At the Masters last week, our fleet of content producers told a lotof stories — but not all of them! As ever, they came home with unused material still in their notebooks and noggins, which we’d couldn’t bear to see to go waste. So kick back, pour yourself one last Azalea and enjoy a few of our untold tales.
What Rory’s nervy moment looked like up close
by Dylan Dethier
Rory McIlroy’s most stressful moment on Masters Sunday? It didn’t come until after he’d hit his tee shot on the 18th hole.
“I’d say walking off the 18th tee not knowing where my ball was,” McIlroy said post-round. “It could go anywhere. It could be anywhere.”
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He was right to be concerned; he needed just bogey to win but had blasted driver so far right that it was well out of his sight and, as social-media griping will tell you, out of the reach of CBS’s cameras, too.
But based on sheer luck I was, at that moment, wandering up the right side of the 18th hole with a couple writers, including our James Colgan. A spotter found the ball first, a crowd began to swarm and form around it, and we joined the fray.
When McIlroy arrived on the scene he seemed to sigh with relief. His ball had traveled so far right that he had a window. Punching back to the 18th fairway would have been treacherous, but an easier line existed: He could look up the 10th hole instead, allowing him to hit a high hook around and over the trees (and the massive leaderboard by the 18th green) to settle somewhere around the putting surface.
Two problems remained. The first was there were suddenly about a thousand people in his way. McIlroy and caddie Harry Diamond walked up their target line, working with marshals to try to push back the patrons. But McIlroy’s start line was so far right, and so many more people were flowing into the area, that eventually he seemed to just give up. He and Diamond had a short discussion: McIlroy confirmed that his ball would come out spinny, because it was sitting on pine straw. And then he readied to hit.
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Then came the second problem: Actually executing that high hook, off pine straw, starting it over the heads of a massive group of patrons. I’m sure I see worst-case scenarios differently than one of the best golfers in the world, but I wondered if there would be any flinch from McIlroy, knowing that if he slipped and thinned one — or something similarly catastrophic — he could drill someone and blow the Masters all at once.
But McIlroy played quickly, as he had all Sunday afternoon. He hit a high hook, definitely a little hookier than necessary; I wondered if he’d started it a little further left, subconsciously, to avoid my catastrophic scenario. And then, as he strode after his ball, following its flight, the crowd began to close in around him.
This sort of swarm never really happens at the conclusion of the Masters, at least not in recent decades; the rope lines are well established. (Granted, Tiger Woods was nearly taken out at the knees in a similar situation in 2019.) But quickly, almost from nowhere, security appeared from the crowd and the trees, and an informal barrier went up to give McIlroy a lane to hustle back to the fairway. We headed up the right side of the hole and around the green, hoping for a glimpse of the final putt, glad to have had a front-row seat to the final full swing of an historic Masters.
The *other* happiest place on Earth
by Josh Berhow
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At the Masters, you’ll find cheap sandwiches, really green grass and well-behaved patrons. Those are givens. But what always gets me is that everyone is so happy.
And they should be! Think about it — where else on Earth is everyone universally thrilled to be in one place? (As a parent who went to Disney World a week before the Masters, I can promise you Magic Kingdom is not the answer.)
And that blissfully hypnotic state lingers well after patrons leave Washington Road. Because the second-happiest spot I found last week? It was the tiny bar at the Augusta Regional Airport, where, as I waited for my return flight home, a Masters after-party was in full swing.
Few of the revelers knew one other but happily mingled at shared tables. Drinks were flowing, and the bartender generously poured doubles. Everyone shared stories about where they went and what they saw and what they ate and how it felt. Most were sunburned, several were clad in Masters gear and everyone agreed the course is — stop us if you’ve heard this one before — way hillier than it looks on TV.
One guy from Iowa paid John Daly $100 to sign his brother’s stomach and had the video to prove it. Another from Minnesota raved about his first time in swanky Berckmans Place. Plastic bags stuffed with thousands of dollars’ worth of Masters merchandise — hats, mugs, polos, posters — lined the floor.
