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Will Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. Play Week 1?: ‘I Don’t Know’

Joey Porter Jr.’s balky back felt good enough to return to practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. At the moment, his health appears to be the least of his concerns. The fourth-year cornerback didn’t commit to playing in Pittsburgh’s season opener against Atlanta on Sept. 13 if he and the team can’t come to terms on a new contract. “I don’t know,” Porter said. “I’ve got to talk to (the front office) and my agents about that one.” The 26-year-old is entering the final season of the rookie contract he signed after being selected with the first pick of the second round in 2023. He said during minicamp in June that he believes he’s one of the best defensive backs in the league and is confident that he’ll be compensated that way. Three months later, Porter has yet to put pen to paper. While general manager Omar Khan said Monday he wants Porter — the son of former Steelers linebacker and coach Joey Porter Sr. — to be in Pittsburgh for the entirety of his career, it doesn’t feel as if the two sides are particularly close. Porter, who hasn’t allowed a touchdown pass while being the primary defender since his rookie season, essentially grew up in the Steelers locker room. His ties to the organization are deep, which has made the process of separating the business side of things difficult. “It’s been tough, I’m not going to lie, and it’s my first go-around with this,” Porter said. “But I mean, it’s been also great because I have all my guys with me, all the coaches and players really are on my side.” Veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey recently said it was time for the Steelers to pay Porter, though first-year coach Mike McCarthy described the two sides as at an impasse. Asked if he hopes something gets done with the opener less than two weeks away, Porter shrugged. “I could hope and think all day, but it’s really, it’s up to (the front office) and what they want to do with this team,” he said. “So all I can do is just show up every day to work and be prepared.” Pittsburgh has already handed out new deals to several other members of the 2023 draft class, including linebacker Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington. Porter said he’s happy for his teammates and has no issue with the team taking care of them. “Those are my guys,” Porter said. “So I was ecstatic that they got paid.” The Steelers have a long-held policy of not negotiating once the regular season begins, meaning there is a firm deadline in place. It’s not unusual for Pittsburgh to put things together at the last minute. Star outside linebacker T.J. Watt agreed to terms less than 72 hours before the opening kickoff in Week 1 of the 2021 season. “Things carry out a long time,” Porter said. “I know T.J. went through this. Cam Heyward went through this as well. So I never really had a clock on it. If it gets done, it gets done. If it don’t, it don’t.” Heyward said his advice to Porter was “don’t take it personal, but you will.” Though the seven-time Pro Bowler added he is not worried about the contract being an issue whenever Porter takes the field. “I think every player in there says Joey’s got to do what’s best for him and Joey’s got to be ready for Week 1, and hopefully we can celebrate a new contract for him,” Heyward said. Though he’s been limited by a back issue that cropped up during a mobility test when the team reported to training camp in late July, Porter has been in the classroom studying up on first-year defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s approach. Porter stressed the injury was the sole reason for his absence during camp, and Heyward believes whenever Porter gets out there he’ll be ready to continue on the trajectory that’s made him one of the better man-to-man defenders in the league. “We’re expecting him to be the Joey of usual,” Heyward said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a drop-off. I think we’ve all got to be ready to welcome him back.” Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Walmart Sells an $80 Rattan Patio Set That Includes 2 Chairs and a Tempered Glass Side Table

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Why We Love This Deal

Affordable patio sets under $100 tend to cut a corner somewhere (usually the frame), which is why so many end up wobbly and rusted after a year. Walmart’s latest markdown keeps the steel frame intact and just knocks down the price instead, so now you can get this 3-piece patio set with a tempered glass table for half off. 

Normally priced at $160, the Lacoo 3-Piece Outdoor Rattan Patio Set is down to $80 in gray and brown/beige. It’s the perfect size for small porches and patios, so if you have limited space to work with, this set is built for you. Better yet, this one ships for free. One thing we typically find with sets around this price is that they have a shipping cost of at least $10. Here, you won’t have to worry about that, which makes the deal even sweeter.

Lacoo 3-Piece Outdoor Rattan Patio Set, From $80 (was $160) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

What Shoppers Should Know

  • Frame: Steel
  • Weave: PE rattan
  • Cushions: Removable polyester with sponge padding
  • Table: Tempered glass top
  • Best For: Balconies, small patios, apartments, porches

This set opts for PE wicker instead of the natural stuff, which will hold up better in the sun and rain without cracking. You get two armrest chairs and a compact coffee table with a tempered glass top, and the whole thing ships in a single box with hardware included, so setup can be done in around 30 minutes with just one person. 

