Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) talks with a referee before the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings will sign a different quarterback this offseason — perhaps a trade — but no one is too sure whether that man will be competition or insurance. If the Vikings opt for the insurance angle, just a player to step in for J.J. McCarthy gets hurt or falters, they’ll need a better plan than last year.
Minnesota can chase insurance if it wants, but the cleanest path stays centered on McCarthy and the long-term bet already in place.
While this website doesn’t necessarily pound the table for “J.J. McCarthy no matter what,” the following is the case in support of McCarthy — if Kevin O’Connell indeed puts all his eggs in the McCarthy basket.
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Reasons the Vikings Should Stick With J.J. McCarthy as QB1 in 2026
Laying it out, why Minnesota might keep McCarthy as the for-sure QB1.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and center Michael Jurgens work through pregame routines at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the scene unfolding on Aug. 10, 2024, as Minnesota readied for Las Vegas while the pair synced snaps, footwork, and timing during early warmups ahead of the preseason opener. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
Youth — All the Youth
McCarthy turned 23 a couple of weeks ago. He hasn’t even approached an age to determine if he’s “bust.” That term is usually reserved for players around age 25 or so.
Minnesota drafted him at age 21, and two years in, he hasn’t taken the league by storm, missing 70% of games due to various injuries and struggling in 2025, outside of some clutch moments and about three games in December.
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No NFL team should wholly give up on a 23-year-old who was drafted in Round 1 two years ago. It’s too early. It’s just a matter of whether the Vikings have the patience to let it ride or want to hedge the bet by signing another passer to compete with McCarthy.
The Famous O’Connell Quote
A year and a half ago, O’Connell said on the Rich Eisen Show, “I just think as a whole, there’s not enough emphasis put on the organization’s role in the development of the position, meaning I believe that organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations.”
Little did he know, he’d get a chance to put his money where his mouth is in the 2026 offseason. If he trades McCarthy or finds a different-but-various-obvious QB1, he will have fallen victim to what he preached against.
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He also said, “Just overall 30,000-foot view, I think it’s important to understand that every single one of these guys is on a journey. A very difficult journey. That they need the support, they need the teammates around them, they need the systems in place to ultimately try to maximize who they are and what their potential is because you’re still drafting players off of potential.”
“And then everything that happens from that moment to when that potential becomes a reality is really on the organization if you’ve got the right guy that you’re bringing in.”
If O’Connell truly believes his own quote, McCarthy will stay put and probably earn the QB1 job in September.
“I do believe there’s some times where things just don’t work out, and then getting a chance to kinda wipe the slate clean and get a restart while still using your previous experiences to kinda shape how you’re gonna work, why you’re gonna work, why things are important to you, will only make guys better in the end and I think we’ve seen some examples of that in our league as well over the last few years,” O’Connell concluded in September 2024.
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The Sam Darnold Cautionary Tale
In March 2025, the Vikings allowed Sam Darnold to depart in free agency for the Seattle Seahawks, failing to re-sign the passer who had just tossed 35 touchdowns or franchise-tag him as tradebait.
In the 2026 offseason, failing to develop McCarthy could, in theory, set him on a path to another Darnold-like story: Minnesota drops him, and he later thrives with another team.
Do Vikings fans really want to endure this again? How about the Vikings’ ownership?
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The Jared Goff Comparison
McCarthy’s career through 10 starts has begun exactly like Goff’s in 2016.
Fast forward a decade, and Goff is considered a Top 12 quarterback in the NFL. While not widespread, there is a teensy bit of precedent for players like McCarthy “figuring it out” after some initial doldrums.
McCarthy’s Performance against WAS, DAL, and NYG
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When McCarthy healed from one of his many injuries in 2025, he returned for back-to-back-to-back games against NFC East opponents — mostly poor defenses — and excelled. He very much looked the part of a Top 10 quarterback, and that’s not an exaggeration based on those three games alone.
Of course, he got hurt against the Giants, stunting his momentum. That’s the story of McCarthy’s career early on.
Nevertheless, we’re not talking about a young quarterback who’s never played well. He played great, in fact, against the Commanders, Cowboys, and Giants. At a Pro Bowl level, even.
He Can Already Do the Hard Stuff
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Strangely, McCarthy nailed the hard throws in 2025 but often struggled with the basics.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy goes through throwing drills at U.S. Bank Stadium, with preparations taking place on Jan. 4, 2026, as Minnesota geared up for Green Bay while McCarthy loosened his arm, reviewed protections, and settled into his routine ahead of a late-season divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
As recently as mid-December, Pro Football Focus‘ Nick Akridge wrote, “Putting impressive throws on tape: McCarthy’s season-long big-time throw rate is now 7.2%, tied for the highest among all quarterbacks in the NFL. There’s no denying the pressure on McCarthy. The Vikings went all-in on him as their franchise quarterback this offseason, and the early returns were uneven.”
“But development was always going to take time, and over the past few weeks, the confidence and decisiveness have clearly shown up on tape. These remaining games are crucial for his growth, and if McCarthy continues to look like he did in Week 15, Minnesota should be right back in the NFC mix next season.”
One would think that if McCarthy has the tricky throws on speed dial, he should be able to figure out the fundamentals in the backdrop with proper coaching.
Trashy quarterbacks don’t make throws like this:
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A Short Leash from Ownership
While it’s tempting to cut bait with McCarthy in favor of something more comfy, there’s a very small chance the Wilfs insist that the Vikings — O’Connell in particular — sink or swim with McCarthy.
After all, if one assumes that McCarthy doesn’t work out, the next leadership regime should get a clean slate. That would include the quarterback.
Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf observes pregame activity along the sideline at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the moment dated Sep. 14, 2025, as Minnesota prepared to face Atlanta while Wilf took in warmups and the atmosphere surrounding an early-season home matchup. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
This probably isn’t a stipulation from the Wilfs — they seem to adore O’Connell — but it needed to be noted for full context.
The NFL’s 6th-Best Passer from Week 14 On
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These are the numbers to know about McCarthy’s rollercoaster first season as a starter:
Now ask yourself: Do you really want the Vikings to give up on a guy who turned into the NFL’s sixth-best quarterback in the final month of the year, his first season ever as a starter? Does that seem smart?
NEW DELHI: When Lakshya Sen took on Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in the 2022 All England Open final, he could only take 10 and 15 points from the Dane, respectively. In 2024, after securing a long-lasting UK visa, the Indian shuttler joked he would win the title there 3-4 times and reach the finals at least eight times. Last Sunday, the 24-year-old added to the finals tally, but the titles column remained at nought as he went down 15-21, 20-22 to Lin Chun-Yi of Taiwan.A foot blister played a role, as did the fatigue of playing a 97-minute semi-final hours ago. In all, he had occupied the court for 91 minutes more than his vanquisher, Lin. Shoulder fatigue made it a physically one-sided affair even before the feather met the strings.
Suryakumar Yadav receives grand homecoming after India’s T20 World Cup win
“The semi-final I played took a toll on my body, with the cramps I had. I did everything I could to recover well and come back fresh for the final, but it was tough to get back to 100%,” Lakshya said on Tuesday during a media interaction.“The whole week had been demanding with long matches from the very first day, and the muscles got tired. Even during the semi-final, I was cramping a lot, and the fatigue was still there in the final,” Lakshya added. “Of course, my opponent was also playing his fifth match of the week, but I just tried to give it my all and do my best.”The 24-year-old repeated feeling “disheartened” to not walk away with the title while acknowledging the physical duress on his body. Yet, he did what any athlete does: accept that both players started on an even footing, having played five matches in the week.Sen’s week included wins over top seed and World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi; former World No. 6 Angus Ng Ka Long, and sixth seed Li Shi Feng with only one match, barring the final, finishing in two sets.The difference between the Lakshya Sen of 2022 and that of 2026 is in the level of expectations that he attaches to himself. The heartbreak of missing out on the 2024 Paris Olympics medal has made him a more resolute player, too.“I feel the first time when I played the finals of the All England, I was probably still dreaming that whole week that I am playing in such a big event and I have reached the finals. I was enjoying and playing without any expectation, but here when I could reach the closing of the tournament, the semi-finals, the quarter-finals. I was better prepared in certain ways to know what’s coming and how to play in these pressure matches where I have played big events now and was just trying to focus on playing my best.
This time I had that belief throughout the tournament that I can win the tournament
Lakshya Sen, Indian badminton player
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“This time I had that belief throughout the tournament that I can win the tournament. Having come this close, I am also proud and also a little bit disheartened that I couldn’t get the final win.“In 2022 it was a little bit different where I was just trying to see how far I can go. And was just enjoying a bit more without any expectation. But this time I had that belief and also a little bit of expectation with me that if I do certain things I can win the tournament,” said the shuttler.
Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (22) against the Wyoming Cowboys in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
This year’s safety class has become all about Caleb Downs.
Rightfully so as the Ohio State product has all the tools to become a starter at the NFL level. However, there is another defensive back prospect out of Toledo who has begun catching the eyes of many as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches. That player is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
Background
Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
Experience is not an issue for McNeil-Warren heading into the NFL. He began making starts during his sophomore season in 2023 before taking over the role fully during his junior year. While his 2024 season was cut short due to an undisclosed injury. That didn’t seem to hamper him in 2025 though as he bounced back and had another fantastic season for the Rockets.
Strengths
Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) runs the ball against Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
McNeil-Warren is an absolute demon at the safety position against the run. He is not afraid of contact and uses his size to deliver massive hits, hence why he forced nine fumbles over his four years in college, including a MAC-leading four during his sophomore year in 2023. His ability to drive downhill on running lanes in the box and bring some pop is a special trait that NFL defenses will crave.
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The athletic ability should not be slept on either. McNeil-Warren has an innate ability to pick the right lane through blockers and turn his hips to make seamless direction changes, sniffing out the football along the way. His ability to make open field tackles is extremely impressive.
On top of that, among FBS safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps in 2025, he was PFF’s top graded player with a coverage grade of 92.0. He was targeted just 15 times this season, and he gave up just six receptions for 116 yards with five pass breakups.
Weaknesses
Aug 30, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Dante Dowdell (2) jumps over Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Much like Quinyon Mitchell a couple years ago, many of the concerns stem from the level of competition McNeil-Warren went up against in college. It’s easier to make plays when you’re one of the fastest players on the field, but that speed will become the norm at the NFL level.
While tackling has been a strong suit throughout his career, there seemed to be some lapses in focus during his senior season. He more than doubled his missed tackle numbers from six in 2024 to 13 in 2025. H0pefully, that won’t become a trend as a pro.
2026 NFL Draft Projection
Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) and Toledo Rockets safety Maxen Hook (25) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
NFL Draft Projection: Day 1-Day 2 (Mid-Round 1 to Early Round 2)
Team Fits: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers
McNeil-Warren may end up falling a bit further in the draft because of where he played his college football, but at some point, talent is talent. The man is an extremely fun football player to watch, brings tons of energy and physicality, and he has the potential to be a cornerstone for a defense in the NFL.
Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.
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Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey
Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft is a unique mod that drastically increases the game’s difficulty to bizarre levels. The hardest vanilla difficulty is the hardcore mode. In hardcore mode, you will lose the world once you die. While the Impossible Difficulty datapack does not feature the hardcore mechanic, it adds all kinds of other dangers that you cannot even imagine.
Here are more details about the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft.
Features and download guide for Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft
What does the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft offer?
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When you enter a Minecraft vanilla world, you start by punching a tree to get some wood and create a crafting table to make basic tools. However, in the Impossible Difficult datapack for Minecraft, you will not even be able to punch a tree without danger.
