Here’s an up-to-date list of all NFL Players from Highland High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The list includes only those players who have played in an NFL game.
See where it ranks among other schools in the state here.
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NFL Players from Highland H.S. (Albuquerque, NM)
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Maria Sakkari delivered one of the biggest wins of her career by defeating world No. 2 Iga Swiatek 2–6, 6–4, 7–5 to reach the semifinals of the Qatar Open.
The victory ended a difficult run for Sakkari, who had lost four straight matches and nine consecutive sets to Swiatek.
It was her first win over Swiatek since 2021, her first win over a world No. 2 since 2022, and her first WTA 1000 semifinal since Indian Wells 2024. She also became the first player ever to beat Swiatek at a WTA 1000 event after losing the opening set.
After dropping the first set, Sakkari found her rhythm in the second, closing it out 6–4 before holding her nerve in a tight deciding set to seal the upset.
Speaking after the match, Sakkari opened up about the mental struggle behind the result.
“I’m speechless because it’s been a while since I’ve had a big day like today. When you drop in the rankings and you’re not playing good tennis, you start doubting yourself. You’re thinking you’re never gonna beat those players again. It’s a huge process that you have to go through in your head that you can do it. Last year in the second round against her, I was not confident. I was not believing in myself. This year it’s different. I have to say I feel a lot better.”
The win marks the 30th top-10 victory of Sakkari’s career and a major boost in confidence as she moves into the Doha semifinals.
Welcome to I Tried It, a GOLF.com series about golf items — apparel, gear, accessories, etc. — that we’ve recently taken out for a spin. We’re here to give our honest, no-frills takes on the latest and greatest golf or golf-adjacent items. So, scroll down to read about what we love about golf’s newest (or new to us) products.
The new Ghost Golf Magnetic Golf Club and Shoe Brush has arrived, and they were kind enough to send me one in each new color (navy, black and grey).
There’s lots of competition in this space, and, quite frankly, I don’t typically get particularly excited by something like a club brush, but I have to say they clearly put some thought into their new offering.
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
First impressions
When I first unboxed the brushes, I was immediately questioning the decision to add two brush heads. Two brush heads means two things to keep track of, and creates a fault point with the threads of the brush itself. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a very clear distinction between the two brush heads, and the way they’ve built the nice large threads is an easy way to keep them from stripping out or creating a fault point in the longevity of the brush.
The hard bristle brush worked very well on dirty clubs, and the soft bristle brush gave me no worry as I cleaned up a pair of my favorite Payntr Eighty Seven SC golf shoes. As far as having two things to keep track of … I can’t say that’s a non-issue, but I would argue that the club brush can probably stay in the garage at home to clean shoes every couple of rounds so the chances of losing the brush head are slim.
In collaboration with Jason Day our newest model has arrived, the Eighty Seven SC!
CLARINO Trivela™️ microfiber upper delivers lightweight support and flexibility CARBITEX GearFlex™️ propulsion plate allows golfers to more effectively harness ground reaction forces. Almost sold out! View the Match Day SC for a comparable model.
PAYNTR Jason Day Eighty Seven SC (Men’s)
Full WATERPROOF+ breathable membrane fused to lining and sealed with bottom gasket.
ARIAPRENE® tongue & bootie offers supreme foot lockdown to provide maximum stability and lightweight, breathable support.
TPU Outsole, with Fast Twist insert system, delivers traction in three dimension for the life of the shoe.
PMXNitro+ Footbed delivers lightweight responsive cushioning for the life of the shoe.
PMXNitro+ Midsole provides maximum energy return & ultimate under foot support.
View Product
My favorite features
There’s two standout features of the brush: the magnet and the retractable cable. These are your two options for security. Aka, how you make sure you don’t lose the brush. There’s another very popular club brush on the market and I can’t even count how many of them I have lost because the magnet style just doesn’t hold up over time or on a bumpy cart.
