A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
OpTic Texas finished with the best record at 10-1, including a win on Sunday in the conclusion of Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying.
The 12 Call of Duty League teams were playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the second major of the season, to be held March 27-29 in Marston Green, England, as part of the DreamHack Birmingham event.
First place in the standings was worth 100 CDL points for OpTic Texas, who along with the next five teams will head straight into the Stage 2 Major playoffs. The teams in seventh through 10th place will compete in a play-in round.
Boston Breach and Cloud9 New York, which finished 11th and 12th, did not advance.
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The Stage 2 Major champion will receive $150,000 and 100 Call of Duty League points. The runner-up will get $90,000 and 75 CDL points.
On Sunday, the Vancouver Surge outlasted the Riyadh Falcons 3-2. Vancouver opened with a 250-237 win on Scar Hardpoint and 6-4 win on Raid Search and Destroy. But the Falcons drew even with wins on Scar Overload (6-3) and Exposure Hardpoint (250-83). The Surge captured the last map, Colossus Search and Destroy, 6-2, for the win.
Kenyen “Capsidal” Sutton of the United States was match MVP with 105 kills to 101 deaths as the only Surge player in positive numbers.
The Los Angeles Thieves went the distance to down Paris Gentle Mates 3-2. The Thieves started fast with a 250-107 win on Den Hardpoint and 6-4 win on Colossus Search and Destroy. PARIVISION rallied with a 5-3 win on Exposure Overload and 250-176 victory on Colossus Hardpoint. Los Angeles took the match with a 6-2 win on Raid Search and Destroy.
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Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez of France was match MVP with 90 kills and a plus-6 kill-death differential for Los Angeles.
The Miami Heretics swept Boston Breach, winning 250-157 on Den Hardpoint, 6-4 on Exposure Search and Destroy and 6-2 on Exposure Overload.
Diego “SupeR” Escudero of Spain was match MVP with 59 kills and a plus-15 differential for Miami.
OpTic Texas closed out the week with a sweep of Toronto KOI, winning 250-216 on Den Hardpoint, 6-3 on Raid Search and Destroy and 5-4 on Scar Overload.
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Brandon “Dashy” Otell of Canada was match MVP, pacing OpTic with 64 kills and a plus-18 differential.
Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying final standings (match record, map differential, CDL points)
Mar 24, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) reacts to scoring an open net goal against the Utah Mammoth during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Connor McDavid scored his 400th and 401st career goals, the first of which gave the Edmonton Oilers the lead for good in a 5-2 win against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday in Salt Lake City.
Eight seconds after Utah’s Lawson Crouse tied the game 2-2 at 11:59 of the second period, McDavid caught a break on a 2-on-1 and put the puck off the crossbar and in to put the Oilers back on top.
Jack Roslovic also scored twice and Evan Bouchard had three assists for the Oilers (35-28-9, 79 points), who had lost two consecutive games but passed the Vegas Golden Knights for second place in the Pacific Division. Matt Savoie added a goal, and Tristan Jarry made 16 saves.
Alexander Kerfoot scored for the Mammoth (37-29-6, 80 points), who had won three of their previous four games. They still hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot. Vitek Vanecek stopped all 10 shots he faced in relief of Karel Vejmelka, who allowed four goals on 15 shots over the first two periods.
Panthers 5, Kraken 4 (SO)
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Vinnie Hinostroza scored the only goal in the shootout, and Paul Maurice coached his 2,000th game as host Florida defeated Seattle. Maurice, 59, ranks second in the NHL for most games as a head coach, behind only Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman (2,141).
Seattle trailed 4-1 with less than six minutes remaining before tying the game on goals by Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves and had three stops in the shootout to earn the win for the Panthers. Nolan Foote, Eetu Luostarinen, Carter Verhaeghe and Noah Gregor scored Florida’s goals. Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad also reached a milestone as he played his 800th game.
Avalanche 6, Penguins 2
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Martin Necas scored twice and Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves in Colorado’s road victory over Pittsburgh.
Sam Malinski had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who are on a three-game winning streak and a four-game points streak (3-0-1). Nathan MacKinnon, Parker Kelly and Ross Colton scored Colorado’s other goals.
