Fernando Mendoza was not present during his alma mater’s visit to the White House on Monday, and at least one person was disappointed at it.
While commemorating the Indiana Hoosiers’ undefeated run to the national college football title, Donald Trump said about not seeing the No. 1 pick of the 2026 draft around:
Thanks for the submission!
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“I’m not happy, but that’s okay. The reason he didn’t is because he’s at spring training, right? And I actually said, ‘Let him! He’s got to win.’”
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During the Las Vegas Raiders’ rookie minicamp, Mendoza had been candid about missing the visit to focus on training for the first time as a pro:
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“I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here. I’ve got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice. I don’t have the calendar, but as a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look. I want to try to best serve my teammates, and I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”
Raiders owner Mark Davis gets candid on Fernando Mendoza leading franchise rebuild
For most of the Raiders’ fanbase, the Fernando Mendoza era is one of optimism. After Derek Carr’s departure and three straight years of floundering veterans, the franchise finally has a young quarterback it could rally around.
Owner Mark Davis is well aware of that notion, as he put it when speaking to Raider Nation Radio’s JT The Brick last Thursday:
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“With Fernando Mendoza coming in as potentially the starting quarterback is just so exciting. We’ve got the pieces in place, it’s going to take a while to get all the players and everything, but I believe we’re at the forefront of getting this thing going again.”
He added:
“We continually win the offseason, it’s time to now make it translate to the regular season. I do feel a different vibe around this building right now. Everybody really is working together. Everybody seems to be on the same page. It seems like we’re ready to go for a long-term, sustained growth now.”
The Raiders’ OTAs begin on May 18 and will last until June 4. Mandatory minicamp will be from June 6 to 11.
The College Sports Commission won its first binding arbitration test Monday, but perhaps the harder fight begins later this month in a California courtroom.
A neutral arbitrator affirmed the CSC’s rejection of NIL deals between Nebraska football players and Playfly Sports, validating the commission’s authority to designate the school’s multimedia rights partner an “associated entity” under the House v. NCAA settlement. Such deals are barred under CSC rules. Those deals under scrutiny are worth more than $1 million combined.
Jeffrey Kessler, lead counsel for the House plaintiffs, made clear the ruling doesn’t settle what he believes is a broader fight over the CSC’s enforcement reach. In a separate case tied to the House settlement scheduled for later this month, Kessler will argue that multimedia rights companies are not associated entities.
Bryan Seeley, the CEO of the CSC, framed Monday’s ruling as proof that the new enforcement system can do what the House settlement intended.
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“This case was never about whether these student-athletes can get paid,” Seeley said outside the ACC’s spring meetings Monday. “It was about whether they can get paid in this way, and our determination was they could not get paid in this way, and the arbitrator agreed with us on that.”
The House settlement administrator is scheduled to review the NCAA and the CSC’s interpretations of the House settlement’s language regarding “associated entities” in the Northern District of California on May 27. That motion could unravel a key element of the House settlement, opening the floodgates to more loose interpretations of the settlement’s guidelines, which were put in place by the CSC, the enforcement arm created last July as part of the settlement’s terms.
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“This is just one deal decided by one arbitrator,” Kessler told CBS Sports. “That is how the arbitration system works. Broader issues will be decided by the court, where we just filed our reply brief in support of our motion against defendants and the CSC for overreaching in their enforcement in violation of the settlement.”
On Monday, at least, the CSC picked up a much-needed win after months of creative interpretations of the new rules by players and schools.
The decision affirmed three of the CSC’s most consequential interpretations of the settlement rules. The arbitrator ruled that Playfly qualified as an associated entity, found the deals failed the valid business purpose test because they did not involve goods or services offered to the general public for profit, and concluded that the structure amounted to warehousing rather than the direct activation of NIL rights.
The arbitrator declined to rule on whether the compensation was commensurate with that paid to similarly situated individuals, which is yet another debate as to what and how much a player should be paid in a free market.
