Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates with teammate Jordan Addison (3) after a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium on Nov. 17, 2024, in Nashville. Jefferson sparked Minnesota’s offense with the scoring play as the Vikings built momentum on the road during an interconference matchup against the Titans. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.
FOX Sports decided to rank all NFL teams’ “supporting casts” this week — and your Minnesota Vikings have the NFL’s 11th-worst. Most fans perceive the team’s playmakers as one of the team’s strengths, but not everyone agrees.
Minnesota has star power at wide receiver, but national perception still lags behind the roster’s actual upside.
Lists of playmaker rankings really don’t mean anything, but they do provide a thermometer of public opinion. The public says the Vikings are mid.
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National Skepticism Follows the Vikings’ Skill Players
Minnesota Vikings wide receivers Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson celebrate a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during second-quarter action on Nov. 24, 2024, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The pair formed one of the NFL’s most explosive receiving duos in 2024 as Minnesota continued leaning heavily on Kevin O’Connell’s aggressive passing attack. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
MIN’s Ranking from FOX Sports
Ranking just ahead of the New Orleans Saints’ supporting cast, Ralph Vacchiano explained Minnesota at No. 22: “They certainly have given whomever is their quarterback some good receivers to work with. Justin Jefferson is as good as any in football when everything is working right with the offense, and Jordan Addison is a strong No. 2. The Vikings also went out and added the underrated Jauan Jennings to give the QB another option. And TE T.J. Hockenson is a big weapon in the passing game, too — at least when he’s healthy.”
“Beyond that, though, they really have to lean into the mind of head coach Kevin O’Connell because there are some issues. The offensive line was not good nor healthy last season.”
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Because of Jefferson and Addison on the roster, most Vikings fans expected Minnesota to check in within this ranking’s Top 15. No cigar.
“And they lean way too much on 32-year-old, oft-injured RB Aaron Jones. That lack of a dependable running game is big. It’s why defenses could tee off on Vikings QBs, who were sacked 60 times last season — tied for second-most in the league,” Vacchiano concluded.
Lower Than the … Giants, Steelers, and Patriots?
Vacchiano strangely ranked the Vikings’ playmakers beneath the New York (Giants), Pittsburgh, and New England groups. The Giants have Malik Nabers (injured) and Cam Skattebo (injured). The Steelers showcase DK Metcalf and Jaylen Warren. The Patriots? Treveyon Henderson and Kayshon Boutte. What are we doing? What’s going on?
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On the Patriots’ weaponry, Vacchiano noted, “The Pats currently have a bunch of role players in the passing game. Romeo Doubs is a solid No. 2. Kayshon Boutte is a deep threat. And Mack Hollins is a big target, but needs a reduced role at age 32. New England’s strength is in the potent 1-2 RB punch of TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson.”
“But the real key for this team will be the offensive line. It improved from 2024 yet still gave up a ridiculous 47 sacks in the regular season and a record 21 in four playoff games. There’s a good argument about whether those crazy numbers were more the fault of Drake Maye or his line. But it doesn’t matter. The young QB won’t survive another year like that, especially against a much tougher schedule.”
Doubs, Henderson, and Boutte should not take the cake over Jefferson, Addison, Jennings, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason. It doesn’t make sense.
How Much Worse without Jennings?
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The Vikings recently signed Jennings from free agency; in theory, had they not, the ranking on Vacchiano’s list might’ve been even more egregious, possibly three to five spots lower.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings enters the field before kickoff against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 14, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Jennings continued carving out a larger offensive role in San Francisco after becoming known leaguewide for his physical blocking style and dependable production in key situations. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Still, Jennings is poised to make a significant impact in Minnesota. He’ll seamlessly integrate into three-receiver sets alongside Jefferson and Addison, presenting a formidable challenge for defenses on passing downs. With multiple threats, a favorable matchup would often emerge, and Jennings would be well-positioned to exploit it.
He’ll also likely see a substantial increase in targets within O’Connell’s offense compared to his time in San Francisco. Jennings already embodies the gritty, ‘dirty-work’ mentality Minnesota values, particularly as an elite blocker — a crucial asset for this offense. His role would be genuine, not merely ornamental.
Furthermore, should Jefferson or Addison miss any time, Jennings would immediately elevate to WR1-WR2 status.
The RB Effect?
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The culprit behind the FOX Sports clunker regarding Minnesota must be the running backs. Jones is old, and Mason has never experienced an extended run as an RB1. For example, while the Vikings have Jones, Mason, and rookie Demond Claiborne, a team like the Denver Broncos has these options at RB:
JK Dobbins
RJ Harvey
Jonah Coleman
It’s also worth noting that Minnesota has not run the football particularly well under O’Connell.
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones reacts after a game on Dec. 7, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jones remained a central piece of Minnesota’s offense during the 2025 campaign, providing veteran stability in the backfield while contributing as both a runner and pass-catching option for the Vikings. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
If you’re looking for an explanation for why the Vikings’ supporting cast must be so putrid compared to fans’ expectations, it must be the running backs. It’s the only thing that makes sense. It’s impossible to look at a WR room with Jefferson and Addison, and say, “Yeah, Romeo Doubs and Kayhson Boutte are better than that.”
