Five years ago, the Minnesota Vikings employed a promising young tight end named Shane Zylstra, who later departed the franchise for the Detroit Lions, where he stayed for five seasons, believe it or not. Now, Zylstra is on his way to Buffalo.
Detroit became the landing spot where Zylstra finally stuck around for multiple seasons.
The Bills added some TE depth this week, and his name is Zylstra.
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Buffalo Adds Another Pass-Catching Option for Camp
Zylstra goes from a contender to … a contender
Minnesota State Mankato tight end Shane Zylstra makes a catch during Minnesota’s NFL Pro Day workout on April 1, 2021, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Zylstra participated alongside several draft hopefuls while attempting to earn NFL attention after a productive small-school college career that eventually led to opportunities with both the Vikings and Lions organizations. Mandatory Credit: Andy Clayton-King/AP Photo.
The BUF Move
Buffalo Rumblings‘ Chris Trapasso detailed the transaction on Tuesday: “The Buffalo Bills have made another post-draft signing, this time it’s on offense — former Lions tight end Shane Zylstra has been added on a one-year contract.”
“Zylstra started his carer with the Vikings but was cut at the end of his August before being signed by the Lions. He spent the 2021 – 2025 seasons in Detroit as one of the depth tight ends on the roster. All four of his touchdowns came in 2022.”
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It’s a fresh start for the 29-year-old.
The Career Production
Zylstra certainly isn’t a volume pass-catching tight end, but the Lions loved him. These are his numbers through five seasons:
2025: 3 Rec | 20 Yds | 0 TDs
2024: 1 Rec | 22 Yds | 0 TDs
2023: DNP
2022: 11 Rec | 60 Yds | 4 TDs
2021: 3 Rec | 34 Yds | 0 TDs
And the Pro Football Focus track record:
2025: 44.0
2024: 49.6
2023: DNP
2022: 59.2
2021: 53.5
The easiest way to think of Zylstra is a quintessential TE3. When a team needs a depth tight end after two main guys, turn to Zylstra.
Pride of Detroit‘s Brandon Knapp on Zylstra’s 2025 campaign: “As the third-string option, the expectations weren’t very high for Zylstra in 2025. The year before he played in 12 games and only caught one pass for a yard. He wasn’t used often on offense and only saw his role increase if LaPorta or Wright were out with an injury. He was more of a receiver-styled tight end that did block particularly well. With the team loving tight ends that can do both, he was limited in what the team saw in him.”
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“For a majority of the year, Zylstra was on the injured reserved list. After suffering the ankle injury against the Chicago Bears in Week 2, Zylstra didn’t return until Week 15. Zylstra got all of his receiving stats for the year against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. While he had more offensive snaps than special teams, that was because before he suffered the injury, he had 13 special teams snaps to his six offensive and the tight ends above him were healthy. Once he returned, the others weren’t there and he was forced to play more offense than special teams.”
Bills’ New TE Room
With Zylstra in the house for Josh Allen’s team, here’s the lay of the land at tight end:
Dalton Kincaid
Dawson Knox
Jackson Hawes
Keleki Latua
Shane Zylstra
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra catches a fourth-quarter touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers on Dec. 24, 2022, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Panthers linebacker Cory Littleton contests the play as Zylstra helped Detroit’s offense during a critical late-season game with postseason implications in the NFC playoff race. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports.
Zylstra certainly won’t supplant Kincaid or Knox, but he has a chance to overtake Hawes or pray the Bills keep four tight ends instead of three.
Bills’ New Faces in 2026
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The Bills were quite busy this offseason — busier than the Vikings during free agency — adding these newcomers:
And from the draft, general manager Brandon Beane welcomed these rookies:
Round 2: T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
Round 2: Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
Round 4: Jude Bowry (OT, Boston College)
Round 4: Skyler Bell (WR, Connecticut)
Round 4: Kaleb Elarms-Orr (LB, TCU)
Round 5: Jalon Kilgore (CB, South Carolina)
Round 5: Zane Durant (DT, Penn State)
Round 7: Toriano Pride Jr. (CB, Missouri)
Round 7: Tommy Doman (P, Florida)
Round 7: Ar’maj Reed-Adams (G, Texas A&M)
Zylstra will turn 30 in November and is from Spicer, Minnesota. He attended Minnesota State University — Adam Thielen’s alma mater.
