6 John Brenkus 'Sport Science' videos proving he's an ESPN legend

The world is mourning the loss of John Brenkus, who entertained us and informed us all over the years with Sport Science, the segments on ESPN and Fox Sports Net.
The concept was simple, but the execution was incredible: like Mr. Wizard, but sports. It would start with a focus on a player or a question, and then it would dive DEEP with stats galore -- say, the speed of a player or how much a hit from a linebacker is, measured in the Sport Science lab. Every angle was covered.
Advertisement
And at the center of it all was Brenkus, the host and mastermind who would break it all down with excitement, a warm, inviting approach and a voice made for broadcasting. It's no wonder that he won six Emmys and the world is heartbroken after his family revealed he lost a battle with depression May 31, 2025.
With all of that in mind, here's a look back at some amazing Sport Science segments over the years as we pay tribute to the great John Brenkus:
The LeBron James chase down block
This should tell you just how incredible James' athleticism is.
Luke Kuechly was amazing
Want to know how tough it is to get hit by a linebacker? Here you go.
Jayson Tatum dunks in a suit of armor
Seriously. Just watch.
Ray Lewis, tackle machine
Ow.
How weather affects running backs
You'll learn so much.
Advertisement
Lonzo Ball's shot, explained
Remember when we all talked about Zo's weird-looking shot?
This article originally appeared on For The Win: John Brenkus Sport Science videos to watch from ESPN after he died

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

Travis and Jason Kelce Earn Major Congratulations For All-Time Announcement

Travis and Jason Kelce Earn Major Congratulations For All-Time Announcement originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. ... but he won't be a first-Kelce in Canton. Advertisement Kelce's older brother Jason retired a year ago at age 36 after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and has moved into a high-profile media role ... a spotlight that Travis, 35, knows something about as the boyfriend of pop star Taylor Swift. Someday - maybe after this season - Travis will retire. For now? "It really wasn't that hard of a decision for me," he said of continuing chasing a Chiefs championship in 2025. "I still felt like I had that fire in my chest to be able to keep coming in and building and be better and chase another Super Bowl." But whenever he's done? There is a five-year wait from retirement to Canton eligibility. Jason was a six-time First-Team All-Pro; he's a sure bet to get in ... and then Travis will follow him. Advertisement More evidence of their greatness? ESPN has assembled its NFL's All Quarter Century Team. ... and while it is quite subjective (it's essentially the work of two Bristol staffers) ... it's still powerful stuff for the Kelce family. Why? Because both the Chiefs star and the Eagles legend made the 53-man roster. ... earning them congratulations all around. On Travis, ESPN's Seth Walder wrote, "Kelce is simply the best pure receiving tight end in this quarter century.'' And on Jason: "Kelce's six first-team All-Pro selections are by far the most of any center -- no other player has had more than two since 2000. Kelce helped lead the Eagles to two Super Bowl appearances and revolutionized third- and fourth-and-1s leaguewide with his critical role in the (still permitted!) tush push play." Advertisement All true. All part of history. All heading to Canton. Related: Travis Kelce Reveals Taylor Swift Secret To Weight Loss Success at Minicamp Related: Eagles Trio Snubbed From All-Quarter Century Team This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.

Yahoo

2 hours ago

• Yahoo

"I don't like him, and he don't like me" - Stephen A. Smith opens about his feud with LeBron James

