Quick Hits

• The NFL is back (sort of). The Panthers and Cardinals face off tonight in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio — the unofficial start of the 2026 preseason. Don't expect fireworks from the starters; this one's for backups and rookies to make their case. If you're into betting, CBS notes the Panthers have been a terrible preseason bet the last three years.
• Caitlin Clark vs. A'ja Wilson, Round Who-Knows-What. The Indiana Fever host the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday in what CBS is calling a potential WNBA Finals preview. If you only watch one basketball game this week, this is the one.
• Aaron Donald might not be done. The Rams reported the retired superstar defensive tackle working out with team equipment at their facility, which had to go on the NFL transaction wire — fueling buzz that a comeback could be brewing.
• Mo Salah left Liverpool for… Turkey? One of the Premier League's biggest stars shocked the soccer world by signing with Trabzonspor, Turkey's fourth-most-popular club. ESPN explores why — and what it means for Liverpool with the transfer window closing.
• A college football player is suing the NCAA. Western Kentucky pulled Victory Vaka's scholarship while he was grieving his mother's death. Now he's suing for the right to transfer and use his final year of eligibility elsewhere.

Minnesota Teams

There's a delightful Vikings angle to this weekend's Hall of Fame festivities. ESPN tells the story of Larry Fitzgerald — yes, the Larry Fitzgerald, the legendary Cardinals receiver — starting his football life as a Vikings ball boy. He actually got fired from the gig as a kid, but the team brought him back and assigned him to work with the receivers. That experience helped shape him into one of the greatest pass-catchers in NFL history, and now he's Canton-bound. It's the kind of full-circle story that makes sports fun.

No Twins, Wolves, Wild, or Lynx news of note in today's cycle — a relatively quiet Thursday on the local front.

NFL

The 2026 NFL preseason officially begins tonight with the Hall of Fame Game: Panthers vs. Cardinals (Thursday, Canton, Ohio). It's the annual exhibition that kicks off football season — mostly backups, mostly sloppy, but it's real football on TV for the first time in months. CBS Sports' Larry Hartstein, who's been on a hot 50-37 picking streak, has a prediction if you're into that sort of thing.

Beyond the game, two big NFL storylines are circulating:

• Jonathan Taylor got paid. The Colts signed their star running back to a two-year, $44 million extension, per CBS Sports. That makes him the second-highest-paid RB in the league behind Atlanta's Bijan Robinson — a sign that running backs are finally getting some money flowing their way again.
• Aaron Donald watch. The Rams had to officially report Donald's workout at their facility because he used team equipment — and since he's technically retired, that paperwork is turning heads. Is a return in the works? The buzz is building.
• Carson Beck's NFL debut was great — but does it matter? CBS notes the rookie quarterback "checked every box" in his first professional game, but recent history shows preseason QB heroics are often wildly misleading. File it under "encouraging but don't overreact."

NBA

The real action tonight is in the WNBA, where Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever host A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces — a marquee matchup CBS is billing as a potential Finals preview. These are the two biggest names in women's basketball right now, and it's a national showcase.

Elsewhere in the WNBA:

• The playoff race is heating up. ESPN breaks down six teams fighting for the final postseason spot. Seven teams look like locks, but the Mystics, Sparks, Mercury, Sky, Fire, and Tempo are all scrapping for that No. 8 seed.
• Seattle rookie Flau'jae Johnson — also known as a rising rapper — talked to CBS about adjusting to the pros and getting praise from Wilson herself.

On the NBA side, ESPN has the early read on the 2026-27 schedule, and the headline is Knicks vs. 76ers as the East's new must-watch heavyweight rivalry. Several notable free agents — including James Harden and Jalen Duren — remain unsigned as the season approaches.

MLB

The MLB trade deadline has passed, and ESPN has a full breakdown of how all 30 teams' postseason hopes shifted. The headline sentiment from execs and scouts: "I'm glad we're not in the National League" — meaning the NL got scary deep at the deadline.

In individual storylines:

• Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a home run thanks to two Marlins outfielders colliding — CBS is calling it a contender for "blooper of the year." Poor communication, great result for the Braves star.
• Pete Crow-Armstrong is now generating buzz as a potential NL MVP candidate, with CBS noting he may even be overtaking Shohei Ohtani in the odds race.
• The Red Sox are going for another sweep Thursday, while Luis Castillo makes his White Sox debut in Boston tonight.

College Sports

The biggest college story is off the field: Victory Vaka, a former Western Kentucky defensive lineman, is suing the NCAA after the school pulled his scholarship while he was grieving his mother's death. CBS reports he's fighting for the right to use his final year of eligibility at another school — a case that could have broader implications for how athletes are treated during personal crises.

On the lighter side, ESPN ranked college football's all-time "supervillains" — the players and coaches fans love to hate. Lane Kiffin tops the current list, but the historical rankings go deep into Spurrier, Tebow, and Deion territory. Good bathroom reading if you're gearing up for the season.

Other Sports

• Golf: The PGA Tour's regular season wraps up this week at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro. Sahith Theegala opened hot, and several notable names — including Keegan Bradley — are on the FedEx Cup playoff bubble. The Wyndham is the last chance to qualify for the postseason.
• Soccer: Mohamed Salah's shock move from Liverpool to Trabzonspor in Turkey is the transfer story of the week. ESPN explores why the Egyptian star chose Turkey's fourth-biggest club — and the massive hole he leaves at Liverpool with the transfer window winding down.
• UFC: UFC 331 is set for Los Angeles, headlined by a flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja.
• Poker: A 22-year-old from Spokane, Washington — Lucas Jumalon — won the World Series of Poker main event, taking home $10 million. He's the second-youngest champion ever.