Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stands on the field before kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the December 24, 2023 matchup against the Detroit Lions capturing a quiet pregame moment as Minnesota prepared for a pivotal late-season divisional contest in front of a packed home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings will embark on free agency in five weeks and the NFL draft in April without Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was shockingly fired on Friday after four years with the club. For the time being — perhaps as the full-time option — vice president of operations Rob Brzezinski will take on the interim title of general manager, with Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores expected to take over personnel decision-making, at least to an extent.
Minnesota’s choice to move on from Adofo-Mensah has sparked competing reasons: here’s the list.
So, why did Adofo-Mensah get the axe? Here’s what we know from the grapevine so far.
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Want to Know Why the Vikings Fired the GM? We Have Answers.
It’s a significant and sudden change for the Vikings.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks with reporters at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, with March 26, 2025 marking an offseason briefing that focused on free agency decisions and early draft positioning as Minnesota prepared for the upcoming NFL Draft following roster-shaping moves during a pivotal spring reset for the franchise and its leadership group. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
An Aloof Persona
Adofo-Mensah reportedly didn’t work the traditional hours of an NFL general manager, balancing a home life and young children. Some have whispered that he took a two-month-long paternity leave, which is fantastic, but uncommon and perhaps frowned upon in NFL circles.
The guy hired as the “Moneyball GM” four years ago indeed effectuated his version of Moneyball in the Twin Cities, leading him to work behind the scenes when brokering in-person relationships might’ve been the wiser priority. Think of it as a manager at your job who largely stays in his or her office when he or she could be out boosting morale and showing a team-player attitude.
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In short, the “spreadsheet guy” appears to have preferred the solace of spreadsheets to that of human contact.
A String of Terrible Trades
In one year alone, Adofo-Mensah confusingly traded strong roster pieces like Harrison Phillips (DT) to the New York Jets and Mekhi Blackmon (CB) to the Indianapolis Colts for somewhat worthless 6th-Round picks. Sixth-rounders are akin to purchasing $2 scratch-off tickets and expecting to win $100,000. It usually doesn’t work that way.
In fact, glancing at the current depth chart in 2026, Minnesota could use Phillips and Blackmon on the depth chart right now. Both men played meaningful roles with their respective teams in 2025.
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Moreover, Adofo-Mensah onboarded Adam Thielen, a 35-year-old, for a deal involving a 4th-Round pick to Carolina late last summer. That transaction would’ve been great if a) Thielen was used as a WR3 b) he hadn’t reached an age-related decline. Minnesota never used Thielen as a WR3, and within a few weeks, he seemed “washed.”
Thielen requested his roster release three months later and retired after that. The Vikings won’t have a 4th-Rounder in 2027 because of the weird gaffe. The Carolina Panthers fleeced Adofo-Mensah. Thielen barely played, didn’t have a retirement ceremony in the Twin Cities, and is now gone forever.
Robert Kraft
You will read on the internet this week that Adofo-Mensah had a deal lined up with the New England Patriots to trade for the third overall pick in 2024, netting the Vikings Super Bowl-bound quarterback Drake Maye. That part is true.
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The false part? Some are insinuating that Adofo-Mensah backed out of the deal at the last second. That is false. Robert Kraft, the Patriots’ owner, vetoed the trade in the 11th hour.
New England Revolution owner Robert Kraft watches warmups at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on November 8, 2023, as the longtime executive observes preparations from the sidelines before a matchup against the Philadelphia Union. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports.
Had Kraft not intervened — for the Patriots’ sake, thank God he did — Minnesota would’ve drafted Maye, and the rest would be history. However, Kraft acted wisely, getting the best version of cold feet for his organization.
Kraft singlehandedly might’ve sealed Adofo-Mensah’s fate with the reversal.
J.J. McCarthy Not Game-Ready
With Adofo-Mensah gone, many have now suggested everything that has gone right for the Vikings is attributable to Kevin O’Connell, with all the nasty malarkey to the fault of Adofo-Mensah. Pretty convenient, eh?
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No matter what, the buck stopped with Adofo-Mensah on the J.J. McCarthy draft pick. The Vikings can preach a “culture of collaboration,” and that’s peachy, but at the end of the day, the general manager makes the draft picks.