Egor Chinakhov and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins, who fell into third place in the Metropolitan Division after going 1-2-1 with 21 goals allowed over the past four games. Arturs Silovs stopped 24 of 29 shots.
Canadiens 5, Hurricanes 2
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Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky scored 3 1/2 minutes apart in the second period and Jakub Dobes made 41 saves, helping host Montreal rally past Carolina.
Oliver Kapanen, Ivan Demidov and Jake Evans also scored for the Canadiens, who posted their sixth win in nine games. Montreal’s 24th comeback win of the season tied a franchise record.
Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Staal tallied in the first period for the Hurricanes, whose three-game winning streak ended. Frederik Andersen turned aside 14 shots.
Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 2
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Matthew Knies scored twice, while William Nylander had the eventual game-winner and added an assist to lead visiting Toronto to a win over Boston.
Max Domi also scored, John Tavares dished out three assists and Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves for the Maple Leafs, who erased an early 1-0 deficit with two goals in both the second and third periods. The win was just the third since the Olympic break for Toronto (3-8-4).
Elias Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy scored and Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves for Boston, which was on a five-game point streak (3-0-2). Toronto held a 35-20 edge in shots on goal and went 2-for-4 on the power play, while Boston was 1-for-5.
Lightning 6, Wild 3
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Erik Cernak scored a quirky tiebreaking goal with less than three minutes left and Tampa Bay opened a season-high seven-game homestand with five unanswered tallies in a win over Minnesota.
Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh scored and recorded two assists. Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel each posted a goal and an assist. Pontus Holmberg was awarded the final goal while being fouled on a breakaway with 24 seconds remaining, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves.
Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist for the Wild. Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber each scored, and Filip Gustavsson stopped 19 shots.
Blues 3, Capitals 0
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Joel Hofer made 21 saves and the Blues defeated Washington in St. Louis.
It was Hofer’s sixth shutout of the season and the eighth of his career. Jimmy Snuggerud, Ott Stenberg and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues, who have points in 10 of 11 (8-1-2). St. Louis, opening a three-game homestand, remains on the fringe of the Western Conference wild-card race.
Washington opened a three-game road trip and entered the game on a five-game point streak (3-0-2). The Capitals ended the night six points behind the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Logan Thompson made 24 saves.
Ducks 5, Canucks 3
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Mikael Granlund scored twice and John Carlson had three assists for visiting Anaheim in a win against Vancouver.
Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist, Leo Carlsson logged two assists and Lukas Dostal made 27 saves for the Ducks, who stretched their point streak to five games (4-0-1). Mason McTavish and Troy Terry also scored for Anaheim, which earned its 24th come-from-behind win, tied for the league lead.
Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser and Drew O’Connor scored, Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson had two assists each for the Canucks, who have lost three in a row. Kevin Lankinen turned aside 29 shots.
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Predators 6, Sharks 3
Jonathan Marchessault had three assists and Nashville scored five goals in the first period and cruised to a win over visiting San Jose.
Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists, Brady Skjei a goal and an assist and Matthew Wood, Roman Josi, Luke Evangelista and Steven Stamkos tallied for the Predators, who won their fifth straight. Ryan O’Reilly notched two assists and Juuse Saros made 27 saves.
Will Smith scored twice and Adam Gaudette chipped in a goal for the Sharks, who have lost five in a row. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 13 shots.
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Jets 4, Golden Knights 1
Mark Scheifele scored a goal, recorded two assists and got in a fight for a “Gordie Howe hat trick” as host Winnipeg downed Vegas.
Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist and Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti also scored goals for the Jets, who are 2-0-1 in the past three games. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves.
Rasmus Andersson scored a goal and Adin Hill finished with 17 saves for the Golden Knights, who lost for the fourth time in the past five games.
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Devils 6, Stars 4
Visiting New Jersey scored four times in its first five shots and then held off Dallas’ rally.
Jack Hughes’ hot streak continued as the Olympic hero scored twice. Jesper Bratt added a goal and an assist, while Connor Brown, Tino Meier and Dougie Hamilton also scored for the Devils. Jake Allen made 23 saves to secure his second win in his last seven starts.
