Cam Akers fights for extra yardage as multiple Green Bay defenders converge, absorbing contact during a physical run for the Minnesota Vikings on Oct 29, 2023, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The running back, wearing No. 31, is wrapped up by Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, and De’Vondre Campbell on the play. Mandatory Credit: Tork Mason-USA TODAY Sports.
There’s a familiar joke among Minnesota Vikings fans — at which point on the calendar will the team sign running back Cam Akers? And thanks to the Seattle Seahawks, that joke will be alive and well this spring and summer.
Minnesota knows Akers well, but its current RB room makes another reunion less urgent.
Seattle dumped Akers on Monday, two days after the NFL draft.
Advertisement
Akers Returns to the Open Market
Yes, the Vikings can now sign Akers if they’re in the mood.
Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers (27) lines up against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card clash at State Farm Stadium, with Jan. 13, 2025 marking the postseason stage as he faces his former team. The moment reflects Akers’ continued role in Minnesota’s backfield during high-stakes playoff action. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Akers Out in SEA
That’s it for Akers in Emerald City, at least for now. Seattle Times‘s Bob Condotta wrote Monday, “The Seahawks released veteran running back Cam Akers on Monday in the wake of selecting Jadarian Price in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday. Akers, a seven-year NFL veteran, signed to the Seahawks’ practice squad last November after an injury to George Holani.”
“He played in three regular-season games and in the NFC title game win over the Rams without getting a carry. He had two kickoff returns for 54 yards in a late-season win at Carolina. The release of Akers leaves the Seahawks with six running backs on the roster — Price, Zach Charbonnet, Holani, Kenny McIntosh, Jacardia Wright and free agent signee Emanuel Wilson.”
Advertisement
Akers will now bide his time for his next NFL team, with the Vikings obviously being a possible landing spot because of their ardor for the man.
Making Room for Price & Akers’s Career Bio
Draft heads projected Price as a 2nd-Rounder, but with so few urgent roster needs, the Seahawks splurged on him, a wise choice, given Charbonnet’s late-season injury in 2025. Price figures to pull down an RB1 or RB2 workload sooner rather than later, and with that upcoming, there’s evidently no room on the 90-man roster for Akers.
Once a promising second-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, Akers has experienced significant movement in recent seasons, notably including the multiple stints with Minnesota. One of these was very brief in 2025, where he played only eight offensive snaps and seven on special teams.
Advertisement
His comprehensive NFL journey, including recent stops in Minnesota, is as follows:
Los Angeles Rams (2020–2023)
Minnesota Vikings (2023)
Houston Texans (2024)
Minnesota Vikings (2024)
New Orleans Saints (2025)
Minnesota Vikings (2025)
Seattle Seahawks (2025)
At 26, Akers has accumulated 2,044 rushing yards on 507 carries (4.0 yards per attempt) and 17 total touchdowns over six seasons, along with 52 receptions for 388 receiving yards. His durability, however, is particularly remarkable. While two Achilles tears typically end a running back’s career, Akers has consistently battled back to secure a spot on NFL rosters.
The Vikings’ Current RB Setup
Do the Vikings need Akers? They do not. But in years past, Akers didn’t necessarily feel like a priority either, and he somehow found his way onto the roster. Here’s the current RB room in Minnesota after the draft:
RB1: Aaron Jones RB2: Jordan Mason RB3: Demond Claibonre RB4: Zavier Scott RB5: Kejon Owens
Advertisement
Theoretically, if Akers landed in Minnesota again soon, he’d hope to snatch the RB4 job from Scott because Jones, Mason, and Claiborne probably aren’t going anywhere.
Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers (27) carries the ball against the Green Bay Packers during second-quarter action at U.S. Bank Stadium, with Dec. 29, 2024 capturing a late-season divisional battle. Akers pushes through traffic while Minnesota leans on its rushing attack in a tightly contested matchup against Green Bay. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
The Viking Age‘s Adam Carlson on Akers: “Of course, Minnesota should be in no rush to sign a running back since the team needs to evaluate its young running backs before making any changes to the roster. If Akers is still available after training camp, he could be a solid, familiar face to add to the roster.”
