Last summer, controversy swirled when it was revealed that former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, in his role as a Florida high school football coach, paid for his team’s meals and transportation. Evidently strictly forbidden, Bridgewater eventually left his job and returned to the NFL. He was also suspended. Fast forward to May 2026, and Florida lawmakers changed the rules.

Bridgewater’s generosity became a fight over rules, but Florida lawmakers ultimately sided with common sense.

The Bridgewater Act now allows exactly what the man provided: aid.

The Bridgewater Act Flips Last Summer’s Controversy

They got this one right.

The Bridgewater Act Goes into Law

It’s done. Associated Press reported Saturday: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the ‘Teddy Bridgewater Act’ into law Friday, meaning high school coaches in the state will now be able to use their own money to help their players with expenses such as food, transportation, physical therapy and rehabilitation services.”

“The Bridgewater Act is named for the Florida native and longtime NFL quarterback who coached his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High, to a state championship in 2024. But he was suspended for the 2025 season after revealing that he personally paid for meals, ride-share services and treatments for some players.”

Bridgewater was totally miffed by the outrage last summer.

“There will be strict rules regarding how — and how much — coaches can spend. It would apply to a team’s head coach only, cannot be used in recruiting, must be reported in full to a state agency and is capped at $15,000 per team per year,” AP added.

FL Governor on the Law

Bridgewater had Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on his side, paving the way for change.

DeSantis said before signing the bill into law, “He got into this situation where he was paying for meals and rides for some of his players who were underprivileged and he was using his personal funds to do this. These were people that he was mentoring and that somehow got him suspended because of the way the rules were written.”

“Look, there’s some possible downsides if you don’t have a structure like we have. But I also think the previous rules didn’t allow for the upside for a coach that really wants to make a difference in folks’ lives.”

NFL fans and Florida residents largely sided with Bridgewater’s cause last summer, embracing the Robin Hood feel of his deeds. In that vein, it wasn’t difficult to see his intent.

A Bizarre Grievance

Bridgewater personally funded Uber rides, meals, clothing, and strength-and-conditioning support. When the story broke in July, many people simply shrugged. A wealthy former NFL quarterback using his own money to help high school players didn’t strike most as a major scandal.

The FHSAA, however, viewed the situation differently.

From their perspective, Bridgewater’s generosity provided certain athletes an unfair advantage. Since other high school players lacked access to similar resources, this, by their rules, rendered the entire arrangement illegal.

The public’s reaction was far simpler: “Who cares?”

Bridgewater wasn’t accused of exploiting children, steering them toward agents, or running a clandestine recruiting operation. The sole complaint was that he had simply provided too much assistance. Most people found this perfectly acceptable; “He’s not hurting anyone,” was the obvious response, and it’s difficult to argue otherwise.

Bridgewater, 10 months ago, said about the allegations: “I’m protective, and I’m a father first before anything. And when I decided to coach, those players became my sons. And I wanted to make sure that I just protected them in the best way that I can.”

“I think that’s what came about. Miami Northwestern in a tough neighborhood and sometimes things can happen when the kids are walking home and things like that. So I was just trying to protect them and give them a ride home instead of having to take those dangerous walks.”

Bridgewater Back with Lions

Meanwhile, Bridgewater has not returned to high school football — the FHSAA suspended him — and is now the Detroit Lions’ backup quarterback. He’d be the first line of defense if something happened to Jared Goff.

Bridgewater played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025.

It’s unclear if Bridgewater will return to coaching when he formally retires (again) from the NFL. He did, though, effectuate change.

Bridgewater will turn 34 in November and was the Vikings’ main ray of hope at quarterback in 2014 and 2015. The Vikings and Lions will lock horns for the first time in 2026 on November 1st.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

The Minnesota Vikings’ defense was the backbone of the team, keeping the 2025 Vikings competitive while the offense struggled all season. There have been some changes to the unit this offseason, and there could be room for one more move. Here are three Vikings trade candidates to boost the defense ahead of the 2026 season.

Defensive Depth Could Become Minnesota’s Trade Focus

I recently wrote about Pro Football Focus’s selection of Blake Cashman as a potential trade candidate. The three players named here appear in the same article and are players the Vikings should be interested in if they want to improve their team.

Minnesota isn’t blessed with a ton of salary cap space, but that can be worked around if you want it to. If the Vikings really want to be competitive in a tough division, here are three defensive players who can make a difference.

