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In two days, the Minnesota Vikings begin selecting for the 2026 draft class, the first such event without Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in charge in five years. And thanks to the team’s leaders, along with Justin Jefferson, the masses learned a little bit more about the Vikings on Monday.

The Vikings’ pre-draft press conference offered insight into QB plans, roster priorities, and the front office’s views on key veterans heading into the 2026 draft.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell, interim boss Rob Brzezinski, and Jefferson spoke to the media in Eagan and provided some insightful intel.

McCarthy, Greenard, and Murray Took Center Stage Monday

The draft is in Pittsburgh, and the Vikings have nine picks to start.

1. Harrison Smith’s Return Remains a True Mystery

Smith completed his 14th NFL season in 2025; the Vikings even have a retirement party for him during Week 18. But since that moment, the communication on Smith’s retirement or return has hit radio silence.

Reporters asked O’Connell about Smith, and he comically replied, “Now that you remind me, I’ll probably bug him today.”

“We’re trying to give Harrison as much space as possible,” O’Connell added while insinuating that Smith is more than welcome back for Year No. 15.

Meanwhile, Minnesota could draft Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman or Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at Smith’s position. In fact, the betting favorite for the Vikings’ first draft picks is — you guessed it — a safety.

Smith’s retirement-or-return situation still has no clarity.

2. J.J. McCarthy’s Back Is against the Wall

In a weird twist, the McCarthy comments came from his top playmaker, Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson said about his young quarterback, “And then for J.J., for somebody to enter that room with that type of ability, that type of talent, he’s got to step it up a little bit.”

“So it’s good for him to feel that type of pressure and to really lock in a little bit and say, ‘It’s either now or I’m going to take that back seat again.’ So it’s all a competitive mindset when it comes to these type of things. So it’s all about who’s ready for that moment and who’s ready to step up and take that initiative.”

“Taking that back seat again” caught some listeners off guard. Jefferson must’ve been referring to 2024 when McCarthy was sidelined by a torn meniscus and Sam Darnold took the reins of the offense.

Regardless, with Kyler Murray in the house, Jefferson point-blank told the public that McCarthy must show up to training camp this summer with his game face on. And while that’s common knowledge by now, Jefferson confirmed it.

3. Vikings Don’t Want to Trade Jonathan Greenard, but He Is Not Untouchable

Greenard trade rumor smoke has billowed since the start of March.

O’Connell said Monday, “I had a conversation with him last week. We’re trying to keep our conversations and dialogue going. I have such a good relationship with Jonathan. He’s been so impactful on me personally, one of our leaders. He knows exactly how I feel about him, how we feel about him as an organization.”

“I’ll continue to have that dialogue and ongoing dialogue as we move forward. But it’s been good, and I think Jonathan’s really respected at least the point of view that our dialogue brings and the clarity, and he knows that I’m always a phone call away.”

More importantly, Brzezinski added on Greenard, “I mean, JG’s a great player. I expect JG to be here. There’s been speculation. There’s conversations that take place with respect to players all the time on rosters.”

“And for some reason, sometimes some things get public and other times they don’t. But he’s a really good player and a special person and a leader. And we’re really happy he’s a part of our team.”

This is a textbook answer for a player on the trade block. The Vikings must decide if they can afford Greenard’s extension price, which may be upward of $35 million per season, especially after his former teammate, Will Anderson, just grabbed $50 million annually in Houston last weekend.

4. The Kyler Murray Excitement Is Palpable

Jefferson explained that the Vikings’ brass kept him abreast of the quarterback plan in March. He sounded pretty fired up about Murray.

“I’m definitely looking for those big, exciting plays from Murray. I’m definitely looking forward to his speed, his quickness, his arm strength that he’s shown countless times over the years,” Jefferson opined.

“It’s really good to get some good talent in the room to give a little spark in that room to see a competitive edge and from those guys to really lock in and to do what we’re expecting them to do, which is to come in and to be that guy. And we need that one guy for this team. So I’m definitely excited for that room, excited to see what those guys have in store for us in training camp.”

Down the stretch last season, Vikings fans were not fixated on a postseason chase because the club had been eliminated by mid-December. Instead, everyone counted Jefferson’s receiving yards, hoping he’d maintain his 1,000-yard streak.

