The Lead

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers flopped...badly. Joe Burrow led the the Cincinnati Bengals to an overtime victory. Kyler Murray stole the show. And Trevor Lawrence actually lost a regular season football game. The Athletic's Arif Hasan joins us to break down some of the most surprising moments of the NFL's opening weekend, along with some of the things we've come to expect (like Patrick Mahomes leading the Chiefs to a dramatic, high-scoring comeback).More from Arif Hasan:https://theathletic.com/author/arif-hasan/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two weeks ago, Saints head coach Sean Payton was at a press conference, answering questions about preseason, when a reporter asked him if the team had a contingency plan for the storm that was forming off the Gulf Coast. Payton said it was the first he had heard about it. Twenty-four hours later, he and others were scrambling to evacuate players, staff, and family members from the city. The Athletic's Katherine Terrell joins us from the team's new (temporary) home in Texas to explain how things unfolded from there, and to discuss how players are doing on and off the field.Read Katherine Terrell's full story about the Saints' haphazard move:https://theathletic.com/2798305/2021/09/02/inside-the-saints-chaotic-move-to-dallas-as-hurricane-ida-rapidly-approached-new-orleans/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seven months after Tom Brady and the Bucs beat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, the 2021 NFL season gets underway tonight, with the defending champions taking on Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys. Today, The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia gives us seven (mostly) bold predictions for the upcoming season, including his picks to reach the Super Bowl, and some high-profile teams that could be disappointments.  Read Sheil Kapadia’s 32 predictions for the 2021 NFL season: https://theathletic.com/2798591/2021/09/01/32-bold-and-not-so-bold-nfl-predictions-for-2021-patriots-and-the-playoffs-eagles-and-that-pass-rush-and-more/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the greatest soccer players in history is, in his words, coming home. Two weekends ago, Cristiano Ronaldo re-signed with Manchester United, the club where he first became world famous almost two decades ago. And now, on the heels of becoming the all-time leading goal scorer in international men's soccer, Ronaldo is expected to make his second debut with Man United this weekend. Today, The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell takes us inside the Red Devils' successful quest to lure the Portuguese star away from their cross-town rivals Manchester City, and to discuss what his role in the team will be -- and if his presence tips the Premier League title race in their direction.More from Laurie Whitwell:https://theathletic.com/author/laurie-whitwell/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new Netflix documentary, released today, explores the life of American tennis star Mardy Fish, who famously withdrew from a U.S. Open match against Roger Federer back in 2012. In the years since that fateful day, Fish has opened up about his struggles with severe anxiety, and has become an outspoke advocate for change. Mardy joins us today to talk about the film, his life, and how things have and haven't changed in our country's perceptions of athletes and mental health, particularly in the wake of incidents involving Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Athletic's Katie Strang recently broke the news that the Arizona Coyotes are essentially getting kicked out of their home arena in Glendale, AZ, citing multiple notices about outstanding and delinquent balances owed by the Coyotes. So, to explain how things have gotten so bad, we're replaying an episode that first aired back in February, when Katie joined us to explain some of the problems she had discovered within the Coyotes organization under new owner Alex Meruelo -- many of which relate to the current problems at the arena.Read Katie's recent report about Gila River Arena: https://theathletic.com/2778340/2021/08/19/point-of-no-return-glendale-to-boot-coyotes-from-gila-river-arena-after-2021-22-season/Read Katie's original story about the Coyotes under owner Alex Meruelo: https://theathletic.com/2390146/2021/02/16/arizona-coyotes-investigation-toxic/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Sunday afternoon, two high school football teams took the field in what looked like an ordinary game, broadcast live on ESPN. And then things got weird. In the days that followed, the Internet became obsessed with one of the teams, Bishop Sycamore, and its elusive head coach, Roy Johnson. Now, amidst a public outcry and a firestorm of questions, the governor of Ohio has called for an investigation into the school and its football program. Today, The Athletic's Andy Staples takes us down the rabbit hole of a school that was not what it seemed.Read Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman's full story about Bishop Sycamore:https://theathletic.com/2798560/2021/08/30/how-the-washington-generals-of-high-school-football-conned-espn/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the NFL's most compelling off-season storylines was the growing quarterback competition up in New England. The New England Patriots drafted Mac Jones to be the quarterback of the future, but it quickly became apparent that Jones might usurp incumbent starter Cam Newton — and that's exactly what happened. Head Coach Bill Belichick and his staff made the bold move to release Newton on Tuesday, and now the team rests in Jones's young hands. Today, The Athletic's Patriots beat reporter, Jeff Howe, tells us how Jones ended up beating out Newton for the starting spot, why the Pats decided to let the former-MVP walk, and what might come next for the 10 year NFL veteran. Read all of Jeff Howe's Patriots coverage here: https://theathletic.com/author/jeff-howe/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It is the all-important month of September in Major League Baseball, with top contenders (including the Yankees and the Dodgers) aiming to peak at exactly the right time, and superstars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Shohei Ohtani hoping to make their MVP push. Today, The Athletic’s Joe Posnanski breaks down the biggest storylines to watch during the final month of the season, including the Giants-Dodgers race in the NL West, the favorites to win the Cy Young, and the Mets’ attempt to turn a thumbs-down August into a thumbs-up September. Follow Joe Posnanski’s coverage of Major League Baseball: https://theathletic.com/author/joe-posnanski/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back in 2015, Logan Thomas was a quarterback on the Miami Dolphins practice squad, living out of a room ($68 a night) at a La Quinta Inn, with his wife, three kids and Great Dane — for 150 days. Five years later, in 2020, he emerged as a difference-making tight end for the Washington Football Team, and received a new $24 million contract this offseason. Today, The Athletic’s Dan Pompei tells the story of Thomas’s remarkable rise from struggling quarterback to standout tight end in the NFL. Read Dan Pompei’s full story about Logan Thomas: https://theathletic.com/2777153/2021/08/19/logan-thomas-remarkable-script-continues-to-be-written-with-the-washington-football-team/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.