Most 3-piece patio sets in this size class run well above $150 (lesser-quality sets can run around $50-$70), so $80 lands at the low end for what’s included here. It’s not going to replace a full sectional or set for anyone with real space to fill, but for a small balcony or patio that just needs two seats and somewhere to set a drink down, it’s priced very fairly. 

Related: Walmart Sells an $80 Patio Set Complete With Enough Seating and Table Space for 4 People

What Shoppers Are Saying

One helpful reviewer wrote that the set is “great for small porches” and is “a lot nicer than I thought.” A second shopper said, “It’s a good little set for a small area,” and “good quality for the price.”

Even with its small footprint, the set is still sturdy: “Very sturdy for a low-profile patio set.” Another reviewer wrote, “Very spacious and the quality of the material is unbelievable. For a cheap set, I didn’t expect what I got.”

If you have a small patio space that could use some TLC, Lacoo’s 3-Piece Outdoor Rattan Patio Set is the one to grab for $80. Since this deal could end at any moment, now’s the time to grab a set if you’re interested, and shipping is free.

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Author: Cameron Cardwell

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Will There Ever Be Another Lionel Messi? The Short Answer Is: Yes

As an Argentine international, this may be the end for Lionel Messi — and I say “may be” because he has retired in the past, but this seems to be much more of a true retirement from Argentina. There are so many different directions and so many different questions that come up when it comes to what Messi did specifically for Argentina. At the beginning of his career, yes, he was there, but it was always in the context of Diego Maradona — comparing and contrasting, and all of that. Now, in the eyes of many and certainly in younger generations, he has gone to be the GOAT — not just the GOAT of Argentina, but the GOAT in general, and I think it’s completely fair to argue that. Which brings up question after question of: Will we ever see someone like this again? And the answer to that, very simply, is: Yes, we will. Messi, in 207 games, scored 125 goals, including 21 goals in the World Cup, which is second all-time to Kylian Mbappé. So, in that sense, we already have seen someone prolific, in terms of scoring goals. But the impact and legendary status because of what he did, especially looking like a guy you would see just walking down the street and yet being this larger than life type of figure, I don’t know when we’ll see someone exactly like him, in the way that he plays and what he has done, If time is the same as any test, yes, someone will come and do things that we didn’t dream were possible in the way that Messi did, or in a different way.

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Texans GM Nick Caserio Rules Out In-Season Contract Talks For QB C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans won’t extend current contract negotiations with quarterback C.J. Stroud into the season. General manager Nick Caserio said Tuesday that if the club can’t reach an agreement with Stroud before the Sept. 13 opener against Buffalo that it will pause all talks until next offseason. Houston has already picked up Stroud’s fifth-year option, meaning it has him under team control through 2027. Caserio said at the start of training camp in late July that there was a chance the sides could come to terms on an extension but no deal appears to be imminent. Stroud is 28-18 and led the Texans to the playoffs in each of the three seasons since Houston took him No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft. The AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023 completed a career-best 64% of his passes in 2025 as Houston went 12-5 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs. Stroud struggled in a postseason loss in New England, throwing four interceptions in a 28-16 defeat. Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Can You Actually Trust Your Smart Ring? The Oura Lawsuit Exposes Wearable Tech’s Biggest Flaw

It seems like everybody owns wearable tech these days, and Oura Rings happen to be among the most popular options. But now, the smart ring brand is under scrutiny as it faces a proposed class action lawsuit alleging its devices can’t measure user sleep or cycles as accurately as advertised. The 53-page lawsuit claims that Oura’s AI models perform “guesswork as to what may be happening based on improper results,” rather than tracking users’ sleep stages with up to 95 percent accuracy, as the company has advertised.

The proposed lawsuit takes particular issue with how certain Oura Ring models determine sleep stage data. According to the complaint, the rings “infer” sleep stages using metrics like heart rate, physical movement, peripheral skin temperature, and blood oxygen trend, none of which directly measure activity in the brain.

“The allegations against Oura still have to be proven, and Oura strongly disputes them,” says Michael McCready, Managing Partner at McCready Law. “But from a consumer protection standpoint, the question will be whether the company accurately described what the ring can do and had sufficient scientific support for the level of accuracy it advertised. A product doesn’t have to be perfect, but if you sell precision, you should be able to substantiate precision. Companies selling health-related technology have a responsibility to be just as clear about what their products cannot do as they are enthusiastic about what they can.”

