What Syracuse coach Fran Brown said during his press conference on Monday, previewing his team’s game against Tennessee on Saturday (Noon Eastern Time, ABC) in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta:

“… We get the opportunity to play against one of the bluebloods of college football. I’ve looked up to this team for a long time. I remember when coach Phillip Fulmer was coaching there. I got a cousin named Rashad Baker who got a chance to play there. He was a four-year starter. Being able to see Tennessee for a long time and I think Coach (Josh) Heupel has stepped in and done an amazing job. Just from when he started there, his coaching career, his playing career as a football player, and then now as a coach. It’s always second to none, right? He does an amazing job. Last year was in the college playoffs already. Got a chance to compete against him when I was at Georgia two times. Actually, the hardest week was being able to prepare for them. He’s got a lot of good players. He’s an intelligent coach.

“Coach Joey Halzle there, offensive coordinator, does a really good job. They got a new guy at the helm, (Joey) Aguilar, who I think is really good. I remember him watching App State. I went to Western Carolina, that’s a rival, always getting to see what App does, I’m always up to watching them. I thought he did a real good job at that school. Just thought he was a really good quarterback, good player, excited for what he does. He’s a Cali kid that loves to sling the ball, that’s what he grew up doing. Happy for him.

“Offensively, also the running backs. I think their running backs are really good. DeSean (Bishop), Star (Thomas) and Peyton Lewis. Peyton being a really good player, DeSean is really good and then Star, his name speaks for itself, right? Those running backs are really good. I think their tight ends are extremely well. I know just watching them and doing things all the time was 87 (Miles Kitselman) and … couple different guys they got. I like their receivers, 17, (Chris) Brazzell. I know Mike Matthews from the recruiting trail being at Georgia. Got the chance to recruit him a little bit. He’s a really good football player. And then those freshmen they brung in, I just literally wrote it down from watching and going back and seeing what they do. But Travis Smith, Radarious (Jackson), (Joakim) Dodson, those guys can really play ball. And let’s not forget about 14, Braylon Staley, who’s a really good football player, also.

“And then on the defensive side of the ball, Tim Banks is a good coach. I got to know him a little bit. We’re not best of friends, but I know who he is. I respect him, I respect the work that he’s done. I remember meeting him from Penn State and things of that nature. He’s done a real good job of coaching.

“That linebacker, seven, Arion (Carter), he’s a beast. He just can play football. He’s really good. Does a really good job. The DBs. Of course, they’ve got one of the best corners in the country in No. 3 (Jermod McCoy). Just watching him play. It’s tough with him, I hear they don’t know if he’ll play or if he does play. Shit, I would play him if I was them. He’s good as heck. He can play football. I know Rickey (Gibson III), I recruited him a little bit when I was at Georgia. He was a good football player. I’ll be able to see Boo Carter. I’ll be excited to see him. I thought he was a good kid in being able to recruit him. I think he might be playing both ways, I’m not really sure what he’s doing, I think he’s the STAR. But he does a good job at the nickel position.

“Their (defensive) line, 19 (Joshua Josephs) did a hell of a job last year with 22 (linebacker Jeremiah Telander). I think they’re real deep on the D-line. They got a lot of guys when you go and watch them and you can see what they do. And then from a special teams perspective, EvanCrabtree, I know he was on the staff. They had a lot of things that they did well last year. They really try to get going in the return game on PBR. We’re expecting them to come try to block some punts, but in the same sense, we think they’ll also try to set some returns up because I think they can be dangerous there with the speed they have on their football team. But we’re thankful for the opportunity we get to go play against these guys.”

Similarities in preparing for Tennessee now, compared to his time at Georgia

“I was the corners coach there. So that was a big difference. I’m the head coach now. I think we’re just different teams. We run different defenses, it’s not the same. Comparing us to them, it’s a little bit different. I don’t know, it’s just different. For me there, I was watching every little piece, I was watching a lot of different things from a defensive backs perspective cause I was only looking at it as the cornerbacks coach. Now I’m the head football coach, so I watch the complete games all the time. I’m watching the full games and going through it a little bit different in that nature of it. I think it’s a huge difference in the preparation. And you asked it from a defensive perspective, well, we run two different schemes. We’re not who they are. Their guys are a little bit different up front. They got those big two-gappers and things of that nature.”

