A Minnesota Vikings fan looked on intently on Sept. 14, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the second half of the matchup against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. The afternoon crowd reflected a mix of anticipation and frustration as the game’s momentum shifted late, leaving fans hanging on every possession in another tense home-field showdown. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Best guess on this end of the internet is that Vikings defender Ivan Pace Jr. is facing a tough battle to get onto the final roster. Minnesota would likely be keen to participate in a trade. That’s far from gospel truth, though.
Mr. Pace is a 25-year-old linebacker who offers a pile of aggression and physicality. Coaches, as Mike Zimmer used to say, would “rather say whoa than go.” Basically, coaches would rather need to restrain a player operating with too much compete than motivate somebody who doesn’t appear particularly motivated.
Add it all up and there is a lot to like in Pace. He’s a homegrown talent who is young and who has the potential to improve. Better yet, his mentality appears perfectly-suited for life working under the tutelage of Brian Flores.
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With all of that being said, what of the subtraction chatter?
Demoted Vikings Defender Ivan Pace Jr. in Danger of Subtraction
All along, Pace has been doubted, largely due to being a smaller player.
Looking back, there’s simply no way he should have fallen out of the 2023 NFL Draft. Seeing a redo take place would involve the blitzing specialist going reasonably high. Not a 1st and possibly not somebody for the 2nd or 3rd, but the 4th or 5th would represent good value. Bringing him to town as an undrafted player was an instance of highway robbery from former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
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Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. kneels quietly in the end zone during pregame moments, with Dec 25, 2025 set at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as players prepare for a Christmas Day matchup against the Detroit Lions, capturing a focused and reflective scene before kickoff in a divisional showdown. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Since being promoted to a starting position as a rookie, Pace has been slowly declining. Or, at least, his portion of the pie has decreased, leaving him with less and less snaps.
Consider just his overall snap count on defense across his three years:
2023: 706
2024: 414
2025: 323
Obviously, that’s a discouraging trend. Making matters even worse is that Pace was involved in all seventeen games in 2025 versus just eleven in 2024. Not only did he play less snaps, but Pace played less snaps while playing six more games.
Another factor to consider is the broader injury turmoil for the ’25 Flores defense. Guys like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Josh Metellus all missed time. In theory, that should have created more work for Pace.
I recognize that a pair of those players are edge rushers and one a safety, but the Flores defense involves shuffling aplenty. Metellus, for instance, is commonly tasked with playing linebacker. Not having Metellus therefore creates a need for somebody to eat into those linebacker snaps (such as a linebacker).
And then not having Greenard and Van Ginkel for some games meant moving Eric Wilson up to edge rusher. Seeing Wilson vacate his normal off-ball linebacker spot didn’t lead to a major boost in playing time for Pace.
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Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0) returns a fumble 36 yards for a touchdown as linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (43) and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) look to block against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Per Over the Cap, Ivan Pace is demanding a $3.52 million cap hit in 2026. None of that money would get left behind as dead money in either of a cut or a trade.
Best guess is that a cut isn’t going to happen. Added cap space is always to be coveted, but Minnesota could have already moved on had there been a desire to add cap room. What appears more likely is a willingness to move on from Pace if somebody offers a Day 3 pick. In that scenario, the Vikings defender would give back cap space while further fortifying the draft ammo.
Otherwise, Pace can be kept around as the LB4 behind Cashman, Wilson, and Jake Golday. He can show improvement (cutting down on missed tackles and not getting eviscerated when in pass coverage) so as to demand a contract in Minnesota. Or he’ll be allowed to walk next offseason, putting a comp pick on the board.
Ivan Pace, 25, hasn’t seen the final chapter of his story written. He is nevertheless needing to overcome the sort of doubt that made him such a fascinating story as an undrafted talent who quickly proved capable of shining in the NFL.
Kylian Mbappé celebrates one of his two goals in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
France overcame a lengthy weather delay to defeat Iraq 3-0 and strengthen their position at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday night.
The Group stage match was suspended for more than two hours due to lightning activity near the stadium. Play was stopped at the end of the first half at 5:49pm local time and eventually resumed at 8:00pm.
Despite the interruption, France remained in control and secured a comfortable victory through a brace from captain Kylian Mbappe and a goal from Ousmane Dembele.
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Mbappe opened the scoring before the weather stoppage and added his second goal after play resumed. Dembele then wrapped up the win with his first-ever World Cup goal.
The result moved France onto six points from two matches and underlined their status as one of the favourites for the tournament.
