Sports
World Cup 2026 Preview: History, Favorites And Major Questions Ahead
Argentine right back Gonzalo Montiel had the world in the palm of his hand, and the fate of his country in his foot. Billions of soccer fans were on the edge of their seats watching a World Cup final for the ages. His team was tied at 3 after extra time, sending the game into penalties. Kylian Mbappe scored all of France’s goals, while Messi found the back of the net on a penalty kick. Yet here Argentina was, one PK away from their first-ever World Cup trophy. Montiel stepped up and shot a laser to the left side of the net, while the goalie dove the other way. Jubilation for Argentina, devastation for France. A friend claimed this game was the greatest World Cup game he’s ever seen. That’s up for debate.
What’s not up for debate is that one of the most exciting sporting events in the world kicks off this Thursday. Mexico will take the field to face South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, with a 1 pm start time. This game will be followed by the Republic of Korea’s match against the Czech Republic in Guadalajara.
The next day, the United States takes on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. The 2026 World Cup features plenty of headlines and obstacles, but first, let’s highlight the history that will be made.
This is the first World Cup hosted by three countries. North America (Canada, USA, Mexico) will have 16 sites, and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has the honor of hosting the Finals. There are two venues in Canada (Vancouver, Toronto), three in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey), and across the coasts in the USA, except for Kansas City.
With three hosts, that means more teams as FIFA expanded to 48 countries after having 32 in the past. Four teams will be making their World Cup debut, and the spotlight will be on them. Cape Verde, Jordan, Uzbekistan, and Curacao look to prove they earned the chance to run with the juggernauts on a global stage. Curacao is located in the southern Caribbean and has a population of 158,000 people, making it the smallest country to play in the summer event. To compare that to somewhere in the US, the city of Bellevue, WA, has roughly the same population.
From a country’s debut to two players who have ruled the turf for decades. Lionel Messi has the most appearances with 26, while Cristiano Ronaldo is in fifth at 22. Both will be playing this summer in what could be their last World Cup, since Messi is 38 and Ronaldo is 41. The record across the board goes to former USWNT midfielder Kristine Lilly. She has played in 30 tournament games, and that streak may never be broken.
Meanwhile, Brazilian superstar Neymar had to earn his spot on the team. He made the squad despite dealing with a calf strain. While he had to fight for his spot, Kylian Mbappe was a sure lock for France. The forward scored all three of their goals in the last World Cup final, and he is unbelievable to watch at 27 years old. Harry Kane represents England, while Mohamed Salah will lead Egypt. Saleh was rumored to go to the MLS, specifically FC Cincinnati, but talks fizzled out, and he remains in Liverpool. To round it out, Christian Pulisic continues to be the star for the USA.
The expectations for the United States are very high, but the odds of them reaching the Round of 16 are slim. Gone are the days of Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, and Landon Donovan. In their place is a youth movement led by coach Mauricio Pochettino, who is from Argentina and managed Tottenham, PSG, and Chelsea.
The squad he selected includes seven players from the MLS, sixteen across Europe, and one playing in Mexico. Defender Tim Ream was assigned captain for this year’s tourney. One notable absence from the team is Lyons midfielder Tanner Tessmann. Fans and analysts alike believed he was a lock to make the team, but it didn’t happen.
The red, white, and blue are in Group D along with Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. This year is the 250th birthday of the USA, and the pressure is on for this team to give Americans a reason to celebrate.
Canada is in Group B with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, and Qatar. Qatar hosted the last tournament, but unlike then, they had to earn their spot this time around. The third host, Mexico, will have to duel it out with South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic in Group A.
For a complete picture of the World Cup Group stages, here is a link of all the countries and the groups they’re in.
Group C looks the most intriguing of them all. The global juggernaut Brazil is joined by Haiti, Scotland, and Morocco. Remember in 2022, Morocco made headlines by becoming the first African nation to reach the semifinals. Grab the popcorn and enjoy Morocco vs Brazil on Saturday, June 13th at 5 pm. It’s going to be worth watching. Brazil also holds the honor of World Cup supremacy, having won it five times.
