Image for representative use only© AFP

The Minnesota Vikings fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah at the end of January, and it didn’t take long for the former top boss to land a new job with the San Francisco 49ers, the franchise that reared him over 10 years ago.

Adofo-Mensah will serve as the Vice President of Personnel and Strategy, presumably eyeing an opportunity to be a general manager again down the road.

San Francisco Gives Adofo-Mensah Another Front Office Role

Adofo-Mensah Has a Formal Title

It’s official for Adofo-Mensah, as 49ers.com announced Wednesday: “The San Francisco 49ers today announced that Nathan Biehl, Grant Bordelon, Ryan Carter, Brad Clark, Casey Filkins, Jordan Fox, Michael Gonzalez, Austin Moss II, and Jeff Weidemeyer have each been promoted to new roles within the organization. In addition, the team has added Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to the personnel department: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah – Vice President, Personnel & Strategy.”

“Adofo-Mensah has been hired as vice president, personnel & strategy and returns to San Francisco after spending the previous four seasons (2022-25) as the general manager for the Minnesota Vikings.”

For Adofo-Mensah, the arrangement will feel like a return to his roots — with a sweeter job title.

Kwesi’s Time with the Vikings

Adofo-Mensah’s tenure with the Vikings presents a complex legacy. On one hand, the team achieved significant success, boasting the NFL’s fifth-best record under his leadership. He skillfully managed the transition from the Mike Zimmer to the Kevin O’Connell era and wisely shed expensive veteran contracts — such as those of Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and Eric Kendricks — without diminishing the team’s competitiveness.

While the team’s on-field performance and organizational transitions were strong, Adofo-Mensah’s drafting record was a nasty hurdle. Across four drafts, he yielded only a handful of clear impact players: Jordan Addison, Will Reichard, Dallas Turner, and Jalen Nailor. Even with a generous assessment, adding Donovan Jackson or Levi Drake Rodriguez to that list still represents a meager return for a general manager tasked with building a sustainable depth chart.

This lack of success on draft day became a familiar pattern for Vikings fans. Each year, weak draft classes left roster holes unfilled, immediately shifting hopes to the next free agency period. Reliance on free agency is a precarious strategy in football; while it can provide temporary fixes, it rarely establishes a core.

The situation with Sam Darnold further complicated Adofo-Mensah’s time in Minnesota. After Darnold’s stellar 2024 season, throwing 35 touchdown passes for Minnesota, Adofo-Mensah had several options: he could have applied the franchise tag and explored a trade, re-signed Darnold to a short-term deal, or otherwise capitalized on Darnold’s career-best performance.

Instead, Darnold departed for Seattle and, just eleven months later, won a Super Bowl. The outcome will undoubtedly be a lasting regret for Adofo-Mensah.

The only factor that could have changed the narrative was J.J. McCarthy’s performance. Had McCarthy excelled in 2025, Adofo-Mensah’s reputation would have been entirely different. His overall strategy would have appeared more coherent, Darnold’s departure more understandable, and the draft misses less damning.

But that scenario never materialized. McCarthy’s inaugural season as QB1 was marred by injuries and poor efficiency, leaving Minnesota without a definitive answer at quarterback heading into the 2026 offseason.

Hoping to Change His Own Narrative in SF

It’s unclear how long Adofo-Mensah must remain the 49ers’ Vice President of Personnel and Strategy to revive his name, but as always, time heals.

For now, he’s known as the guy who orchestrated multiple poor drafts, and more damning, the man who let Darnold leave in free agency for the Seattle Seahawks. When the Seahawks punched their ticket to the Super Bowl five months later, winning the damn thing, the Vikings became the obvious butt of jokes for roster malpractice.

Allowing Darnold to leave won’t soon be forgotten, so if Adofo-Mensah wants a general manager’s job down the line, he’ll just have to hope that some owner believes in second chances. He’d restore shine, to an extent, if the 49ers can win a Super Bowl sometime soon.

Vikings Hire Teasley 4 Months Later

Meanwhile, the Vikings locked in Adofo-Mensah’s replacement this week, hiring Nolan Teasley from the aforementioned Seahawks. Teasley has a personnel and scouting background — that’s what the Vikings need after Adofo-Mensah’s gaffes — and will work with O’Connell to bring a championship to the Twin Cities.

