Kyler Murray left the Arizona Cardinals in March — they kicked him out — and now that franchise is embroiled in a contractual standoff with Jacoby Brissett, a man viewed by most as a decent backup quarterback in the NFL.

The Cardinals are no stranger to messy operations, but even this situation feels bizarre by their standards.

Cardinals QB Room Gets Stranger

Brissett Holds Out

ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote late last month, “After months of negotiating, quarterback Jacoby Brissett and the Cardinals are still not close to reaching an agreement on a reworked deal for this season. A source told ESPN that the two sides are ‘significantly’ far apart. Brissett has not attended any of the Cardinals’ voluntary OTAs or the voluntary offseason program as he waits for a new contract for 2026, the second year of a two-year deal he signed in March 2025.”

“His deal currently pays him $4.88 million, with the potential to grow to $5.39 million, of which just $1.5 million is guaranteed. By comparison, Gardner Minshew II, whom Arizona signed as a free agent in March, had $5.14 million guaranteed by the team for 2026.”

Fast forward to June, and Brissett wholly skipped the first week of organized team activities (OTAs), confirming the holdout. It’s ugly in the desert.

This Would Be Like Carson Wentz Playing Hardball

To give you an example of how embarrassing this situation comes off for the Cardinals, consider a Vikings example. Pretend Carson Wentz was under contract on a two-year agreement for $6 million. All of a sudden, he tells the Vikings he wants $10 million. The Vikings’ front office and coaching staff would look at each other and say, “Who does this guy think he is? Do we even need him?”

That’s what’s happening in Arizona — except Brissett projects to be the Cardinals’ QB1 in 2026. And it’s worth noting that this is shaking out is because general manager Monti Ossenfort opted to conclude the Murray era.

Brissett is not among the league’s best quarterbacks, and for a guy who would be a backup quarterback on almost every other squad, it’s bizarre to witness a hardball holdout.

SI.com‘s Donnie Druin noted on the holdout, “Brissett, 33, is likely staring down at his last opportunity to earn more than slightly above minimum money. The Cardinals reportedly have known about Brissett’s desire for a raise through the offseason and have been willing to work with Brissett — though ESPN reported last week the two are significantly far apart in their negotiations.”

“While Brissett’s contract doesn’t reflect that of a starting quarterback, it feels as if the veteran has little leverage with two other capable passers in the room with him.”

The World Nudging ARI toward Carson Beck

The Cardinals should tread carefully before handing Brissett a fat contract. He’s 33 and hasn’t been a consistent starter in his career. The odds of him forging a Rich Gannon-like career arc are low. That hardly happens to anybody.

Arizona did, however, draft Miami’s Carson Beck in Round 3 five weeks ago. He’s hungry and waiting for his marching orders. If the Brissett standoff persists, the Cardinals should entertain telling Brissett “thanks but no thanks” while giving Beck a full audition for the QB1 job.

Most don’t expect Arizona to do much of anything in 2026, especially in a division with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers. The Cardinals can learn about Beck’s skill set and know that if he doesn’t have “it,” well, they’d be in line for a high draft pick next April, which could land Texas’s Arch Manning or Oregon’s Dante Moore.

The main takeaway? Arizona should examine Beck’s readiness, the longer Brissett continues the unorthodox holdout.

Brissett’s Career Resume

Brissett has essentially authored the blueprint for a top-tier NFL bridge quarterback. Across a ten-season career, he’s started 85 games, accumulating 14,766 yards, 76 touchdowns, and 45 interceptions, with a 61.9% completion rate. His career passer rating of 86.4 encapsulates his performance: solid, dependable, rarely erratic, and seldom spectacular.

His most statistically efficient year came with Washington in 2023, albeit in limited action, where he achieved an impressive 146.8 passer rating. His most extensive playing time was with Indianapolis and Cleveland, demonstrating his capacity to sustain an offense over prolonged periods.