Any similarities facing Tennessee after facing the Vols as an assistant coach at Georgia

“They’re going to go fast. Yeah, they’re going to go fast. They’re going to make sure they go fast. Tennessee runs what they run. They’re not worrying about what you’re in. You better worry about what they’re in. When you don’t get home, when you’re not ready, it’s all about what they run.”

What type of statement it would be for Syracuse to beat Tennessee

“I’m just worrying about one day at a time, really. For me, I’m not even really thinking about Saturday right now, honestly. I’m just trying to focus on the day. I’m trying to make sure we’ll be ready for practice today. We’ll get the chance to walk a little bit. We’re going to be off, so the guys get the chance to make sure they take care of their bodies and we’re chilling and we’re not doing nothing today like that. For me, I’m just focused on the day and making sure we prep the right way as a coaching staff. Make sure everybody is ready to go so we’re ready to play.”

How this game served as motivation during Syracuse fall camp

“I’m just motivated that I wake up every day. I’m not sure. Some of the questions that ya’ll are telling me, they’re like setup questions. I’m not trying to give anyone else ammo to be happy about us playing them or us happy to play — we’re happy to play football. Ya’ll could’ve put rowing on the schedule and we’re going to make sure that we practice the same way and I’m going to be the same person all the time. I’m motivated that Mr. Wildhack picked me to be the head football coach here and I get to represent the ‘S’. I get to go out and speak for Syracuse and who they are and what the tradition of this program has been. Just for all the people that were here before us. We stand on the shoulders of the people before. Without all the people that were already here, all the hard work they put in, for me, having the opportunity to have Keith Bullock all summer, Dwight Freeney here this summer, being able to call Marvin Harrison and talk to him about things. That’s why I’m motivated to make sure we play well. That’s why I’m motivated to make sure that we do things the right way. With all due respect to every team, I’m self-motivated. There’s a lot of individual goals in my life I have for myself. There’s a lot of team goals that we all have. Team-wise, we want to win a national championship. That’s what motivates us first and foremost. As long as we do everything as a team and we stay consistently focused on dart and we keep our core values before our personal goals, we’re going to be straight.”

Saying he doesn’t feel motivated by Tennessee or opponents Syracuse plays against

“I didn’t say that. So, watch how she said that and don’t try to mark that and have them all ‘Fran said he ain’t motivated by ya’ll.’ I said I am self-motivated and I said that Tennessee is one of the better programs to be in college football. But for me and the way I grow, I don’t allow other stuff to get me to go. I wanted to get a college degree so I could be successful and make money and do things of that nature. When it comes to this school, they’re a really good program. I’m just saying, I’m trying to focus on the day because they’re entirely too good for us to try to focus and worry on playing them all week long. We just focus on playing them, playing them, and not focused on all the little intricate details that we need to do every day, we’re not going to give ourselves a chance. So, to give us a chance to be able to compete against them, we got to be where our feet are, so that way on Saturday, we got an opportunity to at least be able to keep that game close. Cause, man, they be putting 50, 60 up on people in the beginning of the year. I don’t want to be the team that gives up 50 or 60.”

Tennessee having the crowd advantage with the game in Atlanta

“Everybody is going to have on orange. Orange is orange. We just got to not see the burnt orange as much. Orange is orange. My guys are just going to be happy to play in a packed stadium. We’re ready to go. I’m excited to go there and play football. I’m hoping that the Falcons got somebody there watching the game and they have the opportunity to see some of our players just as well as their players. Just gives our kids a great opportunity to go there and play. I think I coached like three games there already, three different games in that stadium, so this will be a good deal for us to get a chance to go there and do this.”

The Syracuse offensive line facing Tennessee’s defensive line

“I’m not sure. We’re going to get to tell this weekend. I’ll get to tell you Saturday how we’re going to be able to match that. They’re gonna come and compete. People averaged 17 points per game on them last year, I think that was eighth in the country. They did an amazing job. They only gave up 298 yards of total offense. On offense, they had 400-something yards, they rushed for 225 a game or 228. Passed for 221. We got our hands full. We’re ready to compete, though.”

Following the Indianapolis Colts’ final preseason game, we put together one last 53-man roster prediction before roster cutdowns took place. However, we are going to throw that one away and do one more following the Colts‘ latest trade.

The team announced on Monday evening that they were acquiring defensive back Mekhi Blackmon from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.

We will now have to adjust our latest roster projection a bit in order to make room for Blackmon in the cornerback room.

So, given what the current roster looks like, here is how I now have the Colts’ 53-man roster shaking out.

