Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addresses reporters during media availability at the NFL Scouting Combine on Mar. 1, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Adofo-Mensah fielded questions as he began his first offseason leading Minnesota’s front office. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings’ offseason, through about six weeks, has not been quiet, and the club has just three weeks until free agency, when the lid really pops off. To recap, the following is a list of the three most meaningful events of the purple team’s offseason to date — with several more to come.
Three developments have shaped Minnesota’s offseason early, setting the priorities at quarterback, the staff, and the front office.
In fact, the Vikings’ offseason is truly defined by three main events.
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Three Turning Points Already Defining Minnesota’s Offseason
Counting down the order (No. 1 = biggest offseason moments to date), here we go.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell walks the sideline as the second quarter progresses on Sep. 28, 2025, during an NFL International Series matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. O’Connell tracked the action closely amid the charged overseas atmosphere that framed Minnesota’s appearance on the global stage. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
3. Vikings Announced “Deep QB Room” as Main Priority
After an initial delay for unknown reasons, the Vikings held a press conference to recap 2025 and discuss the future. Former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was even there.
Asked if the Vikings would commit to J.J. McCarthy as the 2026 QB1, head coach Kevin O’Connell — now de facto general manager after Adofo-Mensah’s termination — replied: “Ultimately, I think in the quarterback room, it’s about having just the deepest, most talented room you possibly can, every single year.”
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“What that looks like at a pretty impactful position on your salary cap, when you’re able to possibly plan for your depth chart looking in a way where you can be competitive no matter what. I think there has to be competition at quarterback. I think that’s what’s gonna make everybody better in that room. It’s gonna be what makes our entire offense thrive through that competition.”
His response to the McCarthy question … was “we need a deep quarterback room.”
Adofo-Mensah, now irrelevant, was asked the same question, and he said the Vikings must achieve their offseason goals, completely ducking a commitment to McCarthy.
In that moment, from O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah, fans learned that Minnesota would not simply find another Sam Howell or Carson Wentz; the Vikings will trade for or sign a quarterback to push McCarthy to the limit this summer or flat-out take his job.
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NFL- and Vikings-themed media have speculated this week that Kyler Murray could be the Vikings’ target. ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote about Murray’s trade price tag last month: “An NFC source believes the starting price for Murray, if Arizona is interested in trading him, could start with a second-round pick.”
“That source believes if the Cardinals can trade Murray, they will. The league source believes Murray’s market starts with a third-round pick. That source compared Murray’s situation with Geno Smith’s when he was traded from Seattle to Las Vegas last March for a third-round.”
2. Brian Flores Signs Contract Extension
Flores received head coaching sniffs from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, two fundamentally solid organizations that seemed on a track to perhaps hire him. The Steelers ultimately — and hilariously — chose Mike McCarthy, and the Ravens landed on Jesse Minter.
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Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores stands on the field on Jan. 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during the NFC Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Flores surveyed the scene as his defense prepared for another postseason challenge under the playoff spotlight. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Striking out for a fifth consecutive offseason in finding a head coaching job, Flores re-signed with the Vikings for a reported $6 million per year. He’s not going anywhere.
Minnesota’s defense will feature continuity at the top and have a chance to build on these numbers:
The Vikings would’ve risked a statistical tumble by hiring a non-Flores newcomer.
1. The Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Era Ends
Some, including this website, whispered in November and December that the Vikings needed a new general manager because Adofo-Mensah’s awful drafting habits were coming home to roost. The team held a 4-8 record, and McCarthy could not stay on the field.
Minnesota rallied, winning five games to close out 2025 and finishing the wayward campaign with a right-side-up record. Black Monday rolled around, and the Vikings did not fire Adofo-Mensah. He was safe. He was allowed to move freely in the 2026 offseason, deciding whether to keep McCarthy or try something new.
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Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah observes pregame activity on Sep. 28, 2025, at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, before Minnesota’s International Series contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Adofo-Mensah stood along the sideline as players finalized warmups in the unique overseas setting. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
But after Sam Darnold and his Seattle Seahawks won the NFC Championship, something changed in Vikingland. The team’s owners, the Wilfs, fired Adofo-Mensah five days later, marking one of the most shocking offseason transactions in Vikings history because of the timing. Nobody was terribly surprised that an executive with Adofo-Mensah’s draft record would be canned, especially after bungling the Darnold matter, but firing him 3.5 weeks after the end of the regular season was bizarre.
