Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Will Fries celebrates in the end zone after a second-quarter touchdown midway through Jan. 4, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a matchup with the Green Bay Packers. The moment captured linemen pride as Minnesota’s offense capitalized on strong execution. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett–Imagn Images.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first three seasons as the Minnesota Vikings general manager all led up to the 2025 free agency, when the Vikings spent the second-most money on players, second only to the New England Patriots.
While the Patriots were playing in the Super Bowl, the Vikings’ season had long since finished after failing to make the playoffs. Finally given the chance to spend big, Adofo-Mensah got it horribly wrong, and it cost him his job.
Overall Assessment of the Vikings’ 2025 Free Agency Class
The 2025 free agency class was his last, and Adofo-Mensah hasn’t left the Vikings with much for the long term, after also failing in the short term. In total, Adofo-Mensah made 16 signings for a total of $269,532,500. A year later, how has the class aged? The short answer is not very well.
Advertisement
Will Fries (Guard) – 5-year, $87.7 million contract.
Minnesota made a significant commitment to Will Fries, investing time and money in a five-year contract worth over $87 million to make Fries their long-term right guard. There was an element of risk to this move, with Fries having a breakout season in 2024 but only from a five-game sample due to a broken tibia. Fries was fit and ready to start the season and was the only Vikings linemen to play every game—a major plus on an OL that was ravaged by injury.
Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Will Fries (76) against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Fries was solid in his debut season in Minnesota, being called for 3 penalties and allowing 37 pressures and 3 sacks across 989 snaps on offense, earning a 61.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. Those stats would be acceptable if Fries were being paid $3-4 million, but his contract is worth $17 million a year.
Verdict: Minnesota needs more from Fries to justify that contract and will hope that a year on the field post-injury and more comfort in the system will help bring that about. The Vikings also have a new OL coach for the 2026 season in a bid to improve the whole unit.
Advertisement
Byron Murphy (Cornerback) – 3-year, $54 million contract.
Byron Murphy got a big payday on the back of his first-ever Pro Bowl season, where he was a ball hawk – leading the league in interceptions (6) among CBs in 2024. Murphy didn’t snag his first INT until Week 15, following it with another in Week 16. Simply put, he failed to recapture that Pro Bowl form that got him paid.
Verdict: Murphy is a good CB, but he’s not a lockdown CB1 and never has been. The decision to pay him $18 million a year doesn’t look wise right now.
Jonathan Allen (Interior Defensive Lineman) – 3-year, $51 million contract.
Advertisement
The Vikings invested heavily in the interior of the defensive line, emphasizing interior pass rush. Once one of the league’s best interior defenders, the gamble on Jonathan Allen re-finding his form after injuries and a down year didn’t pay off. Allen brought 34 pressures and 4 pressures to the team, and a solid run defense, but we have another case of a player not living up to his contract.
Verdict: The three-year deal given to Allen means there are no significant savings this year, so it is set to be another year of solid veteran play on top-end wages for the Vikings – unless Allen suddenly returns to his best football at 31.
Javon Hargrave (Interior Defensive Lineman) – 2-year, $30 million contract.
Rinse and repeat. Former top-end interior pass-rusher who’s had injuries and a drop in play. Big money was paid, but the contract was not honored. Hargrave had a better season than Allen, but is two years older and only got a two-year contract. Significant cap savings can be made on Hargrave this year.
Advertisement
Verdict: Needing to find $40 million get salary cap compliant, saving $11 million by cutting Hargrave looks imminent. Baltimore has been rumoured as a trade candidate for Hargrave, which would save a further £5 million – an even better result. It’s for the Vikings to get younger at this position through the draft.
Ryan Kelly (Center) – 2-year, $18 million contract.
Ryan Kelly was just what the Vikings needed at center: experienced, knowledgeable of the position’s nuances, and solid in both the run and pass games. Unfortunately, his history of concussions followed him to Minnesota, and his future has to be in doubt heading into the 2026 season.
Verdict: Kelly played in just eight games because of three separate concussions. Most concerning was Kelly coming back to play with a guardian cap only to suffer another concussion. The Vikings need to start looking at a long-term solution at center.
Advertisement
Isaiah Rodgers (Cornerback) – 2-year, $11 million contract.
Week 3 saw one of the single greatest individual performances you will ever see from a defensive player. Isaiah Rodgers was inspired against the Bengals. Rodgers scored two defensive touchdowns, one from an interception and one from a fumble he forced and recovered himself. He added another forced fumble and a couple of passes defended in an inspired performance that earned Pro Football Focus its first-ever perfect grade. That was Rodgers’ ceiling, and the floor was a lot lower.
Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2) practices before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images.
