Feb 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) against Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
After another top defensive performance, the Los Angeles Clippers return home Monday to face the Philadelphia 76ers at Inglewood, Calif., as their NBA-best run of success is now over a month old.
The Clippers improved to 17-4 since Dec. 20 with a 117-93 victory on Sunday over the host Phoenix Suns that came without the services of veteran James Harden, who was out on the first day of a back-to-back for personal reasons.
Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points for Los Angeles and had plenty of help from Jordan Miller, who scored 20 points off the bench, while center Ivica Zubac had 20 rebounds with 14 points. It was Zubac’s first 20-rebound game of the campaign after hitting that mark five times last seasons.
Los Angeles is ninth in the Western Conference standings, one game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers sit three games behind the Golden State Warriors for eighth place.
Leonard’s play has led the Clippers’ resurgence, while team defense has made a major impact. Los Angeles has held opponents under 100 points six times during their current run of success.
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“Playing together, trusting, believing, and just playing for one another,” Los Angeles head coach Tyronn Lue said about the recent stretch. “James (Harden) was out tonight and he is one of our big dogs, but other guys stepped up in his absence.
“… Once we hit that rough start at 6-21, once we challenged the guys, they’ve really taken off and they’ve really been good.”
The Clippers are 10-1 at home since their turnaround began, including five consecutive victories.
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The 76ers arrive in the Los Angeles area on a three-game winning streak after a 124-114 home victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Joel Embiid scored a season-high 40 points for Philadelphia with 11 rebounds.
Embiid was 13 of 27 from the floor (48.1%) and matched a season high with three 3-pointers on five attempts. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 points with 10 rebounds and All-Star Game starter Tyrese Maxey had 18 points with eight assists.
The win streak has come after the Sixers lost five of seven games going back to Jan. 14.
Embiid has averaged 26.2 points in 28 games and has at least 29 points in seven consecutive games but was not selected an All-Star reserve on Sunday. Leonard was not named, either, even as he has averaged 27.7 points in 34 games for the Clippers. Both have delivered despite histories of chronic knee issues.
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Leonard could be a candidate to replace Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf injury).
“Keep pushing,” Embiid said. “It was supposed to be basically a tryout for next year and moving forward. How are we going to do this? I would say I think we figured out the schedule and what we have to do every single day to make sure that I’m prepared and I feel good.”
Sunday’s game was expected to be the return of Philadelphia’s Paul George against one of his former teams, but that was derailed by George’s 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. His suspension was handed down before Saturday’s game.
Without their sharpshooter in George, the Sixers still went 17 of 36 (47.2%) from 3-point range Saturday against New Orleans, tied for their second-best accuracy mark from distance this season.
Lionel Messi discussed his regret of not having learnt English when he was in school in a recent interview. The legendary Argentine is known to communicate in Spanish, having spoken English only on rare occasions.
In an appearance on the Miro De Atras podcast, Lionel Messi shared that he regrets not having learnt English in school. He said (via All About Argentina):
Thanks for the submission!
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“Not having learned English as a kid. I had the time to study at least English and I didn’t do it, and I regret it a lot. Later I found myself in situations where I was with incredible, amazing personalities, and I could have had a conversation with them but instead you feel kind of ignorant…”
Lionel Messi usually communicated in Spanish. He is also fluent in Catalan, having spent 17 years playing for Barcelona. However, he has been spotted speaking English a few times for advertisements. Some examples include a commercial for the movie Bad Boys starring Will Smith, a moment speaking to a referee during a recent MLS clash, and an eFootball commercial.
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The current MLS year did not begin well for Lionel Messi, as Inter Miami suffered a 3-0 loss to Los Angeles FC in their opening MLS game on Sunday, February 2022. The Argentine led the Herons to their first MLS Cup last year and was also the winner of the MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals to his name. He was also named the MLS MVP (Most Valuable Player) for the second consecutive time.
After a rough start, all eyes will be on Messi to replicate the previous year’s success with Inter Miami.
