The World of Sports

New on Sports Illustrated: The Norm-Shattering Transfer Window, Where Nothing and Nobody Were Off the Table

<a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/31/summer-transfer-window-deadline-messi-ronaldo-mbappe-kane-lukaku-griezmann">
The summer window is finally shutting across Europe's top leagues, but not before what felt like the entire top tier of talent was in some way affected or involved.
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If you're of a certain age, then you'll remember spending hours on Mad Libs, where stories and narratives are formed by filling in blanks with custom words, with only a certain directive—name, action, color, for instance—narrowing what words you could choose. Often it'd result in hilarious, nonsensical sentences, but that was the point. It was supposed to be outrageous.
After a norm-shattering transfer window, it only feels right to call that back. Take a generic sentence and throw some of the most extreme terms you can think of as you follow the directions. That sums up the last two months just about as well as anything else. For example:
[All-world superstar] leaves [superclub] to join [a new superclub] because [unique reasoning] to alter the landscape in [league or multiple league names].
Take it one step further. Likening transfer season to a TV series, there are some windows that take on the characteristics of a season finale, with the coda encompassing some significant maneuvers that tie up some loose ends but don't entirely or necessarily leave you breathless. Then there's this one, that took on the quality of a series finale. Everything has changed. Things you didn't even think could be possible suddenly came to light. Nothing was off the table for any character.
Consider the scope of who was involved with the serious potential of leaving and who wound up actually changing teams in a summer that was supposed to once again have clubs cagey about finances due to the pandemic's impact. 
In early August, Barcelona was gearing up for its annual Joan Gamper Trophy friendly, which this season was scheduled vs. Juventus. It was going to be billed as a Lionel Messi–Cristiano Ronaldo showdown, to bring some added eyeballs to an otherwise routine preseason ritual. Three days before that, the club revealed <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/05/lionel-messi-not-returning-barcelona-free-agent">it couldn't afford to bring Messi, who was out of contract at the time, back</a> (how it came to that conclusion so late in the game and wasn't fully and entirely aware of its financial ruin is another story entirely. That financial ruin surely contributed to the deadline-day move that <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1432797021627457540">reportedly sends Antoine Griezmann back to Atlético Madrid</a>, too, to complete the summer of shame). A day before it, <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/08/lionel-messi-press-conference-barcelona-exit-psg">Messi gave an emotional, teary-eyed press conference</a> to confirm his exit. Three days after that, <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/10/lionel-messi-psg-transfer-signing-barcelona">he signed with PSG</a>. Three weeks later, <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/27/cristiano-ronaldo-manchester-united-return-solskjaer-analysis">Ronaldo wound up back with Manchester United</a>, joining a transfer class that already featured <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/07/27/manchester-united-transfers-sancho-varane-pogba-solskjaer">Jadon Sancho and Raphaël Varane</a>. The two all-time greats have been inextricably linked for more than a decade, and it turns out one can't do something without being challenged, if not surpassed, by the other.
But they're just two of a group of elite talents off to new challenges, most of which were hoarded by PSG. In addition to Messi, the French power landed longtime Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, ex-Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and Italy's Euro 2020 goalkeeping hero Gianluigi Donnarumma, all via free transfers ("free" is doing a lot of the lifting there; their wages are all significant, and PSG hijacked Wijnaldum from Barcelona by offering a substantially higher salary). Achraf Hakimi, one of the most impactful right backs in the world and a vital cog in Inter Milan's Serie A–winning campaign last season, joined for roughly $70 million, while another budding star, Sporting CP's Nuno Mendes, <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1432788349971009550">was reportedly brought in the fold</a> on deadline day on loan with an option to buy for $47 million.
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It was a shock, then, to see anyone actually want to actively leave PSG. Steph Curry didn't run for the hills when Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors. He embraced the superteam they built and enjoyed the spoils of its success. But something about staying at PSG evidently isn't for Kylian Mbappé. The 22-year-old's longtime dream to play for Real Madrid <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/30/kylian-mbappe-transfer-real-madrid-psg">wound up being deferred</a>, but only after the club's sporting director, Leonardo, made it clear that the player has communicated his wish to leave instead of playing out the next couple of seasons, at least, with both Messi and Neymar. Instead, it'll be just this season before he becomes a free agent (and he can agree to a precontract as soon as four months from now). The mere thought of Mbappé leaving, naturally, forced things to spiral quickly into the Mad Libs Zone, and Borussia Dortmund's sporting director, Michael Zorc, was ready for it. Erling Haaland, the 21-year-old forward sensation who Dortmund has consistently said is not for sale this summer, was quickly tabbed in the rumor mill as Mbappé's immediate replacement. Surely, the thinking goes, PSG could just funnel the Mbappé windfall to Dortmund for its prized striker and wind up no worse off. A straight swap of sorts involving <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/03/10/messi-ronaldo-haaland-mbappe-champions-league">the two supposed heirs to the Messi-Ronaldo throne</a>. Who says no?
