Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy speaks with head coach Kevin O’Connell during first-half action against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Sep. 14, 2025. The sideline conversation reflected in-game adjustments as Minnesota worked through early drives with McCarthy directing the offense. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings may or may not end up rolling with J.J. McCarthy in Week 1 of the 2026 campaign, but according to Fox Sports‘Colin Cowherd, McCarthy’s starting future in Minnesota sounds like it’s on life support.
Cowherd’s doubt collides with Minnesota’s investment, plus a veteran market that keeps offering escape hatches.
Cowherd, who has not been hesitant to unleash on McCarthy in the past, is at it again.
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Familiar McCarthy Naysayer Rides Again
The future might be grim for McCarthy if Cowherd has it right.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) drops back to pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during first-quarter preseason action at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Aug 10, 2024. The rookie surveys the field from the pocket as Minnesota evaluates its young signal-caller in early game conditions. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
Cowherd on McCarthy
Cowherd has never cared much for McCarthy as the Vikings’ quarterback solution — he is and was a Sam Darnold enthusiast — so his comments last week didn’t surprise many.
“The Minnesota Vikings, who are $45M over the cap, and yet reportedly they want Tua. They know, privately, the J.J. McCarthy thing is not working. Boy, you got to make a decision quick. J.J. McCarthy’s body may not be built for this league. His confidence is all over the map. The numbers don’t lie on J.J. McCarthy,” he said on his show.
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That’s about as bleak as it gets, if one assumes Cowherd knows what he’s talking about. He may not.
McCarthy Will Have to Earn It — Unlike Last Year
In 2025, the Vikings brushed aside a few notable quarterbacks, making way for McCarthy as the uncontested QB1: Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Aaron Rodgers.
The Darnold decision now lives in infamy, as he won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks last month. Jones fared well in Indianapolis, constructing an MVP-caliber season through about two months of 2025 before rupturing his Achilles tendon and sending the Colts mind-bogglingly in Philip Rivers’s direction.
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And Rodgers reached the postseason inside a low-octane Steelers offense, meeting a quick one-and-done loss in the tournament.
McCarthy won’t have that setup this time, as the Vikings’ brass has stated a few times this offseason that another quarterback is on the way. And Cowherd thinks that man will basically take McCarthy’s job for good, and that’ll be that.
The Tumultuous 2025 Campaign
McCarthy finished the 2025 season demonstrating the quarterbacking ability Minnesota had hoped for. He delivered Pro Bowl-caliber performances against Washington, Dallas, and New York, displaying confident throws and composure in critical late-game situations. However, a hairline fracture in his hand abruptly halted his momentum, marking yet another setback in an injury-plagued year.
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Earlier in 2025, his potential was undeniable. He began his starting role with a 4th Quarter comeback in Chicago, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Although a midseason high ankle sprain briefly sidelined him, he returned with a resilient road victory in Detroit, delivering one of his most impressive performances in a challenging atmosphere.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) loosens up before a preseason matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Aug 10, 2024. The first-round rookie goes through warmups as fans get an early in-person look at the team’s young quarterback. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
The middle of the season proved utterly problematic. Following the ankle sprain, McCarthy struggled to regain his rhythm, often performing well late in games after shaky starts. A concussion against Green Bay punctuated a three-game losing streak.
While his arm talent and big-game poise are evident, durability remains a significant concern. So does the inconsistency.
The Main Alternatives
So, just who in the hell are we talking about here? Unless Minnesota’s messaging has misled the masses, the Vikings’ next quarterback — the guy to accompany McCarthy this summer — will very likely be a man from these lists.
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The first tier — the preferred one — based on recent tea leaves:
Daniel Jones
Mac Jones
Kyler Murray
Geno Smith
Tua Tagovailoa
Malik Willis
Our Janik Eckardt noted on Murray this week, “Murray, once a 1st overall pick, had a promising first three seasons in the NFL, but never made the next step from Pro Bowler to superstar. Injuries then derailed his career, as he has only played more than 11 games once over the last four years. Still, when healthy, Murray is arguably the most skilled signal-caller on the market. He just scored 26 touchdowns in 2024.”
