There was only one question people really wanted answered this offseason when it came to the Minnesota Vikings: the Big Vikings QB Decision. We finally got our answer when Kyler Murray was signed. And now that decision is being hailed as one of the best value moves of the offseason.

The Murray Move Is Drawing Value Praise

Injuries and poor play at QB derailed the Vikings’ 2025 season, and entering the 2026 season with just JJ McCarthy and Max Brosmer wasn’t going to cut it. The Vikings raised their ceiling by signing Murray, and doing so to a one-year, $1.3 million contract brings very little downside. He might not have lived up to his first-overall draft pick status, but he is a highly capable quarterback with seven seasons in the league as a starter.

Adding a player like that to your QB room at a basement price while another franchise is forced to pick up the tab after the Arizona Cardinals released him is excellent work from the Vikings. The great value is undeniable, which is why Murray’s move to Minnesota made the list for Pro Football Focus’ best value signings of the 2026 free agency.

PFF Gives the Vikings QB Move a Strong Endorsement

PFF put forward their best value signings of free agency. Murray was on there alongside Tariq Woolen, signing for the Philadelphia Eagles, Devin Bush, signing for the Chicago Bears, Rasheed Walker, signing for the Carolina Panthers, and Jaylinn Hawkins, signing for the Baltimore Ravens. Here is what PFF had to say about Murray and the Vikings.

Releasing Kyler Murray with a post-June 1 designation meant the Cardinals were able to spread his dead cap hit across the next two seasons. But that only marginally softens the blow for Arizona, which is still saddled with a $47.5 million dead cap charge in 2026 (15.4% of the cap).

Additionally, due to offsets stemming from Murray’s release, the Vikings were able to pick up the former first-overall pick at the veteran minimum, leaving the Cardinals to pay the remainder of his guarantees next season (over $35 million).

There is virtually no downside to adding a highly capable option to your quarterback room at a basement price while another franchise is forced to pick up the tab. While Murray hasn’t lived up to his lofty billing,

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has a strong track record for quarterback development (see: Sam Darnold). If O’Connell can bring the best out of Murray, this signing could morph into a long-term affair. The Vikings need viable options at quarterback after ranking 31st in PFF passing grade (47.6) this past season. Put plainly, running it back with J.J. McCarthy (60.1 PFF passing grade, 35th out of 43 qualifying quarterbacks) and Carson Wentz(50.0, 40th) isn’t going to cut it. Don’t be surprised if Murray wins the job in camp. 

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It’s difficult to argue that the Vikings aren’t getting good value here, even if you aren’t a big fan of Murray. You won’t get a better QB for such a little outlay. Understandably, the praise for this move from the Vikings has been coming in from all angles.

The Long-Term Vision

Murray got a no-franchise-tag clause in his contract, meaning this season is almost a dress rehearsal for both parties ahead of a big decision in a year. If Murray can have Darnold-like success playing for Kevin O’Connell, then the Vikings can’t make the same mistake twice. Murray will be on track for a big deal in 2027. If it doesn’t work out, then it costs Minnesota basically nothing to find out.

The Vikings will then reassess McCarthy’s status and decide whether to take another look at a QB in the draft or pursue a different veteran passer.

Murray should be good enough to succeed on this team, and as long as he stays healthy, I expect we will be talking about a contract extension in due course.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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Italy finally won a match in the World Cup playoffs. Now the four-time champion needs to win one more to avoid failing to qualify for a third straight time. The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the European semifinals on Thursday.

Sandro Tonali broke the deadlock with a half-volley early in the second half for Italy at home in Bergamo and then set up another goal for Moise Kean.

“After taking the lead, we cleared our minds,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “We put in a good performance. This should be a confidence boost for Tuesday. We have to win. We have no other choice.” 
Also advancing to the playoff finals scheduled for Tuesday were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Poland, Turkey, Kosovo, Denmark and the Czech Republic.

Italy next visits Bosnia and Herzegovina needing another victory to reach the upcoming tournament in North America and avoid going at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.

Bosnia beat Wales, and the Czech Republic beat Ireland in penalty shootouts.

The other finals matchups are: Sweden vs. Poland; Turkey vs. Kosovo; and Denmark vs. the Czech Republic.

Italy was eliminated by Sweden over two winless legs in the playoffs for the 2018 World Cup then was stunned by North Macedonia in the semifinal round in 2022.

Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions.

The Azzurri’s last World Cup knockout match was when they won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.

Italy produced seven shots on goal while Northern Ireland had none.

For the second goal, Tonali’s cross-field pass set up Kean, who made an expert control and finish.

“We didn’t have many moments of quality, but we did well to make the most of them when we did,” Tonali said. “We focused on not giving them their strengths and were concentrated on the set plays, so when we do that, it’s unlikely we’ll concede to this kind of team.

“We’ve been feeling positive since the coach arrived, we’ve got to continue like this, there’s no other option but to win,” Tonali said of Gattuso, who replaced the fired Luciano Spalletti in June.

Gyokeres scores three for Sweden

Viktor Gyokeres hit a hat trick to send Sweden past Ukraine 3-1 despite not having scored for his country since 2024. Until Thursday, Gyokeres was scoreless and Sweden winless in a miserable qualifying group campaign.

The game was played in Spain because Ukraine hasn’t hosted international games since the Russian invasion of 2022.

“Viktor Gyokeres made the difference tonight,” Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov said. “He showed his quality and proved he’s one of the best strikers in Europe.” 
Sweden will face Poland after 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski scored a crucial header in a 2-1 win over Albania, keeping alive the Barcelona striker’s bid to reach a third World Cup.

Albania took the lead through Arber Hoxha just before halftime after a defensive blunder by Poland. Lewandowski’s header at a corner got his team back into the game before Piotr Zielinski’s goal put Poland in front.

Kosovo is a game away from its first-ever World Cup after twice recovering from a goal down to upset Slovakia 4-3. That sets up a playoff with Turkey for a World Cup spot.

Gustav Isaksen scored twice in two minutes in a Denmark’s 4-0 win over North Macedonia.

Bosnia and Czechs win penalty shootouts

Bosnia advanced after 40-year-old Edin Dzeko leveled the score and 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic converted the winning spot-kick in a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Wales following a 1-1 draw.

The Czech Republic awaits next for Denmark after beating Ireland 4-3 on penalties. Ireland gave up an early 2-0 lead in the game, and was also leading the shootout before failing to convert either of its last two attempts.

Lucescu’s Romania eliminated

In an early match, Turkey beat Romania 1-0 and will face either Slovakia or Kosovo for a spot at its first World Cup since a third-place run in 2002.

Turkey took the lead shortly after the break when Ferdi Kadioglu was set up in front of the goal with a long, accurate pass from Arda Guler, a 21-year-old winger for Real Madrid who could become one of the World Cup’s younger standouts.

Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey squad reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship.

Romania’s elimination means that 80-year-old Mircea Lucescu won’t get a chance to coach at the World Cup for the first time. Lucescu captained Romania at the 1970 World Cup. He previously coached Turkey.

Nicolae Stanciu hit the post for Romania in the second half in Istanbul.

“We knew it would be a tough match. Lucescu knows us well and prepared accordingly,” Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu said. “In the first half, we could have made better runs in behind. In the second half, Ferdi scored with a ball in behind. … From then, it was ours.

By the time the World Cup really gets going, and Thomas Tuchel’s senior players maybe have that extra bit of energy from this week off, England might well feel the benefit of this game.

It’s hard to make a substantial list of who else did, though.

Even Ben White, who marked his return with a poached goal, gave away the penalty from which Uruguay‘s Federico Valverde equalised for a 1-1 draw.

There were very few England fans actually left by that point. Some of those that had stayed still greeted White’s goal with some boos, given the debate about his recall. Among that crowd, perhaps some of the children getting to enjoy a big occasion at Wembley benefited. Maybe Marcus Rashford, Djed Spence and Toni Livramento, who had some of the better performances in an otherwise disparate and disconnected team display.

The latter was inevitable given that it was the first time many of these players appeared together, and it made for one of those international friendlies that was occasionally difficult to keep concentrating on. The opposition didn’t even look like a Marcelo Bielsa team on the night, certainly nothing like the one remembered with such adulation by those Leeds United fans present.

There were already a lot of empty seats as early the 70th minute. It looked more than half empty by the time Valverde fired into the corner.

