Oct 26, 2026 · 15 min
NFL review puts Hurts’ medical care under scrutiny
10/26/26 - NFL Weighs Hurts Review, Brewers Ticket Records, WNBA Finals Venue Chaos
The episode connects a high-stakes injury review with broader questions about player protections, football’s expansion, and sports-media power.
- 1The NFL and NFLPA will jointly examine how the Eagles handled Jalen Hurts’ medical situation and what the review could change.
- 2Troy Aikman’s expiring ESPN contract raises competing possibilities: continued broadcasting, free agency, or a Cowboys role.
- 3The WNBA Finals venue uncertainty and Brown-Tatum tension show how off-field decisions can reshape major sports storylines.
Don't miss
Mark Maske explains how the NFL and NFLPA’s shared review of Jalen Hurts’ medical care could produce different priorities for the league and players.
The brief
The episode opens with a crowded sports-business agenda: shifting World Series ticket prices, uncertainty around the WNBA Finals venue, and the increasingly pointed relationship between Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum.
The NFL’s planned international expansion, including a possible return to Tokyo and games beyond the current limit, sets up a larger question about how far the league can stretch its global footprint.
Mark Maske explains why the NFL and NFLPA’s joint review of Jalen Hurts’ medical care matters: the league and players’ union share an investigation but not necessarily the same interests.
Maske also weighs Troy Aikman’s next move as his ESPN contract nears expiration, including broadcasting free agency and a possible front-office or consulting role with the Cowboys.
The sharpest interpersonal thread comes from the Brown-Tatum fallout: Tatum denies a beef but allows for “lamb chops and gravy,” leaving a rivalry more ambiguous than settled.
The episode closes with World Series Game 3 and WNBA Finals Game 5 on the schedule, while the Hurts review and venue uncertainty keep sports governance in view.
Weekly email
State of the Pod, every Monday
The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.