“The only thing I didn’t get was a gnome,” one man said. “I’d offer anyone $200 for one right now.”
I smiled and nodded. He seemed so happy I didn’t have the heart to tell him what was hiding in my backpack.
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My favorite Masters Sunday tradition
by Alan Bastable
At a tournament defined by traditions, my colleagues and I have one of our own: Masters Sunday lunch in the Augusta National clubhouse.
Around 11:30 a.m., before the leaders have put their pegs in the ground in earnest, seven or eight of us pile into golf-cart shuttles outside the Press Building for the short ride to the shuttle drop-off by the leader board near the golf shop. From there, it’s a short hike up a tightly mown slope, a hard left turn at the famed old oak where golf’s sparkly people convene (is that . . . Sir Nick?!) and in through the back door of the clubhouse where a guard carefully eyes our credentials. Then it’s a few paces through a well-appointed dual-winged reception room and up a spiral staircase to a floor that houses, to your left as you exit the stairwell, the Champions Locker Room, and, to your right, a rectangular dining room that spills out on to a veranda that offers bird’s-eye views of all the sparkly people and even glimpses of the first tee.
If there’s a better way to start your Masters Sunday (other than smoothing balls on ANGC’s range in preparation for a starting time), I’d like to hear it! Some years we get a table outside; other years, like this one, the only available tables are in the dining room, which lacks the more casual al fresco appeal of the balcony but comes with its own perks such as having a front-row (table?) seat to such miscellany as the names on the Augusta National Jamboree honors board or the display case with President Eisenhower’s stylish knit polo.
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Comme nos maîtres (not ANGC’s version!).
The menu, like just about everything else at the club, is clean, simple and elegant. Green ink on white stock. The kitchen’s offerings aren’t fancy, either. Cheeseburger, flounder sandwich, spicy chicken nachos, a sampler plate with three of Augusta’s signature sandies, etc. In one of the dining room’s corners, a door leads to a small men’s room, where you’ll find a framed print of “Comme nos maîtres,” a famous cartoon by the French artist Boris O’Klein that playfully depicts seven dogs doing their business on their hind legs. The name of the piece translates to “Like their masters.” That’s another thing about Augusta, you notice something new on every visit.
But back to our meal. It’s always an in-and-out affair — maybe 45 minutes tops — but in the quiet of the clubhouse, away from the pressures of our keyboards and cameras, time has a way of slowing down. We share stories from the week, toast with Azaleas (pro move: swap out of the vodka for tequila) and generally enjoy one another’s company in a setting unlike few others. Then the check comes. Back to work.
Loitering with intent (around Tommy Fleetwood!)
by Michael Bamberger
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Over the past maybe eight years I have noted, in the pages of this website, that my three favorite golfers are Tommy Fleetwood of England, Franceso Molinari of Italy and Jordan Spieth of Dallas. My guess is that Molinari knows my face and name, that Spieth knows my face but not my name and that Fleetwood knows neither, despite my various efforts. Once, for instance, I told him that, by coincidence and during the last British Open there, I was seated next to his aunt at an outdoor café on a Sunday in downtown, Birkdale, England, during a British Open. Tommy said he knew the café and that she likely was eating there after church. You may know that the Open is returning to Birkdale this year.
On Sunday, Fleetwood went off a full two hours before Rory McIlroy, his Ryder Cup teammate, but Fleetwood stayed around after his middle-of-the-pack finish to see how the whole thing would play out. When McIlroy won, Fleetwood was among the players hanging by the clubhouse to congratulate him. What a lovely thing to do — but what else would you expect from this golfing gent? There’s a reason he’s in my Top 3. By the way, and a quick aside, his final-round 63 at Shinnecock Hills at the 2018 U.S. Open has to be one of the best rounds of golf ever played. I would say that’s like shooting a 60 at Augusta National on Masters Sunday. You may know that the U.S. Open is returning to Shinnecock in June.
