Sam Watson just set a new speed climbing record at the Olympics. How does he train? Speed chess. From Paris with @joshrobinson23 and insights from Hikaru Nakamura: wsj.com/sports/olympic…

New: The Wall Street Journal got Tim Walz's playbook—from his time as defensive coordinator of a state championship high school football team in Minnesota. Inside his 4-4 defense and obsession with stopping the run, with Joshua Robinson: wsj.com/sports/footbal…

How did a team of undersized Swedes win beach volleyball gold at the Olympics? They took the same principle as the RPO from football—and weaponized it to become the top team in the sport. With Joshua Robinson: wsj.com/sports/olympic…

Being the highest paid quarterback in the NFL isn’t about being the best quarterback. It’s about timing and leverage. Enter Dak Prescott: wsj.com/sports/footbal…

NEW: Player drafts are a cornerstone of American pro sports. One league just scrapped its draft forever. “I think history will prove this is the most significant paradigm shift in the history of professional sports.” wsj.com/sports/soccer/…

The NFL's private equity era is now official. Details with Miriam Gottfried here from earlier:

This NFL off-season produced a frenzy of lucrative wide receiver deals. But there's one standoff that's threatening to spill over into the season: Ja'Marr Chase vs. the Bengals. wsj.com/sports/footbal…

The NFL isn’t designed for dynasties. But with a roster built around Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs are on a quest for history. on.wsj.com/3z9QULJ

The NFL's new kickoff rule created an uptick in returns—along with signs that it may not revitalize the play quite as much as the league had hoped. Here's why: wsj.com/sports/footbal…

If the latest allegations against Deshaun Watson are substantiated, the settlement that led to his 11-game suspension likely wouldn't protect him from further punishment by the league. On the blockbuster keeps looking worse and worse for the Browns: wsj.com/sports/footbal…

🏌️‍♀️Millions of people took to golf courses to escape the lockdowns of the pandemic. But not many know that one group has led the way in golf's participation boom: women. w/Andrew Beaton wsj.com/sports/golf/so…

What's behind the Saints historically explosive start to the season? The latest branch of the Shanahan tree. Here's what history says about teams that start this well, plus more in the WSJ Sports NFL Beat column to kick off your week: wsj.com/sports/footbal…

From golf courses to the NFL sidelines, rope hats are the must-have accessory in sports these days. With Jacob Gallagher on the rope cap takeover: wsj.com/sports/footbal…

Why can't you buy Marvin Harrison Jr.'s jersey? The complex forces behind it include NIL, the trading card wars and the rare situation where a league partner is suing a star rookie. With Louise Radnofsky: wsj.com/sports/footbal…