"I don't like him, and he don't like me" - Stephen A. Smith opens about his feud with LeBron James originally appeared on Basketball Network. Stephen A. Smith's feud with LeBron James has been well-documented. The ESPN analyst has been vocal about it, especially on his shows, but he's still trying to remain objective when discussing the superstar forward. Advertisement "I have nothing to say about that," Smith said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine's Danyel Smith. "I don't like him, and he don't like me. He's one of the greatest players who's ever lived. I'm going to show him that respect, and I'm going to cover him objectively. When he does great, I'm gonna applaud. When he doesn't do great, I'm not gonna applaud." LeBron hiding behind Bronny? The feud culminated during the Los Angeles Lakers-New York Knicks game at Arena on March 6. James approached Smith during a quarter break, and the two exchanged words. According to the latter, the Lakers superstar told him to keep his son, Bronny, out of his incendiary commentary, which mainly revolved around the younger James' perceived unreadiness to play in the big league. "That was LeBron James coming up to me, unexpectedly, I might add, to confront me about making sure that I mind what I say about his son," Smith said introspectively on "First Take." "Can't repeat the words because they ain't suited for FCC airwaves. That's what he was doing… That wasn't a basketball player confronting me; that was a father." Advertisement Smith clarified that he wasn't rooting against Bronny but criticizing the Lakers superstar for putting his son in a position he wasn't ready for. The veteran analyst eventually softened his stance on James. Jr, after the latter's career-high performance against the Milwaukee Bucks. That changed his tone, though not the core of his critique. In hindsight, though, Smith believed the issue went deeper than just his commentary about Bronny. "He hid behind his son," he said, "tried to make something out of nothing, as if I was dogging his son, which I was not. The real issue was we don't like each other. And he used that as an excuse to confront me. I got it." Advertisement It was a sentiment Smith had already expressed two weeks after the original incident. He's long been critical of the four-time MVP and has consistently ranked Michael Jordan ahead of him in the GOAT debate. James simply waited for Smith to say something about Bronny and used it to pull him aside in front of thousands in the arena. Related: "LeBron has no chance to win another trophy so now they don't matter" - Colin Cowherd rips LeBron James for his take on NBA ring culture Stephen A. vows to keep it fair Despite the friction between them, the veteran journalist made it clear that personal feelings would not undermine his work. Advertisement "We're never gonna like each other. It's not gonna stop me from doing my job," Smith further told Rolling Stone. "He'll be treated just like any other player I cover. Nobody is going to get me to compromise my professional integrity. I don't have to like you to be fair to you." Over the years, Smith has clashed with countless athletes, including Terrell Owens, Kwame Brown and Ja Morant. He stood on business, insisting that criticism comes with the territory when you're constantly in the spotlight. With LeBron, it's no different. The respect is there, but so is the scrutiny, regardless of how personal things feel. Stephen A. won't always get it right, but then again, he won't play it safe, either. Related: Stephen A. says Giannis Antetokounmpo will be an underachiever if he does not win another title: "That's not acceptable" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

Yahoo

3 hours ago

• Yahoo

Fans React To Massive 'College GameDay' Announcement

Fans React To Massive 'College GameDay' Announcement originally appeared on The Spun. As Lee Corso prepares to sign off of "College GameDay" for the final time just a couple short months from now, one of the show's most beloved traditions will also reportedly be leaving with him. According to ESPN, "GameDay" will no longer be doing the iconic headgear picks following Corso's retirement. Which was also confirmed by longtime host Rece Davis: "No one is going to put on a mascot head ever again," Davis said. CFB fans around the country reacted to the news over the weekend. "Proud to have been a Lee Corso headgear pick ✅" Bowling Green replied. "Right move," a user said. "Can never replicate Corso." "No one else can do it like Corso. Good decision," another tagged ESPN. "This is truly a sad day," a fan admitted. "This is a bummer but totally understand the decision," another person commented. "I'll miss seeing it, but it's definitely the right and honorable thing to do," another user posted. "I have no problem with this Lee Corso is a legend," another fan shared. "I understand this move but I'm going to miss it. I made sure to tune in so I could see the headgear pick every Saturday. Without it, no point tuning in to College Gameday over other shows." "I mean no offense to the rest of the crew but the Gameday show as a whole will die out without Corso. You just can't replace what he brought with the headgear," a viewer pointed out. "Good they shouldn't," another account approved. The coach first started his headgear picks back in 1996 before they took on a life of their own and largely ended up defining the show's legacy over the next several decades. Of his 430 selections 286 were correct. But there was never a time that his picks didn't stir up a frenzy at whatever location the broadcast happened to be that week. Corso's final show will be on August 30 — 23 days after his 90th React To Massive 'College GameDay' Announcement first appeared on The Spun on Jun 21, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.