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liverpool Captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted he has not yet fully digested a difficult season at Anfield, which has already resulted in Arne Slot losing his job.

football international Enjoy an interview today with the 34-year-old as he prepares for the World Cup after a poor season at Liverpool.

liverpool struggles

The Reds started the season as Premier League champions, and looked to defend their title in the summer due to heavy spending on signings such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

Instead, they endured one of the most disappointing title defenses in Premier League history, finishing fifth and 25 points behind winners Arsenal.

It also saw the team break several negative records throughout the campaign, such as losing 12 games in a season for the first time since 2014/15. Van Dijk was part of it all and admits he still hasn’t digested it all.

“There will be moments when I have to keep everything in perspective,” he said.

“It will be very difficult. I know this already. I haven’t really been able to think about everything that happened last season yet. But right now, a short break was enough to get into a positive mindset for this World Cup.

“I spent six wonderful days with my family, my mother and my in-laws. We talked a lot about everything and did nothing else for a while.’ ‘He was very nice and very peaceful.’

Liverpool’s toughest season

Undoubtedly, this season was difficult for everyone involved at Liverpool. From the tragic death of Diogo Jota before the campaign to the falling out between Mohamed Salah and Arne Slot, coupled with the poor results, it was mentally exhausting to say the least.

As captain, Virgil van Dijk had a lot of responsibility. And he admits he felt that tension throughout the season.

“It was the hardest season of my career,” he said.

“It’s obvious. Especially on a mental level. It’s just been up and down. The consistent feeling and level that you strive for, we almost never got.”

“As a group, as a club, as players, as individuals. As a team, we had very good matches, and then suddenly things went bad again. Then you basically can’t move forward.

“This year, we’ve had a lot come through at Liverpool. From the moment I got the phone call with the terrible news about Diogo, to the last match where we said goodbye to Mo Salah and Andy Robertson. I was sitting on the grass looking at two guys I had played with for eight years.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this in all my years at Liverpool. It was just the way it happened.”

erne slot conversation

Players aren’t the only ones who are leaving, with Liverpool having decided to part ways with Arne Slott last week.

Andoni Ierola has already been confirmed as his replacement. Van Dijk admits he has spoken to his former boss, but would not share what was said.

He finally said, “I will not say anything about it.”

“At the moment. I spoke to Arne personally, that’s the most important thing. What we discussed is between us. At the moment, my focus is completely on the World Cup.”

liverpool Captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted he has not yet fully digested a difficult season at Anfield, which has already resulted in Arne Slot losing his job.

football international Enjoy an interview today with the 34-year-old as he prepares for the World Cup after a poor season at Liverpool.

liverpool struggles

The Reds started the season as Premier League champions, and looked to defend their title in the summer due to heavy spending on signings such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

Instead, they endured one of the most disappointing title defenses in Premier League history, finishing fifth and 25 points behind winners Arsenal.

It also saw the team break several negative records throughout the campaign, such as losing 12 games in a season for the first time since 2014/15. Van Dijk was part of it all and admits he still hasn’t digested it all.

“There will be moments when I have to keep everything in perspective,” he said.

“It will be very difficult. I know this already. I haven’t really been able to think about everything that happened last season yet. But right now, a short break was enough to get into a positive mindset for this World Cup.

“I spent six wonderful days with my family, my mother and my in-laws. We talked a lot about everything and did nothing else for a while.’ ‘He was very nice and very peaceful.’

Liverpool’s toughest season

Undoubtedly, this season was difficult for everyone involved at Liverpool. From the tragic death of Diogo Jota before the campaign to the falling out between Mohamed Salah and Arne Slot, coupled with the poor results, it was mentally exhausting to say the least.

As captain, Virgil van Dijk had a lot of responsibility. And he admits he felt that tension throughout the season.

“It was the hardest season of my career,” he said.

“It’s obvious. Especially on a mental level. It’s just been up and down. The consistent feeling and level that you strive for, we almost never got.”

“As a group, as a club, as players, as individuals. As a team, we had very good matches, and then suddenly things went bad again. Then you basically can’t move forward.

“This year, we’ve had a lot come through at Liverpool. From the moment I got the phone call with the terrible news about Diogo, to the last match where we said goodbye to Mo Salah and Andy Robertson. I was sitting on the grass looking at two guys I had played with for eight years.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this in all my years at Liverpool. It was just the way it happened.”

erne slot conversation

Players aren’t the only ones who are leaving, with Liverpool having decided to part ways with Arne Slott last week.

Andoni Ierola has already been confirmed as his replacement. Van Dijk admits he has spoken to his former boss, but would not share what was said.

He finally said, “I will not say anything about it.”

“At the moment. I spoke to Arne personally, that’s the most important thing. What we discussed is between us. At the moment, my focus is completely on the World Cup.”

tottenham Now this may be a chapter from Carlos Vinicius’ past, but it is the club he most references when discussing the biggest influences on his career.

The former Spurs striker, who enjoyed Remarkable return to Brazil with Grêmio In 2025, sat down together globo esporte And offered a lengthy reflection on his experiences in north London, offering fresh stories about Jose Mourinho, Harry Kane, Gareth Bale, Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura.

Mourinho remains his biggest reference

The striker was asked which coach had developed his game the most. He did not hesitate.

“With group management, with knowing how to win, with understanding the game like no one else, Jose Mourinho.”

Vinicius explained that Mourinho’s reading of matches was unlike anything he had experienced before.

“We’ll go to a game and he’ll say: ‘This is going to happen, this is going to happen, this is going to happen for the positive, and this is going to happen for the negative.’ Then the game will open and you will already know.”

The Brazilian made it clear that his admiration extended far beyond football achievements.

“For me, he is the one I respect the most. I realized it’s not just because of the titles, but because of the person, the way he leads, the way he is. For me, Mourinho is at the top. The greatest.”

The FaceTime Call That Changed Everything

Vinicius then shared the story of how his relationship with Mourinho began even before he arrived at Tottenham.

He recalled being told that Mourinho would call him personally if the move was closer. At first he did not believe it.

“When they told me that Mourinho was going to call me, I thought it was nonsense.”

Just then his phone rang. “He called me on FaceTime. I looked at the screen and thought: ‘No way.'”

Instead of a serious discussion on football, Mourinho immediately joked with him.

“He asked me how I was and then said: ‘Look, don’t come here wearing flip-flops because it’s cold.'”

The comment immediately sparked controversy. And Vinicius admitted that he was expecting the same version of Mourinho that is usually seen in interviews and press conferences.

“I imagined an angry Mourinho. The Mourinho we see from the outside.”

Instead, she found someone very different.

“He started sending me messages. Like any other member of the club. Like a coordinator. Then I arrived and he would talk to me. Sometimes I thought: ‘Oh my God, is this really the real Mourinho?'”

“I see that you like me”

One of the stories that stuck with him most happened shortly after his arrival.

Expecting to be immediately integrated into the main group preparing for matches, Vinicius found himself training repeatedly with players who were not involved in the next games. He couldn’t understand why.

“I kept training and training, and he passed me by.”

The striker also joked that Spurs hero Lucas Moura would recognize Mourinho’s mannerisms.

“He’ll come over with his hand in his jacket and say: ‘You’re training very well, keep going.'”

Yet Vinicius remained confused.

“Training well? Then put me in the pitch!”

Concerned that he had somehow disappointed the manager, he contacted Tottenham’s coaching staff.

“I asked the paramedics what I had done wrong. I thought I was dead.”

The answer was simple: “Just keep working.”

And he did. After almost a week and a half, Mourinho finally explained everything.

“He came to me and said: ‘You never stopped working. Now I see that you’re like me. I can trust you.'”

Vinicius believes he was tested During the entire period.

“He was testing me. These are things that are very difficult to explain and very hard to learn in coaching courses.”

Kane, Bale, Beta and Lucas Moura

In the interview Vinicius also discussed some of the biggest names he shared the dressing room with at Tottenham.

“The one who really caught my attention was Harry Kane, because he is at the highest level,” he said.

“One thing about Harry Kane that really caught my attention was that he would score a hat-trick and the next morning nothing had changed. He would just continue his training. “He’s one of the most complete players I’ve ever seen.”

He continued walking.

“I would go so far as to say that a lot of people don’t understand what Harry Kane really is. He is at an absurd level. Everything you can talk about when it comes to football, Harry Kane has it.”

it is This is not the first time they have removed Kane’s name with appreciation. However, he was quick to mention others.

“Bale too. Son was on top for me too. Lucas Moura too.”

Because Kane usually concentrated on Premier League matches while Vinicius played more often in Cup and Europa League games, he spent more time on the pitch with Lucas Moura. This proved particularly important because of a practical problem.

“When I arrived at Tottenham, my English was weak.”

Vinicius laughed remembering those early days. “Not that I’m fluent anymore, but at least I’m not hungry anymore.”

Lucas Moura helped him settle in. “With Lucas, there was a really good relationship.”

For a striker who has rebuilt his career after leaving England, those memories are clearly alive. And of all the clubs he represented abroad, it is Tottenham that still provides most of the lessons and stories he chooses to tell.

Aston Villa The Europa League triumph has thrust Emiliano Buendia back into the spotlight at exactly the right time for the club – and also at an awkward moment regarding his future.

The Argentine midfielder was one of Villa’s standout performers during the latter stages of the competition. However, the uncertainty surrounding his long-term condition has not gone away.

Recent reports link them to a Possible move to Turkish side GalatasarayWhile his current contract at Villa Park now has just over a year left.

This means Buendia will be able to negotiate a free transfer with foreign clubs from January, unless Aston Villa extend his deal or sell him this summer.

Against that backdrop, the 29-year-old has now opened the door to another future possibility – one that probably won’t please everyone in Argentina… or in Birmingham.

The dream of returning home exposed

As relayed by Argentine outlet TN SportsBuendia admitted that his dream was to one day play for River Plate. He also made it clear that he would reject a move to rivals Boca Juniors, even if club legend Juan Román Riquelme, now their director of football, personally called him.

“River is Argentina’s only club,” Buendia said. “If Roman calls me? No, not there.”

Then he added: “Playing for River has been my dream since childhood.”

This is a very bold stance considering Boca remains one of the most prestigious clubs in world football. It also reinforces how strongly Buendia still identifies with the River, despite spending almost his entire professional career abroad.

The midfielder left Argentina as a teenager to join Getafe and later starred for Norwich City and eventually Aston Villa.

Europa League victory changed the picture

Emiliano Buendia’s future looked much less certain at the start of this season. Things were already complicated after recovering from a serious ACL injury a few years ago, while Villa’s squad depth was boosted again after a more aggressive recruitment effort.

Still, he ended the campaign on a high note. His performances in Europe ultimately helped Villa win silverware under Unai Emery, and it may yet influence the club’s thinking ahead of the summer window.

Villa also face a delicate contract situation. Buendia’s deal expires in June 2027, making his gains weaker with each passing month.

It explains why clubs abroad are already keeping a close eye, and attention is likely to increase if it becomes clear Villa are willing to negotiate.

The river’s dream has now come out in the open

Buendia also revealed that despite the time difference from England he still tries to follow River whenever possible.

“I don’t watch much Argentine football, mainly River,” he explained. “The schedules are tough but I try to keep up.”

He also shared memories of the 2018 Copa Libertadores final in Madrid. Buendia said he stayed in the same hotel with the River squad before the match and later met club icon Enzo Francescoli in the lift. At that time, according to Buendia, asking for photos became inevitable.

It is unclear whether Aston Villa will keep him forward this summer. However, Buendia has now made one thing absolutely clear – if he ever returns to Argentina, there is only one destination he really wants.

armory Midfielder Mikel Merino has revealed that the team considers the Premier League title more important than the Champions League.

Cadena SER Report Comments The 29-year-old after appearing on his show El Larguero today.

arsenal return

The midfielder is keen to make a comeback at the end of the season after spending the last few months injured.

He is expected to be in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad for the World Cup, while he is also expected to play some role in the Champions League final. Arsenal will face PSG on 30th^th May.

They head into that game as reigning Premier League champions, with Manchester City drawing with Bournemouth to seal the Gunners’ title victory with a game remaining.

Premier League or Champions League?

They can make the season even more special with a first Champions League title. But according to Marino, the team has already achieved its top priority.

“The Premier League title. It’s a league win. And because of the way we won it and the context, going 22 years without winning it, it’s great,” he said.

