Bridget Phillipson has become the first Labour deputy leadership contender to gain enough support to run, cementing her place as the early frontrunner.
The education secretary has gained the backing of 116 fellow Labour MPs, clearing the bar of 80 nominations required to progress in the contest.
Former Commons leader Lucy Powell remains her closest rival, having garnered 77 nominations, according to figures released by Labour.
She has opened a clear lead over the remaining three candidates, ahead of the Thursday deadline to secure enough backing.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy has 15 nominations, according to the party, ahead of fellow backbencher Paula Barker on 14, with Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Dame Emily Thornberry trailing the pack with 13.
Housing Minister Alison McGovern dropped out of the contest earlier, conceding she was failing to pick up enough support and giving Phillipson her backing.
With many Labour MPs yet to declare their favoured candidate, there is still time for other campaigns to gain momentum.
The candidates have a chance to press their case to colleagues at a virtual hustings taking place on Wednesday evening.
The remaining five hopefuls will be at party headquarters in south London, with Labour MPs able to join remotely to ask questions.
Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet – which includes 24 MPs – have been told not to nominate any candidate, though junior ministers are able to do so.
But some Labour figures wonder if as many as 80 more could choose not to officially back anyone, shrivelling the electorate.
It looks quite likely Phillipson will stack up a very big number of supporters, further squeezing the remaining votes to be fought over.
As the only member of the cabinet to announce her intention to stand, Phillipson is also expected to be more supportive of the government than some of the other candidates.
This may help her secure lots of MP nominations, but may be a disadvantage if the contest reaches the stage where Labour Party members get a vote and there is a rival candidate not in government.
There is talk among Phillipson’s opponents of the need for votes to consolidate around a viable rival, rather than splinter in five different directions.
Many senior Labour figures have called for the new deputy leader to be a women from northern England, to counter what they see as the London-centric and male-dominated party leadership.
Sir Keir and his new Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy – who replaced Angela Rayner in the role after her resignation last week – both represent London constituencies.
Dame Emily – a London MP – has hit back at the idea the winning candidate should be from outside the capital, suggesting it should be about “what you can do for the party”.
A member of Sir Keir’s frontbench team when the party was in opposition, Dame Emily was a surprise omission from the PM’s cabinet when Labour won power.
Signalling her willingness to challenge the leadership, Dame Emily has pledged to “be a voice for the membership, unions, PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party], and our constituents – not just nod along”.
The tight timetable for the contest has been criticised by some in the party, including Ribeiro-Addy, who has suggested it could prevent left-wing candidates from progressing in the contest.
Although the MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill has acknowledged she is unlikely to win, Ribeiro-Addy said she wanted to use the platform to encourage a debate among Labour members about “what’s gone wrong” in the party’s first year in power.
She cited the government’s position on the war in Gaza and attempts to cut benefits as examples.
Rival candidate Barker has also been critical of the government’s response to the conflict and launching her campaign she called for the party to “go back to our true Labour values”, including to “prioritise people over profit”.
If they secure enough support from their parliamentary colleagues, candidates will then need the backing of either 5% of local parties, or three Labour-affiliated groups, including two unions.
Those who clear the bar face a vote by party members, with the winner announced on 25 October.
Whoever wins the contest, Lammy will remain as deputy prime minister – a role which is appointed by the PM, rather than decided by Labour Party members.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) yelled at Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) on the House floor Wednesday over a comment Jacobs made saying that breast augmentations are gender-affirming care, with Mace later taking to social media to offer Jacobs a surgeon for a nose job.
The outburst came during debate on amendments to the annual defense authorization bill, with Mace leading several anti-transgender amendments, including one to prevent gender-affirming care under the military’s TRICARE health benefits.
“I would just like to point out that it’s interesting my colleague from South Carolina is so obsessed with the issue of trans people, using horrible slurs to talk about them, when many people in this body have received gender-affirming care,” Jacobs said on the House floor.
“Filler is gender-affirming care. Boob jobs is gender-affirming care. Botox is gender-affirming care,” Jacobs said. “Lots of my colleagues have received gender-affirming care, and let me be clear, everybody should have access to the gender-affirming care they need, and I think that we should respect everybody in this country.”
Mace, who was no longer recognized for debate and was elsewhere on the House floor, could be heard yelling at Jacobs for making comments about “my body.”
“Ridiculous,” Mace said. “You are absolutely ridiculous. What the hell is your problem?”
“You are disgusting. You are an insult,” Mace said, as the presiding officers gaveled and said that the House was not in order.
Jacobs requested to have Mace’s words be taken down — stricken from the official record — but no additional parliamentary consideration occurred because Mace was not recognized during the outburst.
Mace, who has made her personal stories of sexual assault and advocacy against transgender rights core to her political identity, then took to social media to continue scolding Jacobs.
“To @RepSaraJacobs, I talk about women’s safety and your response is commentary about my body on the House floor. If you knew anything about survivors you would know some women change their bodies because of the trauma of sexual violence. They live with the consequences for a lifetime,” Mace said.
“PS – I have a good surgeon if you ever want to get your nose done,” Mace added in the note to the Jewish congresswoman.
Jacobs, responding to a different post from Mace, said on X: “I feel sad for you. Stop lashing out against trans kids and pretending it’s to ‘protect women’. Hope you get the help you need.”
A majority of Tube stations across London remained closed on Wednesday
The union leader of striking Tube workers has called for a summit including the mayor of London to try to resolve a dispute over pay and working hours.
Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are taking industrial action this week, which has crippled London Underground services, causing travel chaos in the capital.
