Oct 8, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) drops back to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
With the news breaking on Monday that the Falcons are going to release Kirk Cousins at the start of free agency on March 11, the speculation intensified on Cousins’ next NFL destination.
How realistic is it to expect the 37-year-old Cousins to return to the Vikings, where he was a six-year starter and had three of his four Pro Bowl seasons?
Cousins’ Price and Timeline Will Decide Whether a Reunion Even Makes Sense
The Vikings reinforced at the Combine this week that although they still believe in J.J. McCarthy’s potential to be their franchise quarterback, they are “exploring all possibilities and casting a wide net,” according to Executive V.P of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski.
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I think the Cousins option makes sense and seems more likely than their other top options which could include signing Daniel Jones, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Marcus Mariota, Joe Flacco, Jimmy Garoppolo or Malik Willis among other candidates in free agency or trading for Mac Jones, Anthony Richardson or Derek Carr (and perhaps Kyler Murray or Tua Tagovailoa could hit the open market if they’re released by the Cardinals and Dolphins, respectively).
Nov 16, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) is pressured to throw in the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Cousins is coming off a strong finish to the 2025 season for Atlanta, in which he won his last four starts and was 5-3 as the starter over the season. He threw seven TD passes with only two interceptions in those final four games.
His uneven play in 2024 for the Falcons (when he was benched for Michael Penix) was due in large part to a mid-season injury to his throwing shoulder and elbow, and he was also coming off the torn Achilles sustained in Week 8 of 2023 while still with the Vikings.
I’m a bit surprised his former Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski—now the Falcons’ new head coach—did not want to keep Cousins as the starter while Penix works his way back from a mid-season torn ACL (and Penix had plenty of other injuries in his college career).
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Stefanski and Cousins worked together in 2019 when Cousins made the Pro Bowl and the Vikings last won a playoff game (in New Orleans with a fine performance from Cousins, who led the winning overtime drive).
Cousins will cost Atlanta $35 million in dead money against the salary cap, whether they take the full hit this year or spread it over two years using a post-June 1 release designation. It seems like a mistake not keep him with his affordable $27.5 million base salary for 2026.
Cousins is a smart QB who knows the Vikings’ offense well, having worked with Kevin O’Connell for two seasons. Included was the 13-win season in 2022 when he threw for 4,547 yards and 29 TDs (92.5 passer rating). He was off to a strong start in 2023 with a 103.8 passer rating and 18 TDs (only five picks) before the Achilles injury.
Dec 16, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws the ball against Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane (41) in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The learning curve would be a non-factor, and the main receiving targets from Cousins’ last year in Minnesota are still here—Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and, most likely, T.J. Hockenson. Cousins was the QB who delivered the ball to Jefferson in his Offensive Player of the Year season in 2022, when he led the league with 128 catches and 1,809 yards (plus eight TDs) compared to last season, when Jefferson dipped to 84 receptions, 1,048 yards, and only two TDs while working with McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer.
Cousins was also very happy living in Minnesota and preferred to stay with the Vikings before the split, which was motivated by the Vikings’ desire to have a young QB on a cap-friendly rookie contract, which is the case with McCarthy. It would be a fairly easy transition for Cousins, his wife, Julie, and their two young sons, who could return to the school they previously attended.
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It’s clear Cousins wants to be a starter and believes he deserves it. Would he want to go to Pittsburgh if Rodgers leaves the Steelers and has to compete again with a first-round rookie, as he did with Penix in Atlanta?
Cleveland is a possibility, but the Browns are a quarterback graveyard lately. Las Vegas will almost surely be drafting Fernando Mendoza first overall. The Jets—ugh. Arizona and Miami are possible destinations if they dump their starters. In all those cases, Cousins would have to learn a new offense.
Cousins has always been astute in maximizing his contracts, including the $100 million in guaranteed money from his two years in Atlanta. Perhaps it’s time for him to take a relative bargain of a one-year deal as Jones did in Indianapolis and Rodgers did in Pittsburgh, with both QBs making $14 million plus incentives.
Perhaps a one-year, $20 million deal plus big incentives tied to wins and playoff success could get it done with Cousins and the Vikings should have the cap room to do such a deal after they restructure several contracts (starting with Justin Jefferson’s) and release several players, such as too often injured center Ryan Kelly.
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J.J. McCarthy and Ryan Kelly move through warmups at U.S. Bank Stadium as Minnesota prepares for Houston, with the session unfolding on Aug. 9, 2025 during early preseason work in Minneapolis. The quarterback-center pairing rotates through stretching and snapping routines while coaches monitor timing and communication, offering a clear look at developing chemistry ahead of the team’s first exhibition game of the summer. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
And then have an open competition between McCarthy and Cousins, who has been the No. 2 QB in Washington early in his career and in Atlanta when Penix stepped in. I think O’Connell would trust Cousins to be supportive of McCarthy if he doesn’t beat him out. And it’s obvious that McCarthy can get hurt, which would open the door for Cousins if he didn’t win the starting job.