Adofo-Mensah picked McCarthy as the face of his competitive rebuild. Three and a half months later, McCarthy succumbed to a torn meniscus in August 2024, and when he healed, he very vividly wasn’t ready for the bright lights of the QB1 job in 2025. McCarthy flashed at times and in clutch moments, but it wasn’t enough to propel Minnesota to the 2025 postseason. He also suffered more injuries.
Like the would-be Maye trade, had McCarthy stayed healthy, Adofo-Mensah might still be employed. But let’s face it: the guy drafted by Adofo-Mensah to define his legacy has not panned out over two seasons, missing 70% of games due to injury.
The Sam Darnold Decision
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Why was Adofo-Mensah canned three and a half weeks after the Week 18? Probably because Sam Darnold’s visit to the Super Bowl served as a smoking gun and the straw that broke the camel’s back. Think about it: the two guys in the Vikings’ orbit to possibly lead the purple team in 2024 and 2025 — Darnold and Maye — will play in the Super Bowl next weekend, while Vikings fans wonder if McCarthy is even durable enough to develop into a long-time starter.
The Vikings’ owners, Mark and Zygi Wilf, probably watched Darnold advance to the Super Bowl and thought, “Oh my dear God.”
Adofo-Mensah again is the victim of after-the-fact theories that claim “O’Connell wanted Darnold and Adofo-Mensah did not,” but the fact remains that the Vikings general manager did not re-sign Darnold or franchise tag him. That guy is now in line to win Super Bowl MVP.
Poor Drafts
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Every NFL team starts with seven picks in a draft. For Adofo-Mensah, that means he had 28 swings at the plate since taking over in 2022.
His 28 picks have resulted in these success stories: Jordan Addison (WR), Jalen Nailor (WR), Will Reichard (K), Levi Drake Rodriguez (DT), and Dallas Turner (OLB). Five dudes.
Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine prepares on the field at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, on August 20, 2022, showing pregame warmups before a preseason meeting with the San Francisco 49ers, as the rookie gained early experience adjusting to the NFL environment during his first professional season. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
That’s five good players in four years. Some teams have quadruple that.
One can deduce that Adofo-Mensah connected on 17%-20% of draft picks. That’s not sustainable — at all — and will murder any franchise if no remedy is sought. Minnesota’s fix will be finding somebody who can draft.
It is not normal to have just five contributors from the draft in four years. It’s downright cancerous for team-building. The draft is the only place in sports to get “free” players. In the last few years, Vikings fans have basically conceded, “Well, we won’t hit on hardly any picks, so let’s hope free agency goes well.”
Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues admitted they were short of runs in the opening women’s T20I but said the series presents a valuable opportunity for the batting unit, especially the allrounders, to prepare for the upcoming World Cup. India failed to build sustained momentum and finished with 157 for seven, a total that South Africa chased down comfortably to seal a six-wicket win in the series opener here on Friday. “I feel, starting off in batting, we were around 15-20 runs short. With the kind of start we got, I think Shafali Verma, the way she batted was great,” Rodrigues told reporters.
“Then two wickets falling in two overs, but then Harmanpreet Kaur and I getting that partnership back. I think when we had built that momentum and removed the difficult part of it, when time came to capitalise, we were not able to capitalise.
“And also, the conditions were a little bit tricky in the first innings. There was slight hold on the wicket. But yeah, definitely we were 15 runs short.” Harmanpreet Kaur (47 not out off 33 balls) and Rodrigues (36; 29b) shared a 71-run stand (51b) in the middle overs to steady the innings.
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However, Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh (5) fell in quick succession, denying India a late flourish.
“I know Harman and I could have gone deep.
“Even Richa, little here and there, it was a six. So, sometimes when you come in, in such a position, you need to back yourself. It is like 1 out of those 10 times where it will go for a catch,” Rodrigues said Richa’s dismissal.
“But I know 9 out of 10 times, she will hit it in the stands. So, I think we can definitely work on that because coming to the World Cup, we have batting till the end, a lot of all-rounders.