Wyatt Johnston scored two goals to reach 40 for the season and assisted on Jason Robertson’s 39th. Mavrik Bourque finished with a goal. Robertson added two assists, as did Thomas Harley.
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Blue Jackets 3, Flyers 2
Zach Werenski and Mason Marchment each delivered a goal and an assist as Columbus rebounded from a rare regulation defeat to post a road win over host Philadelphia.
Columbus had been 8-0-4 in its previous 12 games before falling to the New York Islanders 1-0 on Sunday. With Tuesday’s bounce-back victory, the Blue Jackets jumped over the Pittsburgh Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division while the Flyers missed a key opportunity to gain ground in the wild-card race.
Mathieu Olivier also scored for Columbus while Jet Greaves turned aside 24 shots. Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale tallied for the Flyers, while Dan Vladar finished with 16 saves.
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Flames 3, Kings 2 (SO)
Yegor Sharangovich scored the winner in the fourth round of a shootout as host Calgary topped Los Angeles and ran its winning streak to a season-best four games.
Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh tallied during regulation for the Flames. Dustin Wolf made 23 saves through regulation and overtime.
Quinton Byfield netted both regulation-time goals for the Kings, who are 0-1-3 in the past four games. Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots through regulation and overtime.
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Senators 3, Red Wings 2
Carter Yakemchuk scored a second-period goal and added an assist in his NHL debut as streaking Ottawa edged host Detroit.
Brady Tkachuk scored his 20th goal of the season for the Senators, who have won four straight and nine of their last 11 games. Lars Eller scored the other goal for the Senators, who vaulted ahead of the Red Wings in the playoff chase with the win. Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Senators, who currently occupy the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Detroit captain Dylan Larkin scored in his return to action on a third-period power play. Larkin had missed the previous seven games due to a lower body injury. Dominik Shine also scored for the Red Wings, while John Gibson stopped 18 shots.
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Blackhawks 4, Islanders 3
Nick Lardis, Ilya Mikheyev, Tyler Bertuzzi and Frank Nazar scored consecutive goals in a 13-minute span bridging the first and second periods for Chicago, which held off a furious rally to edge New York in Elmont, N.Y.
Arvid Soderblom made 44 saves — including 21 in the third period — for the Blackhawks, who won for the second time in six games (2-2-2). Anders Lee scored in the opening minute of the first before Simon Holmstrom and Calum Ritchie collected goals in the third for New York.
The Islanders took their third loss in four games (1-3-0) as they fell level with the Ottawa Senators for the second and final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Islanders starting goalie David Rittich was pulled after giving up three goals on 12 first-period shots. Ilya Sorokin took the loss after stopping 11 of the 12 shots he faced.
James McDonald identifies likenesses linking Yulong’s priciest recent import Barnavara to superstar mare Via Sistina, with the former set for a challenging Sydney introduction.
The elite rider – fresh from three Group 1 successes at Rosehill Saturday that elevated his Australian tally to 131, overtaking Damien Oliver’s 129 – clocked time at Canterbury Quarantine on Tuesday, piloting Barnavara through a workout.
He waited until Via Sistina’s Australian premiere in the 2024 Ranvet Stakes for his initial mount, a dominant victory, yet spots resemblances in her imported form and that of Barnavara.
“I didn’t work Via before that first run. My first ride on her was the Ranvet, so I can’t really draw comparisons, but one thing I would say by looking at their form lines, they’re so consistent,” McDonald said.
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“Via was probably running in better races, but this one is more lightly raced and unexposed, and her form reads so beautifully. She never puts a bad run in, and that’s what Via came out with as well.”
To southern hemisphere reckoning, Barnavara is a four-year-old mare bought by Yulong Investments for $A10.1 million equivalent at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, topping filly-in-training sales last year.
Victor of a French Group 1 at 2000m last time out, she headed to Chris Waller’s Rosehill base later Tuesday, targeting the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) over the weekend.
McDonald galloped her at Canterbury Friday too, highlighting her sharp uptick in condition.