When he was asked ‘Premier League or Champions League?’

“Coming from Spain, I thought the Champions League was the most important. But seeing how difficult the Premier League is, it’s hard for me to choose one or the other.

“I think they would prefer to win this league title than the Champions League against PSG. Although it is true that it is their first title.”

Then he was asked which of the two he preferred. And he admits, unlike his peers, he wants to be greedy with his selections.

“We’ve already won the Premier League, so the answer is a bit of a double-edged sword. I’d be greedy and ask for both,” he said.

brighton And Igor Julio looks set to part ways this summer. The defender is now sending clear signals that his time at the club is coming to an end.

The Brazilian centre-back has spent recent months surrounded by transfer speculation. Cruzeiro’s interest grew rapidly. Brighton rejected initial offer From Brazil. Negotiations remain active behind the scenes.

Nevertheless, the wider picture now points to the end of Igor Julio’s Brighton spell. That seems possible, regardless of which club ultimately signs him.

Instagram post gives latest update on the future

Igor Julio is already aware that Brighton are hoping to negotiate his departure during the upcoming transfer window, according to the Brazilian’s latest comments. People close to the situation believe the player’s cycle at the club is nearing its conclusion.

Fresh discussion started after this Igor Julio published A short message on Instagram: “What had to be done was done. Thank God.”

The post did not directly mention Cruzeiro or any transfer. However, when discussing the publication live on air, espn brazil Journalists brought the latest information about the defender’s condition. He added that Brighton have already informed Igor Julio that talks are expected to take place this summer.

According to the update, the player understands that, following some final market adjustments, he will leave the club during the upcoming window.

This matches broader sentiment about its future. Igor Julio is now focused on where he’ll go next, rather than whether he’ll stay.

Difficult weather aggravated the situation

Igor Julio never managed to build momentum this season.

The defender spent part of the campaign on loan at west hamWhere he made only four appearances between September 2025 and January 2026. He then returned to Brighton and added just one more appearance for the Seagulls.

The lack of minutes led to transfer discussions, especially as Brighton continued to reshape defensive options under Fabian Herzeler.

Interest remains active from many directions. Cruzeiro continued negotiations despite seeing his first proposal rejected. Meanwhile, clubs elsewhere in Europe are also monitoring the situation.

what happens next

Igor Julio’s next club has not been decided yet. However, both Brighton and the player understand that a summer exit is approaching.

Negotiations continue with Cruzeiro Brazil has confidence A deal may still be struck after adjustments are made to the payment structure and valuation. At the same time, European interest remains part of the equation.

At the moment, the final destination is open. However, the feeling around Brighton is that Igor Julio’s chapter at the club is coming to an end.

Last year, New York Giants fans were introduced to rookie running back Jackson Dart and running back Cam Scatebo. Now, as both enter their second seasons, they have established themselves as starters, but this time, they will be working under a new head coach. Now that John Harbaugh has arrived, he has different plans for how the offense will be run.

Recently, Dart told fans during a Giants town hall how the team’s new-look offense will operate.

Dart claimed, “It looks like we’re not going to throw the ball a lot. We’re going to keep giving it to Scott until they can’t stop it.”

Does Harbaugh really want this mentality exposed in the media long before the Giants play their first game? Did Dart reveal these potential plans because the 2025 first-round pick isn’t that thrilled about it?

Still, it’s important to take Dart’s comments with a giant-sized grain of salt, as they come right after Skatabo committed to playing all 17 games this season, rushing for over 2,000 yards in the process. Oh yes, and he reminded fans that “every time I’ve gone to a new team, I’ve won a championship in the second year.”

This is exactly the type of rallying cry commonly heard in a team town hall setting. Harbaugh later said that he thinks the Giants have the potential to be the best place to be in the NFL.

“I don’t think there’s potentially a better tight end group in the league,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a lot of people going to Jackson.”

With Isaiah Potential, Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz and Thomas Fidone, the Giants’ tight end room has certainly improved, but are they close to the best? He has a lot to prove.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings after Aaron Rodgers rejoins the Steelers

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

A notable NFL expert believes there was a very specific reason Aaron Rodgers waited until this week to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it wasn’t about haggling for money.

After a few months of speculation and rumors, the inevitable happened, and NFL legend Aaron Rodgers signed a new one-year deal with the Steelers. Most of the league expected him to return to Pittsburgh for a second season. Especially when the team did not give him many options.

When the Steelers exercised the unrestricted free agent tender on the 42-year-old, it severely limited his options to sign elsewhere because Pittsburgh would receive a compensatory draft selection if he joined another team. So why did it take until May for Rodgers to finally sign a contract?

Aaron Rodgers wanted to see the Steelers’ schedule before re-signing?

Some have speculated that he is still not sure whether he will play another season. Others have suggested that he was not completely set on reuniting with his former Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy. However, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has a different idea: Rodgers wanted to take a look at the Steelers’ 2026 schedule first.

Florio suggests that he waited until after May 14, when the schedule was released, to anger the NFL, because if he had known he would return in 2026, he would have placed more Steelers games in primetime during the first half of the season. And the four-time NFL MVP wouldn’t be interested in helping the league. But maybe he just wanted to see how tough the road to the playoffs could be?

While next season’s schedule isn’t easy for Pittsburgh, it’s not one of the five to six worst. Knowing they don’t have a specific schedule, perhaps Rodgers has received final confirmation that he will return for another season and make a playoff run in 2026. Because in the end, he just wants another year in the league for more wins and glory.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

It seems Danhausen’s Cleveland Cavaliers bashing before the Eastern Conference Finals was no fluke for television.

The Cavaliers were on the wrong side of history Tuesday night. They entered their Eastern Conference Finals series against the New York Knicks as huge underdogs on the road. However, they surprised many by taking a two-point lead at halftime, then increasing it to 22 with just eight minutes remaining in the game. Then Jalen Brunson and his teammates caught fire.

The All-Stars led a spectacular rally, with both teams tied at the end of regulation time. The Knicks superstar and his teammates kept it going in overtime and somehow pulled off an incredible Game 1 victory despite a huge deficit in the fourth quarter.

Cavaliers fans were heartbroken by the shocking loss and were trying to figure out how their team blew such a huge lead late. However, many NBA fans pointed to one person: WWE star Danhausen. The “Too Good, Too Bad” star actually cursed out Cleveland during an appearance on Tuesday nba today.

“I have a special mission I’ve been sent on, and that’s for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. Tell them they’re damned,” he said.

The moment seemed quite random. However, in an ex post after the game, Danhausen revealed the real reason for doing so. When a fan asked, “Why would you curse the Cavs?” The WWE star responded, “Have you ever heard of this guy, The Miz?”

In that case, the Curse of Danhausen makes all the sense in the world. The Miz is a native of Cleveland and a fan of his hometown teams. And Danhausen currently has an ongoing rivalry with the WWE great and has cursed Miz and his tag partner Kit Wilson. He teamed with Mini-Hazen and scored a victory over the pair at Backlash earlier this month.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Aaron Rodgers has signed up to play his 22nd season in the NFL, after agreeing to return for another year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The future Hall of Fame quarterback will be 42 years old when the season starts, and on December 2 he will turn 43.

Still, before committing to the Steelers last week, some doubt had grown about whether Rodgers would be suitable for another season. It turns out this was a much more classic discussion of an all-time great fading into the final stages of his career than his Packers predecessor Brett Favre did.

Rodgers returns to the Steelers team he helped lead to the playoffs last season. This time, now in Green Bay, he is looking to take the Steelers even further by teaming up with his old head coach Mike McCarthy and Rodgers.

But don’t expect the same kind of gimmicks next offseason. Rodgers now claims he knows when his football career will end.

Speaking on Wednesday, Rodgers acknowledged that he will retire at the end of the 2026 NFL season.

Aaron Rodgers asked if it was last year: “Yeah. That’s it.” https://t.co/VeIC3W3TUw

– Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) 20 May 2026

A four-time NFL MVP winner and former Super Bowl champion, Rodgers has already built the type of resume that will earn him a bronze medal in Canton. However he clearly has the competitive drive to see if he is able to double his Super Bowl ring total, this time, accomplishing the feat with the same head coach, but on a different team.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings after Aaron Rodgers rejoins the Steelers

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

After he was surprisingly fired by the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, a new report has revealed a pair of teams that may soon request an interview with the Hall of Famer.

Before the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers square off in a wild Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals inside Madison Square Garden, the Mavericks dropped a bombshell on the basketball world when reports surfaced that they had fired their head coach after five seasons.

Kidd led the team to the NBA Finals two years ago, and despite having four years and $40 million left on his contract after signing an extension through 2024, NBA insider Marc Stein claims that the new Mavs head of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri, wanted a “clean slate” after taking the job a few weeks ago.

It now means that a respected head coach, who was a great player as a player, is available to NBA teams, with or without an opening. Still, it’s quite possible that the 53-year-old takes a break and waits for the first opportunity to emerge after stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Mavericks.

Could the Magic and Trail Blazers make Jason Kidd their next coach?

If he does interview, Steen pointed to a pair of teams that would make sense as landing spots for Kidd — first, the Orlando Magic. An NBA insider claims the team had serious interest in Kidd ahead of the 2021 season. And the same top decision-makers — head of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and top adviser John Hammond — who loved him then still hold those roles.

Another possible option for Kidd may surprise some people. “Kidd also has a long-standing relationship with Tom Dundon, the new owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, who has deep ties to Dallas.” The billionaire made his fortune in Big D, and the 10-time All-Star is a basketball legend in the city. So it makes sense that they have crossed each other’s paths over the years and formed a friendship.

Possibly the biggest obstacle to Kidd going to Portland is that all reports claim Dundon is looking to hire a new head coach on the cheap. The former Mavericks head coach is probably well out of his price range. However, with $40 million still coming his way, Kidd might be willing to take a discount for a friend and take a Trail Blazers team with a good young core.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin has repeatedly stated that he intends to retire from full-time Cup Series racing at the end of the 2027 season. Although there is still some doubt about his execution, it appears Joe Gibbs Racing has a succession plan in place.

Fox Sports’ Bob Pockross wrote that O’Reilly Series driver Brent Cruz is “focused on driver development” so that he can replace Hamlin in the No. 11 car whenever that happens.

RELATED: Top NASCAR prospects whose stock is rising in 2026

Hamlin, who is coming off a million-dollar win in the NASCAR All-Star Race, remains easily one of the best drivers in the sport. In 2026, he leads the Cup Series in laps led (624), and his average finishing position (9.92) is even better than last season, when he won six races.

It’s not like it’s a Michael McDowell or Kyle Busch situation, where wins have become less frequent. Hamlin is a championship contender who has a legitimate chance to win every week at every oval track on the Cup Series circuit.

RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series all-time win list, including Denny Hamlin

That’s why there is considerable doubt as to whether Hamlin will actually leave when his contract expires. Whether it’s in 2027 or any year after that, JGR has a tentative plan.

Cruz, who just turned 18 in March, has been one of the best drivers in the O’Reilly Series this season. He finished in the top 10 in seven of his 10 races and finished in the top five in four races.

Widely regarded as one of the top prospects in NASCAR, with some even seeing him as a better talent than Connor Zylisch, a Cup Series ride is inevitable. Crews looks ready to step behind the wheel of the No. 11 whenever Hamlin decides to step away.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

A new rumor suggests the recently fired head coach is the favorite to get a similar start with the Orlando Magic. And the strange thing is that he too was appointed to this job two decades ago.

After blowing a 3–1 lead in their opening-round playoff matchup against the Detroit Pistons, Magic management decided that the team needed a new voice leading their locker room and bench in 2026–27. Still, it won’t be easy to replace former head coach Jamahl Mosley after playing a leading role in building the team into a playoff contender.

The organization has been linked to several experienced coaches to replace Mosley. However, according to NBA insider Jake Fisher, there appears to be a strong contender for the position. “Coaching insiders across the league landscape are operating under the belief that former Bulls coach Billy Donovan has an excellent chance to land the position.”

Fisher said the former Chicago Bulls head coach “has been talking with Magic president Jeff Weltman and will soon have an in-person meeting with the Orlando chief executive”. Donovan resigned from his role with the Bulls last month following a 31-51 finish and a fourth consecutive loss in Chicago. His record as a coach in the NBA is 469-413.