Minnesota Vikings tight end Shane Zylstra catches a pass during organized team activities on June 15, 2021, at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota. Zylstra participated in offseason drills while competing for a roster spot after signing with Minnesota following a standout collegiate career at Minnesota State Mankato. Mandatory Credit: Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports.
Ironically, Zylstra already knows when he’ll face his former team in 2026, as MLive’s Kory Woods wrote Tuesday, “Despite moving on from Detroit, Zylstra will see his former teammates later in the year. Earlier this week, Amazon Prime Video announced that the Lions will play the Bills in Week 2 this season, starting the streaming platform’s Thursday Night Football coverage on Sept. 17.”
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MAY 12: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs high five each other during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead and move one win away from the Western Conference Finals.
Victor Wembanyama led the way with 27 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks as the Spurs controlled the game for most of the night. San Antonio repeatedly shut down Minnesota’s attempts to build momentum.
After the game, Wembanyama kept his focus on what comes next.
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“Job’s not finished. We have one more game to the Conference Finals,” he said.
The Spurs outscored Minnesota 68-36 in points and shot over 52% from the field. Every time the Timberwolves tried to make a run, San Antonio responded immediately.
Anthony Edwards was limited to just 13 shot attempts as San Antonio’s defense constantly doubled him and forced the ball out of his hands.
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Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with 16 points and 9 rebounds, while the Timberwolves struggled offensively for most of the night.
The Spurs now head into Game 6 with a chance to close out the series and book a place in the Western Conference Finals.
Madonna, Shakira and K-pop boy band BTS will co-headline the Super Bowl-style half-time show at this summer’s World Cup final.
The tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, concludes with the final in New Jersey on 19 July.
Pre-match performances at showpiece occasions such as the Champions League final have become commonplace, but this will be the first half-time show at a World Cup final.
Colombian pop star Shakira is releasing her official World Cup song Dai Dai – an Italian phrase meaning “let’s go” or “come on” and also featuring Nigerian singer Burna Boy – on Thursday.
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The 49-year-old Hips Don’t Lie singer also released Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) for the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
‘Queen of Pop’ Madonna is the best-selling female music artist of all time and is preparing to release her 15th album, Confessions II, on 3 July.
Manchester City Women have officially opened a new £10 million training facility for the women’s team just days after winning their first Women’s Super League title in 10 years.
The new headquarters was designed specifically for the women’s side and includes dedicated recovery, rehab, hydrotherapy, medical and nutrition areas. Players and staff were also involved in shaping parts of the building, including the dressing room and interior spaces.
Club captain Alex Greenwood praised the facility and said it takes the team “to a whole different level.”
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“I absolutely love this building,” Greenwood said. “I love turning up at the gates every single morning.”
“For a women’s team specifically, yes, for sure. Nothing comes close to this. I think it’s the best because it’s specifically for us, in every way.”
Head coach Andree Jeglertz believes the new environment will also improve relationships within the squad and staff.
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“The connection is the key thing,” he said. “You can walk past them all the time, go down to the gym, grab a player at lunch. It helps build connections.”
The facility has reportedly been in development for nearly four years and gives the newly crowned WSL champions their own dedicated space while remaining on the same campus as the men’s and academy teams.
For Manchester City Women, the opening of the new headquarters feels like another major step forward after their title-winning season.