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The decision on Monday is the first of its kind in the post-House era. Of the 1,153 deals the CSC has declined since the NIL Go platform launched in June 2025, only 21 have ended up in arbitration. Those 21 were consolidated into three cases, with Nebraska’s case comprising the majority (18). The Playfly-Nebraska matter is the first to produce a binding ruling.
The CSC cleared 26,556 deals worth $242.35 million in its first 10 months of operation. Those deals represent only about 4% of submissions, but they account for nearly 19% of total dollar value under review.
Seeley repeatedly said Monday that arbitration decisions are not precedential. The system, which he admitted has pushed through growing pains as many schools have so far refused to sign the CSC’s participation agreement, would have survived a loss.
“Even if we were to have lost today’s decision, it would not bring down the whole system,” Seeley said. “Even if it’s not precedential, the fact is it’s influential, and it’s influential in people’s minds about how they think about enforcement. So to me, it was a good day.”
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Seeley also sharpened the contrast with the Kessler motion when asked where these fights belong: in the courtroom or before a neutral arbitrator.
“Looking at whether an entity is an associated entity is a fact-based inquiry, and it cannot be divorced from the facts,” Seeley said. “What plaintiff’s counsel is trying to do in the California litigation is divorce this decision from the facts, and that is not how the settlement is supposed to work.”
Nebraska athletics director Troy Dannen said in a statement Monday he was “proud” of the players and “how they represented themselves during this process,” and added that the school continues “to operate within the parameters of the House settlement and the CSC process, while monitoring changes in the collegiate landscape.”
Nebraska’s players are expected to submit new deals to the CSC for review. Seeley said he told the school that the commission will expedite those reviews.
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“I believe there are deals in the pipeline for these student-athletes with actual sponsors attached to them that we can approve,” Seeley said.
But the bigger battle looms in the courtroom, as the reach of the CSC’s power will be questioned later this month.
Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel expressed satisfaction after the team registered a three-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match on Monday at the HPCA Cricket Stadium in Dharamsala. Chasing 211, DC recovered from 74/4 thanks to captain Axar Patel’s 56 off 33 balls and David Miller’s explosive 51 off 28, with the duo adding 64 runs in quick time. Despite late wickets, DC’s lower order stayed calm. Ashutosh Sharma smashed a crucial 24 off 10 balls, while Madhav Tiwari remained unbeaten on 18 off 8 and Auqib Nabi struck 10* off just 2 balls to seal the chase as DC made 216/7 in 19 overs, keeping DC’s playoff hopes alive.
Earlier, PBKS posted 210/5 after a blazing start from Priyansh Arya (56 off 33) and Prabhsimran Singh. Captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings with an unbeaten 59 off 36, while Suryansh Shedge added a quickfire 21*. In the bowling department, Mukesh Kumar (1/31 in 4 overs) and Madhav (2/40 in 4 overs) shone for DC.
For PBKS, dropped catches, poor bowling, and costly fielding errors hurt them as they suffered their fourth straight defeat.
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After the match, DC captain Axar Patel expressed happiness with Delhi Capitals’ all-round performance and hoped the team could carry the momentum into their remaining matches. He praised the bowlers for recovering well after conceding 60 runs in the first few overs and restricting Punjab Kings to 72 in the powerplay, calling it a key turning point.
Axar also highlighted the contributions of Mukesh and Madhav in the middle overs, his crucial partnership with Miller, and the composure shown by the young players in finishing the chase. He particularly praised youngster Sahil Parakh (13 runs off 6 balls), saying he has the potential to become a very good player in the future, and added that having such talented youngsters gives him confidence as captain.
“Very happy with how the team played, and hopefully we can do the same in the next two games. In the bowling, first 3-4 overs, they had 60 runs but to finish with only 72 in the powerplay, that was a winning moment. Then, Mukesh and Madhav bowling in the middle, and after that, my partnership with Miller, with the youngsters then finishing off the game. The cricket we are playing and the players we have, the future is strong. The runs Sahil also made, I had said before as well, he could be a good player in the future. A captain is very happy when he has youngsters like this, and as you said, the Delhi Capitals can do anything,” Axar said at the post-match presentations.
