Was it to the Tartan Army’s credit, he was asked, that none of the supporters came on to the grass at Hampden Park?
“Absolutely,” he replied. “It just shows that you can enjoy yourself without going on the pitch. There’s no need for people to go on the pitch.
“The way it ended with the scenes on Saturday at Celtic Park is not good for Scottish football. It’s a bad look. It doesn’t do anybody any favours.”
Hearts had said “reports of serious physical and verbal abuse towards our players and staff, both on the pitch and elsewhere” would be investigated by Police Scotland.
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Meanwhile, the Scottish Professional Football League was waiting for the match delegate’s report to consider action.
“It’s much better if the people could celebrate but stay where they should stay,” Clarke said. “People invading the pitch is not right, because player safety is endangered and that’s not correct anywhere.”
He told the media as he announced his squad for the World Cup: “There’s no way that people are going to come in through that door and try to disrupt you guys doing your job here. It’s just not correct.
“On the pitch is the player’s place of work. People should not go on the pitch. It’s quite clear.”
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs lines up against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Diggs reached another championship stage late in his NFL career after joining New England, continuing his run as one of the league’s most accomplished veteran wide receivers. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Fresh off the steam of being deemed innocent in bizarre legal charges in Massachusetts earlier this month, ex-Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs is on the prowl for a 2026 employer. And according to SI.com‘s Albert Breer, Diggs won’t have a difficult time finding precisely that.
Diggs’ next stop could involve Patrick Mahomes, a hometown angle, or another short Patriots run.
Breer connected Diggs to the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, and Atlanta Falcons this week — if Diggs doesn’t simply re-up with the New England Patriots, his squad last year.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs celebrates with running back Latavius Murray after a first-quarter touchdown during the NFC Championship matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Diggs remained one of the Vikings’ emotional leaders on Jan. 21, 2018, during Minnesota’s postseason appearance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia before the Eagles pulled away later in the contest. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports.
Breer on Diggs
Breer sized up a variety of NFL topics this week, and on Diggs’s free agency, he wrote, “I do think an A.J. Brown trade will happen. I also don’t think, for a variety of reasons, you’ll see Diggs and A.J. Brown together in New England. Now, I believe the Patriots love Diggs, and Diggs would love to return. But any realistic talk about his return, to me, hinges on whether the Brown trade happens.”
“Assuming Brown does become a Patriot, I think Diggs will probably be somewhere in that one-year, $10 million range. The Chiefs could make sense. The Commanders might, too, since Diggs is from D.C. The Falcons and Rams would also be interesting landing spots.”
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Diggs logged 1,013 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2025. He can still be a monster contributor on a pass-happy team.
Chiefs as Breer’s Frontrunner
Breer named the Chiefs first in his publication, probably not by accident or coincidence. Here’s how the Chiefs’ WR room is set up without Diggs:
Rashee Rice
Xavier Worthy
Tyquan Thornton
Jalen Royals
Nikko Remigio
Cyrus Allen
Jason Brownlee
Andrew Armstrong
Jimmy Holiday
Jeff Caldwell
Omari Evans
Jacob De Jesus
Xavier Loyd
That group doesn’t need more human bodies, but Diggs would immediately profile as Kansas City’s WR2, and of course, Diggs would cook with Patrick Mahomes.
Commanders, Too
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Diggs’s hometown is just 30 to 45 minutes from the Commanders’ stadium. This proximity is a significant draw for players who, as their careers wind down, often prefer to return closer to home, making Diggs an ideal candidate if Washington were looking for another experienced receiver.
The Commanders likely need a more solid WR3 than Luke McCaffrey. With Diggs in the lineup, Jayden Daniels would have Terry McLaurin, Diggs, and rookie Antonio Williams as his primary receiving targets. McCaffrey and Treylon Burks would then fill out the remaining receiver spots.
Falcons or Rams?
Kevin Stefanski now runs the show in Atlanta, bringing a built-in connection with Diggs from their time with the Vikings. Beyond Drake London, the Falcons’ wide receiver depth chart quickly thins, with Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus.