“We should never stop enjoying life”- Lionel Messi shares valuable advice for his fans
In his aforementioned interview on the MDA podcast, Lionel Messi discussed multiple facets of his life, including sharing his message for his fans and followers. The legend of the game believed one should always enjoy the present, and said (via All About Argentina):
“Today is a good day to enjoy. Sometimes it’s hard. Not all of us go through the same things, and there are people dealing with different and difficult situations too. But we should never stop enjoying life. Like I said before, today I enjoy much more what happens to me, what I do, my family, my children, the day-to-day life, the small things. And well, it’s always a good day to enjoy, because we don’t know what might happen tomorrow.”
Apart from the new MLS season, fans are also eagerly looking forward to Lionel Messi leading Argentina once again in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after his triumph in 2022. However, the Argentine has yet to confirm his decision to play or not. He is also expected to feature in the 2026 Finalissima, where Argentina will face Spain in Qatar on March 27.
Floyd Mayweather is set to return to professional boxing this year and pound-for-pound superstar Shakur Stevenson has revealed whether he would be willing to take on the 49-year-old, five division champion.
‘TBE’ hung up the gloves with a perfect 50-0 record back in 2017 after a knockout victory in a lucrative showdown with Conor McGregor, but Mayweather has continued to box in exhibition bouts ever since and has repeatedly warned that he may return to the professional scene.
His return will indeed come against former foe Pacquiao, after it was announced on Monday that the pair are set to meet in a rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September, with the event broadcast live on Netflix.
After hearing the news of Mayweather’s return, Stevenson shot down any chances of him fighting the boxing legend down the line, admitting in an interview with DAZN that he doesn’t want to face somebody that ‘he looks up to’.
“Hell no, [I wouldn’t fight Floyd]. Understand this, I would not fight Floyd because I have watched him for years and years and years, and I look up to him.
“I don’t want to be in the ring with somebody that I look up to and no disrespect but he is older now, so I’m not trying to punch on my GOAT.”
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) audibles during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
If the Steelers know the options on the table for 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan wasn’t ready to reveal any of the cards in play for either side.
Khan wouldn’t say whether Rodgers is considering retirement or other offers as an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 11.
“That’s a question for Aaron. He knows how we feel. I think we know how he feels about us,” Khan said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “It was a good experience for both sides. Unfortunately we didn’t reach our goals on winning the games we wanted to at the end. But there’s a mutual respect there.”
Pittsburgh hosts the 2026 NFL Draft in April and Khan said he’s been working at warp speed to get on the same page with new head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy returned to the NFL sideline after one season away.
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Khan said McCarthy, who last coached with the Cowboys, was a fan of quarterback Will Howard coming out of Ohio State and is excited to work with him. Howard was Pittsburgh’s sixth-round pick in 2025 but landed on injured reserve in August because of a fractured hand. He returned to practice in November.
“We mentioned Aaron, but we all agree that we’re looking for that next franchise guy,” Khan said. “We’re not there yet, and we may have the guy on the roster, we don’t know, in Will, and we’re excited to work with Will. We all know that has to be addressed, and we’re all looking for the same thing, we’re just not there yet.”
Rodgers came to Pittsburgh to play for Mike Tomlin, who resigned after the Steelers’ loss to the Houston Texans in the playoffs. But he won a Super Bowl with McCarthy during his prodigious run as quarterback of the Packers.
Khan said he spoke to Rodgers last week and the Steelers made it clear “the door is open to have Aaron back.”
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Last offseason, Tomlin and the Steelers kept the door open for Rodgers until he finally made his signing official on June 6. Khan said neither side wants to delay a deal or “see it drag on like it did last year.”
Norway’s Bodo/Glimt’s fairytale run in the Champions League continued as they knocked out last year’s finalists Inter Milan in one of the tournament’s biggest ever shocks.
A season on from becoming the first Norwegian side to reach the semi-finals of a European competition, following their impressive run in the Europa League, head coach Kjetil Knutsen’s minnows have continued their remarkable rise by qualifying for the Champions League last-16, and as tournament debutants. Bodo/Glimt also operate on a budget that is a fraction of the size of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Bodo/Glimt, who were in Norway’s second-tier as recently as 2017, are the northernmost team to ever play in the Champions League. Based in the small town of Bodo, a 16-hour drive north of Oslo and inside the edge of the Arctic Circle, its whole population of 55,000 could have travelled to Inter’s iconic San Siro and there still would have been plenty of empty seats.