“Time will tell whether fate brings Akers back to the Minnesota Vikings for another reunion, but one thing is certain: the former Florida State running back seems to help bring success to any franchise that he is a part of.”
The History with Akers
From September 2023 to present, the Vikings have signed Akers twice from free agency (July 2024 and September 2025) and traded for him twice (September 2023 with the Los Angeles Rams and October 2024 with the Houston Texans).
Advertisement
He’s their guy. They can’t quit him.
Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers (23) carries the ball against the New York Jets during first-quarter action at SoFi Stadium, with Dec. 20, 2020 marking an early-career outing. Akers accelerates through the line as the Rams test their ground game, though the Jets ultimately secured a narrow 23-20 victory. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
In the last three years, anytime a reserve running back, like Ty Chandler, got too close to the RB2 or RB3 job, Minnesota seemed to put its foot down and acquire Akers. While the running back room feels full right now, an Akers signing can never be ruled out when Kevin O’Connell runs the Vikings.
He’s arguably best known for this catch as a Viking that helped secure a win over the Green Bay Packers in 2024:
Akers will turn 27 in June. He’s the proud owner of two Super Bowl rings (Rams, Seahawks).
College sports are completely different now than it was when Shaquille O’Neal spent his days dunking basketballs for the LSU Tigers before he entered the NBA.
O’Neal played three seasons at LSU before he chose to go pro. He was later selected No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 draft.
Florida Gators forward Me’arah O’Neal walks on the court against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla., on Jan. 4, 2026.(Matt Pendleton/Imagn Images)
With the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and the increased usage of the transfer portal, there is hardly an athlete nowadays who doesn’t at least think about changing up schools. O’Neal’s daughter became the latest college athlete to switch schools on Monday.
Me’Arah O’Neal announced she will transfer to the Kentucky Wildcats.
“I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful—I know that very well. (Psalms 139:14),” she wrote on Instagram announcing her commitment.
Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper attempts a shot while guarded by Florida forward Me’Arah O’Neal in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 1, 2026.(Saul Young/News Sentinel/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
O’Neal played two seasons with the Gators, increasing her playing time in 2025-26. She averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Florida finished 18-15 on the year but failed to make the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The Wildcats are coming off a season in which they made the Elite Eight. Kentucky finished 25-11 and defeated the James Madison Dukes and West Virginia Mountaineers before falling to the Texas Longhorns.
Shaquille O’Neal previously praised his daughter as being the standout basketball player in his family.
Shaquille O’Neal honors the flag during the women’s basketball game at the Steven C. O’Connell Center Exactech Arena in Gainesville, Fla., on Jan. 29, 2026. His daughter, Florida forward Me’arah O’Neal, is on the team.(Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun)
“My baby is the best athlete in the family because she can do it all,” he said, via ESPN. “She’s not an old-school player. She’s the new pick-your-type player, so I’m going to give her the title. She can shoot, she can dribble. She can’t be fazed when it comes to certain things.”
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Pokemon GO Fest 2026 Global will be a completely free event. Niantic has mentioned that there will be no paywalled content that had been common in previous iterations of the GO Fest event. This is a surprise step from the developers, but one that is likely explained by the big debuts scheduled for GO Fest 2026.
Coinciding with the game’s 10th anniversary, Pokemon GO Fest 2026 Global will take place on June 11 and June 12 between 10 am and 7 pm local time each day. The event will mark the debut of Zeraora and the mega-evolved forms of Mewtwo.
Pokemon GO Fest 2026 will be free for all trainers
Announcing the same, Niantic mentioned:
“Yes, GO Fest: Global is FREE for the first time! Pokemon GO Fest 2026: Global is FREE for all Trainers logged in during the event weekend. That means Special Research, additional bonuses, and an increased chance of encountering Shiny Pokémon are available to all Trainers at no cost!”
Advertisement
GO Fest 2026 Global Special Research will net trainers an encounter with the Thunderclap Pokemon, Zeraora. Those who have already caught the Pokemon in the in-person events will get Zeraora Candy instead. GO Fest 2026 Timed Research has a chance of giving Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y Energy.
The following GO Fest 2026: Global bonuses and features will be active:
10 am to 7 pm each day
Advertisement
“Increased appearances of Pokemon-type featured during each time block of GO Fest: Global!