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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs speaks with reporters during a press conference ahead of the NFL’s international showcase in London. Diggs addressed the media on Oct. 6, 2023, at The Grove Hotel in Watford while preparing for Buffalo’s overseas matchup as one of the league’s premier pass-catching weapons. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
A skill group of Bijan Robinson, London, Kyle Pitts, and Diggs — with Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback and Stefanski steering the offense — would have real juice.
The Rams signing Diggs would be all about gravy — the rich getting richer. Los Angeles employs Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at the top of the ticket, more than enough firepower to compete for a Super Bowl. Diggs, essentially, would ring-chase in Hollywood.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote about the idea of Diggs to the Rams this week, “The Ravens could be a fit for Diggs, but I really like him in L.A. alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. The Rams attempted 430 passes out of 11 personnel (three wide receivers) last season, which was ninth most in the league, and Diggs is a natural separator who can line up inside or outside.”
“Plus, he has the toughness to work the middle of the field on in-breaking concepts, a key element of coach Sean McVay’s offense. Diggs had 85 receptions last season for the Patriots, which was almost twice as many as their next-closest wide receiver (Mack Hollins with 46). He would provide an easy boost to the Rams WR room for quarterback Matthew Stafford.”
A Sequel in New England
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The frontrunner for Diggs should be New England. He was very vividly Drake Maye’s favorite target, the Patriots’ WR corps remains underwhelming compared to their NFL peers, and Diggs played wonderfully in 2025 as a Patriot.
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs answers questions from reporters during Super Bowl week media availability in Northern California. Diggs met with the media on Feb. 5, 2026, at the Santa Clara Marriott while preparing for the league’s championship festivities after joining the Patriots earlier in his NFL career arc. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images.
New England’s brass may have been scared off by Diggs’s legal situation, but that has since been resolved.
Diggs just reached his first Super Bowl as a member of the Patriots. If he’s as affordable as $10 million, as mentioned by Breer in his article, he might be wise to return for a sequel.
He’ll turn 33 in November.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Super Falcons defender Shukurat Oladipo has been named the Best Defender in Italy’s Serie A Women after an impressive 2025/26 season with AS Roma Women.
The former FC Robo Queens player was also included in the Serie A Women Team of the Year alongside her Roma teammates Manuela Giugliano, Giada Greggi and Giulia Dragoni.
Oladipo played an important role in Roma’s strong defence during the season. She featured in 18 league matches and started 15 of them as the club kept 11 clean sheets in games she played. Roma also did not lose any league match in which she featured.
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The Nigerian defender made 30 appearances in all competitions and also played her first matches in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, showing her growing importance in the team.
In the league, Oladipo recorded 27 interceptions, 27 tackles, 70 clearances and 104 recoveries from 1,398 minutes of action, helping Roma maintain one of the best defensive records in the division.
Roma completed a successful domestic season by winning the Serie A Women title after beating Genoa 2-0 in their final match of the campaign.
As anyone who watched the PGA Championship at Aronimink knows, the course played tough.
Aaron Rai came out on top thanks to a final-round of five-under-par 65, which gave him a three-shot victory over Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley. But no one in the 156-player field managed to post four rounds under par.
The greens were diabolical, making it even more of a priority for players to find the fairway off the tee, and hopefully set themselves up for success with an approach shot from the fairway.
Over four rounds, there were 56 fairway opportunities at Aronimink, and three players who topped the driving accuracy list, finding the short grass 69.64 percent of the time: Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Chandler Blanchet. (Winner Aaron Rai was fourth, with a driving accuracy percentage of 67.86 percent.)
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So if your game could use a boost of off-the-tee efficiency, check out the three most accurate drivers of the week wielded by some of the world’s best below.
Shop the PGA Championship’s top fairway-finding drivers
Scottie Scheffler: TaylorMade
Scottie Scheffler still plays TaylorMade’s Qi10, which is unfortunately no longer available. The next-best thing: TaylorMade’s latest, the Qi4D.
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Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation of TaylorMade driver performance.
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Blanchet is still gaming the popular Titleist GT2 — a high-launch, low-spin option which was first released in early 2025.
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Titleist GT2 Custom Driver
GT2 — Speed & Forgiveness Across The Face
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As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her original interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.
Thanks to Manchester City’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, Arsenal have won their 14th league title.
