The 16th Summer Paralympics begin today in Tokyo after a one-year delay, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes.

The backdrop: Japan is in the midst of its fourth state of emergency, as cases — including at least three in the Paralympic Village — continue hitting record highs.

Details: 4,537 Paralympians representing 163 nations will compete in Tokyo between today and the closing ceremonies on Sept. 5.

• NBC will broadcast the Games, presenting a record 1,200 hours of total coverage.
• Paralympians will live in the same Athletes' Village as Olympians did, which was built as a barrier-free facility to ensure accessibility.
• 19 venues will host 537 medal events across 22 sports, including badminton and taekwondo, both making their debut.
• Two of those 22 sports may be unfamiliar to you: goalball, a three-on-three version of "Goalie Wars" designed for the visually impaired; and boccia, similar to bocce, but played on a hard surface with soft balls.

The big picture: The Paralympics was the brainchild of Ludwig Guttmann, a Jewish neurologist in 1930s Germany who was forced out of his job when Adolf Hitler came to power.

• His family escaped to England in 1939, where he took up a post at the Stoke Mandeville spinal injury center for soldiers. There, he realized sports could mentally and physically rehabilitate his patients.
• In 1948, with London hosting the Olympics, Guttmann organized the first annual Stoke Mandeville Games.
• By 1960, the event had grown to include 400 athletes and was officially recognized as the first Paralympic Summer Games in Rome. Since then, it has run parallel to the Olympics.

What to watch:

• Afghanistan represented: The Taliban's return resulted in Afghanistan's forced withdrawal from the Games, but today's opening ceremony will include their flag as a "sign of solidarity."
• Possible fans: In an effort to change how Japanese society views people with disabilities, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike is pushing to allow 140,000 schoolchildren to attend.
• LGBTQ record: At least 29 Paralympians publicly out as LGBTQ will compete in Tokyo, a new record.

Every Power Five conference has announced that college football teams who are unable to play due to COVID-19 this fall must forfeit the game and receive a loss, Jeff writes.

Why it matters: This gives teams with higher vaccination rates a competitive advantage. When the NFL announced a similar policy, it led to a huge uptick in vaccinated players.

Flashback: 118 games were postponed or canceled last year due to COVID. If these rules had been in place, the College Football Playoff would have looked much different.

• No. 1 Alabama, No. 9 Georgia and No. 10 Iowa State were the only top-10 teams in the final CFP ranking that didn't cause a postponement or cancellation.
• No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 5 Texas A&M, No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 8 Cincinnati would have each been handed a loss under this year's policy.
• No. 7 Florida, responsible for two postponements, would have plummeted down the standings with five losses.

What to watch: The FDA granted full approval to Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine on Monday, which could convince hesitant players to get the shot. It also means schools will have greater latitude to mandate vaccines for employees and spectators.

Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams headline the world's highest-paid female athletes, with over 90% of their 2021 earnings coming from endorsements, per Sportico.

1. 🎾 Osaka: $55.2M
2. 🎾 Williams: $35.5M
3. 🥇 Simone Biles: $6M
4. ⛳️ Jin Young Ko: $5.6M
5. ⛳️ Sei Young Kim: $4.7M
6. 🎾 Garbiñe Muguruza: $4.5M
7. ⚽️ Alex Morgan: $4.3M
8. ⚽️ Megan Rapinoe: $4.1M
9. 🎿 Mikaela Shiffrin: $3.9M
10. ⛳️ Inbee Park: $3.7M

Source: Giphy

⚾️ Yanks on fire: The Yankees topped the Braves, 5-1, to extend their winning streak to 10 games and end the Braves' streak at nine. The Yanks haven't won 11 in a row since 1985.

💔 RIP, Jimmy: Jimmy Hayes, who spent seven seasons in the NHL and won a national championship at Boston College, died unexpectedly Monday. He was 31.

⚽️ Press comes home: NWSL expansion franchise Angel City FC has made USWNT Christen Press the first signing in team history. "To be able to bring professional soccer back to Los Angeles ... is nothing but a dream come true," said the L.A. native.

The AP preseason All-America team was unveiled Monday. Notre Dame and Iowa State lead the way with three selections.

