Carolina’s offseason started fast when they burgled Jaelan Phillips away from Philadelphia via an incredible $30 million per year contract in the opening minutes of free agency. A team well acquainted with roster holes, the Panthers intentionally filled arguably their biggest need at edge almost immediately, while bringing in several other players on day one including linebacker Devin Lloyd, offensive linemen Luke Forner and Stone Forsythe, cornerback Akayleb Evans, and other ex-Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver John Metchie III. And they kept signing – between 3/10 and 3/20, they signed 21 players in a mad dash of transactions that would leave Julian Vandervelde’s head spinning (they even signed yet another Philly alumnus, RB AJ Dillon … was the Red Rifle trade some kind of peace offering? (Probably not.)) While, of course, not all of these players are starters, Carolina’s activity helped fill holes, add depth, and potentially provide them optionality in the draft.
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Looking at their roster, Carolina has several bright spots. Adding Phillips and Lloyd to a defense featuring stars Jaycee Horn and Derrick Brown as well other solid players like Tre’von Moehrig, Mike Jackson, Bobby Brown, Tershawn Wharton, and Nic Scourton has the makings for a competitive unit. On offense, while there are questions around Bryce Young, he has taken steps forward in years two and three, surpassing 3,000 yards and throwing for 23 TDs in 2025. Due to that progress, Carolina seems prepared to build around him and see if he continues to take positive steps. Around Young, Carolina has some O-linemen to potentially be excited about (at least at guard and tackle) and some skill players that could form a strong core – particularly AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan.
Having said all of that, there are certainly needs. Sites that cover the Panthers seem to vary on the severity of some of these but point out, to some degree, needs along both lines and possibly at WR or LB. However, many point to TE and S as the biggest holes on the roster. While I’m a proponent of selecting the best player available as a baseline M.O., it’s hard to ignore glaring needs on a building team and potentially erasing a void by adding someone who could have an immediate impact – a philosophical point espoused by head coach Dave Canales.
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Luckily for Carolina at pick 19, that impact just collided at the intersection of need and available players, despite just missing out on some great options. While Dillon Thieneman, a spice so strong it burns the S out of your mouth (such a fun name to say out loud), would have been a terrific fit here, he is no longer an option thanks to Vikings at No. 18. Neither are most of the top O-lineman or anyone who has ever even audited a class at Ohio State (4 out of the first 9 picks is impressive). But you know who is available? Another exciting safety prospect in Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Oregon’s standout TE Kenyon Sadiq, and a couple compelling edge defenders in Akheem Mesidor and Keldric Faulk. Honestly, I could make an argument for any of these four options and any of them could be a good pick at 19. However, if all of these young men are in range of one another talent/value-wise, and I think they are, one must consider positional value and need to help decide. While being an Eagles fan has taught me to lean edge over safety and TE, I have to look closely at a roster that has several pass rushers, including the gem of their free agent class, and the contrasting, significant needs at S and TE. With my options narrowed to choosing between McNeil-Warren and Sadiq, I can’t ignore the potential to surround Young with another dynamic playmaker. Kenyon Sadiq it is and here’s why:
Need
I don’t want to overemphasize need, but addressing Carolina’s TE needs is essential with no compelling option currently on the roster. Sadiq would change that. While Tommy Tremble was selected in the third round in 2021, he has not proven to be a proficient receiver having never topped 250 yards or 3 TDs in a season (2025 was his best receiving year with 27 catches, 249 yards, and 2 TDs). Ja’Tavion Sanders hauled in 29 catches in 2025 for 190 yards (for a mere 6.6 avg) and a TD over 13 games – a down year after netting 33 catches for 342 yards and 1 TD in his rookie season, 2024.
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Good Production (at least in 2025)
Sadiq has averaged 11.2 yards per catch in college, getting better each year. In 2025, he caught 51 passes for 560 yards (11.0 avg.) and a strong 8 TDs. He was a significant contributor to Oregon’s strong season that saw them advance to the Peach Bowl where they fell to the ultimate national champion Indiana Hoosiers. In a season that saw QB Dante Moore (over 3,500 yards) successfully spread the ball around, Oregon had five players surpass 497 yards receiving, Sadiq’s 560 yards were second on the team and his 8 TDs finished first on the team and led the nation among tight ends. He was reliable, catching 51 of his 71 targets (approximate) for a nearly 72% catch rate. While 560 yards and an 11-yard average are not other-worldly, they are good production especially considering his catch rate, number of scores, and YAC ability. 214 of his 560 total yards came after the catch coming in at a 4.73 YAC average. While this is certainly connected to the high number of screen passes that he caught, it exemplifies his versatility (more on that soon), athleticism (much more on that even sooner), and his abilities with the ball in his hands. Dante Moore had a strong 145.5 passer rating when targeting Sadiq, which transparently is not as high as Moore’s overall regular season number (163.72), but also very good (in the top six among TE’s) and possibly reflective of the high frequency of short throws that came Sadiq’s way.
