Mar 26, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell addresses reporters during the NFL annual league meetings at the JW Marriott on Mar 26, 2024. O’Connell fielded questions about roster construction and offseason strategy as Minnesota prepared for the 2024 campaign. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Vikings Kevin O’Connell received a bump in leaguewide prestige Thursday, promoted to the NFL’s Competition Committee, along with Houston Texans skipper DeMeco Ryans. O’Connell enters Year No. 5 in 2026, and it’s time for his seat at the big boy table.
O’Connell’s new committee seat adds clout, but it also keeps him squarely in the spotlight entering a pivotal 2026 season.
Meanwhile, O’Connell enters a pivotal year in Minnesota, one that will determine his long-term job security.
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O’Connell Joins NFL’s Competition Committee for 2026
Good news for O’Connell in a so-far weird offseason.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell watches warmups before kickoff against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Jan 4, 2026. O’Connell surveyed the field as Minnesota prepared for a late-season divisional matchup at home. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
O’Connell Joins Competition Committee
Vikings fans didn’t know that O’Connell was in the running for the committee, so the news caught them off guard Thursday — in a good way.
NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote, “The NFL has added two current head coaches to the league’s Competition Committee. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans are the new additions to the group. Former Bills head coach Sean McDermott is no longer on the 11-person committee.”
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“Broncos head coach Sean Payton and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel also joined the group this year. Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and former Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier joined McDermott in leaving the group.”
The Vikings now have a voting voice among the key players who call the shots.
What Is the Competition Committee?
Unfamiliar with the committee? NFL.com has answers: “The Competition Committee’s actions are based, in part, on feedback from a variety of sources. At the end of each season, the 32 NFL clubs fill out a survey, answering questions about player protection, officiating, competitive balance and technology.”
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“Leading up to the National Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, NFL Football Operations meets with coaches, general managers, players and NCAA representatives to gather their input about potential changes to the rules. There is also a review of data on injuries, instant replay and technology.”
The group basically determines what gets a vote from all NFL owners — and what gets tabled.
NFL.com added, “After the combine, the committee reconvenes to review video, draft rule proposals and positions, discuss proposals submitted by clubs and prepare its report of supporting statistics for the membership to discuss and vote on at the league’s annual meeting. At the annual meeting, the Competition Committee presents a report of its findings to the 32 owners, who vote on any proposed new rules or rule changes.”
“To be adopted, a new rule or a revision must have the support of 75 percent of the owners (24 yes votes out of 32 clubs). During the season, the committee meets occasionally by conference call or in person to review current issues in the game and to begin to discuss potential agenda items for the next year’s meeting.”
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Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell stands on the sideline prior to facing the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Dec 14, 2025. O’Connell oversaw final preparations as Minnesota traveled south for a regular-season contest. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
O’Connell and committee mates essentially set the agenda for change when applicable.
Committee Members
Believe it not, this is a prestigious development for O’Connell — not just a token honor or lifetime achievement. These are the group’s members:
Rich McKay (Co-Chairman) — Atlanta Falcons
Stephen Jones (Co-Chairman) — Dallas Cowboys
Katie Blackburn — Cincinnati Bengals
Todd Bowles —Tampa Bay Buccaneers
John Lynch — San Francisco 49ers
John Mara — New York Giants
Sean McVay — Los Angeles Rams
Kevin O’Connell — Minnesota Vikings
Sean Payton — Denver Broncos
DeMeco Ryans — Houston Texans
Mike Vrabel — New England Patriots
That’s a who’s who of NFL power before the owners lay down the long arm of the law.
A Big 2026 Ahead for O’Connell
Three weeks ago, the Vikings shockingly fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, while keeping O’Connell employed and appearing to promote O’Connell as a de facto personnel GM. Accordingly, most believe the coach must deliver results in 2026 or risk hot-seat chatter.
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O’Connell’s runway is getting shorter. He has led Minnesota to the playoffs twice in four seasons, a tangible accomplishment. However, a postseason victory remains elusive. The franchise hasn’t experienced one since Kyle Rudolph’s Superdome heroics against the New Orleans Saints six years ago, and the drought is becoming increasingly burdensome.
Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell addresses reporters during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on Feb 25, 2025. O’Connell discussed roster outlook and draft preparation as teams gathered for the annual offseason event. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The mandate for 2026 is clear: solidify the quarterback position — either by fully embracing J.J. McCarthy or providing him with reliable support and competition — achieve at least nine wins, and, most importantly, secure a playoff win. Without that January breakthrough, O’Connell’s margin for error will rapidly shrink.
All that said, the Vikings now have a member of the Competition Committee in the house. O’Connell will now have a say in matters such as banning the Tush Push, clarifying the “Catch Rule,” and expanding instant replay. It will be O’Connell’s job, in part, to decide if the issues deserve a vote.