I haven’t tested the Ghost brush on a cart at full speed yet, but the magnet is strong enough for me to pick up a golf club with it, and the form factor of the brush is just about the size of the bar of the golf cart where you’re going to attach it, as demonstrated by the picture on the back of the packaging. I’ll talk more about that form factor in a minute.
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
The best retractable system in the game?
The secondary attachment option is their clip/retractable lanyard. The clip itself is a nice quality metal latch that doesn’t easily bend inward; a problem with other brushes and golf bag accessories on the market including the carabiner that holds my rangefinder case on my bag.
What’s inside the clip though is the real winner. Instead of using a flimsy string or elastic material they’re using a sheathed cable similar to what you would find on a bike lock, or another cable lock. Brilliant. What an easy move for them to make to ensure that the retractable feature isn’t broken after your third round with the new brush. Again, I can’t tell you how many brushes over the years I have thrown out or lost because that flimsy little retractable cable snaps.
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
Thought into every part
Well done here. This brush isn’t going anywhere. Even the small clip that goes into the actual brush is built up more than others I have seen. It’s impossible to accidentally engage the button too. It snaps into the back of the brush and I couldn’t do anything with my own hands to get it released. I had to grab a tee and use a bit of pressure just to get the brush off the lanyard. Awesome stuff.
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
Does it actually clean your clubs?
Actually using the brush itself is quite pleasant. The form factor of the brush feels like holding a large pencil, or you can grab the entire brush if you need to use a little bit more force. The water mechanism is easy and I don’t know how I would quantify the amount of water it shoots out, but about two pumps is really all you need. They say there’s about 400 pumps inside the reservoir so it’s going to be a while between refills.
Pro tip: put a drop of soap inside the brush, it’ll work wonders on your clubs and shoes. The replaceable brush heads come off really easy, but aren’t going to come undone unless you want them to, and the same goes for the cap on the water reservoir. Just make sure you put that cap back on after you fill it with water. Been there done that.
;)
Jake Morrow / GOLF
Ghost Golf Magnetic Golf and Shoe Brush
The only brush that stays exactly where you need it—magnetically. No fumbling, no searching, no bending down. The GHOSTGOLF® Magnetic Club & Shoe Brush attaches right to your cart, so it’s always within arm’s reach between shots.
“>
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Cam Newton makes his feelings known after Randy Moss calls for Hall of Fame voting committee to be reset
Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s exclusion from the NFL Hall of Fame 2026 class has become a topic of discussion among former players and coaches.
Former Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss weighed in on Belichick and Kraft not making the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Moss said the voting process should only involve people from football.
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“If you didn’t play it, if you didn’t coach it, you shouldn’t have a vote,” Moss said.
•
Former Patriots quarterback Cam Newton discussed the Pro Football Hall of Famer’s comments on his “4th&1 With Cam Newton” podcast.
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“That ain’t right,” Newton said (Timestamp 1:05:00 onwards). “Because flip side, when we suffer a defeat, we have to talk to you… Bring all selection committees. Don’t matter if it’s the college football, committee. Doesn’t matter if the Hall of Fame committee, doesn’t matter if the All-American committee bring them all to the forefront.
“We live in a world of content. Somebody buy that right to showcase how they do it with juries… It was an ultimate sign of disgrace to not have those specific guys. I don’t care what Deflategate was. I don’t care if you think they cheated.”
Cam Newton’s former Panthers teammate makes Hall of Fame case for ex-MVP
Cam Newton is one of the first-time eligibles on next year’s Hall of Fame ballot. Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, running back Adrian Peterson and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, made a case for Newton.
“That’s what everybody needs to really think about (with) the Hall of Fame, Kuechly said. “And the dominance (with) which he played the game is what I think needs to be talked about the most. He was just so much better than everybody else on the field. There wasn’t much he couldn’t do.”
Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
Oba Femi made his official main roster debut in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match and put on an impressive performance. One of the major highlights of Femi’s outing and the bout was his interaction with Brock Lesnar.
If their interaction in Saudi Arabia was any indication, fans will lose their minds if the two behemoths collide again. A match of this caliber deserves a stage like WrestleMania.
Thanks for the submission!