The team promoted to capologist Rob Brzezinski to interim general manager, making O’Connell the personnel general manager by default until the Wilfs hire a formal replacement.
The Adofo-Mensah era is over, and perhaps the bad drafts will cease.
During Team USA’s comeback men’s hockey win over Denmark at the Winter Olympics, two fans raised the flag of Greenland in the stands to protest President Donald Trump’s intent to acquire Greenland for the U.S.
The flag was raised enthusiastically after Denmark took an early lead. However, the U.S. came back to win the game 6-3.
Vita Kalniņa and her husband Alexander Kalniņš, fans of the Latvian hockey team who live in Germany, held up a large Greenland flag during warmups and again when the Danish team scored the opening goal of the preliminary round game against the U.S., which ultimately beat Denmark 6-3.
The United States’ Brady Tkachuk, right, challenges Denmark’s Oliver Bjorkstrand during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
“We are Europeans, and I think as Europeans we must hold together,” Kalniņš told The Associated Press.
“The Greenlandic people decide what will happen with Greenland, but, as it is now, Greenland is a part of the Danish kingdom and, as Greenland is a part of Denmark, as in this case, we support both countries against the U.S.”
A Danish fan at the game, Dennis Petersen, said, “It doesn’t matter whatever sport it is — it could be tennis, it could be bobsledding, it can be ice hockey, it could be football — it has nothing to do with politics. … They are athletes, not politicians.”
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Read More About The 2026 Winter Olympics
An American fan at the game, Rem de Rohan, said, “I think this is the time for people to kind of put that down and compete country versus country and enjoy,” he said. “We love rooting on every country that’s been here.”
Fans on social media had their own reactions to the flag display and the result of the game.
“Now that the USA is up 4-2 could we place a wager that if the USA wins the game, Denmark gives up Greenland?” one fan wrote in response to the flag.
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One fan wrote, “Team USA won, do we get Greenland now?”
The United States’ Jack Eichel, second right, celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Another fan similarly said, “How did that turn out? we won, we get greenland now.”
Some American conservative influencers used the U.S. victory as a springboard to make viral jokes about annexing Greenland.
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The comeback victory by the U.S. appeared uncertain early in the game.
After trailing 2-1 through the first period, the Americans dominated on offense to take a 6-3 victory over Denmark Saturday in the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
The Americans scored three unanswered goals to open the second period, with 4 Nations hero Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights) finding the back of the net.
Both sets of brothers on the team — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes — each had a point in the contest. Fourteen players had points for the Americans with a different goal scorer each time the lamp was lit.
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The Americans had 47 shots on goal compared to Denmark’s 21.
The U.S. ends preliminary play Sunday with a game against Germany at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Americans will once again be heavy favorites, and a victory will put them into the knockout stage.
The Americans can also go right to the knockout stage with an overtime loss. With a regulation loss, their fate would be determined by Canada’s game against France and point differentials with Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) scans the field during fourth-quarter action against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 17, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Cousins set up to deliver a pass as pressure closed in late in the game. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports..
The Atlanta Falcons will probably release Kirk Cousins in the next few weeks, and his next team can sign him for cheap. Because Cousins will basically be free in 2026 — he’s already been paid by Atlanta — so media members have already speculated that a reunion in Minnesota is on the table. Well, that’s an awful idea.
A Cousins return sounds familiar, yet Minnesota’s 2026 priorities at QB point toward younger upside and smarter team-building value.
Cousins might have a decent season or two left in the tank, but he should play them out with a squad outside Minnesota.
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Why a Cousins Reunion Fails the 2026 Test
The idea of a Cousins reunion is unflattering.
Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) brings down Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) during second-half action on Nov. 17, 2024, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. Bonitto closed quickly off the edge and finished the sack as the Broncos defense pressured Cousins late in the contest. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images.