Beyond his passing, Brissett has added 1,224 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, proving his ability to convert crucial first downs. While Brissett won’t transform a struggling team into a championship contender, he also won’t be the reason for its downfall. His reliability and stability are valuable, which is precisely why teams in search of a credible, patient, and mature quarterback have kept him employed.

It’s just that he’s not the type of dude who should a team hostage via holdout.

Maybe the Cardinals should’ve kept Murray?

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Manchester United are looking to bolster Michael Carrick’s squad this summer

Manchester United are targeting five new signings this summer following an agreement for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who is set to become the first arrival of the Michael Carrick era.

The Red Devils have just secured their return to the Champions League and, having played only 40 matches across all competitions last term, are aware their squad will face greater demands over the next 12 months.

Consequently, they’re looking at a number of new recruits, with The Times reporting that several midfielders are on their shortlist. An agreement worth an initial £35million has been reached with Atalanta to bring in their Brazilian star.

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In addition to this, they hold an interest in Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. Elliot Anderson has also been mentioned, though it appears Manchester City are frontrunners to secure his signature.

A striker is also on their agenda, with the club already confirming that Rasmus Hojlund has departed Old Trafford on a permanent basis. A left-back is another position under consideration, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall a potential target.

Despite their ambition to recruit, the United hierarchy has made clear, and Michael Carrick firmly agrees, that the pathway into the first-team for young players must not be completely blocked. The former United player turned manager is a strong advocate of utilising the academy.

Carrick is familiar with the club’s heritage and swiftly reintegrated Kobbie Mainoo following his appointment in January.

The midfielder rediscovered his best form, and the club are keen to see more homegrown talent emerge, with players such as Shea Lacey receiving chances last term.

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Ruben Amorim faced criticism for neglecting the club’s young prospects while also relegating Mainoo to the substitutes’ bench, deploying the midfielder only intermittently. Carrick’s arrival was warmly welcomed by families of academy players, who believed he would prove far more receptive to their development.

United are also poised to witness further high-profile departures, which will create space within their squad and generate revenue for their recruitment strategy.

Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford and Andre Onana are available for transfer, while Casemiro has departed after his contract expired.

Jadon Sancho, who has endured an underwhelming loan spell at Aston Villa, is another player set to leave without a fee.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Nearly 900 people have been arrested in riots that broke out after Paris Saint-Germain club won the coveted Champions League for a second consecutive year over the weekend. Speaking with FRANCE 24’s Mark Owen, Mateusz Grodecki, Associate Professor at The Maria Grzegorzewska University, says that football violence “is about proving one’s masculinity and the excitement that violence provides to one’s life”.

Many golfers struggle with slices, blocks and inconsistent contact without realizing that the real issue is often the clubface, not the swing path.

When the clubface is in a poor position during the downswing, golfers are forced to make last-second compensations to square it before impact. Sometimes those compensations work, but they can also lead to inconsistency and poor ball striking.

One interesting observation from studying elite players is how quickly many of them begin closing the clubface during transition. In fact, some of the best players in the world make this move within the first few inches of the downswing. The challenge is that doing so requires tremendous skill, awareness and timing.

For most recreational golfers, I prefer a simpler approach, which you can watch in the video below.

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How to fix your clubface

One of my favorite drills uses a short club, such as a wedge. Grip the club normally with your lead hand, then place your trail thumb on the toe of the clubhead. As you make slow-motion practice swings, feel your lead hand twisting the grip while your trail thumb provides light resistance.

The goal isn’t to aggressively roll the clubface closed. Instead, the drill helps create awareness of how the clubface is moving throughout the downswing.

As golfers develop this skill, they begin to understand that clubface control is largely a timing equation. For a right-handed golfer, if the face closes too early, the ball tends to start left. If it closes too late, the face remains open and the ball starts right.

By improving awareness and learning to square the face earlier, golfers often find they can rotate more freely, strike the ball more solidly and eliminate many of the compensations that lead to inconsistent shots.