Verdict: Rodgers spent too much time playing closer to his floor than his ceiling. He never got near the level of performance he had in that Bengals game again. 2025 was his first season as a starter in the NFL. If he is going to keep that role, he needs to find a lot more consistency.
Eric Wilson (Linebacker) – 1-year, $2.6 million contract.
Undoubtedly, the signing of the season. Eric Wilson returned to where his NFL journey began, and with great success. An injury to Blake Cashman gave Wilson a chance to start, and when Cashman returned, he kept his place ahead of Ivan Pace. Brian Flores used him as a pass rusher to great effect, with Wilson tallying 6.5 sacks – more than double his previous season best.
Advertisement
Verdict: With Wilson and Pace both hitting free agency, I don’t think there’s much argument that Wilson is the one the Vikings need to bring back.
Jeff Okudah (Cornerback) – 1-year, $2.35 million contract.
The last in a lengthy line of Adofo-Mensah failed first-round pick reclamation projects. Once the third overall pick by the Detroit Lions, it’s never quite worked out for Jeff Okudah, who has had several injury problems across his career. He played in the first six games of the season before getting a concussion and never being seen again after being put on IR.
Verdict: Okudah wasn’t good when he played, and the first-round reclamation projects should be binned now that Adofo-Mensah has left town.
Advertisement
Rondale Moore (Wide Receiver) – 1-year, $2 million contract.
Rondale Moore was set to be the team’s punt returner and WR4 before a knee injury suffered in a preseason game saw him ruled out for the entire 2025 season.
Verdict: A sensible signing with a glaring need at return specialist, but with his injury leaving the path clear for undrafted rookie Myles Price to shine. I don’t expect Moore to return next season.
Justin Skule (Tackle) – 1-year, $2 million contract.
Advertisement
Minnesota needed a backup tackle who could start if Christian Darrisaw wasn’t ready to assume his role at left tackle when the season started. Not only did that prove to be the case, but Brian O’Neill has also missed time due to injury, and Darrisaw finished the season back on IR with the same troublesome knee. The Vikings opted for Justin Skule, and he was called upon more than would have been preferable, with nine starts and 578 snaps on offense.
Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Justin Skule (67) during an NFL International Series game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Verdict: There were times when Skule visibly struggled, giving up 29 pressures and 7 sacks across the season. However, he held down the fort reasonably well for a backup tackle. The veteran deserves to come back again for training camp, at least with Darrisaw’s knee issue still lingering.
Carson Wentz (Quarterback) – 1-year, $1.4 million contract.
Minnesota was initially set to go with Sam Howell as QB2, but after undrafted rookie Max Brosmer outshone him, it was time to think again. Carson Wentz was brought in to be the veteran presence behind JJ McCarthy and found himself thrust into action as early as Week 3. Wentz had his struggles, but a 2-3 record while toughing it out through a dislocated shoulder that included a torn labrum and fractured socket, before eventually having season-ending surgery, was a commendable effort.
Verdict: The boy raised in North Dakota got to live out his childhood dream for five weeks and kept the Vikings competitive. I wouldn’t hate seeing him back to compete in training camp.
Advertisement
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
Details for the FA Cup quarter-finals have been confirmed, with two of the four ties set to be shown free-to-air on the BBC and all four live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
HBO Max is set to replace streaming service discovery+ within the UK from 26 March, with TNT Sports moving platforms accordingly.
Manchester City take on Liverpool in a heavyweight clash for a place in the last four, while Arsenal have once again been given a favourable draw as they take on the only Championship side left in the tournament, Southampton.
Elsewhere West Ham host Leeds in another all-Premier League clash and minnows Port Vale, the lowest-ranked side remaining, are rewarded for their giant-killing of top-flight Sunderland with a trip to Stamford Bridge.
The quarter-final ties will be played over the weekend of 4 April.
Advertisement
Here’s everything you need to know.
FA Cup quarter-final TV schedule
Saturday, April 4
12:45 – Manchester City v Liverpool, live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max
Advertisement
17:15 – Chelsea v Port Vale, live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max, BBC One and iPlayer
20:00 – Southampton v Arsenal, live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max, BBC One and iPlayer
Sunday, April 5
16:30 – West Ham United v Leeds United, live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max
RBC Canadian Open tournament director Ryan Paul was in Ponte Vedra, Fla., this week with plenty of the PGA Tour’s key stakeholders.
And he liked what he heard.
Paul, who became the lead of Canada’s lone PGA Tour stop in 2024 after seven years of running the CPKC Women’s Open, knows a lot remains unconfirmed after new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp’s address Wednesday. But as far as the RBC Canadian Open is confirmed, he feels good.
“When you’re a tournament director, you take (the update) back and what it means for your own event. There are a lot of reasons to be satisfied with where the RBC Canadian Open is and where it’s going as we look forward to the future,” Paul told Sportsnet.ca in an exclusive conversation.