The former Florida Gators coach was hired as head coach of the Magic in 2007, before he reneged on the deal and returned to the Gators. He eventually jumped to the NBA eight years later with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jeff Van Gundy is also a contender for the head coach position of Orlando Magic

While Donovan appears to be a strong contender to become the next head coach of the Magic, it is not a done deal. Another experienced coach with a strong resume who Fisher claims is in the running for the job is former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy.

He left coaching in 2007 and remained a favorite on-air voice for the NBA on ESPN for several years. However, after 16 years, he was let go by the network in 2023. Since then, he has been a consultant for the Boston Celtics and is currently an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he has earned praise.

Van Gundy’s career record as a head coach is 430–318. His peak came when he led the Knicks for seven seasons, leading them to the playoffs six times, including their last trip to the Finals in 1999.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

New York Giants running back Cam Scatebo impressed in his rookie season, recording 617 scrimmage yards and seven total touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury. Luckily for New York, there is promising news on his return to the field.

Speaking to reporters, Skattebo said he is still “a little out of it” and the mental side of rehabilitation has been the biggest challenge, but he will be on the field in the first week.

“Obviously there are ups and downs with the injury process and the comeback and rehab, but the mental battle has been the hardest part: making sure I completely trust it,” Skattebo said. “I’m a little away. Not too far, but I’ll be ready to go. 1 week, I’ll be ready to go.”

New York Giants RB Cam Scatebo on return from injury (via AP)

Taken with the 104th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Skattebo impressed from the jump. From Weeks 2–7, the Giants running backs averaged 66.8 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry, totaling six touchdowns.

On October 26, against the Philadelphia Eagles, Skattebo suffered an ankle injury that required season-ending surgery. Fast forward to March, he had worked his way up to a jogging pace.

There was speculation in the weeks leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft that New York would use the fifth overall pick to select running back Jeremiah Love. However, he was selected third overall, and the Giants did not use a single 2026 draft selection on a running back.

This shows that the new Giants coaching staff has a lot of confidence in Skatabo even after the injury. While he plans to once again break up with Tyrone Tracy Jr., it appears the Giants offense will be healthy when Week 1 begins.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

liverpoolInterest in RB Leipzig star Yann Diomande has been a frequent topic of discussion this year.

In January, the winger expressed his desire to join the Reds and encouraged them to contact him.

That time, He said: : “I want to play for Liverpool. I’m a big Liverpool fan. My dad dreams of seeing me play at Anfield!”

on 13th April the 19 year old said He is pleased with the multiple reports of interest from the Reds and other clubs.

Later that month, Sport Witness Covered claims from Germany About Liverpool meeting his agent.

The Ivory Coast international scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists in 36 matches in his first season at Leipzig. His impressive performances have already attracted the interest of top clubs across Europe.

Liverpool and others shocked

football transfers The Premier League side are reportedly seriously considering signing him, along with Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

RB Leipzig are demanding €100m for Yann Diomande, while also working on renewing his contract.

The attacker has given a fresh interview to Kicker and the FT has released his comments.

When asked if he would stay at Leipzig next season, he said: “Yes.”

There is no release clause in his contract, which expires in 2030, making it more challenging for those wanting him.

Although the player has ruled out a move out in the upcoming window, his dream of a move to a bigger club in the future remains intact.

“I am under contract at Leipzig and I enjoy playing here. But after that, no one knows what will happen. Everyone has ambitions, including me. My dream is to play at the highest level.” Diomande explained.

Our opinion: Liverpool need to look for alternatives

Mohamed Salah has already confirmed his decision to leave Anfield after this season and the Reds need to sign his replacement.

Yann Diomande has been the main contender, but his latest comments rule out a summer transfer.

Therefore, Liverpool will have to look for other options to replace the outgoing Salah. they have TSG Hoffenheim star Bazoumana Toure In their target list.

Before the 2004 NFL Draft, there was no question who would be the No. 1 overall pick. Eli Manning was the unanimous choice. This meant that the then-San Diego Chargers were going to land a franchise quarterback. It’s just, it didn’t happen that way.

Eventually, it became known that Manning did not want to play for a Chargers franchise that had missed the playoffs for eight consecutive years. Still, the spin at the time was that it was Eli’s father, former NFL QB Archie Manning, who made the power play to ensure that his son arrived at a more favorable destination.

However, now after 22 years Ellie has revealed business with boys Podcast that it wasn’t her father’s idea. It was actually Eli who had no interest in playing for the Chargers.

Manning said, “My parents weren’t really supportive. My father didn’t like the idea.” “Now, he came to my defense and supported me after everything went down, but he didn’t like it. And later, he bore the brunt of a lot of criticism because he came to my defense and people were saying, ‘Oh, you played in New Orleans all those years where you didn’t win, so you’re trying to dictate where your son is going to go.’ And he just bit his tongue and said, ‘Hey, this is what Eli wants to do and I support him’ and he did some media to try to save me from doing all the media and taking the hit.”

Manning said he did not feel like the Chargers were “most committed to winning at that time.”

The Chargers acquired an incredible asset by trading Manning to the New York Giants. In exchange for Manning, the Chargers received Philip Rivers, Shawn Merriman and Nate Kaeding. Meanwhile, Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins, and the rest is history.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine believes that Ichiro Suzuki thought he was going to make his MLB debut with the Amazings. But a short conversation with his agent probably eliminated any real chances.

Ichiro will go down as one of MLB’s greatest hitters of all time. During his 19-year career, the Japanese icon posted years between .350 and .372 batting averages, was a one-time MVP, a 10-time All-Star and a 10-time Gold Glove winner. If he had the power it would be illegal.

However, when they debuted in 2001, imports from Japan were not given as much importance as they are now. For the most part, many of the former stars of the Land of the Rising Sun disappointed. So expectations from Ichiro were not high. But many now look back and wonder if he had started his career in MLB a few years earlier, he might have had many of the all-time hits records.

Ichiro is a great “what if” story for teams that didn’t make much of an effort to beat out the Seattle Mariners for his services. One of them is the Mets as stories have surfaced over the last few years about New York’s interest and why they haven’t landed the outfielder.

The NY Mets colluded with the agent to void Ichiro Suzuki’s deal in 2001?

This week, former manager Bobby Valentine added a new layer to the story. in conversation sal lucata showHe claimed that he urged Mets management to make a large silent bid because he knew how talented he was after seeing him in person while managing in Japan.

Valentine also thought there was a better than average chance that the Mets could acquire Ichiro because he and the great outfielder were represented by the same agent, Tony Attanasio.

However, he stated that the agent and club were not on good terms because of how poorly Valentine’s contract was negotiated, and some in the organization may have confused the manager’s keen interest in Ichiro as an attempt to get his agent another good payday.

“If Ichiro had sat down and reflected on that time, I think he would have said, ‘Oh, I thought I was going to be a New York Met,'” Valentine said.

After reaching the World Series in 2000, the Mets declined in subsequent years. However, if the roster had had an elite hitter like Ichiro in his later years, including his next NLCS run in 2006, it would have been possible that the club would have reached the playoffs more often and ended its championship drought.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

With NASCAR’s silly season just a few months away, Kyle Busch’s future is the biggest uncertainty in the Cup Series right now. Now the uncertainty may be less.

Bob Pokrass of Fox Sports wrote that if Busch were to leave RCR, which he is still reluctant to do, joining Spire Motorsports is the “most logical” destination for the future Hall of Famer.

RELATED: What’s happened during and since Kyle Busch’s winless streak

There were reports in February that Spier wanted to hunt big game in the NASCAR Silly Season. Team co-owner Jeff Dickerson is adamant that Spire become one of the top teams in the Cup Series and has shown a willingness to take aggressive steps to improve.

However, no move is necessarily guaranteed. Carson Hocevar is emerging as a superstar in NASCAR and scored a dominant win for Spire at Talladega. Meanwhile, the inclusion of Daniel Suarez has been a huge benefit.

RELATED: NASCAR All-Time Cup Series Winners, Including Kyle Busch

Suárez, who many believed was struggling to save his Cup career entering 2026, has the highest average starting position (12.92) and average finishing position (15.00) in his Cup Series career. He currently sits 14th in the points, one spot off the lead in The Chase while Busch is 24th.

Who could replace Kyle Busch at Spire Motorsports?

Entering 2026, the most likely scenario appears to be that Daniel Suarez does not live up to expectations in his first season with Spire Motorsports and is replaced by Kyle Busch in the No. 7 car. Circumstances may have changed that.

RELATED: Michael McDowell reveals who could be his successor

However, Michael McDowell has been Spire’s worst performing driver this season. Despite finishing second at Watkins Glen, McDowell is 21st in points and trails Suarez in average starting position (17.78), average finishing position (19.92), and points (225, 21st).

“”It’s tough… but, no, I don’t plan on quitting my job anytime soon. But I feel like there’s clearly a limit to how long you can do this. I don’t know what that number is, but I want to perform well and as long as I’m performing well, I love doing it.

Michael McDowell talks to The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi about his struggles this season, plans for the future

McDowell, who will turn 42 in December, has given no indication of interest in moving away from full-time racing. If Spire wants to make a change, it now seems possible that Busch could replace McDowell in the No. 71 car next season.

RELATED: Latest discussion on potential landing spots for Kyle Busch in 2027

However, the most likely outcome is that McDowell will get another season with Spire and Busch will remain with Richard Childress Racing. If both drivers struggle to perform well again in 2027, they will surely be replaced by up-and-comers in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

D’Von Achane is one of the few Miami Dolphins stars who has escaped the offensive overhaul. Achane, one of the NFL’s best running backs, remains the centerpiece of Miami’s offense following Jaylen Waddle’s trade to the Denver Broncos.

However, could the 24-year-old running back be on the move for the right price? An NFL insider has revealed what the Dolphins would have to do to trade Achen.

Miami Dolphins trade value for Devon Achane revealed

If an NFL team offers a first-round pick to Achane, the Dolphins’ opinion of a potential trade could waver a bit, as ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports. Instead, the ESPN insider said the smart bet is on Miami adding its star running back at some point during the 2026 NFL offseason.

There is still time for another NFL organization to make a trade for Aachen; However, doing so would require at least a first-round selection. NFL running backs generally don’t move up for first-round draft picks, especially when they need a big payday.

Achen is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will enter NFL free agency if he is not franchise tagged or extended. For Miami, it should feel incentivized to keep Achane in this scenario. Losing a star for nothing in free agency would be detrimental to the team.

However, should the Dolphins focus on retaining Achen long-term instead of relying on the franchise tag or trade?

Why should the Dolphins keep Aachen on offense?

It’s hard to match a running back of Achen’s caliber in the NFL. Over the past two seasons, Achen has rushed for 2,257 yards while playing a key role in the passing game. In fact, the star running back had 67 receptions for 488 yards and four touchdowns during the 2025-26 NFL season.

Miami didn’t do much at the wide receiver position after trading Waddle, so Aichen’s role in the passing game is likely to be even bigger this season. Achane can take charge, as proven by his more than 85 goals in each of the last two seasons.

There aren’t many running backs in the NFL who can maintain a heavy workload in the passing game while serving as a bell cow. Even with a small body for a running back horse, Achane has avoided any serious injuries, making him a smart investment moving forward.

While Achen is due for a new contract, the Dolphins should do everything in their power to keep him in Miami. If the Dolphins were looking to replace him, they couldn’t find a better option.

Achane is a true offensive centerpiece, and while a first-round pick would be a nice return, it still wouldn’t mean much.

READ MORE: Dolphins GM gives major update on De’Von Achen trade rumors

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

Tennessee Titans fans are about to get a better idea of ​​the struggles Cam Ward endured during his difficult rookie season. since netflix started quarterback In 2023, football fans can’t get enough of a sports docu-series focused on NFL QBs.

In its debut season, fans got an inside look at Patrick Mahomes’ magical season, which culminated with the Kansas City Chiefs icon winning Super Bowl LVII MVP. Others appreciated how carefully Kirk Cousins ​​kept his mind and body sharp day after day.

In Season 2, fans got to see Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, and Cousins ​​again, this time as members of the Atlanta Falcons. The overall success of the streaming series also led to a spin-off title. receiverPerformances from Justin Jefferson, George Kittle, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Davante Adams and Deebo Samuel.

Now, we know who will participate in Season 3 quarterback.