The adjusted positions are the defensive line and cornerback units.

Quarterback (3)

Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, Riley Leonard

The Colts have rostered three quarterbacks in Shane Steichen’s first two seasons. If there were any doubts, they’d do it again. Leonard played very well in the preseason finale.

Running back (3)

Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Goodson, DJ Giddens

There is some unknown here with Goodson’s injury. Maybe he’s a candidate to go on IR and be designated to return. But Khalil Herbert has been sidelined as well, and before Goodson’s injury, he seemed to have a firm grasp on the RB3 role.

Wide receivers (6)

Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, AD Mitchell, Anthony Gould, Ashton Dulin

This is what my final receiver room looked like back in May.

Tight end (4)

This is a position where the Colts could roster three if they wanted to go heavier elsewhere, but I think Will Mallory’s steady showing this summer earned him a roster spot as another pass-catching presence at the position.

Offensive line (9)

Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Tanor Bortolini, Matt Goncalves, Braden Smith, Dalton Tucker, Danny Pinter, Jalen Travis, Luke Tenuta

Tenuta performed well against Green Bay but had his ups and downs against Cincinnati. However, when it comes to rounding out the offensive line room, he is likely the next man up after Travis with Blake Freeland out for the season.

Defensive line (9)

DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Neville Gallimore, Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu, Samson Ebukam, Tyquan Lewis, JT Tuimoloau

Originally, I kept 10 defensive linemen–six defensive ends and four defensive tackles. With Tuimoloau and Lewis able to play inside on pass-rushing downs, I was comfortable going a bit lighter at tackle.

The sixth defensive end that I rostered initially was Isaiah Land, who had a very impressive preseason performance against Cincinnati. However, in order to make room for Blackmon, Land was the player I let go of.

Realistically, while I wanted to keep him and had the luxury to do so at first, getting six defensive ends in the game day rotation is a near-impossible task–there just aren’t enough snaps to go around.

So for that primary reason, as I looked to fit Blackmon on the roster, releasing Land made the most sense. If on the team, Land might be inactive more often than not on Sundays.

Linebackers (5)

Zaire Franklin, Jaylon Carlies, Austin Ajiake, Cameron McGrone, Joe Bachie

When Lou Anarumo was discussing how he wanted to play multiple linebackers recently, Ajiake and McGrone were two of the names he mentioned.

Cornerbacks (7)

Jaylon Jones, Charvarius Ward, Kenny Moore, JuJu Brents, Xavien Howard, Johnathan Edwards, **Mekhi Blackmon

This is going to be a defensive back-reliant scheme under Lou Anarumo. So while keeping seven cornerbacks is more than many teams will roster, I was comfortable doing so because of this malleable and disguise-heavy system that will throw a variety of looks at opposing offenses from the back end.

Still not included at this position is Chris Lammons, who has special teams and NFL experience, along with putting together a strong showing this summer. But as I stated in the original roster prediction, I thought that getting him to the practice squad would be more likely than Edwards or Brents.

Safety (4)

Nick Cross, Cam Bynum, Rodney Thomas, Daniel Scott

Without Hunter Wohler, the backup strong safety role was up for grabs, but Scott secured that with his play.

Special teams (3)

Spencer Shrader, Rigoberto Sanchez, Luke Rhodes

Shrader was competing for the kicker job with Maddux Trujillo, but took control of that battle prior to the second preseason game.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Mekhi Blackmon trade: Updated Colts 53-man roster prediction

Daniel Shirey via Getty Images

Netflix continues its effort to expand its streaming of live sporting events, now making a push into Japan.

MLB and the streaming giant have agreed to a media rights deal in which Netflix will be the exclusive broadcaster of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Japan. 

The deal does not apply to broadcasts in the United States, where the 2026 WBC will be broadcast on Fox and MLB Network.

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While this only applies to live and on-demand streaming in Japan, the deal is significant for MLB and Netflix. This will be the first live sporting event Netflix will stream in Japan. In the U.S., the streaming platform has broken into live sports by streaming boxing matches, WWE events and NFL regular-season games. 

And amid MLB’s renegotiation of broadcast rights previously attached to ESPN, Netflix is reportedly set to add the All-Star Home Run Derby. 

The World Baseball Classic is a huge event in Japan, which has won three of the five tournaments since the event launched in 2006. That includes the 2023 WBC, in which the Japanese team featured MLB stars including Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish and Roki Sasaki and defeated Team USA in the championship final. 