Madhav Tiwari, who won the Player of the Match (POTM) award for his contribution with both bat and ball, thanked the team management for backing him and said he was delighted to contribute to Delhi Capitals’ victory. He revealed that he has worked hard on improving his bowling and range-hitting with his batting coach, and jokingly described himself as both “100 percent bowler and 100 percent batter” when asked about his all-round abilities.
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“I would like to thank the management for giving this opportunity. Lucky enough to be on the winning side. I worked on my bowling a lot and my range hitting with my batting coach. It was fun and happy I was able to contribute for the team. (On if he is a batting or bowling all-rounder) I would like to say I am a 100 percent bowler and a 100 percent batter,” Madhav said after the match.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss
Placed No. 1 for most of the league stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign, Punjab Kings are now fighting to keep hold of the No. 4 spot in the standings. The defeat against the Delhi Capitals on Monday was their fourth consecutive loss of the season, prompting discussions about the team’s strategy, especially after Yuzvendra Chahal remained an unused bowler against DC. PBKS later pulled off another bizarre move as they sent the franchise’s spin bowling coach, Sairaj Bahutule, to the press conference, where he had to justify the no-spinner decision.
After going unbeaten in the first seven games, PBKS have lost four on the trot, with the disastrous run putting their playoff qualification hopes in jeopardy. Chahal, who was named in the team’s XI, didn’t bowl a single over against Delhi, leaving fans and pundits scratching their heads.
When Bahutule was asked about the all-pace strategy in the match, he said: “Definitely there was a thought (about bowling spinners) during the time-out, but I think the ball was seaming and the conditions were suitable for the fast bowlers. So I think the decision was very spontaneous to continue with the fast bowlers and see how we can get those wickets, which we did early on. But I think one partnership just took it away from us.”
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When asked if any major changes could be made to the team to revive the remainder of the campaign and finish the league stage on a strong note, Bahutule ruled it out.
“I think the team that has been doing so well, yes, we have lost a few games. We will again reflect on certain areas only. There won’t be any major changes, in the sense that everybody has been performing. But we will definitely look into it and see how we can just turn it around for ourselves,” he asserted.
When asked about the reason behind the defeat, the PBKS spin bowling coach echoed captain Shreyas Iyer‘s words and threw his fielders and bowlers under the bus.
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“Definitely we will look into certain phases of our bowling and also the fielding part. Again, today unfortunately we dropped a few catches again at a crucial time, so that was very important. And I think we will reflect, but again, there is no time for us to really brood about it; we must move ahead. At a crucial time, we are dropping catches, which unfortunately is breaking the momentum that we were getting. Because if we had taken two catches, I don’t think they would have reached the target; it would have been very difficult for them and we may have won the game by 20 runs,” he asserted.
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IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season
Farever servers could currently be down, as players from all regions have reported a patchy experience. As of the writing of this article, no planned server downtimes have been announced from Shiro Games for today (May 11 PDT). However, with a sudden playerbase growth two days into the game’s launch, server issues are rampant. So is it really down, and when could it be back online? The answer is almost always “well, that depends on whether the devs put out a post on it”.
However, there are ways to check the nature of the outage, and whether it’s a problem in your end.
Update: After a sudden outage of ~10 minutes, servers are now back online as of 5:00 pm PDT at May 11, 2026.
How to check Farever server status and downtimes
At the moment, Farever does not have an official downtime webpage. However, you can head over to the game’s official Discord through this link to check an official server status tab on Farever.
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In case you cannot join the Discord, that means the invite link has hit its current maximum amount. You should be able to join after server admins look into culling the outstanding invite list, so it will take a few hours at most depending on time of day.
After you’ve joined the Discord, check the server-status channel, which you can also follow to automatically send any announcements to your own Discord server(s).
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Alternately, this Metaforge API can also be used to double-check server status on Farever. Simply look for the “online” parameter under realms:
“online”:true means server is online
“online”:false means server is either down or facing instabilities
How long does Farever server downtime last usually?