Traits
Driving these numbers are notable strengths, particularly as a receiver. An incredible athlete (wait for it), Sadiq also exhibited good balance, hands, technique, extension, separation, and body control through the catch process. For example, his two TD game against Rutgers was filled with highlight catches, including an over-the-shoulder TD grab that many college tight ends just cannot do. He has a good feel for finding holes in zone defenses, making contested catches and then breaking tackles thereafter. He had a handful of gloriously angry runs this season that are just too fun to watch.
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Coupled with his strength and ability on screens and in open zones, he has unbelievable speed (wait for it) for a TE. He has the potential to blow the top off a defense from the slot, exposing safeties and linebackers that simply cannot keep up with him. Frankly, he’s going to eat up small slot CB’s and blow past LB’s and most safeties. He’s a matchup nightmare for defenses.
Rare Athleticism
Where Sadiq really stands out is athleticism. His combine numbers were elite. While there are some concerns about his agility, his speed and lower body power are remarkable. Nicknamed “The Freak” by his complimentary if not derivative teammates (Jevon Kearse much, anyone?!), this young man can freakin’ run and freakin’ jump.
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Sadiq set three TE records at the combine this year (caveats aplenty). That day, he tied David Njoku’s nine-year broad jump record of 11’1” AND Dorin Dickerson’s 2010 vertical jump record of 43.5”. While he was moments later out jumped by Eli Stowers in both categories (11’3” broad and 45.5” vertical – both new TE records), his jumping numbers are ostensibly elite. One record that Stowers did not beat… his combine 40-yard dash time of 4.39 seconds. While many sources established this as the new record over Vernon Davis’s 4.40 time, many contest that Davis actually ran it in 4.38. Either way, Sadiq is a special athlete.
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Positional Flexibility
Sadiq is a chess piece (which is an odd analogy for versatility since most chess pieces are highly specific, but whatever), able to move all over the formation. He played inline and detached, in the slot, and can even line up out wide or in the back field in some sets. He caught 37% of his passes behind the line (well above average) and 31% between 0 and 9 yards. That 68% mark shows his ability to work in traffic and highlights his YAC skills as mentioned above. 20% of his targets were medium length (10-19 yards) and 13% of them were beyond 20 yards. He can line up just about anywhere and has ability at all depths of target. He truly is a receiving weapon who strains a defense, particularly if playing in an offense that utilizes pre-snap motion, which the Panthers did more of in 2025 at 57% (at least compared to an abysmal 22% of their snaps in 2024) but could still increase. In a copy-cat league, it is worth noting that 2025 marked an all-time high in pre-snap motion across the league at 63.9%. A player like Sadiq could unlock new twists and multiply how the Panthers offense operates, scheming him and his teammates open.
Weaknesses
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The main concerns with Sadiq are his blocking (due to “tweener” size), relative experience, and consistency translating his traits and strengths play-in and play-out. Blunt truth: Sadiq is small for an NFL tight end. At 6’3” (15% among TE’s), and 241 lbs. (9%) with 31.5” arms (7%), he is not going to overwhelm a defensive lineman with his size. Understand, he is not weak. He actually played in line 44% of the time and recorded a 68.7 career PFF Run Block Grade (65%) which is a favorable comparative mark to recent TE sensations Colston Loveland and Brock Bowers (not saying he is on the same level as them). However, he is obviously not a mammoth blocking TE and should not be used as one, at least too frequently.
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As a player that translates more as a big slot or movable piece than he does as an inline blocker, he needs to be fit into a role that maximizes his strengths. To be clear, “blocking want-to” is not an issue. Sadiq plays hard, is strong, and seems to enjoy blocking, especially in the open when he can level a guy and look for another. He can be a tenacious blocker. There are just moments when he does not match up well against larger players (specifically in pass protection) and could use technique refinement. That limitation may give some teams pause in the first round.
With only 80 catches in college, he does not have the body of work that some top TE’s in other years did and despite a high catch rate, there do seem to be the occasional concentration-lapse, possibly from trying to turn and run just a moment too soon. While most of these weaknesses can improve with coaching and experience, especially issues of technique and focus, his size may limit how offenses can use him consistently.
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Impact
Recognizing that I wrote way too much about need above, I want to qualify that it’s not just about a hole on the roster, it is more about the impact Sadiq can have on the offense. In an offense with a potentially budding star WR in McMillan and other pass catchers with potential, a potent RB pair in Jonathon Brooks and Chuba Hubbard and a mobile, progressing QB like Bryce Young, Sadiq could prove to be an offensive weapon that makes Carolina an incredibly tough matchup for defenses. His ability to find a hole in the zone or take a screen pass and churn out tough yards / generate YAC as well as his elite speed to create down field are special and require attention by defenses. They have to plan for him. He has the ability to produce yards and points or to simply preoccupy safeties and clog the middle when necessary to loosen up coverages for teammates on the edges.