Bodo/Glimt have now beaten Man City, Atletico and Inter to reach the last-16 of the Champions League (Getty Images)
Remarkably, Knutsen’s team are also in their off-season; the Norwegian top-flight ended on 30 November 2025 due to the winter and will only resume when spring arrives in April. But, in that time, Bodo/Glimt have beaten Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and knocked out Italian giants Inter, the runaway Serie A leaders, by beating them home and away
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Bodo/Glimt took a two-goal lead to the San Siro after a stunning 3-1 victory in Norway, where they have developed an outstanding record on the artificial surface at their 9,000-capacity Aspmyra Stadion. Then, on Tuesday night, they survived long spells of pressure before Jens Petter Hauge punished Manuel Akanji’s error to silence the San Siro.
As Bodo/Glimt started to play with confidence, Hakon Evjen added an excellent second on the counter-attack, leaving Inter with a mountain to climb even as Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back. A 5-2 victory on aggregate will not only signal a crisis at Inter, the three-time European champions, and in Italian football as a whole, but it will also send shockwaves around European football.
In Norway, they will celebrate a first Norwegian side to win a knockout tie in the Champions League since 1987-88. While Bodo/Glimt are also the first team outside of Europe’s big five leagues to win four consecutive games against teams from England, Spain, Italy and France since Johan Cruff’s Ajax in 1971-72. They went on to win the European Cup that season, too.
This stuff isn’t suppose to happen in Europe these days.
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Trust the process
Bodo/Glimt’s close-knit, team-first environment is often hailed as the key ingredient behind their remarkable journey. Head coach Knutsen, who has been in charge since 2018 has been linked with several major jobs and bigger leagues during the club’s rise, but has turned down offers to remain with Bodo/Glimt, where he recently signed a contract until 2029.
“For me, the people are the most important thing,” he told TV 2 in January. “That means more than all the trophies. You always work to win something, and that’s great. But the joy of winning it together with someone means the most. There has to be an environment where people care about each other – and I feel we have created that in Bodo/Glimt.”
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Kjetil Knutsen has helped Bodo/Glimt from the second division of Norwegian football to the last-16 of the Champions League (Getty Images)
Hauge, Bodo/Glimt’s top goalscorer in the Champions League this season, now with six goals in nine games, is an example of that spirit. The 26-year-old was signed by AC Milan in 2020 after helping his hometown club’s early rise, before playing for Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany and Gent in Belgium as he attempted to make it at a higher level of European football.
But Hauge, upon returning to Bodo, had the same realisation as some of his team-mates that home was the best place for him after all. It has helped fuel the sense of togetherness at a club that feels as if it has created something special.
Jens Hauge, who moved to AC Milan earlier in this career, celebrates his goal in the San Siro (AFP via Getty Images)
Then there is the impact of Bjørn Mannsverk, a former fighter pilot turned mental coach whose unconventional methods are also part of the club’s story. Mannsverk walked into the club when they were in the second division of Norwegian football in 2017 but revolutionised the team’s behaviour through meditation and embracing the process, rather than results on the pitch.
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“It is a fairy tale, almost a miracle,” Mannsverk told The Associated Press last season. “How can you actually come from the second division in 2017 to playing Champions League… But I think it’s possible … if you have the right mentality and you work hard over time.”
The European journey
Bodo/Glimt won the Norwegian top flight for the first time in 2020, repeating that success in 2021, 2023 and 2024, but it is on the European stage where their story has gone mainstream.
They produced their first major shock in 2021 by beating Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 in the group stage of the Europa Conference League, becoming the first team to put six past a Mourinho defence. They also defeated Celtic in the knockout rounds, before falling to a defeat to Roma in an ill-tempered quarter-final.
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On their plastic pitch, Bodo/Glimt formed a formidable home record in last season’s Europa League run, beating Twente, Olympiacos and Lazio before defeat to eventual winners Tottenham in the semi-finals.
Bodo/Glimt are from a population of 55,000 based inside the Arctic Circle (Getty Images)
A first appearance in the Champions League was not entirely going to plan after the first six matches. Ahead of hosting Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in January, Bodo/Glimt were winless and their hopes of reaching the knockout play-offs were hanging by a thread.
