The 2026 PGA Championship came to a close on Sunday, and in a fitting ending, Aaron Rae was victorious at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania.

Despite challenging conditions on Friday, Rai managed to overcome the odds and hoist the Wanamaker Trophy.

Here are the 10 winners and losers of the 2026 PGA Championship.

Winner: Aaron Rae, PGA Championship winner

Aaron Rae won a major championship for the first time in his career. His best performance in a major before Sunday was T19 on three separate occasions. Rai, who is known for wearing golf gloves on both hands, recorded four birdies on the back nine for a final round 65. His round was sealed with a 68-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th.^th To take a three-shot lead. It was his second PGA Tour win and his first since winning the 2024 Windham Championship. Roy is also the first Englishman since 1919 to win the PGA Championship.

Also read: 2026 PGA Championship: 10 key stories to watch in Aronimink

Loser: Alex Smalley

Despite a 54-hole lead, Alex Smalley was unable to hold the lead and win the Wanamaker Trophy, finishing runner-up, three shots behind Rae. Smalley didn’t get off to a good start with a double bogey on the par-4 sixth and a bogey on the par-3 sixth. However he responded with birdie on the par-5 ninth and eagle on the par-5^th 16^thThis was not enough to get the job done. However, he recorded his best major performance on Sunday.

Winner: Jon Rahm

Since leaving the PGA Tour and moving to LIV Golf, Jon Rahm has struggled in four major championships. Despite finishing in the top 10 at the PGA Championship and US Open last year, he did not compete in any of the eight majors. Rahm closed his 10^th PGA Championship runner-up and tied with Smalley. Despite two birdies on the first two holes, he had two bogeys on the next five holes.

Also read: 8 LIV stars we can’t wait to return to the PGA as new rumors emerge over the death of the Saudi league

Winner: Justin Thomas

The two-time PGA Championship winner came close to victory again. Justin Thomas, who hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy in 2017 and 2022, recorded a final round of 65 and finished fourth. Had he not shot a 2-over 72 on Saturday, it might have been a different story for the Alabama alumnus. Thomas also recorded his best performance this season at Aronimink Golf Club this week. After an early bogey on the third hole, he made six birdies the rest of the way to record his fourth top 10 at the PGA Championship.

Loser: Crowded Leaderboard

For those hoping someone would open early on a Sunday or Saturday, you didn’t find one. After Friday, when the field was halved, there were more than 50 players within six shots of the lead, making it possible for anyone to win the PGA Championship. As a result, the championship storyline progressed to Sunday before Rai won.

Winner: Ludwig Aberg

Since his 2024 Masters runner-up finish, Ludwig Aberg has not been able to reach that contention level with four missed cuts. However, on Sunday, Aberg returned to that form, finishing tied for fourth at 5-under par. This included three consecutive rounds under par on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. His top-five finish this week is his fifth in the last seven starts, not including last week’s T8 at the Truist Championship.

Winner: Kurt Kitayama

Although Kurt Kitayama was in contention on Sunday, Kitayama finished his PGA Championship debut in style. He shot a bogey-free 7-under 63, which included birdies on the first three holes. His score was also the best score of Sunday’s final round. As a result, he finished xx, scoring his first top 10 in a major since the 2023 PGA Championship.

Loser: Bryson DeChambeau

For his second consecutive major championship and third in the last four major championships, Bryson DeChambeau failed to make the weekend. The LIV golf star, who also missed the cut at the Masters last month, shot 6-over in the opening round. It included five bogies and one double bogie. Although he finished his second round with three consecutive birdies, it was not enough.

RELATED: DeChambeau drops bombshell after LIV collapse – is this the end of competitive golf for him?

Winner: Ben Kern

One of the beauties of the PGA Championship is that the PGA of America allows its professionals to compete in major championships. Of the 20 players who qualified for this week’s PGA Championship, Ben Kern was the only PGA Professional to make the cut. Kern, who teaches golf at Hickory Hills Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio, was ranked XX. His tournament was highlighted by recording a 5-under 67 during Friday’s windy conditions, the third-best score in the second round.

Loser: Garrick Higgo

Garrick Higgo was popular on Thursday, but for the wrong reasons. way before and 10^th Tee boxes are set, players remove tees from each hole every five minutes. (Normally on the PGA Tour, players tee off in 10-minute intervals.) However, Higgo, whose tee time was 7:18 a.m., arrived at the tee box a minute late. A delay of more than 60 seconds resulted in a penalty of two strokes. And because of the penalty, he missed the cut by a stroke.

Braven Honda graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in May 2021. During his time at SDSU, … More about Braven Honda

Who won the NASCAR race today? Corey Day held off Justin Allgaier in the closing laps to win Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Dover Motor Speedway. With the race officially over, it’s time to take a look at the results.

Let us bring you the NASCAR results from the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Dover today. We’ll follow up with the total points and full BetRivers 200 results. Also you can find O’Reilly Series Stage Results.

RELATED: NASCAR Truck Series results at Dover

NASCAR OARS Results at Dover: BetRivers 200

Read more: NASCAR prospects whose stock is rising

NASCAR Stage Results Tonight: O’Reilly Series

Here are the results of the NASCAR OARS Stage today at Dover.

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

Sunday’s Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway caused some early chaos due to cautions that took out top drivers like Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Joey Logano. On a day that saw plenty of surprises at the front of the field and in terms of DNFs, there’s a lot to take away.

Let’s take a look at our winners and losers from today’s NASCAR race.

Winner: Chase Elliott takes his second win of 2026

Even if Chase Elliott couldn’t get to victory lane on Sunday, potentially missing out on the win due to a late caution with about 10 laps remaining, it was going to be a great points day. Thanks to the No. 9 team, the work put into building the fastest car at Texas Motor Speedway was rewarded on the final restart as Elliott raced to victory. Elliott has now given himself a nice cushion in the top four of the points table through 11 races.

