Jan 21, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; CBS Sports sideline announcer Mike Florio on field prior to an AFC divisional round game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports.
Whoever loses the passer battle in the Twin Cities is going to be left disappointed. How that disappointment manifests itself remains to be seen, leading to national NFL voice Mike Florio spilling some digital ink on the topic.
At Pro Football Talk, Florio took on the issue, swerving into all kinds of different questions and scenarios within the unfolding drama at TCO Performance Center. Consider the concluding thoughts: “In theory, Murray provides the Vikings with a no-lose proposition. Murray’s presence will either get McCarthy to step up, or it will cause him to step off. The flip side is that someone will lose out on starting, and his disappointment will need to be managed.”
And the final lines: “That’s why O’Connell will need to have an effective plan for how to deal with the guy who comes in second. He seems to be the type who does. The only question is whether it will work.”
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National NFL Voice Digs into Vikings QB Battle
Broadly speaking, the expectation is that Kyler Murray will be the Vikings’ QB1 in 2026. And, to be sure, there’s good reason for that belief.
The 28-year-old passer is among the most gifted quarterbacks in the NFL, largely contributing to him being chosen at No. 1 in the 2019 NFL Draft. He has since proven to be a wonderfully accurate passer who boasts insane quickness. Via the air and the ground, Murray can pick a team apart.
Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) huddles with the offense in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Part of what has made his story odd, though, is that team success hasn’t followed.
In that way, Murray is strikingly similar to Kirk Cousins. Both arrived as borderline franchise passers during free agency. Both offer very promising statistics but without any team success to boast about. In each instance, the failure of terrible football teams — Washington and Arizona — was held up as key contributors for why things would be different as the new QB1 for the Vikings.
A key distinguishing factor for Murray is that he’s being forced to fend off a highly-picked, homegrown talent in J.J. McCarthy. Cousins had to overcome no such hurdle. Moreover, Kyler Murray is costing just $1.3 million, a far cry from the $84 million (guaranteed, of course) that Cousins snagged to lead the Vikings through the wilderness instead of to the promised land.
Seeing Murray win in training camp won’t be surprising. Seeing him then experience true team success is an entirely different issue.
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and head coach Kevin O’Connell hug before the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Kick it back to Florio, who writes that “the guy who misses the chance to provide the Vikings with what they need to get to the playoffs and perhaps win their first postseason game since 2019 will be very disappointed. And possibly upset.”
Broader context about Murray’s past: “When Murray signed with the Vikings for a mere $1.3 million in March (the Cardinals owe him another $35.8 million this year), the thinking was that he had the inside track. Sure, the past few seasons haven’t been great. But the Cardinals had a role in that. Beyond the fact that they haven’t had enough talent around him, they threw a wrench into the relationship by trying to jam an ill-advised homework clause into the long-term deal he signed after his first three seasons, which ended with the offensive rookie of the year award in 2019 and Pro Bowl berths in 2020 and 2021.”
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Plus the more recent developments: “The public accounts of the team’s mandatory minicamp created the impression that McCarthy is making strides and Murray is struggling.”
At minicamp last week, J.J. McCarthy wasn’t perfect but he had a better week than Kyler Murray. By no means does that opinion mean that McCarthy is the favorite. Rather, it’s a reminder that there’s still a competition unfolding.
Mike Florio then offers an open-ended observation: “That could (or perhaps should) light a fire under Murray to view the next six weeks not as a break or a vacation but as a challenge. And it will become obvious to the coaching staff if Murray is taking full advantage of the extra time to get himself ready to clearly and conclusively win the job once training camp opens.”
Not to beat a dead horse, but being at TCO helps. I was able to ask Murray about how he plans to spend his time off. His answer? That he doesn’t view the summer as being time off. He told me he plans to grind, continuing to improve ahead of training camp.
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Oct 30, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) scrambles against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
The current guess on this end of the internet is that Murray is the starter in Week 1 but doesn’t start the most games in the 2026 season. Either due to injury or poor play, Murray takes a backseat to McCarthy.