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Adding Kenyon Sadiq instantly makes the Carolina offense fun and competitive. The Panthers won the weak NFC South with an 8-9 record last year, taking it over Tampa Bay and Atlanta via tiebreakers. In a weak division, this team could become a consistent playoff team and potentially one that brings some joy to their fanbase, one that has not seen much success over the last decade. For me, Sadiq is a special talent and could be a piece that takes the Panthers’ offense to a new level.
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*That was as TLDR as possible. Work sucked this week and I needed this. I hope it was enjoyable to read. Thanks.
Oct 16, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning during game four of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Welcome to the upside down, where four Major League Baseball teams that made the playoffs in 2025 find themselves in last place heading into action Friday.
The postseason underachievers include the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners in the American League, along with the Chicago Cubs in the National League. Also off to a sluggish start are the reigning AL champion Toronto Blue Jays, who aren’t in last place but do have a -22 run differential.
The division races are subject to some volatility, given that we’re not quite two weeks into the regular-season schedule. The sample is small. But, as the saying goes: Just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. Some of these slacking teams have real reason to worry their disappointing starts have staying power.
Feelin’ Blue Jays
The Jays not only own the ugly run differential, but they already have some serious injuries to overcome. Even before Opening Day, right-handers José Berríos, Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage were absent from the starting rotation. Yesavage is working his way back with optimism, but the other two bring lingering doubts. The Jays also lost Cody Ponce to knee surgery because of a sprained ACL.
Also: Catcher Alejandro Kirk broke his left thumb on a foul tip. Outfielder Addison Barger sprained his ankle. Great gosh almighty, it’s not even mid-April.
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No, Cubs, No
Jun 24, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a three run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Cubs are set to receive good news Friday with the anticipated return of slugger Seiya Suzuki, who injured his knee on an awkward slide in the World Baseball Classic in March. Suzuki’s return should take some pressure off Pete Crow-Armstrong to break out of his early season slump (which actually goes back to August).
The Cubs have some serious pitching woes. Three-fifths of the starting rotation is on the shelf, though left-hander Justin Steele has started to face live hitters in his return from elbow surgery. Less-happy news includes recent injuries to left-hander Matthew Boyd (biceps strain) and season-ending UCL surgery for right-hander Cade Horton.
Tigers stuck in cage
The Tigers don’t have a lot of obvious reasons for concern, but their slump and collapse in 2025 wasn’t 100% logical either. This group can just get out of whack for a couple of weeks at a time. Overall, they haven’t played that badly so far, and come in with a -1 run differential. They’ve also only played three home games. The WBC business might have knocked Tarik Skubal off his ideal prep schedule.
Something to keep in mind for the long haul: Injuries have picked away at the Tigers pitching depth, with Justin Verlander joining Reese Olson and Troy Melton on the injured list.
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Sawx need a good warshing
Boston Red Sox pitcher Connelly Early (71) throws a pitch in the second inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, March 29, 2026. The game was scoreless after three innings.
The Red Sox always seem to be looking for ways to disappoint. They have not played poor defense so far, so they got that going for ’em. Other than that, it’s spotty. He surely will start to hit soon, but whatever is going on with Roman Anthony’s throwing arm bears watching. It looks like the top of the rotation is starting to take shape with Garrett Crochet and Sonny Gray stepping forward, but Ranger Suárez and Brayan Bello have been disastrous.
They’re not scoring a lot of runs, they’re not hitting a lot of home runs (as many projected). Aroldis Chapman’s velocity is down (he is 38 years old, after all), and the bullpen depth looks shaky for either performance or injury reasons. The Red Sox looked like an oddly constructed team during Spring Training and now they have a disappointing record to reflect it.
Don’t get rattled, Seattle
The Mariners have the worst record and the fewest actual concerns of any of these teams.
Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor and Julio Rodrígez are all slumping, but it won’t last. They’re 1-5 in one-run games, a stat that’s sure to improve. They’re sixth in starting pitcher ERA, which is the expected strength of the team anyway. They’re also playing better defense than they did in ’25. They’re about to rattle off 20 wins in 28 games, or something.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Come Sunday night at Augusta National Golf Club, someone will win the Masters green jacket and their life will change forever.
It’s the most coveted jacket in all of sports, but it’s definitely not your ordinary coat. Let us explain.
First, the color. You know you were wondering. It’s Pantone 342, also known as Masters Green. (Your new basement hue? Smart choice.)
The club bought its first jackets from Brooks Uniform Company in 1937, but members, who were encouraged to buy them so patrons could identify reliable sources of information, were not thrilled about how warm they were. There have been a few different suppliers since then, but Hamilton Tailoring Co. has made them since 1967. (No, you can’t buy one.) Besides the club logo on the left chest pocket, it’s also on the brass buttons.
