Sports

Vikings Sneak in Another Free Agent Signing

Published

2 months ago

22 May 2026

Steelers DT Isaiahh Loudermilk in 2021 — Aug 21, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk (92) looks on from the sidelines against the Detroit Lions during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings have now added six new defensive tackles to the 90-man roster since the start of the offseason, onboarding veteran Isaiahh Loudermilk from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday as the latest addition.

Minnesota continues to tweak the bottom of its defensive line room after earlier offseason moves changed the depth chart.

The team cut ties with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in March and hasn’t been shy about welcoming newcomers.

Loudermilk Joins a Crowded DT Battle

The Loudermilk era in the Twin Cities is here.

Isaiahh Loudermilk stands on the sideline during a Steelers home game against the Patriots at Acrisure Stadium. — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Isaiahh Loudermilk looks on from the sideline during a home game against the New England Patriots on Dec. 7, 2023, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Loudermilk spent several seasons as a rotational defensive lineman for Pittsburgh after joining the franchise as a fifth-round draft pick from the University of Wisconsin. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Loudermilk to MIN

This one is official. Vikings.com’s Lindsey Young wrote Thursday, “The Vikings are adding a veteran defensive lineman to the roster. Minnesota has signed Isaiahh Loudermilk, the team announced Thursday. Originally a fifth-round selection by Pittsburgh in the 2021 NFL Draft, Loudermilk has played 60 games (seven starts) and totaled 63 tackles, 1.0 sack and six passes defensed for the Steelers.”

“In three postseason appearances, he’s recorded six tackles. Loudermilk overlapped in Pittsburgh with Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores (2022) and Defensive Pass Game Coordinator & Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander (2022-23). Loudermilk played collegiately at Wisconsin from 2016-20.”

Loudermilk was a college teammate of Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor at Wisconsin.

The Career Biography

The Steelers pulled Loudermilk from Round 5 of the 2021 NFL Draft, two days after the Vikings picked Christian Darrisaw. He’s 6’7″ and nearly 300 pounds, posting 5.08 speed before turning pro five years ago. Loudermilk has appeared in 60 games through five seasons, starting 7 and banking 63 tackles and a sack. He suffered a high ankle sprain last September — right around the time that the same injury beset Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy — and did not play the rest of the year.

SI.com‘s Christian Borman noted on Loudermilk’s production at Wisconsin: ‘During his time in Madison, Loudermilk was a solid presence along the Badgers’ defensive line and a highly productive player. In 40 games with Wisconsin, he totaled 63 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, and nine passes defended. Loudermilk will lean on his experience to earn a spot on the Vikings team that desperately needs someone to make an impact from the defensive line position.”

The best way to think of Loudermilk is depth and insurance. He is not a starting-caliber player, or at least has shown no such inclinations in Pittsburgh.

His Pro Football Focus scorecard:

2025 — 32.8
2024 — 59.3
2023 — 55.3
2022 — 42.2
2021 — 44.9

Specifically via run defense:

2025 — 31.0
2024 — 63.9
2023 — 58.0
2022 — 43.5
2021 — 45.2

And the pass rush:

2025 — 59.1
2024 — 55.2
2023 — 47.2
2022 — 49.0
2021 — 50.0

Isaiahh Loudermilk pressures Lions quarterback David Blough during a preseason game at Heinz Field. — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk pressures Detroit Lions quarterback David Blough during preseason action on Aug. 21, 2021, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Loudermilk entered the NFL as a rookie fifth-round draft pick that summer and earned attention during exhibition play for his size and versatility along the defensive line. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

He’s a less productive version of Jonathan Bullard from Vikings’ seasons past. SteelersDepot‘s Ross McCorkle on Loudermilk: “Loudermilk also visited the Detroit Lions earlier in the offseason but generally didn’t seem to draw much interest around the league as a free agent. With Loudermilk gone, Pat Freiermuth is the lone member of the Steelers’ 2021 draft class left on the roster.”

“With the 2022 draft class already wiped out, Kevin Colbert’s fingerprints on the roster are rapidly fading with just five of his drafted players left on the team. Loudermilk was selected by the Steelers—who traded up for him—in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Wisconsin. He stuck around for his whole rookie contract and was brought back on a one-year deal prior to the 2025 season.”

The DT Room in Late May

Sans Allen and Hargrave, these are the Vikings’ defensive tackles nearing June:

Jalen Redmond
Caleb Banks
Domonique Orange
Levi Drake Rodriguez
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
Isaiahh Loudermilk
Eric Johnson
Taki Taimani
Elijah Williams
Monkell Goodwine
Smith Vilbert

Last year, entering Week 1, Minnesota kept six DTs on the 53-man roster. If that trend continues for Flores, Loudermilk would straddle the roster bubble in August, hoping to stave off Johnson, Taimani, and Williams for DT6.