Mumbai Indians are set to face Punjab Kings in Dharamsala as they look to restore some pride after being officially eliminated from the IPL 2026 playoff race. However, ahead of the crucial clash, there remains major uncertainty over the availability of captain Hardik Pandya.Pandya missed Mumbai’s previous two matches against Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru due to persistent back spasms, and as earlier reported by this masthead, he is highly unlikely to feature against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala.The regular MI skipper did not travel with the squad to Dharamsala and instead stayed back in Mumbai to continue his recovery process. While the rest of the team headed north, Pandya posted videos of himself undergoing an intense three-hour solo training session at the Reliance Corporate Park, indicating that he is still working towards regaining full fitness.In Hardik’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav has been leading Mumbai Indians as interim captain. However, there is uncertainty surrounding his availability as well. Suryakumar stayed back in Mumbai after recently becoming a father following the birth of his baby girl with wife Devisha Shetty.
Watch
Mahela Jayawardene reflects on MI’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign
Interestingly, SKY had also remained away from the squad before MI’s previous match against RCB in Raipur but travelled separately on match day to feature in the game. A similar possibility remains open ahead of the Dharamsala clash. The Punjab Kings are currently in 4th place, holding onto the final playoff spot, while the Mumbai Indians sit down in 9th place and have already been officially eliminated from the tournament. A victory today will push Punjab Kings to 15 points, strengthening their position in the top 4 and putting pressure on the chasing teams like Chennai and Rajasthan. While Mumbai cannot qualify, they can still damage Punjab’s playoff aspirations by pulling off an upset tonight.
The Philadelphia Phillies‘ struggles to start the season were a bit surprising, even if people thought Dave Dombrowski and the rest of the front office shouldn’t have run this same team back.
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For whatever reason, the Phillies went in that direction, and they seemingly paid the price for that in the early stages of the campaign. Fast forward about a month, and the Phillies have been one of the better teams in baseball over that stretch, now sitting at 20-22 after what was one of the most disappointing starts we’ve ever seen in baseball.
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Winners of seven of their last 10 games, the Phillies feel really good, and we have to give a ton of credit to Don Mattingly for what he was able to do for this team to turn things around.
After moving on from skipper Rob Thomson, there were some questions about what would come next. Instead of that being a bigger problem than it had to be, Mattingly has done an excellent job and shows why he should probably be viewed as the potential full-time skipper for this roster in the future.
Even better, he made some history for himself on Tuesday night, something he’s probably always wanted to do.
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“Don Mattingly wins his 900th career game as manager, and is now 11-3 since taking over as manager of the Phillies,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote.
Winning 900 games as a big-league manager is no small feat and reflects the career Mattingly has had as a player and skipper.
The fact that he was able to have such a successful career and also be a great coach, good enough to win 900 games as a manager, shows that we’re looking at a baseball legend here.
While the personal accolades are nice, and I hope he gets many more of them, the bigger story here is that he really helped the Phillies turn this thing around, and he should get a lot of credit for that.
Outside of the first half of the 2024 season, Alec Bohm couldn’t even follow up that All-Star campaign with a decent second half.
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It’s tough to evaluate him as a long-term piece of this Phillies roster because of how poorly he’s playing, which has led most to suggest he’ll be traded.
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Bohm has been a bit better over the past few days, but outside of his game against the Colorado Rockies in which he hit two home runs, he’s still been very average.
On the year, he’s hitting just .184 with three home runs, with two of them coming in the same game, and has 22 strikeouts compared to 11 walks in 136 at-bats. The Phillies are in that spot where they could look to buy and sell some, and Bohm is still being viewed as a change-of-scenery guy.
“If they sell, Alec Bohm feels like a change-of-scenery candidate,” Robert Murray reported.
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“But if they buy, it’s clear they need another big hitter in the lineup. Who that could be remains to be seen — buyers and sellers still have months to establish themselves — but Dave Dombrowski loves to swing big. So who might he try to target?”
It’s entirely possible that the former Wichita State standout plays for a new team in a city with far less pressure than Philadelphia and finds success.
It isn’t like Bohm is the worst player of all time, but he just might not have what it takes to play in Philadelphia any longer. At 29 years old, there’s still some upside there, so I’d be surprised if teams don’t at least take a chance on him.
