Last year’s Vikings season went up in smoke primarily due to the subpar quarterback play the trio of passers provided throughout the year. Unsurprisingly, the most important task this offseason was to add some oomph to the quarterback room. Kyler Murray arrived in March to shake up the depth chart and either replace or push young signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.

Just two years after his draft day and just one year after his rise to the QB1 spot, McCarthy is caught in a battle for his place in the starting lineup, and perhaps even for a future within the organization.

While most expected the more experienced Murray to come out victorious and lead the squad onto the field in Week 1, McCarthy might be looking for an exit. A report from NFL insider Jason LaCanfora, as well as comments from Mike Florio, have raised some eyebrows.

LaCanfora chatted with an unspecified GM, who remarked, “I think he wants out of there. I think he’s wanted out of there since they signed Murray. Those personalities are not going to be a good fit.”

The reason for those speculations is McCarthy’s awkward comments at OTAs, where he compared his situation with Murray to that of two students in the classroom.

McCarthy said last week, “It’s just like two guys in a classroom. He sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it’s the coach’s responsibility to teach us and coach us. Awkwardness? It’s just like the same feeling when you’re in high school, and there’s another person on the other side of the room. That’s just kind of how it is. I wouldn’t say there’s any awkwardness. It’s a true competition.”

The tenth overall draft choice from 2024 missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury and took over from Sam Darnold in 2025. His first campaign on the field didn’t go according to plan, as his play was overshadowed by injuries and inconsistency.

Of course, it’s too early to write a 23-year-old off after just ten games, but the Vikings had to bolster the quarterback room this offseason to avoid another lost season because of a struggling aerial attack.

McCarthy, however, might not be a big fan of Murray’s arrival.

Mike Florio said on his podcast, Pro Football Talk, “There’s a question of whether and to what extent McCarthy will be able to handle being the backup. Will he be resentful? Will he cause division within the locker room? Will he be quick to point out any mistake Kyler Murray makes? He has to fully embrace his status on the depth chart. That may be impossible for him to do.”

There’s a reason why backup quarterbacks like ex-Viking Nick Mullens have long careers in the NFL. They know their place as the backup that’s only playing in case of injury to the starter. A younger player with a first-round draft pedigree like McCarthy wants to be the guy under center rather than a supporting act.

Florio thinks a reunion with an old friend could help McCarthy.

“Trade him to the Chargers. I know they’ve got Trey Lance back to be an understudy to Justin Herbert. But Jim Harbaugh is the one who went on and on about J.J. McCarthy.”

His former college coach, Harbaugh, acted like a cheerleader when McCarthy entered the draft, but he couldn’t keep his passer after taking over the Chargers with Justin Herbert.

Florio added, “I think back to March of 2025. Nobody knew who was in charge. Those were all things I was hearing from reliable sources … no one knew who was calling the shots. No one knew what they were going to do at quarterback. But I did pick up the idea that, if they brought back Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones last year, they were going to have a major problem with JJ McCarthy. I think that may be one of the reasons why they decided, ‘You know what, fine, fine. You’re the guy, go be the guy.’”

At the end of the day, the Vikings need McCarthy to work on his craft, whether he’s the starter or not. He might still end up being the franchise quarterback down the road. Murray’s injury history isn’t the shortest either and McCarthy might be asked to step in sooner rather than later, even if he’s the QB2 to start the season.

The Vikings don’t have much to lose at this point. They could trade McCarthy for pennies on the dollar, or they could keep him around to see if he can live up to the draft capital they invested in him.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote last month, “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to trade him. The Vikings have already paid 70% of McCarthy’s rookie contract. There’s no way they could get anything in return that remotely approaches what they spent in terms of draft capital to acquire him in the first place. They’re less than a year removed from believing he could be their starter, not just now but for years to come. And it’s not like Murray is some automatic fix, either. He has had one fully healthy season in the past five, and the Cardinals are paying him almost $36 million this year to play for another team.”