Roster Trajectory + Upcoming FA Moves

Because of his experience, fans should tentatively expect Loudermilk to make the cut. He may be evenly matched against Johnson for the final DT spot, but Loudermilk has previous ties to Flores and Alexander. Otherwise, if Loudermilk is the odd man out, the practice squad feels like a reasonable fallback.

Isaiahh Loudermilk participates in drills during Steelers rookie minicamp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh. — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk participates in rookie minicamp drills on May 14, 2021, at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers selected Loudermilk in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft after trading up to acquire the Wisconsin defensive lineman later that offseason. Mandatory Credit: Karl Roser-USA TODAY Sports

On other free agents, the Vikings might need an extra linebacker after trading Jonathan Greenard in April. A.J. Epenesa, Cameron Jordan, Denico Autry, Derek Barnett, Haason Reddick, Jadeveon Clowney, Joey Bosa, Kyle Van Noy, Leonard Floyd, Marcus Davenport, and Von Miller are available on the open market.

In theory, Minnesota could also add one more cornerback for depth. Last year’s CB3, Fabian Moreau, as an example, is unsigned through 2.5 months of free agency.

Loudermilk will turn 29 in October.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

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Taylor Twellman goes off on USMNT after disastrous 4-1 loss to Belgium: ‘Can’t miss fundamentals’

Published

6 minutes ago

8 July 2026

NewsAdmin

The US Men’s National Team entered Monday night’s game against Belgium in Seattle with the highest expectations of any U.S. World Cup team in decades.

They had a mostly “golden generation” of players in their peaks, like Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, and Sergino Dest. Folarin Balogun, arguably the best striker the US has had in recent memory, was also available for the must-win match after FIFA controversially postponed his red card suspension with some involvement from President Donald Trump.

Belgium was widely viewed as a “beatable” opponent. They’d trailed Senegal 2-0 in the 86th minute in the round of 32, before a ferocious, fortunate comeback led to a 3-2 victory deep in extra time after a questionable penalty allowed Youri Tielemans to slot home the winner. Their defense was seen as questionable, at best, and their “golden generation” had aged past their primes. Star forward Jeremy Doku was also out of the starting 11, seemingly giving the US back line an advantage.

Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku (9) kicks the ball past the United States’ Chris Richards (3) to score his team’s fourth goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, Washington. Monday, July 6, 2026. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)

BELGIUM EMBARRASSES TEAM USA BEFORE BREAKING OUT TRUMP’S SIGNATURE DANCE CELEBRATION AFTER FOURTH GOAL

As it turns out, not only did the USMNT not have an advantage, they were hopelessly outplayed and outclassed by an organized, composed, aggressive Belgian attack. They created few good chances, facing a much better defensive structure without Kevin De Bruyne on the pitch. After tying the match on another fantastic free kick from Tillman, they conceded again in less than 70 seconds. There was a humiliating goalkeeper error when Matt Freese kicked the ground instead of the ball, leading to the third goal that effectively put the match away. 4-1 defeat, and little to show for it.

All that might be more forgivable, after all, Belgium is still a very good international team, if the USMNT had a clean match and were simply beaten by a better team. But they didn’t just get beaten. They embarrassed themselves on the biggest stage they’ve ever had. Literally. And soccer analyst Taylor Twellman went off on the players and staff for the many, many, inexcusable mistakes.

Tim Ream (L) #13 and Sebastian Berhalter #14 of the United States lament after a 4-1 loss in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 match between USA and Belgium at Seattle Stadium on July 6, 2026 in Seattle, United States. (Photo by Al Sermeno/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) (ISI Photos via Getty Images)

He discussed what happened with Yahoo Sports! “The Cooligans” podcast after the loss, saying the team failed their first “real test.”

“That was the first real test of the World Cup,” he said. “What’d we get? Yeah, I mean, what’d we get?

“And listen, we’ve done stuff, right? We did stuff…[but] you can’t make mistakes at the highest level. You can’t miss fundamentals. The first two goals from Belgium. They make you want to…it’s not an easy watch guys. That’s not an easy watch…That’s a 50-50 ball inside the 18 that Dest just looks around, lets it bounce. Run through it.”

He continued, saying that he’d rather have players ready to “run through the wall” instead of being passive or unsure of themselves.

AFTER BLOWOUT LOSS TO BELGIUM, MANY ARE WONDERING IF TEAM USA IS BETTER OR WORSE THAN IT WAS A DECADE AGO

“And listen, everyone on social media talks about, oh, Sebastian Berhalter this…Give me 10 Sebastian Berhalters,” he said. “They’ll run through the wall, at least. You cannot forget fundamentals. The little things, that is gonna be, for that group of players, the most difficult pill to swallow. Because when you watch the tape, when you watch, the tape, it’s not my experience, I watched it, that’s a difficult one to swallow. Those are simple fundamentals and we missed all of them tonight. All of them.”