Loser: Christopher Bell’s bad luck continues in Texas

Texas Motor Speedway has not been kind to Christopher Bell and the No. 20 team. Coming into the Wurth 400, Bell had finished 17th or worse in three of his previous nine races at the track. Things were looking promising early on Sunday, with Bell leading 22 laps and moving closer to the Stage 1 victory. Unfortunately, as he worked to pass teammate Denny Hamlin, Todd Gilliland broke loose and went straight into the No. 20. Bell’s car suffered damage at the end of the race, resulting in a last-place finish at Texas with only 1 point.

Winner: Riley Herbst starts proving she belongs

The day Corey Heim led 69 laps, rekindling calls for him to get a full-time ride with 23XI Racing next season, Riley Herbst needed a strong performance at Texas Motor Speedway. mission accomplished. Herbst scored 3 stage points in the second stage and secured his third top-20 finish of the season. While we believe Heim will drive the No. 35 car for 23XI next season, Herbst is doing enough to potentially earn a ride with Legacy Motor Club in 2026.

Loser: Fate got Joey Logano’s number 22

The day didn’t start well for Joey Logano, who finished 23rd in Stage 1. Fortune seemed to be on their side, however, when on lap 94, William Byron spun out and Logano narrowly avoided colliding with the No. 24 car. After a few moments, fate found him. Coming out of his pit box, Logano hit Cole Custer hard in the back when the No. 41 stopped on pit road to try to let Ty Gibbs out so he could get into his pit stall. The driver of the No. 22 car had his front end torn off by the impact, ending his day in 37th place.

Winner: Eric Jones delivers season-best points day

Coming into today’s NASCAR race, Erik Jones had not scored more than 16 points in last month’s race. He was losing 14 points in three consecutive races and after the first caution in Stage 1, thanks to the No. 43 team’s strategy, Jones took his first Cup Series stage win of the year and finished the day in 12th place with a season-best 35 points.

Loser: Ryan Blaney’s Pit Road Experience

The good news for the No. 12 team is that this time the pit crew was not at fault. Ryan Blaney lost 11 places on his first pit stop in the Wurth 400 because his car left the pit box and stalled when he put it in the wrong gear. It came after Blaney had earned double-digit placings after poor qualifying on Saturday. Unfortunately, the problem with qualifying poorly is that it leaves you with one of the last options for a pit stall. He later came back to bite Blaney. When Erik Jones came into his pit stall in an awkward position, Blaney had to retreat after his stop to turn the car around. It’s been that kind of season for Blaney on pit road. What’s remarkable, and a testament to Blaney, is that despite all this he’s still ranked 10th.

Winner: Alex Bowman Getting Back on Track

We still believe the chances of Alex Bowman appearing on The Chase are next to zero. That said, the driver of the No. 48 car has shown since his return why he could be the best option for Hendrick Motorsports next season. A third-place finish at Talladega gave Bowman a ninth-place finish on Saturday, giving him his second consecutive top-10 finish. He has scored 72 points over the last two races, which is a great score for someone who only had 24 points upon his return to Kansas Speedway a few weeks ago.

Loser: Kyle Larson has another bad day

The reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion comes to Texas Motor Speedway with two DNFs this season and three finishes of 32nd or worse in 11 races. Unfortunately for Kyle Larson, the No. 5 car had more problems on Sunday. He was already having trouble handling the car and then he lost it while taking a roundabout to take caution. Damage to No. 5 forced him behind the wall for repairs, resulting in him falling out of the top 30 for the fourth time this season.

Winner: Daniel Suarez leaves Trackhouse in the rearview

All three Trackhouse Racing drivers finished outside the top 15 in today’s NASCAR race at Texas. Meanwhile, the driver they didn’t want scored his third top-10 finish of the season through just 11 races. After qualifying in second place on Saturday, Daniel Suárez earned 5 stage points in Stage 2 and remained in the top-10 for sixth place for the rest of the day. Suarez is clearly demonstrating that he belongs in the Cup Series, which will make things even more interesting when NASCAR’s silly season arrives. It’s also clear at this point that the problem was Trackhouse, not Suarez.

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 Cup Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for its 11th points race of the season. We’re continuing our weekly NASCAR predictions once again, making our first correct pick for the winning driver of 2026.

Let’s take a look at our Worth 400 predictions. We’ll start with the poll winner and work our way through the stages before predicting who will walk to victory.

Kyle Larson earns pole at Texas

Kyle Larson and the No. 5 team have performed well in qualifying this season, coming to Texas with the second-highest average starting position (7.7) in the Cup Series. However, they have failed to win a single pole in the points race this year. What better time to break that cold streak than at a track where Larson has won pole three times since 2021? As we learned on DBC, there will be a waxing crescent moon this week, so Larson should be able to take advantage in qualifying.

READ MORE: NASCAR Power Rankings before Texas

Austin Cindric wins Stage 1

In the last two trips to Texas Motor Speedway, Austin Cindric and the No. 2 team have had good speed. He finished third in the Wurth 400 and won Stage 1 last year, and last year he posted the second-best average lap time (29.2 seconds). We’re projecting Cindric to put up one of the five best lap times on Saturday and then carry it to the Stage 1 victory.

RELATED: NASCAR weekend schedule at Texas Motor Speedway

christopher bell takes stage 2

Christopher Bell and the No. 20 team need a strong points day at the Wurth 400 this weekend. Bell has finished 17th or worse in the last three races and has not scored 30 points in his last five visits to the track. Considering the widespread belief that true Cup Series championship contenders must finish in the top five in points at the end of the regular season, Bell (ninth place) has some real ground to make up. We’re predicting it will come down to Sunday, with the No. 20 winning Stage 2 (10 points) and finishing in the top five in points that day.

Eric Jones finished in the top 10 in most points scored on the season

Erik Jones had a legitimate chance at a top-five finish before finishing 23rd at Talladega. This was his third consecutive 23rd position. Change is coming to the Wurth 400 this weekend. Jones has three top-10 finishes at Texas since May 2021 and he flourished at this track years ago with Joe Gibbs Racing. After scoring a combined 42 points in the last three races, Jones is looking to score more than 38 points on Sunday.

