🏆 What happened this week
Football is officially back.
I know, I know. It's only preseason. But after months without NFL football, I will absolutely be pretending this is the start of fall.
The preseason opened Thursday night with the Carolina Panthers beating the Arizona Cardinals 33–30 in the Hall of Fame Game. Carolina didn't exactly ease us back into football—quarterback Haynes King delivered the last-second touchdown.
Quick preseason explanation: these games don't count toward the regular-season record. Teams use them to test players, decide who earns a roster spot, and work out the kinks before the games actually start counting.
So no, we are not planning the Panthers' Super Bowl parade yet. But a win is a win. Keep Pounding.
🐐 From Carolina to Canton
Luke Kuechly gets his gold jacket.
If you were a Panthers fan in the 2010s, you definitely know Luke Kuechly. If you weren't, here's what you need to know: he was one of the best defensive players in football.
Kuechly spent his entire eight-year NFL career with Carolina. He was Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season, Defensive Player of the Year in his second, and selected to seven Pro Bowls.
Now he's receiving one of football's biggest honors: a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Eight seasons. One team. And now, forever a Hall of Famer. Very Carolina. Very deserved.
⚾ Baseball · 🎾 Tennis
The rest of the sports world is heating up, too.
Baseball's trade deadline has passed, which means teams have picked a lane: go all-in for a championship or start planning for next year. Now the playoff race gets serious, and every game matters a little more.
The U.S. Open starts later this month, so the tennis world is gearing up for one of the year's biggest tournaments. The Cincinnati Open is a perfect chance to learn a few names before everyone starts talking about tennis again.
📺 What to watch this week
Three events to know.
🏆 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
Saturday, August 8 · Noon ET
ESPN and NFL Network · Luke Kuechly officially takes his place in Canton alongside Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, and Adam Vinatieri.⛳ WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Through Sunday, August 9
Golf Channel and CBS · The final PGA Tour event before the FedExCup Playoffs puts every golfer near the cutoff under pressure.🎾 CINCINNATI OPEN
August 11–23
Tennis Channel · A major hard-court tune-up and a great chance to learn the names that will matter at the U.S. Open.🚨 Chaos headlines
The Panthers won with basically no time left. Haynes King ran in the game-winning touchdown to give Carolina a 33–30 preseason win. Yes, preseason football already has drama.
Luke Kuechly gets his gold jacket. The former Panthers linebacker officially becomes a Pro Football Hall of Famer this weekend.
Baseball's playoff race is heating up. Teams are fighting for postseason spots, and every loss starts to hurt a little more.
Tennis is turning toward New York. Cincinnati offers one final major test before the U.S. Open.
🛋️ Fi's couch report
There is something about football being back that just feels right.
“Yes, it's preseason. Yes, I will still get way too invested.”
Between Carolina winning on a last-second touchdown and Luke Kuechly heading into the Hall of Fame, Panthers fans got a pretty great welcome back to football.
Do I suddenly have unreasonable expectations for the season? Ask me again in September.
🤯 Sports fun fact
Luke Kuechly recorded 100 or more tackles in all eight seasons of his NFL career—then retired at just 28 years old.
💬 One thing to bring up
Luke Kuechly retired at only 28 and still did enough in eight seasons to make the Hall of Fame. That's kind of insane. Now you know.