On Wednesday, the union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey repeated his call for Sir Sadiq Khan – the chairman of Transport for London (TfL) – to intervene in the dispute.
The mayor’s office said Sir Sadiq has “ensured TfL is ready to restart talks” with the union to resolve the dispute.
Check for TfL status updates
The RMT union’s central demand from TfL is for a shorter working week for members of 32 hours.
TfL said this was “impractical and unaffordable” and would cost the network £200m per year.
The transport body also said it had made a 3.4% pay offer to workers.
Talks to avert the strike broke down last weekend, Mr Dempsey previously said.
Speaking at the TUC Congress in Brighton, Mr Dempsey called on Sir Sadiq to attend a summit with the union to help resolve the dispute.
“I’ve got a message for the mayor,” he told delegates.
“Instead of going on social media, instead of the old tired cliches, telling trades unionists to get round the table… invite us to the meeting, let’s have a discussion, because I want to know what is going on in London.
“We take no pleasure in causing disruption but we make no apology for fighting for our members.”
Reuters
The number of bicycle rentals in London Wednesday increased by nearly 100% on last week
Most London Underground services remained suspended on Wednesday, although about 90 stations on the outskirts of the network were open.
TfL said that, as a result, more people travelled on the Docklands Light Railway, Elizabeth line and London Overground as well as buses and bicycles.
By 15:00 BST, there had been 19,608 cycle hires – up by 93% on last Wednesday.
Depot managers and signallers from the RMT are among those who have taken strike action this week.
TfL has said it was “disappointed” the strike had gone ahead, despite its pay offer.
Earlier, Nick Dent, TfL’s director of customer operations, said TfL was “very keen” to work with RMT union and said its pay offer had not been put to workers.
“They launched their ballot before we’d made any pay offer, so members were voting without understanding what the pay offer actually was,” he said.
The prime minister and the mayor of London are among those calling for both sides to negotiate after talks broke down last Wednesday morning.
Provisions in the House and Senate annual defense authorization bills reduce restrictions on the Pentagon’s use of “forever chemicals.”
In the House, one such provision is generating pushback even from Republicans.
“Forever chemicals” are the nickname for a family of man-made chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals, which have been linked to health issues including cancer, have been used by the military for years in firefighting foam.
They have also been used in firefighter gear used by the military and civilians, as well as in common products including nonstick pans, fast food packaging, clothing, furniture, cosmetics and more.
As the public and policymakers became more aware of the hazards posed by these substances, past iterations of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) have restricted the military’s use of them and sought to require it to clean them up.
This year, however, the legislation seems to be rolling back some of those restrictions.
The House version of the bill contains a provision that delays the phaseout of the use of forever chemicals in military firefighting foam.
Previous bills required the military to stop using PFAS-laced firefighting foam by October 2024, with some possibilities for extension, but, if the measure passes, the military will be able to purchase new foam with these chemicals through 2026, with advocates fearing this will extend its use.
“The language would extend their ability to purchase and use” PFAS-containing foam until October 2026, said Jared Hayes, a senior policy analyst at the Environmental Working Group, adding that it also allows the military “to file new one-year waivers, so we’re looking at another three years of them being able to purchase and use PFAS firefighting foam.”
He said that extension waivers would be expected to restart the military’s ability to use two one-year waivers, meaning the use of this foam would be expected to be allowed until 2028.
“This really exacerbates the contamination problem … We’re going to see more contamination, driving up cleanup costs and essentially condemning more defense communities and another generation of service members,” Hayes added.
The Senate bill, meanwhile rescinds prohibitions on the military’s ability to purchase cookware, carpets and rugs that contain two of the most toxic types of forever chemicals.
If both bills pass as-is, it’s not clear which of these provisions, if any, will make it into the final version, as lawmakers will have to confer to address differences before sending it to the president’s desk.
On the House side, the delay provision was met with pushback, including from some moderate Republicans.
GOP Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Jen Kiggans (Va.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.) and Nick LaLota (N.Y.) introduced an amendment to repeal the contentious House provision, but the amendment ultimately did not make it into the bill, which is slated for a vote on Wednesday afternoon.
“Delaying the phaseout would only extend that harm and put our servicemembers, firefighters, and their families at greater risk,” Fitzpatrick spokesperson Casey-Lee Waldron told The Hill in a statement while the amendment was still under consideration.
She added that the congressman and his colleagues “are determined to keep the phaseout on track and prepared to fight for this critical public health priority on the Floor.”
A spokesperson for Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) who leads the House Armed Services subcommittee that deals with environmental issues, did not respond to The Hill’s requests for comment.
On the other side, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced amendments to ax the provisions related allowing incineration and the purchase of cookware and similar products.
“PFAS exposure can have drastic consequences for long-term health — why wouldn’t we take every chance to protect service members and their families from these harmful chemicals?” Shaheen told The Hill in a statement.
“That’s why I fought to enact a moratorium on incinerating PFAS until it can be fully destroyed without polluting our air. I’ll keep working to put a stop to Republican efforts to remove provisions in law that protect our service members and communities from unnecessary exposure to PFAS,” she said.
The office of Senate readiness subcommittee Chair Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) pointed The Hill to a study that found that a particular PFAS incineration facility was more than 99.9 percent effective at destroying the compounds.
“The moratorium on incinerating PFAS chemicals was put in place to ensure the science supported it as a safe and effective disposal method. It has since been shown in a comprehensive 2022 study to be 99.9999% effective,” said a spokesperson for Sullivan.