“Bringing in an experienced veteran such as Murray or Smith would allow Minnesota to maintain its long-term investment in McCarthy while raising the floor of the position in the short term. With head coach Kevin O’Connell under pressure to win now and the roster otherwise competitive, a veteran bridge or challenger appears far more likely than handing the job to an unproven starter without competition.”
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) celebrates with fans after a first-half touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Nov 12, 2023. Murray gestures toward the crowd following the scoring play during regular-season action. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports.
Then, the fallback options — Tier 2:
Kirk Cousins
Jimmy Garoppolo
Joe Flacco
Will Levis
Marcus Mariota
Anthony Richardson
Aaron Rodgers
Russell Wilson
Thankfully, it’s an advantageous offseason for a team to need this style of quarterback — either a home run hitter like Murray to win the QB1 job in Minnesota outright or a Cousins-like passer to push McCarthy to the limit this summer.
The Oklahoma City Thunder battle the New York Knicks in a key NBA matchup on Wednesday night. OKC is coming off an NBA championship last season. New York, meanwhile, is looking to make the postseason for the fourth consecutive season. The Thunder, who are the top seed in the Western Conference, have a plus-11.3 points differential this season. The Knicks, who are third in the East, are 23-8 on their home floor in 2025-26. Both teams played Tuesday, and thus neither side has released its injury report.
Tipoff from Madison Square Garden in New York is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Thunder lead the all-time series 75-68, including wins in each of the last four meetings OKC is a 4.5-point favorite in the latest Thunder vs. Knicks odds from. DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 222.5. Before making any Knicks vs. Thunder picks, check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered Week 20 on a sizzling 41-18 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
After 10,000 simulations of Thunder vs. Knicks, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (222.5). The Over has hit in six of the past seven head-to-head matchups between the teams. The Over has hit in four of their last five OKC games, and in four of the last eight New York games. The Thunder are 6-4 against the spread in their last 10 games. The Knicks, meanwhile, are 4-6 ATS in their last 10.
The SportsLine model is projecting the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to score 29.1 points on average and be one of five Oklahoma City players to score 9.1 or more points. The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, meanwhile, is projected to score 24.8 points as five New York players score 10.7 points or more. The teams are projected to combine for 228 points.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As college athletics scrambles to fund the exploding cost of paying athletes, Arkansas may have landed on one of the sport’s most aggressive new models: a corporate sponsorship designed primarily to pay players.
The Razorbacks and Tyson Foods have entered into a sweeping five-year partnership that will place the company’s logo on the jerseys of all 19 Arkansas teams beginning in the 2026–27 academic year. But the branding is only part of the story — roughly 90% of the money generated by the deal is expected to flow directly to Arkansas athletes through name, image and likeness opportunities with the company.
Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek calls the agreement announced Wednesday “the largest true sponsorship agreement in college athletics right now.”
“The intention is that every student-athlete will be positively impacted by this partnership,” Yurachek said. “That was really important to Mr. Tyson and Donnie King, their president and CEO, and Kristina Lambert, their chief growth officer. And it’s really important to us as well.”
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Specific financial details of the Razorbacks’ mega deal with Tyson Foods — headquartered just a few miles away in nearby Springdale — were not disclosed. Tyson Foods chairman John Tyson told CBS Sports, however, that speculation about a nine-figure agreement is misplaced.
“It’s not $100 million, let’s put it that way,” Tyson said.
Still, the structure of the deal is what could make it notable nationally.
“The game’s changing so quickly,” Tyson said. “NIL sponsorships, funding for universities — the model is moving really, really quickly.”
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The agreement also reflects the rapidly emerging market for jersey patch sponsorships in college athletics, which is in its infancy following the NCAA’s approval in January.
Learfield CEO Cole Gahagan told CBS Sports earlier this year that early valuations for the new asset could range from roughly $500,000 to more than $12 million annually, depending on the program and market size. He also noted that most jersey patch partnerships in professional sports come from companies located within about 250 miles of the team, a trend expected to translate to college athletics — a dynamic that makes Tyson Foods, headquartered just miles from Arkansas’ campus in Springdale, a natural fit.