Rodgers is somewhat intriguing after he expressed interest in signing with the Vikings last season and has a good relationship with O’Connell. He’s not the MVP player he was in Green Bay, but he did win 10 games last season with a respectable 94.8 passer rating. But Cousins is five years younger and knows the Vikings’ offense, whereas Rodgers would have to learn a new system and may be content to stay with the Steelers after they hired his former Packers coach, Mike McCarthy.
It’s pretty clear Daniel Jones will stay in Indy after a fine season before his Achilles injury (8-5 record, 100.2 passer rating).
I like Mac Jones as a 27-year-old with a $2 million contract for 2026 who kept the 49ers in the playoff hunt (5-3, 97.4 passer rating) last season when Brock Purdy was injured. The Vikings have a similar system to the 49ers, which helped Sam Darnold when he came from San Francisco to the Vikings in 2024.
But Jones is under contract for one more year, so why would the 49ers trade him when he’s a top-quality backup to Purdy, who has been injury-prone unless a team gives the Niners at least a third-round pick (and it may take more since the 49ers may get a third-round compensatory pick if Jones leaves in 2027 free agency with a sizable deal).
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The Vikings need to keep their draft picks and build up the young talent on the team after a shaky recent draft history. So I wouldn’t recommend trading a fairly high pick for a quarterback who may wind up as the backup, especially when there will be solid free-agent options to sign.
In considering all the possibilities, I circle back to Cousins as making the most sense for the Vikings as a quality veteran QB to compete with McCarthy and be a much better No. 2 than Wentz or Brosmer were last season if McCarthy wins the job.
What matters most at the Combine for teams?
I spent many late February/early March weeks at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis during my Vikings and Titans years, and during my time at my agent firm, IFA.
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It was a long week, but a very important event on the pre-draft and pre-free agency calendar.
Fans focus on the workouts of top college players (many of whom don’t work out as they wait for their March Pro Day at their college).
NFL teams certainly pay attention to the workouts, but in reality, it’s fourth on the priority list for team execs at the Combine. The three things that are significantly more important are the physicals, the interviews, and the contract discussions with agents who also come to Indy.
The physicals are the first chance for team doctors and athletic trainers to examine players and check their recoveries if they were injured last season. The colleges do not paint a true picture of players’ health, so the physicals at the Combine and, in many cases, the re-checks in April on player visits to team facilities are critical in the evaluation process.
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Interviews with the players at the Combine allow the GM, coaches, and scouts to get to know players, ask them questions about their family and personal lives, and their football careers, and have them diagram plays and coverages to get a feel for their football smarts. These interviews can make a difference when teams have players graded the same and have to make a choice.
Mar 1, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
I have trained many of my agent firm’s rookies on interview techniques before the Combine, and I always impress upon them how important it is to make a good impression.
Then there are numerous meetings between team execs and agents of their players to discuss contract restructures or extensions. There are also discussions with agents on contract parameters for potential free agents, which the Vikings are surely having this week as they seek a veteran QB, a new starting center, and help at other positions such as corner and safety.
These discussions are technically tampering since they’re not taking place before the “legal tampering period” begins on March 11. But that is too late to start negotiating, and every team is doing so while keeping these conversations quiet and out of the media.
So you can tune in to the “underwear Olympics,” as the Combine has been called, but know the endless workouts on NFL Network are not a top priority for NFL GMs and other team execs in Indianapolis this week.
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Jeff Diamond is a former Vikings GM, former Tennessee Titans President and was selected NFL Executive of the Year … More about Jeff Diamond
Having been dismissed for three consecutive ducks, Abhishek Sharma returns to form with a half-century off 26 balls in India’s T20 World Cup Super 8s match against Zimbabwe.
Welcome to Bag Spy, a GOLF series devoted to understanding the crucial equipment choices that define a player’s bag. With the help of players and/or their expert fitters, we dig deep beyond the photos to examine setups, specs and the thinking behind them. In this installment, GOLF Associate Equipment Editor Jack Hirsh takes you inside Tony Finau’s bag and new equipment setup for 2026
Ping Tour Rep Dylan Goodwin said Finau is a “man of few words” when it comes to his equipment. When it works, it works and he doesn’t need to question it too much. If it doesn’t, he tries something else.
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Ping’s Kenton Oates said the Tour team built Finau a total of just five clubs one season, which was likely the fewest of any player on the Ping staff.
“It maybe puts a little more pressure on us as a staff when he does come in to get it right, because you know he doesn’t want to be testing during the year,” Oates told GOLF. “If he is testing product throughout the year, then it’s probably frustrating to him, since that’s really something he doesn’t want to do. So we just got to make sure that we get everything down at the beginning of the year.”
He prefers to do most of his club work in the offseason.
For someone who isn’t a tinkerer, Tony Finau does carry a lot of clubs.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
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“He’ll usually come in here two or three times from like November 1 till that first event of the year, whether it be Hawaii or in the desert or wherever he starts up,” Oates said. “But once we get going in the season, he doesn’t make a lot of changes at all.”
