Sports

The Athletic Football Show previews the 2026 Kansas City Chiefs

Published

1 hour ago

August 27, 2026

“The Athletic Football Show” is previewing all 32 teams leading up to the start of the 2026 NFL season. Below are select quotes from the show’s preview of the Kansas City Chiefs. The quotes are edited for clarity. You can watch the whole preview on YouTube and in the embedded video below, or listen to the full AFC West preview wherever you get your podcasts.

Derrik Klassen on what about the Chiefs most excites him: This is a team that for years has not had an explosive runner and really has struggled to gain explosive plays, and they just signed Kenneth Walker to a huge deal, and that’s kind of his whole deal.

I think sometimes it’s hard to figure out exactly how much a running back’s value is going to cascade to the rest of the team. In the case of the Kansas City Chiefs where they were so historically bad at generating these field-flipping runs, bringing in a player like Kenneth Walker, where he obviously gives that to you, it’s pretty easy to see how that actually adds something to this offense. I do think that that gets them back to the formula that was working for them in 2019 and 2020, where they were more explosive on offense. I just really believe in what Ken Walker is going to do here.

Robert Mays on what he’ll be watching the first month of the season: I’m interested in the structure of the offense, because this is a team that was incredibly siloed. Beyond the changes of what running the ball under center could do for their explosiveness, I just think having more optionality and murkiness about what you’re doing situationally is huge.

A lot of teams in the NFL have done this. They’ve gone back to an under-center world in part because you’re giving away no information by doing that, while making things easier on the line and on the quarterback. The Chiefs last year were one of the most siloed teams in the NFL. Per TruMedia, 19.3 percent play-action rate from under center last year, which was 31st in the NFL. They ran the ball 80 percent of the time when they were under center last season. That’s not going to happen again because of the running back, and because they know there are benefits waiting for them if they diversify that a little bit.

Dave Helman on what’s keeping him up at night: What if Kenneth Walker’s presence in the offense isn’t enough to change the fact that this could be a bottom-five receiver corps? What if Rashee Rice has lost a step for various reasons, be they injury or incarceration related? Xavier Worthy weighs 165 pounds and dealt with injury last year. We joked about it several times this summer — and I hope Cyrus Allen is awesome — but if a fifth-round pick is the talk of camp and there’s a genuine panic when he suffers a practice injury, that’s not a good sign if you’re supposed to contend for meaningful things.

I went through the teams and I was like, ‘Who do I think definitively has a worse receiver corps than the Chiefs?’ And I came up with Miami and Vegas. This could be a really, really bad unit, and I don’t know if Kenneth Walker alone can fix that.

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Sports

Kinley Rasmus’ Little League World Series is over, but her legacy will live on

Published

3 minutes ago

August 27, 2026

qasimgillani

Kinley Rasmus’ portion of the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series story is now written and sealed after her Alabama team was eliminated Wednesday. Her legacy, however, will echo.

Every August, when the LLBWS record books reopen, her name will line them for what she did over the last week in Williamsport.

The 12-year-old two-way star went out fairly quietly, going 0-for-1 at the plate in her Phenix City, Ala. team’s 11-2 loss to Hamilton, Ohio, in the U.S. Elimination Bracket Semifinal. It was her team’s second loss and the end of her run.

But she displayed dominance along the way.

In five games, Rasmus took the mound twice, logging 14 strikeouts. At the plate, she powered her team’s offense, collecting five hits and three RBIs. She tied Mo’ne Davis for the most strikeouts by a girl in a tournament, and set the record for the most hits by a girl.

Just stepping into Williamsport, her name was added to an exclusive group that graced the LLBWS stage. Rasmus became the 25th girl to play in the tournament’s 79-year history and the ninth to pitch in the competition. However, her showing outclassed them all, displaying a shutdown arm commensurate to her pop at the plate.

It runs in her blood. Her father, Cory Rasmus, pitched in MLB, and her uncle, Colby, was a big-league outfielder for 10 years. Her grandfather, Tony, played in the minors but coached Cory and Colby together on the 1999 Phenix City LLBWS team that made the final against the eventual champion from Japan.

Phenix City hadn’t made it to Williamsport in the 27 years since.

Though short-lived, the bar Kinley set on both sides of the ball will live in perpetuity. When the next girl takes the mound at the LLBWS, she’ll be eyeing the strikeout record Rasmus shares with Davis. And when the next girl steps into the batter’s box, she’ll be striving for the mark that Rasmus holds alone.

History now bears the Rasmus name.

There to chase, or simply as a reminder, for years to come.

Sports

How to watch Rockies vs. Nationals: TV channel and streaming options for August 26

Published

10 minutes ago

August 27, 2026

qasimgillani

Connor Norby rides a 10-game hitting streak into the Colorado Rockies’ game against the Washington Nationals, at 6:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday, at Nationals Park. Matt Waldron (1-2, 7.54 ERA) gets the start for the Nationals, who are 62-72 this season and fourth in the NL East. Tanner Gordon (0-4, 5.75 ERA) is expected to start for the Rockies, who are 51-81 and fifth in the NL West.

