Rory McIlroy, fresh off his win last year at the Masters, walked into the press room and said he wanted flip roles to start the session. He had a question.
“What are we all going to talk about next year?” McIlroy said.
He laughed. Others did. The question referenced his long pursuit of a green jacket, and now that was finished.
But it’s not as if the Masters was done. They’re playing it again starting Thursday. So here goes, a subject entering this year’s event at Augusta National:
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Is McIlroy going to repeat?
No one, of course, knows that answer ahead of Sunday. But below are themes that’ll come into play for him — and for you, being that this is a prognostication piece.
McIlroy’s form: Entering this week, McIlroy has played four events this year on the PGA Tour and two on the DP World Tour. Here are his finishes:
–Dubai Invitational: tied for third
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–Hero Dubai Desert Classic: tied for 33rd
–AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: tied for 14th
–Genesis Invitational: tied for second
–Arnold Palmer Invitational: withdrew before the third round
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–Players Championship: tied for 46th
McIlroy’s back: About that withdrawal at the Arnold Palmer. A back injury, McIlroy said, forced it, and he returned the following week at the Players. But will it be an issue this week? On Sunday at the Players, McIlroy said he was encouraged by what he saw after 72 holes of play, and it’s worth noting that McIlroy will have gone four weeks without tournament play when the Masters starts, meaning he’ll be well rested.
“Happy I got through four days and my body feels good,” McIlroy said after the Players final round. “I feel like my game sort of progressively got a little bit better as the week went on, even though the scores probably didn’t reflect it over the weekend. I hit the ball well. I just didn’t make anything on the greens.
“Happy to come through four rounds and feel like my body held up well. A couple little things to work on, but overall, not the week that I wanted. Just trying to take the positives.”
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McIlroy’s inspiration: What does happen when you cross the finish line? McIlroy has said he’s been fighting that since last April. Maybe he’s found motivation this week. Maybe he’s still searching.
“You know, I think mentally, I have to be comfortable with maybe this is going to be my best year ever,” McIlroy told RTE last year after being named the RTE Sportsperson of the Year. “Who knows? I hope it’s not, you know. I hope I still have many more great years ahead of me. But you know, no matter what I do going forward, I’m only ever going to be able to win my first Masters once. And I really enjoyed that.
“And I’ve relished the opportunity to bring the green jacket around the world and show it off. It’s been a wonderful year, but I still think that I’ve got a lot more to achieve. So I’m still ambitious.”
With that, members of our staff have each made to-win and sleeper selections to assist you with your own weekly picks, whether those are for a low-stakes office fantasy league, or (legal!) big-bucks bets with a sportsbook. It’s an enjoyable endeavor for us. Deploy it as you wish.
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On to our analysis.
PGA Tour golfers aren’t the only ones who can make some 💰 starting next Thursday. You can too! Here are a few tips. https://t.co/uldLYRZvRh
To-win: Patrick Reed, +3,300. Easy to forget no player on the planet had a hotter late-January-into-early February than Reed, who in three consecutive starts in the Middle East won twice and finished runner-up in a playoff, all in the midst of his LIV Golf departure. He cooled off in two South Africa starts since then, but I still expect him to be a major threat at ANGC, where since 2018 all he’s done is win once and record four more top-10s.
Sleeper pick: Min Woo Lee, +4,000. Might be unfair to call the 25th-ranked player in the world a “dark horse,” but I don’t hear a lot of pundits talking up MWL as a green-jacket threat. He’s been excellent on Tour this season with seven cuts made in seven starts and three top-10s, and he’s made the weekend in three of his four Masters starts. This year, I expect him to contend on the weekend.
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Josh Berhow
To-win: Patrick Reed, +3,300. Hardly anyone plays better at Augusta National than Patrick Reed, who you probably forgot finished third last year. He hasn’t finished outside the top 40 in his seven starts there since he won in 2018, and four of those were top 10s. His past three starts at the Masters: 3rd, T12, T4. Throw in the success he had overseas a couple of months ago, and I like Patrick’s chances. (He’s my pick over a surging Matt Fitzpatrick.)