Mbappe’s double was also a personal milestone. The 27-year-old now has 16 World Cup goals, leaving him just two short of the all-time record of 18 goals set earlier on Monday by Lionel Messi.
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France dominated throughout the contest, registering 16 shots compared to Iraq’s two, while the Asian side failed to record a shot on target.
Mbappe came close to completing his hat-trick late in the game but fired over the bar after breaking clear of the Iraq defence.
The victory extends France’s impressive start to the tournament as Didier Deschamps’ side continue their quest for another World Cup title, while Iraq face a difficult challenge to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
With Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, announcing his resignation this morning and Andy Burnham as a possible successor, the fitness, health and wellness sector is evaluating its position.
Burnham understands the importance of physical activity and has been a strong advocate, so is this what the sector is waiting for?
In an interview with HCM’s sister publication, Sports Management, before the pandemic Burnham – as Mayor of Manchester – spoke about physical activity being a passion for him and his goal to get 75 per cent of people in Manchester physically activity by 2025.
He used his devolved power in Manchester to pivot GPs from a medical model to a social model, expanding their role to treat isolation and physical inactivity as aggressively as clinical symptoms.
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Under the Active Practices Charter, GP surgeries across Greater Manchester partnered with local leisure trusts to encourage GPs to connect patients with walking groups and local fitness sessions.
He also championed Parkrun and the Daily Mile in schools.
According to Sport England Active Lives data, 76.4 per cent of adults in Manchester exercise for at least 30 minutes a week, with 66.3 per cent meeting the WHO guidelines of 150 minutes. The smoking rate is also relatively low at 17 per cent.
“I’ve always had a simple belief that activity is good for people and also good for society,” said Burnham.
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“If physical activity was placed at the heart of primary care, we’d be in a different league in terms of health.
“Can we get to a point where exercise referral – linked to a full package of nutritional advice and counselling – is the default option as a starting point rather than us turning immediately to medication?”
Burnham has also argued that preventative healthcare cannot be mandated from Westerminster, but must be built from bottom-up leadership in local neighbourhoods.
UK Active CEO, Cameron Saunders, said on LinkedIn that he’s cautiously optimistic about what a Burnham government might be able to deliver:
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“Physical activity in primary care – Burnham has always believed exercise referral should be the default NHS offer, not an afterthought. As Mayor he pushed hard to embed it in Greater Manchester’s devolved health system. As PM, he’d have the levers to reform the GP contract – specifically the Quality Outcomes Framework – to incentivise activity referrals nationally; that’s a potential structural shift our sector has been waiting decades for.
“The Manchester Model, on a national scale. Burnham’s blueprint – Daily Mile in schools, social prescribing, active travel infrastructure, community-based provision – is proven. He’ll hopefully want to roll it out everywhere. For leisure operators, that means new commissioning frameworks, stronger referral pipelines and genuine integration with public health.
“Gyms as NHS delivery partners. He said it explicitly: gyms need to become the standardised, recognised exercise referral option that GPs can confidently prescribe to. That’s not a nice-to-have – it’s a policy architecture waiting to be built, delivered across public and private. Will he recognise it’a time to stop taxing prevention in order to fund cure?
“Prevention over prescription. Burnham has always been frustrated that the NHS reaches for medication before lifestyle intervention. Let’s hope a Burnham government would push hard on this – moving physical activity from the margins of health policy to the centre.
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“After “Two Year Kier” I’m cautiously optimistic about what a Burnham government might be able to deliver, you’ve got to live in hope, right?”
Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Steelers are sorting through a mess of their own making with Mike McCarthy at HC and Aaron Rodgers at QB. These two are going to collect headlines whether there’s success (unlikely) or failure (more likely).
Pretty quietly, the team has been collecting ex-Vikings players, too.
Pittsburgh’s official social media passed along word of adding WR Joaquin Davis. He’s a tall and super fast depth receiver who got shown the door after GM Nolan Teasley took over (signing some Seattle talent was deemed more desirable). Davis will be looking to prove helpful to McCarthy & Rodgers as he tries to secure long-term employment in The Steel City.
Doing so meant reuniting with Rodgers, both of whom played in Green Bay. Where Tonyan differentiates himself from Rodgers is that the TE wanted to play in the Twin Cities, leading to an opportunity to do so. Meanwhile, Rodgers desired to do so but the Vikings (mercifully) opted against the option. Given how things unfolded in 2025, signing Rodgers for a single season may have been the better move had the only criteria been on-field competence.
