T.J. Watt becomes NFL’s highest paid defender
The Pittsburgh Steelers recently extended pass rusher, T.J. Watt’s contract four more years with a deal worth $112 million, making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. Watt will be paid an average of just over $28 million a year and has guarantees worth around $80 million. The former record holder for the highest paid defensive player was Joey Bosa, who is paid an average of $27 million a year.
Trey Lance and Justin Fields throw touchdowns in their first games
In week one of the NFL season, first round rookies Trey Lance and Justin Fields both threw touchdowns for their teams, the San Fransisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears, respectively. Despite being first-round draft picks though, neither of them played even 10% of their team’s offensive snaps. Three other first-round picks, Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones, also made their NFL debuts during week one as starting quarterbacks, unlike Lance and Fields, though none of them led their teams to victory.
Lionel Messi’s Champions League debut with PSG results in draw
Messi played his first Champions League match with Paris St. Germain Football Club against Club Brugge on Sept. 15, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. Many were excited to see Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar play together and thought the trio would be able to bring PSG a victory, but after the match, PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino said, “We need time to work for them to build an understanding that’s been clear and we’ve said that in recent days. We still have to create a team.”
Naomi Osaka says she may be taking another break
After losing to Leylah Fernandez in the U.S. Open, Naomi Osaka told interviewers, “I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match.” She also said she doesn’t get joy from playing the game anymore and needs time to figure out what she wants to do going forward. The match was her first Grand Slam tournament since she dropped out of the French Open in May. During the match, she threw her racket several times and was given a warning from the umpire after hitting a ball into the stands. She apologized for the incidents during her interview following the match.
Former NBA players make donations to Hurricane Ida victims
A group of former New Orleans Pelicans players have promised to donate four truckloads of supplies to Southeastern Louisiana to help those affected by Hurricane Ida. Jrue Holiday, Langston Galloway, Jahlil Okafor and Frank Jackson plan to send supplies including generators, gasoline cans and gift cards to the victims, which are scheduled to arrive during the second week of September. “Louisiana is home to Langston and me, so when Hurricane Ida hit, we knew that even though our hometown was saved, our friends and families in neighboring parishes needed us to move more than ever,” said Galloway’s wife, Sabrina.
Taliban regime may ban women from playing cricket and other sports
Afghan women may be banned from playing cricket and other sports because their bodies might be seen. “It is the media era, and there will be photos and videos, and then people watch it. Islam and the Islamic Emirate do not allow women to play cricket or play the kind of sports where they get exposed,” said Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban’s cultural commission. Afghan women with hopes of competing internationally are currently going into hiding or attempting to flee the country, including 41 women from the Afghan women’s cycling team who are heading to Canada to escape the Taliban’s restrictions.
