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USA’s Christian Pulisic Scores In First Start Of Season For

U.S. star Christian Pulisic made his first start and scored his first goal of the season with AC Milan on Sunday.

Pulisic scored in the 14th minute to help lead Milan to a 3-0 home win over Lecce in the Italian league.

Pulisic had made two other appearances with Milan this season in all competitions, coming off the bench in both at halftime.

Pulisic’s last goal for Milan had been in December 2025 in a league win over Verona.

“It hasn’t been an easy year,” he told DAZN. “I’m happy about the goal today, but right now all that matters is to keep winning.”

Milan had won only one home game since March and was booed off the field in a 2-0 home loss to Benfica in the Europa League on Wednesday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.



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Spain Extends World Cup-Winning Coach Luis de la Fuente Through

Spain has agreed to extend the contract of World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente until 2032.

The Spanish soccer federation’s board of directors unanimously approved the contract extension on Monday, the federation said.

The new contract will keep De la Fuente in for the 2030 World Cup that Spain will co-host with Morocco and Portugal, and the 2028 and 2032 European Championships.

“We are looking for a project built on stability and trust,” federation president Rafael Louzán said. “It is a proposal based on confidence in Luis de la Fuente and the sporting project he leads, spanning a multi-year competitive cycle that includes major tournaments.

“We are talking about the most decorated coach in the national team’s history,” Louzán said. “After 14 years with us, a long-term future at the federation is something Luis de la Fuente deserves.”

De la Fuente led Spain to its second World Cup title in July. The win over Argentina in the final gave Spain a record 38-game unbeaten streak.

He took over the national team from Luis Enrique after the team’s elimination to Morocco in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

De la Fuente has won 38 of his 50 games in charge of the main squad. He had been coaching Spain’s youth squads before taking over.

Reporting by The Associated Press.



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Cole Palmer, Declan Rice Ruled Out Of England’s Upcoming Nations

Cole Palmer was among five players to withdraw from the England squad on Monday because of injuries, denying the Chelsea playmaker an opportunity to prove his worth again to coach Thomas Tuchel after a World Cup snub.

Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice, Tino Livramento and Kobbie Mainoo also were ruled out of upcoming Nations League games against world champion Spain, Croatia and Czech Republic (two) because of unspecified injury issues, the national team said.

Only two players have been called up as replacements: Everton midfielder James Garner and Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White.

Last week, Tuchel said Palmer would have “a point to prove” after his recall, having been a high-profile absentee from the England squad that went to the World Cup and reached the semifinals before losing to Argentina.

Palmer played the full game in Chelsea’s last outing, a 3-0 loss at Brentford on Friday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.



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Inside The Garage: Carson Hocevar Is Not The Only One

Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tenn.) — Carson Hocevar’s reaction to Ryan Blaney confronting him following the Cup race Saturday night appeared both natural and symbolic for Spire Motorsports.

Hocevar didn’t let Blaney get the first punch. Instead, once Blaney grabbed him, Hocevar started swinging.

Spire Motorsports has had to do a lot of that lately, trying to fight back against perceptions and allegations.

Carson Hocevar (L) and Ryan Blaney took their beef from the track to pit road after Bristol on Saturday night. 

–>

The organization started in the 2019 season after the company — then a driver management and sponsor broker firm — bought the Furniture Row Racing charter. Its first years were lean, as they had to pay off the loan they got for the charter.

They steadily built and got an influx of cash after TWG Global purchased a majority stake in the organization but with Jeff Dickerson remaining as the operator of the team. It has increased to a three-charter organization.

It has put two drivers (Hocevar and Daniel Suárez) in The Chase for the first time this year but not without controversy. 

It hired Chris Gabehart away from Joe Gibbs Racing (where he was competition director), and all sides are embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with JGR, alleging Gabehart has given trade secrets to Spire and is violating his non-compete clause.

Chris Gabehart, seen here during his JGR days, is now an integral part of Spire’s success.

–>

On Wednesday before Bristol, JGR filled several exhibits to support motions where it asked the court to hold Spire and Gabehart in contempt for violating the non-compete clause. 

JGR had obtained a restraining order keeping Gabehart from performing similar duties at Spire that he had at JGR.

Spire has indicated that Gabehart’s role is more motorsports-driven than Cup-focused, as Spire has teams in trucks and late-model dirt racing, as well as Cup. 

JGR counters that Gabehart took photos of several JGR documents when he knew he was leaving for Spire. Gabehart no longer has the images — photos that he claims he created while in his JGR role.