“Despite this, the Biden Administration slow-walked issuing the guidance necessary to lift the ban…leaving mounds of PFAS-laden soil in piles on our military bases. Senator Sullivan’s provision doesn’t mandate incineration, but it removes an unnecessary restriction and gives DOD back a safe and effective disposal option that doesn’t require shipping waste out of state,” they added.
Anti-PFAS activist Diane Cotter, who voted for President Trump, has said she feels let down by the GOP on the “forever chemical” issue.
“I’m so sick of seeing congressionals stand for photo ops with firefighters and then vote this legislation down or chip away at it,” said Cotter, whose husband Paul was a firefighter who had cancer but is now cancer-free.
Klarna’s IPO has been years in the making. – Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg News
Shares of online-payments provider Klarna jumped as much as 30% on Wednesday in the Swedish firm’s closely watched NYSE debut, the latest sign that a long-suffering IPO market is alive and kicking.
Klarna traded at $52 early Wednesday afternoon, a day after its initial public offering price was set above the previously estimated range, before later trading around $48, up 20%.
The offering encountered strong demand that helped boost Klarna’s valuation to more than $19 billion at the opening price when shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker KLAR.
Klarna’s big first-day pop adds to the recent momentum among new listings in the U.S. this summer, following three years of weak issuance and poor returns. In June, stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group’s stock soared in its debut. In late July, software company Figma’s stock jumped 250% in one of the splashiest IPOs in recent memory.
Early investors in Klarna—including Sequoia Capital, which first invested in the company 15 years ago—are the big winners of Wednesday’s offering.
But Klarna’s rising valuation carries a possible warning for investors in the IPO, analysts and investors said. Large artificial intelligence companies are raising money at steeper valuations months after prior funding rounds, raising concerns that some of the recent deals may come at prices that won’t be sustainable.
Even with the big first-day pop, Klarna’s valuation is a fraction of the $45.6 billion it reached in 2021, when a previous gusher of money rushed into private companies.
Firms that purchased stakes in 2021—including SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2, which purchased stock at a price that valued Klarna at $30 billion as well as shares that later valued it at $45.6 billion—are in the red on paper.
Founded in 2005, the Sweden-based company is best known as a buy now, pay later lender. It has been making a push to become a fully fledged bank, recently launching products such as a U.S. debit card in partnership with Visa.
Klarna is also slated to become the exclusive buy now, pay later provider at Walmart in the U.S. It has been introduced on eBay U.S. and will begin rolling out services on Nexi, Worldpay and J.P. Morgan Payments in the coming months.
Klarna was slated to be a highly anticipated 2022 IPO before the new listings market slowed that year as interest rates rose. Instead of making a buzzy debut, Klarna laid off hundreds of workers to cut costs and accepted a cut of about 85% to its valuation in a 2022 funding round.
It revived its listing plans earlier this year, but again was forced to hit pause in April after the Trump administration’s tariff announcement fueled a market selloff. Later, after months of steadily climbing stock markets, Klarna resumed its plans to go public.
The fintech company raised $1.37 billion from an offering of 34.3 million shares, after raising its IPO price to $40 on Tuesday, above the previously expected range. That gave it a valuation of $15.1 billion based on the share count in the company’s prospectus.
The company sold 5 million shares in the IPO, with the rest sold by shareholders. Klarna won’t receive any proceeds from the sale of ordinary shares by selling shareholders.
Prince Harry has been seen going into Clarence House, amid speculation about a meeting with his father King Charles.
There has not been any confirmation from Buckingham Palace or the Duke of Sussex’s representatives, but the King was earlier seen going into Clarence House, a royal residence on the Mall.
It is believed that the King travelled down to London from Scotland on Wednesday afternoon – and Prince Harry has been in the UK this week for charity events.
There has been no face to face meeting between father and son since February 2024, with Prince Harry telling a BBC interview in May 2025: “I would love a reconciliation with my family.”
The last time that father and son met was soon after the King’s cancer diagnosis last year, with Prince Harry flying to the UK for a brief meeting.
There have been visits to the UK by Prince Harry since then, including for court cases, but he had not seen his father.
Prince Harry arrived back in the UK on Monday and has carried out a series of charity events in London and Nottingham – against a background of questions about whether there would be a meeting with his father.
He will be leaving the UK on Thursday, returning to the US to see Meghan and their children, who did not come on this trip.
Prince Harry has previously voiced his frustration at not being able to talk to his father, particularly when there were concerns about his health.
“There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious,” Harry said in his BBC interview.
There has been no sign so far of any meetings planned with his brother Prince William, who has been carrying out a series of his own engagements this week, including remembering the legacy of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.
It is no secret that Xi Jinping and Communist China want to dominate and destroy America’s role as a global beacon of freedom and democracy and our very way of life. They want to dictate where we can sail, where we can trade, and where we can invest. Xi and his thugs also try to pressure our friends and partners to distance themselves from us.
This is why supporting our allies is so vital, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. They are the front line of defense against the Communist Chinese onslaught.
I was honored to visit one of our greatest allies in that region, the Philippines, for the second time as senator earlier this month. While there, I met with Filipino leaders to explore ways to strengthen our economic and security ties and discuss how we can stand united against Xi’s adversarial advances.
This recent trip reaffirmed my long-standing belief: the U.S.-Philippines relationship is vital to our national security and economic prosperity, especially regarding the threat of Communist China.
Americans and Filipinos share common values, and our partnership directly affects our future and the future of global security. Thankfully, President Trump understands this and is fully committed to ensuring the U.S. has the strongest military force, enforces Peace Through Strength, and works with our Filipino allies to protect America’s best interests around the world.