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The jackets weren’t given to Masters champs until 1949, when Sam Snead won. They were awarded to all previous winners retroactively.
And you probably know this one, but Masters tradition is that the previous tournament’s winner puts the jacket on the new champ every Sunday night. But what about back-to-back winners? In 1966, when Jack Nicklaus repeated as champion, club co-founder Bobby Jones suggested, jokingly, that Nicklaus handle both roles and slip it on himself. The last two times there was a repeat champion, with Nick Faldo in 1990 and Tiger Woods in 2002, the club’s chairman assisted with the jacket. Although, with the 2026 tournament nearing its finish, there’s a chance we have our fourth repeat winner in tournament history.
Jackets are reserved for club members and Masters winners. That’s it. And don’t even think about taking them off the grounds. That right is reserved only for the reigning champ after their victory. But when their year is up and they return next April to defend their title, the jacket stays put as soon as the new champion puts theirs on. Three-time champ Gary Player forgot the rule one year and took his back to South Africa. When he heard from chairman Clifford Roberts, Player joked, “Well why don’t you come get it?”
There are certain times when Masters champions get to wear their jacket off grounds, but it’s only when they might be representing the tournament or club at a function or event, and of course, they’d need permission to do so.
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As the Masters nears its finish every year, the club selects a few jackets that might fit the potential winner. The jacket the winner gets the night of their victory is not usually the one they keep. They are fitted immediately after their win and receive a new one.
These jackets aren’t found in the wild often, but when they are, the price tag is high. Back in 2013, Green Jacket Auctions sold inaugural Augusta National Invitational winner Horton Smith’s jacket for $682,229.
So while you likely won’t win the Masters to get your own green jacket, you could always just get asked to join the club. Although that might be even less likely. The LA Times published a story in 2023 that detailed an exclusive vault beneath the members’ pro shop that the club calls the “Green Jacket Experience” and “Green Jacket Vault,” where new club members are joined by chairman Fred Ridley and a tailor to get fitted for their own jackets.
McIlroy in more trouble on two as Masters third round continues
Scheffler on 13, with his feet below his ball, this one will swing viciously from right to left.
It plummets into the greenside bunker and that’ll pose a fiddly one with little green to work with.
Burns lays up on two, from the bunker, ideal. Maybe 120 yards left.
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McIlroy on the pine straw for his second, just a few inches from the tree trunk. It shouldn’t be an issue, 254 yards away… OUCH!
It sprays out to the left and crashes into a pocket of patrons. There’s room to work with, but that’s not ideal, even after just two shots.
Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 20:11
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McIlroy bogeys first to hand hope to rivals at Masters
It was a tester and it misses, McIlroy with a bogey on one. Tough.
The lead is down to four.
Hatton a little riled by a birdie miss there, but we’re just getting footage of Fleetwood on two, simple enough birdie.
Burns on one… Beautiful birdie, he’s at -7 now too.
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Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 20:02
Fleetwood and Lowry narrow gap to McIlroy at Masters
Some more movement here, Lowry and Fleetood with birdies… They join the cluster at -6. Six behind McIlroy.
McIlroy with the putter from off the back of one, he’s quite a bit short, a tester to make par.
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(Getty Images)
Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 20:00
Reed closes gap on McIlroy to move into solo second at Masters
Scheffler spins one back on 12, a beautiful tee shot to the iconic par three.
Reed drains a birdie and moves to solo second at -7, just five behind McIlroy.
Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 19:54
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McIlroy avoids trouble after tee shot on one
McIlroy with a big fade on one, it bends along the treeline, settling short of the pines.
It nestles in the second cut. That’s fine, but a nervy one as it came down.
Burns with a better one, a high, arching fade, it’s perfect and in the middle of the fairway.
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Rose can’t convert on one, a simple par though.
Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 19:53
Li moves to tie for second at Masters 2026
Haotong! The Chinese star is also on the move, he joins the group at -6.
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Loud cheers for McIlroy on the first tee…
And Scottie is up to -6, too, what a remarkable round. McIlroy was 12 clear of him this morning, he’s yet to take a shot in this third round and the world No 1 is just six back.
Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 19:48
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Rose eyes birdie on one as Young launches bid after chip-in
Tyrrell on the second, laying up and then a short iron… But it doesn’t spin enough. A missed opportunity for the Englishman, he’ll likely stay at -4.
Rose, on one, sublime iron to about 12 feet, the perfect start after two shots…
Cam Young chips from off the green on four… It’s in! Stunning, the American moves to -6. What a shot.
Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 19:46
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Scheffler carves out fresh chance as McIlroy walks to first tee
Scheffler on 11, tackling Amen Corner, a big, high iron that hops and skips onto the lip of the green.
