The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers will do battle in Week 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium in 67 days, with storylines aplenty because — it’s Vikings-Packers. But one such scenario hasn’t been fully unearthed by the masses yet — the immediate, post-Arizona Cardinals showdown between Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray and Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

The two worked together for three seasons in Arizona. Their shared first order of business outside the desert? Dueling in the NFC North.

Gannon’s Defense Adds Personal Stakes to the Opener

Schedule-Makers Plop Murray v. Gannon Out of the Gate

The Vikings could’ve played any team in Week 1, but for the 2026 squad, the NFL chose Green Bay. The folks who made the schedule probably didn’t care much about Murray versus Gannon, but it’s happening anyway.

Arizona hired Gannon during the 2023 offseason, a year after the franchise extended Murray’s contract, the deal that included the infamous “study hall” clause before it was removed. Murray was viewed as the franchise quarterback, and with a fresh new set of eyes and ideas, Gannon took over.

The Cardinals went 15-36 in those three seasons, compiling a .294 win percentage and ranking 27th in the NFL. The experiment didn’t work, and the pair lost their jobs this offseason. Freshly removed from Arizona, they’ll dance on opposite sidelines at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Gannon’s Defense

Gannon inherits the league’s 19th-best defense per DVOA from last year. The Packers reached the postseason — lost to the Chicago Bears in a wild game — and did so with a mediocre defense that has seen better days. The club also lost superstar Micah Parsons along the way to a torn ACL.

Led by Gannon, Green Bay will face Minnesota with these notable players on defense:

• Javon Bullard (S)
• Edgerrin Cooper (LB)
• Zaire Franklin (LB)
• Javon Hargrave (DI)
• Isaiah McDuffie (LB)
• Xavier McKinney (S)
• Keisean Nixon (CB)
• Benjamin St-Juste (CB)
• Lukas Van Ness (EDGE)
• Evan Williams (S)

It’s also worth noting that Hargrave, a defensive tackle, played for the Vikings last year but was cast aside this offseason before Minnesota drafted Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport on the Packers’ defense: “After trading Rashan Gary to Dallas, who will step up on the edge opposite Parsons? How will the move from Quay Walker to Zaire Franklin affect the linebackers? How will veteran Benjamin St. Juste and rookie Brandon Cisse fit into the Green Bay secondary?”

“The Packers have the personnel on the defensive side of the ball to field a solid unit in 2026. They are going to need to, because the NFC North has the makings of the most tightly packed division in the NFL.”

Murray’s Offense

How about Murray’s offensive tools against Gannon’s defense? He’s got ’em. Murray hasn’t quite had game action with the following group, but that story will start in living color on September 13 against this former coach.

Here’s who will notably surround Murray in Minnesota’s offense:

• Jordan Addison (WR)
• Christian Darrisaw (T)
• T.J. Hockenson (TE)
• Justin Jefferson (WR)
• Jauan Jennings (WR)
• Aaron Jones (RB)
• Donovan Jackson (LG)
• Jordan Mason (RB)
• Brian O’Neill (RT)

Murray will also have Kevin O’Connell whispering in his ear, a man known for top-tier veteran quarterback tutelage.

Our Steve Hoikkala recently noted on Jackson, a rookie lineman from last year: “Jackson was stellar in his performance last season as a rookie allowing just 2 sacks in 14 games in 2025, and looks to be the long-term starter he was brought here to be.”

“His physicality and consistency to the interior offensive line are just as important as the stability in his youth for Minnesota to build around. Jackson should be the starting left guard for years to come.”

Packers-Themed Media’s Take

LombardiAve.com‘s Luke Norris wrote about the situation in March, “Jonathan Gannon will now face Kyler Murray, who he benched in 2025, twice in 2026.

“Any new wrinkle to the Packers-Vikings rivalry is always fun, but this one comes with a second storyline outside of just Murray himself, as the man who served as his head coach for the last three years and basically benched him this past season will now stand on the sideline opposite him on two occasions in 2026, that man, of course, being new Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.”