Ronnie Hickman (S), Cleveland Browns

Safety was one of the big areas of concern in Minnesota coming into the offseason, and there hasn’t been much done to alleviate those concerns other than drafting Jakobe Thomas in the third round of this year’s draft. Adding a player like Cleveland’s Ronnie Hickman would give the team a solid starter who thrives on coverage, and at a good age to be a long-term solution. Here is what PFF says about Hickman and his trade potential.

Although the Browns were widely lauded for assembling one of the league’s best draft classes, their rookie crop might have ripple effects on someone like Hickman.

The 24-year-old has been sneakily good since being an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, producing at least a 70.6 overall PFF grade in every year. In 2025 specifically, Hickman thrived in coverage with a 75.3 PFF coverage mark — the 10th-best among qualified safeties — while averaging a sound 29.0 snaps per reception.

After Cleveland drafted Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the second round, it suggests that either Hickman or Grant Delpit isn’t in the team’s long-term future. Both are on expiring contracts, although Hickman seems like the better trade piece given his superior production and younger age.

Jeremy Chinn (S), Las Vegas Raiders

Chinn is the more veteran option at safety with six seasons accrued in the league. He would be a solid option and would improve the Vikings’ safety unit, but he’s not the coverage guy I believe the team needs. Here is what PFF says about his availability.

Chinn enjoyed a resurgent season with the Raiders, but his future with the team might be in doubt.

The former second-round pick played to a 67.7 overall PFF grade in his first campaign in Las Vegas, his best since 2021. Chinn’s 69.5 PFF run-defense grade placed in the 67th percentile at the position, and he missed a modest 9.9% of his tackle attempts.

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The Raiders made a splash when they selected versatile Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes with the 38th overall pick. While Stukes may play all over the secondary, he figures to be more of a traditional safety considering the team also acquired slot corner Taron Johnson. As a result, organizations could call about Chinn with just one year left on his contract.

Jer’Zhan Newton (DT), Washington Commanders

Minnesota bolstered its interior defensive line in this year’s draft, selecting both Caleb Banks (first round) and Domonique Orange (third round). So did Washington, and that could leave former second-round pick Jer’Zhan Newton available. Newton has struggled in run defense, but he has proven he can be an effective pass rusher, and at the right price, Brian Flores could make good use of him as a pass rush specialist. Here is PFF’s lowdown on Newton.

The Commanders relentlessly fortified their ailing defense this offseason, including along the defensive line. However, that negatively affects someone like Newton.

The 36th overall pick in 2024 hasn’t blossomed as Washington would’ve hoped, notching a career 50.0 overall PFF grade with a 38.6 PFF run-defense grade. Yet what has been encouraging is Newton’s pass-rushing, as his 9.3% pass-rush win rate placed in the 63rd percentile last year.

The Commanders inked former Texans interior defender Tim Settle to a three-year, $25.5 million contract during free agency, which only pushes Newton down the depth chart. The 23-year-old former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year could garner attention for teams looking to bet on his upside.

Of these three options, Hickman would be the top prize and the player I’d most like to see the Vikings pursue. However, Newton would also be an intriguing option. It remains to be seen if Minnesota has any desire to be in the trade market.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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Spain has announced World Cup squad, which includes no Real Madrid players. Bruno Génésio is leaving LOSC. In Italy, AC Milan is undergoing a major shake-up following its disastrous end to the season. 

The second-ranked Texas Longhorns softball team clinched the Austin Super Regional and earned a trip Women’s College World Series, with a 5-0 win over Arizona State on Sunday. But the victory was overshadowed by an explicit hot mic moment.

ESPN microphones picked up an unidentified person whispering obscene remarks after Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan got ahead 1-0 against the opposing batter.

A male voice was then heard over the microphone directing listeners — and likely viewers — to lick a specific part of his anatomy, video showed.

The remark, however, did not seem to distract play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown, who continued the broadcast without acknowledging it.

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A general view of Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin, Texas, before the SEC college softball game between Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers on April 12, 2025. (David Buono/Icon Sportswire)

“You’re going to compete for national championships as an assistant, and then they’re going to send you off,” Brown said while discussing Arizona State manager Megan Bartlett’s track record of developing assistants.

UMPIRE CURSES HIMSELF OUT ON HOT MIC AFTER MISSING CALL

Sunday’s moment was just one of several surprising developments leading up to the tournament.

An Arizona State Sun Devils softball helmet is shown during a college softball game between the CSUN Matadors and Arizona State Sun Devils at Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 10, 2019. (Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire)

A celebration involving former NBA star Jason Williams and his daughter, Mia, led to Williams’ ejection during Texas Tech’s game against Florida over the weekend.