Sometimes better golf starts with a better understanding of what the clubface is doing rather than making wholesale swing changes. So if you’re struggling with your ball striking, check what your clubface is doing during the downswing. If you fix it, you will start making better contact in a hurry.

Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler (ANI Photo)

Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2026 final defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru featured several moments that attracted attention, but one of the biggest talking points came early in their innings when youngster Nishant Sindhu was promoted ahead of Jos Buttler.Now, the former England captain has revealed that the unexpected move was a tactical decision made by Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra.The Titans entered the final hoping to claim a second IPL title after defeating Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2. However, they ran into a dominant RCB side that had already beaten them in Qualifier 1 and once again found themselves second best on the biggest stage.Their chase for the trophy suffered an early setback when captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for 10 in the third over. With Gujarat needing stability, many expected Buttler to walk in at No. 3. Instead, Nishant Sindhu was sent to the crease in a move that surprised many observers.Speaking on the For The Love of Cricket Podcast, Buttler disclosed that he was preparing to bat before Nehra informed him of the change in plans.“When the first wicket went down, I got up to put my helmet on. But Ashish Nehra said, ‘You sit back down, we are going to send Nishant in at 3’. I did ask him after the game, and he just said it felt reactive at that point, and it was a good chance to get Nishant in the game as he’s a top-order batter,” Buttler said.The tactical call did not deliver the desired result. Sai Sudharsan fell soon after, increasing the pressure on the batting unit, while Nishant scored 20 before being dismissed in the eighth over. By the time Buttler eventually arrived at the crease, Gujarat were already struggling to build momentum.The England batter explained that the decision was partly influenced by Gujarat’s desire to give Nishant a bigger role after a season in which opportunities had often been limited.“He has been sometimes on that slippery slope where the team gets going, and he has ended up not batting or batting at 7. So it was a decision to get him in the game. He had batted ahead of me in another game against KKR. Right or wrong, it just didn’t work out for us,” he added.With wickets falling around him, Buttler attempted to guide the innings deep into the chase. However, he was unable to produce the acceleration Gujarat desperately needed, scoring 19 from 23 deliveries before being dismissed by Krunal Pandya.Looking back on his own contribution, Buttler admitted he was disappointed with the way his innings unfolded.“When I did bat, I wanted to take it deep as we had lost a few wickets. I just never got the boundaries and got done in by a good piece of bowling from a smart operator, Krunal Pandya. It’s disappointing when you go worse than a run-a-ball in an IPL final. It’s not a great look,” Buttler added.Gujarat eventually finished on 155, a total that never seriously threatened RCB. The defending champions completed a comfortable chase to secure a second consecutive IPL title, while the Titans were left reflecting on a final where several key decisions, including the promotion of Nishant Sindhu, failed to produce the outcome they had hoped for.

Picking a winner for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes seems simple. After all, Golden Tempo is coming off a win in the Kentucky Derby. In that race, he beat four rivals whom he will see again on Saturday. And the Beyer Speed Figure he earned in Louisville, Ky., five weeks ago is tied for the highest last-out speed figure of any horse in the Belmont.

If handicapping horses were only that simple.

In fact, Golden Tempo is a bad bet for the Belmont at Saratoga Race Course and is exactly the kind of horse that professional bettors salivate over fading. Instead, there are more intriguing options that offer better value in the final leg of the Triple Crown. Bet the Belmont at TwinSpires, where you can use the promo code CBSSPORTS to get $400 in bonus bets, double what’s available to the general public:

Why Golden Tempo is a must fade

There are two main reasons why the Derby winner is a play-against: pace and odds.

In the Kentucky Derby five weeks ago, Golden Tempo got a dream pace setup. In that 18-horse field, 10 horses entered having led or were within 1 3/4 lengths of the lead at the first call in their most recent start. The result was an incendiary pace meltdown in the Derby in which the top three finishers — Golden Tempo, Renegade and Ocelli — were last, fourth to last and second to last, respectively.