According to Netflix, Season 3 will include Ward, Jayden Daniels, Baker Mayfield, and Joe Flacco. The series will return to Netflix on July 14.

jayden daniels
Joe Flacco
Baker Mayfield
cam ward

The Quarterback Season 3 premieres July 14 pic.twitter.com/XsOZ56dZSX

– Netflix (@Netflix) 13 May 2026

In addition to Ward’s tough start, fans will get to see how Flacco dealt with being the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns, only to later be benched after four games. The Browns then surprisingly traded the veteran QB to their AFC North rivals, sending Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals as an injury replacement for Burrow.

Meanwhile, both Daniels and Mayfield faced their own struggles, as both players missed the playoffs in 2025 after playing postseason football. Add it all up, and there should be plenty of compelling stories for football fans to enjoy later this summer.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Sami Zayn didn’t want a standard heel turn – and according to a new backstage report, he made that clear to WWE creative when the conversation happened.

The Self-Made Pro revealed during a Self-Made session that when the creative direction on SmackDown began to move toward a more traditional heel role, Zane pushed back internally, arguing for something more layered and unexpected instead.

The report stated, “He really didn’t want to be a heel, and he argued with the creatives, ‘Hey, why don’t we tell a subtle story here?’ “Because he told them, ‘I don’t think I’m a bad guy. I think my relationship with the fans is evolving, but I’m not necessarily a bad guy.'”

Zayn has been equally transparent publicly about the approach he took towards his character. Speaking to the Toronto Sun, he dismissed suggestions that he had simply turned heel.

Zayn said, “I disagree with your statement – ​​I’ve completely turned heel. I guess I’m just trying to play it a little differently.” He also explained the thinking behind the direction he is proposing. “I had this idea of ​​doing a little bit of a change to the character that would be a little bit outside the box and divide the audience a little bit.”

The backstage reports roughly match those public comments. Rather than WWE turning them into clean-cut heels, this approach is intentionally designed to leave audience reactions open-ended – allowing fans to decide for themselves how to feel about what they’re watching.

NASCAR driver Caden Honeycutt is coming off one of the best weekends in racing this season, winning four races including his first Truck Series win. Although he is dominating in trucks at the moment, it won’t be long before he moves up to the Cup Series.

In the latest episode of The Teardown, The Athletic’s NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi said he expects Honeycutt to make it to the Cup Series by 2028.

“It’s turning heads right now and he’s got some ways to go. But the path he’s on, he’s someone I would expect to be in the Cup Series in 2028.”

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi on when Caden Honeycutt could reach the Cup Series

Honeycutt, who turns 23 in June, entered the season ranked sixth among the top NASCAR prospects in 2026 by Fox Sports’ Bob Pokrass. With Jesse Love and Corey Haim both potentially getting full-time Cup Series rides for the 2027 season, Honeycutt could be one of the next in line and be even higher ranked a year from now.

He has proved that he can win anywhere. Honeycutt’s first Truck Series win came over the weekend when he won four races, including two CARS races and a win in the ARCA Menards Series.

That’s why Honeycutt was chosen to replace Ham in the No. 11 truck with the Tricon garage. Although he has not repeated the historic results delivered by Hamm last season, he leads the Truck Series in points (312) with the most top-fives (five) and fourth-most laps (68) among full-time truck drivers.

Winning four different races with four different teams speaks volumes about Honeycutt’s talent behind the wheel. The Truck Series championship means a lot to him this season and if all goes well, it’s fair to think he’ll become a 24-year-old Cup driver in 2028.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The San Francisco Giants made headlines this weekend with their first big trade of the season, dealing Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Browns. Although this immediately opened up more playing time for Daniel Susack and Jesus Rodriguez, there was reportedly another strategy behind it.

Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY reported that part of the Giants’ objective with the trade is to set themselves up to select shortstop Roch Cholowski in the 2026 MLB Draft.

As part of the trade, San Francisco received the 29th overall pick from the Guardians. While first-round selections in the MLB Draft cannot be traded, selections in the competitive balance round can be dealt. So, San Francisco now has two top-30 selections along with four of the top-90 selections.

The acquisition of the 29th overall pick also means they will receive an additional $3.27 million in bonus pool money. According to MLB.com, he now has the fourth-largest bonus pool at $17.35 million. This allows them to go above the slot value for the fourth overall pick ($8.988 million), theoretically giving them the flexibility to sign Cholowski if he’s on the board.

Will the Giants draft Roch Cholowski?

6-foot-2 shortstop Roch Cholowski is widely viewed as the best player in the 2026 MLB draft class. UCLA’s star shortstop has been excellent this season, posting a .338/.463/.707 triple-slash line with 59 RBIs and 21 home runs in 198 at-bats.

The right-handed hitter is rated as the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft class by MLB Pipeline, with ESPN.com’s Kiley McDaniel and Baseball America also rating Cholowski as the top player available.

However, there is a loophole in this reported objective that veterans may or may not have as part of belly trading. Cholowski will not be available at the fourth pick. Even on the off chance that the Chicago White Sox would pass on the UCLA shortstop, the Tampa Bay Rays would take him.

San Francisco would also like to get their hands on Georgia Tech catcher Von Lackey, but he is widely speculated to either be taken second overall by Tampa Bay or selected third overall by the Minnesota Twins. In all likelihood the Giants will choose between UC Santa Barbara starting pitcher Jackson Flora or prep shortstop Jacob Lombard. With the 29th overall pick, there is a higher chance that the team will grab a prospect who falls short of his asking price and they move on to sign him.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

NASCAR’s silly season is just a few months away and, while Michael McDowell isn’t one of the biggest names being talked about, the veteran driver believes he knows who will be his successor.

Speaking to reporters at Watkins Glen, McDowell called Tristan McKee “the real deal” and believes he will be the one to take over driving the No. 71 car for Spire Motorsports when McDowell retires.

At the beginning of the year, McKee was ranked 14th among the top NASCAR prospects in 2025 by Bob Pockross of Fox Sports. He became the second-youngest ARCA winner at Watkins Glen in 2025, just two years after he became the youngest driver to win in the CARS Tour Pro Late Model division.

Notably, McKee won’t turn 16 until August. The Virginia native has already raced in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East, but although he is a rising star in NASCAR, he still needs to prove himself at the Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series levels.

Realistically, Mackie is at least three years away from getting a chance to ride full-time in the Cup Series and even that timeline will be longer.

Investigating Michael McDowell’s future in NASCAR

McDowell, who will turn 42 in December, clearly has no intentions of retiring in the near future. The longtime Cup Series driver intends to remain behind the wheel of the No. 71 for several more seasons, but that doesn’t seem possible either.

Part of the problem for McDowell is the disappointing results. His last win came in the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard in 2023. What’s more troubling for Spire Motorsports is that their results are getting worse every year.

In 2024, McDowell achieved seven top-10 finishes with six pole positions and 256 laps led, finishing the season with a 14.58 average starting position and 21.31 average finishing position. A year later, McDowell led only 96 laps with six top-10s and two poles, and his average starting position dropped to 15.69.

The situation has become even worse in 2026. Through 11 races, McDowell ranks 23rd in points (189), 18th in average starting position (19.0) and 24th in average finishing position (21.5).

Spire has made it clear in recent years that it wants to become one of the top teams in the Cup Series. Carson Hocevar, who scored his first Cup Series win at Talladega, is emerging as a superstar, and Daniel Suarez is enjoying a breakout year in his first season with Spire.

McDowell is undoubtedly the worst performing driver at Spire Motorsports at the moment. Ultimately, if his contract expires after the 2026 season, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Spier decides to find someone else to drive the No. 71 car next year.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Ticket sales for tonight’s WWE SmackDown from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida are significantly lower than where the company last played the building.

According to Racelytics, 6,704 of the existing 7,877 tickets have been sold, with approximately 1,173 tickets still available in the primary market ahead of the show.

The comparison to WWE’s most recent Jacksonville date makes for difficult reading. When WWE last played the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on May 17, 2024, the company sold 10,093 tickets for the SmackDown tapings — a difference of about 3,400 tickets from where Tonight’s Show is currently playing.

Both dates are the same on the calendar, with a difference of only one week in time of year, making the drop-off hard to explain as a seasonal factor. However, it is interesting that this is happening in the city that is seen as the home of AEW since its inception in 2019.

It’s the go-home SmackDown for Backlash on Saturday in Tampa, a card that would normally generate increased interest in surrounding television programming. WWE’s year-to-date average for 2026 sits at 10,556 tickets per show, meaning tonight’s attendance will be well below that benchmark, even if the remaining tickets are sold before the bell.

Tonight’s SmackDown card featured Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss taking on Fatal Influence in a six-woman tag match with implications for the Backlash title match, Tiffany Stratton defending the Women’s United States Championship against Kianna James in Stratton’s first title defense, a Gunther in-ring promo following his attack on Cody Rhodes, and a Gingerbread Man final. The Rite segment in which Sami Zayn was included as part of the production. Their United States Championship rematch at Backlash.

Fans have become more vocal than ever about the product WWE is offering its audiences, as TKO seeks to maximize returns for profit in order to pay off the debt taken on to purchase WWE. WWE will try to rebuild any distrust with fans, otherwise they will risk losing more fans.

Danhausen’s mystery partner at WWE Backlash in Tampa this Saturday could be about to generate the wrong kind of reaction from fans.

Brian Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer wrote on If the rumor turns out to be true, it’s a reveal that won’t go down well with audiences who are tired of celebrity presence in the company.

That framing tells its own story. The betting odds at Backlash place Punk as the favorite to become Danhausen’s partner at -200, with Joe Hendry at +200, Mr. Iguana at +300, and Jelly Roll at +400. A crowd expecting a punk hit, but getting jelly rolls instead, could have a bad reaction at Amalie Arena on Saturday night.

Before Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42, there were plans for Jelly Roll to team with Rhodes at Backlash in a tag match against Orton and Pat McAfee.

That program fell apart when McAfee opted out of the program following negative fan reaction to his inclusion at WrestleMania, and Orton has not appeared on WWE programming since this event, amid reports that he was struggling with physical problems on the show.

With the original tags matching the table, it appears that Jelly Roll’s involvement has been redirected to the Danhausen program. Whether that creative pivot satisfies viewers who have been waiting to learn who Danhausen’s partner is, but the contrast between CM Punk’s revelations and Jelly Roll’s revelations may backfire.

If the New York Mets season doesn’t pick up serious momentum over the next few months, a team insider offered an idea for what they could get in return if they sold some of their valuable pieces, such as Freddy Peralta.

After a poor performance in April, the Mets have played better of late. Winning four of their last six and back-to-back series. But things still feel volatile, and it wouldn’t be surprising if things spiraled out of control once again in the coming weeks and months. That’s why the idea of ​​becoming a seller before the trade deadline is being whispered among fans.

This was something a supporter questioned The Athletic’s Mets insider Tim Britton about in a new mailbag piece. In response to the question of which players are most tradeable, Britton offered some interesting ideas on what the team could get for pitcher Freddy Peralta.

He wrote, “I think Peralta would be able to bring back a top 100 prospect and maybe one other prospect in a July trade.”

Clay Holmes won’t get a strong trade return to the Mets?

The Mets gave up top 100 prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sprott in a deal for the two-time All-Star. After a poor start in his New York debut in March, Peralta has performed well in his seven starts since then. Giving up two or fewer runs in four of those starts.

Besides Peralta, who else did Britton think could get a good return in a potential trade amid the summer trade deadline? Many may consider Clay Holmes as he has had a great start to the season. However, a Mets insider suggests that since he is likely to opt out of the final year of his contract, his limited track record will hurt his value in the market.

Britton actually believes relievers Brooks Raleigh and AJ Minter can provide good returns for the club if Raleigh can maintain his strong start or Minter can get healthy. Furthermore, they do not see any obvious players who would attract much outside interest.

Britton wrote, “Bo Bichette’s complicated contract makes it difficult to trade him. Luis Robert Jr. needs to get healthy and perform to be of interest to other teams.” “Guys like Marcus Semien, Sean Mania and Kodai Senga are going to have to straight up salary dump at this point.”

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Queens Park Rangers star Nicolas Madsen has admitted he wants to be the best in the Championship and play in the Premier League.

BOLD had an interview with the 26-year-old today. After a successful season with QPR he revealed his new ambitions.

qpr change

This season has been a transformational one for Nicolas Madsen, who joins QPR on a €4m deal in August 2024. He made a total of 34 appearances in all competitions. This showed that he had a total of 2309 minutes, although 358 were in the Jupiler Pro League.