“With Netflix already in millions of Japanese homes, we are excited to deliver a new kind of viewing experience that brings fans even closer to the action, the players, and the heart of the tournament, wherever they are,” said Kaata Sakamoto, Netflix vice president of content in Japan, in a statement.

“We look forward to working with leading Japanese partners to make the World Baseball Classic a true nationwide celebration, and to deliver innovative live entertainment for our members,” he added.

In 2023, six of Japan’s seven games drew audiences of over 30 million viewers in the country, according to Sports Business Journal. On Japanese TV, the team’s quarterfinal win over Italy attracted approximately 38 million viewers, more than watched any telecast during the 2021 Tokyo Olympic. (By comparison, an NFL divisional playoff game would draw that large an audience in the U.S.) 

Those numbers were easily the best among any of the countries in which the WBC was broadcast. 

Japan will be part of Pool C in the World Baseball Classic, along with Australia, South Korea, Czechia and Chinese Taipei. They will play at the Tokyo Dome from March 5 to 10. The semifinals and finals will be played at loanDepot Park in Miami, with the championship game scheduled for March 17.

Revitalized by Caitlin Clark and other stars and boosted by a new media rights deal, the Women’s NBA is struggling to reach a union deal 60 days before the deadline.

Women’s National Basketball Players Association executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson told sports business website Front Office Sports in a story published Monday that the union feels a lack of urgency from the league in reaching a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

That could force the sides to try and extend the current October 31 deadline to make a deal but it could also herald a labor shutdown and lockout, in lieu of a deal.

“The players are working diligently to achieve a transformational CBA that builds on the growth, momentum, and positive news surrounding women’s sports and the W,” Jackson told Front Office Sports in a statement.

“As we approach the 60-day mark, the league’s lack of urgency leaves players wondering if it is focused on making this work or just running out the clock. Fans do not want that. They are with the players in demanding a new standard for the W.”

Players made their own statement while warming up at last month’s WNBA All-Star Game, wearing black shirts with white lettering that said, “Pay Us What You Owe Us,” in regards to the labor talks.

Clark, who in 2024 became the all-time leading scorer in US college basketball history for men or women, signed with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and is in her second season with the club, which has been at the heart of record viewership and attendance figures for the 13-team league, which began play in 1997.

That led to the WNBA getting $200 million a season starting next year as part of an 11-year media rights deal worth $2.2 billion the NBA signed with Disney, Amazon and NBCUniversal. That begins next year.

– Five new teams to come –

The WNBA will also receive record fees for expansion teams in Portland and Toronto, set to begin play in 2026, and others worth $250 million each for Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia that will take the court by 2030.

The current WNBA regular season will last until September 11 with the playoffs lasting until October 19 at the latest.

Both sides could agree to extend the deadline to avoid a work stoppage and continue talks, as they did in 2019 to set the stage for a new deal in early 2020.

The league must hammer out details of an expansion draft in the labor talks, with a new contract needed to settle free agency and expansion details.

And while the 2025 playoffs are not threatened, a strike or lockout is also a possibility if no deal is made by the end of October.

There are also two rival leagues to consider, who could offer top WNBA talent other options without a new union contract.

Priorities for the union in making a transitional WNBA deal include improved revenue sharing, benefits such as better plane travel, expanded rosters and improved workplace standards.

The first in-person talks came during All-Star Game weekend last month in Indianapolis, but union vice presidents Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier described them as a waste of time due to big differences over revenue sharing.

js/sla

The Michigan Wolverines have made freshman Bryce Underwood their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, which kicks off a new era in Ann Arbor.

TheWolverine.com’s Anthony Broome, Chris Balas and Clayton Sayfie discuss the official word coming down in addition to surging players ahead of the first game, bold predictions, your questions and more.

“ This guy is the real deal,” Balas said. “Now my biggest concern is, are they going to get the blocking for him up front? Is he going to have the offensive line to protect him? I’d feel much better, for example, if he were being thrown into the mix like [Chad Henne] in 2004, when you had that outstanding wide receiver trio, you had Mike Hart back there pass blocking, and you had a really solid offensive line. There are still a lot of question marks, so a lot more is going to fall on his shoulders than it did on Chad Henne back in 2004.

“To me, there’s no question that he’s going to be great in time. We’ll just see how quickly he gets there.”

