” in her injury troubles.
The All-Star Weekend isn’t the only thing going on in Indy this weekend. The WNBPA and the WNBA are meeting to continue discussions on a new CBA. Thus far, those talks have gone … not well.
Players like Breanna Stewart and Satou Sabally have expressed frustration with the league to this point, and the WNBA’s latest proposal probably won’t quell those complaints. In a statement on Thursday, the WNBPA said the league’s latest proposal “fails to address” the players’ top priorities.
😫 Not so honorable mentions
🏀 Damian Lillard returns to Blazers
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They say you can’t go home, but those people are dead wrong. After two years away, Damian Lillard is returning to the Trail Blazers on a three-year contract worth $42 million.
Portland drafted Lillard with the No. 6 overall pick in 2012, and he played the first 11 seasons of his career there before getting traded to the Bucks in 2023. With the Bucks buying out Lillard, that opened the door for him to go back to where it all began. Lillard is already near or atop the franchise record books in countless categories.
- Points: 19,376 (1st)
- 3-Point FG: 2,387 (1st)
- Field goals: 6,281 (2nd)
- Assists: 5,151 (2nd)
- Games: 769 (3rd)
Lillard will eventually get the chance to keep climbing those ranks, but for now he is still recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered in the first round of the playoffs. There’s not yet a timeline for his return.
This is certainly a feel-good story, but on the court? It doesn’t make a ton of sense for Portland, according to Jasmyn Wimbish.
- Wimbish: “Beyond the sentimental factors of this signing, it is a bit of a head-scratching move from a Portland team that traded Lillard back in 2023 in an effort to allow him a chance to compete for a title, but also so the Blazers could rebuild. The Blazers are no closer to contending than they were when Lillard was first jettisoned. In fact, they could be even further away from a title run now.”
For Lillard? This decision makes all the sense in the world. I mean, who doesn’t want to get paid $14.1 million to rehab an injury while living near family? James Herbert says Lillard just won the offseason.
- Herbert: “The Blazers will pay Lillard $14.1 million (i.e. the full midlevel exception) next season despite the fact that he’s unlikely to appear in a single game. He reportedly planned to do his rehab in Portland regardless of where he signed, so he could be with his kids. If he ever leaves again, it will be on his terms.”
🏌 The Open Championship update
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The second round of The Open Championship is already underway from Royal Portrush, and you can check out live updates right here as you eat breakfast. You can also check out the updated tee times to see which of the heavy-hitters is about to tee off next.
As for the first round, Matt Fitzpatrick came out swinging, and the Englishman entered Friday in a five-way tie for first at 4 under. Fitzpatrick has never finished better than T-20 in The Open, but he has an excellent shot to change that this year, especially if he can keep his momentum going in the second round.
One of the four others in that five-way tie atop the leaderboard at the end of Round 1 was Harris English, and that’s impressive given he was the victim of some caddie chaos. Eric Larson has been on the bag for English since 2021, but his visa application was denied due to a drug conviction that goes back 30 years.
With Larson unable to serve as English’s caddie, putting coach Ramon Bescansa filled that role, and it’s hard to argue with the results.
The native son, Rory McIlroy, was a few strokes off the lead but still turned in a strong first round. A score of 70 may not blow anyone away, but it represents a 9-stroke improvement from his last appearance at Royal Portrush.
Patrick McDonald says McIlroy never let the round get away from him, even when it was a challenge.
- McDonald: “Only 18 holes into this championship and it’s already a different story from the last time he walked these parts in front of them. No more reminiscing on the past for McIlroy and his posse, only forward thinking to the future and what might lay ahead. Friday will not be a battle to make the cut like it was six years ago; rather, the goal will be setting up a weekend for all to remember.”
📺 What we’re watching this weekend
⛳ The Open Championship (Where to watch)
🏀 NBA Las Vegas Summer League (Where to watch)
Friday
⚾ Red Sox at Cubs, 2:20 p.m. on MLB Network
⚽ UEFA Women’s Championship: Spain vs. Switzerland, 3 p.m. on Fox
⚾ Yankees at Braves, 7:15 on MLB Network
🏀 WNBA 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge, 8 p.m. on ESPN
Saturday
🏆 Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix — Race 1, 11 a.m. on CBS Sports Network (Here’s a preview)
⚽ UEFA Women’s Championship: France vs. Germany, 3 p.m. on Fox
⚾ Red Sox at Cubs, 7:15 p.m. on Fox
🏀 WNBA All-Star Game, 8:30 p.m. on ABC
Sunday
🏆 Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix — Race 2, 11 a.m. on CBS Sports Network (Here’s a preview)
🏀 BIG3 — Week 6, 3 p.m. on CBS (Here’s a preview)
⚾ Tigers at Rangers, 7:10 p.m on ESPN
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