Patrick Mahomes is embodying the spirit of optimism as he navigates his recovery timeline.

After enduring a painful torn ACL during last season’s Week 15 clash against the Chargers, the two-time NFL MVP is feeling positive about his chances of joining the Kansas City Chiefs on the field for their opening game against the Denver Broncos.

“That’s my goal,” Mahomes shared with Yahoo Sports on Wednesday. “I’ve aimed for this from the start, wanting to be ready to play in Week 1. While I can’t foresee the future, I understand this is a lengthy process. Ultimately, the decision isn’t solely mine, but I’ll do everything in my power to convince the doctors and coaches to let me take the field in Week 1.”

“Missing that game against the Broncos isn’t something I want,” Mahomes explained, highlighting the importance of that matchup. “The Broncos won the division while we were sidelined, and I am eager to join my teammates and confront our rivals head-on.”

He remains hopeful that his medical specialists and coaching staff will give him the all-clear, paving the way for his anticipated comeback when the season kicks off.

Mahomes missed the final three games of 2025 with the injury, as the Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. 

He was held out of full-team drills but has participated in offseason workouts. 

Mahomes said he missed being on the field with his teammates and that after the injury, it was time to move his focus to 2026. 

“After the season ended, it was just about getting back out there and try and do whatever I can to be able to participate in OTAs, which I did, and be ready to go for training camp,” Mahomes added. “I know it’s a long process, but you have these end goals. I’m just trying to achieve those end goals by dominating every single day.” 

“We’ve had a great recovery program going these last few months and we’re in a good spot. Now it’s just about trying to continue to do that so that I’m ready to go when the season comes around.” 

After going 0-3 without Mahomes in 2025, it’s safe to say the Chiefs need him back at full strength. 

Through eight years as a starter, Mahomes has thrown 267 touchdowns and over 35,000 yards, transforming the Chiefs into a dynasty with three Super Bowl wins and five overall appearances.

Caitlin Clark unleashed her frustration during Wednesday night’s clash between the Indiana Fever and the Golden State Valkyries, a game that saw tension flare due to a contentious no-call.

The Fever’s standout player was visibly upset with a WNBA referee after her teammate, Aliyah Boston, was penalized for fouling Golden State’s Veronica Burton. This came immediately after Clark was denied a foul call during a critical play.

In the moments leading up to the incident, Clark managed to complete a layup despite a challenge from Kiah Stokes that led her to the ground. However, much to her disbelief, no foul was called by the referee.

Clark’s frustration boiled over when Burton was awarded a foul soon after. Reacting fiercely, she waved her arms and confronted the official, expressing her discontent vociferously.

Despite her heated exchange, Clark soon retreated down the tunnel for treatment, only to return to the bench shortly thereafter. Notably, she escaped without a technical foul for her animated protest.

Clark finished with 13 points, six assists and three rebounds as the Fever slumped to a 75-88 loss, with her struggles from beyond the arc continuing in the defeat.

She shot 1-for-8 from three-point range and has a poor record of just 15.8 percent from deep in her last three appearances.

The 24-year-old has been at the center of fierce controversy in the WNBA of late, with Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas recently punching her in the throat during a game against the Fever. 

The shocking incident sparked outrage across the country as fans argued that Clark, who has been subjected to aggressive tactics by players since being drafted by Indiana in 2024, is not receiving protection on the court from WNBA officials. 

On Sunday night, she was also floored by Las Vegas Aces player Chelsea Gray in an incident that was reviewed by referees for a ‘hostile act’. 

Clark tried to defend Gray during the second quarter of her team’s 109-75 victory, but as she tried to stop her from getting her shot away, the Aces star appeared to use her left elbow to strike her midriff.

The incident led referees to review the play for a potential ‘hostile act’, which infuriated Gray and coach Becky Hammon, who protested the decision to review.

Clark remained on the floor as the review process played out and, when she eventually returned to her feet, she was left holding her back having recently dealt with injury issues.

The referees eventually ruled the play a common foul for Clark, which sparked a furious reaction from the Fever star. 

After the game, the 33-year-old Gray posted a vile racist message she received to her Instagram story following the clash with Clark.

‘People act like we just make this s*** up,’ she wrote in her caption. ‘And the audacity to tell us as athletes to “shut up and dribble.”‘ 

Hilton Grand Vacations has since fired an unnamed male employee who is accused of sending the disgusting slur to her on social media. 

Gray’s post came after Phoenix’s Thomas faced similar abuse in the wake of her own run-in with Clark last month.

In the days that followed, Thomas said she was racially abused online and received threats toward herself and her family – including her children.

‘Our families are being threatened,’ Thomas, who is Black, told reporters earlier this month. ‘Kids are being threatened. People are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff.

‘There’s a difference between trolling and there’s a difference between hatred,’ she continued. ‘The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that was, honestly, a complete accident, no one even knew what happened, it’s just unfortunate.’

She also directed frustration at the WNBA and its commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, whom she criticized for being silent on the issue.

‘The league has to do better in this instance,’ Thomas said. ‘Honestly, I didn’t even know I was being suspended until 10 minutes before it was being put on social media. We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy.

‘It’s no surprise. You can see what’s being said on social media. It’s unfortunate, but as usual, she remains silent. That’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened.’

CHICAGO (WLS) — A harrowing incident unfolded near Montrose Harbor on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, as a 70-year-old man found himself in a life-threatening situation after becoming submerged in the cold waters of Lake Michigan. Emergency services swiftly transported him to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition, the Chicago police reported.