 ”Things around him need to be good,” Sayfie said of the Michigan signal-caller. “You want him not to have to get hit from his blind side and not have to run around too much and not be put in too many third and long situations and things like that. But he’s clearly the best quarterback for this team, I think he would’ve won the job regardless of who was healthy. But early in the season, he’s going to have to stay healthy. He’s going to have to be able to be in a position to be in the football game because they don’t have a ton of depth there right now.

“But yeah, this was going to happen. Sherrone Moore was asked today when he thought it was possible that Bryce Underwood could be the starter. He said about halfway through camp, and maybe it was the first time that they were in the Big House for a scrimmage. You had ideas of this for months and months and months, and started to see the signs, I think right away in camp in the first scrimmage or whatever it was.

“That this guy’s the real deal and potentially one of the better quarterbacks in the conference right away.”

Watch or listen using the player above, on our YouTube channel, or wherever you get the audio versions of the show (Apple, Spotify).

Monday’s show is brought to you by Homefield Apparel! Restock your closet with the freshest Homefield Michigan gear over at homefieldapparel.com.

The Michigan Wolverines have made freshman Bryce Underwood their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, which kicks off a new era in Ann Arbor.

TheWolverine.com’s Anthony Broome, Chris Balas and Clayton Sayfie discuss the official word coming down in addition to surging players ahead of the first game, bold predictions, your questions and more.

“ This guy is the real deal,” Balas said. “Now my biggest concern is, are they going to get the blocking for him up front? Is he going to have the offensive line to protect him? I’d feel much better, for example, if he were being thrown into the mix like [Chad Henne] in 2004, when you had that outstanding wide receiver trio, you had Mike Hart back there pass blocking, and you had a really solid offensive line. There are still a lot of question marks, so a lot more is going to fall on his shoulders than it did on Chad Henne back in 2004.

“To me, there’s no question that he’s going to be great in time. We’ll just see how quickly he gets there.”

 ”Things around him need to be good,” Sayfie said of the Michigan signal-caller. “You want him not to have to get hit from his blind side and not have to run around too much and not be put in too many third and long situations and things like that. But he’s clearly the best quarterback for this team, I think he would’ve won the job regardless of who was healthy. But early in the season, he’s going to have to stay healthy. He’s going to have to be able to be in a position to be in the football game because they don’t have a ton of depth there right now.

“But yeah, this was going to happen. Sherrone Moore was asked today when he thought it was possible that Bryce Underwood could be the starter. He said about halfway through camp, and maybe it was the first time that they were in the Big House for a scrimmage. You had ideas of this for months and months and months, and started to see the signs, I think right away in camp in the first scrimmage or whatever it was.

“That this guy’s the real deal and potentially one of the better quarterbacks in the conference right away.”

Watch or listen using the player above, on our YouTube channel, or wherever you get the audio versions of the show (Apple, Spotify).

Monday’s show is brought to you by Homefield Apparel! Restock your closet with the freshest Homefield Michigan gear over at homefieldapparel.com.

The Michigan Wolverines have made freshman Bryce Underwood their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, which kicks off a new era in Ann Arbor.

TheWolverine.com’s Anthony Broome, Chris Balas and Clayton Sayfie discuss the official word coming down in addition to surging players ahead of the first game, bold predictions, your questions and more.

“ This guy is the real deal,” Balas said. “Now my biggest concern is, are they going to get the blocking for him up front? Is he going to have the offensive line to protect him? I’d feel much better, for example, if he were being thrown into the mix like [Chad Henne] in 2004, when you had that outstanding wide receiver trio, you had Mike Hart back there pass blocking, and you had a really solid offensive line. There are still a lot of question marks, so a lot more is going to fall on his shoulders than it did on Chad Henne back in 2004.

“To me, there’s no question that he’s going to be great in time. We’ll just see how quickly he gets there.”

 ”Things around him need to be good,” Sayfie said of the Michigan signal-caller. “You want him not to have to get hit from his blind side and not have to run around too much and not be put in too many third and long situations and things like that. But he’s clearly the best quarterback for this team, I think he would’ve won the job regardless of who was healthy. But early in the season, he’s going to have to stay healthy. He’s going to have to be able to be in a position to be in the football game because they don’t have a ton of depth there right now.

“But yeah, this was going to happen. Sherrone Moore was asked today when he thought it was possible that Bryce Underwood could be the starter. He said about halfway through camp, and maybe it was the first time that they were in the Big House for a scrimmage. You had ideas of this for months and months and months, and started to see the signs, I think right away in camp in the first scrimmage or whatever it was.