If Mikel Arteta was one of those trying to watch, he certainly won’t have enjoyed it, outside his right-back’s goal. Noni Madueke had to go off injured after 37 minutes – in what may well be the most consequential development of the night. Pep Guardiola would meanwhile have watched Phil Foden get scythed through by Ronald Aruajo, leaving the playmaker writhing in pain.

The only wrinkle there is that Foden is in one of those spells where he isn’t in the same form and consequently isn’t really in the Manchester City team. The fact he was in this team was almost warning enough, given the nature of it.

There would now be real questions over whether Foden will make Tuchel’s World Cup, except the manager has repeatedly made a point of saying he sees him as an alternative to Harry Kane.

As regards being a 10, though? That doesn’t look likely. Cole Palmer also came on to little effect.

Foden, along with some of the other players who have previously been England regulars, must have looked around and wondered what he was doing here.

Some of it had the appearance of a C team. There were quips about the side having two Tottenham Hotspur players, but that is a bit unfair on both Spence and Dominic Solanke.

The nature of the team is of course entirely deliberate, since Tuchel did come up with a creative solution to the problem of an exhausted squad and the need to experiment.

Hence we had this almost game-show style element, where these players were attempting to work together as a team, but were also competing with each other.

All of them were trying to show they should be staying around next week, when Tuchel replaces some of them with the senior players so they can get some fine-tuning in Tuesday’s friendly against Japan.

The problem was that the very nature of the team ensured it didn’t look like the right setting for that.

Tuchel will of course have a different perspective. There will be certain aspects he wants from individuals, and the actual test will be how well they executed specific demands.

Rashford pressed well. Maguire was assured, as Uruguay occasionally tried to play the ball in behind.

Perhaps the most pertinent question, however, is how many of these players you can actually see starting in the World Cup?

Livramento maybe. Maguire perhaps, depending how the defence develops. Tuchel did want to see him in a different style of back line, but this game just wasn’t enough of a test. When Uruguay did finally lift it at the end, though, Maguire was often there to clear.

There was otherwise so little football played.

England admittedly had a good spell at the start, with the odd flash. It maybe is quite indicative, however, that the game was marked by set-pieces.

This was the source of White’s goal, which also represented the third shot on target of the night.

None of this is to actually criticise Tuchel. He is right to rest his players.

There is something of an incongruity to how low the stakes were for this match, in the middle of an exhaustingly intense club season. That is surely why Arteta will be frustrated.

Tuchel was right to cater for that. He may want his best team to have some fine-tuning, but he also wants those players actually fit and fresh for the World Cup. A week off can genuinely make a huge difference.

As for this experiment of a match, it won’t exactly make much of an imprint on the memory.

Tiger Woods was taken into custody after a rollover crash on Jupiter Island, Florida, Friday, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.

At a press conference, Sheriff John Budensiek said the five-time Masters winner was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, causing it to roll over onto the driver’s side. 

Budensiek added that Woods appeared to have exited the vehicle by “crawling” out of the passenger side.

Fox News contributor Jim Gray said Woods’ crash and subsequent arrest mark the latest chapter in what he called an ongoing “sad story.”

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Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club before a match against the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center March 23, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.  (Adam Glanzman/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)

“It is a sad story, and it continues to be a sad story. We’ve all been thrilled with him watching him playing golf. He’s a national treasure (and) an international icon, perhaps the greatest ever. Jack Nicklaus has more majors, but Tiger (is) widely acclaimed, is the greatest golfer ever,” Gray said Friday on “Special Report.”

TIGER WOODS STEPPING BACK INTO COMPETITIVE GOLF AS MASTERS LOOM

“To see this happen, not only once but twice, now the third time … and to have been able to survive the last time and to now go through it again, it just leads you to wonder who is surrounding him. Why does he keep getting in these circumstances? And he’s been so great with his driver on the course, perhaps he should get a driver to drive him.”

Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026.  (Jason Oteri/AP)

Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.

“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests,” Budensiek added.

“We really weren’t suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail. … But when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And, so, he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”

Gray described the incident as a troubling pattern.

“It’s just another cry for help, it’s screaming out. At some point, somehow, some way, somebody has to get to him to get him this help. Get him a driver, get out from behind the wheel. When you’ve had this many surgeries, obviously we see this with professional sports all the time, numerous surgeries leads to just tremendous pain. 