In this listicle, we will look at three reasons why Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar must be booked for The Show of Shows this year.
#3. Unfinished business from the Royal Rumble
During the Men’s Royal Rumble Match, Femi and Lesnar came face-to-face for the first time, as the crowd in Riyadh erupted. The powerhouses traded blows, but in the end, The Beast Incarnate took advantage of The Ruler’s distraction and tossed him over the top rope.
The former NXT Champion has a clear motive to go after the man who took away his opportunity to main event WrestleMania 42. The Ruler could challenge Lesnar in a traditional one-on-one match to determine who is the better competitor.
#2. Oba Femi needs a major opponent for his first WrestleMania
Oba Femi is clearly looked at as a top star, and his presentation shows that well. The Ruler could be a major player in the company for years to come. The powerhouse will make his first WrestleMania appearance, and he needs to be booked in a high-profile match.
A showdown against Brock Lesnar on The Grandest Stage of Them All would be a fitting program for the former NXT Champion’s first ‘Mania.
#1. It could lead to a massive passing of the torch moment
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi would be a collision of two different eras. Lesnar is a seasoned veteran, while Femi is rising through the ranks. It would be the ultimate clash of past vs. present.
The Ruler is presented as a ruthless monster, and there could be no bigger test for him than The Beast Incarnate, the dominant force that has wreaked havoc in WWE for years.
If Femi is able to defeat Lesnar at The Show of Shows, it would be the ultimate passing of the torch. After conquering The Conqueror, The Ruler would cement himself as one of the biggest threats in the promotion.
Edited by Parth Pujara
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U.S. Olympic medal gymnast MyKayla Skinner spoke out against the judges who denied Madison Chock and Evan Bates gold in ice dance at the Winter Games this week.
Chock and Bates finished second to French rivals Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron after a controversial score by a French judge on the final routine.
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Mykayla Skinner of Team United States poses with the silver medal following the Women’s Vault Final on day nine of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on Aug. 1, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Skinner, a former athlete whose accolades were also determined by judges, said she is “sick” in the aftermath of the decision.
“I’m sick of athletes not getting what they worked so hard for and judges cheating,” Skinner told Fox News Digital.
Skinner is not alone.
Former U.S. champion gymnast Jennifer Sey also condemned the scoring that vaulted Beaudry and Cizeron over Chock and Bates, suggesting judges must be subject to more accountability.
“There has been corruption in Olympic level judged sports forever. In gymnastics, boxing and figure skating. There needs to be more careful selection of judges to vet for susceptibility to corruption, and more transparency in how scores are derived. Beyond that, corrupt judges need to be punished with hefty fines to discourage this cheating in the future,” Sey said.
Jennifer Sey founded XX-XY Athletics in March 2024. (Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, a Winter Olympian who missed out on qualifying for Milan Cortina due to controversial rules weighed in as well.
Five-time skeleton U.S. Olympian Katie Uhlaender, who lost the chance to earn qualification after Team Canada withdrew athletes at a qualifier to reduce the amount of points the contest could offer, expressed her fondness for her fellow Americans in Chock and Bates.
“I’m so proud of Evan and Madison. I know how hard they fought for Gold in 2022, a fight that took years beyond the podium. They represented the United States well and deserved a moment on the podium at the Games as the Olympic Champions they are,” Uhlaender said.
US FIGURE SKATING STAR ALYSA LIU OPENS UP ON BEING TARGETED BY CHINESE SPYING OPERATION
“I know nothing about judged sports. I know they deserved to be on top of the podium in 2022, and that they gave the world and the United States the best they had. Go USA and thank you to them both for representing us so well.”
Skinner said she knew the “sacrifice” the athletes make to get to compete in the Olympics in the first place.
MyKayla Skinner of Team United States poses with the silver medal following the Women’s Vault Final on day nine of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on Aug. 01, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
“I have so much respect for every athlete who competed, because I know firsthand how much sacrifice goes into preparing for the Olympics,” Skinner added. “But I do think there were performances from Team USA that deserved higher scores. When you dedicate your life to perfecting every detail, you expect judging to reflect that level of excellence.
