Derek Jeter delivered the commencement speech at the University of Michigan Saturday and spoke about the importance of fighting through failure. 

The New York Yankees legend would’ve played baseball at Michigan, the state he called home in Kalamazoo, if he didn’t turn pro right away as a first-round pick in 1992. But he did attend classes at the university and has always showed his fandom for its teams over the years. 

Jeter, who received an honorary degree from Michigan, spoke to the hundreds of students graduating and used his own failure in his message to the class. 

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"Failure is essential," he said. "If I can promise you one thing for certain, you will fail. The bigger the dream, the bigger the risk. But what’s the price if you don’t take the risk – if you don’t commit to the dream? You might end up overmatched, or maybe you won’t."

When Jeter decided to go pro, it wasn’t smooth sailing in the minor leagues. 

"I failed publicly, I failed miserably. There were days I literally cried because I was so bad. My first season as a professional, I made 56 errors. For the non-baseball fans, it’s hard to do intentionally," Jeter said, as the crowd burst into laughter. "And that’s also not funny."

Jeter’s fight through adversity worked out in the long run. 

He made it to the big leagues in 1995, and the rest is history. Jeter put together a Hall of Fame career while becoming one of the most accomplished players for arguably the most storied franchise in American sports. 

But he wouldn’t have gotten there if he had let failures define who he was on the diamond. 

That’s the message he gave the Michigan students preparing for professional lives. 

"You, me, every one of us has to learn to deal with failure," Jeter said. "I wouldn’t have had the success without the failures. It’s your job to make sure that a speed bump doesn’t become a roadblock."

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Former Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty headlined the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 NFL Draft class. But the franchise's sixth-round selection caught Tom Brady's eye.

Cam Miller, who won two FCS national championships during his standout career at North Dakota State, was the 215th overall pick in last month's draft. 

Brady owns a minority ownership stake in the Raiders. The Athletic chronicled Brady's close relationship with Raiders general manager John Spytek. Brady's friendship with Spytek dates back to the University of Michigan. Spytek also worked in the Buccaneers' front office during Brady's time in Tampa Bay.

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The outlet reported that the seven-time Super Bowl winner was on the call with Raiders owner Mark Davis and other limited partners during Spytek's interview for the general manager's job. Given the build-up of trust between Brady and Spytek, it stands to reason that the former NFL quarterback was on board with taking Miller on the third day of the draft.

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Spytek revealed that Brady provided a glowing assessment of Miller, saying, "He liked the way he threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion."

The Raiders general manager added that Brady was bullish on Miller's "potential to improve."

Miller ended his four-year run at North Dakota State with a 45-11 record. He will enter a Raiders quarterback room that includes Geno Smith and Aidan O'Connell. 

The Raiders sent a third-round pick in the 2025 draft to the Seahawks in exchange for Smith. The move to Las Vegas brought Smith's five-year run with the Seahawks to an end. He was the primary starter for three of those seasons and earned Pro Bowl honors twice.

Smith threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season and remains the favorite to be the starter when the Raiders open their season, even with the drafting of Miller. 

The Raiders finished 4-13 last season, which led to the departures of coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. Pete Carroll, who coached Smith in Seattle, was named the Raiders' new head coach in January.

The Raiders also spent part of the offseason making sure a key piece of their defense was locked in for the foreseeable future. Defensive end Maxx Crosby landed the richest contract for a non-quarterback in league history in March. ESPN reported his three-year extension is worth $106.5 million, with $91.5 million guaranteed. The deal ties Crosby to Las Vegas through the 2029 season.

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