The Age — 38
Cousins will turn 38 this summer. His talents will not increase as he ages; this never happens for athletes, except in rare cases of GOAT behavior like Tom Brady.
The Vikings turned the page on Cousins three offseasons ago because age and injury had entered the equation. It would be silly for decision-makers to convince themselves that an age-38 Cousins would have some big reclamation tour waiting.
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The Jared Allen Quote
With Cousins’s name floating around Minnesota’s rumor mill, Kay Adams asked Vikings Hall of Famer Jared Allen about a Cousins reunion.
Allen replied, “No — no. In his prime, we weren’t winning championships with him.”
This is the correct stance, a common Allen dub. The Cousins’ plan in Minnesota didn’t work to the tune of a Super Bowl in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023. Hell, Minnesota only reached the postseason twice in those six campaigns. Allen is right. Why would the Vikings start contending with a Super Bowl in 2026 if they did no such thing with Cousins from 2018 to 2023? How would that work?
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Minnesota already has proof that Cousins can’t guide the team to the Promised Land. Six years of proof.
Already a Lightning Rod among Fans
Because of his ability to habitually maximize his pocketbook while usually offering the 11th- or 12th-best quarterback play in the NFL, Cousins represented a divisive creature in the Twin Cities during his run. Re-upping with Cousins would force the 35%-%40% of the fan base that didn’t care for him to get inspired all over again. Instead, most of that camp will groan and grimace.
The vibes would not be off the charts.
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He Can’t Move
Most of J.J. McCarthy’s fantastic moments in 2025 arrived when he operated off schedule, using his legs to flee a collapsing pocket. There’s no reason to believe that a Vikings quarterback won’t be asked to do that again in 2026. Cousins cannot do that. He’s old.
Wherever Cousins lands next season, he’ll be a classic pocket passer — almost a caricature of it — and nothing more. His mobility hasn’t really been showcased since the Washington Commanders days. He likes to sling the rock from the pocket, and late into his 30s, that’s all he’s got.
Minnesota will need a nimble quarterback. Cousins is not nimble. In his late 30s, he’s one of the least nimble players in all of football.
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The Optics
This one might be lame, so bear with us.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) reacts following a win over the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 29, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Cousins celebrated with teammates on the field after securing the late-season victory in front of the home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images.
In the court of public opinion, Minnesota will be perceived as striking out on McCarthy and crawling back to Cousins. His signing will resemble the boxing towel-throw of McCarthy’s early development. It really doesn’t matter if folks roast the Vikings for reuniting with Cousins — but they will roast, rest assured. It will be a terrible look for McCarthy.
Cousins Was Not Good in 2025
Thirty-five quarterbacks threw the ball as much or more than Cousins in 2025, and he ranked 30th of those 35 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per play when the season concluded.
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Assuming the Vikings take the Cousins bait this offseason, they will knowingly and willfully sign the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback from the season prior, expecting the plan to translate into Super Bowl contention.
It might be the worst idea imaginable to think that’s wise. “We need a good quarterback to contend for the Super Bowl. Let’s sign the fifth-worst one then from 2025 — who’s also 38 years old and can’t move.”
It just doesn’t add up.
What Would It Really Achieve?
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Unless Minnesota has changed its mission statement without telling the public, the goal is to win a Super Bowl and end a 65-year drought. Signing Cousins might allow the club to contend for a 10-7 or 11-6 record if everything goes well and high-profile players stay healthy.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) shares a postgame moment with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell on Dec. 8, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The two exchanged words near midfield following the matchup between Cousins’ Falcons and his former team. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The goal should be finding a quarterback who keeps the Super Bowl window open for multiple seasons — not loading up around a 38-year-old whose team couldn’t win a non-competitive NFC South in 2025.
Rolling with a Cousins would signal a concession that 10-7 seasons are good enough.
Scotland bounce back from their Six Nations defeat by Italy last week to blow England away with a bonus-point win in a pulsating Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield.
Former WWE star Ash by Elegance (fka Dana Brooke) has been making headlines with her work on TNA lately, and her recent run as the leader of the Elegance Brand has been phenomenal. Fans of the former Knockouts World Champion have been wondering what the future holds for her now that she is back after announcing her retirement.