Chase Briscoe wins the Wurth 400

Chase Briscoe finished 27th at the Wurth 400 in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing last year due to a suspension issue. Before that, he had three top-five finishes here with SHR and the No. 19 team has its own history of excellence in Texas. There have been plenty of downs for Briscoe and JGR in 2026, but the No. 19 has always had momentum. This would be seen once again on Sunday, with Briscoe marching to victory.

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

Who won the NASCAR race today? Conor Zillisch won his first Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, and delivered an iconic moment of his celebration by driving around the track as he got out of the car. This ended a chaotic race in Dega.

After an unexpected incident in Stage 1, “The Big One” came within minutes of the second stage at Degas with a huge crash that took out the likes of Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson. Additionally, penalties kept Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe from finishing in the top 15.

Let’s look at the NASCAR results from Talladega today. We are starting with 500 results for the entire Jack Link including the total points earned in Dega. Also you can find the results of the Cup Series stage today.

RELATED: Huge NASCAR wreck at Talladega Superspeedway

Jack Link’s 500 Results at Talladega

Here are the NASCAR results from Talladega Superspeedway.

RELATED: NASCAR O’Reilly Series results at Talladega Superspeedway

NASCAR results today: Cup Series stage results at Talladega

Here are today’s NASCAR stage winners and Cup Series stage results for the Jack Link 500.

Official standings for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series straight after Talladega

Who won the NASCAR race at Talladega?

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

Who won the NASCAR race today? Corey Day scored his first career win at Talladega after a back-and-forth in the closing laps in which Jesse Love lost the lead, setting off a battle between Creed, Corey Day and Sam Mayer that ended with a loss behind the leaders.

At the track known for “The Big One”, there was early chaos in Saturday’s O’Reilly Series race, with rookie Patrick Staropoli pushed loose during check-up and hitting the wall for race-changing damage on the first lap. After that, Talladega displayed some excellent racing with wild battles from start to finish.

RELATED: NASCAR starting lineup for Sunday’s Cup Series race

Let’s look at the AG-Pro 300 results from Dega. We’ll start with full race results and points totals, followed by today’s O’Reilly Series stage results.

NASCAR Results Today: O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Here are the NASCAR O’Reilly Series results today.

RELATED: NASCAR predictions for Talladega

AG-Pro 300 results: O’Reilly Series stage results today at Talladega

Here are the AG-Pro stage results from today’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Degas.

Official 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Series standings now

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 first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night always attracts the most attention, especially when you get as many surprises as we saw last night. However, every year it is the second day that proves to be the most meaningful as this is where many of the gems are found.

Let’s take a look at our winners and losers for Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Winner: Buffalo Bills

If the Buffalo Bills had taken Clemson edge defender TJ Parker with their first round pick, he would have received a B- grade. Although he is not an exceptional athlete, the 6-foot-3 athlete knows how to win with his strength, and his arm length and hand usage make him very effective in penetrating the backfield. Parker also provides a relentless motor, and it shows him being a capable run defender. So, Buffalo got a potential talent and upside pick in the first round, and they snagged him in the second round after falling three times and adding a ton of picks on days two and three.

RELATED: Winners, losers from Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft

Loser: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

The last two nights have been a reminder of how one injury can erase everything for such a promising talent. Back to December 2024: Jermod McCoy is coming off an All-American season and is projected to be a top 10 pick each year. Then he injured his knee during offseason workouts and everything derailed. He’ll miss the entire 2025 season, and reports came out last night that NFL teams are very concerned about a “bone plug used to repair a cartilage defect” in the same knee. The fear is that he will need another surgery in the future. The surgery will end the season and some even fear it could end his career.

RELATED: Highlights from Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft

Winner: Shadure Sanders, QB, Cleveland Browns

The first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft were not only a vote of confidence from the Cleveland Browns organization in Shedur Sanders, but they are also putting him in a better position to succeed. Todd Monken’s offense now features an explosive receiver who gets open quickly (Casey Concepcion) and a big-bodied wideout who can catch anything thrown in his general direction (Denzel Boston). Oh, Sanders also has a better offensive line to protect him next season. He may not be a long-term starter in Cleveland, but the Browns draft picks in 2026 give Sanders a legitimate chance to prove himself this season.

READ MORE: Fantasy football analysis from Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft

Loser: Jacksonville Jaguars

The good news for the Jacksonville Jaguars is that select tight end Nate Borkircher made a run that forced other teams to take some picks to end Round 2. Borkircher is a solid blocker, and he looks for opportunities to get physical with defenders. The ‘good’ here for Jacksonville is that they got a legitimate TE2 to pair with Brenton Strange. But at what cost? It was a reach with the 56th overall pick. Notably, NFL insiders also told Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson during the other day’s live stream that Boerkircher doesn’t really have size either.

Winner: Terrell Family and Atlanta Falcons

In 2020, the Atlanta Falcons selected cornerback AJ Terrell with the 16th overall pick. Six years later, he’s become one of the franchise’s best players and a stalwart in the secondary, and now he gets a chance to play alongside his younger brother. Avion Terrell would have been a first-round pick if not for the pre-draft process when he ran a 4.64 40-yard dash at his pro day. 40 Don’t let time fool you; He is a very good football player. He also idolizes his brother, wearing his jersey number on his way to the NFL. Now they have the opportunity to be teammates, which is a dream scenario for the entire family. Seeing Terrell get selected and celebrate with his family was one of the best moments in the 2026 NFL Draft, and this selection at 48th overall is excellent value.

Loser: 2026 NFL Draft QB and RB class

Jeremiah Love and Fernando Mendoza were the consensus top-four prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they naturally went in the first three selections. After that, the Ty Simpson selection by the Los Angeles Rams was universally questioned, and the Seattle Seahawks were mocked for using the 32nd overall selection on Jadarion Price. Those prospects were several levels above their peers at quarterback and running back. Carson Beck, who plans to be a career backup, was within reach of the Arizona Cardinals with the 65th overall pick. Additionally, we didn’t see any running backs or quarterbacks between picks 33 to 75. Drew Allar came off the board with the 76th overall pick, but nothing he showed at Penn State suggests the Pittsburgh Steelers will ever be able to magically develop him and really take advantage of his physical tools.

