Sports

The NFL’s 2026 schedule release is more than a calendar — it’s a first draft of narratives, fantasy targets and TV theatre. From Broncos‑Chiefs opening Monday Night to a Week 17 NFC showdown on Sunday Night, the games we’ll talk about all summer are already set.

The selection committees have pushed March Madness past its familiar threshold — both the men’s and women’s fields will expand to 76 teams — and now the sport must prove whether that extra room makes the tournament richer or just messier.

This week’s playoff shocks have turned a steady NBA script into a cliffhanger — and Nikola Jokić’s future is the subplot now driving the whole story.

WrestleMania 42 arrives as part spectacle, part scavenger hunt — and ESPN’s previews make a convincing case that this year’s most interesting moments won’t all come from the headline names.

Rory McIlroy’s opening 67 — the day’s low round — and a share of the lead have eased the unique pressures of defending at the Masters.