The Dallas Cowboys are heading into training camp with a tight end competition that deserves more attention than it’s getting. While it’s already identified as a meaningful camp battle, I don’t think we’re talking about the implications enough. After all, how it turns out will say a lot about the past and present of the team.

You see, tight end Luke Schoonmaker, the Cowboys’ 2023 second-round pick, is fighting for the No. 2 spot at tight end behind Jake Ferguson and potentially for his 53-man roster spot entirely. The outcome of this battle will reveal a lot about the harsh reality of the 2023 draft class and potentially, of a new way of doing things in Dallas. Let’s break it all down.

Schoonmaker’s production speaks for itself

It’s hard to believe, but Schoonmaker is entering his fourth year with the Cowboys. Over 51 games, he has 49 receptions. That’s under one catch per game for a player Dallas drafted believing he could compete with Ferguson for the starting job back in 2023. No bueno.

Schoonmaker was always a traits-based prospect who never fully developed. As of today, the best way to describe his play is that he doesn’t do one thing at an above-average level. He’s a decent blocker (I’d even say below average) and a decent pass catcher (again, below average). He doesn’t stand out in any phase of the game, and that’s a problem when the competition is gaining ground.

Brevyn Spann-Ford and Michael Trigg are coming for those snaps

Take Brevyn Spann-Ford, who is competing for the No. 2 tight end role. We still need to see more from him as a pass catcher, but Spann-Ford can flat-out block in the run game. He consistently shows up on film, and the Cowboys were comfortable enough to let him take on defensive tackles in their blocking scheme rather than just sealing backside defensive ends. That’s unusual for a tight end and speaks to his physicality. Right now, I’d say Spann-Ford is the clear frontrunner for the No. 2 spot behind Ferguson.

That pushes Schoonmaker into a battle for the No. 3 tight end spot, which may be the last roster spot available at the position. Dallas began the 2025 season with only three tight ends on its 53-man roster, and I have no reason to believe 2026 will be different.

The name to watch there is undrafted rookie Michael Trigg. Trigg has his own battle to fight. He needs to prove that the off-the-field concerns that followed him through multiple college programs and suspensions are behind him. If he does that, the Cowboys will have something different in Trigg: a big-bodied target who can develop as a pass catcher without needing to be attached to the offensive line. He has the physicality and the tools to evolve as a blocker, too, as long as he’s willing to get his hands dirty.

If Trigg has a strong training camp, Schoonmaker could end up without a roster spot.

The championship match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is just one day away, with Argentina and Spain facing off at New York New Jersey Stadium to determine who leaves North America with the glory. But there’s still one more match being held in Miami Gardens: the bronze final, which will determine who leaves the cup with a third-place finish.

This face-off will pit France and England against each other. Here’s how to catch the match at home, where celebrations are, and what to keep in mind for both teams.

How to watch France vs. England

• Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026
• Kickoff time: 5 p.m. ET
• Location: Hard Rock Stadium (known as Miami Stadium for the FIFA World Cup), located in Miami Gardens, Florida
• TV (English): FOX Sports/FS1
• TV (Spanish): Telemundo
• Streaming: Fubo, FOX Sports app, Peacock (Spanish-language broadcast)

Miami’s Bayfront Park is also hosting the FIFA Fan Fest, which is expected to still draw thousands of fans in to watch the match. Bayfront Park has become a major boon for fans during the World Cup.

The open-air fan fest is free and has been running throughout the tournament, offering soccer fans and families a chance to enjoy the World Cup’s excitement without match tickets.

A battle for a bronze finish

Both France and England lost their respective semi-finals, leading to this fight for a third-place finish. France’s Kylian Mbappe will aim to add to his eight goals and beat Lionel Messi to win the adidas Golden Boot. England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham both have six goals and could also try for the award.

France started the tournament in dominant fashion. They beat Senegal 3-1 in the opening match before reaching a 3-0 shutout against Iraq, then winning the group stage with a 4-1 trouncing of Norway. France remained hungry in the knockout stage, taking out Sweden 3-0, then Paraguay 1-0 and Morocco 2-0.

But Spain would put a halt to France’s run with a decisive 2-0 win in Dallas.

