The players on the U.S. Olympic hockey teams don't deserve this.

Instead of simply being paraded in the Red, White and Blue, our two gold medal-winning hockey teams are being pilloried in the tiresome refrain of Red vs. Blue.

It needs to stop. Just celebrate these teams.

Team USA captain Auston Matthews shouldn't be returning to his NHL team in Toronto to questions about President Donald Trump’s geopolitical intentions related to Canada or columns questioning his loyalty to the Maple Leafs' playoff run, simply for going to the White House and the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.

We should be celebrating the first Mexican-American to win an Olympic gold medal — against Canada, no less — not debating whether Maple Leafs fans will boo or cheer him in his first NHL game back.

Every one of Matthews' U.S. teammates shouldn't have to answer for President Donald Trump’s congratulatory locker-room phone call that included comments about the women’s team. They shouldn't be called a "clown" by Megan Rapinoe, and "Miracle on Ice" hero Mike Eruzione shouldn't feel compelled to blast the people criticizing the men's players.

We’ve forced our nation's Olympic heroes into the impossible position of having to pick a side in the culture war both major political parties allowed to foment over the past decade. These are hockey players who won gold medals at the Olympics, not statesmen returning from abroad. These are issues that go far beyond a president's phone call, or a State of the Union appearance.

OLYMPICS TV RATINGS: Men's hockey gold medal game sets unique viewership record

"The team that wins the Stanley Cup every year accepts the White House invitation to go," Matthews told reporters earlier this week. "I just think it's something that you do because we are proud Americans and whatever your political beliefs may be, hopefully something like this will bring more unity to the country. But for us, we believe it's a great honor no matter who is in office."

So much for bringing people together.

Blame Trump for bad joke, not Team USA

Is part of the problem that the current media landscape values controversy over nuance? You bet. What’s actually newsworthy too often takes a back seat to what’s trending. A standing ovation for Jack Hughes isn't just celebrated as a show of appreciation and patriotism anymore. It's viewed through the prism of left and right that overtook this hockey game over the past week.

But that’s not fair to these players, who really did nothing wrong other than, in a split-second, elect to laugh at a crude, unfunny joke the president never should have made when he called to congratulate them. It's hard for me to hold that against them, to allow it to diminish that they're the first U.S. men's hockey team in 46 years to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Almost a week later, ever since Trump’s locker-room call set off an avalanche of opinions here and north of the border, it’s perhaps lost that this controversy boils down to one man’s failed attempt at humor.

Was he trying to crack a sexist joke by minimizing the women’s hockey team’s gold-medal accomplishment while telling the men’s team, “We're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that?"

Or was he trying to get a laugh at the expense of Democrats when he added, "I do believe I probably would be impeached” if he didn’t invite the women’s team to the White House.

Never mind that it doesn't appear Trump ever called to congratulate the women's ice hockey team when it won a gold medal in overtime against Canada three days earlier. Neither comment he made to the men was appropriate. It was "distasteful," as women's hockey player Hilary Knight correctly put it.

But we’ve collectively spent the days since then somehow trying to make sure what Trump said to the U.S. men's hockey team lingers longer than what the U.S. men's hockey team pulled off in Milan.

See, this never was about whether the men's players should have gone to the White House, or to the State of the Union, to be fêted after an incredible accomplishment. Of course, they should have if they wanted.

This isn’t even about whether Trump should have called the men’s hockey team after its win. Of course, he should have if he wanted. U.S. Presidents have been making those sort of congratulatory calls for decades.

This is about a bad joke, and a group of hockey players who deserve better from us.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA hockey should be celebrated, not dragged in our culture wars

For NFL Draft fans, there is nothing quite like the NFL combine. The testing is not much in terms of action, but regardless, it gets you on the edge of your seat for the first time since the Super Bowl.

On Friday, we get to see two position groups on the field with actual testing in the tight ends and defensive backs. Both are positions that the Bucs could use some help at this draft cycle, so we wanted to give you some players to watch today when testing begins at 3:00 p.m. EST on NFL Network.

In this piece, we will focus specifically on defensive backs. It is not the biggest need for the team, given they drafted Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish on day two of the 2025 selection meeting. The team could have a hole to fill if they lose Jamel Dean in free agency, which is why we are highlighting this.

With that in mind, here are five players we are looking forward to seeing test at the NFL combine.

Bud Clark, TCU

One of my favorite prospects from this past year. The instinctive defensive back for the Horned Frogs was a bona fide playmaker for their defense showcased good instincts and movement skills to be in position to make plays. He should be an interesting player to watch test today as a result.

Keith Abney II, Arizona State

Keith Abney II is going to be must-see TV when it comes to the backpedaling drills to illustrate coverage. All season he showcased his footwork and hips to be one of the reasons he can stick with most receivers, not to mention his background as a speed skating national champion doesn't hurt matters.

Brandon Cisse, South Carolina

Brandon Cisse has been getting first-round hype in recent months, but to cement that, he needs to ace his testing. He has the skillset and build to get the team's attention, and the film indicates he should do well on testing. However, if he doesn't do well, he could find himself becoming a second-round pick, which could make him a value.

Domani Jackson, Alabama

One of the more athletic players in the pool of talent in Indianapolis is Domani Jackson out of Alabama. The Crimson Tide defensive back does not have the flashiest of tape, and has some concerns overall that have his draft stock projected to day three. With strong testing, he could creep into the top of day three, or even the back end of day two.

Malik Muhammad, Texas

Malik Muhammad is another player whose film was not the best this past season. But like Jackson, Muhammad has a chance to make folks remember what he is capable of when he tests on Friday. Muhammad right now is shaking on day two ground but could solidify that with some strong testing.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2026 Scouting combine: 5 DB prospects fans should watch

Diego Lopes is pondering changing divisions after failing to capture the UFC featherweight title.

Lopes (27-8 MMA, 6-3 UFC) lost to featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) for a second time at UFC 325 in February, with the rematch being a more decisive win for the champion.

Two title losses has Lopes wondering if a move up to lightweight will help him seek new life in the UFC title picture.

"It's something I've actually been thinking about for a while now," Lopes said of lightweight in a translated interview with Laerte Viana (h/t Championship Rounds). "I've already been talking with the people closest to me, and yes, it's definitely a possibility, but we also have to see what the UFC's plans are, right? So first, I want to sit down, talk to the UFC, see what they have in mind for me, see what they'll tell me, then we'll also give them our opinion from there. But yes, moving up a division is definitely a possibility."

In between his title losses to Volkanovski, Lopes knocked out top contender Jean Silva with a spinning back elbow.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Diego Lopes: 'Moving up a division is definitely a possibility'

There has been plenty of speculation as to whether new Boston Celtics big man Nikola Vucevic will be starting or coming off the bench for the Celtics. Now attention turns to that question for when star Boston forward Jayson Tatum returns to action from the Achilles tendon injury he picked up in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals.

And while we do not yet have an answer to that particular potential conundrum, we do know how the former Chicago Bulls center feels about coming off the bench for Boston at the moment. "When I got to Boston and (was) talking to (Celtics head coach) Joe (Mazzulla), he had mentioned that," said Vooch in an interview with NBC Sports Boston. "And in our conversation, I told him I was open to (it)."

"I didn't mind if my role would be different, if I'd come off the bench, if my minutes were different and he just ... asked me to be flexible to start off the bench and see how it goes and figure out the minutes and everything," he added.

"And I told him I was open to that," continued Vucevic "I didn't know that was an issue for me. I knew it would be an adjustment, when you start for so long, you have a certain routine, you go from the warm-up straight to the intro to playing."

"Now it's that you sit on a bench for a little bit and, so it was an adjustment. I think the first game I was just excited to be out there and just wanted to play as hard as I can to help the team. And there was a lot of process, learning the offense, learning the defense, the communication we use, and things like that."

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Nikola Vucevic on coming off the bench for the Celtics

Peter Leven has challenged his Aberdeen players to start a huge week in style by ending their Hearts hoodoo.

The Dons have not won in 13 visits to Tynecastle since May 2017 when Hearts boss Derek McInnes was in charge at Pittodrie.

Victory over the league leaders would be "massive" for Leven's side, who have slim hopes of a top-six finish and host Celtic on Wednesday night before continuing their Scottish Cup defence next weekend at Dunfermline.

"At Tynecastle our record isn't great, but records are there to be broken," said the interim boss.

"We've got players who haven't played there before, so they won't know about that record that's intact.

"We've got to go there with confidence and belief in the squad, and build on it. We've got three amazing games this week with Hearts, Celtic and Dunfermline in the cup.

"Hearts are pushing for the title, but we'll look at what their strengths and weaknesses are, what we can bring to the game, how we can hurt them and how we can nullify their strengths.

"I'm really looking forward to the game and so are the players. It's a difficult venue, but we'll go there, play our way and try to get a result. It's all about us."

Leven strengthened his coaching team this week with the appointment of former Notts County and Forest Green boss Ian Burchnall as first-team coach.

"Stuart Duff had a lot on with the under-18s and Youth Cup, so we were always looking to bring another coach in. Lutz [Pfannenstiel, sporting director] mentioned his name," added the interim manager.

"He's got a great CV, been involved at some amazing clubs, experienced as both an assistant and a manager. He's another good person to have and bounce ideas off."

Could a linebacker who previously played for Jonathan Gannon be a free agent target for the Green Bay Packers? ESPN's Aaron Schatz, who set out to find one free agent signing for each team, thinks so.

Schatz sees Dean, a third-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles from the 2022 draft, as a logical replacement at linebacker with the Packers potentially losing 2022 first-round pick Quay Walker in free agency.

From Schatz: "The Packers are probably going to let linebacker Quay Walker leave after they declined his fifth-year option, which means they need an option to play next to Edgerrin Cooper. Dean is still only 25 years old and arguably stronger than Walker in pass coverage. Dean had four sacks, two forced fumbles and 55 total tackles last season."

Dean was a rookie with the Eagles and played under Gannon, who was previously the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia and will be the new defensive coordinator in Green Bay in 2026.

Dean has pros and cons as a free agent target. He's young (25), an explosive mover and has played high-level football during his first four seasons. He can blitz from the second level and is excellent against the run. That all makes him a good fit for a Packers team that prefers to sign young, ascending players in free agency, and it's impossible to overlook the Gannon connection. However, Dean is also small (5-11, 231) and has a troubling injury history, including a torn pectoral, a Lisfranc foot injury and a torn patellar tendon in his knee. Over four NFL seasons, Dean has played only 1,500 defensive snaps -- and he's only started more than eight games in a season once in four years.

However, it is tempting to imagine the 2024 version of Dean -- who a game-changing player -- operating next to Edgerrin Cooper in Gannon's defense in 2026 and beyond.

What will Dean's market look like? PFF ranks him as the site's No. 11 overall free agent. But not everyone agrees; Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Company did a "consensus" free agent ranking, and Dean came in at No. 36, just above Quay Walker at No. 38. Opinions are split, and it's possible an off-ball linebacker with an injury history won't cost a ton on the open market.

The Packers aren't blessed with loads of cap space entering free agency. In fact, the team will need to actively cut down the roster to become cap compliant and have flexibility during March. So, there is little wiggle room for making a mistake on a free agent target.

Elsewhere, Schatz picked the New York Jets for quarterback Malik Willis and the Las Vegas Raiders for linebacker Quay Walker. He did not pick a match for Rasheed Walker or Romeo Doubs, two of the Packers' other top free agents.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Nakobe Dean to Packers? ESPN likes the free agent match

The NFL announced the 2026 salary cap figure for the Indianapolis Colts and the 31 other teams.

A month ago, it was reported that the 2026 salary cap would be in the $301.2 million to $305.7 million range. According to Ian Rapoport, the official cap number will be set at $301.2 million.

This is up $22 million from the 2024 season and up nearly $100 million from 2022, when the cap figure was $208.2 million.

So what does this mean for the Colts in 2026?

NFL clubs were informed today that the salary cap for the ’26 season will jump $22 million per club to $301.2 million. Add in another $77.6m in benefits & that’s $378.8m per club in player spending. Tremendous growth pic.twitter.com/cQ5Zf3aGVW

— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) February 27, 2026

How much salary cap space do Colts have for 2026 NFL season?

Before this news broke, Over the Cap projected that the Colts had $35.71 million in salary cap space, which ranked as the 13th most in the NFL. That was based on a salary cap figure of $303.5 million.

After doing a little math, we can estimate that the Colts actually have around $33.41 million in available space.

The opportunity for GM Chris Ballard to further reshape the Colts' roster in free agency does seem to exist, given the team's salary cap situation.

When owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon spoke with the media after the season, she mentioned how Ballard adapted his roster-building approach, which included being more aggressive.

Ballard then seemed to acknowledge that continuing down that path was going to be the plan this offseason.

Addressing the defensive side of the ball, specifically, seems to be a big priority for the Colts this offseason.

Colts 5 largest salary cap hits in 2026

• Michael Pittman: $29M
• DeForest Buckner: $26.6M
• Quenton Nelson: $24.2M
• Charvarius Ward: $20.2M
• Bernhard Raimann: $17.5M

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL salary cap: How much space do Colts have to spend?

2026 is a year that could bring some huge opportunities for the New Orleans Saints to build their roster and improve as a franchise back to the levels they experienced from the late 2000s to the late 2010s. The success brought by Drew Brees and Sean Payton was immense, and after a recent election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the former, he may be extending his branches to new opportunities.

A recent report from MLB insiders Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic indicates Brees could very much be involved in the sale of an MLB franchise. With Brees being a long-time fan of the San Diego Padres, he has reportedly joined forces with Joe Kudla, the owner and CEO of clothing brand Vuori:

Joe Kudla, the owner and CEO of Carlsbad, Calif.-based Vuori, has partnered with Drew Brees, who began his decorated NFL career with the San Diego Chargers, in pursuit of the Padres, according to industry sources who were granted anonymity to speak freely about the franchise’s sale process.

Also mentioned in the report is that there are five total offers at this point in time to purchase the franchise, including one from Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob and Chelsea Football Club consortium investor José E. Feliciano. It mentions that Kudla has a previous history with Brees as a workout partner and friend, who helps market for Vuori and attends Padres games.

The price currently being asked for by the San Diego ownership is right around $3 billion, which is why many investment members have to group up nowadays to pool money. If this number is hit, it would be the record for an MLB franchise sale, breaking the previous record from 2020 by $580 million.

In recent years, the Padres have sent out an exceptional number in terms of team payroll, with the MLB having no true cap ceiling. Their estimated luxury tax payroll just for 2026 is set at $268,173,680, and from now until 2032, it is set at $1,137,463,616, validating the projected sale price, given that the stadium, television rights, branding, and other marketable factors will also be added on top.

Brees now has the opportunity to embark on his first professional sporting venture following his NFL career, and will be competing with other large-scale moguls to purchase his favorite baseball franchise.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints quarterback Drew Brees exploring purchase of MLB's Padres

Quarterbacks aren't wired to volunteer for the bench, especially not former first-round draft picks. Never, during his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, have we heard Lamar Jackson do so. Guys drafted to be the face of a franchise are wired differently. That's why this one hits differently. It appears the Anthony Richardson saga has taken an unexpected but very interesting turn.

Anthony Richardson was the fourth overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, but after a series of injuries and subpar performance, his relationship with the Indianapolis Colts has soured. Both sides seem content to move on.

Anthony Richardson's agent told FOX Sports that the young quarterback would welcome the chance to sit behind a veteran like Lamar Jackson as part of his development. The Ravens' two-time MVP and Chiefs' star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, was cited as a proven leader Richardson could learn from while refining his mechanics and decision-making. Here's why Jackson's name surfaced — and what it says about his standing around the league.

Anthony Richardson’s agent told @FOXSports he would be open to sitting behind a veteran quarterback like Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson to learn from them.

The Colts and Richardson will soon be parting ways after he was selected No. 4 overall in 2023. pic.twitter.com/f51QIwEVqb

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 27, 2026

Has Anthony Richardson done enough to make the Ravens pay attention?

If you're uninterested, trust us, we totally understand. If an eyebrow raises, we totally understand that, too.

This isn't a player clinging to a starting job at all costs. It's a 22-year-old with rare physical tools acknowledging that he realizes development matters. Richardson seems to understand that being around the right infrastructure could unlock everything scouts once dreamed of.

Baltimore has already built an offense tailored to Jackson's skill set. They've invested in creativity, quarterback-centric design, and flexibility. If Richardson is serious about embracing a developmental season and about refining his footwork, processing speed, and accuracy instead of rushing back onto the field, there may not be a better classroom in the league than the one in Owings Mills.

Naturally, there's a lot that would have to happen for this to transpire. Richardson isn't eligible for free agency until 2027. He has a baked-in fifth-year option that pushes his FA eligibility until 2028. The Colts won't be exercising that option, though.

That means the only way a Ravens acquisition could take place is if Baltimore trades for him or scoops him up if the Colts feel it's more feasible to release him. With Richardson being a former first-round draft choice, that second idea seems unlikely. Perhaps they seek a trade.

It's also worth noting that backup Ravens QB Tyler Huntley is an impending free agent. Meanwhile, Cooper Rush is signed through next season, but he isn't very good. There are reasons to argue for possible Ravens interest and for arguing that Baltimore should avoid Richardson without giving this a second thought.

Statements like these are like smoke. Most never lead to any concerning fires, but given all the hype that has surrounded Richardson at various stages of his career, you certainly see why we would find this all interesting.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Should the Ravens have an interest in acquiring Anthony Richardson?

What will the impact of Jayson Tatum returning be for the Boston Celtics? The St. Louis native is nearing the end of his long rehab process for the Achilles tendon injury he sustained vs. the New York Knicks in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals, and speculation on how he will be integrated back into the ball club that has found uncanny success in his (and Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, Luke Kornet, and Kristaps Porzingis') absence this campaign.

The team looks quite different, and plays a different style than when Tatum was at the helm, and there is also the whole issue of his costar on the wing Jaylen Brown having a season worthy of winning the league's Most Valuable Player award. What should we expect from the Duke alum returning to the fold?

The folks behind "Havlicek Stole the Pod" put together a clip taking a deep dive on the subject in conjunction with the Ringer's Howard Beck. Check it out below!

Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: What will the impact of Jayson Tatum returning be for the Celtics?

It feels wrong to be even asking the question.

Jos Buttler is one of England's all-time white-ball greats – a two-time World Cup winner.

But the 35-year-old has looked horribly out of touch over the past few weeks and his duck against New Zealand was his fifth single-figure score in a row.

He has put in extra net sessions and faced local spinners, padded up against England's options as well as coaches with the dog stick, yet nothing has lifted him from his slump as yet.

Could England really make a change for next week's semi-final?

Here are the options facing England and the issues at play…

Option One: Back him

This remains the most likely scenario – overwhelmingly so.

Captain Harry Brook strongly backed his predecessor after Friday's win over New Zealand, saying "it is exciting to know what he could produce in the next few games".

"There's been a lot said about Jos. He's played 150 games for England and people need to take a little step back," said Brook.

"He's probably the best white-ball player to play the game. He's in a rut but he's got fire in his belly and wants to show people what he's made of.

"He's a phenomenal player and I've no doubt he'll go out and do well."

Brook's faith is unsurprising.

Buttler is the fourth highest run-scorer in T20 international history. He scored 83 from 35 balls against South Africa last September.

But the right-hander has not scored a fifty in any of his 16 international innings this winter and this is now the longest run of single-figure scores in his T20 international career.

Though he has come through lean patches previously, the upturn has not always been immediate.

As England's 50-over World Cup spiralled in 2023, he did not score a fifty and made scores of nine, 15, eight, 10, one, five and 27 as his side exited the tournament.

Option Two: Move him

This would be somewhat of a halfway house.

With Buttler struggling at the top, why not move him down the order where the pressure to score quickly is not as great? He does play the finisher role in 50-over cricket after all.

Buttler has batted at five and six 45 times in T20s for England, though not consistently since 2018.

This change would obviously require someone else to step up to open.

England have various options, given both Tom Banton and Will Jacks are openers by trade.

But Banton was recalled specifically to play a role in the middle order because of his prowess attacking against spin. Jacks has also been England's player of the tournament so far with 191 runs from 108 balls as a finisher and Rehan Ahmed impressed in that role against New Zealand.

Brook and Jacob Bethell have both opened in the Indian Premier League but Brook has just scored a stunning century at number three and Bethell is not the quickest starter.

You could simply swap Brook and Buttler, leaving Buttler to come in at first drop as he was up to the start of last summer for England. He also had a successful IPL at number three last year.

The way Buttler and Phil Salt complement each other in their opening partnership was viewed as one of England's big strengths before the tournament, however.

None of these options are entirely straightforward.

Option Three: Drop him

The most drastic option also appears the least likely.

Buttler, who signed a new two-year central contract last year, has been a mainstay of England's white-ball teams for more than a decade. Could they really leave him out entirely for a World Cup semi-final?

That encounter may be at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, where Buttler has made scores of 94 not out, 89 and 116 in the IPL.

Ben Duckett is the spare batter in England's squad - another man struggling for form.

Duckett is averaging 18.88 from 12 matches this winter across all formats and was out for a first-ball duck in his most recent innings at the start of the month.

"Who is writing Jos Buttler off?," said former England spinner Alex Hartley.

"If you are, get a grip. He is one of those players where it takes one shot crunched through the covers and he will be back.

"It would be a worry if England were not winning games. I have no doubt when push comes to shove Jos Buttler will be OK."

• 'The day Brook showed he is an England leader'
• Stunning Brook century leads England into semis
• Is Buttler's form a worry? England's T20 World Cup so far analysed

Martin O'Neill is not anticipating as many surprises on his 74th birthday as he received when hearing what Sunday's opposition team boss, Danny Rohl, had said before what both hope will be an Old Firm derby celebration day.

Earlier, Rangers' German head coach had responded to Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan's suggestion that "if we're at it, no team in that league touches us" by pointing out that his Ibrox side are two points above the third-placed reigning champions.

Rohl also thought it "will be interesting" to see whether O'Neill restores Kasper Schmeichel in goal after Viljami Sinisalo played so well in Thursday's 1-0 Europa League victory for a much-changed Celtic over Stuttgart.

Expressing surprise at the comments about a tie Celtic lost 4-2 on aggregate, O'Neill said: "So he is picking our team? Well done old Danny. He's only in less than a year.

"I have to laugh. He's made a comment about the picking of our team? Absolutely extraordinary. He hasn't been in Glasgow long.

"There's no need for him commenting on my team."

However, what appeared to get O'Neill most irritated was the Rangers boss' suggestion that: "I was a little bit surprised after 1-0 that they're [Celtic] not trying to win this game, 2-0, 3-0, to have a chance. They keep the result until the end."

The Northern Irishman replied: "He wants to be involved in some of these games.

"I didn't see it like that. We were driven back because they are a very good team and in the top four of the Bundesliga."

All that after Rohl had insisted: "I think, in general, it makes no sense to speak too much about the other side, we have to focus on ourselves."

Hence the battle lines have been drawn for a Glasgow derby that could be of crucial importance to the destination of the Scottish title.

Heart of Midlothian are four points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership and Celtic two points further back with a game in hand.

O'Neill does not think the comments will add any fuel to what is usually a fiery fixture.

He should know. Although it will be his first league Old Firm derby since a 2-1 win at Ibrox in April 2005, he has won eight of his last 10 against Rangers, losing just two, and also led them to a 3-1 League Cup semi-final win over Rohl's side in November.

That was in his first spell as interim manager, but Rangers reversed the scoreline at Celtic Park in January, a result that went some way to ushering in his second after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.

Celtic's first-ever win in Germany came after a 2-1 loss at home to Hibernian dented their domestic title hopes.

"We are running out of games," O'Neill admitted. "We have been trying to catch up for quite some considerable time and we're still trying to do that.

"Losing to Hibs was a setback, but it wasn't mortal and we're still there."

Now he is relishing a "really great fixture" he "never expected" to be involved in again.

"He [Rohl] possesses a fine team over there and it is going to be tough for us to get a result," O'Neill admitted.

"In normal circumstances, you would like the full week to prepare, but we've gone to Ibrox and won before after we have played midweek games."

• Premiership picks: Old Firm, Hearts deputy defender, and under-pressure Robinson
• Marathe stands down as Rangers vice-chair
• Listen: Premiership weekend preview

'No team will be out of race after this game'

With Hearts hosting Aberdeen on Saturday, Derek McInnes' long-time leaders could have stretched their advantage over the Glasgow pair before they do battle in Govan, but Rohl insisted "we have to focus on ourselves".

"We are ready," he said. "Do it with a hot heart and a smart mind. If we do this then we have a big chance.

"We have a clear idea of what we want to do. We have also some different solutions, how we can hurt them."

Like Celtic, Rangers suffered a setback last weekend when they drew 2-2 away to bottom side Livingston, coming from two goals down after having twice been behind the previous week when defeating Hearts 4-2.

"My team showed character, big personality in the last couple of weeks," Rohl suggested.

"Also to come back away in Celtic, in the stadium there after 1-0 down, showed that, even if the game goes in one direction, what we don't want, we always have a chance to come back."

Rohl feels he and his side "are on fire" after "a good training week" and feels "the confidence" and "the belief".

"It's a crucial game, but no team will be out after this game because there are still 27 points you can take," he insisted. "It's two matchdays and you are in the title race again.

"It's a crucial one because, when you come closer and closer to the end of the season and there is more and more in, then you know every game is important."

O'Neill, meanwhile, is not putting any significance on the game landing on his birthday.

"I have not celebrated a birthday since I was 49, so it makes no difference to me," he insisted.

Quoting legendary Rangers manager Walter Smith, he simply predicted a feeling of "relief" come the final whistle.

Pick of the stats

• Rangers have lost once in 15 outings, away to Porto in Europa League, have won 10 in a row at home by an aggregate score of 32-4, are unbeaten in 13 since losing to Roma in November and remain undefeated at Ibrox domestically this season.
• Celtic head across the city to Ibrox unbeaten in six away games since losing to Motherwell in December.
• Rangers last won 11 successive home matches within a single season in April 2003 under Alex McLeish – the 11th of which was a win over Celtic.
• Celtic have lost seven Premiership games this season, as many as they did in 2023-24 and 2024-25 combined, and last suffered more defeats in a league campaign in 1999-00 – with their eighth defeat that season coming away to Rangers.
• Following a 0-0 draw in their last encounter at Ibrox in August, Celtic have not won in four visits to Ibrox since a 1-0 victory in September 2023, but they have only lost one of those.
• Rohl could become the first-ever Rangers manager to win both of his first two league Old Firm derbies.

The NFL announced the 2026 salary cap figure for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the 31 other teams.

A month ago, it was reported that the 2026 salary cap would be in the $301.2 million to $305.7 million range. According to Ian Rapoport, the official cap number will be set at $301.2 million.

This is up $22 million from the 2024 season and up nearly $100 million from 2022, when the cap figure was $208.2 million.

So what does this mean for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2026?

NFL clubs were informed today that the salary cap for the ’26 season will jump $22 million per club to $301.2 million. Add in another $77.6m in benefits & that’s $378.8m per club in player spending. Tremendous growth pic.twitter.com/cQ5Zf3aGVW

— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) February 27, 2026

How much salary cap space do Jaguars have for 2026 NFL season?

Before this news broke, Over the Cap projected that the Jaguars were $13.48 million over the 2026 salary cap. That was based on a salary cap figure of $303.5 million.

With the official number now known, we can estimate that the Jaguars are roughly $15.78 million over this year's cap.

So GM James Gladstone has some work to do in the coming weeks before free agency officially opens on March 11th.

Salary cap space can be created through contract restructures, which pushes a portion of the current year's cap charges to future years, inflating the salary cap hits at that time.

A contract extension in some instances can create space as well, as can veteran cuts, if the player's cap hit is larger than their dead cap hit.

The Jaguars actually have the ability to create quite a bit more space, as we detailed here, it just depends on how aggressive Gladstone wants to be.

Jaguars 5 largest salary cap hits in 2026

• Trevor Lawrence: $24M
• Josh Hines-Allen: $23.4M
• Arik Armstead: $19.38M
• Foey Oluokun: $17.10M
• Travon Walker: $15.19M

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL salary cap: How much space do Jacksonville Jaguars have?

Midtjylland will return to haunt Nottingham Forest, a reminder of the chaos which has enveloped the season.

The four-time Danish champions, last season's runners-up, inflicted a devastating blow on Ange Postecoglou in October.

Their 3-2 win at the City Ground in the Europa League group phase damaged the Australian beyond repair, with Forest fans chanting "sacked in the morning" just three weeks into his reign.

This time they arrive in the last 16, with the first leg in Nottingham on 12 March, and will not even face Postecoglou's replacement - with Sean Dyche lasting just 114 days himself.

Current boss, the fourth of the season, Vitor Pereira made six changes as Forest edged past Fenerbahce on Thursday, losing 2-1 at the City Ground to progress 4-2 on aggregate in the play-off round.

He admitted he needed to be mindful of Sunday's trip to Brighton and Forest could be in the Premier League's bottom three if West Ham beat Liverpool on Saturday.

Pereira sidestepped a question about whether the Premier League is the priority over the Europa League but survival is paramount for Forest.

After the first leg against Midtjylland at the City Ground they host Fulham before travelling to Tottenham following the away leg a week later.

It will be a test of Pereira's skills and their squad depth to juggle both competitions late into the season.

If he can do what Postecoglou could not, and beat of Midtjylland, then it could provide the springboard to survival.

Newcastle United supporters called it.

"Is this the way to Barcelona?" they repeatedly sang during the course of their side's victory against Qarabag on Tuesday night.

So it proved after Newcastle were drawn with the La Liga leaders in the last 16 of the Champions League.

There is plenty of history in this fixture, whether it is Sir Bobby Robson's links to both clubs or Tino Asprilla scoring an unforgettable hat-trick in Newcastle's win in 1997.

The current generation also know each other pretty well, of course.

Newcastle suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against Barcelona in their opening game of the league phase at St James' Park back in September.

Although Barcelona dominated possession, as expected, Newcastle players and staff took a lot of belief from their display in the opening half an hour in particular, when the hosts spurned a number of opportunities to open the scoring.

While some supporters would have preferred to face Chelsea, the chance for Newcastle to test themselves against Barcelona, the five-time winners, in the knockout stages is the whole reason the club are in the competition.

The first leg at St James' naturally feels pivotal.

Newcastle would have rather have had the return fixture back on Tyneside but if Eddie Howe's team are to stand any chance of going through, they need one of those nights on home soil before the return fixture at the Nou Camp.