As a U.S. senator and a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, I am committed to working in Congress to support the administration and our Filipino allies.
The Philippines is more than just an anchor for the U.S. in the western Pacific. It is a vibrant democracy, an engaging economy, and, most importantly, an unashamed ally of the U.S. that wants stronger and closer ties. The U.S.-Philippine relationship is rooted in shared values and history. The Philippines is a thriving democracy with a deep commitment to freedom, a legacy forged through our shared sacrifices in World War II and decades of partnership since then.
The Philippines is a linchpin in the Indo-Pacific, a region where the world’s economic and geopolitical future is being shaped. With its strategic location, the Philippines is essential to countering the growing influence of adversarial powers like China.
The South China Sea — which would be better named the West Philippine Sea — is a critical artery for global trade, with nearly one-third of the world’s maritime commerce passing through it. Ensuring freedom of navigation in these waters isn’t just a regional issue — it’s a matter of global economic stability that affects American businesses, consumers and jobs.
The Philippines is doing all it can to ensure that freedom of navigation, but it cannot do it without the help of its partners, like the United States, who benefit from this freedom of navigation.
As Communist China continues its illegal, coercive and aggressive actions in this region, our military partnership with the Philippines is more important than ever. By standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our Filipino allies, we send a clear message: The U.S. will not allow authoritarian regimes to bully our partners or threaten our interests.
The Philippines is a great economic partner that likes and appreciates American business, with billions of dollars of goods and services exchanged between our countries every year. In 2024, Florida alone exported approximately $1.06 billion worth of goods to the Philippines. We can further support American businesses and create opportunities by strengthening economic ties with partners that are happy to support our success over nations like Communist China that seek to destroy us.
The Philippines and its people, under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., are aligned with the U.S. and President Trump, both economically and militarily. In the Filipino government and its people, we have a friend, partner and ally that is strategically placed, both geographically and economically, and highly motivated to work with us as Trump pursues peace through strength and delivers on the America first promises made to the American people.
Thankfully, President Trump understands that a strong, stable and prosperous Philippines strengthens America’s position in the Indo-Pacific, protects our economic interests, and upholds the democratic values we hold dear.
Most importantly, China can’t stand that the Filipino-American alliance is a massive roadblock to its desired domination of Southeast Asia and the world. We must keep it that way.
We face a complex and competitive world in which Communist China is not just an existential threat, but one committed to actively undermining and destroying our way of life in every way possible. If we seek to avoid the devastating conflict with tyranny that Xi is seeking, we must walk forward to boldly counter Communist China’s aggression.
Peace through strength is within our reach, but only if the U.S. remains committed to a strong and resilient ally in the Philippines.
Republican Rick Scott represents Florida in the U.S. Senate and serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is a former Florida governor.
Jeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.
Dan Graziano is a senior NFL national reporter for ESPN, covering the entire league and breaking news. Dan also contributes to Get Up, NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, Sunday NFL Countdown and Fantasy Football Now. He is a New Jersey native who joined ESPN in 2011, and he is also the author of two published novels.
Sep 10, 2025, 09:55 AM ET
We’ve turned the page to Week 2 of the NFL season, and league insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano are breaking down the latest news and notable buzz.
Week 1 brought a lot of questions. What should the Giants do about Russell Wilson and their quarterback situation — and what will they do? What’s going on with the Dolphins after their awful loss to the Colts in their opener? Does Justin Fields‘ big performance mean the Jets might have a long-term fix under center?
Jeremy and Dan made some calls around the league to get the latest on those situations. Then they also broke down how some of the most talked-about backfield timeshares shook out in Week 1 for fantasy football purposes and what comes next. It’s all here, as Dan and Jeremy answer big questions and empty their reporting notebooks heading into Week 2.
Graziano: Nope! Coach Brian Daboll said Monday that Russell Wilson would start again in Week 2, and their plan, as of now, is to keep going with him. Part of me wonders if the plan might change once left tackle Andrew Thomas is back healthy and the offensive line is more trustworthy. But I do know that Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have a very specific strategy for Jaxson Dart‘s development that includes specific benchmarks he must hit before they’re convinced he’s ready. They’ve crafted this plan based on previous experiences breaking in young quarterbacks, which include prominent success stories such as Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.
No one is saying Dart is Allen or Mahomes, but Daboll and Kafka are using their past successes to inform the plan. To this point, they insist that they have belief in Wilson in the short term while they get Dart ready for the long term. That’s their current story, and they’re sticking to it — even after Wilson looked completely lost against the Commanders’ pass rush Sunday.
Fowler: Despite Wilson’s struggles, money usually talks in these situations, and to bench Wilson after Week 1 means the Giants would have paid him more than $10 million for one game. Sensible teams don’t typically do such things. And I believe the Giants are trying to be sensible here. This is a team that needs to stick to a plan, and having Dart sit and learn — at least in the short term — can help him. Wilson is a declining player but should play better this week against the Cowboys. He provides experience for a team that needs it.
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Stephen A.: Jaxson Dart should start in Week 3
Stephen A. Smith contends that Jaxson Dart should start at quarterback for the Giants sooner rather than later.
Now, I do believe Dart has expedited the process based on his stellar preseason. Things clicked late in the spring, and Dart took off from there. The Giants’ staff has found him to be a fast learner, highly motivated and, as one team source calls him, “tough as s—.” At the very least, Dart has made a compelling case. And I’m not naïve; it feels inevitable that Dart will play — probably sooner than later. But I’m not overreacting to Week 1. But what happens if Wilson records another dud in Week 2?
