Sports
ESPN Has Surprise Breakout Hype for Vikings CB
The Minnesota Vikings experienced a rough season from veteran cornerback Jeff Okudah in 2025, so much so that the club put its foot down in free agency and signed James Pierre, a 29-year-0ld from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And don’t look now, but Pierre is somehow the top “breakout” candidate for the Vikings, according to ESPN.
Pierre’s 2025 Coverage Surge Makes the Case Credible
Ben Solak: Vikings Breakout Player Is Pierre
Pierre isn’t young, but Solak didn’t care, picking the veteran corner as his breakout prediction: “The Vikings like to rotate cornerbacks on cheap contracts, as coordinator Brian Flores’ zone-heavy and blitz-happy approach requires fewer snaps of prolonged man coverage than most other defenses.”
“This offseason, they snagged Pierre in free agency after he made some strong spot starts with the Steelers. Pierre had only 219 coverage snaps last season, but his passer rating allowed of 49.8 was second only to Jamel Dean among cornerbacks last season. (Dean, ironically, is who the Steelers signed in free agency).”
The Vikings added defensive passing game coordinator Gerald Alexander from the Steelers this offseason, and he just brought Pierre with him. That’s how that worked.
Solak continued, “It’s worth noting that Fabian Moreau was third in passer rating allowed at 50.5 in Flores’ defense. But the Vikings still elected to cycle Moreau out for Pierre, who was coached by Flores and passing game coordinator Gerald Alexander during their time in Pittsburgh.”
“That’s a clear sign they trust him more — and might ask for more man coverage accordingly.”
It probably wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to re-sign Moreau, who remains a free agent.
Is 30 Years Old an Appropriate Breakout Time?
Pierre will turn 30 three days after the Vikings’ Week 1 showdown with the Green Bay Packers. While it’s fine and dandy to forecast a big season and breakout party for anyone, it’s a little odd to do it for a soon-to-be 30-year-old. Generally speaking, younger players get the ‘breakout’ adjective.
For example, Dalvin Cook, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2024, is 30. His career is over. He’s not much older than Pierre. Solak is forecasting an emergence from someone not far off Cook’s age, and Cook feels all the way retired.
If one agrees with the Pierre assessment, the saying “better late than never” comes to mind.
All the Power to Him
Listen, you can’t knock Pierre for possibly busting out in Year No. 7. He should, in fact, be applauded if he brings Solak’s prediction to life.
Pierre’s 2025 season marked a huge improvement, particularly given his limited playing time. Despite appearing in only 377 snaps and starting 5 games, he still managed to record 30 tackles. His coverage statistics were exceptionally strong. Pierre allowed a mere 42.9% completion rate on 35 targets, surrendering only 130 yards and no touchdowns. Quarterbacks targeting him posted a dismal 41.4 passer rating, which is unholy good.
Pro Football Focus also recognized his stellar play, assigning him an 86.2 overall grade — the highest of his career. Even more impressive was his 88.9 coverage grade. Additionally, he secured an interception and broke up nine passes.
However, his season wasn’t without its weaknesses; his run defense proved to be a liability. A 45.9 tackling grade was poor, and six missed tackles resulted in a 16.2% miss rate.
Nonetheless, in the grand scheme, Pierre transformed from a depth piece on the roster to a legitimate defensive contributor in a single season. For a Vikings secondary seeking affordable cornerback depth, his 2025 breakout is precisely the kind of fit that made sense for the Vikings in March, who sought value-based free agents.
Our Kyle Joudry noted on Pierre last month, “Watching him on the field means seeing an easy mover who isn’t afraid to blanket a receiver. He’s a long guy who can lean on a receiver in the same way a power forward in basketball drapes himself over somebody trying to back toward the rim.”
“Gotta assume, folks, that receivers don’t love going against James Pierre.”
Other Breakout Candidates
Of course, Pierre isn’t the only Vikings player capable of breaking out in 2026. Other candidates could include:
- Charles Demmings | CB
- Tai Felton | WR
- Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins | DT
- Donovan Jackson | LG
- Dallas Turner | OLB
- Jay Ward | S
Dallas Turner especially makes sense as an option to take off in his full-time starting role now that Jonathan Greenard plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Most productive cornerbacks can play well into their 30s. We shall see if Pierre follows suit.
Moses Itauma‘s possible career path has become a lot clearer after he was officially named as the mandatory challenger for a reigning world heavyweight champion.
Itauma is viewed as being the future of the heavyweight division, with the 21-year-old having won all 14 of his professional fights to date, 12 of them coming by knockout.
