Football

The beautiful chaos of NFL Sundays is back like it never left, so let’s sift through the storylines that shaped the season’s opening weekend.

September 14, 2026

The only 2026 NFL cheat sheet you need

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There’s no time to waste: The new NFL season is already underway after the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 13–10 in last night’s season-opening Super Bowl LX rematch. Whether you’re tackling conspiracy theories or drawing up travel plans, consider this your football cheat sheet.

September 10, 2026

NCAA football headlines from a raucous Week 1

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NCAA football chose chaos in Week 1: One powerhouse plummeted in the rankings, another program faces conference expulsion, and the postseason could be expanding…again. It’s been a minute since we went back to school, but has it always been this dramatic?

September 09, 2026

Everything you need to know about the 2026 NCAA football season

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After last weekend’s Week 0 soft launch, NCAA football is officially back with a full slate of Week 1 action, kicking off in earnest this weekend and culminating in the January 25th national championship. It’s been 229 days since the Indiana Hoosiers hoisted the program’s first trophy — aka, 228 days too long without the wildest, weirdest, most unpredictable game on grass.

September 04, 2026

Flag Football World Championships underscore opportunities ahead of LA28

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As we wrote in February, flag football participation is surging at the youth level, particularly for girls. There are more opportunities for girls to play flag compared to tackle football, and athletes (and their parents) are drawn to it as a “safer” option. Let’s look at the numbers that support the sport’s grassroots success.

August 22, 2026

Olympic spots on the line at flag football World Championships

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August 14, 2026

Three questions to ponder as the CFL’s 68th season kicks off

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One less down, the (modified) rouge, longer fields (for now) — there’s nothing quite like Canadian football. And the 68th CFL season started with a bang as the Montreal Alouettes beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30–27 in overtime last night.

June 05, 2026

WNFC inks multiyear deal with ESPN for title game as broadcast exposure and sponsorship level up the league

Sports Business

WNFC inks multiyear deal with ESPN for title game as broadcast exposure and sponsorship level up the league

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June 02, 2026

The Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) announced a multiyear agreement with ESPN yesterday to broadcast its June 21st championship game live on ESPN2. The league has seen recent growth, mostly thanks to increased media exposure and sponsorship, so we chatted with WNFC advisory board member, commentator, and former player Jennifer King to learn more.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #589

NFL Week 1 overreactions

September 15, 2026

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Week 1 of the NFL season did not disappoint. The stars shined, the offenses scored a mind-boggling number of touchdowns, and most importantly, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson played absolutely terribly.

To celebrate one of our favorite times of the year, today’s episode of The GIST of It is dedicated to NFL Week 1 overreactions, from the team co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz think will win Super Bowl 61 to the players they consider MVP contenders after one outing.