TNA Hall of Famer Mickie James announced her retirement three years ago. However, the veteran star shocked fans at TNA No Surrender with an unexpected comeback. Moments after the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Title match involving The Elegance Brand, James made an appearance and blindsided Ash by Elegance. The sudden assault turned the post-match celebration into chaos and immediately sparked rumors of James’ potential in-ring return.
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Following her massive return, James took a shot at Ash by Elegance, sending a message to the latter on Valentine’s Day. The WWE legend asked the 37-year-old to be hers, dropping a massive tease for a potential feud between the two women in the near future.
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“Be mine ❤️@Ashamae_Sebera @ThisIsTNA,” she wrote.
Check out the post below:
Will Mickie James return to the ring against a former WWE star?
Following her massive return at TNA No Surrender, it is clear that Mickie James is not really done with the incredible in-ring work she does. The veteran’s attack on the former WWE star Ash by Elegance makes it clear that TNA could book a singles match between the two women very soon. While the match has not been made official yet, the excitement among fans makes it clear that a potential battle between them could steal the spotlight.
Fans will now have to wait and see what the company has in store for both women in the near future.
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Rafael Nadal recently spoke at length about his passion for golf. The Spanish tennis legend joked that his wife Maria ‘suffers’ from his love for the game and dropped an important update about when he will start competing in golf tournaments.
Nadal is largely considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The 39-year-old’s time on court saw him win 22 Grand Slam titles, making him the second most successful men’s singles player in the Open Era. Throughout his tennis career, the Spaniard also nursed a love for golf and he has recently been engaging with the sport to a greater extent.
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In an interview with Punto de Break, Rafael Nadal opened up about his passion for golf, saying
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“I watch golf every week, and my wife suffers from it. I saw Jon Rahm play this week in Riyadh, who achieved a spectacular final in the second round and almost won. I was sometimes tempted to play, because several times they wanted to give me an invitation. But so far, circumstances have not arisen. In the future, you never know, but I should feel like I’m playing without making a fool of myself and with the illusion of being able to at least compete, even if it’s only with myself.”
While Nadal hasn’t yet stepped out onto the golf course as a professional, he has made appearances at several small tournaments and in 2024 he won the scratch category title at the Robinson Classic, an amateur event that featured 74 other golfers.
Rafael Nadal launches charity golf initiative
Nadal at the 2026 Australian Open (Image Source: Getty)
Rafael Nadal recently launched Spin & Swing by Cantabria Labs, a charity golf series. The series will typically feature 15 corporate teams of six players. The money raised from the event will be used by the Rafa Nadal Foundation, a non-profit organization.
Speaking about the series, Nadal emphasised that the initiative was close to his heart due to his love for golf, saying,
“This initiative is personal because of my love for golf. It’s a way to generate ongoing support for the Rafa Nadal Foundation and continue helping children and teenagers in vulnerable situations. Golf is unique because you can enjoy it with people of all levels. The series will be a shared experience, giving time to connect with other companies and build networks. We want it to be fun, enjoyable and something that lasts for years.”
The Rafa Nadal Foundation supports children from underprivileged and vulnerable backgrounds, providing them with education and sporting programmes. The organisation was launched by Rafael Nadal and his mother Ana Maria in 2010.
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What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — It was the offseason of Collin Morikawa’s life — the reset and recharge designed to springboard Morikawa’s return to world dominance.
And then he woke up on Saturday at the Sony Open without a tee time.
“I went into this year feeling really good about myself,” Morikawa said. “You go out and play two rounds at Sony and I missed the cut and you realize, man, do I need to redo everything that you thought you were doing for the last two months?”
Professional golf can be unusually cruel in this way. The margin between the best players in the world and the guys who spend their 40s as insurance brokers is less than 10 shots a week — and the margin between those at the very top and the very bottom of golf’s many statistical categories is, on average, less than 1.5 shots per round.
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Morikawa has lived on both sides of the totem. He arrived on the PGA Tour on a rocketship, winning a pair of major championships before his 25th birthday to announce himself as one of the game’s preeminent young talents. He has spent the back half of his twenties mired in the innermost circle of golf hell: putting woes (to go along with an unpleasant cocktail of poor form and near-misses and swing changes and caddie changes).