Sleeper pick: Russell Henley, +5,500. Henley very quietly finished top 10 in each of his past two major starts, and he’s had four top 10s in his past six major starts after just one in the previous 38. The point? He’s getting better on the big stage, and his game is in a good spot — top 20s in five of his seven starts this year and ranks 31st in SG: Approach and 14th in SG: Putting.
James Colgan
To-win: Akshay Bhatia, +5,500. It feels like we’re due for an out-of-left-field green jacket winner, especially after our past five Masters gifted us the murderer’s row of Hideki-Scottie-Rahm-Scottie-Rory as winners. Akshay would be a reasonable choice to these ends — he’s played three months of impressively steady golf to start the year and is a lefty at Augusta National. Major no. 1 arrives for Akshay in 2026.
Sleeper pick: Keegan Bradley, +15,000. It feels like the golf gods owe him one after the way the Ryder Cup knocked him down in September. A Bradley win after all he’s been through over the past six months would be one of the best comeback stories in the sport.
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Connor Federico
Sleeper pick: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, +25,000. Which of this year’s Masters rookies is most likely to succeed? The winner at Australia’s Augusta National feels like a good bet. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen makes his first Masters start via a thrilling win in December’s Australian Open. The Dane vaulted into contention with his understanding of angles and strategy at Royal Melbourne, another Alister Mackenzie masterpiece, where every hole requires elite shotmaking and focus. The success Neergaard found at this World Top 10 course will help him again at another this April. Understanding is one thing, but execution is most important. With a crowd of 30,000-plus Aussies pulling for Cam Smith, Neergaard delivered an unlikely up-and-down to secure the biggest win of his career. He’s got what it takes in the big moments, but at the very least, I’ll be taking him to make the cut in his first Masters appearance.
Alex Gelman
To-win: Jon Rahm, +1,100. Rahm is going to win his second green jacket at the Masters. He’s playing some of the best golf of his career and seems to be in a great space mentally. Trust Rahm, take the Sun Devil and enjoy your winnings Sunday evening.
Sleeper pick: Fifa Laopakdee, +100,000. Yes, it’s a massive long shot but don’t sleep on the junior from Arizona State. He punched his ticket to the Masters after winning the 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur. He started his career at ASU by winning his first tournament and already has four collegiate wins, including a win three weeks ago at the Desimone Classic.
Jack Hirsh
To win: Tommy Fleetwood, +2,200. Fleetwood just needs the putter to heat up, and he’ll pick up where he left off in 2025. He’s placed in the top 10 in four of five events this season, and his performance with the new alignment aid seems to be going well in San Antonio. Now put him on perfect greens. I like where this is going.
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Sleeper pick: Si Woo Kim, +6,600. His game sets up really well for Augusta, where lots of run-out should help equalize his length disadvantage. His game has been trending all year, and he’s missed just one cut in eight Masters appearances.
To-win: Bryson DeChambeau, +1,000. I’m going to take a break from choosing Scottie to win and add a little variety to my picks. I was also thinking about Brooks Koepka, but no — it’s gotta be Bryson, who has two things going for him this week: Momentum, after winning in back-to-back weeks on LIV; and positive playing history, with two top-6 finishes in his past two appearances. It feels like it could be Bryson’s time.
Sleeper pick: Jason Day, +6,600. Not only does Day have two top-6 finishes this season (including a runner-up at the American Express), he’s also played well many times at the Masters, with five career top-10 finishes.
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Zephyr Melton
To-win: Ludvig Aberg, +1,600. He’s played great at Augusta in his first two Masters starts (second, seventh) and is in fine form with two top-fives in March and a third already in April. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Ludvig don the green jacket come Sunday evening.
Sleeper pick: Maverick McNealy, +10,000. Mav has played some steady golf this year, missing just one cut and finishing in the top 30 in every other event but one. He finished middle of the pack in his debut last year, but he’s got the game to stay in it over the weekend.
Nick Piastowski
To-win: Brooks Koepka, +3,300. I love a good story line, and this is certainly that. But he’s been outstanding this year in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green, which is critical for Augusta.
Sleeper pick: Jacob Bridgeman, +8,000. Let’s go back to the strokes gained stats, where we’ll find Jacob Bridgeman among the leaders in the putting category. The winner must navigate Augusta’s sloping putting surfaces.
