👋 Good morning!
Am I the only person who really isn’t worried about Tom Brady’s clear conflict of interest?
In case you missed it, Brady, a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and broadcaster for FOX, will be on the call for Bears-Cowboys this weekend.
On Monday night, Brady was spotted with a headset on in the Raiders’ coaches booth. The Bears’ next opponent after the Cowboys? None other than the Raiders.
The easiest solution? Don’t give him anything of value in these production meetings. It’s not like Ben Johnson has to fax over a copy of his playbook.
The Bears have bigger fish to fry.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
September is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Month!
CHGO and ALLCITY are proud to support their mission, and we’re raising money all month long.
You can donate — or even learn more about becoming a Big — at bbbs.org/allcity
Magic Number: 1
The Cubs’ magic number is down to one after securing a series win in Pittsburgh thanks to a solid outing from rookie Cade Horton.
Future Rookie of the Year: Horton powered through five innings on Tuesday night, allowing just one run on three hits, striking out six. Despite the decent line, Horton had to grind a bit.
Horton threw 27 pitches in the first inning and reached 20 again in the third. He exited after five innings with his pitch count at 79.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell on Horton’s 27-pitch first: “It was a good inning for him to have. He hasn't had that inning really at all this year, so I’m glad he had the inning. [The Pirates] did a really good job extending at-bats in the first inning. They laid off some pitches and they fouled off a ton of pitches. He gave up a run, but he limited the damage. That's an inning you're going to have to go through.”
Horton on his outing: “I felt like I just wanted to keep attacking. Give up a run and just stay composed, just control what I can control and go from there.”
Future Cy Young: Arguably more impressive than Horton’s gutsy performance, the Cubs had no issue against Paul Skenes last night.
The Pirates’ ace left after throwing 92 pitches in 3.2 innings. Skenes allowed seven hits and walked three, though he only allowed three runs to score. It was Skenes’ shortest outing of the season.
Michael Busch hit a home run to lead off the game — his 11th of the year when in the leadoff spot. Busch also doubled twice.
Pete Crow-Armstrong added an RBI single and a sac fly. Nico Hoerner bumped his batting average above .300 on the season with three singles, and Moises Ballesteros reached base three times.
Over three starts against the Cubs this season, Skenes has thrown just 13.2 IP and allowed 16 hits, nine walks, six earned runs and four homers.
And now the Cubs are in a prime position to clinch a postseason spot today.
They couldn’t do it last night because the Giants and Diamondbacks, who the Cubs needed to both lose, played each other.
Even better. There’s nothing like clinching a spot with a win, controlling your destiny rather than waiting for another team to lose to pop champagne.
Cubs 4, Pirates 1
ALMOST: Good news for the White Sox: The offense might be back. Bad news? It was the pitching that let ‘em down last night.
Kyle Teel launched a 406-foot bomb in the bottom of the first, but that was all the Sox could muster off Orioles starter Dean Kremer.
The Sox then allowed eight runs, including six off Shane Smith. Smith tossed just 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits and a walk while striking out seven. Orioles rookie right fielder Dylan Beavers drove in three runs, tripling in the fifth and homering in the seventh.
The Sox bounced back in the eighth, scoring five runs with the help of Andrew Benintendi’s two-run homer. But that was as close as they’d get. And suddenly, the once-streaking Sox have now lost five straight and need to finish 6-4 to avoid 100 losses.
Orioles 8, White Sox 7
NOT-SO-FUN FACT: I noticed this while scrolling through Pro Football Focus’ website for some information on the Bears’ secondary…
Yep, that says that quarterbacks have a perfect passer rating when targeting Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson this season. That’s a bit concerning, especially considering the likelihood that Stevenson will be thrust into the lead corner job with Jaylon Johnson sidelined indefinitely.
INSIDER ANALYSIS: What happened to Dennis Allen's defense in Detroit?
TRYOUT: The Blackhawks signed longtime Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to a professional tryout on Tuesday. Grzelcyk, 31, spent last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, appearing in every game and tallying 40 points (one goal, 39 assists).
Grzelcyk’s 39 assists last season were tied for the 14th most among defensemen. Alex Vlasic led all Blackhawks defensemen with 26 assists and 30 points in the 2024-25 season.
I loved Robert Redford. I can watch All the Presidents Men once a week. Same for The Sting, Three Days of the Condor. The Natural was my favorite growing up. A true legend. There goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was. #RIP
— #Mark Carman (#@thecarm)
12:58 PM • Sep 16, 2025
⚾️ Cubs at Pirates
11:35 on Marquee
🐻 Hoge & Jahns
12:00 on YouTube
📺 CHGO Bears
1:00 on YouTube
⚾️ White Sox vs. Orioles
1:10 on CHSN
📺 CHGO Blackhawks
2:00 on YouTube
📺 CHGO Cubs
POSTGAME on CHGO Cubs YT
📺 CHGO White Sox
POSTGAME on YouTube
📺 CHGO Bulls
4:00 on YouTube