Dortmund. Dortmund says no.
“We are a football club, not a bank," Zorc said in response to additional questions about Haaland's immediate future. "Our position is very clear and did not change. I assume that we will now be confronted with wild rumors for another two days. Our position is clear; I don't need to play the parrot all the time."
Harry Kane is someone else whose position was clear—until he backtracked on it. Granted, Kane's situation was a bit unique, a player under contract for three more years and playing for a club that had no interest in selling to a rival trying to force his way to a rival. In the end, <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/18/harry-kane-transfer-tottenham-manchester-city-leverage-fight">he either didn't have the fight in him</a> or thought that, at this juncture, it wasn't worth fighting to the max and burning all his bridges at Tottenham. He'll stay with Spurs—who sit alone in first place in the Premier League after three games and have a win over Man City, Kane's unabashed suitor—until they potentially do the transfer dance again next summer.
Regardless of where Kane is playing, he may no longer be the best center forward in the Premier League. Romelu Lukaku, 10 years removed from his first stint at Chelsea, is back at Stamford Bridge, a more complete and dynamic player than before and one who <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/12/romelu-lukaku-transfer-chelsea-inter-milan">fits precisely with what the Blues needed</a>. He also left one of the more traditional powers that finds itself strapped for cash in this new era, Inter, to join one of three clubs for which money is no object. Chelsea, PSG and Man City continue to be positioned better than any European powers due to the backing of ownership whose wealth is not tied directly to the revenues impacted by the pandemic or traditional match-day and business sources. 
<figure><img height="349" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTgzNTI4MTc0Nzc5Mzc3MDU4/romelu-lukaku-chelsea-goal.jpg" width="620" />
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It's why City can throw <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/05/jack-grealish-transfer-manchester-city-aston-villa">an English-record £100 million at Aston Villa to add Jack Grealish</a>, a pure luxury signing. It's why PSG, the original norm-shatterers after prying Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record €222 million four years ago, can offer higher wages than its competitors <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/07/08/psg-transfers-sergio-ramos-wijnaldum-donnarumma-hakimi">to lure free transfers</a> (not to mention thumb its nose at $212 million for a player it's bound to lose for nothing). And it's why Chelsea can follow a $300 million summer in the thick of the pandemic with another nine-figure splurge months after winning the Champions League in an effort to get even better. (To Chelsea's credit, it has also sold off surplus parts to make the net spend this summer considerably more reasonable and downright average compared to Premier League counterparts.)
The thing about norms being shattered is that it opens the door for more lunacy to follow, yet not be met with the same level of shock. But be ready for it, even if the 2022 summer window does coincide with the run-up to the World Cup, a time when players might otherwise be hesitant to change their surroundings as a major tournament is on the horizon. It could be similarly seismic to this one, when Mbappé is available without a fee attached, when Haaland's well-documented and relative bargain of a release clause could be triggered, when Paul Pogba's contract expires and when the likes of Robert Lewandowski, N'Golo Kanté, Raheem Sterling and the entirety of Liverpool's front line (Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino) is entering the final year of their respective deals. Plenty can change between now and then, of course, but perhaps that's the ultimate lesson to take away from this summer. At this stage, anything can change for any club or player—fill in the blanks with terms of your choice—and it won't really be able to be seen as all that stunning anymore.
More Soccer Coverage:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/27/cristiano-ronaldo-manchester-united-return-solskjaer-analysis">Wilson: Ronaldo's Man United Return Is Nostalgic but Lacks Football Sense</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/25/kylian-mbappe-transfer-psg-real-madrid-leonardo-perez">Wilson: Making Sense of Real Madrid and PSG's Mbappé Tug of War</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/08/26/champions-league-draw-groups-psg-man-city-predictions">Wilson: Predictions, Breakdowns for the Champions League Group Stage</a></li>
</ul>