That doesn’t stop Finau from having one of the more unique bags on the PGA Tour with his heavy swingweights, huge grips and a new Ping prototype putter. He’s also made a few more tweaks this year and he’s started to see some progress after recording just one top-10 in 2025.
One of those tweaks, switching to Ping Prototype Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue Onset putter, has paid off in a big way. Finau ranked 155th in Strokes Gained: Putting after his first two events but has rallied up to 58th. That’s after finishing 111th in the category last year. He led the field in putting at Pebble Beach during an 18th-place finish.
Keep reading below to dive into one of the more unique setups on the PGA Tour.
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Breaking down every club in Tony Finau’s bag
Ball
Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot
Finau marks his golf balls with either his wife’s or children’s initials.
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
For Finau, the golf bag starts and ends with golf ball and for much of his professional career, that golf ball has been Titleist’s Pro V1 Left Dot.
Finau is one of the most well-known Left Dot players, which is a Customized Performance Option (CPO) version of the standard Pro V1. Compared to the retail version, the Left Dot is lower flying and lower-spinning, but has the same, softer feel that Pro V1 players prefer.
“I think equipment starts with the golf ball, not with the clubs, not with the woods, not with any other piece of equipment. It starts with the golf ball. I’ve always been a believer in that,” Finau told Titleist. “The Left Dot golf ball is right for me because I’ve always put a lot of spin on the golf ball … and right away, it caught my eye because of the ball flight. I think if you can control your ball flight, you can control the distance. And it’s been such a reliable ball flight for me from the first time that I hit it … I can count on the golf ball in crosswinds, into the wind, downwind. I know how far the golf ball is going to go.”
He also has an interesting tradition of marking his golf balls with his children’s and wife’s initials. He told Titleist he’ll usually start with his son, Sage, and change out depending on how the round is going.
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“It’s a cool way to keep my kids involved, and they’re always with me on the golf course,” he said.
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Due to its unique dimple pattern, Pro V1 has a lower flight than Pro V1x. A softer gradient core produces a softer feel and slightly less spin than Pro V1x.
Specs Ping G440 LST Loft: 9.0˚ @ 7.75˚ Trajectory 2.0 Setting: Big Minus (—) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black Velocore+ 7-X Length: 45.25″ Tipping: 1″ CG Shifter: 35 g, neutral Hot Melt: 5 g, toe Swingweight: D8+
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Finau has already made a mid-season tweak, going from a 7.5˚ Ping G440 LST to 9˚ head in the Big Minus setting. Finau is a high-spin player, but with the lower-lofted head, he was seeing his misshits drop to 2200 while good strikes were around 2500.
Those are not atypical numbers on the PGA Tour, but Finau has plenty of speed in the tank, so he values control. While he typically cruises around 180 mph ball speed, Oates describes him as having one of the biggest governors on the PGA Tour.
“If you brought him to the range, in three golf swings, he could have 200 mph of ball speed,” he said.
Because of that range, Finau is more comfortable with the 9˚ head that produces a spin range around 2700 and 2400 on misses to help him stay in control.
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That was also the driving factor behind a move to the Fujikura Ventus Black with VeloCore+ last season.
“He wasn’t happy with his driving, and he had started testing a few different shafts, and he ended up liking the stability of the Velo+,” Oates said. “So he went into that at Travelers last year.”
You’ll also notice Finau prefers a rather beefy D8+ swing weight for his driver and that actually carries over to his irons two, with them sitting at D6+. The reason was mainly feel-based and has to do with a change Finau made with his grips a few years ago. We’ll get into that change below, but basically, Finau made his grips lighter, which raised the swingweight.
“He liked that feeling,” Oates said. “Then we walked through kind of what that would look like downrange from a ball-flight standpoint. Obviously, the heavier the clubhead, the easier it is to fade it. It’s a little bit easier to release because you have more mass down there. So he mentally liked that as well.”
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Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.
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New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.
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Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face.
Finau used more shallow-faced 3-woods for much of his career until a few years ago, when he realized he wasn’t using 3-wood off the deck much. That was when he was first drawn to Callaway Triple Diamond T fairway wood shapes and he’s used one since.
“With the height he can hit it and the distance he can hit it, he really likes a deep 3-wood, and that head is just a little bit deeper than anything we had,” Oates said.
Uniquely, the Triple Diamond T Fairway Woods are specifically designed for Jon Rahm, who also prefers a deeper-faced 3-wood, along with a beveled sole to help him get it through the turf. Both Rahm and Finau are still playing the Paradym Ai-Smoke Model that’s now two-seasons old.
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Ping has started working on a deeper-faced club for that spot in the bag, their Ping Mini Proto, which debuted at the Sony Open. Finau has been testing it, but at this time, he’s got a very unrelatable problem.
I think the thing that we struggle with there is it might just go a little bit too far right right now,” Oates said. “But we’ll continue to work on that.”
Utility Iron
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Specs Nike Vapor Fly Pro 3-iron Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI-105 X Hybrid
Probably the most famous club in Finau’s bag and with the return of Brooks Koepka on the PGA Tour, one of just a handful of Nike clubs left in pro golf.
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Finau has had this Nike Vapor Fly Pro 3-iron since 2016, his lone year on staff with the Swoosh before they exited the hard goods business. But it actually disappeared from the bag for a few seasons before jumping back in during the 2020 season.
Ping has plenty of options to replace this club, including their current iDi driving iron, which is in the bag of Viktor Hovland, but that club, and many before, might be too forgiving for Finau, Oates said.
“The thing we run into with our crossovers and clubs in that space is they’re a little bit more forgiving and they go a little bit higher, which is great for the everyday player,” Oates said. “Unfortunately, Tony doesn’t really need the extra help with the height.”
Oates isn’t sure how many Vapor Fly Pro heads Finau has left, but he brings in four or five every year to have the specs checked. Safe to say, until he finds a better option, this club isn’t going anywhere.
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Irons
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Specs Ping Blueprint T 4-PW Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130 X Lofts: 22.25/26/29/32.5/37/41/45 Lies: 61/61.5/62/62.5/63/63.5/64 Length: 36.88″ 7-iron Swingweight: D6-D7+
This is actually a spot where Finau has done some tinkering.
For nearly his entire career, Finau has played the Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 TX shaft in his irons, but during his offseason at the end of last year — unbeknownst to Oates or the Ping Tour team — Finau did some testing on his own and switched to the KBS $-Taper 130 X.
That’s actually why there is loads of lead tape on his clubs now, because with the new shaft, the clubs swing-weighed lighter.
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“KBS shafts in general are slightly counterbalanced compared to most every other iron shaft,” Oates said. “So whoever installed those did a great job and they got it back to swing weight — so they had to add the lead tape.”
Had Ping made the change, Oates said they simply could have changed the weight screws in the toe of the club to bring them back to D6+, but the lead tape accomplished the same thing.
Finau has almost exclusively played a full set of muscle-back irons for his whole career with the exception of 2024, when he played the Blueprint S cavity-back iron. While he finished second in Strokes Gained: Approach that season, Finau looked at specific yardages and saw he was actually better with the original Blueprints (he was fifth in Approach in 2023) and switched to the Blueprint T blades he has now.
Unlike the modern trend on the PGA Tour, Finau plays that same blade through the entire bag.
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“Tony Finau’s ability to hit a properly-hit 5-iron — where he’s not hung back, he’s just down on top of it, thumping it and sending it up to the clouds — is one of the biggest gifts that he has. He can launch and spin a 4- and 5-iron like nobody in the world,” Oates said. “Not a lot of players from 230 can hit a 4-iron spinning at 5200 and have it get there. And then when it does get there, it’s going to land close to the hole and stop.”
You may notice his lie angles are fairly standard, if not slightly upright, despite his distinctive low hands address position. His irons aren’t flatter on account of both his 6’4″ height and his preference to see the club upright.
“I think a little bit of his visual, like he’s a player that’s put the club down like that and wants to see the toe where it is, which is a little upright,” Oates said, before adding that it also helps him with a left start line. “He’s always played his best golf when he starts it a little left of his target and cuts it back. So I think the upright lie angle just forces it over to the left a little bit.”
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Jockey Tip: The lofts match the Blueprint S and i230 irons to allow golfers to create blended sets within PING’s precision iron offerings.
Like many on the Ping staff, Finau has made a quick and easy transition into the new S259 wedges for his gap and sand wedge, but he remains using a Titleist Vokey T-Grind for his lob wedge, having recently updated to the new Vokey SM11.
“Those middle two wedges in s259, they look a little cleaner,” Oates said. “They capture the ball visually a little bit better with that cleaner transition in the hosel. They feel, if anything, probably a little softer than s159, and they just have the same great performance: low launch, high spin.”
Putter: Ping Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue Onsett Loft: 3˚ Lie: 70˚ Length: 35″ Toe Hang: 5˚ Grip: SuperStroke 2.0 Pistol
For most of his career, Finau has stuck with more traditional Anser-style blade shapes, with his preferred head being a wide-body Anser 2D.
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But last summer, he started experimenting with mallets and landed on a Ping PLD Milled Ally Blue Onset putter. That switch was short-lived, but it sent Finau down the rabbit hole that eventually led him to try the head shape again at the Farmers’ Insurance Open this year. This time, it was Ping’s prototype Scottsdale Tec platform.
He actually tested two models that week.
Tony Finau made a really surprising change to a Ping Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue Onset putter.
Not only does it make Finau the latest player to move to a low torque putter, but it also moves him away from the milled face of his previous PLD Anser 2D.
“Tony gravitated towards the Ally Blue Onset again and the Ketsch 4, which has a hosel he had used in the past on a blade putter,” Goodwin said. “After going back and forth between the putters, the Ally Blue Onset ultimately matched better to his stroke and delivered the face at impact more consistently. As a result, his start line improved, and he liked the contrast between the white finish of the head and the black sight line, which he found easier to line up with.”
Finau’s T11 at Torrey Pines was his best finish since a T5 at the 2025 Genesis, so clearly he was onto something.
Two weeks later, at Pebble Beach, he led the field in putting, gaining more than eight shots on the greens for the week, the first time in his career.
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What makes the switch more interesting is that not only is this the first non-blade to get some staying power in Finau’s bag, it’s also the first putter with a non-milled face.
However, the putters sounded the same to him, so he didn’t mind the softer feel of the insert. Clearly, it’s been working thus far.
Grips: Lamkin UTX Midsize (+4 wraps + 3 RH)
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
As we mentioned before, Finau is one of the few pros using mid-sized grips, but he builds them up even further with an additional four wraps of tape across the hole grip and three more for the right hand.
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But that tape job pales in comparison to what gripping his clubs was like 2-3 years ago when he had an aggressive build up of wraps every inch until there were maybe 10 wraps at the bottom end of the grip. This results in a grip that essentially had no taper.
Relief came for Ping’s builders when Finau decided to switch to a midsize grip and use fewer wraps. That led to heavier swing weights since Finau’s previous grip was so heavy that Ping needed to add a ton of weight to the head to keep it from feeling counterbalanced.
A little over a decade ago, Cristiano Ronaldo did not want to contemplate life after football.
Those close to him warned he was living on a treadmill, and that when he retired, he might collapse unless he had built something to sustain him. He listened, and business became a way to continue to be relevant but also to give his family, who had put their own ambitions on hold, projects aligned with their passions.
The first step was symbolic. In 2016, Ronaldo partnered with a hotel group to open a property in Madeira.
Gradually, he began not only investing his wages but enjoying the process, the meetings, the strategy.
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He still harboured dreams of making a Hollywood film, but discovered a similar satisfaction in building companies – applying the same discipline he had devoted to his body.
On the pitch, that obsession turned him into the most prolific goalscorer in history after the age of 30. Off it, it was shaping a second career.
According to the 2025 Forbes ranking, Ronaldo generated almost £210m on and off the field. Of that, just over £50m came from his non-football business interests – a very diverse portfolio.
He has increasingly channelled his activity through his investment and lifestyle companies, with holdings in a water brand, healthy-living app and a recovery products company, as well as underwear, fragrances and footwear.
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As well as ownership stakes, he has high-profile partnerships with leading brands, has opened gyms across Portugal and Spain, and launched a range of watches.
And the portfolio keeps expanding.
Ronaldo co-founded a hair-transplant clinic group now operating in Spain, Portugal, Oman and Italy. One of its clients was his mother Dolores Aveiro.
What began with that first hotel in Funchal evolved into a joint venture launched in December 2015 and initially valued at more than £65m. There are now properties in Lisbon, Madrid, New York and Marrakech.
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In December 2024, at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo said if he ever owned a club, he knew how to fix structural flaws he saw in some of Europe’s giants.
And now he has taken a 25% stake in Almeria, who are owned by Al Khereiji – key to his move to Al-Nassr following his exit from Manchester United.
The treadmill was always going to stop one day, but he now has something to replace it.
The 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches kicks off Thursday with the first round at the Champion Course at PGA National. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the tournament on Thursday, including full Cognizant Classic TV coverage, streaming details and Round 1 tee times.
How to watch Cognizant Classic on Thursday
Last season, Shane Lowry didn’t end his winless drought, but he did perform well on the PGA Tour. He earned two runner-up finishes amid 12 top-25 finishes. One of those top-25s came at last year’s Cognizant Classic, where he finished T11.
In two starts so far this season, Lowry has continued his steady stretch of play with a T8 at the AT&T Pebble Pro-Am and a T24 at last week’s Genesis Invititional.
Now the 2019 Open champion turns his attention back to PGA National’s Champion Course, where he hopes to secure his first Tour victory since winning the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside Rory McIlroy.
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Lowry’s tournament begins on Thursday at 7:21 a.m. ET.
You can watch the first round of the Cognizant Classic on TV via Golf Channel beginning at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive streaming coverage starting Thursday at 6:45 a.m. ET, as well as featured group and featured hole coverage all day long.
Below you will find everything you need to know to watch the first round of the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.
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With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
How to watch on TV Thursday
Golf Channel will provide first-round TV coverage of the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches on Thursday from 2-6 p.m. ET.
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How to stream online Thursday
You can stream the first round of the 2026 Cognizant Classic via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, which will offer streaming coverage starting at 6:45 a.m. ET on Thursday in addition to featured group and hole coverage.
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The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to select Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. However, the New York Jets are rumored to be interested in trading up and potentially selecting Mendoza in the draft.
The Hoosiers quarterback was asked by sports show host Jake Asman, who said he wished Mendoza was selected by the Jets. Mendoza replied:
Thanks for the submission!
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“We’ll see what happens!”
•
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NFL fans reacted to Mendoza’s comments on potentially being drafted by the Jets.
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
“Not even the Raiders can screw up this pick.”
Not even the Raiders can screw up this pick.
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“Jesus wouldn’t do that to him. He’s a man of god lol.”
Jesus wouldn’t do that to him. He’s a man of god lol
“I wish we would get him. He’s a nice kid. He’s gonna make an awesome quarterback in the NFL.”
I wish we would get him. He’s a nice kid. He’s gonna make an awesome quarterback in the NFL.
“Don’t jinx my Hoosier like that! He deserves better than to be a Jet.”
Don’t jinx my Hoosier like that! He deserves better than to be a Jet
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“He’s just doing that to make you happy. He knows where he’s headed.”
He’s just doing that to make you happy. He knows where he’s headed
It’s highly unlikely the Raiders will give up the chance to draft the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, but if they do, it will need a considerable offer from the Jets.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak wants to select a “winner” in NFL draft
Fernando Mendoza helped the Hoosiers to a 16-0 record, leading them to their first championship. Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said the team wants “winners” like Mendoza.
“Excited to keep learning about him and it’s not just me, it’s our entire coaching staff,” Kubiak said. “I want all of our coaches to get involved, especially at that position. I want everybody’s input, but obviously he’s been successful. He had a lot of success last year. He won a national championship and that’s what you want. You want a winner.”
While Mendoza helped the Hoosiers to the National Championship, Kubiak is coming off a Super Bowl-winning campaign with the Seattle Seahawks as their offensive coordinator in 2025.
PGA National’s Champion Course, home of the Bear Trap, used to be one of the most fearsome annual tests on the PGA Tour. Not so anymore.
Over the past few years, a key course maintenance decision has taken the bite out of the course. The result? Winning scores at the Cognizant Classic have been skyrocketing.
And some PGA Tour veterans are not happy about it. Billy Horschel took to social media to announce his displeasure and explain who is to blame for the easy conditions at PGA National, while Shane Lowry opened up on the topic during his pre-tournament press conference.
Here’s what you need to know.
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Why Cognizant Classic winning scores have skyrocketed
When the Cognizant Classic, then known as the Honda Classic, moved to PGA National’s Champion Course in 2007, it immediately proved a tough challenge for the PGA Tour’s best. Look no further than the winning scores.
Mark Wilson won the inaugural PGA National Honda Classic with a final score of five under. At the 2008 Honda, Ernie Else finished at six under to take home the trophy.
From 2007-2020, only three Honda Classics ended with a winning score in double digits under par. Camilo Villegas hit 13 under in 2010, five strokes better than runner-up Anthony Kim. Rory McIlroy reached 12 under for his 2012 victory, two shots better than co-runner-up Tiger Woods. Rickie Fowler matched McIlroy’s winning score in 2017 with a four-shot margin of victory. All the other winning scores during that stretch were in the single digits under par.
But as the new decade began, something changed at PGA National. Suddenly, all of the winning scores were double digits under par. Over the past three years, the problem has gotten worse.
Chris Kirk won in a playoff in 2023, having tied Eric Cole through 72 holes with a score of 14 under. In 2024, Austin Eckroat reached 17 under to win the Cognizant. Last year, Joe Highsmith shot a 19-under 265 to capture the win.
So what gives? According to several PGA Tour players, the culprit is a course maintenance decision. While PGA National features mostly Bermuda grass on its surfaces, as many Florida courses do, in recent years, the Bermuda has been overseeded with rye grass in winter.
While the overseeding makes the course look better, it also makes it far easier for players to navigate shots from the rough than if the grass were purely Bermuda. That makes the risk of missing the greens or fairways far less severe.
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As a result, players have started going low with ease during the Cognizant Classic.
Billy Horschel puts blame on PGA National for overseeding course
Horschel, an eight-time PGA Tour winner, has plenty of experience playing PGA National on Tour. In his long career, Horschel has made 13 starts at the Cognizant Classic/Honda Classic.
In his first 11 events at PGA National, Horschel’s best score was 7 under in 2017, which earned him a T4. His next best score during that stretch was 2 under.
But in 2024, Horschel cruised to a final score of 12 under. However, unlike with McIlroy in 2012 and Fowler in 2017, who won with the same score, Horschel finished T9, five shots short of the lead.
On Wednesday, Horschel publicly shared his opinion on the recent changes at PGA National on social media.
In the replies to an X video discussing the Cognizant Classic and PGA National, Horschel responded to a user who called the overseeding of the Champion Course a “disgrace”.
In his response, Horschel laid the blame for the overseeding issue at the feet of the “owners of PGA National.” According to Horschel, the PGA Tour would prefer the course to not be overseeded, but it’s not up to them.
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“Unfortunately, not the [PGA] Tour’s fault. Owners of PGA National do it. Tour have tried to state why it shouldn’t be overseeded but end of the day it’s out of their hands,” Horschel wrote.
He continued by arguing that the PGA Tour should fight for “complete control” over host courses in the future.
“1 thing going forward that we need to do is make sure we have complete control of the setup of all Tour courses,” he wrote.
Unfortunately, not the Tour’s fault. Owners of PGA National do it. Tour have tried to state why it shouldn’t be overseeded but end of the day it’s out of their hands. 1 thing going forward that we need to do is make sure we have complete control of the setup of all Tour courses.
Shane Lowry on PGA National: ‘It was a little bit too easy last year’
After a rash of withdrawals ahead of the tournament, Shane Lowry is arguably the biggest star still in the Cognizant Classic field. As a local resident, Lowry cherishes this event, its host course and the ability to sleep at home and spend time with his family during tournament week.
He explained as much in his press conference on Wednesday at the Cognizant Classic. But he also spoke in some detail about the easier course conditions in recent years.
“I like that the rough is a bit thicker this year. It was a little bit too easy last year, I thought,” Lowry began. “I don’t want to exactly see 59s around here, but yeah, I hope the scoring is a little bit more difficult this year and it plays like it used to.”
Lowry explained that that he when he first moved to Florida, he struggled adapting to playing Bermuda grass, joking, “I wish it was overseeded back then.”
Then a reporter asked Lowry how different the current PGA National setup is from its heyday of single-digit winning scores.
“Yeah, I don’t think it is that. I think it’s like probably — it’s probably going to play easier than that, which I don’t like. I’d prefer to see it — look, I’m a member of a few courses down here, and all Bermuda, and the golf courses this time of year are incredible. The Bermuda golf courses down here are unbelievable,” Lowry said.
He concluded: “I feel like it’s going to look great on TV. It’s going to be lovely and green. It’s going to be amazing. But I probably would like to see a bit more of the old traditional setup. It is what it is this week, and you just have to deal with the cards you’re given.”
West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford walks off the field after his dismissal during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between West Indies and South Africa, at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. (PTI Photo)
South Africa moved closer to a semifinal spot in the T20 World Cup with a commanding nine-wicket win over West Indies in their Super 8 match on Thursday at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, extending their unbeaten run in the tournament.The Proteas combined disciplined bowling with controlled batting to register their sixth straight win, while ending West Indies’ unbeaten streak. The two points also strengthened India’s position in the group, as a South Africa loss would have complicated the hosts’ qualification scenario.
T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka bow out of the tournament; Pakistan’s hopes dim
The defeat also impacted the West Indies’ net run rate, which dropped to 1.791 from 5.350.After being asked to bat, West Indies were reduced to 83 for 7 as Kagiso Rabada (2/22) and Lungi Ngidi (3/30) ran through West Indies’ top and middle order. A lower-order partnership between Jason Holder (49 off 31) and Romario Shepherd (52 not out off 37) added 89 runs for the eighth wicket, helping the side recover to 176 for 8.In reply, South Africa chased down the target in 16.1 overs. Captain Aiden Markram remained unbeaten on 82, while Quinton de Kock made 47 and Ryan Rickelton scored 45 not out.The chase was set up in the powerplay itself, where South Africa scored 69 runs in six overs. De Kock and Markram added 95 runs in 7.5 overs, striking 16 boundaries, including six sixes. De Kock hit four sixes and four fours in his 24-ball innings before being caught by Holder at long-on. Markram brought up his fifty with a single off Gudakesh Motie and later shared an unbeaten 82-run stand with Rickelton. He finished the match with a straight boundary off Holder.“We actually bowled pretty well, obviously the powerplay was a big thing for us, to get off nicely. The partnership with Quinny [set things up],” said Markram, who was named Player of the Match.“The second innings was good to bat on, it was slightly tacky early on and the guys bowled pretty well early on.”Earlier, West Indies had started quickly. Shai Hope (16 off 6) hit Keshav Maharaj for two sixes and a four, while Brandon King (21 off 11) attacked Marco Jansen as the side reached 29 in just over two overs.Rabada removed Hope, caught behind while fishing outside off. Shimron Hetmyer (2) was dropped by Corbin Bosch at mid-on but was dismissed three balls later, miscued off Rabada. Ngidi then dismissed King and Roston Chase (2) in the fourth over, leaving West Indies at 44 for 4.Sherfane Rutherford (12) hit Bosch for a six but fell next ball, top-edging to de Kock. Ngidi’s third wicket was Rovman Powell (9), reducing the side to 71 for 6. Matthew Forde (11) later fell to Bosch after hitting a six.Holder and Shepherd then rebuilt. Holder struck 22 runs in one over off Jansen before being run out off the penultimate ball of the innings. Shepherd carried on to ensure a competitive total.“Losing so many wickets in the powerplay cost us. We were 40-50 short. Must commend the guys in the bottom half for giving us a chance, never know things could have changed,” Hope said.“The way we play our cricket, there will be a loss, aim was to get it out early. Next game will be quarter-final.”
Ohio State’s secondary conversation naturally starts with replacing Caleb Downs, but one of the most important answers might actually come from a different spot on the field. Earl Little Jr., the Florida State transfer, gives the Buckeyes a veteran defensive back with real production, real versatility, and the kind of experience that can stabilize a room during a transition year.