Tyson Foods’ partnership extends beyond jerseys. The company will also receive branding across Arkansas courts and fields and become the “Official Protein of the Razorbacks,” aligning its products with athletic performance and campus life through brand ambassador programs with athletes — the mechanism through which NIL compensation will be distributed.
Arkansas and Tyson began discussing the concept roughly three to four months ago when it became clear the NCAA would soon approve jersey patches.
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Arkansas is the second major school to announce an all-sport corporate jersey sponsorship, joining LSU, which struck a seven-year agreement with Woodside Energy in February. LSU has not disclosed financial details. UNLV signed a five-year deal worth $11 million with Accesso Biologics in December, one month before the NCAA formally approved the asset.
More schools are expected to land jersey patch sponsorships before the upcoming football season. In a CBS Sports survey conducted this week, 15 of 17 major athletic departments said they are actively pursuing deals.
Tyson has long been one of Arkansas athletics’ most visible supporters, particularly in basketball, track and golf. He attends Razorbacks home basketball games from a courtside seat across from coach John Calipari, whom he helped recruit to Arkansas from Kentucky two years ago.
But Tyson said his interest in the sponsorship extends beyond Arkansas’ highest-profile programs.
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For him, the university serves as what he called the region’s “economic sports engine,” particularly for Olympic sports that rely on college athletics as their primary development pipeline.
“My bigger worry in this NIL college sports day is where we develop athletes beyond the big three (sports),” Tyson said. “That still needs to be funded somehow.”
Arkansas and Tyson developed a formula to spread NIL opportunities to players across all 19 sports.
Arkansas athletics currently operates with roughly a $200 million annual budget, Yurachek said, while major SEC competitors like Texas operate with roughly double that.
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“We’re trying to find every avenue we can to monetize our athletic program,” Yurachek said.
To remain competitive, Arkansas has aggressively pursued new revenue streams, including stadium and arena concerts, stadium naming rights and jersey patch sponsorships. The Tyson partnership represents one of the largest steps in that strategy.
Learfield Sports, which represents Arkansas, is also nearing an agreement on a naming-rights deal for Razorback Stadium.
“We’re really, really close to being to the finish line on that,” Yurachek said. “We’ll have some things that people will see in the very near future about that.”
The Manchester United midfielder Jack Fletcher has been given a six-match suspension after being sent off for calling an opponent a “gay boy”.
The 18-year-old, who is the son of United’s former caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, was shown a red card in an EFL Trophy match against Barnsley in October.
He was dismissed when referee Will Davis overheard him insulting the Barnsley player, whose identity has been redacted, and pleaded guilty at an FA hearing to an aggravated breach of Rule E.2, which involves a reference to “ethnic origin, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation or disability”.
Fletcher, who was also fined £1,500, has been ordered to attend a mandatory face-to-face education programme, though both the FA and the Barnsley player accepted he had no intention to be homophobic.
The England under-19 international had been abused during the Barnsley game by a player who directed personal insults at his father and twin brother, Tyler, as well as being on the receiving end of two off-the-ball fouls.
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And, when taunted after Barnsley scored their third goal, he admitted that he replied: “You seem to know a lot about me, are you a gay boy?”
An FA panel determined that his words were intended to be derogatory rather than homophobic and United are working with the teenager to educate him about discriminatory language.
Fletcher, who has already served two matches of his suspension, said: “I am truly sorry for the offensive word that I used in the heat of the moment. Despite the fact that I had no intention to use the term as a homophobic insult, I completely understand that such language is unacceptable and immediately apologised after the game. I want to be clear that this momentary lapse of character absolutely does not reflect my beliefs or values.”
The FA determined that, as the incident occurred in a non-first-team match, his ban should be served in them as well.
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Fletcher could have been suspended for up to 12 matches but was given credit for admitting his guilt at the first possible opportunity, while his age and inexperience were mitigating factors.
Jack Fletcher has made three appearances for United this season and was given his debut by former manager Ruben Amorim in December, while Tyler, also a midfielder, made his first-team start in February.
Darren Fletcher, the current manager of United’s under-18s, has been technical director, first-team coach and caretaker manager after a career in which he made 342 appearances for the club.
San Antonio Spurs veteran forward Harrison Barnes played all 82 games in the NBA for the last three seasons and was on an impressive ironman streak until Tuesday.
Barnes missed the Spurs’ game against the Philadelphia 76ers after he woke up from a pregame nap with a sore left ankle. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson made the decision to keep him out of the game. Barnes’ streak came to an end at 364 straight games.
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at Frost Bank Center on Jan. 19, 2026.(Daniel Dunn/Imagn Images)
Johnson said the one-time NBA champion was added to the injury report when Barnes reported soreness when he woke up from the nap. Barnes received pregame treatment from the medical staff.
Barnes’ streak wasn’t the highest active streak in the league. New York Knicks’ Mikal Bridges holds the mark with 616 straight games. Barnes also trailed Bridges for the most total games played since 2021 with 382.
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives to the basket against Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Barnes has played in 60 games this season. He’s averaging 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Luckily, for the Spurs, San Antonio was able to pick up a victory without Barnes.
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Dylan Harper scored 22 points and Victor Wembanyama had 10 points in the 131-91 win over the 76ers.
New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby, right, drives to the basket past San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 1, 2026, in New York.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
San Antonio has the second-best record in the Western Conference at 44-17. The team is only three games behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder for the top spot in the conference.
The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks’ men’s basketball team continued their perfect start to the season on Tuesday night.
The No. 19 RedHawks defeated the Toledo Rockets, 74-72, improving to 30-0 and clinching at least a share of the Mid-American Conference regular-season title. Miami is the only undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball and has the best start and longest win streak in conference history.
Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, center, and the team celebrate the regular-season trophy at the conclusion of an NCAA college basketball game against Toledo, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Oxford, Ohio.(AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
The team celebrated with the regular-season trophy as confetti fell onto the court in the arena.
“That’s the beauty of basketball: When you’re having fun with the right group of guys, you can become unbeatable,” Miami star Peter Suder told reporters, via the school’s website.
“It’s a surreal moment, obviously,” he added as he reflected on his family and the support he’s received through his collegiate career. “They’ve been with me through it all, and I’m just super-happy they were there tonight and soaked in the moment as well.”
Miami (OH) guard Luke Skaljac reacts after a made 3-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Toledo, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Oxford, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Suder had 19 points in the win and is averaging 14.8 points per game this season.
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The RedHawks needed to dig deep to hang on against Toledo.
The Rockets cut the deficit to one on four different occasions. Toledo’s Austin Parks had a good opportunity to put the team ahead, but Miami’s Eian Elmer blocked him at the rim. Toledo trailed by two points and had the ball with 13 seconds left but a costly turnover sealed the win for Miami.
Miami completed its first season sweep of Toledo since the 1996-97 season and are now on a three-game winning streak against the Rockets after losing 22 straight from 2012-24.
Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, center, raises the regular-season trophy with teammates at the conclusion of an NCAA college basketball game against Toledo, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Oxford, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to make a decision in the next 48 hours on the possible postponement of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The move comes after Morocco, the host nation, formally requested a delay to the tournament. Sources say CAF has been reviewing the request for several weeks, holding multiple high-level meetings to consider the impact of any change to the schedule.
CAF is treating the matter urgently, given the tournament’s importance in the women’s football calendar. The upcoming announcement is expected to confirm the timeline and guide participating teams and organisers.
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An official statement from CAF is due within the next two days.
Man Utd youngster Jack Fletcher has been handed a six-game ban by the FA after he admitted using a homophobic insult during an EFL Trophy game.
Jack Fletcher has apologised for using a homophobic insult during an EFL Trophy fixture against Barnsley earlier this season after being handed a six-game suspension by the Football Association.
The son of former Manchester United midfielder and current Under-18s head coach Darren was sent off during the game against the League One outfit’s first team in October. He used the offensive term after becoming embroiled in a running battle with an older opponent, who made comments to him about his father and twin brother, Tyler.
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During the game, Fletcher snapped and asked why his opponent was so aware of his background, using a homophobic insult as part of the question.
After being charged by the FA, Fletcher explained he did not intend for the insult to be homophobic, something the governing body and the opponent involved accepted to be the case.