“The evidence establishes … he was using JGR trade secrets to analyze the performance of Spire’s cars at Cup Series races and providing input on a Spire car’s setup, disclosing JGR trade secrets in the process,” JGR’s filing states.

A couple of days after the filing, Dickerson put out a statement refuting the allegations. 

“JGR once said that this case was about its ‘crown jewels,’” the statement said. “Now, JGR is talking about stray comments at a few meetings and a debrief form.

“JGR does not get to control what other race teams do through court cases. JGR does not own tire pressures, JGR does not own race strategy, JGR does not own the people who work in this industry, and JGR does not own Spire. … Months of discovery have shown that Spire Motorsports has done nothing wrong.”

Carson Hocevar introduced himself as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver at Bristol.

–>

Hocevar, who is not shy in professing his bond with Dickerson that allows him to be his free-spirited self, doubled down on the lawsuit drama. He introduced himself to the crowd at Bristol as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

Dickerson told me he didn’t know Hocevar was going to do it.

“I did not know [about it],” Dickerson said. “I thought that was an incredible troll. He did that on his own.”

If Hocevar is good at something beyond going fast in a race car, it’s trolling. He ran a 12-hour promotion of 12 percent off his merchandise following the fight with Blaney, whose number is 12.

When asked if his hand hurt after the punches, Hocevar didn’t skip a beat.

“I don’t know if my hand’s supposed to hurt or not, but [competition director] Matt McCall — we fist bump each other pretty hard and prep,” Hocevar said to me and other reporters Saturday night. “So I must have my knuckles worn.”

His unapologetic nature — which is reminiscent of Dickerson — certainly has not helped him get along better with competitors. 

But it seems that the fans find it endearing. 

“We get the full story, and we get to be in the highlight reel, I guess,” Hocevar said. “That’s, of course, everything I want to be a part of.”

In some ways, be careful what you wish for. But so far it’s working for Spire. 

And so far, Spire is backing Hocevar, who has a deal for several years to remain at the organization and whose wreck with Blaney could easily be viewed as a racing incident if looked at in a silo and not amid a few years of Hocevar having more than his fair share of dust ups. 

“I don’t want to tell people the stop sign is blue, right?” Dickerson said. “That one [with Blaney], I didn’t know we were going to have to defend anything. … It’s just Bristol.”

Brake Issues

The fallout of five drivers having brake failures at World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) a week ago had drivers and teams talking with NASCAR.

Gateway has been notorious for brake issues because the heat cycles put on them during the event.

The lack of sustained green-flag runs also likely contributed to the problem because that even increased the temperature range of the brakes throughout the event.

The question for NASCAR and the teams is whether, with the increased horsepower and now 50 minutes of practice, the teams are doing more wear and tear on the brake rotors and pads than they are designed to handle.

Chase Elliott said teams noticed a higher wear on the pads after that practice. 

Teams are not allowed to change brake pads once practice begins and until the race begins (theoretically, they could replace them during a race, costing themselves laps) and can only change brake rotors if they can show a problem.

Chase Elliott is one driver who’s concerned about the wear on brakes at certain tracks.

–>

Elliott told me Friday that he has concerns about the upcoming races at Phoenix and Martinsville.

“When we go to these tracks and we don’t have 25-minute practices at a high brake pressure track, I do think that some of those things probably need to be thought about a little bit and addressed,” Elliott said.

“Or we’re just going to limit how much we run. However, we need to go about that to better our chances of not having a problem.”

Ryan Blaney, who had a brake issue, indicated it isn’t a new problem as far as race teams grappling with the best set up to go fast but not break equipment. Brakes and tires are among the areas where teams have single-source suppliers but how they use them (brake cooling, tire cambers) can impact the performance and reliability.

“We operate on the edge all the time, and we were just on the other side of that edge,” Ryan Blaney told me and other reporters on Friday. “It’s just one of those things that happens when you’re trying to get everything you can.

“So that’s motorsports.”

In The News

The Craftsman Trucks Series will get a new name in 2027.

–>

— Legacy Motor Club named engineer Chais Eliason as crew chief for its No. 42 Cup car driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Eliason will remain as crew chief for next season when Josh Berry takes over that ride. Former crew chief Travis Mack is no longer with the team.

— NASCAR has adjusted its rules for racing in damp conditions on ovals. All cars must start the race on the tires designated by NASCAR and once they take the green (assuming the conditions are damp), teams can change tires when they want. The previous rule had NASCAR dictating which tires they must be on for an oval. If it rains during a race, NASCAR would throw the yellow flag so teams would have the option to put on rain tires. NASCAR, if pit road is damp, could go to non-competitive pit stops under caution in these situations.