Still, lawyers and health experts alike say a situation like this may serve as a good reminder for consumers to be more mindful of what wearable devices are designed to do. Because while wearable tech can certainly help raise health awareness, encourage healthier habits, and identify personal trends that may be worth discussing, it doesn’t mean they should replace medical-grade equipment or professional medical advice when needed.

Related: I Swapped My Smartwatch for This Wearable Sensor That Decodes My Metabolic Health Without a Single Finger Prick

“More broadly, I’m a believer in wearables and technology. Data can help people recognize patterns, change habits, and ask better questions. But there’s a danger when we start treating an estimate generated by an algorithm as an unquestionable medical fact. The takeaway for consumers is to use these devices for trends rather than absolutes,” McCready adds.

For instance, if your ring has been telling you that you’ve slept poorly for three weeks, that may be useful information that prompts you to look at your sleep habits or take it to your doctor. But if the device tells you that you spent exactly a certain amount of time in a particular stage of sleep, remember that there’s still measurement, inference, and an entire algorithm standing between your body and that number.

“The real risk with consumer wearables isn’t that they’re inaccurate in every case,” says Arik Ben Ishay, CEO and Co-Founder of Biobeat. “It’s that consumers can’t easily tell when a number is directional and when it’s reliable enough to make a health decision on. A sleep score is a suggestion. A blood pressure reading a physician uses to adjust medication is a decision. Those require very different standards.”

Ultimately, the lesson here is to view wearable data as one piece of information rather than an exact medical finding. If your data consistently points to a potential health problem, use that information as a reason to talk with your doctor rather than trying to diagnose or treat the issue yourself.

Related: Doctors Say You’re Tracking the Wrong Smartwatch Data—Here’s What Actually Matters

Experts

  • Michael McCready, Managing Partner at McCready Law
  • Arik Ben Ishay, CEO and Co-Founder of Biobeat

Sources

  • Oura Lawsuit Claims Rings Cannot Measure Sleep as Advertised. ClassAction, 2026

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Author: Kelsey Kryger

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Packers Hopeful Josh Jacobs Returns This Season Despite Pending Misdemeanor Charges

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs still has the support of his coach and general manager, who remain optimistic the three-time Pro Bowl selection will come off the commissioner’s exempt list, where he was placed after being charged with two misdemeanors, and play sometime this season. “There were many conversations obviously and certainly don’t know all the details, but what he tells me, I believe him and I trust him,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday. “I’m going to do that until proven otherwise.” General manager Brian Gutekunst said he is hopeful the running back will return before the end of the season. “But we’re going to let this process play out, and we’ll be prepared either way,” Gutekunst said. Gutekunst said he hasn’t seen the video that the Brown County (Wisconsin) District Attorney’s office says it has as evidence corroborating statements made by Jacobs’ girlfriend regarding their May 23 altercation. Jacobs, who was arrested May 26, faces misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property in that incident. District Attorney David Lasee announced last Thursday that the charges were being filed. Three days later, the NFL put Jacobs on the commissioner’s list, which prevents him from playing or practicing but allows him to keep receiving a paycheck. Upon request and with the club’s permission, Jacobs may be allowed at the club’s facility for meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation and other permitted non-football activities. Jacobs is on the list while the NFL investigates his situation and he could face a suspension by the league. Any games he misses while on the exempt list would count toward his suspension, but he would also have to repay the money he earned while on the exempt list LaFleur said the Packers were prepared for the possibility Jacobs might get placed on the list. “I’ve seen this guy,” LaFleur said. “I’ve got a love and care and respect for how he is as a person, who he is as a teammate. Obviously a very unfortunate situation, but one that we have to deal with.” Jacobs’ lawyers — David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld, and Clarence F. Duchac III — have noted that the move to the commissioner’s exempt list is an administrative decision made while a matter is under review and “is not a final determination.” They added that Jacobs “looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL.” Hobart-Lawrence police officers who responded to the May 23 call said Jacobs’ girlfriend told them she had a lump on her head as a result of Jacobs’ actions. Police said the woman said she had been looking through Jacobs’ phone and saw he was talking to other women, and that she threw the phone in anger without breaking it. She told police that Jacobs had her phone and she told him he could look through it. According to police, the woman indicated she tried to retrieve her phone from Jacobs, but he didn’t return it and instead grabbed her arm and began a struggle that lasted several minutes. They then left the home in separate vehicles before eventually returning. Police said the woman was trying to exit a garage door to get outside when Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to the ground, causing her to hit her head. Police said Jacobs also took the phone from her while she was on the ground. According to the criminal complaint filed last week, surveillance footage from the camera system in the garage backed up the woman’s statement. “We have not seen the video,” Gutekunst said. “Those are legal things going on right now, so we’ll let those play out. … But in the appropriate times, if those things become available, we’ll figure that stuff out when that time comes.” Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Favorite ‘Dogs: Back ‘New-look’ Louisville To Make Statement Against Ole Miss