Maybe 20 or 25 minutes after McIlroy made his winning six-inch putt on Sunday, Fleetwood was standing on front of the clubhouse, waiting on a ride. By the front I mean the side of the clubhouse at the end of Magnolia Lane, facing Washington Road. I have heard some people refer to this as the back of the clubhouse, which I don’t understand, except that it is back if you have a course-centric view of the world. That part I do get.
Anyway, Fleetwood was standing there, by himself, waiting on a ride and not wearing anything with a Swoosh, as he is no longer a Nike brand ambassador or whatever the right term is for that. He was wearing what seemed to be a custom-made pair of sort of beige beltless pants with a billowy legs. The Eisenhower Era meets the Jerry Ford years.
“In the ‘70s a lot of guys used to wear pants like that,” I said. I was loitering with intent, looking for something to write about. That is, something to write about related to the winner. They did wear pants like that, to a point. The pants then were much tighter, often garish in color and made of polyester. Fleetwood’s pants seemed to be made of a fine lightweight wool. “They were called Sansabelts. Johnny Miller wore ’em. Tom Weiskopf. Lot of guys.”
“Sansabelts,” Tom said.
“From the French, sans belt.”
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That is, without.
Tom nodded, with ever-so-modest enthusiasm. Soon, his ride arrived. He finished T33. — Michael Bamberger
Rory McIlroy’s good luck charm
by James Colgan
One of the unusual pleasures of watching the Masters broadcast is that most of the views are totally unobstructed. Nobody other than the players, the caddies, the camera crews and Dottie Pepper fill the camera shots inside the ropes — the throngs of golf dignitaries, sponsors, agents, managers and scribes are left outside the ropes with the rest of the people.
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Pepper has an unusual honor in the center of the fold. Since 2020, she has served as the only inside-the-ropes broadcaster in Masters history, tracking the highest-leverage groups for the network and collecting datapoints from the middle of the action.
But that’s where this story gets funny. Over the last two years, nobody has seen more of Rory McIlroy at the Masters up close than Dottie, who followed the back-to-back green jacket winner for the seventh time since the start of the 2025 Masters on Sunday afternoon.
Yep, you read that right, Pepper has been on McIlroy’s bag for seven of eight tournament rounds since the start of his star-crossed 2025 Masters start, seeing all but Friday’s second-round rebound in 2025 from the best seat in the house.
In that time, she’s seen some underrated gems — like McIlroy’s second on the 5th on Sunday in 2025 — and some true stinkers, like his tee shot on the 18th with the tournament on the line last Sunday. That’s when Pepper and the rest of the CBS team were thrust into an unenviable position, when McIlroy’s mega-right drive resulted in a mad search for his chunky second-shot, which the broadcast team briefly lost as it traveled from the pine straw into the front-left bunker.
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The moment was a reminder of the vagaries of golf TV broadcasting, though nobody at home struggling to make sense of the most consequential moment of the tournament had much patience for it. McIlroy didn’t help matters by playing his second and third shots as if he was worried the meter in the Champions Parking Lot was about to expire.
Eventually, Pepper restored order with a quick blurb on the location, the forthcoming shot and the quality of the lie. And McIlroy soon delivered a tournament-clinching tap-in.
No guarantees that Pepper will be on McIlroy’s bag at the beginning of next year’s Masters, but McIlroy surely won’t squeal if she is. They have a good thing going.
Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A close-up of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s helmet before kickoff against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium, featuring his trademark No. 18 and reflective visor as he prepared for the NFC North clash. The shot captures Jefferson’s signature game-day focus and style. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The Vikings need help at linebacker. The top trio of Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace aren’t without some promise, but a high-end young fella would make quite the difference.
As a result, the recent news surrounding a Bearcat ‘backer should cause those who follow Vikings football to take notice. KTSP’s Darren Wolfson offers the word, writing, “Add Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday to the list of #Vikings draft visitors. Hear that he’ll be in later this week. He was 1st team All-Big 12 in 2025.”
