INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka held off Victoria Mboko, 7-6 (0), 6-4, in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday, keeping the top-ranked player in women’s tennis in the running for her first title at Indian Wells.
After winning every point in the first-set tiebreaker, Sabalenka got the one break she needed to win the second set and move on to the semifinals against 14th seed Linda Noskova of Czechia, a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 winner over unseeded Australian Talia Gibson.
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In the men’s draw, second-seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy defeated 25th-seeded American Learner Tien, 6-1, 6-2, ending the run of the youngest American — at age 20 — to play in a quarterfinal at Indian Wells since his coach, Michael Chang, won the tournament in 1992.
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Sinner, who served 10 aces and double-faulted only once, will play his semifinal match on Saturday against German Alexander Zverev, a 6-2, 6-3 winner over France’s Arthur Fils.
Sabalenka hasn’t lost a set in the tournament, but was pushed by the 10th-seeded Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian who won the 2025 Canadian Open.
Sabalenka put 94% of her first serves in play and was not broken, but did fight off five break points.
“I was focused on my game plan. I was just playing point by point,” Sabalenka said. “I’m pretty happy with the way I’m serving so far.”
Aug 7, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman (6) during training camp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Chargers are set to re-sign linebacker Denzel Perryman to a one-year deal, NFL Network reported Thursday.
Financial terms were not reported.
Perryman, 33, started his career with the Chargers in 2015 when the team still played in San Diego. He made the move to Los Angeles and was with the franchise through the 2020 season before two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and one with the Houston Texans.
Perryman returned to the Chargers in 2024 and has played in 21 games (all starts) over the past two seasons. He was limited to 10 games last season because of injury and a suspension and also played in the team’s 16-3 playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
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In 11 career seasons, Perryman has 764 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks with four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five interceptions in 129 games (109 starts) since he was a second-round draft pick out of Miami. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021.
The NASCAR driver market is already drawing attention around Legacy Motor Club’s planned expansion. Team owner Jimmie Johnson confirmed a third full-time entry in the 2027 Cup Series, adding a new seat alongside current drivers Erik Jones (No. 42) and John Hunter Nemechek (No. 43). With several driver contracts ending this year, the upcoming silly season will shape who finally lands the seat.
Legacy Motor Club operates two charters and is set to expand after securing a third charter, currently connected to Rick Ware Racing and leased to RFK Racing. Once that charter returns to the team for the 2027 season, Johnson and the organization will need to identify a driver who fits the long-term plan and aligns with Toyota’s development structure.
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The broader silly season picture also involves several young drivers in development programs. Prospects such as Taylor Gray, Giovanni Ruggiero, and William Sawalich are building experience in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, while Cup drivers like Josh Berry remain under contract. That makes the third Legacy seat an intriguing storyline that requires a Toyota-aligned free agent.
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3 NASCAR drivers who could drive for Legacy Motor Club’s third car in 2027
#3 Jesse Love
Jesse Love and Austin Dillon – 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series. Source: Imagn
One of the names frequently linked to the possible seat is Jesse Love, a rising prospect within Richard Childress Racing. The reigning O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion has been competing full-time in the No. 2 car and continues to build experience at NASCAR’s second-tier level while also making limited Cup Series starts in the No. 33 car.
Love is entering his third full-time O’Reilly season in 2026, and many within the garage see him as ready for a full-time Cup opportunity soon. However, his immediate future will depend on decisions within RCR’s Cup lineup, where Austin Dillon drives the No. 3 car, and Kyle Busch occupies the No. 8 entry.
With Busch’s contract up at the end of 2026, and the veteran being winless in almost three years, RCR may choose to promote its top prospect. If Love receives an in-house opportunity, Legacy would likely need to look elsewhere. If Busch continues, Love might look at Legacy Motor Club.
