Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) and wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrate a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Last month, Bleacher Report ranked all NFL teams’ wide receiving corps, and the Minnesota Vikings checked in at No. 1. Fast forward to July, and SI.com has come along to do the same thing, but this time ranking duos, and in this case, just Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison from Minnesota.
And according to Gilbert Manzano, the pair ranks fifth-best in the NFL, which is a bit low for Vikings fans’ liking.
Vikings’ QB Fix Could Settle the Whole Argument
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates with teammate Jordan Addison (3) after a touchdown at Nissan Stadium, with Nov. 17, 2024 marking the first-half moment in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans. Jefferson’s score helped spark Minnesota’s offense as the Vikings built road momentum during an interconference matchup that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.
Manzano: Jefferson, Addison Rank No. 5
Manzano explained the fifth-best ranking: “There were a few duos considered for the fifth spot, including the Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed, Broncos’ Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton, and Patriots’ A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. But two of those candidates haven’t played a game together and Shaheed made more of an impact on special teams than as a receiver after joining Seattle in a midseason trade from the Saints.”
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“There is some uncertainty with the partnership of Jefferson and Addison after a down 2025 season and the ongoing quarterback battle between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.”
If there’s uncertainty about the WR duo, it’s news to those who closely follow the Vikings.
Manzano continued, “But this is a dominant duo when receiving competent quarterback play, evident from what they have done since the Vikings drafted Addison in 2023 to pair him with Jefferson, who still might be the league’s best receiver after delivering his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season, despite the disastrous QB play in 2025.”
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“If Murray can regain his top form or McCarthy shows vast improvement, there likely won’t be any debate about who’s the best wideout in the game. Addison hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiving season in his three-year career, but his knack for stretching the field has given Jefferson plenty of beneficial matchups on the field.”
A Quiet Year in 2025 by Their Standards
In 2025, Jefferson logged 1,024 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, totally pedestrian numbers compared to his typical interstellar standard. His copilot, Addison, produced 610 yards and 3 touchdowns. Together, they created a stat line that Jefferson generally posts by his lonesome.
So, what happened? The Vikings’ quarterback struggled, with McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer all getting snaps under center. Wentz, at times, was able to distribute effectively, but McCarthy struggled with consistency, and Brosmer was a total train wreck.
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If you’re wondering why Jefferson and Addison didn’t rank higher than No. 5 on Manzano’s list, this is probably it — the “what have you done for me lately?” argument.
A Chance to Rebound with Revamped Quarterbacking
Of course, the minuscule output from Jefferson and Addison need not persist. That’s why Murray is in town — to unlock the pass-catchers and the offense, as a whole, to its fullest potential.
In February, the rumor mill suggested that the Arizona Cardinals would cut ties with Murray after seven seasons, and that proved accurate. The Cardinals dumped Murray, willing to pay him to play for another team, and the Vikings pounced, securing the 28-year-old on a contract worth $1.3 million.
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison secures a pass during pregame warm-ups at Lambeau Field, with Sept. 29, 2024, placing the division matchup preparations in Green Bay before facing the Packers. Addison moves through routes as Minnesota’s offense works on timing, hands, and rhythm under the early stadium lights that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
Murray didn’t find much team success in Arizona — just one postseason appearance and zero playoff wins since 2019 — but his individual numbers hint that he can succeed in his next chapter, which might involve getting players like Jefferson and Addison the ball.
For example, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride turned into one of the best players at his position with Murray running the show. If McBride could pull that off, why Jefferson and Murray?
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as Top Dogs
Manzano nominated the Bengals’ WRs as the league’s best, noting, “With most duos, it’s about complementing each other with different skills. That’s not the case with Chase, a top-three wideout, and Higgins, a clutch playmaker who can take over games when needed.”
“They’re both versatile as wideouts who can make plays downfield and near the line of scrimmage. It also helps that Joe Burrow is an established elite quarterback. This dynamic offense has been held back a bit playing with a poor defense the past few seasons.”