“From my perspective as an Olympian, I saw routines that were clean, technically strong, and emotionally powerful. It’s hard not to feel like they were underscored. Our athletes showed gold-medal caliber performances, and I stand by that.”
Skinner added that the controversy was a bit more personal for her.
“This also hits close to home for me. At the 2016 Olympic Trials in gymnastics, I finished fourth in the all-around, and historically fourth and fifth place had been named to the team,” she said. “That year, the selection process didn’t follow what many expected. I learned firsthand that sometimes things don’t always feel fair in judged sports. But that’s exactly why transparency and consistency matter so much! Athletes deserve clarity and confidence that their work will be evaluated evenly.
“I’m incredibly proud of Team USA. Regardless of the medal color, they represented our country with heart.”
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States compete during the ice dancing free skate in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Chock and Bates were trailing the French couple by 0.46 of a point entering the free dance Wednesday night, and they were searching for their first ice dance Olympic medal with hopes that it would obviously be gold.
Their matador routine, dancing to a rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It, Black,” drew cheers from the crowd, and they finished with tears in their eyes.
They finished with 224.39 after notching a 134.67 score in their free dance.
Chock and Bates are two-time team gold winners after Sunday’s Team USA victory, but they had to watch one more routine to see if they could capture gold when Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron took the ice.
But the judges decided the French duo did enough to defeat the Americans in the end.
Beaudry and Cizeron scored a 135.64 in the free dance for a total of 225.82.
The judging has become a globally-discussed topic in recent days, with some arguing that the French duo should have been graded more harshly.
Chock suggested that she and Bates will consider appealing the scoring, in an interview with Access Hollywood.
“I suppose we would consider it. I think skating is such a subjective sport, but I do think that for fairness it is good when the judges are reviewed for their work. Not just after this competition but every competition to just make sure there’s a fair and even playing field for all athletes,” Chock said.
Bates has praised their supporters who are speaking out during the controversy.
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“It means a lot that people are voicing their opinions on our behalf,” Bates said. “The way that we skated and the way that we’ve approached chasing these goals hopefully has resonated with people at home even in our response. I think, hopefully, that too can reflect the Olympic spirit.”
The International Skating Union (ISU) has since defended the scoring.
“It is normal for there to be a range of scores given by different judges in any panel and a number of mechanisms are used to mitigate these variations,” the ISU said, adding it has “full confidence in the scores given and remains completely committed to fairness.”
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Even before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) handed down its ruling on Friday, disqualified Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladislav Heraskevych appeared to concede defeat.
“It looks like this train has left,” the 27-year-old, draped in the Ukrainian flag, told reporters after emerging from a two-and-a-half-hour hearing in Milan.
“I cannot do another race so it is done.”
He said he had no plans to return to the sliding venue during these Winter Olympic Games but still felt he had done the right thing by trying to compete with a helmet adorned with portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s war on their country.
At the same time though, Heraskevych appeared upbeat.
‘I hope truth will prevail’
“I’m really thankful for the opportunity to speak and we were treated equally at the hearing room and arguments were heard.
“We are waiting for the decisions, but as you see I look pretty happy so I’m pretty positive about how it went. I hope truth will prevail and still I know that I was innocent.”
The appeal was heard on Friday morning by an ad hoc division of the Swiss-based court, which had been set up in a Milan hotel to deal with Olympic appeals quickly.
A statement issued by CAS prior to the hearing said that the skeleton racer was arguing that his disqualification was “disproportionate, unsupported by any technical or safety violation and causes irreparable sporting harm to him.”
Olympic Charter Rule 50
Heraskevych was prevented from competing in the men’s skeleton, which began on Thursday, due to a ruling by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that the helmet he had intended to wear violated Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter. It states that: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
The medals in men’s skeleton were to be awarded later on Friday.
The helmet in question bears the portraits of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes who have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago.
He had worn the helmet in his five training runs – each time placing among the top six.
