All along, Kevin O’Connell insisted that he was looking for a competitive quarterback position. Hogwash, some insisted (Judd Zulgad said he thought it was a “sham”). The timing of the decision — naming Kyler Murray the starter after some recent J.J. McCarthy momentum — isn’t going to quiet those concerns.

Next up is a different claim.

All along, Kevin O’Connell insisted that he wanted a deep quarterback position. Part of the process meant ratcheting up the competitiveness for that QB1 spot. There was then a move to re-add Carson Wentz to be the QB3 and the retention of Max Brosmer to function as the QB4 on the practice squad (presumably). We’ll soon see if that’s how things play out. Does McCarthy get traded away?

Kevin O’Connell Said He Wants a Deep QB Room

Over and over again, O’Connell has pointed to the injury attrition at quarterback in 2023 and 2025 as the central reasons why those seasons were lost. Hard to disagree, right?

The 2023 season featured O’Connell needing to work alongside all of Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, and Joshua Dobbs (who recently signed in Detroit). The 2025 season involved working through McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Again, a humdrum record followed.

The commitment now rests in ensuring the Vikings don’t get caught with too few arms yet again.

Consider what Will Ragatz had to say when relaying Kevin O’Connell’s update from the podium: “Kevin O’Connell says Kyler Murray has shown enough for them to project what he could look like in their offense and it’s time to let him build a ‘comfort level.’ He says this doesn’t take away from what J.J. has done in camp and that he’ll remain a key part of the QB room.”

The Vikings, in other words, are doubling down on what has been said.

Minnesota wanted a competition. Onlookers can make their own assessment of how that unfolded, but Kevin O’Connell — in consultation with the leadership around him — has made the decision on Kyler Murray as the starter. Some of the focus now rests on whether McCarthy remains.

Presumably, GM Nolan Teasley isn’t going to undermine O’Connell. If the skipper wants the kid QB, then Teasley is going to want the kid QB, as well. Expect internal coherence among Vikings leadership.

What can’t be controlled is the external interest in the former Wolverine.

Indeed, the Vikings have control over the Vikings. The NFL’s other 31 teams can assess whether it makes sense to call with a lucrative trade offer. Minnesota can then decide how to respond. Maybe a team makes an offer so compelling that internal discussion happens about swerving toward a swap. Recently, I suggested that McCarthy would remain in the Twin Cities but that the 49ers, Jets, and Chargers make sense as teams to have interest.

For a little while, the guess on this end of the internet has been that Kyler Murray would be the Week 1 starter but that J.J. McCarthy would start more games overall in 2026. Nothing from today has changed that. However, I will say that I insisted the QB battle would last until the end of August, which proved incorrect. So, make your own call on how you understand what’s unfolding.

J.J. McCarthy is 23. At least from a financial perspective, McCarthy is very easy to include in a trade since he’s on his rookie contract.

The Vikings, though, have expressed a desire for a deep QB room the whole time. We’ll see what’s next.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has been linked to a host of names throughout 2026, but it seems as though the Philly star now has a clear plan for his next two fights.

Ennis was elevated to IBF welterweight world champion when Terence Crawford vacated the belt in 2023, before unifying with a knockout win over WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis and then moving up to super-welterweight.

On his 154lb debut, Ennis dispatched of Uisma Lima inside a round, teeing up a grudge match with Vergil Ortiz Jr which was then cancelled due to a dispute between Ortiz and Golden Boy Promotions.

Instead, Ennis proceeded with a challenge for Xander Zayas’ unified WBA and WBO super-welterweight belts and he knocked the previously undefeated Puerto Rican out in a dominant display.

Now, despite rumours that Ennis could revisit plans to take on Ortiz, his promoter Eddie Hearn has told The Punch Podcast that ‘Boots’ is instead pursuing the undisputed crown, prioritising a fight with IBF titleholder Josh Kelly, and then WBC champion Sebastian Fundora.