No wonder Howe labelled it a "mouth-watering" prospect.

Liverpool will already know how challenging the trip to Istanbul will be when then face Galatasaray.

Arne Slot's side lost there earlier in the campaign and seeing the way Galatasaray beat Juventus 5-2 in the play-offs is enough to show just how much of a force Okan Buruk's side are at home. Liverpool have played there three times and never won.

That said, they should fancy their chances of doing the job across two legs and it would definitely be a surprise if Liverpool failed to progress after the second leg at Anfield. Even Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen said earlier in the week that he would prefer to avoid Liverpool.

Deal with Galatasaray and the prospect of a quarter-final against Chelsea or PSG is tantalising to say the least. A tie with Chelsea would be a throwback to the Rafa Benitez days when the sides took on each other in the Champions League 10 times in the space of five years.

For Slot though, who repeatedly mentions how close his side came to knocking eventual winners PSG out of the competition last year, taking on Luis Enrique's side would be a chance to deliver a seismic statement in what the Liverpool boss has already described as his most challenging season yet.

On paper, Liverpool will not be fancied to go the distance given the season they've had but this is a side that knows what it takes to reach European finals.

They have a tough draw, with either Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Man City or Real Madrid as potential semi-final opponents. But only a fool would write off the team that has won this competition more than any other English side.

As club legend Ian Rush said on Friday: "If you are going to win it, you have got to beat them all on the way."

Chelsea's draw to face Paris St‑Germain in the last 16 – and their potential subsequent run – is a daunting prospect.

Before the draw, it was simply a question of whether Liam Rosenior's side would face either PSG or Newcastle, with an all‑English tie avoided.

A rematch of this summer's Club World Cup final – and another meeting with the European champions – was pulled out of the hat, opposition Rosenior had already encountered while managing his former club Strasbourg.

PSG, though, are not the force they were at this stage last season.

They struggled to beat domestic rivals Monaco despite their opponents going down to 10 men in both matches in the play‑off round. In addition, PSG's form in all competitions has been patchy since the winter break, including a shock exit to Paris FC in the last 32 of the French Cup.

The draw, at least, avoids the flat prospect of Chelsea playing Newcastle three times in a row, as the Champions League ties would have been sandwiched between a league meeting on 14 March.

It will be interesting to see what Rosenior makes of the draw, ahead of what Opta data suggests is the toughest set of fixtures in their final 11 Premier League matches.

There is also a demanding Champions League pathway mapped out for Chelsea, who could meet Liverpool in the quarter‑finals and then either Manchester City or Real Madrid in a potential semi‑final on the road to the final in Budapest.

UConn point guard Silas Demary Jr. was one of 15 players named to the late-season team for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award on Friday.

The “head of the snake” has keyed the Huskies’ turnaround into a top-10 defensive unit this season with his ball-hawking nature at the point of attack. He leads the team and is top 10 in the Big East with 1.7 steals per game, also helping UConn hold opponents to just 5.8 made 3-pointers per game – eighth-fewest nationally – on 30% shooting. Demary has had 10 games this season with multiple steals, including five in the January overtime win at Providence.

The 6-foot-4, Raleigh, N.C., native was one of five guards and one of two Big East players on the list.

UConn is No. 6 nationally with a 44.6% effective field goal percentage against and has limited opponents to 44.9% from two-point range, which is good for eighth-best in the nation.

The Huskies moved up to No. 9 by KenPom’s defensive efficiency rating after Wednesday’s dominant win over No. 15 St. John’s, in which they held the Johnnies to just 40 points on 19.6% shooting from the field. St. John’s went the final 17 minutes and 28 seconds of that 32-point game without a made field goal and shot just 7% from the field in the second half.

UConn has a top-15 scoring defense, allowing just 65.1 points per game, is No. 14 in field goal percentage defense (36.9%) while leading the Big East in both scoring margin (+13.9) and rebound margin (+5.0).

Demary is looking to collect UConn’s fifth national defensive player award after Emeka Okafor (2003, ’04) and Hasheem Thabeet (’08, ’09) each won twice. UConn retired Okafor’s number on Feb. 18 and inducted Thabeet into its Huskies of Honor on Feb. 14.

Naismith Defensive PPOY late-season team

Flory Bidunga, Kansas; Cameron Boozer, Duke; Jaden Bradley, Arizona; Maliq Brown, Duke; Javontae Campbell, Bowling Green; Rueben Chinyelu, Florida; Somto Cyril, Georgia

Silas Demary Jr., UConn; Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s; Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan; Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State; Aday Mara, Michigan; Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt; Joseph Tugler, Houston; Ernest Udeh Jr., Miami

Day one of workouts at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine featured defensive linemen, edge rushers, and linebackers, and a few dudes absolutely made noise.

Inside, Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton was the clear winner. A 36.5-inch vertical at defensive tackle is different. That’s a real explosion, not just “good for his size.” You see that kind of lower-body pop, and you start thinking interior disruptor, not just space eater or lane closer. Penn State’s Zane Durant backed up his tape with a smoking hot 4.75 forty and a 1.66 ten-yard split. That split is what really matters, but it's the combine, so why not celebrate the fast 40-yard dash as well? Texas A and M’s Albert Regis did not dominate any one drill, but he was strong across the board and showed the kind of athletic profile that may have teams rethinking his placement on their draft boards. Great showing from him on day one.

On the edge, Cashius Howell looked like he was shot out of a cannon, and despite his measurements, his burst showed up immediately in drills. Dani Dennis-Sutton confirmed what we already thought about his athletic ceiling. When the movement matches the build, that’s when scouts start nodding in unison.

At linebacker drills, the guys from OSU showed out. Sonny Styles put on a show, with a 4.46 forty and a 43.5-inch vertical, at his size, which is just unfair. That’s not normal movement for a guy of his size. He could be a scary good player at the next level with athleticism and what he's shown on tape. Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez showed elite agility, and Indiana’s Aiden Fisher looked smooth and in control in space. Kyle Louis might not have had the loudest headline numbers, but he moved fast and clean in drills. Sometimes you just trust your eyes, and he definitely passed that test. Also, I wanted to give a shoutout to Jake Golday, who looked awesome in drills and could be a steal as a green dot linebacker post-round two in the NFL Draft.

Look, it's the "NFL underwear olympics", the pads are off, and testing does not replace film, we know this. But when a guy shows up in Indy and confirms the athletic traits you thought were there, along with NFL measurements to match, that’s when the stock really starts climbing. Day one gave us a few defenders who didn’t just participate; they may have made people rewatch the tape.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2026 NFL combine: LB and DL standouts

Ethan Schilte-Brown says it would be "quite a jump" if he was to go from lower-league loan deals to the World Cup with Canada, but insists it is still his "dream".

The defender has featured for Canada's Under-20s and is hopeful he can earn a call-up for this summer's finals.

Schilte-Brown, 20, joined Killie's academy from the youth system of MLS side Orlando City in 2023 and had temporary spells with Canada's Halifax Wanderers, Cumnock, Albion Rovers and Dumbarton before impressing at Rugby Park this season.

Co-hosts Canada will face Iceland and Tunisia in a pair of international friendlies in late March as part of their World Cup preparations.

Prior to the Premiership game at Falkirk on Saturday, Schilte-Brown said: "My main focus is here and just trying to perform well for Killie, but if that's a by-product of what happens here then brilliant.

"That's the dream and it's never far from my thoughts but obviously my full focus is here right now.

"I think the gaffer spoke to them [Canada management team] but again I'm just focused here and I'm not going to read into anything until it's real or until it happens.

"That would be quite a jump [from loan deals]. I try and grow from every situation I am in. I learned a lot from Cumnock, Rovers and Dumbarton. It was really beneficial.

"As a young player, you need to play games. It doesn't do you any good just training all the time and no matter what level it is, there's a massive difference between playing with men and playing youth football, especially the physical side of it.

"You need to learn that if you're going to grow in the game and continue on.

"Playing first-team football is what everyone wants. That's where it's going to prepare you the most so I think it's prepared me.

"If I get called up, it's obviously an honour to get my first call-up, but I think with the World Cup in mind, you want to push on and prove to that manager that you're ready for that next step."

Killie are eight points ahead of bottom side Livingston and two behind St Mirren having played a game more than the Paisley side, but Schilte-Brown remains confident of retaining top-flight status.

He said: "I think there's every chance for us to get the safety. I think we will do it.

"The games that we have coming up are massive for us, especially the game this weekend with a sold-out away end, so just looking forward to it."

The Atlanta Falcons have scheduled their first official top-30 draft visit. According to SI's Justin Melo, the team will host Memphis offensive tackle Travis Burke for an in-person meeting on March 11-12. At 6-foot-9, 315 pounds, Burke has elite size but is a fairly raw prospect.

After spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Florida International, Burke transferred to Memphis in 2025. He appeared in 11 games for the Tigers last season.

"Burke is a tall tackle with plus drive-blocking talent for his body type," wrote NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. "He uses flexible hips and ankles, along with well-placed hands, to create leverage at the point of attack. He finishes blocks with good aggression when the opportunity arises."

The Falcons have just five total selections, with their earliest pick coming at No. 48 overall. Burke is considered a Day 3 prospect, so it makes sense that he would be on Atlanta's radar.

Sources from the NFL Combine: The Atlanta Falcons will be hosting Memphis OT Travis Burke on a Top 30 in-person visit on March 11-12.

Burke is in Indianapolis for the Combine.

Formals: Chargers, Jaguars, Cardinals, Colts.

Informals: Browns, Lions, Bucs, Eagles.

— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) February 27, 2026

The team has two quality offensive tackles in Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary. However, Matthews is 34 years old and the team would be wise to draft someone to develop behind the veteran left tackle.

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine runs through March 1, with the 2026 NFL Draft kicking off on April 23.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons to host Memphis OT Travis Burke on top-30 visit

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was "surprised" Celtic didn't push for more goals against Stuttgart on Thursday night and says it will be "interesting" to see who Martin O'Neill starts in goal for Sunday's trip to Ibrox.

O'Neill made eight changes - including back-up keeper Viljami Sinisalo in place of Kasper Schmeichel - for Thursday night's Europa League play-off second leg in Germany after Celtic were beaten 4-1 in the first leg at Parkhead.

One of the stand-ins, Luke McCowan, fired Celtic in front after 30 seconds with what proved to be the only goal of the game as Celtic bowed out 4-2 on aggregate.

"I think when you see the line-up from yesterday, the starting line-up, then I expect some changes," Rohl said.

"It's normal, they try to use the full squad.

"I was a little bit surprised after 1-0 that they're not trying to win this game, 2-0, 3-0, to have a chance. They keep the result until the end."

Denmark international Schmeichel, 39, has come under fire from Celtic fans for sub-par performances and was even booed in last week's first leg at Parkhead.

Sinisalo kept a clean sheet in Stuttgart and made six saves as Celtic won on German soil for the first time.

"But yeah, it will be interesting as well, the goalkeeper position, what he will do now, let's see," added Rohl.

"But we are prepared, we're focused on ourselves, we also have some interesting decisions to make.

"I know if everyone is available, it's also not easy for me in some positions, because there are more than two or three players who are ready for this game.

"It's a good situation. I like this, my players showed that they are ready, I think this is crucial and let's see what it means on Sunday."

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has been speaking to the media before Sunday's derby trip to Ibrox to face Rangers.

Here are the main points:

• O'Neill responded to Rangers boss Danny Rohl's claim he was "surprised" Celtic didn't push for more goals in 1-0 win in Stuttgart on Thursday night when they won 1-0 but exited the Europa League 4-2 on aggregate. O'Neill says: "He wants to be involved in some of these games. Yeah, I never saw it like that. If we were driven back, it's because they are actually a very, very good team. They're in the top four in the Bundesliga. So yeah, I'm surprised he made a comment like that."
• On Luke McCowan's claim that "no team in the league touches us when we're at it", O'Neill says the Celtic midfielder is "entitled to his comments" and he "probably meant we're a fine side when we're playing at our very best".
• Rohl also commented on Celtic's goalkeeping situation, saying it would be interesting who starts at Ibrox, and O'Neill says: "He's picking our team? Well done, old Danny. Well done. He's only in less than a year himself. He'll soon know all about it in the next four or five years."
• He adds: "Sorry, I have to laugh. He's had a comment about our team? As in the picking of the team? Extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary. Yeah, he hasn't been in Glasgow long."
• O'Neill says there is "no need for him to be commenting on my team" and believes such remarks can "definitely" come back to bite you.
• On Celtic's task at Ibrox, O'Neill says: "It will be a difficult game for us but are we capable of winning? Yes we are."
• As he prepares to return to Ibrox for the first time in over 20 years, O'Neill says "I never expected that again" and Old Firm derbies are "really great fixtures to be involved in".
• O'Neill stresses "I don't think we've ever lost confidence" after the defeat to Hibs last week but admits if there was any belief dented "it is restored" following the Europa League performance in Stuttgart.
• Celtic head into the weekend six points behind league leaders Hearts and O'Neill knows "we're running out of games and we're still trying to catch up", adding: "Losing to Hibs was a setback but it wasn't mortal and we're still there."
• He says "we've got a lot of players who have gone to Ibrox and won" and "it's up to us to try and emulate that".
• O'Neill stresses he has "loads of things to think about" for Sunday's team selection and "we'll have to try and cope" without Auston Trusty after his red card last weekend.

The Los Angeles Rams have four picks in the first three rounds of the 2026 draft and could use those selections to make wholesale changes to the roster, both in the short- and long-term. With the Rams teetering on the precipice of a post-Matthew Stafford era, it's critical for the brainstrust of general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay to hit on these four picks, if the team keeps them all.

There are obvious needs the Rams have in this draft, from cornerback and receiver to offensive lineman and maybe even quarterback. That's the direction Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker went with when he looked at what the "ideal draft haul" would be for the Rams in the first three rounds.

Locker wrote that the Rams would love to come away with cornerback Jermod McCoy, offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, quarterback Ty Simpson and cornerback Treydan Stukes in Rounds 1 through 3.

The Rams’ defense improved to 10th in EPA per play last year, but the team still sat 18th in PFF coverage grade at corner. McCoy (89.6 PFF coverage grade in 2024) would be a perfect fit, especially with Los Angeles hiring former Tennessee defensive backs coach Michael Hunter. In the third round, Stukes (89.5 PFF zone coverage grade) could be another starter off the bat in Chris Shula’s zone scheme.

LA’s offense was arguably the league’s best in 2025, but the Rams are always one step ahead. Freeling could compete with the incumbent Warren McClendon Jr. at right tackle, especially with McClendon only under contract for one more campaign. Furthermore, Simpson (83.1 overall PFF grade) will need time to sit after struggling at the end of his first season as a starter, and learning behind Stafford would be an ideal landing spot.

It sounds like this is how Locker would mock out the first round for the Rams: McCoy at No. 13, Freeling at No. 29, Simpson at No. 61 and Stukes at No. 93. That's not a bad quartet of players in the top 100. McCoy would be a potential starter, Freeling is someone who could develop into a starter quickly, Simpson would be the heir-apparent to Stafford and Stukes would round out the cornerback room regardless of what the Rams do in free agency.

The only glaring issue with this group is the lack of adding a receiver. The Rams could easily swap the Freeling or Simpson pick for another pass-catcher to play behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams in a win-now season. Otherwise, these picks are more for long-term stability than short-term potential.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL draft: PFF predicts 'ideal' picks for Rams in first 3 rounds

Barrow manager Dino Maamria has completed his backroom team with the appointments of Simon Ireland and Ali Uzunhasanoglu.

Former midfielder Ireland, who coached alongside Maamria in Burnley's academy while the pair were still playing, has moved from League One strugglers Port Vale to become assistant head coach.

Uzunhasanoglu joins as goalkeeping coach having worked with the new Bluebirds manager at Preston North End, Stevenage and Oldham.

The pair will be in the dugout alongside Maamria and first team coach David Worrall for Saturday's game against Gillingham.

One of the top safety prospects in the 2026 NFL draft that has been linked to the Chicago Bears is Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, a potential first-round pick depending on where the safety class pans out this year.

While Ohio State's Caleb Downs is expected to be the first safety taken off the board, McNeil-Warren is a name that has shot up in mock drafts, and could be a big area of focus for the Bears who have both starting safeties, Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard, as pending free agents.

On Thursday, McNeil-Warren spoke to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine and detailed his meeting with the Bears on the first day of everything, noting how much the opportunity means to him. McNeil-Warren represents the third straight year that a standout player from Toledo is projected to be taken early in the draft, with Quinyon Mitchell being drafted 22nd overall in the 2024 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I've met with them on the first day that I got here," McNeil-Warren said, via CHGO. "It went great, they're all a great coaching staff. Just going into the room with (Al Harris) with great excitement, it's everything. I feel like wherever you're at, if you know how to play ball, they're going to find you. Being at Toledo, working hard every day, trying to keep the motivation that they're going to find me. Toledo is a small school so I work harder than anybody cause Power 5 schools, it's easier to find them."

McNeil-Warren has been named as an All-America selection through several media outlets for his standout 2025 season, and with a standout performance at the combine, he will continue to hear his name as an early first-round pick. It could be a great opportunity for the Bears if McNeil-Warren is available at their pick, although recent chatter around the team sounds as if they may address defensive line before anything else.

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren discusses pre-draft meeting with Bears

Isaiah Salinda is having a week to forget. He opened his week at the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches with a 6-over 77 and things didn't get any better during Friday's second round.

Well, they briefly did, as Salinda opened with a birdie on the 10th hole. But on the 11th, disaster struck in the form of a quadruple bogey 8 on the par-4 hole.

A wayward drive led to a 50-something-yard punch out and a third that went into the water. His fourth cleared the lake but just missed the green and from 25 feet, he need four more shots to find the jar. Oy.

If that wasn't interesting enough, on the par-3 17th, playing 171 yards on Friday, Salinda missed the green, his ball settling barely in the greenside lake. Like a few others who tried similar shots this week (see: David Ford, Nico Echavarria, K.H. Lee), Salinda took off his shoes and socks and rolled up his pants. He then took it one step further, also taking off his white shirt, when he proceeded to blast away at the ball.

whatever it takes 🤷‍♂️

📺 PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/5CtIp37rBQ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 27, 2026

Already 9 over on the week, this didn't help. While his water ball did find the green, he missed the par putt, shirt still not tucked back in. A bogey there dropped him to 10 over, three shots ahead of last-place.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Isaiah Salinda takes shirt off for water shot at Cognizant Classic

U.S. women’s national team midfielder Sam Coffey said her team "needs to be better" when it comes to speaking out on issues of social justice, but added that she and her teammates are doing the work as they find their collective voice.

The USWNT has a long history of activism, speaking out for years on topics both soccer-related and outside of sports.

The team famously spent years advocating for equal pay, representing U.S. Soccer on the pitch while battling with the federation off of it. USWNT players have also been vocal about a number of societal issues such as racial justice and LGBTQ+ topics.

But the current iteration of the team has not been as vocal in recent years. Part of that is likely due to a generational shift that has taken place, with outspoken stars like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn, among others, retiring over the past few years.

Coffey has emerged as one of the leaders of the current team, playing a vital role as the team's defensive midfield lynchpin under Emma Hayes.

The Manchester City midfielder is also emerging as one of the more outspoken players on the USWNT roster. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Feb. 26 as the team prepares for the SheBelieves Cup, Coffey said that the USWNT has to find its own voice with many of its longtime veteran leaders no longer in the picture.

“We no longer have the Beckys (Sauerbrunn), the Klings (Meghan Klingenberg), the Pinoes (Rapinoe), the Alex Morgans," Coffey said.

"I think it was easy as a younger player to just look up to them and know that they always knew what to say or what to do. But now that responsibility is on us and responsibility is the exact word. I think we have a duty to this team and a standard to uphold."

The USWNT played its first game of 2026 on Jan. 24, the same day that federal law enforcement agents killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. There was no acknowledgement of the events in Minnesota before or during the game.

Head coach Emma Hayes was asked about the incident in Minneapolis three days later, and admitted that she hadn't discussed the issue with her squad — which was missing several experienced players including Coffey.

The match on Jan. 24 against Paraguay may have been an occasion in which previous iterations of the USWNT made some kind of a statement.

Coffey was blunt in expressing her belief that the team needs to do more, but also said that they are working behind the scenes to decide the best path forward.

“I think we do need to be better in the ways that we’re being vocal and standing up and speaking out about a myriad of topics," the 27-year-old said.

"But I think we can rest assured that we are doing that work, and that we are going to figure it out and figure out what it looks like for us and what feels authentic to this team, because no team is the same.”

The USWNT will face Argentina on March 1 in Nashville, Tennessee, then take on Canada in Columbus, Ohio on March 4. Hayes' side will close the SheBelieves Cup against Colombia on March 7 in Harrison, New Jersey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USWNT's Sam Coffey says team needs to be better on social justice

T.J. Parker didn’t have the smooth, wire-to-wire season many expected in 2025, but his pre-draft push has changed the narrative.

The Clemson edge rusher entered the year with first-round projections for the 2026 NFL Draft. However, his sack production dipped from 11 in 2024 to five in 2025, and the outside buzz cooled as a result. Instead of fading late, though, Parker responded.

He closed the regular season with a statement performance against South Carolina, posting three sacks and a fumble recovery, then carried that momentum into a strong week at the Senior Bowl. He followed it up with a solid workout at the NFL Scouting Combine, putting himself back on the radar for teams picking late in the first round.

NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah is among those high on Parker. He currently ranks him No. 32 overall and seventh among edge rushers.

“I’m gonna take him at his best, and what we saw was that sandwich, right — ’24, and then the way he finished ’25 and into the Senior Bowl and how we’re seeing him move out here,” Jeremiah said Thursday. “He is a really good player, and I’m going to judge him off of his best. He’s my 32nd player right now, and I think as he’s come through this whole process, he’s really going to solidify himself as a first-round pick.”

Jeremiah praised Parker’s strength, quick hands and ability to slide inside as a rusher. He even compared him to Trey Hendrickson, noting similar get-off and size while pointing out Parker still has room to grow.

Clemson football locks in a visit with Texas's number one WR

📸 Drew Landon https://t.co/l0oIrJ50nDpic.twitter.com/P2qLbvORuV

— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) February 27, 2026

After a midseason dip, Parker has used the draft process to steady his stock and put himself squarely back in the first-round conversation.

Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.

This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Daniel Jeremiah praises Clemson star T.J. Parker’s combine performance

Former women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe argued that the U.S. men’s hockey team ruined its gold medal moment by including the Trump administration.

Following the team’s overtime win over Canada in the gold medal game, FBI Director Kash Patel was invited into the locker room for the post-game celebration. Patel then got President Donald Trump on the phone to congratulate the players.

During that call, Trump invited the men’s team to the State of the Union address. After they enthusiastically accepted, Trump added that he’d “have to” also invite the women’s team, joking that he’d face the threat of impeachment if he didn’t. The remark drew laughter from the players.

The women also won gold days earlier.

When the men returned to their respective NHL teams, they assured the media that they were supportive of the women’s team. Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman even said the team “should’ve reacted differently” to Trump’s joke.

On Thursday’s episode of A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe, Rapinoe explained why she believed Trump hijacked the team’s moment, saying:

The United States men’s hockey team, in their utter moment of glory — childhood dreams come true, once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment, sensational — ruined it for themselves because they allowed themselves to be totally co-opted by a clown. And now you’re a clown. You look like a clown.

Kash Patel is in the locker room. He’s partying. He’s chugging beers. I’m not, like, decorum over everything. That’s not what I need out of my FBI director. Like, what are we doing? That’s just whatever, beside the point.

They get on the phone with Trump. I have questions, whether it was even a secure line. That’s beside the point. And Trump makes the comments about the women’s team. We’re not going to play it because it’s all over the internet and we’re not going to platform that trash.

Later on in the conversation, Rapinoe shared her own experience from 2019, when she famously announced that the U.S. women’s soccer team would not be going to the White House after winning the World Cup.

She continued:

We had this opportunity after 2019. Obviously, I said, famously — didn’t know it was on the record, but it was — that we’re not going to the White House and that we’re not even going to be invited. And we were. The president was trying to back-channel and invite us, and we were like, “No,” because we know — we’re not going to be naive in this moment — we know that moment is going to be co-opted because we know this person. Let’s not pretend like we don’t know who this person is.

—

The post Megan Rapinoe Claims US Hockey Team ‘Ruined’ Moment with Trump Call: ‘Allowed Themselves to Be Totally Co-opted by a Clown’ first appeared on Mediaite.

Make no mistake, the New England Patriots aren't in a rush to push Stefon Diggs out the door. In fact, according to a new report, there's a scenario where the team envisions pairing the former two-time All-Pro wide receiver with another former two-time All-Pro in A.J. Brown.

On Friday, MassLive's Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian wrote:

"According to our sources, there’s a scenario where the Patriots could have both receivers on the roster. In the event Diggs is willing to restructure his contract, the team sees an avenue to pair him with Brown."

A receiving corps featuring both Brown and Diggs on the same team would give the Patriots' offense the elite inside and outside flexibility they lacked last season. It would put opposing defenses in a bind when choosing their method of attack against the Patriots.

They wouldn't be able to simply clamp down on Diggs, like they did throughout the playoffs.

With that said, the possibility of pairing Diggs with Brown would be the dream scenario for New England in the offseason. They still would have to swing a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to get Brown on their roster, and they'd also have to convince Diggs to agree to a restructured deal, with the 32-year-old wide receiver currently slated to count $26.5 million against the cap in 2026.

In a perfect world, the Patriots' starting receiving corps next season would be Brown, Diggs and Kayshon Boutte. It would give the offense more firepower than it has had in years.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots reportedly open to pairing Stefon Diggs with All-Pro receiver

There's a little competition as to who could be the first Michigan football player taken off the board in the April 2026 NFL draft, but the likely candidate is edge rusher Derrick Moore -- though he's getting some competition from fellow edge rusher Jaishawn Barham, who moved over from linebacker this year.

Moore is in Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine, but with a tweaked hamstring, can't participate in running drills. But he did sit down with an NBC Sports contingent to discuss his preparation for the next level, as well as how he developed in Ann Arbor.

Asked about how Michigan prepared him for this moment, he shares how difficult it was for him to acclimate to Ann Arbor from Baltimore, but how he managed to persevere to be able to achieve 10 sacks in his senior season.

"That program did a lot for me as a ball player and also as a person," Moore said. "I started with a person coming from Baltimore, coming to Michigan. That was a different process for me, a different transition for me. Because I was a quiet kid. But over a course of time, a lot of the vets there, they took me underneath their wings. And I can go on and name a lot of guys, literally a lot of guys, that took me underneath their wing and showed me the right from wrong for what they learned.

"And this told me, eventually, your time is going to come. Because at the time, I was getting frustrated with a lot of things. Your time is going to come. Be patient. And when it's your time, make the best of it. And it also told me, eventually, all of us had to wait our time. And you can see across the board, everybody literally had that time and moment at Michigan. 

While Moore acclimated well, having even the key play that sent Alabama packing from the Rose Bowl, he didn't quite feel like he had reached his full potential until this season -- two years later. And for that, he credits a now-departed defensive assistant, who helped him realize what he needed to do in order to become one of the best in college football.

"I want to say, going into my senior year, a guy that really helped me a lot was Pernell McPhee," Moore said. "Played for the Baltimore Ravens and also my defensive ends coach at Michigan my senior year. Him right there, he kind of helped me slow down the game and process it better. Because for me, I was able to watch film. I love to watch film. I was able to watch film, find different keys that I can steal, and different things like that on film. But he also told me how to learn formations. And I feel like a lot of people don't even understand how big that can help you slow down the game. 

"And also, being an edge rusher at Michigan, you're pretty much told to play everything. I played from 5-tech, 4-i, 3-tech, dropped into coverage. I had to do everything. So I had to figure out, how can I slow it down? And he told me how to learn formations. So I was able to steal four or five formations each game. And steal a couple sacks on first and second down. And not only -- just had to worry about getting sacks on third down."

Moore is expected to be healthier and ready to go for Michigan's pro day next month with eyes on the NFL draft the following month.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Derrick Moore on Michigan's impact, NFL draft preparation

FORT LAUDERDALE — The Panthers have been dogged by injuries all season. Captain Aleksander Barkov has been out for the whole season with a knee injury, and other key players such as Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov and Seth Jones have missed significant amounts of time.

But as the Panthers, who are currently playoff longshots, enter the final month and a half of the season, they should get some reinforcements. Some of those important players are close to returning, and all but Barkov will travel with the team as they embark on a four-game trip that begins after Friday night’s game against Buffalo.

“We’ll bring everybody on our road trip coming up with the exception of Barkov,” Maurice said Thursday morning. “And we’re bringing them because there’s a chance that they may play at some point on that road trip.”

Kulikov, who has played just two games this year, and center Tomas Nosek, who has been out all season, have returned to practice in regular jerseys.

“They’re not far off,” Maurice said Wednesday.

Jones, who has not played since Jan. 2, is practicing in a non-contact jersey.

“He had been off for so long, you almost forget about him and what he can do,” Maurice said Tuesday. “And then he steps back into practice and say, ‘Man, we’ve missed that guy.”

Bobrovsky’s strong night

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky did not look rusty after weeks off for the Olympics.

The veteran goalie had one of his best games of the season, saving 28 of 29 shots (a .966 save percentage —his highest percentage in a non-shutout) in a 5-1 win over Toronto on Thursday. The sole goal he allowed came when Florida already had a 3-0 lead.

“He certainly had some big saves that he had to make, and he did,” Maurice said.

Bobrovsky said the Olympic break was a good time for him to get in rest while mixing in some training to stay sharp.

“It was a good time for (a) break, just to get rest, and a good time for practicing and for training,” Bobrovsky said. “So that’s also with the heavy schedule, sometimes it’s tough to do.”

Tkachuk’s missing stuffed animal

One of the stars of the Winter Olympics was not an athlete, it was a plush toy version of a cute member of the weasel family. Medal winners at the Milano Cortina games each received a stuffed version of the Olympic mascot, Tina the Stoat.

Tkachuk, an assistant captain for the gold-winning American men’s hockey team, said the team’s stuffed toys were quickly taken away — for the toys’ own protection during the team’s celebration. He said he will have to ask for it back soon.

“They took it away from us immediately, knowing we would probably lose it or trade it in for a beer or like whatever we were going to do with it,” Tkachuk said Thursday. ” … I’ll ask for mine because it’ll be cool for the kids one day.”