By contrast, the nine-horse Belmont Stakes field features a dearth of speed horses. The horse with the highest TimeformUS early pace figure (111), Powershift, has never set the pace in his three career starts. In fact, the nine horses in the Belmont have combined for 41 career starts, and only once has a horse set the pace (Ottinho in a maiden race on Dec. 31).

The projected slow early pace does not suit Golden Tempo, a dead closer who has been either last or next to last in all five of his career starts. To be fair, he has won races before with slow early paces, but those victories did not come against the quality of rivals he will see on Saturday.

In addition, the expected odds on Golden Tempo make him an unattractive play. After going off at 23-1 in the Kentucky Derby, he is listed at 9-2 on the morning line for the Belmont Stakes. And there’s a good chance that he will leave the starting gate shorter than that. Casual bettors love putting their money on popular storylines, and Cherie DeVaux becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winne — as well as the media blitz that followed the race — have made her and the horse overnight sensations.

Could Golden Tempo win the Belmont Stakes? Sure. But he’ll need another pace meltdown that he’s not likely to get, and Golden Tempo believers will get less than 20% of the payout that they got five weeks ago in Louisville. Bet or fade Golden Tempo with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS, which gives new users $400 in bonus bets, double the standard offer:

Get Menez’s full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine. Check out Michelle Yu’s full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine.

Revisiting the Kentucky Derby

With five of the nine horses in the Belmont Stakes coming out of the Kentucky Derby, handicapping the Belmont requires looking back at the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Golden Tempo (first by a neck)
He showed no speed early and raced last of the 18, started picking up steam around the far turn, swung out wide at the top of the stretch and outkicked Renegade down the lane, getting up just before the wire. Relative to the other horses in the field, Golden Tempo got a clean trip and an enormous pace setup. Without one of those, a very strong case can be made that he doesn’t win the blanket of roses.

Renegade (second by a neck)
His rough trip in the Kentucky Derby has been well documented. Leaving from the dreaded No. 1 post, Renegade was pointed to the right by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. out of the gate, got bumped and then knocked almost sideways in the first sixteenth of a mile. But the early trouble may have benefited him as it prevented him from getting dragged into the hot early pace. Like Golden Tempo, Renegade made his move around the far turn, swung out wide at the top of the stretch and rallied strongly down the lane, beaten only by Golden Tempo.

But because of Renegade’s well publicized trouble in the Derby, there is a possibility that he will be overbet in the Belmont Stakes.

Find Jody Demling’s full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine.

Chief Wallabee (fourth by 3 lengths)
He was just 3 3/4 lengths off the brutal three-quarter mile pace (1:10.90), and just as he was trying to split horses in the stretch, he was bumped, ending all chances of victory. To his credit, he kept running to finish just 3 lengths back of Golden Tempo.

He was the only horse to be in the first 10 early to finish in the top four. For comparison, the top three finisher — Golden Tempo, Renegade and Ocelli — were 18th, 16th and 15th, respectively, after three-quarters of a mile.

With a much more favorable pace scenario in the Belmont Stakes, Chief Wallabee figures to have a big chance on Saturday.

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Commandment (seventh by 5 1/4 lengths)
The first mile of his Derby was largely uneventful; he raced at the back of the first pack of horses, about 10 lengths off the early lead, enjoying a clean trip. The pace meltdown should’ve have set up perfectly for his late kick, but down the stretch he didn’t show the kick he had shown at Gulfstream Park. Perhaps he was too close to a hot pace or perhaps he was just not good enough.

Commandment apologists say that he was bumped by Ocelli in the stretch, but Commandment’s trouble down the lane has been overblown. By that time, he was already beaten.

