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Carl Edwards had an incredible run in the Cup Series, winning 28 races and earning a spot in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Edwards, who was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers, retired from the sport after the 2016 season. He previously said that he left NASCAR behind so he could spend more time with his family. Additionally, he didn't want to suffer any major injuries late in his career.
During an appearance on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s podcast this week, Edwards opened up about his departure from NASCAR. Let's just say he didn't pull any punches.
"So first of all, I don’t deserve anything and I’ve learned this … we were at church the other day and anybody knows me well, knows I’m historically an atheist at best but I’ve come to realize at 45 years old that if I try to write down a list of all the things God didn’t give me and that I did myself, there is just an empty sheet of paper in front of me," Edwards said, via On3.
"I was wrestling with some things like this at the time. I was living something that wasn’t my plan. I worked so hard my whole life and felt like I deserved to win this thing and it was taken away from me. What I realized is that there was a bigger plan than mine, and all that stuff played out just perfectly. I was just along for the ride. I wasn’t sure how to deal with it, but it was the strangest feeling."
The final race of Edwards' career took place at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Edwards will return to the Cup Series later this year in a new role. It was announced that he'll be a studio analyst for Prime Video's NASCAR coverage.
"The thing I’m excited about, and I feel like I can hopefully accomplish, is to get to talk a little bit - especially since I’m not competing anymore, I got nothing to hide - there’s no trade secrets I don’t want to talk about," Edwards told The Athletic. "I want to share with the fans what might be going on inside of that helmet, inside of that car."
Prime Video will stream the Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25.
More must-reads:
- NASCAR makes decision on victory celebrations after Connor Zilisch fall
- Former NASCAR official sheds light on investigation, decisions during infamous 2013 'Spingate' scandal
- The 'MLB franchise home run leaders' quiz
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Connor Zilisch hospitalized after hard fall in victory lane at Watkins Glen
Connor Zilisch's celebration following his win in Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen was a short-lived one. After leading 60 laps and winning Stage 2 of the Mission 200, Zilisch went on to score the victory, earning his second consecutive win at Watkins Glen, his sixth of the season and the seventh of his Xfinity Series career. In victory lane, however, Zilisch suffered a hard fall after he attempted to stand on top of his No. 88 Chevrolet. He went to the infield care center before being transferred to a local hospital for further evaluation. However, Zilisch is conscious, alert and does not appear to be in any medical danger following the incident. Zilisch, 19, leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings through 23 races and is expected to race on a full-time basis with Trackhouse Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2026. He's already a championship favorite in his first year of Xfinity Series competition, and there's little doubt that he ranks among one of the best prospects in NASCAR history. Zilisch did miss the May 3 race at Texas Motor Speedway due to a back injury suffered at Talladega on April 26. The NASCAR Xfinity Series will return to competition at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 22, giving Zilisch extra time to heal if necessary.
Yankees Announce Paul Goldschmidt News After Loss to Twins
The New York Yankees won their first series of August in a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins from Monday to Wednesday, but they're still in trouble. They're only one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final AL Wild Card spot with six weeks left in the regular season. The Yankees beat the Twins 6-2 on Monday and 9-1 on Tuesday before losing 4-1 on Wednesday, but Tuesday's victory came at a price. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt left early and didn't play on Wednesday, a night in which New York especially needed his bat. The Yankees released an update on Goldschmidt after Wednesday night's game, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The 37-year-old has a low-grade knee sprain with inflammation. He's slashing .276/.331/.422 with 10 homers and 40 RBI over 112 games. Fellow first baseman Ben Rice went 1-for-4 in Goldshmidt's stead on Wednesday. The 26-year-old is slashing .233/.326/.456 with 17 homers and 38 RBI over 101 contests. Paul Goldschmidt comments on injury Goldschmidt said that he hopes he can avoid the IL with a "short-term" absence, via Hoch. While Rice is a high-upside player in his second year, the seven-time All-Star is still a more dependable contact hitter at this point. Goldschmidt is third on the squad with 110 hits, although his younger counterpart's OPS is 30 points higher. The Yankees need the veteran back as soon as possible to help them maintain their Wild Card spot. His presence allows Rice to play catcher, which is optimal given Austin Wells's struggles. The 26-year-old is slashing just .206/.264/.408 with 15 homers and 56 RBI over 94 games. Up next for New York is a road series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt's former team.