The Cleveland Browns got an unexpected blow at the NFL combine.

ESPN investigative reporter Kayln Kahler published the NFLPA’s report cards. The Browns were among the bottom three teams in the NFL. Thankfully, the team was still better than the Steelers, who ranked dead last. The NFLPA got in hot water over the report cards earlier this year. Owners filed a grievance against the NFLPA, and the arbitrator unsurprisingly ruled in their favor. The arbitrator forbade the NFLPA from publicly publishing their report cards. The NFLPA reaffirmed its commitment to the union and is continuing to run and share the report cards with players.

The Browns continued their descent across the grading rubric. Players seemed fed up with the coaching staff, with one exception: the defensive staff. Jim Schwartz got an A-, while the position coaches, overall, got a B-. Former head coach Kevin Stefanski got the lowest grade among teams, a C-. General manager Andrew Berry tied for the second-worst grade with a C. Finally, Jimmy Haslam was tied for the fifth-worst owner with a C.

Not exactly the data the analytically driven organization wants to see. The players seem pretty sick of the organization. Something painfully obvious to anyone who watched them attempt to play football last season. New head coach Todd Monken received a B- grade from his former team. 

Browns NFLPA Report card grades

Team Ownership: C

General Manager: C

Head Coach: C-

Offensive Coordinator: D+

Defensive Coordinator: A-

Special Teams Coordinator: D

Position Coaches: B-

Home Game Field: B-

Locker Room: F

Strength Coaches: B+

Weight Room: B+

Training Staff: C+

Training Room: C

Nutritionist/Dietician: C+

Food/Dining Area: D+

Treatment of Families: D-

Team Travel: D-

This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns once again receive low marks from annual NFLPA report card

Punahele Soriano has won four straight fights since he dropped down to 170 pounds, yet he's been unable to crack the top-15 UFC welterweight rankings.

Soriano (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) extended his welterweight run this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 267 at Toyota Center in Houston when he defeated the dangerous Ramiz Brahimaj (13-6 MMA, 4-4 UFC) with a unanimous decision. Despite his solid form, Soriano is not bothered that he remains out of the UFC rankings – even though his streak features a win over someone who is ranked: Uros Medic.

"I've got no problem with it at all," Soriano told MMA Junkie. "First of all, I'm very happy for Uros. I think he deserves it. He's put on three spectacular performances, three massive victories. I think he fully deserves all of it. I think he deserves a very big name next. I think it's his choice, too. Whoever he says, he should get.

"I don't think about it too much. For me, in these last four fights, I just notice that if I focus on myself, focus on getting better every day and focus on those two things daily, I'm just going to keep getting better. I think doing that daily, it will come. If it takes a bunch of fights, if it takes a short amount of fights, it's all the same to me. I'm still getting paid and I'm still fighting in the UFC – the greatest organization in the world. It changed my family's life, so I'm grateful for it all."Soriano had a tough time putting wins together at 185 pounds. At one point, prior to making the change to 170 pounds, Soriano was in a 1-4 rut. Since dropping to welterweight in June 2024, Soriano has defeated Miguel Baesa, Medic, Nikolay Veretennikov and now Brahimaj.

The Hawaiian is proud of what he's been able to do in his new weight class and thinks the best is yet to come.

"I felt really good, especially coming in and fighting such a dangerous guy like Ramiz," Soriano said. "I think he's dangerous. I think he's good everywhere, so to be able to pull off a win on a guy like him, it meant the world to me. I think you could see it when they announced the winner. I had no idea if I had gotten it or not, but I was ecstatic. I was very proud of my performance. I fought the whole fight. I didn't quit when it got hard. I pushed through. I looked for hard, violent shots the entire time, and I think it's cool I progressively got better as the fight went on. I know a lot of times people have knocked my cardio, and I think it's cool I went out and showed I'm still getting better."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC's Punahele Soriano not bothered by unranked status despite 4-0 run

Partick Thistle's Wyre Stadium at Firhill has been chosen to host the KDM Evolution Trophy final between Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Raith Rovers.

The match will be broadcast live on BBC Alba on Sunday, 5 April, with a 16:10 BST kick-off.

Both finalists are looking to lift the Challenge Cup, for Scottish Professional Football League clubs below the Premiership, for a fourth time.

But it is the inaugural final under the current format, which started with a Champions League-style league phase, and the new sponsor.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "It promises to be a closely-contested game as both teams compete to be the first winners of our impressive new trophy."

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Caley Thistle, who are looking to lift the trophy for the first time since they shared it with Rovers when the season was cut short by the Covid pandemic in 2020, topped the league phase with a 100% record.

Scott Kellacher's current League 1 leaders then defeated Dumbarton 9-0, League 1 promotion rivals Stenhousemuir and two Championship sides - Thistle and Ayr United - away from home.

Championship side Rovers are in their third final in five seasons, last winning the trophy in 2022.

With second-tier clubs having byes from the league phase, the Kirkcaldy side, now with Dougie Imrie in charge, defeated League 1 duo Hamilton Academical and Queen of the South before knocking out Championship rivals Queen's Park and Airdrieonians.

An estimated £1.25m in prize money will have been shared with clubs competing in the competition this season – an increase of more than 50% on last season - with the 2025/26 winners receiving £150,000 and the runners-up £100,000.

You've probably already learned this, but the temperature around the Philadelphia Eagles has felt inconsistent lately. One week, the conversation centers on culture and accountability. The next week, discussions shift to leadership, communication, and whether everyone inside the building is truly aligned.

Winning cures most things in the NFL, and it typically does for the Birds, too, for a while. Then, perceptions return and linger, especially when expectations are as high as they are in Philadelphia.

That's why communication matters. Not press conferences. Not anonymous sourcing. Not talk radio. Actual feedback from the players who live the grind every day.

If you're interested in how a team truly feels about its environment and leadership, a trip to the locker room is important. When ESPN senior writer Kalyn Kahler released the NFLPA's 2026 team report cards, the results offered a rare, unfiltered look inside all 32 franchises.

Nick Sirianni receives an A grade from his players.

When ESPN senior writer Kalyn Kahler released the NFLPA's 2026 team report cards, the results offered a rare, unfiltered look inside all 32 franchises. Philadelphia ranked 20th out of all 32 teams.

The survey, one conducted by the NFLPA from November 2 to December 11, included 1,759 player responses. Every player who was a member of a 2025 NFL roster was eligible to participate. Teams were graded from A-plus to F-minus on everything from ownership and coaching to treatment of families and travel conditions.

Some of the Eagles' marks raised eyebrows. Here's one that carries a lot of weight. Nick Sirianni received an A.

Sure, you can debate his in-game decision-making. We can question his temperament. We can argue about the direction of the offense. Fans and media will always have opinions.

It also, however, matters what the players think, and based on the results, they have made that clear. For all the noise surrounding the Eagles, and for all the speculation about tension (or favoritism or cracks in the foundation), the locker room gave its head coach a resounding vote of confidence.

Eagles layers handed out a C+ for treatment of families and a D for the team locker room. The offensive coordinator position received a C+, which won't stun anyone who followed the season's ups and downs.

Team travel earned an F, and frankly, that feels predictable. Most of us are uncomfortable crammed into buses, trains, and flights. Now imagine doing it at 6-foot-8 and 365 pounds like Jordan Mailata. Perspective matters.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: NFLPA report card reveals how Eagles really feel about Nick Sirianni

Kon Knueppel set the NBA record for the most 3-pointers in a season by a rookie on Thursday, helping the Charlotte Hornets to their ninth straight win on the road.

Knueppel produced 28 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot in a 133-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He knocked down eight 3s and was a team-best plus-26 in 31 minutes, 12 seconds of action.

The fourth overall pick clinched the record in the third quarter with his sixth triple, surpassing Keegan Murray for the most in history. Murray sealed it in 80 games with the Sacramento Kings during the 2022-23 season, while Knueppel did so in his 59th game.

"Just my teammates for embracing me and really helping me out," Knueppel said of what means most about the record. "That is a lot of 3s, and it is a lot of looks off other teammates. So them letting me come on the team and letting me play my game, I think, is cool."

KON MAKES HISTORY ‼️

With this three, Kon Knueppel has set the new NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season! pic.twitter.com/CoaK09QIQY

— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2026

Averaging 3.5 3s per game this season, Knueppel on Tuesday became the fastest player in history to reach 200 career 3-pointers (58 games). He is currently the only player in the league this season with at least 200 3-pointers (209).

Knueppel tied his own franchise record for 3s made in a single game with the performance, which was originally set on Jan. 29 in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. He is also the third rookie in history with multiple games of at least 30 points and seven 3s.

"It is very special to be a part of," Hornets coach Charles Lee said. "Any time you can be around moments like that, that are historic, it is pretty special. To see where his story started and where he continues to ascend to is really cool. I think that not only has Kon done a phenomenal job to accomplish what he just accomplished, but it is also the players around him have put him in great positions. They've helped him along the way."

KON KNUEPPEL.

MOST THREES EVER BY A ROOKIE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/1aPSC2c3SO

— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2026

Knueppel is averaging 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 44.2% from 3-point range this season with the Hornets. He leads the rookie class in total scoring (1,146) and is one of two first-year players with at least five 30-point games.

The former Duke guard has emerged as a significant contributor for the Hornets (29-31) and is a key reason the team is in contention for the play-in race. He wants to continue to build toward reaching the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

"We got to take care of the games that we believe we should win," Knueppel said. "So going forward, just playing together defensively and offensively will be the best strategy."

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hornets news: Kon Knueppel reacts to setting NBA rookie 3-point record

The NFL draft is fast approaching, and all eyes were on the first day of workouts at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. Baltimore has a certain player prototype, preferring athletic prospects with big-game experience and leadership. Every player drafted in 2025 embodied those traits.

In 2026, the Ravens will again work to have one of the most explosive classes in the draft. The one metric that all 32 teams around the league utilize is the RAS (Relative Athletic Score), which measures a player's athletic testing in relation to size and historical results.

It's graded on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest.

The first group to work out was the defensive interior and defensive line, and we're examining the Relative Athletic Scores of five defensive tackles Baltimore could target in next month's draft.

Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

A huge interior defender and run game destroyer at Texas Tech, Hunter earned first-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 in his redshirt senior season. The 6-4, 330-pound defensive tackle posted 8.5 tackles for loss in addition to 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He finished his career with 168 total tackles and 7.5 sacks.

Lee Hunter is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 3.72 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1285 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/sGWkDm89Mupic.twitter.com/1HtiR9uKjD

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

Oklahoma DT Gracen Halton

According to Adam Schefter, Halton's 36.5” vertical jump is the third highest of any DT at the combine in at least the last 20 years.

Gracen Halton is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.70 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 63 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/rdOpCcGjPApic.twitter.com/W5hScMcR2G

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

DeMonte Capehart, Clemson

At 6-foot-5, 313 pounds with 10 1/4-inch hands and 33 7/8-inch arms, Capehart is more blue-collar than wow factor, but there's no debating his athleticism.

DeMonte Capehart is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.97 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 8 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/tPNrkQLvFspic.twitter.com/cUMUn6Nrvh

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

Bryson Eason, Tennessee

Eason is a former linebacker who bulked up and moved inside to defensive tackle.

Bryson Eason is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.26 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 356 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/xgqHZJl63mpic.twitter.com/NI3fKadpwu

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

Cameron Ball, Arkansas

Ball started in all 11 games, recording 27 total tackles, including four and a half tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries.

Cameron Ball is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.26 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 357 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/LSIDpNvLB1pic.twitter.com/adrHWOMuHk

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

Zane Durant, Penn State

An athletic marvel, Durant is a 6'1", 287-pound defensive tackle who is undersized and struggles to win as a pass-rusher, but is stout against the run.

Zane Durant is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.22 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 161 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/DbBmqZjgrdpic.twitter.com/xhe2J0ZSru

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

Caleb Banks is a DT prospect

Banks struggled with a foot injury in 2025, but in 2024, the athletic Banks recorded three sacks, 17 total pressures, and a 16.7% pass-rush win rate over his final three games against LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State.

Caleb Banks is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.84 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 34 out of 2046 DT from 1987 to 2026.

Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run.https://t.co/qcTjqsIuuvpic.twitter.com/ffVzXNsc3A

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 26, 2026

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: NFL draft: Top defensive tackles with elite athletic scores

The New York Jets executed the first trade of the offseason, sending EDGE Jermaine Johnson II to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat.

Sweat is an ascending player who just completed his second season. By acquiring him, the Jets continue to indicate they don't worry much about football character.

Sweat had supposed character concerns coming out of Texas following an alleged DWI arrest just weeks before the draft. Then-Titans GM Ran Carthon drafted him at No. 38 overall anyway. Sweat's sophomore season in Tennessee was littered with red flags.

Sweat missed the majority of Titans training camp with tonsillitis. Unsurprisingly, the big-bodied nose tackle was poorly conditioned once the season began. Sweat injured his ankle in Week 1, sidelining him for Week 2. Peculiarly, he then declared himself healthy for Week 3. The Titans placed him on four-game IR less than 48 hours later.

"Sweat has two years left on his rookie deal, is enormously talented and had a pretty rough reputation in the Titans organization," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote about the trade. "We’ll see if being traded lights a fire underneath him that Tennessee couldn’t ignite the last two years."

New Titans GM Mike Borgonzi is attempting to build a locker room culture. That's precisely why he traded Jarvis Brownlee Jr. to the Jets during the season.

Now, Borgonzi found the Jets willing to acquire another player whose personality he did not care for in Sweat. Darren Mougey obviously didn't share the same concerns on Sweat and Brownlee.

Time will eventually reveal which GM is right.

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: T'Vondre Sweat trade proves Jets aren't worried about character

Aidan Hubbard ended his college career in fifth place on Northwestern's all-time sack leaders list. In amassing 20.5 career sacks, he flashed the pass rushing potential that helped him score an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine. This past season Hubbard racked up 28 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and a career-high 7.5 sacks despite missing two games, due to injury.

Hubbard put on quite a show in the win over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. This dominant performance complemented the absolute monster showing he had in the 2023 win over Maryland. Unfortunately, there weren't more extraordinary individual outings like this. Entering the bow game, Hubbard had even dropped off the NFL Draft potential radar a little bit. 

While he was a two-time All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree, over the course of his Wildcats career, one has to wonder just what might have been with this guy. On the big board of overall prospects, he typically ranks somewhere in the 300s. 

His current draft grade is thought to be UDFA, so there is obviously a lot of work to do this week in Indianapolis. However, this is what makes the combine great, as it provides tremendous opportunities for guys like Hubbard. 

In an exclusive with The Sports Bank, Hubbard discussed what he feels he must improve, in order to carve out a good professional career.

"It comes down to your get-off, if you can get off the block and have that dominant first step, you have a good chance to win the matchup," he said.

"It comes down to speed really- the get-off is the most important part of the your rush."

Hubbard really truly gets it, and in this pass-first league, there will always be a pass rush specializing niche to be carved out. He also perfectly understands the rebranding of the DE position from "Defensive End" to "Edge Rusher" or "EDGE" in recent years.

"I feel like it's kind of vague," Hubbard said in the same interview.

"I feel it's D end, that's what I say when people ask me what position I play. And then it just comes down to setting the edge in run downs and rushing the edge in pass downs."

On the NFL.com draft prospects page, Hubbard projects into the "Average backup or special-teamer" category, with a score of 5.9 on the scale of 5.5-8.0, so he has potential to make it in the league, and stick. 

Also representing Northwestern at the combine are offensive guard Evan Beerntsen and offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan.

This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Northwestern edge rusher Aidan Hubbard needs a big scouting combine

The Buffalo Bills and rest of the NFL are in business mode at the 2026 NFL combine in Indianapolis throughout this week.

Along with nitpicking and chatting to prospects entering the upcoming draft, Buffalo's front office spoke at interviews of their own... namely general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Joe Brady.

With that, here are five takeaways from Brady's combine press conference:

Latest on Keon

After the madness relating to what team owner Terry Pegula said at the Bills' end-of-season press conference about wide receiver Keon Coleman, Beane made a strong point at the combine.

The Bills GM mentioned Coleman can't "let some of the maturity issues off the field effect the product on the field."

Beane's full remarks can be found here:

"It's the maturity. It's the off the field... I've seen that many times get in the way of people's opportunities to grow."

Brandon Beane's FULL ANSWER to what he needs to see from Keon Coleman moving forward.#BillsMafia#NFLCombine@BuffaloPlushttps://t.co/nkC3WE68d2pic.twitter.com/jGH96tTfBq

— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) February 24, 2026

Working on another contract

After restructuring the contract of offensive lineman Spencer Brown to create salary cap space, Beane said something will have to be done about tight end Dawson Knox's deal.

That has not yet happened with Knox, but the desire is not surprising from Beane. Knox's $17 million salary cap hit is a big number.

Kincaid's option

Beane said the Bills will exercise the fifth-year option on tight end Dalton Kincaid's rookie contract... at the right time. That was essentially referencing once there is salary cap space cleared.

More from Beane:

Brandon Beane provided further clarity regarding Dalton Kincaid’s fifth-year option while appearing on @OneBillsLive on Tuesday

Beane confirmed the Bills will pick up Kincaid’s option, which is worth $8.75 million pic.twitter.com/OIHNrz1Ynp

— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) February 25, 2026

A change for Taron Johnson?

Buffalo's longtime nickel defender Taron Johnson could potentially be moved to safety. Nothing is set in stone just yet, but as Beane and the Bills look to add and adjust the secondary this offseason... that change was not ruled out.

"Nothing's off the table," Beane said. "We’ll look at anything and everything as we make these decisions. He's a good football player, and so you never want to rule anything out if you think that's the best position for him after a couple weeks with [defensive coordinator] Jim (Leonhard)."

No hard feelings

Beane and the Bills certainly heard critics of decisions already made this offseason, namely firing former head coach Sean McDermott and promoting Beane to President of Football Operations.

While the Bills GM knows some of those came from Bills Mafia, there are no hard feelings.

“You want fans that are passionate. Fans that aren’t that means they don’t care.“ - Brandon Beane on any Bills fan discontent this offseason.

— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) February 24, 2026

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 5 takeaways from Bills GM Brandon Beane at 2026 NFL combine

NFL Combine week isn’t even over and many Dallas Cowboys fans already have their favorite prospects identified. From Caleb Downs at safety to Sonny Styles at linebacker, playmakers are aplenty in this year’s annual draft. But which prospects are going to be there at No. 12 and which ones will be long gone? It’s an age-old question that has no definitive answer. Sure, CeeDee Lamb falling to 17 taught Cowboys fans anything is possible, but what is actually likely?

Twitter personality Eagles Eric ran a Monte Carlo simulation of mock drafts in an attempt to gauge the probability how far each prospect falls and which ones are most likely to be there when their respective team goes on the clock. The good news for Cowboys fans is the top three individual likely outcomes for Dallas are Ohio State linebackers Sonny Styles (13.0%) and Arvell Reese (10.6%) and Tennessee cornerback Jermond McCoy (7.1%). The bad news is, at a probability of 69.3%, the most likely outcome will be someone else.

I built a Round 1 NFL Draft predictor using a Monte Carlo simulation

It uses the consensus big board and team positional pick probabilities from mock drafts to simulate a distribution of outcomes

The team positional probabilities have been suprisingly accurate over the past few… pic.twitter.com/JBTQ7czWGt

— Eagles Eric (@EaglesXsandOs) February 23, 2026

It’s safe to say most Cowboys fans would be elated with either Styles or Reese at Pick 12. Feelings towards McCoy are more complicated given his questionable medicals. McCoy has yet to play, or even publicly work out, since tearing his knee in January of 2025. With more than a year of recovery time the hope is he’s fully cleared by now, but until he proves it, his value is in jeopardy.

Since the “other” category is winning the probability battle right now, it’s worth looking into which one of those “others” might be on the board at 12.

Safety Caleb Downs, the dream scenario for most Cowboys fans, has a 44% chance based on these simulations. The value of the safety position combined with team needs makes him a possibility if he can escape the evil clutches of the New York Giants.

Rueben Bain and his shorter-than-ideal-arm-length has a 22% chance of making it to Dallas. It’s unlikely, but perfectly possible. Mansoor Delane, regarded by most as the top CB in the class, has a 49% chance of making it to the Cowboys. He’s essentially a flip of the coin. While offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa has a 37% chance of getting to 12.

For many of these prospects, the odds look better than many people probably imagined. Yet it’s important to keep in mind the probabilities still say none of them are going to make it and Dallas will have to pick outside that pool of players.

Not until Spencer Fano, standout OT from Utah, do the odds start to fall into Dallas’ favor (51%). McCoy with a 58% chance of being available is the best blend of need and availability, but he has all of those aforementioned issues to consider.

Once the NFL Combine concludes, the big boards get updated and new simulations can run, will we know what the effects of this week have had on the probabilities. But for now, it’s worth knowing most of everyone’s top targets are technically possible even if they're all unlikely.

You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Early probabilities the Cowboys top draft targets make it to 12

The Trojans will have representation in the first round of the NFL draft with Makai Lemon, as he is becoming more and more a draft crush. The Trojans still have a couple of potential draft sleepers that could end up as steals when it is all said and done.

In a recent tweet by @SleeperNFL, there is some reported interest in some former Trojan safeties from the Denver Broncos organization. Here is what @SleeperNFL had to say on the matter:

"The Broncos have interest in both USC safeties, Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald, per

@TonyPauline Denver recently hired Doug Belk away from USC to be its new defensive backs coach."

Doug Belk was the Trojans' defensive backs coach from 2024-25. He knows better than anyone what Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald are both capable of. There is a need for the Denver Broncos at the safety position, as Brandon Jones is recovering from a pec injury, and there is still depth needed in that position.

Kamari Ramsey had a down year last season, mostly because of injuries, but in 2024 he was as good as any safety in the country. He is a good coverage safety, he has a great amount of athleticism, and he is a willing tackler.

Bishop Fitzgerald is a ball-hawking safety. He has had no issues with interception production at every stop he has been at, and he is also a very willing run stopper. Both safeties have traits that, if developed properly, can take them to becoming star safeties in the NFL.

In the NFL, one of the best things is continuity and familiarity. For the Broncos, it would be very wise to ensure your staff has players they have familiarity with or guys they know they can get the most out of. Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald ended up with their former coach would be a best case scenario for both of them.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football players, coach could reunite with Broncos at NFL draft

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium (16:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Rosenior confirmed Marc Cucurella is not available for Sunday but "hopefully we can get him back quickly as soon as possible", while Estevao Willian will be "out for a little bit longer", Jamie Gittens is "progressing in his rehab" and Dario Essugo is "back on the training pitch".
• Captain Reece James is "absolutely fine" while Romeo Lavia is "getting stronger and stronger" and "we had a mini-practice match in the week where he looked really good".
• On facing holders Paris St-Germain in the Champions League last 16: "So excited. PSG are a fantastic team. I have experience of playing against them in France. I have always admired them. Luis Enrique has done an incredible job. These are the games you live for, games that you come into football for. It's going to be a great tie. But we've got another three games before that, that I need to focus on."
• On the race to qualify for next season's Champions League: "I want the players to be as physically and mentally fresh as possible. They've looked really good in training this week. We need to stay calm and consistent in our process. This club should be in the Champions League, this club is a Champions League club. When I took over, we were eighth. We're now in the race."
• Rosenior was asked about the club's finances after they posted the highest annual loss ever by an English football club: "My job is to focus on the team, trying to make the team and the squad as strong as possible to win things. I will have those conversations with the ownership and those above me. But [finances] are not something that is at the forefront of my mind. I just want to make sure we are successful on the pitch."
• On racist abuse suffered by Wesley Fofana after getting sent off in last weekend's draw against Burnley: "It was a tough day for Wes. First for what happened in the game and the racist abuse he got online. It affects you in ways that shouldn't exist. It's something we have to try and eradicate from life and football. He is strong and has trained this week."
• Anticipating the challenge posed by the league leaders, Rosenior said: "They are an incredibly well-coached team in every aspect of the game. Whether they compress really high, they have compact shape in the low blocks, they are fantastic defensively, obviously set-plays, they are well-coached and they play very good football as well. They are a very good team and that is why they are in the situation they are in at the moment. It is my job and the players' job to try to find that weakness and try to enjoy what is going to be a really, really big game on Sunday."

Listen to full live commentary of Arsenal v Chelsea on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Chelsea? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

Championship leaders Coventry City have posted a pre-tax loss of £21.6m for the 2024-25 financial year.

Turnover increased by nearly £5m to just over £34m, boosted by increases in match receipts, broadcast revenue and commercial income as the club reached the semi-finals of the play-offs.

However, operating expenses grew by £5.6m to about £32m because of "continued investment in the playing squad", and the compensation costs of sacking Mark Robins in November 2024 and the hiring of Frank Lampard, which the club described as "exceptional".

Profit from player sales decreased by £20m to just over £3m on the previous financial year, in which Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer joined Sporting Lisbon and Sheffield United respectively.

The club said "significant external investment" along with reinvesting the Gyokeres and Hamer fees have enabled them to build a "meaningful squad value" whose estimated current market transfer value "vastly exceeds that which is held on the club's balance sheet".

The figures are in contrast to the club's £8.7m profit from 2023-24, the first full campaign following Doug King's takeover.

• Coventry report £8.7m profit for 2023-24 season
• 'Pivotal' moment as Coventry City buys CBS Arena

This set of accounts does not include the purchase of the club's stadium - the Coventry Building Society Arena - in August last year, which the club said at the time was a "pivotal moment" in their history.

Owner and executive chairman King said the goal was to "significantly reduce" the club's annual operating loss from 2026-27 onwards.

He added that would be done while "remaining competitive at the top end of the Championship" and "reaching our goal of a play-off berth three times in every five years".

"Whilst the Championship remains grossly distorted by the Premier League parachute payment scheme, this is the only realistic target," King said.

Under Lampard, Coventry look well set to go one better than last season's play-off heartbreak and seal a return to the Premier League after a 25-year absence.

With 12 games to go, the Championship leaders are five points clear of Middlesbrough in second and nine ahead of third-placed Millwall.

• Latest Coventry City news, analysis and fan views
• Listen to Coventry City content on BBC Sounds

The Brooklyn Nets (15-43) have not won a game since coming back from the All-Star break and part of the reason for that is the team being unable to play well for all four quarters. Brooklyn had another chance of ending their losing streak with the San Antonio Spurs (43-16) coming to Barclays Center, but they failed in being able to win a game against one of the best teams in the NBA.

The Nets lost to the Spurs on Thursday 126-110 in a game where Brooklyn didn't earn the lead once while also falling behind by as many as 26 points in a lopsided game. Forward Michael Porter Jr. had 25 points and 14 rebounds for one of his better games in recent memory while backup center Day'Ron Sharpe had 14 points and 11 rebounds coming off the bench.

The Nets did a great job of limiting center Victor Wembanyama's impact as he scored just 12 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field, but Julian Champagnie scored 26 points by taking advantage of the gravity that Wembanyama has. Brooklyn will be facing the Boston Celtics on Friday, but for now, here are three Nets takeaways from Thursday's loss to the Spurs:

Michael Porter Jr. Has Uneven Performance

Porter finished this game with a great stat line of 25 points and 14 rebounds, but he also had a whopping six turnovers while notching most of his production in an dominant third quarter. In the first, second, and fourth quarters, Porter notched eight points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field, but in the third period, he had 17 points and 6-of-8 shooting. This has been an interesting trend for Porter as he doesn't seem to be able to sustain his efficient scoring for an entire game, but he certainly has some impressive stretches.

Day'Ron Sharpe Notches Another Double-Double

Sharpe came off the bench in this game, but he finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in just 19 minutes while also going against Wembanyama and Luke Kornet during his time on the floor. In a game that turned into another blowout, Sharpe is having arguably the best season of his career as he heads into an offseason where the Nets have a team option on his contract for next season.

Egor Demin Passes Well, But Wasn't Aggressive Scoring

This was arguably Demin's best passing game of his rookie season as he finished with nine assists to just one turnover against one of the best defenses in the league. With that being said, Demin also had six points on just three shots, showing that he wasn't particularly aggressive looking for his own offense. At some point, Demin should be able to combine the scoring/shooting and playmaking at the same time.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: 3 Nets takeaways from 126-110 loss to Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Top-flight German football is being shown live on the BBC this season after rights were secured to broadcast Friday night Bundesliga matches through to 2027.

The coverage will continue on Friday, 27 February when Köln look to distance themselves from the Bundesliga relegation play-off position as they travel to inform Augsburg.

Matches will be available to watch live on the BBC Sport website, app and on BBC iPlayer every Friday, with clips of the biggest in-game moments across BBC Sport's social media channels.

Who plays next?

Augsburg have found some form in recent weeks, winning four of their last five Bundesliga matches, a run that started with a 2-1 away win over league leaders Bayern Munich to serve them their first and only Bundesliga defeat of the season.

This turn of form has seen them jump from 15th in the league table to 10th and put some distance between them and the relegation play-off position. A win on Friday night would see them closer to a Europa Conference League place than the relegation play-off.

Köln have struggled in recent weeks, picking up just one point in their last three matches. The point came against highfliers Hoffenheim last time out, and their two losses were to Stuttgart and RB Leipzig who are fighting for Champions League positions at the top of the table.

Despite this, the Billy Goats will still be hopeful of avoiding the drop this season as they have been able to find wins against other relegation contenders Wolfsburg and Mainz since the turn of the year. A win against Augsburg would see them seven points from the relegation play-off position.

This fixture has been played out 26 times across all competitions, with nothing splitting the two sides. Both Augsburg and Köln have won this fixture eight times and the match has ended in a draw on 10 occasions. In fact, the last three encounters between these two sides have finished in a 1-1 draw. Augsburg will be looking to come away with all three points against Köln for the first time since December 2021.

Upcoming fixtures on BBC

List of confirmed fixtures and dates with more to be announced in due course:

(Kick-off times 19:30 GMT)

• Augsburg v Cologne - 27 February
• Hamburg v Bayer Leverkusen - (Wednesday) 4 March
• Bayern Munich v Borussia Monchengladbach - 6 March
• Borussia Monchengladbach v St. Pauli - 13 March
• RB Leipzig v Hoffenheim - 20 March

• Augsburg v Köln

Previous matches

• Mainz 05 1-1 Hamburger SV
• Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Mainz 05
• Union Berlin 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
• Köln 1-0 Wolfsburg

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.