“I think that Boots will probably fight Josh Kelly next for the three belts, then the winner will fight Fundora and we’ve got one undisputed champion.”

Hearn said that he is not ruling a clash with Ortiz out for later down the line, labelling it as a ‘wonderful fight’.

“Boots is about legacy and belts. Listen, I like the Vergil Ortiz fight, I don’t want to rule that out either by the way, but previously we didn’t have a belt and that fight was no belts, but we couldn’t get the champions.

“Then, when we couldn’t get the Vergil fight, the Xander Zayas fight kind of slotted into place and that was like magic for us, to get that shot. Now, he has those two belts, the natural thing to do is to try and win all of the belts.

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“I think that the Ortiz fight is a wonderful fight and I think that we have to try and get that made, but certainly his focus, right now, is to try and be undisputed.”

Whilst Ennis-Kelly looks likely for either December or early 2027, Fundora is set for an October defence of his WBC super-welterweight strap against mandatory challenger, Ermal Hadribeaj, who could take his place in an undisputed title bout against either Ennis or Kelly if able to pull off the upset.

Elena Rybakina has reached the Canadian Open semifinals after producing an incredible comeback to beat Naomi Osaka 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in Toronto.

Osaka was in control after taking the first set and moving 4-2 ahead in the second. Rybakina, however, refused to let the match slip away and fought back to force a deciding set.

The Kazakh then found herself in serious trouble again at 2-3 in the third, facing 0-40 on her serve. She saved all four break points before eventually turning the match around and closing out the victory.

After the match, Rybakina explained that she was simply trying to stay in the fight rather than worry about the score.

“This first game of the match was really tough because it cost me the set. In the second I was just trying to stay closer to the score, even if I’m losing. Just fight. I’m super happy I won this match.”

Rybakina also knew she was facing a difficult opponent in Osaka, who has won four Grand Slam titles and was playing  good tennis throughout the match.

“She’s a great champion. She’s a fighter. I knew it would be a tough match.”

The Kazakh said Osaka’s heavy ball and strong serve made the contest particularly demanding.

“Her ball is coming quite heavy. She can serve really well. The serve was really important today. I’m glad it went my way.”

The victory sets up a semifinal against Coco Gauff.

Their only previous meeting was in Toronto in 2022, when Gauff won a three-set battle. Now, four years later, they will meet again at the same tournament.

Rybakina is also having an outstanding season on hard courts. Her victory over Osaka takes her record to 25-5 on the surface in 2026. It is also her third WTA 1000 semifinal of the year.

Asked about the ranking after her win, she laughed before making her position clear:

“No, you guys are asking me all the time. Only when you ask, I have to think about it.”

Rybakina wants to keep her attention on the matches in front of her.

“I’m just staying in the present, trying to focus a match at a time. Not looking at the ranking, not following.”

Her goal is:

“For me it’s just important to go match by match and hopefully win titles.”

Now, another big test awaits.

Rybakina vs Gauff in Toronto.

Before Rashee Rice was back with his Kansas City Chiefs teammates for the upcoming season, he had to serve 30 days in jail following a probation violation stemming from a multi-vehicle crash back in 2024.

Rice called the discipline a “reality check.”

“It was a learning experience and a reality check,” Rice said, via ESPN. “Don’t focus on the past. Focus on what’s going on now. I’m doing [well] mentally.”

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Rashee Rice walks to the field before practice during Kansas City Chiefs training camp on July 29, 2026, at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo. (Icon Sportswire)

Rice was on probation for his involvement in the 2024 multi-vehicle crash, where he eventually pleaded guilty to two felony charges.

The NFL also docked Rice six games for violating their personal conduct policy, which he served this past season.

CHIEFS RECEIVER RASHEE RICE JAILED FOR 30 DAYS AFTER PROBATION VIOLATION AND IT COULD GET WORSE

Rice violated his probation after testing positive for THC, which mandated a 30-day jail sentence in Texas. He began serving that sentence on May 19, and he was released from jail in mid-June.

