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The False Kwesi Theory, Inaccurate Drake Maye Takes, Lewis Cine

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Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks during a radio interview with Paul Allen.
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks with Paul Allen during a radio appearance discussing multiple team topics, with October 22, 2024 falling in the buildup to a Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. The conversation came amid a dominant 14–2 regular season that positioned Minnesota as an NFC contender. Mandatory Credit: YouTube

Minnesota Vikings misses and myths are actually quite hot and heavy this week, mainly because of misinformation regarding Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s termination. Here’s a glance at the Nopedy Nopes.

A quick truth check on three Vikings talking points that picked up steam heading into Super Bowl week.

Our weekly publication chronicles all the false and outlandish takes in the Vikings’ orbit — or stuff that simply didn’t work out.

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Kwesi Rumor, Maye Trade Talk, and Cine’s Latest Detour

The Nopey Nopes of Super Bowl week are here.

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks to media at the NFL Scouting Combine. Vikings misses and myths.
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine inside the Indiana Convention Center, with the session taking place on Feb. 27, 2024, as Minnesota weighed offseason priorities, roster flexibility, and long-term planning while setting the framework for free agency and the upcoming draft cycle. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

The Nopedy Nope: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired, in part, because he took paternity leave in 2023.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero joined KFAN this week and, among several items, dispelled the fictitious paternity leave theory.

He told the Power Trip Morning Show, “To pin it on ‘He took paternity leave three years ago,’ even if you’re bringing it up to say, ‘But that wasn’t it,’ you’re introducing a topic that had not been a topic. Sure, is there a level of frustration that comes when you feel like you’re having to do more because your co-worker is out? You don’t fire a guy three years after he took paternity leave. Like, what are we even talking about? It’s just wild. Like, we all knew that.”

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“Yeah, he wasn’t around in the summer of 2023. He missed chunks of the spring and missed part of training camp. But I never got any sense that it was some long-standing thing. It was well known that that happened and that there was some frustration from the people in the building about it, but it never changed the relationship. So, this idea that it was this toxic environment is, frankly, complete and utter nonsense.”

The paternity leave situation was mentioned by reporters covering the Vikings, and some fans then chose to make it the smoking gun for Adofo-Mensah’s termination.

Pelissero added, “I will say this, there is a habit for certain people, if they get beat on a scoop, to immediately lend additional details to the story that may or may not be 100 percent grounded in fact. So, you ended up with a bunch of tweets thrown out there into the universe, that suggested things, that based upon all my knowledge of the situation are not entirely accurate.”

“The idea that this was a toxic environment, there was tension between — Kwesi and Kevin are friends, personally. They have always been good. There was not a fight. There was not a blow-up. It was not, quite frankly, like it was at the end of the Mike Zimmer-Rick Spielman era, two guys that I like a lot, but they weren’t talking. It was never like that.”

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It may be true that paternity leave is uncommon in the NFL, but the Wilfs didn’t fire Adofo-Mensah for it — three years later.

The Verdict: Nopedy nope on Adofo-Mensah losing his job for taking two weeks of paternity leave while working from home.

The Nopedy Nope: The Vikings had a trade in place for Drake Maye in 2024, but they backed out.

SI.com‘s Albert Breer published a piece this week chronicling Sam Darnold’s rise in Seattle, laying out the broader takeaways from that arc.

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Buried inside the article was a revealing detail about Minnesota’s quarterback ambitions in 2024. Breer wrote, “There’s the one caveat to all of this, which is that the Vikings tried with all their might to trade up for Drake Maye in 2024. O’Connell loved him. Maye was coached in high school by Vikings assistant Josh McCown and was a teammate of McCown’s son.”

“Minnesota offered both of its first-round picks in 2024 (Nos. 11 and 23) and its 2025 first-rounder to the Patriots, with later-round pick swaps favoring Minnesota to move up to the third pick.”

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye warms up before a game at Hard Rock Stadium.
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye warms up on the field at Hard Rock Stadium prior to kickoff, with the scene unfolding on Oct. 8, 2022, as the Tar Heels prepared to face Miami while Maye went through pregame throwing drills and movement work ahead of the ACC matchup. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports.

Despite that, a segment of the fan base has spent the time since the 2024 NFL Draft insisting Minnesota simply walked away from the deal. That belief doesn’t align with what actually happened.

Breer added, “O’Connell pushed them to go further. It wouldn’t matter, because the Patriots weren’t moving, sitting there as convicted in Maye as Minnesota was in the former North Carolina quarterback.” The resistance came from New England, not hesitation from Minnesota.

“But if the Vikings had somehow gotten the Patriots off their spot with Maye, all of this might look different, and the aforementioned rumblings probably would have stopped.” The entire trajectory hinged on a pick that was never available.

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There’s a meaningful gap between claiming the Vikings backed off a deal and acknowledging that the Patriots refused to move. One version reflects how draft negotiations actually unfold; the other rewrites events to paint Minnesota’s front office as recklessly incompetent. That’s just not the case.

The Verdict: Nopedy nope on the Vikings backing out of the Maye trade; Robert Kraft cancelled the deal.

The Nopedy Nope: Lewis Cine would catch on in the UFL.

Cine is out — and the UFL league that was supposed to offer a reset.

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Vikings safety Lewis Cine watches drills during a practice session at TCO Performance Center.
Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine observes practice activity at the TCO Performance Center during training camp, with the moment captured on July 27, 2022, as the rookie acclimated to NFL routines, team drills, and coaching instruction following his first-round selection earlier that offseason. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.

UFL writer Michael Heilman wrote over the weekend, “The D.C. Defenders released wide receiver Jalen Virgil, offensive linemen Elijah Ellis and Silas Dzansi, and defensive back Lewis Cine on Saturday according to the UFL Transactions page. Lewis Cine is six foot two and weighs 199 pounds. The 26-year-old from Cedar Hills, Texas, was drafted by the D.C. Defenders in the 2026 UFL Draft.”

“The Minnesota Vikings drafted Cine in the first round (32nd pick) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons in Minnesota with one tackle (1 solo) in 10 games. In 2024, he made 16 tackles (8 solos, 8 assists), one sack, one interception, and one pass breakup in three preseason games. The Vikings released him on August 27, 2024.”

For Cine, this is another miss on a resume that no longer has room for them. The UFL was supposed to be a proving ground. Cine couldn’t even make the cut there.

The Verdict: Nopedy nope on Cine’s football career — in general. He’s probably done.

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Vera Zvonareva Returns to WTA 1000 Draw at 41

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Vera Zvonareva has qualified for the main draw of the Qatar Open, marking her first appearance at the WTA 1000 level since 2023.

The former world No. 2 resumed competition late in 2025 after a 19 month absence, reaching the final of the W100 Dubai in both singles and doubles. She has since played several qualifying events and has had some match wins despite missing main draws in Canberra, Adelaide, and Abu Dhabi.

In Doha, Zvonareva earned her place with straight set wins over Shuai Zhang and Magdalena Frech, her first singles victories over top 100 opponents since late 2023.

  • Gauff and Mboko link up late for Qatar Open DoublesGauff and Mboko link up late for Qatar Open Doubles

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The 41 year old is the oldest player in the Qatar Open draw and is currently the second most senior competitor on the WTA Tour, behind Venus Williams.

Zvonareva will open her campaign on Sunday against Peyton Stearns, setting up a first round meeting between players separated by 17 years.

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Hall of Fame legend says Terence Crawford is not on his level: “He didn’t do what I did”

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Terence Crawford has received plenty of plaudits recently, but one Hall of Fame fighter claims he isn’t on his level, along with Shakur Stevenson, believing that neither man is in the class he was in when he was active.

Crawford hung up the gloves back in December after defeating Canelo Alvarez and he has since been praised as one of the greatest fighters of the modern era, having reigned as undisputed champion in three weight classes.

Meanwhile, Stevenson is being heralded as one of boxing’s current best off the back of a one-sided decision victory against Teofimo Lopez, claiming a 119-109 decision on all three of the judges’ scorecards and becoming the the sport’s third-youngest four-division world champion in the process.

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However, despite the efforts of both men, former three-weight world champion James Toney told FightHype that their wins have not been dominant or destructive enough to warrant the same recognition as him.

“He looked good, alright, but it wasn’t no James Toney performance, you know that. Every time that I fought on the big stage, [Iran] Barkley, [Evander] Holyfield, John Ruiz and countless others – I am dominating them.

Terence Crawford, I love Terence Crawford, but he didn’t even do what I did. He didn’t do it, but he won 12 rounds. I did damage, I stopped people, I knocked people out, that is why they called me ‘Lights Out’.”

At 28 years old, there is plenty of time for Stevenson to further etch his name into the history books, with a possible move to the welterweight division potentially presenting the Newark southpaw with the opportunity to become boxing’s seventh five-division champion.

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Oak Hill Delivers Timely Lindsay Park Victory in 2026 Rubiton Stakes

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Lindsay Park, under the guidance of Ben, Will and J D Hayes, has claimed a vital success with Oak Hill’s Caulfield conquest in 2026.

This sprinter’s result in Saturday’s Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) was the first for the stable in metro ranks following the January 21 Sandown pair from Vivacissimo and Crocodile.

The month of January was testing for Lindsay Park, hit by on-track woes and the destructive bushfires across Victoria that torched extensive sections of their Lindsay Park estate, prompting horse evacuations.

Oak Hill’s win proved perfectly timed amid the hardships at the Creighton’s Creek training site, as per J D Hayes.