Six NBA players most likely to be traded
NBA teams won't assemble for training camp until September, but some players may not be on those teams for long. Here are six NBA players likely to get traded in the upcoming season. 1. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz Some NBA teams go all-in. The Utah Jazz have gone all-out, ditching veterans Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins this summer. Their lone remaining high-priced player is Lauri Markkanen, a 2023 All-Star who has four years and $196M left on his contract. He had a down year in 2024-25, playing just 47 games and dropping to 19 points per game, but the Jazz were also holding Markkanen out so much that they got fined. Markkanen's shooting would fit on nearly any NBA team, and he's still only 28 years old. The Jazz have amassed a lot of future draft picks, but many of them aren't great — pick swaps with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves, and a 2027 Los Angeles Lakers first-rounder. Trading their Finnish superstar could get them a huge return, especially if NBA teams are seeing him dominate in EuroBasket exhibition games. 2. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors It seems like a foregone conclusion that Jonathan Kuminga will resign with the Golden State Warriors and equally inevitable that the Warriors will then try to trade their 22-year-old forward. The only holdup is that the restricted free agent and his team can't agree on a new contract. The Warriors need to get something back for their former lottery pick, but they also need to preserve his salary slot. Kuminga and his agent couldn't work out a sign-and-trade this summer, but once free agents who signed this summer can be traded Dec. 15, far more trade options will open up. Kuminga doesn't want to be on the Warriors. The Warriors don't want to guarantee him playing time. The breakup looks like it's coming. 3. Anfernee Simons, Boston Celtics In a year where the Boston Celtics have dramatically slashed their payroll in Jayson Tatum's absence, they have a huge incentive to deal Anfernee Simons, the guard acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in the Jrue Holiday trade. Getting rid of Simons gets them under the luxury tax, which is worth tens of millions of dollars, while also keeping the Celtics out of penalties for repeatedly being a tax team. It all depends on whether the Celtics will settle for the financial savings or hold out to get assets back for the impending free agent. But Simons is almost certainly headed somewhere. 4. P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks P.J. Washington was a huge part of the Dallas Mavericks' run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Unfortunately, he plays the same position as the guy the Mavericks just took with the No. 1 pick in the draft, Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks also have Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and the newly-extended Daniel Gafford. Washington and his expiring contract are now expendable. 5. CJ McCollum/Khris Middleton, Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards took on McCollum and Middleton in trades in the past year, moves that were primarily made to shed the long-term salaries of Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma. But even though those players were both born in 1991, they should still be able to contribute to winning teams in 2025-26. The Wizards may value their veteran leadership, but they also have a roster full of recent draft picks who need playing time — and you can never have too many future draft picks.
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Rory McIlroy regrets his 'horrific' purchase after cashing first PGA Tour paycheck
Rory McIlroy has made enough money to buy whatever he wants without even looking at the price tag. The five-time major champion has banked $107 million in on-course earnings alone in his PGA Tour career, but he still regrets the first major purchase he made after cashing his first big paycheck. Ahead of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club, a reporter asked McIlroy if he remembers how he spent his first PGA Tour paycheck. It was clear from his response that he still regrets it today. "Yes," McIlroy said without hesitation, "a watch with diamonds around it. It was horrific. I can't believe—it's like the worst purchase ever. It was so bad." McIlroy, who has a long-running endorsement deal with Omega, wisely declined to reveal which company the watch came from. "It's not the make and model that I'm sponsored by now, so I'm not going to say it," he said with a chuckle. It's hard to blame McIlroy for making an immature decision when he got his first taste of wealth. Wouldn't we all? McIlroy was just 19 years old when he made his PGA Tour debut at the 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play, where he finished in a tie for fifth place. Anyone in his position would've splurged on a guilty pleasure after cashing a life-changing check. McIlroy can laugh about the purchase now because he has enough money to buy a million more watches if he wants. The Northern Irishman is the second-richest golfer of all time in terms of on-course earnings, and he's only $14 million behind Tiger Woods' record of $120.99 million. Considering McIlroy is just 36 years old and still has many years of great golf left in him, he's going to finish his career as the highest-earning golfer in PGA Tour history.
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