Advertisement
Rolapp announced this week six key themes that the Tour would be working through and toward as it inches closer to a whole-hog changeover of its business model and schedule structure. But while nothing is set in stone — and it’s likely there won’t be any aggressive changeover until 2028 — there’s reason for optimism from the Canadian camp.
One theme was Rolapp wants to play more golf in bigger markets in the United States (Toronto is the fourth-largest city in North America), and with the Canadian Open being a national championship — and sponsored by a key business entity in Canada — it seems like it is all systems go.
“He did bring up the markets a few times and in the conversations we’ve had — Toronto is an important market to the PGA Tour. That part does feel promising for us,” Paul said. “We’re also a national open, which feels promising. We’ve got a great title sponsor with RBC, who have supported our event since 2008 and Canadian golf.
“Our event has been strong and growing every year, so there is a lot of positives going forward for this event if you look at it as a who’s-in and who’s-out type of thing.”
Advertisement
As an organization, Golf Canada has been riding the wave of record-setting participation numbers in golf since the COVID-19 pandemic. At its annual general meeting this week, the National Sport Organization announced an increase of 3 per cent in total operating revenue year-over-year, reaching an “organizational record” of $62.7 million last year, which included an increase in positive financials on the national-championships side as well.
In his address this week, Rolapp stated how the PGA Tour could trend toward having a two-track system, where the upper track would include Signature Events, the majors, and the Players Championship, whereas the lower track would be aspirational and an opportunity for good play to be rewarded.
While most of Rolapp’s comments on the future were well received, he and the Future Competitions Committee will bring these specific details to the PGA Tour’s board later this year and another announcement is set to come June 22.
One thing that gave one multi-time Canadian PGA Tour winner pause was the likelihood of the decrease in tournament field size to just 120. Mackenzie Hughes told Postmedia at TPC Sawgrass that if the RBC Canadian Open’s field was trimmed there may not be enough room for it to be considered truly open.
Advertisement
The current field size of the Canadian Open is 144, with 16 of those spots being given out to sponsor exemptions — most of whom are Canadian.
“If you go 120, all of a sudden you don’t have the space to put the (16) Canadians. And, obviously, I got to play it twice as a Canadian Amateur champ, so obviously I benefitted from that. So, we’ll see how it all shakes out,” Hughes said.
Paul, however, said the answer to the question about sponsor invites was more so wrapped in the Signature Events, where a big-name player was essentially gifted FedExCup points just because of who they were and not on merit. Jordan Spieth is the most consistent example of this.
Paul believes that Rolapp, an outsider coming to golf — he’s spent almost his whole career with the NFL — merely wondered why the sponsors were responsible for populating the field when the events are part of the PGA Tour schedule. That seemed different, Paul explained, than any other sport.
Advertisement
“(Rolapp thought), let’s put it on us to put forth the best product and that’s what our sponsors are going to get — they’re going to get the best fields that we can (give them),” Paul said.
The unique thing about the RBC Canadian Open is that there are two levels of cross-country qualifying and, technically, any Canadian has the opportunity to tee it up at the Canadian Open as it stands now.
“There is a place for sponsor exemptions, and it has to make sense. I don’t know what changes are coming, (but sponsor exemptions have) been reduced for a lot of events. As a national open, we still have more than other tournaments. I don’t think this would be a one-policy-fits-all,” Paul said. “We’re 144 with 16 sponsor invites and another event would be 144 with four sponsor invites.
“The Tour has been respectful of the RBC Canadian Open and its history as a national open to retain exemptions for qualifying and for our Team Canada players.”
Advertisement
There won’t be any changes to how things operate for the 2026 edition at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, but updates will likely filter through come summertime. The Canadian Open does not have a venue for 2027, but RBC announced in 2025 it would be extending its title sponsorship in a “multi-year agreement.”
“The PGA Tour will aim to put the best product on the golf course and that’s what the new model is supposed to do,” Paul said. “There was nothing shared that we didn’t already know but it laid out the framework which was appreciated by all groups.”
With fewer than three months of the campaign remaining as United battle to secure Champions League qualification, we examine the latest developments on Maguire’s contract situation, the assessment from his colleagues and potential moves overseas.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
Contract update
In his seventh campaign at Old Trafford, Maguire’s career in Manchester appeared finished merely two months ago, with only four league starts to his name under Ruben Amorim. Yet the appointment of Carrick has revitalised the England international, who has played a crucial role in United’s climb up the Premier League standings.
Whilst a decision is still pending on whether Maguire, 33, will be offered a new contract, The i Paper suggests a proposed deal with reduced wages is under consideration. This would require the defender to cut his £190,000-per-week salary to around £100,000. The report further indicates that Maguire is open to considering these new terms.
Advertisement
Dressing room stance
As the third-longest serving United player in the current squad and former captain, he commands significant respect among his team-mates, who reportedly want the club to reward the defender with a new contract.
Per The Sun, the general consensus is it would be “madness” if the Englishman didn’t extend his career in Manchester due to his form and the guidance he’s providing to the club’s younger players.
The source stated: “The players think it would be madness if he was not offered a new deal. Harry has endured plenty of ups and downs at United but has come through all that and is playing really well.
Advertisement
“He’s very well-respected in the dressing room and is passing on a lot of knowledge to some of the younger players like Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro. Everyone likes him and respects him and the majority of the players want the club to give him a deal.”
Transfer offers abroad
Having spent his entire 15-year senior career in England, a move overseas could present an enticing opportunity for Maguire, particularly given his uncertain contract situation with United.
As his contract expires in the summer, Maguire is entitled to negotiate a pre-contract arrangement with overseas clubs and according to The Athletic, the defender’s representatives have conducted discussions with clubs in Turkey and Italy.
These have not yet progressed beyond initial enquiries and whilst it remains uncertain whether the 33-year-old would even consider a move abroad, it appears Maguire will have numerous options when deciding the next stage of his career.
Advertisement
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Advertisement
Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
Manchester City suffered a 3-0 Champions League last 16 first leg defeat to Real Madrid, which means the club will have quite the obstacle to overcome in next week’s reverse at the Etihad Stadium
The 53-year-old said: “Haaland is one of the best strikers in the world. We are convinced we will have priority to sign him if he wishes to take on a new challenge.”
He continued: “I am convinced these long contracts are not possible to be fulfilled. This is where we must be attentive to the situation of a player who loves Spain, who made statements about how amazed he was about Camp Nou when he came here.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
Advertisement
“Madrid has also wanted it, so making a movement that protects us and gives us this option, I am convinced that it can happen.”
It comes despite Haaland recently agreeing fresh terms with City which should keep him in Greater Manchester until at least 2034, as well as an understanding that there has been no contact between his camp and the Catalan titans.
The 25-year-old has been a revelation for the Sky Blues since joining from Borussia Dortmund in a £51million move in 2022, racking up 153 goals and 28 assists across all competitions from 186 appearances to date.
The Norwegian has also found the back of the net 22 times in the Premier League this season alone, and has been a key part of Pep Guardiola’s efforts to derail Arsenal from the top of the table as the race for the title heats up once more.
Just seven points split a first-place Gunners and a second-place City, as the Sky Blues hold a game in hand over their Premier League rivals as well as an all-important six-point clash with Mikel Arteta’s side on home soil come April.
And with Arsenal only having eight games remaining to City’s nine, Arteta’s side will have to be perfect from now until may should they hope to claim their first league title in more than two decades.
It comes as City suffered a blow in their hopes of securing European silverware on Wednesday evening when they suffered a 3-0 loss at the hands of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.
Advertisement
Guardiola’s XI failed to respond to Federico Valverde’s first-half hat-trick on the night, as they head to the reverse clash at the Etihad Stadium come Tuesday, March 17 with a hefty deficit to turn around.
However, City will first turn their attention back to the Premier League as they travel to the London Stadium to take on a resurgent West Ham United come Saturday, March 14.
The Hammers have struggled for form this season, sitting 18th in the league standings and caught up in a relegation battle alongside Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United. Unbeaten in four of their last five in the league, however, Guardiola will not see the East London outfit as easy pickings.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Advertisement
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
The 2026 Players Championship continues on Friday with the second round at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Here’s what you need to know to watch the tournament on Friday, including full Players Championship TV coverage, streaming details and Round 2 tee times.
How to watch Players Championship on Friday
A brutal opening day at TPC Sawgrass saw numerous rollercoaster rounds. It left World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler grinding on the range in the pouring rain after he finished off a 72. And it left Rory McIlroy, who is nursing a back injury, to fight for the cut on Friday after shooting 74.
The same can be said for Jordan Spieth, who will be eyeing the cut line in Round 2 after making a double bogey at 18 to finish his first round at one over.
But not everyone struggled on Day 1 of the Players. Five players are tied for the lead at five under, including Sahith Theegala. Austin Smotherman has a birdie putt on his final hole to reach 16 under, but he’ll sleep on it and complete his round Friday morning before the second round gets underway.
Advertisement
Two-time major champion Justin Thomas came back from an ugly missed cut last week to fire a 68 on Thursday. He’ll start Friday’s second round one shot off the lead.
You can watch the second round of the Players Championship on TV via Golf Channel beginning on Friday at 1 p.m. ET. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive streaming coverage starting at 7:30 a.m. ET on Friday, as well as featured group and featured hole coverage all day Friday.