He has claimed wins over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Mariusz Wach and Demsey McKean, and last time out became the first man to stop former Whyte and Anthony Joshua foe Jermaine Franklin when he earned a fifth round TKO victory.
Itauma is set for his toughest test so far later this month when he takes on Filip Hrgovic at The O2 Arena on August 29, and with a win there, the youngster could now head straight into a world title shot.
That is after the WBA confirmed that Itauma is the mandatory for Murat Gassiev, correcting an earlier mistake where Jarrell Miller was wrongly listed as mandatory.
“The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee wishes to clarify an inadvertent error in the publication of the July heavyweight rankings, which incorrectly listed Jarrell Miller as the division’s official mandatory challenger.
“The heavyweight division has one official mandatory challenger: Moses Itauma, who currently holds the No. 1 spot in the rankings and has been awaiting his world title opportunity for several months.
“While Miller returned to the ring on April 24 and earned a unanimous decision victory over Lenier Peró in Las Vegas, it is important to clarify that the bout was not a final eliminator. As such, that victory did not make him the WBA’s official mandatory challenger.”
Gassiev became WBA Regular champion in December with a knockout win over Kubrat Pulev, and after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his unified world heavyweight titles earlier this summer, Gassiev was subsequently elevated to full champion.
It means Itauma now has another avenue for a world title shot, having already been ordered to negotiate with Frank Sanchez for a fight for the vacant IBF heavyweight title.
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Levi Wyatt, a former college football standout who played for the Jackson State Tigers and McNeese State Cowboys, has died. He was 23.
Jackson State mourned the loss of the former cornerback on Saturday. Wyatt was a 2024 Preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team selection before he joined the Tigers. He had 12 tackles and four pass breakups in 2025.
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Levi Wyatt #2 of Jackson State reacts against Prairie View A&M during the 2025 SWAC Championship at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss., on Dec. 6, 2025. (Getty Images)
“The bond of this brotherhood does not end when the game clock expires,” Jackson State said in a statement. “Today, we mourn the loss of our brother, Levi Wyatt. His memory will forever live within the halls of Jackson State football and in the hearts of everyone who shared this journey with him.
“We ask the Tiger Nation to join us in lifting his family and loved ones in prayer during this incredibly difficult time. Rest easy, Tiger.”
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Jacob Bostick No. 11 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs after a reception while defended by Levi Wyatt No. 2 of the McNeese State Cowboys in the second half at Kyle Field on Sept. 7, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (Getty Images)
Wyatt was killed in a car crash in Mississippi early Saturday, according to state officials.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said officers in Jackson responded to a report of a car crash just after midnight local time, according to WLBT-TV. Responding officers located two vehicles that sustained damage at the scene.
A Chevrolet Camaro reportedly struck a utility pole.
The Hinds County coroner identified Wyatt as one of the victims of the crash, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, WLBT-TV reported.
Levi Wyatt #2 of the Jackson State Tigers reacts against the Prairie View A&M Panthers during the 2025 SWAC Championship at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Dec. 6, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. (Getty Images)
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Mississippi Highway Patrol was reportedly investigating the incident.
Jul 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) delivers a pitch agains the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning t at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The Arizona Diamondbacks were in danger of falling into a deeper hole when they faced the San Diego Padres before the All-Star break. How things have changed.
After salvaging a split in the finale of a four-game set in San Diego on July 9, the Diamondbacks have the best record in the National League since that date and are tied with Philadelphia for the final two NL wild-card spots as they open a four-game series against the Padres on Monday.
Arizona is 14-6 since July 9 and leads the major leagues with 118 runs.
“It’s my favorite month of baseball,” said Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, whose team completed a 6-4 road trip as the calendar turned to August.
“I think the season starts to take shape. The contenders and pretenders start to separate. So I think the real teams, and the ones that are capable of carrying on for the next two months, start to separate themselves, and it’s the purest form of baseball.”
The Padres have been nearly as good in that span, going 12-8 with 110 runs, the third-most in the majors. They are one game behind the Diamondbacks and Phillies after a 5-1 homestand.
“How we’re playing right now, I think, is the true identity of this club,” said Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth, whose walk-off single beat the Giants 6-5 on Saturday.
Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt (5-1, 4.00 ERA) will seek to continue his recent dominance in the opener against fellow right-hander Michael King (6-7, 3.38), who was pushed back from a scheduled Sunday start against San Francisco for this matchup.
“We’re chasing them,” San Diego manager Craig Stammen said. “He’s our best pitcher. It would be nice to have our best pitcher pitching against them. He would miss them otherwise.”
King is 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in five career starts against Arizona.