The IOC interpreted the depictions of the killed Ukrainian athletes as a political statement, something that the skeleton racer disputes.
“I am convinced that we are not breaking any rules. I also believe that we have had and continue to have this attention all these days because people understand that we are on the right side and have not broken any rules,” he said.
Solidarity from Ukrainian lugers, President Zelenskyy
The Ukrainian luge relay team expressed solidarity with Heraskevych during their competition on Thursday. In the finish area, the six athletes knelt together, held up their helmets, and shouted: “Vlad, we are with you, Ukraine, we stand with you.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that he will award Heraskevych a medal of merit.
On the X platform, he sharply criticized the IOC, writing that “Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors.”
A group of around 40 members of the European Parliament have also sent an open letter to the IOC, calling on it to reconsider its decision.
IOC ‘open to everything’
Meanwhile, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, who had personally delivered the news of Heraskevych’s ban to the athlete on Thursday, said there were no immediate plans to review the rules governing political expression.
“I have had a number of conversations with athletes over the last couple of days. They still feel strongly that we should be able to keep part of our Olympic movement, and their Olympic experience, safe,” Coventry told a Friday press conference.
“If our athletes would like us to look at it (the rules), we are open to everything. But the rules are the rules as of today, and I believe they are good rules.
Edited by:
The 2025 season was a bit of a roller coaster for the Minnesota Vikings.
While the defense pretty much performed up to expectations throughout the year, there were some major inconsistencies on offense, particularly at the quarterback position.
It didn’t help that J.J. McCarthy was only able to appear in 10 games because of various injuries suffered throughout the year, but it also wasn’t convenient that the Vikings never quite seemed to know what they were going to get from the 22-year-old when he stepped onto the field.
Now, heading into the 2026 offseason, two former Vikings stars are speaking out on Minnesota’s plan with McCarthy in 2025 and what should happen moving forward.
Former Vikings Stars Speak on J.J. McCarthy
On Wednesday, former Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr put out a clip of he and another beloved former Vikings linebacker, Eric Kendricks discussing the McCarthy plan.
Both former Vikings seemed to agree that Minnesota should have kept a veteran starting quarterback around for McCarthy to continue learning from in 2025, particularly Sam Darnold.
“Most people in that building knew that J.J. just wasn’t quite ready yet. I think he needed an older mentor to kind of shadow for another two years,” Barr said.
“Mentorship is crucial,” Kendricks added. “There’s some positions where it pays to have a veteran in front of you, and a little bit of experience goes a long way. I mean, we see the resurgence of Sam Donald’s career.”
Granted, the Vikings did bring in Carson Wentz as their backup quarterback in 2025, but that was only after they lost Darnold to the Seahawks and were shocked to find Daniel Jones was also leaving the franchise to compete for a starting job with the Indianapolis Colts, which he ultimately won.
Wentz would fill in for five games in 2025 while McCarthy was out, but ultimately, his own shoulder injury became so bad that he couldn’t continue to give it a go. He was eventually placed on IR and had season-ending surgery.
Of course, Jones would also end up having his own catastrophic Achilles tear with the Colts, but before that, the QB had Indianapolis looking like one of the best teams in the NFL. In 13 starts, Jones threw for 3101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while managing to complete a career-high 68% of his passes.
Had the Vikings found a way to keep Jones in the building and given him an opportunity to compete for the starting QB job, things may have gone differently for Minnesota in 2025. Keeping Darnold around almost certainly would have resulted in a few more wins and a second consecutive playoff berth.
So, does that mean the two former Pro Bowlers are giving up on McCarthy? It doesn’t sound like it.
“I think [McCarthy] still has potential. I think he can still be great. He’s a quarterback. He’s a year two, right? Year two, playing full-time,” Barr said.
“We’re not counting him out,” Kendricks said in agreement.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw is an exceptional player when he’s healthy. The great issue for Darrisaw is that he has often been at less than full health.