Vikings Digging into Jake Golday
Lance Zierlein grinds through draft profiles; Golday didn’t elude his pre-draft research.
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Check out the assessment: “Golday is a big, explosive linebacker with a game best suited for work near the line of scrimmage. He attacks climbing blockers with heavy, aggressive hands. He also shows the strength to stack, compress gaps and finish with authority. While his performance at the point of attack stands out, he can be a little late diagnosing play design and needs to work with a more preemptive downhill trigger at times. He’s more powerful than elusive as a blitzer and is average in coverage. Golday’s traits, explosiveness and field demeanor should make him an early special teams standout with the potential to eventually start at Sam or inside linebacker.”
Oct 25, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baylor Bears tight end Michael Trigg (1) is unable to hold on to a catch as he is tackled by Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday (11) and defensive back Tre Gola-Callard (6) in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Lots to like within the description. Possessing good size and being explosive will always fascinate football evaluators, but there are other intriguing details in the short blurb.
A linebacker wants to pack electricity in his mitts. Quite often, being able to fend off climbing blockers — an unfair fight due to not having the same size — involves powerful hands that can knock a lineman back. Having long arms and bad intentions certainly helps in this regard.
Zierlein’s assessment is that he’s more of a downhill player who needs polish to become stronger in all aspects of being a linebacker, but that’s to be expected of a young fella going in the 2nd. Having close to zero flaws means going in the top ten, not the top fifty.
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At 6’4″ and close to 240 pounds, Jake Golday comes in with a build that’s closer to Anthony Barr (6’5″, 255) than Eric Kendricks (6’0″, 230). Blending their abilities would be a nice win, but that’s quite a lofty standard. In theory, Golday should be someone who can hang with tight ends due to his size, wrestle in the trenches, and chase down runners with his long arms and 4.6 speed.
Dec 16, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) celebrates with linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
During the 2025 season, Golday tossed up 105 tackles. He did so while also putting 3.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble onto the stat sheet.
A large part of what makes him a fit for the Vikings is that he got shuffled around. Per PFF, Golday’s most recent season involved picking up 314 snaps in the box, 248 snaps in the slot, and 117 snaps along the defensive line. That’s the sort of versatility that can be hard to come by, but Brian Flores tends to value those players.
As mentioned, both of Wilson and Pace similarly played linebacker at Cincinnati while in college. Furthermore, the Vikings have been looking into Jack Dingle, another Bearcat linebacker. The interest in Golday is therefore following a well-worn path.
With a 9.85 RAS Score, Golday grades as an elite athlete. He’s 22.
NBA Play-In begins as Teams fight for Final Playoff spots
The National Basketball Association Play-In Tournament has officially started and will run until 18th April, with teams battling for the final playoff spots.
Twelve teams have already secured their place in the playoffs after finishing in the top six of their respective conferences. The remaining four spots will now be decided through the Play-In.
In the Eastern Conference, the Charlotte Hornets have already beaten the Miami Heat, eliminating Miami and keeping their own season alive. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic are also in action as they battle for a place in the playoffs.
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In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trail Blazers are competing for the final positions.
The Play-In continues today with the Philadelphia 76ers taking on the Orlando Magic. The winner will earn the 7th seed, while the loser gets one more chance to get to the playoffs.
Three-division world champion Gervonta Davis continues to be linked to a comeback, but a petition for him to face his number one contender may scupper his proposed fight plans, or remove him from his favourable position in the lightweight division.
Davis has not won a fight since he knocked out Frank Martin almost two years ago, drawing with Lamont Roach Jr in his solitary outing since, in what was the first blemish of his now 30-0-1 professional record.
Earlier this year, after being issued with an arrest warrant for a domestic violence charge, the WBA named ‘Tank’ ‘champion-in-recess’, meaning that he would be given the opportunity to regain his belt upon return.
