Read in Browser [[link removed]]

Afternoon Edition

January 31, 2025

POWERED BY

Concussion data has to be taken with a grain of salt. With that being said, the NFL’s latest report is encouraging—and it may point to real innovation in helmets over the last few years.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]] and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

NFL Reports Concussions Dropped to Record Low in 2024 [[link removed]]

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The NFL has reported that there were a record-low number of concussions during the 2024 season, 182, which is the smallest figure since the league began tracking them in 2015.

It was also in 2015 that the NFL’s concussion settlement with former players was formally approved. Since then, the league has paid out at least $1.2 billion, which has been a point of contention with the NFL’s insurance providers [[link removed]].

The number of reported concussions sustained by players during practices and games during the preseason and regular season is down 17% from 219 in 2023.

This was the first season in which the NFL allowed players to wear Guardian Caps during games [[link removed]], but only about 20 players wore them this season. Anywhere from 5 to 15 did so each week, with some choosing to test them out for a single game and others wearing them consistently.

Jeff Miller, the NFL’s EVP overseeing player health and safety, said that number was too small to generate any reliable data on the product’s effectiveness. Guardian Caps are required to be worn during training camp by all players except for quarterbacks and specialists.

Aside from Guardian Caps, NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills said 35% of players upgraded their helmet quality in 2024 based on rankings published by the league and the NFL Players Association.

Behind the Process

While the reported data from the NFL is encouraging, it does not take into account the number of players who may sustain a concussion but are not officially diagnosed with one.

When a player sustains an impact to the head, the player goes into concussion protocol if the player exhibits or reports symptoms or signs suggestive of a concussion or stinger (a nerve pinch injury), or if the team athletic trainer, booth spotter, team physician, NFL game official, coach, teammate, sideline unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant or booth UNC initiates the protocol.

NBA’s Bet on Victor Wembanyama Validated by Early All-Star Selection [[link removed]]

Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

A week after LeBron James was named to a record 21st All-Star Game, 21-year-old Victor Wembanyama received his first selection.

By being named an All-Star in his second season, Wembanyama has so far lived up to the lofty projections that were thrown his way before he was drafted No. 1 last year.

In 2023, then ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski called him the “most highly anticipated player to ever enter the NBA.” [[link removed]] Wojnarowski also said he was “maybe the greatest prospect in the history of team sports,” which would include comparisons with James, who was dubbed The Chosen One [[link removed]] by Sports Illustrated when he was still in high school.

Early fan interest shows signs that Wembanyama is in line to carry the torch as the face of the league, especially as James and fellow West All-Star starters Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry age out.

Wembanyama was fourth among Western Conference front-court players in fan voting with 2.88 million, about 250,000 less than Durant and 500,000 less than James. He also surpassed Curry by more than 500,000 votes. The French center is fifth in jersey sales [[link removed]] this season, behind Curry, James, Jayson Tatum, and Jalen Brunson.

It’s a welcome sight for the league—one whose viewership numbers this year have been a hot-button topic [[link removed]]—that Wembanyama has been as good as advertised. Speaking at a press conference in Paris last week ahead of a doubleheader between the Spurs and Pacers, commissioner Adam Silver said Wembanyama has “exceeded” his expectations.

But Silver admitted many previous rising stars have had their careers derailed for one reason or another, so he continues to temper his expectations.

“I’m always still being a little bit cautious. He just turned 21, and LeBron just turned 40. So there’s the opportunity for 19 years of excellence,” Silver said.

European Expansion, Role of Sovereign Wealth

Wembanyama’s rise comes as the league continues to explore expansion in Europe [[link removed]], which would reportedly come in the form of an independent league. “The commercial opportunity has not kept pace with the growth of the game,” Silver said last week.

According to ESPN senior NBA writer Brian Windhorst, there is a chance that investment in a league in Europe (and the Middle East) could come from sovereign wealth funds [[link removed]]. At the moment, sovereign funds are permitted to hold a maximum of 20% equity in NBA teams with no controlling stake, but that could change if there is a league in their region.

SPONSORED BY COCOAVIA

The Metric That Powers Performance and Longevity

In the fast-paced world of sports, where fractions of a second define greatness, VO2 max stands out [[link removed]] as the gold standard for measuring endurance and performance. But it’s not just for the pros—VO2 max is a key indicator of overall health and longevity for everyone.

It measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise, linking it to endurance, fitness capacity, and long-term health. Improving your VO2 max can boost performance, support heart health [[link removed]], and help you stay strong over time.

Learn more about two proven strategies to enhance it: heart-healthy habits [[link removed]] supported by CocoaVia™ Cardio Health and targeted exercise routines. Use code FOS2025 for 20% off CocoaVia Cardio [[link removed]] and Memory products.

Wimbledon Exec Dismisses Move to 15 Days Amid US Open Expansion [[link removed]]

Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

The US Open will expand from 14 to 15 days for the first time this fall, leaving Wimbledon as the only Grand Slam tournament on a 14-day schedule. But it doesn’t seem like the London-based event will succumb to peer pressure.

Tim Henman, a board member of the All England Lawn Tennis Club which organizes Wimbledon, said there is “zero” appetite for the tournament to move to 15 days.

“From Wimbledon’s point of view, 14 days for the championships is enough,” Henman told reporters at a Sky Sports Tennis event Thursday.

Wimbledon had only moved to a 14-day format in 2022. The tournament traditionally scheduled games on 13 days over a two-week span, with the “Middle Sunday” kept vacant to tend to its grass courts while also giving a rest day for players.

Henman called the move three years ago to expand to 14 days “a big decision,” particularly to ensure the grass on the courts remains in the “best possible condition.”

“You’re looking at 80 hours of tennis on Centre [Court], that’s the sort of maximum,” Henman said.

The AELTC has proposed adding 39 grass courts to Wimbledon, which means tripling the size of the grounds. But even if the courts pass legal battles from conservation group Save Wimbledon Park, the courts are not expected to be operational until the 2030s [[link removed]], according to The Athletic.

The AELTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The French Open moved to a 15-day format in 2007, the first of the Grand Slam tournaments. The Australian Open followed suit last year, and the US Open announced Wednesday that it will add the extra day to this year’s tournament [[link removed]].

Weekend Prize Pool

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Front Office Sports tees up every weekend sporting slate with a ledger of the purses and prize pools at stake. Here’s what’s up for grabs this weekend:

PGA Tour: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

When: Thursday to Sunday Where: Pebble Beach, Calif. Purse: $20 million First place: $3.6 million

NASCAR Cup Series: Clash at Bowman Gray

When: Sunday Where: Winston-Salem, N.C. Purse: $3 million First place: Individual payouts are no longer disclosed

LPGA Tour: HGV Tournament of Champions

When: Thursday to Sunday Where: Orlando, Fla. Purse: $2 million First place: $300,000 STATUS REPORT Two Up, Two Down

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Angel Reese ⬆ The WNBA All-Star surprised her mother, Angel Webb Reese, by paying off her mortgage. The Chicago Sky star announced the news to her mother on a podcast episode of Unapologetically Angel [[link removed]] released Thursday and filmed on her mother’s birthday. The younger Reese said she wanted to give her mom the option to retire.

NHL salary cap ⬆ The league announced the annual spending limit for teams, which is set at $88 million this season, will increase by an average of $8.5 million each of the next three years. In the 2027–2028 season, the NHL salary cap will be $113.5 million.

Nevada sportsbooks ⬇ Football wagers in December resulted in a collective $2.1 million loss for the state’s online and retail betting operators [[link removed]]. It’s the first monthly loss during the NFL regular season since a $5.3 million shortfall in November 2012.

Justin Tucker ⬇ The Ravens kicker has been accused of sexual misconduct [[link removed]] by six massage therapists in the Baltimore area, according to The Baltimore Banner. He was also allegedly banned from two spas. Tucker denied the allegations in a statement on X/Twitter [[link removed]], and he called the Banner’s story “unequivocally false.” Read more [[link removed]] from Front Office Sports reporter Colin Salao.

SPONSORED BY COLLECTORS

Get $25 Off Your First PSA Submission

Grade with the industry standard. PSA [[link removed]] is the leader when it comes to authenticating, grading, and preserving your most valuable sports and TCG cards. Today, backed by leading expertise and the industry’s best customer guarantee, more collectibles are submitted to PSA than any other grading service.

New to grading? For a limited time only, Front Office Sports readers will get up to $25 off [[link removed]] their first online grading order at psacard.com [[link removed]] or the PSA mobile app. Use code FOS25 at checkout [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Commanders owner Josh Harris took out a full-page ad in The Washington Post to thank fans. He wrote: “We won’t stop until we have a championship.” Check it out [[link removed]]. Louis Vuitton has become an official partner of Formula One and is the new title partner of the Australian Grand Prix. Take a look [[link removed]] at some LV-themed F1 gear. Caitlin Clark is returning to Iowa as the Indiana Fever will face the Brazil women’s national basketball team in a preseason game [[link removed]] at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena on May 4. Editors’ Picks Former Fox Host Julie Stewart-Binks Alleges Network Exec Sexually Assaulted Her [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Fox Sports hit with second suit over the past month. NHL Raises Its Salary Cap by $25.5 Million Over Next 3 Seasons [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]The upper payroll limit will be $113.5 million in 2027–2028. Another Lawsuit Seeks to Challenge the NCAA’s Eligibility Clock [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia recently sued the NCAA over similar eligibility standards. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]

Copyright © 2025 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

460 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor, New York NY, 10016