He also received surgery to take care of loose bodies in his right knee, which caused him inflammation during his eight games for the Chiefs in 2025.

He declined to speak with reporters who were waiting for him outside the detention center, but now at training camp, Rice faced the music.

“It was mentally tough. They gave me ways to communicate with my teammates still as well as my athletic trainer,” Rice explained. “Besides the hard times in there, I kept my mind right watching shows and as much Kevin Hart as I could to laugh.”

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice runs after a catch against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (TNS)

Rice added that he was allowed to get treatment done on his knee while serving his time as well.

“I would stretch it, do some activation on it and then hit the weight room and jog, just condition and get the muscle fatigue going as well as my stamina.”

Rice is only entering Year 4 in the NFL, but off-the-field issues have taken away from the solid chemistry he has with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has trusted him with top wide receiver duties. His production has warranted that as well.

“I’m 100% locked in on what’s going on now with the team,” Rice explained. “I’m ready to go out there and dominate. I’ve got a good group of brothers behind me.”

Wide receiver Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs is interviewed during the Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night presented by Gatorade featuring the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs and the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers on February 5, 2024 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Rice tallied 571 yards on 53 receptions with five touchdowns in his eight games with the Chiefs in 2025. He had a breakout rookie campaign with 938 yards on 79 catches with seven scores in 2023, but he was unable to play a full year in 2024 after suffering a season-ending knee injury.

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Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White did not take questions during her media session ahead of her team’s 106-92 win over the New York Liberty on Tuesday. Instead, White delivered an impassioned statement in which she defended her relationship with her players, revised her opinion on DiJonai Carrington’s “egregious” flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham and said that “the hate, the fear-mongering, the divisiveness, the stuff that’s trying to hijack our league will not win.”

Carrington’s Flagrant 2 foul on Cunningham during Indiana’s win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday was the latest high-profile incident in what has been a tumultuous summer for the Fever and the entire WNBA. White was caught in the fallout when she received significant criticism online for her postgame comments about the incident. 

After Saturday’s game, White said that Carrington is going to “play her butt off” and “nobody is gonna go walking in for a layup.” She added that she did not oppose the hard foul, and that she didn’t think Carrington “intentionally went for” Cunningham’s neck. 

On Tuesday, White said that after watching replays of Carrington’s foul, she thought it was “egregious.” 

Here are White’s full pregame comments:

“This isn’t necessarily for people that are in this room. This is more for an online community that is trying to create narratives that simply don’t exist. Trying to create a fabrication or distortion of who I am and what I’m about. Our player’s success, our player’s health and wellness, our player’s safety, is always a top priority for me. One of the things I pride myself on is my relationships with players. 

For those who have anything to say about the play in the last game. I didn’t see the play in real time. I went straight to a press conference. I thought the play got called right. Thankfully Sophie’s OK. Was it egregious? Absolutely. When you have a chance to watch that over and over on replay, you can see that. I didn’t have that in real time. I take personally any suggestions that I don’t 100% always have my players back. I ride with them 10 toes down all the time. All the time. They know that. 

“It’s a shame that we can’t have an opportunity to talk about what great basketball they’re playing. Beacuse they are f—ing playing. The reality is with me, I will always lead with love. I will always lead with grace. I will always lead with humilty. And I will always lead with integrity. It doesn’t mean I will always get it right. I’m also human. 

“The hate, the fear-mongering, the divisiveness, the stuff that’s trying to hijack our league will not win. It won’t win. We are united. We are connected. We will not be divided. Every day these women put their ass on the line. Every day. When they go low, we go high. Love will win. Grace will win. Humilty will win. And kindness will win. I stand by them. I will always stand by them. Everybody else can go to hell.”