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Not much to argue with there. Just look at the lack of defensive effort on Belgium’s first goal, in the 10th minute. When the ball goes into the air, there are literally four US players around one Belgian player. Plus three more defenders nearby or in front of the goal. Somehow, that one Belgian player got by all of them, before threading a pass into an unmarked Charles De Ketelaere for the easiest shot of his life.

Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere celebrates

Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere (17) celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, Washington. Monday, July 6, 2026. (Maddy Grassy/AP Photo)

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Freese’s error was compounded by Ream jumping to try and deflect an open shot on goal by Hans Vanaken, only to mostly whiff and see the ball roll directly into the net. On the second goal, De Ketelaere just outjumped two US defenders, while two other stood around helplessly.

These are fundamental problems that cannot happen at this level. Inexcusable, indefensible mistakes. There’s a focus on managers and coaching in the international game, when managerial importance pales in comparison to having better players. Right now? The USMNT simply doesn’t have enough good ones.

Ian Miller is a writer at OutKick.

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After Shinnecock U.S. Open, another South Shore golf adventure to remember

Published

20 minutes ago

8 July 2026

NewsAdmin

These weeks, between golf’s two great championships, are lovely, despite the sog-fest upon us now. In these long summer days, Wimbledon is on in the morning, its grass at the T getting browner by the day. In this year of World Cup fútbol, there’s almost always something to watch. The U.S. Senior Open is played annually in this fast month, its fields loaded with familiar names. (Ernie, Paddy, Vijay, Davis, this year at Scioto, the Columbus course where young Jackie Nicklaus first broke par.) Across the Lower 48, in these weeks after Father’s Day, the yellowish light of afternoon summons you to the course murmuring this: Quick nine?

Or 10. I nod here to the routing of the village-owned course in Bellport, in Suffolk County, on the South Shore of Long Island. The Bellport loops go 1 through 8, a collection of good holes without a showstopper. The more common late-day move there is the second loop, nine to the house, with its various whiffs of the bay. I have played those holes while fading into sleep more than a few times. Smell and memory have had a long and good marriage. Don’t they?

I grew up in Patchogue, one town west of Bellport, a baseball town (ballfields everywhere) and a ferry town (the Davis Park Ferry shuttling beach people to Fire Island and back). In high school and college, I logged many fast summer rounds at Bellport with my friend Larry Lodi, who broke 80 regularly with a strong right-hand grip and in various guitar god T-shirts. (Peter Frampton, etc.) We dug clams in the Great South Bay, sold them dockside, ate fast suppers at our respective homes, then raced the 5 miles to the Bellport course, our last putts slowed by rising dew. Larry’s car (by which I mean his mother’s Buick) had an FM radio with the Bee Gees (it seemed) always playing on WBLI. Forgive me, I’m drifting. In the summer of ’78, or one of those Ford or Carter summers, floats with Hispanic themes made their first appearance in Patchogue’s annual July 4th parade. The floats were colorful, proud, fun, overdue. Bellport doesn’t have a July 4th parade but it does have a longstanding Independence Day street fair called “Artists on the Lane” — pleasant enough though low on funk.

Come summer, I’m drawn to Patchogue, to Bellport, to the courses and beaches of Suffolk County. I’m drawn home. The U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills last month was a gift, as were the Opens there in 1986 and ’95, in 2004 and ’18. On Wednesday night, this year at Shinnecock, I slipped out of the press tent at maybe half past six and was still able to get in 10 holes at Bellport before sunset. The bay holes there are like a North Star for me.

A fortnight or so later, on July 4th, I was back in Bellport. It was a scorcher there, as it was across Long Island, as it was across the country. My wife, Christine, and I made a listless walk down Bellport Lane, peeking sluggishly at the various artist booths, lingering at length in the museum-barn owned by the Bellport Historical Society. It had air conditioning.

In mid-afternoon, to continue this sluggish theme from a sluggish day, we made a listless drive east on Sunrise Highway, in search of cooler temperatures. As we approached Shinnecock Hills, I realized for the first time that its Stanford White clubhouse, though high on a hill, was no longer visible from the highway. Kind of annoying. I had never noticed how tall and thick a stand of barrier trees, between Sunrise Highway and the club, had become.

During the Open, there were members hanging on the clubhouse porch, some of them in club blazers, clinging to tradition and yesteryear. You could almost picture Thurston Howell III, Ascot-wearing Wall Street (get this) millionaire from “Gilligan’s Island,” smiling in his approval. BTW, what was Thurston thinking, signing up for that three-hour cruise-ship tour, along with his bride, Lovey Howell? Maybe they were looking for relief from a sluggish day, as Christine and I were on Independence Day 250. The Howells boarded the S.S. Minnow, which promptly got blown off-course by a tropical storm and CBS had another sit-com hit. I played Bellport the other day with a light-footed gent named Marcel who was wearing a floppy bucket hat he could have borrowed from Gilligan. Somewhere, Gilligan was smiling, too.