On Saturday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, though, Morikawa came alive. He shot a blistering 10-under 62, recording 11 birdies to just one bogey, to vault into the final pairing for Sunday’s final round with Akshay Bhatia. Sunday will mark Morikawa’s best shot to record a signature victory in some time, perhaps since his near-miss at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2025.
But before he can get there, he’ll have to overcome the challenges that have marred the last several years of his golfing life: The ones arriving with the putter in his hands.
“Yeah. I think I might be [uncomfortable with my putter] for the rest of my career,” an unusually candid Morikawa said Saturday afternoon. “It’s a comfort thing for me. I think I play a lot with my feel and I play a lot with my gut and unfortunately that changes a lot.”
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Morikawa’s putting challenges have manifested in particularly painful ways: After winning five times in less than two years to start his career, Morikawa has recorded just one victory in the last five years, which arrived at the comparatively light field at the Zozo Championship in Japan, and has watched as other stars from his rookie class (notably Scottie Scheffler) have ascended into the upper-echelons of the sport.
In that time, the putter has fallen from a solid complement of Morikawa’s otherworldly ball striking to a legitimate liability. He ranked 156th on Tour in SG: Putting in 2025, the third time he ranked worse than 100th on Tour in the same category since the winning drought started in 2022.
But putting is an art — and art is fickle. Some weeks, it can be enough to derail an entire tournament — and this week, it has hardly moved the needle. On Saturday, Morikawa ranked near the bottom of the field in most putting stats, making just 55 feet of putts all day, and he recorded one of the best rounds of his year.
The lesson, he said, came not from a shift in putting technique or ability but from a change in mindset.
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“[Mental coach Rick Sessinghaus] reminded me yesterday when I first came out and turned pro, like I didn’t care about honestly making cuts or top-20s, I came out to win,” Morikawa said Saturday. “When he told me that yesterday, there was that mindset switch going into today. I wanted to come out and win, win the weekend, win the tournament.”
Morikawa certainly looked the part of a Pebble Beach winner on Saturday, displaying the same dizzying iron play that made him such a formidable foe in the early days of his career. He also benefited from a third round played before a whipping wind blew in from the south, altering the course conditions so much that the final group played the 18th hole in 36 minutes.
Good putting is part of winning, but good fortune is too. The latter has been on Morikawa’s side as he prepares for Sunday’s final round in the final pairing. The last group off on Sunday in Pebble may find themselves quickly in a rock fight, with conditions expected to deteriorate further throughout the afternoon. Only the strongest competitor will survive the chaos — putter be damned.
“I’m out here to win When you finish 30th, 15th, 3rd, at the end of the day like I want to win,” Morikawa said. “I’ve got to set that mindset at the beginning of the day, at the beginning of the week and now I think we’ve given ourselves at least a chance come tomorrow.”
The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend festivities are in Los Angeles, and the main event is Sunday evening as the 2026 All-Star Game itself unfolds. The NBA All-Star Game format is different again in 2026, with this year’s event being a round-robin tournament between three different rosters — two comprised of USA players and the third being Team World.
The action tips off at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. The latest 2026 NBA All-Star Game odds via FanDuel list USA Stripes as the slight +155 favorites to win it all, with Team World at +160 and USA Stars at +200. In terms of individual game lines, USA Stripes is -2.5 against USA Stars in the first tip, while the World is -2.5 vs. USA Stars. The World is then -1.5 vs. USA Stripes.
Hartstein is SportsLine’s senior analyst and a founding member of the Early Edge podcast. He’s excelled in multiple sports, and enters the All-Star break on an 8-5 run on NBA props. Anyone following his NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
The NBA has changed format for its All-Star Game multiple times in recent years, and 2026 brings a new wrinkle. The 28 All-Stars have been divided into three teams — two comprised of American players and the third representing the rest of the world.
Team USA Stars features primarily younger NBA stars like Tyrese Maxey and Cade Cunningham, while Team USA Stripes is more veteran players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Team World is headlined by Victor Wembnamyama, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic, though this roster has taken some hits via injury with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both out.