This season, the number of appearances for QPR in all competitions is 39. And his total number of minutes has become 3062. More importantly, he has been in the starting 11 72% of the time.

He is pleased with the improvement and has big ambitions moving forward as a result.

“I had a lot of goals before this season that I have accomplished, so now it’s definitely being adjusted. My ambition is to help the team be more competitive.” He said.

“On the club side, the ambition is clearly to be among the top 8 places entertaining. We have a good squad, so it is certainly possible.”

Premier League ambitions

While the focus is on helping QPR develop, he is also willing to admit there are some personal ambitions.

First of all he wants to establish himself further in the championship. And then eyes will be on a possible move to the Premier League. Or, even better, get there with QPR.

“My next goal is to be one of the best in the league, and I don’t think that’s unrealistic. I don’t see why it shouldn’t be possible,” He added.

“I’ve never hidden the fact that I want to go as far as possible. The big dream is still the Premier League, and I hope that can be accomplished with QPR.”

A new report suggests that Masai Ujiri will make the first big move as the Dallas Mavericks’ new president of basketball operations, trading away, arguably, their best player before next season’s NBA trade deadline.

After several weeks of rumors and speculation, Mavericks governor and majority owner Patrick Dumont made a major breakthrough in his search for a new team president when he hired Ujiri last week. And the former Toronto Raptors president brings an impressive resume to Dallas.

During his tenure at North, Ujiri made seven consecutive playoff appearances. His first Eastern Conference Finals appearance (2016). First NBA Finals appearance (2019), and the franchise’s first championship in 2019. However, it is difficult to stay at the top for long, and he was forced out of his role last year after a couple of disappointing seasons.

Ujiri has shown a talent for drafting and development and making bold trades to take his teams a step forward. Dallas fans will surely be wondering what moves he can make to lift the Mavericks out of the bottom of the standings and back into playoff contention.

Although it may not come this summer, a new report suggests a specific big-time trade will take place during the season.

Are the Dallas Mavericks planning on trading Kyrie Irving before next season’s trade deadline?

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Wu reported how Ujiri’s priority will be building a better roster around young star Cooper Flagg. However, that endgame won’t include top star Kyrie Irving.

The 34-year-old nine-time All-Star missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering an ACL injury in March 2025. Hopefully the extra recovery time will allow him to make an immediate impact next season. However, he is on a very different timeline than what the organization thinks about the 19-year-old Flagg and his journey to lead the Mavericks back to relevance.

That’s why Ujiri would surely find a new home for the future Hall of Famer and earn more draft assets to build a winning team around Flagg.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Tottenham HotspurRadu Dragusin joined the Premier League team from Genoa in January 2024.

Two years ago, Drăgușin’s Agent Florin Mane confirmed Interest from both Napoli and Bayern Munich.

However, the defender decided to move to Tottenham, where he did not have the same impact as at Genoa.

Juventus first brought him to Italy in 2018 and let him go on loan to Sampdoria and Salernitana during the 2021/22 season.

The Romania international moved to Genoa on a loan deal in July 2022 and joined them permanently a year later. During his time with the Italian club, the centre-back played 62 matches.

according to prosport In Romania, Radu Dragusin wanted to move to SC Heerenveen instead of Genoa, who were in Serie B at the time.

Former Romania international Razvan Ras managed to transform his personality.

Tottenham man receives transfer advice

The 44-year-old, who had a spell at West Ham United during his playing career, convinced his compatriot to choose Genoa over the Eredivisie side. He made the call at the request of the defender’s agent, Florin Mané.

Ras told the defender “You’re going to have hemorrhoids on the bench!” In Heerenveen.

He said: “I was in Bali on holidays, and I got a call from Florin Mania. Dragusin’s loan at Salernitana had expired, and Juventus wanted to get rid of him. He was no longer part of their plans.

“And Mania said to me: ‘You also talk to Dragusin. He has an offer from Heerenveen, and he really wants to go there.’ I talked to Andres [Blazquez]From genoa. They want him, they are buying him, but the player does not want to go to Serie B. You explain to him that he should not go to Heerenveen. Because it’s better. It’s Serie B, it has better visibility”.

“At the same time, Andrés called me: ‘Won’t you talk to the player, convince him to come to us? Let’s tell him that, even if he makes mistakes and I don’t know what, we will care, we see a good player in him.’

“I took the phone number, I called him: ‘Hi, I’m Razwan Ras! I’d like to talk a little about your career.’ And I told him what the club wanted, what Andrés had explained to me.”

“I told him: ‘It’s Serie B, but still, you have visibility. At Heerenveen, if you go there, you will make a bad mistake twice and end up having to go to the bench. If I were you, I would choose it’. That was my discussion with him, and I told him it was his decision. I talked to him for about 30 minutes. And that was it.”

What’s next for the Spurs defender?

Efforts by Rezvan Ras, Andrés Blázquez and Florin Mania paid off as Radu Dragusin defeated Genoa.

This helped him move to a Premier League team, where his future needs will be met after this season.

There were several Serie A sides who wanted to sign him in the winter market, and there was also German interest.

On April 30, Khel Witness Covered claims from Romania That Dragusin has said yes to RB Leipzig, who are to agree a deal with Tottenham Hotspur.

Maybe Razwan Raas will come on the phone again.

Hull City boss Ekun Ilicali has promised his players a trip to Las Vegas if they make the Premier League and has backed Ollie McBurnie to shine in Turkey if he ever gets there.

News report comments from Ilikali today. He is dreaming of seeing his team reach the top flight, and is promising big rewards if they do.

Hull City’s Premier League dreams

Hull face Millwall in the play-off semi-final first leg at home on Friday, before the second leg at The Den next week. Then they will face Middlesbrough or Southampton in the final.

The Tigers entered the play-offs on the final day of the season as three clubs had a chance to secure the final spot on the day.

All three sides, Hull, Wrexham and Derby County, occupied the place at one point in the afternoon, but it was Ilicali’s side who took victory thanks to victory over Norwich City. They had to fall behind by one goal to get all three points.

Now they can reach the Premier League. And Ilikali is planning a huge reward if his players manage it.

“If Hull City are promoted to the Premier League, I’m sending the whole team on a private plane to Las Vegas. That will be their reward,” he said live on TV8.

Oli McBurnie’s praise

There was also time for praise for Ollie McBurnie, the undoubted star of this current Hull City team. It was his two goals that ensured Norwich’s victory and a place in the play-offs.

The 29-year-old has 17 goals and eight assists in 37 games in the Championship this season. This left him tied for second place in the top scorer chart with Hadji Wright and six behind Zhan Vipotnik.

However, Hull stars have more assists combined and a better goals per 90 ratio. Ilikali is a big fan, and is confident that he will shine in the Turkish Super Lig.

He said, “If Ollie McBurnie was at Fenerbahçe, he would not have scored less than 25 goals.”

“Whoever comes in front of him he scores. His specialty is that if the ball comes to him he scores. Some of the goals he scores are not natural goals

Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie was also hired after a 22-win season after posting a .368 winning percentage in 134 career games. This decision may be related to the cheap price Sacramento is paying for its head coach.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Christie is considered the lowest-paid head coach in the NBA, with an average annual salary of $2 million.

For comparison, Steve Kerr is currently the highest-paid NBA coach with $17.5 million and Erik Spoelstra makes about $15 million per season with the Miami Heat. The going rate is often between $8 to $10 million per year, as evidenced by Taylor Jenkins receiving a $10 million salary this offseason to become the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Since taking over as head coach of the Kings in the middle of the 2024–25 NBA season, Christie has one of the worst win totals (49) among active NBA head coaches.

With the Kings currently projected to be above the NBA’s luxury tax line for the 2026-27 season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see owner Vivek Ranadive cut costs elsewhere. While Christie has not proven himself to be an NBA-caliber coach, he has shown loyalty to the franchise and appears to be the most cost-effective option for a rebuilding team.

However, there is a long-term risk here. As we’re seeing with the Portland Trail Blazers under new owner Tom Dundon, making money with coaches can damage a franchise’s reputation.

While there are top-tier assistant coaches who make more than $1 million per season, Christie’s salary clearly indicates that the Kings are unwilling to make significant investments in their coaching staff.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Max Holloway has addressed the growing speculation about being linked to a rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas, admitting that he has been appealed by the fight for personal reasons, while confirming that he has yet to receive a formal offer from the UFC.

McGregor plans to return to action for the first time in five years after suffering a broken foot in his trilogy against Dustin Poirier in 2021, with UFC 329 emerging as the most likely destination during International Fight Week. Holloway, who lost to McGregor in 2013, has been widely discussed as a potential opponent for that comeback, and he explained in an interview with Paramount that the idea of ​​settling unfinished business is attractive.

“I mean, we have the history,” Holloway said. “We fought a long time ago. I told you guys, if someone attacked me, I’d bring him back. I’d love to bring him back. There’s so much talk about him coming back, and everybody’s talking about how serious he really is. It seems like he’s been training and taking and really wants to come back to fight. It’s exciting.

He said, “He looks hungry. He looks extremely hungry. He did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it was great to see him. I would just like to get one back. It’s a huge fight.” “Anything with Conor McGregor is huge, but having history with that guy, it would be nice to be able to get someone back. I’ve got to get my payback on one of the guys. If I can continue to move down the list, that would be great.”

Max Holloway vs. Conor McGregor contract has not been proposed yet

Holloway’s most recent outing included a lopsided decision loss to Charles Oliveira that cost him the BMF title, and he was honest about his motivation to erase that performance from the conversation as quickly as possible.

He said, “You’re only as good as your last fight, and we’re going to make everyone forget about that last fight as quickly as we can.”

Despite mutual interest, Holloway confirmed that no contract has yet been offered.

“Maybe, we’ll see what happens,” he said when asked about UFC 329.

Kairi Sane has not severed her ties with WWE yet.

Brian Alvarez reports that within WWE, there is belief that Sane could appear this Saturday at Backlash in Tampa, Florida to provide some resolution to her ongoing storyline with IYO SKY and Asuka, despite being exempt from the company’s WrestleMania 42 roster cuts. Whether such an appearance would be a one-off or signal something else has not been made clear.

“Within WWE, it is felt that there is a greater than 50% chance that Kairi will appear at Backlash to at least finish that storyline,” Alvarez wrote to his subscribers on X.

A singles match between Sky and Asuka is scheduled for Saturday’s Backlash PLE at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Before her release, Sane was at the center of the storyline of that match, torn between the two as Asuka attempted to intimidate her into proving her loyalty to SKY.

Her absence from that program’s resolution was one of the more puzzling aspects of her release, and the internal belief that she might still appear in Backlash shows just how incomplete the creative thread is.

Sane was among the 25 talents released by WWE on April 24 during the roster cuts following WrestleMania 42, and given both her level of talent and her active role in the ongoing program, her release was considered one of the more surprising decisions in that wave.

Fan reaction was swift and vocal, with the hashtag VivantCarry flooding social media in the days following the announcement. AJ Styles was among those who publicly stated that he was shocked by the news.

This was Cena’s second stint with WWE. Following her departure in 2021, she spent time in Japan working primarily for Stardom and NJPW before returning to WWE in 2023, winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships with Asuka as the Kabuki Warriors during that second run.

Two managers have already been fired during the Major League Baseball season, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox both making changes in April. With several other projected contenders struggling, another could be removed this month.

USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale wrote Sunday that Houston Astros manager Joe Espada could be the next captain to be fired during the regular season.

The Astros currently have the seventh-highest payroll in baseball this season at $240.93 million. After a 5–2 start to the season, however, the club has gone 9–19 since April 2.

Espada took over as Astros manager in 2024, taking charge of a club that won 90 games the previous season and reached the American League Championship Series. However, during his tenure, the Astros have not won a single playoff game and they missed the postseason in 2025.

Why the Astros May Fire Joe Espada

Espada isn’t necessarily to blame for the Astros’ problems this season. Entering MLB games today, Houston’s lineup ranked sixth in runs scored (178) and third in batting average (.269), OBP (.348) and slugging (.440).

Unfortunately the Houston skippers have one of the worst pitching staff in baseball. The Astros’ pitchers have the highest ERA (5.75) and WHIP (1.62) in baseball and allow the fourth-highest batting average (.264).

Injuries play a significant factor in this, with starting pitchers Hunter Brown (shoulder), Tatsuya Imai (arm), Ronel Blanco (elbow), and Cristian Javier (shoulder) being on the injured list. Imai is the closest to a comeback, but command was a big issue for him in his first rehab start.