But Erling Haaland’s homecoming to Norway was overshadowed by a dominant performance from Bodo/Glimt, who added their biggest scalp yet. Then, two weeks later, they went to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid and came from behind to win 2-1 and squeeze through from the league phase.
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The play-off draw handed Bodo/Glimt with a daunting tie against Inter, the Italian leaders and last year’s Champions League finalists. Sensationally, their story is not done there and they will face either a rematch with City or Sporting in the last-16.
Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in search of a seventh year of eligibility, his agent tells CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer. Morris filed the suit in a Virginia state court after the NCAA denied in January his request for an eligibility waiver.
The basis of Morris’ waiver request was that he sustained injuries at TCU in 2022 and 2023, and he argued that he should have qualified for medical redshirts in both campaigns. Morris played four games in 2022 and seven games in 2023 after utilizing a redshirt in 2021. His 2020 season at Oklahoma did not count toward his eligibility clock due to the one-time waiver granted to all athletes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morris stayed healthy each of the last two seasons and played full campaigns at North Texas and Virginia. He led the American conference in passing yards (3,774) and touchdowns (31) in 2024 and transitioned nicely to the ACC, where he guided Virginia to the first 11-win season in program history and a berth in the conference championship game.
If the court grants Morris relief against the NCAA’s eligibility rules, he could return to Virginia in search of College Football Playoff contention. The Cavaliers climbed as high as No. 14 in last season’s CFP Top 25 rankings and would have secured an automatic berth into the bracket had they defeated Duke in the ACC title game.
Morris’ suit against the NCAA is the latest example of an athlete attempting to use the court system to gain additional eligibility. These cases have largely defined the early portion of the college football offseason, and athletes found mixed results.
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A Missississippi judge grantedOle Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss a temporary injunction that will allow him to spend another season with the Rebels on the heels of a stellar debut campaign as one of the SEC’s top signal-callers. Chambliss made a similar petition to Morris, stating that he was physically unable to compete in 2022 due to a respiratory condition.
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar, meanwhile, was denied injunctive relief in a ruling that served as a major victory for the NCAA. Aguilar’s case was different from the others, as he argued that his years spent in junior college should not count against his NCAA eligibility clock. That was the argument former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia used to gain an additional year in a landmark case last offseason.
The Minnesota Vikings have two running backs under contract for 2026: Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. And if they’re in the mood late in the 2026 NFL Draft or in undrafted free agency, they could parley a pre-draft visit with North Carolina Central’s Chris Mosley into a roster spot.
Mosley profiles as a later-round or UDFA option as Minnesota maps life beyond Aaron Jones.
Mosley met with the Vikings and a handful of other NFL teams this week, as the NFL Combine is underway in Indianapolis.
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What Mosley Could Offer a Crowded Vikings Backfield Picture
Here’s one for your UDFA scorecard.
North Carolina Central running back Chris Mosley carries the ball during a Week 7 matchup against Florida A&M on Oct. 11, 2025, at Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. Mosley worked between the tackles as North Carolina Central tested the Rattlers defense during conference play. Mandatory Credit: Gerald Thomas-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
Vikings Meet with Mosley
Minnesota is evidently in on the Mosley sweepstakes. SI.com‘s Justin Melo tweeted Monday:
Nice HBCU Legacy Bowl for North Carolina Central football RB Chris Mosley, who rushed for 1,017 yards + 8 TDs this past season.
Mosley met with the following teams, per source:
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Jaguars
Until the Melo tweet, most Vikings fans had never heard of Mosley. Now is as good a time as any to remember the name, especially for a franchise that loves unearthing undrafted free-agent playmakers after the draft.
Who is Chris Mosley?
Mosley is 5’10 and 180 pounds, profiling as more of a scatback, perhaps akin to Jerick McKinnon of Vikings yesteryear. Regarding Minnesota’s 2026 offseason plan, he probably shouldn’t be considered the RB1 solution in a room that already features Jones and Mason.
The rookie logged 1,020 rushing yards last season, with 8 rushing touchdowns, in addition to 30 catches for 324 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He’s versatile.
