It was an honest answer, and one that now lands differently in Minnesota, where the Vikings are coming off a 9-8 season, missed the playoffs and the stunning firing of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, just months after a contract extension.
Darnold, meanwhile, is preparing to play in Super Bowl LX in his first season with the Seattle Seahawks.
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Jefferson’s comments were not necessarily a shot at Minnesota’s current quarterback room. Instead, they reflected the reality of a season that unraveled after the Vikings chose not to re-sign the quarterback who had helped guide them to a 14-3 record in 2024.
Darnold arrived in Minnesota as a temporary solution while the organization waited on first-round pick J.J. McCarthy’s recovery from a knee injury. When McCarthy went down for the year, Darnold delivered the best season of his career, throwing for more than 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns and leading one of the most productive offenses in the league.
The long-term plan, however, never changed. Minnesota turned the offense over to McCarthy in 2025, and the results were uneven. McCarthy’s injuries and inconsistency pressed veteran Carson Wentz and rookie Max Brosmer into action, and the Vikings’ offense fell from ninth in scoring to 26th. Minnesota ended the regular season on a five-game win streak, but narrowly missed out on the playoffs.
Seattle took the opposite path. The Seahawks signed Darnold to a three-year deal, watched him earn another Pro Bowl nod and rode a balanced roster to a franchise-record 14 wins and a Super Bowl berth.
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For Jefferson, the difference was familiarity and stability — something the Vikings rarely had under center in 2025.
“Everyone knows the difficulty of the quarterback position this year, of how we were dealt it,” Jefferson said. “But having a quarterback that already had a season under his belt with us, knew the plays, knew the playbook, knew the players — throwing to me, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, all these guys — I definitely feel like we would have done better. But it is what it is. It’s on to new and better things, but I’m definitely happy and proud for him that he was able to reach it this year.”
Watching Darnold reach the Super Bowl has stirred conflicting emotions for Jefferson, who admitted it hasn’t been easy seeing another team enjoy the success Minnesota hoped to chase.
“It’s definitely tough. It’s tough to watch,” Jefferson said. “I love that he’s in the Super Bowl. I’m happy for him, I want nothing but the best for him, especially the way his journey was at first, people doubting him and people not giving him the respect. Now they’re giving him the respect. Now they’re seeing that he’s a top-tier quarterback in this league. Of course, selfishly I wish he had done that for us last year, but to see him blossom and bounce back right after last year and make it this year, I’m happy for him and I hope he wins.”
It was a usually dominant performance from the 21-year-old, once again utilising his speed and power to first drop Franklin in the third round, before getting the finish in round five with a devastating uppercut which left Franklin flat on his face in the middle of the canvas.
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The career progression of Itauma has been similar to that of Dubois, who also rose up the heavyweight ranks as an exciting youngster and stopping most of those that crossed his path, and ‘DDD’ has given his take on his countryman’s latest win.
“What a shot, he put that together well. It was a good test up to that point. He’s on his path and he’s looking good.”
Dubois then admitted he could see a fight against Itauma in the future, but is currently focused on his WBO heavyweight title clash which takes place against Fabio Wardley in May.
“Eventually I think everything can happen, but I’ve got to take care of business first.”
Dubois finished by answering if he sees any weaknesses in Itauma.
Senegal on Saturday paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they have been ordered to return ahead of a friendly against Peru at the Stade de France in Paris. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on March 17 reversed Senegal’s 1-0 final victory over Morocco in Rabat on January 18 and awarded a 3-0 victory to the hosts.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo will not be retiring anytime soon.
The 71-year-old head coach was asked what he would be doing in five years after his team’s 67-63 loss to UConn in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, and he brushed off the possibility of retirement.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the first half against North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y., March 19, 2026.(Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
“We all talk about retirement,” Izzo said. “Why? What the hell am I going to do? The minute I don’t feel good, the minute I don’t feel like I’m giving my AD or president or school every ounce of energy I have every day or that energy drops, you don’t have to worry about it. I don’t steal money. I won’t steal anybody’s time.”
Izzo said he still has some things that he wants to accomplish before calling it a career. He said he would be going into the portal the day after the team’s loss.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the second half against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y., March 21, 2026.(Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo)
“Tomorrow I’m going to the portal,” Izzo said. “The only difference is the portal at Michigan State is different than the portal at most places. I’m going right to my frickin’ locker room, and I’m going to talk to each and every player right there. I’m going to make some decisions about what we’re going to do that I feel very comfortable with.”