It fizzes back at a right angle and trickles towards the hole. Exquisite. Birdie try to move to -6 coming up.
Lowry missed a good-looking putt on one, he stays at -5.
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Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 19:42
Scheffler and Fleetwood set up birdie chances at Masters
Cam Young, -1 today now, and -5 overall.
Scheffler on the 10th… Wonderful, seven feet for birdie, he couldn’t, could he?
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Fleetwood out the bunker and he’s got a long-range birdie chance on one.
Lowry is closer, though, lovely wedge from the Irishman and he has that to move up to -6 alongside Reed and Burns.
Jack Rathborn11 April 2026 19:35
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Fleetwood begins third round at Masters
Tommy Fleetwood is out, as is Shane Lowry.
This is the moment where the six-shot lead could narrow a touch before McIlroy even hits that first tee shot at 7:50pm BST.
Reed (-6) and Rose (-5) out next in seven minutes.
A boxing promoter has spoken about a possible fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua
Boxing promoter Kalle Sauerland has claimed that the date and location for a future clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have already been decided. The two British heavyweights are long-standing rivals but have never met inside the ring.
As both men approach the end of their glittering careers, there has been increased speculation about a fight later this year. It has previously been discussed on multiple occasions but ultimately failed to materialise.
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As Fury prepares to face Makhmudov, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has spoken about his client possibly fighting Deontay Wilder this summer. The Matchroom boss recently dismissed claims that an agreement was already in place to face Fury, but fellow promoter Sauerland has suggested it is essentially a done deal.
“I think Fury-AJ is done for the Autumn in Dublin,” Sauerland told iFL TV. When asked for further clarification, he added: “That’s what I’ve heard, done for Dublin in I think September/October. Have I put my foot in it? That’s what I’ve heard, word on the street.”
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Tyson Fury has come out of retirement to face Russian boxer Arslanbek Makhmudov in a heavyweight clash in London on April 11. The fight will stream live on Netflix, which fans can get for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle or £24 Ultimate TV bundle, the latter of which also includes HBO Max and Disney+.
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It is worth noting that Sauerland is not associated with either fighter, and the promoter’s comments sharply contrast with Hearn’s stance last month. In an interview with The Stomping Ground, he said: “There is absolutely nothing signed with Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury next. There is nothing agreed.”
Hearn outlined that, prior to Joshua sustaining injuries in a car crash, the plan had been for AJ to fight in the spring before a showdown with Fury. Joshua is now expected to return in the summer as he steps up his recovery.
“This is what I want. We need a warm-up fight before we fight Tyson Fury,” Hearn said. “Because AJ is coming off the accident. He’s rehabilitating his body. We will take Deontay Wilder as that warm-up fight. And then we will fight Tyson Fury in December.”
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He continued: “By the way, I respect Wilder, and I think he looked much better in that fight than he has done previously. But let me tell you… Anthony Joshua will walk through Deontay Wilder within three rounds. We’re going to fight before Tyson Fury.”
However, Fury has called for Joshua to ditch plans of a comeback fight before facing him. The 37-year-old is keen to reach an agreement with AJ as he fears that waiting any longer than necessary risks derailing their plans once again.
“That fight was supposed to happen so many times over the last 10 years,” Fury said. “But then someone has had one more fight in between, or someone has been knocked out or injured.
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“Forget Wilder, the man is a shell of himself, and forget anyone else. Let me get through Saturday, and then we will do the fight before the end of the year.”
Before the NFL turned its attention to the upcoming draft, the offseason chatter was heavy on whether or not the league should expand its schedule from 17 to 18 regular season games. That subject was a popular topic at the annual league meeting in March.
There’s no doubt an 18-game regular season schedule is what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants. That would increase revenue – remember, it’s always about money – and allow the league to move the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend. It would likely mean the NFL would add international games (one for each team) and perhaps another streaming service as well.
It would also mean reducing the preseason from three games to two, and (hopefully) adding a second bye week.
“It would allow us to also grow the game internationally,” Kraft continued. “Every team in the league would play a game overseas. I think it would be a lot more exciting to the fans to have an extra game rather than the way our preseason games stack up.”
Why NFL’s 18th game is a bad idea
Typically, more football is a good thing. In terms of adding an 18th regular season game, however, more would be less.
Of the four major sports the NFL has the most meaningful regular season. Why? Because it plays the fewest regular season games. Each NFL contest carries more weight than a game in the NBA, NHL or MLB.
The NFL went from 16 to 17 regular season games in 2021. Lengthening the season in any way would be adding to an already saturated product.
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Don’t fall for the talk that eliminating a preseason game and adding a game to the regular season is an even trade, since key players typically see little playing time during the preseason. That’s like comparing apples to dump trucks.