A former Florida State safety, Little is listed at 6-foot-1, 199 pounds, and started all 12 games in 2025, finishing with 76 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, and second-team All-ACC honors. He also led the Seminoles in tackles and interceptions.
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What makes Little especially important for Ohio State is not just that he is productive, but also where he can line up. Ohio State’s defensive structure has leaned heavily on the nickel spot in recent years, and that role has become less of a pure corner job and more of a hybrid assignment that has to handle coverage, run support, and post-snap movement.
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Ohio State’s 2026 defensive outlook has consistently pointed to Little as a likely nickel option, with the Buckeyes expected to move back toward more true three-safety looks with Jaylen McClain and Terry Moore also in the mix. That matters because the nickel is often the stress point in modern college defenses. It is the position offenses attack with slot receivers, tight ends, quick game, motion, and run fit conflicts. If Ohio State gets high-level play there, it raises the ceiling of the entire unit.
Little’s background fits that job well. He has the ability to play multiple spots in the secondary, along with quick processing, physicality, and the cover skills to handle corner, nickel, or safety responsibilities. That kind of skill set is exactly what Ohio State needs from a nickel defender in a defense that wants disguise and flexibility on the back end. He is not just a body filling a depth chart spot. He is a player who can help Ohio State stay multiple without sacrificing toughness.
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The biggest thing Little brings to Ohio State is reliability. Replacing a star like Downs is never about one player doing the same job. It is about distributing value across the secondary and making sure the structure still works. Little helps do that.
If he settles in at nickel the way many expect, Ohio State gets an experienced, productive defender in one of the most demanding positions on the field, and that could end up being one of the most important moves of the Buckeyes offseason.
Although Zuffa’s main broadcast partner is Paramount+, Benn’s upcoming contest will stream live on Netflix, which is especially surprising in light of his one-fight contract.
And Benn’s first fight with Zuffa will take place on 11 April, as he boxes in the co-main event before Fury’s return against Makhmudov.
The event will take place at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Benn fought bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr twice in 2025. Benn lost the first fight on points in April, marking his first pro defeat, but he won the rematch in November.
Those bouts took place at middleweight, but Benn is a natural welterweight, and it’s in that division that he will box Prograis.
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Conor Benn (left) floored Chris Eubank Jr in November, en route to avenging a loss against his rival (Getty Images)
Prograis, 37, is a former two-time world champion, having previously held the WBA and WBC super-lightweight titles. The American (30-3, 24 knockouts) will therefore move up in weight to face Benn (24-1, 14 KOs).
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Benn had called out numerous American fighters in recent months, particularly Shakur Stevenson and Ryan Garcia. Now he finds himself paired with a US boxer, though not one of the expected names.
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“11 April can’t come soon enough,” Benn said in a press release. “Returning to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium again, where I made history against Eubank Jr, means everything to me. My last fight there showed the world exactly who I am and what I’m about. Fighting on the biggest stages, in the biggest shows, I fear no one! I’m fully locked in and ready to deliver another statement performance.”
Prograis added: “Last time I fought in London, Conor Benn was on my undercard, so this is a full-circle moment for me. But this circle will close with me teaching him a lesson on 11 April. He’s not fighting some weight-drained super-middleweight. I am in shape and will bring home this victory.”
Regis Prograis is a former two-time world champion at super-lightweight (Getty)
Benn’s move to Zuffa Boxing is curious in that he has long expressed a desire to fight for the WBC welterweight title, which Garcia took from Mario Barrios on Saturday, yet Zuffa has said it plans to move away from the traditional belt system.
In any case, even since signing with Zuffa, Benn has called for a clash with Garcia, while Stevenson holds the WBO welterweight belt.
The main event on 11 April will see former heavyweight champion Fury end his fifth retirement, as he takes on Russia’s Makhmudov. Although Fury still seems to be contracted to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, which usually airs its fights on DAZN, the upcoming event will stream live on Netflix.
Oregon and Oregon State are reportedly not going to play until at least 2028.
Reports indicate the Beavers wanted to play the game less than the Ducks—it’s hard to blame them.
On today’s episode of Locked On Ducks, Spencer McLaughlin discusses Oregon’s 2026 expectations and how high they should be for Duck fans.
Is “natty or bust” the right mindset?
Spencer dives into 2026 true freshman Dutch Horisk, who hails from the same school as Matayo Uiagalelei.
Can he find his way into the DL rotation in 2026?
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00:00 Oregon vs. Oregon State Value 04:12 Oregon’s Matchup Benefits 06:51 Oregon State-Oregon Rivalry Uncertain 12:16 Oregon: Natty or Bust? 15:49 Dan Lanning: Top Coach Spotlight 26:37 Freshman Path to Oregon’s Trenches
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Spencer dives into 2026 true freshman Dutch Horisk, who hails from the same school as Matayo Uiagalelei. 