Graziano: The drumbeat gets louder. Look, I get the idea of sticking to the plan. But the Giants made Dart the No. 2 quarterback for Sunday’s game, which means they are comfortable with the idea of him going into the game should something happen to Wilson. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t they be comfortable starting him? This is a matter of time, and if Wilson looks as lost and ineffective Sunday in Dallas as he did in Washington, I don’t know how much longer the Giants can hold off.
One question I have, though, is whether they’d turn to Jameis Winston first if they decide Wilson needs to be benched but aren’t ready to put in Dart. I haven’t heard anything to indicate that, but it could represent a compromise of sorts.
Fowler: When I visited the Giants’ joint practice with the Jets, Winston was running the third-team offense and immediately connected on a deep ball. It wouldn’t be the worst decision to play Winston and ride with his fearless style. But on that same day, the Giants inserted Dart on a drive that Wilson had started, which I filed away. Implementing a package for Dart in the flow of Wilson’s offense still feels like a very real option.
Are the Dolphins already pressing the panic button? What are you hearing out of Miami?
Fowler: It hasn’t been pressed yet, but there’s one somewhere inside the Dolphins’ facility. When or if they press it is anyone’s guess. Remember … it’s only one week.
But it does feel like the Dolphins’ season — and the purveyors of it, GM Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel — is approaching a rather early crossroads. The Dolphins looked uninspired and inexplicably flat Sunday in Indianapolis. Miami seems as if it’s much better than what it showed, but a few themes emerged when asking people around the league their impressions of the Dolphins. There are concerns about the roster’s overall talent. The Dolphins moved on from several key players perceived as bad fits, which can improve a locker room. But they relinquished proven talent and replaced it with more cost-effective options that do not appear as capable in some cases.
There are also questions about player leadership. Good teams have bona fide leaders, true alphas. With all the change, who fills that role in Miami’s locker room right now? I’m not saying those players don’t exist, but they aren’t obvious from the outside. It’s possible strong voices will emerge. They will be needed immediately, with division opponents looming the next three weeks.
Graziano: I’m not sure there’s a team that needs a Week 2 win more than Miami. After visiting its training camp, I was sort of buying the idea that this season was going to be a bit of a cultural reset and that things might not be as awful as feared. But the Dolphins looked disastrously dreadful on both sides of the ball against the Colts, and suddenly there was a whole bunch of fresh evidence suggesting they could be the league’s worst team this season. If Week 1 was a true representation of how Miami’s season will go, things could get really ugly quickly. And that could mean big changes.
Fowler: Trade rumors around Tyreek Hill will be worth watching. My understanding is that Miami received calls on Hill but did not show interest in trading him. If the losing persists, perhaps those phone lines reopen. The Dolphins already exercised Hill’s $15.85 million option bonus, leaving a $10 million base salary and $1.8 million in per-game bonuses.
A Chiefs reunion is low-hanging fruit and could be what Kansas City needs. The Chiefs can’t seem to get their receiving trio of Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown on the field at the same time, and a boost of explosiveness would help.
Graziano: It would, for sure, but the Dolphins need to help themselves first and foremost. There are legit questions about what kind of player Hill is at this point, even apart from the issues he has had in the locker room and on the sidelines (which he and others have publicly discussed). The Chiefs obviously know Hill from early in his career and could convince themselves he’d play better for them than he’s playing for Miami. But it has been a long time since we’ve seen Hill be an explosive player. If he doesn’t start playing better, it’s going to be tough for the Dolphins to find a trade partner.
Hill is also facing domestic violence allegations from his estranged wife, according to TMZ. In addition to being a serious non-football matter, the allegations could affect the interest of other teams in acquiring him if they result in any kind of NFL investigation and potential discipline.
Are you buying or selling the idea that Justin Fields is the answer to the Jets’ QB woes?
Graziano: I am renting with an option to buy. Fields looked a lot better than I — or almost anyone — expected in his first game with the Jets. Unless this is the worst Steelers defense in decades, a 72.7% completion percentage and 9.9 yards per pass attempt is worth sitting up and noticing. We know what Fields adds with his legs, and that was on display Sunday. But what really stood out was the previously elusive accuracy and touch on his downfield throws. If he has taken a big leap in that regard, the Jets might be able to scheme around his limitations, lean into his strengths and have success with a very talented former top-12 pick who’s still only 26 years old.
Fowler: I am buying a low-cost duplex that I can rent out if I want to move. Look, Fields has a lot to offer — hard worker, liked by teammates, a willing leader and incredibly dynamic with plenty of arm strength. But we kind of know what he is at this point. He has 45 career starts and has won only 14 of them (not all his fault). He has never thrown more than 17 touchdown passes in a season and completes 61% of his throws.
Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Geno Smith have made QB resurgence trendy, and perhaps Fields is next in line. That would be a great story. But I’m somewhat reluctant to believe he can pass with consistent precision and touch throughout an NFL season. The Jets signed him as a bridge quarterback, and that’s what I think he is. But I’m very open to being wrong. What’s clear is Fields’ supporting cast on offense is pretty good, particularly along the offensive line. Did Sunday change your perception of the Jets, Dan?
Graziano: Yes. I had been told to expect a slowed-down, ball-control, keep-away type of offense that relied on the run game (including Fields’ running ability) and didn’t ask a ton of Fields as a passer outside of key third-down situations. But it was clear Sunday that the Jets had done enough work with him as a passer that they trust him to throw it more than we expected. Garrett Wilson has true No. 1 wide receiver ability, and I know they like their running backs a lot.