Back in 2024, the Vikings’ LT1 suffered a major knee injury in Week 8, knocking him out for the remainder of the year. The recovery took a while, keeping Darrisaw out of the lineup to begin 2025 before contributing toward him ending the season on the IR. Whether Darrisaw can play from Week 1 onward for the 2026 NFL season is a sneaky story to monitor in Minnesota, an issue that had the attention of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
LT1 Christian Darrisaw & The Vikings’ Plan at OT
Lately, the attention around the Minnesota Vikings has been on the unsettled quarterback situation. A case could be made for Kyler Murray, Derek Carr, Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, and several others.
In front of whoever is passing the ball will be a front five that should have a chip on its collective shoulder. Part of the issue last season was that essentially all of the starters took turns getting hurt, with newcomer Will Fries being the lone exception. After the season ended, OL Coach Chris Kuper was allowed to get away, resulting in new employment with the Eagles.
Consider what Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had to say when asked about the team’s confidence level in Mr. Darrisaw.
“He’s a year removed from that injury,” the former GM explained, “so time is on our side in terms of kind of getting away from that injury point. Another year of rehab, strengthening, and different things like that.” Shortly thereafter, Adofo-Mensah noted Darrisaw being very “important” while then saying that Minnesota has “gotta be more mindful of” fortifying the tackle depth.
A few ideas get tossed into Adofo-Mensah’s answer.
For starters, Christian Darrisaw has some more runway to get back to being himself. More time off to rebuild strength and confidence isn’t a bad thing. So, be optimistic since the starting left tackle should end up in a nice spot to compete in 2026.
But then there’s an acknowledgement of needing to beef up the OT depth. Last offseason, Minnesota did so by moving on from David Quessenberry in exchange for Justin Skule. The new OT3 would partner with Blake Brandel and Walter Rouse to give the OT spot the needed depth. Or, at least, that was the plan.
The reality of Darrisaw struggling to stay on the field for 2025 appears to have caught Minnesota off guard. Missing a couple of games in September? No problem, the Vikings could handle that. Ongoing absences and limited snaps throughout the year is tougher to manage, especially with confidence in Rouse seeming to disappear.
The Vikings, like all NFL teams, need the trenches to be formidable. If not, the game gets difficult very quickly. How does that reality play out after Adofo-Mensah has been fired? Note that Kuper has been fired, too.
Leading things within the front office for the Vikings is Rob Brzezinski. He’ll be supported by Kevin O’Connell and the remainder of the front office personnel since nobody else was fired alongside the former GM. Is there still a feeling that a heartier investment is needed to shore up the OT spot?
Starting off with Darrisaw, Brandel, Rouse, and Brian O’Neill is a reasonably strong position. In a pinch, Donovan Jackson could get shuffled over to tackle, but best to let the young fella get acclimated to left guard, his natural home.
Dipping into free agency, the draft, or both could be the way forward even if the shuffling within the front office has made things harder to predict. Adofo-Mensah basically said that was the plan back in January.
The legal tampering portion of NFL free agency begins on Monday, March 9th.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
Super Eagles star Bright Osayi-Samuel has shared his experience of working under Portuguese coach José Mourinho. The Nigerian defender described Mourinho as an interesting and demanding manager who sets very high standards.
Osayi-Samuel recalled his first day under the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss and how Mourinho made his expectations clear straight away.
“I remember my first day — I came late to training because I had a national team game. The first thing he said to me was, ‘You are a good player, but you need to run more.’ I was like, what? You know? That just shows what type of guy he is. He can be ruthless when things go wrong. There were times we had to stay on the training ground for 34 days because we didn’t play well. But if we played well, he’d give us four or five days off,” he said.
The Fenerbahçe star added that Mourinho demands consistency from his players and expects them to adapt quickly to his style. He also spoke about the personal side of the coach, saying Mourinho often shared stories from his long career in football.
“He had stories for days. We would stay in his room the day before a game and just speak for hours. He would tell us stories of players, and we’d all mention players we knew, because he had a story for every single player. He has a rich history of the game,” Osayi-Samuel added.
Despite describing Mourinho as tough, the Nigerian international said the coach also rewards good performances.