Kyler Murray was able to get a no-tag clause into his Vikings deal. He didn’t get a no-trade clause, though. We’ll see how things end up shaking out; what I will say is that a future Vikings QB room consisting of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer shouldn’t be viewed as an impossibility.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s senior advisor has resigned in protest over his boss’s plan to seek private investment for the World Cup football tournament. Carlos Cordeiro said such a move would “mortgage football’s future.”His voice part of a growing opposition – which includes a potential boycott by Europe’s football associations – as well as CONCACAF – the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Asian Football confederation. FIFA is currently offering 40 million dollars to each country that backs its project.
India’s Preeti Pawar competes with Zambia’s Catherine Mwape in the Women’s 54kg Semi Final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Friday, July 31, 2026. (AP Photo)
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar said the process of cutting weight before an important bout is difficult because athletes cannot eat properly, but added that it also motivates her to keep moving forward after reaching the women’s 54kg final at the Commonwealth Games.Preeti became the first Indian boxer to reach the final in Glasgow after defeating Zambia’s Catherine Mwape 5-0 in the women’s 54kg semifinal on Friday. She will face Canada’s Scarlett Delgado in the gold medal bout after the Canadian defeated England’s Lauren Mackie 4-1 in the other semifinal.Speaking after the win, Preeti said, “It is a part of our training. It motivates us. It is a little tough because we are not able to eat food properly. But it motivates us that we are one step away from the final.”The 22-year-old from Bhiwani, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Games, controlled the bout from the start. She used her left straight well and repeatedly caught Mwape with counter-attacks after drawing her forward.“I am very happy that I have managed to do what I prepared for. I have to give my best tomorrow for the gold medal. I never take my opponents lightly, and always prepare in detail with my coaches. I am happy that I am able to implement those plans,” Preeti was quoted as saying by news agency PTI after her win.Mwape found it difficult to land clean punches and was beaten whenever Preeti put together combinations.The Zambian boxer received three eight counts during the first two rounds. Preeti’s control of the contest was reflected in the judges’ scorecards, with all five judges awarding her a 10-8 score in the second round.With the result almost decided, Mwape spent the final round trying to avoid Preeti’s attacks as the Indian boxer completed a comfortable 5-0 victory to move into the final.
The esteemed Bart Cummings held a famous conviction that horses required a minimum of 10,000 metres of racing experience before being capable of winning the Melbourne Cup. This guiding principle often led the legendary trainer to commence his spring preparations in the Aurie’s Star Handicap.
While such traditional training methodologies have largely been phased out, Saturday’s racing at Flemington may indeed serve as a pivotal launchpad for this year’s Melbourne Cup contenders.
Ciaron Maher plans to utilise the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) as the initial stage for Shockletz’s campaign to secure a berth in Australia’s premier race.
The mare is being specifically targeted at the two crucial Melbourne Cup qualifying races: the Archer Stakes (2500m) scheduled for September 12, and The Bart Cummings (2500m) on October 3. The victors of these races will gain automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup field.
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Jack Turnbull, National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, stated that the stable had meticulously formulated the campaign well in advance.
“We’re trying to get her into The Archer,” Turnbull said.
“That’s our little plan, try and qualify her and then if that doesn’t work, there is The Bart Cummings.
“It’s been a long-term plan to work back from those particular races and get her in there.
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“Her brother and her family have raced at those types of distances, and we feel she has got that quality.”
Shockletz, a sibling to the horse Horrifying, demonstrated continued improvement in staying events last season before being subjected to a carefully managed preparation this current campaign.
She competed in three races during the early winter period, followed by a brief freshen-up designed to bring her to peak fitness for the forthcoming major staying races.
“I’m really pleased with her, and she’s freshened up really well,” Turnbull remarked.
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“She only had two weeks off and while she’s first-up she had three runs and she’s not going to be lacking fitness.
“Last prep we were conscious of going one too many and giving her the right amount of time out to have her for this prep.
“We’ve always had time for her and hopefully she repays us.”
Discover the latest Flemington odds with Australia’s leading Top 10 Betting Apps. Check out the betting sites for this race.