The new boss didn’t divulge much at Wednesday’s press conference — he’s a man of few words when answering detailed questions — but he did state that the Vikings are not heading toward a roster rebuild and that he expects the club to contend for a Super Bowl in 2026.

The interim general manager from the last few months, Rob Brzezinski, will remain with the Vikings and reportedly hold more power.

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

For only the third time in 66 years, the Minnesota Vikings will play the Green Bay Packers to start the season. During the showdown, otherworldly linebacker Micah Parsons will not partake.

Green Bay will take Parson’s ACL recovery slowly, and he’s already been ruled out for the month of September.

A Packers Problem Arrives at the Perfect Time for Minnesota

No Parsons Week 1

You can scratch Parsons off your bingo board for Week 1.

ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wrote Wednesday, “Micah Parsons’ initial hope that he could return within the first month of the season was never realistic, and the Green Bay Packers’ star edge rusher has come to terms with that. Parsons said Wednesday that he’s just past the five-month mark from his ACL surgery, which he revealed also included a procedure on his meniscus, and that he won’t be cleared to be back on the football field — even for practice — until the nine-month mark.”

“That would put his earliest possible return to practice in late September, and the Packers likely would not allow him to play in a game until after several weeks of practice. Parsons is likely to open the season on the physically unable to perform list, which means he would automatically miss at least four games.”

Barryn Sorrell or Brenton Cox Jr. will presumably start in Parsons’s place.

A Game-Changing Detail. Literally.

The Vikings are known for their cautious approach to injury recoveries, prioritizing long-term health. Green Bay operates similarly, which is relevant given Parsons’s status.

Parsons, arguably the best defensive player in football, will not be rushed into the Week 1 lineup simply because the calendar dictates it. Last season, the Packers clearly saw their Super Bowl aspirations diminish without him. Risking a long-term setback in September would be a grave error.

The conservative approach could immediately benefit Minnesota due to the NFL’s random scheduling. Given Parsons is already a five-time Pro Bowler, Green Bay’s patience is entirely logical. The Packers will not be unprepared at outside linebacker to start the season. The team typically has a robust backup plan, and its summer roster is not lacking talent.

The full outside linebacker room, including Parsons, is as follows:

• Micah Parsons
• Lukas Van Ness
• Brenton Cox Jr.
• Barryn Sorrell
• Dani Dennis-Sutton
• Collin Oliver
• Arron Mosby
• Nyjalik Kelly

Dennis-Sutton is a rookie. If Parsons misses approximately four games in September, Packers fans will need Dennis-Sutton to be more prepared to play than an average first-year pass rusher.

One cannot avoid the fact, though, that Parsons is, by far, the Packers’ defensive MVP and best player on the team overall. Minnesota, facing a Parsons-less Packers squad, is an entirely different beast.

Vikings Injury Watch

Minnesota’s summer injury watch isn’t quite as vast as Green Bay’s, but it’s noteworthy nonetheless.

All eyes are on left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who tore his ACL in October 2024 but did not encounter a seamless recovery thereafter. The Vikings even shut down Darrisaw last December, giving him more time to heal and be ready for 2026, which is three months away in regular-season speak. Thankfully, Darrisaw participated in organized team activities last week and looked great.

Then there’s one of the newest members of the roster. Minnesota drafted defensive tackle Caleb Banks from Florida in April, and the only knock on him is two foot injuries since the summer of 2025. Banks’s draft stock fell from Round 1 to Round 2 because he broke his foot at the NFL Combine in February, but that didn’t deter the Vikings from selecting him with the 18th overall pick. The Vikings coaching staff has since claimed that Banks will be ready from training camp in late July.

It’s Darrisaw and Banks Watch for injuries this summer.

All Eyes on Tucker Kraft, Josh Jacobs, and Zach Tom

Parsons isn’t the only star who Packers fans must monitor. Tight end Tucker Kraft is working his way back from a torn ACL in November. He may or may not be ready for Week 1. Josh Jacobs is accused of domestic violence crimes, and that storyline will dominate the Packers’ summer. Tackle Zach Tom also injured his knee last year, though Green Bay’s coaching staff is optimistic about his return sooner rather than later.

There’s a world where the Vikings face the Packers without Parsons, Kraft, and Jacobs, believe it or not.

From a June standpoint, Green Bay is an early 1.5-point favorite to defeat Minnesota at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 1 — even with Parsons ruled out.