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When best WR duo articles circulate on the internet, it’s almost always these two who take home the bacon.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) shares a postgame hug with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) at U.S. Bank Stadium, with Sept. 21, 2025 capturing the moment in Minneapolis after the matchup. The LSU stars reconnect on the field as players begin clearing out following the final whistle. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Manzano concluded, “It’s been three years since Burrow, Chase and Higgins played in a playoff game, but this group got to a Super Bowl in the 2021 season, Chase’s rookie year. Perhaps this high-scoring offense can return to the big stage after the offseason moves the Bengals made defensively, including the trade for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II.”
“The AFC likely doesn’t want to see this scary offense return to the postseason.”
Jefferson turned 27 this offseason, and Addison is 24.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Triple H shared a major tease ahead of WWE SummerSlam Night 2. Roman Reigns is scheduled to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins in the main event of tonight’s show.
The Game shared a video ahead of SummerSlam Night 2 and noted that he arrived at the venue early. He shared that it would be competitive for everyone tonight as Night 1 set the bar. The Hall of Famer teased that it was going to be an exciting night, and you can check out the video below.
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“This is where it gets fun and competitive for everybody and everybody wants to steal the show and they’ve got last night to go off as a barometer. So it makes for an exciting night,” he said. (H/T: WrestleTalk)
Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar in a Hell in a Cell match to close Night 1 of SummerSlam. CM Punk got the better of Cody Rhodes last night as well to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship. Randy Orton returned during the match and hit Rhodes with an RKO. It was the first time The Viper had been seen since his loss to Rhodes at WrestleMania.
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Triple H makes Nick Aldis the GM of WWE SmackDown again
Triple H reinstated Nick Aldis as SmackDown General Manager last night following his match against Gunther.
Aldis returned to the ring for the first time since 2023 and battled The Ring General at WWE SummerSlam. Gunther won the match via submission, and Aldis got a standing ovation after the match.
Aldis then had a conversation with The King of Kings and attempted to resign as GM. However, Triple H told him to call things down the middle moving forward and announced that he was still the GM of SmackDown.
“I’m proud of what you did. I’m proud of what you accomplished. I’m proud of everything you did tonight. But as for this letter of resignation, well, I believe in what you did. You’re reinstated as the General Manager of SmackDown. Lay off of Gunther. Call things down the middle and let’s get back to work,” he said.
Triple H says he found out a few days ago that Oasis for Nick Aldis’ theme song was cleared “I was thrilled to tell him, ‘Oasis is in, dude. We’re doing it.’” #SummerSlam
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It will be interesting to see if Triple H has any surprises planned for fans during Night 2 of WWE SummerSlam.
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Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley made their All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debuts on “Collision” earlier this week as the show took place in the tag team’s hometown of Detroit.
Sabin and Shelley, collectively known as the Motor City Machine Guns, put the AEW tag team on notice and said they were with the company because it was where the best wrestle.
Chris Sabin, Josh Alexander and Alex Shelley pose during New Japan Pro-Wrestling at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 9, 2023.(Getty Images)
“Did you really think we wouldn’t be here? There’s no place we’d rather be in than the greatest city in civilization,” Sabin said. “The place we represented for 20 years. Because this is where the best wrestle.”
The Motor City Machine Guns didn’t take long to make an impact.
After Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Ace Austin and Juice Robinson – better known as the Bang Bang Gang – defeated Jon Moxley, Pac, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta in an eight-man tag team match, they were attacked by Clark Connors and David Finlay.
Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley of the Motor City Machine Guns celebrate with their newly won WWE Tag Team Championship titles after defeating Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa of the Bloodline during WWE SmackDown at Barclays Center in New York City on Oct. 25, 2024.(Getty Images)
The Motor City Machine Guns came down to stave off the attack and embraced the Bang Bang Gang in the ring.
Sabin and Shelley are one of the most-decorated tag teams in pro wrestling. The team had stops in WWE, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. They’ve won tag team titles at every stop.
The two were recently seen in WWE for a near-two-year run. But they departed the company back in April.
Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, known as Motor City Machine Guns, make their entrance during SmackDown at Rupp Arena on June 13, 2025, in Lexington, Ky.(WWE via Getty Images)
India signs off from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in fourth place with 39 medals after a memorable campaign featuring a record 16-medal day, boxing dominance and several historic firsts.