Since taking over as general manager of the Green Bay Packers in 2018, Brian Gutekunst has drafted 17 offensive linemen, and he's drafted at least one offensive lineman in every draft, except for the 2023 NFL Draft. That number figures to climb and could even reach 20 by the end of the 2026 NFL Draft.

A potential target on Day 3 of the draft is Carver Willis. The Washington offensive lineman checks in at No. 60 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A native of Colorado, Willis started his college career at Kansas State, where he started 18 games at right tackle. Willis transferred to Washington for the 2025 season and started 10 games at left tackle.

Washington offensive tackle Carver Willis has had an underrated week at the @seniorbowl. was @BrandonThornNFL's #2 OL on the National team yesterday and threw Clemson EDGE TJ Parker - a projected top-50 pick - to the ground today: pic.twitter.com/qLjk6JpKB4

— alex katson 🇯🇵 (@alexkatson) January 29, 2026

"Carver’s greatest strength is his intelligence and attention to detail," Roman Tomashoff, the editor for UWHuskiesWire, said. "He spends a lot of time and energy working on not just his technique, but helping his teammates with theirs. He has a great understanding of his body and strengths as a pass protector and run blocker, and combined with his technique, he’d be a great fit for an NFL team anywhere along the offensive line."

Willis finished his collegiate career with over 1,200 snaps at right tackle and 600-plus snaps at left tackle. He took two snaps at left guard, which he's a candidate to kick inside at the next level, and he could be the next college offensive tackle the Packers take with an eye on kicking him inside to guard.

Willis shows good initial quickness to fly out of his stance. He's comfortable on the move and shows good range as a run blocker. He's a player who will likely be one of the top testing offensive lineman at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Kansas State transfer has strong hands and works hard to sustain, consistently creating movement in the ground game to open up running lanes.

"He worked really hard to gain weight and add strength to his frame once he got to UW," Tomashoff said. "I think we really saw it show up in his upper body, especially as Big Ten play wore on. He played with great physicality when run blocking."

Willis is assignment-sound and has active eyes. He’s efficient in his pass sets and coordinated in his shuffle to cut off rush angles. He uses efficient hand strikes. This past season he gave up two sacks and 22 pressures in his first season starting at left tackle.

"Carver is very trustworthy in pass protection," Tomashoff said. "His understanding of technique, plus his improved strength, showed up no matter who was across from him all season long."

Fit with the Packers

The Packers are set to have Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan hit free agency, while Elgton Jenkins is expected to be a cap casualty. 

With those potential departures, the Packers will need to invest heavily in the offensive line as they look for a new starting center, a swing tackle and interior depth.

Targeting a player like Willis on Day 3 of the draft would make sense for the Packers. He's a player who has experience playing both tackle spots and he may be best suited to kick inside to guard. He could serve as a backup guard, while moving out to tackle if the Packers get in a bind.

"I’d draft Carver because he’s the kind of player who can elevate an offensive line both on and off the field," Tomashoff said. "He’s a lot of fun to talk to and be around, and combined with his willingness and ability to adapt to whatever his coaches are asking him to do, should make him a great fit no matter where he winds up at the next level."

Willis checks the boxes. He's 6-4, 305 pounds, and nearly 34-inch arms. He's got the athleticism and movement skills that the Packers look for, and he has the versatility to play four positions. A likely fourth- or fifth-round pick, Willis could provide much-needed quality depth for Green Bay's offensive line.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 60, Washington OL Carver Willis

Kamaru Usman's next move could be a curveball.

Usman was hoping the UFC would be on board with his pitch to challenge welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, but it appears the promotion could be going another direction. The former five-time defending 170-pound champ returned to the win column by snapping Joaquin Buckley's winning streak in June.

Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC) said his discussions with UFC brass lead to the idea of ex-middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC), who's coming off a title loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319.

"The Islam fight was obviously what I wanted and what I felt would have been great," Usman said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo. "Not just for me, not just for Islam, but would have been great for the company, would have been great for the world to see that. Listen, people count me out day in and day out. The one thing that I do or I know for a fact I am, I'm honest with my abilities. ... When I say I can still do this at that high level, I mean that.

"And for some reason, we've had conversations, but Hunter Campbell feels differently, and Hunter Campbell's like, maybe not. We don't know yet, but it's been a tumultuous back-and-forth with getting that done. Then other things were presented to me, like potentially DDP was presented to me or other guys. One thing about me, when they call and they say this guy or that guy, I say yes. At this point, it has to be meaningful. I'm not here just to fight the fight. If he gets me to the title that I want, that's what I want."

Makhachev himself expressed interest in adding Usman's name to his legacy, but welterweight currently has a plethora of top contenders from Ian Machado Garry, to Michael Morales, and Carlos Prates.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Kamaru Usman says UFC discussed middleweight as potential opponent

It's F1 season, folks, and the 2026 season is going to be a wild one. With the new regulations, the teams and drivers who you think could be contenders may not be. But we'll see once the red lights go out in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, if you're playing fantasy F1, you have important work: You need a team name for your squad that will make your league mates laugh or be impressed, and that's what we're here to help with.

Here are a bunch of fantasy team names that we could print, with links to credit the sites we got them from:

All Gasly No Brakes

If you're a fan of Alpine!

Bear Racing

Are you still deciding on your F1 Fantasy team name? 🤔

Let the grid give you some inspiration... 👀#F1pic.twitter.com/pCNSUODPvu

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 25, 2026

It came from Oliver Bearman himself, so that's worth something.

Goldilocks and the Three Bearmans

Better.

Haasta La Vista, Baby

OK, that's great.

Leclerc Kent

For the Superman and Ferrari fans.

Albon Jovi

We're halfway there.

Kimi Kardashian

Good, but uh... I think Lewis Hamilton would like a word.

Sainz of the Times

Sainz of the times!

— BoxBox F1 Fantasy (@BoxBoxF1Fantasy) February 24, 2026

The F-Team

The F-Team pic.twitter.com/mtiAjRijsv

— Gert 🇪🇪 (@suvisuves) February 24, 2026

I love it when a plan comes together.

Smooth Operator

Smooth Operator

— Shivang (@whyshivang) February 24, 2026

An oldie but goodie.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Best F1 fantasy team names for 2026

Aston Villa renew hostilities with Lille as they look to end their 30-year trophy drought.

The clubs will meet in the last 16 of the Europa League next month - a repeat of their Europa Conference League quarter-final tie two years ago, which Villa won on penalties.

It is perhaps most remembered for Emi Martinez being shown two yellow cards and remaining on the pitch.

The second came during the shoot out, after he gestured to the home fans, but he stayed on given yellow cards do not carry over from the game after the end of extra-time.

The goalkeeper will look to be the hero again when Villa travel to France on 12 March, before the return leg at Villa Park a week later.

Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, Ethan Mbappe - brother of Real Madrid striker Kylian - will be looking to end Villa's European dreams.

Lille, who last won the title in 2020–21, are fifth in Ligue 1 - 17 points behind leaders Paris St Germain.

Villa remain favourites for the Europa League, finishing second in the league phase behind Lyon, and their path to the final is now laid out.

Bologna or Roma wait in the quarter finals while Stuttgart, Porto, Nottingham Forest or Midtjylland are potential opponents in the last four.

• Premier League managers speaking on Friday: Pep Guardiola news conference after Man City drawn against Real Madrid in Champions League
• Champions League last-16 ties: Arsenal v Leverkusen | Chelsea v PSG | ManCity v Real Madrid | Newcastle v Barcelona | Liverpool v Galatasaray | Tottenham v Atletico Madrid
• Here's the pathway to the final - Liverpool, Man City or Chelsea have tough routes while Arsenal given the 'best draw'?
• Ties to be played 10/11 March and 17/18 March
• Europa League draw: Nottingham Forest v Midtjylland | Aston Villa v Lille & Crystal Palace face AEK Larnaca in the Conference League
• Premier League team news: Doku back in training | Wirtz & Frimpong | Guimaraes & Miley | Lewis Cook

Guardiola speaking after Man City draw Real Madrid in Champions League last-16

Wales prop Gareth Thomas' reward for "begging" to be released from Steve Tandy's Six Nations squad will be a 150th Ospreys appearance when they host Ulster in the United Rugby Championship (URC) on Saturday.

Thomas will run out in Bridgend aiming to prove a point after dropping down the Wales pecking order, with Rhys Carre of Saracens the current first-choice Wales loose-head and Leicester's Nicky Smith as back-up.

"I was pretty much begging Steve [Tandy] last week if I can come back to play my 150th game at home in front of my family so I'm really excited for it," said Thomas.

"It (his time with Ospreys) has flown, but I'm quite proud to achieve that. If you look at my position, who has achieved that?

"There are only three or four top-end loose-heads who have done it so to be in that group is class in a club that I love as well. It's a proud moment for me."

Centre Owen Watkin, flanker Harri Deaves and scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams also return to Ospreys having been released by Wales for URC duties this weekend.

Watkin joins Thomas in the starting XV with Deaves and Morgan-Williams on the bench.

Thomas fears for Ospreys future

As Thomas reflected on his time with Ospreys, he also expressed fears within the organisation over the continued uncertainty over whether they have a long-term future.

The doubts are because the Welsh Rugby Union plans to cut the top tier of Welsh rugby from four to three teams.

"I love the club and what it represents, what it's about and who's worn the jersey before me. I supported the Ospreys when I was younger and it kills me a little bit when you think of the history just stopping at a point. It doesn't sit well with me," said Thomas.

"Having 150 jerseys means so much to me and I don't want to look back and think I've had 150 caps for a club that doesn't exist anymore."

Ospreys boss Mark Jones has welcomed the quartet returning from Wales camp, saying: "They've had limited game-time. Those four in particular, they are chomping at the bit to get some rugby under their belt so it's been good to get them back around the group."

Ulster sit fourth in the URC table, 11 points ahead of ninth-placed Ospreys, and Jones recognises the challenge they bring to south Wales.

"They bring a multi-pronged attack. They've got a very aggressive defence that forces a lot of turnovers, they are very aggressive at the contact area which creates turnover and they love to come alive off of those turnovers." said Jones.

"They punish teams badly and really make those turnovers count when you're in the unstructured phase of play."

Ulster include Bryn Ward at number eight among their contingent of Ireland Six Nations squad players who have been made available.

• WRU boss Tierney does not feel safe after Nazi 'hate speech' act

How they line up

Ospreys: Hopkins; Kasende, Watkin, K Williams, Giles; Walsh, Foley; G Thomas, Parry (co-capt), Henry, Fender, R Smith, Ratti, Moriarty, Morse.

Replacements: L Lloyd, S Thomas, Botha, Sutton, Deaves, Morgan-Williams, Scully, Boshoff.

Ulster: Lowry; Kok, Hume, Postlethwaite, z Ward, Muprhy; O'Sullivan, Stewart, Wilson, Henderson, Irvine, Dalton, McCann, B Ward.

Replacements: Herring, Bell, O'Connor, Sheridan, Rea, McKee, Flannery, Carson.

Referee: Fillipo Russo (Italy)

Assistant referees: Craig Evans (Wales ) and Keith David (Wales)

TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)

One common trait from Marist Liufau’s various draft profiles across the web back in 2024 included some form of the phrase “plays like his hair is on fire.” It was a common sentiment no doubt copied so often because it was so apt to his description.

Liufau, the Polynesian linebacker out of Notre Dame, is as famous for his flowing hair as he is the fire he plays with on the field. Few players pack the explosiveness Liufau brings to the table. The two-year vet’s primary problem hasn’t been desire, effort or ability, but assignments. That’s why when news broke the Dallas Cowboys were moving their 6-foot-2, 239-pound dynamo to outside linebacker in their new 3-4 defense, it can be seen as good news.

No NFL position is easy, per se, but a move outside does seem to simplify things for the 25-year-old defender. OLB in a 3-4 defense means, more often than not, Liufau will be a pass rusher. Drop back coverage assignments are there but typically less common. Run fits look a little easier, outside of the traffic inside, and on-ball production rewards explosive players such as Liufau searching for big plays.

🚨 the #Cowboys are moving Marist Liufau to outside linebacker under Christian Parker. pic.twitter.com/TwEthyFPil

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) February 26, 2026

Liufau hasn’t been seen much rushing the passer in his NFL career. In 2025 he only logged only 19 pass rush snaps, per PFF. But in his rookie season Liufau logged 69 pass rush snaps from that old off-ball position. On those plays PFF gave him a respectable 65.6 pass rush grade. Off-ball to edge isn’t a clean translation but a good pass rush grade is certainly something to be excited about.  

If Liufau has anything it’s explosiveness, so playing on-ball could make him an impact player if, for no other reason, he can get off the line before anyone else. The Cowboys are thin in explosive edge players at the moment. Aside from Donovan Ezeiruaku (two sacks in 2025) and James Houston (5.5 sacks in 2025), Dallas doesn’t have much as far as outside rushers.

Liufau locked him 🆙

📺: #DALvsCAR on FOX 
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/RmDxAeCG4Mpic.twitter.com/YQbxG0gNX4

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) October 12, 2025

The need at edge is so obvious it’s a clear target for the Cowboys in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. The Cowboys have been homing in on multiple pass rushing targets in their scouting combine interviews and seem dedicated to address the issue internally and externally over the offseason.

What percentage of snaps the Cowboys actually employ a 3-4 has yet to be discovered. Most teams live in nickel, and based on Christian Parker’s introductory press conference, he’s looking for players who can be versatile enough so he doesn’t have to constantly switch personnel. In that case, no one knows how frequently someone like Liufau will even be in this beneficial new role. But after two somewhat disappointing seasons in which Liufau’s play has been subpar and his snaps have been declining, change has to be seen as good. He's too talented to give up on.

You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Fire off the edge: How Marist Liufau’s move to Cowboys OLB is perfect

Ulster have welcomed back four of their Ireland Six Nations squad members for Saturday's United Rugby Championship (URC) game against Ospreys, but forward Cormac Izuchukwu is ruled out after sustaining a concussion in training this week.

The second row, who made his Six Nations debut for Ireland against Italy in Dublin earlier this month, is following World Rugby Graduated Return to Play Protocols and it is unclear if he will be available for the Test team's game against Wales next week.

Backs Nathan Doak and Jude Postlethwaite, plus forwards Tom Stewart and Bryn Ward, are all named in head coach Richie Murphy's starting side for the visit to Wales (19:45 GMT kick-off).

Michael Lowry is selected at full-back, with Werner Kok and Zac Ward on the wings and James Hume and Postlethwaite in midfield.

Jack Murphy and Doak form the half-back partnership, with Eric O'Sullivan, Stewart and Scott Wilson in the front row.

Iain Henderson and Charlie Irvine combine in the second row, with Matthew Dalton, David McCann and Bryn Ward in the back row.

Conor McKee, Jake Flannery and Ben Carson offer the backs options on the replacements' bench, with Rob Herring, Angus Bell, Bryan O'Connor and Harry Sheridan the forward substitutes.

Ulster have won seven of their 10 games to date in the URC and lie eight points adrift of leaders Glasgow Warriors before the weekend's action commences, with a rearranged match against Edinburgh in hand.

Their opponents this weekend, Ospreys, sit ninth in the standings, 11 points worse off than Richie Murphy's side.

Ulster: Lowry; Kok, Hume, Postlethwaite, Z Ward; Murphy, Doak; O'Sullivan, Stewart, Wilson; Henderson, Irvine; Dalton, McCann, B Ward.

Replacements: Herring, Bell, O'Connor, Sheridan, Rea, McKee, Flannery, Carson.

Feb. 27—The buses are packed, brackets are printed and the hotels are booked.

More state tournaments have arrived for prep programs in Idaho and Washington, and area schools are scattering across the two states in pursuit of championships in basketball, wrestling and cheer.

Today and Saturday, Idaho area teams will compete at the state level in wrestling.

Lewiston cheerleading will compete this weekend in the 5A state tournament.

This weekend is also the opening rounds for the Washington boys and girls state basketball tournaments. The round of 12 will begin on March 4 and will continue to the finals through March 7.

For Idaho boys basketball, the official state tournament will also begin on March 4 and continue through March 7, with state play-in games happening this weekend.

Here's a look at everything coming up:

Area schools strongly represented at Idaho state wrestling

Twelve schools are sending at least one wrestler to the wrestling state tournaments today, hosted at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

In the 5A classification, Lewiston is sending seven boys wrestlers and three girls wrestlers.

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Moscow, also in the 5A classification, is sending three boys and two girls.

The rest of the smaller schools will compete at the 3A level.

The girls will wrestle in their weight class, with no distinction between levels.

On the boys side, Clearwater Valley is sending five wrestlers; Grangeville is sending four; Potlatch, Lapwai and Orofino are sending two; and Kamiah, Nezperce and Kendrick are sending one.

On the girls side, Prairie, Deary and Clearwater Valley are each sending one wrestler.

Lewiston boys coach Colton Maddy discussed three of his wrestlers in the top five seeding — fifth-seeded Coen Roberts (150 pounds), second-seeded Mason Faling (157) and second-seeded Parker Bagley (285) — and said they have a good chance at making it to the finals and possibly winning the entire tournament. He also said that the wrestlers who aren't seeded always have a chance and that unseeded runs happen every year.

"This was what the whole season was for," Maddy said. "This is what every tournament we go to is leading up to now. We always say, 'Everything else the rest of the season was all practice for the state tournament.' So the guys have put in the work. Our guys go through a tough schedule to prep them with the best competition they can get, to prep for this. And their hard work's paid off."

He said that heading up to the state tournament, he told his wrestlers to relax because they've already done most of the hard work. They have wrestled in tough tournaments and have wrestled at the Ford Idaho Center already. He told the wrestlers to "go out and cut loose, enjoy it and go wrestle your hardest."

"I think the boys are ready," Maddy said. "They put in the work. They're ready to strike. We got a couple of boys looking to make state championship runs, not just podium runs, but we got a couple guys looking to win in a complete title. So we'll see if they can get the job done."

The other 5A top-five-seeded wrestler is Moscow's Marcus Swift (138).

In 3A boys wrestling, the top-five-seeded wrestlers include Kendrick's Eian Schwecke (132) in the first seed, Kaden Schaff (120) of Nezperce also in the first seed and Orofino's Hunter Gamble (138) in the second seed.

On the girls side, Ciel Sattler (155) of Deary is the second seed, Avery Schacher (170) of Prairie is in the third seed and Jesse Rice (140) of Clearwater Valley is also in the third seed.

All the wrestlers and their weight classes are listed below:

3A BOYS

Clearwater Valley — Conner Christensen (165 pounds); Jaxon Green (150); Lander Mitzkus (285); Luke Nelson (126); Peter Fabbi (132).

Grangeville — Hollis Elliot (157); Liam Koehler (113); Luke Stark (120); Orrin Farmer (175).

Kamiah — Tanner Labrum (144).

Kendrick — Eian Schwecke (132).

Lapwai — Dante Davis (215); Joshua Arthur Jr. (285).

Orofino — Hunter Gamble (138); Devon Welch (120).

Nezperce — Kaden Schaff (120); Gatlin Griffith (175).

Potlatch — Brody McGreal (126); Jacob Keck (215).

5A BOYS

Lewiston — Brody Lynch (126); Cameron Lamphere (138); Coen Roberts (150); James Sams (113); Riley Johnson (132); Mason Faling (157); Parker Bagley (285).

Moscow — Marcus Swift (138); Keith Gulbrandsen (165); Joe Markuson (175).

GIRLS

Lewiston — Kooper Bugner (120); Sammie Slyter (135); Kamryn Lockart (145).

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Moscow — Paylynn Childers (105); Hayden Palmer (140).

Prairie — Avery Schacher (170).

Deary — Ciel Sattler (155).

Clearwater Valley — Jesse Rice (140).

Area hoops teams at State

As the Idaho girls basketball state tournaments took place last week, all that remains for Idaho teams is the boys state tournaments.

Lewiston will represent the area in the Idaho Class 5A state tournament and is awaiting seeding.

The Bengals defeated the Sandpoint Bulldogs 72-54 in their district championship to clinch their spot in the state tournament.

Lewiston has the help of the scoring machine that is Royce Fisher who is coming off of two career-high performances of 33 and 35 points at Districts.

The Bengals also have difference makers in Jordan Walker, Blaze Hepburn and Mason Way.

Lewiston coach Brooks Malm said that the Bengals are proud to represent the city of Lewiston.

"It means a lot to everyone involved in our program to be able to represent the Lewiston community," Malm said. "This is a blue-collar town where people show up to work every day and we try to embody that with how we play. To receive the recognition and support the way we have from the community is really humbling."

Malm said that this team is ready to make the run to win it all.

"I think what this team has going for it are all the guys who have played before them," Malm said. "Whether it is the '09 (state champion) team that we honored last year, or the guys from last year's team who wish they could suit up for this year's tournament, our current team takes a lot of pride in playing for Lewiston. Having the experience from playing in the tournament last year has made us a better team throughout the year, and we look forward to the opportunity in front of us, whoever it may be."

In the Idaho Class 2A state tournament, the Kendrick Tigers have their spot locked in and are awaiting seeding. Prairie won the second-place game in the 2A Whitepine League district tournament and will compete in a state play-in game against Compass Charter at 2 p.m. Pacific on Saturday at McCall-Donnelly High School.

In the Idaho Class 1A state tournament, Timberline of Weippe will represent the 1A Whitepine League. St. John Bosco of Cottonwood took second place in the 1A Whitepine League district tournament and will face Greenleaf Friends at noon Pacific on Saturday at McCall-Donnelly in a state play-in game.

In the Idaho 3A, Orofino will play against Kellogg at 6 p.m. today at Orofino High School in a second-place game to determine a spot at State.

On the Washington side, there are three boys area teams at state tournaments. They will first play in the opening round to decide seeding of their respective tournament.

That includes undefeated Colfax as the No. 1 seed in the 2B classification. The Bulldogs will play Liberty Bell of Winthrop today at 8 p.m. at West Valley High School in Spokane.

2A-GSL-champion Pullman is the No. 4 seed in the 2A classification. The Greyhounds will face Tumwater at 4 p.m. on Saturday at West Valley.

Garfield-Palouse is the No. 14 seed in the 1B classification. The Vikings will play Muckleshoot Tribal today at 6 p.m. at Auburn High School.

There are four girls area teams at the state tournaments. They will also play in the opening round first to decide the seeding of their respective tournament.

Clarkston — the 2A-GSL-regular-season champ — is the No. 4 seed in the 2A classification. The Bantams will play Archbishop Murphy of Everett at 2 p.m. Saturday at Cheney High School.

Garfield-Palouse is the No. 2 seed and Pomeroy is the No. 13 seed in the 1B classification. The Vikings will play Pateros at 6 p.m. on Saturday at West Valley.

Pomeroy will face Naselle in a loser-out contest at noon on Saturday at Kelso High School.

Colfax is the No. 10 seed in the 2B classification. The Bulldogs will face Okanogan in a loser-out contest at 6 p.m. today at West Valley.

Lewiston cheerleading ready to make some noise

The Bengals cheer team won their district championship, beating Moscow, Lakeland and Sandpoint to send themselves to the 5A state tournament.

The state event is taking place on Saturday starting at 2:30 p.m. Pacific at Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls.

In the past two years, Lewiston has finished third at State and are trying to break out of the habit.

The cheerleading squad will do three routines and get scored on each one, which is how they would win it all, although they could also take first in the separate routines.

There is the show routine, the sideline routine and the pom routine, said Lewiston coach Heidi Hagen.

Points are awarded for the top-three placers in each routine.

"We had to drive a long way to get here but we're all we're excited," Hagen said. "We're happy to represent Lewiston, and we worked really hard this year, and we're ready to go do it."

Hagen said her expectation is to at least place in the top three again and to shoot for first.

"Lewiston has been placed at State the last two years, in 2024 and 2025, so we're hoping to do the same again and get a higher placing," Hagen said. "We're hoping to get like second place overall would be great as title would be great, but either way, we're gonna give it a go."

Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, tjunt@lmtribune.com or on X @TrevorJunt.

The San Francisco 49ers allowed 222.3 passing yards per game in 2025, partially due to their struggling safety room, which was one of their youngest position groups with three of the four guys entering the NFL in the last three years.

San Francisco would need to upgrade the position in 2026 no matter what, but with the elder statesman, Jason Pinnock, hitting the market as well, they must bring in help in free agency or the draft.

With that, the 49ers are looking at some of the top safety prospects heading into the 2026 NFL draft, and earlier this week, they met with Texas' Michael Taaffe at the 2026 NFL combine.

Taaffe, 23, was a zero-star recruit out of Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, who originally committed to Rice, but he decided to accept a walk-on offer at Texas for the 2021 season.

After redshirting his first season with the Longhorns, Taaffe appeared in 53 games over the last four years and recorded 222 tackles, 14 passes defensed, seven interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He received All-SEC honors once (2025) and All-American honors twice (second-team in 2024 and first-team in 2025).

Taaffe was also the 2025 recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy which is awarded to the college football player "who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement."

At this point in the offseason, San Francisco would likely be starting Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha at safety with 2025 fifth-round pick Marques Sigle rotating in as needed. They could take Taaffe, who is expected to go on Day-3 of the draft, to at least provide more depth at the position.

However, the 49ers may want to improve their starting duo if they want to see a real difference in their back end in 2026.

More 49ers: 3 takeaways from 49ers good and bad grades in NFLPA 2026 report cards

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 2026 NFL Combine: 49ers have met with Texas DB Michael Taaffe

Rochdale midfielder Dan Moss has signed a one-year contract extension with the National League club.

The 25-year-old, who joined Dale on a 12-month contract in July 2025, had his extension option triggered by the club.

It rewards his breakthrough into the first team, with 25 league appearances under his belt so far this season for the title contenders.

"I've loved every second of being here so far and I'm excited for what's to come," he told the club website.

"I think I have learned a lot in the short period I've been here, the boys help you out on the pitch, it's been really good."

Houston Rockets second-year guard Reed Sheppard has taken quite the leap in the 2025-26 season.

After a disappointing rookie season, the second-year guard has provided plenty of highlights in an expanded role with Fred VanVleet injured, perhaps none bigger than his second-half performance against the Magic on Thursday night. It looked like a game to forget for the Rockets, who trailed 76-57 late in the third quarter after Sheppard's turnover led to a Paolo Banchero dunk in transition.

From there, though, it was the Reed Sheppard show. He helped spur a 21-0 run for Houston, scoring or assisting on 13 of those points while lighting it up from deep. That run was enough to convince head coach Ime Udoka to finally let Sheppard close the game, and Udoka's faith was rewarded with multiple clutch threes from the 21-year-old to ice the comeback win.

It was only one game, but in one of Houston's best wins of the season, Sheppard proved why he should regularly close games for the Rockets.

Sheppard meeting the moment

Rockets 21-0 run, all 21 points were scored or assisted by Reed Sheppard or Kevin Durant. pic.twitter.com/3BDwrKMa9p

— Rockets Clips (@Rockets_Clips) February 27, 2026

Sheppard finished with 20 points off the bench in the win, scoring 18 of those in the second half. He didn't even attempt a three-pointer in the first half, but hit five of them in the final two frames while shooting an efficient 7-for-11 from the field.

It's the type of confidence that Sheppard lacked in his first season with Houston, but one that's been on full display in his first year as a regular part of the rotation. When the Rockets needed a basket down the stretch, it was the 21-year-old who hit the clutch shots, not Kevin Durant.

At this point in the season, that type of production still likely won't be enough for Sheppard to enter the starting lineup. Udoka heavily implied earlier in the season that he wouldn't even consider bringing Amen Thompson off the bench despite his spacing issues on offense. Thompson was a team-worst -15 against Orlando, and the head coach subbed him out for good with eight and a half minutes left to let Sheppard run the offense.

It's clear that Sheppard's shooting ability is a better fit for Houston's offense, but if Udoka is determined to stick with Thompson, then the solution is to have him close games instead.

After watching the second-year guard's heroics down the stretch, there's no reason why he shouldn't be on the court in crunch time. The second-year guard showed he's deserving of more minutes in the win over Orlando, and Udoka needs to give Sheppard that opportunity, especially if he continues to play at the recent level he has.

"What he does for them on the offensive end—I mean, you saw how much easier their offense flowed, especially down the stretch in the 3rd quarter and the 4th quarter. I mean, you have to know where he is at all times, and that's something they've sort of been missing, so I'm a big… pic.twitter.com/JsSY2p3rsU

— Rockets Clips (@Rockets_Clips) February 27, 2026

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Houston's Reed Sheppard shows why he should close games in Magic win

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Saturday's trip to Livingston.

Here are the main points:

• On having Richard King's red card in the 5-0 loss to Motherwell overturned, Robinson says "we weren't going to win the game anyway" but feels "common sense prevailed".
• He admits the change of formation for that game was "a step too far" for his team "when confidence was low".
• Robinson says "I'm my own biggest critic, when things aren't going well I'll be the first to note that" but stresses "it's important that the fans get right behind the players".
• With St Mirren just two points above the relegation play-off spot, Robinson says his side are "not sleepwalking into trouble, we're very aware of where we are" but insists on their day they can "beat any team in the league".
• He adds: "I don't think anybody in the bottom half is out of a relegation scrap. Our job is to get points on the board and also drag other people into this battle."
• Robinson know "it's difficult to play when you're under pressure" but has urged the players to "rise above that".
• He is ready for a "real difficult game on a difficult surface" at Livi and adds: "I don't care what way we do it, we have to find a way to win."
• Robinson says: "You have to do the bare minimum to win football matches and we have to get back to doing that."
• Robinson believes "lots of things have gone against us" but feels "it could still be a very good season" with the League Cup already in the bag and the potential to get to another semi-final at Hampden.
• Team news: Declan John has been ill so will be a last-minute decision, Jonah Ayunga will start training next week but Conor McMenamin hasn't trained since Monday with a groin injury so will be assessed on Saturday.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leeds at Elland Road (kick-off 17:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Jeremy Doku had his first training session on Thursday but Guardiola was unable to give a timeframe for his return. He said: "I don't know. We will talk to the doctors afterwards."
• Otherwise, there are no new injury concerns with everyone "very good" and "trained really well in the last two days".
• On facing Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League: "As much as you play against the best teams in the whole history of this competition, you learn and you improve and you're better in the future."
• Guardiola said his players "have had a rest" in the last two weeks as they've only been playing on weekends but the training sessions have been "really good" too.
• In response to facing Leeds, who have a strong home record: "Elland Road is Elland Road. We are ready for the challenge again. I've not been many times. Incredible stadium with a good vibe. There are a lot of Premier League stadiums that are traditional and this is one of them."
• He said the late kick-off during Ramadan will play no part in his team selection as his players "will take care" and "know how to handle these situations" because "they are used to it".

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Leeds vs Manchester City on BBC Radio 5 Live from 17:30 GMT on Saturday.

Got a question about City? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

Second one-day international, Hobart

India 251-9 (50 overs): Kaur 54 (70); Gardner 2-39

Australia 252-5 (36.1 overs): Voll 101 (82), Litchfield 80 (62)

Australia won by five wickets

Scorecard

Georgia Voll struck her second international century as Australia beat India by five wickets in the second ODI to complete the series win with a game to spare.

The 22-year-old top-scored with 101 from 82 balls, including 13 fours and one six, although she was aided in reaching the milestone by India's dismal fielding.

She was dropped on 19 by Kranti Gaud and 53 by Smriti Mandhana before a fumble from wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh when she was on 99 allowed her to sneak through for a single.

Voll and Phoebe Litchfield, who smashed 80 off 62, broke the back of Australia's chase of 252, putting on 119 runs for the second wicket after captain Alyssa Healy was bowled for six by Kashvee Gautam.

She added a further 82 (67) alongside Beth Mooney before becoming Gautam's second victim in the 31st over.

Deepti Sharma accounted for Mooney and Annabel Sutherland before Ash Gardner completed Australia's victory with 83 balls to spare, with the win sealing series victory in Healy's last in charge before her retirement.

Earlier, Pratika Rawal (52 off 81) enjoyed a 78-run opening stand with Mandhana before four wickets in 7.4 overs saw India slump to 103-4.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur produced an anchoring 54 (70) at number four to help India post 251-9.

Gardner, Sutherland and Alana King took two wickets apiece.

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A familiar cat appears to be staying up north.

According to ESPN senior reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Buffalo Bills are re-signing safety Sam Franklin Jr. to a three-year deal worth up to $7.5 million. Franklin played his first five NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers, a run that ended ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Franklin's pro tenure began in 2020, when the Panthers signed the University of Temple product as an undrafted free agent. He'd reconnect with then-head coach Matt Rhule, who led the Owls in Franklin's very first collegiate season.

Over his stay in Carolina, Franklin recorded 105 combined tackles, a sack, an interception, a touchdown return and a forced fumble. The majority of his snaps (62.9 percent) came on special teams, where his play helped earn him a nod as a team captain in 2024.

He'd appear in all 19 games, including two playoff contests, for the Bills in 2025.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Former Panthers S Sam Franklin Jr. strikes multi-year deal with Bills

On Friday of the 2026 NFL combine, the defensive backs and tight ends will go through the on-field workouts. What's the level of need at these positions for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and who are some prospects to keep your eyes on?

Let's start with the level of need at each of those positions for the Jaguars.

At cornerback, the starting outside position opposite of Travis Hunter is available with Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome both free agents. Adding competition throughout the back end of the depth chart could be on the to-do list as well.

Then, with the safety spot, Andrew Wingard is a free agent, but still under contract are Eric Murray and Antonio Johnson. How urgently the Jaguars feel they have to address safety could be dependent on how they feel about Caleb Ransaw and Rayuan Lane stepping into larger roles.

Lastly, tight end is a bit of an under-the-radar need. Quintin Morris, who emerged as TE2 last season, is a free agent, while Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long are both in the final year of their deals.

Now, which prospects should you be watching on Friday?

Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

Stowers has been a big part of the Vanderbilt passinggame, totaling 152 targets over the last two seasons, along with over 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns. He's graded out as a so-so run-blocker by PFF's metrics.

Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington

A corner with size at 6-4, Prysock allowed a completion rate of 58% last season and only 8.6 yards per catch. He came away with one interception and five pass breakups.

Genesis Smith, S, Arizona

Smith has had good ball production in his career and allowed a career-low 12.1 yards per catch in 2025. Missed tackles, however, have been an issue at times, with Smith recording a missed tackle rate of over 20%. Most of his snaps came at free safety.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL combine: 3 tight end, defensive back draft prospects to watch

The draw for the Europa League last 16 has been completed with English sides Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest learning their opponents.

Villa will face Ligue 1 side Lille, playing the first leg in France, while Forest will play Danish side Midtjylland with the first leg at the City Ground.

It is the second time Forest will face Midtjylland this season after losing 3-2 at home in the league phase during the short-lived Ange Postecoglou era.

Villa faced Lille two years ago in a two-legged quarter-final in the Conference League, eventually progressing on penalties after some memorable antics from Emi Martinez.

The first legs will be played on Thursday, 12 March, with the second legs a week later.

If Forest win they would face Stuttgart or Porto in the quarter-finals.

Villa would come up against Bologna or Roma at that stage if they progress.

Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa could meet in the semis, as their ties are on the same half of the draw.

Read more about the draw here

"You don't know what people are going through. I certainly don't know what people are going through. But the one way to learn is to listen. Can we listen and learn to make people's lives better when coming to the sport we all love?"

Conor Coady's message is clear.

The 33-year-old former England international says we should all be helping each other "in any walk of life" regardless of our sexuality or identity - or anything else for that matter.

"Football has given me everything in my life and I'd love it to give everybody else everything in their life as well," Coady tells BBC Sport.

"I'd support anybody on the streets, anybody who needs a bit of help. I've always been that sort of person, so for me it is about using our platform as footballers to try and help in any space we possibly can."

• Sheffield's rival fans working together to break down barriers
• Rainbow ball back in EFL anti-homophobia campaign
• 'Being gay in men's football is a very toxic place'

Coady is a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community and is supporting Football v Homophobia's month of action, as well as the EFL's rainbow ball campaign.

"I was asked a few years ago about the LGBTQ+ community and what it meant to them when they were trying to come to football or they were scared or things were going on at football they didn't like," Coady said.

It is a question he has always answered in the same way and how he believes "everybody should answer it" - or at least how he likes to think people would.

"I've heard plenty of people's stories about what they've been through growing up and what they're going through now," he said.

"I think being in the position that I'm in as a footballer, I'm in the greatest job in the world. I pinch myself every day of my life that I'm a footballer.

"So if we can help in any way, I think we should. If there's a little 1% that you can help with, then go and try and help.

"That's just something that I try and do as much as I can, not just in this community but in any walk of life."

The EFL's chief executive officer Trevor Birch says "we all have a role to play in creating an environment in which everyone feels they truly belong".

How can the football world help? Coady reiterated his advice to "listen and learn".

"Listen to people's stories and listen to what people have gone through," Coady said.

"I think that's the biggest way to gain experience and learn about different situations and different spaces people find themselves in."

The former Wolves, Leicester and Everton player is currently on loan at Championship side Charlton Athletic.

Coady will be watching from the stands as he is unable to face his parent club Wrexham, who visit The Valley on Saturday for the Addicks' ninth annual Football v Homophobia matchday.

"The players are the ones out there living and breathing the game," said Gary Ginnaw, the chair of Charlton Invicta - the club's affiliate LGBTQ+ friendly team.

"They're role models to so many people and they can really impact how society sees LGBTQ+ people.

"To understand the issue that LGBTQ+ people go through in football and in general is massively important."

If you witness homophobic or discriminatory abuse at a football match, it can be reported directly to clubs through Kick It Out, the EFL's reporting tool, or by alerting a steward.

• Latest Charlton Athletic news, analysis and fan views
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Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has been speaking with the media before the derby visit of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Here are the key points:

• On Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan's claim following their win over Stuttgart that "no team in that league touches us" if they are on form, Rohl says: "I think at the moment we are in the second position. They are behind us. I think they have at the moment seven or eight defeats. I think in general it makes no sense to speak too much about the other side. We have to focus on ourselves. We want to win this game. I see my team is ready to take points and then we will see on Sunday."
• Rohl is relishing his first Old Firm fixture in charge at Ibrox having seen his side come from a goal down to win 3-1 at Celtic Park in January in what proved Wilfried Nancy's last match in charge.
• He says: "For me that was one of the biggest moments so far. When you are a manager and you have the chance to play at home this kind of games, then you are also on fire. We are on fire. I feel the belief. We are ready."
• Rangers remain unbeaten domestically this year under Rohl, who insists no matter the outcome, neither team will be out of the title race: "It's a crucial game, but no team will be out after this game because there are still 27 points you can take."
• He concedes this could be the biggest game of his managerial career given the stakes: "It's a crucial one because when you come closer and closer to the end of the season then you know every game is important."
• The German pointed to Rangers' ability to come from behind in big games having done so at Celtic Park and in the recent win at home to leaders Hearts when they twice levelled before winning 4-2.
• Rohl adds: "I think do it with a hot heart and a smart mind. If we do this then we have a big chance, we have a clear idea of what we want to do. We have also some different solutions, how we can hurt them. You have to believe. I think this game is not about the legs, it's about the mind, the brain, how ready you are in these moments and if you do this, then let's see.
• Rohl says he is interested to see what Celtic do with the goalkeeping position after Viljami Sinisalo impressed against Stuttgart in Kasper Schmeichel's absence.
• On the idea of looking to retain on loan Tottenham winger Mikey Moore next season, Moore says: "I think he made a fantastic development since I'm here. He showed his quality. He's still a young player. He took a lot of good experience now in this year."
• Dujon Sterling and Ryan Naderi are both training with a decision to be made if they are to be in the squad.

Chelsea will play holders Paris St-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 while Manchester City will face Real Madrid in the knockout stages for a fifth straight season.

Although six Premier League clubs have qualified for the last 16 there will be no all-English ties, with leaders Arsenal to face Bayer Leverkusen.

Newcastle United will meet Barcelona, Liverpool take on Galatasaray and Tottenham have been drawn against Atletico Madrid.

The first legs will be played on 10 and 11 March, with the second legs to take place on 17 and 18 March.

Newcastle are at home for their first leg with Barca, while their Premier League rivals are all away.

The final will be played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, 30 May.

• Champions League draw: Man City to face Real; Chelsea v PSG & Newcastle v Barcelona

• Latest Champions League table
• Champions League scores & fixtures
• Follow the latest Champions League news

• Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast
• Get football news sent straight to your phone

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.

More to follow.

Walsall have to start producing results "really quickly" if their League Two promotion push is not to peter out, according to head coach Mat Sadler.

Only one win since 26 December has led to the Saddlers dropping from the top of the table to 10th, three points outside the play-off places.

That run has led to the pressure building up on Sadler, who has remained both defiant and positive, in the midst of the flak he has received from fans concerned that a second successive promotion bid is going off the rails.

"The supporters want to see the team, their team, showing what we've shown over a long period of time since I've been in [charge]," Sadler told BBC Radio WM.

"But we haven't shown that in the last four weeks. We haven't shown that consistently enough.

"So from their point of view, we've got to give them something to shout about, which more often than not we have done."

• Why is it all going wrong at Walsall again?
• 'Fighting' Sadler sure Walsall can recover form
• Walsall board aware of 'urgency to improve' results

'We don't want a season that promised so much and didn't deliver'

Walsall travel to in-form Shrewsbury Town on Saturday hoping to end their current run of seven games without a win.

"It's up to us to reverse our momentum now," Sadler said.

"At the moment we're in a tough run of form, but we've got to return to form really quickly because we don't want the season to peter out. We don't want it to be a season that promised so much and didn't deliver.

"And as it stands with the way the table is, a couple of games in hand, all that sort of stuff, the season's all there to play for.

"But the season will only be all there to play for if we reverse our momentum, if we get back playing how we've expected each other to play. We haven't done that for four weeks.

"The proof will be in the pudding. There's no point me saying that and we don't produce.

"So it's up to us to produce when Saturday comes, and we've got a squad who've done it before for us."

Cowan's 'great' job at Shrewsbury

Sadler had two spells with Shrewsbury as a player and has watched their transformation away from relegation trouble under new head coach Gavin Cowan with interest.

Walsall travel to Croud Meadow attempting to stop Salop winning a sixth league game in a row.

"Gav's done a great job. They've got a real connection between players and the supporters and the staff," Sadler said.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for us to go into the form team of the division and take them on and that's the challenge.

"They've got that momentum, but it's up to us to turn ours back the other way."

What has gone wrong for England this Six Nations?

It is the obvious question to ask after two chastening defeats which have ended any prospect of a first title since 2020.

However, every England fan can see what has gone wrong for Steve Borthwick's side: they are not scoring enough points and are conceding far too many.

The aerial game is not working and players who were so composed and accurate during a 12-match winning streak are making consistent and uncharacteristic errors – whether in terms of decision-making, discipline or execution of skills.

So instead of asking what has gone wrong, the question is more why has it gone wrong? And how will England put it right against Italy and France over the next two rounds?

Sitting in unseasonably warm February sunshine at the team's Bagshot training base, head coach Steve Borthwick was in a relaxed but defiant mood as he tried to provide some answers - and some solutions - to England's alarming slide.

The England boss has highlighted three areas where his team were exposed by Ireland in the record 42-21 loss in London - profligacy in the opposition 22, the gifting of turnover ball to the Irish, and, perhaps most glaringly, a lack of physical intensity.

"We had plenty of chances to score in the first 20 minutes. And if you don't take your chances in Test match rugby it can be very cruel," Borthwick explained.

"Secondly, we turned over too many balls, creating unstructured opportunities for Ireland to attack from, which makes it very, very hard to defend. So we put ourselves in a vulnerable position.

"And thirdly, and probably most importantly, the intensity that has become a trademark of the team - it wasn't at the level we have set for ourselves."

For Borthwick, the three are inter-linked. A failure to exert scoreboard pressure led to a snowball effect and a game that was quickly out of reach. Physically, England were slow in terms of both thought and deed.

"We failed to take those opportunities and the opposition take their opportunities and suddenly there is scoreboard pressure against you," he added.

"That is clearly an area of development for us."

But how do you fix this? There had been an expectation that England would be smarting after the Calcutta Cup defeat, and would put it right against Ireland. Instead, the opposite happened.

Borthwick has pledged to raise the bar in training to prepare the group for the showdown in Rome, with a focus on sharpening their attacking edge in opposition territory.

"We have discussed all aspects of the preparation with the players. We need to drive even further what we are doing in training, and how hard we train. I think we can go further [in training]," he said.

"We need to be much more clinical and there are multiple factors involved [when it comes to finishing chances]. There is a mixture of the physicality needed in the collision area, with the composure you need to make those key decisions at the right time.

"We will be making sure we put the players in those positions as often as possible to ensure we get improvement."

England players under the microscope

Has complacency been an issue? Are England in the right place mentally?

Former England boss Eddie Jones has suggested that Borthwick's public pre-tournament ambition to compete for the title in Paris on the final day contributed to a lack of focus in the group, a claim the current head coach rejects.

"I discussed that you only get to that point [a title decider] by taking it one step at a time," Borthwick insisted.

"Our focus has been very much on one game at a time."

However, Borthwick says he is open-minded as he plots his selection to face the Azzurri.

There will need to be a change at scrum-half with Alex Mitchell ruled out, while centre Ollie Lawrence is missing training this week with a knee problem.

Elsewhere, George Furbank has returned to Northampton and will play in the Premiership Rugby Cup this weekend, and could provide a creative outlet from full-back if he proves his fitness with the Saints. Furbank's presence should help with England's blunt attack.

But few players who started the games in Edinburgh and at Twickenham have made a compelling case to keep their places. While always reluctant to make sweeping changes, Borthwick has not ruled out wielding the axe.

Everyone in the squad will now be under the microscope, whether in England training or beyond.

"In some positions the squad is fiercely competitive," he said. "I have got some tough decisions to make there.

"I will be watching the players, watching how they train, watching how they perform, watching the players who are returning to their clubs this weekend to get game time and watching how they play."

'Disappointment and frustration'

Borthwick has sought inspiration from the World Cup-winning crop of 2003 in a fallow week, with nine of that all-conquering group spending Wednesday evening in camp in a meeting arranged in advance of the Six Nations.

"The players from the 2003 squad performed under incredible pressure, but had numerous setbacks and numerous tough losses," he said.

Now the pressure is ratcheting up on the class of 2026. England have never lost to Italy in the Championship's 26-year history.

"There is always expectation on the England team. Always," Borthwick said.

"Our expectation on ourselves is really high and I don't think our performance levels have come to what we expect of ourselves over the last two weeks.

"Did we want these two losses? Absolutely not. Did we want the performances to be better? Yes, absolutely. I feel that disappointment and frustration more than anybody else. I am deeply passionate about this team.

"What we will do is make sure we move forward from this point and we will make sure we put in a level of performance that steps up next week."

In a further comment on his Rugby Unity podcast, Jones mused that the atmosphere at the final whistle at the Allianz Stadium after the Ireland defeat reminded him of the fraught end to his seven-year tenure in 2022.

So is Borthwick's job under threat? At the moment, no. It is too early for talk of that. It is just two games, albeit bad ones, following an impressive 12-match winning streak.

Borthwick is deep in planning for the 2027 World Cup and the RFU is firmly behind that project.

However, not only has no England side ever lost in Rome, but never before have England ended a Six Nations campaign with a single win. Two more defeats would lead to some very serious conversations in the corridors of Twickenham.

After the Calcutta Cup victory at Murrayfield, Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu spoke to the BBC with searing honesty. He said the team owed under-pressure boss Gregor Townsend a performance to quieten the noise around his future. According to Tuipulotu, they did it for Townsend.

The next two weeks would be a good time for the England players to do similar for their head coach.

• Five reasons for England's Six Nations slide
• Five talking points from round three of Six Nations

The NFL scouting combine opened on Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. A total of 319 prospects were invited to Indianapolis, including seven former Vols.

Former Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar, wide receiver Chris Brazzell II, defensive lineman Bryson Eason, defensive back Colton Hood, defensive lineman Joshua Josephs, tight end Miles Kitselman and defensive back Jermod McCoy were invited to the 2026 NFL scouting combine.

Place-kickers, defensive linemen and linebackers took part in drills on Thursday. Tight ends and defensive backs will take part in on-field drills Friday, while quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs are scheduled for Saturday. Offensive linemen will conclude drills on March 1.

Below are results from former Vols at the NFL combine on Thursday.

Bryson Eason

Eason played at Tennessee from 2020-25. In 61 games, he recorded 105 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, five pass deflections and two fumble recoveries.

Arm length: 33.13 inches

Hand size: 10 inches

Wingspan: 78.75 inches

40-yard dash: 5.09 seconds

Vertical jump: 30.50 inches

Broad Jump: 9 feet 4 inches

20-yard shuttle: 5.00 seconds

Combine score: 64

Joshua Josephs

Josephs played at Tennessee from 2022-25. In 48 games, he recorded 104 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks, nine pass deflections, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Josephs did not participate in drills at the NFL scouting combine.

Arm length: 34.25 inches

Hand size: 10 inches

Wingspan: 83.88 inches

Combine score: 69

More: Update on Jermod McCoy at NFL combine for position drills, workout

Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: How former Vols performed on Day 1 of 2026 NFL combine

Texas A&M (19-9, 9-6 SEC) couldn't withstand No. 20 Arkansas's elite offensive surge late in the second half of Wednesday's game, falling to the Razorbacks 99-84, despite reserve forward Zach Clemence's career-high 29 points, as the Kansas transfer has continued to make a significant impact over the latter half of the regular season.

While the Aggies shot 53% from the field, the Aggies only made eight three pointers, needing to reach their average of 11 or more to have a chance at pulling off the upset. Even worse, Arkansas star freshman guard Darius Acuff, who is averaging 22.2 points per game and shooting nearly 50% from the field, was held to five points and 1-10 from the field in the first half, but exploded late in the game for 22 points.

The Aggies had their chances, cutting into what was a 17-point lead to five points, thanks to Clemence's elite play, but the lack of defensive stops, which has been a problem on the road this season, resulted in the Razorbacks retaking a double-digit lead and sealing the win over the final two minutes.

Moving on, Texas A&M needs at least two more regular-season wins and will now host Texas on Saturday afternoon in what will likely be viewed as a "must-win" after defeating the Longhorns on the road earlier this season. First-year head coach Bucky McMillan and his veteran squad need to refocus on the task ahead.

Before Wednesday's loss, the Aggies moved down ESPN Bracketologist's updated bracket to his "First Four Out," and as of Friday, the Aggies are trending down, but have not moved off that line. Texas, also one of the first four out teams, has now lost back-to-back games to Georgia and Florida, falling to the Gators 84-71 at home on Wednesday.

Texas A&M's offense should be able to score on the Longhorns, who have struggled defensively, allowing 75.7 points per game, while the Aggies are shooting 47% from the field and have looked much better over the last two games, but need to cut down on the turnovers.

Texas A&M will host Texas on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., with coverage on ESPN2.

pic.twitter.com/4RnE3G8BLR

— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) February 26, 2026

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M basketball enters 'must-win' territory before hosting Texas

There isn’t a position the Los Angeles Rams need to address more than cornerback. It was a glaring hole last offseason, too, and after opting not to address it, the secondary cost the Rams in the NFC title game against the Seattle Seahawks.

The good news is this year’s class is outstanding. That’ll be on display Friday during on-field workouts and testing at the NFL combine, a position the Rams should be watching closely. With Mansoor Delane and Jermod McCoy opting not to participate in drills, these are the seven corners for Los Angeles to watch.

Chris Johnson, San Diego State

Johnson should intrigue the Rams with his inside-outside versatility, showing the ability to play on the boundary or in the slot. For a team that likes to move defenders around, that's an asset. Plus, he was downright dominant in coverage last season, allowing just 18 catches on 43 targets for a total of 185 yards. He didn't give up a single touchdown catch and picked off four passes.

As a second-round prospect, Johnson fits what the Rams should be looking for at the cornerback position.

Colton Hood, Tennessee

Hood isn't the biggest cornerback at 5-foot-11 but he plays the position physically and is a willing tackler in run support. Though he gets overlooked sometimes by his teammate Jermod McCoy, Hood is excellent in coverage and has impressive aggressiveness on the outside. Look for him to be a late first-round pick or early second-rounder, right in the range of when the Rams pick at No. 29.

Brandon Cisse, South Carolina

Cisse should be a target for the Rams at the end of the first round. He’s one of the best corners in this class, bringing great athleticism to the table. His ball skills leave something to be desired but everywhere else, he’s really impressive.

At the combine on Friday, he should wow scouts with his athleticism, potentially sending his stock higher. Plus, his ability in run support gives him an edge over some other corners.

Avieon Terrell, Clemson

Terrell lacks some size at 5-11 but he’s excellent in coverage and is position-versatile as a nickel in the slot or a boundary corner. After Delane and McCoy, he might be the highest-rated corner in the draft, especially for teams that are looking for guys with position flexibility.

The brother of Falcons standout corner A.J. Terrell, Avieon is likely to be a Day 1 starter in the NFL, potentially for the Rams if they see him as the best corner available when they go on the clock.

D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana

Ponds will stir up a lot of debate among evaluators because of his smaller stature. He’s only 5-9, which is undersized for a boundary cornerback, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in competitiveness and technique. The national champion corner was one of the best in the country last season, and though he’ll likely need to move inside in the NFL, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be able to make that transition. He’s plenty physical enough to cover the slot and help in run support.

Keionte Scott, Miami

If the Rams want a fiery and physical corner, Scott is their guy. He’s like a bulldog in the secondary, always willing to mix it up and stick his nose in the action at the line of scrimmage. That play style sets the tone for the entire defense, which carries value. Last season alone, he had 13 tackles for a loss, five sacks and two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns.

As a slot defender, Scott plays like a safety and can cover like a corner.

Tacario Davis, Washington

If the Rams are looking for some size on the outside to help replace Ahkello Witherspoon, Davis should warrant some consideration. He’s 6-4, 200 pounds, which is wiry for a defensive back but helps him in coverage. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein sees him as a better zone corner than man defender, making him a good fit for the Rams. With his slimmer frame, run support isn’t a strong suit of Davis’, but the Rams need guys who can cover first and stop the run second.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL combine: 7 CBs for Rams to watch Friday

Jack Doohan says he received death threats and had to call police to resolve an encounter with armed men at about the time of last year’s Miami Grand Prix, just before he lost his Formula One drive with Alpine.

The Australian driver said in the latest series of Netflix documentary Drive To Survive, released on Friday, that he had been threatened by email, describing the atmosphere around what proved to be his final race as “pretty heavy stuff”.

Doohan made his debut for Alpine in the last race of 2024 and was dropped and replaced by Franco Colapinto after Miami, the sixth race of 2025. He is now a reserve driver for Haas.

“I got serious death threats for this Grand Prix, saying they’re going to kill me here if I’m not out of the car,” Doohan said in the documentary. “I had six or seven emails saying if I’m still in the car by Miami, that I’ll be, you know, all my limbs will be cut off.”

Doohan also described an incident where he saw three “armed men”, adding that “I had to call my police escort to come get it under control”.

He did not specify how that incident was resolved, and did not identify anyone responsible.

After Colapinto replaced him at Alpine in May, Doohan posted on social media that he and his family had been facing online abuse, and indicated at the time that fans from Colapinto’s home country of Argentina were responsible.

The duo were the only two drivers in F1 last season not to score a point as Alpine finished last in the constructors’ standings.

The NFL offseason is officially here, and all eyes will turn toward the 2026 NFL draft. The first day will feature only the first round, the second day will feature the second and third rounds, and the draft will conclude with the final four rounds on the third day.

This year, the NFL Draft Main Theater and Main Stage will be located just outside Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh's North Shore, placing the Draft at the heart of one of the country's most recognizable sports districts.

We're looking at five realistic targets for the Eagles on defense with the No. 23 pick.

Keldric Faulk, ED, Auburn

A dynamic and versatile pass rusher, Faulk ranked eighth in the SEC with 45 total pressures in 2024 according to Pro Football Focus. Overall, Faulk finishes his college career with 73 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks.

Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami

A grown man pass rusher and force off the edge, the 6-foot-3, 265-pound edge rusher just enjoyed his most productive season in his final year at Miami, totaling 63 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

McNeil-Warren is a tall safety prospect who will attract interest from several NFL teams, following the successful transitions of Quinyon Mitchell and other Toledo defenders. He received Second-Team All-American honors from the Sporting News and the FWAA, as well as Third-Team All-American recognition from the AP, becoming only the second Toledo player to make the AP All-America team in 18 years. He was named to the PFF All-America Team and recognized as the PFF G-6 Defensive Player of the Year, being the only MAC player and one of just two G5 players on the defensive roster. Additionally, he earned First-Team All-MAC honors and was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which honors one of the nation's top defensive backs. He is the first Rocket since Barry Church in 2009 to be a Thorpe semifinalist and the first MAC defensive back since Shawun Lurry in 2015.

R Mason Thomas, OLB, Oklahoma

Thomas was named to the 2024 All-SEC Second Team and received recognition as a second-team All-American by both the Associated Press and the AFCA. He was selected for the All-SEC First Team by the coaches and the All-SEC Second Team by the Associated Press. He was also a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award. Thomas is a dynamic pass rusher with the speed and agility who recorded 15.5 sacks over the last two seasons, including 6.5 sacks in 10 games in 2025. He also had 25.5 tackles for loss for the Sooners' defense in 2024 and 2025. Among edge players in the SEC with at least 106 pass rush snaps, Thomas finished ninth in pass rush productivity, according to Pro Football Focus.

Cashius Howell, edge rusher, Texas A&M

The former Texas A&M senior edge rusher could be a top 15 pick after declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft, after recording a career high 11.5 sacks, combined with over 40 pressures during his final season in College Station, as the former Bowling Green standout was one of the more feared players in the country.

Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Terrell, an Atlanta native, is the younger brother of Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, who also attended Clemson and was a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2020. Terrell finished the 2025 season with a team-high five forced fumbles and 11 pass-breakups. During his three years at Clemson, Terrell accounted for 125 total tackles, 25 passes defended, four sacks, eight forced fumbles, and three interceptions.

Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

McCoy didn't play at all in 2025 after tearing an ACL last January, but he's elite and had 4 interceptions and 9 pass breakups in 2024.

Zion Young, DE, Missouri

Young, a transfer from Michigan State, started all 13 games at the JACK position last season. He recorded a total of 23 tackles, including 9 solo tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (TFL), and a team-high 9.0 sacks, along with one interception. His average of 0.69 sacks per game ranked him 19th nationally and fourth in the SEC. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the 34th-ranked pass rusher in the nation with a grade of 80.9, and He ranked 13th nationally among all edge players in Pass Rush Productivity (PRP) with a score of 10.5, which is calculated using a formula that combines sacks, hits, and hurries relative to the number of times he rushes the passer. PFF credited him with 37 quarterback hurries and nine quarterback hits. Young was also named to the Second Team All-SEC by league coaches.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: 5 defenders the Eagles could target with the 23rd pick

Wisconsin basketball (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten) fell to the Oregon Ducks on Wednesday night.

Greg Gard's group is projected as a No. 7 seed in CBS Sports' latest bracketology with a projected matchup against No. 10-seed Auburn.

The outlet updated its NCAA Tournament bracket forecast on Wednesday morning, following UW's loss to Oregon and ahead of a highly-anticipated Big Ten contest between No. 8 Purdue and No. 13 Michigan State. Wisconsin is now sandwiched between No. 6 seed Kentucky and No. 8 seed Miami in the Midwest bracket.

After collecting quality wins over Michigan, Illinois and Michigan State, the Badgers' stock has dropped over the program's recent stretch. Wisconsin did secure an 84-71 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday, but its blowout loss to Ohio State and surprising defeat against Oregon have prompted pundits to alter the team's position in national hierarchies.

Wisconsin entered its contest against the Ducks with a chance to secure a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, but it now faces an almost impossible circumstance ahead of its final stretch. UW concludes the 2025-26 regular season with games against Washington, Maryland and No. 8 Purdue.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball CBS Sports bracketology Oregon Update

The Oklahoma Sooners closed out their home regular season schedule with a dominant 89-44 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks. It was their fifth straight win, and it came on senior night for Raegan Beers, Payton Verhulst, and Beatrice Culliton.

The 45-point win is the second-highest margin of victory in program history. Earlier this year, the Sooners set a program record with a 48-point win over Mississippi State.

Oklahoma's offense was awesome on Thursday night, with all five starters scoring in double figures, led by true freshman Aaliyah Chavez's 16 points. Raegan Beers recorded her 19th double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Verhulst added 14 points, Zya Vann scored 13 and Sahara Williams had 12. Oklahoma also received 11 points off the bench from forward Brooklyn Stewart, who also had a career-high 15 rebounds in the game.

Keziah Loftin contributed eight points off the bench in the win.

Oklahoma shot 45.1% from the field and held Arkansas to 22% shooting for the game. The Razorbacks didn't make a field goal in the fourth quarter, marking the second time this season that an Oklahoma opponent failed to hit a bucket from the field in the fourth.

With the win, the Sooners are guaranteed a top-eight seed in the SEC women's basketball tournament. A win over Missouri on Sunday and the Sooners will earn the No. 5 seed in the tournament.

With the way Oklahoma is closing the regular season, they're in a strong position to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament in Norman and could climb as high as a three-seed.

The Sooners take on Missouri in the regular season finale in Columbia, Missouri, at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners dominate Arkansas on senior night

Kayvon Thibodeaux’s future with the New York Giants grew more uncertain on Thursday.

The Giants hold the fifth-year option on Thibodeaux, which would pay him $14.75 million for the 2026 season. They can exercise this option or explore trading the 25-year-old pass rusher.

In 2025, Thibodeaux recorded 2.5 sacks across 10 games (limited by a shoulder injury that ended his year early). Despite this down year, he remains a foundational piece of the Giants’ pass rush as a four-year veteran and former No. 5 overall pick.

However, the team is positioned to test the trade market this offseason.

SNY’s Connor Hughes reports that Thibodeaux is considered attainable for the right price, with other teams believing a deal is likely.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, per sources, is a player the #Giants are listening to offers on and the belief from teams here at the combine is that he will eventually get dealt.

I do not get the same sentiment on Dexter Lawrence. This staff loves him & wants him.

pic.twitter.com/C8UMWiFxkH

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) February 26, 2026

If the Giants move Thibodeaux, their front office could address needs elsewhere via trade or free agency. The team would still have strong options to lead the outside linebacker/edge group in 2026, including Brian Burns and rookie Abdul Carter.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants listening to trade offers for Kayvon Thibodeaux

Nebraska basketball defeated the Maryland Terrapins by a score of 74-61 on Wednesday evening. It was a game that saw Nebraska trailing with just over ten minutes remaining before pulling away in an 18-3 run to secure the victory.

This game saw Braden Frager shine. He scored 21 total points on six-of-13 shooting from the field. Pryce Sandfort also chipped in 16 points. He was the leading rebounder on a night when the Huskers needed all the help they could get on the boards, finishing with eight.

Nebraska led 33-27 at the half and held off a Terrapins team that possessed tremendous length and size. Nevertheless, they were able to hold off the opposition for the 24th win of the season.

Social media was buzzing following the victory, as the Huskers secured another key win at home. We picked some of the best reactions in what was a successful night overall.

W.

Happy WINsday. pic.twitter.com/AIl1Ceddi5

— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) February 26, 2026

Repeat

Put this on repeat. 🔁 pic.twitter.com/2t2vvqIODO

— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) February 26, 2026

The tape

Roll the tape. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/IgR8QlJXpG

— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) February 26, 2026

Sam Hoiberg remains the heartbeat of this team

I can’t imagine Nebraska basketball without Sam Hoiberg.

— MaryRuth (@beyourselfxmary) February 26, 2026

Having fun at a rival's expense

You know Nebraska basketball is playing well when Tommie Frazier trades in his Creighton polo for a Nebraska one.

— Mike Schaefer (@mikejschaefer) February 26, 2026

The love for Sam Hoiberg was felt on Wednesday night

Can he sue for 8 more years of eligibility?

— RonB (@RonB03342196) February 26, 2026

The fans were happy with the strong finish

Good finish to the game boys!

— Carson_Hudkins (@Chiefsszn__25) February 26, 2026

Fans want more Braden Frager

frager in the starting lineup for saturday or we riot

— bobby for mvp (@eli_eggplant) February 26, 2026

Fans are soaking in every moment

Did I think we’d be 24-4? Hell no.

But I will NEVER understand the preseason disrespect. https://t.co/VPEYQwZaft

— ⚪️🔴#Nebrasketball Connor🔴⚪️ (@Connor_Husen) February 26, 2026

The stat sheet

FINAL | Nebraska 74, Maryland 61

That was closer than it needed to be for Nebraska, but a win is a win.

Braden Frager's 21 points off the bench paced the Huskers. Pryce Sandfort added 16. The Sam Hoiberg show: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block.

Stats: pic.twitter.com/7XOi1M0kGs

— Amie Just (@Amie_Just) February 26, 2026

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Social media excited following Nebraska basketball's win over Maryland

Today in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise signed Stephon Marbury as a free agent in 2009. The Brooklyn, New York native elected to sign with the Celtics after he was bought out by the New York Knicks in the wake of a major fall-out with the head coach of the Knicks at that time, Mike D'Antoni. The Marbury stint in Boston was nearly as brief as they come, though. The former Georgia Tech standout finished one of the worst seasons (and the last) of his NBA career playing for the Celtics. His capabilities dropped considerably across most counting stats.

Marbury averaged 3.8 points and 3.3 assists in 23 regular-season games with the Celtics in 2008-09, compared to his career rates of 19.3 points and 7.6 assists per game. He played in 14 postseason games that season; Boston lost its second-round series to Orlando in seven games. The following season, Boston only offered the veteran's minimum to Marbury, which the veteran summarily dismissed.

Instead, the Coney Islander headed overseas to the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), where he has had a long, successful career as a player and as a coach.

Historic milestones

It's also the date of a game legendary Boston point guard Bob Cousy dished out 28 assists in 1959, then an NBA record. It came in a game against the (then) Minneapolis Lakers (now, Los Angeles) in Boston's (and the NBA's) highest-scoring game in history, a 173-139 obliteration of the Lakers.

The Phoenix Suns matched the scoring record in 1990, and the assist record stood until Scott Skiles broke it with 30 assists in one game -- also in 1990.

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Marbury deal; Cousy dishes 28 assists in 173-point game

Cardiff City made a £35.1m loss in the season they were relegated from the Championship, according to the club's latest set of accounts.

The Bluebirds are currently top of League One with the aim of returning to the second-tier at the first attempt.

But accounts state they remain reliant on the financial support of majority shareholder Vincent Tan, whose loans to the club totalled almost £90m by the end of last season.

In notes accompanying the accounts for the financial year end of 31 May 2025, Cardiff's overall liabilities stood at £161m.

As well as monies owed to parties connected to Tan, a sum of £37.3m is also owed to a company where chairman Mehmet Dalman has significant interest.

That saw Cardiff pay around £7m in interest and similar expenses, although more than half of Tan's loans do not accrue interest.

• Robertson eyes 'dream' Cardiff and Australia double
• Latest Cardiff City news, analysis and fan views

The accounts state that since the reporting period at the end of last season, Cardiff have also received a further £19.5m from that does not require repayment. The source of that £19.5m has not been made public.

Cardiff's turnover increased £2.6m to £25.8m, but their wage bill increased to £29.1m during the last campaign – although the accounts confirm most of the squad did include relegation clauses.

The £35.1m overall loss is a jump of £23m, although last year's finances were boosted by the sale of a percentage of any successful damages gained in their court action with French club Nantes over the death of the Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala.

Their operating loss remained relatively unchanged at £28.1m.

In the notes accompanying the accounts, the club state that relegation from the Championship meant they faced an "immediate challenge" of an "incredibly significant drop in turnover and the actions that by necessity had to be taken around the club's cost base to bridge that gap".

That has included pausing development of the club's proposed new training base until they return to the second tier, as well as utilising the club's academy talent as part of a squad restructuring.

That has proven successful so far with new manager Brian Barry-Murphy leading them to a healthy position at the top of League One.

Ten matches left. A four-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership. It is not a scenario many would have predicted 12 months ago for Hearts.

This time last year, Hearts were scrapping to secure a place in the top six – a battle they ultimately lost. The mood was frustration rather than fervour.

Yet football, particularly in Scotland, has a habit of shifting quickly when momentum takes hold. Now the landscape looks very different.

With each fixture, the pressure intensifies. A lead at the summit is both a privilege and a burden. But to their credit, Hearts' players and management have dealt with every test with calm assurance.

There has been no grandstanding, no emotional overreach – only a steady accumulation of points and belief.

That composure has contrasted sharply with events elsewhere.

Both Celtic and Rangers entered the campaign under familiar expectations. At those clubs, challenging for the title is not ambition – it is an obligation.

Yet too often this season, both have faltered. And with that has come fierce criticism from their own supporters.

Hearts, however, have been able to focus on themselves. There is freedom in being the disruptor. All they can do is continue collecting points, and with every win, the tension subtly migrates west along the M8.

That is not to say the path ahead is smooth. The injury list is lengthening at an awkward moment. Squad depth will be tested; resilience will be required.

But adversity can have its uses. Title races are rarely won solely by flair – they demand endurance.

Regardless of personnel against Aberdeen on Saturday, the task will be clear: stay focused, disciplined, and keep the points tally moving in the right direction.

With Celtic and Rangers meeting the following day, the timing is intriguing and an opportunity for Hearts to keep the pressure on.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against West Ham at Anfield (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Jeremie Frimpong has trained "a few times this week" so is available to face West Ham.
• Florian Wirtz remains sidelined with an injury which he described as "a disappointment for him and for us". On the timescale for his return, he added: "I don't know. Usually when I say that, I do know and I don't want to share that. But this time, I honestly don't know."
• Slot said ending Mohamed Salah's goalless run is a "challenge he has" and "a team thing they have to improve" on.
• More on Salah: "He sets his own standards and they were so, so high. When he doesn't score for a few games, it means people are surprised. We are used to Mo scoring a lot of goals, but we also know this has happened before and in the end, he always starts scoring again."
• Slot added that Salah "is not our only attacker that's not scoring as much", as Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo have also not scored as many recently.
• On another win putting pressure on teams battling for the top four: "We're not so focused on other teams and mainly on ourselves. We know we need to win a lot of games and that is what our focus is on. We are aware of the league table."
• He said Rio Ngumoha's playing time has improved massively over the past few weeks because he "developed and became a better player".
• On facing another team near the bottom of the league after struggling to break down Nottingham Forest last weekend: "I cannot manipulate the fact we have struggled a lot against the teams who were promoted or near the bottom. We understand how difficult winning games in general is - it doesn't matter where they are in the table."

Listen to commentary of Liverpool vs West Ham on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds at 15:00 on Saturday.

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Liverpool? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

Rio Ngumoha has been jumping every hurdle put in front of him and is ready for Liverpool's starting line-up, says journalist and The Late Challenge podcast's Mo Stewart.

Liverpool host 18th-placed West Ham United on Saturday and Stewart believes there is no better time to call the youngster up.

"I'm very tempted," Stewart told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"If you looked at the whole season and was thinking 'I'm going to give this kid a start in a game', you'd expect it to be at home to a team in the bottom five. That's what's happening in this game and I think it might be the last time this season.

"On top of that, off the back of him making a real impact in the game against Nottingham Forest and helping to contribute to the win, it feels like a good time.

"I understand though why Arne Slot is so cautious with him. I do think that when you're a player of that talent and age - because he is still really young, he's 17 but a young 17, more 16 - you have to be careful with how he deals with the physical and the mental side of football.

"But with that being said, I am also of the opinion that every time they give him a little bit and how he's dealt with it, every time they have put a hurdle in front of him, he seems to jump it."

Hit play above to hear the full chat orlisten here on BBC Sounds

Catch Saturday's full match commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 15:00 GMT

Fans of the Premier League's six wealthiest clubs are paying an average of £74 per ticket for each match they attend, while ticket revenues are soaring, according to data from a new report.

The Uefa European club finance and investment landscape report shows that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham earned an average of 19% more money from selling tickets for home matches in 2025 than in 2024.

Among Premier League clubs, Arsenal made the most per fan, per match, earning an average of £89 per ticket.

The biggest increase in ticket income was earned by Liverpool, who made 27% more than the previous year, for a total of £120m.

The figures include matches in all European and domestic competitions and comprise the average price for general admission and hospitality tickets.

The data shows all 20 Premier League clubs made a combined total of £920m from ticket sales last year - an increase of £90m from the previous year.

That total is almost double the total of £514m in ticket income earned by Spanish clubs.

Nine Premier League clubs feature in Europe's top 25 for gate revenue, with the wealthiest six all in the top 11.

The report shows the 20 Premier League clubs are well ahead of their European rivals when it comes to overall revenue, earning a combined total of £6.5bn.

That is almost double the revenue of the next highest division, Germany's Bundesliga, whose 18 clubs made a total of £3.4bn.

Of the 25 clubs who generated the most revenue, 11 were English.

But those revenues did not mean the Premier League clubs turned a collective profit, as only five made a profit while 15 made losses and across the division, there was a combined pre-tax loss of £559m.

Chelsea - with £355m - made the second-highest loss in European football history while Spurs (£129m) were the the third-biggest losers in 2025, with Aston Villa fifth (£85m).

Read Dan's piece in full

Brighton Captain Lewis Dunk, says his team aren't focusing on where they will finish the season, as they see out the campaign "game-by-game".

Brighton earned their first win of the month in their 2-0 victory over Brentford last week, and Dunk believes the team will be happy if they can keep that hunger going.

"I just want to see what we've seen in the last game," Dunk told BBC Radio Sussex.

"The fight in us, the clean sheet, the way we defended, the hunger in us. I think if we've got that in us, then I think we'll be more than happy where we finish.

"People talk about targets and where we want to finish and Europe and this and that, and yes you can say it, but I don't get why we would. When really, we have to go game-by-game and that's how I look at football.

"Everyone would love to finish in Europe, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but it's the Premier League and the Premier League is not easy. I'm not going to sit here and say we want to be in Europe again, we'll just see where we end up."

You can listen to Dunk discuss the Seagulls and darts by hitting play above or listen here on BBC Sounds

Listen to full match commentary on Sunday of Brighton v Nottingham Forest on BBC Radio 5 Live from 13:55 GMT

Wolves manager Rob Edwards and Sunderland counterpart Regis le Bris have condemned the racist abuse their players suffered last weekend.

Nigeria striker Tolu Arokodare, 25, received abusive messages on social media after he was part of a Wolves side beaten 1-0 at Crystal Palace on Sunday.

"[It's been a] really difficult week for him [Arokodare]," said Edwards. "He was upset and angered by it, understandably so.

"We have supported him, and we have had a few individual chats with him. We have spoken about it as a group to make sure we get around him and support him as well."

Sunderland's English winger Mundle, 22, was also targeted with online racist abuse following his substitute appearance in Sunday's 3-1 home defeat by Fulham.

"What happened to Romaine is unacceptable - we stand with him," said Le Bris.

"There is no room for racism or abuse in football or anywhere else. That's clear for us. We stand for respect, inclusion and diversity - these are the values of football and the values of the club."

Read more here

Manchester United have confirmed sacking Ruben Amorim could end up costing the club almost £16m.

The Portuguese was dismissed on 5 January following his public attack on the club's hierarchy after a 1-1 draw at Leeds the previous day.

The figure was released in a filing to the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, a day after the club confirmed they had made a profit of £32.6m in their second-quarter results to 31 December 2025.

Listed as an "event that occurred after the reporting period", United confirmed an amortised fee of £6.3m - which related to the cost of getting Amorim to Old Trafford from Sporting in November 2024 - had been written off and a "provision of £15.9m" would be made, representing the highest amount United could be liable to pay Amorim and his coaching staff.

It is not explicitly stated in the submission what would trigger the highest payment but sources with an understanding of the situation have said it relates to future employment.

Amorim is yet to speak publicly about his time at United and sources close to the 41-year-old have said there is no immediate likelihood of that changing.

The payment completes an expensive managerial experiment that ultimately ended badly.

United confirmed in a similar filing on 27 November 2024 they were paying Sporting £11m to hire Amorim to replace Erik ten Hag, whose exit was costing £10.4m.

It means the combined changes around Amorim could cost £37.3m.

His 14-month stint in charge was the shortest reign of a permanent manager at Old Trafford since David Moyes was sacked just eight months into his tenure in 2014.

Amorim won 25 of his 63 games in charge, finishing 15th in the Premier League, United's worst performance since they were relegated in 1973-74.

They also lost the Europa League final, meaning they have no European football this season for only the second time since 1990.

Read the full story here

Last week, on a cold night in Glasgow, Celtic boss Martin O'Neill joined a very select club of managers who have been in charge for 1,000 professional games.

The League Managers Association (LMA) Hall of Fame 1,000 club is something I'm proud to be a member of too - there are only 40 of us, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Ron Atkinson, Jim Smith, Dave Bassett, Harry Redknapp, Graham Taylor, Brian Clough and Sam Allardyce.

It's getting harder to last that long, though. Far more managers are getting sacked, and more often, than there were when I started out, and for more than half of them, their first job is also their last.

According to the LMA, there have been 165 first-time managers since 1 January 2013, and to date 56% of them haven't got another manager's job.

In England now, the average time a manager is given at a club in the top four divisions of our men's game is one year and nine months, which is up from the end of the last season, when it was one year and four months, but is still crazy.

Gone are the days where you could get a job and think about building something - it seems to be more about survival now.

Longevity is highest in the Premier League, where the average time you get is more than two years, but it drops in the Football League - which is part of the reason why I'd definitely recommend that, given the opportunity, young coaches today should seriously look at jobs abroad, especially in Scandinavian countries for example, if they have the chance.

Martin, who turns 74 on Sunday, reached his milestone with Celtic, a club he adores, so it must have been something special.

I reached my 1,000th game with West Brom in 2016, and it came against my former club Stoke at the Britannia Stadium, as it was then. As I said at the time, you could not have scripted it better.

Like many managers of his generation who began lower down the pyramid, Martin started at the bottom of the ladder, in non-league.

It was looked on as good grounding and experience for managers who would go on to get jobs in our top division.

It was the same in Scotland too, where you would cut your teeth at smaller clubs before moving onwards and upwards - all of the names I mentioned earlier followed the same path, as did Bill Shankly and Howard Wilkinson. It was my route too, but so much is different today.

The advice I was given about how to stick around

My first chance as a manager came with Bournemouth in the summer of 1992. At first I was not thinking much beyond my first game - a draw on Preston's plastic pitch by the way - and neither, it seems, was my chairman, Norman Hayward.

I'd been given a club car, which was about 20 years old and, a few months into my first season, we went up to watch Grimsby play one night.

We drove there in his Mercedes and on the way back he dropped me off where I'd parked up. The windscreen was iced up so I turned on my engine and Norman got out his credit card to try to scrape the ice off.

While he was doing that, I heard him shouting: "Oh no, I can't believe it!" I thought he had snapped his credit card but he'd actually seen my tax disc. "They've given you 12 months. I told them six months!"

I laughed and said: "Thanks Norman, that gives me loads of confidence!"

Still, I was fortunate to get the chance at Bournemouth, and also lucky in that I received some good advice on how I might stick around.

I always remember the late Alec Stock - another member of the 1,000 club, who had long spells in charge of Leyton Orient, QPR and Fulham as well as with Yeovil, Roma, Luton and Bournemouth - ringing me up one night and explaining why I should work on a three-year plan.

The first season, he said, was to assess the players, staff, and get to grips with all the other aspects of how the club is run.

The second season was to reset it, to get it working on and off the pitch and win all the battles to get things my own way for the third season which, according to Alec, was the season that everyone - supporters, directors and yourself - should see progress.

He also told me any manager would only ever be judged a success by producing a winning team.

During my time at Bournemouth, I learned how true that was - never mind how hard you worked or how much you did to protect your club financially, management was all about winning.

The secret of longevity - learning how to win

At the end of my second season, a new chairman took over the club and I was on my way. So much for the three-year plan, but it was still a great two years of learning for me.

Norman was a hard chairman, but he was honest and we remain friends today. I was left more determined than ever to get back in the saddle and go again.

I was 34 when I got the Bournemouth job, which is very young for a manager but I learned the defining reason behind a long life in this new role - as Alec said, management is all about winning.

Irrespective of everything which surrounds the role - which has dramatically changed from my early days, by the way - if you don't win, then forget your philosophies because you won't be in a job for long.

Learning to win with different clubs and different players is a challenge but it was one I enjoyed.

Certain principles must be applied wherever you are and although your team's strengths can and do vary, those principles must stay rock solid.

Most young coaches today move on from academy football into professional football. Academy football is a teaching job, professional football is a winning job.

You only learn that when you get a professional job - but spaces are scarce for British managers in the Premier League, and they are dwindling in the Championship too.

Of the 44 clubs in England's top two divisions, there are only 21 British managers - 20 in permanent roles, plus Michael Carrick at Manchester United until the end of the season. That's the case even though our football associations deliver state-of-the-art coaching courses which are recognised as being as good, if not better, than in any other country worldwide.

Managers are seen more as coaches now

What's changed for British managers trying to get a job - or stay in one - is the rise of sporting directors, who have been appointed by mostly foreign owners.

As I've mentioned before in this column, both the Premier League and Championship also have enormous numbers of players from abroad and clubs know buying players from South America, Africa and Asia can be better value than the market at home.

So you have foreign owners and foreign directors of football - or even English directors of football working for foreign owners - who all see the value in appointing foreign coaches who have experience of working abroad, speaking different languages and understanding different cultures.

Because our top two leagues are so multicultural, the big agencies who have often provided assistance to the owners in buying the clubs and have helped guide their appointments too, have an almost direct line to the club's recruitment policies.

Recruitment is everything - if you can crack that side of things and bring good players to your club, then success will be forthcoming. Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford have proved that.

My first season out of work after I'd been sacked by Bournemouth coincided with me being asked by Bruce Rioch to watch games for Bolton, who he was managing at the time.

That period taught me how important knowledge of players was because, after months spent travelling around the country, I was appointed Gillingham manager in 1995.

The knowledge I'd gained enabled me to bring in players that brought the club one of the most successful periods in its history.

Now, though, that side of things is taken care of by others. Managers are now more seen as coaches, expected to work with players recruited by the director of football, and sometimes without having any say in signings at all.

As I've mentioned above, there are certain teams whose recruitment has been fantastic, but there are also clubs who have experienced the complete opposite.

As a manager today, with players arriving from far-flung countries, it is impossible to watch all players live, yet I still would want and expect my club to have the decency to let me view the players they were advising we should sign.

Knowledge is vital for new managers

Over the past few months, we've seen young coaches arrive from Europe and the United States to take charge of Southampton, West Brom and Celtic.

Will Still, Eric Ramsay and Wilfried Nancy were all sacked pretty quickly. All three had no experience of British football - yet they were left alone to manage in difficult circumstances. It makes me wonder: Who at each club made that decision?

A lot of directors of football have never experienced management, and until you have actually sat in that hot-seat yourself, you don't realise how difficult it is, or the pressure you put yourself under to succeed.

Someone with any knowledge of the game, who had done the job themselves, would have provided those young managers with an experienced football man to help them through the initial period at their new club. So why didn't it happen?

Martin, who had been in interim charge at Celtic before Nancy was appointed, is a great example of someone who could have helped.

There should have been a recognition by the director of football that while Nancy came in with a really strong record in Major League Soccer, that competition is very different to British football.

There couldn't have been a better fit of someone to help him settle in than Martin, who was already there. He's got the manager's job there again now, of course, but why wasn't he kept on anyway as a mentor when Nancy arrived?

Why go abroad? For patience and time

Young coaches are often appointed on the proviso that their role is to prepare the team to win games. Recruitment is dealt with by other staff, as are the medical and sports science elements, which will determine the availability of your best players through a long hard season.

So much of the machinery which provides either a successful or unsuccessful season could be dictated by everyone apart from the coach. Yet if the team are unsuccessful, he will invariably take responsibility and get sacked.

In most of my career, I took full responsibility for all of the above and accepted the end product of the sack if it didn't work.

With such a small window given to managers and coaches to succeed today, it is not surprising that Steve Cooper turned down opportunities to manage again in the Championship after leaving Leicester and chose to go to Brondby in Denmark instead.

He believes more patience and time will be provided there for him to be successful, which is something you just don't get in England any more.

Tony Pulis was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

Business picked up on Thursday at the 2026 NFL combine in Indianapolis. After a few days of interviews and weigh-ins, we finally saw some action as the defensive linemen and linebackers participated in workouts and on-field drills.

Several of them put on a show, including a couple of prospects in play for the Washington Commanders with the No. 7 overall pick. The Commanders need plenty of defensive help at all three levels, with edge rusher being the most pressing need. You can't rule out a wide receiver or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love either.

Outside of projected No. 1 overall pick, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the top half of the 2026 NFL Draft could be as unpredictable as ever. So, the combine could be important for some players to separate themselves from the pack.

Here's a look at six players who shined on Day of the NFL combine.

Ohio State LB Sonny Styles

Sonny Styles profile...

6'5" ➡️ same as Calvin Johnson
244lbs ➡️ three pounds lighter than Derrick Henry
43.5" vert ➡️ same as Nate Robinson's max vert
4.46s forty ➡️ same as Bijan Robinson
135" broad jump ➡️ same as Julio Jones

FREAK ATHLETE pic.twitter.com/mFx13ywggF

— Underdog (@Underdog) February 27, 2026

Sonny Styles didn't need the NFL combine to show he was a first-round pick. It's all over his college tape. But when you add in his size, measurables and bloodlines, Styles is almost a perfect prospect. He arrived in Indianapolis as a surefire top-15 pick, but he may leave as a potential top-five pick.

Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey

David Bailey at the 2026 Combine…

▫️Faster than Antonio Cromartie
▫️Quicker than Davante Adams
▫️Jumps higher than A.J. Green
▫️More explosive than Adrian Peterson
▫️Heavier than Von Miller#NFLCombine2026pic.twitter.com/EIrK6YIhXH

— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) February 26, 2026

While much of the talk centered around Styles, don't forget about Bailey. The All-American was a top-10 lock before Indianapolis, with a ceiling as high as No. 2 to the New York Jets. He did nothing to discourage the hype. Bailey's size, speed, explosiveness and short-area quickness match his tape. The Commanders already knew there was a good chance Bailey wouldn't make it to No. 7. It's doubtful now.

Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese

Sheeeeeesh.@OhioStateFB LB Arvell Reese with a 4.47u

2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/j74Yd3XQCw

— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026

Reese performed as expected. He and Styles were on another planet. However, they are different players. Reese played some at edge rusher and off-ball linebacker with the Buckeyes. He can do about everything, even though there are some questions about where to play him at the next level. It's really quite simple: don't box him into one spot. Reese is a top-five lock.

Florida DT Caleb Banks

.@GatorsFB DT Caleb Banks put on an unreal performance today:

- 6'6", 327 pounds
- 5.04 40-yard dash
- 32" vertical jump
- 9'6" broad jump@nflnetwork | @Accenturepic.twitter.com/FLWDdfKUUn

— NFL (@NFL) February 26, 2026

Caleb Banks is a prospect who could use the combine as a way to shoot up draft boards. The talent is there. The size and athleticism are unreal. A foot injury cost him much of the 2025 season, so there were some who believed he could fall too early in the second round. That's not happening. Don't be shocked if Banks ends up going somewhere in the top 15-20 picks. Teams love to bet on upside. Banks has that and then some. He's also versatile enough to move around on the offensive line.

Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez

Jacob Rodriguez reached a top speed of 18.43 mph during the Backpedal & React Drill, the fastest by any linebacker over the last four years.

Rodriguez traveled nearly a full mile per hour faster than the next-closest linebacker (Arvell Reese, 17.49 mph). pic.twitter.com/ELC3LQm1pQ

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 27, 2026

Despite a decorated college career that saw him win the Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, no one really discussed Rodriguez as a first or second-round pick. There were concerns about his size, and some questioned his athleticism. Rodriguez, who has elite tape at Texas Tech, put those concerns to rest on Thursday, leading the linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone drills, proving his explosiveness. Rodriguez will be drafted in the second round when all is said and done.

Pittsburgh LB Kyle Louis

Pitt LB Kyle Louis | 2026 Combine Results:

🔵 40 Yard Dash: 4.53 (5th)
🔵 10 Yard Split: 1.58 (3rd)
🔵 Vertical Jump: 39.50” (4th)
🔵 Broad Jump: 10’9” (2nd)@Pitt_FBpic.twitter.com/YlHU4uY7Zi

— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 27, 2026

Kyle Louis was an excellent player at Pitt. However, size concerns had him pegged for the middle rounds. Louis showed his ability at the Senior Bowl last month. He was everywhere. NFL teams fell in love with him. On Thursday, he backed up what you see on the field with elite testing numbers. Louis is a player who probably would've struggled to make it 10-15 years ago just because of size. Now, he's a positionless weapon. He can play linebacker, safety, big nickel, etc. Defensive coordinators will want his speed on the field. For a team that wants to be "younger and faster," like the Commanders do, it's players like Louis who get coaches excited.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 2026 NFL combine: 6 players who shined on Day 1

Plymouth Argyle youngster Tegan Finn deserves to be in the first-team squad, according to boss Tom Cleverley.

The 17-year-old winger scored the Pilgrims' equaliser in their 2-1 Vertu Trophy quarter-final loss at Luton Town earlier this week - his first goal against first-team opposition.

Finn was included in Argyle's 22-man outfield squad for the rest of the season, despite him being a youth player.

It led to the omission of Ayman Benarous, although the midfielder has since been reinstated after Kornel Szucs left the club.

Finn's goal came a few days after impressing for Argyle's youth side.

"The attitude he shows playing for the 18s on Saturday, scoring four goals for them, which catches the eye of everyone, which tells you he deserves this opportunity in the squad," Cleverley said.

"It results in a strong performance for the first team on Tuesday and a goal, an important goal it could have been.

"I love that about football clubs that you can be playing for our 18s on Saturday and score a cup quarter-final goal for the first team on Tuesday.

"He's deserved to be part of the plans in the first team, maybe more than he has been moving forward, but that's credit to the attacking players that have been playing - Owen Dale, Ronan Curtis, Xavier Amaechi on that side.

"So there's strong competition in that area of the pitch, but Tegan deserved his chance, and I thought he took it."

Liverpool's rich history is one littered with cautionary tales. The territory that comes with playing for a big club.

And yet, two careers in particular have been fresh in my mind this week, that of Michael Owen and that of Rhian Brewster.

Two forwards who played for the Reds during their teenage years, but with very different roles, yet two players who may feel they could have done more with their careers beyond their time at Anfield.

Owen is still publicly - and at any opportunity - proud to show the fact that he won the Ballon d'Or while at the club, yet you always sense a tinge of sadness that his career didn't last that little bit longer at an elite level. Instead, it burned bright and faded fast.