Lure Modules activated during the event will last for one hour.
Incense (excluding Daily Adventure Incense) will attract special Pokemon.
Party Play will be active for nine hours
Increased chance of encountering Shiny Pokemon
Special Research including an encounter with Zeraora
Branching Timed Research with a choice between Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y.
Global Challenges to unlock additional bonuses and Ultra Unlock events.
Different Pokemon type–themed Field Research every hour”
12 am to 11.59 pm each day
Up to nine free Raid Passes per day by spinning Photo Discs at Gyms
Up to six Special Trades
1/2 Stardust cost for all trades
Open up to 50 Gifts each day
Mega Mewtwo forms in Pokemon GO Fest 2026 (Image via Niantic)
The decision to make GO Fest 2026: Global free may have been influenced by the Super Mega Raids that trainers need to participate in to battle Mega Mewtwo X/Y and get their respective energies. Given that these unique Mega Raids can host over a thousand trainers, Niantic is hoping for a massive turnout and will surely ensure that the difficulty of these battles will be appropriately greater.
Furthermore, with an increased number of players participating and the massive popularity of Mewtwo, trainers may choose to spend more on Passes and Link Charges to get enough Mega Mewtwo Energy. For those unaware, “every Mega Mewtwo caught from Super Mega Raids will also have at least one Mega Level [or Mega Level 2 or 3 for lucky trainers] already unlocked and can be Mega Evolved without the initial energy cost”.
Mark Allen’s bid to become the oldest first-time world champion in the modern era gathered momentum as he reached the semi-finals with a 13-11 victory over Barry Hawkins at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
The 40-year-old Northern Irishman is aiming to complete snooker’s Triple Crown having previously triumphed in the UK Championship and Masters.
However, snooker’s biggest prize has so far eluded him in 19 previous attempts with his win over Hawkins earning him a place in the last four for only the third time.
Having resumed at 8-8, Allen took the opening two frames of Wednesday morning’s session only to be pegged back by the 2013 finalist, who knocked in breaks of 70 and 83 in response.
Advertisement
The players traded frames before Allen constructed his third century of a high-quality affair to move 12-11 ahead.
In a dramatic final frame Allen took control with a break of 59 and sealed his passage to the single-table stage after the Englishman underhit an attempted snooker on the pink just seconds after fluking a red to give himself the chance to force a decider.
Allen will now face either Wu Yize or Hossein Vafaei in a best-of-33 encounter that begins on Thursday at 19:00 BST.
Should Allen win the world title he will become the oldest first-time winner in the modern era, eclipsing Stuart Bingham, who claimed the world title in 2015, aged 38 years and 343 days.
Football’s global governing body Fifa has initiated discussions regarding a groundbreaking proposal that would mandate all professional teams to feature at least one homegrown young player on the pitch throughout matches.
The Fifa Council agreed on Tuesday to aim to develop a formal plan within the next year following extensive global consultation with stakeholders.
This initiative seeks to enhance playing opportunities for young talents developed within clubs, which often prioritise acquiring and importing established players.
Fifa stated its objective is “a regulatory obligation that senior club teams are obliged to always have at least one homegrown player from the Under-20 or Under-21 category on the field of play.”
Fifa is considering introducing a new homegrown player rule (Reuters)
This potential rule represents a stricter approach than current regulations in both national and international club competitions, including the prestigious Champions League.
Existing rules typically require a quota of homegrown and club-trained players within squad lists, but crucially, impose no obligation for their selection in starting line-ups or during games.
Advertisement
For instance, Champions League guidelines stipulate that each squad must reserve a minimum of eight places for “locally trained players” within its 25-player maximum.
Uefa, the Champions League organiser, defines a locally trained player as one nurtured either by the club itself or another club in the same country for at least three full seasons between the ages of 15 and 21. For example, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo are considered locally trained players.
Fifa has been exploring a number of rule changes in recent months, with VAR set to have more power at this summer’s World Cup.
Using VAR to check corners will be an option for competitions from this summer, while referees will also be able to do a five-second countdown if they feel players are taking too long with throw-ins or dead-ball goal kicks.