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The teams will all play either other in a round-robin format, with those games last 12 minutes. The top two teams will advance to the championship game to determine the overall winner. If there’s a tie after the round-robin portion, point differential will be the deciding factor. See who to pick here.
USA Stars (+200) Scottie Barnes Devin Booker Cade Cunningham Jalen Duren Anthony Edwards Chet Holmgren Jalen Johnson Tyrese Maxey
USA Stripes (+155) Jaylen Brown Jalen Brunson Kevin Durant Brandon Ingram LeBron James Kawhi Leonard Donovan Mitchell Stephen Curry (injured)
Team World (+160) Deni Avdija Luka Doncic Nikola Jokic Jamal Murray Alperen Sengun Pascal Siakam Karl-Anthony Towns Victor Wembanyama Normal Powell Giannis Antetokounmpo (injured) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (injured)
The biggest American star aiming for a medal on Sunday will be Mikaela Shiffrin, as the legendary skiier looks to capture her first medal of the 2026 games in the giant slalom. Shiffrin is the most decorated alpine skiier in history, with more than 100 World Cup wins, but hasn’t picked up a medal since the 2018 Games.
Also in action on Sunday will be Erin Jackson, a breakout star of the 2022 Olympics who looks to defend her gold medal in the women’s 500m speed skating final.
The Milan Cortina Games will run through Sunday, Feb. 22, and in total of 119 events will take place with 245 medals handed out to the athletes. Fans can find the action on NBC and their streaming service Peacock, with an account or a cable login.
The Winter Games have eight main sports, with 16 disciplines. With so many events to keep up with, it can get overwhelming, but that’s where we step in with the overall medal tracker and daily schedule.
Winter Olympics schedule for Sunday, Feb. 15
Curling
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Men’s round-robin: Germany vs. Great Britain, Norway vs. Italy, USA vs. Sweden
3:05 a.m.
No
Alpine Skiing
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Women’s Giant Slalom Run 1
4 a.m.
No
Bobsled
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Women’s Monobob Run 1
4 a.m.
No
Snowboarding
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Men’s Slopestyle Qualifying
4:15 a.m.
No
Freestyle Skiing
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Men’s Dual Moguls Finals
4:30 a.m.
Yes
Biathlon
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Men’s 12.5km Pursuit
5:15 a.m.
Yes
Ski Jumping
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Men’s Long Hill Training 3
5:30 a.m.
No
Bobsled
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Women’s Monobob Heat 2
5:50 a.m.
No
Ice Hockey
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Men’s Preliminary, Switzerland vs. Czechia
6:10 a.m.
No
Alpine Skiing
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Women’s Giant Slalom Run 2
7:30 a.m.
Yes
Snowboarding
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Mixed Team Cross Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals
7:45 a.m. – 8:35 a.m.
Yes
Curling
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Women’s Round-Robin: Japan vs. Korea, Denmark vs. Italy, Great Britain vs. Sweden, USA vs. China
8:05 a.m.
No
Biathlon
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Women’s 10km Pursuit
8:45 a.m.
Yes
Speed Skating
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Men’s Team Pursuit Quarterfinals
10 a.m.
No
Ice Hockey
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Men’s Preliminary: Canada vs. France
10:40 a.m.
No
Speed Skating
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Women’s 500m
11 a.m.
Yes
Skeleton
Mixed Team
12 p.m.
Yes
Ski Jumping
Women’s Long Hill Individual – Round 1
12:45 p.m.
No
Curling
Men’s Round-Robin: China vs. Canada, Norway vs. USA, Italy vs. Czechia, Great Britain vs. Switzerland
Kylian Mbappe came through for Real Madrid again, converting a penalty kick 10 minutes into second-half stoppage time to salvage a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano and move Madrid back within a point of Spanish league leader Barcelona.
Vinicius Junior also scored for Madrid on Sunday after again being jeered by fans early on at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Jude Bellingham, also booed when the lineup was announced, had to be replaced 10 minutes into the match because of a left hamstring injury.
Madrid was coming off a 4-2 loss at Benfica that dropped the team out of the eight automatic spots for the round of 16 of the Champions League. It will face Benfica again in the playoffs.