Minnesota extended O’Connell’s contract in January 2025. He won the league’s Coach of the Year award in 2024.
Conor Benn has made a shock change to his career after it was announced he has signed with Zuffa Boxing and Dana White.
Benn had been promoted by Matchroom Boxing for his entire tenure after making his professional debut back in 2016, and has established himself as one of the biggest names in Britain.
Those bouts ended a difficult chapter for Benn, who in October 2022 was forced to pull out of his initially planned fight date with Eubank after a failed drugs test, leading to a several year battle in an attempt to clear his name.
Matchroom and Eddie Hearn stood by Benn throughout that saga, and had big plans for the future following the win over Eubank, but Benn will now make those plans alongside his new promotional outfit Zuffa Boxing.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Eddie and the entire team at Matchroom for everything they’ve done for me over the past decade. From guiding me when I first turned pro, to headlining stadium shows. They were not only with me for those highlight moments but stood shoulder to shoulder with me during the tough times.
“It’s been a journey beyond anything we could have imagined, and for their belief, support and guidance, I will always be truly grateful, but Zuffa Boxing presented me with an opportunity I simply couldn’t refuse. I’d love Eddie to continue to be part of my team and for our partnership to evolve in this new chapter.
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“I’m filled with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing. I want the legacy fights, the biggest nights, the biggest stages. I fear no man at any weight, and I’m ready to give the fans the fights they’ve been calling for. I’m in my prime, and together we have bold, ambitious plans.”
‘The Destroyer’ had targeted fights with a number of big names, including the winner of Saturday’s WBC title fight between Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia, along with newly-crowned WBO champion Shakur Stevenson, with Zuffa now the ones tasked with making those bouts.
Hockey fans on social media reacted as Team USA booked its spot in the gold medal game at the Olympics.
On Friday, the United States delivered a dominant performance, defeating Slovakia 6-2 in the semifinal. Team USA will now battle for gold against rival Team Canada, which edged Finland 3-2 in a thrilling comeback victory.
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This will be the second straight high-stakes final between the USA and Canada after the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. Here’s how fans on X (formerly called Twitter) reacted.
One tweeted:
“Let’s go team USA! We need this win, so we can make Canada cry for a second time in a matter of a few days.”
“USA vs Canada for a gold medal is a travesty for the sport of hockey.”
Here are some of the other top reactions on X:
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“Women’s hockey just ain’t for me. All due respect to these lovely ladies but this USA vs Canada gold medal match has been BRUTAL. Are they skating with cement filled boots or something?” a third fan wrote.
“Watching the Canadians cry after losing is satisfying now. I never would have felt that way before Trudeau & Carney,” one X user wrote.
“And against Canada….Wouldn’t want it any other way. Go get the gold, boys!!” another chimed in.
“All that for Midtthews to lose another winner take all game,” added another.
Team USA advanced to the gold medal game after defeating Slovakia 6-2 in semifinal at Olympics
Dylan Larkin opened the scoring for the United States after putting them ahead 1-0 at 4:19 of the first period. With less than a minute remaining in the period, Tage Thompson scored on the power play to make it 2-0 before heading into the second period.
Jack Hughes scored at 12:14 of the second period to increase the lead to 3-0. Jack Eichel made it 4-0 at 12:33, before Hughes scored his second of the night to make it 5-0 for Team USA before the final period.
Juraj Slafkovsky scored for Team Slovakia, cutting the deficit to 5-1 at 4:55 of the third period. Brady Tkachuk scored at 10:52 to make it 6-1 for the United States. Pavel Regenda scored for Slovakia at 13:17 for the final scoreline of 6-2.
Team USA will be up against Team Canada for the Olympic gold medal game on Sunday.
Terry Dunfield only took to the field once for Manchester City in the Premier League, but off the pitch the club saved his career.
His story is one of travel, trauma and turnarounds. Leaving Canada as a 14-year-old to break through at City, suffering a horrible injury while playing for Bury that left his career in the balance before rebuilding, rehabilitating and returning to forge a successful career in England and his homeland that culminated in international recognition.
But it’s behind the scenes at City, in the depths of his injury nightmare, that proved the pivotal period in Dunfield’s footballing journey, and it was club physio Robin Sadler who saved the day.
“Without him we are probably not talking now,” says Dunfield, speaking to the MEN from the other side of the Atlantic. “He was there when I was in the academy and he took me under his wing. Following a second surgery, I remember being in parks by his house training and at Carrington using the facilities when the lads left for the day. I owe Robin for my life.”
The broken kneecap was sustained in a game for Bury, where Dunfield had joined after choosing to leave City as a 20-year-old, and having impressed with the Shakers in the fourth tier a move higher up the pyramid looked likely.
“The part that was really hard for me was that I had started to get my s**t together when I was at Bury and got injured three days before the transfer window,” he explains. “I believe that January I would have moved on. I was probably tracking to be playing higher than where Bury was, with all due respect. Everything was going well and it was taken away so it was double amplified.