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
He’s grown up watching matches on Centre Court and his game is inspired by the legendary Andre Agassi – learn all about British wildcard Arthur Fery ahead of his quarter-final match against Flavio Cobolli at Wimbledon 2026.
Milwaukee has won four straight games and seven in a row against St. Louis. The Cardinals lost their fourth straight.
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Gasser (2-3) allowed just a two-run homer to Nelson Velázquez. He struck out four, walked one and scattered four hits.
Cooper Pratt gave the Brewers a 1-0 lead with a leadoff triple in the third inning and scored on a Christian Yelich groundout.
Luis Lara, in his major league debut, got his first hit and RBI with a two-run single that gave the Brewers a 3-0 lead in the fifth.
Milwaukee broke it open with seven runs against Cardinals reliever Jared Shuster in the seventh. Ortiz started the outburst with a solo homer and Brice Turang, Gary Sánchez, Jackson Chourio and Pratt followed with RBI hits.
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Cardinals starter Hunter Dobbins (1-1), who was appointed the team’s 27th man for the doubleheader, allowed three runs on four hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked three.
With St. Louis trailing by eight, infielder Bryan Torres pitched two scoreless innings of relief.
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Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (3-7, 3.12 ERA) will make his final start before the All-Star break after having turn in the rotation pushed back a day. The Brewers counter with LHP Kyle Harrison (8-1, 2.82 ERA) in the fourth game of their five-game series on Wednesday night.
LeBron James is one of the latest people who stood up for Philadelphia 76ers star Jaylen Brown. There has been some noise about how Brown was treated by the Boston Celtics, trading him to an Eastern Conference rival for Paul George and future draft picks.
After the deal, there have been reports from anonymous sources about how the league had “mixed” opinions about the NBA star. According to the reports, not everyone likes Brown, especially his off-season activities.
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Former NBA player Austin Rivers posted a video on Instagram and addressed the “schmear campaign” from “anonymous campaigns.”
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“He’s done nothing wrong,” Rivers said. “My man just works hard. Yeah, he has a stream and he does all these other stuff, and he is very outspoken and that can ruffle feathers and ‘scare teams’ from what I’m hearing, for whatever reason. But the only thing that really matters is the guy just shows up and plays.
“Now we got a schmear campaign by a bunch of anonymous sources, nobody puts their name out, of course. It’s a bunch of twerps and the NBA is filled with them. A lot of them who have no background in basketball, never really put any weight or any work or sweat in the game. They’re just people who got a part in an organization and have just lasted.”
LeBron James responded on Instagram by reposting the video and sharing it on his stories.
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“PUT A FKN NAME ON IT!” James posted.
James defended Jaylen Brown amid the criticism from anonymous sources after the Celtics-76ers trade.
Since many believed Boston didn’t receive enough in return, the Celtics-76ers transaction also generated a lot of buzz. Brown had just finished the best season of his career, averaging 28.7 points, leading the team to a 56-26 record and finishing sixth in the MVP voting.
George, meanwhile, appeared in 37 games, averaging 17.3 points in his second season in Philly. He also served a 25-game suspension without pay for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.
LeBron James And Jaylen Brown Could Team-Up in Philly
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the teams that are rumored to pursue LeBron James this summer. The conversations about James potentially landing in Philly started after the franchise traded for Jaylen Brown, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
“When the Sixers got Jaylen Brown, I did some research, and I found out within 24 hours, he (LeBron) is taking their pitch very seriously,” Charania said. “When I talk to teams now, I have a hierarchy of Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, and then some teams on the peripheral.”
Having LeBron James team up with Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe could give the 76ers enough push to dominate the East.
Manchester United icon Gary Neville has reacted to Lisandro Martinez’s performance for Argentina in their win over Egypt in the World Cup
Gary Neville has issued a blunt verdict on Lisandro Martinez’s performance for Argentina with a clear message about the Manchester United defender. Martinez helped his country record one of the most dramatic victories at the World Cup so far in Atlanta on Tuesday evening.
Argentina came from two goals down late in the second half to record a 3-2 victory over Egypt in the last-16 tie at the World Cup, with Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez on the score sheet.
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Martinez started in defence alongside Romero for Argentina and played a key role in helping his country keep their hopes alive of defending their crown.
The United defender went into the game on the back of scoring in Argentina’s 3-2 win over Cape Verde in the previous round of the tournament.
Neville has given a mixed verdict on Martinez’s performance for Argentina, explaining the positives and negatives of the way the United defender plays.
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“You watch [Cristian] Romero and [Lisandro] Martinez, and they’re the best ‘worst centre-halves’ in the world,” Neville said during ITV’s post-match coverage.
“You watch them, they give goals away constantly. But they don’t care about giving goals away because they’ll score goals at the other end. They have massive personalities and they keep going.
“Look, at that point in the game, you think Argentina are hanging on for dear life. They’re fighting for their lives and Romero is part of that comeback, you know what I mean? Why is he there?