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“We came from a tough defeat, one that nobody ever wants, in the Champions, a competition many of us aspire to win,” Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said.
“We wanted to change that image, today we had the first opportunity, and I think we played a great game.”
It was a thriller at the Bernabeu on Sunday, with Mbappe giving Madrid the victory by coolly converting the last-gasp penalty for his eighth goal in five matches.
The result allowed Alvaro Arbeloa’s side to keep pace with Barcelona, which won 3-1 at Elche on Saturday.
“It was a victory in which the players put a lot of energy, their soul,” said Arbeloa, who took over after replacing Xabi Alonso last month. “We needed the help of the fans and without their push we would not have achieved it.”
The boos toward Vinicius were subdued after he scored a superb goal in the 15th minute. The Brazil international cleared a couple of defenders before curling a right-footed shot into the top corner.
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Rayo, which played a man down from the 80th after Pathe Ciss was sent off with a straight red card for a hard foul, equalized through Jorge De Frutos in the 49th.
Vallecano, which threatened at times at the Bernabeu, also saw Pep Chavarria shown a second yellow in the final minutes of added time.
Rayo, which has lost four straight in all competitions, had lost only one of its last five games against Madrid in the league. It dropped to 17th place, just outside the relegation zone.
Bellingham injured
Bellingham was on his own when he seemed to pick up the injury. He immediately grabbed the back of his leg with his left hand before going to the ground. He received medical assistance and seemed emotional as he left the field under his own power.
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Madrid did not provide a timetable for Bellingham’s recovery but Spanish media said he is not likely to recover in time to face Benfica in the Champions League playoffs.
The England international was replaced by Brahim Diaz, who five minutes later set up the Vinicius goal that made it 1-0 for Madrid. Diaz also prompted the foul of the penalty converted by Mbappe.
Mbappe had missed an open net in the 68th, hitting the crossbar after getting past the goalkeeper.
With the game tied 1-1 in the 64th, Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois came up with a crucial save on a one-on-one following a Rayo breakaway.
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Basque Country derby
Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta scored an 88th-minute equalizer as Athletic Bilbao salvaged a 1-1 draw at home against Basque Country rival Real Sociedad.
The visitors had taken the lead with Goncalo Guedes’ goal in the 37th. Sociedad played with 10 men from the 83rd after Brais Mendez was sent off with a straight red card.
Athletic, winless in six league games, moved to 11th. Eighth-place Sociedad was trying to win its fourth consecutive league match.
Other results
Pablo Fornals scored an 88th-minute winner to give fifth-place Real Betis a 2-1 win over 15th-place Valencia, which had won three in a row in all competitions. Chimy Avila also scored for the hosts, three minutes after Luis Rioja had given Valencia the lead.
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Seventh-place Celta Vigo drew 0-0 at 16th-place Getafe, which hasn’t won in nine consecutive matches across all tournaments. Celta stayed winless in three straight games.
Akshay Bhatia holds a two-shot lead after the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as fellow American Collin Morikawa’s round of 62 moved him into contention for his first victory in almost two and a half years.
Bhatia had been tied for top spot on 15 under with Ryo Hisatsune going into the day’s play, but six birdies in his first seven holes helped him on his way to a lead that was as many as five shots at one point.
Battling blustery conditions in California, a bogey at 17 saw his advantage cut to two.
Gusts then slowed play down considerably on the final green and a missed putt for birdie saw Bhatia card 68 to stand at 19 under.
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Morikawa’s round, 10-under-par, saw him climb the leaderboard into second at 17 under.
An eagle at the last hole – having managed the same at the first – moved another American, Jake Knapp, into joint-second with his round totalling 66.
Austrian Sepp Straka made it a three-way tie with a 67.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy, six back at the start of the day, fell further behind the lead despite starting with two birdies in the opening three holes.
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A three-over-par seven at the fourth and a double bogey at the last saw him shoot an even par 72 and trailing by 10.
With heavy rain and strong winds forecast for Sunday, start times for the tournament’s final round have been moved forward and will now run from 07:22-09:45 local time, with threesomes off split tees.
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-400x240.jpg)
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-80x80.jpg)