Another strong argument against going to an 18-game schedule is player health. NFL bodies are already being pushed to the limit. The fear here is that adding to the regular season would be the tipping point that leads NFL players to start taking games off, like you see in today’s NBA.
NFL load management? No thanks.
“From playing in the league, and I played 16 [games], it was a long season,” Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “So to play 17 is long, 18 is just adding more games. It’s definitely harder on the players. You think about the guys, and if you see what guys go through on a day-to-day basis, week-to-week basis, just to get ready for football games, adding another game is definitely going to be hard on the players.
“It’s not my decision to make, but just my perspective and what these guys have to go through and what they put their bodies through, it’ll be really tough to ask the guys to go do another one.”
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Like having an extra dessert, an 18-game regular season schedule would be too much of a good thing.
Being crowned world champions in front of a record women’s rugby crowd of 81,885 at Allianz Stadium set the bar very high for John Mitchell’s England.
As an occasion, it does not really get much bigger in any sport.
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The Red Roses have played across the country in order to build a loyal fan base, which all came together in September as they defeated Canada to claim a first World Cup in 11 years.
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So, what was next? Was it too big an ask to try to fill Allianz Stadium again?
With the momentum of record-breaking World Cup viewing figures, England called on their supporters to return to Allianz Stadium for their opening game of this year’s Women’s Six Nations against Ireland.
It was a bold call, and one that delivered, as a crowd of 77,120 turned out to see Mitchell’s side defeat Ireland in their first game since becoming world champions.
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A one-off home World Cup final was always going to draw a large crowd, but to back that up with a record crowd for a Women’s Six Nations game – beating the 58,498 who watched the Grand Slam decider in 2023 – is just as important for the sport’s growth.
“You can never replicate a game that has happened before [the World Cup final],” England full-back Ellie Kildunne told BBC Sport.
“The World Cup final is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life and I don’t want to compare the two things.
“We have to get used to this. We sold out then [the World Cup final] and we nearly sold out now, this is going to become the norm.
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“This shows where the women’s game is going and long may it last.”
A decade ago, a crowd of 2,500 watched England narrowly beat Ireland at the same venue.
Hooker Amy Cokayne is the only player from that game to feature in the back-to-back wins at Allianz Stadium.
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If you had asked the then-teenager if that would be possible, her likely answer would have been more out of hope than expectation.
But this is now where the Red Roses are, they are world champions and expectations are at an all-time high.
‘I just dropped the ball’
Mitchell’s side were far from perfect in their five-try win over Ireland, but they were always in control as they extended their record-breaking winning run to 34 matches.
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Three first-half tries opened up a 21-point lead before Kildunne dropped the ball over the tryline.
Ireland and England then each scored two second-half tries, as the encounter in front of a record crowd failed to catch fire.
The 2024 world player of the year Kildunne remained calm after her error and showed her searing pace to finish in the corner.
Rather than learning from losing control while putting the ball down with one hand, Kildunne again confidently placed it down in the same manner.
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“People will want an explanation as to what happened – I just dropped the ball,” she added.
“It shows that we are just people and mistakes will happen, and we always talk about how quickly you can recover.
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“I brushed my shoulders off and just went again.”
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Despite butchering an England try, Kildunne impressed throughout the game [Getty Images]
Talling & Hunt set to miss rest of tournament
England, who have not lost a Six Nations game since 2018, are seeking an eighth consecutive title and a fifth Grand Slam in a row.
Prior to the tournament, Mitchell lost four of his matchday squad from the World Cup final to pregnancies.
Three of those – Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan – have all played in the second row under Mitchell.
Lock Morwenna Talling was carted off on a stretcher against Ireland, with Mitchell confirming that she and replacement scrum-half Natasha Hunt will likely miss the rest of the tournament through injury.
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Loughborough Lightning’s 19-year-old Haineala Lutui, who has mainly been deployed in the back row for her club, came off the bench to make her debut as Talling’s replacement.
“We must adapt, as we have lost four international locks – we will be a team of back rowers by the end of the tournament,” Mitchell said.
“If that is the way it is going to be, then so be it. There are different ways to play this game, and if that means using back rowers, then we will make it work.”
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Megan Jones replaced Stratford as England captain and stepped up with a strong defensive performance, picking up the player of the match.
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“There were always going to be nerves coming into this campaign off the back of an amazing World Cup, so there was always going to be that expectation,” Jones told BBC Sport.
“We want to play in front of big crowds like that, and sometimes the game can get stuck, but we found ways through, and that is what a winning team does.
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“Some nerves, but we will brush up on that.”
Mitchell made eight changes from the World Cup final starting XV, which resulted in a lack of cohesion at times as his side attempted to play an open and expansive brand of rugby.
Scrum-half Lucy Packer, who played second fiddle to Hunt during the World Cup, looked lively throughout, while 22-year-old lock Lilli Ives Campion also stepped up in the line-out.