Below you will find everything you need to know to watch the second round of the 2026 Players Championship.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Get ESPN+
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
How to watch on TV Friday
Golf Channel will carry second-round TV coverage of the 2026 Players Championship from 1-7 p.m. ET on Friday.
Advertisement
How to stream online Friday
You can stream the second round of the 2026 Players Championship on PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, which will offer streaming coverage beginning on Friday at 7:30 a.m. ET in addition to featured group and hole coverage.
NEWSLETTER
Sign up for GOLF’s Top Stories Newsletter!
Get the latest golf news and our most-read stories delivered to your inbox daily!
7:40 a.m. – Tom Hoge, Denny McCarthy, Nicolai Højgaard 7:52 a.m. – Patrick Rodgers, Kevin Roy, Marco Penge 8:04 a.m. – Chad Ramey, Alex Smalley, Pierceson Coody 8:16 a.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Harry Hall, Stephan Jaeger 8:28 a.m. – Keegan Bradley, David Ford, Chris Kirk 8:40 a.m. – Andrew Novak, Nick Taylor, Wyndham Clark 8:52 a.m. – Steven Fisk, William Mouw, Joe Highsmith 9:04 a.m. – Cameron Young, Davis Thompson, Sam Burns 9:16 a.m. – Nico Echavarria, Jason Day, Corey Conners 9:28 a.m. – Matthieu Pavon, S.H. Kim, Austin Smotherman 12:30 p.m. – Mackenzie Hughes, Eric Cole, Rico Hoey 12:42 p.m. – Max Homa, Daniel Berger, Michael Thorbjornsen 12:54 p.m. – Rasmus Højgaard, Danny Walker, Kristoffer Reitan 1:06 p.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Taylor Pendrith, Alex Noren 1:18 p.m. – Akshay Bhatia, Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau 1:30 p.m. – Ludvig Åberg, Si Woo Kim 1:42 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Thomas 1:54 p.m. – Viktor Hovland, Russell Henley, Robert MacIntyre 2:06 p.m. – Aldrich Potgieter, Jake Knapp, Sungjae Im 2:18 p.m. – Patton Kizzire, Seamus Power, Johnny Keefer
Tee No. 10
Advertisement
7:40 a.m. – Lee Hodges, Andrew Putnam, Sam Stevens 7:52 a.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Keith Mitchell, Michael Kim 8:04 a.m. – Taylor Moore, Joel Dahmen, Ryo Hisatsune 8:16 a.m. – Jacob Bridgeman, Ben Griffin, Adam Scott 8:28 a.m. – J.J. Spaun, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry 8:40 a.m. – Sahith Theegala, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth 8:52 a.m. – Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama 9:04 a.m. – Chris Gotterup, Justin Rose, Min Woo Lee 9:16 a.m. – Brian Campbell, Karl Vilips, Aaron Rai 9:28 a.m. – Matti Schmid, Max McGreevy, Takumi Kanaya 9:40 a.m. – Zach Bauchou, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, A.J. Ewart 12:30 p.m. – Mark Hubbard, Thorbjørn Olesen, Mac Meissner 12:42 p.m. – Bud Cauley, Vince Whaley, Chandler Phillips 12:54 p.m. – Emiliano Grillo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Max Greyserman 1:06 p.m. – Kevin Yu, Cam Davis, Gary Woodland 1:18 p.m. – Ricky Castillo, Ryan Gerard, Patrick Cantlay 1:30 p.m. – Adam Schenk, Garrick Higgo, Matt McCarty 1:42 p.m. – Brian Harman, Maverick McNealy, Davis Riley 1:54 p.m. – Sami Valimaki, Lucas Glover, Matt Fitzpatrick 2:06 p.m. – Michael Brennan, Harris English, J.T. Poston 2:18 p.m. – Haotong Li, Zecheng Dou, Jordan Smith
However, despite being only involved in that manner, the organisation this week announced a special prize has been created for the ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez vs Benavidez fight, which takes place on Cinco de Mayo weekend, named the ‘Tollan Tlatequi’ belt. The fighters even attended an event and faced off.
As reported by Boxing Scene‘s Lance Pugmire, the WBO and WBA have taken serious issue with the WBC’s attempt to add a token belt, and ‘will not award their belts to the winner’ if it is on the line.
The WBC has regularly introduced special commemorative belts for high-profile bouts, separate from its recognised world championships. These one-off awards are typically tied to major events or cultural celebrations and have been presented to winners of fights involving the likes of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Tyson Fury.
Advertisement
However, and notably, the sanctioning body typically does this when its standard world title is on the line also – not the case for this fight, despite the champion competing.
More is expected soon at a time where the sanctioning bodies are under increased scrutiny in the sport, mainly due to the emergence of Dana White and TKO’s Zuffa Boxing, a new promotional entity set on creating its own championship and leaving the old guard to the side.
Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score in overtime at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
The off-ball linebacker position is one that often goes overlooked, but when teams get a good one, they can transform a defense.
The 2026 NFL Draft has a number of quality linebackers who could be in the mix for starting jobs immediately, and Anthony Hill Jr. is one of them looking to leave his mark at the NFL level.
Background
Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates after a defensive stop against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
It takes a talented player to step in as a starter on an SEC defense as a freshman, but that is exactly what Hill did. After spending the first half of the season getting pretty consistent snaps as a rotational defender, he took over a starting job in Week 9 of his freshman season in 2023 and never looked back.
2025 did bring a setback for hill though as he suffered a broken hand against Georgia in November. The game ended what had been a very productive season for the linebacker, and then, he suffered a hamstring injury at the NFL Combine that forced him to miss the on-field drills out of an “abundance of caution.”
Advertisement
Strengths
Ohio State Buckeyes running back CJ Donaldson (12) is wrapped up by Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.
NFL teams can expect lightning in a bottle out of Anthony Hill Jr. He is an explosive athlete with great size for an off-ball linebacker at 238 pounds. He stuffed the stat sheet during his time at Texas, and it should be no different at the NFL level due to his versatility.
Hill’s greatest strength is his prowess in the running game combined with great tackling technique. He is alarmingly quick off the snap as a downhill blitzer, and as a result, he racked up tackles for loss during his collegiate career with 31.5 in 40 career games including 17 sacks.
Once he gets through the line of scrimmage, he makes his presence known with big hits, leading to eight career forced fumbles. He also has the versatility to play over the middle or drop down towards the line and play off the edge occasionally. He’ll be a great chess piece for an NFL defensive coordinator.
Weaknesses
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Hill’s downhill ability to make plays near the line of scrimmage can be a blessing and a curse. He doesn’t have the most refined technique in coverage and can struggle with his hip movement.
He can also get caught looking downfield too often, biting on play action and losing the man he should be covering.
Advertisement
Finally, while he has prototypical size for an off-ball linebacker, the fact that he is an off-ball linebacker because noticeable at times when he goes up against bigger offensive linemen. He doesn’t do well trying to disengage from blocks.
2026 NFL Draft Projection
Georgia running back Trevor Etienne (1) powers past Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) to score the game winning touchdown during overtime of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.
NFL Draft Projection: Day 2 (Early 2nd Round)
Team Fits: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Denver Broncos
Hill isn’t a perfect prospect by any means, but there is a ton of talent that is ready to explode at the NFL level. He is ready to step in and make some big plays at the NFL level.
Jimmy and Jey Uso confronted CM Punk on the recent episode of RAW. The argument was heated enough that it even ended with them exchanging blows. There were talks about how Jimmy looked genuine with a rather cool approach, while Jey was ready to fight. A wrestling veteran had a take on this, which explained everything.
Jim Cornette spoke on his podcast about the differences in The Usos. It was discussed how Jey Uso came out all raged up while Jimmy took the elderly and responsible position. Cornette stated Jimmy had to be the peacemaker while Jey stayed mad all around. He felt that the former World Heavyweight Champion overdid it and came out at a speed more than necessary.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
Cornette clarified that the elder Uso was the levelheaded fellow and did his job perfectly. Even when both had the same stuff to speak, Jimmy kept up the role of keeping it together while letting his brother go over the top, as it demanded.
Advertisement
“Yes. One of them had to be peacemaker, and so Jey needed to be the one that was more mad, but I thought he went for he would come out at 100 miles an hour and stayed there, and that was a little bit much. But I agree with you on Jimmy being the more levelheaded fellow,” Jim Cornette said. (From 3:56 onwards)
Jim Cornette wants a Jey Uso vs. CM Punk match before WrestleMania 42
The Usos’ and CM Punk’s segment ended in an exchange of blows. Although Punkster took the big one, and The Usos were barely affected, it did light up something. Jim Cornette spoke on the same podcast, saying that now a Punk vs. Jey Uso match should be happening.
Coming from the altercation, it looked possible to hype the WrestleMania match more. Cornette saw a creative finish where the score would be settled while also adding to Punk’s bout with Roman Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Friday is Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Day at Prestbury Park with the main event of the 2026 Festival going to post at 4.00pm.
Four Irish-trained runners in Gold Cup
Four of the last seven winners of the blue riband of chasing have been trained by Willie Mullins and the Closutton handler will be represented by current race favourite Gaelic Warrior.
There are a total of four Irish-trained runners among the 11-runner field, including last season’s impressive winner Inothewayurthinkin from the Gavin Cromwell stable.
Firefox, fourth in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month represents the team of Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy who had their first winner this week with Wodhooh yesterday.