More blame can certainly fall on the shoulders of Astros general manager Dana Brown. However, for now, team owner Jim Crane is at his word. This puts Espada in an unfavorable position for his job security, with Brown potentially firing his manager as a last resort to save his job.

Realistically, barring a major change by the club, Espada would be fired within a matter of weeks. A change in the dugout will give Brown some playing time, but the club’s on-field results in recent years could mean he will not be retained when his contract expires after the 2026 MLB season.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

nottingham forest It appears that Nobel Mendy is in a better position to act quickly, with the latest report from Portugal suggesting that the rivals are still in no position to make a move.

Interest in the 21-year-old centre-back first emerged in Spain, Where we covered Forest, Benfica and Atalanta reports Everyone was eager and ready to submit strong proposals. It outlined a competitive race on paper.

However, coverage from the Portuguese newspaper record Important context has now been added – specifically around Benfica’s situation. And that’s good news for Nottingham Forest.

Benfica is not ready to act yet

According to records, Benfica has been monitoring Nobel Mendy for some time. Despite this, no proposal has come yet. And the reason is structural rather than financial.

Benfica’s next move in the centre-back market depends on the future of Nicolas Otamendi and Antonio Silva. Both could leave this summer, and only once the situation is resolved will the club decide whether to pursue Mendy.

This effectively stops their interest.

This is an important detail that was not clear in the initial reporting from Spain. While Benfica are firmly in the race, they are in no position to accelerate it at the moment.

Are the forests ready to be moved first?

Of course, this creates an obvious contrast with Nottingham Forest. The Premier League side were already reported to be ready to submit a high offer to Spain, and unlike Benfica, there is no internal situation slowing them down at present.

It doesn’t appear that Forrest is waiting for an exit or a contract resolution before stepping into this position. Practically, this could allow him to first link up with Rayo Vallecano, who are expected to make Mendy’s deal permanent with Real Betis for €2.4m (£2.1m).

If Forest want to act quickly, they could enter into talks before other interested clubs are fully ready to enter the race.

what happens next

Spanish reports suggested a three-way conflict. The Portuguese press now presents a more nuanced picture.

Forest’s willingness to move forward with a concrete offer could give them an early advantage. Meanwhile, Benfica is waiting for internal decisions, which is likely to cause a delay.

Meanwhile, Nobel Mendy has done a lot to continue attracting attention. He has featured regularly for Rayo Vallecano this season and recently earned his first senior cap for Senegal in March.

Nevertheless, their role is not completely fixed. He was recently left on the bench in the 1–0 win against Strasbourg in the UEFA Conference League semi-finals. After all he is still developing.

So if timing proves decisive, Nottingham Forest may have a clearer path forward than when interest initially surfaced.

The New York Mets welcomed back All-Star outfielder Juan Soto last week, but lost star shortstop Francisco Lindor to a calf strain in the same game. Unfortunately for New York, it appears Lindor won’t be back on the field at Citi Field for a long time.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, the Mets are “privately expecting” Lindor to be out until mid-June.

RELATED: MLB Hot Seat Rankings 2026, See Where the NY Mets Skipper Ranks

Lindor’s absence is obviously a blow to the Mets’ lineup. However, perhaps there is some hope in New York that the vacation time could benefit the Silver Slugger Award winner long-term. Through his first 105 plate appearances this season, Lindor was on his way to a career-worst season with a .226/.314/.35 triple-slash line.

Surgery to repair his broken hamate bone in February was taking a toll on him. Therefore, it can be hoped that the rehabilitation of his calf strain over the next month may also prove beneficial for his wrist to fully recover from the February surgery and his swing to return to form.

RELATED: New York Mets managerial candidate to replace Carlos Mendoza

Meanwhile, former top prospect Ronny Mauricio is filling in at shortstop. He has posted a .286 batting average with 5 strikeouts in his first 14 at-bats, but just a .286 SLG. If he struggles, Bo Bichette could be moved to shortstop with Brett Batty and Mark Vientos getting time at third base when Jorge Polanco comes off the injured list. However, this would come at a great cost to the Mets’ infield defense.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

It appears that the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles are destined to end up trading AJ Brown. New England is likely to acquire Brown after June 1, after Philadelphia traded up in the 2026 NFL Draft to select wide receiver Makai Lemon. In fact, an NFL insider has revealed a major update on a potential trade package.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes the Patriots will send a future first-round pick to Brown, as did Insider on the Pat McAfee Show. Schefter projected it would be a 2028 first-round pick, meaning the Patriots will keep their first-round pick for a stacked 2027 NFL Draft class.

New England Patriots’ potential trade package for AJ Brown

It would be shocking if the Patriots and Eagles don’t make a deal for Brown. Philadelphia has loaded up on wide receivers while New England has the only additional member in the room in Romeo Doubs. While Dobbs projects to play a key role in the Patriots’ offense, the team did not add a wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft. So, what might a trade package look like now?

The Patriots could send a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick to acquire Brown. While wide receiver Keyshawn Boutte has been a popular add to trade packages, the Eagles don’t need to replace a superstar receiver. Instead, both organizations can focus on draft capital.

This may not be the exact package Philadelphia gets, as any third- or fourth-round selection between 2027 and 2028 would make sense. However, if the Patriots send a 2028 first-round pick, it makes the rest of the trade package easier. After all, Brown is worth a first-round pick and the 2028 NFL Draft is two years away.

If New England ultimately voids the deal, Brown will join Dobbs, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins, Demario Douglas and Elton Chism in the wide receiver room. This is a big upgrade heading into the 2025-26 NFL season, as Stefon Diggs took over as the Patriots’ WR1. In this scenario, Diggs would be the replacement as the WR2 behind Brown in New England.

The Patriots and Eagles will likely have to wait another month, but a Browns trade should come closer.

READ MORE: New England Patriots trade rumors: NFL officials expected to transfer AJ Brown

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

of the armory Cristian Mosquera has dismissed claims of increasing pressure in the title race.

The Gunners now top the table, three points ahead of second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

Arsenal have faced tough performances in their last seven matches, losing four. This included a defeat to Manchester City in the EFL Cup, a defeat against Southampton in the FA Cup and two defeats in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side have three points from their last three league matches.

The Premier League team is also in the race to win the Champions League. They will face Atletico Madrid in the European semi-finals.

The first leg will take place in Madrid on Wednesday. Before this clash, Monday’s edition As Has published an interview with Cristian Mosquera.

Arsenal not under pressure

The newspaper asked the 21-year-old about the team’s morale as the pressure mounts after a ‘complex few weeks’.

While reacting to that, Cristian Mosquera sends a message to his Arsenal teammates.

“Well, despite the noise that has been going on outside and that is continuing, inside the dressing room we are calm and confident that our work will bring the reward we want.” He said.

“It’s time to step up and show that character. Look at these upcoming matches with the best possible approach. That’s how we’ll tackle them.”

When asked if there was ‘a lot of nervousness or tension’ at Arsenal, Mosquera explained: “I don’t think so. Many things are said from the outside until they seem true, but they are not.”

“You hear the word ‘pressure’ a lot, but it’s not pressure at all. As the manager says, this really is an opportunity we want to make history with this club, and we’re taking it with the belief that we can seize it.”

Spain international reveals Atletico approach

Cristian Mosquera graduated from Valencia’s youth system. He spent four years with their first team and left them for Arsenal in July 2025. Atletico Madrid had tried to sign him a year before that.

AS asked him about these links, and he said: “It’s true that there were some rumors.”

“My agent handles everything related to my future, and unless there is something very concrete, I tell him not to tell me anything, so he is the one managing it. But it is true that there was some contact with Atlético.”

Arsenal’s remaining matches

Emirates Club has four matches left in the Premier League and will have at least two matches in the Champions League.

Arsenal’s fixture list is as follows:

• atlético madrid [away] on 29th April
• v arsenal [home] on 2 may
• atlético madrid [home] on 5 may
• vs west ham united [away] on 10th may
• v burnley [home] tbd
• V Crystal Palace [away] on 24th may

Several new reports have emerged regarding several NXT stars moving to the main roster and a WWE veteran switching brands.

With WrestleMania 42 officially behind the scenes, it’s time for WWE to move on to new storylines and roster adjustments on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown. Often, this is the period when the company returns with the annual draft. However, it is unclear when or if this will happen even after it is abandoned in 2025.

Still, there has been a notable influx of talent on both rosters over the past few months. Artists like Oba Femi, Trick Williams, Page and Royce Keys. Well, it looks like the new additions to the main roster won’t be slowing down any time soon.

After former NXT Champion Ethan Page debuted on Raw this week, Wrestle Votes reports that one-time TNA Champion Joe Hendry is expected to move to the red brand soon, after some initial speculation that he could move to SmackDown. The former NXT Champion was defeated decisively by Keanu Culver on this week’s episode of NXT.

There are also rumors that one-time NXT and North American Champion Ricky Saints could be moved to the main roster. BodySlam+ claims there have been discussions about a move, but The CW Network has told WWE they would like at least one notable veteran as a top star for the brand on their airwaves. Therefore, The Saints may stick around in NXT for some time.

Could Rey Mysterio be moved to SmackDown?

Hendry, Saints and Page aren’t the only NXT stars in discussion or joining the main roster. According to Wrestle Votes, longtime NXT Women’s Champion Jessie Jayne has also been talked about as a name to add to the SmackDown roster during creative meetings.

Jayne is the longest-tenured member of the NXT roster after debuting with the black-and-gold brand in the summer of 2021. Along with being a two-time Women’s Champion, she is also a former tag team titlist.

The Wrestle Votes report also reveals that WWE creative is considering bringing in Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio. The wrestling legend is currently a member of the Raw roster, and is reportedly considering the possibility of a move to SmackDown soon.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Paige has opened up about the unexpected series of events that led to her WWE return, revealing that Jelly Roll played a direct role in starting the negotiations and that Nick Khan laid out two non-negotiable conditions before any deal could go forward. Paige shared details during a new episode of What’s Your Story with Stephanie McMahon.

The road to returning to WWE began with a live recording of Jelly Roll’s Wife Bunny’s podcast, where Page was a guest along with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s agent Brad Slater. Jelly Roll used that moment to directly ask why WWE didn’t bring Paige back. That question set off a chain of events that led to a meeting with Nick Khan being arranged within 30 minutes of Jelly Roll calling.

She said, “I went and met him for about 10 minutes, great guy. I love him. Big fan of his. Very smart.” “He has a business mind. I thought I would be intimidated by him. But getting there, he’s comfortable. He says, ‘Two things – your neck has to be fine and we have to do a drug test.’ I said, ‘Fair enough.’ I said, ‘Hey, I can handle the drug testing.’

“I’m clean as a whistle. And so I was like, ‘I don’t know what my neck is like. It’s been a few years since I’ve had it checked. Last time I got it checked, it was perfect. So I’m not really worried about it.’ And so, next week I fly to Birmingham.

Given Paige’s history with the company, the personal significance of the drug testing situation was immense. During her first stint in WWE, she failed two drug tests and, by her own admission, was “a little messed up”. Stephanie McMahon said in the episode that there was genuine concern for Paige within WWE at the time, and when Paige first returned in 2017, Stephanie hugged her and said she was glad she was still alive. Paige is now eight years old.

Paige is getting medical clearance

The medical clearance side of the equation required a 10-hour appointment in Birmingham. Paige was medically disqualified from WWE in December 2017 after a match, which revealed the severity of her neck problems, leading to her forced retirement from the company. She later returned to in-ring competition in AEW in 2022, but receiving formal WWE medical clearance was a completely different process. When the results came out she was devastated.

“It was a few things. The fact that my neck was good,” Page said. “And the last time I was in WWE, my neck wasn’t right, and I had to retire. And I had to miss all the big things like the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, all these things I didn’t get a chance to be a part of, even though I was part of the group that helped ignite it, right? And it’s just the fact that I’m going to be OK.”

With both conditions met, Paige entered contract negotiations and was brought back in time for WrestleMania 42, where she teamed with Brie Bella to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Paige stepped in as a replacement for Nikki Bella, who suffered an ankle injury during WrestleMania.

A new report suggests that WWE fans’ outcry about the company’s excessive use of celebrities has scared Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll out of taking part in a planned match next month.