— FedEx Freight will replace Craftsman as the entitlement sponsor for NASCAR’s truck series beginning next year. The company will also be NASCAR’s official freight partner. NASCAR has not had an official shipping partner since UPS left the sport in 2014 and that category remains open.

— NASCAR announced that its postseason awards will be Nov. 10, two days after the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It will be held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

Stock Rising

Tristan McKee made history at Bristol.

–>

Spire Motorsports development driver Tristan McKee won the ARCA East Series title at Bristol and then became the youngest driver (16 years, 1 month, 14 days) ever to earn a top five in a NASCAR national series with a fifth-place finish in the truck race.

Social Spotlight

They Said It

“I’ve seen enough of these. I’m just going to start swinging and see what happens.”
— Carson Hocevar on his fight with Ryan Blaney

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Title Odds: Hamlin Favored To Win Chase; Larson Closing In

Denny Hamlin is favored to win The Chase, but one driver is closing in on the NASCAR Cup Series title oddsboard. Here’s the latest.



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Aaron Glenn Has No Regrets After Jets’ OT Collapse vs

Aaron Glenn is sticking by the late-game decisions that helped contribute to the New York Jets’ frustrating loss to the Green Bay Packers.

No second-guessing himself. No regrets. Well, other than the end result: a 20-17 overtime defeat in a game the Jets led by 10 points in the fourth quarter.

“We have to make sure we can close the door and finish those types of games,” Glenn said Monday. “That’s something I have to make sure that I get our team into a position to be able to do that. And I understand that. I take that and it’s something I would never run from.”

But some of his play calls and clock management, especially in the fourth quarter, backfired and seemingly prevented the Jets from their first 2-0 start since 2015.

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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The Jets had a fourth-and-1 from the 50 with 1:20 left and Glenn went for it. Braelon Allen was stuffed for no gain, turning the ball over on downs and giving the Packers time and good field position with the game tied at 17.

“Man, we were going to try to win the game,” Glenn said. “Listen, I do not regret that decision, not one bit.”

After Christian Watson was tackled following a completed pass, the Packers faced fourth-and-5 from the Jets 45 with 1:05 left. Glenn declined to call a timeout — he had two left — and instead Green Bay let the clock wind down. The Packers were called for delay of game, resulting in a 10-second runoff, and then took a timeout for a Hail Mary try with 2 seconds remaining. Glenn finally called a timeout to set up the defense, which sacked Jordan Love to send it to overtime.

Glenn reiterated Monday what he said after the game, explaining that he and the Jets’ game management and analytics staffs discuss those types of scenarios. He pointed out the Packers had two remaining timeouts, which could’ve been used if the Jets found themselves deep in their own territory if Green Bay had punted.

“If you put yourself in a backed-up situation and things don’t go as planned, I think you give the other team an opportunity to go down there and be able to make a play,” Glenn said. “I felt like that was the right decision to do at that point.

“We actually wanted to play for overtime when it came to that.”

The Jets won the toss, took the ball and could do nothing on offense. They punted and Green Bay drove for the winning field goal.

“There’s always going to be decisions (you reconsider),” Glenn said. “I think when the clock got to 11 seconds (in the fourth quarter), I could have easily called a timeout there and forced a punt, but I don’t think one play determined the outcome of the game. We ended up getting a sack on the play.

“There are other plays in that game that, to me, determined the outcome of that game.”

Perhaps the call on fourth-and-1 from the Packers 9 with just over 11 minutes remaining. The Jets tried to draw the defense offside, then took a delay-of-game penalty and opted for a field goal to go up 17-7.

“I was willing to go up two scores just with the way the defense was playing at that time,” Glenn said. “I felt like that was the smart thing for us to do.”

But Green Bay marched down the field for a touchdown on its next possession. The Packers tied it with 2:59 left on a drive set up by Skyy Moore’s 63-yard punt return.

“It was a very winnable game and the defense gave us so many opportunities to capitalize on it,” left tackle Olu Fashanu said. “For myself and the offense, we weren’t able to capitalize.

“So I think that’s why this game hurts a little bit more than others.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.



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Falcons Name Michael Penix Jr

Help is on the way for the Atlanta Falcons.

Michael Penix Jr. will start at quarterback for the Falcons on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, the team announced Monday. 