The near-drowning sparked an urgent rescue mission, with both bystanders and emergency teams racing against time to assist. Witnesses on the scene recounted the drama that unfolded just before 4 p.m., painting a vivid picture of the decisive action taken to save a life.

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“We saw a group of people waving at the lifeguard boat and shouting for help,” described witness Hudson Hogan. “The lifeguard crew immediately responded, arriving promptly and starting CPR without hesitation.”

Despite clear skies and the generally peaceful lakefront atmosphere, chaos ensued as onlookers leaped into action alongside the lifeguards to rescue the submerged man, underscoring the swift community response.

The unexpected emergency left many witnesses, including Hogan, visibly shaken and reminded all present of the unpredictable nature of water safety, even on the most beautiful days.

“We immediately got out of the water because it was really, like, unsettling to even be in the water and see them performing CPR from afar. And, we were all just praying and just everyone was quiet. The whole ledge just went quiet,” he said.

Chopper 7 was over the scene as the man was loaded into an ambulance and transported to St. Joseph Hospital. Police said he was initially listed in critical condition.

The water rescue incident has renewed concerns about water safety among advocates, including Dave Benjamin of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.

“We need to understand that drowning is a public health issue, and it continues to be a neglected public health issue,” Benjamin said.

Benjamin said the organization tracks drownings across the Great Lakes and believes many could be prevented through increased education and safety efforts. He said the latest incident underscores the need for additional attention and funding for water safety.

“The 15-year-old that drowned in the Chain O’Lakes did not have to happen. We are not teaching the basics of water safety,” Benjamin said.

According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have been more than 40 drownings in the Great Lakes so far this year. The organization says nearly half occur in Lake Michigan, on average.

In a shocking incident last month, three teenage girls were taken into custody in Jersey City following allegations of throwing acid at a group of six women, according to a city spokesperson.

The attack occurred on June 15, when the women were near Wilkinson Avenue. It was then that “individuals approached and hurled what is believed to be sulfuric acid at them,” shared Kim Wallace Scalcione, the spokesperson for the Jersey City Department of Public Safety, in a statement provided to News Media.

News Media reported that the suspects, aged 13, 14, and 15, were apprehended on June 16 and 17 in connection with the disturbing act.

Scalcione noted that “all six victims were taken to a nearby hospital, where they received treatment for injuries, including skin burns and peeling, which were fortunately not life-threatening.”

Three of the victims were teenagers, and one of them, a 21-year-old woman, had to be transported to a hospital burn unit to be treated for second-degree burns to her face and scalp, Scalcione said.

The girls who were arrested each face charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon/bodily injury, illegal weapons possession, risking injury and conspiracy.

Scalcione said the incident “appears to have been targeted and may have stemmed from an earlier dispute among a large group.”

The suspects’ identities have not been released.

Officials told NBC New York that the women targeted were in their car when the teens drove by on a moped and threw sulfuric acid on them.

According to the National Library of Medicine, sulfuric acid is a corrosive chemical that can cause “severe burns and tissue damage when it comes into contact with the skin or mucous membranes.”

The acid attack in Jersey comes after a 31-year-old man was arrested in Brooklyn for allegedly orchestrating a similar assault on his ex-girlfriend.

Shaquille Coke, 31, pleaded not guilty at his March 24 arraignment in Nassau County court on charges including first-degree assault in connection with the 2021 attack on a 21-year-old woman outside her Elmont home.

The substance Coke’s alleged accomplice threw at the victim was later determined to be 70% sulfuric acid, prosecutors said.

OG Anunoby is known for his reserved demeanor, but he never fails to entertain with his unexpected humor.

On a remarkable night at Lincoln Center, Anunoby, a star player for the Knicks, added another accolade to his career during the ESPY Awards. He clinched the Play of the Year title thanks to his unforgettable game-winning tip-in during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, contributing to the team’s five award wins that evening.

As the typically soft-spoken Anunoby approached the stage to accept his award, the atmosphere shifted from one of modesty to one of laughter.

“Uh, it’s truly such an honor to win an ESPY to cap off an amazing year and special moment for our team,” Anunoby began his speech, setting the tone with heartfelt sincerity before pausing dramatically.

The camera then captured a wider shot of Anunoby as he awkwardly repositioned himself, spreading his legs and bending down to speak into the microphone, creating a moment of unexpected silence that left the audience amused.

Jalen Brunson (who won three individual ESPYs), Mikal Bridges and the rest of the crowd gathered at New York’s Lincoln Center erupted into laughter as a smiling Anunoby tried to continue his remarks.

“To the best fans in the world, we thank you for all your love and support,” Anunoby continued while holding back his own laughter. “Winning a championship for the city is truly so special, and I want to thank God, my teammates, the entire Knicks organization and all those who supported me along the way.

“Go Knicks!”

Since being acquired from the Raptors in December 2023, Anunoby has endeared himself to teammates and fans alike, both for his two-way on-court prowess and stoic demeanor.

He went viral for not being able to end an Instagram Live after the Knicks won the Finals in San Antonio, and once again drew attention for his stone-faced appearance on “Good Morning America” days later.

Of course, none of it happens without his iconic tip-in against the Spurs at Madison Square Garden, a shot that cemented his place in New York sports lore.

The Knicks staged a dramatic comeback in Game 4, rallying from a playoff-record 29-point deficit to take the lead late in the fourth quarter — punctuated by Anunoby, who sprinted toward the basket and tipped a missed Brunson 3-pointer for the win with 1.2 seconds remaining.

In addition to Brunson and Anunoby’s wins, the Knicks came away with Best Team honors at the ESPYs, capping off an epic season and evening.