India signed off from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow without adding to their medal tally on the final day, ending the campaign with 39 medals (13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze) to finish fourth overall. The Indian contingent had effectively secured its place in the standings after a record-breaking 16-medal haul on Saturday, the country’s biggest single-day return of the Games. Australia once again topped the medals table with a dominant 171 medals (70 gold, 50 silver and 51 bronze), while England finished second with 110 medals (28 gold, 45 silver and 37 bronze). Canada claimed third with 62 medals (18 gold, 21 silver and 23 bronze). India finished fourth on 39 medals, ahead of hosts Scotland, who also collected 39 medals but finished below India because of a lower silver-medal count. Despite failing to add another podium finish on the final day, India completed one of its strongest Commonwealth Games campaigns in recent years. A total of 122 athletes represented the country in Glasgow, with 38 athletes returning home with medals, including Gulveer Singh, who became India’s only double medallist after winning bronze in both the men’s 10,000m and 5,000m.
Final day brings near misses across multiple sports
India came closest to adding another medal through Ishroop Narang in women’s -78kg judo. Narang kept her medal hopes alive by defeating Georgika Wesley Djengue Moune of Cameroon in the repechage to reach the bronze-medal contest. However, she narrowly missed the podium after losing the bronze bout to Canada’s Coralie Godbout, ending India’s judo campaign just short of another medal.
India end the 2026 Commonwealth Games on a high, finishing fourth with 39 medals after a historic campaign led by boxing and several landmark performances.
In the men’s -81kg category, Harsh Tokas remained in contention after defeating Peniamina Percival of Samoa in the repechage. He progressed into the bronze-medal match but was beaten by Australia’s Keishin Ochi, finishing just outside the medals.India’s other judokas exited earlier in their campaigns. Avtar Singh lost to Aristos Michael of Cyprus in the men’s -100kg Round of 16, while Yash Ghanghas was eliminated by Joshua Whitehouse in the men’s +100kg Round of 16.
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Cyclists unable to break into medal positions
India’s cyclists endured a difficult final day without reaching the podium.Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam fell out of medal contention in the men’s 1000m Time Trial final after failing to challenge the leading riders.In the men’s 40km Points Race first round, Dinesh Kumar and Harshveer Singh Sekhon were both eliminated before the medal races, bringing India’s track cycling campaign to a close.
Lisha Das finishes sixth in para cycling
India’s lone para cycling representative on the final day, Lisha Das, finished sixth in the women’s C4-C5 1000m Time Trial final. Das had also narrowly missed qualification for the 4000m Individual Pursuit finals earlier in the Games and concluded her Glasgow campaign with two respectable performances against a strong international field.
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Historic 16-medal haul had already secured fourth place
India’s position in the standings had effectively been sealed by Saturday’s spectacular 16-medal surge — the country’s best single-day performance of the Games.The highlight came inside the boxing ring, where India produced an extraordinary 10-medal return, winning seven golds and three silvers.The gold medals came through:
Sakshi Chaudhary (women’s 51kg), who defeated England’s Ruby White.
Preeti Pawar (women’s 54kg), who beat Canada’s Scarlett Savannah Delgado.
Jaismine Lamboria (women’s 57kg), who overcame Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh.
Priya Ghanghas (women’s 60kg), who defeated Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh.
Arundhati Choudhary (women’s 70kg), who beat England’s Chantelle Reid.
Sachin Siwach (men’s 60kg), who defeated Namibia’s Tryagain Morning Ndevelo.
Ankush Panghal (men’s 80kg), who claimed gold after beating England’s Dimeji Shittu.
India’s boxing silver medallists were:
Lovlina Borgohain (women’s 75kg), who lost to Australia’s Emma Sue Greentree in the final.
Jadumani Singh (men’s 55kg), who finished runner-up to Australia’s Jye Dixon.
Narender Berwal (men’s 90+kg), who settled for silver after losing to England’s Damar Thomas in the final.