“That this guy’s the real deal and potentially one of the better quarterbacks in the conference right away.”

Watch or listen using the player above, on our YouTube channel, or wherever you get the audio versions of the show (Apple, Spotify).

Monday’s show is brought to you by Homefield Apparel! Restock your closet with the freshest Homefield Michigan gear over at homefieldapparel.com.

The Michigan Wolverines have made freshman Bryce Underwood their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, which kicks off a new era in Ann Arbor.

TheWolverine.com’s Anthony Broome, Chris Balas and Clayton Sayfie discuss the official word coming down in addition to surging players ahead of the first game, bold predictions, your questions and more.

“ This guy is the real deal,” Balas said. “Now my biggest concern is, are they going to get the blocking for him up front? Is he going to have the offensive line to protect him? I’d feel much better, for example, if he were being thrown into the mix like [Chad Henne] in 2004, when you had that outstanding wide receiver trio, you had Mike Hart back there pass blocking, and you had a really solid offensive line. There are still a lot of question marks, so a lot more is going to fall on his shoulders than it did on Chad Henne back in 2004.

“To me, there’s no question that he’s going to be great in time. We’ll just see how quickly he gets there.”

 ”Things around him need to be good,” Sayfie said of the Michigan signal-caller. “You want him not to have to get hit from his blind side and not have to run around too much and not be put in too many third and long situations and things like that. But he’s clearly the best quarterback for this team, I think he would’ve won the job regardless of who was healthy. But early in the season, he’s going to have to stay healthy. He’s going to have to be able to be in a position to be in the football game because they don’t have a ton of depth there right now.

“But yeah, this was going to happen. Sherrone Moore was asked today when he thought it was possible that Bryce Underwood could be the starter. He said about halfway through camp, and maybe it was the first time that they were in the Big House for a scrimmage. You had ideas of this for months and months and months, and started to see the signs, I think right away in camp in the first scrimmage or whatever it was.

“That this guy’s the real deal and potentially one of the better quarterbacks in the conference right away.”

Watch or listen using the player above, on our YouTube channel, or wherever you get the audio versions of the show (Apple, Spotify).

Monday’s show is brought to you by Homefield Apparel! Restock your closet with the freshest Homefield Michigan gear over at homefieldapparel.com.

Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington revealed Monday that he had quadruple bypass heart surgery earlier this summer.

Washington has been away from the Angels since June 20 due to an undisclosed medical issue, and bench coach Ray Montgomery stepped in to serve as the team’s interim manager for the rest of the season. Washington started experiencing shortness of breath and fatigue near the end of the Angels’ four-game series against the New York Yankees in June. He was cleared to fly back to Southern California with the team, but further tests revealed a blockage in his valves that needed surgery.

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Washington, who is the oldest manager in Major League Baseball at 73, said the incident “saved my life.” He has since quit smoking and improved his eating habits, though he admitted the immediate aftermath of his procedure was quite shocking.

“Actually I thought I was dead [right after the surgery] because I was laying someplace where they had put me for a few days [to recover], and I said I didn’t make it,” he said, via The Associated Press. “So I started pulling stuff off, and the guy saw me doing it, and he came running in, and he grabbed my hand. He said, ‘What’s going on?’ I said, ‘Am I dead?’ He said, ‘No, you’re here.’ Really.”

Washington visited the Angels on Monday ahead of their matchup with the Texas Rangers in Arlington, joining the team for the first time since his operation two months ago. He has been recovering at his New Orleans home.

The plan, so long as he’s healthy, is for Washington to resume managerial duties next season. He said he is expected to be fully cleared by his doctors in December and is already feeling much better.

“[Doctors] told me by the time I reach eight weeks, I could start doing some light work, but my light work was to come up to Texas and be with the team,” he said, via The Associated Press. “I feel great, I really do … I didn’t come here to work. I came here to be around my guys and have fun with them.”

Washington is in his second season with the Angels and holds a 124-168 record with the franchise. They went 63-99 last season and missed the playoffs in his first campaign. He spent eight seasons leading the Rangers from 2007 to 2014 and is that franchise’s winningest manager, having led the team to World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.

The Angels entered play Monday with a 61-69 record and fourth in the AL West. They are 8.5 games back of the final wild-card spot in the American League, so it would take a significant run and quite a bit of help for them to make the playoffs — something they haven’t done since 2014.