The Packers are already favored to chip off the Vikings by a point or two.

Norris added, “There still appears to be plenty of respect between Gannon and Murray, but that doesn’t mean these upcoming Packers-Vikings matchups won’t have a little more intrigue to them.”

“Perhaps Gannon isn’t thrilled that his first regular QB1 as a head coach couldn’t stay healthy (or at least healthy enough), and perhaps Murray wants to stick it to the head coach who benched him.”

The NFL regular season is exactly nine weeks away.

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

Every NFL team has players who don’t quite match the value of their contracts, and based on current depth chart construction, the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are not excluded.

The club begins the regular season in about nine weeks, and unless the following players lower their cap hits, they reasonably fit in an “overpaid” bucket. The players are listed ascendingly (No. 1 = most overpaid Viking).

Vikings’ Cap Sheet Reveals a Few Expensive Questions

4. Josh Oliver | TE2

2026 Cap Hit: $9.9 Million

Oliver is a blocking tight end, which is fantastic. It’s also a bit ironic because coming out of college (San Jose State) in 2019, that was supposed to be his problem. The scouting report said the guy could batch, but his run blocking stank.

Well, Oliver flipped the script, probably after the Baltimore Ravens‘ coaching staff got a hold of him.

The issue with a blocking tight end? They’re not worth $10 million. Teams can find sufficient versions for half the price or even less. The Vikings shouldn’t cut Oliver or devalue him on the depth chart, but the fact remains that $9.9 million is expensive.

Thankfully, Oliver has some redzone utility. He’s dependable when quarterbacks target him.

3. Aaron Jones | RB

2026 Cap Hit: $10.2 Million

You can write this in ink: 2026 will be Jones’s final season in Minnesota. He’ll turn 32 in December, and his career, for better or worse, is winding down. When the offseason began, most Vikings fans and analysts theorized Jones as a roster-cut candidate, and they didn’t do that on a whim. He’s effective in spots, especially early in the regular season, yet injuries habitually take their toll on Jones. That’s his jam.

The Vikings proposed a paycut for Jones in March. He accepted. He’s back in the saddle as RB1 or RB2 because of his pass-blocking and locker room leadership. It’s just quite obvious that his prime is well in the past.

Minnesota also refused to sign a free-agent running back like Travis Etienne or draft a mid-round rookie like Mike Washington. It’s Jones again — and probably for the last time.

He averaged 4.2 yards per carry, played 12 games, and banked 548 rushing yards last year. His career has been fantastic, and the guy is an awesome dude. Still, he’s not worth $10.2 million unless he forges a totally unforeseen and healthy late-career resurgence.

2. T.J. Hockenson | TE

2026 Cap Hit: $15.6 Million

Of all men on this overpaid list, Hockenson might have the clearest path to a resurrection. He blew out his knee in the 2023 season, thanks to a low hit by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph, and, due to the shift in the Vikings’ offense — using Hockenson as the sixth offensive lineman — he’s never regained his form.

Hockenson signed a monster extension during the summer of 2023. Four months later, the injury occurred, rendering the contract not worth the squeeze. If a team pays a tight end over $15 million, it must target him heavily in the passing game. The Vikings don’t do that anymore. Hockenson’s success in the Twin Cities feels like a Kirk Cousins special in hindsight.

Here’s the silver lining, though: new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray has cooked with tight ends. Ask Trey McBride, who most consider the best or second-best tight end in the sport. If Murray could unlock McBride, he should be able to get Hockenson back up to speed.

If not, 2026 will likely be Hockenson’s final season in Minnesota. There’s a reason so many fans thought the franchise might draft Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq in April.

1. Will Fries | RG

2026 Cap Hit: $17.2 Million

Was Fries terrible in 2025? Absolutely not. Was Fries worth $17.2 million in 2025? Absolutely not.