Southampton have been banned from the Championship play-off final for spying on their opponents’ training session. Fribourg and Aston Villa will face each other in the Europa League final. Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from Wimbledon. Filippo Ganna dominated the 10th stage of the Giro.
FILE – Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is seen in the first half of an NBA basketball game, March 25, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
DALLA — Jason Kidd is out as coach of the Dallas Mavericks after five NBA seasons, and two weeks after the club hired former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as team president and governor.
The team said Tuesday it was parting ways with Kidd, describing the move as a mutual decision. The Hall of Fame point guard led the franchise to its only championship as a player in 2011.
When asked about the future of Kidd at his introduction on May 5, Ujiri was noncommittal, saying he would talk to Kidd while evaluating all aspects of the team.
“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team,” Ujiri said in a statement. “We have high expectations for this franchise and a responsibility to build a basketball organization capable of sustained championship contention.”
Kidd, who didn’t respond to a request for comment, made two deep playoff runs with Luka Doncic, reaching the NBA Finals in 2024, two years after a loss to Golden State in the Western Conference finals.
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The Mavericks traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024-25 season, getting Anthony Davis as the centerpiece in a deal that backfired badly on the franchise. Dallas missed the playoffs that season and again in 2025-26.
The 53-year-old Kidd had said he was looking forward to developing 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who won Rookie of the Year. Instead, that task will fall to someone else.
Kidd finished with a .500 regular-season record (205-205) with the Mavericks, an appropriate illustration of the up-and-down nature of his tenure.
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The run to the West finals came in his first season, when Dallas stunned the favored Phoenix Suns in Game 7 on the road in the second round. The Mavericks lost in five games to the Warriors, who won the title.
Then-general manager Nico Harrison traded for Kyrie Irving the next season, but injuries to him and Doncic limited their chances to be an elite scoring pair. Dallas missed the playoffs.
Dallas Mavericks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Nico Harrison, left, and head coach Jason Kidd, right, pose for photos with the No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg, center, following an NBA basketball press conference at the team’s practice facility Friday, June 27, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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In their only healthy season together in 2023-24, Doncic and Irving led the Mavericks to the Finals for the first time since Kidd helped Dallas win it all.
Nine months later, Harrison shocked the NBA with the trade of Doncic. Because of injuries, Irving and Davis played together for just 2 1/2 quarters.
Harrison was fired early in the 2025-26 season, after a slow start and with Davis injured again. Davis was later traded to Washington, and despite plenty of brilliant play from Flagg, the Mavericks finished 26-56.
Dallas becomes the fourth team with a coaching vacancy, joining Orlando, Chicago and Portland. The Trail Blazers were led by Tiago Splitter in an interim role this season. Since the regular season ended, Milwaukee has hired Taylor Jenkins and New Orleans brought in Jamahl Mosley.
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Of the 12 coaches to take teams to the NBA Finals since 2019, seven are no longer with those clubs — including four who won championships: Nick Nurse with Toronto in 2019; Frank Vogel with the Lakers in 2020; Mike Budenholzer with Milwaukee in 2021; and Michael Malone with Denver in 2023.
The other coaches who went to the Finals since 2019 and are no longer with those teams: Monty Williams (Phoenix in 2021), Ime Udoka (Boston in 2022) and Kidd.
Kidd has a 388-395 record in nine-plus seasons as a head coach. He became a coach immediately after retiring as a player, leading Brooklyn to the second round of the playoffs in 2013-14. He bolted for Milwaukee, where he was fired in the middle of his fourth season.
After two seasons as an assistant with the Lakers, including their 2020 title run in the playoff bubble with LeBron James and Davis, Kidd was hired by the Mavericks.
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Ujiri told reporters not to read anything into him being noncommittal about Kidd’s return, saying the incumbent lasted several years as coach in each of the previous times he was hired to run basketball operations, with Toronto and Denver.
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Terrell Owens accused his former manager of over 15 years of stealing money from him while working for him.
The Hall of Fame receiver posted a photo of an email pointing out alleged funds and a screen recording of a text exchange between the two in which Owens called out Heather Mesalam for “stealing.”
“I’m posting this because (Heather Mesalam) has handled my business affairs for 15+ years and I discovered on last Oct 3rd that she had stolen from me. The video screenshot puts everything in perspective,” Owens said in a lengthy Instagram caption.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens stands on the sideline during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 28, 2008.(Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
The photo of the email shows Owens’ apparent funds and expenses that Mesalam emailed him, which includes the line, “Me – 1500.”