Brewster - some would argue, armed with the added benefit of hindsight - was never likely to reach that level. He certainly came from Chelsea hotly-tipped, though, and the fee he eventually left for symbolised that. Liverpool can rightly feel they got the better end of that deal now.

What if they had chosen to give him more minutes early on, though? If there were a proper development plan in place, meaning he wasn't simply left to be no more than a bench player? You can't help but feel that the lack of success in his career since could be in part due to a lack of top-level football during those years of such burgeoning talent.

For Owen, the opposite was certainly true. Some would argue that he was relied upon too frequently to be Liverpool's answer at such a young age and, despite the success he brought to Gerard Houllier's reign, that took a toll that was too great for his growing body.

It's these two career paths that make what Arne Slot does with Rio Ngumoha next a dilemma. It's clear that the youngster is ready for more minutes, but the club also needs to ensure it doesn't all come too soon for him.

Play him so much that you become reliant, and there's a chance that a growing body may not be able to take the strain, but wait too long to introduce him and potentially rob him of an early peak.

There's no one-size-fits-all solution to when a footballer's career peaks, even if we think we can generally attribute it to a specific age range.

Ramp his minutes up now, by all means, because he's more than deserving. But build him a proper ramp-up plan, so we can try to prolong the potential superstardom that stands before us.

Find more from Josh Sexton on outlets including The Anfield Wrap

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I keep hearing people say that, mathematically, Wolves still have a chance of staying up, but let me just tell them straight - there is no chance of that happening.

There is no doubt Wolves have improved under Rob Edwards, but this is still a game I'd expect Aston Villa to win.

Unai Emery's side have slipped up a few times in recent weeks, however, and it has cost them.

They have only won one of their past four league games and I am a bit gutted they haven't managed a couple more wins to really be in the title race.

Emery has always talked down their title hopes anyhow, and I understand why - he obviously doesn't truly believe they can do it - but until this blip in form they were in with a real shout.

I still think they will have too much for Wolves, but they are going to have to work hard for the points. Villa won 1-0 at Villa Park earlier in the season, so I am going for the same scoreline here.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the type of player who thrives under the spotlight, with no lights brighter than those at Elland Road for a Premier League night game.

Everton,West Ham, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have all been beaten under the glare of the towering floodlights this season. It has always been a special place for a night game, from epic Champions League fixtures through to the modern day. There is no doubt the atmosphere created by the North and South Stands in particular impact those in white, and their opponents.

When I spoke to a very relaxed DCL and James Justin at the club's training ground this week, the mention of Elland Road under the lights brought a smile to both of their faces.

The former Everton man has scored four goals in those aforementioned games. Our conversation of course included an England angle, with the 28 year old admitting he is yet to receive a call from Thomas Tuchel, but his phone remains on.

Adding to his tally of 10 this weekend, against the second best defence in the division, would be some feat and would surely only increase the calls for international recognition.

It also wouldn't be the biggest shock if he did find the back of the net with it being a 5:30pm kick off and a fixture played under the intensity of those Elland Road lights.

City's players were given time off to have "a lot of caipirinhas and daiquiris" this week according to manager Pep Guardiola.

Bright lights and hangovers surely aren't the perfect mix!

Listen to BBC Radio Leeds commentary

The Washington Commanders made a shocking move on Thursday night, releasing starting center Tyler Biadasz. The 28-year-old center, who signed with Washington two years ago, started 31 games over the last two seasons for the Commanders. The offensive line is considered a strength for Washington, with Biadasz being a signficant reason why.

The move was surprising for multiple reasons. For one, Biadasz was reliable and solid. Secondly, he didn't give the Commanders significant salary-cap savings. While his cap hit for 2026 was among the top 10 in the NFL, Washington didn't need the cap space by moving on from him. It also creates another hole.

Now that Biadasz is gone, who will the Commanders replace him with? Less than two weeks before free agency begins, you'd like to think Washington has a plan.

Here are six candidates who could be the Commanders' center in 2026.

Commanders G/C Nick Allegretti

There has been talk of Allegretti being a potential salary cap casualty. Now, he's a contender to start at center. Allegretti has played all three interior spots and has also played some center for Washington when Biadasz was out. He struggled with his snaps at times. But remember, the Commanders plan on being under center a lot more in 2026, so that shouldn't be an issue. It can be argued whether Allegretti is an actual upgrade over Biadasz. However, he's under contract, and Washington likes him. Don't rule it out.

Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum

Linderbaum is one of the jewels of the free-agent class. Unbelievably, the Ravens didn't pick up his fifth-year option, and now he's close to hitting the market. Baltimore wants to retain him and has made an effort to do so. He will have plenty of options. He could land with the Giants, where his former coach, John Harbaugh, is. Or, he could land in Los Angeles with the Chargers and Jim Harbaugh. It's doubtful the Commanders would pay the premium for Linderbaum with so many other needs. If they did, this offensive line goes from a solid top-10 unit to among the NFL's best. Linderbaum is an elite center.

Browns C Ethan Pocic

Pocic is a nine-year veteran, having started 97 career games. He's not elite, but he's solid and reliable. Is he an actual upgrade over Biadasz? He could be cheaper, though. Pocic has spent the past four seasons with the Browns, and he will start somewhere in 2026.

Panthers C Cade Mays

While Linderbaum gets the headlines, Mays is a name to watch. The 26-year-old has the size (6-foot-6, 325) to handle some of the bigger defensive tackles in the division, such as Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Dexter Lawrence and Quinnen Williams. Initially drafted by the Panthers in 2022, Mays was waived during final cuts in 2024. The Giants signed him to their practice squad, and the Panthers later re-signed him back off New York's practice squad. In 2025, he took over at center for Austin Corbett, and his career took off. Mays is hitting free agency at the right time and will also have options.

Bills C Connor McGovern

McGovern is a solid center who will also have a strong market. Again, he's probably more in line with Biadasz, but maybe slightly better. However, he'll probably earn a decent salary on the open market. McGovern may be too pricey for the Bills once he hits free agency. Don't expect the Commanders to get into a bidding war for any offensive linemen this year, so McGovern seems unlikely. If Washington chose to pay significant money for a center, it would be Linderbaum.

Former Titans C Lloyd Cushenberry

The Titans signed Cushenberry the same year as the Commanders signed Biadasz. Biadasz's time in Washington was much more impactful than Cushenberry's in Tennessee, though. A third-round pick of the Broncos in 2020, Cushenberry started at center for Denver for four seasons before landing with the Titans. Injuries ruined Cushenberry's Tennessee tenure, and he was released earlier this week — or will be released before the new league year. Whoever signs Cushenberry could land a bargain. He's still only 28 years old.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: 6 players to watch as next starting center

A local high school has announced its new head football coach.

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Brookville Local Schools announced on social media that Jay Fullenkamp is the new football coach of the Brookville Blue Devils.

He replaces Mike Hetrick, who announced his retirement in January after 25 years, according to a previous News Center 7 report.

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Fullenkamp is a 27-year teacher and coach in the Brookville Local School District.

“As the architect of the Blue Devils’ defense, he helped lead the program to six consecutive OHSAA playoff appearances,” the school district said. “As we turn the page to the next chapter of Brookville football, we’re confident that Coach Fullenkamp’s vision, standards, and commitment to excellence will elevate the next generation of student-athletes.”

Fullenkamp played for legendary coach Bob Gregg at Centerville High School.

He also earned All-American honors as the team captain at the University of Dayton, playing for College Football Hall of Fame coach Mike Kelly.

The Blue Devils went 10-2 last season before losing to CHCA in the second round of the high school football playoffs.

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Luke McCowan believes no-one in Scotland can stop Celtic if they can hit top form. (Sun)

Goalkeeper Viljamo Sinisalo's performance in Celtic's 1-0 win away to Stuttgart, with the German side winning the Europa League tie 4-2 on aggregate, has given manager Martin O'Neill food for thought. (Herald - subscription required)

O'Neill says the direction of Scotland's co-efficient is "not fantastic news". (Glasgow Times)

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou says speculation linking him with Celtic is "something that we cannot stop". (Sun)

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin believes it would be rude to dismiss Saturday's opponents Motherwell's Scottish Premiership title hopes. (Courier - subscription required)

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A starting jersey is Gavin Molloy's to use after the defender returned to the Aberdeen side in Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Dundee United, says interim boss Peter Leven. (Press and Journal - subscription required)

Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan faces a delay in his recovery from minor ankle surgery but Chris Cadden and Joe Newell are making progress in training. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required)

Hearts manager Derek McInnes believes getting players back fully fit in the spring will feel like a transfer window. (Scotsman - subscription required)

McInnes insists the Scottish Premiership leaders' warm weather training to Dubai is not "a jolly". (Record - subscription required)

The entire Hearts squad will head to Dubai, including those recovering from injuries. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required)

Estoril had just lost 3-1 to Sporting at Alvalade, but Ian Cathro was in an incredibly positive mood in his post-match news conference.

"Can I put a question to you?" he asked a journalist in native-level Portuguese the last time the team from the Lisbon coast faced Sporting away, in March 2025.

"What type of football do you like to watch? Did you enjoy the game? Probably you were all around here in other matches and I assume you fell asleep [at some point]. We want to do things differently."

That night, despite the result, at times Estoril, who play in a 5,000-capacity stadium, managed to silence more than 35,000 home fans.

Cathro couldn't have been prouder to witness it.

On Friday, the 39-year-old Scottish coach will be heading back to Alvalade hoping to achieve the same, albeit with a better outcome on the pitch.

His Estoril side are one of the most exciting teams to watch in Portugal, averaging two goals per game with 46 in 23 matches, the fourth most, and more than league leaders FC Porto (44).

Along with Sporting, they've had the most games scoring four or more this campaign (six). For the second consecutive season, a team used to fighting relegation finds itself comfortably in the top half of the table, albeit with the most porous defence, having conceded 39 goals.

The club's record top-flight points tally of 54, achieved in the 2013-14 season, when they recorded their best finish of fourth, is perhaps out of reach this term given they are on 33 with 11 games remaining, but even Benfica boss Jose Mourinho admitted being impressed by Cathro, saying "he's leaving his mark".

The Scotsman's secret? As he always emphasises, they play with no fear, regardless of the opponent.

"I'm young, but I've already been through a lot, in a lot of places. I think I've already seen almost every film you can see in a career in this industry," Cathro tells BBC Sport.

"I'm not here trying to win five games in a row just to make the jump. I look at this project and I genuinely feel my responsibility is to help the club take a step to another level. And that other level is more stability, so that no one - absolutely no-one - is afraid anymore."

The recognition for that is certainly coming.

In January, Cathro was voted the Portuguese top flight's coach of the month by his peers.

'I'm not here to perform miracles, but bring more stability'

The Dundee-born manager has had previous experience in Portugal, as an assistant to Nuno Espirito Santo at Rio Ave from 2012 to 2014. Cathro then followed Nuno to Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur, Valencia and Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad.

But he has now found a home away from home in Estoril and has changed the mentality of the club.

Such is Cathro's impact that, in an unusual move last summer, the club extended his contract until 2028, following his appointment in July 2024.

If he fulfils it, he will become their second longest-serving coach, behind only former Portugal manager Fernando Santos.

Cathro feels he has done enough to change perceptions around him back home to no longer be referred to as the "ex-Hearts coach" - he was dismissed after seven months following a shock Scottish League Cup group-stage exit in 2017 in his only other managerial post.

"I know there will be far less visibility for everything I do here compared with a club in Scotland, if we're talking about the United Kingdom," says Cathro, who was also an assistant manager to Steve McClaren and then Rafael Benitez at Newcastle.

"But knowing that everything we do in life matters and is relevant, it's true that I spent seven months as Hearts' head coach and what happened, happened. If we're going to go into the details of that, we'd need another two or three hours, and it's not really worth it.

"But any doubts that might have existed after that short spell, if someone looks at everything that's been done and what's being built here, I think those seven months are already in the past.

"And I look at this job at Estoril as my first one. Because here I've had normal working conditions, and that's why I refer to Estoril as my first team. I want to be a positive figure in the club's history, someone who helped. I'm not here to perform miracles, but to bring more stability."

'I feel a thousand times more Portuguese than Scottish'

Cathro doesn't hold back when speaking and that's something that has made his Estoril news conferences a must-watch.

He has not always been like this in the past and it's something he regrets.

So whenever he sees something wrong nowadays, he brings it up - whether it's the league calendar, the local time-wasting culture or the ball-boy system.

"I don't have any problem saying what I feel, knowing that sometimes I'll say the right thing, sometimes I'll say the wrong thing. I'm not going to hide from something I think is important," he explains.

That straightforward approach is very Portuguese.

It's no coincidence to find references to him in the local media of being "the most Portuguese Scot there is", "a Scot who could have been born in Estoril" and "a Portuguese soul".

"This is something that makes me very proud. I've said several times that my life changed completely when I went to Rio Ave," says Cathro.

"I learned - and I became a man - in that Portuguese context. I'm absolutely certain that, in footballing terms, I feel a thousand times more Portuguese than Scottish.

"What I like most is the fact that time moves a little more slowly here. I live at a completely different rhythm here with my family than I did in Scotland, for example. We're able to make more memories and more meaningful moments as a family."

Estoril sporting director Helena Costa recently told Record that she believes Cathro "will make the step to a big club".

For now, though, he prefers to live in the moment.

"I think I've got far more experience than I've got years of life. And because of that, I don't waste much time on anything that isn't exactly what I have to do today," adds Cathro.

"I know tomorrow isn't 100% under my control, and I don't want to live in the past or in the future either. I've got a big responsibility to help the players and help the club, and I'm not going to do anything that could complicate that."

• Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

TKO: “The Kilcoyne Opinion” discusses the loaded 2026 Cardinals Hall of Fame nominees. Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Brian Jordan and George Hendrick. TKO is anxious to see both Pujols and Molina enter the Cardinals Hall of Fame the way they should, together!

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A local high school girls’ basketball program has achieved an incredible milestone.

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Tipp City Schools said in a social media post that the Tippecanoe High School girls’ program won its 1,000^th game.

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The Lady Red Devils beat Miami Valley League (MVL) rival Butler High School, 49-32, on Wednesday in the Division III District Semifinal at Springfield High School

“Since the program began in 1970, multiple generations of players and coaches have built something truly special, and last night, the Lady Red Devils became just the third school in Ohio history to reach this remarkable achievement,” the school district said.

Tippecanoe improved to 22-2 overall and advanced to the district final on Saturday.

They will play Western Brown at Lakota High School at 3 p.m.

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BASEBALL 

CITY SECTION 

Bravo 2, Fremont 1

Mendez 13, West Adams 1

Torres 12, Lincoln 2

SOUTHERN SECTION

Aliso Niguel 5, Millikan 3

Anaheim Canyon 9, Villa Park 8

Arroyo 8, Edgewood 1

Banning 5, San Bernardino 3

Barstow 2, Eastvale Roosevelt 1

Bellflower 4, Mary Star of the Sea 0

Bell Gardens 12, Hacienda Heights Wilson 4

Bishop Montgomery 11, South East 0

Bonita 11, Northview 6

Brentwood 6, Campbell Hall 4

Buckley 18, Shalhevet 2

Calvary Baptist 8, Fontana 2

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 6, Burbank 2

Cerritos 7, Ocean View 1

Charter Oak 11, Montebello 3

Colton 15, Vista del Lago 2

Compton Centennial 12, Compton Early College 3

Cornerstone Christian 14, Lakeside 5

Corona 11, Trabuco Hills 1

Corona Centennial 10, Arrowhead Christian 8

Crossroads 6, Viewpoint 1

Desert Christian 10, Boron 5

Downey 4, Redondo Union 1

Entrepreneur 23, California Lutheran 14

Excelsior Charter 14, Yucca Valley 5

Foothill Tech 8, Fillmore 1

Flintridge Prep 4, Schurr 3

Garey 20, El Monte 2

Great Oak 8, Los Osos 5

Hemet 11, Temecula Prep 1

Heritage 7, Rancho Mirage 5

Hesperia Christian 17, ACE 1

Hoover 24, La Puente 2

Indian Springs , Arroyo Valley 1

Irvine 3, Estancia 1

Kaiser 4, Cajon 3

Katella 2, Woodbridge 1

Laguna Beach 10, Segerstrom 1

Lawndale 4, Firebaugh 3

Linfield Christian 18, Whittier Christian 8

Long Beach Jordan 10, Dominguez 0

Long Beach Poly 3, Palos Verdes 2

Maranatha 5, St. Augustine 4

Montclair 6, Miller 1

Moreno Valley 11, Redlands 2

Mountain View 10, Mark Keppel 2

Murrieta Mesa 9, Rancho Verde 1

Nordhoff 6, Santa Clara 3

Norte Vista 14, San Gorgonio 1

Nuview Bridge 6, Bloomington 2

Oak Hills 2, Granite Hills 1

Oakwood 11, Pasadena Poly 1

Ontario 7, Azusa 3

Oxnard 7, Santa Monica 5

PACS 31, Mojave 4

Paramount 8, Glenn 0

Ramona 8, Hillcrest 3

Righetti 12, Milken 2

Riverside North 6, Tahquitz 6

Rowland 10, Pasadena Marshall 0

Royal 10, Trinity Classical Academy 2

San Clemente 3, Colony 2

San Jacinto 9, Santa Rosa Academy 4

San Jacinto Valley Academy 13, Xavier Prep 3

San Marino 6, Cathedral 5

Santa Ana Foothill 6, Santa Fe 5

Saugus 16, Quartz Hill 9

St. Anthony 6, Cerritos Valley Christian 1

Summit 3, Etiwanda 0

Temescal Canyon 6, La Sierra 2

Thousand Oaks 10, Chaminade 8

Victor Valley 9, Vasquez 4

Village Christian d. South El Monte, forfeit

Vista Murrieta 5, Yorba Linda 5

Webb 19, Pomona 3

West Valley 7, Indio 6

INTERSECTIONAL 

El Rancho 6, Maywood CES 0

Bishop Montgomery 11, South East 0

Mira Costa 8, Chatsworth 3

San Fernando 3, Castaic 1

JSerra 5, Southlake Carroll 2

South Torrance 10, Venice 0

St. Francis 9, Taft 0

St. Monica 12, LA Hamilton 1

Warren 12, Mesa (AZ) Dobson 3

SOFTBALL 

CITY SECTION

Bernstein 17, Fairfax 16

Cleveland 15, Reseda 9

Mendez d. Animo Venice, forfeit

SOUTHERN SECTION 

AAE 16, Rim of the World 0

Ayala 7, Carter 0

Banning 11, San Bernardino 5

Beaumont 7, Northview 2

Bishop Montgomery 15, St. Anthony 4

Bloomington 8, Indian Springs 4

Bolsa Grande 17, Long Beach Cabrillo 14

Bonita 11, Baldwin 2

Boron 9, Desert Christian 4

Burbank Providence 15, Santa Clarita Christian 3

California 5, Downey 3

Calvary Baptist 7, Fontana 2

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 17, Mayfield 1

Capistrano Valley 7, Villa Park 4

Cathedral City 10, Coachella Valley 4

Chaffey 8, Patriot 1

Chaminade 10, Heritage Christian 0

Chino 12, Beckman 7

Claremont 13, Don Lugo 2

Colton 16, Tahquitz 9

Compton Centennial 12, Burbank Burroughs 0

Corona 7, Colony 5

Corona del Mar 7, Ocean View 2

Costa Mesa 16, Compton Early College 9

Covina 7, Diamond Ranch 3

Crescenta Valley 7, Hart 3

Crossroads 11, Trinity Classical Academy 7

Desert Hot Springs 24, Xavier Prep 20

Dos Pueblos 10, Lompoc 5

Downey Calvary Chapel 12, Santa Ana Valley 9

El Dorado 4, Esperanza 1

El Monte 15, Mark Keppel 3

Etiwanda 13, Cajon 4

Firebaugh 17, Rosemead 4

Fountain Valley 9, Irvine 6

Garden Grove Pacifica 7, Mater Dei 2

Glendale 15, St. Bernard 5

Glendora 11, West Covina 0

Grace 8, Vasquez 2

Hacienda Heights Wilson 9, Montebello 4

Hawthorne 15, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 3

Hesperia 14, Moreno Valley 4

La Habra 9, La Palma Kennedy 0

Lakewood St. Joseph 10, Katella 0

Lancaster 12, Silverado 1

La Serna 1, Mission Viejo 0

Liberty 16, Ridgecrest Burroughs 3

Los Amigos 18, Century 3

Maranatha 18, South Pasadena 3

Millikan 21, Gahr 7

Moorpark 18, Ventura 4

Newbury Park 12, Santa Paula 2

Nogales 12, Montclair 6

Northview 7, Eastvale Roosevelt 2

Northwood 24, Newport Harbor 5

Oak Park 2, Rio Mesa 1

Oaks Christian 11, Simi Valley 2

Ontario 9, Azusa 2

Ontario Christian 15, Irvine University 3

Oxford Academy 20, Samueli Academy 4

Oxnard 6, Camarillo 5

Oxnard Pacifica 11, Carpinteria 0

Paloma Valley 10, Jurupa Valley 0

Paramount 13, Long Beach Jordan 1

Ramona 3, Los Osos 1

Rancho Cucamonga 8, Rancho Verde 0

Riverside Notre Dame 13, Barstow 2

Riverside Prep 13, Arroyo Valley 0

Riverside Prep 14, AAE 1

Sacred Heart of Jesus 7, Ramona Convent 6

Sage Creek 9, Elsinore 5

San Juan Hills 8, Santa Ana Foothill 4

San Marcos 14, Del Sol 2

Santa Margarita 2, Trabuco Hills 1

Segerstrom 6, Tesoro 1

Sierra Vista 9, Pasadena 8

South El Monte 16, Edgewood 16

Southlands Christian 14, La Puente 1

South Torrance 12, Mary Star of the Sea 3

St. Bonaventure 8, Buena 5

St. Paul 8, Sonora 2

Thousand Oaks 3, Valencia 2

University Prep 9, Hesperia Christian 3

University Prep 13, Riverside Notre Dame 3

Valley View 12, Lakeside 2

Viewpoint 6, Flintridge Prep 4

Walnut 11, Rowland 2

Warren 15, Sunny Hills 5

Westlake 2, Royal 1

West Valley 13, Temecula Prep 5

Yorba Linda 17, Troy 0

INTERSECTIONAL 

Alhambra 11, LA Marshall 2

Bonita 11, Kailua (HI) 0

Burbank Burroughs 7, Granada Hills Kennedy 2

Canyon Country Canyon 9, Verdugo Hills 8

Culver City 13, LA Hamilton 3

El Camino Real 4, Louisville 1

El Rancho 11, Garfield 7

Golden Valley 24, Grant 4

Granada Hills 13, La Canada 1

HMSA 8, Animo Venice 1

Long Beach Poly 9, Legacy 2

Muir 12, Eagle Rock 2

Port of LA 10, Bishop Conaty-Loretto 0

Shadow Hills 6, Brawley 5

Wilmington Banning 12, Peninsula 0

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The FIH Hockey World Cup qualifiers mark the final stage of the journey to the 2026 Hockey World Cup which will be jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from 15-30 August.

Nine men's and women's teams have already qualified either from winning their respective continental championship in 2025 or through the FIH Pro League, with the Netherlands and Belgium qualifying as hosts.

That leaves seven places. There will be two qualifying tournaments for men and women with eight countries in each divided into two pools of four based on their world ranking.

The top three teams from each tournament automatically qualify.

Additionally, the highest world-ranked fourth-placed team across the events also earns a coveted World Cup berth.

Men’s and women’s teams from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales will be involved.

Who will the home nations face?

City of Santiago, Chile (1-8 March 2026)

Women's competition

Pool A: Australia, Chile, France, Switzerland

Pool B: Japan, Ireland, Canada, Malaysia

Men's competition

Pool A: Chile, France, Wales, Scotland

Pool B: Canada, Ireland, Korea, Poland

Ismailia, Egypt (1-7 March 2026)

Men's Pool A: Egypt, England, Japan, USA

Men's Pool B: Austria, China, Malaysia, Pakistan

Hyderabad, Telangana, India (8-14 March 2026)

Women's Pool A: Austria, England, Italy, Korea

Women's Pool B: India, Scotland, Uruguay, Wales

What are the chances of qualification?

With three places up for grabs in each tournament, qualification should be reasonably straightforward for England's men, who have moved up to fourth in the world rankings after recent impressive performances in the FIH Pro League.

Malaysia are the next highest ranked team in 13th.

The other men's tournament in Chile, however, could be a real fight for the three places. France, ranked ninth in the world, and Ireland in 11th will be favourites but Wales (15), Korea (16), Canada (19) and Scotland (20) are all capable of upsetting anyone on their day.

Wales qualified for the last World Cup at the expense of Ireland and will be looking to make it again while Scotland have never qualified but are capable of making history.

In the women’s tournament in Chile 2018 World Cup silver medallists Ireland will fancy their chances of qualifying for the third time in a row.

Although they are the third-ranked team behind Australia and Japan, their recent 4-1 win over the Aussies in the Pro League will have been a huge confidence booster.

Australia, surprisingly, find themselves in the qualification tournament after losing the Oceania Cup to New Zealand, but they should not have too many issues navigating their way to the finals but hosts Chile are the dark horses and could upset any of the three nations above them in the world rankings.

India are the favourites to win the other women’s tournament with home advantage although England are ranked one place above them in the current world rankings and the highest placed team of the eight competing.

Italy and Korea will be competitive but Scotland have a huge opportunity here to make their first World Cup Finals for twenty years.

They are the third ranked team in the tournament while Wales will have to pull off some upsets if they are to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1983.

Match schedule for the home nations

(All times GMT)

Sunday 1 March

Santiago

Ireland men v Canada, 14:45

France men v Scotland, 19:15

Wales men v Chile, 22:30

Ismailia

England men v Japan, 16:45

Monday 2 March

Santiago

Ireland women v Malaysia, 18:00

Ismailia

England men v Egypt, 18:45

Tuesday 3 March

Santiago

Korea men v Ireland, 14:15

Ireland women v Japan, 18:45

Wales men v France, 19:00

Scotland men v Chile, 23:15

Wednesday 4 March

Santiago

Ireland men v Poland, 12:00

Scotland men v Wales, 19:00

Ismailia

England men v USA, 16:45

Thursday 5 March

Santiago

Ireland women v Canada, 18:15

Friday 6 March

Santiago

Men's semi-finals, 20:30/22:45

Ismailia

Men's semi-finals, 16:45/19:00

Saturday 7 March

Santiago

Women's semi-finals, 21:00/23:15

Ismailia

Men's 3/4 play-off, 16:45

Men's final, 19:00

Sunday 8 March

Santiago

Men's 3/4 play-off, 16:30

Men's Final, 18:45

Women's 3/4 play-off, 21:00

Women's final, 23:15

Hyderabad

England women v Italy, 07:15

Scotland women v Wales, 11:45

Monday 9 March

Hyderabad

Korea women v England, 09:30

Uruguay women v Wales, 11:45

Scotland women v India, 14:00

Wednesday 11 March

Hyderabad

England women v Austria, 07:15

Uruguay women v Scotland, 11:45

India women v Wales, 14:00

Friday 13 March

Hyderabad

Women's semi-finals, 11:45/14:00

Saturday 14 March

Hyderabad

Women's 3/4 play-off, 11:45

Women's final, 14:00

Michigan State basketball defeated Purdue on Thursday night, 76-74, ending a 14-year losing drought inside of Mackey Arena. It was a massive win for the Spartans, especially heading into March, earning a big win.

Despite not having his best performance, finishing with eight points, three rebounds and three assists, Jaxon Kohler was still a massive piece in the Spartans win on Thursday night.

Following the game, the senior forward spoke to the media on what it took to beat Purdue, what it means for March and what kind of team MSU is despite having a poor performance against Ohio State on Sunday.

After Jeremy, we have Jaxon's turn. Hear the Kohler Bear's thoughts on tonight's game. https://t.co/cGxePxjovd

— Spartan Shadows Podcast (@MSUShadowsPod) February 27, 2026

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler talked Michigan State's win over Purdue

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards wasn't afraid to put Thursday's game in his own hands ... and wasn't afraid to let everyone know about it, including Minnesota head coach Chris Finch.

Edwards made a huge shot to give the Timberwolves a 92-88 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers with 42.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter, before getting in Finch's face.

"That's what I do," Edwards could be seen telling Finch on the broadcast after the shot.

The Timberwolves went on to win 94-88 and Edwards was asked about that moment during his postgame interview with Amazon Prime.

Ant explains pic.twitter.com/EP9IfyLN9g

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 27, 2026

“The play before, when I took the midrange over two (players), (Finch) said to pass the ball and I told him, 'You don't want me to pass the ball, you want me to shoot it,'" Edwards said.

Edwards had 31 points, five assists and three rebounds for the Timberwolves. He shot 12-of-24 from the field, including 2-for-6 from the 3-point line.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Edwards yells 'that's what I do' at own coach after late shot

Phil Parkinson is relishing the prospect of facing his former club Charlton Athletic once again as Wrexham bid to maintain their impressive away run.

The Red Dragons are unbeaten in their past five Championship matches on the road and have claimed more points (26) than any other team in the division since Christmas.

"We've always had competitive games with Charlton over the last couple of years, both home and away," said Parkinson.

"It's a great stadium, especially when there's 20,000 plus in there.

"We went down there in the league last year and it was a great atmosphere and it's going to be a really good game."

Having won the reverse fixture 1-0 at Stok Cae Ras in November courtesy of a late Josh Windass penalty, Parkinson's men have the opportunity to claim a first league double of the season when they face Nathan Jones' men at The Valley on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

"They had a dip after a very strong start and they've picked up again recently," Parkinson said of the Addicks.

"Like all of Nathan's teams, they're very hard-working, very organised and are showing all of the qualities you need to be a Championship team."

The Red Dragons secured a famous 3-0 win over Jones' side to seal automatic promotion from League One in April last year.

And ahead of the meeting between the sides in the English capital this weekend, Parkinson stated he is hoping to create similar memories during his time as Wrexham manager.

"It's one of the most incredible days in my memory as a player or as a manager," said Parkinson.

"Just everything about that day was incredible in terms of the game in the lunchtime kick-off, the atmosphere in the ground, the celebrations after, we'll never forget that day."

He added: "The drama, the tension, the performance of the group - when it mattered most, we put in one of our best performances of the season.

"We can enjoy those memories, but this season it's now seeing if we can we create some more."

The Chargers have been linked to Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce by NFL Network's Manti Te'o.

Te'o believes Pierce, alongside Ladd McConkey, could give the Bolts a duo similar to Davante Adams and Puka Nacua on the Rams.

"If Alec Pierce were to go to a place like the Chargers, it's going to be dangerous. You talk about somebody who's fast, who's physical, who's a big target, can take the top of the defense. Now you have the ability for Ladd McConkey to do what Ladd McConkey does in the short-term medium range zone," Te'o said.

"And then you add that to Mike McDaniel and all the stuff that he's going to add with the pre-snap motions. Whenever you structure your offense, you want different attributes in your wide receivers. Your slot receiver is a guy that can just occupy the middle of the defense. But you need the guy that can be that lone X wide receiver."

Manti Te'o wants to see this wide receiver playing for the @chargers alongside Ladd McConkey next season... 👀 pic.twitter.com/TB1bVfivqn

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 24, 2026

That's where Pierce comes in for the Chargers. The wideout is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but there has been speculation that the Colts will use the franchise tag on him as the team is aiming to re-sign the 25-year-old.

Pierce is regarded as one of the best wide receivers available, as he is coming off a 1,000-yard performance in 2025. He averaged 21.3 yards per catch last season, giving the Chargers a perfect weapon for Justin Herbert on the deep ball. Pierce also recorded six touchdowns ahead of hitting the free agent market this offseason.

McConkey is coming off a bit of a sophomore slump as he recorded 789 passing touchdowns and six scores last season. His numbers decreased from his rookie campaign, where he posted 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns on 82 catches.

Several factors played a part in McConkey's lack of production, but the addition of Pierce would perhaps put the former Georgia product in the best position to shine as a slot receiver. That would then make Pierce the X receiver in a high-powered Mike McDaniel offense.

Then again, Spotrac has Pierce signing a four-year deal worth $80.99 million. That's an average annual value of $20.2 million. That could be a steep price for a Chargers team that needs to prioritize re-signing some of their own players, namely Odafe Oweh, and addressing the offensive line in free agency.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers linked to Colts wide receiver in free agency

The Arizona Cardinals announced another addition to their coaching staff under new head coach Mike LaFleur this week. After announcing coordinators and assistants, the Cardinals announced that Wendy Laurent was hired under the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship.

Laurent spent training camp last year on the Cardinals' staff under the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

He will likely work with offensive linemen or tight ends.

Laurent was the assistant tight ends coach for Ohio State in 2025 and, prior to that, was the tight ends coach for Dartmouth from 2022-2024.

He played collegiately at Penn State as an offensive lineman.

The Cardinals established the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship prior to the 2015 season. Laurent is the eighth individual to participate in the program, which is designed to increase diversity and create additional opportunities for coaching experience at the highest level.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: The Cardinals hire Wendy Laurent with Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship

CITY SECTION 

SATURDAY 

BOYS 

At Pasadena City College 

OPEN DIVISION 

#3 Birmingham (19-7-2) vs. #1 El Camino Real (18-3-1), 6 p.m.

DIVISION II

#9 Santee (12-7-4) vs. #6 Garfield (11-6-3), 1:30 p.m.

At Birmingham High 

DIVISION I

#1 Chavez (20-2-2) vs. #6 Cleveland (17-8-2), 3:45 p.m.

DIVISION III

#12 North Hollywood (11-12-5) vs. #23 Sun Valley Magnet (14-5-2), 1:30 p.m.

DIVISION IV 

#8 LA Roosevelt (6-14-1) vs. #18 Port of LA (10-11-2), 11:15 a.m.

GIRLS 

At Pasadena City College 

DIVISION I

#1 Birmingham (14-9-2) vs. #3 Wilmington Banning (16-4-1), 3:45 p.m.

DIVISION II

#1 South East (15-9-2) vs. #19 Bravo (11-4-2), 11:15 a.m.

DIVISION III 

#4 Marquez (17-7) vs. #6 Verdugo Hills (10-8-9), 9 a.m.

At Birmingham High 

OPEN DIVISION

#7 Granada Hills (12-5-2) vs. #1 Cleveland (16-2-3), 6 p.m.

DIVISION IV

#10 Sun Valley Poly (8-6-5) vs. #12 Monroe (8-7-4, 9 a.m.

SOUTHERN SECTION 

FRIDAY

BOYS 

DIVISION 6

Animo Leadership (18-8-5) at Ontario Christian (22-4-1), 6 p.m.

GIRLS 

DIVISION 6 

Segerstrom (14-2-6) at Ocean View (13-6-3), 5 p.m.

SATURDAY 

BOYS 

At Fred Kelly Stadium 

OPEN DIVISION

Orange Lutheran (13-3-4) vs. Mater Dei (16-1-3), 6 p.m.

DIVISION 1  

Fontana (22-5) vs. Santa Monica (20-3-3), 1 p.m.

DIVISION 5

Esperanza (9-8-6) vs. Santa Ana Valley (18-2-3), 10:30 a.m.

At Veterans Stadium

DIVISION 2 

Bishop Amat (24-4-3) vs. Newport Harbor (16-3-2), 6 p.m.

DIVISION 3

Los Alamitos (14-5-2) vs. Calabasas (19-1-4), 1 p.m.

At Orange Coast College

DIVISION 8

Rio Hondo Prep (16-5-1) vs. Orange County Pacifica Christian (16-2-1), 3 p.m.

At Host Sites

DIVISION 4

Granite Hills (16-4-5) at Irvine University (14-5-1), 5 p.m.

DIVISION 7 

Palmdale Charter Academy (16-2-2) vs. Pasadena Poly (16-5-1), 3 p.m. at South Pasadena

GIRLS 

At Fred Kelly Stadium

OPEN DIVISION 

Santa Margarita (17-1-4) vs. Mater Dei (15-2-8), 3:30 p.m.

At Veterans Stadium 

DIVISION 1

Newport Harbor (17-5-4) vs. Eastvale Roosevelt (19-4-6), 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION 2

Ayala (13-7-4) vs. Millikan (18-4-1), 10:30 a.m.

At Glendale College

DIVISION 4

San Jacinto (13-3-6) vs. Immaculate Heart (14-4-7), 5 p.m. at Glendale College

At host sites

DIVISION 3

Quartz Hill (19-3-2) at Crescenta Valley (20-6-2), 3 p.m.

DIVISION 5

Del Sol (19-7-2) vs. Coachella Valley (16-1-2), 5 p.m.

DIVISION 7

Santa Monica Pacifica Christian (16-2-2) vs. Azusa (17-2-4), 4 p.m. at Santa Monica

DIVISION 8

Buckley (11-6-1) at Webb (19-1-1), 3 p.m.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The first day of on-field workouts at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine did not disappoint, where a handful of edge rushers, defensive tackles, and linebackers put on a show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

Here are four players who could be on the Chargers' radar who increased their stock with eye-popping demonstrations of athleticism.

DL Caleb Banks, Florida

If the Chargers want to go defensive tackle in Round 1, Banks should be high on their board, that is, if he's still available at pick No. 22. Boasting a massive frame at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, Banks showcased rare athleticism by running a 5.04-second 40-yard dash and recording a 32-inch vertical. His 99th-percentile wingspan is the longest among defensive tackles recorded at the combine since 1999. It's also worth noting that Banks had a notable rep at the Senior Bowl, which caught the attention of head coach Jim Harbaugh.

.@GatorsFB DT Caleb Banks put on an unreal performance today:

- 6'6", 327 pounds
- 5.04 40-yard dash
- 32" vertical jump
- 9'6" broad jump@nflnetwork | @Accenturepic.twitter.com/FLWDdfKUUn

— NFL (@NFL) February 26, 2026

EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF

The Chargers could address the edge rusher position with one of their first three picks, even if they bring back one of Odafe Oweh or Khalil Mack. Lawrence should be in consideration if they choose to go that route. The former UCF product excelled across all testing categories, recording a 4.52 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical, and a 10'10" broad jump, which were the second-best among edge rushers. On the field, his athleticism translates, given that he is an explosive edge rusher who can win in multiple ways.

DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

The Chargers need a more active interior pass-rush presence, which Halton could provide, with his quickness and power to disrupt opposing backfields. Halton led all defensive tackles with a 36.5-inch vertical jump, the third-best for his position in over 20 years, and added a strong 4.82 40-yard dash. In his final two seasons for the Sooners, Halton recorded 8.5 sacks and 59 quarterback pressures.

Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State

Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 256 pounds, he recorded a 9.93 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), ranking as the 15th-best performance by a defensive end out of over 2,000 prospects since 1987. His 6.9-second 3-cone drill was impressive for his size, dispelling pre-combine concerns regarding his lower-body quickness and agility. He had a productive final season at Penn State, where he recorded 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

#WeAre Dani Dennis-Sutton with a crazy 6.90 in the 3-cone tonight

8 EDGEs drafted in the last decade have weighed 255+ lbs and hit 6.90 or better in the 3-cone

Joey Bosa
Maxx Crosby
Aidan Hutchinson
Travon Walker
Odafe Oweh
Sam Hubbard
Jordan Willis
Kylie Fitts

Strong hit rate pic.twitter.com/xjmhgLt5C1

— Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) February 27, 2026

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 2026 NFL combine: These potential Chargers targets stood out on Day 1

Zoe Backstedt has highlighted the importance of always wearing a helmet after suffering a scary crash in training.

The Welsh cyclist suffered a broken hand and wrist in October, which saw her cyclo-cross season interrupted.

She returned to racing at the end of December, before finishing 7th in the women's elite race at the 2026 Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Hulst, Netherlands in January, just three months after her accident.

"Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't had it on, maybe I wouldn't be here today, the way the helmet broke into so many pieces," said 21-year-old Backstedt.

"When I crashed I didn't even realise what was happening, because click your fingers and it was over.

"I stood back up and had the immediate aftershock of, 'this isn't good'."

The heavy crash occurred a fortnight before Backstedt was due to start her 2025-26 season.

"My hand was hurting, got it caught in my front wheel and my head was on the ground," the Belgium-based rider told BBC Sport Wales from a training camp in Spain.

"There were so many emotions going through me. My first thought was, my cyclocross season is done.

The younger sister of fellow professional Elynor Backstedt, she feared she would not be back on her bike until the prestigious one-day road 'Spring Classics', starting at the end of February.

"I went to a specialist back in Belgium and she said that it was going to be the new year that I was going to be able to race.

"I did start crying in that moment, because I'd done so much training, and I'd done so much preparation for the cyclo-cross season.

"To think that in the space of two seconds, that is gone, you know? That's the season almost done."

Her recovery, however, was quicker than hoped.

"Once I could start training again a little bit and I was cleared from concussion, I started planning when I could get back," she added.

"Then I had a goal to look forward to and I had a race in mind that I could try and be on the start line for.

"That was the thing that was keeping me going, knowing that at some point I could, even though it was a short season, I could still do some cyclocross races."

Backstedt says the experience has left no doubt in her mind about the importance of wearing a helmet.

"Everywhere I go, I try to wear a helmet, even if it's just two kilometres away, it can save you so much if you're in an unfortunate accident."

Despite a reduced cyclo-cross season, Backstedt returned in time to make it to the Worlds at the end of January.

And the Welsh rider admits she loves the wintery conditions cyclo-cross provides.

"The dream conditions are two degrees, raining, just like growing up in Wales," Backstedt explained.

"Everyone is cold on the start line, and then you start, and it's full gas, start to finish.

"You have some running in there, you have to get off and go up stairs, you have to do everything that cyclo-cross involves."

With a new Worlds course in Hulst, Backstedt admits there was still some trepidation when doing reconnaissance.

"Nobody had done the course before," she said.

"You get to the first downhill and we know what it's like to run up but we don't know what it's like to go down.

"You come into it the first time, and you think, 'Oh my gosh, I don't want to look down, because it's really steep,' and you think, 'How am I going to get down here? Which line do I take?'

"You stand at the top for ten minutes to watch some more people do it, and then you get to the bottom and think, 'what was I so worried about?'," she added.

Backstedt's seventh place finish was just 14 seconds off a medal, and she was an agonising four seconds off a medal in the mixed relay. An encouraging return for her first senior World Championship.

• Backstedt claims gold in U23 time trial at Worlds
• Backstedt wins national time trial to claim first elite title
• Backstedt becomes youngest winner of Baloise Ladies Tour

Following in famous footsteps

The family name Backstedt carries a lot of weight in cycling circles.

Her father Magnus won Paris-Roubaix and a stage of the 1998 Tour de France, while her mother, Megan, won the British road race national title and competed for Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpa the same year.

Both Zoe and Elynor followed suit and began to forge their careers in the professional ranks.

Backstedt says she takes a lot of inspiration from her time at Maindy Flyers in Cardiff, a cycling club with some very famous alumni.

"Elinor Barker was just a few years older than my sister, so as I was looking towards cycling as a career, she was stepping into racing and I got to watch her grow and progress in the sport.

"It's something cool to see, coming from the same club you are, riding circles around Maindy Velodrome and you're like 'Yeah, if she can do it, I can do it, maybe I can follow in those footsteps'.

"We've had a similar path into cycling and then you want to do that too."

Olympic gold medallist and Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas also began his career at the famous track, first opened in 1951 before hosting the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

"He progressed from Maindy to the men's world tour, so it's a little bit different, but you're still coming from the same place, doing the same sessions on a Tuesday night," she added.

Backstedt hopes she too can provide inspiration for the next generation coming through the club.

"To see all the little ones that are coming up through the sport and see if you can inspire them.

"I think even out on the roads here in Spain, I've seen some people from Maindy out riding.

"You're waving at them on the bike and you're like, 'Yeah, you could be in my team in a few years, or riding in one of the men's teams', and that's just so cool to see."

Olympic ambitions

Backstedt has lofty ambitions for her career, having already won nine world titles by the age of 20 across cyclo-cross, road and track cycling.

But there is no doubt about what the Welsh rider would like to have achieved before her career is all said and done.

"I think I have to go with the obvious dream of Olympic champion, that's one in the future that would be a very big goal of mine," said Backstedt.

"I want to go for Los Angeles 2028, I want to give my everything to be on the start line and go for a podium, that would be pretty cool to do.

"If I hadn't been sick in 2024, I would have liked to have also been on the start line [in Paris], it just wasn't my year.

"That was hard to accept but it just made me hungrier to be on the start line in LA."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It was 22 days since the Chicago Blackhawks played an NHL game. That changed Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena.

The Hawks’ last game here against the Nashville Predators was a illness-plagued fiasco that saw the visitors win behind goaltender Drew Commesso’s first career NHL shutout. It wasn’t the flu that clouded the Western Conference matchup this time, but rather rust.

While the Hawks’ legs were shaky, Connor Bedard was strong enough to carry the team most of the way.  But they fell short in a 4-2 loss in their first game out of the Olympic break.

“I think we all felt pretty good about where we were there, especially when (Tyler Bertuzzi) gets that goal,” Bedard said. “We’ve got to manage it a little better and figure out how to close it out.”

Connor Bedard ready to play ‘normal hockey’ again as Chicago Blackhawks return to action after Olympic break

Bertuzzi’s tiebreaking goal at 3:16 of the third period gave the Hawks a 2-1 lead, but the Predators scored three unanswered goals, handing the guests their seventh loss in eight games.

“We’ve got to find a way to win the game, that’s part of this process of growing, (when) you get the lead, you got to find a way to kill the penalty,” Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “It’s 2-2 and then we kind of let the third one in there, (so we’ve) got to find a way to win that game.”

Most of the Hawks were skating back into the NHL pace. They filled six minutes of first-period power-play time with minimal shots on goal, giveaways and no goals.

They broke the dam in the third period when Bertuzzi scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season. Still, the Hawks were 1-for-6 on the power play.

It was a mixed bag, with several shots on goal aligned with giveaways and short-handed chances allowed. Blashill is looking for one thing, though, and that’s goals on the man advantage.

“One-for-5 is 20%, you’d like for it to be 2-for-5, but it’s not 0-for-5, it’s not always going to look perfect,” Blashill said. “(Their) penalty kill had something to do with it. It’s something we’re going to continue trying to improve on.”

Predators right winger Matthew Wood scored on the power play at 7:12 to tie the game at 2. From there, the hosts didn’t look back.

“I thought the first half of the game, we kind of hurt ourselves with our puck play,” Blashill said. “I just thought there wasn’t probably enough poise, not enough support (but) I thought as it went along it got better and then we got better.”

Bedard scored his 24th goal of the season — a career high — at 4:13 of the second period off of a Ryan Greene pass from the boards to tie the game 1-1. The star forward was the only one in white who didn’t seem to be affected by the lengthy time off as he sent five shots on goal.

“I thought (André Burakovsky) and (Greene) were unreal tonight, like they have been all year and making it real easy for me,” Bedard said. “I think they set me up for five or six Grade A’s. That’s on me to put one more of those in and maybe it’s a different game.”

Added Blashill: “Created a lot of chances, had a lot of chances, had good jump, that’s the Connor we’ve seen lots of. Good to get him back at center at a full-time basis, (he) took a lot of faceoffs.”

If the Hawks want to start stringing wins together, the rest of the team needs to play with more energy.

Related Articles

• US hockey player Brady Tkachuk slams White House TikTok video as ‘clearly fake’ after anti-Canada slur
• Connor Bedard ready to play ‘normal hockey’ again as Chicago Blackhawks return to action after Olympic break
• Ex-Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville reaches 1,000 victories to join Scotty Bowman in an elite club
• Chicago Blackhawks prospect AJ Spellacy less focused on scoring than ‘being a pain to play against’
• The climb toward the Olympic hockey gold medal showdown began months ago. The US came out on top.

The scoring opened with Predators left winger Filip Forsberg sending an up-close snipe past goaltender Spencer Knight (22 saves) at the 13:50 mark in the first period. Forsberg collected the puck from defenseman Artyom Levshunov, who was forced into a turnover.

It was the blueliner’s first game back from the “program” the team placed him in over the Olympic break. The individual training was meant to improve his balance of offensive and defensive skills.

The turnover was a bad break, but it wasn’t all negative for the defenseman. He stopped an almost certain 2-on-1 short-handed opportunity in the third period.

It’s the ongoing story of trial and error for Levshunov. For each bad play, there’s a flash of potential.

“The guy’s all over him, he probably needs to eat it, but he probably needs better support,” Blashill said of Levshunov’s turnover. “We took off up the ice like there was no pressure, but there was actually tons of pressure.

“I thought he was rusty early. … I thought he got better as the game went along, for sure.”

Utah continues to grow its reputation as the state of sport, and the country is finally noticing.

A recent article from The Athletic published this week called Utah “a sports boomtown” with its multiple professional teams and as the future home of a second Winter Olympics in 2034.

While the majority of the article explored Utah’s efforts to land an MLB team, Miller Sports + Entertainment president Michelle Smith believes the NWSL’s Utah Royals “fit in right at the top” in the state’s “sports boomtown” reputation, she told the Deseret News Thursday at the team’s kit launch event.

Smith has been a vocal champion for the Royals, even raising her hand in a meeting and saying, “Hey, I really think we need to keep the Royals” when there was an opportunity for another buyer to purchase the team.

Smith saw value in the Royals, especially within the community, as well as the power that came from both the Royals and Real Salt Lake working together to elevate each other, she said.

For Smith, it’s important for the Utah Royals to use its platform as a women’s professional team to make an impact on the community whether it’s through players building a love of sports in youth or giving back to the community with service projects at every home match.

“I am so excited that Utah gets to be the stewards of women’s professional sports and not just soccer, but softball and volleyball,” she said.

The tumultuous history of the Utah Royals

Utah Royals FC first came to Utah when Dell Loy Hansen purchased the club in November 2017 and relocated it from Kansas City ahead of the 2018 season.

It was the professional home for U.S. women’s national team stars Christen Press, Kelley O’Hara and Becky Sauerbrunn. But over the course of three seasons, the Royals never reached the playoffs.

In December 2020, Hansen sold the team to an ownership group led by Chris and Angie Long, which moved the club back to Kansas City following the 2020 season.

The Royals would return to Utah a few years later, but this time as an expansion club bought by Real Salt Lake owner David Blitzer and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith as a minority owner.

Unlike the original iteration of the club, the new Royals didn’t inherit any personnel and had to start from scratch.

The 2024 Utah Royals featured a new sporting director, head coach and an entirely new roster assembled through the NWSL entry draft, free agency and one lone player through the expansion draft: captain Paige Monaghan (the other expansion draftee, Elyse Bennett, was traded days later).

The Royals struggled on the pitch in their inaugural season, leading to a coaching change midway through the season.

Then-assistant coach Jimmy Coenraets was named interim head coach after the firing of Amy Rodriguez. Coenraets was later named head coach a week and a half before the season finale.

A new era for the Utah Royals

A month into the 2025 season, the Royals and Real Salt Lake underwent an ownership change when the Larry H. Miller Company purchased majority control of the teams with Blitzer staying on as a minority owner.

Defender Kate Del Fava was drafted by the Royals in 2020 and is the only player on the team who has played for both iterations of the club.

On Thursday, Del Fava said the current Utah Royals “really doesn’t” feel like the same organization she began her career with.

“It feels totally different this time around,” she said. “This time around, it just really feels like it’s one club, it’s one Utah, it’s one community. And it feels like the women’s side is just as invested in as the men’s side and it’s taken just as seriously, and they’re just as proud to have us here representing the state.”

The support of the team’s current ownership was evident Thursday when Michelle Smith became emotional during her remarks.

“I think any time you have a part of ownership get up and get choked up talking about the team, that really motivates the girls,” Del Fava said.

Monaghan also spoke highly of the Millers at this season’s Royals media day.

“I think when you strive for perfection and you arrive at greatness, that’s a pretty great place to be, so, I think, obviously, they’ve (the Millers) done that in the community. They did that a while ago with Utah Jazz, obviously, the Bees and now us,” she said. “So to be a part of that is what you want in elite sports. So I think it starts in the top and funnels down. So selfishly, I’m so excited that I get to reap that benefit.”

Monaghan pointed to the infrastructure the Royals have built, comparing it to her college days at Butler University.

She said while she was in college, she liked getting extra individual reps with her coaches, but with only “two coaches, they didn’t have time to do that,” which left Monaghan to do them on her own.

That’s not the case with the Utah Royals, according to Monaghan.

“Now, we have this infrastructure where I can do everything I can to be the best I can be, and I have the resources to do that,” she said.

Monaghan’s and Del Fava’s sentiments about the Miller ownership group are part of Michelle Smith’s hopes for the club’s future.

“I hope that we create an environment and a culture for these women athletes to feel like they’re valued and they’re seen and they’re respected and they have an incredible career and can look back and say, ‘I couldn’t have played for a better team. ... I couldn’t have played for a better club and a better ownership,’ and that will continue to build into their DNA as they continue to carry on in wherever their journey takes them.”

What’s Michelle Smith’s other hope for the Royals to accomplish on the pitch?

“Obviously, my greatest hope is that we can get a title, for sure. There’s nothing more fun than to experience the success on the field, especially at that level,” she said.

It has been a few years since there was drama with the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray. It has returned.

While the Cardinals have not said outright that they want to trade Murray, the report is already out.

But a trade is not what Murray would prefer. According to Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano and Henry McKenna, Murray would like to be released by the start of free agency because he believes he will be the top quarterback available and will be able to sign with the team of his choice.

But on the other side is a team source that says the Cardinals are "frustrated" with Murray, citing the same criticisms that were said of him years ago before Jonathan Gannon became head coach. The source also said that, following Murray's foot injury, his mobility is "shot."

We have to point out that putting that out there for a writer to report doesn't help the Cardinals be able to trade him. He has three years remaining on his contract, all of his 2026 money is guaranteed, and he is due a $17 million roster bonus on March 15 that will guarantee his 2027 salary of $19.5 million.

The Cardinals would save $34.7 million in cap space with a trade, carrying $17.9 million in dead money.

Why would a team trade for a guy whose mobility is gone and has over $70 million in guarantees remaining?

It just solidifies the fact they will have to release Murray.

If Murray is released, because the Cardinals are on the hook for all his 2026 salary, he could sign with a team for the league minimum and land in a potentially great situation talent-wise, such as Minnesota, Indianapolis, Atlanta or even perhaps Kansas City.

However, a release would mean the Cardinals carry over $54.8 million in dead money and lose about $2 million in cap space, or they designate him a post-June 1 release and carry his $52.7 million cap hit until after June 1, and then saving $5.1 million against the cap and carrying $47.5 million in dead money this year and another $7.2 million in 2027.

The new league year begins March 11. Murray's roster bonus is due March 15. While new head coach Mike LaFleur has said there isn't a deadline on the quarterback decision, it really seems like there is.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Kyler Murray seeks release from Arizona Cardinals

Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.

Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.

Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.

Read more:Patrick Beverley won't face assault charges connected to teenage sister's accusations

Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.

Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.

The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.

The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.

The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards' drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.

The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves' last nine points.

Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

FRIDAY

BASEBALL

Spring training

10a   Miami at Philadelphia MLB Net

Noon L.A. Dodgers at Giants MLB Net (680, 104.5)

Noon   A's at Kansas City (960)

5p   Arizona at Seattle MLB Net

BASKETBALL

Unrivaled 3-on-3

10a Rose vs. Phantom TruTV

11:15a Mist vs. Vinyl TruTV

4:30p Breeze vs. Laces TNT TruTV

5:45p Hive vs. Lunar Owls TNT TruTV

COLLEGE BASEBALL

4p Florida at Miami ACC Net

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Men

3p   Miami (Ohio) at Western Michigan CBSSN

3p   Yale at Cornell ESPNU

4p   Dayton at George Washington ESPN2

5p   Michigan at Illinois KTVU (2) KTXL (40)

5p   Akron at Kent State ESPNU

6p   Georgia Southern at Marshall ESPN2

GOLF

11a   PGA: Cognizant Classic Golf Ch.

6:30p   LPGA: HSBC Women's World Championship Golf Ch.

2:30a SatDP World Tour: South African Open Championship Golf Ch.

GYMNASTICS

3pGeorgia at Kentucky SEC Net

4:45pAuburn at Oklahoma SEC Net

6:30pAlabama at LSU SEC Net

7p   Iowa, Ohio State, Maryland at UCLA FS1

HORSE RACING

NoonAmerica's Day at the Races FS2

MOTOR SPORTS

7:10aNASCAR Cup: Circuit of the Americas practicePrime Video

8:10aNASCAR Cup: Circuit of the Americas qualifyingPrime Video

9:30a   Indy NXT: Streets of St. Petersburg practice FS2

10:30a   IndyCar: Streets of St. Petersburg practice FS2

1p   NASCAR trucks: Green Flag 150 qualifying FS2

11:55p   MotoGP: Grand Prix of Thailand sprint race FS1

5:30a   Indy NXT Series Streets of St. Petersburg, Practice 2 FS1

NBA

4pCleveland at Detroit ESPN

6:35p   Denver at Oklahoma City ESPN

7pG League: San Diego at Santa Cruz Warriors   NBCSBA

NHL

4p   Vegas at Washington NHL Net

SAILING

10:30p SailGP: Sydney, Day 1 CBSSN

SOCCER

NoonEPL: Wolverhampton vs. Aston Villa USA

3:50pCONCACAF men's U-20 qualifiers: Cayman Islands vs. Jamaica FS2

5:50pCONCACAF men's U-20 qualifiers: Grenada vs. El Salvador FS2

TENNIS

Noon   Merida-WTA quarterfinals T2

1p   Acapulco-ATP & Dubai-ATP semifinals; Austin-WTA, Santiago-ATP & Merida-WTA quarterfinals Tennis Ch.

2p   Austin-WTA, Merida-WTA and Santiago-ATP quarterfinals T2

4p   Austin-WTA, Merida-WTA and Santiago-ATP quarterfinals; Acapulco-ATP semifinals T2

6p   Austin-WTA and Merida-WTA quarterfinals; Acapulco-ATP semifinals T2

SATURDAY

BASEBALL

10aMinnesota at Boston MLB Net

NoonKansas City at Colorado   MLB Net

NoonGiants at A's(680, 104.5, 960)

BASKETBALL

Unrivaled 3-on-3

5:30p First round: Teams TBA TruTV

6:45p First round: Teams TBA TruTV

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Men

9a   Florida State at Georgia Tech ACC Net

9a   NC State at Notre Dame KRON (4)

9a   Virginia at Duke ESPN

9a   Colorado at Houston ESPN2

9a   Boston University at American CBSSN

9a   Seton Hall at UConn FS1

9a   Iowa at Penn State Big Ten

9:30a   Fordham at VCU USA

10a   Missouri at Mississippi State SEC Net

10:30aGeorgetown at Xavier TNT TruTV

11a   Boston College at Miami ACC Net

11a   San Diego State at New Mexico KPIX (5) KOVR (13) KION (46)

11a   Vanderbilt at Kentucky ESPN

11a   Louisville at Clemson ESPN2

11a   Oklahoma State at Cincinnati CBSSN

11a   UCLA at Minnesota FS1

11a   Tennessee State at UT-Martin ESPNU

11a   Oregon at Northwestern Big Ten

12:30pSouth Carolina at Georgia SEC Net

12:30p   Bethune-Cookman at Southern KTVU+ (36)

12:30p   Utah at Arizona State TNT TruTV

1p   Pittsburgh at Cal ACC Net (810)

1p   Texas Tech at Iowa State KPIX (5) KOVR (13) KION (46)

1p   Kansas at Arizona ESPN

1p   Texas at Texas A&M ESPN2

1p   Richmond at Loyola (Chicago) CBSSN

1p   Wisconsin at Washington FS1

1p   CIAA tournament final: Teams TBA ESPNU

1p   Nebraska at USC Big Ten

2pColorado State at San Jose StateMountain West Net

2:30p   BYU at West Virginia KTVU (2) KTXL (40)

2:30p   Providence at Creighton TNT TruTV

2:45p   Syracuse at Wake Forest KRON (4)

3p   SMU at Stanford ACC Net

3p   Oklahoma at LSU SEC Net

3p   Alabama at Tennessee ESPN

3pUSF at Pacific CBSSN (1050)

3pLiberty at Jacksonville State ESPNU

3:30p   TCU at Kansas State ESPN2

5p   Villanova at St. John's KTVU (2) KTXL (40)

5p   Oregon State at Santa Clara CBSSN

5p   Baylor at Central Florida FS1

5:30pMississippi at Auburn SEC Net

5:30p   Arkansas at Florida ESPN

5:30p   Virginia Tech at North Carolina ESPN2

7p   Nevada at UNLV CBSSN

7p   Grand Canyon at Utah State FS1

7:30p   Gonzaga at St. Mary's ESPN