#2 Harrison Burton
Another name gaining traction in the rumor mill is Harrison Burton. The second-generation driver previously competed in the Cup Series with Wood Brothers Racing in 2024 and qualified for the playoffs after winning the 2024 summer Daytona race. Burton has since stepped back to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Burton also has existing ties to Legacy Motor Club. He currently serves as a reserve driver for the organization and has returned to the Toyota camp by racing with Sam Hunt Racing. That alignment with Toyota’s development system and familiarity with the Legacy make him an obvious internal option.
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#1 Riley Herbst
Riley Herbst is another driver who could emerge as a candidate depending on how the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season unfolds. He competes for 23XI Racing, joining as a rookie in 2025. His first season showed promise, including a P9 at Talladega, but consistency has been an issue.
The larger factor affecting Herbst’s future could be the rise of Toyota prospect Corey Heim. The reigning Truck Series champion is widely viewed as one of the most Cup-ready drivers in Toyota’s pipeline and is set to make 12 appearances this year. With Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick firmly established, Herbst’s seat could become vulnerable if Heim receives a full-time promotion.
In that scenario, moving to another Toyota-aligned team like Legacy Motor Club would provide Herbst with a realistic path to remain in the NASCAR Cup Series while continuing his development.
Heart Wood (9/2), runner-up to Fact To File in 2025, won the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase on St Patrick’s Thursday at Cheltenham.
His task was made easier pre-race with the new that Fact To File was withdrawn due to concerns about the ground. With Gordon Elliott’s Croke Park also a non-runner the field was reduced to seven for the two-and-a-half mile contest.
JPR One (18/1), in the hands of Brendan Powell, set the pace for the majority of the race but would eventually fade to fourth place.
Jonbon (2/1 favourite), in the same ownership of J.P. McManus as the earlier withdrawn Fact To File, looked set to claim another Grade 1 victory.
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Darragh O’Keeffe and Heart Wood in behind him look comfortable, and then O’Keeffe asked the Henry de Bromhead-prepared eight-year-old for his effort, Jonbon could not respond.
The French-bred son of Choeur du Nord jumped the final two fences with precision and ran out an easy 10-length winner.
Jonbon retained his career record of never finishing outside the top-two on the racecourse when taking the runner-up spot in the hands of Nico de Boinville.
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Banbridge (3/1), trained by Joseph O’Brien, was third, two lengths behind the Nicky Henderson-trained 10-year-old Jonbon.
It was a first Cheltenham Festival winner this year for Waterford trainer Henry de Bromhead, who said:
“It was brilliant, Darragh [O’Keeffe, winning jockey] was brilliant on him. He jumped amazing, it’s just lovely to get it. Delighted. He ran a blinder last year and we probably rode him to sort of be placed last year, whereas this year we said that we would go out and give it a real go. They went some gallop, to my eye. He just winged fences. Darragh was brilliant on him. It was just one of those dream runs.”
At its ribbon cutting in 1980, TPC Sawgrass represented something new in golf.
Carved from Florida swampland and built as the permanent home of The Players Championship, it was modern in ambition and unapologetic in temperament. Its architect, Pete Dye, was already known as a creative sadist, an artist with a knack for meting out abuse.
At Sawgrass, he produced a sun-splashed torture chamber. The world’s best players didn’t hide their pain.
Ben Crenshaw likened the layout to “Star Wars golf,” designed “by Darth Vader.” J. C. Snead did some literal sh-t talking. The course, he said, was “10 percent luck and 90 percent horse manure.”
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Such griping did not go unheard. Over time, some of the layout’s sharpest features were softened. Dye himself made adjustments. Greens were toned down to suit the era of slick putting speeds. The look grew cleaner, less imposing.
Bit by bit, the Dye faded.
Davis Love III has been hired to bring it back.
Love, a two-time Players champion who has become a noted course architect himself, has spent the past few years helping the Tour tweak Sawgrass. His guiding principle is plain enough.
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“What I want to see is Pete Dye back in the golf course,” Love said this week. “The greens have gotten flat. Some of the features have gone away.”
The flatter greens have created a secondary problem: Without enough slope to shed water, the putting surfaces can be harder to firm up after it rains.
Under Love’s direction, some lost elements have already been revived.