SI.com‘s Gerald Huggins II on Mosley: “Chris Mosley is a running back with above-average linear speed, combined with toughness and quickness as a runner, despite his below-average size for the position. His frame is lean, with limited bulk, and he shows good change of direction in congestion. He does a good job of fitting through congestion, with an early burst and acceleration.”
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“He shows patience to allow his pullers to set up blocks for him. Mosley welcomes contact, runs behind his pads, and shows adequate forward lean with a pinball-like running style. His contact balance is good, and he sinks into his frame to make timely jump cuts, with good vision to process openings in congestion. He requires refinement as a route-runner, but works best on screens, swings, and check-downs, showing urgency to gain yards after the catch.”
Mosley must have some pizazz, evidenced by the number of NFL teams meeting with a relative unknown before the draft.
Huggins II added, “In pass protection, he lacks stoutness, struggles against blitzers, and does not consistently hold up. Mosley projects as an NFL camp/2nd-tier league starter who will be most impactful in a power-heavy running scheme that allows him to utilize his vision, patience, and toughness.”
“His toughness as a runner and ability to consistently gain positive yardage give him upside to be an RB3 or 4 at the NFL level. He will need to refine his receiving ability and pass protection to be a more serviceable option.”
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Probably Not an Emphatic Solution
From free agency, a few headliners will seek new teams, including running backs Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker III, Breece Hall, JK Dobbins, and Rachaad White. Most Vikings fans have assumed that if Minnesota wants to improve the rushing offense, they’ll swing for somebody younger than Jones, who will turn 32 during the 2026 regular season.
A North Carolina Central Eagles helmet rests on the sideline before kickoff against Grambling State on Dec. 17, 2016, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Team equipment sat ready before players took the field for the postseason matchup between the two historically successful programs. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports.
In the draft, notable running backs like Jeremyiah Love, Jadarian Price, Jonah Coleman, Emmett Johnson, and Nick Singleton are expected to fly off the board by the end of Round 4.
Conversely, Mosley isn’t quite like all these men. He’s closer to another version of Vikings running back Zavier Scott, who held the RB3 role in 2025.
Aaron Jones’s Future Looms
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Jones logged just 548 rushing yards in 2025, his lowest total since his rookie season in 2017, when he battled injuries and a crowded Green Bay Packers’ depth chart. He still logged 4.2 yards per carry, but his teammate, Mason, took a more prominent role, probably because of his youth and production.
The veteran tailback is paid handsomely, extended last year by former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for $10 million per season, a contract that caught some off guard due to Jones’s age. Well, he showed up to 2025, battled injuries, and experienced a dip in efficiency. That’s how it goes for aging halfbacks.
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones reacts after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 24, 2024, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Jones celebrated the scoring play as Minnesota built momentum in a divisional road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images.
Minnesota could release Jones in the next couple of weeks while saving up to $7.75 million. He’s a frequent cut candidate among Vikings fans and analysts. The Vikings could also restructure his contract.
Mosley is nowhere to be found on the Consensus Draft Big Board, and that is over 700 players deep. He’s a sleeper’s sleeper.
Ryan Garcia’s world title win has the boxing world talking about a potential grudge rematch with Devin Haney, but reigning WBA welterweight champion Rolando Romero does not believe it would be competitive.
That moment came almost two years after his first scheduled world title challenge, when ‘King Ry’ was supposed to fight for the WBC super-lightweight title against Haney, but missed the weight beforehand and thus lost the opportunity to win the belt.
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Garcia pulled off the upset to hand Haney a first career defeat, but the result was then overturned to a no-contest when it was revealed Garcia had tested positive for performance enhancing drug Ostarine.
After serving a one-year ban, Garcia would then lose to Romero in a second bid for a belt. Speaking to K.O. Artist Sports following Garcia’s win, ‘Rolly’ said that Garcia is ‘scared’ to rematch him, after witnessing the Californian call out Shakur Stevenson in his post-fight interview.
“That dude is scared of me, you can’t tell?”
Despite the Stevenson call-out, anticipation is beginning to build for a fierce rematch with Haney, now a unification since the latter beat Brian Norman Jr for the WBO welterweight title. If it happens, Romero predicts that Garcia will get the job done inside of the distance this time around.
“Bro, come on, don’t talk to me about that kind of stuff. Devin sucks.
