Connect with us

Sports

Chargers' decimated secondary survived because Derwin James Jr. 'can make it right'

Published

on

Chargers' decimated secondary survived because Derwin James Jr. 'can make it right'

A second safety went on injured reserve in as many weeks. The Chargers were calling on practice squad players who hadn’t even had a week’s worth of practices to fill in.

With the pressure of the postseason looming, how did Jim Harbaugh feel about the position that was scraping the bottom of the team’s personnel barrel?

“Tremendous confidence,” the Chargers coach said with a proud smile. “We’re talking about Derwin James’ position.”

The star safety has re-established himself as one of the league’s top defensive backs, earning a fourth Pro Bowl nomination and notching a career-best 5½ sacks while anchoring a secondary that has started 10 players.

No matter how many times the Chargers have to shuffle their secondary with rookies, practice squad call-ups and mid-season signings, James remains their defensive trump card.

Advertisement

“He’s the guy that if somebody, whatever position, we lose a guy, he can make it right,” defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said.

Top cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. has missed most of the season with a shoulder injury. Week 1 starting nickel Ja’Sir Taylor has been in and out with a leg injury while rookie cornerbacks Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still have started six and 12 games, respectively, after they were drafted in the fifth round last April.

Alohi Gilman, the Chargers’ returning free safety from last season, has missed six games because of injuries. One year removed from retirement, safety Tony Jefferson has gone from practice squad menace to reliable starter with 27 tackles in the last six games.

It seems almost impossible to keep track of the moving parts each week, but safeties coach Chris O’Leary didn’t have trouble sorting out the secondary. He knows leaders such as Gilman, James, Elijah Molden and Kristian Fulton keep matters straight.

No matter who was playing alongside him in the secondary, safety Derwin James Jr. has held together the back end of the Chargers’ defense.

Advertisement

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

“Those guys have been the glue of the group,” O’Leary said.

The reliable veterans have rallied around practice squad elevations, including Kendall Williamson and Dicaprio Bootle. When safeties Marcus Maye and Eddie Jackson were signed midseason and needed to play within a week, film study became a group activity.

“Derwin, he’s always a guy who’s high energy,” said Jackson, who played in the last two games for the Chargers since signing on Dec. 23. “T-Jeff, those guys do a good job, if I have any questions, they always have an answer for me.”

Advertisement

The 31-year-old played nine games for Baltimore this season then moved into an Airbnb in Venice with one bag and four outfits. He gets most of his food from the Chargers practice facility these days because there’s not much time to stock his temporary home.

When the Chargers traded for Molden immediately after training camp, the safety also was scrambling to travel from Nashville, where he lived with his wife and young daughter, and learn the playbook. James was the first teammate to reach out.

Maye was claimed off waivers from the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 27, four days before the Chargers would need him to play against the Atlanta Falcons. James assured Harbaugh the staff didn’t have to worry about the new addition. He would handle it.

“Whether you’re a starter or on the opportunity squad or backup, or whatever it is, [James] sort of demands that everybody does things a certain way,” Minter said.

It didn’t take long for the Chargers’ first-year defensive staff to witness James’ standard. O’Leary recalled how James pulled his chair uncomfortably close to the coach on their first day working together. James locks eyes with everyone he speaks with. He demanded to know everything about the defense right away.

Advertisement

Minter, in his first year as an NFL defensive coordinator after a record-setting and championship-winning season at Michigan, envisioned the NFL’s best “team defense.”

Although the Chargers had immense star power with James and edge rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, Minter didn’t want to design a scheme that would fall apart as soon as one player was injured or struggled. For James, the coordinator wanted to let the versatile defensive back be the best version of himself.

To O’Leary, that means James is “hitting people really hard.”

“Legally,” the first-year safeties coach added. “When the play is finished, is No. 3 close to the football? That’s him being the best version of himself and having fun. He’s the heartbeat of our defense, when he is enthusiastic and sweating and yelling and running around, that’s when we’re at our best.”

The Chargers led the league with 17.7 points allowed per game, making a dramatic turnaround from their No. 24 rank last season.