Emerging Market (10th by 7 3/4 lengths)
Arguably only Golden Tempo got a cleaner trip than Emerging Market in the Kentucky Derby. He broke sharply, raced in sixth early and had a chance to pounce on the early leaders at the top of the stretch but didn’t kick in and faded to 10th, losing by almost 8 lengths.

Trainer Chad Brown later revealed that the horse lost the shoe on his left front foot in the first turn. Also, Brown said jockey Flavien Prat positioning Emerging Market that close to the early pace was a strategy agreed upon by jockey and trainer prior to the race, based on how the Churchill Downs track had been playing all week. Brown admitted that was a mistake in hindsight.

So there are excuses to explain his 10th place finish.

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Who to bet in the Belmont Stakes

In the end, my most likely winner in the Belmont Stakes is Chief Wallabee. I think he was too close to the hot pace in the Kentucky Derby and will appreciate the much more favorable fractions in the Belmont much better. 

But in horse racing, there’s an important distinction between the horse to beat and the horse to bet. Just because Chief Wallabee is my “top pick” doesn’t automatically make him the one to bet. His odds may not reflect fair value.

So for the Belmont Stakes, I created a fair odds line. These are the odds that I would need to bet each horse in the race to win. My fair odds on Chief Wallabee is 3-1, which is exactly what his morning-line odds are. However, if his live odds drop below 3-1, I’ll pivot to another horse.

That alternative could be Powershift. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Powershift is coming off a win on the Kentucky Derby day undercard, which earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure, the co-best highest last-race Beyer in the field.

Most importantly, he holds a key tactical edge over the rest of the field: He’s the projected lone speed horse in a race full of off-the-pace horses.

Terence Crawford walked away from the sport after a career-defining victory over Canelo Alvarez, leaving some observers believing that Alvarez is now past his best.

Now, ‘Bud’ has revealed why he believes the Mexican superstar opted not to hang up the gloves at the same time as him.

Whilst only 35-years-old, Alvarez’s 68 career fights make him a veteran, with both scars of battle and wear and tear becoming evident in recent performances, after a career that spanned over two decades; having debuted at the age of 15.

Upon returning to the 168lb division, following an unsuccessful bid for Dmitry Bivol’s light-heavyweight world title, Canelo scored six consecutive unanimous decision triumphs, receiving criticism for being unable to close the show despite his victories.

Against Crawford, those early warning signs were proven to be correct, as the American handed Alvarez a first career defeat as a super-middleweight, costing him his undisputed throne. 

However, though it was Canelo who looked to be the faded fighter, it was Crawford who sailed off into the sunset, content with retirement after a career-best win. Meanwhile, Alvarez is set for an immediate title challenge when he bids for Christian Mbilli’s WBC world title in September.

Speaking on a DAZN broadcast, Crawford explained why he believes Canelo has chosen to continue campaigning in the sport.

“Canelo won’t want to end his career on a loss like he did with me. So, I can see Canelo wanting to come back and prove himself and be back champion, do the things he wanted to do in the sport of boxing and then leave on his own terms.”

Mbilli vs Canelo takes place on Saturday, September 12, topping a ‘Mexico vs. The World’ themed bill in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ibrahima Konate has opened up about a year of profound personal loss, revealing the immense toll it took on his mental health and performance.

The France international, who is set to leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the month, endured a period of deep struggle following the death of his teammate Diogo Jota, which was tragically followed by the passing of his father, Hamady.

Konate directly addressed the stigma surrounding mental health in professional sport, stating: “There are low points, there’s depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there’s no need to be ashamed to say so.”

He challenged the common misconception that wealth negates mental health issues.

“It’s true that I’ve often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside didn’t understand because they were earning a lot of money. But no, that’s rubbish and you shouldn’t say that.”

He further elaborated on the insidious nature of depression, describing it as a deeply personal battle.

“Depression is personal; it’s deep inside you. When you’re depressed, it starts in the heart, goes up to the brain and takes over your whole body. For me, that’s what’s hard, and we need to talk about it.”