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“Beautiful mare. Great appetite for work, she loves her work, and she was a little bit stuffy then. The last (four) days, she has come on immensely,” he said.
“She feels really, really good, and I’d expect a huge performance from her this Saturday in the Neville Sellwood, that’s for sure.”
A new face like Barnavara enlivens the carnival for McDonald, who values riding such premium stock.
“It’s like unwrapping another Christmas present every weekend,” he said.
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“We’re lucky they keep coming and we’re in a position to be able to ride them.
“When I came out here on Friday, the day before the Slipper, I was pretty excited to jump on her to see what she felt like, and she didn’t let me down.”
It’s been an eventful stretch for McDonald, who graced the Sydney premiere of his career documentary Monday night.
He much prefers horseback to glamour events, and with scant pause to mull his Golden Slipper Day glory, revels in its significance.
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“It keeps rolling on and on, so there’s not much time to reflect,” McDonald said.
“In saying that, there were five exceptional performances in all the big races, and to have a bit of luck in three of them, it was special.”
Tuesday brought confirmation that Autumn Glow, his 131st Group 1 mount, eyes the Queen Elizabeth Stakes for her Sydney autumn finale.
Visit betting sites to find the latest racing odds for Neville Sellwood Stakes action.
Rasmus Hojlund has claimed that Ruben Amorim did not want him at Manchester United and opened up on his struggles at Old Trafford
Rasmus Hojlund has claimed Ruben Amorim did not want him at Manchester United and expressed his immense gratitude towards Napoli for getting his career back on track. Hojlund joined the Serie A champions on loan last summer and he has scored 14 times in 37 appearances so far this season.
However, he struggled to provide a consistent attacking threat at Old Trafford, scoring just 26 goals in 95 appearances across all competitions. And now speaking to Danish outlet TV2, Hojlund said: “I got what I wanted with my transfer.
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“I got a team that believes in me a lot. A club that believes in me a lot. A sporting director, a president and a coach who wants me.”
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Before he continued: “I was put in a bit of a box at the end in Manchester. I knew there wouldn’t be much football for me if it continued like this.
“I was happy to play football in Manchester. I know that, especially in Denmark, a media image was formed that it was all just s**t and terrible, and that I played like a bag of nuts, but that’s not how I look at it.
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“It’s hard not to be on your phone. And if you are on your phone, you’re bound to see what’s being written about you in some way. It can be all sorts of places these days, but often because you’re tagged on your Instagram or Facebook. So I would say it would be a lie for me to claim that you don’t get to read it.
“The media has so much to say in this football world, and it’s hard not to be influenced. But there’s a lot more behind it, and that’s why I return to the importance of never flying too high and, conversely, never diving too low.
“Now it’s portrayed as if I’m back and just doing really well. But inside myself my thoughts are in a completely different place. I’m self-critical. I still want to be even better, more involved in the games and score more goals, but it’s fun to observe how the image of me is constantly changing.
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“It’s clear that there is also a difference between Napoli and Manchester United, especially in Denmark. But I have to live with the headlines – they will always be there because someone wants to use me as an eye-catcher.”
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
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England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL
Nike and The FA have launched England’s new training range featuring the AOP T-Shirt with an all-over lion design ahead of the World Cup
08:57, 25 Mar 2026Updated 10:43, 25 Mar 2026
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Whilst England’s new football kits have been making waves this week, The FA and Nike have discreetly unveiled a selection of new training attire alongside the latest jerseys for this summer’s World Cup. The range, available at the Official England Store, features hoodies, drill tops, t-shirts and joggers.
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Leading the England 2026 Training Range is the England Nike AOP T-shirt. This laid-back black and grey cotton tee showcases the same all-over lion motif seen on the England 2026 Goalkeeper Shirt, with the England badge positioned on the right chest beneath a gold embroidered star symbolising the 1966 World Cup victory.
The England Nike Tech Fleece Windrunner Hoodie, designed with lightweight Tech Fleece inside and out for warmth, is also part of the collection. This light blue, full-zip hoodie is adorned with the England crest on the left chest, balanced by Nike’s swoosh on the right.