This dreaded screen might not always mean it’s a full-on outage (Image via Shiro Games)
If there are server downtime announcements, it will likely last for 2-3 hours based on precedence. Farever is ultimately an MMO from an indie studio, so some turbulence in its Early Access days is to be expected. The developers upgraded their server capacities within a week from release, and their blog post says it’s an ongoing process:
“Since launch, we’ve been continuously working on improving stability, fixing bugs, and expanding our server infrastructure across all world regions. (…) We have not yet reached the level of stability that Farever deserves, and we will continue working on improving the servers so we can achieve the best possible performance, alongside fixes and improvements to the game itself.”
However, any major outage should regardless be an announcement on Farever’s discord. If a planned downtime is big enough, you might even see it posted on the game’s X page.
If it’s none of the above, check if there’s talk of a sudden outage on the Discord. Minor fluctuations and issues have been somewhat common in the game’s first week, so if you got kicked out of the game all of a sudden, it might be on the server end, and should be fixed within 30 minutes or so.
Finally, try to change the server region from the top-right corner if you’re consitently facing “Couldn’t connect to server” error screen. It’s possible for it to be a problem on your connectivity, although in such cases you’d have other telltale signs. A good way to spot-check is trying to log in from another server region, and if you still can’t do it from anywhere, it’s likely an outage.
Jake Paul’s controversial and money-spinning boxing career could end after 14 fights.
The YouTuber and businessman turned his hand to boxing professionally back in 2020, though competed against men at a similar level to his. He then made a name for himself by beating former UFC fighters, including Nate Diaz, Ben Askren and Anderson Silva.
Paul suffered his first loss when he faced Tommy Fury, but it was not damaging. That much, however, cannot be said about the second defeat of his campaign, which came in December last year when he stepped up against two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Speaking on the Ariel Helwani show, he has now said that the ‘AJ’ fight – which many rightly said was dangerous when it was announced – could be his last.
“I’m getting some new scans in a couple of days, of the jaw, to get an update on the healing process. We’ll see what the doctors say. I think I’ll be able to get a more accurate timeframe, or can I even fight again? That is definitely in the realm of possibility.
“It does feel a lot better as weeks go by, but I definitely need to get cleared to be able to spar. I’m sort of staying in shape. I’m always in the gym regardless … Yeah [my fighting future is in doubt.] Most definitely. I think it just depends on how the bone heals. And also, there’s a tooth missing here, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna have to get an implant of some sort. I don’t know how much time that adds to things. We’re just going to have to see and figure out what’s the smartest thing for me.”
While Paul, 29, admitted that he has considered that this might be the end, he says that he feels like he still has things to accomplish in the sport and, if cleared to do so, will return.
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A broken jaw can be one of the most serious injuries a boxer suffers, not only because of the immediate pain and slow recovery, but because of the long-term physical and psychological effects it can leave behind.
The injury becomes an issue to doctors and governing bodies due to concerns over durability, nerve damage or the jaw’s ability to withstand further heavy impact – particularly if surgery involving plates, screws or other metal fixation to stabilise the fracture is required.
If competing is out of the question for Paul, his time in boxing as a whole is unlikely to come to an end, as MVP has become the standout promotional company for women’s boxing.
Jan 15, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans cheer during the second quarter of a wild card game against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings acquired nine players as reinforcements in last month’s draft, especially Brian Flores’ defensive unit, which added some much-needed youth on all three levels. All eyes are on big defensive tackles Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, or on versatile linebacker Jake Golday.
It’s no coincidence that those three were the first three players selected by interim GM Rob Brzezinski. Another guy, however, could make some noise in the upcoming season and that’s third-round safety Jakobe Thomas.
The Miami product was the 98th overall pick in the draft and will forever be connected to Jonathan Greenard. Minnesota landed the pick for him by shipping the 2024 Pro Bowler to the NFC East. Another third-rounder next year, as well as a significant salary cap relief, was part of the deal, too.
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Regardless, the Vikings have to nail some draft picks after failing to find enough contributors in recent years.
Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive back Jakobe Thomas (8) celebrates after the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
ESPN’s Field Yates forecasts Thomas to help the Vikings rather quickly. He named Day 2 and Day 3 picks that will have an immediate impact, including Thomas. Yates wrote this week, “The exact impact Thomas will make on the Vikings’ defense is difficult to forecast, but that’s a testament to defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ creativity. Thomas has excellent size for a safety (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and plays with an ultra-physical mentality.”
Indeed, physicality is one of his prime attributes. A true heat-seeking missile, Thomas is known for hard hits. Perhaps fitting that he could replace Harrison The Hitman Smith in the starting lineup.
Flores uses his safeties in various roles. Some function almost as linebackers, others play a classic free safety role as the last line of defense in the deep passing game. Thomas is more of the former, playing in the box and making plays on the ball rather than anchoring the secondary.
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The good news is that Flores has deployed Smith and Joshua Metellus in a way that could be a good fit for the rookie.
Miami Hurricanes defensive back Jakobe Thomas remains on the field after suffering an injury during second-quarter action against the SMU Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. On Nov. 1, 2025, Thomas was hurt following a defensive stop as Miami’s defense battled through a physical road matchup in Dallas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.
“His on-ball production last season spoke for itself, as he had five interceptions and 3.5 sacks,” Yates added. “Minnesota is in the process of reshaping its secondary, and Thomas will be a key part of that transition.”
For the first time in years, the cornerback duo remains intact from one season to the next, but the safety rotation could be altered by Smith’s potential retirement. Metellus returns, and so do last year’s third and fourth safeties, Jay Ward and Theo Jackson.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said about the rookie after the draft, “His play style jumps off the tape. He’s a very, very highly intelligent player that we were able to really dive into. Jakobe’s a good blitzer, he’s a good tackler, and I know Flo’ (Brian Flores) is incredibly excited about him as a communicator and his upside football I.Q.”
Thomas will likely compete with Ward and Jackson for the jobs in Flores’ crew. Without Smith, there will be two spots with heavy snaps for the trio; if Smith is back, that number likely drops to one opening.
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Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive back Jakobe Thomas (8) against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Of course, a rookie is never guaranteed to emerge as a starter early in his career. Thomas is no different. The Vikings could just roll with the more experienced Ward and Jackson, while Thomas develops behind the scenes.
The fact that he was drafted earlier than many expected indicates that the coaching staff has a plan, though. After five college seasons with 53 games, including the final season on an elite Miami defense, he might be ready to compete earlier than some other first-year players.
Thomas and the other safeties will be worth monitoring in training camp.
The 28-year-old becomes just the fifth player to win back-to-back awards, the last being Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2014.
Dembélé last year succeeded Kylian Mbappe who won the prize five times in a row before departing for Real Madrid.
“It’s an individual trophy but all the individual trophies I’ve won are thanks to this team,” Dembélé said.
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The forward retained the honour despite having had an injury-plagued season.
He has started just nine matches in Ligue 1, notching up 960 minutes of gametime, compared to 20 starts and 1,736 minutes last season.
Despite the reduced time on the pitch, Dembélé has scored 10 goals and six assists — still down on the 21 and eight he achieved last year.
Paris Saint-Germain effectively wrapped up another Ligue 1 title on Sunday as a 1-0 win over Brest left them six points clear of nearest rivals Lens.
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With just two games remaining, Luis Enrique’s side also boast a superior goal difference.
PSG will be officially crowned French champions for the fifth season running, and the 12th time in the last 14 years, if they avoid defeat away to second-placed Lens on Wednesday.
PSG are also preparing for the Champions League final against Arsenal later this month after edging Bayern 6-5 on aggregate in their semi-final.
The award for best young player went to Dembélé’s teammate Desiré Doué, while Pierre Sage picked up the honours for best coach after establishing Lens as a direct challenger to PSG.
Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush (15) rolls out to throw a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Minnesota Vikings rookie minicamp got underway last week, and out of the blue, veteran quarterback Cooper Rush showed up in Eagan.
The Vikings’ latest minicamp name came with real NFL starting experience.
It is unclear where Rush might fit on the current roster if he parleyed the visit into a contract, but Minnesota may keep him on speed dial in 2026 if injuries rear their ugly head once again.