Winner: Philadelphia Eagles

As always, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made magic the other day. The moves also occurred within minutes of each other. In need of a long-term replacement for Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia snatched up Eli Stowers with the 54th overall pick. He doesn’t bring anything in the way of a blocker, but the athleticism he brings at 6-foot-3 is nearly unmatched in this class. Just find ways to get the football in his hands, and he can be dangerous with it. What a strong night for the Eagles front office, but this is the norm for them in the NFL Draft.

Loser: Pittsburgh Steelers

We still don’t believe the Pittsburgh Steelers have a long-term starting quarterback on the roster. Drew Allar boasts the size and arm strength you want, and Mike McCarthy’s track record of getting more out of his young signal-callers at least offers some hope for Allar’s development. That said, this was a three-year starter at Penn State who hasn’t really shown any signs of improvement, and his mechanics are still a mess. We see no reason to believe so; Given the lack of improvement in defensive diagnostics and play within rhythm, we think Elar will be a swing-and-a-miss for Pittsburgh. Additionally, this selection now signals that the team already doesn’t feel Will Howard can be a long-term starter.

Winner: Indianapolis Colts

Dealing without a first-round pick, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard faced extra pressure Friday night because he was on the hot seat. It’s early, but the Colts are poised to be one of the winners of the 2026 NFL Draft. At No. 53, Indianapolis landed a starting off-ball linebacker in C.J. Allen. You can immediately understand why Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo loved Allen, given that he is extremely intelligent and has served as team captain for Georgia’s defense. He will be a liability in pass coverage, which Colts fans are accustomed to, but he is a very smart football player who will make an impact defending the run, and he will make great plays from time to time as a blitzer.

Following that pickup, Indianapolis landed LSU Tigers safety AJ Holsey in Round 3 with the 78th overall pick. He provides good awareness of ball skills to the match. What he brings to the table is ideal for zone coverage, and you can bet Anarumo will allow him to rotate deep and maximize that excellent experience where the football is at all times. The Colts returned two quality defensive starters on day two.

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 first round of the 2026 NFL Draft has concluded, with the top 32 picks yielding a few surprises and a handful of trades. Although the real results for these teams and players won’t come for years, it’s always fun to have some intense reactions.

Let’s take a look at our winners and losers from the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Winner: New York Giants

It’s highly unlikely the New York Giants have their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft looking this way. Many viewed All-American linebacker Arvel Reese as the second-best player in the class. If he doesn’t finish second overall, he won’t finish outside the top four. When they were on the clock with the fifth overall pick, New York wasted little time in turning over the cards. What they’ve got is an edge player with an even higher ceiling than Abdul Carter, and he’s far more well-rounded. New York has built a pass-rushing trio of Carter, Reese and Brian Burns that can absolutely wreak havoc in Denard Wilson’s system.

Once that was added, the Giants’ focus turned to helping Jackson Dart and Cam Scatebo. There is a little medical risk with Francis Mauigoa, but he is arguably the best offensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft. New York has the option to kick him inside to save, where he could be a phenomenal starter. This is also just a backup plan if he doesn’t excel at right tackle. Great teams invest in the trenches, and New York did that tonight and got great value as well.

Loser: Arizona Cardinals

We saw Jeremiah Love as the best player in the 2026 NFL Draft. He comes in and immediately becomes one of the best NFL running backs right now; As a prospect, he’s just one level below Bijan Robinson. The problem is that the right side of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line is abysmal, and they don’t have a viable quarterback that defenses have to actually respect, let alone fear. This is also ignoring the fact that Arizona signed Tyler Allger this offseason and even worked out a deal to retain James Conner. This pick is reminiscent of the Las Vegas Raiders drafting Ashton Jeanty and effectively wasting the first year of his rookie contract. Oh, let’s also take into account the contract value along with the fact that the contract for the third overall pick would make Love the seventh-highest paid receiver in the NFL. We don’t like the idea of ​​the Tennessee Titans taking Love; This is even worse.

RELATED: 2026 Dynasty Positional Rankings

Winner: Dallas Cowboys

A dream scenario for the Dallas Cowboys. There is a legitimate possibility that All-American safety Caleb Downs was rated as a top-three prospect on the Cowboys draft board. He is the do-it-all defensive player this franchise has needed for over a decade. The instincts he brings to the table are phenomenal, and his football IQ – there’s no better way to highlight the fact that he was a standout starter as a true freshman in Nick Saban’s defense. Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker needed a star who could be the focal point of his secondary; This selection completes that. In three years, we’ll probably be talking about Downs as one of the best safeties in the NFL and one of the biggest reasons for the remarkable defensive turnaround in Dallas.

Loser: Matthew Stafford and the 2026 Los Angeles Rams

The thinking going into this offseason was that the Los Angeles Rams were set to make a run at the Super Bowl next season. A few weeks after Matthew Stafford committed to return in 2026, Les Snead traded a first-round pick for Trent McDuffie and then signed Jaylen Watson to play boundary cornerback. They all suggested the Rams would use the 13th overall pick on a wide receiver, right tackle or another defender. Instead, Snead and head coach Sean McVay took quarterback Ty Simpson.

Obviously, Simpson won’t see the field in 2026 unless disaster strikes for Los Angeles. This in itself, without any additional context, is a good thing as he has only 15 career starts and is not even close to being NFL ready. In fact, that’s one reason why many don’t see him as a legitimate first-round talent, even in a draft class that’s relatively weak. The Rams took him 13th overall. Stafford must be disappointed; Los Angeles made a move that took it no closer to winning the Lombardi Trophy. As far as the Rams’ future goes, there’s still a very good chance Simpson ends up being a league-average starter.