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“Your support network becomes your teammates, that never disappeared. But it was always whether I would get another chance because of my knee, when I did I didn’t take it for granted but man was I going to make the most of it.”
And make the most of it he did.
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A move to Macclesfield, where Dunfield was living and who had his former City reserve team boss Asa Hartfield on the staff, followed and impressive performances saw him join Shrewsbury Town and play at Wembley in the League Two play-off final before he returned home to play for fledgling MLS franchise Vancouver Whitecaps and latterly Toronto FC.
“The Whitecaps were coming into MLS and that was my hometown and they found a way back to bring me home,” recalls Dunfield. “The opening game for the Whitecaps, there was 30,000 there, the only problem was that I played a bit too well against Toronto and got traded there six months later.”
After 17 years, Dunfield’s career ended in Canada, but it started in Manchester. Spotted by City playing in a youth tournament in Staffordshire, he joined at 14 and progressed through the ranks to a first team debut on the final day of the 2000-01 season. City, under Joe Royle, had already been relegated and Dunfield came on for an injured Jeff Whitley in the first half.
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It was the culmination of seven years of hard work, of a teenager travelling halfway across the world to pursue his dream away from friends and family. Canada to the Premier League in the early 2000s was not a particularly well-trodden path.
“This is what you had to do if you wanted to follow your dreams,” said Dunfield. “My family would come back and forth. I went to school in Macclesfield, I moved into digs with Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Brown in Bramhall.
“I think being in England normalised pretty quickly because I got to do what I loved to do every day, at 14 I never thought further ahead of when is the next training session.
“One thing that helped was that I quickly adapted to Manchester culture, I quickly lost my side parting, got a Manchester haircut and even picked up the accent!”
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Dunfield was not just settling off the pitch but on it as well. He impressed coaches and under Royle made the first-team breakthrough with that debut against Chelsea. The hope was it was another stepping stone in his City career rather than the final chapter.
“It went well,” said Dunfield. “A new contract followed and Kevin Keegan came in at the end of the season, I was part of the plans in pre-season.
“The opportunity came to go on loan to Bury and I just enjoyed playing and was ready to play. Probably the worst decision of my life was asking to leave to sign for Bury. Andy Morrison (on the staff at Bury and a former teammate of Dunfield’s at City) was hard to say no to! If I could do things differently I would probably have stayed a bit longer but it was an incredible ride.”
So what was the motivation for moving?
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“It was probably ‘I’ll go prove you wrong’. I had mates in City’s academy who had gone out on loan, probably a bit of impatience as well. Thinking back I had Ali Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic ahead of me.
“But I think going to Bury was a great way to grow up and I loved it but unfortunately I had a really bad injury. I was able to get over that but at that point it was finding a way to have a career rather than playing with a ton of freedom and pushing the limits of my potential.”
Not only did Dunfield, with more than a little help from City, find a way. He became a Canada international, winning 14 caps.
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He spent three seasons as a player with Toronto FC and, following his retirement in 2015, transitioned into coaching at the club, including a spell as caretaker manager and a year as an assistant coach. That progression led to opportunities with the national team at age-group levels, building up to an assistant coach role at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Dunfield is well placed to look ahead to this summer’s World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Canada.
“It’s really exciting,” he said. “When we qualified for Qatar, players like Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies had began to kill the stigma that Canadian players should be playing ice hockey.
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“There has been growth since 2022 and we’re tracking in the right direction, the big question here is how do you capture everything that is coming here and ensure there is legacy and long-term development beyond 2026?
“There is a system now for players to follow their dreams, whereas when I was young, to be a pro and have a career each of us had to find a way. Each player’s story was very different.”
Dunfield’s story is certainly different, a career made and saved in Manchester.
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With UFC Houston just hours away, Sean Strickland has produced another polarizing moment ahead of his main event clash against the dangerous Anthony Hernandez.
During the ceremonial weigh-ins and subsequent face-off, Strickland was booed by the South Texan crowd, and sure enough, ‘Tarzan’ did not let the disrespect slide.
Hilariously, ‘Fluffy’ bore the brunt of the collateral damage as the former middleweight champion went scorched earth on the local MMA fans in a fiery rant. After picking up the microphone from Jon Anik, Strickland took aim at Hernandez’s Mexican heritage, while calling him out over his fighting style:
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“Listen here, you motherf**kers. I know you guys, you know. You might want your local Mexican to win. There is nothing wrong with that. But, let me tell you, to the Lone Star State. There is only one motherf**ker who stands and bangs, your f**king guy wrestles. I fight more like a Mexican than that motherf**ker. F**k you.”
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Check out Sean Strickland’s comments about Anthony Hernandez below:
Strickland is 3-2 in his last five and most recently suffered a unanimous decision loss to Dricus du Plessis in their middleweight title rematch. Meanwhile, Hernandez is currently on an eight-fight win streak, securing a fourth-round submission win over Roman Dolidze in his most recent bout.
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Many believe a win this weekend would position either man as a leading contender for a future crack at Khamzat Chimaev’s middleweight throne, likely after the Chechen-born Emirati dukes it out with Nassourdine Imavov later this year.
UFC Houston: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez fight odds
UFC Houston, headlined by a middleweight clash between Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez, will go down on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
According to BetOnline, Strickland is listed as a +210 underdog for the matchup, with Hernandez currently positioned as a -250 favorite. However, the odds might change as the bout draws closer.
This means a successful $100 wager on ‘Fluffy’ will return a payout of $140, while the same bet on the former champion will provide a total return of $310, if Strickland gets his hand raised.
Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford has shared an update during his time at Barcelona
Manchester United will have the benefit of watching their rivals in Premier League action this weekend. Michael Carrick’s squad are scheduled to face Everton on Monday evening.
The lack of a weekend fixture means that United will understand exactly what is required to remain in the top four when they meet David Moyes’ side at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Carrick has made a remarkable start as caretaker manager, securing four victories from his five matches at the helm, and will be keen to keep progressing as the club targets a return to the Champions League.
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The new United manager is making a strong case to be handed the role permanently beyond this season. While the club hierarchy consider their next managerial appointment, Carrick’s immediate priority will be securing three points against Everton.
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.
Marcus Rashford update
Marcus Rashford has offered an update on his recovery from a knee injury after being ruled out for Barcelona in recent weeks. The England forward has netted 10 and contributed 13 assists in 34 matches but has missed his parent club’s previous two fixtures.
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A statement released by Barcelona on Thursday confirmed that Rashford had returned to training. The 28-year-old subsequently took to Instagram to share photographs of himself back with the squad, captioning the post: “Back on the grass after a few weeks out.”
The transfer deal struck between United and Barcelona includes a £26million buyout clause. Rashford has been open about his wish to remain at the Camp Nou, despite suggestions that the change in management at United could persuade him to stay at his boyhood club.
Barcelona have found results difficult during the United forward’s brief injury absence, suffering defeats to Atletico Madrid and Girona. Rashford will be hoping to regain full fitness in time to stake his claim for a starting spot in their home fixture against Levante on Sunday.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Carrick said: “It’s not a stock answer – for me, it’s the ultimate role. I’m really enjoying it, I love what I’m doing. I’m fortunate. I feel privileged to be in the position I am, but it’s not the fact that I believe I can do it and I’m here to do it.
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“I said it when I came in – there’s the sentimental side of that, of understanding the role and coming through the club and being here and loving the club and being a supporter and all that side of it is one thing. But, actually, I’m here to do a job now and to make a good team and be successful.
“I don’t decide how long that’s going to be but I love being here and and while I’m here, I’ll give everything I can. And I always plan for the long-term future for the benefit of the football club. That’s how I believe it should be.”
The Olympic men’s hockey semifinals got underway on Friday morning, and the opening course was a heavyweight clash between Canada and Finland.
Both the Canadians and Finns made it this far thanks to OT thrillers in the semi-finals, but for Team Canada, the win came at a cost. Captain Sidney Crosby was injured on a hit from Czechia’s Radko Gudas and left the game early.
Canada’s Shea Theodore (27) celebrates with teammates after scoring Canada’s second goal during a men’s ice hockey semifinal game between Canada and Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 20, 2026.(Petr David Josek/AP Photo)
Just a little before puck drop on Friday, it was announced that he would be out of the lineup against Finland.
This was the last news Canada needed against a very good Finnish team that plays way more physically than Finnish teams in Olymipcs past.
The Finns opened the scoring toward the end of a fast and physical opening frame with Mikko Rantanen lighting the lamp just seconds into a Finnish power play after Canada’s Sam Bennett got the gate for goaltender interference.
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros came up big multiple times as the Canadians got much more rubber on net than the Finns did.
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Special teams continued to be a big story in the second as we got our first taste of the Crosby-less Canadian power play after Sebastian Aho was called for interference, but things went off the rails in a hurry.
Finland stunned Canada by managing to clear the puck out of their zone and spring Nashville’s Erik Haula for a shorthanded breakaway, which he buried to go up 2-0.
Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon (29) scores Canada’s third goal during a men’s ice hockey semifinal game between Canada and Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 20, 2026.(Petr David Josek/AP Photo)
About ten minutes later, Finland’s Anton Lundell took a high-sticking penalty, and — would you believe? — special teams were the story once again, only this time it was in Canada’s favor.
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Lundell’s Florida Panthers teammate Sam Reinhart deflected a Cale Makar shot from the point to get rid of that goose egg for the Canadians.
Canada continued to bring the pressure, and with just under ten minutes left in regulation, they were outshooting the Finns 29-14.
That pressure resulted in a Shea Theodore missile from the top of the circle finding the back of the net.
The Finns were unhappy about the contact that Brad Marchand made with Saros, but if you watch that again, the contact was clearly initiated by Finland’s Erik Haula in the crease.
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Canada never took its foot off the gas after that, and that pressure certainly played a role in Finland’s Niko Mikkola taking a penalty for high-sticking Nathan MacKinnon with around two and a half minutes left in regulation.
Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates with teammates after scoring Canada’s third goal during a men’s ice hockey semifinal game between Canada and Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 20, 2026.(Petr David Josek/AP Photo)
And once again, special teams produced, with Nathan MacKinnon scoring the game-winner with just 35.2 seconds left in regulation.
The Finns challenged the goal, saying the Canadians had entered the zone offside — and boy, was it close; totally worth taking a swing at — but the call stood, and Team Canada was up 3-2.
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That was how things ended, with the Canadians going on a 3-0 rally to cement their spot in the gold medal game on Sunday, where they’ll face the winner of Friday afternoon’s other semifinal game between Team USA and Slovakia.
As for the Finns, they still have some business to tend to as they’ll face the loser of that game in the bronze medal game on Saturday.
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — It was telling that Scottie Scheffler, 12 shots off the lead, finished Friday with a fist pump.
Scheffler’s seven-footer for par dove right. It caught the edge. It fell to the bottom. And the World No. 1, filled with belief and relief, moved on to the weekend, some two touchdowns behind leader Marco Penge but with two quarters yet to play.
The putt told a story about the day, about the course, about the man. But mostly it ended a strange afternoon that began with an even stranger question:
What the hell is Scottie Scheffler doing in last place?!
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Scheffler’s journey to last place was more complicated than bad golf. When a rain-delayed day finally halted play midway through the first round, Scheffler was only halfway through his first 18 at the Genesis. The horn sounded about a half-hour after Scheffler made double bogey at No. 8 and just minutes after bogey at No. 10. At the time, Scheffler was five over par, T71 in a field of 72, and stuck there from sundown Thursday to sunup Friday. Scheffler is familiar with the feeling of sleeping on the lead. This time he was sleeping on the anti-lead. Beating nobody. Strange.
I came out eager to watch Scheffler early Friday morning, curious to get a read on whether there was something gravely wrong with the best golfer in the world (unlikely) or if he was setting the stage for another exhilarating comeback (very likely). The 7 a.m. restart meant it was a sparse crowd, likely just as much due to the cold as the early hour (42 degrees by my count, likely colder in the damp dark of Riviera’s lowlands, an absolute no-go for a fairweather fan). Scheffler wore a white Nike winter hat over a white Nike baseball hat. He wore a sweater, plus a vest that he took on and off, as he tends to. It was a muted scene but pleasant; everyone in the coffee-clutching crowd seemed happy they’d decided to brave the elements. It’s special to watch the world’s best golfer play one of the world’s best courses alongside just a handful of bundled-up diehards. Even if he’s in last place. Maybe especially if he’s in last place.
Scheffler was undoubtedly on property in the wee hours, warming up his swing, his body, his mind. Comparatively, as someone who can barely function in the world, I misjudged traffic, struggled to find the correct parking lot and barely made it onto the course by the time play resumed.
When I saw Scheffler for the first time, he’d just hit the toughest tee shot on property, driver down the uncomfortable 12th, pummeling one 315 yards down the left side of the fairway. He hit an uncharacteristic approach, missing the green left with a wedge, but canned an eight-footer for par that turned out to be the start of something good. His next hole — smashed driver, wedge to eight feet, first birdie of the week — got him out of last place. I did not expect he would return.
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To prove my point, Scheffler poured in a 20-footer for birdie at No. 14, too, to improve to three over par. And then he made a six-footer for par at No. 15. He’d missed several short putts on Thursday. This looked to be a different guy.
That’s what’s interesting: for the last three weeks, Thursday Scheffler has been a different guy. A strong finish to this first round still only put a neat bow on what had been his third mediocre opening session in a row. Scheffler started the WM Phoenix Open with 73. He opened the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with 72. Both efforts put him in the bottom half of those respective leaderboards. And now he’d rallied just for 74 at a soft setup at Riviera?
It’s fun to watch Scheffler dominate, but this routine has arguably been more interesting. It’s shocking viewing to see Scheffler dig himself a hole on Thursdays — and it’s riveting to watch him climb his way out. If it wasn’t antithetical to his entire way of being you’d figure he was doing it on purpose, spotting the leaders a 10-stroke head start just to make things interesting down the stretch. He roared back at TPC Scottsdale, 65-67-64, to finish one shot outside a playoff. He roared back at Pebble, 66-67-63, to finish two shots outside a playoff. Overnight at Riviera, Scheffler was 11 shots off the lead and beating nobody. He was still listed among the betting favorites.
As he appeared to lock in on another comeback, I studied Scheffler for some sort of tell — something that seemed different on Friday, something that made him play his first 10 holes at five over par and his final eight holes at two under. I mostly came up blank. The difference I saw could be chalked up to weather and conditions, plus a few putts, and the vagaries of a complex sport. He was less visibly frustrated on Friday, but that’s hardly a revelation; he wasn’t missing five-footers. When Scheffler’s on edge, you’ll know. As he said in his Tuesday press conference, with a grin, to a reporter:
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“You’ve played golf before, right? Yeah, it’s frustrating.”
But Scheffler still leaves you with a strong in-person impression. His intensity stands out. That doesn’t mean white knuckles and a clenched jaw. It means a 30-second, full-focus huddle-up with caddie Ted Scott before picking the correct shot, even 10 shots off the lead. It means a complete reset before the next shot. One thing he has borrowed from Tiger Woods is a commitment to commitment. There is no pack-it-in option.
More Scheffler, from pre-tournament: “I may not be, like, the flashiest player, but I feel like my mind has always been my greatest tool, and I just try to use that to my advantage.”
That much is clear.
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After a short break, the threesome of Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Si Woo Kim headed to the first tee to begin their second round. When the World No. 1 birdied No. 1, it felt like the comeback was officially on.
But then it wasn’t. Scheffler bogeyed No. 2, ran off four pars in a row, and then bogeyed No. 7. He was back to four over par, ahead of exactly one player (Garrick Higgo) and 11 shots behind playing partner Xander Schauffele.
That was the moment Scheffler looked the most despondent. His hat askew, he stormed his way to the eighth tee and collapsed into a chair in frustration. Then he fired his tee shot well left, repeating a left miss he battled all day. As the ball soared off line, Scheffler dropped his driver on follow-through, apoplectic. That’s a Scheffler hallmark: he’s so used to things going right that he can’t believe it when they don’t.
In that moment it felt like Scheffler’s tournament was all but over. But weirdly, the stumble seemed to highlight just how few stumbles there have been. Cut-making has gotten easier, with more no-cut events and smaller fields. Still, Scheffler hasn’t missed one since the summer of 2022. That’s nuts. What’s even nuttier is Scheffler’s streak of 19 consecutive finishes of T8 or better. We can take his relentlessness for granted, but we shouldn’t.
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The key to Scheffler’s relentlessness is that he never takes anything for granted. And so he found his way to par at No. 8 and then played essentially perfect golf for the next 40 minutes, sticking his approach to three feet at No. 9, chipping to two feet at the drivable par-4 10th, and hitting a brilliant second at the par-5 11th. Birdie, birdie, birdie. He still needed one more, but couldn’t find it until the par-5 17th, where he splashed a challenging mid-length, all-carry bunker shot to four feet and made the putt. And then came No. 18, where he just missed the green but shorted a chip shot before bailing himself out with a nervy par putt that bought him two more chances to climb the leaderboard.
The fist pump, plus the ferocious high five he shared with Scott, showed a man clearly not too cool to grind for a made cut. All that to crack the top 50 in a 72-player field. All that to keep the streak alive. All that to climb from the basement to the first floor.
Scheffler made no excuses post-round. He sounded relieved to have snuck away with par at the last after he’d “tried to make a mess of a pretty basic chip there.” He admitted that he hasn’t quite cracked Riviera’s code.
“I don’t know, this place and I have a weird relationship. I feel like I can play so well out here and I just haven’t yet,” he said.
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As for his Thursday woes? Scheffler cited some specific conditions: “I would not say anything in particular.” So there.
For obvious reasons, Scheffler has been increasingly compared to Woods. It’s fitting, then, that Riviera is giving him fits. It gave Woods fits, too. It’s the tournament he somehow never won.
Scheffler probably won’t win this edition, though you’d be foolish to write him off completely. As it turns out, Scottie Scheffler isn’t very good at being in last place.
And he’s even worse at staying there.
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Dylan Dethier will be chiming in from Riviera all weekend. You can reach him at dylan_dethier@golf.com.
At this point, the only question is whether Tua is going to get released or traded. Both scenarios would come with some complications for the Dolphins and that’s because Tua has $54 million in guaranteed money owed to him for the 2026 season. If the Dolphins cut Tua, they would be stuck with an NFL-record $99.2 million dead cap charge this year. However, they could knock that number down to $67.4 million if they designate him as a post-June 1 cut, a move that would allow them to split the $99.2 million hit over two seasons (they’d also take a $31.8 million dead cap hit in 2027).
The best-case scenario for the Dolphins would be to find a potential trade partner. The problem there is that it’s highly unlikely that any team is going to be willing to take on Tua’s $54 million guaranteed salary for 2026. However, the Dolphins could still try to make a deal happen by agreeing to pay some of that salary. If Miami was willing to pay $24 million, then the acquiring team would only have to pay Tua $30 million in 2026, which is a much more manageable number.
So if Tua does leave Miami, where could he end up? Let’s take a look at four possible landing spots.
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Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are currently in a nightmare situation at quarterback. They appeared to have their quarterback of the future in 2024 with Sam Darnold, who led them to a 14-3 record. The Vikings could have kept him last year, but instead of signing Darnold to a long-term deal (or even just franchise tagging him), they decided to roll the dice by going all in with J.J. McCarthy and that gamble totally backfired. In his first full year as a starter, McCarthy looked much closer to being a bust than someone who will eventually be the team’s future franchise quarterback.
Say what you will about Tua, but he’s definitely a much more polished quarterback than McCarthy. Although he’s had some trouble staying healthy, Tua has been productive when he’s on the field and he’s been especially good when he’s had the right weapons around him and the Vikings have a lot of offensive weapons to work with in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Tua might have to compete with McCarthy for the job, but that’s likely a competition where he would be feeling pretty confident.
And let’s not forget, Tua’s former offensive coordinator, Frank Smith, is now in Minnesota. Smith worked with Tua for four seasons in Miami and he’s now the assistant head coach for the Vikings after being hired this year, so there would be some familiarity there.
The biggest question mark here is whether Tua would want to join a team that includes Brian Flores. The Vikings defensive coordinator was Tua’s head coach in Miami for two seasons (2020-21) and the two definitely didn’t get along. Tua ripped Flores’ coaching style back in 2024 and it’s not clear if the two sides have mended fences. If they have, then Minnesota seems like an enticing spot for the former fifth overall pick.
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Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray has almost certainly played his last down in Arizona, which means the Cardinals will likely be in the market for a quarterback this offseason. Jacoby Brissett, who started 12 games last season, is under contract for 2026, so the Cards do have a safety net, but it would make a lot more sense tor them to bring someone in.
New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur just spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator with the Rams, where he got to work with one of the NFL’s top pocket passers in Matthew Stafford. That’s not Murray’s playing style, but it definitely is what Tua prefers, which why he might be able to fit in with Arizona’s new offense.
The Cardinals have some solid weapons, including Trey McBride, who’s one of the best tight ends in the NFL. They have also have an impressive receiving duo in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Tua was at his best in Miami when Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were both on the field, so the Cardinals know what kind of production he’s capable of when he has some weapons around him.
The Colts might be the biggest wild card when it comes to the quarterback position this year and that’s because it’s not clear if Daniel Jones will be ready to play in Week 1. Jones had a strong season in his first-year with Indianapolis, but it came to a painful end in December when he tore his Achilles. That’s one of the most brutal injuries in sports and it wouldn’t be surprising at all if he had to miss the first few weeks of the 2026 season. As a matter of fact, if you look at the recovery timeline for quarterbacks, it would be a borderline miracle if Jones were to play in Week 1. Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins both tore their Achilles in 2023 and they ended up playing in Week 1 of the following season, but both of those injuries happened early in the season (Cousins’ injury came in Week 8 while Rodgers tore his Achilles in Week 1. Jones suffered his injury in Week 14).
Not only is Jones’ health up in the air, but he’s also set to be a free agent, so the Colts have fo figure out what they want to do with him, and that’s where Tua would come in. If the Colts decide to re-sign Jones, Tua could sign a one-year deal — if the Dolphins release him — and be the QB until Jones is ready to play. A trade could also make sense if the Dolphins are willing to eat a healthy chunk of Tua’s $54 million salary for 2026. Tua doesn’t have any guaranteed money left after the 2026 season, so he could fill in for Jones for a few weeks, finish out the 2026 season in Indy and then the Colts could release or trade him during the 2027 offseason (Tua will have $3 million of his 2027 salary become guaranteed on March 13, so the Colts would have to deal with that if they acquired him in a trade from Miami).
One thing working in Tua’s favor is that the Colts have a set up where he could thrive: They have a solid offensive line, they have one of the best running backs in the NFL (Jonathan Taylor), they have a solid receiving group led by Michael Pittman and they have a solid young tight end in Tyler Warren. Tua could put up some big numbers in Indy.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons currently have two quarterbacks in Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr., but that won’t be the case much longer. The team is expected to release Cousins before the start of free agency, which will leave Penix as the top guy on the depth chart. Penix comes with some serious question marks, though: He just tore his ACL for the third time in his football career and he hasn’t proven that he can play consistently good football.
Although the Falcons expect him to be ready for Week 1, he’s playing for a new coach and a new front office that didn’t draft him, so it wouldn’t be surprising at all if they brought in some competition for him. Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski has shown that he can win games even if he has to cycle through quarterbacks. He led the Browns to the playoffs during a 2023 season where Cleveland started five different players at quarterback. Stefanski is a smart offensive mind and if he thinks that Tua has more upside than Penix, then he would almost certainly be interested in bringing him to Atlanta.
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Bringing in a left-handed QB to compete with a left-handed QB would be a plus for the Falcons because it means that Atlanta wouldn’t have to make any huge changes from an offensive standpoint.
The man making the decisions in Atlanta’s front office, Matt Ryan, was noncommittal when asked if Penix would be the starting QB in 2026. Ryan told CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones that Penix’s role will be decided by new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
“Kevin’s responsibility is to be the head coach of the football team and he’s going to let you know who our starters are and who our starters are not. It’s not my place to go in there,” Ryan said during Super Bowl week.
So the QB job will be up to Stefanski, which certainly leaves the door open for Atlanta to bring in a new quarterback.
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Why several QB-needy teams didn’t make this list
One thing you may or may not have noticed about this list is that every team on it plays indoors. If Tua has proven one thing in his career, it’s that he struggles when the weather gets cold, so it doesn’t make much sense for him to play in a cold-weather city, which is why we don’t have the Jets, Steelers or Browns listed here.
The final start of Tua’s Dolphins’ career came in a December loss to the Steelers where the kickoff temperature was 17 degrees. That dropped Tua’s career record to 0-6 when the temperature is below 40. If I’m a team in a cold-weather city, I don’t want Tua, and if I’m Tua, I don’t want to play in a cold-weather city. For Tua, playing indoors will guarantee that he’ll get perfect weather for at least eight games per year. Tua has an 8-4 career record when playing indoors (dome or retractable roof) with his last game coming in Week 8 against the Falcons, a day that saw him throw four touchdown passes in a 34-10 win.
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather said he is coming out of retirement after nine years away from the sport and will make his return this summer.
He is returning to the ring for a match under a promotional deal with CSI Sports/Fight Sports.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather of the U.S. throws a punch against mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura of Japan in Saitama, Tokyo, Sept. 25, 2022.(AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said in a statement. “From my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards, no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event (than) my events.”
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The undefeated Mayweather, who turns 49 Tuesday, hasn’t fought in a real match since 2017 against Conor McGregor. Mayweather declared himself retired after that match with a 50-0 record and 27 KOs.
Floyd Mayweather in action against Aaron Chalmers (not pictured) during their exhibition fight at The O2 in London Feb. 25, 2023.(Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images)
The former five-division world champion has still been in the ring regularly throughout his 40s with a series of lucrative exhibition bouts against the likes of online influencer Logan Paul, YouTuber Mikuri Asakura and John Gotti III, the grandson of the infamous mafia boss.
Mayweather has already announced yet another exhibition coming up this spring against 59-year-old Mike Tyson, although no location or television partner has been confirmed.
Logan Paul, left, and Floyd Mayweather fight during an exhibition boxing match at Hard Rock Stadium June 6, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla.(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Mayweather spent more than a decade as arguably the biggest American star in boxing, and he beat Manny Pacquiao in 2015 in the richest fight in boxing history at the time. His superb defensive skills and quick hands were his ring strengths, but his stardom and wealth proliferated largely because of his “Money May” antihero persona.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Conor Benn has spoken out following his stunning signing with Dana White and Zuffa Boxing – with ‘The Destroyer’ sending a clear message to Eddie Hearn.
Benn has shocked the entire boxing world after it was announced that he has joined forces with Zuffa, ending his 10-year relationship with Matchroom Boxing and Hearn, dating back to his professional debut in 2016.
The two parties have gone through a number of highs and lows during that time, including Benn’s recent victory over bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr, along with his long and drawn out drugs saga following a failed test back in October 2022.
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After Benn’s win in November, it looked like more big fights were on the horizon under the Matchroom banner, before the surprise news that he has now teamed up with Zuffa and White.
In a post on social media, Benn explained his decision, but also stated he would like for Hearn to continue to be part of the team in some capacity.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Eddie and the entire team at Matchroom for everything they’ve done for me over the past decade. From guiding me when I first turned pro, to headlining stadium shows. They were not only with me for those highlight moments but stood shoulder to shoulder with me during the tough times.
“It’s been a journey beyond anything we could have imagined, and for their belief, support and guidance, I will always be truly grateful, but Zuffa Boxing presented me with an opportunity I simply couldn’t refuse. I’d love Eddie to continue to be part of my team and for our partnership to evolve in this new chapter.
“I’m filled with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing. I want the legacy fights, the biggest nights, the biggest stages. I fear no man at any weight, and I’m ready to give the fans the fights they’ve been calling for. I’m in my prime, and together we have bold, ambitious plans.”
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Despite Benn’s wishes, it seems unlikely that Hearn will be able to work alongside Zuffa and White, especially considering the recent verbal battles the Matchroom chairman and the UFC CEO have had in recent weeks.
Hearn is yet to comment on Benn’s decision, but it will certainly be interesting when he shares his side of the story.