Thursday will be Penix’s first start of the 2026 season. The Falcons are 0-2 and have the only offense in the NFL that has not reached the red zone over the first two weeks. Turnovers and inconsistency in the passing game have compounded the issues in Atlanta.

Penix missed the final seven games of 2025 after injuring his ACL and had surgery on the knee. He returned to practice on a limited basis in the spring and for most of training camp, and he was cleared for 11-on-11 work before the third and final week of the preseason.

Atlanta named Cooper Rush the starter for Week 1 after Tua Tagovailoa injured his oblique late in the week, was ruled out and has not returned to practice since.

The Falcons lost 20-13 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 and 34-3 to the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. Rush had three turnovers against the Panthers, one fumble and two interceptions, before rookie Jack Strand replaced him in the third quarter. 

Earlier this month, Penix said he wanted to be at full strength before returning. 

“I just told [head coach Kevin Stefanski] I’m not where I want to be right now,” Penix said. “And I want to be able to be 100% so I can help the team win football games. And I’m really close. Really close.”

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NFL Offseason Predictions: Where Colin Cowherd Was Right And Wrong

As Week 2 of the NFL season wraps up, there’s plenty to process. Early results are already separating spot-on offseason takes from the ones aging horribly, leaving several teams under a cloud of question marks.

Colin Cowherd delivered his latest “Where I Was Right, Where I Was Wrong” segment on “The Herd” on Monday afternoon. Not only did Cowherd highlight his accurate predictions, but he also fully owned up to where he completely whiffed on some of his most confident takes.

Here’s where Colin Cowherd was right and wrong on his offseason football takes.

Where Colin Was Right

Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers

Cowherd: I’ve said, don’t blame the Packers, blame the coach. This is an offensive culture. 100 plus yards of penalties, bottom of the league in the red zone offense, 32nd offense through two weeks according to PFF. They do not look well coached. We always want to blame the players, folks. Yes, the circumstances aren’t ideal. Well, you know what? They’re not ideal right now. With you know, everywhere except the 49ers offense.

The reality is, everybody’s banged up in this league. This is not a well coached football team. You are losing guys in the room. This is not a new staff like the Chargers with a new OC and a new offense. This is the same offense. You got to be able to. If Jordan Love is your quarterback, you cannot look like this.

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

Cowherd: I said a couple of weeks ago, Seahawks. Why can’t they repeat as Super Bowl champions? I mean, JSN to me runs the best routes in the league. Drew Lock, who I was never a fan of, subs in for Sam Darnold. They go into Arizona and Drew Lock maybe played his best game as a pro. Kenneth Walker leaves. They ran for 160 plus yards.

They are so deep. They have nailed so many draft picks. They’ve got two of everything. JSN in front of our eyes…it’s like he’s running routes that are confusing the best defensive backs. They’re 16-2 on the road. Culture roster with a backup quarterback. They are different than everybody else in the league.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers

Cowherd: Nothing is working for the Chargers. I thought Mike McDaniel would be a revelation. They look confused. They’re snapping the ball, and it’s hitting players in motion. Receivers ending up in the same spot, they blew multiple coverages defensively yesterday. You want to play fast in football. You want to be smart, but it’s not calculus. I had them winning the division. I have not whiffed on any team more than your L.A. Chargers.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

Cowherd: I said the second most improved team in the league after the Giants will be the Cincinnati Bengals. They are now top four in run defense. Last year they were 32nd. They went and did what the Bengals don’t do. They spent money, and they’re like, you know what? We’re gonna buy Joe Burrow run defense because people are playing keep away from Joe Burrow. Eight sacks through two games.

They look different. I mean, they went and bought size. They went and bought dexterity and physicality. That defense is. I mean, you can just see the tackles. It’s more violent, they’re bigger, they’re faster and they’re more disruptive. I thought the defense would be much improved. I thought Cincinnati had a chance to double their win total, so we were right on that one.

Where Colin Was Wrong

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers

Cowherd: Brock Purdy and the Niners look fantastic. I said that they were too old, they were too brittle and they would be third in division. I think Brock Purdy looks so far as good as any quarterback in this league. Through two weeks, Brock has been transformative. He’s not missing on anything. Nearly perfect yesterday. 149 passer rating.

He’s moving well. He’s always seen the field really, really well. But you bring in Mike Evans now. Cross your fingers. This is an old roster. Everybody’s healthy. They lost to DeMarcus Robinson yesterday. Hard to explain how, but I was wrong. They looked like a sensational high-end playoff team.

LSU Tigers

LSU Tigers

Cowherd: Lane Kiffin and LSU got whacked by Ole Miss. They trailed 24-7 at one point. Now Trinidad Chambliss, who knows if he plays on Sundays, is a sensational college quarterback. We talked about this all last season. I mean, I’m never somebody that’s going to watch a lot of Ole Miss football games.

You know, I watch the highlights. I’ve been watching this kid for two years. He is sensational, but LSU had some key penalties. You know, Lane brings a lot of attention to himself, but they didn’t live up to it. I’ll give him credit. They battled back, but they had a crucial penalty, false start, and a big moment in the second half. I liked LSU in the game, and I was wrong.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings

Cowherd: I said Minnesota is the one team in the NFL that could finish fourth or first and Brian Flores did it again. I mean, you can blame Caleb [Williams]  all you want. That staff, between Kevin O’Connell, who had a winning record. It was quarterback by committee. They didn’t know week to week who was starting at quarterback, and it’s the best division record-wise in the NFL the last several years, so that’s why I said this weekend I don’t buy the point spread. This game’s going to be close.

You’re not going to blow out in choppy weather. Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores and Carson Wentz has always been a quarterback. I think he’s one of the better backups in the league. I don’t think he’s a guy I’m going to build around. But we were right on the Vikings, giving the Bears some problems.

USC Trojans

USC Trojans Defense

Cowherd: I’ve been talking all season about USC’s defensive front. This team is different. They can play real defense. Give me a break. Rutgers, who lost and was manhandled by UMass, ran for over 160 yards. I don’t know what it is about Lincoln Riley. I don’t have any idea. When he goes on the road, they leave the defense in L.A. They are two different programs.

There’s the L.A. version where they can beat almost anybody, and there’s the East Coast version where they defensively get overwhelmed. Rutgers pushed USC’s defensive front all over the field, and don’t get me wrong. There’s a wide receiver named KJ Duff for Rutgers. He’s going to play in the pros. He’s really good, but I mean they ran about 13, 15, 18 slant patterns and they all seem to work.



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bet365 Bonus Code FOX365 Unlocks $365 in Bonuses for Rams

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 

Monday Night Football closes out Week 2 with the New York Giants visiting the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. bet365 has the promo that new users are looking for with $365 in bonuses, win or lose, when you use bonus code FOX365.

The Giants come in riding high after their divisional win against the Cowboys in Week 1. Quarterback Jaxson Dart led the offense to a touchdown drive every quarter. Meanwhile, the Rams are looking to bounce back after a Week 1 loss to the 49ers, with Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams looking to spark the offense. But all eyes will be focused on the return of Aaron Donald, who is making his season debut.

For this Monday Night Football showdown, new users on bet365 take advantage of bet365’s bonus code FOX365 to unlock $365 in bonuses, win or lose. With Stafford and Donald making headlines for Los Angeles and Dart leading a confident Giants team, there’s plenty to follow as Week 2 wraps up.

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How to Watch Giants vs. Rams

  • When: Monday, September 21, 2026, 8:15 p.m. ET
  • Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
  • TV: ABC, ESPN
  • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle

Players to Watch

Jaxson Dart

New York converted 9 of 10 third downs and finished with 394 total yards in the win over Dallas, with Jaxson Dart’s dual-threat game at the center of it.

Los Angeles scored only seven points in Melbourne. Sustaining that Giants efficiency against a Rams defense trying to reset at home is what matters Monday night.

Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles scored only seven points in Melbourne, and that empty night is still hanging over Matthew Stafford heading into Monday.

New York just held Dallas to 20 points and picked off Dak Prescott once. Getting the Rams into the end zone against that defense is the job at SoFi.

Isaiah Likely

Isaiah Likely caught all eight of his targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns in his Giants debut, finishing as New York’s top receiver in the win over Dallas.

The Rams allowed 27 points in Melbourne. Likely’s red-zone production is one of the first matchup pieces New York can lean on again.

]–>

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Why Bryce Young Has Impressed Gronk and Jules: ‘Really Fun

Week 2 of the NFL season did not provide as many offensive fireworks as the opening week, but a pair of NFC stars stood out among the rest.

Bryce Young and Jaxon Smith-Njigba each led their teams to victory by accounting for three touchdowns in Week 2.

On the latest episode of FOX Sports’ “Gronk & Jules,” Edelman chose the Carolina Panthers quarterback and Gronkowski picked the Seattle Seahawks receiver as their Employees of the Week. 

Julian Edelman’s Employee Of The Week

Bryce YoungCarolina Panthers

Young completed 23 of 36 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Darren Waller, in a 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons. 

“I think Bryce Young had an unbelievable game,” Edelman said. “Doesn’t make too many self-inflicting mistakes. He’ll take what the defense gives him. He hits the big opportunity when they give him the big opportunity. He’s been really fun to watch, and he’s coming into his own.”

The performance followed a Week 1 game in which Young threw for 361 yards in a 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears.

“They’ve scored a lot of points these last two weeks,” Edelman said. “He’s been getting better every week. For 5’10 at quarterback, it’s crazy.”

Bryce Young tossed one of his three touchdown passes to Chuba Hubbard and did not have any turnovers against the Falcons in week 2.(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Gronkowski pointed to Young’s benching back in 2024 as the turning point. Head coach Dave Canales sat Young in favor of Andy Dalton after Carolina’s 0-2 start to the 2024 season. 

“The benching was totally accurate,” Gronkowski said. “It was necessary, and everyone thought there was no argument to the benching.”

Gronkowski said Dalton’s play as the starter “kind of lit a spark,” and he joked that Young took the fiery hair off Dalton and the heat that came with it.

“Bryce Young has been the quarterback that the Carolina Panthers have wanted Bryce Young to be since that benching,” Gronkowski said. “He gets better every year.”

Rob Gronkowski’s Employee Of The Week

Jaxon Smith-NjigbaSeattle Seahawks

Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 155 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in a 31-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals. It was the first time in his career that he scored three touchdowns in one game. 

Drew Lock started at quarterback in place of Sam Darnold, who was out with a gluteus injury, and threw all three touchdown passes to Smith-Njigba, including an 82-yard catch on Seattle’s first passing attempt of the game. 

“I’m going to go with JSN,” Gronkowski said. “He had nine catches, 155 yards. He had three touchdowns, which is a career best for him. He proved once again why he was offensive player of the year and that it wasn’t a mistake. The voters got it right. There’s no doubt about it.”

Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 155 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in a 31-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

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Gronkowski said Seattle would not be 2-0 without Smith-Njigba, pointing to the receiver’s touchdown in the Week 1 game against New England as a play that could have changed the outcome. The win over Arizona was Seattle’s 12th in a row, including the postseason. 

Edelman focused on how Smith-Njigba gets separation from defenders.

“He’s just a really smooth route runner, and he outruns people,” Edelman said. “This guy just outruns people, and he’s smooth with it. He doesn’t move his body when he cuts.”

Gronkowski went on to explain how defenders cannot tell when Smith-Njigba is going to break.

“You think that’s his out route, and then boom, he just breaks up again,” Gronkowski said. “He’s one of the hardest players to defend in all of football. He’s just really special.”

Both players are in action again in Week 3. Young and the Panthers visit the Cleveland Browns. Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks play at the Washington Commanders.

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Underdog Promo Code FOXSPORTS: Get a $1000 Deposit Match Ahead

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Monday Night Football closes out Week 2 with the New York Giants visiting the Los Angeles Rams and new users on Underdog can get a $1,000 deposit match and unlock the ‘Keep Your Millions’ promo with promo code FOXSPORTS.

Everybody will be looking at how Aaron Donald will do in his return to the NFL. Offensively, Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams look to get this offense back on track.

The Giants got a huge Week 1 win over the Cowboys, with the help of Isaiah Likely’s two touchdowns. The Rams saw their offseason hype die quickly after their disappointing loss against the 49ers in Week 1. 

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How to Watch Giants vs. Rams

  • When: Monday, September 21, 2026, 8:15 p.m. ET
  • Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
  • TV: ABC, ESPN
  • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle

Players to Watch

Jaxson Dart

New York converted 9 of 10 third downs and finished with 394 total yards in the win over Dallas, with Jaxson Dart’s dual-threat game at the center of it.

Los Angeles scored only seven points in Melbourne. Sustaining that Giants efficiency against a Rams defense trying to reset at home is what matters Monday night.

Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles scored only seven points in Melbourne, and that empty night is still hanging over Matthew Stafford heading into Monday.

New York just held Dallas to 20 points and picked off Dak Prescott once. Getting the Rams into the end zone against that defense is the job at SoFi.

Isaiah Likely

Isaiah Likely caught all eight of his targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns in his Giants debut, finishing as New York’s top receiver in the win over Dallas.

The Rams allowed 27 points in Melbourne. Likely’s red-zone production is one of the first matchup pieces New York can lean on again.

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