While the Night 2 main event of WrestleMania 42 will be celebrated as a classic, the Night 1 headliner was controversial for many WWE fans. A few weeks before the event, occasional announcer and wrestler Pat McAfee was involved in a storyline between Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. TKO CEO Ari Emanuel reportedly made the random move in an effort to boost sluggish ticket sales for the two-night event.

McAfee’s surprise addition was loudly condemned by WWE fans. However, one reason for the backlash was audiences becoming tired of the company’s excessive use of celebrities at WrestleMania 42. Country music star Jelly Roll made a splash over the past month, and rapper Lil Yachty has been heavily used over the past few weeks.

Pat McAfee faces defeat in the face of WWE fan protests

Well, that loud disappointment has been heard loud and clear, and it looks like WWE fans won’t be seeing McAfee or Jelly Roll again for a very long time. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, McAfee has refused to be the focus of the Night 1 main event and is planning a Rhodes-Jelly Roll vs. Orton-McAfee tag match at Backlash in May.

Meltzer claimed, “The thing is, they were both very aware of what was said about celebrities in wrestling.” “They both love wrestling, and I think they realized there was a lot of negative sentiment about it.”

So if you were one of those passionate fans loudly protesting WWE’s overuse of celebrities, the campaign was successful, and celebrities will be away from the company’s content for a while.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

newcastle united Midfielder Bruno Guimarães has given a candid insight into Brazil’s mentality heading into the World Cup, while also highlighting how the environment at his club is a far cry from the national team setup.

The 28-year-old remains a central figure for both club and country.

Despite currently working on his recovery from injury, he is already a guaranteed starter for Brazil when fully fit. This reflects both his importance to Newcastle and his position in the national team.

In an extensive interview with globo esporte In Brazil, Guimarães addressed a turbulent international cycle, while also making clear that belief within the team remains strong. we’ve already covered The second part of that conversation first.

Bruno Guimarães on Brazil’s confidence and World Cup ambitions

Bruno Guimaraes did not hold back when discussing His commitment to Brazil’s World Cup ambitions. He made it clear that the players see the tournament as the ultimate goal despite recent instability.

“Being Brazilians, we believe in everything. We always have to believe (in the title), and we have already shown that it is possible. We see great players in great form. You know how the World Cup is, it is a small competition. The support of the fans, the energy, the positive messages, it all helps. And we believe until the end.”

He then went on to describe his personal inspiration.

“If it’s up to us players, as I said, for me it’s like the last meal. I would give my life for it. If I had to die on the field for Brazil, I would do it. Because this has always been my biggest dream – to wear the Brazil shirt at the World Cup. If we can become champions, as I really believe, it will be unforgettable.”

The midfielder also stressed the importance of a strong start to the competition.

“This is something we have to pay a lot of attention to. I consider the first game to be fundamental. Starting well, getting three points, boosts confidence. For me, the opening match is the important game in the group.”

Newcastle vs Brazil fixture changes

Bruno Guimarães compared his experience under Eddie Howe at Newcastle to the constant changes in the Brazilian system in recent years.

“It’s very difficult. At Newcastle, they already speak and with a few handshakes we know what needs to change, we understand exactly what he wants. We can adapt more easily.”

He acknowledged that the national team environment has been less stable.

“I think the cycle has been a bit turbulent. There have been many changes, not only of managers but also presidents. A lot has happened, and we are still trying to adapt to Ancelotti as quickly as possible.”

That contrast is important for Newcastle. Guimaraes has developed within a stable tactical structure at St James’ Park, which has helped him become one of the Premier League’s most consistent midfielders.

What does this mean for Newcastle United

For Newcastle, the main thing is that the Guimaraes forward remains fully focused and highly motivated his return from injury.

His comments highlight his leadership role and mindset. Even while being sidelined, he is thinking about key moments for both club and country.

If his recovery goes well, Newcastle will get back a player who will not only set the pace in midfield but also bring intensity and responsibility in big matches.

That’s why both Eddie Howe and Brazil see him as indispensable at a crucial period.

A new rumor claims that long before the Cincinnati Bengals traded for Dexter Lawrence, they were eyeing a deal for the star defensive lineman. However, the deal fell apart for a very special reason.

Last week, the Bengals shocked many in the NFL when they gave up their chance to make the 10th selection in this week’s NFL Draft to acquire defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants. The three-time Pro Bowler was disgruntled and was coming off a poor season, so many thought the Giants would be lucky if they got a second-rounder for his services.

Whether you like the cost of the trade or not, the Bengals are still significantly better off on defense for 2026. They desperately needed to do something, especially after losing Trey Hendrickson to division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.

Reports indicate that the Lawrence trade came together quickly. So did the Bengals have someone else in mind to trade with their pick at No. 10? According to Essential Sports NFL insider Tony Pauline, the answer is yes.

The Cincinnati Bengals attempted to trade for Max Crosby.

“Sources told me that long before the Bengals traded the draft’s 10th pick to the Giants for Lawrence, the team had discussed trading that selection to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby. But the Bengals were unwilling to match the pair of first-round picks that the Ravens initially sent to Vegas for Crosby before a failed physical deal voided the deal.”

Landing the five-time Pro Bowler would have been a huge accomplishment and would have given Bengals fans hope of winning an AFC North title in 2026. Additionally, in addition to being an elite pass rusher who is still only 28 years old, he comes in at a reasonable rate and is set to make an average of $28 million through 2029.

After Crosby failed his physical, pundits claimed it would be difficult for Las Vegas to acquire two first-rounders in another deal this offseason. They were right.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

last September, armory Lucas Nygaard was allowed to join Brambrandt IF on a season-long loan deal.

The 19-year-old came up through FC Nordsjælland’s youth system but did not get the chance to make his debut for their senior team.

In January 2024, FC Nordsjælland released him and he remained without a club until Arsenal signed him in July 2024.

last june the goalkeeper said He was in talks with the Premier League side to move on loan and three months later, he secured a loan move to Brabrand IF.

Andreas Rasch-Christensen, sporting director of the second division Danish club, Told how his side was secured His services on a temporary deal.

Stomper’s league statistics this season are as follows:

• Appearances: 7
• Total minutes: 585
• Clean sheets: 1
• Targets accepted: 14

Arsenal officials visit Denmark

tip sheet It is now reported that Gunners officials will soon travel to Denmark to decide on Lucas Nygaard’s future after this season.

The loan with the Danish club lasts until the end of this season, without any option or obligation to buy.

Mikel Arteta’s side have already met him twice in Denmark and will soon make a third visit. Brabbrand IF’s sporting director Andreas Rasch-Christensen confirmed this during an interview with Tipsbladet.

“He plans to travel very soon. They’re following him and having regular conversations with our goalkeeping coach and staff, I think, to figure out what their plans should be with him,” He said.

On the Denmark U19 international’s loan cycle so far, Rash-Christensen explained: “Lucas has done well in many ways. First and foremost, he fits in really well as a person, and he’s thriving. The collaboration has been sensible, and I also think he’s managed to develop in the right direction.”

Officials are ready to extend the Arsenal player’s temporary stay beyond this season but are unsure about the Gunners’ plans.

“We’re really happy to have him here, and I’m certainly open to conversations about further progress. I think he’s doing well and would love to make a loan like this.” He added.

“It remains to be seen whether it is realistic. It has not been discussed with Arsenal yet, but I can imagine that Arsenal have some plans for him. In any case, we are certainly not interested.”

Our opinion: Arsenal will approve another loan

Barring a surprise twist, Mikel Arteta will not include Lucas Nygaard in his plans at Arsenal next season.

Therefore, a loan move would be beneficial for the stopper. It is unclear whether the north London club plans to keep him or send him on loan to Brabrand IF or another club.

A new rumor suggests that a pair of elite NBA coaches have already become the Portland Trail Blazers’ official replacements for Chauncey Billups.

There were dark clouds over the trail blazers They had their season hanging from day one when former head coach Billups was implicated in a wild POKEr-rigging plan. However, interim head coach Tiago Splitter did an impressive job controlling the drama. Leading them to a 42-40 record and their first trip to the playoffs since 2021.

A major reason for this is former Washington Wizards lottery pick Deni Avdija having a career year. The 25-year-old leads the team in scoring (24.2 ppg) and dropped 41 in their play-in win last week. His series with the San Antonio Spurs should be fun while it lasts, but either way, Splitter has earned the chance to keep his job permanently. However, it seems that hasn’t impressed his boss Tom Dundon.

The team’s new owner has developed a negative reputation among Blazers fans in just one month of his ownership, with some financially conservative – or cheap – decisions. They opted to save money by not having two-way players travel for their first two playoff games on the road. They will not be giving away free t-shirts for their home postseason matchups this week. And Dundon also reportedly doesn’t want to pay his next head coach more than $1.5 million annually.

Michael Malone and Tom Thibodeau turned down Trail Blazers jobs?

Additionally, he tried and failed to secretly search for a new head coach and general manager. According to The Athletic, Dundon once approached Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone as well as former New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau about becoming his next head coach.

Malone had to fill the same role in college for ACC powerhouse North Carolina. And the report said Thibodeau “is no longer a candidate.” The Trail Blazers still have a rebuilding roster with a lot of potential. Both have shown the ability to consistently turn a team into playoff contenders. However, each has an impressive resume, and $1.5 million per year wouldn’t even come close to securing their services.

One has to assume that if Dundon didn’t want to be paid more than that per year, both proven veteran NBA coaches immediately passed on the idea when the contract figures came out. While Dundon doesn’t seem to be impressed enough with Splitter to make him the full-time head coach, he does seem to be the best option for them.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

A new rumor points to the All-Star being the Golden State Warriors’ top target this summer. However, there is one important hurdle that must be overcome first.

After entering the season as a secret contender in the West, injuries to Golden State’s top two players completely derailed their NBA Finals aspirations. Finishing the season with a 37-45 record and missing the playoffs guarantees that change is definitely coming for the Warriors this offseason.

Over the past few weeks, rumors and speculation have been rife that NBA greats like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard will be on the team’s radar. But who’s really at the top of their wish list? A new report has shed new light on that question.

“League sources say the Warriors were the team that most aggressively traded for the Clippers’ Leonard in the final stretch before the league’s Feb. 5 trade deadline, while the Clippers had already traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac that same week,” Mark Stein reported at Steinline.

Why will Kawhi Leonard be the Warriors’ top target this summer?

The Warriors reportedly made a play for James in a trade a few years ago. He has also been viewed as a top contender if he tests free agency this offseason. Golden State was reportedly very aggressive in looking for an Antetokounmpo trade even before the deadline.

If James does decide to retire this summer he will need to take a significant pay cut to play for the Warriors. While they will have more assets to offer this offseason, if their original trade package wasn’t enough to convince the Milwaukee Bucks in February, will it really be enough in a few months?

Leonard brings a lot of risk. But there is a real possibility that his contract could be voided, and he may be more willing than James to take a discounted rate to play for a contender. Or the Clippers may want to trade him. The cost to acquire the seven-time All-Star would be much lower than that of Antetokounmpo due to Leonard’s age and long injury history.

Considering how hard they were going after him before the trade deadline, it would make a lot of sense for Leonard to be the Warriors’ top target in the offseason. However, Steen noted a major obstacle in the pursuit of Leonard or any experienced star.

He wrote, “However, whether the Warriors re-emerge as a contender will depend on whether Steve Kerr returns as Golden State’s coach after 12 seasons.” “If Kerr is rehired as the coach of this team, it would be a very strong signal that the Warriors will try to assemble at least one more season of experienced players around Stephen Curry to try to compete. Conversely, if the two sides part ways, it could signal the beginning of a real Bay Area overhaul.”

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Kyle Busch made headlines before this weekend’s NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway by suggesting he could get paid for comments he made earlier in the week about Denny Hamlin. Since Busch’s on-track performance isn’t adding anything to the feud, he’s now working behind the microphone.

In a recent interview, Busch said that Hamlin played the role of the villainous driver who is winning too much. However, they are not talking much, leaving Hamlin to “run his mouth” and say he “might have to face him again here soon” and that Busch has been “washed up” as a driver.

“He has his own podcast and he’s been running his mouth lately so he might be here again soon… He’s been telling me I’m tired and can’t drive anymore.”

RELATED: NASCAR Insider Highlights Kyle Busch’s Options in Free Agency

To set the record straight, Hamlin never said his former partner was washed up or could no longer drive. Instead, on last week’s episode of Actions Detrimental, the driver of the No. 11 car said Busch should “take it better” amid Richard Childress Racing’s ongoing struggles. Hamlin also said that anyone still holding out hope that Busch would regain his former glory as a consistent winner will be “very disappointed” because the 40-year-old “doesn’t know how to get speed out of a Next Gen car on a consistent basis.”