Offense

• QB: Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma (So.)
• RB: Breece Hall, Iowa State (Jr.); Bijan Robinson, Texas (So.)
• WR: Chris Olave, Ohio State (Sr.); Justyn Ross, Clemson (Jr.)
• TE: Charlie Kolar, Iowa State (Sr.)
• T: Evan Neal, Alabama (Jr.); Kenyon Green, Texas A&M (Jr.)
• G: Cain Madden, Notre Dame (Sr.); Zion Johnson, Boston College (Sr.)
• C: Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa (Jr.)
• All-purpose: Kyren Williams, Notre Dame (So.)
• K: Cade York, LSU (Jr.)

Defense

• DE: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon (Jr.); DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M (Jr.)
• DT: Haskell Garrett, Ohio State (Super Sr.); Bryan Bresee, Clemson (So.)
• LB: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama (So.); Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma (Jr.); Mike Rose, Iowa State (Sr.)
• CB: Derek Stingley Jr., LSU (Jr.); Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati (Jr.)
• S: Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame (Jr.); Brandon Joseph, Northwestern (So.)
• P: Jake Camarda, Georgia (Sr.)

Go deeper: Second team All-Americans (Twitter)

NEW ORLEANS — The Saints beat the Jaguars, 23-21, in a preseason game headlined by Jameis Winston (9/10, 123 yards, 2 TD) and Marquez Callaway, who had two spectacular TD catches.

• 🎥 Watch: Highlights (YouTube)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Biden welcomed the Seattle Storm to the White House Monday, applauding them for being a "force for change."

• 🎥 Watch: Footage (YouTube)

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Tony Finau won The Northern Trust in a one-hole playoff to take the lead in the FedEx Cup standings with two events left. It had been 1,975 days since his last win.

• 🎥 Watch: Final round highlights (YouTube)

The NFL season is fast approaching. While we eagerly await its arrival, we're counting down the league's top 20 players.

• Player: Myles Garrett, DE (Browns)
• Age: 25
• College: Texas A&M
• Contract: 5 years, $125M (FA in 2027)
• 2020 stats: 14 games; 12 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries
• Week 1: Browns at Chiefs

The big picture: Garrett's career nearly came to a premature end in 2019 when he was suspended indefinitely for hitting Mason Rudolph in the head with his helmet, but it's been smooth sailing since the NFL reinstated him in early 2020.

• Cleveland lavished him with the richest contract for a defender in NFL history (broken this month by Joey Bosa), and he returned the favor by making first-team All Pro.
• By the numbers: His 26.3% pass rush win rate in 2020 ranked third among edge rushers, while his 16.5 sacks created were tops at his position.

What they're saying: "Absolutely made a massive jump last year," a veteran AFC defensive coach told ESPN (subscription). "Built out of a lab," said an AFC scout. "Zero weaknesses. Power, bend, speed."

ICYMI: 20. Dalvin Cook; 19. Trent Williams; 18. Bobby Wagner; 17. Tyreek Hill; 16. Jaire Alexander; 15. Stefon Diggs

102 years ago today, Indians righty Ray Caldwell was struck by lightning on the mound — then got up and finished the game.

• Caldwell had pitched 8.2 innings of four-hit, one-run ball against the Philadelphia A's when the bolt struck.
• After laying unconscious for five minutes, he came to and induced a game-ending groundout from the next batter.

The backdrop: Caldwell debuted in 1910 with the Yankees, and though he spent the first nine years of his career there, it wasn't always pretty.

• His talent was undeniable, but he was a heavy drinker, and would take unannounced, midseason vacations a la Dennis Rodman.
• He was traded to the Red Sox in 1919, where it was more of the same. It didn't help that he was road roommates with someone who shared his fondness for partying — Babe Ruth.

The big picture: Cleveland — desperate for pitching — gave Caldwell a chance, signing him and coming up with a bold plan to balance his needs with theirs.

• After he pitched, Caldwell could drink as much as he wanted and stay home the following day. Then, he'd report to the field, run laps to get the alcohol out of his system and begin preparations for his next start.
• The plan worked like a charm. In six games with Cleveland, Caldwell went 5-1 with a 1.71 ERA, throwing four complete games that included a no-hitter against the Yanks.

The aftermath: The Indians fell just short of the pennant that year, but Caldwell returned the following season and helped lead them to their first World Series title in 1920.

Go deeper: The incredible story of Ray Caldwell (ESPN)

Quick: Without looking at the standings, can you name MLB's six division leaders?

Answer at the bottom.

David Brown is the fastest totally blind athlete in the world. The 28-year-old Missourian won 100m gold in Rio and will run the 100m and 200m in Tokyo alongside his guide, Jerome Avery.

Go deeper: The U.S. Paralympic athletes to watch (Axios)