Minnesota Teams

It’s a relatively quiet Friday on the local sports front! The Twins are grinding through the summer MLB schedule, but there are no major breaking headlines for the Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, Lynx, or United today. We'll keep you posted if any offseason moves or weekend series shake-ups pop up.

NFL

The Tennessee Titans are making defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons the highest-paid player at his position, handing him a massive three-year, $105.8 million contract extension. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are making headlines for what isn't happening: for the first time in years, they are heading into the summer break without any stressful contract drama involving their star players.

NBA

The basketball world is taking a nostalgic turn this weekend as the WNBA celebrates the 30th anniversary of its very first game played back in 1997. In current hoops news, Chicago Sky guard Sydney Taylor has become a rare bright spot for her struggling team, making her debut near the top of the league's rookie rankings.

MLB

Detroit Tigers veteran pitcher Justin Verlander is hinting at retirement after suffering another injury, sadly admitting that "maybe the wheels are falling off." Over in league news, MLB owners proposed a massive overhaul to the player draft that would actually ban high school players from being drafted directly, though a potential work stoppage is looming as these tough negotiations continue.

NHL

The NHL offseason is heating up with the Toronto Maple Leafs making a move to acquire offensive defenseman Darren Raddysh from their rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the league's official draft just days away, fans can expect plenty more blockbuster trades and roster shake-ups over the next week.

College Sports

The College World Series finals are set to begin this weekend, featuring a best-of-three matchup between North Carolina and Oklahoma for the national championship. Off the field, a bipartisan bill designed to regulate how college athletes are compensated just passed a Senate committee, though it's facing heavy pushback from the massive Big Ten and SEC conferences.

Other Sports

• Soccer: The US Men's National Team had a fantastic Friday, defeating Australia 2-0 to advance to the World Cup knockout stage (the round of 32). They managed the win without their biggest star, Christian Pulisic, who was out injured.
• Golf: At the U.S. Open, Wyndham Clark currently leads the pack, while big names like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm were sent packing early after missing the cut (failing to play well enough to qualify for the weekend). Rory McIlroy is still in the mix, but he has some ground to make up sitting seven shots behind the leader.