“Of course [I want to see the Haney-Garcia rematch], I want to see Devin get knocked out.”
Former Alpine driver Jack Doohan recently came out and revealed that he received death threats during the 2025 season. The Australian driver was demoted by the French team after the Miami GP, and Franco Colapinto was assigned as his replacement.
Jack Doohan had been a part of Alpine Academy since the 2022 season and became the F1 team’s reserve driver starting in 2023. With Esteban Ocon moving to Haas ahead of the 2025 season, Colapinto got his big F1 break and was announced by Alpine to partner Pierre Gasly.
However, just six races into the 2025 season, the Australian was sacked by the Enstone-based team amid poor results since making his debut. Doohan failed to score a single point in the first six races of the season, which included a DNF in Australia and Miami.
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Formula 1 Testing in Bahrain – Day 2 – Source: Getty
The former Alpine driver speaking on Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries detailed the death threats he received ahead of the Miami GP. As reported by The Times, the French driver said,
“I got serious death threats for this [Miami] Grand Prix, saying they’re going to kill me here, if I’m not out of the car. I had six or seven emails saying if I am still in the car by Miami, all my limbs will be cut off.“
“Wednesday, I was there with my f***ing girlfriend and my trainer, and I’ve got three armed men around me — I had to call my police escort to come and get it under control. I wasn’t able to enjoy being a Formula 1 driver, something I dreamt of for so long. So yeah, it’s pretty s**t,” added Jack Doohan
Franco Colapinto, who replaced Doohan, was signed on a race-by-race basis. Going into 2026, the Argentine had been confirmed on a one-year contract with Pierre Gasly as his teammate.
Former Alpine driver Jack Doohan joins Haas as reserve driver for the 2026 season
After being reverted to a reserve driver role for the remainder of the 2025 season, Jack Doohan came out earlier this month and announced that he will be joining the Haas F1 team as the reserve driver for the upcoming season. Speaking about the opportunity to join Haas, Doohan said,
“I’m thrilled to be joining TGR Haas F1 Team. It’s the ideal place to continue my Formula 1 career. I would like to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to grow and take on the great challenge of 2026 together. I’m eager to begin working with the team and collaborating on a successful season.”
The Australian driver in the reserve driver role will partner with full-time drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman to form the 2026 driver lineup
Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) slaps hands with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell after a made field goal against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
In 2024, J.J. McCarthy became the theorized solution for the Minnesota Vikings at quarterback. In 2025, the rubber hit the road for him to strut his stuff. In 2026, the pressure is on, so much so that McCarthy is on the hot seat, says CBS Sports.
It’s a prove-it season for McCarthy: stay healthy, win the job early, and stop leaving the door open.
Tyler Sullivan sized up all quarterbacks on the hot seat in 2026, and McCarthy checked in at No. 2 behind Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns.
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Minnesota’s QB Room Has a Man on the Hot Seat
McCarthy has one big chance to prove it.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) goes through warmups ahead of a preseason contest against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. The young passer worked on timing and mechanics during pregame preparation as Minnesota evaluated its offense for the upcoming campaign. Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: McCarthy prepared under the lights before exhibition action began. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Sullivan: McCarthy Is on the Hot Seat
McCarthy was included on Sullivan’s “hot seat” list, grouped with passers like C.J. Stroud, Michael Penix Jr., and Bryce Young.
On McCarthy, he wrote, “The Vikings bungled their quarterback situation, and it may have cost them their Super Bowl window. They decided to ride with McCarthy and allow Sam Darnold to depart in free agency last offseason after a 14-3 regular season in 2024. Darnold went on to win a Super Bowl with Seattle, while McCarthy has largely struggled as the starter.”
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“That decision was seemingly a driving force in Minnesota firing GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. A new GM won’t have the same investment in McCarthy as Adofo-Mensah did, so the former first-round pick is truly at a crossroads in 2026. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings, under interim GM Rob Brzezinski, bring in some competition this offseason. Depending on who comes aboard (Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, etc.), McCarthy’s job could vanish before we even get to Week 1.”
McCarthy will likely have to fight like hell this summer to keep his job, let alone worry about the 2026 regular season hot seat.
