Swerve Strickland has become a star since joining AEW in 2022. He has quickly risen the ranks and is now one of the biggest names on Tony Khan's roster. Strickland was part of the main event at AEW All In 2024 in Wembley Stadium.
According to Fightful Select, Khan has moved quickly to lock down one of his star talents. Strickland has reportedly signed one of the "biggest contracts in AEW history." The contract signing was performed on-air, with the clip circulating throughout social media.
"We’re told the contract is a multi-year contract that will keep him with the company until at least 2028, though we aren’t sure of the exact length of the deal," Fightful Select reported. "It was confirmed to Fightful that this is considered one of the biggest deals in the company’s history. AEW sources had long maintained that they'd been over the moon with Swerve's performances in and out of the ring. He's expected to remain a performer at the top of the card during his deal."
Swerve Strickland has re-signed with AEW.#AEWAllIn pic.twitter.com/2E6TrQPpNK
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) August 25, 2024
Strickland lost the AEW World Championship at AEW All In 2024 to Bryan Danielson via submission. However, it's widely expected that he will regain the title soon with Danielson expected to retire from full-time wrestling at the end of the year.
Nevertheless, Strickland's title loss hasn't dampened his impact on AEW since signing. He was the first black world champion in company history. He has stayed true to his character throughout his tenure, consistently improving while participating in some of the most memorable pay-per-view matches of the past few years.
Khan's decision to extend Strickland's contract is wise. AEW has lost multiple talents to WWE over the past few years. Losing another of its top stars would be a hammer blow to the company's development. With Strickland locked down for the foreseeable future, AEW has another elite talent to headline major events and draw in new fans.
It will be interesting to see what's next for Strickland and how AEW continues building him up as his star continues to rise.
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Star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson is once again a key contributor for the Detroit Lions, coming off the devastating injury he suffered last fall. For a piece published on Wednesday, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler suggested that the Lions could soon lock Hutchinson down beyond the ongoing campaign after the club picked up the 25-year-old's fifth-year option for 2026 this past offseason. Lions, Aidan Hutchinson have had "exploratory" contract talks "Lions edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson looks destined for a new deal," Fowler shared. "Both sides have had exploratory discussions about an extension, for which Hutchinson is eligible as a fourth-year pro." Back in July, Fowler noted that Hutchinson was leading the NFL in sacks (7.5), pressures and win rate last season before he went down with gruesome fractures of his tibia and fibula in October 2024. According to Pro Football Reference, Hutchinson enters Week 6 of the 2025 campaign tied for third in the league with five sacks and second with three forced fumbles. How much could Aidan Hutchinson make via extension? "Top pass-rushers now make quarterback money, punctuated by Micah Parsons' four-year, $188M deal with Green Bay," Fowler continued. "While I'm not sure Hutchinson tops that number, he'll be among the highest paid at his position whenever this deal gets done. ...Detroit has shown an eagerness to extend its marquee players, and there's none bigger than Hutchinson." Before Parsons put pen to paper on his deal, Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders received a three-year, $106.5M extension during the offseason. Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns later signed a four-year, $160M deal that included $123.5M guaranteed. During the summer, the Pittsburgh Steelers gave T.J. Watt a three-year, $123M extension that included $108M guaranteed. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell and quarterback Jared Goff are a few examples of Lions players who have received extensions from the club over the past couple of years. That said, both Detroit and Hutchinson may have reasons to drag contract talks out. Hutchinson could increase the value of his deal if he keeps playing well through January (or February). Meanwhile, everybody involved received a harsh reminder roughly 12 months ago that one play can drastically alter or even threaten a player's career. For now, Hutchinson and the 4-1 Lions will focus on preparing for the upcoming "Sunday Night Football" game at the Kansas City Chiefs (2-3). As of Wednesday, ESPN BET had Detroit as a 2.5-point underdog for that matchup.
Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins are stuck in a rut, and the pressure is mounting fast. After messing up a 17-0 lead last Sunday, the team sits at 1-4, its worst start since 2021. The defense looks shaky, and Tua Tagovailoa’s performance has become an overanalyzed topic in Miami. The team’s future and McDaniel’s job security now hang in the balance as the clock ticks toward their Week 6 showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers. And the head coach didn’t sugarcoat things during his media session ahead of the game. When asked how quarterback Tua has absorbed the high expectations amidst growing frustration, McDaniel was blunt. “A bottom line, black and white, you’re held accountable for the results while you’re trying to get better, that’s difficult.” He knows Tua faces constant noise, from praise to criticism, and how a player handles that separates the winners from the rest. “It’s not easy, but that’s something that no quarterback in the National Football League is not exposed to…They tell you you’re awesome or that you suck. What is that? How does that relate to what you’re doing to influence your next performance?” That’s as close to a warning from a head coach as you get without flat out saying ‘shape up or ship out.’ McDaniel is emphasizing accountability to a player who’s been under the microscope since Day 1. Tagovailoa, who threw three touchdowns on Sunday but watched his team collapse after a strong start, knows the sting of losing better than most. “No one wants to start the season 1-4…We’ve got to figure this out now. This feeling sucks,” Tua admitted. The Dolphins’ offense sputtered after their early lead, rushing for a mere 19 yards, their lowest since McDaniel took over in 2022. The defense gave up 239 rushing yards, with rookie Rico Dowdle running for a career high of 206 yards. This loss was a wake-up call. Miami’s meltdown was the first time under McDaniel that the Dolphins lost after holding a 17-point lead. And with a turnover differential advantage, no less. McDaniel called the loss “unacceptable,” taking full responsibility and promising immediate fixes. Despite that, the head coach’s job security remains in question. Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat The pressure on McDaniel isn’t just coming from the scoreboard. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler put it plainly on The Rich Eisen Show: “(McDaniel’s seat) is moderately hot.” Ownership likes the guy, but patience is wearing thin. “This is not something where they are looking for an excuse to move on from him right now,” Fowler said. “They want to give him a little bit of time…[But] if they have some home games that are pretty ugly, if the fans turn on the team. That’s when Stephen Ross could make a move.” That’s a polite way of saying the Dolphins’ season is hanging by a thread. The team’s defense, retooled and weaker than before, hasn’t gelled. Key players on that side were let go for locker room culture reasons, but their replacements haven’t measured up. It’s a rebuilding year with a thin margin for error. Fowler points out Miami’s transition, saying “they’re not working with a team that is ready-made to win right now, at least on that side of the ball.” With just two home games in October and intense fan scrutiny looming, McDaniel’s future depends heavily on fixing what’s broken now. The Dolphins will have to find their identity fast. And McDaniel will need to prove he’s the right man to lead them through these rough waters.
The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off one of their worst losses of the season after the Denver Broncos scored 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter last Sunday to win 21-17. The Eagles have a short week due to playing their divisional opponent, the New York Giants, on “Thursday Night Football.” They have the opportunity to fix the problems on offense, as the Giants are one of the worst defenses (26th, 377.2 yards) in the NFL. However, the Eagles could struggle on defense, as they may also be down one of their better defensive linemen, Jalen Carter. The Eagles received one positive and one negative piece of injury news for two key players Being a short week, the Eagles have a limited amount of time to practice and formulate a game plan, but also have a limited amount of time for their players to heal after a few came out of the Eagles' loss to the Broncos battered and bruised. Running back Saquon Barkley was one of those players who wasn't 100% healthy following the loss, as he found himself on Monday's injury report and did not practice with the team due to a knee injury. Barkley taking time to rest seems to have paid off, as he was a full participant in practice as of Wednesday’s injury report. Defensive linemen Jalen Carter was a new addition to the report, as he was limited in practice due to a heel injury. Carter is currently listed as "questionable" for Thursday night's game. Eagles need both Saquon Barkley and Jalen Carter to win against the Giants Even without Carter and Barkley, the Eagles have a better roster than the Giants, but having both makes the gap even wider. Saquon is one of the best running backs in the league and has extra motivation to play the Giants, as they're his former team. In one career game against them since signing with the Eagles, Barkley ran for 176 yards on 17 carries and scored one touchdown in their matchup last October, per StatMuse. Not having a game with over 100+ yards rushing this season, Saquon could have his first one of the season against his former team, as the Giants have the 26th-ranked defense (140.0 yards) against the rush. Hopefully, Carter is available, as he is the glue that holds the Eagles' defense together. Carter is credited with playing in every game, except he was disqualified from the Eagles' season opener against the Dallas Cowboys after he spat on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Carter has three solo tackles, seven assists and has not recorded a sack. If Carter can't play, the Eagles will need to rely on Jordan Davis to step up and fill in for Carter. Davis has 11 solo tackles, eight assists and a sack in five games this season. Davis will also need to pick up the slack for Carter on special teams, as the two have a blocked kick on their stat sheet against the Los Angeles Rams, which Davis ran back for a touchdown.
The Las Vegas Raiders announced they have signed LB Jon Rhattigan from the Steelers practice squad and also added LB Jamin Davis to the practice squad. The Raiders cut QB Jeff Driskel to make room on the practice squad. Davis, 26, is a former first-round pick of the Commanders back in 2021 out of Kentucky. He was in the final year of his four-year rookie contract after having the team decline his fifth-year option when Washington elected to waive him in October 2024. Davis then caught on with the Packers’ practice squad a few weeks later. The Vikings signed him to their active roster before waiving him in December when he was claimed by the Jets. The Jets cut Davis loose coming out of the preseason this year. In 2024, Davis appeared in nine games for the Commanders and Vikings, recording 18 total tackles and a sack.
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