Football

A grinning Trump holds up the UFC belt. Tulsi Gabbard and Elon Musk stand in the crowd behind him, clapping.

Watching a Parallel Media Try to Make Trump the Big Sports Story Watching a Parallel Media Try to Make Trump the Big Sports Story

The president-elect did not dominate the world of sports this weekend, but Fox News and Internet tabloids are inventing new realities.

Nov 19, 2024 / Dave Zirin

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Nick Bosa interrupts a teammate's interview by pointing to his MAGA hat on October 27, 2024.

What the Bosa/Kaepernick Double Standard Tells Us About the 2024 Elections What the Bosa/Kaepernick Double Standard Tells Us About the 2024 Elections

Nick Bosa and Colin Kaepernick both brought their politics onto the field, yet they experienced very different repercussions.

Nov 12, 2024 / Dave Zirin

Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins lies on the ground after colliding with Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter on September 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida.

NFL Head Injuries Are Part of the Product NFL Head Injuries Are Part of the Product

The league creates spectacles that distract from the dangers—but that doesn’t mean they’re not there.

Sep 20, 2024 / Dave Zirin

A brain scan of a football player who was diagnosed with CTE, the brain injury that is affecting so many former football players.

Abolish College Football Abolish College Football

NCAA football, especially at major universities, is among the most exploitative and harmful institutions in the United States.

Sep 20, 2024 / Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Derek Silva

Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins and Jaylen Waddle #17 celebrate after Hill's receiving touchdown on September 8, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Prior to the game, Miami-Dade police pushed Hill face down on the concrete and handcuffed him.

Police Violence, Tyreek Hill, and the NFL Owners Who Bankroll Brutality Police Violence, Tyreek Hill, and the NFL Owners Who Bankroll Brutality

The NFL does not cross the police. The NFL partners with the police.

Sep 9, 2024 / Dave Zirin

Delegates hold “Coach Walz” signs during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on August 21, 2024.

The Dark Side of the Democratic Party’s Embrace of Football The Dark Side of the Democratic Party’s Embrace of Football

The hypermasculinity and violence of football connects to Kamala Harris’s bellicose convention speech. It could repel young voters.

Aug 26, 2024 / Dave Zirin

An interior view of the betting odds video board at the Westgate Superbook ahead of the Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on February 9, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Is Sports Gambling a Public Health Crisis? Is Sports Gambling a Public Health Crisis?

Why a progressive approach might be a national intervention.

Jun 5, 2024 / Katrina vanden Heuvel

Harrison Butker at commencement

Harrison Butker Is a Jerk, a Bigot, and a True Representative of the NFL Harrison Butker Is a Jerk, a Bigot, and a True Representative of the NFL

In a brief commencement speech, the Kansas City kicker managed to be racist, sexist, and homophobic. The NFL’s response is revealing.

May 16, 2024 / Dave Zirin

O.J. Simpson at his 1995 trial

O.J. Simpson Was a Rorschach Test for America O.J. Simpson Was a Rorschach Test for America

Society / April 11, 2024 O.J. Simpson Was a Rorschach Test for America Most people saw the Hall of Fame running back not as a person but as symbol for what was wrong with the c…

Apr 11, 2024 / Dave Zirin

Crowds jam into Caesars Sports Book at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino to bet on the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Super Bowl of Gambling The Super Bowl of Gambling

The gambling industry has consumed the sports world, so of course, the Super Bowl is in Las Vegas.

Feb 9, 2024 / Dave Zirin

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