Advertisement
The Grade 1-winning novice chase Spillane’s Tower, trained by Jimmy Mangan, was withdrawn this morning.
Envoi Allen’s Cheltenham record
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned Envoi Allen, the 2023 Ryanair Chase winner is expected to have his final run in today’s Gold Cup. He won the 2019 Champion Bumper and the Turners Novices’ Hurdle in 2020, fell in the 2021 Marsh Chase when 4-9, was third in the 2022 Champion Chase, won the 2023 Ryanair Chase and was second and third in the past two renewals. His Festival form figures read 11F3123.
The Jukebox Man, owned by soccer manager Harry Redknapp, and Jango Baie, representing the Nicky Henderson-Nico de Boinville combination look the strongest of the English-conditioned challengers.
Without the now-retired Galopin Des Champs, or Fact To File, who was nominated for yesterday’s Ryanair Chase, but was eventually a non-runner, the 2026 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup looks an open contest.
Advertisement
Triumph Hurdle opens Grade 1 action
The traditional final day opener, the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle, is a 20-runner field, with 12 of the horses prepared in Ireland.
Highland Crystal’s recent Naas form was franked by the victory of Saratoga on Tuesday, while Proactif may be the pick of the Mullins camp who are responsible for almost half of the field.
Minella Study bolted up on trials day over course and distance and the Adam Nicol-conditioned runner looks the pick of the English challenge in what is always a tricky race.
No fewer than nine of the past 13 winners had run in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in February, while six winners since 2006 began their careers in France and eight winners during that period have been French-bred.
Advertisement
Big prices winners of Albert Bartlett in recent years
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at 3.20pm is the other Grade 1 on today’s card.
Ten of the past 12 winners of this race went off at double-figure odds. The SPs have been 50/1, 33/1 (three times), 18/1 (twice), 16/1, 14/1 (twice) and 11/1, with At Fisher Cross in 2013 being the last favourite to oblige.
Thirteen of the 22 runners in this three mile contest are trained in Ireland. Kazansky, from the Elliott yard, and Doctor Steinberg, trained by Willie Mullins, met at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown last month and are expected to be prominent again this afternoon.
The skinny kid from Hamilton has taken his place ahead of one of the ultimate NBA legends, an icon across all of sports and culture.
It’s hard to fathom. A signpost for Canadian basketball that no one could have seen coming, even as our national presence in the NBA kept coming in waves.
But what Gilgeous-Alexander signalled once again when he converted a 20-foot jumper at the 7:04 mark of the third quarter on Thursday against Boston, marking his 127th straight game of 20 points or more, was that he is on a path that will have him mentioned among the best to ever play as a matter of routine.
Chamberlain held the previous mark for consecutive games with at least 20 points at 126, which came to end on Jan. 20, 1963 when the then-San Francisco Warriors star was ejected in the first quarter of a game for arguing with an official.
Advertisement
The way Gilgeous-Alexander is going, it seems like only injury or bad luck could threaten this current run. But chances are whenever it does come to a close, it will be nothing more than an interesting anecdote in his still unfolding basketball biography.
The 20-point streak was one of the prolific Chamberlain’s lesser-known records until recently, a forgotten footnote until the OKC star’s steady excellence pulled Chamberlain’s milestone out from the behind the spare lightbulbs and paper towels in the far reaches of the statistical closet.
But for Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 35 points and nine assists in a 104-102 OKC win over the Celtics that kept them atop the Western Conference standings, it will represent another paragraph it what will certainly be a hall-of-fame resume.
“It’s still a lot to even wrap my head around,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters earlier this week after tying Chamberlain’s 63-year-old record. “To be honest with you, I try not to even think about it, especially during the season. So much is going on, and so many things have to go right for you to get what you ultimately want.
Advertisement
“But obviously being in the conversation with a guy like (Chamberlain) is special.”
Tellingly, Gilgeous-Alexander was emotionless after he broke the record, and didn’t show much more when he hit consecutive jumpers that gave the Thunder the lead in the final minute. Thunder big man Chet Holmgren scored the winning points with 0.8 seconds left on the clock.
Tying a Chamberlain record is like bumping Babe Ruth from the books in baseball, or Wayne Gretzky in hockey.
Chamberlain still is the only player in NBA history to average 50 points per game for a season; or score 100 points in one game; or lead the NBA in scoring seven times; or in rebounding in 11 times; or average 22.9 rebounds per game for your career.
Advertisement
And in case you were wondering, his record for consecutive 30-point games remains standing at 65.
But on this night, Gilgeous-Alexander had centre stage to himself.
For context, the next longest active streak of 20 points or more belongs to Kawhi Leonard, with 43. Among active players, the closest anyone else has come is Kevin Durant with a 72-game streak. LeBron James scored at least 10 points a game for an NBA record of 1,297 consecutive games – a run that ended earlier this season in Toronto. But the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s longest streak of 20-point night nights topped out at 49.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak has been no frills. There has been no chasing or stat padding.