“You always ask the questions: ‘why is Martinez scoring in the last game? Why is Romero scoring there?’ Because they don’t give in and they fight, and they fight, and they fight.”
Fellow United legend Roy Keane was alongside Neville in the ITV studio and praised Romero following the Tottenham defender’s goal against Egypt.
“It’s his movement,” Keane said. “It’s obviously a brilliant delivery. His movement is like a striker, he just peels off the back of the defender.
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“Yes, it’s poor defending, they’re trying to hold a high line. But his movement and his timing is like a top-class striker. Absolutely fantastic. We go back to that desire to try and get back in the game.”
Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana, who injured his right knee in the 19th minute of Monday’s 4-1 win against the United States in the round of 16, will miss the remainder of the World Cup.
In a statement released by the Belgian soccer federation, team doctor Brahim Hacene said medical examinations confirmed that Onana ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee.
“This is devastating news,” Hacene said, “both for him personally and for the team.”
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The 24-year-old Onana appeared in four games at the World Cup for Belgium, and made his second start of the tournament against the USA. Onana also played in two games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and scored a goal in a 5-2 blowout win over the U.S. in a World Cup warmup match in March. He was replaced in the 21st minute on Monday by Hans Vanaken, who scored one of Belgium’s four goals.
Onana has been with Aston Villa of the Premier League since 2024, and previously played for Everton.
“We immediately consulted with Amadou and with Aston Villa to agree on the best approach to his recovery,” Hacene said. “Over the coming days, we will jointly determine the next steps in his medical treatment and rehabilitation. Throughout this process, we will continue to provide Amadou with our full support.”
Onana will stay with the Red Devils for their quarterfinal match against 2010 champion Spain on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium for a semifinal berth against France or Morocco. There are no other significant injuries to Belgium’s roster, according to the statement.
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Midfielder Jérémy Doku, who didn’t start for Belgium on Monday but came off the bench as his fitness remains an issue, participated in Tuesday’s training session. So did midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who did not play on Monday.
Ruben Vargas converted the final penalty to send Switzerland to their first World Cup quarter-final since 1954 after a goalless stalemate against Colombia in Vancouver on Tuesday. The Swiss go on to face title holders Argentina, who survived an almighty scare against Egypt earlier in the day.
One of the most dramatic matches of the FIFA World Cup unfolded Tuesday afternoon at Atlanta Stadium.
After next week’s World Cup semifinal, the stadium will shed its tournament identity. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will reclaim its name, and the natural grass installed for the tournament will give way to the artificial turf used for Falcons games before Atlanta hosts the Denver Broncos in a preseason game next month.
While the retractable-roof stadium continues to host World Cup drama, its regular tenant knows all too well what it’s like to be at the center of football heartbreak.
Lionel Messi (10) of Argentina celebrates with teammates after the 3-2 victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 07, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.(Patrick Smith – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
More than nine years ago, Tom Brady engineered one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, rallying the New England Patriots from a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Falcons in overtime in Super Bowl LI.
Moments after Lionel Messi equalized in the 83rd minute to erase Argentina’s two-goal deficit against Egypt, Enzo Fernández completed the comeback with a header as the final minutes ticked off the clock. Brady then took to social media, drawing a comparison to the Patriots 2017 comeback.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium on Feb 5, 2017, in Houston, Texas.(Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
“Yeah so that might top 28-3,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner wrote on X, adding a mind-blown emoji.
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Egypt got on the board first on Tuesday afternoon, courtesy of Yasser Ibrahim’s goal in the 15th minute. His teammate Mostafa Zico followed with a score in the 67th to build Egypt’s lead to 2-0.
Messi helped guide Argentina to its first World Cup title in four years, defeating France in a final that was ultimately decided by penalty kicks.
Lionel Messi (10) of Argentina celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 7, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.(Elsa/Getty Images)
Argentina’s 3-2 comeback Tuesday booked its place in the quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of Switzerland and Colombia on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri. Switzerland and Colombia were scoreless at halftime of their Round of 16 match.
Speaking to the Ring Magazine, Canelo said he would love the opportunity to share the ring with Crawford once again.
“I hope that [Crawford] fight happens again. That’s what I hope, and I think it would be amazing for fans, too, right? For everybody. It’s a big fight. I hope I get my rematch.”
In an interview with the same outlet earlier this year, he was a little more bullish when asked if he was upset that Crawford had retired without ‘giving him the opportunity back’.
“Yeah, of course. I always give him credit, but we need to run it back. I didn’t feel the way I wanted to and I need to make it happen again and it’s gonna be different. I think for him to deserve all the credit, he needs to give me the rematch.”
Despite Canelo’s willingness and the potential mega payday, Crawford has consistently said that he is happy in retirement. It leaves the Mexican to focus on the current challenges in the super-middleweight division, with champions Hamzah Sheeraz and Osleys Iglesias waiting should he beat Mbilli in Saudi Arabia this October.
Gregor Kobel is Switzerland’s penalty hero, after pulling off a stunning shootout save from Colombia’s Cucho Hernandez to help set up a quarter-final clash with Argentina.
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