England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL
Complementing the hoodie are the England Nike Tech Fleece Pants, crafted from the same fleece fabric for optimum comfort, whether during training or lounging at home. The collection also includes the England Nike Strike Drill Training Top, sporting the same blue hue with Obsidian and Speed Red accents on the arms and shoulders, and an arched ‘England’ graphic on the back.
The England 2026 Home Shirt is presented in the customary pristine white with navy accents on the shoulders, cuffs and collar, complemented by a red stripe on each side. The England 2026 Away Shirt swaps purple for the classic red with white accents on the shoulders, navy cuffs, collar and sides, with the badge and Nike swoosh centrally placed.
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The England 2026 Goalkeeper Shirt features a blue lion design and star graphic, with each jersey also bearing the phrase ‘happy and glorious’ within the collar. The Three Lions are set to showcase the new kits and training gear this Friday (March 26), when they welcome Uruguay for the first of two friendly matches this month.
Supporters can secure last-minute VIP and hospitality tickets for the match and the encounter with Japan on Tuesday (March 31) from £39 at Seat Unique. The England 2026 World Cup kits have once again sparked debate among fans, with many taking to social media to voice their initial reactions.
Posting on X, one fan commented: “Best home kit I’ve seen for some time.” However, not everyone is convinced, as another remarked: “Rethink the white shorts please, looks like a rugby kit.”
Regarding the away kit, one supporter expressed: “Love this and it’s great to see us have a red away kit again.”
The Sanctum of Temperance is a puzzle you encounter during the Witch of Wisdom quest in Chapter 5 of Crimson Desert. The quest requires you to restore a broken machine using a Fusion Core and Reactor, which you will have to uncover from ruins.
In this article, we guide you on how to fix the broken machine and how you can find the required items to do so.
Crimson Desert: Sanctum of Temperance solution
The Sanctum of Temperance is located just south of the Goldleaf Tradepost (Image via Pearl Abyss)
The Sanctum of Temperance in Crimson Desert is located in the Pororin Forest, just southeast of Hernand City.
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To find the exact spot, you will need to travel past the Goldleaf Tradepost and head south. Along the cliffside, you will easily spot a cave/crevice. Go through it to find the entrance to the Sanctum of Temperance.
Note: The area will be guarded by enemies. Clear out each one to start working on the puzzle.
Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough on how to complete the Sanctum of Temperance:
Step 1: Find the Fusion Core
The Fusion Core is located beside the stairs near the entrance (Image via Pearl Abyss)
The Fusion Core looks like a stone block. You can find it at the bottom of the stairs near the entrance to the Sanctum of Temperance. Simply pick it up and store it in your KuKu Pot.
Step 2: Insert the Fusion Core
Slot in the Fusion Core in the machine using Force Palm (Image via Pearl Abyss)
Go up to the broken machine and slot the Fusion Core into the empty slot. Use Force Palm to insert the Core into the machine.
Step 3: Burn the thorny vines
Use Blinding Flash to burn away the thorny vines (Image via Pearl Abyss)
The Sanctum is packed with thorny vines blocking your paths to its various sections. Use flaming arrows or Blinding Flash to clear out these vines. This will further open up the area for exploration, leading to loot and the next set of objectives.
Step 4: Find the Fusion Reactor
Use Blinding Flash to burn away the thorny vines (Image via Pearl Abyss)
Once you have cleared out the vines in the top area, you will find the Fusion Reactor. Store it in your KuKu Pot and return to the machine.
Step 5: Place the Fusion Reactor atop the tower
Place the Fusion Reactor on the empty pillar and use Force Palm to insert it (Image via Pearl Abyss)
One of the four pillars near the broken machine will be missing the top piece. Place the Fusion Reactor on the pillar. Then, climb on top of the Reactor. Use Force Palm (while crouching down) to install the Reactor.
Once that’s done, a short cutscene will play out where the machine will power up, and the Sanctum of Temperance will be cleansed. This will complete the objective in this area.
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Rewards for completing the Sanctum of Temperance
Here are the rewards for completing the Sanctum of Temperance:
Kuku Lightning Spear Blueprint
Kuku Bird Boltspitter Blueprint
Additionally, you can explore the area thoroughly to acquire some unique loot, including the Odeck’s Protector Plate Boots.