In response, the WBA’s number one lightweight contender, Floyd ‘Kid Austin’ Schofield has entered a petition with the sanctioning body, lobbying for either a mandated fight with Davis or the opportunity to fight for the vacant title.
In a clip posted by FightHype, the Texan’s trainer and father, Floyd Schofield Sr, explained the situation in further detail.
“We are, right now, in a petition with the WBA to get the ‘Tank’ Davis fight mandated, because we have been the number one contender for 11 months now and didn’t get a shot.
“It is like they are skipping over us. Right now, we have got that petition going to find out what the WBA and ‘Tank’ are going to do. They are saying ‘Tank’ wants to go up to 140lbs to fight Pitbull [Isaac Cruz], but that has put us on hold.”
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Should Davis-Cruz II go ahead, it is expected to take place this summer, with coach Calvin Ford recently confirming that ‘Tank’ is back in training ahead of his return to boxing.
Despite standing as the highest-ranked program in the country as recently as Sunday, No. 3 Maryland women’s lacrosse suffered a total team collapse in one of its worst losses in recent memory.
With the Terps shooting 13.3% on the night and failing to stop No. 11 Michigan’s fiery attack, they suffered their second-largest loss since 2021. Following a 13-0 start to the season, Maryland dropped its second straight game, a 15-4 blowout defeat Thursday in Ann Arbor.
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Michigan’s prized attacker Emma Bradbury opened up the scoring 42 seconds into the contest before scoring ceased for the following eight minutes. Each team failed to score on five shot attempts during that stretch.
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Then Maryland’s offense exploded for a pair of goals. Kristen Shanahan netted the Terps’ first — a point-blank strike with seven minutes left in the opening frame — before Lauren LaPointe matched her a minute later.
But those were the only two scores it mustered in the period. Head coach Cathy Reese has emphasized a 50% shooting percentage goal for all her players, but Maryland fell well short Thursday, scoring twice on seven total attempts in the first quarter.
These misfires allowed Michigan to launch a 6-0 run on just seven shots in a six minute span. The Wolverines completely dismantled JJ Suriano, who posted a 27.2% first-half save percentage in one of her worst performances of the year as shot after shot slipped past the junior’s extended stick.
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Coming off her best offensive performance to date, Kayla Gilmore struggled to control possession in the circle during this stretch. Michigan claimed three of the five draw controls over this period and kept that aspect of the game competitive — Maryland won 11 of 20 draws.
Following the destructive run, Shanahan stopped the bleeding on yet another highlight-reel shot. The graduate student curled around the crease and was checked to the ground, but still found nylon from a seated position a meter outside the cage with 10 minutes left in the half.
However, this was the bright spot of the first half for the Terps, as a whole-field collapse settled the game. The backline only caused a single turnover over 30 minutes, and lost the first-half ground ball battle, 5-2. Meanwhile, Maryland couldn’t find the frame, only shooting 6 of 14 attempts on goal. It struggled to claw back, falling to a five-goal deficit.
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The Wolverines offensive dominance was largely due to a faulty Terp man-to-man concept. Michigan’s attackers employed isolation tactics, putting immense pressure on individual Maryland defenders to perform.
This allowed the Wolverines to continue their momentum into the third frame, scoring two goals in 13 seconds four minutes into the half.
Both recent Terp draftees struggled mightily in Thursday’s bout. Kori Edmondson logged just one point and was a large factor behind the offensive stagnation, committing three of Maryland’s 14 turnovers. Maddy Sterling stumbled in her role as well, struggling to mark Bradbury all night long and as the attacker notched four goals.
The Wolverines exploded once more in the third quarter, going on a 5-1 run with a precise 55.5% shooting percentage. Maryland outshot Michigan 10-9 in the frame, but the Terps only put four of those shots on frame and scored just once — on a LaPointe snipe with seven minutes left in the period.