Despite them having won the World Cup the most, Brazil has the sixth-best odds according to Fan Duel. Both Spain and France are favorites to win this summer, while Curacao, Haiti, and Cape Verde have the lowest odds. The United States is listed at +6000 by FanDuel and has the best chances out of the three host countries to win it all.
Now that we’ve covered the teams, key players, and odds, let’s look at some hot topics heading into this summer. Due to the war in Ukraine, Russia will not be participating once again in a global sporting event. FIFA allowed Iran to be stationed in Mexico amidst turmoil with the USA.
The unfortunate reality is that some players will be representing their countries without fans in attendance. Due to a travel ban issued by the Trump administration, both Haiti and Iran’s fans won’t be able to witness their teams play in person. Fans from both India and China were close to being unable to watch any of the World Cup. However, in the last week, they’ve made media rights deals to broadcast the games in their country. Lastly, media members from African countries and Iran will not have Visas given to them for coverage.
Americans also face their fair share of hurdles. The transit tickets are in the triple digits, and less than six percent of those have been sold. Not only that, but parking is also a hefty expense, with fans in LA having to fork over 250 dollars. Even more bizarre, according to the Athletic, FIFA released a statement telling fans they cannot bring a water bottle into any venues. They have since flipped their position on the matter, and now grant fans the freedom to bring their bottles.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received a lot of criticism for ticket prices as well. The United States opener against Paraguay hasn’t sold out yet, and may not be at full capacity when the first pass is initiated in the game. Ticket prices start at 319 for Group Stage Games, but increase to 1360 for the quarterfinals. The World Cup Final in New Jersey will cost even the most enthusiastic soccer fans 20,000 on average. Gianni Infantino has responded by saying what most leaders would. The demand is incredibly high, and the tournament is prestigious.
Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City, wants his citizens to have affordable ways to watch the games in his city. Whether or not his efforts will pay off remains to be seen. President Donald Trump has expressed excitement for this edition of the World Cup, but also acknowledged the soaring ticket prices. Claudia Pardo, the President of Mexico, had to squash the doubts that her country wouldn’t be able to host any games due to internal conflict. Lastly, the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Karney, is thrilled to be a host and got to hoist the trophy alongside the FIFA President in a media presser. With three countries preparing for tourists and outstanding soccer games, let’s hope this World Cup is like no other.
The official World Cup song is called ‘Dai Dai’ by Shakira and Burna Boy. It’s not as memorable as her past songs, but Shakira’s presence continues her reign of dominance under the world’s brightest lights.
We will end this with a prediction by the German economist Joachim Klement. He has predicted the last three winners of the World Cup and was interviewed by CBS. The economist believes the Netherlands will win the WC and lift the trophy in New Jersey. He added that Japan was a dark horse and could surprise many. When it comes to how far the USA goes, he said they can get out of the Group Stage, and the odds get slimmer the further they go.
In the next days leading up to the event, there is bound to be more breaking news around how this World Cup will operate. Anything can happen, and whether or not fans show up due to financial burdens, this will be a tournament where the winner gets bragging rights around the world for the next four years.
Sports
Ryan Garcia says one welterweight champion would’ve beaten Terence Crawford and Floyd Mayweather
Terence Crawford and Floyd Mayweather are both hailed as two of boxing’s best since the turn of the millennium, but reigning WBC welterweight world champion Ryan Garcia believes that there is one former 147lber who would have been able to end each of their undefeated streaks.
Mayweather retired with a 50-0 record and was named as the Boxing Writers Association of America ‘Fighter of the Decade’ for the 2010s, although ‘TBE’ is set to risk that unbeaten streak in the near future, with a rematch against Manny Pacquiao now being touted for early 2027.
Meanwhile, like Mayweather, Crawford retired as an undefeated five-division world champion when he announced his decision to hang up the gloves in December, retiring after a historic victory over Canelo Alvarez that saw him claim the undisputed crown at a third weight.