Check out our other Crimson Desert features and guides:
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India batter KL Rahul has joined Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. DC posted a video of KL’s arrival at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. On arriving at the pitch, KL pulled out his famous Kantara movie celebration, which he had done during the match against eventual champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in his home state of Karnataka. After playing an aggressive unbeaten 93-run knock off 53 balls in a chase of 164 set by RCB, KL, usually a calm, collected, and reserved figure in the dressing room, was seen unusually animated and aggressive, thumping his chest and pointing towards the ground and at his jersey as if saying that it (the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium) was his territory. He moved his bat on the pitch in a circular motion and aggressively tapped it on the ground. Later, he revealed that the celebration was inspired by the 2022 Kannada movie Kantara.
Making a reference to KL’s words after that win, DC posted, “Ye tera ground hai, Rahul. Welcome back home.”
Last season, KL was at his most aggressive in years, scoring 539 runs in 13 matches at an average of 53.90, with a strike rate of almost 150, including a century and three fifties. He was DC’s top run-getter and the overall ninth-highest run-scorer. He was also DC’s leading six-hitter, with 21 maximums.
In 145 matches, KL has scored 5,222 runs in 136 innings in his IPL career, which has seen him play for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), RCB, Punjab Kings, and finally DC. These runs have come at an average of 46.21 and a strike rate of 136.02, including five centuries and 40 fifties. He was the Orange Cap winner in the 2020 season with PBKS, scoring 670 runs in 14 innings, with a century and five fifties.
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He will be aiming to get as close as possible to the 6,000-run mark, if not reach it. If he achieves this milestone, he will be the fifth batter after Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and David Warner to reach the landmark. Currently, he is the seventh-highest run-getter in the competition’s history.
DC will start their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 1 in Lucknow.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Oct 4, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) carries the ball against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
There are a lot of positions on the Minnesota Vikings roster that still need some attention, and despite Aaron Jones being confirmed to return for the 2026 season. Running back should still be high on the list of Vikings draft priorities as we head towards April.
Aaron Jones looked to be heading the same way as the likes of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. News even broke of Jones’ impending release at the same time as Hargrave’s future was reported. Unlike Hargrave, the Vikings and Jones thrashed out an agreement that allowed Minnesota to get the salary cap relief it desired while Jones remained a Viking.
Minnesota’s Backfield Still Lacks a Long-Term Answer
Jones is a big personality and leader on this team, and with Minnesota already losing some players that fit that mold this offseason, like Harrison Smith and CJ Ham, keeping Jones around is a sensible move.
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That leaves the Vikings with Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott on the depth chart alongside Jones – basically the same as last year, minus the departed Ty Chandler. It leaves the Vikings without the desperate need to find an RB immediately, but Jones will be 33 and a free agent next year, while Mason will also hit free agency.
Sep 29, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) runs onto the field before a game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, September 29, 2024, at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Tork Mason/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images.
It puts the team in a good position to use this Vikings draft to find an RB who can come in without the immediate pressure to lead the backfield. Jones and Mason should share the major workload this season, and a rookie trying to force his way into a share of that workload is exactly the kind of healthy competition you want.
The Top RB Options in This Year’s Draft
Jeremiyah Love is the top RB prospect and the only one expected to be drafted in the first round. Love is expected to go high, probably too high for the Vikings at 18, but if he does get in reach, he would give Minnesota a decision to make. I’m not expecting that to happen, so that leaves this Vikings draft looking at the Day 2 RB prospects.
My favorite prospect is Love’s Notre Dame teammate Jadarian Price. He has lots of talent, but has been in the shadow of Love, meaning he hasn’t had as much opportunity as you’d like. Price has a great blend of vision, spatial instincts, foot speed, smooth fluidity, and is an explosive vertical threat. Arkansas Mike Washington Jr is a very different type of back, a big-bodied (6’1 “, 225 lbs) one-cut, north and south runner.