Back to the real world. There’s a winding public road, Tuckahoe Road, that intersects the Shinnecock Hills course. It was closed all through the U.S. Open but now it was open again and I pointed our green Mini (160,000 miles and going strong) to it. There were golfers at play on the course, caddies trailing them. Several massive U.S. Open tents were still up but coming down and there were dozens of sweltering workers in construction bibs working in the rising heat of this national holiday. On the other side of the Atlantic, you could imagine, tents and grandstands going up at Royal Birkdale for the British Open. The first round is on July 16. Scottie Scheffler will return the trophy to the R&A before that. You only get it for a year. Well, what don’t we borrow, when you get right down to it?

The bay holes at Bellport are like a North Star for me.

Christine and I did a drive-by tour of the adjacent courses, the courses of the Southampton Golf Club, the Sebonack Golf Club, the National Golf Links of America. Sebonack’s developer, Michael Pascucci, bought the 300-acre property from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 3, and Bob Rubin, owner of another course in the vicinity, The Bridge, used to float another name in Sebonack’s direction, The Local, to set it apart from its neighbor, The National, and to acknowledge its IBEW roots. Bob is a Francophile among other things and can’t resist a double entendre. (The Local — so good.) I showed Christine the fabulous entry columns at Sebonack and announced grandly, “The Macdonald Gates.” “Wait,” Christine said. “I thought the Macdonald Gates were at The National?” The things she has picked up on, fortyish years in.

We drove by the actual Macdonald Gates and to the public beach that runs parallel to N.G.L.’s spectacular uphill 18th hole, a short par-5 called Home. Home — so good. Charles Blair Macdonald, when designing The National often considered golf in Scotland as he considered the course, and in the auld country Home is a common name for finishing holes and a handsome coda on their cute little scorecards. (Check out Elie, Brora, Prestwick.) I stumbled recently onto these sturdy sentences and I include them here for you CBMacD buffs out there, from a short 1928 New Yorker piece about Macdonald and his N.G.L. course: “As it turned out, half of the course was copied from historic holes abroad and half created out of Macdonald’s own fancy. He thus became the pioneer golf-course architect in this country.”

The bayfront beach in front of the course — please note: it is not lifeguarded — is named for Thomas Rewinski, a former N.G.L. greenkeeper. I’ve known that name forever. When I was a kid, the South Fork of the East End of Long Island still had many prominent families with Polish surnames, families that owned potato farms and thriving small businesses, Carl Yastrzemski’s family among them. I’m sure, on the right day and in the right conditions, the Rewinski beach is wonderful, but on our day there Christine and I struggled to navigate its rocks, could find no breeze and swam in water that was too still and eerily warm. We baked for 20 minutes and left.

An ice cream stop followed by a dusk stop at an ocean beach called Sagg Main, where the bodysurfing conditions were superb. The ocean water was appropriately cold, and the beach air was warm without being hot. Oh the joy. I finished reading a long profile of the writer Colson Whitehead in The New Yorker. Our day was finally coming together.

From the beach, Christine and I drove to Sag Harbor for dinner, to a mom-and-pop Italian restaurant we like there. On our way to it we drove by a wee inland course in Bridgehampton. I can tell you almost nothing about it except that it has nine holes, it looks old and no right-minded golfer would dare to sneak on it. We parked near a church on the outskirts of Sag Harbor’s downtown.

Colson Whitehead, I had just read, spent his childhood summers in Sag Harbor with his family. A lot of the New Yorker piece dwells on that, Whitehead as an affluent Black summer kid in a town with few Black people in it, biking around town with his brother, making the scene, in their own way. Our waiter at Il Capuccino, a local young man studying urban planning at Vassar, knew a lot about Colson Whitehead. Good food, good times, no dessert course. We left the restaurant at 9:15 p.m, with Sag Harbor’s fireworks, over Sag Harbor’s harbor, announced for 9:30. Christine and I were married a short ferry-ride away, on Shelter Island.

We started walking downhill, bound for the harbor, and were surprised to immediately see the first firework low in the sky, 15 minutes ahead of schedule. For the next 45 minutes, we took in the light show, concluding with (per custom) a shoot-the-works blast that often brings to mind for me Francis Scott Key’s ode to “red glare” and the Grucci family of Bellport, the first family of American fireworks. In 1983, while visiting my parents for Thanksgiving, I covered a fatal factory blast at the Grucci factory in Bellport for the Boston Globe.

A few minutes after the last spark of the Sag Harbor’s show last blast evaporated, a thousand cellphones went buzzing at once, with an emergency notification from the National Weather Service:

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING in effect for this area.

DESTRUCTIVE 80 mph winds.

Take shelter in a sturdy building, away from windows.

Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter.