Referee Will Davis was one yard away from Fletcher when he heard the player use the offensive term. While he did not dispute it, Fletcher feels he was provoked during the game, including two off-the-ball incidents and having his Achilles stamped on.
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Fletcher regrets the lapse in character and insists it doesn’t represent his character or beliefs, and said it was uttered in an unguarded moment of anger. He said he understood his choice of words was unacceptable and apologised, accepting the FA charge at the earliest opportunity.
The youngster, who has made three appearances for the first team this season and is the son of Under-18s boss Darren, was banned for two games for the red card and has been handed a four-game ban after accepting an aggravated breach of FA rule E3.1. He has served three of those four games, with only non-first-team competitive fixtures counting.
Fletcher’s ban means he has missed the last three Premier League 2 games, and his suspension is due to finish with the Friday night fixture against Birmingham City in that competition.
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Fletcher, who was also fined £1,500 and ordered to attend FA education, said: “I am truly sorry for the offensive word that I used in the heat of the moment.
“Despite the fact that I had no intention to use the term as a homophobic insult, I completely understand that such language is unacceptable and immediately apologised after the game. I want to be clear that this momentary lapse of character absolutely does not reflect my beliefs or values.”
United have taken steps to enhance players’ understanding of discriminatory language and its harmful effects.
Sara Didar, a striker for the Iranian women’s football team, fought back tears as she shared her teammates’ profound concerns for their families and loved ones back home.
Competing in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup, the squad grapples with escalating conflict in Iran, casting a long shadow over their sporting ambitions.
“Obviously we’re all concerned and we’re sad at what has happened to Iran and our families in Iran,” Didar said, her comments translated into English, during a press conference on Wednesday, ahead of their Group A clash against Australia.
She added, with a poignant hope, “I really hope for our country to have good news ahead. And I hope that my country will be strongly alive.”
The 21-year-old had been part of the squad observing a moment of silence as the Iranian anthem played before their opening defeat to South Korea on Monday.
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The team and management had arrived in Australia prior to the recent strikes by the US and Israel, intensifying the broader conflict.
Sara Didar spoke at a press conference on Wednesday (via REUTERS)
Initially, during their first official news conference of the tournament on Sunday, head coach Marziyeh Jafari and the players refrained from commenting on the war or the death of the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
However, on Wednesday, despite an Asian Football Confederation moderator requesting reporters stick to football questions, both Didar and Jafari openly voiced their anxieties.
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“Obviously we have so much concern regarding the health of our families and our loved ones and all other Iranian people inside our country, with whom we are fully disconnected,” Jafari explained, highlighting limited contact due to blackouts in Iran.
She affirmed the team’s professional commitment: “But, here, we are coming to play football professionally and we will do our best to concentrate on our football and match ahead.”
Amidst these profound personal struggles, the team has found solace in the support of Iranian fans.
At Monday’s game, a pocket of supporters waved the national colours of red, green and white, alongside some pre-Islamic revolution flags, chanting their encouragement.
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Both Jafari and Didar expressed their gratitude for this backing from Iranian-Australians.
“We feel very good that we see many Iranians supporting us, it really encourages us and we really appreciate it,” Didar said. “I know the stadium will be full tomorrow, and hope that we have a great atmosphere.”
Australia’s coach, Joe Montemurro, urged his team and supporters to extend compassion to the Iranian squad.
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Joe Montemurro called for fans to show compassion to the Iranian squad (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)
“We want to give them the best tournament possible, giving them the experience of a lifetime,” Montemurro stated.
“For us, it’s about just showing our human compassion, our respect and show them how beautiful we are as a country, and how beautiful we are as Australians.”
Thursday’s match is anticipated to draw a capacity crowd at Gold Coast Stadium, marking only the second encounter between the two women’s national teams, with Australia having won the previous fixture in Perth in 2023.
Australia, the 2010 Asian Cup champions and semi-finalists at the 2023 World Cup they co-hosted, began their campaign with a 1-0 victory over the Philippines and could secure a quarter-final spot with a win against Iran.
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For the Iranian side, their presence in Australia carries the significant ambition of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, a goal that necessitates a top-eight finish in the current Asian Cup.
Akili Smith Jr. heads into year 2 without having been seen much by Duck fans. 
