The ESPYs Were Peak Sports Culture — For Better or Worse
Every summer, the ESPYs roll around and remind us that sports culture isn’t just about what happens between the lines — it’s also about the personalities, the moments, and sometimes the chaos that comes with cramming the entire sports world into one room. This year was no different.
The 2025 ESPYs gave us the usual big names, but it also gave us a snapshot of the year in sports — the stories that stuck with us, the people who pushed through, and the plays that had us yelling at the screen. Maybe you tuned in for the awards. Maybe it was the outfits, the speeches, or just the chance someone might say something that sets Twitter on fire. Whatever the reason, this year’s ESPYs had a little bit of everything.
Simone Biles Reminds Everyone She’s Still the Bar
Simone Biles has reached that rare level of greatness where even pulling off the impossible feels like just another day at the office. At an event packed with NFL stars and NBA champs, she somehow made it all feel like background noise.
Fresh off dominating in Paris — where she helped Team USA to gold and reclaimed the all-around title — Biles casually strolled into the ESPYs and walked out with Best Female Athlete and Best Championship Performance. Two more trophies, a couple laughs on stage, and one quiet flex to remind everyone she’s still setting the standard.
Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander Caps an MVP Year With One More W
Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander had the kind of season that gets your name stitched into league history. So it was only fitting that he walked away from the ESPYs with Best Male Athlete honors to cap it all off.
The Thunder guard was on another level all year long, putting up 32.7 points a night while carrying Oklahoma City to its first NBA title since the franchise left Seattle. And he didn’t just put up big numbers — he delivered when it mattered most, snagging both the regular-season and Finals MVP trophies along the way.
In a night filled with big moments, Shai’s felt like the most effortless — which kind of sums up his game, too. No flash for the sake of it, just buckets and that calm confidence that says: get used to seeing me here.
Saquon Barkley’s Triple Crown and the Eagles’ Team Effort
Nobody — not even Jalen Hurts — had a bigger year in Philly than Saquon Barkley. After joining the Eagles and sliding seamlessly into their already loaded offense, Barkley balled out. His now-iconic leap backwards over a safety that had fans (and defenders) doing double takes was enough to earn him Best Play, but Barkley wasn’t done there. He also took home Best NFL Player, and as part of the Super Bowl-winning Eagles squad, helped the team earn Best Team honors too. That’s a clean sweep.
The Eagles went 14-3 in the regular season and capped it all off with a ring, and Barkley was at the heart of it all. He brought swagger, physicality, and a spark that Philly fans latched onto from the jump.
The Shane Gillis Experience: Hits, Misses, and Twitter Missiles
Letting Shane Gillis host the ESPYs always felt like a gamble — like handing the mic to the guy at the tailgate who might say something hilarious… or something that gets your group kicked out. He opened with some safe-ish roasts —B ill Belichick and his much-younger girlfriend, a jab at Aaron Rodgers and vaccines, even a half-baked Jeffrey Epstein bit. But when he pivoted to Caitlin Clark, joking about her “fist-fighting Black women” and ending up at a Waffle House after her WNBA career, things turned from awkward to flat-out uncomfortable.
The online reaction hit just as fast. Some sports fans appreciated the roast-style edge, saying it reminded them of Norm Macdonald’s famous ESPYs monologue. But a few others called Gillis’ set tone-deaf, particularly when the crowd included athletes, kids, and honorees who overcame serious adversity.
Comedy is subjective, but the room you're in matters. And when that room is filled with Olympic champions, NFL captains, and families watching at home, the bar shifts. Gillis walked that line with confidence for sure, but not everyone thought it paid off. Whether you thought he bombed or just took big swings, one thing’s for sure — people are still talking about it, which might’ve been the goal all along.
Wrapping Up the Madness
The ESPYs have always walked a fine line between celebration and spectacle, and this year’s show stuck the landing — mostly. It gave us a mix of emotional tributes, big-name wins, and a few moments that probably sounded better in the writers’ room than they did live on stage.
We saw folks like Oscar Robertson and Katie Schumacher-Cawley get the spotlight they’ve more than earned, reminding everyone that not all greatness shows up in stat sheets. And those two LA firefighters? Easily one of the most genuine and powerful moments of the night.
Sure, some of the jokes went sideways, and Twitter’s still chewing on where the line was — or if there even was one. But that’s part of the ride. Sports aren’t always clean or scripted, and neither is a night like this.