All along Sag Harbor’s crowded sidewalks, there was a sense of urgency, as this storm moved in and the air got heavy, bordering on panic but short of it. We could hear the fierce wind in the trees above us and could see heavy raindrops landing on the roof of the Mini as we entered it. Sag Harbor’s narrow streets were almost overwhelmed by the fleeing cars, most of them twice the size of ours. Christine wondered aloud if we should just stay put, not that that seemed particularly safe. We were in an area crowded with mature trees. We had to go somewhere and headed out. Christine asked Waze to direct us to the SpringHill Suites, our weekend home on the outskirts of Bellport. Room 109. We’ve been in it before.

The Mini plowed through pools of water that were at least a half-foot deep and maybe double that. You needed some speed to get through them. I kept repeating the same question to Christine: “Next turn, please.” We’re on this road for 1.5 miles. We’re on this road for 2 miles. Bear left at the next sharp turn. Twigs and branches were falling all around us. The rain and wind were fierce. Passing vehicles sprayed us like we were in the early stages of a car wash, our windshield momentarily opaque. Waze was rerouting us every half-mile or so, out of informed and sudden necessity. These back South Fork roads, more rural than suburban, were pitch black even when the sky turned an ominous gray, filled with the white glare of an electrical storm. We were on roads I had never seen in my life. In a manner of speaking, we were blown off course. There was no safe place to stop even if we had wanted to. My skin was clammy.

There was no safe place to stop even if we had wanted to. My skin was clammy.

All I wanted to do was to get to Sunrise Highway, where there would be safe places to pull over, strip malls with overhangs and the like. At one point we were a few hundred yards from the highway but couldn’t get to it, as a downed tree crossed our road. One car after another made a three-point turn. The alternate route, or routes, took forever. Waze was in control and there was no choice but to keep the faith. We drove by the entrance to The Bridge, or so I sensed. We were driving blind. With a kind of blind faith, I should say.

Eventually, amazingly, Waze led us to a road that offered a clear shot to Sunrise Highway: Tuckahoe Road, right through the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club course. In the afternoon, on that same road, the clubhouse was on our left, and there were people here and there, golfers and caddies and workers. Now the old clubhouse was on our right and it was a ghost town, dark and lonely on the top of its hill. But comforting, too: I knew it. You could wait out a storm there if you had to. Nobody would deny you that, even after the fact. The opposite, if anything. Glad to hear you’re safe and sound. Easy to imagine that. Golf and golfers are good that way. We’re a kind of clan, really. I have found that often.

The windshield wipers were keeping up, pretty much, and I offered silent praise to our trusty green Mini, surely with less urgency than Washington did when riding Nelson, his beloved wartime horse, though the comparison did cross my mind, knowing all the while it was a wild reach.

We made it to Sunrise Highway and the driving was fine. We made it back to our room. A 50-minute drive took an hour and 50. My clubs were in the boot, along with a damp bathing suit.

Flying debris may be deadly. There’s a sentence that gets your attention. The National Weather Service should take a bow here. Waze, too. While I’m at it, I tip my hat to my bride here. (Here and always, really.) I often bring back golf caps from my little trips, to this course or that tournament, lightweight white ones you can put in the wash, and Christine wears them all summer long, right through Labor Day, sticking her ponytail through the protractor-shaped keyhole above the adjustable strap in the back and with a style (I would like to say) all her own.

We got lucky. Flying debris fell around us but not on us. We made it back to the SpringHill Suite and the night manager at the front desk was holding down the fort on a wild night, a wild conclusion to 7/4/250. Midnight was closing in. We were in, the curtains drawn, the TV on. For the night, 109 was Home.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com.

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Sean Payton had an unrealized plan to hire Belichick for Broncos: report

Published

33 minutes ago

7 July 2026

NewsAdmin

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Bill Belichick may be the University of North Carolina head football coach, but there was almost a plan to get him back in the NFL thanks to a fellow head coach he has great ties with.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and Bill Belichick go back years. Both served on Bill Parcells’ staff, albeit at different times, before crossing paths as NFL head coaches.

In a detailed story about Payton and the Broncos’ playoff appearances last season, which ended with an AFC Championship Game loss to Belichick’s old New England Patriots, ESPN reported that Payton had the idea of going to Broncos owner Greg Penner with a plan to hire Belichick as the team’s temporary head coach until he reached 15 wins.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Bill Belichick looks on field during game against TCU

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 1, 2025. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

That exact win total would’ve had Belichick pass the great Don Shula for the all-time coaching wins record.

The report indicated that Payton would’ve still been on the staff as the assistant head coach, and once Belichick reached the win total, Payton would take back over as head coach.

BILL BELICHICK CONFIRMS FEUD WITH TOM BRADY WAS FICTION, PRAISES HIS QUARTERBACK’S LEADERSHIP FROM DAY ONE

Ultimately, Payton didn’t officially make the offer to Penner, deciding it would’ve been too complicated and Belichick would’ve also had to agree on his end.

There hasn’t been anything like it in football, but it brings about the question again regarding Belichick’s history in the league, which has been a hot topic since he and the Patriots parted ways.