Owens said in a message that those funds were “without my knowledge.”
“A PERSON CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH! Growing up my grandmama said there’s 2 people she can’t stand…A LIAR and A THIEF… When you’re managing someone’s affairs and getting paid to do it, you have to be accountable for it!” Owens said. “I haven’t always used my voice when I should but I GOT TIME TODAY.”
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Owens said he debated putting the business out in public “because of the many questions I would receive of what and/or why,” but “with the recent deaths of football players by suicide and for my own mental sanity I need to get this off my chest.”
“Because if ‘I’ had stolen from someone, I’d be ALL OVER the news, media, talking heads at ESPN would be having a field day with it along with blogs where my reputation and character would be questioned and destroyed ruining business opportunities and relationships,” Owens continued.
Former NFL player Terrell Owens looks on from the sideline prior to a game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sept. 25, 2023.(Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“Heather Mesalam(mezchick), it’s people like you that think that you can just steal from me and think that you’re going to get away with it. Trust me, with ALL that I’ve been through with former agents like Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, the financial advisor Jeff Rubin that they referred me to upon signing with them where they mismanaged football earnings, paying extraordinary child support payments and more.”
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Rubin was linked to a scandal that involved several NFL players combining to lose over $40 million from 2008 to 2011.
“It’s stuff like this that people don’t see and may consider small but it’s what triggers us as athletes and those that have committed suicide in what some call, a selfish act,” Owens continued.
Owens also confirmed that Mesalam, “who stole from me,” “no longer [works] for me in any capacity” and implored his fans not to worry about him.
Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Terrell Owens stands on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, before Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 11, 2024.(Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports)
Fox News Digital reached out to Mesalam for comment.
The former San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys star earned almost $80 million in his career from on-field contracts and endorsements, according to Spotrac.
Tournament: Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Club des Cheminots, Rabat, Morocco
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Category: WTA 250
Surface: Clay
Prize Money: $283,347
Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports
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Alycia Parks vs Jil Teichmann preview
Alycia Parks at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2026. (Source: Getty)
Eighth seed Alycia Parks will square off against Jil Teichmann in the second round of the Rabat Open 2026.
Parks was up against Moyuka Uchijima in the first round. The American raised her level halfway through the opening set, reeling off four consecutive games to clinch the opener. She went down a break to fall behind 2-4 in the second set but went on another four-game run to score a 6-2, 6-4 win.
Teichmann commenced her run at the Rabat Open against Julia Grabher. The Swiss rallied from a break down to capture the first set. There were multiple momentum shifts in the second set, which was ultimately decided via a tie-break. Teichmann came out on top in it to register a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory.
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Alycia Parks vs Jil Teichmann head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between the duo, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Alycia Parks vs Jil Teichmann odds
Player
Moneyline
Handicap Bets
Total Games
Alycia Parks
-145
+1.5 (-350)
Over 21.5 (-120)
Jil Teichmann
+110
-1.5 (+225)
Under 21.5 (-120)
(Odds via BetMGM)
Alycia Parks vs Jil Teichmann prediction
Jil Teichmann at the US Open 2025. (Source: Getty)
Parks improved her record on clay at the main draw level to 4-5 with her latest win. She will now aim to win back-to-back main draw matches on clay for the first time this season.
Teichmann tallied her very first win at the WTA level this season by beating Grabher. It also marked her first main draw win since August 2025. She returned to the tour following an injury hiatus just last month. She competed at the lower levels prior to the Rabat Open, compiling a 3-4 record, all on clay.
Parks played with controlled aggression against Uchijima, and dominated the proceedings without too many costly errors. If she maintains that same level of focus against Teichmann, then she will be favored to win.
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Pick: Alycia Parks to win in straight sets.
Alycia Parks vs Jil Teichmann betting tips
Tip 1: The match will have at least 22 games.
Tip 2: Parks to win at least one set with a score of 6-4.
PHOENIX — Brittney Sykes had 31 points, Marina Mabrey added 30 points and six 3-pointers, and the Toronto Tempo beat the Phoenix Mercury 98-90 on Tuesday night.
Toronto created some separation by starting the fourth quarter on a 12-4 run to take an 85-78 lead. Then Maria Conde and Kiki Rice each made a shot in the lane, sandwiched around a Phoenix turnover, to give the Tempo a 93-86 lead with 2:32 left.
Mabrey sank her sixth 3-pointer with 1:25 left from the corner to make it 96-90.
Toronto finished with a season-high 15 makes from behind the arc, while Phoenix went 4 of 22.
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Kahleah Copper scored 18 points and Alyssa Thomas had 17 points for Phoenix (2-3). DeWanna Bonner scored 13 on 4-of-11 shooting and Jovana Nogic also scored 13. Natasha Mack had 12 points and 10 rebounds before leaving late in the third quarter after a hard fall.
Rice had 15 points and Laura Juskaite added 10 for Toronto (3-2). Sykes, who was coming off a career-high 38 points in a 106-96 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday, went 10 of 19 from the field with four 3-pointers.
Mabrey made her third 3-pointer of the first half with 20.8 seconds left to give Toronto a 45-44 lead. Mabrey finished the half with 15 points and Sykes added 14, while the rest of their teammates went 5 of 16 from the field.
Toronto concludes a four-game road trip at Minnesota on Thursday.
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Phoenix ends a four-game homestand on Thursday against Los Angeles.
Mohammad Rizwan mocked by Bangladesh Player in 2nd test (Image: X/Screegrab)
During the second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan found himself at the centre of an animated on-field exchange with Bangladesh players.The incident occurred on Day 4 during Pakistan’s daunting chase of 437 runs in the second innings. With wickets falling around him, Rizwan stood firm to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive, but his resistance also triggered a heated verbal battle involving Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das and several close-in fielders.
How the confrontation began
The drama unfolded during the 72nd over when Rizwan suddenly pulled away from his batting stance, complaining to the umpires about movement behind the bowler’s sightscreen. The Pakistan batter appeared unhappy with distractions near the boundary area and sought intervention from the officials.Litton Das, clearly frustrated by the interruption, immediately confronted Rizwan. In the stump mic recordings, the Bangladesh wicketkeeper asked, “What are you doing?” When Rizwan pointed towards the sightscreen and explained the distraction, Litton responded sharply: “Why are you looking over there? Focus on your batting here.” Rizwan did not hold back either and fired back by questioning Litton’s authority in the matter. “Is that your job, mine, or the umpire’s?” he replied, leading to a tense face-off between the two players.The exchange quickly escalated before on-field umpires Allahudien Paleker and Richard Kettleborough stepped in to calm the situation and separate the players.
Bangladesh players mock Rizwan on stump mic
Even after the umpires diffused the confrontation, the atmosphere remained heated. Bangladesh’s close-in fielders continued to target Rizwan verbally, with the stump microphones clearly capturing their comments. In a humorous yet sarcastic jibe, one of the fielders used a famous dialogue from the Bollywood movie Hera Pheri, saying:“For overacting, we’ll dock 50 paise.” (overacting ke 50 paise katenge)The comments did not stop there. Other fielders were also heard mocking Rizwan’s behaviour and accusing him of trying to disrupt Bangladesh’s bowling rhythm.“You are acting well; you want to teach everyone,” (achha acting krra hai, sbko sikha rha ha) one player said. Another added, “Now that he has scored a 50, he has cemented his place in the team, that’s why he is doing all this.” (Jagah pkka hai team bhaii jagah pakka isliye aisa krra hai).
The Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens line up at the line of scrimmage during third-quarter action on Nov. 9, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The interconference matchup featured two physical contenders battling for positioning late in the season as both teams continued pushing toward postseason contention in their respective conferences. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Every summer, at least as of late, the Minnesota Vikings schedule joint practices with another NFL team, either in Eagan or on the other franchise’s turf. In 2026, that dance partner is the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore’s August trip to Eagan now has an interesting purple-on-purple wrinkle.
It’ll be trial by fire for the Vikings in August, and that’s not a bad thing.