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Rush Adds a Veteran Twist to Minnesota’s QB Possibilities
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush throws against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sep. 28, 2025, during fourth-quarter action at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Rush spent years carving out a reputation as one of the NFL’s steadier reserve quarterbacks, earning trust from coaching staffs because of his experience, composure, and ability to operate offenses in relief situations. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images.
Rush in Eagan
There’s no contract yet, but Rush is in the Vikings’ orbit. NBC Sports‘ Mike Florio wrote, “Rookie minicamps routinely include more than rookies. In Minnesota, veteran quarterback Cooper Rush will participate on a tryout basis. The team has announced 57 attendees for the weekend session. Of that number, 23 have been invited to the weekend practices on a tryout basis.”
“Rush, 32, has played in 42 regular-season games with 16 starts. He has a 9-7 record. The Ravens cut him earlier this year, after making Tyler Huntley the primary backup to Lamar Jackson. Before that, Rush spent seven seasons with the Cowboys, starting eight games in 2024 and five in 2022.”
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Rush infamously helped the Dallas Cowboys beat the Vikings in a 2021 game, so purple fans remembered the name on the spot.
The Career Biography
Rush has appeared in 42 games since 2017, starting 16. His teams have a 9-7 record on his watch, and he’s totaled 3,766 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in his career.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush lines up for a snap on Nov. 24, 2024, during a matchup against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover. Rush developed into a dependable backup option throughout his NFL career, routinely stepping into starting duties for stretches and helping stabilize offenses during injury-related absences at quarterback. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images.
Scaled exactly to a 17-game starter’s sample, Rush would produce this stat line, on average:
3,409 Passing Yards
19 Passing TDs
13 Interceptions
60.5% Completion Rate
His career-long EPA+CPOE suggests efficiency between Desmond Ridder and Joshua Dobbs. Here’s Rush’s NFL resume to date:
Dallas Cowboys (2017–2019)
New York Giants (2020)
Dallas Cowboys (2020–2024)
Baltimore Ravens (2025)
Possible Role?
The Vikings already have this full house at quarterback:
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Kyler Murray
J.J. McCarthy
Carson Wentz
Max Brosmer
But last year, for example, Minnesota was forced to explore multiple veteran quarterbacks because of injuries to McCarthy and Wentz, including stints with the aforementioned Ridder and John Wolford. Inviting Rush to minicamp is likely a method to forge a relationship just in case injuries arise again.
For example, if the injury bug infects the club three or four passers deep, Rush can be the first guy the Vikings call on the free-agent wire or steal off another team’s practice squad.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said about Rush’s unexpected presence, “As I told Cooper, it’s almost like a free agent visit. He gets to know us, we get to know him. He’s played a lot of football over the years in the National Football League.”
“I think it can open up that world to him, or if there’s an opportunity in the future, he can make that a really positive situation for himself and become our first phone call.”
Cooper Rush throws a pass for the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 16, 2025, during preseason action at AT&T Stadium in Arlington against the Dallas Cowboys. Rush continued building his NFL resume through reliability and veteran experience, traits that frequently kept him in demand as a reserve quarterback capable of handling spot-start responsibilities when needed. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.
Our Kyle Joudry also noted over the weekend, “O’Connell has already seen quite a lot via quarterback injury (especially if we remember Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall all getting hurt in 2023). Not only has the response been to beef up the in-house quarterback options, but to establish a good line of communication with an external depth option should a need arise.”
