The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have poured millions of dollars into their football program, trying to keep pace with other major schools of the NFL era. Unfortunately, in a growing trend, this is going to come at the expense of other Fighting Irish athletic programs.

In a recent episode of Irish Illustrated Insider, 17 Notre Dame sports’ budgets will be cut in future years and that includes reducing the number of scholarships.

RELATED: Notre Dame could lose Marcus Freeman after 2026

Among the reported cuts, the Fighting Irish baseball team’s scholarships will be reduced to 10.2 in future years. Barring a few select programs, the cuts will be felt largely across the board.

There are reportedly only nine Notre Dame sports teams, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s lacrosse. Additionally, every sport’s budget has either been frozen or reduced, with scholarship cuts also being a part of that equation.

Notre Dame’s baseball program recently reached the College World Series in Omaha in 2022. The program has now lost more than 20 games in four consecutive seasons and will finish 2026 with a losing record in the conference for the third consecutive year.

Unfortunately, Notre Dame is simply following the same path that other major schools have taken. Arkansas announced in April that it was closing its men’s and women’s tennis programs due to financial reasons. In future years, this will mean fewer scholarships available and no sports to play for hundreds of student-athletes across the country.

Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish are projected to spend over $30 million on their football roster this season, and that is believed to be significantly less than what some other schools are spending on their football teams.

This reflects the direction collegiate sports are going, with universities pouring money into sports that generate revenue and cutting budgets for sports programs or eliminating them altogether that do not make money.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

NFL reporter Diana Russini’s tenure at The Athletic has ended. Russini has resigned from The Athletic after photos of him and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel were leaked, the reporter confirmed Tuesday. The photos prompted an internal investigation of the company.

The photos were taken ahead of the NFL owners’ meetings scheduled to begin on March 29 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Athletic has confirmed Rasini’s resignation from the sports outlet.

Diana Russini’s statement after resignation from The Athletic

“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story ever published,” Russini said in a letter. “When the Page Six item first came out, The Athletic clearly supported me, expressed confidence in my work and was proud of my journalism. For that, I am grateful. In the days since, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-indulgent speculation that is at odds with the facts.”

“Furthermore, this media frenzy is proceeding without regard to the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It is continuing to escalate due to repeated leaks, and I have no interest in engaging in a public scrutiny that has already done more harm than I care to admit. Rather than allow this to continue, I have decided to step aside now – before my current contract expires on June 30. I am not doing this because I accept the story constructed around this episode, but not because I refuse to let it consume oxygen or let it define me or my career.

Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 after spending time with ESPN. The NFL reporter denies the narrative that has been created between him and Vrabel. There has been no further statement from the Patriots head coach following Russini’s resignation.

Read more: Report reveals Diana Russini’s Inside Out future in jeopardy due to Mike Vrabel scandal

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

Russell Westbrook is known as one of the most attractive point guards the league has ever seen, and he’s still putting on a show late in his career. Every night, his speed is on full display, and his ability to get to the rim and make plays is unmatched. The fans know it, the league knows it, and he knows it.

That’s why he was surprised when Sacramento Kings administrators recently asked him if he wished he were more athletic.

Westbrook responded with confidence, which is no surprise.

Westbrook said, “This is the most athletic I’ve ever been. Don’t even question it. You better check the numbers.”

Russell Westbrook believes he is the most athletic player “of all time”:

“Don’t even question it. Better check the numbers.”

Agree with Russ? 🤔

(via @SacramientoKings)pic.twitter.com/jPlxu2YkPq

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 25 February 2026

Westbrook noted that he has the most dunks in a career by a point guard, which already shows his athleticism and what he can do in open space. Not only that, but Westbrook is considered one of the best rebounding guards in the league and he has the stats to prove it.

There was a time in Westbrook’s career when he was easily recording a triple-double every night, and it led him to the MVP award. If anyone ever wants to argue that he isn’t the most athletic player of all time, they may be in some trouble, because there is certainly an argument to be made.

Although Westbrook is no longer the same player he was at his peak, he is still impacting the game in the same way he used to. Unfortunately, this hasn’t led to much success for the Kings, as they are currently 13-46 and in last place in the Western Conference.

They recently shut down Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine for the rest of the season due to injuries, and at this point, they would be looking to get the top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.