Hamlin, who has scored 12 Cup Series wins since his last trip to Victory Lane in Busch’s No. 8 car, also compared himself to Busch, saying he “can’t catch that guy’s helmet talent-wise”. Apparently, Bush didn’t hear that part of the segment. It’s also notable that when Busch was on the podcast last year, Hamlin credited him with developing his career.

RELATED: Denny Hamlin gives clear message on Kyle Busch’s struggles

Busch also revealed his “hate list” of fellow NASCAR drivers, which includes Carson Hocevar, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski. As with Hamlin, the only problem he may cause for them is when he’s going to lag, and probably not for the first time in that race.

NASCAR statistics support this. Over the last six races, Busch ranks 31st in average finishing position (25), which puts him well behind Hamlin (5.3, second), Keselowski (10.0, sixth), Hocevar (14.3, 13th) and even the struggling Logano (19.8, 21st).

RELATED: Kyle Busch winless streak, what’s happened since and before last win

Even in the last 15 races leading up to Talladega, Busch is 21st in average finishing position (20.6), while Hamlin is fifth (11.8), Keselowski is sixth (12.5), Logano is 12th (15.3), and even Hocevar (19.6) is slightly ahead of the future Hall of Famer. None of these drivers can really see Busch as a rival because he is not providing them any competition.

Busch’s frustration with RCR is obvious, but what has brought his struggles even more into the spotlight is that Dillon has been performing better than him this season. Both are forced to deal with RCR providing inadequate support, but the driver of the No. 3 car is handling it better and producing better results.

Notably, Hamlin did not respond to Busch’s weekend comments during Monday’s episode of Actions Detrimental. It will be interesting to see how things play out between the two drivers in the coming weeks, when Hamlin will inevitably tie Busch for a career Cup win and ultimately surpass him this season.

RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series all-time win list, including Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Roman Reigns’ path after WrestleMania 42 is starting to take shape.

According to new information from BodySlam, both Gunther and Oba Femi are expected to be a part of Reigns’ upcoming feud as WWE plans the next phase of their top-tier rivalry following the event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Gunther’s direction holds special significance given the additional sourcing behind it. Dave Meltzer confirmed on Wrestling Observer Radio that a program between Reigns and Gunther has been discussed internally as a major direction for the company moving forward, aligning with BodySlam’s reporting and suggesting that the idea has real traction behind the scenes rather than being early-stage speculation.

Gunther comes off the back of facing Seth Rollins on Night One at WrestleMania 42, and an event with Reigns would represent one of the most high-profile matchups WWE could do, given the star power of both sides. The two haven’t feuded in a long time, and with Reigns continuing to work at the top of the card, Gunther’s situation makes him the logical next target.

Meanwhile, Oba Femi has been one of WWE’s most aggressively rising stars over the past year. His WrestleMania 42 match against Brock Lesnar at Night 2 represented a test for the former NXT Champion, and a feud with Reigns would be the next step in establishing him as a legitimate top-tier presence on the main roster. Perhaps, WWE will also consider making him Reigns’ last challenger and potentially surpassing Reigns to win the title in the next months.

No timeline for any feuds has been publicly confirmed, and it is unclear in what order WWE moves these events. What the reporting indicates is that WWE already has a clear vision of how Reigns fits into the landscape beyond WrestleMania, with two of the company’s most interesting available opponents already identified as part of that picture.

A week after YouTuber Cletus McFarland was denied entry into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Talladega Superspeedway this upcoming weekend, he has now revealed when he will next get the chance to drive an O’Reilly car for Richard Childress Racing.

McFarland announced on Instagram Monday afternoon that he will drive the No. 33 car for RCR in the Sports Illustrated Resorts 250 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30.

“Look guys, your boy is going back to O’Reilly Racing. On May 30, I’ll be in the No. 33.”

Cleetus McFarland announced he will compete in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on May 30 at Nashville Superspeedway.

McFarland, age 31, made his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut on April 4 in the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 at Rockingham Speedway. He struggled in qualifying, posting the fourth slowest lap time, and found himself at the back of the field for most of the race. However, he avoided the wreck and finished the day in 32nd, with NASCAR drivers praising him for being successful throughout the race.

NASCAR ultimately determined that he had not performed adequately despite having enough time to prepare for the race at Talladega in the upcoming AG-Pro 300 on Saturday. Instead, his next opportunity to drive came last weekend in the ARCA Menards Series at Kansas Speedway.

RELATED: NASCAR’s schedule for Talladega this week

While McFarland only finished 20th, he ran much better than the No. 30 car. He demonstrated the ability to make passes on the outside, weaving his way through the field to reach seventh place with 41 laps to go, and he was in 10th place with 25 laps to go in the race. Unfortunately, the engine explodes and he is forced to rescue her to avoid an accident.

McFarland continues to earn praise from fellow drivers and NASCAR media members for his dedication to improving his craft, devoting significant time to learning in the simulator and gaining insight from his teammates.

He will now have six weeks to prepare for the O’Reilly Series race at Nashville, another opportunity to gain experience in the car. While McFarland will almost certainly finish at the back of the field in the Sports Illustrated Resorts 250, NASCAR and the CW Network will get great TV ratings from it, and the race will help him improve even more moving forward.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

With only two quarterbacks on their roster, the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to add another quarterback at some point in the 2026 NFL Draft. Although there is a strong possibility that Aaron Rodgers will return for a second season as the Steelers’ starting QB, he is also 42 years old, having played half his life in the NFL (21 seasons). It’s possible that Rodgers eventually decides to retire, even if many don’t expect it.

Either way, right now the Steelers have Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, both sixth-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Another must be added; The question is who?

recently, athleticSteelers insider Mike DeFabo reports that Pittsburgh “probably backs” Miami (FL) QB Carson Beck.

DeFabo wrote, “Of the quarterbacks listed, Beck will be the one who best checks every box.” “Having thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of the last three seasons, he is a high-floor QB; Allard is a high-ceiling passer if someone can help translate his attributes into on-field production. For this reason, the Steelers will likely favor the long-armed, big-handed Miami QB in the middle rounds.”

The Steelers have the 21st overall pick in the first round of the draft, but they will not use that selection on Beck, who is not expected to be drafted until day two at the earliest. Still, since the Steelers enter the draft with an NFL-high 12 selections, they will have plenty of opportunities to get their QB.

RELATED: Pittsburgh Steelers not confident about Pro Bowler Aaron Rodgers’ return

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

After 23XI Racing effectively won its lawsuit against NASCAR, securing a permanent charter and a large financial settlement, the team’s focus turned to re-signing Tyler Reddick. With contract negotiations stretching into the season, the new asking price could be staggering.

Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern reported this week that industry executives have estimated that Reddick’s demands in the NASCAR Fool’s Season could push his contract demand to as much as $7 million per season.

RELATED: NASCAR Power Rankings after Bristol, see where Tyler Reddick lands

It’s not hard to see why there could be an intense bidding war for Redick. Not only is 23XI Racing looking to bring him back to the No. 45 car long-term, but Hendrick Motorsports is also likely to have the No. 48 car available.

Bowman’s contract year has been derailed by vertigo, which has kept him out of four races, effectively leaving him with no realistic shot at making The Chase. He was already viewed as the hot seat entering the season, Hendrick wanted to find a driver who could give him another Cup Series championship contender.

RELATED: Denny Hamlin Addresses Tyler Reddick’s Future With 23XI

With the two teams making the most money, Reddick could use 23XI and Hendricks against each other to generate bigger offers. He’s also ready to hit the open market at just the right time in his Cup Series career.

It certainly would have been cheaper for 23XI to sign Redick to an extension before the season. He was coming off a winless season, seemingly taking a step back from winning the team’s first regular season cup title. Fast forward to now, he has made more team history.

Reddick became the first 23XI driver to win the Daytona 500 and the first driver to win three consecutive Cup Series races. Even before April hit, he broke the team’s single-season wins record with four trips to Victory Lane.

Realistically, 23XI will sign Redick to a new contract before the summer ends, and that could be followed by an announcement later this year that top prospect Corey Haim will replace Riley Herbst in the No. 35 car next season. In all likelihood, 23XI will have a three-driver team of Reddick, Hamm and Bubba Wallace in the near future.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

In an ideal world, New York Giants decision-makers reportedly hope Jeremiah Love is still on the board when they make the No. 5 pick next week. However, if he doesn’t, they have three backup plans in mind.

There has been much speculation about what the Giants will do with the fifth overall selection in next week’s NFL Draft. Early mock drafts linked Big Blue to talented Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. And when new head coach John Harbaugh was asked about his choice to select him in Round 1, he even called him a potential Hall of Famer.

Still, while the coach is a fan of Downs, it seems a different player is at the top of his wish list. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, “Coach Harbaugh and the Giants in particular are heavily dependent on Jeremiah Love. If he’s available, it’s hard to see them passing up that opportunity.”

New York Giants like to trade back in Round 1

There have been previous reports that, despite Cam Scatebo being there, the Giants brass were very interested in the Notre Dame running back and Heisman Trophy finalist. Unfortunately for New York, it looks likely that the Tennessee Titans will take him at No. 4. So what do they do if he’s no longer available?

According to Giants Insider, Downs and his OSU teammate Sonny Styles are the other players “highest on their radar” with the fifth overall selection. Still, a pick among the five is not considered an “ideal” scenario by Harbaugh and the front office.

“In an ideal world, the Giants would like to move back a few spots, add more picks (they have just two in the top 100), and draft a player like Caleb Downs. But that’s easier said than done,” Raanan reports.

In just less than a week, Giants fans will find out which direction the team goes with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

With Danhausen becoming one of WWE’s more popular talents, a new rumor suggests the company has some big plans for him at WrestleMania 42 this weekend.

The former AEW wrestler’s debut at Elimination Chamber in February did not go as well as expected, as he received a lukewarm reception from WWE fans in Chicago. However, this may have been a good thing as it lowered expectations. Since that moment, the unique comic character has quickly endeared himself to disaffected fans.

Now, the man known for cursing his enemies is quite excited for his first WrestleMania. Although he does not have an official match on the card, there has been much speculation on how he may be used during the two-night event.

Will Danhausen meet John Cena at WrestleMania?

On Friday, we got some new information about WWE’s Danhausen plans for this weekend via BodySlam+. According to the outlet, the wrestling version of Dracula won’t just make a one-time appearance during WrestleMania. In fact, the company is planning for them to have multiple segments over the course of two nights.

Yet that was not the most interesting part of the intelligence. BodySlam+ also reports that one of those segments will see Danhausen face off against WWE GOAT John Cena, who will host both nights of WrestleMania 42.

While no one had Danhausen and Cena in the ring on their bingo card following their retirement in December, they could have finally delivered one of the most memorable moments of WrestleMania 42.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

A New York Jets insider this week revealed the unexpected reason why the team prefers to use the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft on David Bailey instead of Arvel Reese.

After another disappointing season in 2025, the Jets are in good position heading into next week’s draft. While they don’t have the No. 1 overall pick at the event, they might as well as the Las Vegas Raiders are set to take quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top pick in Round 1. This allows the Jets to select the most talent-rich player available this year.

There is a lot of speculation about who that player will be. However, most mock drafts and expert opinions point to the Jets selecting Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey or his Ohio State counterpart Arvel Reese. The reason a lot of people are divided on them is the perception that Bayley is better right now, with Reese having a much better fit.

Well, it seems like the Jets’ decision makers aren’t thinking long term and want to get better immediately after a three-win season.

Do the New York Jets want David Bailey because he can make an impact quickly?

During a new appearance on the gang is all here podcast, Jets insider Brian Costello claimed that many around the NFL are convinced Bailey will be the choice for two reasons. First of all, Glenn is feeling the pressure of losing his job and needs a player who can be very good now, not later. The second reason is that Bailey is a “plug-and-play” talent. On the other hand, it is unclear where Reese will play in the NFL as an EDGE or outside linebacker.

Costello believes it would be a poor decision by Glenn and management to draft a player based on what they can do for them now rather than in the long term. However, this is the opinion of sources around the NFL as to how the Jets’ brain trust will view this incident.

Jets fans will find out which way the team goes during the first day of the 2026 NFL Draft next week.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos