New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs lines up against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Diggs reached another championship stage late in his NFL career after joining New England, continuing his run as one of the league’s most accomplished veteran wide receivers. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Fresh off the steam of being deemed innocent in bizarre legal charges in Massachusetts earlier this month, ex-Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs is on the prowl for a 2026 employer. And according to SI.com‘s Albert Breer, Diggs won’t have a difficult time finding precisely that.
Diggs’ next stop could involve Patrick Mahomes, a hometown angle, or another short Patriots run.
Breer connected Diggs to the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, and Atlanta Falcons this week — if Diggs doesn’t simply re-up with the New England Patriots, his squad last year.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs celebrates with running back Latavius Murray after a first-quarter touchdown during the NFC Championship matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Diggs remained one of the Vikings’ emotional leaders on Jan. 21, 2018, during Minnesota’s postseason appearance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia before the Eagles pulled away later in the contest. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports.
Breer on Diggs
Breer sized up a variety of NFL topics this week, and on Diggs’s free agency, he wrote, “I do think an A.J. Brown trade will happen. I also don’t think, for a variety of reasons, you’ll see Diggs and A.J. Brown together in New England. Now, I believe the Patriots love Diggs, and Diggs would love to return. But any realistic talk about his return, to me, hinges on whether the Brown trade happens.”
“Assuming Brown does become a Patriot, I think Diggs will probably be somewhere in that one-year, $10 million range. The Chiefs could make sense. The Commanders might, too, since Diggs is from D.C. The Falcons and Rams would also be interesting landing spots.”
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Diggs logged 1,013 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2025. He can still be a monster contributor on a pass-happy team.
Chiefs as Breer’s Frontrunner
Breer named the Chiefs first in his publication, probably not by accident or coincidence. Here’s how the Chiefs’ WR room is set up without Diggs:
Rashee Rice
Xavier Worthy
Tyquan Thornton
Jalen Royals
Nikko Remigio
Cyrus Allen
Jason Brownlee
Andrew Armstrong
Jimmy Holiday
Jeff Caldwell
Omari Evans
Jacob De Jesus
Xavier Loyd
That group doesn’t need more human bodies, but Diggs would immediately profile as Kansas City’s WR2, and of course, Diggs would cook with Patrick Mahomes.
Commanders, Too
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Diggs’s hometown is just 30 to 45 minutes from the Commanders’ stadium. This proximity is a significant draw for players who, as their careers wind down, often prefer to return closer to home, making Diggs an ideal candidate if Washington were looking for another experienced receiver.
The Commanders likely need a more solid WR3 than Luke McCaffrey. With Diggs in the lineup, Jayden Daniels would have Terry McLaurin, Diggs, and rookie Antonio Williams as his primary receiving targets. McCaffrey and Treylon Burks would then fill out the remaining receiver spots.
Falcons or Rams?
Kevin Stefanski now runs the show in Atlanta, bringing a built-in connection with Diggs from their time with the Vikings. Beyond Drake London, the Falcons’ wide receiver depth chart quickly thins, with Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus.
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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs speaks with reporters during a press conference ahead of the NFL’s international showcase in London. Diggs addressed the media on Oct. 6, 2023, at The Grove Hotel in Watford while preparing for Buffalo’s overseas matchup as one of the league’s premier pass-catching weapons. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
A skill group of Bijan Robinson, London, Kyle Pitts, and Diggs — with Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback and Stefanski steering the offense — would have real juice.
The Rams signing Diggs would be all about gravy — the rich getting richer. Los Angeles employs Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at the top of the ticket, more than enough firepower to compete for a Super Bowl. Diggs, essentially, would ring-chase in Hollywood.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote about the idea of Diggs to the Rams this week, “The Ravens could be a fit for Diggs, but I really like him in L.A. alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. The Rams attempted 430 passes out of 11 personnel (three wide receivers) last season, which was ninth most in the league, and Diggs is a natural separator who can line up inside or outside.”
“Plus, he has the toughness to work the middle of the field on in-breaking concepts, a key element of coach Sean McVay’s offense. Diggs had 85 receptions last season for the Patriots, which was almost twice as many as their next-closest wide receiver (Mack Hollins with 46). He would provide an easy boost to the Rams WR room for quarterback Matthew Stafford.”
A Sequel in New England
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The frontrunner for Diggs should be New England. He was very vividly Drake Maye’s favorite target, the Patriots’ WR corps remains underwhelming compared to their NFL peers, and Diggs played wonderfully in 2025 as a Patriot.
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs answers questions from reporters during Super Bowl week media availability in Northern California. Diggs met with the media on Feb. 5, 2026, at the Santa Clara Marriott while preparing for the league’s championship festivities after joining the Patriots earlier in his NFL career arc. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images.
New England’s brass may have been scared off by Diggs’s legal situation, but that has since been resolved.
Diggs just reached his first Super Bowl as a member of the Patriots. If he’s as affordable as $10 million, as mentioned by Breer in his article, he might be wise to return for a sequel.
He’ll turn 33 in November.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot as France overcame searing heat and stubborn defence to beat Paraguay 1-0 and set up a World Cup quarter-final against Morocco on Saturday.
Jun 24, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Javier Assad (72) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
In a season full of pitcher injuries, Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has learned just how solid Javier Assad is.
The 28-year-old right-hander, who pitches Sunday in Chicago to try to stop a St. Louis Cardinals sweep, is 6-1 with a 4.53 ERA in 13 games (six starts).
The Cubs have four starters on the injured list and have had 13 pitchers total spend time on the IL this season.
“We have talked about guys getting opportunities, and certainly Javy has come in at a time when we really needed it and has delivered a couple of big starts, big performances,” Counsell said. “This is how you figure out how to stick in the big leagues. It hasn’t been all smooth for Javy; there have been bumps. You don’t know when you are going to get these opportunities so you have to stay ready.
“Javy just kind of keeps telling you, ‘I’ll be ready when I get the opportunity.’ “
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Assad won his last start June 24, a 10-3 victory over the Mets, giving up five hits and three runs in five innings. He struck out five and walked just two.
He has won three straight starts and the Cubs have won nine of his last 11 appearances.
“I feel really good with all my pitches,” Assad said. “My sinker is really helping, but I feel good with all my pitches. I feel my velocity has been really good. I’m trying to take advantage of every opportunity. I like to start, but I’m ready for anything.”
Assad is 24-13 with a 3.57 ERA in 91 career appearances, including 60 starts, since his major league debut with the Cubs in 2022.
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He is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 games, including five starts, against the Cardinals.
St. Louis will counter with Matthew Liberatore. The 26-year-old southpaw is 4-5 with a 5.33 ERA.
After losing two straight, Liberatore beat the host Atlanta Braves 5-3 in his last outing, giving up one hit and one run in five innings. He walked four and struck out nine.
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Liberatore is 20-29 with a 4.77 ERA in 137 career outings, including 70 starts.
He is 2-1 with a 3.03 ERA in 11 outings (five starts) against the Cubs.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol was honored to tell Jordan Walker that the outfielder had made his first National League All-Star team on Saturday.
“There was a lot of emotion in the room,” Marmol said. “We have been with him through the ups and downs, so it was nice to be able to tell him that today.”
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Walker is hitting .291 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs. He has an .870 OPS.
The 24-year-old had never hit more than 16 home runs and never had more than 51 RBIs in one season (both in 2023). He even has more stolen bases (11) than he has ever had in one season since his major league debut in March 2023.
Walker, who was selected 21st overall by St. Louis in the 2020 MLB Draft, has a career OPS of .728.
St. Louis has won five of six and is in surprise contention for a playoff spot despite trading away most of their veterans in the offseason.
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Rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt is a big reason why.
Wetherholt led off the game Saturday against the Cubs with a home run and reached base four times.
He is hitting .266 with 13 home runs and 36 RBIs. He has a .778 OPS.
The left-handed-hitting Wetherholt’s home run was to the opposite field.