Messi’s new contract includes $25m in base salary and more than $28m in guaranteed compensation, the MLS Players’ Association said in its first release of 2026 salaries. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner earns more than the payrolls of 28 of the other 29 MLS teams.
Miami’s $54.6m (£40.4m) is more than $20m (£14.8m) higher than LAFC, which is second at $32.7m (£24.2m), and nearly five times as much as Philadelphia’s league-low $11.7m (£8.65m). Miami’s payroll is up from $46.8m (£34.6m) at the start of last season.
Total league compensation was $631m (£467m) and the average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 on 16 April was up nearly nine percent from the start of October.
Messi signed a new three-year contract through the 2028 season in October before leading Inter Miami to its first MLS title.
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The Argentina captain has 59 goals in 64 regular-season games with Miami, including nine in 11 matches this season. He topped the MLS scoring charts with 29 goals last season and won his second straight MVP award.
His salary figures are for his MLS contract and include any marketing bonus and agents fees but do not account for any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, or for any performance bonuses.
Son Heung Min joined LAFC at the start of the season (Getty)
Son is second at $10,368,750 (£7.7m) in base salary and $11.2m (£8.3m) in total compensation, the same as his figures last season. The 33-year-old winger joined LA from Tottenham last August.
Cincinnati centre-back Miles Robinson ($3.95m; £2.92m) was the top earner among likely inclusions in Mauricio Pochettino’s United States squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Coco Gauff recently gave her fans an off-court moment as she reacted to her childhood friend Jamilah Nicole (Snells) creating a buzz on social media donning an orange bikini.
On Wednesday, Jamilah shared some snippets of her pool day in Florida, where she was soaking up the sun in an orange two-piece. She also took the moment to show off her nail extensions that captured the breezy tropical vibe in bright colours. Snells further accented her look by accessorizing her fingers with blingy golden rings that grabbed the World No. 4’s attention.
Thanks for the submission!
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“Summer nails 🌞✨🌊🐬🪷By:Me” – Jamilah Snells captioned her IG post.
“so aesthetic 😍” – Coco Gauff reacted to the post.
Coco Gauff gives stunned reaction to Jamilah Snell’s IG post.
Coco Gauff and Snells have been friends since they were kids. The two met in a tennis academy in Florida and have been best buddies ever since. Despite having a busy tennis schedule, the 2x Grand Slam winner always takes time out to spend time with Jamilah.
Jamilah is currently a sophomore at the University of Louisville. She is a professional tennis player from the USA and competes on both ITF and WTA circuits. She currently holds a WTA ranking of 515 in women’s doubles.
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Coco Gauff eyes becoming second American after Serena Williams to reach multiple finals in Rome
Gauff has now reached the semi-finals of the Italian Open for the fourth time after a magnificent 6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Mirra Andreeva on Tuesday. After dropping the first set, Gauff secured a 5-1 lead in the final set. Andreeva had five chances to outmatch Gauff before the American bagged the win in the fifth match point. In a candid post-game interview, the 2025 US Open champ spoke about her comeback win over the World No. 7.
“I know when I play her (Mirra Andreeva) she can play great tennis at any moment… I was just trying to appreciate just being here even if those match points weren’t going my way” – Coco Gauff opened up after a comeback QF win.
“I was trying to find the balance of being aggressive and just not missing” – Gauff added.
The 2x Grand Slam champion bids to be the second woman of this century to reach multiple finals at the Italian Open after the 4x Olympic gold medalist Serena Williams. The 22-year-old will next face World No. 27 Sorana Cirstea at the semi-finals on Thursday.
Alex Lasry, CEO of the NYNJ Host Committee, discusses the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in New York and New Jersey. He details plans for free fan experiences across five boroughs and New Jersey, emphasizing public transit solutions for 1.2 million fans. Lasry confirms real grass will be installed at MetLife Stadium for the event, highlighting the global excitement for this major sporting event.