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Josh Schrock
To-win: Justin Rose +3,300. It’s time for Rose to get it over the line at Augusta National. He has led or co-led the Masters nine times after the first three rounds, which ranks third after Arnie and Jack. Over the past 10 Masters, he is seventh in score to par at 18 under. Five of the other six have won at least one Masters in that time period. He’s playing well, has increased his ball speed, and the iron play remains immaculate. It’s time.
Sleeper pick: Adam Scott, +6,600. Due to the small field, there aren’t a ton of good “sleeper” options. I’d probably take Rickie Fowler if he was in the field, but, alas, he’s not. So we’ll go with Scott, who played well at Riviera and has great course history at Augusta. Honorable mention to Jason Day.
Josh Sens
To-win: Xander Schauffele, +1,400. In his eight Masters appearances, Schauffele has five top 10s. He doesn’t miss cuts, and he’s built for majors. Even last year, when his game slipped a gear, he finished eighth at Augusta. This year, he’s been showing steadily growing signs of life, with a third at the Players and a T4 at the Valspar in his past two events. Bottom line: An elite player and proven major winner is rounding into form, just at the right time.
Sleeper pick: Jason Day, +6,600. Yeah, I know. A past major winner at 66-to-1 isn’t exactly a sleeper. But I don’t see the point of going much lower on the board at the Masters, where long shots have about as good a chance of winning as I do of earning an overnight in the Crow’s Nest. A true dark horse simply isn’t going to come out on top at Augusta so I’m not going to waste a wager on one. As I see it, Day is as far down on the betting board as anyone with an outside chance at the green jacket. He’s got a strong track record here, including a T8 last year, and a T6 last week on a tough course was another good showing in what has been a decent season so far.
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Johnny Wunder
To-win: Jon Rahm, +1,100. Rahm has played the best golf in the world over the past nine months and he’s already established he can win here. His hitting stats are out of this world and if the putter is even relatively serviceable, I don’t see a scenario where he’s not in the final group and putting on the jacket again.
Sean Zak
To-win: Jon Rahm, +1,100. Rahm is going to win. He’s playing as good of golf as he’s played at any point in his life. And the last time he was this good, he won the Masters.
Sleeper pick: Jake Knapp, +6,600. Knapp has been flying less under the radar recently, but he’s been one of the five or six best golfers in 2026.
Four days after declaring for the 2026 NBA draft, AJ Dybantsa penned a message for Cougar Nation.
Dybantsa reflected on and expressed gratitude for his time at BYU in a LinkedIn post Monday.
“When I committed to BYU, I knew I was signing up for something bigger than basketball. A lot of people questioned the decision. For me, the choice was simple. I wanted to go to the place that would best develop me as a basketball player and as a person. BYU was the program that gave me the clearest path to both.”
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Dybantsa said he knew he made the right decision “the moment I stepped on campus.”
“This school welcomed me in, raised the standard for me, and made me a better person every single day I was there. From the coaching staff to the professors to the fans walking across campus, this is a community unlike any other in college sports,” he said.
Dybantsa then thanked BYU basketball head coach Kevin Young and his teammates.
“Coach Young, thank you for trusting me with the keys to your program. You came to BYU with an NBA mind and a deep belief in what this place could become. You pushed me harder than I’ve ever been pushed, and you cared about me as a person before you cared about me as a player. I’ll carry the lessons you taught me for the rest of my life,” he said.
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“To my teammates, the bond we built this year goes way beyond basketball. The film sessions, the bus rides, the late nights in the gym, the conversations that had nothing to do with the game. Y’all are brothers for life. I’m rooting for every single one of you.”
Dybantsa praised BYU fans, writing “what y’all do for this program is special.”
“The way fans show up for BYU basketball is unlike anything in the country. The kindness I felt walking around campus and the city of Provo, the families who treated me like one of their own, the kids who came up to me everywhere I went. That’s the part of this experience I’ll remember most,” he said.
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The NBA now awaits Dybantsa, the likely No. 1 overall pick, but regardless of where he ends up, he said he is “proud to be a Cougar for life.”
“I am proud to have worn the Y. I’m proud to have represented this university. I’m proud to be a Cougar for life. The next chapter starts now, but BYU will always be a part of who I am. Go Cougs.”
AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 basketball recruit, is presented at halftime of the BYU and Fresno State game at the Marriott Center in Provo on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Bhuvneshwar Kumar celebrates after taking a DC wicket. (Pic credit: IPL)
NEW DELHI: Veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a performance for the ages, not only powering Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a crushing win over Delhi Capitals but also storming to the top of the Purple Cap standings in IPL 2026. His sensational spell of 3 for 5 in three overs marked his 20th three-wicket haul in the IPL, making him only the second pacer after Jasprit Bumrah to achieve the milestone.With this effort, Bhuvneshwar took his tally to 14 wickets from eight matches, drawing level with Chennai Super Kings’ Anshul Kamboj and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Eshan Malinga. However, his superior economy rate of 7.61 — compared to Kamboj’s 8.56 and Malinga’s 9.44 — helped him snatch the Purple Cap.
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IPL 2026: LSG’s Justin Langer explains where they lost vs KKR
Rajasthan Royals’ Jofra Archer and Lucknow Super Giants’ Prince Yadav follow closely with 13 wickets each.
Latest IPL 2026 Purple Cap standings
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Rank
Player
Wickets
Matches
Overs
Econ.
Ave.
1
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB)
14
8
31.0
7.61
16.85
2
Anshul Kamboj (CSK)
14
8
27.4
8.56
16.92
3
Eshan Malinga (SRH)
14
8
27.0
9.44
18.21
4
Jofra Archer (RR)
13
8
29.0
8.03
17.92
5
Prince Yadav (LSG)
13
8
30.0
8.06
18.61
6
Kagiso Rabada (GT)
13
8
31.0
9.48
22.61
7
Prasidh Krishna (GT)
12
7
26.0
10.34
22.41
8
Ravi Bishnoi (RR)
11
8
24.0
9.54
20.81
9
Mohsin Khan (LSG)
9
4
16.0
6.37
11.33
10
Krunal Pandya (RCB)
9
8
27.0
8.85
26.55
Powerplay carnage sets up emphatic winThe match itself was defined by a brutal new-ball spell as Bhuvneshwar and Josh Hazlewood combined to dismantle DC’s batting line-up. The hosts were left reeling at 13 for 6 in the powerplay, with Bhuvneshwar striking early by castling debutant Sahil Parakh and later removing Tristan Stubbs and skipper Axar Patel.Hazlewood complemented him perfectly, returning with figures of 4 for 12 as DC collapsed to 75 in 16.3 overs.Reflecting on his performance, Bhuvneshwar credited the conditions and early swing. “When the ball swings and you get a few wickets upfront, it makes it easier,” he said, adding that the team was slightly surprised by the assistance on offer but made the most of it. He also joked about not pushing for an extra over due to fatigue, saying he was “happy with three overs” considering the heat.Chasing a modest target, RCB completed the job with ease in just 6.3 overs. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal ensured there were no hiccups, with Kohli sealing the win in style with consecutive sixes.
Haney has won titles in three weight classes and was undisputed at lightweight. Most recently, he beat Brian Norman Jr for the WBO welterweight world title.
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Both men impressed in their latest victories and are widely regarded as two of the most technically elite fighters in the sport today. A fight between them has long been discussed, and The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that it could now become a reality, if one key obstacle – an agreed weight limit – can be overcome.
Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson are in preliminary talks for a fight, @MikeCoppinger has revealed on @InsideRingShow.
That issue is not easily solved and may prove too big for negotiations to overcome. Haney has said he feels his best at welterweight and looked drained on the scales at super-lightweight. Stevenson’s argument is that his rival faced Jose Ramirez at a 144lb catchweight last year and could do the same again. Though Haney handled the weight well and performed effectively on the night, there is no question he would be at a disadvantage.
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Stevenson, however, would argue he is still a natural lightweight – despite looking comfortable at 140lbs against Lopez – and that meeting below the welterweight limit creates a more even playing field.
Whether that can be agreed behind the scenes remains to be seen. A significant purse may help move things forward, but with undefeated records, pound-for-pound status and the position as the face of American boxing all at stake, both Stevenson and Haney will be careful in what they sign up for.