The wild part in the broader conversation is that Davis and Tonyan are far from alone when it comes to former Vikings getting a chance over in Pittsburgh.
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Aug 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Joaquin Davis (80) pulls in the ball in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals bat Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Consider some of the former Vikings putting in work for the Steelers:
DL Esezi Otomewo
DL Dean Lowry
LB Jamin Davis
TE Robert Tonyan
WR Joaquin Davis
OL Doug Nester
As it relates to Davis specifically, a spot on the 53-man roster always appeared difficult. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings aren’t going anywhere. Securing a spot as the WR4 or WR5 was going to be supremely difficult.
Standing at 6’4″ and running a forty in the 4.3 range is always going to attract attention in the NFL. Davis, predictably, has been getting chances. Rodgers isn’t the deep-ball assassin that he once was but he’s still above average. Maybe Davis can prove helpful.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) runs against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback James Pierre (42) during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Considering the situation from the other direction — ex-Steelers putting in work as Vikings — means considering a more modest list. Most notable, perhaps, is corner James Pierre. He’s joined by d-lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk.
Prior to becoming the DC in Minnesota, Brian Flores was the world’s most overqualified linebacker coach with Mike Tomlin’s Steelers.
Since the Vikings and the Steelers play in opposite conferences, a Super Bowl battle is a possibility. Seeing that incredibly unlikely matchup take place would mean seeing some ex-Vikings trying to get revenge on football’s biggest stage.
LoLdle answers for June 23, 2026 are finally revealed for fans who got stuck today. Puzzle iteration 1447 can be quite a hassle if players are not familiar with all of the characters and their aspects. That said, those actively grinding LoL should be able to decipher the clues by following the hints correctly.
Nevertheless, here is the Quote puzzle in the 1447th entry of LoLdle:
“Peace, no matter the cost.”
All League of Legends LoLdle answers 1447th edition (June 23, 2026)
New temporary game mode: Worlds Mayhem 🏆 Build your dream roster. Simulate a Worlds run. Can your team become Worlds Champions? Play it now on Inspired by the awesome 82-0 game.
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The League of Legends LoLdle answers for June 23 are shown below:
Classic: Lillia
Quote: Karma
Ability: Bel’Veth; Bonus: W (Above and Below)
Emoji: Naafiri
SplashArt: Cho’Gath;Bonus: Shan Hai Scrolls Cho’Gath
The Classic answer for June 23’s LoLdle is Lillia. Next, the Quote puzzle points to Karma, who is also one of the better and more feasible choices in the support role in the current League of Legends meta.
Next, the Ability clue refers to Bel’Veth’s W ability named “AboveandBelow.” The Emoji puzzle, on the other hand, indicates Naafiri and her characteristics. Lastly, the Splash Art puzzle wraps up by including Cho’Gath’s Shan Hai Scrolls skin.
Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has declared that Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of all time following the Argentine’s latest World Cup record.
Messi made history after scoring twice in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria, becoming the highest goalscorer in World Cup history with 18 goals.
Reacting to the achievement while working as a pundit on SuperSport, Troost-Ekong had no doubts about where Messi stands among football’s all-time greats.
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“Messi is the GREATEST,” Troost-Ekong said.
“Lionel Messi is just something special. He does things other players cannot do.”
The Nigerian defender also praised Cristiano Ronaldo for his remarkable achievements in football but believes Messi’s success at the World Cup gives him the edge in the long-running debate.
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According to Troost-Ekong, Messi’s triumph with Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and his outstanding performances at the 2026 tournament have strengthened his claim as the greatest player in history.
The former Super Eagles captain pointed to Messi’s current form in the United States, where the Argentine has already scored five goals in just two matches.
Troost-Ekong believes those achievements, combined with Messi’s ability to produce moments of magic on the biggest stage, settle the argument over who is football’s greatest player.
William Troost-Ekong on World Cup punditry duty with Supersports
“Messi is the GREATEST,” he repeated.
The 39-year-old Argentina captain is currently the leading scorer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and has helped the defending champions secure a place in the knockout stage.
One of the summer’s biggest potential transfers has made his intentions known.
Speaking after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria on Monday, Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez told assembled media he wants a transfer from the La Liga side, saying, according to an ESPN translation, “I think the best thing for everyone is a transfer. I want to fulfill my dream.”
Though Alvarez didn’t elaborate on what — or what team — constitutes his dream, he has already been at the centre of the perpetual tug-of-war between Real Madrid and Barcelona atop Spanish soccer’s hierarchy this summer.
Barca, which will require a new No. 9 to replace the departed Robert Lewandowski, has been linked with the Argentinian striker since before the domestic season ended. The reigning La Liga champions are Alvarez’s preferred landing spot, according to ESPN.
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Now that Alvarez has made public his desire to move on from Atleti, the El Clásico foes will likely renew their historic rivalry in the transfer market. Though Madrid was the first to submit a bid for the attacker, Barca presumably has an edge if only through a greater appetite on Atleti’s side to do business with it as opposed to its local rival.
Since arriving at Atletico Madrid from Manchester City in 2024, Alvarez has scored 49 times across 106 appearances in all competitions.
Kansas City Chiefs superfan and NFL analyst Nick Wright voiced strong support for the organization’s decision to bet on its young wide receiver trio rather than make a big move at the position, as reported by ESPN. The team has been linked to re-signing free agent Tyreek throughout the offseason.
Speaking on “First Things First” on Monday, Wright endorsed the front office’s draft-focused philosophy as the smart path to sustaining Patrick Mahomes’ dominance in the long term. He outlined the Chiefs’ ideology around trusting Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton.
Thanks for the submission!
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“They were never going to, in my opinion, overspend at wide receiver because they feel like they have spent at wide receiver, and they have to have those guys pan out,” Wright said. “It is a lot of ifs they are relying on, but that is the philosophy.
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“And that is why I think they don’t make what I consider some of the panic moves some of the other AFC contenders I have seen them make, to try to, ‘Oh, this didn’t work out, we will trade a couple picks to try to fill in there.’ That is not how they are going to do business.”
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Nick Wright’s comments come amid ongoing chatter about a potential Tyreek Hill reunion. The speedy veteran receiver, who’s now a free agent, was once a cornerstone in the Chiefs’ offense. However, the franchise isn’t taking a chance on him despite a diminished value post-injury.
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Nick Wright describes the Chiefs’ internal feeling on the offense’s struggle in 2025
The Chiefs struggled to produce on offense last season, costing them playoff football in the process. On “First Things First,” Nick Wright noted that the Chiefs aren’t considering it a disaster, as he described the internal feelings around the offense’s struggles in 2025.
“They believe internally that last year’s lack of production was a combination of injuries and, on it, being unavailable: the suspension, plus Xavier Worthy getting hurt immediately and not being 100%,” Wright said.
“Coaching, which is that they replaced wide receiver coach and offensive coordinator, and a total lack of any running game threat that allowed teams to only play the pass. That’s, you know, that is one bucket of this. They think all of those things (played a role in the lack of production).”
Nick Wright and many other Chiefs fans are expecting something different from the offense next season. The team will be looking to have their wide receivers available throughout the upcoming season, as they’ve made significant additions to improve the run game with names like veteran Kenneth Walker.
Fourteen years on from the moment Nadiem Amiri joined Hoffenheim’s youth teams and played for a young coach called Julian Nagelsmann, the pair are together in the USA, Canada and Mexico representing Germany at the World Cup.
“If you have a youth coach and you know each other early and for a long time, then it’s always a special relationship,” said Amiri. “There were so many amazing moments together and that shapes us. We have a good connection, and he was always in touch even when he wasn’t my coach. I have a lot of respect for Julian and am grateful to him.”
And after just the second game at this tournament, Nagelsmann can be grateful that Amiri delivered what he wanted from the midfielder exactly when the team needed it. After all, it was the 29-year-old’s perfectly delivered cross that set up Deniz Undav for Germany’s equalizer in Toronto on Saturday.
“I knew my moment would come,” said Amiri, who has met in an exemplary fashion the expectation that Julian Nagelsmann has of him as a substitute who delivers instant results.
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Nagelsmann told ARD at the end of May that Amiri’s emotional energy had played a role in his inclusion in the squad. “Especially in the heat, when a game is petering out after the 70th minute because the teams are tired, [Amiri] can still spark something with his positive tenacity.”
Amiri’s long road back to the top
The turning point in his recent career was a surprise move to Mainz in January 2024.
“The move to Mainz was the best move of my life. At the time, I just wanted to be happy again and play. I never would have thought I’d be sitting here two years later, but in football you never know,” Amiri said, as Germany prepares for a World Cup game against Ecuador. “I always believed in my qualities and I’m very proud.”
After helping the club to stave off relegation, Amiri helped Mainz reach Europe in the following season. In the campaign just finished, Amiri took a jump, scoring more goals and driving Mainz to the Conference League quarterfinals. Notably, the 29-year-old scored all 10 of the penalties he took, including two in one Bundesliga game.