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White, who was booed by Fever fans before tipoff, said after the win that she “sat with” the outside noise over the past few days and felt compelled to speak. Specifically, she wanted to respond to attacks on her character. 

“People presume to know who I am and have no idea,” White said. “These women are playing incredible basketball, and they deserve to be celebrated for that… It’s everybody else that wants to divide us, our team and our league. As somebody who’s been around for a long, long time in this league, I’m tired of it.”

Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham voice support for White

White received a technical foul for arguing with the officials during Saturday’s game after a controversial technical foul was given to Caitlin Clark for making contact with an official. It was the eighth technical foul of the season for Clark, but it was quickly rescinded upon league review. Had the foul stood, Clark would have served a one-game suspension and missed Tuesday night’s game. Instead, Clark suited up and finished with 22 points and 10 assists for her 19th career 20-point, 10-assist game (more than any other franchise), while Kelsey Mitchell poured in 28 points to extend her record 20-point streak to 17 games. 

Clark said she spoke with White before the game and told her the team would win for her. She also criticized the fans for booing White. 

“I can assure you there was no way we were losing this game tonight, and I told her that before the game. There was no way we were losing this game for her,” Clark said. “It’s tough. That’s my head coach. I hated that our fans booed her before the game. That made me a little sick, to be honest… At the end of the day, that’s our head coach, and we’re gonna ride for her and we’re always gonna have her back, and that’s never gonna tear our locker room apart. I just love her and I feel for her.”

Cunningham, who has been embroiled in her own controversy in recent weeks due to her comments about transgender athletes, did not speak pre-game on Tuesday, but did talk after chipping in 12 points off the bench in the victory. 

“We have each other’s backs. Coach loves us,” Cunningham said. “She didn’t see the clip [of the Carrington flagrant foul]. At the end of the day, she didn’t see the clip. DiJonai, she’s a hell of a player, she’s a great defender. [White] coached her for however many years up in Connecticut, so give her her flowers and she didn’t see it, and that’s OK. Me and Steph are great, Steph is great with all of us. It’s really the outside noise that’s trying to distract us, but we’re good.” 

Fever president Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement that White has the “full support” of team leadership.

“Coach White has done a tremendous job leading the Fever and for the second consecutive season, has us in great position for a playoff push,” Krauskopf said before Tuesday’s game. “She has kept our team focused and united, all while under the brightest spotlight our team and our league have ever experienced. She has the full support of leadership.”

Carrington, for her part, spoke at length about the incident on Monday prior to the Sky’s loss to the Seattle Storm. She said that the foul was “never intentional,” but declined to explain her since-deleted social media post in which she wrote “WHITE PRIVILEGE” while tagging the Fever’s team account from the locker room following the ejection. 

Fever moving up WNBA standings

Amid all of the drama, the Fever have been playing their best basketball of the season. They’ve won nine of their last 12 games to take sole possession of fourth place at 21-12. They would host a first-round playoff series if the season ended today, are on track to record the best offensive rating in league history (115) and are four wins from a single-season franchise record. 

WNBA Power Rankings: Rebuilding Mystics soar into top three and look like contenders, Wings hit turbulence

Jack Maloney

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With her team playing at such a high level, White wants the focus to shift to basketball. 

“We need to focus on this group and how they’re playing basketball right now, because they’ve been playing incredible basketball,” White said. “I’d like to stop talking about the other shit.”

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez have officially married, bringing nearly a decade of their relationship to a new chapter. The Portuguese football superstar and Rodríguez tied the knot in a private civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, on August 11, 2026.

The couple confirmed the wedding through a joint Instagram post, sharing a photograph of themselves dressed in white and proudly displaying their wedding rings. The ceremony was reportedly attended by their five children, keeping the occasion firmly centred on family rather than a large celebrity celebration.

Wedding comes exactly a year after engagement

The timing of the wedding was particularly significant. Rodríguez announced the couple’s engagement on August 11, 2025, exactly one year before they exchanged vows.

