The Wolf Sports Newsletter is a weekly newsletter giving an efficient update on the recent happenings in the world of sports. In an era where X is a primary news source for many sports fans, you can think of The Wolf Sports Newsletter as a cheat sheet delivering key information every Monday. The focus is on football, but big news from other sectors of sports will also be included to keep you in the loop with all the action to start the week.
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From the Hall of Fame Game and inductions to Tom Brady buying into a soccer team, this week’s edition is packed with news.
Forever Legends
🌟 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class enshrined: Darrelle Revis and Joe Thomas included in the 2023 class as first-ballot members. The entire Hall of Fame class enshrined in Canton on Saturday:
- Ronde Barber
- Darrelle Revis
- Joe Thomas
- Zach Thomas
- Don Coryell (coach/contributor)
- Chuck Howley (senior)
- Joe Klecko (senior)
- Ken Riley (senior)
Among the highlights for an excellent class were DeMarcus Ware honoring his late former teammates Demaryius Thomas, Ronnie Hillman, and Marion Barber III; and Joe Klecko getting a “J-E-T-S” chant to end his speech.
"I held some seats in my heart for you guys here today."@DeMarcusWare paid tribute to the teammates he's lost today at the @ProFootballHOF enshrinement ceremony: pic.twitter.com/jNT3e6FdTS
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 5, 2023
J-E-T-S JETS! JETS! JETS!
📺: #PFHOF23 Enshrinement on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/IPmr7kpLft— NFL (@NFL) August 5, 2023
Football is back… kind of
🏈 NFL Hall of Fame Game: UCLA rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson leads the Browns to a comeback win over the Jets.
Out of nowhere, things were kicked off with… DeMarcus Ware singing the National Anthem on the eve of being inducted into the Hall of Fame:
Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee DeMarcus Ware sings the National Anthem ahead of kickoff! pic.twitter.com/rP5XXNxXr1
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) August 4, 2023
- Former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson started at quarterback for the Jets and played well, including connecting with Malik Taylor for a 57-yard deep ball (which Wilson says was called by Aaron Rodgers).
- Down 16-7 at halftime, the Browns were sparked by Thompson-Robinson (AKA “DTR”), a player college football fans should know well after he was a five-year starter with the Bruins, and former UCLA teammate Demetric Felton.
.@Browns QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson out here throwing blocks 😤 @DoriansTweets
📺: @ProFootballHOF Game on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/bDdH0uvRfp pic.twitter.com/jJvF2QPDNz— NFL (@NFL) August 4, 2023
DTR TD!
📺: @ProFootballHOF Game on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/bDdH0uvRfp pic.twitter.com/6gBI91xrRi— NFL (@NFL) August 4, 2023
Injury news
🙁 Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick is out for the season with a torn Achilles. Patrick missed all of last season with a torn ACL suffered during the summer. Sticking with the Broncos, KJ Hamler—another player that’s unfortunately struggled with injuries—will miss time due to pericarditis (thankfully a relatively minor heart condition).
HC Sean Payton confirmed that WR Tim Patrick tore his Achilles.
Join us in wishing @Tpstreets a speedy recovery. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/rl7pd9CFEu
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 1, 2023
A medical update from #Broncos WR KJ Hamler, via Instagram: pic.twitter.com/duWnnUwnLu
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 31, 2023
In other injury news, Rams superstar wide receiver Cooper Kupp is dealing with a hamstring injury. Head coach Sean McVay says he doesn’t think “it’s anything to be overly concerned with”,” and he hopes to get Kupp back at practice by joint practices next week with the Raiders.
Veteran contracts
🤠 Safety Malik Hooker, a former first-round pick of the Colts, has signed a three-year contract extension with the Cowboys.
Cowboys’ safety Malik Hooker is signing a three-year contract extension worth up to $24 million that includes an $8 million signing bonus paid in the next next 15 days and $16.5 million guaranteed. The deal ties him to the team through the 2026 season.
His agent, David… pic.twitter.com/RaiUxObKzI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 4, 2023
- It’s a strong payday for Hooker, who dealt with some injuries early in his career with Indy but has tremendous range and ballhawk skills as a free safety.
- On Instagram, Hooker posted: “I wanted to make it mandatory that I stayed here.”
- The former Ohio State Buckeye is said to be having a very good training camp, and he likes playing in Dan Quinn’s talented defense.
- Hooker is probably currently one of the most underrated players in football, and Dallas’ secondary quietly has a chance to be one of the NFL’s best in 2023.
Also, the Panthers signed former All-Pro Justin Houston (111.5 career sacks), and the Eagles signed veteran linebackers Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham.
The GOAT invests across the pond
⚽️ Tom Brady has purchased a minority stake in a British soccer team: The Birmingham City Football Club (BCFC) will have the NFL’s greatest player involved as a team owner.