Impossible has been made possible at the London Marathon. A feat that looked out of reach for at least a few more years has now been achieved, and in truly spectacular fashion. For marathoners around the world, Sabastian Sawe’s feat was an unforgettable moment to witness — the breaking of the two-hour barrier, not once, but twice in a single race. For us, it truly felt like history unfolding in real time.In what I would call a race for the ages, Sawe completed the 42.195 km distance in 1:59:30. Just 11 seconds behind him was Ethiopia’s debutant Yomif Kejelcha, who also ran in under two hours. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo rounded off the podium with 2:00:28, also going faster than the earlier world record set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Performances like these feel surreal and have given athletes like me renewed belief that even the highest benchmarks can be challenged.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Though I didn’t watch the race live, I later went through the full recording and analysed it closely with my coaches. We discussed how such performances are shaping the future of marathon running and what adjustments I can make to improve my own timings. Earlier this month, I clocked 2:11:58 at the Rotterdam Marathon, setting a new national record and breaking a 48-year-old Indian mark. That achievement means a lot to me, but seeing what happened in London motivates me to aim even higher.Several factors contributed to the extraordinary results in London. One major element is the advancement in footwear technology — what we call “super shoes”. These next-generation, ultra-light shoes with energy-returning foam and carbon plates have significantly enhanced performance. The technology and science involved has reduced the human element in modern marathon times. Personally, I have been using ASICS Meta Speed shoes for the past two years, and they have helped me bring down my timings and improve efficiency.
Sawan Barwal
The weather also played a crucial role in London. The wind was favourable and the temperature was ideal for long-distance running. In marathons, even slight environmental changes can influence performance. A headwind could have made a huge difference in the final timings.But, in my mind, the key factor was the role of pacemakers. Pacemakers are central to elite racing – they help maintain rhythm, conserve energy, and structure the race intelligently. At London, the pacemakers executed their strategy perfectly, setting consistent splits and guiding the frontrunners through each phase of the race.I often train at Colorado Springs in the USA, where high-altitude conditions and world-class facilities help improve endurance and oxygen efficiency. Training alongside quality pacemakers there has significantly enhanced my marathon experience.One thing that stood out in London was the race strategy. Sawe completed the second half faster than the first, at just 59:01. If I were to target a 2:08 marathon in the future, which is my goal for the Asian Games, I would break the race into three segments. First, I would target an average pace of 6:07 per km. For the first five kms, I would aim for a 6:10 per km. I’ll then settle into 6:07 per km until 30km and then increase my intensity for the final 12km at 6:05 per km. It’s called the ‘10-10-10’ method.Nutrition and mileage are equally critical. Marathon preparation demands discipline — consistent high mileage, a carefully planned diet, and adequate recovery. I focus on maintaining a light, carb-free, efficient body while ensuring I get the right nutrients to sustain long training sessions before any major event.What happened in London has definitely changed the way we look at marathon running. It has given a marathoner like me a renewed belief that limits are meant to be pushed.(Holder of the National record in marathon, Sawan Barwal spoke to Sabi Hussain)
Four-time winner John Higgins produced a sensational recovery from 8-3 and 9-4 down to defeat Ronnie O’Sullivan 13-12 in a final-frame Crucible epic to reach the World Championship quarter-finals.
Seven-time champion O’Sullivan was seeking an eighth title to set a new outright record in the modern era, and twice held five-frame leads in Sunday’s second session.
But Higgins won the last three frames on Sunday and maintained that form by taking the first three on Monday as O’Sullivan lost six successive frames at the Crucible for only the fifth time.
In a high-quality thriller, played out in front of an enthralled crowd, O’Sullivan won the 20th and 21st frames to regain the lead at 11-10.
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In surely the match of the tournament, and one of the best in the 49 years at the Sheffield theatre, Higgins won two frames in a row to move one away at 12-11, but O’Sullivan’s break of 81 forced a decider.
Higgins had the first chance but missed a red into the middle at 16-0 to give O’Sullivan a lifeline, before the Englishman could only score eight points and failed to pot a red.
The Scot then made a break of 49 on his way to sealing a match-winning frame, with both players getting a standing ovation as the tie finished.
The 50-year-olds are two of snooker’s fabled ‘Class of ’92’, along with 51-year-old Mark Williams, with the trio having 14 world titles between them.