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“But also, the all-rounders coming later have not got so much match time and experience. So, I think playing here in South Africa is going to be really great for us as a preparation also for the World Cup and for our entire batting order too.” India were also sloppy with the ball, conceding 14 wides as South Africa overhauled the target in 19.1 overs.
Laura Wolvaardt (51 off 39) laid the foundation for the chase.
Annerie Dercksen (44 not out off 34) then powered the hosts home with an authoritative finish.
“Coming in the second innings, I think our bowlers did really well to get it to the last over. Like Shreyanka Patil bowled really well, Shree Charani bowled really well,” Rodrigues said.
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“A little more better execution and I think we are going to come back stronger in the next game.” Rodrigues said the wicket was tricky and stressed the need to capitalise on good starts.
“I felt in the first innings, the ball was gripping a bit. It was not coming as nicely on the bat. I feel Harman and I, the partnership we had was really good. It was just that when the time came for us to capitalise, I got out at the wrong time,” she said.
“Because for set batters, it is easier to bat through and take it deep. So, in the next match, I will come back and take that responsibility again.” Looking ahead, Rodrigues said the team would focus on better execution.
“In the next game, for us as a batting unit, I think in the day, again we know what the conditions will be like. We know that this pitch might have slight turn and slight hold. And in the day time, it is also going to play the same in both the innings.
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“So, that is one positive where it is not much on the toss. And the second thing would be, as a bowling unit, we will work a lot more on our execution and come back stronger.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated 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
The 2026 Play-In Tournament has been something of a greatest hits album for Draymond Green. In Wednesday’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Green turned back the clock and delivered one of the better postseason defensive performances we’ve seen in years. He locked down Kawhi Leonard in the fourth quarter and came up with multiple huge steals to help secure a Golden State Warriors victory.
But Friday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns represented the other constant of Green’s career: his battles with the officials. With Golden State trailing by double digits with 1:06 remaining on the clock, Green sent Devin Booker to the line with a tough foul. Green subbed out of the game after the foul, but the two kept talking afterward, because crew chief Scott Foster ejected both with 1:04 on the clock.
As Green left the court, he egged the crowd on by signaling for more noise.
Green has quite a history of postseason discipline. He was infamously suspended for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals for accumulating too many flagrant foul points over the course of the playoffs. In 2022, he was ejected from Game 1 of Golden State’s second-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies for committing a flagrant-2 foul on Brandon Clarke. In 2023, he was suspended for Game 3 of Golden State’s first-round series against the Sacramento Kings for stomping on the chest of Domantas Sabonis.
Friday’s ejection was the least consequential instance of Green getting punished for his on-court conduct. The game was decided. The season was functionally over for the Warriors, as this was an elimination Play-In game.
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Yet the league could easily look at this, given his track record, and consider a possible fine for his conduct as he exited the game. Getting ejected is one thing. Making a spectacle of the situation is another.
The NBA has made it clear that it considers his prior disciplinary history in more serious cases, so it wouldn’t be terribly surprising if Green heard from the league office following his early exit.
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill tops the Orange Cap chart in IPL 2026 after playing a match-winning knock of 86 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday in Ahmedabad. Gill now leads with 251 runs in four matches, striking at 154.94 and averaging 62.75. His innings powered his team to chase down 181, as Gujarat Titans registered their third win of the season and moved into the top four of the points table.Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has slipped to second place in the Orange Cap race in IPL 2026, with 228 runs from five matches. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru star has been in sublime form, averaging 57.00 at a strike rate of 158.33, with 25 fours and eight sixes, anchoring the innings while maintaining steady aggression. He is set to play against Delhi Capitals today and could reclaim the top spot in the race.