**EDS: THIRD PARTY IMAGE** In this image received on Aug. 2, 2026, members of the Indian boxing contingent including Jaismine Lamboria, Lovlina Borgohain, Sakshi Chaudhary, Arundhati Choudhary, Sachin Siwach and Ankush Panghal pose for photographs after the boxing events at the 23rd Commonwealth Games (CWG), in Glasgow, Scotland. (Handout via PTI Photo) (PTI08_02_2026_000056B) *** Local Caption ***
Para athletics also delivered a memorable double podium in the men’s F57 shot put. Soman Rana won gold with a season-best 13.40m, finishing ahead of teammate Shubham Juyal, whose 13.28m secured silver for India.Athletics added another double podium through the men’s triple jump, where Praveen Chithravel claimed silver with 16.58m, finishing behind Jamaica’s Jordan Scott (16.72m), while teammate Selva Prabhu Thirumaran earned bronze with 16.52m.Gulveer Singh completed India’s medal tally for the day by winning bronze in the men’s 5,000m in 13:24.95, narrowly edging Cornelius Kemboi of Kenya by just 0.04 seconds after finishing behind Australia’s Ky Robinson and Kenya’s Michael Kiplangat Kipsang.
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Glasgow campaign delivers historic firsts and fresh milestones
India’s 39-medal campaign featured several landmark achievements despite the absence of traditional medal-rich sports such as shooting, wrestling, badminton, hockey and table tennis from the programme.Boxing emerged as India’s biggest contributor with 10 medals, reinforcing the country’s growing dominance in the sport at the Commonwealth Games.Judo produced breakthrough moments as Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh became India’s first Commonwealth Games judo gold medallists, while Tejaswin Shankar became the first Indian ever to win a Commonwealth Games decathlon medal with bronze.The athletics team also produced memorable performances through Neeraj Chopra, Praveen Chithravel, Selva Prabhu Thirumaran, Yash Vir Singh and Gulveer Singh, while India’s para athletes delivered multiple podium sweeps across the competition.With the Glasgow Games now concluded, attention turns to the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, where India will host the event for the second time after New Delhi 2010. During the closing ceremony, the Commonwealth baton will officially be handed over to India, with boxing gold medallist Jaismine Lamboria serving as the country’s flag bearer after one of the most successful campaigns in India’s Commonwealth Games history.
Rain or Shine import Aaron Fuller tries to get the ball during a game against Meralco in the PBA Governors’ Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
A pesky feline—depending on how one sees it, of course—gave Rain or Shine some luck after disrupting action for a few seconds on Sunday night.
The Elasto Painters welcomed the short break caused by the stray cat’s presence on the floor, forcing a big defensive play that led to Aaron Fuller hitting the marginal basket with 39 seconds left as Rain or Shine won for the fourth straight time in the PBA Governors’ Cup, an 85-83 nipping of Meralco at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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Cats are said to have nine lives, and Rain or Shine seems to have the same good omen despite a sluggish start and trailing, 81-76, with six minutes to go as the Painters pulled out the win and sustained a hot streak that has all but made them forget a pathetic 0-2 start to the conference.
“Anything is lucky as long as you win,” Yeng Guiao said while the cat was also inside the media room where the Rain or Shine coach and Fuller did their customary postgame press conference. Turns out, before finding its way to the floor, the feline spent most of the game bugging some reporters, even terrifying one member of the press corps.
Rain or Shine took whatever advantage it could get, and the win had the Painters climbing to second in Group B to start off the second round while avenging its 122-114 loss to Meralco during their first meeting.
Fuller finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds, while Adrian Nocum, who rifled the pass to Fuller that led to the game-winner, had eight assists despite being held to six points and getting hurt in the knee during a collision with Meralco’s Cliff Hodge in the fourth quarter.
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Nocum came into the game fresh off a career-high 31-point night that led the Painters to a similar high-wire victory last week, a 98-97 nipping of Magnolia on Friday.
That incident that hurt Nocum didn’t sit well with Guiao, who later called Hodge “the dirtiest player in the league,” opening old wounds between the two.
It wasn’t just the Hidge-Nocum incident that marred the contest as Rain or Shine captain Caelan Tiongson and Meralco’s Diego Lozano, who acts as a strength and conditioning coach, had to be separated after the two got into an exchange of words.
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Tiongson later described the trash talk as a “friendly banter.”
The stinging loss extended the woes of Meralco, which fell to 2-4 after a third straight defeat.