Perhaps this year, with Murray in charge, the Vikings can cross Jefferson’s yardage off the to-do list in November and embed themselves in an honest-to-goodness postseason hunt. That’s the goal.

Danhausen made his debut at Elimination Chamber in February when he appeared out of a mysterious box that was set up on the stage.

The pro wrestling star’s entrance came with a puzzled fan base and questions about who this guy was and how he was going to fit on a crowded roster filled with talented wrestlers all vying for championships and time on the major premium live events, “Monday Night Raw,” and “Friday Night SmackDown.”

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Danhausen made his WWE debut during the Elimination Chamber event at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)

Danhausen came out with his faced painted and several women, known at the time as the Danhausenettes. It was his first appearance since he left All Elite Wrestling, where he had the same gimmick – putting a “curse” and emerging as more of a comedy act than anything.

In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania, Danhausen caught on with the fans. He “cursed” The Miz, Kit Wilson, Dominik Mysterio, the New York Mets and Stephen A. Smith in between his debut and WrestleMania 42. In Las Vegas, his T-shirts were everywhere and dozens of fans painted their faces to match the “very nice, very evil” superstar.

“I’ve only been here for about two months, and look at the impact Danhausen’s made,” he told Fox News Digital before WrestleMania Night 1. “He’s got a merchandise stand at WrestleMania. He’s going to be at WrestleMania. And his face is on everything. Gotta get it on the side of the truck still. But what was your question? I was talking about how great I am.”

Danhausen made his WWE debut during the Elimination Chamber event at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)

ROMAN REIGNS, CM PUNK PUT ON PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING MASTERCLASS AT WRESTLEMANIA 42

Danhausen also provided an update on the Danhausenettes, who haven’t been seen since they were dancing and performing on the stage at Elimination Chamber.

“Well, we gave them a vacation,” he said. “A great reception. We gave them their human monies to go off and do whatever they want for the time being. Perhaps we’ll see them again. Perhaps we won’t. I don’t know. It’ll be a surprise.”

Danhausen appeared at WrestleMania Night 2 – his first WrestleMania.

He came out to a huge reaction in a segment that involved John Cena, The Miz and Wilson. He was accompanied by pro wrestlers rom Micro Wrestling. They also got involved as Danhausen struck The Miz in the groin. The Micro Wrestling performers carried The Miz out of the ring.

Danhausen and John Cena celebrate during WrestleMania 42: Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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It was one of the funniest moments of the weekend. One thing is for sure, Danhausen is in WWE to stay.

The Delhi High Court has held Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh guilty of contempt of court for wilfully disobeying its order.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said he would hear the issue of sentence on May 4 but granted Singh liberty to “purge” the contempt by undertaking “such measures as found fit.” 
The court passed the judgement on April 20 on a contempt plea by Syeed Asima Ali, the elected Vice President of Hockey India, who alleged non-compliance with an order passed on January 17, 2025, by the sports body’s officials.

The court stated that as per its directions, Hockey India officials were required to give requisite links to the petitioner to enable her to participate in all executive board meetings but they failed to do so for meetings held on July 4, 2025 and July 27, 2025.

It observed that any purported subsequent events did not excuse the officials from their obligation to provide links to the petitioner, when they had not even sought modification of the direction.

“No endeavour has ever been made to purge the contempt. The minutes of the meeting, links for which were not provided to the petitioner, still stares at the face of the Court’s subsisting directions. There was not even a whisper of an apology, let alone an unconditional apology. Even otherwise, also, an unconditional apology, unlike the holy water from the Ganges, cannot purify the respondents, specifically Mr. Bhola Nath Singh, of his conscious, concerted, deliberate and willful disobedience of the Court’s directions,” the court stated in the judgement.

It held that the manner in which Hockey India and Singh conducted himself through the course of the present proceedings amounted to a clear case of contempt of court.

Stating that non-compliance of court orders by a National Sports Federation, which functions under the aegis of and receives funds from the State, was no less than an administrative sin, the court concluded, “This Court finds the respondents, and specifically Mr. Bhola Nath Singh, Secretary General of Hockey India, guilty of committing contempt of Court, by willfully disobeying/not complying with the order dated 17.01.2025”.

The order of January 17, 2025 was passed on a petition by Ali for the removal of Singh from the post of secretary general of Hockey India.