Chris Eubank Jr has not fought since his underwhelming rematch with Conor Benn, but the 36-year-old is now being targeted by a fierce knockout artist, who is willing to travel to London for the opportunity to face him.
Eubank scored an iconic win over Benn last April but when they rematched seven months later, he felt the full effects of a brutal weight cut, narrowly avoiding a stoppage defeat as he survived until the final bell on unsteady legs only to lose a wide unanimous decision.
Since then, the Hove-born contender has been advised to move up in weight and return to the super-middleweight scene, but he has also been linked to a catchweight clash with Michael Zerafa in Australia – a bout which would take place at 164lbs.
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New York’s Edgar Berlanga has now thrown his hat into the ring though, after revealing on ‘The Last Stand’ podcast about his intentions to face Eubank before the end of the year.
“I would love to step into the ring to end the year with Chris Eubank Jr. I feel like that fight is going to be a big fight in London.
“I told Keith [Connolly], I said that I would rather not do it out here in America. I would rather go to London, where he is from [U.K.], you know what I am saying? We can make a big, big fight happen. He is on the radar.”
Berlanga’s most high profile fight came back in 2024 when he challenged Canelo Alvarez for his unified super-middleweight crown, suffering a unanimous decision defeat, one of two losses in his career after also coming up short against Hamzah Sheeraz.
He has since signed with Zuffa Boxing and in his debut with the company on Sunday he knocked Steven Butler out after seven rounds, recovering from a second-round knockdown to earn the 19th stoppage victory of his career.
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In an interview with The Ring, Berlanga has now doubled down on his call-out of Eubank, hoping he can convince the Briton to swerve the Zerafa fight in favour of a clash on home soil.
“I’m looking forward to getting a real big fight with Chris Eubank. Let’s do it in London. It’s going to be big.”
Danhausen has named his price for yet another major uncursing. He has shockingly asked for ten million dollars and that is something that he has never done before.
The Very Nice Very Evil star has been on the lips of all sports fans ever since he helped the New York Knicks win the NBA title in June. The Knicks had not won the NBA championship in 53 years and only did so after he lifted their curse.
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He has since become a household name and has also appeared on a lot of sports channels where they spoke about his powers. Danhausen will be taking on Dominik Mysterio at SummerSlam which will be held in Minnesota.
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He was posing for pictures with the fans when a fan asked him what would it take for him to uncurse the Minnesota Vikings, who have never won the NFL Championship. He jokingly said that it would take ten million dollars for him to uncurse the Vikings.
Danhausen makes bizarre request to the New York Knicks
The name Danhausen has been etched in the history of the New York Knicks. Ever since they won the NBA title, thanks to their curse being lifted, he has been praised by many of the Knicks players themselves.
After they won the title, the former AEW star made a bizarre request to the New York Knicks. He asked for a one day contract with the franchise so he can play and retire as a world champion. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, after the historic championship win, the former AEW star wrote:
“Danhausen is requesting a one day contract with The KNICKSHAUSEN so he may retire from basketball’s as a champion of the world”
It is the off season right now and there is not a lot of movement. However, given the kind of coverage and sensation the team has received from the WWE star, it should come as no surprise if they decide to adhere to the request and give him a one day contract.
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Derek Chisora is looking to secure a third world title shot, this time against a far different champion to Tyson Fury or Vitali Klitschko.
The Brit lost those two attempts in 2022 and 2012, respectively, but gave a gallant performance when he challenged the long-reigning Klitschko on away soil.
‘Del Boy’ – as he was then known – ultimately lost a unanimous decision to the Ukrainian, before getting stopped in five rounds by David Haye in his following outing.
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Then, around a decade later, Chisora suffered a punishing 10th-round stoppage defeat in his third encounter with Fury, no longer seeming capable of competing at world level.
Yet despite showing signs of deterioration, the heavyweight veteran has continued plugging away and is now coming off a split decision defeat to Deontay Wilder.
Their April encounter, which was supposed to be his ‘last dance’, saw Chisora touch the canvas twice but nonetheless contest the result of his 50th professional bout.
The 42-year-old then went on to demand an immediate rematch with Wilder, who appears to be one of the leading options for Oleksandr Usyk’s swansong next year.