Full List of Attendees
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Here’s the full list of every rookie and veteran who attended Vikings’ rookie minicamp:
Marcus Allen (CB)
Derek Anderson (TE)
Tony Anyanwu (OLB)
Da’Veawn Armstead (CB)
Caleb Banks (DL)
Dillon Bell (WR)
Drew Biber (TE)
Jordan Botelho (OLB)
Aidan Bouman (QB)
Max Bredeson (FB)
Tyreek Chappell (CB)
Anthony Chideme-Alfaro (CB)
Demond Claiborne (RB)
Joaquin Davis (WR)
Charles Demmings (CB)
Jalil Farooq (WR)
Bryan Felter (OL)
Dontae Fleming (WR)
Gavin Gerhardt (C)
Jake Golday (LB)
Monkell Goodwine (DL)
Brylan Green (S)
Trenton Irwin (WR)
Bangally Kamara (LB)
Shaleak Knotts (WR)
Matt Lauter (TE)
Keli Lawson (LB)
Shomari Lawrence (RB)
Vershon Lee (G)
Tristan Leigh (OL)
Delby Lemieux (OL)
Zach Lewis (S)
Gavin Lipkin (LS)
Bryson Nesbit (TE)
Domonique Orange (DL)
Kejon Owens (RB)
Zaire Patterson (DL)
Tomas Rimac (OL)
Jacob Roberts (LB)
Cooper Rush (QB)
Marcus Sanders Jr. (WR)
Atticus Sappington (K)
Cam’Ron Stewart (OLB)
Jake Tafelski (RB)
Jacob Thomas (S)
Jakobe Thomas (S)
Tra Thomas (OLB)
Brett Thorson (P)
Caleb Tiernan (OL)
Zemaiah Vaughn (CB)
Edward Vesterinen (DL)
Smith Vilbert (DL)
Brandon Walton (OL)
Arden Walker (OLB)
Jeremiah Williams (DL)
Luke Wysong (WR)
Offseason organized team activities (OTAs) and workouts are next for the Vikings, beginning on May 26th.
Rush will turn 33 in November.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Three claims of racial harassment against former Crawley manager John Yems have been upheld by an employment tribunal.
Amrit Bansal-McNulty, an ex-Northern Ireland Under-21 international, is suing former clubs QPR and Crawley for around £12 million.
He alleged the clubs failed to protect him from Yems’ abuse during his 2021-22 loan spell at Crawley.
An employment tribunal judgment on Monday noted Mr Bansal-McNulty was “partially successful” in his claims against Yems, whose conduct from 2019-2022 left Crawley “vicariously liable”.
One of the charges upheld involved Yems calling Bansal-McNulty a “curry muncher” and then asking whether the midfielder was unhappy that pizzas being supplied did not include a “curry pizza”.
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Yems had attempted to characterise such remarks as “banter”, according to the tribunal judgment.
Yems finished serving a three-year ban in January (Kieran Cleeves/PA)
However, the claims against QPR, who Bansal-McNulty joined in 2014 aged 14 and left in 2022 without playing for the first team having had a number of loan spells at other clubs, have failed.
Bansal-McNulty is seeking compensation after claiming that the abuse he suffered caused “psychiatric, and career-ending, injury”. The issue of a remedy hearing will involve only Yems and Crawley.
In its final observations, the tribunal noted: “Unfortunately there are no real winners in this case. Whilst the Claimant has been partially successful in his claims against Mr Yems, and vicariously Crawley Town, his claims against QPR have failed.
“Mr Yems has not, and realistically was never going to, obtain the exoneration of his conduct and character he was seeking.”
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In January Yems finished serving a three-year ban, increased from 17 months following an appeal by the Football Association, after being found guilty of 11 charges of discrimination while at Crawley.
The ban was the longest ever handed out for discrimination by the FA although four charges were dismissed, while the original commission concluded Yems was “not a conscious racist”.
Yet another game dictated by VAR now, rather fittingly, looks set to bring the 2025-26 relegation battle down to the tightest of margins. That, however, is only going to cause emotions to waver as wildly – and as cruelly – as we saw in this 1-1 draw between Tottenham and Leeds.
A big week for officials somehow had another crescendo. Some might say a nadir, given it makes for an even bigger season for officials.
Two successive VAR calls saw Roberto De Zerbi and most of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium quickly go from exhilaration to exasperation.
James Maddison, finally returning as a sub after Dominic Calvert-Lewin had equalised from a VAR-granted penalty, was denied what would have almost been a deus ex machina of an intervention. He ghosted into the box to be felled by Lukas Nmecha… only for Jared Gillett to quickly rule that it wasn’t a foul.