The Iron Mountain, Michigan, native said he has seven or eight guys returning next season and a recruiting class he feels good about.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo yells during the second half of a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA Tournament against UConn in Washington, D.C., March 27, 2026.(Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo)
Izzo began coaching at Michigan State in the 1995-96 season and has been the team’s head coach ever since. He has amassed a 764-310 record, including a 61-27 record in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State went 27-8 this season.
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“I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I’m just not lucky enough to be playing on Sunday,” Izzo said. “I’ll get to play on another Sunday. Hang around.”
Minnesota Vikings defensive back Harrison Smith (22) looks on from the sideline prior to kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks, with the scene unfolding on Aug 18, 2019 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, as Smith surveys the field and prepares mentally for preseason action at home. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.
April is three days away, which means it’s draft month for the Minnesota and 31 NFL teams, one of the most suspenseful months on the football calendar — perhaps even more than some regular season months. Accordingly, let’s get some Vikings-themed predictions on record.
April could swing a few major Vikings storylines into focus.
The club is expected to win eight or nine games next season, which is pretty much what oddsmakers say every year about Minnesota.
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Projecting the Vikings Developments Most Likely to Hit Next
Ranked in no particular order, these are Vikings predictions for April and beyond.
Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (DL21) appears on the SiriusXM NFL Radio set during Combine week, Feb. 25, 2026, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, as prospects rotate through interviews and media sessions while teams gather information ahead of the upcoming NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
5. If Not Dillon Thieneman, the Vikings’ First Draft Pick Is a DT
There is a ghost going around, a ghost that changes every mock-drafter’s mock draft before it publishes on the internet. That ghost ghosts into the network and connects Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman to the Vikings, and the ghost is undefeated.
Yes, Thieneman to Minnesota is all over the place in late March, thanks to Thieneman’s fantabulous Combine showing.
It just seems to good to be true that every ghost has it right, so let’s predict this: if the Vikings buck the Thieneman trend, they will pick a defensive tackle in Round 1 or early in Round 2, depending on a trade, either Peter Woods (Clemson), Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Caleb Banks (Florida), or Lee Hunter (Texas Tech).
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4. The Vikings Sign DT Christian Wilkins or D.J. Reader
Brian Flores worked with Wilkins down in Miami to start Wilkins’s career, and in fact, the very first draft pick of the Flores era was Wilkins in 2019.
ESPN reported last week that “26 teams” have called Wilkins’s agent about a 2026 contract, though that feels like agent-driven fluff. If remotely true, Minnesota has an inside track to Wilkins based on the Flores connection. Flores spoke glowingly about Wilkins as recently as last summer.
The Vikings will add Wilkins and showcase him next to Jalen Redmond this fall. If it’s not Wilkins, nose tackle D.J. Reader will be the choice because of his more affordable price tag.
The Viking Age‘s Lior Lambert noted on the prospect of Reader to Minnesota this week, “Reader is one of the biggest names left on the open market. He’d be a legitimate difference-maker for the Vikings (or any club that signs him). Plus, his arrival in Minnesota would be even sweeter knowing it comes at the expense of their NFC North rivals, the Detroit Lions.”
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“After spending the past two seasons with the Lions, Reader can remind them of what they’re missing and go over to the enemy. The Vikings present him with a unique opportunity to step into a meaningful role and exact revenge on Detroit twice annually. The Vikings can kill two birds with one stone by signing Reader.”
Reader is 6’3″ and 335 pounds. He’s a unit.
Lambert continued, “As a fifth-round pick in 2016 with a decade of experience in the league, Reader has seen it all. His knowledge and steady presence could do wonders for an incoming rookie. However, perhaps more notably for the Vikings, he also has plenty left in the tank from an on-field standpoint.”
“Turning 32 in July, there’s a possibility Father Time comes for Reader. Be that as it may, his 2025 efforts suggest that age shouldn’t be a problem yet, as he was PFF’s 30th-highest-graded interior defender out of 134 qualified options (68.9).”
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3. Jordan Addison’s 5th-Year Option Is Locked In
Minnesota isn’t making this mysterious.
It let Jalen Nailor leave in free agency, refusing to match the Las Vegas Raiders‘ offer of $35 million over the next three years.
The Vikings signed zilch for free-agent wide receivers.
Had the front office used just one of those maneuvers, there might be real uncertainty about Addison’s fifth-year option. But they didn’t, and it’s wildly apparent that the Vikings believe in Addison. Hell or high water.