Ronaldo, 41, and Rodríguez, 32, had kept details of their wedding plans private, although the footballer had previously referred to Rodríguez as his “wife”, prompting speculation that they may have already married.

Five children at the centre of celebrations

Family played a central role in the intimate ceremony, with all five of the couple’s children reportedly present.

Ronaldo’s eldest son, Cristiano Jr., and twins Eva and Mateo joined Alana Martina and Bella Esmeralda at the wedding. Ronaldo and Rodríguez welcomed Alana in 2017, while their twins were born in 2022. Their son Ángel sadly died shortly after birth, while his twin sister Bella survived.

Rodríguez has also played an important role in the lives of Ronaldo’s older children, with their family life frequently featuring on social media and in her Netflix series, I Am Georgina.

From Madrid meeting to married life

Ronaldo and Rodríguez first met in Madrid when she was working as a sales assistant at Gucci. Their relationship became public in 2017, and they subsequently built a family life together as Ronaldo’s career took him from Spain to Italy and eventually Saudi Arabia.

Rodríguez has meanwhile established herself as a model, entrepreneur and television personality. After years together, the couple have now officially formalised their relationship with a private family wedding in Portugal.

India’s Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill (PTI Photo)

Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof believes India could opt for three spinners in the opening Test against Sri Lanka, with young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar potentially getting the nod ahead of uncapped off-spinner Saransh Jain.India will be without the retired Ravichandran Ashwin and injured Washington Sundar for the first Test, leaving Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav as the likely first-choice spinners. The bigger selection question is who joins them in the XI.Maharoof feels Suthar could have an advantage because of his ability to extract bounce from the surface. Sri Lankan pitches can offer assistance to spinners through bounce rather than simply producing substantial turn, making that quality particularly useful.Suthar made an impressive start to his international career, claiming seven wickets on his debut against Afghanistan. Jain, meanwhile, is yet to make his India debut but has also put himself in contention after touring Sri Lanka with India A.The 31-year-old off-spinner picked up seven wickets on that tour and also contributed an unbeaten 70 while batting at No. 7.However, Maharoof believes Suthar’s ability to generate bounce could outweigh the benefit of having an off-spinner for variation, even if that would leave India with three left-arm spinners.“If you ask me, I would be tempted to go with the two left-arm spinners as well as Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep is a frontrunner to start in Galle, especially considering his record and the number of wickets he took in the last Test against Afghanistan.“I see three spinners for India. Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and either Suthar or Jain. Ideally, you would like an off-spinner for variation, but I would not be surprised if Manav Suthar plays because his ability to get bounce off the surface could be very handy in Galle.”Maharoof expects India to go into the Test with a balanced attack comprising three spinners and two seamers.“Overall, looking at India’s bowling line-up, it is quite competitive, with two seamers and three spinners.”

Maharoof warns Sri Lanka about Rishabh Pant threat

Maharoof also singled out Rishabh Pant as a major threat for Sri Lanka, despite the wicketkeeper-batter’s modest returns in India’s three-day warm-up game in Colombo.Pant scored just two and 28 in the match, which India won by six wickets. However, Maharoof believes those scores should not give Sri Lanka any confidence ahead of the Test, given Pant’s ability to transform a match within a short period.“If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant. He is a player who, within half an hour or 45 minutes, can completely change the game.“We have seen him do it in the past. He has that X-factor and has been given the licence to play his natural game. He is going to face a lot of left-arm spin and off-spin.Maharoof expects Sri Lanka to rely heavily on spin against Pant, predicting that the hosts will field two frontline spinners along with two part-time options. But he believes Pant’s unconventional approach could still make him difficult to contain.“Sri Lanka will surely go with two frontline spinners as well as two part-timers, but the way Pant scores runs, with his unorthodox style, he is going to be dangerous.”

