Jake Ferguson Makes History with Historic Start to 2025 NFL Season
The Dallas Cowboys’ tight end Jake Ferguson is proving to be one of the league’s most impressive players early in the 2025 NFL season, and he's doing so in historic fashion. The 26-year-old former Wisconsin Badgers standout is off to a red-hot start, already making waves with his remarkable consistency and productivity in the Cowboys’ offense. After five games, Ferguson has racked up 41 receptions for 272 yards and three touchdowns, putting him on track to surpass his 2023 season, where he earned his first Pro Bowl appearance with 761 receiving yards.
Ferguson’s breakout campaign took another monumental step in the Cowboys’ 37-22 victory over the New York Jets in Week 5. The game saw Ferguson contribute seven receptions for 49 yards, two of which resulted in touchdowns, but it was his 40th reception of the season that stole the headlines. His achievement not only marked a personal milestone, but also placed him in rare company among tight ends in NFL history.
The Cowboys celebrated the historic moment by announcing Ferguson’s achievement on social media, writing: “Jake Ferguson is the fourth tight end in NFL history with 40 receptions in the first five games of a season, joining Antonio Gates (40 in 2007), Eric Johnson (41 in 2004), and Zach Ertz (41 in 2018).” Ferguson’s achievement was monumental, cementing his place among some of the league's all-time greats at the position.
This performance is just the latest in a season that has seen Ferguson develop into one of the most reliable targets on the Cowboys' offense. With his new four-year, $50 million contract extension, Ferguson has proven his value as a key piece of the team’s attack. His refined skills and well-rounded ability to stretch the field, make tough catches, and be a consistent option for quarterback Dak Prescott have made him invaluable, especially considering the injuries to other key offensive players.
Perhaps most impressively, Ferguson’s early-season production has placed him in the Cowboys’ own history books. By logging at least five receptions in each of the first five games of the season, Ferguson has joined franchise legend Jason Witten as the only two tight ends in Cowboys history to achieve such a feat. Witten, widely regarded as one of the best tight ends in NFL history, was a constant force for the Cowboys for nearly two decades. To be mentioned alongside Witten is a clear sign that Ferguson is more than capable of stepping into the massive shoes left by the franchise’s former star tight end.
While Ferguson's individual accomplishments are certainly worth celebrating, they have also helped keep the Cowboys competitive in the NFC East. With a 2-2-1 record after the win over the Jets, the Cowboys are still in the playoff hunt, and much of that has to do with Ferguson's contributions. The offense, once centered around Dak Prescott and star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, is now benefiting from Ferguson's emerging role as one of the team’s most dangerous weapons.
The Cowboys will look to continue their momentum when they face the Carolina Panthers in Week 6. With Ferguson continuing his historic pace, the Cowboys’ offense will be a tough unit to stop, and Ferguson’s contributions could be the key to helping the team push further toward playoff contention.
For now, Ferguson is focused on keeping the pressure on and continuing his exceptional start to the 2025 season. If he keeps up this level of play, there’s no telling how high his stock—and the Cowboys’ playoff hopes—will rise.
Yankees Put Season on Carlos Rodón in Win-or-Else Game 3
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The New York Yankees don’t need a miracle on Tuesday night. They need Carlos Rodón to be the best version of himself. Down 0–2 after a pair of lopsided losses in Toronto, the Bombers return to the Bronx with their season hanging by a thread and their All-Star lefty on the mound. The assignment is simple and unforgiving: win today or start packing.
Toronto’s opening-weekend barrage set the tone. The Blue Jays took eight of 13 in the regular season, pummeled the Yankees in the first two ALDS games, and launched eight homers while setting a Major League record with 23 runs across the first two contests of a postseason series. Sunday’s 13–7 final only looked respectable on the screen. It was 11–0 through five with Max Fried already out and 22-year-old rookie Trey Yesavage flirting with a no-hit narrative. Yankee Stadium will bring a different volume and a different pressure. Rodón knows it, and he has built himself for exactly this night.
The Case For Rodón In Game 3
This version of Rodón blends power and polish. According to advanced metrics, his fastball still sets the table (94.1 mph average in 2025), but the repertoire goes deeper now. He has leaned into a six-pitch mix—
Just as important, the mental game has caught up to the stuff. After a turbulent first season in New York, Rodón unplugged, reshaped routines, and borrowed the “one log at a time” rhythm from the organization’s model starters. In October, the best pitchers don’t just miss bats; they set a pace that settles everyone else. The Yankees need that cadence after a weekend that spun too fast.
He’ll also drag a few matchup advantages into this start. Toronto’s right-handed power core has to deal with a lefty who now changes eye levels and speeds more often. The slider’s whiff clip (40.3% chase/whiff component this year) has punished over-eager swings. The sinker gives him a quick ground-ball lever when he’s ahead; and the changeup has become a true third weapon rather than a show pitch. When Rodón gets to two strikes, he has three different doors to close an at-bat.
What The Yankees Need Behind Him
Survive the first trip through. That’s the immediate goal. If Rodón buys the offense 12 to 15 outs without damage, the game tightens, and the stadium does the rest. From there, the Yankees need clean defense and zero free bases—no extra outs, no leadoff walks. Rodón’s 2025 walk rate (7.6%) and first-strike approach make that a realistic expectation. However, the infield must finish plays, and the outfield must cut off singles before they become doubles.
The lineup can help by forcing Toronto’s starter to labor early. Even a single grinding inning that pushes traffic and pitch count can flip the leverage back toward New York’s side. If Rodón hands a lead to the bullpen, the path to a flight back to Toronto appears. And should the Yankees push this to a Game 4, the narrative changes again: rookie Cam Schlittler waits with fresh legs and a recent eight-inning, 12-strikeout memory that energized the clubhouse.
History won’t win Game 3, but it can inform the stakes. The Yankees have climbed out of darker corners—the 2017 ALDS in Cleveland, the famous Jeter flip in 2001—because one game swung the series’ mood. Tuesday is that swing point. New York doesn’t need three wins at once. It needs one commanding night from Carlos Rodón. If he delivers the pace and the punch he’s shown all year, the Yankees’ season gets at least one more heartbeat.