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Baltimore Brings a Real Test to Vikings Training Camp
Two purple teams in Eagan. Book it.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson greets Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy after a matchup at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The quarterbacks shared a postgame moment on Nov. 9, 2025, after Jackson and the Ravens battled McCarthy’s Vikings during a notable interconference showdown featuring two of the league’s most dynamic signal-callers. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
MIN-BAL = Joint Practices
It’s official, as Vikings.com’s Craig Peters wrote Monday, “There will be purple on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Minnesota Vikings will host the Baltimore Ravens for two days of scheduled joint practices during 2026 Training Camp, the teams announced Monday. Details for timing and ticketing will be announced later, but the joint practices are planned for Wednesday, Aug. 19 and Thursday, Aug. 20.”
“The teams will conclude their week of work on Saturday, Aug. 22 when Minnesota hosts Baltimore for a noon (CT) kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium in the second preseason game for both teams. It will be the lone home exhibition contest this year for Minnesota, which will host nine regular-season games.”
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Last year, Minnesota danced with New England during the summer — and the Patriots later reached the Super Bowl.
Every Four-Year Cadence
Matching up against the Ravens is pretty fitting because the Vikings don’t see that franchise often. Based on the league’s typical schedule rotation, the clubs meet every four years, and it just so happens that Baltimore toppled Minnesota last November.
Unless the teams finish in the same place in the NFC North and AFC North, respectively, they won’t face each other until 2029. Or — for example — if the Ravens win the AFC North while the Vikings capture the NFC North, they’ll square off in 2027 in Baltimore.
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Generally speaking, that’s unlikely, so hooking up with an unfamiliar opponent during the summer is good business.
Our Janik Eckardt’s take on the joint practice system: “The Ravens will test the Vikings. They will have elite quarterback Lamar Jackson under center, a player that Brian Flores has had success against over the years. It will be a good test regardless. The Ravens will also have a new head coach on the sidelines, as they said goodbye to John Harbaugh, going with Jesse Minter, who was the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers.”
“The Vikings’ training camp will have one primary theme and that’s the so-called quarterback competition that every reporter and the head coach is teasing. Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will square off in training camp to determine the Week 1 starter.”
Vikings Get One of the League’s Best
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A saying like “iron sharpens iron” might apply here — if one assumes the Vikings will contend for the postseason in 2026. Baltimore sure will, perceived by sportsbooks as the second most-likely club to win the Super Bowl this year. The Los Angeles Rams lead the pack at +700, according to oddsmakers, but the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and the Ravens are not far behind at +1,000.
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry carries the football while Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith closes in during second-quarter action at U.S. Bank Stadium. The veteran stars squared off on Nov. 9, 2025, during a physical matchup between Baltimore and Minnesota as Henry powered the Ravens’ rushing attack against Brian Flores’ defense. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Theoretically, Minnesota could’ve scheduled joint practices against a weaker team, like the Miami Dolphins, but would that really provide the challenge and competition that Baltimore offers? Unlikely.
If wins and losses are not assigned in the summer, there’s no reason not to scrimmage against an elite team — to determine how close Minnesota is to true contention.
Former Player + Coach Angles
The Ravens’ new skipper, Jesse Minter, worked as the Michigan Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023. That’s when Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy played there. Minter will know McCarthy better than most, making it a productive few days for McCarthy, as Minter will bring the heat and awareness of McCarthy’s talents.
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Too, this offseason, Brian Flores interviewed for the Ravens’ head coaching job, but Baltimore declined and hired Minter. Some fuel for Flores.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins scans the field for a pass while offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw blocks Ravens pass rusher Justin Houston at M&T Bank Stadium. The play unfolded on Nov. 7, 2021, during Minnesota’s road matchup against Baltimore as Cousins operated behind one of the Vikings’ emerging young offensive linemen. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images.
Vikings TE2 Josh Oliver spent his rookie contract in Baltimore. He’ll get to see his old buddies in August.
On the Ravens’ end, former Vikings safety K’Von Wallace, who spent some of the summer of 2025 in Minnesota, will be on the field as a roster bubble candidate. And for full disclosure, most Vikings fans, including this website, believe Minnesota should have drafted Kyle Hamilton in 2022 when it had the chance. He’ll patrol the Ravens’ summer defense in Eagan.
Sportsbooks expect the Ravens to finish around 11-5 or 12-6 in 2026, while Minnesota has an 8-9 or 9-8 forecast.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
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