RELATED: Los Angeles Rams surprise draft of Ty Simpson

Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers probably dreamed of a night like this during the pre-draft process. Ahead of the NFL Combine, Miami edge rusher Reuben Benn Jr. was viewed as a consensus top-10 prospect, who could even be a top-five pick. His stock then declined slightly due to his short arms, and it is fitting that there is no modern example of an edge rusher with sub-31 inch arms who has recorded double-digit sacks in a season in the NFL. That said, what Bane showed in some of Miami’s biggest games, coupled with his winning ways, led us to believe he could be a standout player. The Buccaneers have been in desperate need of a true No. 1 edge rusher for several years, and they finally have one.

Loser: Jermod McCoy

An injury can change everything for a young player, which is what makes the NIL era so big. Jermod McCoy was an All-American cornerback in 2024 and tore his ACL during a workout a month later. He sat out the 2025 season and this allowed him to be healthy for the pre-draft process, regaining his status as a top 10 prospect. Unfortunately, reports have indicated that McCoy may need knee surgery for a second time and how much he will be able to play in 2026 is now a real question. Due to this, he was eliminated from Round 1. It was an incredibly tough night for McCoy and clearly the road ahead looks like a long one for him.

Winner: Cleveland Browns

A great night for the Cleveland Browns. Seeing an opportunity to trade down from the sixth overall pick, while still getting his guy, Andrew Berry took the 74th and 178th picks overall. He still got the guy he wanted, offensive tackle Spencer Fano, 10th overall. He’s a plug-and-play starter, even though we don’t know what position he’ll take on the Browns’ offensive line. Cleveland desperately needed to strengthen their pass protection, and adding Fano does just that, while also adding a third-round pick to go with it.

Later in Round 1, Cleveland helped Chedure Sanders even more. While Casey Concepcion may never be a No. 1 wide receiver, his playmaking with the ball in his hands is reminiscent of Jaylen Waddle. He’s also a weapon as a returner. Cleveland rebuilt its offensive line this offseason and now has an offensive core of Concepcion, Quinshawn Judkins, Isaiah Bonds and Harold Fannin Jr. This franchise is really building a better long-term infrastructure for its franchise quarterback, whether that’s long-term.

Loser: Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers spent the 22nd overall pick on a 25-year-old edge rusher with durability concerns. That’s because of how desperate this team is for pass-rushing help, especially with defensive wizard Jesse Minter out of the building. Akhim Messidor is a solid player, but prospects with his yellow flags (age and medical) are generally selected in the top-50. Desperation to fill a need and a relatively weak 2026 NFL Draft forced the move. This could work out fine, but it’s really the best-case scenario, and there’s no long-term benefit to it, as Messidor will be close to 30 when his rookie contract expires.

Winner: Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs defense showed off again tonight. If you want to know how much confidence Steve Spagnuolo has in Mansur Delaney, trading up to get him with the ninth overall pick shows it. This is an organization that has a great track record in drafting and developing cornerbacks; Dellen is in the perfect position to be the No. 1 cornerback. Also, unlike Trent McDuffie, Dellen is a much better fit on the perimeter. To top it all off, he knocked out Peter Woods in Round 1. Before a poor season at Clemson, he was viewed as a potential top-five selection. There were still flashes of that ability last season, and now he has the opportunity to learn from Chris Jones. Kansas City will have hit two home runs with its first-round pick tonight, and a new defense is a big step toward returning to Super Bowl contention.

Loser: Seattle Seahawks

It feels like Rashaad Penny all over again. The Seattle Seahawks made it clear to anyone who would listen that they would prefer to trade down from the 32nd overall pick. Why? Because they were in dire need of more draft capital. With all the trades made ahead of him, it seems as if he was taken off the selection board for the team. So, clearly in desperate need of a running back, they reached out to Jadarion Price. He is the clear-cut RB2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, and if he weren’t on the same team with Jeremiah Love he would probably be the starter at many programs. Still, his skill set makes him the best fit for a running back on the committee, and the Seahawks used a first-round pick on him. It’s a baffling choice, and it’s highly likely that this choice will seem even more foolish two years from now.

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

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, the AdventHealth 400, was poised to be the first race of the season without a warning incident. Then with 2 laps remaining, Cody Ware lost control and brought out the first natural caution of the day, sending us to overtime.

Let’s take a look at our winners and losers from today’s NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway.

Winner: Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson has now not won a NASCAR Cup Series race in 11 months, without a trip to 33-race victory lane. It’s certainly disappointing for him, but he won Stage 2 on Sunday, giving him three stage wins in the last three races, and he has earned 39 stage points with third-place (Bristol) and second (Kansas) finishes during this two-race span. The last-lap loss to Tyler Reddick may not have lessened the sting, but the No. 5 team has scored more than 100 points in its last two races and Larson is preparing himself well for The Chase.

Loser: Kyle Busch

When Kyle Busch took some fire Saturday in response to comments made by Denny Hamlin, there were plenty of KFB chants and some on-track chaos was expected. Of course, the point of Busch threatening to make Hamlin’s life “hell” on the track was that the No. 8 car’s only chance would be if he went down a lap-plus. What happened at AdventHealth 400? With 25 laps to go in Stage 1, Hamlin easily passed the No. 8 car. Bush was not the problem; He was an afterthought for the driver of the No. 11 car. Lots of talk, no results. This seems quite appropriate from Bush. Heck, he finished the race today in 35th place, well behind his teammate Austin Dillon (16th).

RELATED: Kyle Busch hits back at Denny Hamlin after recent comments

Winner: 23XI Racing

Tyler Reddick is definitely a winner as he is on his way to victory at Kansas Speedway. Michael Jordan joins them for the fifth time in nine races. 23XI Racing has overtaken Team Penske as NASCAR’s third-best team at least this season. Reddick won the AdventHealth 400, Wallace finished fifth, and teammates Riley Herbst and Corey Heim also finished 14th and 15th respectively. When Reddick is keeping himself in Dale Earnhardt’s company, winning five of the first nine races, and two 23XI drivers sitting in the top eight in points, it’s hard not to call the team a big winner in 2026.

RELATED: Insider reveals potential cost of signing Tyler Reddick to new contract

Loser: Trackhouse Racing

Through nine races this season, Daniel Suarez has a pair of top-10 finishes and seven top-20s. Meanwhile, at Trackhouse Racing, the trio of Shane Van Gisbergen, Connor Zylisch and Ross Chastain have combined for three top-10 finishes and 13 top-20 finishes between them. Chastain is definitely a top-10 driver in terms of talent, Zilich was a generational prospect a year ago and even SVG has proven himself in the Cup Series. Trackhouse is ruining them all. Things didn’t get any better in the NASCAR races today, with all three drivers finishing outside the top 20.

RELATED: NASCAR Drivers Who Have Performed Poorly This Season

Winner: Denny Hamlin

It wasn’t a perfect day for Denny Hamlin at Kansas, but he came somewhat close. Hamlin won Stage 1 and then finished second to Kyle Larson in Stage 2. He also could have won the AdventHealth 400 if not for the classic Cody Ware caution, with 2 laps left and the No. 11 being seconds away from the final lap, where he could have won it even under the caution. Hamlin said before the season that to have any shot at winning the championship you had to finish in the top three in points at the end of the regular season. Through nine races, he has a 33-point lead in fourth place, and he is looking to win more races this season.

RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series all-time wins leaders

Loser: Team Penske

The good news is that Team Penske made a much-needed change with Ryan Blaney’s pit crew this weekend. Unfortunately, the No. 12 car also received a pit road penalty for too many on the wall after Stage 1 as the team needed work on the front splitter. As far as what happened with Joey Logano, his car was tight all weekend and the No. 22 team was forced to drop to the back of the field for a steering rack replacement on Sunday. It did not work out, Logano was 24th in Stage 1 and 2 laps down at the conclusion of Stage 2. Penske is really proving this season that the gap between them and 23XI Racing is as close, if not even closer, than the gap between Penske and the clearly top teams (Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports).

RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series Stage Winners 2026

Winner: Alex Bowman

After qualifying 33rd at Kansas on Saturday, it certainly felt like everything was going to go wrong for Alex Bowman this season, which will continue in the AdventHealth 400 this afternoon. Credit to Bowman and the No. 48 team; He gradually worked his way up the field to finish 17th in Stage 1 and Stage 2 and maintained a top 20 finish throughout the race. This kind of performance doesn’t open the door for Bowman to potentially make The Chase, but this performance shows he is still a very capable driver.

Connected: The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings now after Kansas Speedway

Loser: Carson Hocevar’s Pit Crew

The No. 77 car definitely had the speed to have a good day at Kansas Speedway and Carson Hocevar’s driving style seems perfect for this track. Unfortunately for Hocevar, his pit crew cost him dearly today. The No. 77 team had several instances where it lost positions on pit road because the No. 77 team was slow in its movements. Given the tight conditions of the battle for the final places in The Chase, a race like this could make the difference in whether Hocevar is successful or not. Hocevar finished the day in 13th place, with the likes of Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher ahead of him. We will see if these cases come up in September.

Winner: Corey Haim

Get ready to see Corey Haim in the coming weeks. This was his first Cup Series race in 2026 since the Daytona 500, but he is competing in seven races with 23XI Racing from now through July 27 at the Brickyard 400. Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 showed why and proved he’s already in this series full-time. He qualified 24th on Saturday, but battled hard to finish 10th in Stage 1 and has kept himself in the top 15 for most of NASCAR’s racing today. Coming to the Heim Time Cup Series.

RELATED: Insider Explains Why Corey Heim Isn’t Full-Time With 23XI Racing Yet

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

Who won the NASCAR race today? It was going to be a two-man battle for the win in Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway between Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin. Then, with 2 laps remaining, the first natural caution brought chaos, with Reddick winning it at Kansas.

Let’s look at the AdventHealth 400 results in Kansas. We’ll start with the points scored and final results at Kansas Speedway, followed by results from today’s NASCAR Cup Series stage at Kansas.

RELATED: AdventHealth 400 Winners, Losers and Analysis

NASCAR Results Kansas: AdventHealth 400

Here are today’s NASCAR results for the Cup Series race at Kansas.

RELATED: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series results at Kansas

NASCAR Cup Series Stage Results: Kansas Speedway

Here are the results from the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stage at Kansas Speedway.

Official 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings now after Kansas Speedway

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

Tuesday night was a perfect display of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s dream when he pushed to create an NBA Play-In Tournament. The games between the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat and the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns featured exciting basketball, maximum effort and matchups that came down to the final seconds.

While basketball fans walked away with a win on the first night of the NBA Play-ins, not everyone went home happy. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers from the Hornets’ win over the Heat and the Trail Blazers’ playoff win against the Suns.

Winner and Loser: LaMelo Ball, Hornets

On Tuesday night, LaMelo Ball showed the basketball world why the Hornets ignored rumors of trading him in the offseason. With the right pieces around him, Ball can lead a team to the playoffs, and Charlotte may not have survived to play another day without the 24-year-old’s 30 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and scoring a last-second layup in overtime in a do-or-die game.

However, while he is a hero in Charlotte today, he is a true villain in Miami. In the first quarter, he tackled the Heat’s top star, Bam Adebayo, causing an injury and knocking him out for the rest of the game. Given that the Hornets won by 1 point, Heat fans will be wondering all summer what could have been if Ball had not injured their best player. There is now a new villain in the playoffs.

Loser: Bam Adebayo, Heat

In nine seasons with the Heat, Bam Adebayo has developed into a role as the center of this current iteration of the franchise. Additionally, earlier this season, he forever cemented his place in Heat and NBA history when he had a historic 83-point night.

However, this was the fourth consecutive year the team had to play its way into the postseason. That’s disappointing enough, but Ball’s poor play made matters even worse, keeping the three-time All-Star out for most of the game. Now, he and his teammates have to deal with the fact that they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019 due to extremely questionable play early in the game.

Winner: Miles Bridges, Hornets

After being selected in the first round in the 2018 NBA Draft, Miles Bridges has had an up and down tenure in Charlotte. He slowly developed into the team’s top star, and when he was set to cash in on his first big contract in the summer of 2022, he missed the entire season after serious domestic violence allegations.

Nevertheless, the Hornets did not give up on him and gave him a chance to rebuild his reputation. That loyalty was rewarded Tuesday when the eight-year veteran scored 28 points, hit five threes and got the game-winning block in the final seconds of the franchise’s biggest game in years. Bridges being a part of the Hornets’ resurgence is a feel-good story in Charlotte.

Loser: Erik Spoelstra, Heat

It has been a disappointing season for veteran Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. Despite being far better on offense than many had anticipated after trading Jimmy Butler last year, Miami has largely lagged behind on defense this season. This year’s Heat was a very un-Spoelstra-like group. We got further proof of this when they couldn’t seal a deal to play another day in the fourth quarter.

Now Miami will miss the playoffs for the first time in seven years and will have to figure out how they get back to classic Heat ball this summer.

Winner: Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers

If you were a casual basketball fan and didn’t know much about Deni Avdija, you now know after the first night of the NBA Play-ins. The former lottery pick for the Washington Wizards has finally been coming along the past few seasons, but he took a huge leap forward in 2025-26 as he became the new face of Portland and earned All-Star honors for the first time.

In the franchise’s biggest game in five years, the 25-year-old looked like a superstar as he posted a near triple-double (41 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists) in his first postseason game. For the first time since Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers have a legitimate star.

Loser: Devin Booker, Suns

Devin Booker is one of the game’s elite scorers and has been so for quite some time. But he’s a five-time All-Star because of his ability to dominate the offense and make his teammates better. The Suns needed it on Tuesday, but their top star was unable to elevate his play in the biggest game of the year.

It was much better weather in the desert than many people expected. However, Booker and his teammates continued to fight hard to take a 10-point lead late in the fourth game.

Winner: Tiago Splitter, Trail Blazers

Trail Blazers head coach Tiago Splitter deserves a lot of credit. The seven-year NBA veteran was thrust into the top job when Chauncey Billups found himself embroiled in an ugly gambling scandal just as the season began. Despite the messy situation, Splitter guided Portland to its first winning season and playoff birth since 2020-21. It’s hard to say that he hasn’t been able to keep the job next season.

Winner: Jrue Holiday, Trail Blazers

Many mocked Portland trading for aging star Jrue Holiday and his hefty contract. Still, the 35-year-old has played very well in his first season with the Trail Blazers. But more importantly, he once again showed why he is such an impactful player in the most important games, scoring 21 runs in the team’s playoff win.

Holiday is making a lot of money, but for a team that’s yearning for the playoffs, he’s worth it in 2026.

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

The Premier League may be loving Ryan Cherky, but former France star Christophe Dugarry is having none of it. He’s not a big fan of the 22-year-old Manchester City star.

foot market report Comments from the former France star today. And it appears that despite his latest impressive performances, he has not yet fully recovered from Cherky fever.

manchester city improvement

Ryan Cherky joined Manchester City on a €36.5m deal from Lyon in the summer transfer window.

He was long considered one of the French rising talents. At Lyon, he came through their youth ranks before establishing himself in the first team.

Manchester City decided to make a move for him in the summer and have not regretted that decision since.

Cherky has significantly improved his play under Pep Guardiola, despite yet to firmly establish himself as a starter under the Spaniard.

To date he has three goals and ten assists in 26 Premier League games. In all competitions, those numbers are nine goals and 13 assists in 43 games.

Dugari Unaffiliated

The latest impressive performance came against Chelsea when he grabbed two assists in a 3–0 win. Most spectators credited Cherki as the man who turned the game in City’s favor after a close first half at Stamford Bridge.

That performance received much praise in England. But in France, critics remain, and Dugarry is one of them.

“What is he different from? What is Cherky’s style? Are the others blind? Are they clowns? What is this boy different from?” He said.

“Why should we treat him differently? Is he better than Olisse, is he better than Douay? Is he better than Barcola?

“We have to stop thinking that every time he touches the ball, it’s a one-man show… He needs to be more efficient in his game. Pep Guardiola said this, and he also explained that he needs to press more, and in modern football, that is important.”

The 90th Masters concluded Sunday at Augusta National with Rory McIlroy winning the tournament for the second consecutive year. After ending an 11-year major drought to complete a career Grand Slam last year, he has now won at Augusta for the second consecutive year.

At 12-under 276, McIlroy overcame that on Sunday as four different players held or shared the lead before winning by one over Scottie Scheffler.

Here are the 10 winners and losers of the 2026 Masters Tournament.

Winner: Rory McIlroy

With the win, McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only men to successfully defend the green jacket. McIlroy is the first back-to-back winner since Woods in 2001 and 2002. Despite making double bogeys on the par-4 fourth and par-3 sixth, McIlroy bounced back with birdies on seven and eight and two more birdies on 12 and 13. He reached 18th place with a lead of two shots. He earned major win No. 6, tying Faldo for most wins by a European.

Loser: Haotong Li

Haotong Li struggled on 12 and 13 as McIlroy holed out for birdie down the middle of Amen Corner. His final round was full of ups and downs with four birdies and four bogeys on the first nine. Then came Amen Corner; Lee made triple bogey on the par-3 12th and recorded a score of 10 on the par-5 13th. As a result, Lee dropped from a top-five finish to finish tied for 38th at 1-over.

Winner: Scotty Scheffler

The two-time Masters champion fell just short of winning his third green jacket in five years. Despite not winning, Scheffler did not record a single bogey over the final 36 holes, including a 4-under 68 in the final round. He became the first player in 84 years to record a bogey-free weekend at the Masters. World No. 1 Scheffler also shot 7-under 65 on the day to climb the leaderboard. His last bogey or worse hole came on the par-5 15th in the second round.

