Accessibility
· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.F404 Error PageActionHTTP 404, bare pageFIX
DWeb ManifestActionNot foundFIX
No web manifest found.
DDark Mode SupportActionNo dark mode signalsFIX
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.
DPrint StylesheetActionNo print stylesFIX
BLandmark Structure5 landmarksREVIEW
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.
Learn more ▾ ▴
When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.
Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.
Learn more ▾ ▴
WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1
CHeading HierarchyAction18 headings, 1 skip(s)REVIEW
- H4 NFL beat writer mock draft 3.0: Could another QB join Fernando Mendoza in Round 1?
- H5 Headlines
- H3 NFL Draft
- H3 NBA Playoffs
- H3 Discover More
- H3 NHL Playoffs
- H3 MLB
- H3 International Soccer
- H3 How to Watch
- H5 Most Popular skipped
- H5 1
- H5 2
- H5 3
- H5 4
- H5 5
- H5 6
- H5 7
- H5 8
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.
Learn more ▾ ▴
The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.
Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
CAlt Text QualityAction3 of 314 images have issuesREVIEW
| Issue | Count |
|---|---|
| missing | 3 image(s) |
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.
Learn more ▾ ▴
WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report
An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.
Image-only links with no alt create empty links — screen-reader users hear 'link' with no destination context.
Learn more ▾ ▴
An <a><img></a> with no img alt is the worst-case for accessibility: AT announces the link but can't describe where it goes. Either add alt to the image OR add aria-label to the link.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4
BLink & Button Quality1 issue(s) across 480 links and 12 buttonsREVIEW
| Element | Text | Issue | Suggested Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/… | SUPPORTED BY | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.ebay.com/b/Sports-Memorabili… | Collectibles by eBay | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.fubo.tv/stream/the-athletic/… | Streaming by Fubo | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://www.nytimes.com/ | A New York Times Company | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://help.nytimes.com/hc/en-us/articl… | Privacy Policy | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/cookie-p… | Cookie Policy | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://twitter.com/TheAthletic | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text | |
| https://facebook.com/TheAthletic | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text | |
| https://instagram.com/TheAthleticHQ | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text | |
| https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-athlet… | Download on the App Store | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://play.google.com/store/apps/detai… | Get it on Google Play | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/
Links with no accessible text (empty <a></a>, image-only no alt, icon-only no aria-label) are unidentifiable to screen readers.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4
Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.
https://www.ebay.com/b/Sports-Memorabilia-Fan-Shop-Sports-Cards/64482/bn_1857…; https://www.fubo.tv/stream/the-athletic/?irad=2158783&irmp=5579095&ftv_campai…; https://www.nytimes.com/; https://help.nytimes.com/hc/en-us/articles/10940941449492-The-New-York-Times-…; https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/cookie-policy; https://twitter.com/TheAthletic; https://facebook.com/TheAthletic; https://instagram.com/TheAthleticHQ; https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-athletic-sports-news/id1135216317; https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.theathletic
Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.
Source: MDN target / OWASP
BFavicon & Branding4 icon(s) detectedREVIEW
CColor Contrast (Screenshot)Action20 text elements analyzed, 13 fail WCAG AAREVIEW
Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.
1 contrast failures on background images/gradients
These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.
Show all checked elements (20)
| Element | Ratio | Required | FG | BG | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| h3 NFL Draft | 3.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Pass |
| h3 NBA Playoffs | 3.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Pass |
| h3 Discover More | 3.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Pass |
| h3 NHL Playoffs | 3.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Pass |
| h3 MLB | 3.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Pass |
| h3 International Soccer | 3.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Pass |
| h3 How to Watch | 3.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Pass |
| title The Athletic - Sport… | 1.05:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #090909 | Fail |
| div You are viewing our … | 1.44:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #292929 | Fail |
| button International | 2.77:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #545454 | Fail |
| button Stay on this edition | 2.95:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #585858 | Fail |
| div NFL | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div NBA | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div MLB | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div NHL | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div NFL Draft 2026 | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div WNBA | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div College Football | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div NCAAM | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
| div NCAAW | 3.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #595959 | Fail |
Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
BLighthouse Accessibility AuditsScore 81/100 — 4 failing, 21 passedREVIEW
Accessibility
These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.