Belichick’s impact on football is second to none, though it became clouded during the most recent Pro Football Hall of Fame voting as he found himself at the center of controversy.

Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos reacts during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Belichick wasn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer, with the likes of Tom Brady and others dumbfounded by the fact the coach with the second-most wins in history wasn’t getting his bust already made for the halls in Canton, Ohio. But some voters considered the controversy that swirled around Belichick during his time in Foxborough, which included Spygate, and believed he wasn’t worthy of the honor yet.

Since he left the NFL, many have wondered whether Belichick would ever pass Shula’s win total. That question remained even after he took North Carolina’s vacant job, his first as a college head coach.

And it still hovers over Belichick’s legacy, especially after his firm stance that he will be seeing his role with the Tar Heels into his second season despite murmurs that he would entertain NFL head coaching vacancies following the 2025 season.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick greets a recruit on the sidelines before an NCAA college football game against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

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As of now, Belichick is content leading the way in Chapel Hill, while Payton aims to get back the Broncos back to the Super Bowl in 2026.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

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England thrash India by 125 runs to take unassailable 2-0 lead, visitors suffer worst-ever T20I defeat | Cricket News

Published

46 minutes ago

7 July 2026

NewsAdmin

England thrash India by 125 runs to take unassailable 2-0 lead, visitors suffer worst-ever T20I defeat

England Thrash India by 125 Runs (Image: X)

England produced a ruthless all-round performance to crush India by 125 runs in the third T20I at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series after the opener was washed out.The defeat was one India will want to forget in a hurry. Chasing 202, the visitors were bundled out for just 76 in 11.4 overs, registering their biggest defeat by runs in men’s T20I history and their second-lowest total in the format. For Shreyas Iyer, the loss also extended his wait for a maiden victory as India’s full-time T20I captain.

Salt, Curran lay the foundation

Asked to bat first, England overcame a quiet start to post an imposing 201/7, thanks largely to Philip Salt’s fluent 70 off 44 deliveries.India’s new-ball attack, led by Arshdeep Singh, began with discipline, but Jos Buttler shifted the momentum with a counter-attacking 32. Debutant Prince Yadav then made an immediate impact, dismissing Buttler with a pinpoint yorker off his very first delivery before sending captain Harry Brook back soon after.Harshit Rana kept India in the contest by removing Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton in successive deliveries, but Salt continued to anchor the innings with controlled aggression. The opener brought up a composed half-century before Axar Patel eventually ended his stay.Sam Curran provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 41 from 24 balls, ensuring England crossed the 200-run mark despite India’s late fightback. Prince Yadav (2/30) impressed on debut, while Harshit Rana (2/40) also picked up two wickets.

Archer, Tongue rip through India

India’s chase never gained any momentum as England’s pace attack tore through the batting order. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi entertained briefly with two towering sixes but was caught behind off Jofra Archer for 13. Ishan Kishan soon followed, edging Josh Tongue to Jacob Bethell, before Archer struck the decisive blows by dismissing captain Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel.India’s innings unravelled at alarming speed as they lost their first five wickets inside six overs for the first time in T20I history. The visitors found themselves in complete disarray against Archer’s pace and Tongue’s relentless accuracy.Will Jacks joined the party by stumping Tilak Varma, while Tongue removed Shivam Dube and Harshit Rana to finish with outstanding figures of 4/28. Archer returned 3/29, and Adil Rashid wrapped up the innings by bowling Varun Chakravarthy to seal a crushing victory.

India’s UK tour goes from bad to worse

The defeat continued India’s miserable run on the tour. Having already been whitewashed 2-0 by Ireland before arriving in England, Iyer’s men are yet to register a victory since lifting the T20 World Cup. Tactical errors, fragile batting and an inability to absorb pressure have all contributed to a worrying slide in form.With two matches still to play, England have already secured the series, while India will now look to salvage pride and avoid a complete whitewash.

Brief Scores

England: 201/7 in 20 overs (Philip Salt 70, Sam Curran 41*; Prince Yadav 2/30, Harshit Rana 2/40)India: 76 all out in 11.4 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 13; Josh Tongue 4/28, Jofra Archer 3/29)Result: England won by 125 runs.Series: England lead the five-match series 2-0 (first T20I abandoned due to rain).