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Meralco played minus CJ Cansino due to an injured hip flexor, while Bong Quinto, back from a case of vertigo, missed two free throws late that prevented the Bolts from sending the game to overtime. INQ
Shiho Kuwaki secured her first major title by defeating Esther Henseleit in a dramatic Women’s Open play-off at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Henseleit moved to five under alongside Kuwaki with a stunning 45-foot birdie putt on the 18th, to match her opponent’s final-round 70, meaning a play-off on the par-four 18th was required to separate the pair.
Both players made pars on the first of two extra holes, Germany’s Henseleit missing a 10-foot birdie putt that would have seen her crowned champion.
And it was Kuwaki who then emerged victorious, two-putting for par while Henseleit could only manage a bogey after driving her tee shot into a gorse bush to the right of the fairway.
Speaking at the trophy presentation, 23-year-old Kuwaki said: “I just can’t believe it. To be on a stage like this is an honour and every hole I was just focused on shot by shot. I just tried to enjoy it as much as I could.
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“Thank you to all the fans. I’d like to thank my family and my team. Recently we had an earthquake in Japan and I’d like to wish people a speedy recovery and best wishes.
“It’s an amazing feeling to win again as a Japanese player. I hope as a team we can continue to light up the golf world.”
Charley Hull finished among a group tied for sixth place (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)
Kuwaki’s triumph saw her become Japan’s second successive Women’s Open champion after Miyu Yamashita’s win last year.
American Yealimi Noh finished a shot back, having taken a three-shot lead into the final round, while the world’s top two players Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul were left to share fourth place.
English duo Charley Hull and Lottie Woad each finished four strokes back, among a group tied for sixth, both unable to muster late challenges for their first major crowns with respective final rounds of 72 and 73.
Glasgow: Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain poses after a training session for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026, at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (Photo: PTI)
2 min read Last Updated : Aug 03 2026 | 12:06 AM IST
Assam boxer Lovlina Borgohain on Sunday said she felt “hurt” after noticing that India’s Northeast was missing from a map printed on the napkins and displayed outside a popular Indian restaurant in Glasgow.
The owners acknowledged the mistake and promise to rectify it.
The incident occurred when the Indian boxing contingent visited Mister Singh’s India, The Home of Curry for a celebratory dinner after scripting history with an unprecedented haul of 10 medals — seven gold and three silver — at the ongoing Commonwealth Games.
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Lovlina, who won a silver medal, noticed that the map of India used in the restaurant’s branding omitted the Northeast and immediately brought it to the attention of the management.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way. I felt a little hurt by this. In the map of India, our North East is missing. Yes, even outside, the map that’s displayed has cut off the North East. As someone from the North East, that really hurts us. That’s all I wanted to say. Please keep this in mind next time. Thank you so much,” Lovlina said during an online interaction.
Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh, who was present at the restaurant, said there was no confrontation.
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“There was no confrontation. It was an aberration and we pointed that out, me and Lovlina. They accepted their mistake and assured us that it will be corrected,” Singh told PTI.
The restaurant, a well-known Indian dining destination in Glasgow, has hosted several touring sports teams and dignitaries over the years.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Magnolia coach LA Tenorio reacts during a game against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Containing Barangay Ginebra guard RJ Abarrientos was a big part of Magnolia’s defensive game plan on Sunday night.
And while limiting the production of a crafty and explosive scorer is a difficult task for other teams, the Hotshots made it look easy thanks to their head coach’s familiarity with Abarrientos.
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“If there was anyone who knew RJ best on that court earlier, it was me,” said LA Tenorio, who was a former teammate of Abarrientos at Ginebra before being appointed as Magnolia mentor.
Barangay Ginebra guard RJ Abarrientos shoots during a game against Magnolia.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
“RJ is a superstar, we can’t just play him straight or normal. We treated him like an import. I have so much respect for RJ. I know him. That was our plan.”
Tenorio played 13 seasons with the Gin Kings, helping the club win seven championships. His final season with Ginebra was also Abarrientos’ first, and the battle-tested veteran made sure to take the promising rookie under his wing during that time.
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Sticking to their defensive strategy from the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Hotshots not only held Abarrientos to six points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field, they also made it tough for Gin Kings import Riley Grigsby.