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With Calli Norris securing a hat trick just two minutes into the fourth quarter, the officials instituted a running clock as Reese shrugged on the sideline. After a swift, painful fourth quarter, Maryland sulked off the field following the first loss to Michigan in program history.
Three things to know
1. Couldn’t find the net. Despite boasting one of the nation’s strongest attacks and netting double-digit goals all but once this season, the Terps failed to put the ball in the goal. A nine-save performance from Michigan’s Elizabeth Johnson combined with lackluster shooting and passing saw Maryland tying its lowest single-game goal total since 1982.
2. First round bye slipping away. The Terps have led the Big Ten standings since the start of conference play, but back-to-back losses have all but removed them from contention in the race for the lead. Even a win on Saturday at Ohio State will still likely leave Maryland in second place in the Big Ten heading into the conference tournament. 3. Mental lapses. Reese claimed that locker room vibes remained positive following the narrow loss to Northwestern and that the team was focused on cleaning up strategic and on-field errors. But after Thursday’s monumental loss, the Terps may struggle to stay positive and patch up exposed holes for a quick two-day turnaround.
The Virginia Tech Hokies have been on a roll recently on the recruiting trail. While the 2026 squad has been busy with spring practice, head coach James Franklin and his staff have hosted numerous recruits. It’s led to three commitments since March 19 — all out-of-state players and defensive linemen.
On Thursday, the Hokies added another one, as four-star defensive lineman James Buchanan became Virginia Tech’s latest commitment. Buchanan, a 6-foot-3.5, 260-pounder from the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland, plays on the edge currently, but possesses the type of frame to eventually move inside.
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Several colleges were recruiting Buchanan as a defensive tackle, but will Tech give him a chance at defensive end. Buchanan weighed in on his position earlier this year.
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Here’s Buchanan’s commitment announcement:
How impressive was this addition? Regardless of position, Buchanan had offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, LSU, Georgia, Oregon and Tennessee, among others.
Again, Virginia Tech wasn’t even in the conversation for these types of players before James Franklin arrived. His arrival, alongside defensive line coach Sean Spencer and VT’s renewed commitment to football has the Hokies in a much better position moving forward.
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Spencer joins Alexander Taylor (Baltimore, Md.), Brock Frisby (Severn, Md.), and Xavier Perkins (Durham, N.C.) in Virginia Tech’s 2027 recruiting class.
With the spring game on Saturday, who knows, more good news could be coming for the Hokies.
CBS Sports NFL writer Josh Edwards predicted a trade between the Eagles and Patriots, but he does not mention Brown as part of the deal.
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Edwards recently presented a mock draft that featured the Eagles trading their No. 23 pick to the Patriots. In return, Philadelphia received the No. 31 pick along with some undisclosed additional terms. This trade enabled New England to choose Arizona State right tackle Max Iheanachor.
“There was a viral clip going around of Mike Vrabel inciting Max Iheanachor to put his hands on him (which is more common than fans may expect, especially among defensive coaches),” Edwards wrote on Thursday. “If New England is going to nab a right tackle, it will require them to trade up a bit in this scenario because several are off the board.”
If this trade goes down during the draft, everyone is going to go crazy when they hear that the Eagles have made a deal with the Patriots. However, they’ll likely feel a bit let down when they realize that Brown won’t be included.
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The trade may prompt the two teams to discuss Brown after the draft, but it’s unlikely to happen before June 1. At that point, the Eagles would only face a $16 million dead cap hit for Brown, rather than the $43 million penalty they would incur if they traded him before June 2.
Shakur Stevenson is one of the most skilled fighters in the sport today, but in the eyes of world-class trainer, Robert Garcia, there is one fellow American he believes could be the man to hand the Newark southpaw his first career defeat.
However, whilst the newly-crowned WBO super-lightweight world champion may be recognised as one of the most talented operators in the world of boxing, he currently lacks the star power to convince some of the sport’s superstars into a fight.
Should he decide to move up, Robert Garcia thinks that reigning WBO welterweight world champion, Devin Haney, could get the better of Stevenson due to his physical advantages, as well as his boxing skills, he told BoxingScene.