Pfaadt is 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA since his June 30 return from Triple-A Reno, where he was dispatched after early-season ineffectiveness. Injuries to right-handers Ryne Nelson and Michael Soroka provided a rotation opening.
After tweaking his mechanics, Pfaadt has taken advantage. He shortened his windup and moved to the first-base side of the rubber. He had been going back and forth with his starting point.
“More simple and more consistent,” Pfaadt said. “I think when you move and change so many things over a long period of time, stuff becomes inconsistent. Just making that as consistent as possible.”
Pfaadt threw five scoreless innings in an 8-0 victory over the Padres in his second start back July 6, He gave up six hits in seven scoreless innings in his last appearance, an 8-7 no-decision at Pittsburgh last Tuesday.
“There’s just confidence with everything that he’s doing,” Lovullo said. “His timing’s great. His delivery looks great, and he’s executing.”
Pfaadt is 4-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 11 career appearances (10 starts) against San Diego. Cronenworth is 11-for-24 with three RBIs against Pfaadt, Manny Machado is 7-for-21 with a homer and Ty France is 3-for-9 with a homer.
King was 1-0 with 2.79 ERA in five July starts. He gave up a combined three runs in 12 innings in a win and a no-decision against Arizona this season. Against King, Gabriel Moreno is 4-for-8 and Corbin Carroll is 1-for-9.
–Field Level Media
Celtic have been drawn against Austrian champions LASK in the Champions League play-off round.
Meanwhile, Rangers will face either Northern Irish champions Larne or Iberia Tbilisi of Georgia in the Europa League play-offs should they defeat Jagiellonia Bialystok of Poland.
And Heart of Midlothian, who dropped down to the Europa League after losing to Sturm Graz in Champions League qualifying, will take on either AGF Aarhus of Denmark or Sabah of Azerbaijan should they defeat Benfica.
Should they lose, the Edinburgh side will face Paide Linnameeskond of Estonia or Rapid Vienna of Austria in the Conference League play-off round.
If Rangers lose, they will meet Jablonec of Czech Republic or RFS of Latvia.
Motherwell will take on Freiburg of Germany should they defeat Finland’s HJK Helsinki.
Meanwhile, Hibernian will take on IFK Gothenburg of Sweden or Gent of Belgium if they oust Shkendija of Macedonia.
Russian 16-year-old Kristina Liutova won the WTA Memphis title on Sunday, beating Darja Vidmanova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 to capture the crown in her first main-draw appearance. Liutova became the youngest player to win a WTA title since 15-year-old Coco Gauff triumphed in Linz in 2019. When she fired a stinging forehand to the corner to
Veteran trainer Les Bridge received a belated birthday gift at Rosehill as Aye Aye Captain returned to her best form. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy confessed he was indebted to the stable for a positive result after a questionable recommendation last start.
Aye Aye Captain had previously failed to impress when the favourite on a heavy surface, a decision McEvoy had urged Bridge to proceed with.
However, on firmer footing in Saturday’s Congratulations Chris Waller Handicap (1400m), the mare executed perfectly. Aye Aye Captain, sent to post at $3.30, fought tenaciously to win by a neck from Ticklebelly ($5), rewarding the patience of her connections.
McEvoy conceded he had some ground to make up after the mare’s previous outing.
“I must admit, he wasn’t too happy with me the other day when I convinced him to run on the heavy track,” McEvoy said.
“I could tell when I rang him after the races he was a bit flat on me.
“Anyway, he’s waited for today, freshened her up, and her work during the week was good.
“She settled better for me today, and the better ground suited her.”
The victory continues the extensive history between McEvoy and Bridge, a partnership stretching back almost a quarter of a century. Their first success together was with Miss Zoe in the 2002 Emancipation Stakes, followed by their career-defining win when Classique Legend captured The Everest in 2020.
“My first winner (for Bridge) was a good mare of his way back in the early 2000s, Miss Zoe. This was when I was just out of my apprenticeship,” McEvoy revealed. “Then when I moved to Sydney, I didn’t ride a lot for Les early on. Carmel (Size) linked me up when she knew she had a smart one in Classique Legend, and I’ve been doing a bit ever since with Les.”
The heavily supported favourite, Enviable ($2.50), performed poorly, fading to last after racing on pace. James McDonald informed stewards the mare travelled well but offered no response when asked for an effort in the straight. A post-race veterinary examination was expected to reveal any underlying issues behind the disappointing performance.
Check out the latest betting markets for the race.
MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra import Riley Grigsby got his first taste of the “Manila Clasico” rivalry on Sunday in the PBA Governors’ Cup at Araneta Coliseum. As expected, Grigsby felt the atmosphere of one of the biggest sports rivalries in the country. “I’ve heard about what this game means to fans. You feel the energy. I
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Hatred. Brotherhood. Envy. Glory.