The guy posted a Pro Football Focus grade just over 60.0, which would’ve been remarkable during the Mike Zimmer era of Vikings football when guards like Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia graced your television sets. But that was then, and this is now.

Former Vikings boss Kwesi Adofo-Mensah paid Fries handsomely last season, and based on his 2025 output, he should be earning about $6 million annually — not $17 million.

Perhaps Fries will settle in the Vikings offense with another year of experience. If he does not, you are about seven months from Googling or putting Fries’ dead cap hit into ChatGPT. Always remember: Adofo-Mensah handed Fries the fact contract based on five good games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024. He has no verifiable history of consistency.

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

The referee for the Argentina vs Egypt match, Francois Letexier, and other match officials are in focus after what transpired in a dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 clash on Tuesday. Egypt appeared close to a historic upset after taking a 2-0 lead. Argentina produced a late comeback starting in the 79th minute, with Lionel Messi playing a decisive role by scoring one goal and setting up another before Enzo Fernandez completed the turnaround in stoppage time. However, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt were furious with some crucial decisions by the officials going against the team, including a disallowed goal following a VAR review and a penalty appeal that was not reviewed in the buildup to Argentina’s winning goal.

The Egyptian Football Federation (EFF) has reportedly approached FIFA, lodging a formal protest against the decisions of referee Francois Letexier. According to a report in Spanish publication Diario AS, the president of the Egypt Football Association, Hany Abo Rida, has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA against French referee Francois Letexier and his officiating team.

The report further states that the complaint calls for an investigation into what Egypt describes as controversial decisions that went against the Pharaohs. The federation has also officially requested that the French officiating team be removed from the remainder of the tournament because of what it considers crucial errors.

Now, according to a report by L’Equipe, the Frenchman’s performance “will be reviewed, and FIFA’s refereeing officials will decide, based on his technical performance, the officials’ reports, and the disputed video footage, whether he will continue in this World Cup.”

However, the report added that the complaint may not succeed, as a country/member association “cannot exercise a veto over the appointment of the refereeing body, which falls under the purview of the FIFA Referees Committee.”

Past instances

Though requests and complaints like Egypt’s have been made at past FIFA World Cups, they did not result in a referee being excluded. However, in 2002, Italy complained against Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno after the Round of 16 match against South Korea (1-2). He had awarded 15 minutes of added time, and the Azzurri lost. After that match, he did not officiate any other game in that competition, but FIFA never officially clarified whether it was due to the Italian protests.

Francois Letexier officiated the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England. He has also been voted the world’s best referee by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics)

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Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors executive renowned for constructing the league’s most recent dynasty, made an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of the “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, the Klutch Sports CEO who famously represents LeBron James.

Myers’ current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, in which he hired new Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, made his presence particularly intriguing. After all, the Sixers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, are among the top-three contenders pursuing James, who is reportedly taking Philadelphia‘s pitch “really seriously.”

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Myers, seated next to Paul, illustrated a version of that pitch on the podcast, the same place Paul previously listed the potential teams James could join this offseason. Myers repeated that he believes the Sixers give James the “best chance to win” in his 24th NBA season.

“If you’re talking about the Sixers, if he was here, I would say, ‘I honestly believe this is your best chance to win,’” Myers said. “You have to decide all the other things, that are equally important, because it’s his life. He has to play, he has to face the scrutiny of his decision. Half the people will say, ‘You should have done this, you should have done that.’ Criticize him or whatever, which is his life, so he’s been through all that.

“What I would just say is, if it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here, in Philadelphia. If you want to talk about other stuff: What’s this guy like, what’s that guy like — by the way, he knows players, a lot of them, better than I do. Their games — this is a guy that probably watches more basketball than anybody understands. He’s probably watching a game in February that nobody’s watching. So not only does he know the guys, he knows how they play.”