New on Sports Illustrated: The Norm-Shattering Transfer Window, Where Nothing and Nobody Were Off the Table

The summer window is finally shutting across Europe's top leagues, but not before what felt like the entire top tier of talent was in s...

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Simmons Tells 76ers He No Longer Wants to Remain With Team

<a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/08/31/ben-simmons-76ers-no-longer-remain-team">
Much of the conversation surrounding Philadelphia's postseason exit was about the All-Star guard, who averaged just 9.9 points per game vs. the Hawks.
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Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has informed 76ers management that he no longer wants to remain with the franchise, <a href="https://twitter.com/PompeyOnSixers/status/1432785688982925323">according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey.</a>
According to the Inquirer, in a meeting last week Simmons told team governor Josh Harris, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, general manager Elton Brand and coach Doc Rivers of a desire to be moved. 
The 24-year guard also does not intend to report to training camp if he is not moved, per the Inquirer. 
Philadelphia management told Simmons it wanted him to report to the start of training camp on Sept. 28 and be part of the organization, per the Inquirer.
<a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1432797450474070022">Per NBA reporter Marc Stein,</a> the Sixers have been aware for some time that Simmons's preference is to be traded before the season starts.
Simmons has four years and $147 million left on his contract.
In mid-July, <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/07/13/ben-simmons-trade-rumors-open-up">the 76ers reportedly opened up trade conversations surrounding Simmons and engaged with other teams around a possible deal.</a> It is unclear what the asking price is for Simmons, though Philadelphia has appeared to have had a difficult time meeting its desired trade return demands.
<a href="https://www.si.com/podcasts/2021/08/31/danny-green-talks-ben-simmons-76ers-future">Danny Green Dishes on Ben Simmons’s Future in Philadelphia</a>
Much of the conversation surrounding the 76ers' second-round postseason exit to the Hawks was about Simmons, who averaged just 9.9 points per game and shot 15-for-45 (33.3%) in the series.
He attempted only 14 shots in the final three games and had just three fourth-quarter field goal attempts in the entire series.
In late June, <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/06/24/ben-simmons-management-76ers-discuss-future-team">ESPN reported</a> that Philadelphia remained committed to keeping Simmons as a central piece of its franchise. 
Following the 76ers' exit from the postseason, Morey was asked whether Simmons would return to the team next season.
"We have a very strong group we believe in," he said. "None of us can predict the future of what is going to happen. … We love what Ben brings. We love what Joel [Embiid] brings. We love what Tobias [Harris] brings. In terms of what’s next, we’ll do what is best for the 76ers to give us the best chance to win a championship with every single player on the roster.” 
More NBA Coverage: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/podcasts/2021/08/31/danny-green-talks-ben-simmons-76ers-future">Danny Green Dishes on Ben Simmons’s Future in Philadelphia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/08/25/2021-nba-offseason-awards-lakers-nets-rockets">2021 NBA Offseason Awards</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/08/27/nba-mailbag-warriors-contenders-blazers-trade-rumors">Mailbag: Are the Warriors Serious Title Contenders?</a></li>
</ul>

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Simmons Tells 76ers He No Longer Wants to Remain With Team

Much of the conversation surrounding Philadelphia's postseason exit was about the All-Star guard, who averaged just 9.9 points per game...