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“Today was a good example of what I have been trying to do, work the back side of the field,” he said. “We are just excited. We wake up excited every day to play. We just try to end with a win.”
Jonas Vingegaard took an early lead in his quest for a third Tour de France title as the Visma-Lease a Bike rider recorded the fastest time in stage one – a 19.6-km team time trial in Barcelona on Saturday. Last year’s runner-up Vingegaard, who won the race in 2022 and 2023, finished 12 seconds ahead of Slovenian rival Tadej Pogacar, who has won the Tour de France four times, including the last two editions.
Only a handful of unseeded players remain in both draws as we enter the second week of play in London
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The first week of Wimbledon has reached its conclusion. After 128 men and 128 women started the week with hopes of earning a grand slam title, the field has shrunk all the way down to 16 on both sides. Now, it’s time to see who can battle through the remaining field to take home the hardware.
The top seeds are both still alive and mostly unscathed. Jannik Sinner battled in his opening round match to five sets but has since steadied the ship. Aryna Sabalenka has won her first three matches in straight sets, but her competition level is about to go up a notch.
On the men’s side, there are 10 seeded players remaining and eight of them are paired together in the fourth round. On the women’s side, only two unseeded players have made it this far with great matchups expected to take place the rest of the way.
The Williams sisters’ return to competitive tennis as a duo was over before it started.
In their first Grand Slam doubles competition together in nearly four years, Serena, 44, and Venus, 46, were forced to withdraw from Wimbledon after Serena injured a knee.
Serena was injured during her singles return earlier in the week in a three-set loss.
Serena Williams and Venus Williams of the United States during their women’s doubles match at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Lucie Hradecká and Linda Nosková of the Czech Republic during the U.S. Open at the USTA National Tennis Centre Sept. 1, 2022 in Flushing, Queens, New York City.(Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles. Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @venuswilliams once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete,” Serena said in an Instagram post.
The post included images of four syringes that Serena said “shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match.” An accompanying video showed her walking with strapping up and down her right leg and what appeared to be one of her daughters holding a cane for her.
However, with the U.S. Open approaching, Serena indicated she could play again somewhere else soon.
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“All I can say,” Serena said, “is stay tuned to a city near you.”
Serena Williams, left, meets her sister Venus Williams after their match during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, in Flushing, N.Y., Aug. 31, 2018.( )
The Williams sisters were scheduled to play Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra. It was the only first-round doubles match that wasn’t scheduled earlier in the week, having been pushed back to give Serena more time to recover.
Serena was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday in her return.
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The Williams sisters are six-time champions as partners in women’s doubles at Wimbledon. It was the first time they teamed up at Wimbledon since winning it in 2016. It was also the first time they had teamed up since the 2022 U.S. Open, which they lost in the first round.
Serena Williams and Venus Williams during their women’s doubles match at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Lucie Hradecká and Linda Nosková of the Czech Republic during the U.S. Open at the USTA National Tennis Centre Sept. 1, 2022 in Flushing, Queens, New York City.(Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Ireland got their Nations Championship off to a winning start with a 33-31 victory over Australia this morning.
Played at a sell-out Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Andy Farrell’s men got the better of the Joe Schmidt-coached Wallabies as the sides produced a 10-try thriller.
Wallabies had half-time lead
With Ireland having problems in both the pack and the lineout, they were lucky to find themselves just five points behind at the half-way stage of the game.
Joe Schmidt’s side had opening half tries from Dylan Pietsch, Jock Campbell, Josh Canham and Ryan Lonergan.
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The visitors had scored five pointers through Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier and a crucial try from Jamison Gibson-Park just before the interval – which ultimately kept Ireland within touching distance of the Wallabies, who at that stage were very much in the ascendency.
Clarkson try give Ireland win
Man of the match Hugo Keenan crossed for an Irish try in the second half, with Tate McDermott doing likewise for the hosts.
The TMO disallowed a Dan Sheehan effort as James Ryan was adjudged to have been ahead of the player in possession.
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Ireland prop Tom Clarkson scored his second international try to put the men in green ahead on 77 minutes.