It’s those words that have described the relationship of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. The two entered WWE as members of The Shield and came into SummerSlam on Sunday night as enemies. Reigns put the World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Rollins for possibly the final time of their careers.
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Roman Reigns celebrates during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium on Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (WWE via Getty Images)
Reigns and Rollins went blow-for-blow to start the match before it turned into an all-out brawl in the stands. Reigns delivered the first major blow to Rollins. He caught Rollins trying to spear him through the barricade and powerbombed him through an announce table.
Rollins struck back quickly and delivered his own powerbomb on Reigns through the other announce table. As the two rushed back into the ring, Rollins hit a pedigree on Reigns and tried to pick up the win there, but Reigns kicked out of the pin.
Rollins went back to the well and avoided a spear to hit a stomp. Still, he could not get the pin on Reigns.
The crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis watched closely as the two mammoth wrestling stars played a chess match to gain the smallest advantage. Rollins hit a superplex but Reigns locked in a Kimura lock. Rollins, losing steam, stood back up and nearly hit a Falcon Arrow. Reigns slipped out and speared Rollins – one, two … so close.
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Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns fist bump during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)
Reigns resorted to smack talk, reminding Rollins that he’ll always be No. 2 to him. But as Reigns bounced off the ropes, Rollins hit Reigns with a spear. Still, he couldn’t get the win.
In shades of WrestleMania, both men were putting on an instant classic in front of thousands of WWE fans. The two men, who know each other like the back of their hands. Reigns took a page out of Rollins’ playbook, hitting him with a buckle bomb and a stomp. Rollins got his arm up at the last possible second.
As the two went punch-for-punch, the referee went down. Reigns, in a nod to Dean Ambrose (now Jon Moxley), hit a Paradigm Shift. He went to spear Rollins but Rollins pulled the referee in between them. It was anybody’s game now. Rollins looked at the title as he stepped over the carnage strewn across the outside ring area.
Rollins took a steel chair, which he used to betray Reigns 12 years ago. Reigns hit Rollins with a quick punch before Rollins could use the chair. Reigns looked at the chair. Rollins waited for Reigns to use the chair, but he cast it aside.
In a sign of mutual respect, Reigns demanded the two finish it in the middle of the ring without the weapon.
More stomps and spears from the two men without a referee kept the match going. The two former brothers locked eyes one last time. Reigns then delivered one last spear.
Roman Reigns faces Seth Rollins during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)
Reigns pinned Rollins to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
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For Reigns, it seems like the ghosts of his past have finally been dispelled. The two competitors looked at each other from the corner. Reigns put out his fist in a final Shield callback. Rollins obliged, leaving his Shield mask in the middle of the ring.
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Brie Bella was noticeably grabbing her right shoulder during a six-woman tag team match at WWE SummerSlam on Saturday night as she appeared to suffer an injury.
Bella was seated next to the steel steps when her opponent, Jacy Jayne, hit a running senton on her. At that moment, she began to clutch her shoulder and kept rubbing it during the rest of the match with her sister Nikki Bella and Paige.
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Brie Bella faces Fallon Henley during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 1, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)
Nikki Bella attacked Paige at the end of the match, signaling a villainous turn to their characters. She provided an update on Brie in an interview on Busted Open Radio on Sunday before the second night of the premium live event began.
“She’s doing OK. She is in a lot of pain,” Nikki Bella said of Brie. “They are still determining what’s going on. Brie will share that whenever. … I’ve been told to ‘zip it.’”
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque told reporters after Night 1 that the injury “seems pretty bad.”
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Brie Bella makes her entrance during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 1, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)
“Yeah, she’s injured,” he said. “I don’t have an update yet. We’ve taken her. She was here, got some treatment done here, has been taken to the hospital to get some scans done. Don’t have a clean answer on it yet.
“I know she hurt her shoulder. It seems pretty bad, but I don’t have an answer yet. Hopefully we will soon. Hopefully, it won’t be as bad as we thought it was, but that’s the nature of the game.”
The Bellas and Paige teamed up against Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley. Jayne scored the pinfall over Paige to give her team the win.
Brie Bella made her stunning return to WWE at the Royal Rumble in January and then was set to team with her sister at WrestleMania 42 before Nikki Bella suffered her own injury.
Brie Bella, Paige and Nikki Bella look on during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 1, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)
Instead, she teamed with Paige as they won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.
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Now, it’s unclear when Brie Bella will be able to return to the ring.
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