Tees have been pushed back on several par-5s. New mounding has sprouted on the stout par-4 14th. Last year, on the 6th hole, Love oversaw perhaps the most talked-about change thus far: the replanting of a tree that once overhung the fairway. Videos of that project set the internet aflame.
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Not all the work has been so dramatic.
“We’re doing very boring stuff, like making the driving range longer,” Love said.
But even the mundane tasks tend to touch on the same theme. Extending the range requires digging a lake and shifting large amounts of dirt across the property. As that happens, Love and his collaborators can’t help wrestling with other questions.
“While we’re digging the lake on 4 and moving dirt, you have to ask what the long-term goal is for that bunker,” Love said. “Is it supposed to look like the 1982 picture or the 1989 picture?”
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That question has become central to the project. Love and PGA Tour officials have combed through archival photos, searching for the moment when Dye’s vision was most fully realized. For Love, the answer keeps coming back to 1989.
By then, the course had already absorbed some early player feedback. A few of the most severe features had been tempered. But the layout still carried much of the visual intimidation and quirky contouring that made Dye’s work so distinctive.
Love recalled asking Dye about the scattershot bunkering at Whistling Straits, another of the architect’s celebrated designs.
“He told me, ‘Oh, they’re just there to intimidate you,’” Love said. “If you actually look at the fairway, it’s pretty wide.”
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The same philosophy shaped Sawgrass. Dye liked to clutter the edges of a hole with nerve-racking distractions— mounds, waste areas, pot bunkers — so that players felt squeezed even when they weren’t.
“I just want to see the old look and the intimidating look back in the golf course,” Love said.
Love’s work is ongoing; it’s not slated for completion until 2028. And there’s a limit to what he can do. Today’s realities make a full rewind impossible. Today’s Players Championship requires infrastructure that didn’t exist when the course opened. Galleries are larger. Television towers and camera platforms need room to operate.
“That tee box needs to look like that because it’s a major championship. You need room for that camera,” Love said. “But once you get out in the fairway, especially around the greens, you can have the quirky stuff.”
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For a man known across the game as one of its genuine good guys, Love now finds himself in the unusual role of restoring a dash of architectural cruelty.
Then again, at a Pete Dye course, simply being nice was never the point.
Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team lost 77–60 to South Korea women’s national basketball team in their latest game at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifiers in France.
The defeat ended D’Tigress’ six-game winning run and was their first loss in the qualifying tournament.
Nigeria went into the match with confidence after a strong victory over Colombia women’s national basketball team earlier in the week. However, the African champions struggled to deal with the fast and accurate shooting of the Korean team, who are ranked below them in the world rankings.
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The Nigerian side, coached by Rena Wakama, failed to win any of the four quarters of the match. They lost three quarters while the second quarter ended level.
Victoria Macaulay was Nigeria’s top scorer with 22 points and six rebounds. Ezinne Kalu also played an important role with six assists, while Murjanatu Musa added 10 points.
D’Tigress started the game well and controlled much of the first quarter. But South Korea finished strongly, scoring eight quick points while Nigeria managed just one, allowing the Asian side to take the quarter 20–16.
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The second quarter was closely contested as both teams showed strong defence and energy. However, South Korea slowly gained control of the match, making good use of long-range shooting and finishing the game with 14 successful three-point shots.
The Korean team sealed the victory in the fourth quarter with a strong 14–2 run, while Nigeria struggled to score and managed only nine points in the final period.
The loss is Nigeria’s first defeat to South Korea in three meetings and brings an end to D’Tigress’ six-game winning streak.
Nigeria will now aim to bounce back when they face the Philippines women’s national basketball team in their next group match on Saturday.
Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami (FL) Hurricanes forward Malik Reneau (5) goes to the basket against Louisville Cardinals forward Vangelis Zougris (53) uring the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
CHARLOTTE — Malik Reneau poured in 24 points and made key plays in the second half as Miami knocked off No. 24 Louisville 78-73 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament quarterfinals Thursday afternoon.