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So, instead, Chisora has made a slight pivot and is now targeting Murat Gassiev, who was elevated from ‘regular’ to full WBA champion after Usyk vacated his belts.
Taking to social media, Chisora tagged Gassiev’s promoter, IBA Pro, and posted a graphic of himself and the Russian as two chickens, along with the caption: “Fight 51”.
The two heavyweights also went face to face earlier this month, shortly after Gassiev, 32, defended his title with a sixth-round finish over Peter Kadiru.
Former Maple Leafs winger Jeff O’Neill spilled the beans on first-overall pick Gavin McKenna asking for his permission to wear No. 92 on his jersey.
O’Neill had a brief two-season stint with the Maple Leafs from 2005-07, playing 146 games. During that time, he became the first player in franchise history to wear No. 92.
The Leafs never retired the number, and after drafting McKenna first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, the 18-year-old chose to wear the same jersey number O’Neill once donned.
It was revealed earlier this month when O’Neill posted on X (formerly called Twitter) that McKenna had asked his permission to wear No. 92, which the former Maple Leafs winger gladly granted.
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“Last night I got a FaceTime after dinner. Gavin asked if it was cool if he wore the number. I said ‘It’s the only way to go son. LFG,’” O’Neill wrote.
Last night I got a FaceTime after dinner. Gavin asked if it was cool if he wore the number. I said “ it’s the only way to go son. LFG. “
When it was confirmed that McKenna would be wearing the same number, O’Neill was credited with making it happen after allowing the young star to use it.
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However, during a recent appearance on OverDrive, O’Neill revealed the truth: Gavin McKenna never actually called him for permission, and he was just having fun on social media.
“I’m probably gonna get somebody call me a p*s. But I have to confess something, and it’s something that should be so obvious. But I didn’t. It went too far, and I couldn’t go back on it. Gavin McKenna did not, nor would he ever, call me to get my input on wearing number 92. I only played for the Leafs for two years. I do know both of his agents, but that did not happen,” said O’Neill.
He added:
“He picked 92 because he wanted some type of combination of 72 and 97. So he picked 92, and that’s what happened. He did not call me. Why would he call me? Like, I scored 40 goals in two years for the Leafs. I was just trying to have some fun on social media, and it got to a place where I’m like, I just have to leave this there because I can’t delete it or I can’t go back on it now.”
Gavin McKenna training with Macklin Celebrini ahead of highly anticipated debut
Toronto Maple Leafs first-overall pick Gavin McKenna is getting a head start on his rookie season by training alongside San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini.
The two young guns were recently spotted working out together in Vancouver as McKenna prepares for what many expect to be a strong NHL debut with the Maple Leafs next season.
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Celebrini, meanwhile, is coming off a career-high 115-point season with the San Jose Sharks. He will be entering the new season as the highest-paid player in the NHL after signing a five-year, $94 million contract with an $18.8 million AAV recently.
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles secured a place in the semi-finals of the WAFU B U-20 Tournament after beating Togo 3-0 in their second Group B match in Yamoussoukro on Thursday.
The victory follows Nigeria’s impressive 4-2 win over Ghana in their opening game, making it two wins from two in the competition.
Togo made life difficult for the Flying Eagles in the first half and almost took the lead in the 38th minute, but their effort went wide. Nigeria also created chances, but both teams went into the break with the score at 0-0.
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The Flying Eagles returned stronger after half-time and broke the deadlock just one minute into the second half. Muiz Adeleke, who scored twice against Ghana, found the back of the net again to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead.
Adeleke doubled Nigeria’s advantage in the 59th minute after a swift counter-attack. The forward rounded the Togolese goalkeeper before calmly finishing to score his fourth goal of the tournament.
Substitute Abdoulaye Agbejoye completed the scoring in the 85th minute, finishing well shortly after coming on to seal a convincing 3-0 victory.
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The seven-time African champions will now face Burkina Faso on Sunday for a place in the final.
Two Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters joined the operation on Friday, while an experienced ground team deployed to the area where the group of at least 10 climbers was last believed to have been.