Other options on Day 2 are Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson, who would be a popular choice given his Minnesota roots. Johnson, a well-leveraged creator at 5’11”, 200 pounds, sets himself apart with his blistering foot speed, cutting flexibility, vision, and explosiveness out of cuts.
Jonah Coleman had an excellent college career across stints with Arizona and Washington, but a dip in performance came at the wrong time for his draft stock. He had a lot of success as a pass catcher, which should interest the Vikings.
Day 3 Options to Fall Back On
If, for whatever reason, the Vikings don’t get an RB on Day 2, it’s not a complete disaster. There are still some good players who could potentially be on the board. The problem is that Minnesota doesn’t have a pick on Day 3 until deep into the fifth round, which means a move for someone like Kaytron Allen, Demond Claiborne, or Kaelon Black could require trading up.
Oct 11, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) runs the ball during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
The Vikings could wait until the fifth round or later and take a swing on someone like Adam Randall, a former WR-turned-RB who would be an interesting developmental project. Other names to look out for in the later rounds include Nicholas Singleton, Roman Hemby, and Robert Henry Jr.
The Vikings will almost certainly take an RB at some point in the draft; it’s just a question of where and with which of their nine draft picks. Day 2 looks like the sweet spot to me.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
The French national team have arrived in Boston for their US tour. France will face Brazil on March 26 and Colombia on March 29 in friendly matches.
Also in this sports roundup:
Antoine Griezmann and Mohamed Salah are set to leave Europe. OL Lyonnes lost the first leg of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final. In tennis, Arthur Fils reached the quarter-finals in Miami, unlike Térence Atmane. Finally, Denmark’s Magnus Cort Nielsen has won the second stage of Volta a Catalunya.
England men’s cricket director Rob Key has responded to recent criticism from all-rounder Liam Livingstone, saying the player remains firmly in contention for national selection despite a disagreement over communication and team environment. Livingstone, who has been out of the England setup since last year’s ICC Champions Trophy, had criticised the team management for avoiding difficult conversations and suggested his future depended on changes behind the scenes. He also claimed that Key had told him he had 100 more important things to do during a one-on-one discussion.
Responding to the remarks, Key defended his position but chose not to go into details of their conversation.
“Look, I’m not going to go into private conversations,” Key told Sky Sports. “Obviously, there’s another side to that conversation as I saw it. What I did say to Liam at the end of what was a fairly tetchy phone call to say the least [was that] there’s no way I see a player of Liam Livingstone’s ability not being up for selection for England,” he told ESPNCricinfo.
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Key reiterated that the 32-year-old still has a pathway back into the side and revealed that selectors had considered recalling him earlier this year.
“There’s no way a player of his ability is out of the picture,” Key said, urging Livingstone to focus on performance. “If he gets back to his best and starts scoring runs, he’ll absolutely be in the frame again.”
The former England cricketer also pointed out that Livingstone was once seen as a leadership option during an ODI series against the West Indies in 2024.
“We thought as much of him to make him captain at one stage, when we didn’t have all the senior players there. I still have a huge amount of time for Liam Livingstone, and there’s no reason that someone at 32’s England career should be over,” Key said.
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While Livingstone had described the England setup as cliquish, Key dismissed the claim but admitted that disagreements are common in a high-performance environment. He added that selection decisions will continue to be based on performance.
Meanwhile, Livingston has reached India to take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. He was purchased by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for 13 crore in the auction.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) of the women’s national basketball association (WNBA) in the United States is a seismic moment in sports history.
The deal, agreed in mid-March 2026 after 17 months of negotiations, reportedly includes a salary cap increase, significantly higher minimum salaries, revenue sharing, and charter flights. It is considered a huge step in the right direction for player empowerment and league growth.
More than that, though, it is the headline of a wider movement in women’s sports that is empowering players to push for better pay, conditions and a greater share of the revenue they help generate.
Sotiriadou, an associate professor at Griffith University in Australia, is an expert in the business of women’s sport. She believes the WNBA deal reflects the commercial maturity of women’s sport, that investing in stars is a precondition for commercial growth, and that there is enormous power in coordinated collective action.