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Lionel Messi in tears after Argentina’s greatest escape in FIFA World Cup sends them to the quarter-finals | Football News

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60 minutes ago

7 July 2026

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Lionel Messi in tears after Argentina's greatest escape in FIFA World Cup sends them to the quarter-finals

In a thrilling Round of 16 showdown, Argentina emerged victorious, defeating Egypt 3-2. Lionel Messi was visibly overcome with emotion, shedding tears of joy at the end of the match. (AP Photo)

Lionel Messi could not contain his emotions at the final whistle as Argentina staged a sensational late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16. After watching old rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar suffer painful exits in previous matches, the Inter Miami star shed tears of joy as the reigning champions secured their place in the quarter-finals.At the final whistle, after Argentina’s victory over Egypt was confirmed, he let out all his tension and broke down in tears as if he hadn’t already won everything in football, as if nothing else mattered, or as if it were the first time.The match had everything. Argentina trailed 2-0 with just over ten minutes of regulation remaining, staring down one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. And then Messi took over. He set up Cristian Romero’s header to make it 2-1. He scored himself four minutes later, a clinical finish that made him the first player in history to score in six consecutive World Cup knockout matches. Then Enzo Fernández headed home a cross from Lautaro Martínez in stoppage time to complete a comeback that left the football world speechless.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after their World Cup round of 16 comeback win against Egypt. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Lautaro Martínez summed it up perfectly after the match. “He deserved to cry,” he said of Messi. “Because he is our example, our guide, the one who helped us the most.”For Messi, the images of his emotional celebration will serve as a defining moment of this World Cup, illustrating that even after all his success, the hunger to win with his country remains as strong as ever.Ronaldo had cried in defeat in Dallas 24 hours earlier. Neymar had cried in defeat in New Jersey the night before that. On Tuesday in Atlanta, Messi cried in victory and the difference between those two sets of tears tells you everything about where he stands above them all at this moment in time.The dream of back-to-back World Cups is alive. Messi is alive. And that image of the greatest footballer who ever lived, flat on the Atlanta grass with tears streaming down his face, is already the photograph of this entire tournament.

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Marwooba Triumphs in 2026 Taj Rossi Series Final

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1 hour ago

7 July 2026

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Two jockeys ride racehorses side by side on a track, with vibrant sponsor signage and flowers in the background.

The strategic advantage of the Hawkes family’s dual-state racing operation was clearly demonstrated at Flemington’s Finals Day meeting this past Saturday, where the father-and-sons training team clinched the $175,000 Taj Rossi Series Final with their impressive galloper, Marwooba.

The son of Wootton Bassett, conditioned by John, Wayne, and Michael Hawkes, achieved a Listed victory over 1600 metres, building on a previous win at Rosehill on June 13.

This marked a successful return to Victoria for the gelding, who had been sent to Sydney after a disappointing last-place finish, 30 lengths off the winner, at Geelong in his seasonal debut. Wayne Hawkes commented on the benefit derived from the more favourable weather conditions in New South Wales during this time of year.

“He only got here yesterday and his coat looked amazing,” Hawkes, who supervises their Flemington stable, remarked. “The Sydney horses just look so much better than the Melbourne horses, just because of the weather. There’s nothing anyone could do about that, but he just got off the float and he had a pig-root and was pretty happy with himself.”

Marwooba capitalised on an economical run under the expert handling of Melbourne’s leading rider, Craig Williams, to finish ahead of the $2.70 favourite, Star Of Macedon.

Williams positioned Marwooba off the pace, found an opening down the centre of the straight midway, and unleashed a potent acceleration to forge a race-winning lead. The $3.20 second elect secured victory by half a length, with Ko Phangan ($7) finishing a further three-quarters of a length behind Star Of Macedon in third place.

The win secured Williams his second juvenile race victory of the day, having earlier guided the $2 favourite Stars Of Dom to win the $150,000 Next Generation Sprinters Series Final (1200m).

Hawkes indicated that the stable’s attention would now turn to the spring racing season with Marwooba. The Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield on September 27 is a potential target, with a view towards the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney.

“We’re very happy to be here in the depths of winter winning a race in July, (he’ll go) back to Sydney and have three weeks off probably, then come back into work and he might end up in a Spring Champion (Stakes). There are plenty of options for him.”

With Marwooba’s spring targets in sight, punters can find competitive racing odds at various betting sites.

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World Cup 2026: The fury and heartbreak of Egypt’s stunning World Cup collapse

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1 hour ago

7 July 2026

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With 12 minutes of normal time remaining Egypt stood on the cusp of their greatest ever World Cup result.

The Pharaohs led Argentina, the reigning world champions, 2-0 in Atlanta Stadium.

A quarter-final spot – their first – beckoned for the football-mad African country.

Then it went wrong. Horribly wrong.

When Cristian Romero reduced the deficit in the 79th minute, it was a case of Egypt digging in. But they looked panic-stricken when captain Lionel Messi – who else? – made it 2-2 four minutes later.

Enzo Fernandez then completed a remarkable turnaround with a header in the second minute of stoppage-time.

Egypt were down and out – and downright furious after the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled out a second goal by Mostafa Zico for a foul after midfielder Marwan Attia was penalised for slightly stepping on Lisandro Martinez at the start of the move, when they were leading 1-0.

They were also adamant Mohamed Salah was fouled in Argentina’s penalty area, seconds before the reigning champions broke for the winner.