Despite the astonishing careers and lack of frailties shown by both Mayweather and Crawford, Garcia told Daily Mail Boxing that he would favour boxing’s first five-division world champion Thomas Hearns to defeat both men if they fought in their primes.
‘The Hitman’ won his first world honours at welterweight, defeating José Cuevas in 1980. He made three successful defences of the belt before losing to Sugar Ray Leonard in ’81 – his first bout as part of The Four Kings quartet. Given Hearns would win a world title at light-heavyweight and finish his career as a cruiserweight, Garcia’s pick is not a major surprise.
Back to the present day, and Garcia remains hopeful that he could be the one to hand Crawford a first career defeat, recently revealing his intentions to tempt the 38-year-old out of retirement, if he comes through his maiden world title defence against Conor Benn in September unscathed.
Although, at present, Crawford seems unwilling to reconsider his decision to walk away from the sport, refusing to return to boxing despite having a lucrative offer on the table.
Sports
Silent Thinker chasing second straight win in 2026 Ipswich Handicap
Matthew Dunn believes his lightly campaigned three-year-old, Silent Thinker, possesses the attributes for future Saturday racing success, but for the immediate future, smaller victories are the priority.
The gelding is set to participate in his third race, the Barrier Reef Pools Handicap (1350m) at Ipswich on Friday, with the aim of securing consecutive wins. He recently broke his maiden status with a dominant all-the-way victory at the same track earlier this month. This followed a debut third at the Gold Coast, and Dunn has observed further progress in the horse since his initial start.
“We had to ride him really aggressively last start from a bad barrier and it’s probably not the way to ride him. He’s drawn a bit better on Friday,” Dunn revealed. “I think he’s a decent horse. He’s got a good future, and he’ll get out over a bit further yet. If he can get up to a mile, which I think he will, he’s a Saturday horse for sure. His pedigree suggests he will.”
Silent Thinker, acquired for $50,000 from Inglis’ December online sale, is a son of the reputable sire So You Think and a mare by Fusaichi Pegasus. Ben Thompson, who rode him to victory last start, will again take the reins, and Dunn expects his charge to be the one to beat.
“He’s doing a good job, and he will be hard to beat again. He was good last start,” he commented. Also featuring in the race is Exceed Perfection, a former Sydney galloper now trained by Chris and Corey Munce. This five-year-old, in his first run for the stable, has only one win from 23 starts, but has achieved 10 placings, proving to be a consistent performer in NSW provincial racing. Despite a difficult barrier draw in 13, he carries a competitive weight thanks to apprentice Courtney Bellamy’s two-kilogram claim.
Get involved with the racing betting markets for this Ipswich contest at your preferred betting sites.
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First-time Tour winner’s unique fishing celebration goes viral
Sports
Lions, Blue Bombers both could be missing starting QBs for Thursday game
It looks like the B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are going to play without previous winners of the CFL’s most outstanding player award in the Week 9 opener on Thursday.
Lions rookie quarterback Kaidon Salter took the majority of first-team reps at the team’s first practice of the week Monday, per JC Abbott of 3DownNation, and appears poised to make his first career start Thursday in Winnipeg.
Lions star QB Nathan Rourke, the 2025 CFL MOP, was placed on the six-game injured list last week with a shoulder injury to his non-throwing arm. He was listed as limited on Monday’s injury report.
Chase Brice started last week against the Argos, but was ineffective and replaced by Salter late in a 26-12 loss. Salter, who played his final college season for Colorado last season, completed nine of 15 passes for 121 yards against the Argos.
Lions head coach Buck Pierce chose not to confirm his starter after Monday’s practice, Abbott reported.
The Lions (1-5) are in desperate need of a win to stay afloat in the West Division.
Meanwhile, Blue Bombers star QB Zach Collaros (neck) was not dressed for Monday’s practice, Derek Taylor of 680 CJOB Winnipeg reported.
That would put Dru Brown in position to make his fourth consecutive start in place of the two-time MOP for the Blue Bombers (4-3).
Brown is 2-1, but is coming off a four-interception outing in a 52-30 loss to the Calgary Stampeders.
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This week’s best golf rivalry is in England
Sports
Colts QB Daniel Jones ‘a full go’ for training camp
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) throws Wednesday, June 10, 2026, during minicamp at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis. Felled by an Achilles injury last December, Colts quarterback Daniel Jones said Monday he will be under center for Indianapolis’ first training camp practice Wednesday.
“I’m feeling good,” Jones said on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday. “Plan is to be back in 11-on-11, full team drills Wednesday when we start up practice.
“Excited to get back rolling. … Rehab’s been good to this point. Still some work to do as we get ready for Week 1, but feeling good with where I am. … I’m gonna be a full go to start camp.”
The Colts were off to an 8-2 start in 2025 before Jones suffered a left hairline fibula fracture against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12, then tore his right Achilles two weeks later against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jones, 29, played the 2025 season on a one-year, $14 million contract, then re-signed for two years and $88 million that could be worth $100 million after he was given the franchise tag.
“I’m in a really good spot,” Jones said. “I can do everything. There’s nothing that I can’t do. There’s still that last little bit that you’re working to get back but I feel good in the next month or so as I get into team drills, 11-on-11 doing everything again, coming back and feeling 100%.”
Before the season-ending injury, Jones threw for 19 touchdowns and 3,101 yards along with five rushing scores while throwing eight interceptions in 13 games. He also set new career highs in competition rate (68%), QB rating (63.0) and passing yards per attempt (8.1).
The No. 6 overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones has 89 passing TDs, 55 interceptions, 17,683 passing yards and a 64.7% completion rate in 83 games. He also has 20 rushing scores.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Commonwealth Games 2026: Scotland’s Archie Goodburn on battling brain cancer
The attitude is understandable. Goodburn is – astonishingly – is in the best shape of his life in swimming terms. He lowered the national record to 27.12 seconds in February and qualified fifth fastest for this.
New treatments – which he fought hard to be given access to – have slowed the growth of his tumours, and he recently graduated from Edinburgh University with a first in chemical engineering.
Ultimately, he finished joint seventh – “joint last” as he put it – and missed out on the 50m breaststroke medal he craved.
But this race and this week has been about so much more than podiums and plaudits for this remarkable young man from Edinburgh, who continues to fight not only his own brain cancer, but the impact of the disease on others.
“It’s pretty indescribable,” he told BBC Sport Scotland when asked what the past 24 hours have been like. “Usually the words flow easily, but I’m finding myself quite speechless.
“I was really trying to soak it up, because I didn’t feel like I really got much of a chance to do that after the semi. And the experience was everything I dreamed of and more. But the time, unfortunately, wasn’t there.”
These Games – and this summer – have been such a focus for Goodburn amid the darkness of the past two years, and he spoke afterwards about being eager to watch back the race and pour over his data as many athletes would.
He also talked about the support of his family and girlfriend Ciara Schlosshan, who competed for Scotland in the 100m butterfly just five minutes before he did.
But not many swimmers – standing wrapped in a towel, goggles strapped to their head and wearing just their jammers – would talk so passionately and eruditely about ensuring brain cancer research is properly resourced.
Team-mate Duncan Scott called him “inspirational” and no wonder.
“I was thinking today, the goal was to make the final, and the dream was to win a medal,” Goodburn said. “That dream didn’t come true, but one of my other dreams is that we see a future where brain cancer isn’t the biggest killer of patients under 40.
“I advocate to try and extend my own life, but also for the other young patients and adults going through what I’m going through.
“With everything that’s going on with my health, it’s been difficult to think ‘why am I here? Am I here to advocate as a patient advocate, or am I here to just be a professional athlete?’ And it’s kind of turned into a bit of both.
“I wonder how I’m going to feel off the back of this. But I know that I’m going to have memories to last a lifetime.”
Sports
Savvy Hallie set for 2025 racing season after trials
As Sydney’s final Saturday metropolitan race meeting of the current term concludes, a new cohort of carnival-bound horses will make their presence felt in barrier trials at Rosehill, signalling their ramped-up preparations for their seasonal comebacks.
Among the notable contenders expected to grace Friday’s session are the Australian Derby winner Green Spaces, the distinguished Queen Of The Turf Stakes heroine Idle Flyer, and the accomplished Flight Stakes victor Apocalyptic.
These three will vie for supremacy in the inaugural 900m Group Trial, a heat that also features the promising filly Savvy Hallie. Savvy Hallie delivered a stellar performance, narrowly missing the win against Everest runner-up Tempted in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) in February.
She was subsequently sent for a spell after concluding her preparation outside the placings in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) against older mares. Trainer Brad Widdup concluded that she had reached the limit of her campaign and her optimal distance range.
“It was probably too far, and one run too many,” Widdup commented.
“She is only starting to fill into herself now, so I still think the autumn next year might be her time. She’s still developing, but she’s done well this time in.
“We’ll see what happens, but hopefully she can be our flag bearer.”
The capable Savvy Hallie will be guided by her regular jockey Nash Rawiller during Friday’s trial. The rising four-year-old mare is scheduled for another trial next month prior to her anticipated resumption at Randwick on August 22.
“She’ll trial twice, then there’s the Toy Show (Quality) and Show County (Quality) on the same day, so she’ll probably head to one of them,” Widdup confirmed.
Stable companion Jedibeel, a runner-up in The Galaxy, is still some time away from a competitive return to the racetrack. This follows a successful surgical procedure undertaken after his appearance in The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot in April.
The horse was eased out of the race in the straight, and subsequent veterinary assessments indicated an elevated heart rate and cough, alongside traces of blood found in his trachea.
“He had to have throat surgery after Perth, but he’s not far off,” Widdup stated.
“He has healed really well. Hopefully we will get him back late spring. We’ll just get him fit and work it out from there.”
Among the other noteworthy participants at the Rosehill trials will be the Canonbury Stakes winner Hidrix and the filly Chilly Girl, who recorded a decisive victory in the Widden Stakes before an unfortunate setback sidelined her for the autumn carnival.
Compare betting markets for the race from leading bookmakers.
Sports
WWE SummerSlam 2026: Date, matches, card, rumors and location for annual event
WWE SummerSlam has a WrestleMania flair. For the second year, SummerSlam takes place over two nights. The additional day requires more matches and more big names. This year’s card already has meat on the bones with names like Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Brock Lesnar.
Reigns defends the world heavyweight title against a name he can’t seem to shake. Seth Rollins has been Reigns’ chief ally and mortal enemy for 14 years. The ex-Shield allies tangle again for one of WWE’s top prizes. There’s also the rubber match between Lesnar and Oba Femi. The only thing that can confine such behemoths is Hell in a Cell.
Plus, a long-anticipated showdown between CM Punk and Cody Rhodes is set. Rhodes dropped the title in a stunner to Sami Zayn at Night of Champions. But Zayn then quickly dropped the title to Punk just six days later. Now, the longtime friends are set to throw down as the rivalry has heated up.
Take a look below at the confirmed matches for SummerSlam. The event streams live on ESPN Unlimited on Aug. 1 and 2, with the main card starting at 6 p.m. ET.
2026 WWE SummerSlam matches
Undisputed WWE Championship — CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: WWE teased this match the night after WrestleMania 42. Three months later, they meet for SmackDown’s top prize. Both men were world champions heading into Mania, but only Rhodes left Las Vegas with his title. Rhodes offered Punk a title shot anytime, but they’ve since swapped places. Punk defeated Sami Zayn for the undisputed title. He was never the planned challenger. Punk made his surprise return, replacing Rhodes after Gunther laid him out. Rhodes deserved the title shot he never got, making this booking a no-brainer.
World Heavyweight Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins: Could Reigns and Rollins meet for the final time at SummerSlam? That was Rollins’ suggestion ahead of their world title match. Reigns and Rollins cut their teeth in The Shield before becoming cornerstones of the modern era. They meet once again at what has definitively become the promotion’s second biggest show of the year.
Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar (Hell in a Cell match): Apparently, some things are more important than world titles. Femi won the King of the Ring tournament at Night of Champions, earning him a world title shot at SummerSlam. However, Femi forewent that opportunity in pursuit of a bigger fish. Femi and Lesnar are tied one each in their series, which took place across WrestleMania and Clash in Italy. They will collide for the third, and seemingly final, time at SummerSlam, confined inside Hell in a Cell.
Women’s World Championship — Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo Sky: Familiar faces meet in a new setting. Last month, Morgan and Sky met in the Queen of the Ring tournament finals. They had different objectives in mind that evening. Sky looked to earn a world title shot, while Morgan sought to conquer both brands. Sky won that evening, and cleverly chose to challenge the world champion that she had just beaten. Now, Morgan must forget her conqueror ambitions and defend her throne.
Gunther vs. Nick Aldis: “The Ring General” has his opponent for SummerSlam. Gunther was forced to team with Sami Zayn at Saturday Night’s Main Event for the opportunity to be part of the WWE title match with CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. Gunther was close to securing the win when Aldis ran in to pull the referee and cost him his chance. This comes after Gunther berated Aldis for not giving him what he wanted upon signing with SmackDown. Now, the two are set to settle their differences in the ring with Aldis relinquishing his role as general manager to become a wrestler once again.
Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn (No. 1 contender’s match): Zayn pleaded for himself to be worthy of challenging for the WWE title after losing the title just six days after winning it at Night of Champions. After losing his opportunity with Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, an irate Zayn ripped Adam Pearce that he deserved to be at the title level once again. Pearce informed him that a fatal four-way to determine his opponent at SummerSlam in a No. 1 contender’s match would be booked for later in the night. After a chaotic match and finish, Balor stood tall over Damian Priest, Royce Keys and Trick Williams.
Intercontinental Championship — Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable: Gable keeps momentum after the El Grande Americano saga in AAA. Gable won a seven-man gauntlet — also featuring Dominik Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Ethan Page, Je’Von Evans, Joe Hendry and Rusev — to earn a shot at Penta. Once lucha libre’s biggest denouncer, Gable has developed a deep respect for Penta’s style.
The Bloodline (Jacob Fatu, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. LA Knight, Royce Keys and Solo Sikoa: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That motif is the glue upon which Knight, Keys and Sikoa’s loose alliance hinges. All three men have issues with The Bloodline, leading to a six-man tag team match against Fatu and The Usos.
Interim WWE Women’s Championship — Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Chelsea Green vs. Charlotte Flair vs. TBA (Ladder match): WWE women’s champion Rhea Ripley is sidelined with a torn meniscus. WWE believes she’s close to a return, but the uncertain timeline inspired this interim title match. It’s the first time the company has ever booked an interim main roster title match. The winner will eventually unify titles with Ripley.
Nikki Bella, Brie Bella and Paige vs. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid): The match came together rather quickly after Brie Bella defeated Reid in a singles match and Jayne and Henley then tried to attack. Nikki Bella made a surprise return after missing WrestleMania with an ankle injury to lay down the challenge for a six-woman tag team match at SummerSlam.
United States Championship — Trick Williams (c) vs. Baron Corbin: Corbin made a surprise return to WWE earlier this month and immediately made his presence felt in the U.S. title picture. Williams took part in a fatal four-way match to determine a spot in a No. 1 contender’s match for the WWE title. Finn Balor won that matcha and immediately as Williams was about to make the walk backstage, Corbin attacked Williams from out of the crowd. Shortly after, it was announced that the two would square off at SummerSlam.
Sports
The Vikings’ GM is Going to See a Promise Put to the Test

In the minds of many, the Minnesota Vikings have already decided who is going to start at quarterback: veteran newcomer Kyler Murray. If that is indeed the case, then the Vikings’ GM may have some explaining to do, at least if J.J. McCarthy has a noticeably better August.
Nolan Teasley chatted with KFAN’s Paul Allen in June. The conversation — a rite of passage for anyone prominent within the world of Minnesota Vikings football — predictably swerved into the quarterback competition that got started prior to Teasley being hired. After noting the “talent” and “upside,” Teasley said that the battle is a true meritocracy: “may the best man win.” The simple, offhand comment could become very important if the competition goes in a certain direction.
The Vikings’ GM: Let the Best QB Win
There is, at least to a certain extent, some silliness in the conversation here. What’s the executive supposed to say other than that the better of the pair will get the top job?
The NFL markets itself as a place where talent wins. A lot of the time, that reflects reality, but it’s not always so. The National Football League is a business above all, meaning that money gets the final say. More often than not, those two ambitions — stacking piles of cash and featuring talent — converge, but that’s not always so. Sometimes, strategic decisions get made that aren’t about winning.
Consider, for instance, what took place in Arizona last year. Some insisted that there was a soft benching taking place with Murray allowed to remain away from his starter’s position in the name of injury recovery. Rolling out a tank commander to drive down the record was considered better for a Cardinals team that was keen to earn a very high draft choice.

In Minnesota, the likeliest scenario features a Week 1 game where Mr. Murray is the QB1. That’s not a locked-in reality, though. All of Kevin O’Connell, Nolan Teasley, Justin Jefferson, and others have proclaimed this a true competition.
Is that actually so? A lot of people don’t buy it.
One way of measuring the veracity of the consistent claim is to witness the competition that has yet to begin. Where the purple rubber would meet the golden road is if J.J. McCarthy is clearly and decisively better. That’s a possible, albeit unlikely, path that would feature no shortage of intrigue.
Murray, per the common wisdom, was brought to town to start. Would he really accept living as the QB2 for a year of his prime? Some don’t think so.
But then there’s the danger in demoting a McCarthy who shows to the coaching staff, teammates, and fans that he’s more deserving of being the starter. Doing so before then being bumped down the depth chart could lead to some tough questions about how legitimate the competition was in the first place (which is to say nothing of the speculated McCarthy mutiny).

Consider some basic facts to step off of the shaky ground that is speculation:
- J.J. McCarthy was chosen at No. 10 overall in 2024 to be MIN’s franchise passer.
- J.J. McCarthy had battled a ton of injuries and has played poorly overall.
- Kyler Murray is coming off a disappointing time as the Cardinals’ QB1 but boasts insane talent and is in the prime of his career.
- The Vikings’ GM has indicated that whoever is better will be the starter. So have coaches and players.
Orbiting around these basic facts are the whims and fancies of the masses of Minnesota onlookers. The online orthodoxy can be tossed to and fro but God help you if you get onto the wrong side of it on any particular day. People feel strongly about their perspective, declaring it so vociferously that to disagree is paramount to proclaiming one’s idiocy.
Forced to guess, I’d say that most think Murray is inevitable. Minnesota is paying lip service to the idea of competition but this one is already in the books.
Where things would get fascinating is if J.J. McCarthy clearly and decisively proves to be the most promising QB1. Seeing that possibility turn into a reality isn’t super likely but can’t be outright dismissed. Seeing that possibility turn into reality would force the decision makers to back up what has long been promised: may the best man win.

The Vikings are moving into a 2026 season that’s trying to bridge the old with the new, made evident in the Vikings’ GM decisions (firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah before hiring Nolan Teasley). Moreover, there’s the quarterback competition as a reminder that Minnesota is open to at least a partial franchise reset.
Vikings rookies arrived at TCO yesterday for training camp. The vets arrive tomorrow. Soon enough, Murray and McCarthy will compete in front of the masses.
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