Here we go! Proud to be part of the Blues family 💙💙💙 @BCFC pic.twitter.com/lSEbzzpcBk
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) August 3, 2023
- It sounds like Brady will be heavily involved with the Club, being named the Chairman of a new Advisory Board.
- Brady’s role will include “working alongside the sports science department to advise on health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery systems and programs.”
- He will also help with marketing and partnership efforts for BCFC.
Some are questioning why Brady is buying into what they deem a “second-tier” English football club, but he knows team owner Tom Wagner. Additionally, perhaps Birmingham City can get into the Premier League at some point. And maybe Brady is just a big Peaky Blinders fan. 🤷♂️
Fantasy options to note
🚨You don’t want to read too much into training camp and the preseason, but there are a few guys we think you should note with fantasy football drafts coming up.
Steelers second-year wide receiver George Pickens is making crazy catches (like the one below) seemingly every day throughout camp, and he clearly has a lot of confidence from his quarterback Kenny Pickett.
BRO! OMG!!! Pickens vs JPJ!!! #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/SzIIbGgmBr
— B-Wall (@BWall) August 1, 2023
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson says the team has put an emphasis on getting running back Travis Etienne going downhill more on his runs, adding that he’s seen positive growth and that it could add up to the former first-round pick hitting 1,600-1,700 rushing yards.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson on Travis Etienne 😯💨 pic.twitter.com/5sHRT3WL4i
— Wolf Sports (@wolfsports) August 3, 2023
There’s been a lot of positive talk surrounding the Texans’ running game, as the offense is led by former 49ers assistant Bobby Slowik after he came over from San Francisco with new head coach DeMeco Ryans. Last week, Ryans said Pierce, Devin Singletary, and the other running backs on the roster will be “excellent” in the new run game. And Pierce brought up an increased role as a receiver and the fact that Christian McCaffrey “thrived… in this offense.”
More than an Angry Runner 😤 pic.twitter.com/T0YvL9vfwO
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 5, 2023
Super Bowl Slime
📺 Super Bowl LVIII will have an alternate broadcast on Nickelodeon. Paramount owns both CBS and Nickelodeon, so it makes sense to bring the kids-centric broadcast—filled with fun on-field graphics and virtual filters—to the table for the Big Game this season.
Bring on the slime for Super Bowl LVIII!
CBS Sports and @Nickelodeon are teaming up for the first-ever Super Bowl alternate telecast with a slime-filled presentation on February 11th.https://t.co/t1Gp5ivfhm pic.twitter.com/k3yXsgaW96
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 1, 2023
Other Sports Updates
🏟️ College football realignment continues. Oregon and Washington are joining the Big Ten (along with the earlier-admitted UCLA and USC) in 2024. We’ll miss you, Pac-12 After Dark.
University of Oregon (@GoDucks) and University of Washington (@UWAthletics) to Join #B1G Conference in 2024
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) August 4, 2023
Watching Pac-12 After Dark one last time: pic.twitter.com/D0GQUadDDC
— Wolf Sports (@wolfsports) August 4, 2023
🏆 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP Cole Hamels has retired after 15 MLB seasons. Hamels was the last active member from the Phillies’ 2008 world championship team.
Congratulations on a great career, Cole! pic.twitter.com/svfffetljw
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 4, 2023
🥊 Rare sight: White Sox’s Tim Anderson and Guardians’ Jose Ramirez literally squared up at second base, with Ramirez knocking down Anderson.
It's fight night in Cleveland 😳 pic.twitter.com/3NEIpBEbSf
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) August 6, 2023
😳 USWNT lost in the Round of 16 of the World Cup. It’s the quickest elimination ever for the United States.
SWEDEN HAVE BEATEN THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS ON PENALTIES!!!
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 6, 2023
👏 Feel good story: Philadelphia fans gave struggling shortstop Trea Turner huge standing ovation of support—and he said it made his mom cry. He responded by getting back on track, including a go-ahead home run on Saturday night.
got your back. pic.twitter.com/aeYW29BeOf
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 4, 2023
Feeling all the emotions after this one 🥹 pic.twitter.com/dRsVMRJx6Y
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 5, 2023
😯 Former NFL linebacker Blake Martinez allegedly scammed collectors while selling Pokémon cards.
We really appreciate the community’s commitment to reporting trust & safety issues. Our priority is ensuring a fair and honest experience for customers and upholding our community guidelines. After a comprehensive investigation into Blakesbreaks’ operations we have decided to…
— Whatnot (@Whatnot) August 4, 2023
⚾️ Play of the year? Royals’ Michael Massey starts unique web gem.
Michael to Maikel to Matt!#WelcomeToTheCity pic.twitter.com/2pxVCpGvYg
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 6, 2023
In Case You Missed It
- Possible trade destinations for Jonathan Taylor
- 2023 Fantasy Football Team Preview Roundup
- Fantasy football rankings changes (🔒)
- Players to watch during 2023 NFL preseason action
- Hard Knocks trailer released