For the first time in the 2024-25 season, we bring you NBA Power Rankings here at The Athletic. You may remember me from such films as the 213 LA Clippers era, the Epitome Game Series, Justin Bieber’s teammate, The Reliability Tiers and Positionless is a Scam. This year, I’ll be your Power Rankings caretaker. Week 1…

As the New York Jets fell to 2-6, it’s looking more and more like the Aaron Rodgers experiment is never going to meet expectations. Perhaps the expectations were never realistic. Rodgers is coming off a torn Achilles, and he’s also dealt with knee, ankle and hamstring injuries this season. As such, he’s on pace for…

Brett Harrison felt like making chicken and pasta for a pregame meal, which makes him like most professional hockey players. But the first-year pro had a problem.  Mason Lohrei, Harrison’s roommate at the time early last season with the AHL Providence Bruins, was watching TV on the couch. Harrison told Lohrei about his plan. Lohrei…

On Sunday, not even 24 hours after the heavy blow of losing El Clasico 4-0 to Barcelona at the Bernabeu, there was another seismic shift at Real Madrid. From the highest levels of the club came the order to cancel Monday’s planned trip to Paris, where everyone was expecting, among other prizes, Vinicius Junior to…

NEW YORK — Only Derek Jeter aced the assignment. The five-time Yankees champion stood atop the mound before Game 3 of the World Series on Monday and fired a strike with his ceremonial first pitch. A generation ago, before a different Game 3 at a different Yankee Stadium, Jeter had instructed George W. Bush to…

By Charlotte Carroll, Mike DeFabo and Lauren Merola A second-half surge propelled the Pittsburgh Steelers past the New York Giants 26-18 on “Monday Night Football” at Acrisure Stadium. After a touchdown-less first half, the Steelers pulled away in the third quarter thanks to two touchdowns by wide receiver Calvin Austin: a 73-yard punt return and…

Cam Johnson will never forget the time he saw Chris Paul read someone’s mind. Telepathy transpired a couple of months into Johnson’s third NBA season, years after Paul had recovered from a supposed downswing to regain first-class status in the point-guard hierarchy. His Phoenix Suns were mired in a close game, down six to the…

A catcher aims to be a fly on the wall. “If you go through a game and nobody knows you’re back there, that’s the ultimate compliment,” A.J. Pierzynski said. It’s the only position that sees every other player on the field, including the batter, when the final out is recorded. Pierzynski knows. He watched from…

In a nod to the nation celebrating Halloween this week, the Power Rankings have searched far and wide for Something Scary for each team. For some of these teams, like the rolling Lions, we had to look hard. For others, like the reeling Panthers, it was way too easy. In the end, we still have…

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Paris Masters with an intestinal virus. The world No. 1 said he is “very disappointed to tell you I’m not able to play this tournament” in a video shared on X by the event organizers. “I came here very early to prepare and felt sick. I’m having a virus…