As great of a week of sports as its been, the NFL once again proved why it’s king by stealing many of the headlines even in the offseason. Of course, Sunday’s huge announcement from Tom Brady trumps all other NFL news. The return of the iconic quarterback after retiring less than two months ago shocked the sports world yesterday. Yet the league had plenty of other huge news as well last week as numerous prominent players have found new homes by trade and free agency.
Major League Baseball is officially back after the league and the Players Association agreed on a new CBA deal. Players are currently gearing up for Spring Training games that begin on Friday and Opening Day will now kick off on April 7. Additionally, NASCAR driver Chase Briscoe earned his first Cup Series win in Phoenix this past weekend. Plus NBA superstar LeBron James made history once again this past week, and Tiger Woods was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame. We’ve got all that and much more as we take a look back at the last week in sports.
What to Watch For This Week
- March Madness is finally here! The 2022 NCAA Tournament begins this week, so start filling out your brackets now.
- The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway is up next on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
- MLB Spring Training games will start later this week on Friday, March 18.
- The NFL free agency period is in full swing. We’ve already seen some major moves across the league, but more are sure to follow this week.
In Case You Missed It
- NFL legend Tom Brady is coming out of retirement to return to Tampa Bay for at least one more season.
- The first week of NFL trades are in the books. NFL stars including Russell Wilson, Amari Cooper, and Khalil Mack are all on the move.
- Major League Baseball has officially returned after the league and players agreed on a new CBA deal.
- Chase Briscoe took home his first NASCAR Cup Series win at the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.
- L.A. Lakers forward LeBron James had another historic week where he broke multiple NBA records.
- Iconic golfer Tiger Woods was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
- Sports broadcasters Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are moving from FOX to ESPN after both received huge contracts to join Monday Night Football.
Tom Brady Returns, NFL Stars On the Move, and Much More
Well that didn’t last long did it? Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady hung up his cleats on Feb. 1, and six weeks later he’s already announced he’s lacing them up again for at least one more season. Considering the NFL’s greatest ever QB led the league in passing last season, he’s obviously still got plenty left in the tank. Yet the breaking news shocked everyone when Tom Brady posted about his comeback on social media on Sunday evening.
The NFL news didn’t stop with Tom Brady though. This past week saw a flurry of huge trades and free agent signings. Many of your favorite players are officially on the move. The Denver Broncos traded for longtime Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in a blockbuster move. Other huge trades include the Dallas Cowboys sending WR Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns, and the Chicago Bears sending LB Khalil Mack to the L.A. Chargers.
While there’s plenty of other players on the move, there’s also been a huge change off the field as well this past week. Longtime FOX Sports announcing duo Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will now take over Monday Night Football duties on ESPN. The “Worldwide Leader in Sports” reportedly signed each broadcaster to a five-year deal, with Buck’s contract worth upwards of $15 million per year and Aikman’s worth more than $20 million per year.
MLB and MLBPA Save the 2022 Season With New CBA Deal
The 2022 MLB season is back on… finally. After months of negotiating and a lockout that was in place since December, the baseball season officially began over the weekend. Sunday marked the first mandatory practices for teams as Spring Training gets underway.
Team owners and the Players Association struck a deal on Thursday with both sides agreeing on a new CBA deal. The regular season is starting one week later than originally intended, but all teams will play their entire 162-game schedule. Preseason games begin this Friday, and Opening Day kicks off on April 7.
Chase Briscoe Takes His First NASCAR Cup Series Checkered Flag
For the No. 14 car and its driver Chase Briscoe, Sunday brought a day full of emotions on the racetrack in Phoenix. After a caution flag, a restart with 20 laps to go saw Briscoe battling it out with Kevin Harvick, Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney, and Tyler Reddick towards the end of the Ruoff Mortgage 500. However, Briscoe would beat the veterans and young guns alike to the finish line for his first-ever Cup Series win. In his post-race interview, Briscoe described the emotions of winning at Phoenix Raceway.
“It’s unbelievable,” Briscoe said after the race. “I was crying the whole last lap. I mean, this definitely is a team win. But I gotta thank everybody who’s gotten me to this point. Seven years ago, I was sleeping on couches volunteering at race shops and was literally driving home to give up. And Bruce Cunningham and Kerry Scherer and Beth Cunningham gave me an opportunity that’s led to this.”
“I wish my wife and baby were here,” he added. “Definitely special and one that’s going to be remembered forever.”
LeBron James Continues To Break NBA Records at 37 Years Old
Love him or hate him, L.A. Lakers forward LeBron James continues to prove why he’s one of the greatest players to ever step foot on an NBA hardcourt. James scored 50 points against the Washington Wizards on Friday as he led the Lakers to a win. That made it two games in a row at home scoring 50 points or more after he recently scored 56 points against the Golden State Warriors. The league has never seen this kind of production from a player of his age.
In fact, James became the first player in NBA history over the age of 30 to score at least 50 points in back-to-back home games. But his impressive week didn’t end there. LeBron James has now scored 20 or more points in 30 straight games. At 37 years old, he has taken over first place in the NBA scoring title race with 29.3 points per game. To cap off the already insanely impressive week, James earned an even bigger honor. King James is officially the only player in NBA history to reach 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists.
Tiger Woods Gets Inducted Into the Golf Hall of Fame
In possibly the least surprising news of the week, golfing legend Tiger Woods made the World Golf Hall of Fame. It was an inevitable honor for Woods, but as he was surrounded by friends and family on Wednesday night, the famous golfer couldn’t help but get emotional.
Woods’ daughter, Sam, introduced her father and presented him to a crowd at the new PGA Tour headquarters in Florida. The 15-major winner took the stage and joked with his daughter that her heartfelt intro made him lose a bet against fellow golfer Steve Stricker.
“Thank you. Crap, I just lost a bet to Stricker that I wouldn’t cry. Thank you, Sam,” Woods said to his daughter as he began his Hall of Fame speech.
Tiger Woods has been through many ups and downs in his long career. Most recently, in February 2021, Tiger was in a single-car wreck that could have been fatal. He’s still on the mend, and hasn’t played an official tournament since. Yet as Woods reflected on his iconic career at the induction ceremony, he made sure to thank those that were there during the good and bad times of his legendary career.
“I had unbelievable parents, mentors, friends who supported me in the darkest of times and celebrated the highest of times. All of you allowed me to get here and I want to say thank you very much from the bottom of my heart,” Woods shared during his speech.
