| 100% | ARENA | 5 | The "A" of sports' A.F.L. |
| 75% | JJWATT | 6 | N.F.L. star who was a Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year in 2017 |
| 70% | DISASTERCLASS | 13 | The opposite of a clinic, in sports |
| 69% | RIG | 3 | Predetermine the outcome of, like a sporting event |
| 68% | LABOR | 5 | The "L" of A.F.L.-C.I.O. |
| 68% | LATEGAME | 8 | Toward the end of a sports contest |
| 67% | TOEBOX | 6 | The end of a sports shoe where the tootsies fit |
| 67% | NCAA | 4 | Sports org. at the center of a 2021 antitrust ruling |
| 67% | YATITTLE | 8 | First N.F.L. player on the cover of Sports Illustrated |
| 66% | UMW | 3 | Affiliate of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. |
| 66% | LUGE | 4 | Name of a winter sport, and the vehicle involved |
| 66% | JONBOIS | 7 | Sports writer who created 17776, a story about the future of football |
| 65% | TIPSTER | 7 | Provider of input on the outcome of a sports event |
| 65% | PLASMATV | 8 | It's hung on the wall of a sports bar |
| 65% | SURFING | 7 | Sport of catching the waves on a board |
| 65% | DOUBLEDUTCH | 11 | Sport that's the title of a 2002 novel by Sharon M. Draper |
| 64% | COINTOSS | 8 | Flip of a penny at the start of a sports match |
| 64% | THEGOAT | 7 | Nickname for the best player in the history of a sport |
| 64% | RULE | 4 | One of the pre-set regulations of a particular sport, say |
| 64% | HOPESPRINGSETERNAL | 18 | *Alexander Pope phrase appropriate to the start of a sports season |
| 64% | STAR | 4 | The center space of a Scrabble board sports one |
| 64% | FENCING | 7 | A sport which is part of the Olympic events |
| 64% | ARCHERY | 7 | A sport which is part of the Olympic events |
| 64% | SAILING | 7 | A sport which is part of the Olympic events |
| 63% | JJWATT | 6 | NFLer who was a 2017 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year honoree |
| 63% | THREEPEATS | 10 | Features of the answers to starred clues, from a trademarked sports term |
| 63% | MONEYBALL | 9 | Analytics-based sports philosophy, and the name of a Brad Pitt film |
| 63% | OSTATSEAL | 9 | Prayer to the aquatic mammal who collects a bit of sports info? |
| 63% | RUPP | 4 | ___ Arena, Kentucky sporting venue at the center of a 2020 renaming debate |
| 63% | JAMES | 5 | ___ A. Garfield, 20th President of the U.S.A. and the fourth to sport a beard in office |