Advertisement
According to Tom Haberstroh at Yahoo Sports, Gilgeous-Alexander had hit the 20-point mark before the fourth quarter 39 times heading into Thursday.
More importantly, Gilgeous-Alexander’s record-breaking streak straddles two of the greatest individual seasons a player has ever had and taken place while leading the NBA’s best team.
Over the past two seasons combined – 131 games and counting – Gilgeous Alexander is averaging 32.3 points, 6.5 assists and 1.6 steals with a True Shooting percentage (reflecting the value of two-point shots, three-point shots and free throws) of 64.9.
No other NBA player – not Chamberlain, not Michael Jordan, and not James – has ever matched that combination of offensive volume and efficiency.
Advertisement
Only five players – Jordan, James Harden, Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard are the others – have ever had averaged 31 points and six assists with a True Shooting mark above 60.0. None have done so while making just 2.3 turnovers a game, like Gilgeous-Alexander has.
Put another way: Remember when Steph Curry turned basketball upside down and shot 44.3 per cent from three on more than eight attempts a game while winning his first MVP award and leading the Golden State Warriors to their first title in 2014-15?
Well, over the life of his streak Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged nearly nine more points per game than Curry (23.8) in his first MVP year and was more efficient than Curry in posting one of the best shooting seasons in NBA history.
Even the late Chamberlain would likely give a knowing nod of approval.
Advertisement
But what is perhaps most relevant about Gilgeous-Alexander’s new record is that it will end up being simply an interesting thing for the Canadian guard rather than a defining achievement.
Just consider that since Gilgeous-Alexander started his streak on Nov. 1, 2024 with 30 points in 28 minutes in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the OKC star has won the NBA scoring title, the regular-season MVP award, the Western Conference MVP award and the Finals MVP award.
Barring an injury, Gilgeous-Alexander will almost certainly win the MVP award again and the Thunder remain the favourites to win their second straight NBA title, with Gilgeous-Alexander the presumptive Finals MVP. Only James, Jordan and Larry Bird have ever done that.
If he were to take up snooker and never touch a basketball again, he’d already be a lock for the Hall of Fame, the greatest Canadian basketball player ever and a candidate for best Canadian athlete of all time.
Advertisement
But Gilgeous-Alexander is just 27 years old. The organization he works for is putting on a masterclass for the modern sports era. In a league designed to make dynasties short-lived, the Thunder are young, agile and set up for the long-term.
Success in the NBA can come and go like a wave rising and crashing on a desolate beach.
But if you had to bet on whether Gilgeous-Alexander was closer to the start of a long run as a dominant force on a dominant team or to the end, you know where the smart money would end up.
All of which is to say: who knows what accolades and accomplishments Gilgeous-Alexander will accrue over the next five years of his prime and beyond?
Advertisement
Enough, almost certainly, that what he did Thursday night – knock Wilt Chamberlain out of one line of the history books – will be a garnish on the main course of his career.
After all, this is an athlete whose motto is: “My whole life is consistent.”
I’m not sure when Gilgeous-Alexander gave the quote in full for the first time, but it pops up from an on-court interview he gave to Thunder sideline reporter Nick Gallo on March 9, 2024 on the night he had his 47th 30-point game, breaking Durant’s Thunder record. It has become his personal tag line at this point.
The first time I heard it was after Gilgeous-Alexander had helped the Thunder to a double-overtime win over the Toronto Raptors a month earlier.
Advertisement
On the eve of him making history for being able to achieve a minimum level of excellence for nearly two entire seasons, it rings truer than ever.
“I’m very, very strict on consistency in every aspect of life,” Gilgeous-Alexander said to me, post-game on Feb. 4, 2024. “And I think it helps my basketball. Whether it’s my eating, my day-to-day schedule, how clean my house is. It’s what I do with my time, whether I’m playing or not. I try to be very, very strict on discipline, being consistent. I think it helps with my basketball.”
Which is the ‘how’ when it comes to Gilgeous-Alexander’s greatness. As his skill coach Nate Mitchell explained to me with regard to his client’s Kobe Bryant-like zeal for the process of improvement in the off-season: “Nothing changes. There’s no bend. I could lose my phone and I know where to get him on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, in three different places [each day]. Like, he’s gonna be rigid — on time, same time.”
So what do have here? A long-armed six-foot-six point guard who can dribble like prime Muggsy Bogues, shoot like prime Lillard, change directions like Gumby, and train like Rocky Balboa?
Advertisement
All of which is to say Gilgeous-Alexander being named in the same sentence as Chamberlain won’t be the last time he and a short list of NBA greats are side by side in word and deed.
