Cody Bellinger Demands Bigger Payday: Wants Higher Value Contract to Stay with Yankees
In a bold statement that’s stirring up the New York Yankees’ off-season drama, Cody Bellinger has made it clear that he’s looking for a bigger payday with his next contract if he’s to remain with the Bronx Bombers. After a strong season, Bellinger’s future with the Yankees is now a hot topic, and the star outfielder isn’t backing down when it comes to securing a high-value deal.
“I’ve put in the work and shown what I’m capable of,” Bellinger said, alluding to his impressive stats and impact on the Yankees lineup. “I want to continue to play for this team, but I believe I’ve earned a contract that reflects my contributions and market value.”
Bellinger’s standout performances in both the outfield and at the plate have made him one of the most valuable players in the Yankees’ roster. With his all-around abilities, the Yankees have benefitted greatly from his presence, and Bellinger is now positioning himself for a contract that would reflect that value.
The Yankees are known for making big moves, but they’ll have to balance their books while keeping Bellinger satisfied. As the contract talks heat up, fans are wondering: Will the Yankees be willing to pay top dollar to keep Bellinger, or will another team swoop in with an even more lucrative offer?
Bellinger’s next contract could be the defining moment of his career, and the pressure is on both the player and the Yankees’ front office to reach an agreement that keeps the star in New York for years to come.
Packers’ Colby Wooden Fires Back at Critics After Dominant Run Defense Performance
Micah Parsons, a contrarian opinion had taken hold, too–the Packers defense would get chewed up in the running game.Three days before the Packers were to play the Detroit Lions in their 2025 opener, defensive lineman Colby Wooden got a phone call. It was his father. While much attention had been foisted on the Packers in recent days after the stunning trade for pass-rusher
The Packers had to trade away stalwart defensive lineman Kenny Clark to acquire Parsons, and the feeling was, that would be costly in the team’s efforts to handle the run. Detroit, after all, rushed for 2,488 yards last season, sixth in the NFL. Without Clark, surely the Packers would be in trouble.
Wooden, who is helping replace Clark in the middle, took the call from his dad, who said, “Do me a favor, shut ‘em up.”
And he, along with the entire Packers defensive front, did just that, holding the Lions to 46 yards on 22 carries, their lowest rushing output since Week 6 in 2023. Wooden, Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks held the line admirably in the middle all day for the Packers.
Colby Wooden: ‘I Took That Personal’
Wooden, for one, was insulted by the questions about the team’s inability to hold against the run.
“I for sure took that personal …” Wooden said. “So I just, did my job, went out there, stopped the run. I took it personal. Honestly, I felt like it was kinda disrespectful, like, ‘Oh, they gonna run the ball.’ So I made it my mission—we, excuse me—we made it our mission to shut them down.”
That’s not easy to do against the combo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, nicknamed Sonic and Knuckles.
“We know what they want to do,” Wooden said. “Last year, they wanted to run. They call them Sonic and Knuckles, or whatever. They want to run them 30 times. So we know they want to run that ball. We’ve got to do our job to stop the run so they can get back and let (Parsons) go get them.”
Packers Filling Roles With Micah Parsons on Board
Wooden said the effect of having Parsons on the field was obvious, and it works both ways. When offenses focus on corralling Parsons, the other Packers must step up.
“Everybody’s got a job to do, everybody got a role,” Wooden said. “Everybody’s got to buy into their role. We know what attention and what he comes with. And we know we got to stop that run, go help him out, if he is getting is getting chipped, doubled or whatever, now it’s somebody else’s turn to win their one-on-one.”
Packers Have Commanders Next
And despite the obviously encouraging results, Wooden is not getting ahead of himself. The Commanders will be next on the docket, with fearsome young quarterback Jayden Daniels on hand.
“It’s just one week,” Wooden said. “It’s Week 1. It’s great to start off with a win, dominate. But we’ve got to keep it going. We got a good team coming here on Thursday, we know we got to be ready to stop that run and contain that quarterback. So we just gotta keep going, keep getting better, keep jelling.”