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Close behind is Heinrich Klaasen of Sunrisers Hyderabad, who has accumulated 224 runs. Klaasen has delivered consistent performances, averaging 44.80 at a strike rate of 142.67, playing a key role in the middle order with two half-centuries. At No. 4 is Kohli’s teammate Rajat Patidar with 222 runs. Patidar has been one of the most explosive batters this season, boasting a remarkable strike rate of 213.46. His power-hitting stands out, with 21 sixes, the most among the top five, alongside two fifties.Ishan Kishan sits fifth with 213 runs for SRH, continuing his aggressive approach at the top. With a strike rate of 190.17, he has dominated attacks, smashing 22 fours and 12 sixes, including a highest score of 91. With the tournament heating up, the Orange Cap race remains tightly contested, with each of these batters playing a crucial role for their teams.Here are the top 10 leading run scorers of IPL 2026:
NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to take on Delhi Capitals in their IPL 2026 encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. In their last outing against Lucknow Super Giants, star batter Virat Kohli was deployed as an Impact Player.Kohli had sustained an ankle injury during the win over Mumbai Indians and did not take the field in the second innings, but still contributed 49 runs against LSG.That raises the key question – will Kohli once again feature as an Impact Player against Delhi Capitals?RCB have been in impressive form this season, suffering just one defeat, which came against Rajasthan Royals. Apart from that, they have recorded dominant wins over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, placing them second on the points table.A victory in this game could see them climb to the top. RCB also have a favourable head-to-head record, having won 20 of the 33 matches played against Delhi Capitals, who have 12 wins, with one match ending without a result.As far as team combination is concerned, Kohli is expected to be fully fit and likely to return as a regular player. However, if the team opts to manage his workload, he could once again be utilised as an Impact Player.Following the win over LSG, Kohli admitted he is still regaining full fitness after a knee issue and a brief illness, though he was satisfied with his batting effort.
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“Much better than the last game. I’m still not 100%. My knee was a bit sore in the last game. Even health-wise, I’ve been under the weather for four or five days now. So, just getting back up to my best. I started well today, so I was happy with my intensity. Again, would have liked to carry on and finish the game off. Sometimes you have to take the conditions into account as well. The pitch slowed down considerably, and I just wanted to keep going in the same manner. But yeah, in the end, should have probably finished that one off as well,” Kohli had said after the match against LSG.Squads:Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(wK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Mangesh Yadav, Josh Hazlewood, Jordan Cox, Nuwan Thushara, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal.Delhi Capitals: KL Rahul(wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi Dar, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, Mitchell Starc, Kyle Jamieson, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prithvi Shaw, Tripurana Vijay, Abishek Porel, Sahil Parakh, Madhav Tiwari
Man Utd play Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday and this is how our writers think they should line up.
Manchester United take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday evening. United suffered a 2-1 defeat to Leeds at the beginning of the week and must bounce back from that disappointing result.
Leeds are fighting to maintain their Premier League status, but they had a two-goal cushion by the interval. Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card in the second half, meaning he will be unavailable.
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Harry Maguire will also be suspended after receiving an additional one-game ban for allegedly acting in an improper manner towards a fourth official against Bournemouth. Michael Carrick was expected to pick Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in central defence at Stamford Bridge, but there are injury fears over the former after he was not spotted travelling to London on Friday afternoon. If he is not part of the matchday squad Carrick will be left with just one fit centre-back.
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Chelsea are sixth in the Premier League, they were hammered 3-0 by Manchester City last weekend, and there are already question marks around their inexperienced manager, Liam Rosenior.
This is how our writers think United should line up:
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Steven Railston
Shaw impressed when playing at centre-back for Erik ten Hag, but I would start Mazraoui and Heaven in the centre of the defence to prevent two left-footed players playing together in the heart of the backline.
Mainoo must be recalled to the starting XI if he passes a late fitness test to feature in the capital. The groans from United fans were loud and clear when Ugarte misplaced a few passes against Leeds. The midfielder has started 10 games this season, and he’s won just once (against Newcastle on Boxing Day).
Mbeumo was named on the bench at the beginning of the week and it’s a no-brainer to start him against Chelsea. Amad looked bright in moments against Leeds, but I would bring Mbeumo into the team for him.
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Ross Jackson
A centre-back pairing of Heaven and Yoro seemed nailed on until the latter wasn’t seen travelling with his teammates to London.
If Yoro isn’t fit then Shaw needs to move into the middle alongside Heaven. That would mean Mazraoui starts at left-back, with Dalot coming in at right-back.
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Ugarte has never looked like making the grade at United and his confidence must be shot after another poor display on Monday night, but if Mainoo wasn’t fit enough to even make the squad against Leeds then it would possibly be an even bigger risk to start him than Ugarte. The Uruguay international can start alongside Casemiro in the middle.