When you try to punch a tree, the entire tree will explode and kill you instantly. If you manage to get wood and create a crafting table, the block will terrifyingly convert into a killing machine, with a bazooka and two cutting discs. If you finally defeat all the hostile mobs in a structure and open chests to loot, a custom shulker mob will appear from it and kill you with a laser gun.
Villages will not be safe as well, as villagers will turn into masked serial killers, running towards you with chainsaws. Creepers can randomly multiply all around you, trapping you in a massive explosion, furnace block will become a flamethrower while smelting items, and much more.
In various other bizarre and hilarious ways, the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft makes the game almost unplayable. Despite all this, the unique ways in which the modder has increased the game’s difficulty are worth checking out at least once.
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Below are some of the settings you can change using commands. Make sure to go into creative mode in order to use these commands:
/trigger difficulty set <1-3>
/trigger dragon_difficulty set <1-3>
/trigger toggle_armor_slowdown
/trigger toggle_chest
/trigger toggle_endermen
/trigger toggle_flashbang
/trigger count_features
How to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft?
Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)
Here is a guide to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft:
Make sure you have Minecraft 1.21.1 installed from the official launcher. You can do so by going into Java Edition’s “Installations” tab, create new installation, and selecting 1.21.1.
This summer will mark the 10-year anniversary of Pep Guardiola’s arrival at Manchester City and you can watch our 10 Years of Pep Guardiola special now.
Six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, three Community Shields, one Champions League, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. There is only one Pep Guardiola.
The Manchester City boss arrived on these shores 10 years ago this summer. Since then he has helped to transform English football, taking City fans on a trophy-laden journey they could only have dreamt of experiencing.
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Guardiola has spearheaded City’s domination of English football, with the Blues notching a 100-point season, a Treble and four consecutive Premier League titles along the way. While talk of the Catalan coach’s future continues to swirl, it’s time to take a look back at what has truly been an iconic decade.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
Journalists and prominent City fans have looked back on the Guardiola years, picking out key moments in the boss’ tenure and the highlights of an era of domination. From Pep’s most important game as City boss, his rivalry with Jurgen Klopp, “the best heavyweight battle English football has ever seen” and what comes next, we’ve got it all covered in our 10 years of Pep Guardiola special.
Watch our ’10 years of Pep Guardiola’ special here >>>
It’s the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival – Champion Day.
Leader D’Allier out of Supreme Novices’
The seven-race card gets underway with the Grade 1 SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. There are now 11 runners in the race with Willie Mullins’ Leader D’Allier withdrawn this morning having been found lame.
Nicky Henderson bids to win his sixth Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 40 years after River Ceirog gave him his first victory in the race. He is represented by Old Park Star, the mount of Nico de Boinville.
There is, as usual, a string Irish challenge in the race, with Mighty Park [Mark Walsh], Tale The Talk [J.J. Slevin] and El Cairos [Jack Kennedy] the market leaders among the seven Irish-trained runners.
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Kopek Des Bordes bids for Arkle Chase
Last year’s SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, Kopek Des Bordes, bids to land the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase at 2.00pm.
The Charles McCarthy-owned French-bred faces a field of six, with Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba, and Kargese, the likely main challengers.
Unibet Champion Hurdle
The Unibet Champion Hurdle, the opening day feature race, has a field of 9 runners.
The Champion Hurdle was first run almost a century ago, but only seven mares have won it: African Star (1939), Dawn Run (1984), Flakey Dove (1994), Annie Power (2016), Epatante (2020), Honeysuckle (2021 & 2022) and Golden Ace (2025).
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Three mares in field of nine
This afternoon, there are three mares in the starting line-up: Brighterdaysahead from the Gordon Elliott yard, last year’s winner, Golden Ace, and Lossiemouth from the Mullins yard.
Five of the past ten renewals of the race have been scooped by mares, including achieving a 1-2 in 2022.
No horse in this year’s Unibet Champion Hurdle line-up has had a blemish-free campaign, which is highly unusual.
Thirty-one of the past 35 winners of the race won on their most recent start. Only The New Lion and Brighterdaysahead qualify on that count this year.
Former NBA star Jalen Rose suggested in a recent podcast there was a racial aspect behind certain professional sports leagues having a salary cap.
Rose appeared on a live edition of the “Joe and Jada Unfiltered” podcast last week and said the “only sports that have salary caps are Black led” as he talked about his problem with the system. He named leagues like MLB, NASCAR, golf and tennis that do not have salary caps. Though, he failed to mention that the NHL has a salary cap as roughly two dozen NHL players are Black.
Jalen Rose speaks on stage during Joe and Jada live podcast recording in celebration of Prime Video McDonald’s All American Games documentary Meal Ticket at The Miracle Theater on Feb. 13, 2026 in Inglewood, California.(JC Olivera/Getty Images for Prime Video)
“The second thing is they have no after high school restrictions,” he continued. “So, that’s a residue of slavery because we’re going to get money off of you for multiple years for free. There’s no way around it. So, what happened in the game, it became so obvious because of social media and because of information, it’s like ‘We’re making a billion dollars, we gotta pay them something. That’s how it ended up happening.”
The member of the “Fab Five” Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team added he was “happy” to see players get paid off of their name, image and likeness. But, “if you notice, you still got to pay the system,” he said.
Ray Jackson, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose and Jimmy King of the Michigan Wolverines basketball, collectively known as the “Fab Five.”(ALAN R. KAMUDA, Detroit Free Press)
Rose said another issue of his was eligibility for the pros. He noted that in the NFL, players usually have to be three years removed from high school to enter the NFL. He pointed to all-time greats in the NBA like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett have been productive coming out high school. He didn’t mention the careers of Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, DeSagna Diop and countless others who fizzled out without playing college basketball.
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In baseball, high school players come out and get drafted but start their careers in the minor leagues.
Mike Epps and Jalen Rose are seen in attendance during game six of the eastern conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 31, 2025.(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
MLB is expected to have a fight about whether to have a salary cap in the next round of collective bargaining talks. The league appears to be ready to push for one, while the players have been opposed.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and his former fiancée Sarah Jane Ramos reportedly sent a note to wedding guests notifying them of the cancelation of their nuptials.
TMZ Sports first reported the email that was sent out to guests a month before the wedding was set to take place. The two reportedly called it off over the weekend.
Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos attend an in-store event at David Yurman on May 16, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.( Rick Kern/Getty Images for David Yurman)
“As many of you know, our wedding is currently scheduled to take place in Lake Como, Italy, on Friday April 10, 2026. It is with heavy hearts that we have made the very difficult decision to cancel our wedding,” the note read. “We deeply apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you and we welcome your prayers.”
The email didn’t list the reason behind the decision.
Prescott and Ramos’ relationship had been “rocky” in the weeks leading up to the breakup and things exploded between the two at their joint bachelor and bachelorette parties, TMZ Sports reported on Saturday.
Sarah Jane Ramos and Dak Prescott pose for a photo before Dak Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish Foundation 2024 Gala at Thompson Hotel Dallas on May 17, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.(Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Faith Fight Finish Foundation)
“I truly believe you can get through anything in life as long as you have really great friends. I love these girls so much,” Ramos captioned the collage of snaps.
Prescott was not pictured in any of the 16 photos and videos posted to her social media account.
Ramos also posted photos of her bridal shower back on Feb. 23. There were no photos of Prescott in the carousel either.
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“The most intimate and beautiful bridal shower of my dreams,” she added on Instagram. “So grateful for my aunts who hosted it and my girlfriends and family that came to celebrate. I love you all so much and can’t wait to marry the love of my life with all of you by my side.”
Prescott posted a series of photos on his Instagram of Ramos and his family on July 20, 2025. There’s only a September advertisement posted on his account since.
Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation 2025 Tex-Mex Fiesta at The Rustic on Oct. 30, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.(Omar Vega/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
Jules Segers won the bronze medal in the Super-G, while Aurélie Richard took silver. France now has a total of five medals.
The Champions League round of 16 kicks off on Tuesday. Max Kanter (XDS-Astana) won the second stage of Paris-Nice in Montargis. Novak Djokovic qualified for the third round of the Indian Wells tournament. In the NBA, Victor Wembanyama was named Player of the Week.
Even though GTA 6 is coming out in 2026, GTA Online is still a great game to get into this year. Since it was released in 2013, Rockstar Games has grown the game into the massive multiplayer playground it is today. Everyone can find their niche gaming hobbies in GTA Online, from racing, deathmatches, role-playing, and even harmless, hilarious game modes.
However, if you are entering GTA Online for the first time in 2026, you must know certain details for a smooth entry into its world. Here are some of the details.
What you need to know before starting GTA Online in 2026
Age restriction in some regions
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Firstly, it is worth noting that GTA Online is an 18+ video game, especially since it has nudity and violence. Recently, many countries have imposed strict rules for verifying age for accessing any kind of online content. This also includes GTA Online.
In August 2025, the UK was one of the first countries to make age verification mandatory for online content, under the Online Safety Act. In March 2026, Australia also mandated age verification for any entertainment product that contains adult content.
Hence, if you want to start GTA Online, chances are that you might need to verify your age through a third-party portal. The portal can differ from country to country.
A Safehouse in the Hills is the latest DLC (Image via Rockstar Games)
Rockstar Games has added loads of DLC to GTA Online, almost twice every year since its release. Each of these DLCs has included new cars, weapons, businesses, missions, and even characters. These new features keep players hooked, especially those who have businesses or heists with decent payouts, like the Cayo Perico heist.
Most recently, A Safehouse in the Hills DLC dropped in December 2025, in which mansions were added to the game, along with Michael De Santa as a side character. Because of these two features alone, it is considered one of the best DLCs for the game.
Since GTA 6 will release on November 19, 2026, there is still time for a final DLC for GTA 5 Online in the summer. If you are planning to start the game in 2026, you could start grinding to get a mansion, which could play a key part in the last DLC coming sometime in the summer.
Which businesses to own
Kosatka is one of the best vehicles to own since it enables Cayo Perico Heist (Image via Rockstar Games || GTA Wiki)
Once you start GTA Online, you can be overwhelmed by the number of businesses and properties you can purchase. There are a total of two in-game websites from which you purchase businesses. For a new player, here are some of the best properties/vehicles to purchase and start earning money quickly:
Brickade 6×6 – Acid Lab
MC Business – Meth Lab
Kosatka – Cayo Perico Heist
Salvage Yard – Salvage Yard Robberies
Of course, there are various other great properties that can be a bit expensive, but are lucrative for slightly late-game grind, like Bunker, Nightclub, Agency, etc.
Which vehicles to own
A few vehicles can be quite useful early in the game (Image via Rockstar Games || Sportskeeda)
GTA Online has a wide variety of vehicles. You can use anything from a bicycle to massive fighter jets and submarines. If you are new to the game, you can check out these vehicles to purchase:
Karin Kuruma (Armored) – Fast and armored sports car
Nightshark – Heavy-duty SUV with a ton of armor
Buzzard – Great cheap helicopter to fly around the map
Kosatka – Submarine that allows you to start Cayo Perico Heist
Griefers and hackers in GTA Online
You can encounter loads of griefers and hackers (Image via Rockstar Games || GTA Wiki)
If you are entering GTA Online in 2026, you should know that the game is heavily plagued by griefers and hackers. Even though Rockstar Games has partnered with BattleEye anti-cheat software, some tech-savvy enthusiasts create hack tools that can bypass it. Furthermore, there are some players who simply create chaos for others in lobbies.
Hence, if you are new to the game, it is best to do all the major business missions in an invite-only lobby.