2. Jonathan Greenard Gets an Extension — Not Traded
After signing Kyler Murray two weeks ago, the Vikings, through their actions, showed they’re “in it to win it” in 2026. If they were not, they would’ve let J.J. McCarthy run the show and let the chips fall on his development.
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) is brought down by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58), Jan. 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during a playoff matchup as Greenard closes quickly to limit yardage in a high-stakes postseason game. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Rondone-Imagn Images.
“In it to win it” teams don’t sell premium EDGE rushers; they actually go out of their way to hoard them. While Greenard wants a handsome extension, Minnesota will realize he is not easily replaceable and pay the man.
Unless Greenard had fundamentally soured on the Vikings as an organization, it never made any sense whatsoever to trade him.
Greenard stays.
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1. Harrison Smith Returns
These are the clues to indicate Smith’s return for Year No. 15:
He hasn’t retired yet; most retirees announce it by this point in the offseason.
Smith played his strongest ball in the final six weeks of 2025; he’s not washed.
Adam Thielen and C.J. Ham sent in retirement paperwork; Smith did not.
Kyler Murray is in the house, renewing the Vikings’ playoff and Super Bowl hopes.
The Vikings signed no safeties in free agency.
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) prepares on the field before kickoff, Oct. 20, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ahead of a divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions as the veteran defender readies for another NFC North contest. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Perhaps Smith will stick around in 2026 to cross paths with the aforementioned Thieneman, the mock-draft favorite to be chosen by the Vikings at No. 18 in 25 days.
The Formula 1 community held its collective breath during the Japanese Grand Prix when Haas F1 driver Ollie Bearman was involved in a violent 50G crash. After limping away from his destroyed 2026 challenger at the notoriously fast Suzuka Circuit, fans and pundits alike were deeply concerned about the 20-year-old’s condition.
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Now, just hours after medical evaluations confirmed he escaped with only a severe right knee contusion, Bearman has released a personal audio message to reassure his supporters, apologize to his team, and look ahead to the rest of the season.
Bearman’s Message to the Fans
In a direct address to his followers, a winded but optimistic Bearman broke down the incident and praised the Haas garage for their efforts. Here is exactly what the young British driver had to say:
“Hey everyone, it’s Ollie here. Happy to report that everything is okay. Really sorry to the team for what happened. It’s been a bit of a freak accident with such a huge closing speed. So we need to go back and understand everything. But on the other hand, I’m really happy that Esteban has scored points today, even if my safety car was very poor timing for him.
“But now, you know, we have a month off to come back. I’m going to use this time to rest up and feel better before the next race in Miami. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world, and see you all soon.”
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The “Huge Closing Speed” Explained
Navigating the ultra-fast Spoon Curve, Bearman rapidly caught the Alpine of Franco Colapinto, who was heavily harvesting electrical energy.
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The massive speed differential forced Bearman to take immediate evasive action onto the slick grass, resulting in the violent, broadside impact into the tire barrier. As Bearman noted, the team will use their downtime to analyze the telemetry and better understand how to navigate these dangerous harvesting speed differentials in the future.
A Silver Lining for Haas and a Road to Miami
Despite the multimillion-dollar repair bill Haas will face to replace Bearman’s pulverized chassis, the team didn’t leave Japan empty-handed. As Bearman graciously mentioned, his teammate Esteban managed to fight through the chaotic, strategy-scrambling Safety Car period, caused by Bearman himself, to secure vital World Championship points for the American outfit.
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The Formula 1 calendar now offers a much-needed reprieve. With a four-week spring break before the Miami Grand Prix, the young driver has a full month to ice his bruised knee, undergo physical therapy, and mentally reset before getting back behind the wheel under the Florida sun.
Two rounds into his title defense at the Golfweek Senior Division National Championship, Bryan Hoops has begun to pull away. Hoops began the tournament at Desert Willow Golf Resort’s Mountain View Course in Palm Desert, California, with a round of 4-under 68. In Saturday’s second round, Hoops had a 1-under 71 that left him at the top of the board as his chasers shuffled behind him.
Hoops, of Scottsdale, Arizona, began Saturday with a one-shot lead and by the end of the day, he was ahead by three shots. The 57-year-old has 11 total birdies this week and at 5 under for 36 holes, leads Chris Bailey of Rochester, Michigan, and John Wright of Oswego, Illinois, by three shots. Both Bailey and Wright had second-round 69s.