Liam Rosenior knows his side need to produce a big performance today and so expect Chelsea to play on the front foot. That could open up gaps for United to exploit on the counter so a fluid forward line spearheaded by Mbeumo could work well. Benjamin Sesko’s performances off the bench have been good this season and he can be an option late on if United need one.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Pat Perez had a stellar PGA Tour career. In 515 career starts, he had three wins and 64 top-10s, and banked nearly $30 million in earnings. But when LIV Golf came knocking in 2022, Perez, who was then 46, couldn’t resist the siren song of a mega-payday. “It’s like winning the lottery for me,” he said.
As a member of Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces, Perez lasted three years on the tour, never finishing better than 28th in the individual standings. After the 2024 season, when Perez finished a lowly 48th, the 4Aces cut him. But he wasn’t out of work for long. LIV leaned into Perez’s outsize personality and offered him a job as a commentator on its broadcast team.
When we say Perez dropped his clubs for a mic, we mean he quite literally didn’t touch them — for nearly a year. From January 2025 to the end of September of that year, Perez said he didn’t hit a single fade, draw, punch or stinger. Not one golf shot.
”Didn’t even think about it,” he said earlier this week. “I never thought I’d be able to play on the tour again, so I just thought, you know what, I’m just going to kind of hang out and do TV and then we’ll see where it’s at.”
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“The tour” in question was the PGA Tour and its sister properties, namely the PGA Tour Champions, which Perez, before he signed with LIV, would have been eligible to play when he turned 50 in March 2026. But when he joined LIV, the PGA Tour suspended him. In late 2025, Perez applied for PGA Tour reinstatement. The Tour granted his request but with a caveat: He’d have to sit out the entire 2026 season, meaning Perez would forfeit his first 10 months of Champions tour eligibility.
“I said, Okay, ‘I appreciate the opportunity,’” Perez said. “Then I kind of got back into it a little. Then I realized I could play at three majors.” Those would the three of the five senior majors not run by the PGA Tour: the Senior PGA Championship (which is conducted by the PGA of America), the U.S. Senior Open (USGA) and the Senior Open Championship (R&A).
Perez was speaking this week from the first of that trio of events, the Senior PGA at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. “Really my focus changed in August [2025] to get ready for this week,” Perez said Wednesday. “I started counting the days. I got 144 days, and then I got to start working out. I got to start practicing harder and figuring out balls and clubs and all this other stuff and kind of get ready for this week.”
That has meant finding time to practice at his Scottsdale, Ariz., club, Silverleaf, among getting his kids to and from school and getting settled into a new house, a process that has included unboxing and organizing his vast Jordan sneaker collection. There’s also been the small matter of reacclimating his body and mind to the game after such a lengthy break.
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When his LIV playing career ended, Perez thought his playing career, period, ended. At that time, he couldn’t see a path back to high-level professional golf. “I said, ‘You know what, I got nothing to play for,’” he remembered thinking. So, as he globetrotted with LIV, he left his clubs at home and focused on calling golf instead of playing it. “When I came home, the boys are, like, ‘Are you going to play?’ I said, ‘No, I’m just not playing. I have no interest in it right now. I have nothing to get ready for because again, like I said, I did not think that this opportunity would come.”
“It took a while,” he said. “My hand strength was gone. My arm strength was gone. Shoulders hurt. Back hurt. All the muscles I hadn’t used in so long. And then being 49, that’s not easy, either.”
Perez said he had a six-month plan, which has culminated with starting times at the Senior PGA this week. The plan is working. On Thursday, Perez opened with a three-under 69, which was just four back of the day’s low round. On Friday, he shot a 70, to climb to five under. As of this writing, he was tied for 9th, five behind co-leaders Scott Hend and Brian Gay.
Whatever happens this week and at his two other senior major starts this year, Perez will back in 2027 with a new lease on his tour life and a full schedule ahead of him.
“I probably won’t miss an event next year,” he said. “From what I hear, this tour you want to hit it hard from 50 to 55. Since I’m missing 50, I’ll probably hit it hard the first three years and then kind of see where we’re at.”
Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The NFL Draft is just a few days away, and it’s a foregone conclusion that Fernando Mendoza will be the No. 1 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders.
That’s still up for some debate, as the New York Jets own the keys to when the draft actually begins. There’s been plenty of debate between Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey and Ohio State EDGE Arvell Reese.
The Jets have plenty of needs, including a franchise quarterback. Unfortunately, after Mendoza, a quarterback doesn’t exist. That means the Jets are likely to get defensive-minded head coach Aaron Glenn a difference maker on defense.
On popular prediction market site, Kalshi, Reese is more likely to be the No. 2 overall selection as of Friday evening.
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He’s 59% to be the No. 2 overall selection at 61¢. Bailey is 43% to be the No. 2 overall selection at 48¢. Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is <1% – a true long shot.
There’s actually some debate here – and that favors Bailey, who is the less likely player to be selected by the Jets at No. 2 overall.
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After a dominant first three seasons at Stanford, Bailey cemented his NFL Draft stock by showcasing his ability in 14 games at Texas Tech. He had career-highs in almost every category, finishing the season with 52 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. Of course, that was good enough for a consensus All-American.
Reese’s story is just as impressive – but much different.
As a true freshman, Reese appeared in just six games for the Buckeyes. In 2024, Reese played in 16 games for the national championship winning team, recording half a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. In his final season, Reese exploded onto the scene at Ohio State. He had 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He joined Bailey as a consensus All-American.
Most organizations would prefer Reese’s age, which is just 20 years old. Bailey isn’t a dinosaur at 22 years old, but extending Reese on his second contract before he’s 25 years old is very ideal. That maximizes the window for how great players can be in one organization.
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They’re also similar in size – but Reese had some real naysayers at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis because of his unorthodox pass rushing style.
There’s plenty of reason to believe that Reese should be the No. 2 overall pick. But the value on Bailey makes sense, especially if the Jets don’t feel comfortable with drafting a player that could be perceived as a bit of a tweener.
Football fans trying to get to MetLife Stadium from New York City for the World Cup matches this summer will have to pay $150 (€127) for a round-trip, according to local transportation officials.
The price is almost 12 times higher than the usual $12.90 fare for the 15-minute trip from Penn Station in Manhattan to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“We are going to charge $150 for our roundtrip ticket on our system. So from New York to MetLife, MetLife back to New York,” said Kris Kolluri, the president and CEO of NJ Transit.
NJ Transit officials said they planned to spend $62 million on transportation for fans traveling to and from the stadium during the tournament. However, only $14 million of those anticipated expenses had been defrayed by outside grants.
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A fare increase was needed to cover the rest, according to Kolluri.
“This isn’t price gouging,” he told reporters. “We’re literally trying to recoup our costs.”
Driving to the stadium will be even more expensive. According to the Just Park site, limited parking options will be available at the stadium for fans with disabilities and at an adjacent mall for other supporters. Prices start at $225 per parking space.
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US politicians and FIFA trade blame
New Jersey’s recently sworn-in governor, Mikie Sherrill, defended the state transit organization’s policies on X, saying that “FIFA put zero dollars towards transporting World Cup fans.”
She called on the international football’s governing body to cover the transportation costs. “If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day,” Sherrill said in a statement.
On Tuesday, as initial reports emerged, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also wrote on social media that FIFA should foot the bill for transport costs to World Cup venues.
MetLife Stadium is home to the National Football League’s (NFL) New York Giants and New York JetsImage: felixtm/Depositphotos/IMAGO
However, FIFA’s World Cup chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi said the move to “arbitrarily set elevated prices and demand FIFA absorb these costs is unprecedented.”
FIFA also pointed out that other US host cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston, are maintaining their transit rates.
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Boston is one notable exception. Officials announced this week that express buses from various locations to Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots, will cost $95.
Fans call World Cup prices ‘insane’ and ‘astronomical’
The MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup matches, including the final on July 19. The group stage matches will include teams from football powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany, and England.
A French “Irresistibles Francais” fan organization called the train ticket pricing “completely insane.”
“Every day there’s bad news about transportation,” said Guillaume Aupretre, a spokesman for the group. “You really have to wonder how far this madness is going to go.”