Mia hit a two-run homer to help push the Red Raider past the Gators, her former team, last Friday.

NCAA signage is displayed before the Division II women’s softball championship game between the UT Tyler Patriots and Western Washington Vikings at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, Fla., on May 25, 2024. (Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

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Texas will take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Thursday in the double-elimination round of the Women’s College World Series.

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Captain Dean Henderson has challenged Crystal Palace to “finish the movie off” when their Conference League final brings down the curtain on Oliver Glasner’s glittering spell in south London.

The Austrian manager has already guided the Eagles to an historic FA Cup and a Community Shield, and on Wednesday night in Leipzig could leave Palace with the ultimate parting gift, should they beat Rayo Vallecano and require even more room in their trophy cabinet.

Henderson inherited the armband following Marc Guehi’s January departure to Manchester City, and, despite admitting to feeling “depressed” during the post-FA Cup comedown, wants nothing more than to polish off a “sensational” script for his departing boss.

“The togetherness in this group is phenomenal,” said the England goalkeeper. “All the lads are pushing in the right direction for each other. All the staff at the training ground, everyone.

“It’s just like a family club. We’re all pushing towards the same end goal. Obviously, it would be a great way to finish the movie off for Glasner as well. Everyone wants that happy ending and everyone’s working towards that.

“It’d be unbelievable for him, wouldn’t it? Obviously the best manager this club’s ever had and to finish on such a high would be sensational.”

Henderson was instrumental in Palace’s 2025 FA Cup triumph over Manchester City, saving Omar Marmoush’s first-half penalty in their 1-0 win at Wembley, where they secured their first major silverware and a proper European campaign.

The passionate and popular skipper is candid about how he felt after that day, admitting: “The high to the low. I remember after the FA Cup final, three days after, I didn’t want to get out of bed. I was like, ‘what has gone on here?’

“I swear. I don’t know whether that was alcohol, or… but I actually think it was like, I felt depressed. It was mad. But I don’t know why. I’ve never really spoken about it.”

Henderson admitted Wednesday’s European final has been playing on his mind during the final stages of the campaign.

“Naturally, you’re thinking about it,” he said. “Even for the last couple of weeks, you’re probably thinking, ‘let’s try and win the final’. It’s natural. No one speaks about it. No one speaks about it to each other. It’s just about your individual battles, isn’t it?”

While it remains uncertain who will follow in Glasner’s indelible footprints, when the credits finally roll on Palace’s topsy-turvy campaign, Henderson and his fellow Premier League protagonists want to be holding a trophy.”

He added: “When the tournament’s got real, we’ve turned up haven’t we? We’ve delivered some great performances and some good results, obviously, since we got out of the group stage.

“So, yeah, as I say, we’re looking forward to it. We won’t freeze. We’ll play with no fear and we’ll have confidence.”

Pacer Yash Dayal has finally opened up on missing the ongoing season of the IPL for the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, saying that he is still part of the squad despite his absence this year. Before the start of the season, RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat revealed that Dayal would not feature for the Bengaluru side this year due to a “personal situation.” However, the 28-year-old has differed from the explanation given by Bobat regarding his absence from the team this season.

Speaking on the Talk with Manvendra podcast, Dayal revealed that he misses the team and insisted that opting out of the ongoing season was not his decision.

“Obviously, if you are sitting outside. When I watch them on television, sometimes I just get up. But then it is my team, and they haven’t removed me. They kept me on the retain list and didn’t get me a replacement. They probably think that I am an important part. The other thing is that my opting out of this season wasn’t my personal decision. The statement could be controversial, but the decision is always made by the authority. I don’t know what was the reason was behind RCB’s decision. I miss them a lot. I don’t know if the team misses me, the fans will say that,” said Dayal.

Dayal added that he remains in regular contact with the RCB management, including team mentor Dinesh Karthik, despite his absence from the field this season.

“I have been in conversations with the management. I have spoken to the director, and with the coach too, and also Dinesh Karthik. We communicate in intervals, and the connection hasn’t broken. There is no communication gap. Everything is clear and sorted,” he added.

For context, Dayal’s absence is linked to ongoing legal proceedings that have prevented him from returning to competitive cricket. 

The pacer faces allegations of sexual exploitation in one matter, alongside a separate case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The first FIR against 27-year-old Dayal, who plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL, was registered on July 6 at the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad district under Section 69 (Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Dayal has been accused of sexually exploiting a woman on the pretext of marriage.