Names and labels
When a button doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it as "button", making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to make buttons more accessible.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
div.Header_TopHeaderNavBar__kfE_3 > div.mobile-padding > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > button#mobileMenuIcon div.Header_TopHeaderNavBar__kfE_3 > div.mobile-padding > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > button#mobileMenuIcon |
Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div.Content_PuzzleIconContainer__fBB54 > img.Content_PuzzleIcon__T74h0 div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div.Content_PuzzleIconContainer__fBB54 > img.Content_PuzzleIcon__T74h0 |
div.Content_PuzzleTopRow__4xfLc > div > a.Content_SponsorSlug__IgjWM > img.Content_SponsorImage__7KE2Y div.Content_PuzzleTopRow__4xfLc > div > a.Content_SponsorSlug__IgjWM > img.Content_SponsorImage__7KE2Y |
div > div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Footer_FooterConsentButton__Rs4Dk > img.Footer_PrivacyIcon__cHx_d div > div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Footer_FooterConsentButton__Rs4Dk > img.Footer_PrivacyIcon__cHx_d |
These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.
Contrast
Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
©2026 The Athletic Media Company, A New York Times Company div > div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > span |
A New York Times Company div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > span > a.Footer_NytLink__gUTfw |
These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.
Best practices
Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
Championship div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
College Football div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
College Sports div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Copa America div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Copa del Rey div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Cricket div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Culture div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Cycling div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Fantasy Baseball div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Fantasy Basketball div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Fantasy Football div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Fantasy Hockey div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
FIFA Club World Cup div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
FIFA Men's World Cup div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
FIFA Women's World Cup div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Formula 1 div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Gaming div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
League Cup div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
League One div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
League Two div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Memorabilia & Collectibles div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Men's College Basketball div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Men's Olympic Ice Hockey div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
MLB div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
MLS div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
NBA div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
NFL div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
NHL div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
NWSL div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Olympics div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Opinion div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Peak div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Serie A div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Soccer div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Sports Betting div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Sports Business div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Women's Champions League div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Women's College Basketball div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Women's Euros div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Women's Hockey div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Women's Super League div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
World Baseball Classic div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Podcasts div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Headlines div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Arizona div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Atlanta div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Baltimore div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Bay Area div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Boston div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Buffalo div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Carolina div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Chicago div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Cincinnati div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Cleveland div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Columbus div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Dallas div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Denver div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Detroit div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Houston div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Indiana div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Jacksonville div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Kansas City div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Las Vegas div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Los Angeles div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Memphis div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Miami div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Minnesota div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Nashville div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
New Orleans div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
New York div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Oklahoma div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Oregon div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Orlando div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Philadelphia div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Pittsburgh div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Sacramento div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
San Antonio div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
San Diego div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Seattle div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
St. Louis div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Tampa Bay div.Grid_container__nUoFL > div.Grid_item__tf6ss > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Calgary section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Edmonton section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Montreal section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Ottawa section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Toronto section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Vancouver section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Winnipeg section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Collectibles by eBay section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Odds by BetMGM section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Streaming by Fubo section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Tickets by StubHub section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
About Us section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Careers section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Code of Conduct section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Editorial Guidelines section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Business Inquiries section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Press Inquiries section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
The Pulse section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
The Bounce section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
The Windup section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Prime Tire section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Full Time section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Until Saturday section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
NFL Newsletter section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
The Athletic FC section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
MoneyCall section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
Red Light section > div > div > a.Footer_FooterLink__2GDbw |
These items highlight common accessibility best practices.