The reality is that the Vikings don’t need to make a decision on McCarthy anytime soon. They can let the quarterback competition play out, keep developing the former first-round pick, and see where things stand after the season.

If McCarthy truly views Murray’s arrival as a threat, the best response isn’t frustration but improvement. At 23 years old, he still has plenty of time to prove he can be Minnesota’s long-term answer. For now, the Vikings would be wise to ignore the trade speculation and focus on getting the most out of both quarterbacks. After all, having two viable options under center is a far better problem than the one they faced a year ago.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt

Roy Keane’s family has had plenty to celebrate after two of his children married within the space of a year, while daughter Caragh continues to battle lupus

Manchester United legend Roy Keane witnessed a second child walk down the aisle this week as daughter Leah tied the knot. The second-youngest of Keane’s offspring exchanged vows with Southampton and England defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis in a rural ceremony on Tuesday.

This marks the second occasion within just a few months that the Irish footballing icon has watched one of his children get married. It has not all been cause for celebration among his five children, however, as one of his daughters, Caragh, has faced a battle with a debilitating condition.

Meanwhile, Keane’s other two daughters, Shannon and Alanna, have taken considerable steps to keep their personal lives firmly out of the spotlight. MEN Sport takes a closer look at the expanding Keane family following a whirlwind period of highs and lows.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Caragh’s autoimmune disease

Keane’s second-eldest daughter, Caragh, has spoken openly about her battle with lupus following her diagnosis in 2021. The autoimmune condition left her confined to bed for weeks at a time and compelled her to abandon her dream career as a primary school teacher.

It was only last year that Caragh fully shared her story, which has since taken a positive turn. She established her own wellness brand, Superkeen, and even joined her father on the Stick To Football podcast to help promote the venture.

“Life was over,” she told PA Real Life in 2025. “[There was] no way out. I wouldn’t be here without them [parents Roy and Theresa]. When I was diagnosed, I mourned the person I had been and the person I felt I should have been.

“The fatigue was unbearable but you just power on. I was essentially bed-bound for a month-and-a-half. I had been experiencing fatigue and memory loss for about six months. Since your immune system is essentially attacking itself, you feel like you only have yourself to blame.”

The initial warning signs for Caragh included hair loss, blistered skin and aching joints. She has since become a prominent advocate raising awareness of the condition and supporting others through her brand, while also recently getting engaged to her long-term partner.

Leah’s marriage to England star

The latest member of the Keane family to tie the knot is Leah, who wed Saints star Harwood-Bellis this week. The couple exchanged vows at Kin House in Wiltshire, where Keane proudly walked the 24-year-old down the aisle.

The newlyweds got engaged following a trip to the Amalfi Coast in 2024. Leah shared a collection of photographs from their special day looking stunning, captioned: “In every life time.”

Harwood-Bellis opted for a classic black tuxedo for the ceremony, while Leah looked breathtaking in her white dress and veil. The couple are already parents, having welcomed daughter Iris into the world back in December.

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

England Official Store

Advertisement

Buy Now on England Official Store

England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL

Speaking about the pressure of having Keane Sr as his father-in-law, Harwood-Bellis has praised the United icon, saying earlier this year: “He’s one of the people, barring my immediate family, who I know for a fact has only my interests in mind. The advice he gives me, I know he’s got my full interests at heart, so he has helped me with decisions.”

Keane, in turn, has spoken light-heartedly about having an England international for a son-in-law. When Harwood-Bellis scored against the Republic of Ireland in his sole England appearance to date, Keane joked the wedding to his daughter was not “done and dusted” just yet.

Lookalike son’s wedding

Leah is understood to have become the second Keane child to wed after his only son, Aidan, took the plunge himself last year. Keane marked the occasion with an Instagram post alongside his wife and the happy couple, captioned: “Beautiful day celebrating my son and his wife.”

Republic of Ireland legend and Roy’s former team-mate Paul McGrath sent his congratulations, commenting: “Congrats Aidan and the new Mrs Keane. Best wishes for the future.”