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While Bailey had a clean card that included only one bogey, Wright’s wild back nine included just one par. He also had five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.
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A year ago, Hoops won the Golfweek Senior Division National Championship before logging two more tournament wins in the following days in the California desert. He is currently the top-ranked player aged 55 and over in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Only seven players remain under par for 36 holes at Desert Willow, including four players tied for fourth at 1 under: John Adams of San Clemente, California; Todd Doss of Mandeville, Louisiana; Trae Cassell of Riverdale, Georgia; and Randy Haag of Orinda, California.
Scott Stevens of Encinitas, California, had the only other sub-70 round for the day – a 69 that moved him into a tie for eighth at even par.
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The 54-hole event concludes Sunday before the Golfweek Senior Amateur begins at Desert Willow’s Firecliff Course on March 30.
Mar 28, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) celebrates with team mates after the Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 in a shoot-out at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Dylan Strome scored the tying goal in the third period and the game-winner in the shootout to give the Washington Capitals a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Strome, who hit the post on the first shot of the game, tied it at 4-all midway through the period with a power-play tally, one-timing a shot from the middle of the right circle to snap a 17-game goal drought. He then scored the only goal of the shootout at the start of the first round, roofing a backhand shot past Adin Hill.
Justin Sourdif had a goal and an assist, Cole Hutson had two assists and Hendrix Lapierre and Anthony Beauvillier also scored goals for Washington (37-28-9, 83 points), which is four points back of the second and final wild card in the Eastern Conference. Logan Thompson finished with 25 saves and stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout.
Jack Eichel scored a goal and had two assists, Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist and Nic Dowd and Mitch Marner also scored for Vegas (32-26-16, 80 points), which lost its third straight game and its sixth in the last seven. Hill made 17 saves for the Golden Knights, who fell three points behind second-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division.
Washington took a 1-0 lead at the 6:06 mark of the first period when Lapierre fired a wrist shot past Hill’s blocker side.
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Sourdif made it 2-0 early in the second period with a power-play goal. Connor McMichael set up the score with a pass from the right goal-line to Sourdif cutting down the slot where he one-timed a shot past Hill’s blocker side.
Less than four minutes later, Beauvillier deflected a spinning wrist shot from the left circle by Ryan Leonard to increase Washington’s lead to 3-0, the eighth time in the last 16 games that the Golden Knights fell behind 3-0 in a contest.
But Vegas rallied to tie it later in the period with three goals, including two short-handed, in the span of 2:40.
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Dowd, acquired by Vegas on March 5 from Capitals, started the comeback with his fifth career short-handed goal, stealing the puck from Leonard in the slot in front of the Washington net and then snapping a shot by Thompson’s stick side.
Andersson followed with another short-handed goal just 25 seconds later, driving through the Capitals defense and tucking in a forehand shot around Thompson’s left pad. It marked the second time in team history that Vegas scored two short-handed goals on the same penalty kill. Brayden McNabb and Eichel also performed the feat on Dec. 27, 2024, against San Jose.
Eichel tied it at 3-all with his first goal in eight games when he snapped a rebound of an Andersson shot past Thompson’s glove side at 13:18.
Vegas took the lead 31 seconds into the third period on a power-play goal by Marner, who fired a point shot from inside the blue line past Thompson’s blocker side.
Sol Ruca is a top star in WWE NXT right now. On a house show in Allen, Texas, she got into a brawl with her former tag team partner. She’s heading into Stand & Deliver 2026 to face her ally-turned-rival, and things recently got heated between them.
Ruca and Zaria engaged in a scuffle and took the Allen crowd by storm. In a video posted by WWE NXT on X, the two can be seen taking their brawl backstage. The duo seemingly locked horns, but the contest ended in a double countout after Zaria took things too far.
Thanks for the submission!
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Later in the video, they got back inside the ring, where referees separated them.
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NXT general manager Robert Stone announced that the duo will face off again at Stand & Deliver. However, for now, they need to be away from each other. In the end, Sol Ruca taunted Zaria while the latter was taken away by WWE officials.
What other matches are scheduled for WWE NXT Stand & Deliver?
Johnny Garagno is back in NXT and will be challenging for Myles Borne’s North American Championship. The main event of the show will see Joe Hendry put his NXT Championship on the line in a Fatal-Four-Way Match. Ricky Saints, Ethan Page, and Tony D’Angelo will go up against Hendry for the coveted gold.