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Higgins, the champion in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011, will now play either 2010 winner Neil Robertson or world number 13 Chris Wakelin.
Robertson leads 10-6, with that match played to a finish in Monday’s evening session from 19:00 BST.
Pro wrestler Luca Crusifino revealed last week he was among those who departed WWE in the company’s most recent wave, and on Monday, he announced he was retiring from the sport.
The 25-year-old Pennsylvania native, whose real name is Roman Macek, wrote on social media that he was leaving professional wrestling for good.
Luca Crusifino enters the ring during WWE’s Main Event at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Jan. 29, 2024.(Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
“After much reflection, I’ve decided it’s time to close this chapter of my life,” he wrote on X. “Being a part of the WWE has been a dream ever since I was a child. Getting the chance to live out my dream in front of the world is something I’ll never take for granted. To the fans… thank you for every cheer, every boo, every moment of support. You made this journey unforgettable.
“I am forever grateful for the friendships that I made along the way. From talent, to coaches, to the creative team, to every single person I came in contact with at the performance center … thank you! Thank you for pushing me, believing in me, and sharing the ring with me. I’ve learned more than I can ever put into words and met some of the greatest people that will be friends for life.”
Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, Tony D’Angelo and Luca Crusifino compete during NXT at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., on July 15, 2025.(Matt Pendleton/WWE)
He wrote that the decision wasn’t an easy one.
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“As of today, I’m officially stepping away and retiring from professional wrestling. It’s not an easy decision, but it’s the right one for me,” he added. “This isn’t goodbye, just the end of one incredible chapter.
“Again, I cannot say this enough… Thank you! What an amazing last 4 years and don’t worry about me… I’ll figure it out.”
And don’t worry, Crusifino made clear he wasn’t about to make an OnlyFans.
Crusifino was a college football player at Duquesne before he joined WWE. He entered with a lawyer gimmick and would later join The D’Angelo Family as their consigliere.
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The family members Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, Tony D’Angelo, Luca Crusifino and Adriana Rizzo pose during NXT Stand and Deliver at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2025.(Andrea Kellaway/WWE)
In 2025, he would attack his family members Tony D’Angelo and Channing Lorenzo and end up leaving the family. He was reintroduced into WWE Evolve with a new raver gimmick. But it didn’t last as he departed the company last week.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Fifa is poised to change the rules around suspensions for accumulated yellow cards at this summer’s World Cup.
BBC Sport understands world football’s governing body is planning to add a second amnesty stage, wiping all yellow cards at the end of the group stage as well as after the quarter-finals.
Under current rules a team would play five matches to reach the quarter-finals, and any two bookings in those games would lead to a suspension.
The revamped World Cup, with 48 teams instead of 32, includes an extra round and it is felt the jeopardy for a ban is too high.
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Without a change to the regulations, Fifa fears that many more players would be walking a suspension tightrope by playing six fixtures through to the last eight – and potentially miss a semi-final.
The topic is on the agenda for discussion when the Fifa Council meets in Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday.
Two bookings will remain the suspension threshold, but the rule change will mean there are only two small pockets of games for players to pick up a ban.
It would require cautions in two of the three group games, or in two of the last 32, last 16 and the quarter-finals, to miss a match.
Ex-NFL star running back Le’Veon Bell made quite the accusation against his former head coach with the New York Jets, Adam Gase.
Gase, now the pass game coordinator under Jim Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers, didn’t fare well in New York, owning a 9-23 record before being fired after the 2020 season. Bell and Gase both joined the team in 2019, when they went 7-9, but flamed out the next year.
Bell made an appearance on the “Respectfully” podcast with Justin Laboy, where he blasted Gase, calling him the “dumbest coach ever.” But that wasn’t the worst that was said.
Le’Veon Bell accused his former New York Jets head coach Adam Gase of using cocaine at the team’s facility.(GETTY)
Bell accused Gase of using cocaine in his office.
Laboy asked Bell to go further after he said Gase “did a lot of s— in that office that coaches ain’t supposed to be doing.” Then, Bell said Gase was using “white girl,” a slang term for cocaine, and then did a snorting gesture.