Tru Washington came off the Miami bench for 17 points and Tre Donaldson provided 14 points and six assists for the third-seeded Hurricanes, who avenged a loss from the weekend as the teams met for the second time in six days.
Miami (25-7) will face second-seeded and No. 10 Virginia, an 81-74 winner earlier against North Carolina State, in Friday night’s first semifinal.
Ryan Conwell scored 22 points for sixth-seeded Louisville (23-10), but his 1-for-10 mark on 3-pointers contributed to the team’s 25% accuracy (6-for-24) from beyond the arc. J’Vonne Hadley racked up 19 points and reserve Khani Rooths had 11 points, but the Cardinals couldn’t repeat their success from a day earlier against SMU.
This latest tournament result reversed Louisville’s 92-89 road victory in Saturday’s regular-season finale. That outcome knocked Miami out of the Top 25.
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On Thursday, Louisville pulled within 69-68 before Reneau scored in the lane with a minute to play. Washington’s steal on the inbounds play and two ensuing free throws gave the Hurricanes four points in a matter of one second of game time.
Reneau later sank two free throws to help the Hurricanes seal the outcome. Washington finished one point shy of his season high.
Louisville was hurt by 13 turnovers compared to eight for Miami.
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The Cardinals shot 56.0% in the first half, but led only 38-37 at the break.
Back-to-back baskets from Washington pushed Miami to a 53-44 edge with less than 14 minutes remaining. Conwell had seven points during Louisville’s 10-2 spurt that drew the Cardinals to within 63-62.
Louisville has held out injured freshman standout Mikel Brown Jr. for four games this month in hopes he’ll be healed enough to participate in the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals went 3-1 in those games.
The final undefeated team in NCAA Division I men’s basketball has fallen.
Miami (Ohio) saw its perfect season end Thursday with an 87–83 loss to UMass in the RedHawks’ Mid-American Conference tournament opener, a defeat that also dashed its hopes of securing an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Massachusetts guard Marcus Banks (24) and guard K’jei Parker (5) celebrate after Massachusetts defeated Miami in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament in Cleveland March 12, 2026.(Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)
“We always go back to watch the film. We’ll break it down just like we always do. … [We’ll be] off tomorrow and back at it Saturday trying to figure out ways to get better,” head coach Travis Steele said via the team’s website.
“There’s still a lot of season left. Can we continue to improve? I think that’s what the great teams do.”
Miami had a 69-58 lead with 8:11 remaining before UMass rallied with a 13-2 run. The loss came after Miami (Ohio) secured the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament after going 31-0 during the regular season.
Miami RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) and guard Luke Skaljac (3) leave the floor as UMass Minutemen forward Leonardo Bettiol (3) celebrates after the final buzzer of the second half of a first-round game during the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Rocket Arena in Cleveland March 12, 2026.(Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
The RedHawks became just the fifth NCAA Division I program this century to go undefeated in the regular season and the first since Gonzaga in 2020.
With an automatic bid no longer on the table, Miami (Ohio) will have to wait until the brackets are unveiled Sunday night. The RedHawks can become the first MAC team to earn an at-large bid since 1999.
Miami RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) and guard Luke Skaljac (3) leave the floor as UMass Minutemen forward Leonardo Bettiol (3) celebrates after the final buzzer during a first-round game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Rocket Arena in Cleveland March 12, 2026. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Rosanna Pansino has reacted to President Trump endorsing Jake Paul for political office.
In an X post dated March 12, Rosanna Pansino criticized Trump’s endorsement of Jake Paul for political office. She also compared Paul to Mr Beast, Logan Paul, and Keemster, writing:
“Now you know why I wont “shut up” about these losers. Jake & Logan Paul, MrBeast, Keemstar… they’re all in the same group. I’m going to have to become a politician to stop these clowns, aren’t I?”
Now you know why I wont “shut up” about these losers. Jake & Logan Paul, MrBeast, Keemstar… they’re all in the same group. I’m going to have to become a politician to stop these clowns, aren’t I?