Advertisement

James has played a significant amount at nickel, putting him close to the line of scrimmage to attack running backs or tight ends. Acknowledging James’ versatility, Minter encouraged the safety to not just memorize his position in a play but also to interpret concepts while understanding his position could vary within the same call.

James called it the best scheme he’s been in. The key is the architect behind the play sheet.

“Coach Minter,” James said of what makes the scheme so effective. “Allowing me to play, allowing everybody to play free and allowing everybody to play fast and team defense. I feel like it’s just been amazing all season and I can’t wait for us to keep playing our best football coming up in the postseason.”

Etc.

The Chargers opened the 21-day practice window for cornerback Eli Apple, who was on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He was a full participant in practice Wednesday. … Receiver Quentin Johnston did not practice Wednesday with an illness after he was limited Tuesday with a thigh injury. Fellow receiver Joshua Palmer (foot) missed practice for the second day this week. … Defensive back Ja’Sir Taylor didn’t practice Wednesday with a rib injury. … Offensive linemen Zion Johnson (ankle) and Rashawn Slater (knee), receiver Simi Fehoko (elbow) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) were upgraded to full participants after being limited Tuesday.

Advertisement

Sports

CM Punk to defend Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam

Published

on

CM Punk to defend Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

CM Punk appeared on “Friday Night SmackDown” ready to take on any challenger that was ready to step to him after winning the Undisputed WWE Championship against Sami Zayn.

Punk entered the ring in Oklahoma City and called back to the “Monday Night Raw” after WrestleMania 42 when he told Cody Rhodes he’d be ready to deliver if a championship opportunity fell “out of the sky.”

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face off during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)

Advertisement

“When championship opportunities fall out of the sky, CM Punk catches them,” he said.

Punk named potential SmackDown superstars he’d think might come for the title, including Gunther, Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest and Trick Williams. He even said that Zayn could come back around and get his rematch if he wanted. He didn’t mention Rhodes’ name, but the “American Nightmare” came out uncalled and marched his way down to the ring.

“I don’t think you and I can run away from each other anymore,” Punk told Rhodes.

Cody Rhodes looks on during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)

Advertisement

Rhodes agreed and mentioned that Punk would want a match with him, just “say when.” It was a quick retort from Punk, who said, “when.” SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis, who was in the ring for the segment, booked the match for SummerSlam.

Punk will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam, which takes place Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

First, however, Punk and Rhodes will be involved in a tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in New York City next week. Aldis made the match after Gunther demanded that Aldis put him in a match against Punk. Gunther was hoping it would be for the championship. Instead, Gunther will tag with Zayn.

Gunther didn’t take too kindly to that and attacked Aldis. Rhodes came back out to break up the calamity. He wanted to take on Gunther after the show went off air but Gunther walked away.

Gunther makes his entrance during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Punk definitely has his hands full as he moves to SmackDown to become a fighting champion.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

World Cup fans flock to In-N-Out, Erewhon and Trader Joe’s for a taste of California

Published

on

World Cup fans flock to In-N-Out, Erewhon and Trader Joe’s for a taste of California

World Cup tourists are coming to L.A. for the soccer, but they’re staying for the $21 smoothies and Double-Doubles.

As the last Los Angeles FIFA World Cup event ended Friday, soccer fans were eating like locals and famous chains from the region were cashing in.

In the weeks that L.A. has hosted the World Cup, international soccer enthusiasts have flocked to big brands from the area, often in large groups wearing their countries’ jerseys.

It is a phenomenon seen at many of the host cities. In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction. For people visiting New Jersey, deli shops have been a hot ticket. In L.A., the place to be between matches was Erewhon.

Thirsty international sports fans gathered for pictures outside different Erewhons, wandered their aisles smiling, and, of course, picked up pricey smoothies.

Advertisement

While Erewhon would not comment on its business, mobility data company Arity, which uses phone data to track consumers, said Erewhon visits at the outlets around SoFi Stadium were quadruple what they were a week earlier on June 12, the day of the U.S. national soccer team’s opening match there.

Arity looked at what stores people visited within a 10-mile radius of SoFi that day and also found surges in visitors to nearby El Pollo Loco and Trader Joe’s.

Locals have spotted groups of people in Korea jerseys huddled together, trying to decide what to order at In-N-Out.

