Sports
Commanders activate WR McLaurin off PUP list
ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders have activated Terry McLaurin off the physically unable to perform list, the team announced Saturday.
The move is the next step in his progression and is unrelated to contract negotiations, coach Dan Quinn said.
“Definitely separate,” Quinn said. “This is about his getting ready.”
McLaurin is now eligible to practice, though the Commanders typically have players activated off PUP work with trainers on a separate field first.
Washington likes to run a lot of no-huddle and hurry-up on offense — it was the second-fastest offense in terms of time between snaps last season, according to ESPN Research — so it wants to give McLaurin three weeks of conditioning before the opener.
Quinn pointed out that PUP is focused on rehab; the Commanders can now focus on McLaurin’s return to the field. It’s doubtful that he would play in the third and final preseason game a week from today vs. Baltimore. The goal has been to get McLaurin ready for the Sept. 7 season opener vs. the New York Giants.
Quinn said that it was “important” to activate McLaurin and that this begins the process of getting him work in walk-throughs, then continuing to hit markers that suggest he’s ready for a full workload. McLaurin has been at the facility since July 27, rehabbing an ankle issue that has plagued him at various times in his career — including at the end of last season.
Quinn, when asked whether it was a mutual decision by both sides for McLaurin to come off PUP, said they were just following the guidelines.
“He’s on the same trajectory as everybody else, [receiving treatments] doing workouts and making good strides,” Quinn said.
McLaurin has served as a captain for most of his Washington tenure and remains highly respected in the locker room.
“I can’t say enough great things,” center Tyler Biadasz said. “Hopefully he comes back on the field and we get him back. We’re always excited for it.”
The Commanders placed McLaurin on the PUP list, citing an ankle injury that bothered him late in the season, when he reported to camp July 27 following a four-day holdout. McLaurin was fined $200,000 for missing that time. By reporting, he could no longer be fined.
If he were to sit out games, McLaurin would lose a game check for each week missed, including the bye week. McLaurin would forfeit $861,111 for each week missed. There’s not yet any indication McLaurin would sit out.
The two sides have been far apart in negotiations since they started discussing a deal earlier in the offseason, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. McLaurin had said in an interview a week before camp opened that he would not return to the field until there was “progression” in the talks.
McLaurin has one year remaining on a three-year, $68 million extension he signed in 2022. According to multiple reports and league sources, McLaurin has targeted the deal DK Metcalf received from the Pittsburgh Steelers — four years at $33 million per season with $60 million guaranteed.
Washington has not come close to that per year figure, sources said. Some in the league believe the Commanders could eventually get to $28 million per year.
McLaurin requested a trade July 31, but team sources have said over the past several months that they have no intention of trading him.
Though he was at the facility, McLaurin would only emerge after practice to sign autographs for fans. But he did watch from the sideline during the team’s burgundy-and-gold intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday, along with other injured players. Before that session, he spoke with general manager Adam Peters on the sideline.
McLaurin, coming off his second Pro Bowl appearance, was second in the NFL with a career-best 13 touchdown receptions — as well as 10 red zone scoring catches — in 2024. He has topped 1,000 yards for five consecutive seasons, although he has not yet surpassed 1,200 yards.
Last month, in a 30-minute interview with reporters, McLaurin expressed deep frustration with the lack of progress in their talks.
“I want to continue my career here. I’ve created my life here. My wife and I bought our first home here. So this has been somewhere I’ve always wanted to be. Just to see how things have played out has been disappointing,” he said. “I understand everything’s a business. But at the same time, I want to put myself in a position where I’m valued, I feel appreciated and things like that. Unfortunately, that hasn’t transpired the way I want it to.”
Lionel Messi drew high praise from President Donald Trump as the Argentine superstar and his Inter Miami team were honoured at the White House on Thursday for winning the MLS Cup last year.
The president said: “It’s my distinct privilege to say what no American president has ever had the chance to say before: ‘Welcome to the White House, Lionel Messi.'”
Trump went on to reveal the affection his 19-year-old son Barron has for Messi.
“My son said, ‘Dad, you know who’s going to be there today?’ I said, ‘No, I got a lot of things going on today,'” Trump said. “He said ‘Messi!’ He’s a big fan of yours. He thinks you’re just a great person. And I think you got to meet a little while ago. So he’s a big soccer fan, but he’s a tremendous fan of yours. And a gentleman named Ronaldo. Cristiano is great. You’re great.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s longtime rival in European soccer, attended a White House event with Trump last year.
Regarding Messi’s impact on Inter Miami, Trump said: “This guy won. There was tremendous fanfare, and he won. Leo, you came in and won. It’s hard to do. … You came in and won with all that pressure.”
Wading into the area of soccer history, Trump said to Messi, “You may be better than Pele,” and he asked those in attendance, “Who’s better?”
Trump said of the Inter Miami squad: “What a group of people. We could have a lot of fun with these guys. You can imagine how they celebrate.”
The president singled out Rodrigo De Paul, an Argentine midfielder who scored the go-ahead goal in the Herons’ 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final.
“Where the hell is Rodrigo?” Trump asked, causing De Paul to blush.
The president added: “Do you have any bad-looking players? I like the bad-looking players much better.”
Messi gave Trump a pink signed Inter Miami soccer ball, and club co-owner Jorge Mas and coach Javier Mascherano presented the president with a team jersey and a watch.
Mas said: “It’s our aspiration to continue breaking barriers and putting no limits, to making sure Major League Soccer and Inter Miami are considered among the elite in global football.”
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has demanded a public apology from a journalist over what it described as “agenda-driven fake news” targeting the character of Pakistan’s national cricketers.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the PCB strongly condemned the broadcast of unverified allegations against a Pakistan player, calling the report baseless and unacceptable.
PCB Warns of Legal Action
The cricket board said the reporter responsible for the news must issue a public apology immediately, warning that failure to do so could lead to strict legal action.
“Agenda-driven fake news targeting the character of our players is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the PCB said.
The board added that it would take all necessary steps to address what it termed malicious reporting if the apology is not issued promptly.
Controversy Over Report
The controversy began after a local media outlet aired a report alleging that a Pakistani cricketer had been involved in inappropriate behaviour at a hotel, claiming that staff had filed a complaint with team management.
The report also suggested that the player had violated the team’s code of conduct and was fined following a preliminary internal review.
Allegations Denied
However, the PCB dismissed the claims as false and misleading, stating that the news lacked verification.
A representative of the player, Mirza, also rejected the allegations in a social media statement and announced plans to pursue legal action against the media outlet.
He criticised the broadcast as “cheap journalism”, stressing that no media organisation should air unverified reports about national athletes.
The PCB reiterated its commitment to protecting the reputation and dignity of Pakistan’s cricketers against what it described as irresponsible reporting.
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Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but tension lingered after a rocky year.
And it appears the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.
Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced.
In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.
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Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks as Payton did coaching for the New Orleans Saints.
“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So, for me, there’s a point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.
“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too, and, you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during an a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High Nov. 19, 2023, in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
After a rocky one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.
Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he had the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for Dart in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was eventually a close loss.
After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.
“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would have happened long after our game,'” Payton said.
The New York Giants’ Russell Wilson attempts to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) in the first half of a game Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge had Wilson been under center.
“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later though the media.”
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Despite last season’s struggles and chatter about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.
“I wanna play a few more years for sure,” he said. “I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40, at least. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, bro, it was you just get [clobbered].
“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think, more than anything else is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love — everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s process. There’s a journey that you got to be obsessed with. And that part I’m obsessed with.”
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