Pansino’s comments came after Trump promised to endorse boxer and YouTuber Jake Paul if he ever runs for office. He brought Paul on stage and spoke during a speech delivered at a packing facility in Kentucky. The US President said:
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“I just want to say I predict, I’m going to make a prediction, that you will be in the not too distant future, running for political office, OK. And you have my complete and total endorsement, OK?”
On the same evening, Jake Paul shared a video of himself performing the viral YMCA dance with Trump, featuring Village People’s hit track. During his speech at the facility, the boxer also lavished praise on the US President while comparing him to “God.”
The US President’s appearance at the Kentucky facility came amid the ongoing US-Iran war. The airstrikes have increased geopolitical tensions across the world, with an unstable situation in the Gulf states. Oil prices have been soaring and fluctuating, while there is a shortage of LPG gas.
Jake Paul compares President Trump to “God” while speaking at a Kentucky facility
Paul v Gervonta Davis – Press Conference – Source: Getty
Speaking on stage during the event at the Kentucky facility on March 11, Jake Paul lavished praise on Donald Trump while comparing him to “God.” He said:
“We need more factories like this thriving all over the country. I know he is going to be the one to bring that here to us. I know God is with us. I know he wants us on the right side of history. And everyone here has to do their part. And God’s got us, Trump’s got us.”
Jake Paul was an ardent supporter of the Republican leader during the 2024 Presidential elections. Trump was running against former Vice President Kamala Harris, and his victory marked the beginning of his second term as President after being elected in 2016.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Paul urged his followers to do their “research” and vote for the Republican to “quite literally save America.” He also allegedly took a dig at Taylor Swift, who had openly endorsed Kamala Harris. Paul told his followers not to vote for someone as “your favorite pop star telling you to vote a certain way.”
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Jake Paul also spoke about Trump’s felony charges at that time after he was found guilty of 34 charges. Paul said:
“Trump is labeled a ‘felon,’ but remember, the founders of this country were seen as felons by Britain because they demanded change. History shows that sometimes those who challenge the system are the ones who make a difference.To be frank, I’m not concerned with Donald Trump’s ‘character flaws’ or what he’s done in the past. What I’m concerned with is how good a president is he, because that is his job and that’s what’s going to affect the people of this nation.”
Shortly after the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, Jake Paul also had a disagreement with his brother, Logan Paul, over Bad Bunny’s performance in the event. Paul urged everyone to “turn off” Bunny’s halftime show, calling the Puerto Rican singer “a fake American citizen performing who publicly hates America.” However, Logan Paul claimed Puerto Ricans are “Americans” and endorsed Bad Bunny’s chance to perform at such a big stage.
Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) stands in the bench area during the second half of the game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images.
After a couple of weeks of intense anticipation and months of speculation, quarterback Kyler Murray has signed with the Minnesota Vikings, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.3 million, the league minimum, as the Arizona Cardinals are the hook for his 2026 salary.
Arizona’s move handed Minnesota a clear choice in the 2026 quarterback market.
Murray figures to win the QB1 job outright later this summer at training camp, although the Vikings’ coaching staff is likely to insist that competition is on the way between Murray and third-year passer J.J. McCarthy.
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What Murray’s New Deal Means for the Vikings
The Murray rumors turned out to be true in the end.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) surveys the field while facing the Los Angeles Rams, operating the offense during the first half at State Farm Stadium on Nov. 26, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. Murray returned to action late in the 2023 season after injury and resumed duties as Arizona’s starting quarterback. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
Murray to MIN
The Cardinals never inserted Murray back into the lineup last year when it appeared clear that his foot injury was nearing a full recovery, instead opting to leave Jacoby Brissett under center. Arizona later finished 1-11 (.083) with Brissett in charge, ensuring a better draft pick was on the way.
The writing was on the wall that Murray would be jettisoned during the upcoming offseason, and following previous head coach Jonathan Gannon’s termination, the Cardinals hired Mike LaFleur, who evidently envisioned a fresh start at quarterback.
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Now, according to multiple reports, Murray is a Viking, flying to the Twin Cities on Wednesday night after his official release by the Cardinals and finalizing the deal Thursday.
As the annual offseason quarterback carousel took shape in the last week, the Vikings seemed like the only logical explanation for Murray, especially after the New York Jets traded for Geno Smith, and the Indianapolis Colts signed Daniel Jones to a deal worth up to $100 million over two years. The only team left to possibly nab Murray remained the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Murray did not take the plunge with Mike McCarthy’s team, and Aaron Rodgers may return for a second act.
From the moment J.J. McCarthy’s professional trajectory revealed a flurry of injuries, including a torn meniscus, a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a broken hand in a two-year span, many assumed Minnesota might pursue a quarterback alternative this offseason, particularly because head coach Kevin O’Connell enters a pivotal Year No. 5 as the Vikings’ skipper. O’Connell may not have the clout to meander through the 2026 campaign, attaching his fate to McCarthy’s performance and injury risks.
Murray is the alternative. Adding a two-time Pro Bowler and former first overall pick is music to O’Connell’s ears, the same guy idenfitied by NFL fans and pundits as a “quarterback whisperer,” who helped Sam Darnold reclaim his career, squeezed the best out of Kirk Cousins in 2022 and 2023, made Joshua Dobbs look like Neil Armstrong for three weeks, and empowered Nick Mullens to produce 400-yard-passing games with with ease.
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The Career Stats
The Vikings are not onboarding an honest-to-goodness reclamation story in Murray; he’s different than the aforementioned Darnold, who had accomplished virtually nothing until he arrived in Minnesota for the 2024 season.
Murray has started 74% of all eligible games in his career, a percentage that would be closer to 80% had the Cardinals not “softly benched” him in 2025. He has the above-listed two Pro Bowls to his name, 4.38 speed coming out of the draft in 2019, can throw the football 65-70 yards, and is the fifth-most accurate quarterback in NFL history.
The 28-year-old also has a 0.090 career EPA+CPOE, ranking better than Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, Daniel Jones, and C.J. Stroud, to name a few. His career EPA+CPOE closely mirrors Justin Herbert’s from the 2025 campaign.
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Murray averages these statistical totals per 17 starts (or a full season):
3,997 Passing Yards
30 Total Touchdowns
11 INTs
67.1% Completion
623 Rushing Yards
Those are fringe Lamar Jackson numbers, and few debate it. Murray also instantly becomes the fastest quarterback in Vikings history, notching a quicker 40-time in 2019 than current purple playmakers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
The only reasonable knock on Murray? His height. He’s about 5’10. Most quarterbacks are 6’0″ or taller.
A Year to Prove It and a Chance to Become Vikings’ Long-Term Starter
Like Darnold in 2024, Murray has one chance to hit it big in Minnesota. It’s his job to lose, unless he uncharacteristically struggles at training camp and McCarthy takes him to the limit. The Vikings may also add a competent QB3, perhaps last year’s primary backup, Carson Wentz.
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A close-up view highlights the Arizona Cardinals jersey worn by quarterback Kyler Murray (1) while facing the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium on Nov. 26, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. The image focuses on Murray’s uniform details during game action as the Cardinals hosted a division opponent in the NFC West matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
Murray is still young enough to be classified as the long-term starter. For example, if he marshals the impressive stat line with 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, Murray will be on deck for a payday next offseason, likely in the neighborhood of $50 million annually, not unlike the contract Daniel Jones signed on Wednesday with the Colts.
Or — if Murray flounders and the Vikings hand the baton back to McCarthy in 2026, Murray can hit the road in 2027 free agency and fulfill a budding journeyman’s tale like many before him.
It’s also worth noting that Minnesota’s brass will be cognizant of the Darnold mistake last offseason. The Vikings allowed Darnold to leave the franchise for nothing, and 11 months later, he won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. Therefore, there’s just no way that Murray would play at an upper-echelon clip in 2026, only for the Vikings to repeat the Darnold mistake.
Murray has a chance to be the dynamic franchise quarterback that Vikings fans have craved for decades.