“I’m like, bro, I ain’t just walk in the office and see my coach [snorting cocaine],” Bell explained to Laboy. “We’re about to go to practice, bro. We got practice in 28 minutes. We got walkthrough, bro. This is what you’re doing in here?”
Bell doubled down, saying he saw Gase do it himself.
“It wasn’t just one time. That’s what it did, though. Everybody knows that. That’s what he did. But it was just crazy to me to actually see him doing it. I heard all the stories and s—.”
The Chargers did not immediately answer a request for comment by Fox News Digital.
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Le’Veon Bell of the New York Jets runs with the football against the Arizona Cardinals at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Oct. 11, 2020. The Cardinals defeated the Jets 30-10.(Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Bell’s last words there imply he heard from others that Gase allegedly used the illegal substance, though he didn’t go into further detail on that front.
Before Gase was hired by the Jets to be their next head coach, he held the same position with the Miami Dolphins from 2016-18, where he went 23-25. His best year was 2016, when the Dolphins went 10-6.
Since being fired by the Jets, Gase wasn’t on any coaching staff in the NFL, rather consulting from time to time. His father-in-law, Joe Vitt, works as a defensive assistant for the Denver Broncos, who he visited during the 2023 and 2025 offseasons to provide insight. Gase also spent time with The 33rd Team as a strategic advisor with Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia in 2024.
Gase’s time in the NFL began with the Detroit Lions in 2003, working as a scouting assistant before a promotion to offensive assistant in 2005. He eventually worked his way up to quarterbacks coach in 2007 before a quick stint with the San Francisco 49ers the next season.
Gase then spent a large chunk of his coaching history with the Broncos from 2009-14, the last three seasons serving as the team’s offensive coordinator before the Dolphins gave him a shot as head coach.
Meanwhile, Bell’s career didn’t pan out the way he hoped after his contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended with him missing the entire 2018 campaign. He eventually signed with the Jets, but after just two games into the 2020 season, he was released.
Head coach Adam Gase and running back Le’Veon Bell of the New York Jets talk before their game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., on Dec. 12, 2019.(Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
In 2019, his first season back in the NFL, he rushed for 789 yards with three touchdowns, while catching 66 passes for 461 yards and one score. Bell saw time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but never stuck with a team before leaving football in 2021.
Bell was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro with the Steelers, who took him 48th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Michigan State. He rushed for 5,336 yards with 42 total touchdowns across his five seasons in Pittsburgh.
Things have been going well for Manchester United recently, but Michael Carrick has suffered a painful injury blow during the clash with Brentford
21:35, 27 Apr 2026Updated 21:39, 27 Apr 2026
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Luke Shaw was forced to limp off during Manchester United’s home clash against Brentford. The England international has enjoyed one of his best campaigns when it comes to his fitness and injury record.
While there has been plenty of change this season at Old Trafford, with Ruben Amorim being sacked at the start of the year and Michael Carrick arriving, Shaw has been a constant. For the first time in his time at United, Shaw was on course to appear in every single Premier League match for the Reds.
He had already surpassed his best appearance tally, which came in the 2020-21 campaign when he made 31 Premier League appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, Shaw may be about to spend another period of time on the side-lines.
There will be more to follow. We’ll bring you the very latest updates on this breaking news story.
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On the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman checked in on one of this season’s most compelling early storylines:
The Dodgers’ superstar currently has a 0.38 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 6 walks in 24 innings across four starts. That is, notably, fewer starts and fewer innings than most of the other pitchers who are likely to be in the mix for the award. For contrast, Tyler Glasnow is up to 33 innings, and Nolan McLean is at 35.
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Ohtani is unlikely to catch up to other contenders in terms of workload but has the potential to make his case in other ways.
“He has been as stellar on the bump as we ever could have imagined,” Mintz said.
Another significant marker for Ohtani as we near the end of April: He has not allowed a home run.
Across his 24 innings, he has faced 92 batters without giving up a long ball. Ohtani’s teammate Justin Wrobleski is the league leader in innings pitched without a homer surrendered, having thrown 30 frames. The other pitchers ahead of Ohtani on that list are the Pirates’ Carmen Mlodzinski, the Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease and the Nationals’ Cade Cavalli.
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Shusterman summed Ohtani up this way: “Good at pitching. Good at hitting. He’s amazing.”
;)
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