How to watch Colorado Rockies vs. Washington Nationals

Rockies vs. Nationals odds

Favorite Moneyline: Nationals -139
Underdog Moneyline: Rockies +115
Total: 9
Total Over Odds: +100
Total Under Odds: -128

Injury reports

Nationals

James Wood: 10 Day IL (Oblique), Drew Millas: 10 Day IL (Finger), Josiah Gray: 60 Day IL (Elbow), DJ Herz: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Ken Waldichuk: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Richard Lovelady: 60 Day IL (Tricep), Mitchell Parker: 60 Day IL (Elbow), PJ Poulin: 60 Day IL (Flexor), Connelly Early: 60 Day IL (Elbow)

Rockies

Kyle Freeland: 15 Day IL (Neck), Sean Sullivan: 15 Day IL (Undisclosed), Chase Dollander: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Kris Bryant: 60 Day IL (Back), José Quintana: 60 Day IL (Elbow), McCade Brown: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), RJ Petit: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Welinton Herrera: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Pierson Ohl: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Kyle Karros: 7 Day IL (Concussion)

Stats to know

Washington’s C.J. Abrams has hit 29 home runs this season, which ranks 11th in MLB. He has also tallied 92 RBIs (4th in MLB) and has scored 79 runs. In 543 plate appearances, he has recorded a .276 BA, .352 OBP and .525 SLG with an 8.7% walk rate and a 23.4% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording 26 steals on 31 attempts.
In 548 plate appearances, Daylen Lile is hitting .249/.297/.418 with a .716 OPS and 13 steals on 19 attempts. He has hit 17 long balls, driven in 72 runs and scored 67 times.
Colorado’s Jake McCarthy is slashing .292/.333/.479 this season with 13 home runs, 68 RBIs and an OPS of .812. He has a 16.9% strikeout rate and a 5.2% walk rate in 461 plate appearances, and he has scored 62 total runs. McCarthy has recorded 23 steals on 27 attempts.
In 515 plate appearances, TJ Rumfield has posted a 14.4% strikeout rate and a 10.3% walk rate while slashing .286/.371/.437 with 13 home runs, 60 RBIs and 54 runs scored.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

Sports

How to watch Royals vs. Blue Jays: TV channel and streaming options for August 26

Published

16 minutes ago

August 27, 2026

qasimgillani

The Kansas City Royals will look to keep a nine-game winning streak alive when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays at 7:07 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Spencer Miles (5-2, 3.02 ERA) gets the start for the Blue Jays, who are 64-69 this season and fifth in the AL East. Randy Dobnak (2-1, 1.58 ERA) is the expected starter for the Royals, who are 59-74 and fifth in the AL Central.

How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Royals vs. Blue Jays odds

Favorite Moneyline: Blue Jays -161
Underdog Moneyline: Royals +135
Total: 8.5
Total Over Odds: -115
Total Under Odds: -105

Injury reports

Blue Jays

Josh Smith: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Luis Urias: 10 Day IL (Quadricep), Jonatan Clase: 10 Day IL (Foot), Shane Bieber: 15 Day IL (Back), Jameson Taillon: 15 Day IL (Forearm), Trey Yesavage: 15 Day IL (Knee), Cody Ponce: 60 Day IL (Knee), Anthony Santander: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jake Bloss: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Bowden Francis: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Joe Mantiply: 60 Day IL (Knee), Addison Barger: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Yimi Garcia: 60 Day IL (Elbow), José Berrios: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Patrick Corbin: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)

Royals

Maikel Garcia: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Tony Gonsolin: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Beck Way: 15 Day IL (Back), Jonathan India: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Cole Ragans: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Luinder Avila: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Alec Marsh: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Carlos Estévez: 60 Day IL (Foot), Nick Mears: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Stephen Kolek: 60 Day IL (Flexor), Connor Seabold: 60 Day IL (Lat), James McArthur: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Jac Caglianone: day-to-day (Ankle), Michael Massey: day-to-day (Head)

Stats to know

Ernie Clement is hitting for a .283 BA, .308 OBP and .401 SLG with a 9.6% strikeout rate and a 3.5% walk rate. His OPS is .709 and he has scored 54 runs. In 519 plate appearances, he has hit nine home runs and driven in 43 runs.
In 499 plate appearances, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has slashed .262/.335/.354 this season. He has hit seven long balls and driven in 46 runs with a strikeout rate of 13% and a walk rate of 9.4%. He has seven stolen bases on 10 attempts. He has come around to score 62 times.
Bobby Witt Jr. has hit 16 home runs this season. He has also tallied 48 RBIs and has scored 72 runs. In 504 plate appearances, he has recorded a .288 BA, .365 OBP and .458 SLG with a 10.7% walk rate and a 17.7% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording 35 steals on 42 attempts.
In 469 plate appearances, Jac Caglianone has slashed .276/.328/.491 this season. He has hit 22 long balls and driven in 60 runs with a strikeout rate of 26% and a walk rate of 6.2%. and has scored 59 runs.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images