“There is so much inconsistency at the moment with VAR and decisions and how far you go back to pull a decision,” Egyptian football expert Ahmad Yousef told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“There was such a long distance that had gone by and the foul was so minimal so I completely understand why the Egyptian coaching staff and squad are so disappointed.”

When French referee Francois Letexier signalled full-time, many of Egypt’s players slumped to the floor in disbelief at what had just happened.

Salah swapped shirts with his former Liverpool team-mate Alexis MacAllister before walking off the pitch with his head bowed, while other players stood shaking their heads.

“There were so many subplots and stories to this game,” said former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was in the ground working for BBC Radio 5 Live.

This match had everything – a penalty save, a disallowed goal, a red card as well as a thrilling comeback.

BBC Sport unpicks a game that will go down in World Cup history for featuring a team who were two goals down so late on, but who went on to win without needing extra time.

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Athletics activate SS Jacob Wilson from IL

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2 hours ago

7 July 2026

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Jun 17, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (5) hits a single during the sixth inning of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Athletics activated shortstop Jacob Wilson from the injured list Tuesday while left-hander Jacob Lopez also was added to the active roster.

In corresponding moves, the club optioned catcher Brian Serven and right-hander Kade Morris to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Wilson, 24, has not played since June 26 because of right thumb inflammation. One season after Wilson was named an American League All-Star and finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, he is batting .277 with four homers and 26 RBIs in 50 games. Wilson also has missed time with a shoulder injury this season.

Lopez, 28, is 4-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) for the A’s this season. In parts of four major league seasons, he is 12-10 with a 4.99 ERA in 41 appearances (29 starts) for the Tampa Bay Rays (2023-24) and A’s.

Serven, 31, has played one game for the A’s this season, his first major league action in two years. In parts of four seasons, he is a career .188 hitter with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 102 games for the Colorado Rockies (2022-23), Toronto Blue Jays (2024) and A’s.

Morris, 24, made his major league debut June 6 and went 0-1 with an 11.70 ERA over his first three appearances (one start).

–Field Level Media

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FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi scripts history, surpasses Diego Maradona to become all-time assists leader as Argentina edge Egypt in R16 | Football News

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2 hours ago

7 July 2026

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FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi scripts history, surpasses Diego Maradona to become all-time assists leader as Argentina edge Egypt in R16

Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their second goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta. (AP Photo)

He already had the goals record. He already had the appearances record. On Tuesday night in Atlanta, Lionel Messi took the assists record too.After Argentina’s remarkable comeback win against Egypt in the Round of 16, Messi recorded his ninth career World Cup assist, giving him the most assists in World Cup history, surpassing Argentine legend Diego Maradona, who previously held the record with eight.The record-breaking assist arrived in the most dramatic of circumstances. Argentina were trailing Egypt 2-0 when Messi found Cristian Romero in the box, and the centre-back headed home to pull one back and begin one of the great World Cup comebacks. Messi then scored himself in the 83rd minute with a stunning volley from inside the box, before Enzo Fernández completed the turnaround in stoppage time. Argentina won 3-2, and Messi had touched the game in every way imaginable – record assist, crucial goal, match-winning influence.Messi’s ninth assist gives him the most in World Cup history, with the record previously shared between himself and Maradona at eight apiece.Croatia’s Ivan Perisic was trailing with six assists, but Croatia were eliminated by Portugal in the Round of 16, meaning the record now looks entirely safe.The numbers keep coming and they keep defying belief. Messi now has 12 career goal contributions in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, six goals and six assists, passing both Pelé and Kylian Mbappé for the most in the last 60 years on record. He has also become the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score in eight consecutive appearances.Messi had reached 30 World Cup appearances across six tournaments, the most in history by any player, male or female, at a single World Cup.At 39 years of age. At his sixth and final World Cup. In a tournament with a larger field and longer travel map than any edition before it.Maradona set the assists record. Klose set the goals record. Marta held the overall scoring record. One by one, Messi has taken them all. The record books at this World Cup belong entirely to one man and on Tuesday night in Atlanta, he reminded the world exactly why.

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Wimbledon 2026: What Arthur Fery must do to beat Flavio Cobolli and reach SW19 semi-finals

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2 hours ago

7 July 2026

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Who predicted British wildcard Arthur Fery would be a Wimbledon quarter-finalist this year? Not even the man himself.

Fery, ranked 114th in the world, illustrated that when he explicitly mouthed his surprise after beating Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16.

Now the 23-year-old will aim to reach the semi-finals when he plays Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday.

Cobolli, 24, was the runner-up at last month’s French Open and, after becoming a Wimbledon quarter-finalist last year, has showed again he can excel on grass.

“Arthur still starts as the underdog given the difference in ranking and top-level experience,” said BBC Sport analyst Jamie Murray.

“But he has proven to be a great grass-court player and poses a lot of different questions to opponents.”

Before the Centre Court contest, BBC Sport examines how Fery could beat Cobolli and become only the fifth British man to reach the Wimbledon last four since 1968.

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