VAR again had a pivotal role to play at the climax of the Premier League season (Reuters)
Just 28 hours before this, the West Ham United manager was philosophically lamenting the “duality” of Premier League directives on grappling. He now might be left musing – a little more hopefully – on the duality of VAR. It takes away. It gives. A bit like Mathys Tel with his performance here.
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Referee Gillet was almost as big a character as Chris Kavanagh had been at the London Stadium on Sunday.
There should be significant mention of Antonin Kinsky, however, who offered a brilliant save that could yet be as important as David Raya’s – and was probably even more difficult.
Antonin Kinsky made several stunning saves for Spurs (PA)
For now, two successive decisions have ultimately granted West Ham a huge reprieve after Sunday’s dejection against Arsenal. The 1-1 draw from Calvert-Lewin’s penalty and that Maddison decision now leaves West Ham a mere two points behind Spurs rather than four.
That can turn in one match, rather than requiring two. And next up is Newcastle United away for West Ham, and Chelsea away for Spurs. This is going to be nerve-shredding.
This one was bad enough for Spurs, if also so frustrating in its own way.
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They saw glimpses of what this season could have been, what Tel might yet be, without all the immense weight of this campaign.
Leeds only added to that by not letting any satisfaction at survival dim their intensity.
That was the other twist to that West Ham result. The 1-0 Arsenal win ensured Leeds secured survival, but they looked in the mood to build on it right now rather than rest on it.
They were up for it. Their fans were even up for goading Spurs by singing “Leeds are staying up”.
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This was just another game under De Zerbi, however, which showed how Spurs should never have been in this situation in the first place.
When you see how aggressive they look now, how tactically coherent they are, a proper identity already, it’s impossible not to wonder why they wasted such time with the Igor Tudor experiment. Why not go bigger for De Zerbi earlier, if this was what it meant?
Long before Tel’s supreme opener, they were laying siege to the Leeds goal. Joao Palhinha burst through for a shot that was somehow blazed over. Rodrigo Bentancur had a header he should have scored. Pedro Porro was creating chaos from one side, Tel from the other.
It looked like something had to give – only for Spurs to give up space at the other end. This obviously remains a flawed and stretched squad, which is why they were always going to be stretched on the actual pitch, too.
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There was already one warning when Calvert-Lewin got through shortly before half-time, only to be felled by Destiny Udogie. It looked a certain penalty – until it was shown that Calvert-Lewin had trailed offside by a toe. That’s how much there was in it.
If only the gaps in the Spurs team were as tight.
A further issue for De Zerbi was that he was fighting against time in another way. With so few attacking options on the bench beyond Maddison, the Italian essentially had to bank on his forwards producing before they significantly flagged. Just another exasperation on the night was that they did that.
On 50 minutes, Tel fulfilled some of the potential he has shown in an occasionally frustrating spell at the club. He scored a goal that would have been worthy of keeping them up. Opportunistically placed to receive the ball in plenty of space from a deflected corner, the winger still had a lot to do. And how he did it.
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Mathys Tel produced a superb curling opener (Reuters)
Tel guided a supreme shot into the top corner of Karl Darlow’s net. It was gloriously soaring, and suggested that Spurs might just keep going with it. They of course tired, however, and came down with a bang.
Or, rather, Tel did.
On 73 minutes, after a spell where Leeds had started to get on the front foot again, Ethan Ampadu looked like he might get in behind. All that was blocking him was Tel. And if the winger’s first major moment made you wonder how he did it, the question here was again what was he thinking.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores Leeds’ equaliser from the penalty spot (PA Wire)
Tel inexplicably tried to bicycle kick the ball away with Ampadu so close, ensuring he also made contact with the midfielder’s head.
Referee Jarred Gillett really had no choice, even though a needlessly long wait eventually saw him have to make a very definite choice by going through the protocol of looking at the monitor.
There was no such hesitation about Calvert-Lewin. He finished the penalty brilliantly, to reignite this survival battle.
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There was one more VAR call to come, and one huge Kinsky save to come. As regards what will tell more by the season’s end, the margins are now so thin.
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