The defender recounted the devastating impact of the crash that claimed the lives of his teammate and neighbour, Jota, and his brother Andre Silva, just before pre-season training.

“It devastated me. I didn’t have any interest in anything else at that point,” Konate admitted.

Despite his grief, the demands of professional football meant a swift return to the pitch.

“You go back to football because you have no choice. We’re employees at a club that pays us every month, so we have duties. We had no choice but to go back on the field and play for him and his family – as well as ourselves. There’s no way of getting over it, but you learn to live with it.”

While the squad collectively mourned Jota, Konate was privately grappling with the severe illness of his father. His form visibly suffered, but the extent of his personal turmoil only became clear in January when his father, Hamady, died after a long illness.

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know whether I should go home and stop playing, because the team needed me too,” he explained.

He confessed to keeping his struggles to himself, a decision he now regrets.

“I didn’t know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself. And this is the advice I’d give to everyone: when you’re feeling down or something’s going on, you need to talk to those around you. It can help you and do you good. I didn’t talk about it and kept it to myself.”

The news of his father’s impending death came suddenly: “The doctors then told us he didn’t have long to live, but we didn’t know it would happen so quickly.”

During compassionate leave, Konate made the decision to return to the team, contacting then head coach Arne Slot to offer his services amidst a defensive injury crisis. He marked his emotional comeback with a goal against Newcastle at Anfield.

However, the centre-back acknowledged that he never truly felt a sense of recovery.

“There was never a moment when I felt like I was on the mend,” he revealed. “All of these tragic events happened so quickly and as soon as I felt like I was getting my head above water, something else happened.”

Despite the immense support from Liverpool fans, teammates, and his family, Konate recognised the need for personal resilience.

“I also had to learn how to get back on my feet on my own because the team needed me more than ever and I know that my father would have wanted me to get back.”

Brighton Women have confirmed that Sophie Baggaley, Libby Bance and Rosa Kafaji will leave the club this summer at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Baggaley and Bance will leave when their contracts expire later this month, while Kafaji will return to Arsenal after spending the season on loan with the Seagulls.

The departures mark the end of a chapter for three players who helped Brighton reach the Women’s FA Cup final for the first time in the club’s history.

Head coach Dario Vidosic thanked the trio for their contributions and professionalism during their time at the club.

“I would like to thank all three girls for their service to the club. During my time Sophie and Rosa have been great to work with and extremely professional both on and off the field.

“They helped the club reach its first Wembley final and should be proud of the part they played in that historic achievement.

“When I had the opportunity to work with Libby I found her attitude and professionalism first-class too. I wish them all every success for their future careers.”

Baggaley leaves Brighton after making 42 appearances since joining the club in 2023 and was voted Players’ Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season. The goalkeeper was recently rewarded with a call-up to the England senior squad ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Kafaji made 24 appearances during her loan spell from Arsenal, scoring twice and playing a key role in Brighton’s run to a historic FA Cup final.

Meanwhile, Bance departs after progressing through the club’s academy and making 27 senior appearances. The midfielder also gained valuable experience through loan spells with Rangers, Bristol City and Birmingham City.

Women’s and girls’ managing director Zoe Johnson also paid tribute to the departing players.

“It is always tough to part ways with players who have given so much to the badge. Each of these individuals has made a defining contribution during their time here.

“Sophie was central to our historic fifth-place finish in 2024/25, and alongside Rosa, played a massive role in taking us to our first-ever FA Cup final.

“Libby’s journey through the Albion academy is a testament to her incredible work ethic and professionalism. We are deeply grateful for their service and wish them every success moving forward.”

The NBA finals start on June 4 and the San Antonio Spurs, with its star player, Victor Wembanyama, are favoured to take the title. But as the 22-year-old Frenchman told reporters, it’s not a done deal yet against the Knicks – who haven’t won since 1973 but won 11 consecutive games in the playoffs this year.