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Fly-half Holly Aitchison was another player who struggled for starts at the World Cup but was handed the number 10 role from the outset.
“This is a new team, a fresh start and a learning process, and we have learned a lot today,” Mitchell told BBC Sport.
“Ireland were taken out of the match in the first half, but we let them back in, so we will learn from that.
“There is a huge amount of growth still to come – we are exposing youngsters and challenging the nine-ten axis.
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“Players will be better for today’s performance.”
It will be interesting if Mitchell continues with his rotation policy or build cohesions, as England next face Scotland (13:30 BST) at Murrayfield next Saturday.
Apr 10, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; A bronze statue of Seattle Mariners former outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) stands outside T-Mobile Park before a game against the Houston Astros. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Perhaps what the Seattle Mariners needed most Friday was a laugh.
Saddled with a five-game losing streak, the Mariners returned home to face Houston with the team unveiling a statue of franchise legend Ichiro Suzuki outside T-Mobile Park before the opener of a four-game series.
As fellow Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez pulled off the tarp to unveil the work of art, the bat that Suzuki holds in the statue snapped.
“I didn’t think Mariano (Rivera) would come out here,” Suzuki said with a smile, referring to the former New York Yankees closer, “and break the bat.”
As Suzuki saw it, the broken bat was fitting.
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“In the Hall of Fame, I was short one vote,” Suzuki said. “Today, the bat was broke. It kind of lets me know that I’m still not there, that I still need to keep going. So, this is a good example of that.”
The Mariners seemed inspired, scoring three first-inning runs in Suzuki style without hitting the ball out of the infield. Seattle used four bases on balls, a hit batter and an infield single to take a 3-0 lead off Houston starter Tatsuya Imai, who lasted just one-third of an inning.
The Astros tied the score in the second on a three-run double by Christian Vazquez before Seattle’s Randy Arozarena hit a mammoth two-run homer into the second deck in left field in the fifth.
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The Mariners tacked on four runs in the seventh, which were needed after Houston’s Yordan Alvarez hit a three-run shot to right in the eighth.
Seattle’s Matt Brash came in and got an inning-ending double play to close the eighth and Andres Munoz escaped a ninth-inning jam to earn his first save of the season.
Astros manager Joe Espada wasn’t happy with the 10 bases on balls issued by his beleaguered pitching staff, but considered it a moral victory that his team forced Seattle to use their highest-leverage relievers in what looked like a blowout.
“Just having a tough time as a unit, throwing strikes,” Espada said. “We were working to make our adjustments but it takes a toll on our staff and our offense keeps grinding … the fact that we got Brash and Muñoz in that game, I take that as a win for us. Four-game series, you get two of their high-leverage pitchers in the game. Kept fighting till the end.”
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Saturday’s pitching matchup is scheduled to feature a pair of right-handers in Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr. (1-0, 3.27) and Seattle’s Luis Castillo (0-0, 2.79).
Both pitched well in their first starts of the season but failed to make it through five innings the last time out in extra-inning defeats.
McCullers beat Boston 8-1 on March 30 as he allowed one run on four hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts. He took a no-decision Sunday in a game the Astros lost 12-10 in 10 innings to the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif., when he lasted just four innings, giving up three runs. McCullers is 10-3 with a 3.11 ERA in 20 career starts against Seattle.
Castillo pitched six scoreless innings but didn’t get a decision in his first start of the season against the New York Yankees in a game the Mariners eventually won 2-1. He went 3 2/3 innings Sunday against the host Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in an 8-7 loss in 11 innings. Castillo is 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA in nine previous starts versus Houston.
Fury, 37, is still desperate for a trilogy bout with Usyk, who holds the unified belts, after the Ukrainian handed the “Gypsy King” (34-2-1, 24 KOs) the first losses of his professional career.
Tyson Fury (left) and upcoming opponent Arslanbek Makhmudov (Getty)
Whether or not that match-up awaits in Fury’s future, he will first have to overcome Russia’s Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs). The pair will clash in a main-event bout in London, with Conor Benn in action in the co-main event.
Fury vs Makhmudov will take place on Saturday 11 April, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET), with main-event ring walks from 10pm BST (2pm PT / 4pm CT / 5pm ET).
How can I watch it?
The event will stream live exclusively on Netflix worldwide. It will be available to all existing subscribers; in other words, the event will not be a pay-per-view.
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Odds
Fury – 2/9; Makhmudov – 7/2; draw – 20/1
Benn – 1/12; Prograis – 13/2; draw – 25/1
Via William Hill, accurate as of 10 April.
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Conor Benn (pictured) will take on Regis Prograis in the co-main event (Getty Images)
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Brentford boss Keith Andrews hailed Igor Thiago as a “very special player” after he backed up his Brazil debut with a record-breaking brace in a 2-2 draw with fellow European hopefuls Everton.