England, meanwhile, had a rather eventful storyline throughout the tournament. A 4-2 win over Croatia marked the start of the journey, but a 0-0 draw against Ghana in the group stage became a wake-up call. England won 2-0 against Panama to win their group and keep the momentum going, but Congo DR kept them on their toes in Atlanta before Harry Kane’s pair of late-match goals kept England in the tournament.

Two more dramatic wins kept England in the running: a 3-2 victory over Mexico and a 2-1 win after extra time against Norway. But it was Argentina who ultimately ended the championship run for England, earning two goals against a sole one for England.

France and England have met plenty of times outside of the World Cup, but have met three times during previous tournaments. England won a group stage match against France 2-0 in 1966, and again 3-1 in the first group stage match in 1982. They met most recently during the quarterfinals of the 2022 tournament in Qatar, with France winning 2-1.

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In our roundup of travel news this week: how Asia is coping with hyper-hot weather, a terrifying incident on board a budget airline, plus the world’s busiest airports of 2025.

Last year, global air travel reached a record-breaking 9.8 billion passengers, according to a report on the world’s busiest airports released Wednesday by Airports Council International (ACI). The organization released its preliminary figures in April.

The busiest airport of all in 2025, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, has held the title of the world’s No. 1 for passenger traffic for 27 of the last 28 years. It slipped just once in 2020, due to air travel being largely halted by the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Atlanta isn’t a big world-class travel destination like Hong Kong or Paris or Los Angeles; it’s not even one of the world’s biggest population hubs. Geographical good fortune and effective long-term leadership are just two of the reasons Atlanta’s plucky airport has made it to the top and stayed there: Here are some of the secrets of its success over the years.

As for the rest of the top busiest airports of 2025, they are: Dubai (DXB) at No. 2; Tokyo (HND) at No. 3; Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) at No. 4; Shanghai (PVG) at No. 5.

Dallas/Fort Worth has climbed six places in the ranking since 2019, so it’s definitely one to watch.

Continuing our countdown of America’s Best Towns to Visit in 2026, we have Iowa City, Iowa, at No. 8.

Iowa City is America’s engine room of literature — a lively college town where everyone including taxi drivers seems to have ink-stained fingers, and legendary authors like Kurt Vonnegut walked the streets.

But books are only half the story in this laid-back Midwestern haven. From a presidentially approved vintage diner selling legendary pie-shakes to a neighboring town entirely dedicated to “Star Trek,” it’s a culture-packed destination where stories are waiting to be told around every street corner.

Take a look too at Roanoke, Virginia, at No. 10 and Lawrence, Kansas, at No. 9.

Heat and wildfires

Wildfires have been blazing in Canada and Europe. A train evacuating Canadians was overtaken by flames as wildfires raged near Ontario on Tuesday, and wildfire smoke is pouring into the US and damaging air quality for millions.

A years-long drought in Chile has forced ski resorts in the Andes mountains to close up to 90% of their slopes, which is bad news for the million-plus tourists who like to ski there and for the local business people relying on that income.

Hyper-hot weather is also changing Asia’s travel map. The continent is warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe, meaning extreme summer heat is scrambling traditional vacations and driving travelers towards alternative plans. (This story’s for CNN subscribers only).

Restaurant’s southern hospitality leaves tourists with core memory

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A couple from Ireland was road tripping through the US when they stopped at Liberty Restaurant in Alabama for something to eat. The couple was moved by the experience and nearly brought to tears by the southern hospitality they received. These heartwarming moments are examples of an online trend called the “Great American Sleepover,” where tourists, some who are here for the World Cup, are experiencing American novelties or acts of kindness from strangers. CNN reunited the couple with the owner of the restaurant.

Restaurant’s southern hospitality leaves tourists with core memory

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For a lot of people, Scottsboro, Alabama, is probably most famous for its legendary store Unclaimed Baggage, which bills itself as the nation’s only seller of lost luggage.

However, it’s hearts that are being acquired at the town’s Liberty Restaurant, after an Irish couple shared the story of the warm welcome they received there while road-tripping around the United States.

A bison attack on a man at Yellowstone was caught on camera.

It comes as US national parks are feeling the strain from record-breaking visitor numbers.

His team crashed out of the World Cup 40 years ago.

But watching in the stands he met the love of his life. (For subscribers only).

A passenger was sucked halfway out of a plane on a budget airline.

Here’s what to know about the harrowing incident.

A soccer showdown. A parasite outbreak. A wild animal attack.

What do you remember from the week that was?