“It is not an easy fight for Shakur, that is why he is not chasing that one. He knows that is a dangerous fight, especially if they do it at welterweight.
“He wants it at a catchweight but if Haney is a champion at welterweight, then fight him at welterweight. I don’t think that Shakur is big enough, like [Floyd] Mayweather was at one point, where he could say ‘I want you at this weight division’.”
“If the fight does happen, it happens at welterweight. Shakur might not want to do that because it is going to be very dangerous for him, fighting a big guy like that. Haney can fight, Haney is fast, Haney has got decent power, too.”
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“I do see Haney being the bigger man and maybe I would give Haney the advantage but it’s an interesting fight – a fight that I would like to see.”
Haney seemed destined to fight WBA champion Rolando Romero in a welterweight title unification until talks recently collapsed and the potential announcement of Garcia-Benn seems to have left ‘The Dream’ out in the cold, as he searches for a first fight of 2026.
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) crosses the goal line for a touchdown against the USC Trojans, with Nov 16, 2024 marking the matchup at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Johnson finished the play during first-half action, helping Nebraska generate early offensive momentum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.
If you’re just freshening up on the Minnesota Vikings’ draft process, it’s a good idea to get to know the name Emmett Johnson, a running back from Nebraska. He wants to play for the Vikings, his hometown team, so much so that he issued a lighthearted ultimatum this week.
The hometown tailback offers production, youth, and a direct reason for the Vikings to consider him on draft weekend.
Johnson told Twin Cities Live this week that the franchise won’t regret drafting him, but will rue facing him for 10 years if it does not.
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Minnesota Could Have a Natural Mid-Round Option at RB
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) leaps to evade a tackle attempt from Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris (4), with Nov 22, 2025 marking the matchup at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Johnson showed agility early in the game while navigating traffic during first-quarter action. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images.
The Johnson Ultimatum
Johnson is indeed on the Vikings’ draft radar, as he recently met with the coaching staff and front office on a pre-draft visit.
About that discussion, Johnson said this week, “I told them I said if y’all take a chance on me, it’s gonna be the best thing that they ever did. But if y’all don’t, you gotta see me for 10 years. That’s kinda how I feel, to be honest.”
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“They’re definitely interested,” Johnson said about the Vikings, “I’m a hometown kid.”
Here’s the footage:
Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson said the #Vikings are “definitely interested” in him. Johnson, the Minneapolis native, met with Minnesota a few times, including on a top 30 visit:
“I told them I said if y’all take a chance on me, it’s gonna the best thing that they ever did. But if… pic.twitter.com/inArSXfZtG
Johnson attended Holy Angels in Richfield and grew up a Vikings fan. He said at the NFL Combine that he would love to play for the Vikings, and as his hometown team needs a young runner — they haven’t picked one with early-round draft capital in seven years — the connection checks out. There’s a reason Minnesota is interested in Johnson; Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, the current co-RB1s, are scheduled to test free agency in 2027.
It’s a fantastic setup for Johnson, and he’s obviously not afraid to pound the table for his hometown team to take the plunge.
Johnson ranks at No. 109 on the current Consensus Big Board, meaning Minnesota will probably have to use one of its 3rd-Round picks to make his dream come true. The Vikings pick 82nd and 97th in “Johnson territory.”
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The College Production and Skill Set
Listed at 5’10” and 200 pounds, Johnson’s strong, stocky build is well-suited for the position’s physical demands. His impressive 2025 season — 1,824 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns — demonstrates his ability to handle a heavy workload and maintain offensive momentum, even under pressure.
At 22 years old, Johnson enters the league at a typical rookie age, suggesting he has the maturity to contribute immediately.
The only drawback to his Vikings agenda? He’s not much of a pass-blocker, and in the past, that seemed to be required of a halfback in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
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Pro Football Focus‘s Trevor Sikkema on Johnson: “His game is built on outstanding vision and elusiveness, highlighted by some of the quickest feet in this class. That allows him to navigate traffic effectively in man- and gap-scheme concepts, where he has posted an elite rushing grade over the past two seasons.”