“He’s a great guy, and I’m honoured to work with him,” Osayi-Samuel concluded.
Mourinho was later dismissed as Fenerbahçe manager and moved on to Benfica, where his team is currently competing in the Portuguese league.
The top NBA rookies and sophomores will be on display in the 2026 Rising Stars on Friday as a part of All-Star Weekend. G-Leaguers will also compete in the four-team tournament in which the semifinals consist of teams playing to reach 40 points, with those winners then playing in the Rising Stars Championship Game to 25 points. The three teams of NBA players are coached by Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, with Team G League led by Austin Rivers.
The Rising Stars 2026 will begin at 9 p.m. ET from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Team T-Mac is the +180 favorite in the latest 2026 Rising Stars odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by Team Vince and Team Melo at +230. Team Austin is the biggest longshot in the field at +850. Team Melo is the 4.5-point favorite in the first game against Team Austin, while Team T-Mac is -2.5 in the latest Rising Stars odds against Team Vince.
Before making any 2026 Rising Stars picks, be sure to check out the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend predictions from SportsLine expert Mike Barner.
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Barner is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio. He digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes. If there’s anybody who can spot an edge in a matchup or identify a player in position to break out, it’s him.
Barner’s expertise has been on full display lately as he enters the All-Star break on a 40-17 run on NBA picks (+2014). He is coming off a dominant 2024-25 NBA season, finishing 239-178-2 and returning $3,209 to $100 bettors. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now, he has analyzed the 2026 Rising Stars lineups from all angles and just locked in his coveted pick and predictions. He is only sharing his NBA picks and analysis at SportsLine.
2026 Rising Stars tournament format
This is the fifth consecutive year in which the Rising Stars event will center on a three-game tournament among four teams with seven players on each squad. The three teams of NBA players consist of a mix of rookies and sophomores, with the G-League squad having only players in the NBA’s developmental league. All three of the tournament games will be played to a Final Target Score, rather than over a specific period of time.
The first two games will be played to 40, with the final played to 25 to determine the Rising Stars Challenge champion. The first matchup at 9 p.m. ET is Team Carmelo Anthony (-4.5, O/U 73.5) vs. Team Austin Rivers, followed by Team Tracy McGrady (-2.5, O/U 74.5) vs. Team Vince Carter. See which team to back at SportsLine.
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Top 2026 NBA Rising Stars predictions
Barner is fading Team Vince (+230), as it has the least accomplished roster of players amongst the three squads featuring NBA players. Team T-Mac has the experience edge over Vince Carter’s squad in that the former has the most sophomores, with five second-year players compared to Team Vince having just three. Meanwhile, Melo’s team has the reigning Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle, plus the size edge in 7-foor-2 center Donovan Clingan.
Team Vince lacks the caliber of those two squads and has just two players who were top-10 draft picks in V.J. Edgecombe and Egor Demin. Melo’s team has four top-5 draft picks, while T-Mac has four top-6 draftees. There’s a sheer talent gap between Vince Carter’s squad with those two others, and even in an exhibition game like the Rising Stars Challenge, that gulf should be apparent on the scoreboard. See more predictions at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 NBA Rising Stars picks
Barner has studied the NBA Rising Stars game from every angle and found a critical X-factor that makes one of these teams a must-back on Friday night. See who it is over at SportsLine.
Who wins the NBA Rising Stars Challenge 2026, and which critical X-factor do you need to know about? Visit SportsLine now to get Mike Barner’s pick for the NBA Rising Stars Challenge 2026, all from the expert who has crushed his NBA picks, and find out.
2026 NBA Rising Star odds, rosters
Team T-Mac (+180)
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks)
Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards)
Team Melo (+230)
Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
Ace Bailey (Utah Jazz)
Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)
Team Vince (+230)
VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)
Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)
Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)
Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)
Egor Demin (Brooklyn Nets)
Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)
Team Austin (+850)
Jahmir Young (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)
Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)
Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)
Yanic Konan Niederhauser (San Diego Clippers)
Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)
Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
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