Some complained on social media that international tourists at Trader Joe’s were buying up all the mini canvas tote bags.

Soon after the Belgium vs. Spain quarterfinal ended Friday, the In-N-Out near SoFi had a long line of soccer fans stretching out the door in bright red and yellow and black jerseys and matching striped hats and scarves.

Advertisement

One of the workers said he had to explain “spread” and “animal style” to foreign football fans.

“I didn’t know this place existed,” a fan from Romania said while waiting in line.

Los Angeles and other cities and states that have hosted the event need the soccer fans to spend money to make the event worth all the time, effort and money it requires.

A rosy 2024 report projected the World Cup could bring more than $800 million to the L.A. region as 180,000 people converge on the area to sleep, eat and spend.

There were early concerns people weren’t turning up for the event because of the high ticket prices and the difficulty of obtaining visas for citizens of some countries.

Advertisement

However, at least for some L.A. hotels, there was a surge of last-minute visitors which pushed up occupancy and room rates.

While sports fans are not in the region to shop, they do make time for it.

World Cup customer spending is also apparent in beer sales. Andrew Heritage, the chief economist at the Beer Institute said beer purchases at entertainment and attractions in L.A. – outside of World Cup spaces – were up around 10% from normal.

“That tells me that fans in the L.A. area have decided to extend their stay and take in all the other things that the area has to offer, rather than just the match itself,” he said.

On social media, the purpose of these shoppers is clear: grab a quick souvenir or local specialty and take a selfie.

Advertisement

The data from Arity suggests that fans are very efficient when they spend at local spots, diving in, getting what they want and getting out as soon as possible, said Jeff Schlitt, a director at the company.

“Normally you’re there for an hour. They’re going to be there for 15, 18 minutes,” he said. “Why is that? Because they were purpose-driven shoppers.”

For some travelers, the more popular American chains aren’t unfamiliar. But some of the native L.A. fare still comes as a surprise.

As one Belgium-Spain matchgoer from the Netherlands stood taking a picture of the In-N-Out sign after the game, he said he’d never had a burger like the one he’d just tried.

“We only have McDonald’s and Burger King,” he said. “It’s way better.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Shohei Ohtani ruled out of MLB All-Star Game as Dodgers plan to manage nagging injury

Published

on

Shohei Ohtani ruled out of MLB All-Star Game as Dodgers plan to manage nagging injury

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The face of baseball will not be at Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Shohei Ohtani was scratched from his start on Friday as the Los Angeles Dodgers said he will also miss the Midsummer Classic with what the team called left knee irritation.

Ohtani, for obvious reasons, has become an All-Star Game fixture. He has earned the honor in each of the past five seasons and made his first start in 2021.

Advertisement

Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up before the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The two-way phenom is on his way to winning his fifth MVP award in his last six seasons as he is hitting .290 with a .939 OPS and pitching to a minuscule 1.79 ERA, the second-lowest in the sport among pitchers with 80-plus innings. His OPS is also the seventh-best mark in the league.

The Dodgers said Ohtani will be the team’s designated hitter up until the break, but he will “have some interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season.”

Ohtani dealt with knee issues earlier in the season.

It is certainly a big hit for the game as the other face of the sport, Aaron Judge, will miss the game due to a fractured rib that has kept him out since late May.

Advertisement

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gets ready in the on deck circle against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) (Norm Hall/Getty Images)

DODGERS WILL AGAIN VISIT WHITE HOUSE TO CELEBRATE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP, OFFICIAL SAYS

Ohtani hit 99 home runs combined in 2024 and 2025, leading the National League with a 1.025 OPS in that span. Ohtani did not pitch in 2024 after elbow surgery but returned to the bump last year and owned a 2.87 ERA and 11.9 K/9, a figure he also put up in 2022 that led the American League.

The “Japanese Babe Ruth” is the only player in MLB history to have 300-plus plate appearances and 40-plus innings in six separate seasons (Ruth only did it twice and never stole 50 bases), and he has more than excelled at both.

Shohei Ohtani pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on May 13, 2026. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Ohtani is not hitting like he has in the past, but certainly the best pitching performance of his career will make up for it. He “only” has 20 homers and 56 RBI this season.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending