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Longtime Viking Calls It Quits

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Oct 24, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham (30) prior to the game against the Washington Redskins at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

As expected, Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham is walking away from the NFL after 10 seasons of service. Ham joined Minnesota as an undrafted free agent in 2016 — and never left the franchise.

Ham’s value lived in the dirty work, and the Vikings now have to replace a role that rarely shows up in stat sheets.

The future of the fullback position is unknown for the Vikings, but the next guy, if there is one, will have big shoes to fill.

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Vikings Will Feel C.J. Ham’s Exit on Offense and Special Teams

The Week 18 going-away party was for real.

C.J. Ham warms up before a Vikings game at U.S. Bank Stadium. C.J. Ham retires Vikings.
Vikings fullback C.J. Ham goes through pregame warmups at U.S. Bank Stadium ahead of a matchup with Arizona, preparing on Dec 1, 2024, as Minnesota finalized personnel and situational plans, with Ham maintaining his usual routine while the offense settled into game-day rhythm during a late-season NFC contest. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Ham Retires

It’s a done deal for Ham. Duluth News Tribune staff wrote Tuesday, “Longtime Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham formally announced his NFL retirement through his agency, Team IFA, on Tuesday.”

“The 32-year-old Duluth native recently completed his 10th season in the NFL in 2025. Ham, who played running back at Division II Augustana from 2012 to 2015, broke into the NFL as a rookie minicamp invite by the Vikings in the spring of 2016, eventually earning a spot on the practice squad.”

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Ham was universally adored by fans from cover to cover in his career.

DNT added, “After transitioning to fullback, Ham made the active roster the following year in 2017, and has gone on to earn Pro Bowl nods in 2019 and 2023.”

“The former Duluth Denfeld star finished his NFL career with 681 receiving yards, 119 rushing yards, and eight total touchdowns — including a goal-line plunge in the Vikings’ season finale against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Jan. 4, a game in which he and the team gave several indications it would be his last.”

The Career

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Ham showed up on the scene in 2016, near the start of the Mike Zimmer era, and within a year, he had earned a roster spot, taking over for fullback Zach Line, who had been with the franchise since 2013. After that, Ham would play in 141 games, starting 42, and accumulated 681 receiving yards, 119 rushing yards, and 8 total touchdowns in 10 seasons.

The Minnesota native also played a significant role on special teams, in addition to doing a fullback’s dirty work: blocking on rushing and passing downs.

Until this week, Ham was the second-longest tenured member of the Vikings, outlasted only by safety Harrison Smith, who joined the club in 2012, and, too, could retire in the next few weeks. Brian O’Neill now takes Ham’s spot as the second-longest tenured Viking.

Ham was voted a five-time captain of various Vikings squads.

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The Tributes

Fans, naturally, poured in tributes for the fullback. Sleeper‘s Jason Harmon tweeted, “Minnesota native, UDFA, rookie mini camp invite, moved from RB to FB, ten year career as a Viking, 2x Pro Bowler, community hero. Happy retirement CJ Ham.”

VikingzFanPage posted, “CJ Ham started his career as a rookie minicamp invite for the Vikings back in 2016. He ends it as a 2x Pro Bowler. The Duluth native defied all odds to have a great 10 year career in the NFL.”

Last of the Fullbacks’ on Ham: “Congrats to Division II Augustana & Minnesota Vikings Fullback C.J. Ham on a great career. It’s been a pleasure watching you carry the torch. Happy retirement CJ! 🫡 #LongLiveTheFullback.”

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Writer Matt Zimmer: “Sounds like CJ Ham has made his retirement official. Pretty amazing career. From D2 Augustana to NFL Pro-Bowler and Vikings captain. And a great dude on top of it.”

C.J. Ham runs the ball against the Chicago Bears.
Minnesota fullback C.J. Ham carries the ball during second-quarter action against Chicago at U.S. Bank Stadium, pushing through traffic on Dec 31, 2017, as the Vikings leaned on physical execution and field position to control tempo in a divisional matchup that closed out the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

And our Steve Hoikkala on Ham: “We all kind of expected CJ Ham to retire with what look to be his farewell in the final home game for the #Vikings, but definitely was one of the best fullbacks in the league for a long time. Sad to see him go. From Vikings fans, Thank you C.J. Ham. 🫶💜 #SKOL.”

A New FB or Nothing?

The next item of business at fullback? Well, nobody knows.

Including the Vikings, about 10 NFL teams use fullbacks on any given Sunday, and it’s unclear if Ham stuck around during the Kevin O’Connell era as a matter of lifetime achievement and utility. For example, O’Connell came from the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, and Sean McVay’s teams do not use fullbacks. On the other hand, Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, who runs a similar offense, does employ fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

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Vikings linemen celebrate a touchdown against the Packers.
Vikings guard Will Fries, tackle Brian O’Neill, and fullback C.J. Ham celebrate together following a second-quarter touchdown against Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium on Jan 4, 2026, marking a synchronized moment along the offensive front as Minnesota’s blocking cohesion translated into scoring success during a high-energy divisional showdown. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Generally speaking, fullbacks are reserved for run-first or run-happy offenses (at least the 2025 version of the definition). The Vikings, rather emphatically, do not love running the football, so we shall see if O’Connell finds a Ham replacement.

Thus far this offseason, folks have learned that Minnesota will venture into 2026 with a new general manager and no Ham for the first time in 10 years.


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‘Frustrated’ Scotland show growth against Belgium in World Cup bid

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That was the story of Tuesday night at Easter Road too. The Scots were dominant, created decent chances but just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net, until McGovern did deep into stoppage-time to level.

In the Hibernian striker – who had six goals in seven games before this one – it does seem the Scots have found the goalscoring forward they’ve been missing.

But in both games she missed golden opportunities too. Though she was not the only one.

Andreatta insists the clinical edge which is still missing will come as “connections grow” between players.

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Lauren Davidson was drafted in from the off after her impressive performance and assist off the bench midweek, while Freya Gregory only earned her first cap last year, along with McGovern.

There’s still a bit of a transitional feel about things, but Scotland don’t have time for bedding in.

The players know it. Many have seen this movie before where they canter through qualifying campaigns but panic at the play-offs, which are guaranteed to come.

“Frustration” was the first word Docherty said in her post-match reflection.

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She, along with Weir, have been said to have been sharing horror stories of the past in camp this week. Fresh faces, such as McGovern and Miri Taylor have spoken of their importance.

Important to recognise but not be restrained by.

Andreatta has done well in her year to release the squad of their shackles and shift their mentality to one where Scotland leave Belgium with a point and a pang of pain.

A double-header with Isreal is the next challenge, but the overriding focus is getting her side ready to right their play-off wrongs later this year.

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Bruno Fernandes fury explained as potential red card missed in Man United win vs Chelsea

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Manchester United are a step closer to the Champions League after beating Chelsea on Saturday night but Bruno Fernandes was left unhappy with an incident late on in the match

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes reacted with fury over a potential missed red card during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Chelsea. Michael Carrick’s side have taken a huge leap towards Champions League qualification after Matheus Cunha’s first-half goal secured all three points at Stamford Bridge.

The Reds are now 10 points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea, who sit just one place below the final qualification spot for Europe’s elite competition. It means Carrick’s team need a maximum of six more points from their remaining five games to qualify for the Champions League – a competition they have been absent from since 2023.

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But Fernandes was far from happy with referee Michael Oliver during United’s win in west London. The Portuguese midfielder showed his displeasure after Blues player Romeo Lavia appeared to step on him after he was fouled.

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If Oliver had deemed that Lavia did stamp on Fernandes, then the Chelsea midfielder would almost certainly have been shown a red card for violent conduct. Instead, no card was shown.

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The incident is unlikely to dampen United’s mood, however. The Reds have been transformed since interim head coach Carrick succeeded Ruben Amorim in January.

Carrick’s men have lost just twice all year in the league and look almost certain to seal a spot in the Champions League after a season out of Europe. Fernandes is not getting carried away though.

Speaking to TNT Sports after Saturday’s win, he said: “It’s an amazing feeling for us, we had to bounce back, not just about Leeds, we had two games that we didn’t win.

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“We knew we had to make a great performance because Chelsea are good side. It’s important for us because our aim is to be top four, making distance is perfect for us.

“I feel three points closer [to Champions League qualification], we have another game that we have to win. We know we need points to get that place secured and we will do everything possible to be as quick as possible.”

Fernandes is also now just two assists shy of the Premier League assist record. The 31-year-old has five games left to at least equal the 20 assists set by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.

He added: “I say every time I want to do better than the season before. I want to improve my game overall.

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“I need to improve every week because I want to become a better player and end my career as the best as possible.”

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Noble Yeats death: Tributes paid to former Grand National winner after death aged 11

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Noble Yeats, the former Grand National winner, has died after a bout of colic aged 11.

The horse created history in 2022 by pulling off one of the greatest upsets in Grand National history to clinch victory as a 50-1 outsider.

Noble Yeats was connected with amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, with that famous ride around Aintree the last of his career.

“He gave us one of the great days of our lives and fulfilled our dreams,” said Waley-Cohen, who added that “his ability outstripped his looks,” having “grown into a great champion.”

Noble Yeats, without Waley-Cohen now, made two further appearances at the National, finishing fourth behind Corach Rambler in 2023 and then out of contention behind I Am Maximus in 2024.

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Harry Cobden riding Noble Yeats at Cheltenham
Harry Cobden riding Noble Yeats at Cheltenham (Getty)

“He was brilliant for us and was one of those special horses,” Waley-Cohen said, with the horse winning seven of his 24 races and earning more than £750,000 in prize-money.

Noble Yeats, trained by Emmet Mullins, also won the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2024 under Harry Cobden, and made his last appearance in 2024 in the Savills Hurdle at Leopardstown, pulling up before the decision was made to retire due to arthritis.

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen, who had purchased Noble Yeats just two months before victory in the greatest race of them all, described the “grim moment” after Noble Yeats’ health took a turn for the worse.

He said: “He looked very uncomfortable on Wednesday, so the vet came out and everybody was up all night treating him and hoping he would pull through, but unfortunately he went the other way.

(PA)

“He was living the life of a retired horse in the field with [2011 Gold Cup winner] Long Run and [2011 Grand National runner-up] Oscar Time.”

He added: “He was enormous fun at the National and afterwards. The memories of the National are unbelievable – you could not have a better day. It’s the dream of a lifetime to win the National, and to win it with your son made it even more special.”

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“His Mom Makes Food And Brings It To Hotel”: Preity Zinta’s Big Revelation About Punjab Kings Star

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Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta heaped praise on star batter Prabhsimran Singh while commenting on a social media post on Saturday. A user shared the inspiring journey of the PBKS opener, and co-owner Preity could not stop herself from reacting to it. She lauded Prabhsimran’s behaviour while also revealing that his mother cooks and brings food to the hotel for the entire team every Indian Premier League season. The player has been a part of the PBKS squad since IPL 2019. He was initially bought for Rs 4.80 crore. The wicketkeeper-batter currently earns Rs 4 crore per season from the franchise.

“He is also soft spoken, well behaved and extremely sweet. His mom makes food and brings it to the hotel ( Best Kadi Chawal & Bhartha among other things ) for the entire team every IPL. I never heard him complain or come late when he sat on the bench. Watching him shine fills me up with so much joy cuz nothing is more rewarding than to see a good guy win. Sorry I couldn’t help commenting on ur write up as it popped up in my timeline (sic),” wrote Preity Zinta, reacting to the post on Prabhsimran.

Table-toppers Punjab Kings will bank on their strong batting to continue their winning run against a struggling Lucknow Super Giants, who are sweating over skipper Rishabh Pant‘s injury, in their IPL 2026 match in Mullanpur on Sunday.

PBKS, the only unbeaten side so far, have looked ominous this season with four wins from five matches, with one game against Kolkata Knight Riders washed out. The Shreyas Iyer-led side boasts a healthy net run rate of +1.067, thanks to their strong batting displays that have powered clinical chases.

The Kings have won nine of their last 11 matches while chasing since the 2025 season, underlining their dominance, and it was also seen in their recent win over Mumbai Indians. It will take something special from LSG to halt the home team’s momentum.

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Lucknow, currently seventh in the points table, are reeling from back-to-back losses, and Pant’s elbow injury in the previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru has further dented their campaign.

(With PTI Inputs)


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Women’s World Cup qualifying: Lessons to be learned as Wales chase top spot

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“It was about the three points but lessons need to be learned,” former Wales striker Gwennan Harries told Match of the Day Wales.

Wilkinson’s side had overwhelmed Albania in a 4-0 win in Wrexham four days earlier, when the hosts’ only frustration was that they did not score more goals.

But the return fixture had a very different look, with Wales struggling for fluency in possession as Albania sat deep but carried a threat on the counter-attack.

“At the minute, we’re probably not seeing Wales at their best and we’ve struggled at times to break down teams who sit back,” said another ex-Wales striker Helen Ward on BBC Radio Wales.

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“That’s where a Jess Fishlock can do something magic.

“We don’t have her anymore, so someone else is going to have to take that responsibility.”

The one goal Wales did manage was as scrappy as their performance, Roberts bundling home from a Lily Woodham cross with Albania claiming the ball had gone in off the veteran defender’s arm.

There were other opportunities for Wales, Mared Griffiths coming close on a couple of occasions and Ingle shooting straight at Albania keeper Rajmonda Spahiu having seen an earlier effort ruled out for offside.

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Had one or two of those chances been converted, the evening would have had a different feel.

As it was, there was tension in the air right up until the final whistle, with Safia Middleton-Patel making a late save from Fortesa Berisha having earlier seen Ilarja Zarka’s drive rattle the bar.

“I thought Albania were really good,” said Ingle. “They blocked up, made it hard for us.

“They defended really well and they nearly punished us on a few transition attacks, so we were quite lucky at times.”

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Tony Bellew makes Usyk vs Moses Itauma prediction: “Nobody will beat him”

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Tony Bellew has considered whether Oleksandr Usyk, who dealt him an eighth-round stoppage defeat in 2018, can be beaten by heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma.

Having become a three-time, two-division undisputed champion, there is little more the Ukrainian can achieve to further cement his greatness in the sport.

He has, after all, beaten Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois on two occasions, respectively, and therefore solidified himself as the greatest heavyweight of this era.

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The only way he can go one step further, it seems, is by making his mark on the next generation, which many predict will be dominated by Itauma.

Having become the WBO’s leading challenger, awaiting his mandatory shot at the world title, the 21-year-old has already established himself as a formidable contender.

This much was evident during his fifth-round finish over Jermaine Franklin last month, when Itauma stormed past the typically durable customer in emphatic fashion.

But while the dynamic southpaw has expressed an interest in facing the heavyweight king, Usyk is understandably less eager to present him with this opportunity.

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Instead, the 39-year-old is gearing up to face Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23, defending his WBC world title at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza.

Even if his next opponent happened to be Itauma, though, former world champion Bellew has told Seconds Out that he doubts Usyk would be defeated.

“He’s beaten everybody in front of him – there’s nothing more he can do.

“He’s entitled to what he’s doing in this next fight [against Verhoeven] and he’s earned the right to call the shots. He’s the boss.

“Absolutely nobody [will beat him].”

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After experiencing the full force of Usyk’s brilliance, albeit in 2018, Bellew is perhaps better-placed than most to give an honest assessment of Itauma’s chances against the Olympic gold medallist.

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Charley Hull shares throwback snap with Welsh golf veteran

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Charley Hull caught the people’s attention with her picture on social media. She shared a snap with Welsh professional golfer Mark Mouland on her Instagram story.

She shared the throwback picture on her social media story on Saturday and tagged the golfer in the caption. They posed at the Nailcote Hall Cromwell Course. Hull wore a pink top and black shorts for the outing.

Charley Hull shares throwback snap with Welsh golf veteranCharley Hull shares throwback snap with Welsh golf veteran
Charley Hull shares throwback snap with Welsh golf veteran

Away from the field, Charley Hull is enjoying a good time. Her last outing was at the Aramco Championship, where she carded four rounds of 70, 78, 75, and 70. She settled with a score of 5 over in a tie for 15th position.

On April 6, she shared a slew of a few pictures of her outing from the Aramco Championship. She posted the snaps with a sweet caption. She wrote:

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“What happens in Vegas… 😏 Fun week at Aramco Championship, nice T15 finish and memories made at Cirque du Soleil 🤸🎪 Next stop, Augusta”

In the post, she added snaps of her playing golf, and also of the outing she enjoyed in Las Vegas.


Charley Hull offers a glimpse of her practice session

Although Charley Hull is not playing in any official tournament this week, she made sure to practice her game. She offered a glimpse of her practice session on her Instagram account on Friday. She shared the post along with a sweet caption.

“It’s always great to be back playing & practising where I grew up as a little girl playing. I love this grass driving range. I really do have the best memories on it as a kid with my Dad & Kevin growing up. Very wholesome. ⛳️ Very impressed with the condition of Kettering golf club for this time of year,” she wrote.

For her outing, Hull wore a black T-shirt and matching pants.

She started her campaign this season on the LPGA Tour at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. She carded three rounds of 70, 71, and 74 to settle in T17 place.

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She then played at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, which wrapped up with its finale on February 26. She carded four rounds of 72, 67, 74, and 69 to settle with a score of 6 under. She was tied for 10th place in the event.

This season on the LPGA Tour, Hull also played at the Ford Championship, where she played two rounds of 71 and 70. She, however, struggled with her game and missed the cut.

Meanwhile, in the last season, she played in 16 tournaments and made the cut in 14 of them. She recorded four finishes in the top 10 and won the Kroger Queen City Championship.