“In 2025, McCarthy was 6-4 as the starter, completed just 57.6% of his passes, and had more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11). However, the Michigan product did flash a little bit down the stretch, owning a 4-0 record over his final four games in 2025 with seven total touchdowns and just three turnovers,” Sullivan added.
“Is that the tide turning in a positive direction? That remains to be seen, but the Vikings aren’t exactly acting like it is as they seem open to an upgrade if one is realistically available to them.”
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A Competition This Time
In 2025, the Vikings ultimately took heat for “handing McCarthy the job.” The club’s QB2 was Brett Rypien until the draft, when Adofo-Mensah traded for Sam Howell, who was dropped four months later. The Vikings then signed Carson Wentz, and he wound up starting five games because of McCarthy’s injury woes.
Minnesota almost certainly won’t give McCarthy a cakewalk this offseason and summer. Head coach Kevin O’Connell, who some believe is the personnel general manager, will find another quarterback to push McCarthy to the limit or perhaps take his job on paper by the end of March.
Some logical candidates included Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, Malik Willis, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr, Tua Tagovailoa, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis.
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The Sweet and Salty of J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy’s season presented a stark contrast between flashes of brilliance and frustrating injury setbacks, particularly during the middle of the year. After returning from a high ankle sprain, his performance became inconsistent, with productive theatrics emerging only late in games. This difficult three-game stretch culminated in a concussion against Green Bay, further contributing to the stop-and-start rhythm that ruined much of his season.
However, the first game of 2025 showcased McCarthy’s potential. He engineered a 4th Quarter comeback in Chicago and earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors in his first start. Later, he demonstrated resilience by returning from the ankle injury to secure a hard-fought road victory in Detroit, delivering one of his most impressive performances in a raucous environment.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) embraces Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) following a divisional matchup at Ford Field. The two former college stars shared a brief moment after the game as players exited the field. Nov 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA: McCarthy met St. Brown after the NFC North contest. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images.
Towards the end of the season, McCarthy displayed Pro Bowl-caliber play against Washington, Dallas, and New York before a hairline fracture in his hand sidelined him once more.
As Minnesota looks ahead to 2025, they have a quarterback capable of making exceptional throws and orchestrating late-game heroics. The primary concern remains his health.
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A Grand Climax Awaits
Thankfully for eager fans’ sake, the wait is nearly over on the identity of McCarthy’s new quarterback teammate. NFL free agency kicks off in 13 days with “legal tampering.” Minnesota will either sign a free agent like Willis or trade for a passer like Murray or Jones. It could also sign a seasoned veteran like Jimmy Garoppolo to act as steady QB2 insurance.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) greets head coach Kevin O’Connell before kickoff at MetLife Stadium ahead of a late-season matchup. The quarterback and coach shared a brief exchange on the field during pregame routines. Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA: McCarthy and O’Connell met before Minnesota’s road contest began. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images.
Once the Vikings reveal that man, it will be easier to gauge McCarthy’s hot seat, the one described by Sullivan. Suppose the Vikings trade for Mac Jones. McCarthy’s seat will instantly become toasty. A Garoppolo signing or someone similar will take the hot-seat conversation all the way through the regular season.
On the whole, Sullivan is right. The 2026 summer, fall, and winter are McCarthy’s one big shot to prove he has QB1 staying power as a 23-year-old. If he does not, he’ll get in line with the Baker Mayfields and Sam Darnolds to prove himself at a later date well into his 20s.
Stefanos Tsitsipas set to drop outside Top 40 after Dubai Exit
Stefanos Tsitsipas is set to fall outside the top 40 of the ATP rankings for the first time in eight years following his loss to Ugo Humbert in Dubai.
Tsitsipas entered the tournament as the defending champion, meaning he was unable to defend the ranking points from last year’s title run. With those points dropping, the ranking slide is unavoidable.
For much of the past decade, Tsitsipas has been a fixture near the top of the game. He has reached Grand Slam finals, won multiple Masters titles, and established himself as one of the leading names of his generation. Falling outside the top 40 marks a clear shift from where he has operated for most of his career.
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Humbert, meanwhile, delivered a good performance to end the Greeks’ title defence.
For Tsitsipas, attention now turns to the upcoming hard court events, where he will look to steady his form and halt the ranking drop. The question now is how quickly he can respond.