Jamie Carragher offered his own congratulations via two heart-eye emojis. Meanwhile, supporters expressed their affection by sarcastically quoting some of Keane’s most notorious lines back to him in the comments section.

Like Shannon and Alanna, Aidan prefers to maintain privacy around his personal affairs. Nevertheless, it is understood the sole male among Keane’s children has gone against his father by backing Arsenal, who recently claimed the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years.

Lams Lamina is the first overall pick by Galeries Tower in 2026 PVL Rookie Draft.–PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Lams Lamina emerged as the top overall pick of Galeries Tower in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Rookie Draft on Wednesday night at Novotel.

As expected, the HighRisers picked Lamina to solidify their offense and run the plays for last year’s No.2 pick Jean Asis, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Gayle Pascual, Roselle Baliton, and Erika Deloria.

The incoming rookie will work with Julia Coronel, who was a third overall pick of Galeries in 2024.

READ: Lams Lamina poised to become top overall pick with Pepito close behind

Galeries Tower selects Lams Lamina as the top overall pick!#PVLDraft #PVL2026 @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/3E6meXakxA

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) June 3, 2026

Lamina brings her experience as a two-time UAAP Best Setter, a three-time champion out of five finals appearances, and an Alas Pilipinas prospect.

Galeries, which landed the top pick in the Draft Lottery last year despite the 30% chance, reached the second phase of the Play-in last All-Filipino Conference before losing to Nxled.

The 2026 Draft Class was hit by two big withdrawals of Alyssa Solomon and Niña Ytang, who opted out to focus on playing for Alas.

At the end of IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru towered over other teams yet again. For the second straight year, the Rajat Patidar-led side won the league. Gujarat Titans finished a close second, maintaining a terrific level of consistency that has continued since 2022. Rajasthan Royals, who went out in Qualifier 2, showed great promise, relying on the young shoulders of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The fourth-best team, Sunrisers Hyderabad, too had their moments, armed with a solid batting unit. But when IPL 2026 started, the first half of the league belonged to one team – Punjab Kings. The Shreyas Iyer-led side stayed unbeaten in seven straight games to reach 13 points. Then came the downfall. They lost the next six matches. Even though they won their last game, it was not enough for the Ricky Ponting-coached side.

Sachin Tendulkar has now analysed what went wrong for the side.

“Punjab Kings brought wonderful energy to the tournament. Their cricket was positive, brave and often game-changing. Momentum plays a crucial role in lengthy tournaments. Eventually, in such a fast-moving tournament, it boils down to process and not getting attached to results. Punjab focused more on process in the first half and more on results in the second,” he wrote in a Reddit post.

On the other hand, Tendulkar was all praise for GT. “What stands out about the Gujarat Titans is their ability to operate within a remarkably consistent performance band across an entire season. The IPL is inherently volatile, but GT rarely stray too far from their method, even when results fluctuate. They minimize both peaks and troughs, staying close to their brand of cricket more consistently than most teams. Over a long tournament, that ability to control uncertainty often proves more valuable than occasional bursts of brilliance or isolated match-winning performances,” he wrote.

“Looking back at IPL 2026, I was reminded that tournaments are rarely defined by how they begin. More than once this season, the table told a very different story at the halfway mark than it did at the end. Teams adjusted, players improved, and new solutions emerged as the competition progressed. The game demands constant evolution, and that is part of what makes it so fascinating to watch.”

Featured Video Of The Day

IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season

Mohammed Siraj and Shubman Gill

NEW DELHI: India’s preparations for the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan gathered momentum on Thursday, with the team putting in a demanding training session despite the intense heat. The Test match begins on Saturday and will be followed by a three-match ODI series.One of the biggest positives for India was the sight of Mohammed Siraj bowling at full intensity for nearly 25 minutes alongside Prasidh Krishna, according to a report from news agency PTI. With concerns raised about player workload after a long IPL season, Siraj’s energetic spell suggested the senior fast bowler is fit and ready for the challenge ahead.