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Grigsby also struggled with 15 points on 5-of-19 shooting from the field in close to 46 minutes of action.
“I have to go back to the whole team. We were very disciplined with our game plan,” lauded Tenorio.
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Former Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho pulled no punches at former club Chelsea after leaving the club for Aston Villa
16:59, 02 Aug 2026Updated 17:01, 02 Aug 2026
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Former Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho has taken aim at Chelsea after leaving for Aston Villa. The Argentinian fired a dig at his former employers, claiming that he was ‘enjoying football again’ after making his first appearance since joining the Europa League holders on loan.
Garnacho’s time at Stamford Bridge came to an abrupt end after new manager Xabi Alonso deemed the winger as surplus to requirements. As a result, the 22-year-old joined forces with Unai Emery on a temporary deal with a conditional obligation to buy.
The forward saw his time at Old Trafford end on a sour note after his initial move to Stamford Bridge didn’t materialise in January 2025. Garnacho fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim and was exiled from the squad for the win over Manchester City, while the Europa League final starting line-up omission sparked an outburst post-match.
After leaving one club unceremoniously, Garnacho appears to have left another negatively. Taking to social media after their 3-1 win over Indonesia All Stars, Garnacho said: “First start after three months.
“Happy to be enjoying football again. One percent every day. Thanks Indonesia.”
United will be watching on with intent as Garnacho prepares for his first season in the West Midlands.
Michael Carrick’s side would be due 10 per cent of any future transfer fee for the 22-year-old and if the buyout clause is triggered, Villa will be forced to pay £43million for his services.
Garnacho endured a difficult debut season in the capital, in what was a turbulent spell for the Londoners that saw a turnover of managers.
Enzo Maresca had set his sights on signing the United man but left the club in January after 18 months in charge. Liam Rosenior was then installed as his successor, but his tenure was short-lived as he was axed after just 106 days at the club.
Alonso was made permanent manager this summer after Calum McFarlane took the reins on a temporary basis. But in the Spaniards’ first act in charge at Stamford Bridge, he bombed out the Argentine.
Emery will be tasked with getting Garnacho’s career on track after hardship with both United and Chelsea. The Europa League-winning tactician said “We are delighted with Alejandro. He is so talented, young and he showed us his wish to help our project. We are really happy.”
Countdown to Kickoff: The Ultimate 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle
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Sky’s Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season with more than 1,400 live games across the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.
Every subscription now comes with 135 channels alongside free subscriptions to HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu.
Perhaps the defining component of J.J. McCarthy‘s NFL career has been injury. That central facet of his pro career has contributed to a pile of issues, inconsistent play foremost among them.
Is that going to change? The Vikings certainly hope so.
Sometimes, the focus within the conversation surrounding McCarthy has been reasonably general in its assessment of the kid’s health problems. He’s just injury prone. Taking a step back to get a tiny bit more specific can be helpful. Scroll down to see a goofy visual to offer a reminder of what he hurt, where he got hurt, and the time missed.
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The J.J. McCarthy Injuries Across 2024 & 2025
Get right into it. The visual made by yours truly:
Allow me to begin by talking directly to all medical doctors, those with computer skills, and none other than J.J. McCarthy: I send an apology for this visual. The point above is to function as a reminder of what his injuries have been alongside the time missed.
In particular, that right side has been a problem. Nobody wants any other injuries to arise for the Michigan man. If they do, the first question will be if it’s along the right side of his body.
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Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) talks with a referee before the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
A sneaky detail to remember is that he has had the first normal offseason for the first time in a couple years.
Turning the clock back to 2024 would mean recognizing that he was preparing for the 2024 NFL Draft. The Combine isn’t totally detached from real football but it’s not the same. Worse, he had the knee injury after impressing in his debut NFL preseason game.
Last year, McCarthy was coming off that injury. He was also being tasked with fixing his wonky mechanics. And then Week 2 arrived. He missed practice time due to the birth of his child — reasonable — and then got walloped in that Falcons game. His ankle sprain led to missing five games afterwards.
His two full seasons in the NFL should have involved thirty-four games. He has played in just ten, missing time within some of those ten games.
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