The Fit and the Surroundings
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When the Murray rumor mill caught fire two months ago, a substantial fan faction questioned the schematic fit between his off-schedule tendencies and O’Connell’s offense. Those concerns are not silly. The kicker? It just doesn’t really matter at Murray’s $1.3 million price point.
If O’Connell is truly an offensive guru and quarterback whisperer, he will cater to Murray’s strengths, rather than bellyaching about his way or the highway. If a pass-happy team owned a time machine and signed prime Adrian Peterson, it wouldn’t rear back and throw the ball 65% of the time. It would adapt. So will O’Connell.
Murray also inherits his best situation ever as a pro with the snap of two fingers. Brian Flores’s defense has finished as a Top 3 unit in back-to-back seasons per EPA/Play and DVOA. The defense is ready to accompany Murray on Sundays. Murray rarely had that perk in Arizona. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Mason, and perhaps a rookie running back in April will be next to Murray in the offense as formidable weapons.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) releases a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during second-half action at State Farm Stadium on Nov. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. Murray directed the Cardinals offense after returning from injury earlier in the season, attempting to spark Arizona’s passing attack in a home matchup versus Atlanta. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports.
And, most of all, Murray has O’Connell. It would be strange for O’Connell to flop with Murray after creating a name for himself with Darnold, Cousins, Dobbs, and Mullens.
Murray has stated multiple times since joining the NFL seven years ago that he rooted for the Vikings as a kid. Picking Minnesota for his second chapter likely wasn’t painstaking. The clues were there; so was the childhood fandom.
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After years of Keenums, Cousinses, Darnolds, and McCarthies, in addition to speculation about Rodgerses, Joneses, and Willises, the Vikings have Murray.
Gary was still a member of the Green Bay Packers on March 6, his football home of seven seasons after being selected 12th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, when the craziness began. He appeared to have posted a goodbye letter graphic to Green Bay and Packers fans on social media, but he was actually hacked. On Tuesday, the Green Bay goodbye became Gary’s reality with the Packers trading him to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
“Yeah, just the whole experience, it was crazy,” Gary said on a conference call on Thursday. “I’m the type of guy that I pride myself on just going to work and keeping my head down, but everybody has social media in the offseason. You don’t find yourself looking for it, but just things [rumors of his Packers departure] pop up. Just the guy that I am to keep my head down, not believing in it.”
What he began to hear after being hacked started to turn the tide in his mind to believe there was a legitimate chance he would be dealt before being traded ended up becoming Gary’s reality.
“Then, that weird thing happened. Got hacked. It kind of made the rumors that people were saying come to light,” Gary said. “Deep down inside, I’m still talking to my teammates, still talking to my coaches, about next season and still believing that I’m playing for the Packers. “All of a sudden I get a call from my agent, and he said a deal was done. … This is a great opportunity that I have in front of me, and I just can’t wait to go to work. … I’m just bringing a dog man. I’m coming in to be myself, lead by example and help the best way I can.”
Maxx Crosby speculation
Gary being hacked didn’t end up being the craziest thing connected to him for long. Once five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby’s trade to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks fell through prior to the start of the new league year because of medical concerns there was some speculation Dallas could jump back into the Crosby market. However, it didn’t seem feasible for the Cowboys to be able to roster both Gary and Crosby and remain salary cap compliant. Once Gary passed his physical with Dallas, it was official that Gary would be a Cowboy and Crosby would remain the fanbase’s pipe dream.
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“To be honest, I didn’t hear nothing about it. I was on my visit handling the things I had to handle. I ended up passing my physical and then end up hearing about what was going on [with Crosby]. The league is crazy man,” Gary said. “It’s a business, and you never really know what’s going on. He’s a hell of a player, and I know regardless of the situation that he’s put in and wherever he may be, he’s going to do his thing.”
Trading places with Micah Parsons
Instead of potentially being sent back to Green Bay thanks to Crosby, Gary ended up actually trading places with All-Pro teammate Micah Parsons. Parsons became a Packers teammate of Gary’s a week before the 2025 NFL season began when Dallas sent Parsons up north to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Now, Gary occupies Parsons’ old role in Dallas as the most established edge rusher on the Cowboys defense. The two have texted but haven’t had a chance to really chat over the past week.
