BlitzChamps V Returns With Star NFL Players On May 26

Huddle up, chess fans: BlitzChamps V is back. Eight NFL stars are trading the field for the board on May 26 at 5:30 p.m. ET / 23:30 CEST, and the clock will be just as dangerous as any pass rush. With bragging rights and a $100,000 prize fund going to players' chosen charities on the line, the athletes will be going all-out! 

BlitzChamps is Chess.com's football-meets-chess showdown, where NFL stars battle in quick games for bragging rights and the chance to prove they can call the right play away from the field. With real nerves and painfully relatable mistakes, fans can expect the perfect mix of celebrity chaos, competitive chess, and time-scramble drama.

The player everyone will be chasing is Justin Reid. A two-time Super Bowl champion safety, Reid has already proven he can deliver on the biggest football stage—and he has done the same in BlitzChamps. As the most successful player in the event's history, Reid enters BlitzChamps V as the defending two-time champ and the man with the biggest target on his back.

Also returning to the event is Kyler Murray—but he's not here to play defense. The Minnesota Vikings quarterback has been Reid's biggest BlitzChamps rival, and this could be his chance to flip the script. Murray's speed, creativity, and playmaking have made him one of football's most exciting stars. His repeated deep runs in BlitzChamps show that he is a real threat when the pieces start flying.

Back to the BlitzChamps stage is Justin Herbert, one of the biggest names in the field. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback brings the kind of calm decision-making you expect from someone used to reading defenses under pressure. If Herbert finds his rhythm early, he could turn into the bracket's nightmare matchup.

After being away for two editions, Chazz Surratt is also coming back to BlitzChamps. The linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks already knows what it takes to make a deep playoff run. He reached the Semifinals in his BlitzChamps II appearance and finished on the podium, proving he can hold his own under pressure. 

BlitzChamps veteran Mack Hollins and newcomers Paulson Adebo and Justin Fields are also stepping into the spotlight. Hollins returns as the high-energy wide receiver who can do a little bit of everything and make things messy fast. Adebo brings the serious defensive-back mindset, where patience, sharp reads, and one perfectly timed interception can change everything, while Fields arrives with the dual-threat quarterback mentality: fast decisions, improvisation under pressure, and the ability to turn chaos into a big play. Can they surprise their opponents and threaten Reid's reign?

You can watch BlitzChamps V live on Chess.com's Twitch and YouTube channels. The show will feature commentary by GM Aman Hambleton, breaking down the action as the NFL stars try to survive the clock, the tactics, and each other. Joining Aman is former BlitzChamps participant and commentator T-Bob Hebert, along with sports analyst, sideline reporter, and NFL Network writer Cynthia Frelund.

Can anyone stop Reid from taking yet another BlitzChamps title? Let us know in the comments below!