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Oak Hill ($4.60), piloted by Damian Lane, edged out Don’t Hope Do ($9) by a long head, with $2.70 elect Hedged settling for third, 1-¼ lengths behind.

“We are definitely happy to put January behind us and that was a terrific effort,” Hayes said.

“I thought he put the writing on the wall last start with his return run. We’ve taken all the gear off his head and he’s just starting to really learn his craft.

“He’s a late learner and a horse that we inherited from the late, great, Mike Moroney and he is getting better each preparation.

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“And it’s great to get Damian Lane back on board. He won quite a few races on him and it’s always good to get a winner for Rupert Legh in those colours.”

Hayes revealed the handicap Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 21 could be next for Oak Hill.

Lane boasts an excellent record with the gelding, securing five of his eight wins aboard the sprinter.

The jockey is optimistic about Oak Hill navigating the Oakleigh Plate frenzy if chosen by the Hayes siblings.

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“He’s always had the talent and you can put him a touch closer and he’s got the turn-of-foot still,” Lane said.

“He’d handle it (Oakleigh Plate) well. He’s got that experience now in short course racing, hustle and bustle, and now that he’s more mature in the mind that’ll help him, and it will set up well.”

Race enthusiasts can find competitive odds in the racing betting markets for events like the Oakleigh Plate.

The post Oak Hill lands timely Lindsay Park win first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

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Is Jac Collinsworth related to Cris Collinsworth?

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Cris Collinsworth has been the face of NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage for over 15 years. Now, another Collinsworth is in the mix.

Jac Collinsworth will participate in official Super Bowl coverage for the second time ahead of Super Bowl 60. He’ll have the unique opportunity of hosting the pregame show from Alcatraz Island with Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison.

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According to NBC, the Super Bowl LX Pregame Show “will feature a look at the island’s historic significance as a military base, prison, and seabird conservation site, as well as the 19-month occupation by Native Americans in support of freedom and civil rights.”

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Jac, 30, began his relationship with NBC in 2013 while studying at Notre Dame. He was part of the sideline production team for four years and served as NBC’s sideline reporter for the Fighting Irish’s spring game in 2016 and 2017. After a four-year stint at ESPN, Jac returned to NBC in 2020 to become the host of Football Night in America and Notre Dame Football on NBC.

So, the obvious question is whether Jac and Cris Collinsworth are related. The answer is yes. Jac is one of Cris’ four children.

There you have it!

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Is Jac Collinsworth related to Cris Collinsworth?

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NFL fans call out “delusional” Mark Wahlberg for predicting Patriots to blow out Seahawks in Super Bowl LX

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The Seattle Seahawks head into the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots as slight favorites. However, Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg thinks the Patriots will be too much for Seattle’s defense to handle.

Wahlberg, who is a lifelong Patriots fan, was asked about his prediction for Super Bowl LX during an interaction with TMZ Sports in San Francisco on Friday. Wahlberg predicted a dominant win for New England.

“It’s gonna be an ass-whooping, Patriots are gonna win big!” Wahlberg said. “It’s time for Drake Maye to take the throne!”

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NFL fans called out the actor for his “delusional” Super Bowl prediction.

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“Delusional.”

“Remember… he left the stadium when we were down 28-3… what kind of fan is he?”

Remember… he left the stadium when we were down 28-3… what kind of fan is he?

“He’s still trying to make up for leaving during 28-3.”

Hes still trying to make up for leaving during 28-3

“He probably thinks Tom Brady is gonna gear up tomorrow and save them lol 😂”

He probably thinks Tom Brady is gonna gear up tomorrow and save them lol 😂

“That’s a pipe dream.”

“The worst people being pro patriots .. makes u think.”

The worst people being pro patriots .. makes u think

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The Seahawks will make their fourth Super Bowl appearance on Sunday, hoping to win their second ring in franchise history. The last time they faced the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2015, they suffered a dramatic 28-24 loss against Tom Brady’s team.

Also Read: “We are so cooked”: Patriots fans haunted by “Kardashian curse” after Kendall Jenner links up with Robert Kraft before Super Bowl

Also Read: “I hope both teams lose”: George Kittle curses Patriots & Seahawks in 2026 Super Bowl

Mark Wahlberg predicted Patriots’ success under Mike Vrabel at the start of 2025 season

The Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as their coach before the start of the season and Mark Wahlberg predicted success under the first-year coach during a coverstation with Stephen A. Smith in September.

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“For the last couple of years, I had no stress,” Wahlberg said. “And I found myself sitting on the couch with my son, getting anxiety again, getting that knot in my stomach, right? I lose my appetite.

“We’re going back. We’re going back to the promised land, adding more championships, adding more trophies,” he added. “The Krafts gotta build another trophy room. It’s happening.”

Vrabel has led a remarkable turnaround in his first season with the Patriots and aims to win the first Super Bowl in the post-Bill Belichick era.