“Everything has been going crazy the past week, the past few days. He was able to reach out to me, and I was able to text him back, but I have yet to be able to really have a conversation with him,” Gary said. “At the end of the day, it’s a business, so I don’t look at it as trading places or things like that. I’m just coming here to be me and be the impact that the Cowboys need.”
Gary’s focus is now turned toward doing something in Dallas that he was accustomed to in Dallas: winning games and playing postseason football. The Packers earned playoff berths in six of his seven seasons in Green Bay including a stretch of three consecutive 13-win seasons from 2019 to 2021 — the only such streak in NFL history.
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“The main thing for me is to come in, play good ball and play good ball to the point that we’re playing meaningful games,” Gary said. “Then, playing for some trophies and playing for some hats and T-shirts [things that come with winning the division, NFC and the Super Bowl]. That’s my goal.”
Gary’s Green Bay reunion in Dallas
Despite joining a new team for the first time in his eighth NFL season, Gary will be welcomed to a new locker room by three familiar faces from his Packers days: defensive tackle Kenny Clark, new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker and pass rush consultant Brandon “BT” Jordan. Once the deal to come to Dallas was completed, Gary immediately called Clark to let him know it’s “an honor and a privilege” to suit up alongside him once again.
“KC is my dog. I’ve been in Green Bay seven years, and I’ve been with KC all seven [at least through training camp], so he watched me mature as a man, mature as a player and he also gave me key pointers on the way up,” Gary said. “He always told me to stay focused on the process. One thing I love about KC is he’s a guy that loves ball. … So just being able to join back with a player like that… I can’t wait to go out there and do it because it’s going to get infectious throughout the defense and the defensive line.”
Gary only spent two seasons with Parker in Green Bay when the latter was a defensive quality control coach for the Packers from 2019 to 2020. Parker then went on to be the Denver Broncos‘ defensive backs coach from 2021 to 2023 and then the Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2024 to 2025.
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“Short time with CP in Green Bay. I was the first draft class [he had], so just having him see me come in as a young player and him going and getting more experience as coach to me going into my eighth year and being a proven, elite player in this league, it’s kind of a full circle moment,” Gary said.
Parker told Gary he’ll have him lined up as an outside linebacker in his 3-4 defense with 4-3 spacing that will have multiple front looks along the defensive line.
“When you talk to CP, he knows ball. Coverages, fronts, the in and outs, understanding the weaknesses of offenses, understanding where to put players to succeed,” Gary said. … “He’s hungry. He wants it.”
Getting himself and Dallas’ defense back on track
What Parker, head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Jerry and Stephen Jones and Cowboys fans will all be looking for from Gary is sacks. Without Parsons in 2025, Dallas racked up just 35 sacks as a team, which ranked as tied for the seventh-fewest in the league for what ended up as the NFL’s worst scoring defense. The Cowboys’ 30.1 points per game allowed last season was the second-most in a season in Dallas’ 66-season history, and only the inaugural 1960 team surrendered a higher points per game allowed average at 30.8.
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After teaming up with Parsons in Green Bay last season, Gary raced out to a torrid start with 7.5 sacks in the first eight weeks of the season, which ranked as the fifth-most in the entire NFL in that span. However, he didn’t record a single sack the rest of the 2025 campaign from Week 9 through the Packers’ opening round playoff loss at the Chicago Bears. That’s not something Gary is worried about affecting him in 2026 with the Cowboys as he and Parker hope to affect change into Dallas’ deflated defense.
“Just understanding the player that I am and just understanding through the I guess six or seven games [without a sack] as you said, football is football,” Gary said. “At that time, we were playing meaningful games, so when you’re really playing meaningful games man, it really doesn’t come down to stats. It’s really about how you affect offenses and things like that. So just being able to lock in, being able to be effective and playing how I need to play and being the player that I am, the plays are going to come my way.”