Pacers impress in the nets

Apart from Siraj and Prasidh, tall pacer Gurnoor Brar also made an impression during the session. The fast bowler generated sharp bounce and troubled KL Rahul on a couple of occasions, forcing edges outside the off stump. Despite those moments, Rahul looked solid and comfortable during his time at the crease.Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar also spent considerable time bowling in the nets. He focused on maintaining accuracy and consistency, delivering multiple spells while sticking to disciplined line and length.Meanwhile, all the specialist batters, including captain Shubman Gill, got valuable practice against the reserve bowlers as India fine-tuned its preparations ahead of the series opener.

Spin battle and Mayank’s return

A notable feature of the training session was the attention given to left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey. The team management appeared keen to assess his batting ability as he spent a significant amount of time with the bat.Dubey and fellow left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who is also in contention for a place in the playing XI, bowled in adjacent nets under the watchful eye of head coach Gautam Gambhir. Their performances could play a key role in determining India’s spin combination for the Test.Fast bowler Mayank Yadav was also present with the squad. However, the youngster, who has dealt with several injury setbacks in recent years, focused mainly on fitness and conditioning drills rather than an extended bowling session.

Royal Ascot is five days, 35 races, and five years in the making for most yards.

For a small number of trainers, it has been a career-long accumulation of winners at the sport’s most celebrated summer meeting. Tracking the race-by-race market movers across the week gives some sense of just how much the big yards dominate the ante-post and day-of markets. The records set across the Berkshire turf tell their own story about what it takes to keep producing at the highest level, year after year.

Here are the trainers who have won more races at Royal Ascot than anyone else.

Aidan O’Brien

No trainer in the history of Royal Ascot comes close to Aidan O’Brien. With a record haul of 96 Royal Ascot winners, the Ballydoyle maestro has won 12 of the meeting’s 35 races at least once. His first came in 1997, when Harbour Master took the Coventry Stakes. He has been sending winners back to Berkshire ever since.

O’Brien has been crowned leading trainer at Royal Ascot in eight of the last 10 years, regularly sending 20 to 30 runners to the meeting and averaging four to five winners per year across that period. His dominance in certain races is extraordinary. He has won the Coventry Stakes 11 times and the Ascot Gold Cup nine times.

At the 2025 edition, O’Brien saddled five winners at the meeting, leaving him clear of every trainer, past or present, in the all-time standings.

Sir Michael Stoute

Sir Michael Stoute accumulated 82 Royal Ascot winners during his training career, making him the most successful British trainer in the meeting’s history. He held the outright record until O’Brien overtook him in 2023.

Stoute passed the previous record of 75 winners, set by the late Sir Henry Cecil, in 2018, when Poet’s Word won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. His final Royal Ascot winner came in 2021, when Dream of Dreams took the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Across his career at the meeting, Stoute was particularly strong in the Group 1 races, a record no other British trainer has got near.

Sir Henry Cecil

Sir Henry Cecil racked up 75 Royal Ascot winners before his death in 2013. He was British champion flat trainer ten times, a figure surpassed only by Alec Taylor Jr and equalled by Stoute in 2009.

Cecil is remembered as much for how he won at Ascot as for how many times he did. Frankel won twice at the Royal meeting under his care, and the horse’s 2012 Queen Anne Stakes is widely regarded as one of the greatest performances ever seen at Royal Ascot. His record stood as the benchmark for over three decades.

John and Thady Gosden

The Gosden yard passed 70 Royal Ascot winners in 2025, with John Gosden confirming his 70th victory at the meeting across the week. The 2025 Royal Ascot gave their momentum a significant boost, as John and Thady Gosden claimed the leading trainer title, edging out O’Brien on a countback after both yards saddled five winners across the week. Their victories included a trio of Group 1 wins in the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, and the Gold Cup.

Napoli confirm Rasmus Højlund has completed a permanent move from Manchester United, as the ‘conditions have been met for the permanent acquisition.’