New on Sports Illustrated: Bishop Sycamore Fires Head Coach Roy Johnson, Maintains It's a Legitimate Program

<a href="https://www.si.com/high-school/2021/08/31/bishop-sycamore-fires-head-coach-roy-johnson">
Roy Johnson was fired as head coach of Bishop Sycamore and founder Andre Peterson says the school is not a "scam."
</a><a href="https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2021/08/31/high-school-football-bishop-sycamore-details">Bishop Sycamore</a>, the school that has gained national attention for potentially being a fraudulent program, has fired its head coach. The news was first reported by <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/highschool/2021/08/31/bishop-sycamore-football-director-andre-peterson-espn-controversy/5652257001/">USA Today Sports's Chris Bumbaca</a>.
The team made headlines on Sunday when it was blown out by IMG Academy (Florida), the No. 2 high school football team in the country, on a nationally televised game via ESPN 58–0. The blowout was not the issue, but whether or not Bishop Sycamore was actually a legitimate school. 
The school's address is listed as a P.O. box and it claims to be based in Columbus, Ohio, but it is not affiliated with the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The roster includes postgraduate players as old as 19 or 20 who have possibly already played in junior college football games. Coach Roy Johnson was <a href="https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190306/roy-johnson-cof-academys-first-perceptions-werent-reality">investigated for fraud</a> and he has an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/bishop-sycamore-head-coach-active-warrant-civil-lawsuits">active bench warrant</a> for failing to appear in a domestic violence case. 
Bishop Sycamore's founder Andre Peterson, who also currently coaches the football team's offensive and defensive lines, told USA Today Sports that Johnson has been fired. He also denied that Bishop Sycamore was a "scam."
"There’s nothing that I’ve gotten out of this that would constitute it as a scam because I’m not gaining anything financially from what we’re doing," Peterson told USA Today Sports on Monday night. "The reality of it is that I have a son [Javan] that’s also in the program and has been in the program for four years.
"If it’s a scam and the kids are not going to school and not doing what they’re supposed to do, then I’m literally scamming myself. And most importantly, I’m hurting my own son. So when people say stuff like that … I would literally be taking my son’s future and throwing it in the trash." 
More Football Coverage: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2021/08/31/high-school-football-bishop-sycamore-details">Parent, Player Shed More Light on Bishop Sycamore Fiasco </a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/31/mac-jones-won-patriots-starting-job-cam-newton-cut">Mac Jones Won the Job; Didn't Make Sense to Keep Cam </a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/college/2021/08/31/ncaa-football-parity-alabama-clemson-daily-cover">College Football Parity is Dead. Is there Hope for Change?</a> </li>
</ul>

New on Sports Illustrated: Bishop Sycamore Fires Head Coach Roy Johnson, Maintains It's a Legitimate Program

Roy Johnson was fired as head coach of Bishop Sycamore and founder Andre Peterson says the school is not a "scam." Bishop Sycamo...

New on Sports Illustrated: Dana White Q&A: The UFC 268 'Card Is Ridiculous'

<a href="https://www.si.com/mma/2021/08/31/dana-white-ufc-268-the-ultimate-surfer">
The UFC president discusses how he put together the upcoming MSG card, his role with 'The Ultimate Surfer' and the next heavyweight title fight.
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original article</a> to see embedded media.
UFC is coming back to Madison Square Garden.
The UFC 268 card was announced over the weekend, and it is loaded. Scheduled for Nov. 6 in New York City, the card is headlined by welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who is defending his title in a rematch against Colby Covington. The night will also feature strawweight champ Rose Namajunas against former champ Zhang Weili, as well as Justin Gaethje meeting Michael Chandler in a bout that should determine the next top lightweight contender for either Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier after their lightweight championship encounter.
In addition to putting together a jam-packed card for MSG, UFC president Dana White is branching out with new responsibilities in television as the executive producer of ABC's The Ultimate Surfer. Speaking with Sports Illustrated, White discussed the upcoming MSG card, his role with The Ultimate Surfer, as well as the next heavyweight title fight.
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Sports Illustrated: Why is Usman-Covington the right fight to headline MSG? And what went into putting the 268 card together?
Dana White: The first Usman-Covington fight is one of the most exciting you’re ever going to see. It was incredible, and that’s what is going to happen again here.
Going into New York, the card is ridiculous. Every time I go to MSG, I want to blow the doors off the place. There is Gaethje-Chandler. Namajunas-Weili is also going to be incredible with a lot to prove, especially after everybody was shocked how easy it looked for Rose to knock Weili out the last time they fought. Then there is Sean Strickland, who said he’s going to assault Luke Rockhold when he sees him. The whole card is incredible.
SI: The Oliveira-Poirier title fight still needs to take place first, but will the winner of Gaethje-Chandler be next in line for a title shot?
DW: The winner of that fight definitely could be next for a title shot. We have to figure out what’s next for Islam Makhachev. That division has so many exciting fights coming up.
SI: In addition to 268, Amanda Nunes returns to the cage in December at 269. Another highlight will be the next heavyweight title fight. <a href="https://www.si.com/mma/2021/08/26/stipe-miocic-wants-title-rematch-the-weekly-takedown">Stipe Miocic mentioned to SI last week</a> that he will be meeting with you this fall to figure out his future. Do you know what comes next for the heavyweight title?
DW: We have some fun stuff lined up for the rest of this year, as well as some great s--- for next year. For the heavyweights, the next fight we’re going to make is champion vs. champion.
SI: Another important project for you is The Ultimate Surfer, which airs on ABC.
DW: I’ve been working on this show for close to eight years. Me and [president of Lionsgate Nonfiction Television] Craig Piligian do a lot together. I’ve been producing shows like Shark Week and other reality shows with Craig for years, including The Ultimate Fighter. The Ultimate Surfer is one I’ve been extremely passionate about.
I’ve been a big fan of surfing since I was a kid, and I’ve always felt that surfers don’t get the credit they deserve. Look at [The Ultimate Surfer lead consultant] Kelly Slater, who is one of the most decorated athletes of all time. People don’t know enough about him. Surfing is such a beautiful sport, and this is a way for more people to understand it, and a way to bring surfing to the masses.
SI: That’s a big part of your journey as a promoter, finding an undervalued, perhaps even underappreciated, commodity, and highlighting its strength in a way that has never before been done.
DW: I like to build brands. It’s the same with [White’s whiskey brand] Howler Head. We started that a year ago, and we’re going to do 100,000 cases this year. It’s what I love to do.
SI: Are there any connections between The Ultimate Surfer and The Ultimate Fighter?
DW: This show reminds me a lot of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. If you look at who came off that first season, there was Diego Sanchez, Forrest Griffin, Mike Swick, people who went on to do some big things in this sport. We’ve got some big personalities and some people that have the potential to be the best in the world, and even shake up some s---.
SI: Is there anyone quite like Diego Sanchez on The Ultimate Surfer?
DW: That’s a loaded question. [Laughs.] I can’t give away any spoilers. But just like The Ultimate Fighter, I think people are really going to like this. And The Return of The Ultimate Fighter was extremely successful. Those two fights this past weekend were f------ awesome. If people haven’t seen it yet, they need to watch. It was a great season for us on ESPN+.
SI: Why should fight fans invest their time and watch The Ultimate Surfer?
DW: When you watch most reality shows, what’s the payoff for you as a fan? Here, you’ll have two winners. They’ll each get $100,000, which is great, and they’ll get three wild-card spots on the championship tour in the World Surf League. You can literally follow these kids throughout their entire career, like The Ultimate Fighter. You can follow the winner in the World Surf League and see how they do, and I think that’s going to be great for fans.
Justin Barrasso can be reached at <a href="mailto:JBarrasso@gmail.com">JBarrasso@gmail.com</a>. Follow him on Twitter @<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinBarrasso">JustinBarrasso</a>.
More MMA Coverage: 
• <a href="https://www.si.com/mma/2021/08/26/stipe-miocic-wants-title-rematch-the-weekly-takedown">Stipe Miocic Wants Another Shot at the Heavyweight Belt</a> • <a href="https://www.si.com/mma/2021/08/24/israel-adesanya-middleweight-belt-robert-whittaker">Israel Adesanya Is Making the Most of the Extra Time on His Hands</a> • <a href="https://www.si.com/mma/2021/08/13/ciryl-gane-ufc-heavyweight-division-jon-jones">After Winning Interim Heavyweight Title, Ciryl Gane Wants to Be Champion</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Dana White Q&A: The UFC 268 'Card Is Ridiculous'

The UFC president discusses how he put together the upcoming MSG card, his role with 'The Ultimate Surfer' and the next heavyweight...

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Saints' Michael Thomas Expected to Open Season on P.U.P. List

<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/31/michael-thomas-saints-pup-list-start-season">
Michael Thomas will miss at least the first five games of the season as the Saints will reportedly place him on the physically unable to perform list.
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original article</a> to see embedded media.
Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas will miss at least the first five games of the season as the franchise is expected to place him on the physically unable to perform list, <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1432759360321724428">according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.</a>
Thomas will be unable to practice until the first six weeks of the season have passed, but due to the Saints having a bye week in Week 6, he will initially miss just five games.
The first game Thomas could appear in is against the Seahawks on Monday Night Football in Week 7. 
Thomas had his ankle surgically repaired in June <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/news/saints-michael-thomas-out-four-months">and had long been reportedly expected to miss the start of the 2021 season. </a>However, head coach Sean Payton recently said Thomas was <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/sean-payton-on-saints-wr-michael-thomas-he-s-ahead-of-schedule">"ahead of schedule"</a> in his recovery.
The three-time Pro Bowler played in seven regular-season games in 2020 due to injuries and disciplinary issues. The ankle injury that will delay his start to his 2021 season occurred in Week 1 of last year. While Thomas returned in Week 9, he briefly return to injured reserve late in the season. 
He finished his 2020 campaign with 40 catches for 438 yards and didn't catch his first touchdown until the playoffs.
For his career, however, Thomas, 28, has been one of the NFL's most productive receivers since entering the league in 2016. He's tallied 510 catches in just 70 career games, <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/gameday/michael-thomas-sets-another-receptions-record">setting the NFL record with 149 receptions</a> in '19.
The Saints open their season against the Packers on September 12. 
<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/news/saints-nfl-city-of-new-orleans-dilemmas-from-ida">While the game was initially scheduled to be played in New Orleans, the game is no longer expected to be played in the city due to Hurricane Ida. The team is currently practicing in Dallas amid the storm. </a>
More NFL Coverage:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/30/tales-of-tom-brady-forgotten-rookie-year-2000-season-daily-cover">Tom Brady’s Forgotten Rookie Year</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/30/mmqb-deshaun-watson-trade-rumors-cutdown-day-sirianni-saleh">MMQB: Why You’re Hearing More Deshaun Watson Trade Rumors Now</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/19/dak-prescott-cover-story-brothers-suicide-broken-ankle-mental-health-recovery">Dak Prescott’s Heal Turn</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/27/lavonte-david-devin-white-bucs-lead-linebacker-revival-daily-cover">How the Bucs Are Leading a Linebacker Revival</a></li>
</ul>

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Saints' Michael Thomas Expected to Open Season on P.U.P. List

Michael Thomas will miss at least the first five games of the season as the Saints will reportedly place him on the physically unable to pe...

The World of Sports

New on Sports Illustrated: The Norm-Shattering Transfer Window, Where Nothing and Nobody Were Off the Table

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Simmons Tells 76ers He No Longer Wants to Remain With Team

New on Sports Illustrated: Bishop Sycamore Fires Head Coach Roy Johnson, Maintains It's a Legitimate Program

New on Sports Illustrated: Dana White Q&A: The UFC 268 'Card Is Ridiculous'

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Saints' Michael Thomas Expected to Open Season on P.U.P. List

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