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Amiri returned to Germany’s squad in March 2025 following a five-year absence, admitting that while it hurt being out of contention for so long it didn’t break him. Indeed, Amiri’s openness about his family and what it means to him to be here is a reminder of his strength of will, but also the impact of a supportive inner circle.
“I can’t find that many words to say about him [father] because if I did, I’d have to talk for hours about how grateful I am. I love him more than anything,” said Amiri. “Every moment on the pitch is for them [family]. When I assisted the goal, they were celebrating in the crowd as if they had delivered the cross. It’s an incredible moment,” said Amiri, adding that 20 of his 25 family members were at game in Toronto to watch him live, many for the first time. “With it being my World Cup debut and all that happened, it was a perfect day.”
Nadiem Amiri with his family after the gameImage: Markus Ulmer/Ulmer/Teamfoto/IMAGO
From Afghanistan to America
Amiri’s parents fled war-torn Afghanistan in the 1980s, settling in the West German city of Ludwigshafen. His father had a trucking business and his mother was employed at a care home for 20 years as the pair labored to create safety and opportunity for their children. Amiri was born in 1996 and played on the streets of the city with his older brother. His parents then drove him to practice in Kaiserslautern, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) away, where his football journey began.
“In the tough times, I realized that for me, it’s the family that is always there. A slump like that was good for me at the time,” said Amiri.
Whether it was the path to youth football as a child, the setbacks in Leverkusen or the half-decade long absence from the Germany team, Amiri has overcome the challenges in his life one after another. In September 2025, Amiri came off the bench to score his first goal for Germany and help turn the tide in Cologne against Northern Ireland. In Toronto, at the World Cup, it was his cross that did the same. Deniz Undav might be Germany’s supersub and the man making the headlines right now, but he’s not the only one capable of making a game-changing impact for this team.
Cowboys insider Clarence Hill Jr. made the unlikely suggestion that Jerry Jones signs Lionel Messi after he led Argentina into the World Cup knockout stage. Messi led la Albiceleste to the Round of 32, scoring the two goals in their 2-0 win over Austria on Monday.
The Argentines defeated Algeria 3-0 in their opening group game, with the Inter Miami star grabbing a hat-trick. Reacting to Messi’s run after Argentina’s win on Monday, Hill posted on X.
Thanks for the submission!
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“Let’s get Messi,” he wrote.
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The defending champions have been unstoppable in this World Cup, marching to the top of Group J with consecutive convincing wins. The Argentines have been solid in defense, limiting their opponents to just a shot on target across both games.
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Lionel Messi’s impact and performance at the World Cup
The star of the show has been Lionel Messi in offense. The soon-to-be 39-year-old is dominating the tournament, with five goals to his credit after two rounds of games. With the five goals, he has brought his all-time World Cup tally to 18 goals, shattering the record previously held by Miroslav Klose with 15.
The Argentine head coach Lionel Scaloni built a system that has worked to Messi’s strengths, allowing him to focus on attacking. The result has been devastating for opponents, with Messi scoring twice on Monday despite missing an early penalty.
With this most likely being his last World Cup trip, Messi’s performance will cement his status as perhaps the greatest player in soccer history. In addition to surpassing Klose’s goal record, the Argentine has also broken Pele’s record for the most goal contributions.
Lionel Messi now has 26 goal contributions, with 18 goals and eight assists, compared to Pele’s 21 goal contributions. His unprecedented longevity puts him in an exclusive class of players to play in six world cups along with Cristiano Ronaldo.
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He became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup at 38 years 357 days old against Algeria.
Argentina plays its final group game against Jordan on June 27 in Dallas. The team will face Group H runner-up if it finishes top of Group J.
Securing the top spot is crucial for Argentina, as it will help the team avoid a clash with a fellow contender like Spain. With a core of veterans like Messi, Lautaro Martinez, and Rodrigo De Paul, Argentina remains a favorite in the race to win the World Cup.
Clark has a Ping deal now, but he first switched to the wand back in March without a contract. Ping announced a unique putter-only deal with Clark on the eve of the U.S. Open last week, a first for the company in more than 50 years of sponsoring Tour players.
Now, the company has its first major victory in over a decade and the potential for a gear-industry disruption.
For the first two-plus months that Clark had the all-white, center-shafted putter in his bag, he did so without incentive. It was a bit of a wild journey to get there.
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The now two-time major winner’s previous equipment contract with Titleist expired at the end of last year, leading him to become one of the most high-profile gear free agents to start 2026.
Clark joked at the Memorial earlier this month that he was “dating” different clubs at the beginning of the year as he cycled through both drivers and putters. With the flatstick, he settled into a L.A.B. Golf DF3 at the end of last season, moving away from the counterbalanced Odyssey Jailbird with which he won the 2023 U.S. Open, but it wasn’t long before he switched things up.
First, he started playing the grip upside down. Then he bought a new Bettinardi putter at his home course pro shop and gamed it at the Players. Two tournaments later, Clark walked on to the Ping Tour truck to have some work done to his G440 Max 3-wood.
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PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB Custom Putter
“During a discussion in Houston regarding his equipment, we noted he was using a center-shafted onset putter and how we just introduced two new onset mallets in our Scottsdale TEC line,” Ping Player Development Manager Dylan Goodwin, who worked with Clark on the switch, told GOLF. “We explained the technology and our philosophy on torque. He liked the look of both models and the principle behind them. He requested we build both to his specifications at the time.”
Unlike the L.A.B. or the Bettinardi Antidote models Clark was using, Ping’s Scottsdale TEC Onset models are not “zero-torque” putters. Instead of the shaft going through the center of gravity of the head, Ping places the shaft directly in front of the CG to create stability by “pulling” the majority of the mass.
Clark tried out both the Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset and Ketsch Onset models and found the Ally Blue, with a slightly more face-balanced design with five degrees of toe hang versus 15 on the Ketsch, better fit his stroke. Specifically, he noted an improved start line, fixing a left miss.
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He put a standard 35″ Ally Blue Onset model in play in Houston and used it for two events before going back to the Ping Truck at the RBC Heritage. There, Clark asked for a new Ally Blue Onset CB to match the same specs of the counterbalanced Odyssey Jailbird 380 he used to win the 2023 U.S. Open.
Clark was part of maybe the wildest gear story of 2023 when he earned his first two victories, including the major at the Los Angeles Country Club, with a counterbalanced Jailbird with lead tape covering the entire sole. Rickie Fowler was the first player to switch to that kind of build, and Clark asked for the “Rickie-build.” Both players, along with Keegan Bradley, a longtime user of the head, won that year.
At the time, the Jailbird was a potentially forgotten-about Odyssey head, but within one summer it became the company’s flagship mallet and was back in production. Clark wanted that same heavy feel again.
“We initially built a standard 370g head at 38” with a SuperStroke 3.0 17” grip,” Goodwin said. “However, he felt this setup lacked the head feel and control he prefers. To address this, we built two new options: one with a standard head weight and a 17g tip weight, and another with a 400g head featuring tungsten in the sole plate. Since Wyndham adds lead tape to the sole regardless of the initial build, he found the 400g head too heavy with the added tape, but the 387g head (which finished at 400g with the lead tape) was perfect.”
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Clark excelled with the added stability both from the shaft and CG placement, as well as the overall weight. It showed in the stats.
“Since I switched to this Ping putter, it’s been amazing,” Clark said at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago. “Now I feel like all the hard work I’ve put into my swing is paying off because when I hit the greens or hit it close, I’m actually making the putts, where maybe earlier in the year I wasn’t.”
Wyndham Clark gets makes his second U.S. Open title the first major title for Ping’s new Scottsdale TEC putter.
It’s the first major title for a Ping putter since Bubba Watson at the 2014 Masters. pic.twitter.com/Dlmo7RhXoY
After finishing 4th in the field at Shinnecock in SG: Putting, Clark has risen from 155th on the PGA Tour in the stat, where he was losing .725 strokes a round, to 43rd, gaining .239 strokes. He’s also 5th in putting average at 1.702.
“I played some ugly golf the last two days, but my putter and short game kind of kept me in it,” Clark told NBC’s Mike Tirico Sunday after hoisting the U.S. Open trophy.
There’s no telling whether Clark’s improvement will lead to the same fever around the Ally Blue Onset that surrounded the Jailbird three years ago, but it’s safe to assume that at least a few have jumped off the shelves in the last few hours.
Not since TaylorMade’s 2022 signing of Scottie Scheffler has a company pulled off a better-timed sponsorship agreement than Ping just did.
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Wyndham Clark’s putter Specs:
Ping Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset CB Loft: 3˚ Lie: 70˚ Length: 38″ Headweight: 400g (17g tip weight + 13g lead tape) Insert: PEBAX Grip: SuperStroke Tour 3.0 17″
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