Striker Thiago became the Bees’ all-time leading scorer in a single Premier League season by taking his tally to 21 with an early penalty and a fortuitous 77th-minute finish.
Brentford were ultimately frustrated as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall levelled in added time at the Gtech Community Stadium after Beto headed Everton’s initial equaliser.
Thiago joined the Bees in a club-record £30million deal from Belgian side Club Brugge in 2024 but missed most of last term due to injury.
“The biggest thing for Thiago this season was staying fit and playing as many minutes as he has,” said Andrews. “We always knew he had brilliant attributes.
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“The goals get all the attention but his overall performance levels continue to get better and better and he’s constantly evolving his game.
“He’s proving to be a very, very special player.”
Thiago converted from the spot in the third minute following Jordan Pickford’s foul on Kevin Schade to move alongside Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo as Brentford players to have scored 20 goals in a Premier League campaign.
The 24-year-old, who registered a hat-trick in his side’s 4-2 win at Everton in January, then claimed a small piece of history by deflecting home Michael Kayode’s shot.
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Thiago won his first Brazil cap in a 2-1 friendly defeat to France on March 26 before scoring a penalty in a 3-1 win over Croatia on April 1.
“He was in a pretty good place before he left (for international duty),” said Andrews. “He’s grown as the season has gone on, naturally with the journey he’s been on.
“The dream of playing for your country, quite an iconic jersey to wear, was special for all of us and I think he is on cloud nine, there’s no doubt about that.
“Hopefully that can continue for the rest of the season and beyond.”
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The two sides remain firmly in the mix for continental qualification but each missed the chance to pile pressure on Liverpool and Chelsea in the battle to secure Champions League football through a top-five finish.
Brentford stay seventh after edging on to 47 points following a fourth consecutive league draw, with eighth-placed Everton below on goal difference ahead of next weekend’s Merseyside derby.
Speaking about the late leveller, Andrews said: “Unfortunately we couldn’t quite manage those last few moments to see out what I feel would have been a well-deserved win.”
Dewsbury-Hall’s crucial strike was his seventh Everton goal since joining from Chelsea.
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Toffees boss David Moyes said: “Kiernan has been so good for us. From last season there are not many changes but Kiernan has come in and helped us greatly.
“His goals have been hugely important. When I was signing him, when I was speaking with him, he did say, ‘I’ll score goals if I’m played in the right way’.
“He’s scored goals, he’s contributed to the performances, so we’ve been really impressed with Kiernan.
“I’m pleased to get a draw out of the game because it looked as if it wasn’t going to be the case. It’s a tough place to come, taking a point from here is not the worst result.”
Alexander Zverev went down at the Monte-Carlo Masters, losing to Jannik Sinner in a tepid display. He could only muster four games in the 6-1, 6-4 loss. Emotions understandably ran high in the match for the German, who even had an outburst mid-match.
Turning to his box, he lameted that he did not know what to do to win points against Sinner on the given day.
Thanks for the submission!
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“I don’t know how to play him today”, Alexander Zverev could be heard telling his box.
Zverev found himself on the back foot of the encounter right from the start. He never got a look at the breakpoint, while also struggling to win easy points behind his own serve as well. The usually big-serving German lost his serve on four occasions in the match and was unable to hit any ace in the match.
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With this defeat, Zverev has now gone down 4-9 in his win-loss record against Sinner. The Italian has dominated the rivalry in recent times, winning their last eight matches. In those wins, Sinner has dropped on one set against his opponent.
“I felt really solid from the beginning” – Jannik Sinner after beating Alexander Zverev at Monte-Carlo Masters
Jannik Sinner at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. (Source: Getty)
Jannik Sinner reflected positively on his win over Alexander Zverev in the Monte-Carlo Masters, saying he was feeling solid from the get-go. He also expressed satisfaction with the way his game as come together on clay given that he has worked on particular aspects right before the red dirt swing.
“I’m very happy. We came here trying to give myself some feedback [on clay] and now finding myself in the final means a lot to me,” Jannik Sinner said. “Obviously every match, every day is different, so I’m very happy about today’s performance. I felt really solid from the beginning. When you are a break up straightaway, it changes the dynamic of the match, so very happy and let’s see what’s coming in the final.”
The Italian looked ahead at the final with optimism, saying he was going in with nothing to lose. He added he was expecting a tough fight from World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
“I have nothing to lose. Coming here and making the final means a lot to me, so of course I will try to push as much as I can tomorrow on the last day,” Jannik Sinner said. “Now the most important thing is to rest. It was a good performance from my side, and tomorrow is going to be a tough one.
Alcaraz and Sinner will clash in the Monte-Carlo Masters final on Sunday. The Spaniard had beaten home hope Valentin Vacherot in his semifinal encounter 6-4, 6-4.
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