It was alleged that Singh is ineligible to hold any elected office in Hockey India owing to the tenure and age restrictions enumerated in the Sports Code.

As an interim direction, the court asked Hockey India officials to provide the requisite links to the petitioner to enable her to participate in all executive board meetings.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola says the appointment of Marco Rose to replace him in the summer will leave the club “in very good hands”.

Former Borussia Dortmund boss Rose, 49, will take over at the end of the season when Iraola’s contract expires.

Rose has been without a club since he was sacked by RB Leipzig in March 2025 and has not previously managed in England.

He led Red Bull Salzburg to two Austrian Bundesliga titles and the Austrian Cup, and won the German Cup and German Super Cup with Leipzig.

Rose was also one of the candidates considered by Tottenham Hotspur after the sacking of Thomas Frank in February.

Iraola said: “I think the club will be in very good hands. He’s a great manager.

“I praised him a few years ago, I always liked his teams and I hope he continues that.

“He’s a good manager with a lot of European experience. He looks very exciting. I don’t know him personally but I always like his teams.

“They should be happy because he’s someone who can definitely improve the team. I’m sure the players are happy they know what’s happening. “

Iraola has guided the Cherries to a 13-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and they are eighth before facing Leeds on Wednesday.

He could deliver European football for the first time in Bournemouth‘s history before departing. His next job is not yet known.

“We are in a good place in the standings but it’s going to be so difficult for us,” Iraola said.

“We are competing against not one or two but a lot of teams.”

Christian Pulisic has declared the current United States national team to be the strongest he has ever been a part of, with the AC Milan forward expressing significant optimism for the squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Pulisic, a long-standing figurehead for US soccer, believes the team is in an excellent position as anticipation builds for the tournament, which is set to be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“I think you could say so,” Pulisic told Reuters when asked if this iteration of the US team was its strongest since he established himself in the squad.

“Looking at the guys playing at the highest levels and doing extremely well at their clubs, and I think for sure you have a really, really strong squad and depth as well. Multiple guys that can play in every position. It’s a very strong team.”

The squad, led by Pulisic and coach Mauricio Pochettino, is expected to feature attacking talents such as Folarin Balogun and Tim Weah, alongside midfielders Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams. Defensively, Tim Ream and Chris Richards are anticipated to play key roles, with Matt Freese and Matt Turner in goal.

For Pulisic, the prospect of competing in a World Cup on home turf adds an extra layer of motivation to soccer’s premier event.

“A World Cup is enough motivation in itself and having it in the US, having my family and close friends there, there’s just nothing more you can ask for,” he stated.

The 27-year-old hopes American fans will provide a crucial boost to the team when the tournament commences. The US are scheduled to face Paraguay on 12 June at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

“I know the energy in the stadiums is going to be great,” he said. “We want to take as much of that as we can, take that motivation and push to make the American people proud.”

Pulisic, who has represented the US since his teenage years, emphasized the profound significance of wearing the national team shirt.

“Representing the US and being able to wear that crest, I don’t take it lightly,” he affirmed. “It’s something I’ve been doing since I was 17 years old… I’m very proud to be an American and am grateful for everything this country has given me. I just want to give everything back and hopefully make some people proud.”

Often labelled “Captain America” and seen as the public face of the men’s game in the country, Pulisic revealed he prefers to ignore such external pressures.

“I’d say I definitely tune it out,” he explained. “It’s not something I look into too much. I worry about what I can do and how I can help my team and how I can help us win.”

He added that his leadership style has evolved towards setting standards through his work ethic rather than through speeches.

“I hope what I do from a day-to-day perspective, in training every single day, the way that I work, I hope I can show people my dedication to the team and lead by example,” he said.

Pulisic also clarified that he does not feel burdened by a broader responsibility to be the sport’s standard-bearer in the United States, though he hopes to inspire younger players.

“I’m focused on doing my job,” he said. “If I can inspire some people along the way, that’s amazing. That pushes me and I hope to do that. But I don’t feel pressure to do it.”

Despite growing expectations for the co-hosts, Pulisic was hesitant to define success by a specific finishing position, stating only that the initial objective is to progress from the group stage before approaching the tournament one match at a time.

His message to supporters, however, was unequivocal: “The team’s in a good place. People should be excited and hopefully ready to cheer us on.”