“And with that pain you’ve got to somehow try to curtail it, and it leads people down this path. I can’t speak to whether or not he’s gone down that path. I haven’t spoken to his doctor, and I haven’t spoken to him about it. 

“But we do know from habits and from the patterns that we see from others and his own pattern, that something is drastically off here. Thankfully, he hasn’t hurt himself as bad as he did the last time, and he didn’t hurt anybody else.”

The Masters begins April 9 at Augusta National, and Woods recently said he has not ruled out playing in the season’s first major.

In the 14 majors since he won the green jacket in 2019, Woods has failed to muster a top 20 finish. It’s his longest such streak since failing to finish in the top 20 in the first six majors of his career in 1995 and 1996. In his last 26 majors, he has only four top 20 finishes.

Since finishing tied for ninth at the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open, his best finish in his 18 official events since then has been a tie for 37th at the 2020 PGA Championship.

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“He’s given us so many thrills and so much joy. I think it would be a joy for all of us for us to see him get himself back together. To get through the pain. He’s had surgeries on his back, his neck, his Achilles, his knee … so on and so forth. 

“They’ve all added up. Just to be able to see him smile and to be a part of the game and to be around his children and to be able to function normally would be a great joy for us going forward. He doesn’t have to live up to himself and what he’s done on the golf course in the past. That’s set in stone, and it’s set forever.”

Woods has not competed in a professional golf tournament since 2024, when he competed in just five events — the Genesis Invitational and the four majors. He withdrew from the Genesis, finished dead last in the Masters and missed the cut in the other majors.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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Cbus Super Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 4 NRL game between Gold Coast Titans and
St. George Illawarra Dragons. The game kicks off at 6:15 pm with Gold Coast Titans heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Gold Coast Titans vs.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday March 29, 2026 at 6:15 pm

Where: Cbus Super Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Gold Coast Titans vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Odds

Gold Coast Titans vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Preview

Parramatta enters this clash aiming to build momentum after a fluctuating opening to the season. The Eels have shown attacking potential but are still working to tighten defensive lapses that have cost them in key moments. Their opponents have been similarly inconsistent, making this a pivotal contest for both sides. Recent meetings have been evenly matched, often producing high-scoring encounters. Parramatta’s ability to generate second-phase play will be important, while their rivals will look to control possession and limit errors. With both teams searching for stability, this shapes as a contest where execution and discipline will be critical.

Reports emerged Friday that the Connecticut Sun have been sold to the Fertitta family, who will move the franchise to Houston.

WNBA insider Alexa Philippou said sources told ESPN that the franchise was sold for $300 million. The Sun would reportedly play their final season in Connecticut in 2026 before moving to Houston for 2027.

“BREAKING: The Connecticut Sun is being sold to the Fertitta family to bring the WNBA back to Houston, sources confirmed to ESPN,” Philippou tweeted. “The team was sold for $300 million, sources said. Team will play final season in CT in ’26 before relocation. The Comets are back.”

PaperCity Magazine’s Chris Baldwin, who first reported the news Friday, said the official announcement of the relocation is expected to be “sometime next week.” A sale is subject to the approval of the WNBA’s Board of Governors.

The Sun will be renamed the Houston Comets, adopting the name of the previous WNBA franchise in the city. The Comets played for 12 seasons from 1997 to 2008. They were one of the original eight teams.

Led by WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, the Comets won the first four championships in league history.

In August, reports emerged that former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca reached a deal to purchase the Sun for $325 million. However, the sale did not push through as part of the deal was relocation to Boston. The WNBA said in a statement that it will be prioritizing cities that previously applied for an expansion franchise.

What are the other details of the Connecticut Sun’s relocation to Houston?

According to PaperCity Magazine’s Chris Baldwin on Friday, the upcoming Houston Comets will play at Toyota Center, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Tilman Fertitta purchased the Rockets in 2017 and since 2024 has expressed his desire to bring the WNBA back to Houston.

Baldwin added that the new WNBA franchise in Houston will have “access to the type of analytical data that the top organizations in sports rely on.”

The Connecticut Sun have played in Uncasville, Connecticut, since 2003 and have been one of the most successful teams. They reached the playoffs in 16 of 22 seasons and made the WNBA Finals four times.

In recent years, the Sun ownership, the Mohegan Tribe, has been criticized for lacking future plans to improve team facilities. The Sun held training sessions at a local community center.