I remain a little concerned about the loss of guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and its long-range impact on the offensive line, and I believe the Jets could use another reliable outside wide receiver to complement Wilson. But I thought the Jets’ offense looked better than the Steelers’ offense did Sunday, regardless of the final score.
Fowler: Fields’ performance was promising, and he looks capable of providing the Jets’ offense more versatility than I anticipated. But offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand also did a nice job keeping the game manageable for Fields, having him throw 22 times (vs. 39 team rushing attempts). Asking Fields to be a volume thrower could be problematic, but scheming easier throws to Wilson and impressive rookie tight end Mason Taylor will help the quarterback thrive.
Which team’s RB hierarchy got some clarity in Week 1?
Fowler: The Bears-Vikings game was telling. Word out of Minnesota was that Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. would see a 50-50 split. That played out Monday night, with Mason getting 30 snaps to Jones’ 28. Mason is the younger (26) and more explosive runner at this stage, and he had 15 carries for 68 yards compared to Jones’ 23 yards on eight carries, though Jones added three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. I expect the even workload to continue, with Mason serving as the hammer and Jones the do-it-all option.
On the other side, D’Andre Swift logged 54 of Chicago’s 67 snaps. He’s clearly the No. 1 in a de facto contract year (the guaranteed money on his three-year deal is up after 2025).
Graziano: The Jaguars’ situation got a little bit clearer Sunday, when Travis Etienne Jr. got 19 of the team’s 26 running back touches. It got a lot clearer Monday night when they tradedTank Bigsby to the Eagles. That leaves them with Etienne, fourth-round rookie Bhayshul Tuten and seventh-round rookie LeQuint Allen Jr.
Tuten is the big-play burner who could push for a more significant role as he learns the league and Jacksonville’s playbook. Allen is the Jaguars’ third-down pass-catching back. But for now, Etienne looks as if he best fits what they want to do on early downs, and I know they think his skill set fits well into their screen-game plans. The question will be whether Tuten can earn more touches as his rookie season goes on, or whether we need to wait until 2026 to see what he can do.
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Is Travis Etienne Jr.’s fantasy stock higher after Tank Bigsby trade?
Field Yates details how the Jags trading away Tank Bigsby impacts Travis Etienne Jr.’s fantasy numbers.
Fowler: The hope is Tuten can become a similar home run hitter for Liam Coen in Jacksonville that Bucky Irving was for him last season in Tampa Bay, easing the load on Etienne. Both Irving and Tuten are fourth-round picks with a similar stature. That said, Etienne has found his 2022-23 groove again based on the open-field explosion he displayed in Week 1. Last season was a slog, but the traits are there. Coen is skilled at creating a successful run game.
I kept hearing how high Washington was on Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the preseason, and he delivered Sunday with 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. I’m expecting his momentum to continue. Austin Ekeler will remain a factor, and the Commanders trust Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. Croskey-Merritt might not be the lead back yet, but he will be eventually. Commanders players have been impressed by the patience and vision he showed when running with the first-team offense in camp.
Graziano: I tentatively agree. When Rodriguez was announced as inactive Sunday, it was a clear sign that Croskey-Merritt was in for a significant role. A tiny part of me wonders if the Commanders might have Rodriguez up for Thursday night’s game with the Packers and give some other backs more work to avoid overloading Croskey-Merritt with two high-usage games in a five-day span. But I have no inside information to suggest that, and being in that locker room after Sunday’s game, I can say they were very happy with what they got from the seventh-round rookie. I expect him to be their main guy for the bulk of this season along with Ekeler, who has his own specific role.
We also came out of Week 1 certain that Javonte Williams is the Cowboys’ top running back — a position that should be more solidified after Miles Sanders‘ costly third-quarter fumble against the Eagles. Kenneth Gainwell should also have a significant role ahead of rookie Kaleb Johnson in Pittsburgh, at least in the short term while Johnson works on pass protection and other areas that need ironing out.
What else are you hearing this week?
Graziano’s notes:
• The headline item from Tampa Bay’s season-opening victory over Atlanta might have been the two touchdown catches by rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. (Though I’ll not-so-humbly point out that if you read this column last week you shouldn’t have been surprised.) But the under-the-radar performance that had folks in the Buccaneers’ building beaming with pride was the way Graham Barton played left tackle in that game. He played left tackle at Duke but was taken in the first round of the 2024 draft to play center, which he did for the Bucs all of last season. When Tampa Bay got the news that starting left tackle Tristan Wirfs would miss the start of the season while recovering from offseason knee surgery, its first instinct was to try Charlie Heck, the veteran swing tackle it signed in free agency, as Wirfs’ early-season replacement. But a couple of weeks into training camp, the Bucs tried out an alignment with Barton at left tackle, trying to figure out if they could use it as a contingency plan in case of emergency or if something were to happen to Heck.
Thing is, Barton looked pretty good out there. And in the week that followed the Bucs’ roster cutdown to 53 players, coach Todd Bowles and the offensive staff decided it was the best way for them to go in Week 1. So they practiced with Barton at left tackle, left guard Ben Bredeson at center and veteran Mike Jordan at left guard. Most impressively, they managed to keep the whole thing a secret until the offense ran out onto the field for the opener Sunday in Atlanta. Barton played well, they won the game, and I would expect them to use this same offensive line combo until Wirfs is ready to return from his injury. Barton might not be able to hold up at left tackle over an entire season, but it’s working so far as a patch, and the Bucs are thrilled to know he’s an option at other O-line spots besides center.
• Veteran pass rusher Von Miller — who is 36 years old and playing in his 15th NFL season — played a little more than 40% of the defensive snaps for the Commanders on Sunday. That’s a bit more than he played last season in Buffalo, and he anticipates being able to contribute at a higher level in Washington this year. “I’ll be three years removed from tearing my ACL in November,” Miller told me last week. “I tore the same ACL when I was 24 years old, and I guess I thought it would recover at the same speed it did then, but that wasn’t the case. Now I feel good, feel strong, ready to help this team win.”
Miller is a two-time Super Bowl champion who ranks 16th all-time with 129.5 sacks — just three behind Leslie O’Neal and Lawrence Taylor. He’s a surefire Hall of Famer with nothing left to prove in the league. I asked him what still drives him at this point. “I just love football, man,” he said. “I love all aspects about it. I love practice, watching film, being in the locker room with the guys. I guess if I got bored, I might want to do something other than this, but so far I haven’t. I just love it.”
• The Lions got a contract extension done with 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams, but they still haven’t reached agreement with their other 2022 first-rounder, Aidan Hutchinson, on a long-term deal. They’ve had productive talks but no agreement yet, and considering the extent to which the Micah Parsonsdeal set a new bar for edge rusher contracts, it could get complicated. The Lions have a lot of incentive to get this done before next spring, when their stellar 2023 draft class — including Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch — become extension-eligible for the first time. Lions GM Brad Holmes has been talking since the spring about the tough decisions Detroit might have to make as it works to get its young stars signed long-term. The Lions have drafted almost too well for their own good.
• The Jalen Carterdiscipline solution was an interesting one from a precedent standpoint. In the past, spitting incidents such as this one resulted in fines and not suspensions. The NFL announced Carter’s discipline as a one-game suspension without pay. The fine was equivalent to one-eighteenth of Carter’s base salary — so one game check — and the suspension was deemed to have already been served because Carter was ejected from the Eagles’ season opener before there had been a single play from scrimmage.
In its announcement of the suspension, the NFL specifically mentioned its renewed emphasis on policing unsportsmanlike acts this season. Putting two and two together, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that Carter’s punishment represents a new precedent, and that unsportsmanlike acts that used to result in only fines could now carry the potential for suspension.
• The Chiefs are frustrated that injuries and other issues (i.e., the Rashee Ricesuspension) have kept them from holding their wide receiver room together the past couple of years. They had a Xavier Worthy-heavy game plan designed for last Friday’s opener against the Chargers in Brazil, and after Worthy got injured on the game’s third play, the offense looked out of sync … because it was. The Chiefs consider former Patriots second-rounder Tyquan Thornton one of the pleasant surprises of their offseason, but the fact is, quarterback Patrick Mahomes hadn’t worked as much with him in practice as he had with Worthy. So just sending Thornton in to run Worthy’s plays didn’t work because Mahomes and Thornton didn’t have their timing down.
If Worthy has to miss time, the Chiefs hope and believe that the practice time with Mahomes will have better prepared him and Thornton to deliver on those downfield shots. Hollywood Brown will continue to be a big part of the game plan, and Kansas City expects more from the run game and Isiah Pacheco, who had a great camp and should be a bigger part of the offense moving forward. Pacheco and the entire offense had a frustrating opener, but Kansas City doesn’t believe that is reflective of where it is right now as a team.
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Why Patrick Mahomes is a top-10 fantasy QB
Field Yates breaks down Patrick Mahomes’ stellar Week 1 performance despite losing.
• Fantasy football managers might not love hearing this, but the Steelers’ coaching staff was thrilled with the way Aaron Rodgers spread the ball around in Sunday’s victory over the Jets. The Steelers believe they have a collection of unselfish players on offense, and in their ideal world, they will continue to use all of them.
Example: Running back Kenneth Gainwell might have had a bigger role in the offense than many on the outside anticipated. But offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was extremely impressed with Gainwell in early preseason action and quickly identified him as a player who deserved a larger role. Gainwell also boosted his case with a huge forced fumbled on a Jets kick return that helped get the Steelers back in the game in the fourth quarter. New WR1 DK Metcalf also impressed in his Steelers debut, and it wouldn’t shock anyone to see Rodgers work to get Metcalf heavily involved Sunday against Metcalf’s former team, the Seahawks.
• The offensive coordinator change in Houston didn’t get off to a stellar debut. Nick Caley and quarterback C.J. Stroud have some work to do to get fully on the same page, and the Texans will make a point to find ways to get top receiver Nico Collins more involved moving forward. Nobody in Houston is worried about the defense, which could be the best one in the league this season. But replacing Bobby Slowik with Caley was supposed to help boost the passing game, and it got off to a rough start in Sunday’s 14-9 loss to the Rams. Without a run game to stress opposing defenses, Stroud and Caley need to show improvement in the pass game quickly, especially if the Colts are going to be as strong a challenger in the AFC South as they looked Sunday.
• One thing that came out of the Bills’ comeback victory over the Ravens on Sunday night was validation about second-year wideout Keon Coleman, a player they believe has taken a major step forward in his second season. The Bills haven’t seemed to have a true No. 1 wide receiver since tradingStefon Diggs to the Texans in the 2024 offseason, but Coleman is the guy they believe can be that. And after a strong offseason, they were thrilled that he looked the part in the opener.