Australian replacement fly-half Ben Donaldson had an opportunity to snatch a victory for the home side when Bundee Aki was penalised with the clock in red.
The long range penalty attempt from Donaldson went to the right of the posts and wide to see Ireland claim an opening day success in the inaugural Nations Championship.
FARRELL: “THAT WAS A HELL OF A GAME” 🏉
Andy Farrell reacts after Ireland’s 33-31 win over Australia, praising the big moments, the fight after the break and Hugo Keenan’s huge tackle.
One of the Premier League’s most gripping personal feuds goes global on Sunday when Brazil face Norway in the World Cup last 16.
Norway’s irresistible force of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland comes up against Brazil’s immovable object in the shape of Arsenal defender Gabriel in New York New Jersey Stadium.
Haaland and Gabriel have been central figures as their clubs battle for domestic supremacy, creating a rivalry that regularly boils over into animosity.
The outcome of their latest confrontation will go a long way to deciding whether it is Brazil or Norway who advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face either England or Mexico.
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Former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport: “For all the battling for the Golden Boot between the greats such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Haaland, there have not been any great personal duels. Now we have one.
“This is the standout personal duel of the World Cup so far and make no mistake, it will have a huge bearing on the outcome of the game.
“It is the standout because of the bad feeling we know exists between the pair. I am sure there is a level of respect great players have for each other, but everything we’ve seen between them suggests they don’t like each other too much.”
Former England captain Alan Shearer is also relishing the confrontation between the pair, saying: “That will be a great battle because there is definitely a bit of niggle there.
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“They don’t like each other which is fine, you don’t have to like your opponent, and we have seen them have clashes before so that’s definitely one to look forward to.”
Adding further intrigue is the statistical quirk that five-time world champions Brazil have never beaten Norway in four attempts – drawing two and losing two.
This makes Norway the only side the Selecao have faced, but never won against.
India all-rounder Axar Patel was among the few positives as he impressed with the ball during the side’s loss to England in the second T20I of the five-match series. The contest was played on Saturday, July 4 at the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester.
Opting to bat first, the Men in Blue finished on 190/7, with Ishan Kishan top-scoring with 49 off 40 balls, while Abhishek Sharma (43 off 24), Shreyas Iyer (37 off 22), and Tilak Varma (24* off 11) chipped in with valuable contributions.
In response, England lost Phil Salt and Jos Buttler for ducks in the opening over. However, Harry Brook counterattacked with 39 off 15 balls. Meanwhile, it was Jacob Bethell who steered the side to victory, remaining unbeaten on 76 off 46 balls, hitting five fours and as many sixes as the hosts won by four wickets with an over remaining.
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For the Men in Blue, Arshdeep Singh picked 3/40 in his four overs, while Axar Patel was brilliant, taking the wicket of Brook and conceding just 20 runs. His lone wicket in the game was also his 100th scalp in the format. On that note, here we look at all the Indian bowlers who have taken 100 T20I wickets.
#1 Arshdeep Singh
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh became the first Indian bowler to reach 100 wickets in T20Is. He achieved the milestone during the Asia Cup 2025 clash against Oman on September 19. Playing his 64th match, he dismissed Vinayak Shukla to complete the landmark.
He has since remained the leading wicket-taker for India in the format. The 27-year-old has played 88 matches, claiming 134 wickets at an average of 19.44, a strike rate of 13.6, and an economy of 8.53, with best figures of 5/51.
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#2 Jasprit Bumrah
The second cricketer from the nation to achieve the milestone was ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah. The right-arm pacer reached the landmark in his 81st game in the format, which came against South Africa on December 9, 2025, when he dismissed Dewald Brevis.
The 32-year-old has so far played 95 matches in the format, picking up 121 wickets at an average of 18.08, a strike rate of 16.6, and an economy of 6.51, with best figures of 4/15 coming against New Zealand in March 2026 in Ahmedabad.
#3 Hardik Pandya
Premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya reached the milestone of 100 T20I wickets against South Africa on December 14, 2025, in Dharamshala, when he dismissed Tristan Stubbs.