“The structural shift to a revenue-sharing model that directly links player compensation to the commercial growth of the league is amazing. In essence, players are now economic co-owners of the league’s growth trajectory, not salaried employees of a static enterprise,” she said.
“This shows a formal recognition by a professional women’s league that player value is the primary driver of commercial value. That represents a shift in philosophy, not merely in dollars.”
Fans have been supportive of the players and their push for better payImage: Thurman James/ZUMA Press Wire/IMAGO
Women’s football ready to benefit
Women’s football also looks well-placed to benefit from this deal.
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“We know women’s football has a solidarity mindset, and that extends beyond football. What the [WNBA’s] CBA does is connect women’s athletes all over the world to recognize their value, to fight for that value,” Alex Culvin, the director of women’s football at the international football players’ union FIFPRO, told DW.
Culvin believes the WNBA has benefited from seizing upon momentum since its inception in 1996. Women’s football is now in the midst of that, and Culvin believes now is the time to make sure plans are in place to strike.
“When we get to 2027, we have a World Cup in Brazil, probably the most iconic place in the world to have a World Cup. The boom is going to be inevitable, so the mindset for everybody around the sport, players, unions, stakeholders is how do we capitalize on it? And I think the WNBA’s CBA has almost shone a light on that before we get to the World Cup. It’s created a seismic shift on value,” Culvin said.
Equal pay in football- just a crazy dream?
Impacts are already being felt, and they are going to be made too. The deal hands professional women’s football in the US (NWSL, the top league) a perfect opportunity to take the next step.
“The NWSL’s 2026 minimum salary of $50,500 (€43.600) sits against the WNBA’s new floor of $270,000-$300,000. That gap will be very hard for NWSL ownership to defend publicly. With a performance-based reopener built into the current agreement, and a full renegotiation due in 2030, the WNBA deal hands NWSL players a powerful reference point,” Sotiriadou said.
“The WNBA deal demonstrates what organized players and a commercially mature league can achieve together.”
While a global CBA is unlikely in football, both the WNBA’s action and the CBA’s policies can be highly impactful tools for women’s sports moving forward. Shared revenue is the obvious headline, but also improving minimum salaries, covering and improving travel, and protecting players through policies like no-release or -trade clauses during pregnancy can make an enormous difference. Culvin believes even the non-tangible impact of this deal, such as its use as a reference in pitches, should not be underestimated.
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“The question for our unions and players who are members of those unions is what is the role of the unions and as custodians of the game to ensure that the revenue that’s generated is fairly distributed. You can obviously be micro and cherry-pick, saying this clause is amazing or this article is amazing. And then you can kind of be macro and ask, ‘What does this say to football as an industry?’” Culvin said.
Megan Rapinoe used her position in the US women’s football national team to push for better pay and better working conditions as a professional playerImage: Evan Vucci/AP Photo/picture alliance
What happens next?
Billie Jean King, Flor Isava-Fonseca, the Williams sisters, Allyson Felix, Simone Biles, Kathrine Switzer, Megan Rapinoe the list of people who have changed women’s sports is storied. Each one has moved the needle, and reminded the next generation of what has been done before.
“You’ve got a responsibility to ensure that you maximize that opportunity and push for everything that you’re worth,” Culvin said.
Sotiriadou sees other sports, such as women’s tennis, golf and emerging rugby competitions as possible benefactors of the deal.
“In each case, the WNBA deal now stands as the benchmark: proof that a professional women’s league, at commercial scale, can sustain a revenue-linked pay model,” Sotiriadou said.
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For Culvin and FIFPRO, it’s all about creating the conditions to capitalize on the growing wave of momentum in women’s football.
Perhaps most tellingly of all, though, is what this deal tells us. This is certainly about women’s sport being good and smart business, but it is also about the message. The women of the WNBA recognized their value, organized themselves and worked tirelessly to seize on long-developed momentum to get paid what they deserved. The deal is bound to change their sport forever. It will likely be remembered as a watershed moment in all of women’s sports, many of which will be asking the same questions as Culvin.
“It’s about lighting that spark a little bit more,” she said. “We’re here. What got us here won’t get us there. Where do we want to go to next?”
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