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

Ollie Robinson has admitted that he was “nowhere near ready” to feature in the Ashes despite making a stunning return to England colours at Lord’s.

The Sussex seamer struck three times in his first over and finished the opening day with figures of 4-10 having been recalled to the Test team for the series against New Zealand.

His performance naturally raised questions about what might have been had Robinson been utilised in Australia during a tough winter for England where their lack of new-ball accuracy was a persistent failing.

Robinson spent time in Sydney during the series and even bowled at Australia’s Steve Smith in the nets as the batter tuned up ahead of the first Test.

Having taken on the Sussex captaincy in the County Championship this season, though, Robinson believes it is only recently that he has found the mentality required to earn a recall after more than two years out of the picture.

“To be honest, I was nowhere near ready to play, nowhere near where I am now as a person or cricketer,” Robinson conceded when asked about the Ashes.

“It’s only been the last few months that I have got the enjoyment back for the game. The wickets there might have suited me but I wasn’t ready to play and there was a lot of hard work that still needed to be done for me to get back in.

“Ben Stokes texted me last week saying, ‘great to have you back, but the hard work is still to be done’. That’s what is constantly in my head at the moment. There is a lot of hard work to be done. These days make it all worthwhile, it’s what you play for.”

Robinson’s four were part of a wet and wild day of Test cricket that saw 16 wickets and the rain tumble. New Zealand will resume on Friday at 61-6, still 79 in arrears, on a tricky surface.

A remarkable return to England action pleased Robinson, who had feared his international career might be over after being axed following the tour to India at the start of 2024.

“It was just an incredible feeling to be out there and do that for the team. I was on cloud nine,” he said.

“My legs were numb and there was a point where I couldn’t hear anything. I was trying to calm myself down and focus on the moment. After the second wicket, that’s probably the loudest I’ve ever heard on a cricket field. The crowd were amazing.

“I had a lot of nerves yesterday, a lot nerves this morning, so to get out there and do that was pretty special. I still can’t really put it into words.”

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s performances, fitness and insatiable appetite for runs have left Indian selectors with little doubt over his place in the 2027 ODI World Cup plans, but former India wicketkeeper and selector Saba Karim believes Rohit Sharma still has plenty of work to do if he hopes to make the cut.With both Kohli and Rohit having retired from Test and T20 cricket, the 2027 World Cup is widely expected to be the final chapter of their illustrious international careers. However, Karim feels the two former captains are currently in very different positions.“I think Rohit has to do a lot of hard work. He has to work on his fitness levels and on his batting performance,” Karim told PTI. “I think selectors will be keenly watching Rohit’s performance for the next six months to decide whether he can be part of the equation or not.”‘Virat does not need to prove anything’Karim said Kohli’s consistency and commitment have already convinced the selectors.“For Virat Kohli, I am sure that they are completely convinced that he will be a part of the 2027 World Cup set-up,” he said. “Because through his performances and fitness level, through his hunger for runs, he has shown all that. So I don’t think Virat at this stage needs to prove anything to the selectors.”“Rohit, however, will have to do a lot of heavy lifting if he wants to get back in the selectors’ World Cup planning,” he added.The contrasting IPL 2026 campaigns further highlighted the difference. Kohli played a pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title defence, scoring 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.84 with one hundred and five half-centuries.Rohit, meanwhile, endured a difficult season as Mumbai Indians finished ninth, managing only 283 runs in nine innings.Kohli’s ability to evolve impresses KarimKarim hailed Kohli’s willingness to reinvent himself even in the latter stages of his career.“If you look at Virat Kohli’s strike rate over the past two-three seasons in T20 cricket, it has gone up because he has realised that to be meaningful in T20 cricket, he has to work very hard on his strike rate,” Karim said.“Now his strike rate is between 170 and 180. Last year, it was only 140-150. He’s such an individual who keeps working on his strength all the time. Whatever Virat has achieved in Test cricket, in one-day cricket and in T20 cricket now, one can always say that arguably, he is one of the best multi-format players that we have seen so far,” he elaborated.

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ Justin Brownlee attempts a shot over TNT Tropang 5G’ Chris McCullough during Game 1 of the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals between Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and TNT Tropang 5G. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Like he has done so many times in the past, Justin Brownlee rose to the challenge by hitting a tough fade-away over Chris McCullough that keyed Barangay Ginebra’s win over defending champion TNT at the start of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals series on Wednesday night.

But Brownlee and the Gin Kings know that being dragged into that type of a game that resulted in a 102-100 escape act could be too precarious as they go for a 2-0 lead over the Tropang 5G on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I gotta admit, we lost a lot of rhythm, offensively,” Brownlee said, ruing the way the crowd favorites squandered an 18-point lead in the third quarter to even trail by five near the homestretch.

Rhythm was something Ginebra had during the first half, with its offense clicking from inside and out. TNT found a way to mount a rally, meticulously closing the gap behind RR Pogoy and Rey Nambatac.

Almost imploding

The Tropang 5G, though, didn’t get the job done and Ginebra knows that its near collapse could play a role in the second game of the best-of-seven affair.

“They hurt us on the post and I think that opened up some shooters for them,” said Brownlee. “I also think that we could do a better job on the offensive rebounding. I’m not sure how many offensive rebounds we gave up, but I know we gave up some crucial ones.”

Ginebra allowed TNT to haul down 14 offensive boards.

What allowed Ginebra to avoid a regretful result was how it got to respond in a timely manner, with RJ Abarrientos hitting two four-point shots despite going cold in the fourth and Brownlee draining that winning jumper.

“I guess the key was to not let them overwhelm us,” he said. “It was a little bit overwhelming when they came back. [But] we just tried to stay solid. We tried to be who we are, a team that plays together for the ball.

“We tried to make big plays and everyone stepped up,” added Brownlee, who finished with 23 points on 10-of-21 shooting.

The TNT comeback was certainly a point of concern for coach Tim Cone as Ginebra spent Thursday’s lull mapping out its adjustments to make sure it can be consistent this time.

Check Nambatac

One of the things Cone pointed out was the way Nambatac shot the lights out during the critical fourth period.

“He had a hot-shooting night,” Cone said. “He hadn’t shot well during the Meralco series for them, but he came in and shot well. And he did that last year when he got the best player of the Finals.

“So we got to figure him out a little bit better, we got to figure out everybody well,” Cone said. “It’s just Game 1 and we lost Game 1 against Rain or Shine [in the semis] and ended up winning the series in six games.

“And that just shows you how little Game 1 means in terms of the big picture.”

Andoni Iraola (Pic credit: LFC)

Liverpool have handed the reins to Andoni Iraola, appointing the highly rated Spaniard as their new head coach following the departure of Arne Slot and signaling a return to the aggressive, high-pressing style that brought the club immense success under Jurgen Klopp.The 43-year-old arrives at Anfield after transforming Bournemouth into one of the Premier League‘s surprise packages. Under his guidance, the south-coast club finished sixth last season, went unbeaten in their final 18 league matches and qualified for European competition for the first time in their history.“Liverpool is Liverpool,” Iraola said after his appointment. “The atmosphere, the supporters, the players, the chance to fight for titles — I think it cannot be more attractive than this.”From Athletic Bilbao stalwart to Premier League rising starBorn in Spain’s Basque region, Iraola enjoyed an illustrious playing career with Athletic Bilbao, making more than 500 appearances across 12 seasons. The former right-back also represented Spain seven times before ending his career with MLS side New York City FC.His coaching journey began in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca, where he won the Cypriot Super Cup. He then impressed with Mirandes before guiding Rayo Vallecano back to La Liga and establishing them as a competitive top-flight side.His reputation soared after taking charge of Bournemouth in 2023. Over three seasons, he transformed the Cherries into European qualifiers and one of England’s most exciting teams.A return to ‘heavy metal’ football?Liverpool’s decision comes after a disappointing second season under Slot, who was dismissed last weekend despite winning the Premier League title in his debut campaign. The Reds finished fifth last season and concerns over the team’s style of play became increasingly evident.Outgoing star Mohamed Salah had publicly urged Liverpool to “go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear,” a message that appeared to resonate with the club hierarchy.Iraola’s intense pressing game closely mirrors Klopp’s philosophy, although his understated personality contrasts sharply with the German’s charismatic touchline presence.The challenge awaiting him is considerable. Iraola has never managed in the Champions League nor handled a club of Liverpool’s stature. But after establishing himself as one of Europe’s brightest coaching prospects, the Spaniard now faces the biggest test of his career as he attempts to restore Liverpool to the summit of English and European football.