Hardik has played 138 matches in the format, claiming 114 wickets at an average of 27.13, a strike rate of 19.5, and an economy of 8.34. Additionally, the middle-order batter has amassed 2,288 runs, including nine fifties.
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#4 Axar Patel
The latest addition to the list is Axar Patel, who made history by becoming the first Indian spinner to claim 100 T20I wickets. He achieved the feat in the match against England in Manchester on July 4 by dismissing England skipper Harry Brook.
In 98 matches, Axar has now 100 wickets for India at an average of 21.59, a strike rate of 17.5, and an economy of 7.37, with best figures of 3/9. The southpaw also has 736 runs to his credit in 61 innings, including a solitary fifty.
Toronto Maple Leafs No. 1 draft pick Gavin McKenna has already been on the ice with the team as it held its development camp this week, but the highly-touted rookie is going to have to make a big change for this fall.
His number.
When he was playing for the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers and then again at Penn State this past season, McKenna wore the No. 72.
Toronto Maple Leafs top pick Gavin McKenna has revealed that he’ll be opting for a new number for his rookie campaign.(Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
The expectation was that McKenna would wear No. 72 with the Maple Leafs, and he did so this week at development camp. Plenty of fans have also already ordered No. 72 jerseys with his name on the back.
On most rosters, No. 72 is unique enough that he wouldn’t run into any issues wearing it. However, on July 1, the Leafs signed two-time Stanley Cup champion goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who has worn No. 72 for most of his career, except during his first two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, when he wore No. 35.
So, some were wondering how this would work out. Would the Leafs want their new franchise player to get his pick of the number litter, or would they defer to a two-time Vezina winner?
Gavin McKenna wore No. 72 in juniors, as well as last season at Penn State.(Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
Well, it turns out that McKenna will be the one swapping numbers, and he’ll be switching to No. 92 this season.
McKenna had to get creative here because the obvious number changes were a no-go in Toronto. Adding 7 and 2 would be 9, but that was retired in honor of Charlie Conacher and Ted Kennedy.
Another option would’ve been to flip the digits and go with No. 27, but that was retired in honor of Frank Mahovlich and Darryl Sittler.
However, McKenna reached out to one of the three previous players to wear the number, Jeff O’Neill, to ask whether he was comfortable with him using it.
McKenna will be a key piece of a Maple Leafs team that is looking to bounce back after a nightmare 2025-26 campaign that saw them finish last in the Atlantic Division.
Talk of a return to the ring for former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has resurfaced after the Ukrainian was pictured alongside promoter Alex Krassyuk.
Klitschko is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights of the modern era. The Ukrainian reigned over boxing’s glamour division throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, making 18 successful world title defences during his second reign before hanging up the gloves after losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He retired with a professional record of 64 wins, 53 by knockout, and five defeats.
The photograph with Krassyuk – captioned “something big is coming” – has inevitably reignited speculation over Klitschko’s future, with the 50-year-old repeatedly linked to a comeback since retiring in 2017.
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Should he do so, he has made it clear that George Foreman’s record as the oldest heavyweight champion in history would be the target, and countryman Oleksandr Usyk vacating his three world titles has made that more realistic.
Speaking to Playbook Boxing, Spencer Brown, manager of new WBC champion Agit Kabayel, suggested a fight between the pair would be ‘historic’.
“I think there are a couple of fights out there for Klitschko. I think number one would be Agit Kabayel in Germany. Could you imagine that? Fighting for a WBC world title, which he held for a long time? It would be a historical fight and it would be huge. You wouldn’t have a stadium big enough to fill that in Germany … That would be the oldest fighter ever to try and regain his title, wouldn’t it?”
Given the WBC’s history of granting former champions with ‘legendary status’ comeback title shots despite not being actively ranked – Manny Pacquiao the most recent example – the Ukrainian may well be granted the opportunity if he pursues it.
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Brown also mentioned another of his fighters, Tyson Fury, as a possible opponent should Klitschko decide to return, reigniting their 2015 rivalry and delivering on a rematch that never happened.
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