The go-home episode of NXT before Stand & Deliver will likely confirm more matches for the show. Jacy Jayne will put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against the winner of Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey. The Vanity Project will battle either Birthright or Los Americanos, depending on which duo wins the tag team contest on Tuesday.
As of this writing, Tatum Paxley’s Women’s North American Championship match is up in the air. However, Blake Monroe is widely expected to challenge for Paxley’s title.
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Keith Thurman was stopped inside six rounds by towering WBC super-welterweight world champion Sebastian Fundora this weekend in Las Vegas.
The champion, who stands at 6-foot-5½, used his significant height and reach advantage from the off, making it hard for Thurman to settle and land any sustained attacks.
‘One Time’ showed impressive resilience as Fundora peppered the body and landed cleanly up top, but a steady decrease in output saw him, bloodied and bruised, stopped on his feet by referee Thomas Taylor.
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Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Thurman criticised Taylor for stepping in and waving the fight off.
“Fundora’s a tremendous champion, but whoever the f**k that referee was, don’t hire him for f***ing main event s**t again, real talk.”
“I never got dropped in the whole fight. I’m getting caught on the back end of punches. The referee told me in the locker room, ‘show me something, move your feet, duck your head – I won’t stop the fight.’ … The fight was getting fun. People were getting on their feet. We were just getting into the grind.”
As for his future, the 37-year-old former unified world champion made it clear he intends to fight on.
“I’ll be back, man. I want to do great things in boxing once again, and I’m gonna come back hard, I’m gonna come back strong.”
Fundora’s latest successful title defence opens the door to several high-profile match-ups in the division, with the likes of Vergil Ortiz Jr and a returning Jermell Charlo likely to be calling for a shot. There is also the prospect of a three-belt unification against the winner of Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis.
Manchester City have regenerated their squad in the past 18 months and decisions now loom on four senior players
Manchester City’s squad evolution gathered pace last weekend as the Blues won their first trophy since the 2024 Premier League title when they beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.
While the silverware absence was not even two years, the Wembley win reaffirmed the trajectory this squad is on after a trophyless 2024-25 campaign.
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City have a plethora of emerging talent alongside a core of experience and while there remain questions over Pep Guardiola’s future beyond the summer, the playing squad is in good shape.
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This summer will likely see the departure of two long-serving City players in John Stones and Bernardo Silva when their contracts expire. Skipper Bernardo said earlier in the campaign that he already knew what the future holds and there is little to suggest he will pen fresh terms at the Etihad even though Guardiola would happily hand a new deal to a player he values so highly.
For Stones, it’s injuries that look set to preclude a new City contract. The defender has suffered with fitness issues this term and pulled out of the England squad this week with a groin problem. Guardiola has spoken of how a decision on Stones would need to take into account what he has shown over the last two years and sadly for the centre-back, injury has prevented him from showing too much.
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The departures of Stones and Silva would see a huge amount of experience leaving the building but City are in a position to cope with both exits. A summer transfer move for a new midfielder, with Elliott Anderson at Nottingham Forest of interest, would certainly help offset the departure of Silva, while Abdukodir Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias mitigate the loss of Stones.
It’s what might happen with two more City stalwarts that will carry plenty of intrigue over the coming months and potentially impact the Blues’ summer transfer plans.
Rodri and Phil Foden both see their contracts expire in 2027 and just now it’s difficult to confidently predict both will be here past that date.
Rodri spoke of his admiration for La Liga and Real Madrid this week, and while he then suggested people listen to the entire interview before jumping to conclusions, it’s difficult to ignore the prospect of Real signing the midfielder.
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The 29-year-old is beginning to show his best again having suffered a serious knee injury and a couple of setbacks. Guardiola doesn’t feel his star man will be back to full throttle until this summer’s World Cup but City and Rodri will need to make a decision on whether a new deal is offered sooner rather than later.
City will not stand in any player’s way if they do want to depart, and would potentially rather obtain a fee for Rodri this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in 18 months.
The same would be true of Foden, although his future is more likely to be at City than not. The 25-year-old has struggled for form in recent months but remains a player capable of being among the best in the country and the hope at the Etihad is that he can return to the peak of his powers.
A probable World Cup and the uncertainty surrounding Guardiola’s future will play a part in any contract talks over the next few months but the feeling is club and player will come to an agreement for the boyhood Blue to extend his Etihad contract.
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City’s summer transfer business will offer a further indication as to what the future holds as we wait for answers.
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