Regarding the second instance, NDTV accessed the FIR report, which was registered against Dayal at Jaipur’s Sanganer Police Station for allegedly raping a girl over a period of two years while emotionally blackmailing her. It was revealed that Dayal lured her with promises of a cricketing career and invited her to a hotel in Sitapura, where the first sexual assault took place. The girl was only 17 when the abuse began, prompting the police to register the case under the POCSO Act.

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The Garden crowd isn’t ready for this.

The New York Knicks demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93, capping a dominant four-game sweep to reach the franchise’s first NBA Finals since 1999.

The Knicks controlled Game 4 from the opening tip, racing out to a double-digit lead and never allowing Cleveland back into contention.

New York buried 19 of 43 3-pointers while dominating the rebounding battle.

Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks celebrates during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 25, 2026. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

OutKick founder Clay Travis summed up Cleveland’s no-show effort perfectly …

“The Cavs just totally quit this series after the fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1. Embarrassing effort since then,” Travis posted on X. “Congrats to the Knicks, party like it’s 1999.”

The blowout capped a stunning collapse for Cleveland, which entered the series viewed by many as the East’s most complete team.

KNICKS STAR JOSH HART LEAVES KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS BEWILDERED WITH HILARIOUS ANALYTICS ANALOGY

With more than eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 4, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson pulled his starters, effectively conceding the series as the Knicks turned the final minutes into a celebration.

On Sunday, Atkinson told reporters he believed the Cavaliers had “analytically” won two of the first three games. Instead, New York responded with overwhelming physical dominance.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the third quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks is defended by James Harden of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 25, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Karl-Anthony Towns anchored the interior with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson orchestrated the offense without committing a turnover.

KNICKS PICK MIKE BROWN AS FRANCHISE’S NEXT HEAD COACH AFTER TOM THIBODEAU’S SHOCKING DISMISSAL: REPORT

Even Donovan Mitchell’s 31-point performance wasn’t enough to keep Cleveland competitive as the Knicks’ defense smothered the Cavaliers’ perimeter attack for the fourth straight game.

The victory also marked New York’s sixth consecutive road playoff win.

The Finals appearance serves as a massive validation for the organization after the Knicks moved on from Tom Thibodeau following last season and hired Mike Brown amid heavy skepticism and immense pressure to win immediately. Under Brown, the Knicks have become the NBA’s hottest team, carrying an undefeated streak of more than a month into the Finals.

New York will now face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, which begin June 3.

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The road to the Larry O’Brien Trophy runs through Madison Square Garden.

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela 

Punjab Kings spent 22 days at the top of the IPL 2026 Points table but still failed to qualify for the Playoffs. The Shreyas Iyer-led side made a dream start to the new season with 6 victories on the trot but ended up losing their next 6 matches while one match was abandoned due to rain. It was such a drop-off in form for the franchise that despite winning their last match against Lucknow Super Giants, they were fifth with 15 points from 14 matches. When it comes to days spent at the top of the table, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were second with 18, Rajasthan Royals third with 13 and Sunrisers Hyderabad fourth with 4. Gujarat Titans were number one in the IPL points table for just one day and ended up finishing in the second position.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s pursuit of back-to-back Indian Premier League (IPL) titles will run into the season’s most disciplined bowling attack when they face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, with a direct place in the final at stake.

Both teams ended the league stage on 18 points after 14 matches, but RCB claimed the top spot owing to a superior net run rate. Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans have arguably been the two most complete sides of IPL 2026, though they have taken contrasting routes to the playoffs. RCB, under skipper Rajat Patidar, built their campaign around aggressive batting and a far more reliable bowling unit than in previous seasons.

The defending champions repeatedly crossed 200 this season and benefited immensely from the experience of the iconic Virat Kohli at the top and the pace duo of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the ball.

Their ability to win away from home and close out tight matches made them one of the most consistent sides of the league phase. RCB also carry the advantage of recent familiarity with conditions in Dharamsala, where they sealed a crucial win against Punjab Kings earlier this month.

GT, meanwhile, have surged into the playoffs on the back of a formidable bowling attack and a top order that rarely allowed pressure to build. Captain Shubman Gill, the elegant Sai Sudharsan and explosive wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler have provided solidity and firepower in equal measure.

But it is GT’s bowling that has stood out in the second half of the season. The pace trio of Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada and Prasidh Krishna has consistently struck with the new ball, while Rashid Khan and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore have controlled the middle overs expertly.

GT head into the knockout clash with strong momentum after hammering Chennai Super Kings by 89 runs in their final league game.

(With PTI inputs)

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