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Meanwhile, England’s Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) chief Thomas Concannon told the BBC “Every single thing coming out of this tournament so far is just fans getting fleeced.”
“The price is obviously astronomical in terms of what you would expect to pay going to a match,” he said. “We weren’t expecting to be gouged.”
Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Talles Magno (11) looks to shoot the ball defended by St. Louis City SC midfielder Miguel Perez (28) during the second half at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images
Is dynamic offensive threat Talles Magno finally ready to pay dividends in his second stint with New York City FC?
That question may be answered when NYCFC (3-2-2, 11 points) play host to Charlotte FC (3-2-2, 11 points) on Saturday at Citi Field in a matchup of teams part of the four-way fourth-place logjam in the Eastern Conference.
Magno first made noise as a high-profile teenager in 2021 for the eventual MLS Cup champions. He scored the winning goal as New York City topped Philadelphia Union 2-1 in the conference finals. A year later, Magno posted seven goals and 10 assists.
After being on loan for 17 months to Brazilian team Corinthians, Magno, now 23, returned this season but has yet to start an MLS match.
“There’s a few things he needs to take care of,” coach Pascal Jansen said. “Physically, he’s not at the level yet where he needs to be in order to be competitive enough with the guys that are the starters at the moment.”
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Magno flashed his scoring ability on Tuesday, achieving the first hat trick of his professional career while leading NYCFC to a 5-2 win over Westchester SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 match.
“I’m working very hard on getting my opportunity to start, given everything that’s possible for the team,” Magno said through an interpreter on Thursday. “I’m working with Pascal to see what I can do to get that opportunity.”
In the meantime, Nico Fernandez (five goals), Maxi Moralez (five assists) and Agustin Ojeda (two goals, one assist) have been supplying firepower for NYCFC.
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After a hot start, New York City has gone 0-2-1 in its last three MLS matches. That includes last week’s 2-0 loss at Western Conference leader Vancouver.
Charlotte FC have been heading the other direction. They played four straight matches without a loss before falling last week at home to Eastern Conference leader Nashville SC, 2-1.
Pep Biel paces Charlotte with four goals and two assists while Archie Goodwin has notched three goals.
Charlotte FC also are coming off a 6-0 U.S. Open Cup win on Wednesday over Charlotte Independence as six players dented the net.
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NYCFC topped Charlotte FC in the opening round of the MLS playoffs last year, holding them to one goal in the three-match series.
“Some of the players might feel scars because of that,” coach Dean Smith said. “There may be some scars where people have some things to prove but for me, it’s just a new season, new game.”
The team of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr expected damp weather in Sydney’s autumn period and built La Fracas’ schedule around such scenarios.
Price regards the gelding as among the elite, potentially the standout, on soft ground that he has ever prepared.
Yet, the going was unsuitable for La Fracas in both of his Sydney starts, so the stable opted to bring him home to contest the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington on Saturday.
“We had him up in our Rosehill stable hoping for some moisture, and it seemed every time we were zigging, the rain was zagging,” Kent Jnr said.
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“First-up 1100 (metres), we went back from the gate, and he worked home well then second-up, he was the only horse all day to break 34 (seconds) last 600 (metres).
“He got a long way back and out wide in inferior ground.
“We had intentions of running him in the Hall Mark (Stakes on Saturday at Randwick), but it’s very warm and sunny, so we thought the Hareeba looks a beautiful back-up plan.
“He’s won at Mornington before, it’s a toe in track and there is rain about and thankfully he’s drawn a beautiful gate.
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“He looks poised to run a very good race.”
Kent Jnr mentioned that Brisbane loomed after Sydney in the plans for La Fracas, a path that could still materialise.
The co-trainer stressed that Saturday’s performance will dictate next steps.
“We originally thought we would be Sydney then Queensland, but you have to put them where they can win, so it’s one race at a time,” Kent Jnr said.
“He’s a benchmark 90 gelding at the moment, so we’ll worry about Saturday first, but there is Adelaide, there’s the Wangoom, or there’s Brisbane, depending on what happens at Mornington.”
Check racing odds for the Hareeba Stakes via trusted betting sites.
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