Napoli confirmed Hojlund’s permanent transfer to the Stadio Maradona with an official statement on Wednesday.

Advertisement

Official statement: Hojlund permanent transfer to Napoli from Man United

“Napoli announce that the conditions have been met for the permanent acquisition of the sporting rights of Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United,” the Partenopei said.

“On September 13, our No.19 scored his first goal on his debut, helping Napoli secure a 3-1 victory away at Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. He has made 44 appearances with the Azzurri shirt, scoring 16 goals.

NAPLES, ITALY – MARCH 14: Rasmus Hojlund of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring his side first goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and US Lecce at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 14, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Advertisement

“He also played a key role in Naèoli’s Super Cup triumph, scoring in the semifinal victory over Milan.

“Congratulations, Rasmus!”

Napoli secured Hojlund’s permanent move with mathematical qualification for the Champions League with a game to spare at the end of May.

Napoli already paid €6m for the striker’s one-season loan last summer, adding €44m for his permanent move.

Hojlund had already played in Serie A before joining Napoli, spending one season with Atalanta in 2022-23, managing 10 goals in 34 appearances.

During his three-year spell at Manchester United, Hojlund scored 26 goals in 95 matches.

COMO, ITALY – MAY 02: SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte looks on during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on May 02, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Advertisement

Napoli are set to hire Massimiliano Allegri as their new coach, replacing Antonio Conte, who has already announced his departure after two seasons at the Stadio Maradona.

Napoli finished the 2025-26 Serie A campaign in second and won the Supercoppa Italiana.

As we count down to the first college football game of the 2026 season on August 29th, we’re pleased to introduce a new series: The records of each top CFB program in the West against all the others in the region.

Some schools have met many times over the years, while others are beginning new rivalries in the wake of recent realignment.

For each opponent in the table below, we provide the total games played, wins, losses, ties, winning percentage, first year played, and most recent contest.

We begin with Air Force, which has played 466 games vs. regional foes, winning 252, losing 207, and tying seven for a winning percentage of .548.

The Falcons have recorded the most wins against Colorado State (40) and lost the most games vs. Wyoming (28). Those two teams are tied for Air Force’s most played opponents at 63 games each.

Here is a breakdown of the AFA’s records vs. the region’s teams.

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott is poised to make his England debut in the forthcoming World Cup warm-up games in the United States.

Scott, Rio Ngumoha, Josh King, Jason Steele and Ethan Nwaneri have travelled as supplementary members of the England squad for their preparation camp in Florida.

This comes as they await the arrivals of Arsenal quartet Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke and Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson following their involvement in European finals.

Henderson is due to arrive in the next 24 hours, with the remaining four expected to report for duty over the weekend.

It is understood that all five additional squad selections, despite not being picked in Thomas Tuchel’s full squad for the World Cup, are eligible to play in the friendlies versus New Zealand and Costa Rica.

The quintet will also stay in Florida for the duration of the camp and not head back when the remaining five players report for duty.

Scott was named in Tuchel’s provisional 55-man squad for the tournament, which means that from the five supplementary players, only he stands a chance of breaking into the full World Cup squad at this stage should any injuries occur.

With that in mind, the 22-year-old has a strong chance to make his international debut in one of the upcoming friendlies before heading off for his summer break.

Scott earned his senior first call-up for the November matches against Serbia and Albania but didn’t make an appearance.

Tuchel then left Scott out of the squad to face Japan and Uruguay in March before omitting him from his final 26-man World Cup party.

But in explaining why he decided to bring five extra players to the US for their pre-tournament camp, the England head coach said: “I’m really happy these guys are with us, especially Alex, who was with us in the list of 55 and had a kind of disappointing phone call as well, that he didn’t make the first cut. But the reaction of him was outstanding, the commitment, the wish to be in pre-camp and to just be a step closer to the team was not even a question for him.

“He showed me his character and his spirit so I’m delighted that he’s with us because it was a close call.”