“The team has been out of communication since Thursday,” Alpine Club vice president Karrar Haidri said.
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Authorities were in contact with the climbers’ families, he added.
Pakistani security sources said the four bodies were located but had not yet been recovered.
Chhang Dawa Sherpa, a director at trekking company Seven Summit Treks, said the climbers were believed to have been swept away by an avalanche at around 6,600 meters (21,650 feet).
The Alpine Club said also said it had received “deeply concerning reports” that the avalanche struck the expedition around midday on Thursday.
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“The Alpine Club of Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all concerned stakeholders,” the organization said.
One of the missing climbers is Nepal-born Nirmal Purja, who climbed the world’s 14 highest peaks in under seven months (file photo)Image: Subash Shrestha/Pacific Press/IMAGO
It added that it remained hopeful the missing climbers would be found safely.
The missing group includes five Nepalese climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi, an Omani climber identified as Nathira, US climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified only as Wang and another international climber.
Three Sherpa guides from Seven Summit Treks were among those missing.
Who is Nirmal Purja?
Purja, widely known as Nims Dai, is a former British Army soldier who served with the Brigade of Gurkhas and later became the first Gurkha accepted into Britain’s elite Special Boat Service.
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He rose to international prominence after climbing all 14 of the world’s mountains above 8,000 meters in 189 days in 2019.
The achievement was featured in the Netflix documentary “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.”
What is Broad Peak?
Broad Peak stands at just over 8,000 meters in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, close to the border with China. It is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and lies only a few kilometers from the better-known K2.
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Originally designated K3 during the surveying of the Karakoram, its more modern name refers to its unusually wide summit ridge, which stretches for roughly 1.5 kilometers (just under a mile).
The region contains five of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters and attracts climbers from across the globe, although avalanches and rapidly changing weather make expeditions particularly dangerous.
Edited by: Darko Janjevic
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Trainer Danny O’Brien has outlined an ambitious spring program for Sass Appeal, with three Group 1 races firmly in focus as the talented mare resumes at Flemington this Saturday.
The So You Think filly is set to kick off her preparation in the VRC Membership Renewals Open (1410m) after a stellar three-year-old season that culminated in a victory in the Kewney Stakes.
Sass Appeal has competed in just five races, achieving a runner-up finish on debut at Sandown before securing four consecutive wins, including her Group 2 success at Flemington in March.
O’Brien made the strategic decision to conclude her autumn campaign immediately after that win, believing a timely spell would position her perfectly for the spring season.
“She went to the paddock early in the autumn after the first Saturday in March as she had raced through the summer, so we weren’t keen to do too much more with her,” O’Brien stated.
“The benefit of going out early was we were able to have her ready for the early part of the spring as we are hoping to get her to a Sir Rupert Clarke or a Toorak Handicap.
“She needs to win a race or two between now and those races to get her rating up to that sort of level and this looks a good starting point on Saturday.”
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Although Sass Appeal was also entered for the Aurie’s Star Handicap, O’Brien felt the 1410m assignment was a more suitable option.
The mare also benefits from the weight allocation, carrying 53kg compared to what she would have shouldered in the Group 3 sprint.
“She already has a good record at the 1400 (metres),” O’Brien commented.
“She’s won twice at the course and distance, so we thought we would stick with what she does best and is already proven at. It’s a lower rating race than what the Aurie’s Star is, a Group 3, and she is a lot better handicapped in this.”
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O’Brien plans to give Sass Appeal one more lead-up run in another Benchmark 100 over 1400m at Caulfield on August 29 before stepping her into elite company.
“There’s only time to have two runs before potentially running in the Sir Rupert Clarke,” O’Brien explained.
“She can run this weekend and then go four weeks to Memsie Stakes Day to a similar race there, another 1400-metre at Caulfield and then it’s a three-week gap to the Sir Rupert Clarke. After that it’s potentially the Toorak Handicap into the Empire Rose.”
Despite the substantial prizemoney and the recent elevation of The Golden Eagle to Group 1 status, O’Brien’s preference is to keep Sass Appeal racing in Melbourne throughout the spring.
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