Fowler’s notes:
• The Packers-Commanders matchup on Thursday night is a Week 2 beauty, featuring two playoff teams that looked impressive in their openers. I’ll be at Lambeau Field for the action. We will have much more on that game Thursday, but here are a few notes to keep in mind:
Every week, Packers coach Matt LaFleur asks running back Josh Jacobs how he’s feeling. It’s essentially code for “are you ready for a big workload?” LaFleur has asked Jacobs this entering Thursday night, and Jacobs indeed wants a rather large volume of touches. In fact, Jacobs feels like having a Thursday night game early in the season is good for a running back from a recovery standpoint. He saw several eight- and nine-man boxes last week against Detroit and might see the same against Washington.
The Commanders will be all-in on stopping Jacobs, but tight end Tucker Kraft has the defense’s full attention. Washington’s defensive players feel he’s the full package and will be a big factor in the outcome of the game.
Deebo Samuel‘s presence paid off Sunday with seven catches for 77 yards. As one Commanders player told me, the passing game’s biggest strength (aside from Jayden Daniels) is that they “are not redundant,” and Samuel embodies that. Samuel is tough to account for because of his tailback/receiver combo skills. Washington is seeing the benefits of that early. After all, Green Bay wasn’t the only team to make a splash trade before the season; Washington acquired Samuel and left tackle Laremy Tunsil in offseason deals.
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Why Louis Riddick isn’t worried about Micah Parsons’ health
Louis Riddick expects Micah Parsons to be “good to go” vs. the Commanders on Thursday night.
• Staying on Green Bay, I’m told pass rusher Rashan Gary — who produced 1.5 sacks Sunday against Detroit — was a part of Dallas’ internal trade discussion on the Micah Parsons deal. The Cowboys were looking to add a premier defensive player, and Gary’s name came up in the building before the move. The Cowboys ultimately wanted Kenny Clark, focused on defensive tackle play and run-stopping, but Gary as a Cowboy was at least a notion kicked around at The Star. Despite losing Clark, Green Bay now has a vicious three-man pass rush with Parsons, Gary and Lukas Van Ness, who can play inside or outside.
• The Browns looked fully capable of winning games based on Sunday’s performance against Cincinnati. Joe Flacco looked crisp, and young receivers Cedric Tillman and Harold Fannin Jr. have big upside. But the key for Cleveland is a defense that’s showing shades of the vaunted 2023 attack under Jim Schwartz. Holding Joe Burrow to 113 passing yards is an impressive feat. Cornerback Denzel Ward told me last week his defense can “go out there and lead the team” weekly.
“We can be a special defense. … We have the right guys in the building and are capable of doing it,” Ward said. “We just have to go out there and put it on tape to get back to where we were.” Slot cornerback is still a mild concern, but the defensive front is plenty deep, and rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger has impressed in a hurry.
• The sense from around the league is that Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward performed much better than his stat line (12-of-28, 112 passing yards). Playing a top-five defense in a hostile Denver environment and working with a receiving corps that committed several drops was a lot to overcome for Ward, who hung in the pocket and delivered several high-difficulty throws. As one NFL coordinator who watched the game said: “I think he is super talented and will have a great year. When he had time, he was accurate with unquestionable poise for a young QB. Athletic enough to stay alive to make off-script plays down the field. He is aggressive for a young guy, which will surprise lots of teams.”
• The Panthers could tweak their defensive personnel in light of their Week 1 struggles in Jacksonville. Coach Dave Canales said publicly he’d like to see young players get more snaps. I anticipate rookie edge rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen getting a harder look this week. They played 18 and eight snaps, respectively, last week. This would be an upside play to see if the Panthers can generate pass rush after a zero-sack debut against the Jaguars.
(Reuters) -President Donald Trump‘s administration on Wednesday moved quickly to appeal a federal judge’s ruling temporarily blocking Trump from taking the unprecedented step of firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a brief notice that it was appealing the ruling from late Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, who said Trump’s claims that Cook committed mortgage fraud prior to taking office were likely not sufficient grounds for her removal.
Trump moved to fire Cook in late August, but the Fed has said she remains in her position. Cobb’s ruling prevents the Fed from following through on Cook’s firing while her lawsuit moves forward.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai on Wednesday, before the appeal was filed, said that Trump had lawfully removed Cook for cause over the mortgage allegations and that “this ruling will not be the last say on the matter.”
Cook, who denies any wrongdoing, sued in late August saying Trump’s claim she engaged in mortgage fraud before she joined the central bank did not give him legal authority to remove her, and was a pretext to fire her for her monetary policy stance.
The case, which will likely end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, has ramifications for the Fed’s ability to set interest rates without regard to politicians’ wishes, widely seen as critical to any central bank’s ability to keep inflation under control.
Trump has demanded that the U.S. central bank cut rates immediately and aggressively, berating Fed Chair Jerome Powell for his stewardship over monetary policy. The central bank is expected to deliver a rate cut at its September 16-17 policy meeting.
The law that created the Fed says governors may be removed only “for cause,” but does not define the term nor establish procedures for removal. No president has ever removed a Fed governor, and the law has never been tested in court.
Cobb on Tuesday found that the best reading of the law is that it only allows a Fed governor to be removed for misconduct while in office. The mortgage fraud claims against Cook all relate to actions she took prior to her U.S. Senate confirmation in 2022.
Trump and William Pulte, the Federal Housing and Finance Agency director appointed by the president, say Cook inaccurately described three separate properties on mortgage applications, which could have allowed her to obtain lower interest rates and tax credits.
The U.S. Justice Department has also launched a criminal mortgage fraud probe into Cook and has issued grand jury subpoenas out of both Georgia and Michigan, according to documents seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter. Cook has denied wrongdoing.
(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Andrea Ricci)
EPA/Shutterstock