Tony Romo is still sidelined by CBS weeks after the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated after being stopped while driving.

CBS Sports president David Berson confirmed Tuesday at “NFL on CBS” Media Day that the 46-year-old analyst remains on indefinite leave from the network following his July 23 arrest in Milwaukee.

“It’s an evolving situation and we are still assessing. There is no timetable or final decision at this time,” Berson said, the New York Post reports. “I hope you can respect and appreciate this is a personal matter and a legal one for Tony.”

Romo was arrested after allegedly performing poorly on field sobriety tests and was later cited for refusing an intoxication test. In body camera footage, he told deputies he had been at a golf course and was on his way “to visit grandma and grandpa.” Deputies also found an “open bottle of an alcoholic beverage” in the passenger side of Romo’s Jeep before it was towed.

CBS put Romo on leave “until further notice” on July 31 as more details about his arrest surfaced. J.J. Watt has since stepped in as CBS’ lead analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz.

Berson also used Tuesday’s event to explain why the network decided to bench Romo before his legal case is resolved.

“We have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson said. “That’s very important to us. The focus should be and needs to be on our presentation and this great product and not on any others.

“Fortunately, we have a deep bench and everybody is stepping up,” he added.

A deputy told Romo he appeared impaired during the July traffic stop, citing his “red, glassy eyes” and the “odor of an intoxicating alcoholic beverage” as reasons for the suspicion. Romo was taken into custody, booked and later released by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

Romo attended high school in Burlington, Wisconsin, about 35 miles from Milwaukee, where he was arrested. He was back in the area to compete in the Wisconsin State Amateur golf tournament at West Bend Country Club, an event he has participated in since 2018.

The former quarterback spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys from 2004 to 2016, earning four Pro Bowl selections. After retiring, he joined CBS Sports as the network’s lead NFL game analyst in April 2017, partnered with Nantz.

Romo remains Dallas’ all-time leader in touchdown passes with 248, while Dak Prescott surpassed him last season for the franchise record in career passing yards.

Romo has not publicly addressed his arrest or his future with CBS. He is due in court on September 21.

Trainer Gavin Bedggood is contemplating a couple of race options for Just Folk at Caulfield as the horse is being prepared for an early spring goal.

Just Folk is among the entries for the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), which will be contested at weight-for-age this Saturday. He is also nominated for a benchmark 100 handicap (1600m), where he has been allocated 62kg.

These races are seen as potential lead-ups to a likely start in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on August 29. This event marks the official opening of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

The weather forecast for Saturday appears to be favourable for Just Folk, a galloper who thrives on wet tracks. When nominations closed on Monday, the track was rated a Heavy 9.

Of Just Folk’s ten career wins from 53 starts, five have been recorded on soft surfaces. He also has an additional nine placings from 21 attempts, with three of his wins coming on heavy ground and three top-three finishes from nine starts.

“The forecast looks promising for him to get his preferred ground,” Bedggood said.

“He ran super in the Winter Championship, and he went up and ran second in Sydney, in a Stakes race.”

“We just got beaten fair and square by a better horse on the day.”

Just Folk finished third in the Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 4, and subsequently ran second in the Winter Challenge (1500m) on July 18.

With Just Folk recently turning ten, Bedggood expressed his liking for the idea of competing for $200,000 in prize money in the Heatherlie Stakes, as Just Folk would likely possess a fitness edge over his rivals.

“I remember Dean Lester telling me, eight or nine years ago that the Heatherlie is a race that’s always won by the horse that’s come through winter, fit, and puts itself up on speed,” Bedggood stated.

“I would think that that’s his sort of race to be winning.It’s the Caulfield Cup kick-off for a lot of horses, and hopefully, he can be Johnny on the spot.”

“Looking at the forecast on Saturday, there’s a chance it will be wet and the way Caulfield has been racing as well, it might suit him too.”

Explore the betting sites for the upcoming PB Lawrence Stakes.