“Johnson is a natural receiver out of the backfield, and while he shows the mentality for strong pass protection, he could be overpowered at the next level due to his lack of bulk. Johnson has Excellent footwork; light on his feet with precise and explosive cuts behind man-gap concepts.”
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) crosses the goal line for a touchdown against the UCLA Bruins, with Nov 8, 2025 marking the game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Johnson finished the scoring play during second-half action, helping Nebraska generate offensive momentum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.
Johnson initially ran a 4.56 forty at the NFL Combine, which scared some onlookers, but at his Pro Day, he rebounded with a 4.46.
Sikkema added, “He has natural hands as a receiver with high yards per route run usage and missed tackles forced per reception in space. He also runs with a determined style, consistently displaying high effort and competitive toughness. Johnson brings excellent footwork and quickness to the backfield, with good receiving ability to boot.”
“His resume is of a player who can be successful in man- or gap-blocking concepts, with three-down potential, especially as a receiver.”
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What If He’s… Right?
Johnson might have a point with his half-joking ultimatum. Across the lay of the land in the NFC North, every team could use a running back. In Chicago, D’Andre Swift’s contract expires at the end of the 2026 season. The Bears may need a young tailback to pair with Kyle Monagai in 2027 and beyond.
The Green Bay Packers employ Josh Jacobs, who turned 28 this offseason. Some running backs begin an age-related decline around 28, and it wouldn’t be strange for Jacobs to fall victim to that fate. The Packers’ current RB2 is Chris Brooks, a rather anonymous talent in NFL-speak.
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (RB10) addresses reporters during media availability at the NFL Combine, with Feb 27, 2026 marking the event at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Johnson met with media members while discussing his collegiate career and draft outlook. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images.
And while the Lions have Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery left via trade to the Houston Texans. If newcomer Isiah Pacheco doesn’t work out as the RB2, a man like Johnson would make sense behind Gibbs.
In an RB-needy NFC North, the Vikings should backhandedly consider Johnson’s playful ultimatum. He has a point.
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It’s also the kind of swagger you want to see from a running back.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said government is working towards a legislation that would criminalise trafficking and administration of prohibited performance-enhancing substances to athletes.
Speaking at the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) Final Conference here, the minister said India, which has topped the global list of dope offenders for the past three years, would aggressively tackle the menace that casts a massive shadow on its aspirations of hosting the Olympics in 2036.
“We are working on introducing criminal provisions for athlete support staff or other persons involved in trafficking and administering banned substances,” Mandaviya said, making it apparent that coaches who are found encouraging use of banned substances by athletes would be among those at the receiving end.
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Currently, India does not have penal provisions to tackle supply of banned substances to athletes and disciplinary action is limited to bans that can last up to a lifetime depending on the degree of the offence.
“Doping is no longer individual conduct. It is organised multi-national enterprise. The threat of doping undermines sport as India becomes a global sporting hub. Regulations are not enough. Ethics and values are at the core of sports but growing pressure of competition can lead to doping,” Mandaviya stressed.
“India is committed not only to sporting excellence but to upholding the highest standards of integrity.”
Addressing the conference on Thursday, Mandaviya said India has undertaken proactive reforms “not just for compliance, but with a genuine commitment to the integrity of sports.”
On preventive measures, Mandaviya stressed that “prevention remains the most effective strategy.”
“Providing the right information at the right time empowers athletes to make informed decisions and avoid both intentional and accidental violations,” he added.
India has significantly expanded its anti-doping testing from around 4,000 tests in 2019 to approximately 8,000 tests in the past year.
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Mandaviya noted a significant decline in adverse analytical findings, from 5.6 per cent in 2019 to less than two per cent currently, reflecting the impact of “sustained awareness and preventive efforts.
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