College football kicked off last weekend with Bill Belichick and North Carolina surprising TCU as 9-point underdogs, winning in Ireland in the first game of the 2026 season. With the focus of this column once a week being on dangerous underdogs who have a chance to defy the odds and get a win, perhaps another ACC team can follow suit and surprise their favored opponent this weekend. On Sunday night, No. 24 Louisville is a 7-point underdog for its opener, as the Cardinals take on No. 9 Ole Miss in Nashville, Tennessee. Let’s get into my pick. 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. Ole Miss returns star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy from last year’s College Football Playoff semifinals, as the Rebs eye a return to the CFP. However, playing into January once again will not be an easy task for Ole Miss. A rigorous 2026 schedule awaits the team, starting with this clash against a Louisville team that has a chance to possibly flirt with a trip of its own to the Playoff. Louisville will turn to Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback, a dual-threat player who finally gets an opportunity to start after throwing just 36 passes in his career so far. The former four-star recruit getting his chance provides some reason for optimism for Louisville, but it’s Kienholz’s coach that points me to the underdog here. Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm is 37-15 against the spread (ATS) in his career when his team is an underdog, as it will be Sunday night. He will also have the experience edge over his counterpart on the opposing sidelines, as Ole Miss’ coach Pete Golding took over for Lane Kiffin just last December after Kiffin left to coach LSU. Louisville has a solid running back in Isaac Brown, who topped 1,000 yards as a freshman in 2024 and likely would have eclipsed that mark in 2025 if not for injuries. The Cardinals also scooped up some offensive line help in the transfer portal. It’s a new group that brings with it 142 combined career starts. Overall, it’s a new-look Louisville roster, but with the players the Cardinals added and a coach who thrives as an underdog, I like Louisville to make an early statement Sunday night against a very talented Ole Miss squad.

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Rams Are Super Bowl Favorites, But Historical Betting Trend Says Beware

The Los Angeles Rams have had just about the perfect offseason. After coming up just short in a heartbreaking NFC Championship Game loss to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, the Rams have gone all in once again. Los Angeles acquired reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in a blockbuster trade that sent Jared Verse and three draft picks to Cleveland. The Rams then acquired Super Bowl-winning cornerback Trent McDuffie for their 2026 first-round pick, before capping off the offseason by bringing franchise sack leader Aaron Donald back from retirement. Sheesh. And it’s not like the Rams were far away before those additions. Los Angeles was arguably the second-best team in the NFL last season, losing twice in Seattle by a combined five points. The Rams also had one of the league’s most dominant offenses, leading the NFL in scoring (30.5 PPG), total offense (394.6 YPG), net passing offense (268.1 YPG), passing touchdowns (46), total first downs (396) and fewest sacks allowed (23). They also ranked seventh in rushing offense (126.6 YPG, 4.63 YPC) and fourth in fewest giveaways (15). Now, that team adds arguably the best defensive player in football in Garrett, one of the league’s top cornerbacks in McDuffie, and one of the greatest defensive players of the past decade in Donald, who helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl title four years ago. 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. With a loaded roster comes massive expectations, and the betting market has taken notice. Heading into Week 1, the Rams are clear favorites at +500 to lift the Lombardi Trophy in their home stadium in February. The Seahawks and Bills have the next-best odds at +1100, a remarkably wide gap considering the regular season hasn’t even begun. That should be a great sign for a Los Angeles team that has gone all in, right? Well, history tells a much different story. According to senior sports betting analyst Ben Fawkes, over the past 30 years, the preseason Super Bowl favorite has entered the season at +500 or shorter odds 20 times. Those teams went 0-for-20. According to Sports Odds History, here’s the full list: 2024: KC +5002021: KC +4502020: KC +4502019: NE +4002017: NE +2752015: SEA +4502014: SEA +4502011: NE +5002009: NE +4502008: NE +3502007: NE +2502005: IND/NE/PHI +5002004: PHI +5002002: STL +3502001: STL +4002000: STL +3001999: MIN +4501998: GB +2501997: GB +2501996: SF +250 The Rams certainly look like a Super Bowl favorite on paper, but if they are going to finish the job in 2026, they’ll have to buck a betting trend that has held up for three decades. So, can Los Angeles finally break the curse? Let’s check out the Rams’ full 2026 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Sept. 1.

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