The PGA Tour has announced that it will not be hosting an event in Hawaii during the 2027 season, ending a 56-year run of holding a tournament in The Aloha State. The change comes as the Tour and CEO Brian Rolapp have consistently teased a revamped schedule beginning next year.

The Tour was forced to cancel The Sentry at the start of the 2026 campaign due to the dying grass on the Plantation Course at Kapalua amid a local dispute with the company responsible for delivering water to the area. 

An aerial view of the golf course from over the ocean prior to The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on December 31, 2023 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR)

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With The Sentry being canceled, the Sony Open at Waialae Country on Oahu served as the Tour’s season opener in ‘26, which was won by Chris Gotterup. The event was in the final year of its sponsorship, although the Tour has shared that it is working toward making the event the opening event on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

Chris Gotterup of the United States celebrates with the trophy on the 18th green after his winning round of the Sony Open in Hawaii 2026 at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2026 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

The Tour’s removal of The Sentry and the Sony Open wipes out what has now turned into a traditional two-week stretch on the island to begin a new season.

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The PGA Tour did not share further details about the 2027 schedule upon its announcement about leaving Hawaii, but with Sentry reportedly being an event title-sponsor through 2035, it will need to find a new landing spot on the calendar. The logical stop would be Torrey Pines in San Diego, which checks the West Coast and great weather boxes, but the venue is also looking for a new sponsor, as its deal with Farmers Insurance ended in 2026.

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View of the 18th hole is seen during the final round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 5, 2025 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

The Tour’s decision not to begin next season in Hawaii makes sense, as there are plenty of venues in the lower 48 states that are much easier to operate from, but the departure will have a tremendous financial impact on the state.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that The Sentry is estimated to have a $50 million annual impact on the community, while the Sony Open directly generates an estimated $100 million in revenue per year, plus another $1 million per year to Friends of Hawaii charities.

Adam Schefter Reveals Patriots Have ‘Interest’ In This Prospect With No. 31 Pick originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The pursuit of an A.J. Brown trade currently is the top story surrounding the New England Patriots. The reporting on the Brown trade has made it easy to forget that the Patriots soon will add several players in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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So, what will New England do with the 31st-overall pick?

ESPN insider Adam Schefter offered insight in the latest episode of his podcast. Schefter identified Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor as a prospect whom New England could target late in the first round.

“I have a sense the Patriots might have some interest in (Iheanachor),” Schefter said. “They have to operate under the assumption that AJ Brown’s gonna be coming in, so they’re gonna be in a good spot.”

It’s unclear whether the Patriots would target a tackle like Iheanachor as a replacement for right tackle Morgan Moses or left tackle Will Campbell. Iheanachor primarily played right tackle at Arizona State, but New England could view him as a player capable of playing either spot.

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Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and personnel executive Eliot Wolf have insisted Campbell will remain at left tackle, but that wouldn’t preclude them from drafting a prospect with left-tackle traits as a contingency plan in case Campbell eventually needs to be moved to left guard. It’s also worth noting that Vrabel attended a scouting event at Arizona State last month, giving him an up-close look at Iheanachor.

Here’s what NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein wrote of Iheanachor in his scouting summary:

“An ascending, traits-heavy tackle prospect, Iheanachor is a former high school hooper and late-comer to football. He has good length and excellent lean mass. His hands and footwork need refinement, but his range and play strength should translate to any run scheme. There is work to do with pass-protection technique, but strong performances against Texas Tech’s rush duo last season and at the Senior Bowl suggest Iheanachor might be more game-ready than I previously anticipated. In a year light on high-end tackles, Iheanachor’s measurables, athleticism and upside could push him up the board.”

The NFL draft begins Thursday night.

More NFL: Adam Schefter Reveals Likely Trade Price For Patriots-A.J. Brown Deal

Metz defender Tahirys dos Santos, who survived a Swiss bar fire on New Year’s Eve that killed 41 people, has signed his first professional contract.

The 19-year-old, who helped rescue his partner at the Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, was one of more than 100 people injured, sustaining burns to 30% of his body that needed a skin graft.

He returned to action for Metz reserves on 11 April.

Dos Santos, who joined the academy aged eight, has agreed a one-year deal.

“This moment has an even more special meaning after the difficult months I went through in hospital,” he told the club website.