Advertisement
Fifa has also been trialling a new “daylight offside” rule in Canada, an idea promoted by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
2 min read Last Updated : Apr 29 2026 | 3:16 PM IST
Veteran Indian golfer Vijay Kumar has died in his home town Lucknow due to a heart attack. He was 57.
The winner of the 2002 Indian Open and a four-time Order of Merit champion, Vijay was among the most accomplished and respected names in Indian professional golf.
Vijay turned professional in 1988. He dominated Indian domestic golf from the mid-1990s to the early part of the next decade with an illustrious career marked by numerous titles.
Advertisement
Vijay’s iconic triumph at the 2002 Indian Open remains a landmark moment in Indian golf. He is one of only nine Indian golfers to have won the Indian Open. Vijay also represented India at the Alfred Dunhill Cup 1999 played at St. Andrews in Scotland.
Widely admired for his skill, consistency, competitive spirit and exemplary conduct, Vijay inspired generations of golfers and contributed significantly to the growth of the sport in the country.
Kapil Dev, President, DP World Professional Golf Tour of India, said, “Vijay Kumar ji was one of the true stalwarts of Indian golf. His achievements, humility and commitment to the sport made him a role model for generations of golfers.
Advertisement
“His passing is a great loss to Indian golf, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Apr 28, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Detroit starter Casey Mize left in the third inning of the Tigers’ Tuesday game against the host Atlanta Braves due to right groin tightness and he will undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday.
Mize, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, appeared to grimace after fielding a soft grounder from Atlanta’s Drake Baldwin and tossing an underhanded throw to first to record an out.
Detroit manager A.J. Hinch and the team trainer examined Mize, who was immediately removed from the game.
“He came up pretty tentative and he wanted to throw a pitch, but we’re not going to mess with that in April,” Hinch said after the Tigers’ 5-2 loss. “And just given how he was describing how he was feeling, we took him out of the game. He’ll get checked out. I have no idea the severity or anything like that, yet.”
Advertisement
Mize said the issue first arose in the second inning.
“It wasn’t like a one pitch, like grab thing, it was kind of like a gradual tightening up a little bit. So I made it through that inning. Then we did some tests on it in between innings, and felt like good enough to go back out there, but it kind of just never really went away.”
A first-time All-Star last season, Mize is off to a strong start this season with a 2-2 record and 2.90 ERA through six starts. He took the loss on Tuesday after giving up two runs on three hits, striking out three and walking one in 2 1/3 innings.
All 36 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory have submitted teams for the men’s and women’s events of this year’s President Federation Cup.
The competition is one of Nigeria’s biggest domestic football tournaments and will feature clubs from different parts of the country fighting for the title in both categories.
In the women’s competition, top teams such as Bayelsa Queens FC, Edo Queens FC, Rivers Angels FC, Nasarawa Amazons FC, FC Robo Queens and Delta Queens FC are expected to take part.
Advertisement
The FCT will be represented by Naija Ratels FC and NAF FC, while states like Lagos, Oyo, Plateau and Kaduna also submitted more than one team.
In the men’s competition, several Nigeria Premier Football League clubs have confirmed their participation. They include Enyimba FC, Rangers International FC, Bendel Insurance FC, Rivers United FC, Plateau United FC and Akwa United FC.
Other teams listed for the tournament include Lobi Stars FC, Kwara United FC, Nasarawa United FC and Niger Tornadoes FC.
Advertisement
The FCT teams for the men’s event are Sporting Supreme FC and their U19 side.
Some states also entered academy and youth teams, showing the competition’s importance in developing young football talents. These include Adamawa United Academy, Jigawa Golden Stars Junior and Zamfara United Feeders.
The President Federation Cup gives lower division and amateur clubs the chance to play against top-flight teams from across Nigeria.
The Raptors vs. Cavaliers series in the first round of the NBA playoffs 2026 is down to a best-of-three as it is 2-2 entering Wednesday’s Game 5. The fourth-seeded Cavs (52-30) won the first two contests at home before dropping the two in Toronto, including a 93-89 defeat in Game 4. The fifth-seeded Raptors (46-36) are looking to end a streak of four straight road defeats, all coming by double-digits. Toronto swept the regular season series, 3-0, including two wins in Cleveland.
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET from Rocket Arena in Cleveland. The Cavs are 14-4 all-time in the postseason versus Toronto. The latest Cavaliers vs. Raptors odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have the Cavs as 8.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 215.5. Before making any Raptors vs. Cavaliers picks, check out the Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the second full week of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 25-9 roll (74%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
After 10,000 simulations of Cavaliers vs. Raptors, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (215.5). In over-under betting, these teams have lit up the scoreboard much more often when playing in Cleveland than in Toronto. The series’ two games in Ohio saw an average of 229.5 points scored, whereas the two in Canada saw just 206 combined points per game. Since the start of 2025, their five meetings in Cleveland have averaged 233.8 total points.
Both squads have highly efficient offenses, though they do it in different ways. Toronto owns the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league and is seventh in field goal percentage. Meanwhile, Cleveland ranks second in 2P percentage and makes the eighth-most 3Ps per game. The model calls for the total to be eclipsed with plenty of points to spare as the Over hits 59.5% of the time, making it a great selection for anybody targeting NBA parlay betting. See the Cavaliers vs. Raptors spread pick at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Cavaliers vs. Raptors at FanDuel here:
Apr 28, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) circles the bases after hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Clay Holmes threw six scoreless innings Tuesday night for the struggling New York Mets, who rolled to an 8-0 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game series.
Bo Bichette homered leading off the first and Juan Soto’s two-run blast closed out a seven-run fourth-inning outburst for the Mets, who are just 3-15 since April 8 — a span in which they have been outscored 87-47.
Three players had a hit apiece the Nationals, who have lost seven of 11.
Holmes (3-2) gave up three hits and one walk while striking out six. The Nationals got their only runner into scoring position in the second, when Holmes escaped a two-on jam by striking out Luis Garcia Jr.
New York reliever Tobias Myers tossed two hitless innings before Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in a perfect ninth.
Advertisement
Bichette was the only Mets player to reach base in the first three innings against Zack Littell (0-4), who retired eight in a row following Bichette’s homer before he walked the third baseman in the third.
MJ Melendez singled with one out in the fourth and Mark Vientos and Brett Baty walked. Melendez and Vientos then scored when third baseman Jorbit Vivas misplayed Marcus Semien’s grounder.
Carson Benge laced a two-RBI single on the next pitch and Ronny Mauricio singled before Benge trotted home on Bichette’s long fly to right. Soto chased Littell with his second homer of the season and his first since April 1.
Advertisement
Benge had two hits — his third multi-hit effort in his last four starts. The rookie outfielder had multiple hits just once in his first 21 games (19 starts).
Littell allowed the eight runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out one over 3 2/3 innings. He has given up 24 runs (18 earned) over just 13 2/3 innings in his past three starts.
Decorated American skier Lindsey Vonn is progressing well in her recovery nearly three months after her dangerous crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics. However, it’s clear she still has a long way to go before she returns to full health.
Vonn suffered a complex tibia fracture as a result of her downhill crash just 13 seconds into her race at the Milan Cortina Games on February 8. She had to be airlifted to a nearby hospital after the accident, eventually undergoing three surgeries before she could return to the U.S.
The 41-year-old skier, who has three Olympic medals to her name, has since undergone two more surgeries to address her injury. Now, she’s undergoing rehab and continuously working to regain the strength she lost because of her accident.
Lindsey Vonn’s update on Instagram
Vonn has often updated her fans about her condition on social media, frequently posting pictures of her personal life and rehab activities.
Last week, she shared a photo of herself walking on a beach with her crutches, writing, “Step by step…recovering physically and mentally.”
Advertisement
On Tuesday, Vonn posted another update, this time taking a selfie after a workout session. In her caption, she admitted that she’s still not back to her old self, although she’s slowly getting there.
Advertisement
“Not quite me but getting there…” Vonn stated, along with a hashtag “stepbystep.”
While Vonn is still recovering and is unable to play the sport she loves, it doesn’t mean she has stopped working altogether. She remains active with her commitments away from her sport. Currently, she’s working on Invivyd’s “Antibodies for Any Body” campaign.
Vonn is also set to speak at the 2026 commencement ceremony of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism on May 15.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login