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Citizens of a select group of countries who have purchased tickets to this summer’s World Cup matches in the U.S. will no longer be required to provide thousands of dollars in visa bonds to enter the country and attend the tournament.
On Wednesday, the State Department confirmed the Trump administration is waiving a prior mandate requiring visitors from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia to post visa bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the U.S.
The department imposed the bond requirement last year for countries it said had high rates of visa overstays and other security concerns as part of a broader immigration crackdown. Travelers from at least 50 countries are subject to the bond requirement, but the five aforementioned nations’ teams have qualified for this year’s World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed outside the White House in Washington, D.C., ahead of the FIFA World Cup Draw on Dec. 2, 2025.(Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty Images)
World Cup team players, coaches and some staff already had been exempt from the bond requirement as part of the administration’s orders to prioritize the processing of visas for the tournament.
“The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said. “We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets” and opted in to the FIFA Pass system that allows expedited visa appointments as of April 15.
In its own statement, FIFA said the announcement shows “our ongoing collaboration with the U.S. government and the White House task force for the FIFA World Cup to deliver a successful, record-breaking and unforgettable global event” and thanked the administration for the partnership.
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President Donald Trump draws the United States card during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, 2025.(Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)
However, the administration has barred travelers from Iran and Haiti, though World Cup players, coaches and other support personnel are exempt. Travelers from the Ivory Coast and Senegal face partial restrictions under an expanded version of that travel ban, even without the visa bond exemption.
The World Cup begins June 11 and is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Some measures from the administration prompted Amnesty International and dozens of U.S. civil and human rights groups to issue a “World Cup travel advisory” that warns travelers about the climate in the U.S.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino hands the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy to President Donald Trump during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 22, 2025.(Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
In a report this month, the main advocacy group for U.S. hotels blamed visa barriers and other geopolitical issues for “significantly suppressing international demand,” leading to hotel bookings for the soccer tournament that are far below what had initially been anticipated.
As of early April, the number of World Cup fans affected by the bond requirement was believed to be relatively small, perhaps only about 250 people, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. But they said that number was changing rapidly as more people buy tickets and some with tickets opt against traveling.
FIFA had requested the waiver, which had to be approved by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, officials said.
Naoya Inoue recently cemented his status as one of, if not the, best pound-for-pound fighters in the world with a win over countryman Junto Nakatani. The question is, can anybody beat him before he hangs up the gloves?
With retirement not too far in the distance, the two-division undisputed champion intends to tackle one more weight class before he calls time on a Hall of Fame campaign. Ready and willing at 126lbs is Brooklyn’s Bruce Carrington.
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Speaking to ES News, the WBC Featherweight champion said that watching the Nakatani fight only strengthened his belief that he is the man to beat ‘The Monster’.
“To be honest, I saw a lot of things that I can’t really say on here. I’ve been ready. Inoue is still a spectacular fighter, but I just know I have what it takes to beat him. Nakatani’s no slouch. I expected a good fight … he did what he needed to do to win.”
‘Shu Shu’, who won the vacant title against Carlos Castro in January and will return to the ring to defend it against Rene Palacios in July, then said that he will take the Inoue fight whenever it is offered.
“100%. I’m ready right now, I’m ready today, I’m ready tomorrow, I’m ready whenever. Come to the Shu Shu show, baby. I can’t wait to share the ring with you. It’s gonna be fireworks.”
Inoue has made his plans clear – fight once more at super-bantamweight, most likely against Jesse Rodriguez, and then move up to featherweight, which he has indicated will be the final challenge of his career. While he hasn’t mentioned Carrington by name, the 33-year-old says he wants to go straight for the belts.
As a long-reigning champion and pound-for-pound star moving up in weight, the sanctioning bodies would likely have no issue approving the opportunity.
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Many fans, however, will believe that ‘Bam’ Rodriguez can upset those plans. The 26-year-old is set to move up to bantamweight to challenge for Antonio Vargas’ WBA title with a view to then making the Inoue fight happen in early 2027.
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