Winner: Tyrell Hatton

Tyrell Hatton recorded the best performance among LIV golfers in the field with a third-place finish. He finished tied with Russell Henley, Justin Rose and Cameron Young at 10-under 278. Hatton recorded his best Masters finish, shooting 6-under 66 on both Friday and Sunday. Hatton, who made his 10th start at Augusta National this week, tied Keegan Bradley and Gary Woodland for the best score during the final round.

ALSO READ: Masters 2026 Round 2 leaderboard: Complete standings after Friday in Augusta

Loser: Bryson DeChambeau

The biggest star to miss the cut was Bryson DeChambeau. The LIV star shot a 4-over 76 in the opening round, which included a triple bogey on the par-4 11th after needing three shots to get out of a greenside bunker. Then in the second round, DeChambeau shot 2-over 74 and missed the cut by two strokes, including another triple bogey on his final hole. The 32-year-old was one of the pre-tournament favorites but was unable to make the weekend.

Loser: Sergio Garcia

The Spaniard did not have the best moments to end his 27th Masters start. During the final round, Sergio Garcia’s drive on hole No. 2 went into a bunker. As a result, Augusta National Golf Club played one of the toughest courses of the season, resulting in disappointment. Garcia angrily swung his driver, hitting the cooler next to the tee box and breaking his driver, which he was unable to use over the final 15 holes. Garcia received a code of conduct warning from the Masters Rules and Competition Committee.

RELATED: Masters 2026 leaderboard: Who leads after Round 1?

Winner: Max Homa

For the third year in a row, Max Homa finished in the top 10 at the Masters with a T9. Homa shot 5-under 67 without any bogeys to earn a ticket to next year’s Masters. Homa finished 4-under on his final six holes, sealed by an eagle on the par-5 13th. It is Homa’s best start to the season after missing the last two cuts at the Valero Texas Open and the Valspar Championship. This is also Homa’s best performance after T13 at the Cognizant Classic.

Winner: Shane Lowry

Although the Irishman did not win, he did something that no other player achieved this week. During the third round on Saturday, Shane Lowry birdied the par-3 16th, becoming the seventh man in Masters history to record a 1 on the scorecard for that hole. Lowry has a strong resume of aces with hole-in-ones at TPC Sawgrass and Pebble Beach. He hit his second ace at Augusta and his first ace at No. 16 since 2016.

Loser: Robert McIntyre

Robert McIntyre showed solid form entering his visit to Augusta National Golf Club with a runner-up finish at the Valero Texas Open. He also finished fourth in the Players Championship. However, the lefty was unable to put it together this week. He blew the par-5 15th with several shots into the water for 9. McIntyre then opened his second round with a double bogey in the first round and missed the cut by three strokes.

Winner: Annual Traditions

Every year, the Masters is a “tradition unlike any other,” as broadcaster Jim Nantz would say. One tradition in particular is how the tournament begins with honorary starters. Having the Masters Tournament with those wearing green jackets pays homage to the past. This year, the trio of Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player – who have a combined 11 green jackets – took the lead at the first hole.

Braven Honda graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in May 2021. During his time at SDSU, … More about Braven Honda

The 2026 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka had it all on Sunday – start chaos, a 50G crash, safety car drama, and a teenager rewriting the record books. The stories of the three races in 2026 are already writing themselves.

Here’s who has advanced and who is seeing the season end.

Watch: Be sure to watch all the Formula 1 action on Apple TV+ this season!

Winner: Kimi Antonelli | mercedes

Kimi Antonelli got off to a bad start. A wheelspin off the line dropped him from pole to sixth before the first corner sequence was over. Under normal circumstances, that’s how you lose the race at Suzuka.

Nothing seems normal about Kimmy Antonelli right now.

When the safety car came out on lap 22 due to Oliver Bearman’s heavy crash, Antonelli – who had not yet pitted and was temporarily leading – made a free stop to turn the race into the lead. From there, he just didn’t survive. He pulled. He crossed the line by almost 14 seconds over Oscar Piastri, his second consecutive victory.

Here’s the part that will leave you cold: At 19 years, 6 months and 25 days old, Antonelli is now the youngest driver in Formula 1 history to lead the world championship.He broke the record of Lewis Hamilton, whom he replaced at Mercedes. Hamilton first achieved the top spot in 2007 at the age of 22. Antonelli did this work at the age of three years.

He Having completed three races out of 22, he is nine points ahead of his teammate George Russell. The season is long. But the child is real.

Winner: Oscar Piastri mclaren

The start of the season was not exactly good for Piastri. A Accident in Australia. A mechanical failure in China. His first race of 2026 started on Sunday.

He calculated it. Piastri made a great start from third to take the lead into Turn 1, running at the front for most of the afternoon, and finished second – McLaren’s first podium of the campaign.

He now sits sixth in the championship despite not spinning a single wheel in the competition until Suzuka. This is truly a remarkable situation. The pace was there. The hunger was obvious. When McLaren gets all its pieces in order, Piastri is going to be a factor in this thing. Sunday was a reminder.

Winner: Charles Leclerc | ferrari

Third place doesn’t always feel like winning. For Charles Leclerc, given the circumstances, it makes sense.

he had to Hold off a charging George Russell in the closing laps to hold on to the final podium position. Russell had the pace, Ferrari had the pressure and Leclerc held firm. He admitted afterwards that he wasn’t completely satisfied with third, which honestly tells you how much the mentality has changed at Maranello.

it’s a ferrari Still second in the constructors’ standings, 45 points behind Mercedes after three races. The loss is real. But the car is not disappointing, and Leclerc continues to perform well. This is why Ferrari is still in the news.

Loser: George Russell mercedes

Russell started from the right place on the grid. Then, as the race started, he was no longer in the right place. He was running third when Oscar Bearman crashed, given that he had already pitted and the safety car was of no benefit to him.

Russell publicly stated that a margin of one lap would probably have resulted in victory. He is not wrong. He is not even leading the championship. Antonelli has now regained that distinction, and the intra-team dynamics at Mercedes have become more interesting in Miami.

Loser: Max Verstappen red Bull

Max Verstappen crashed out in Q2 and finished 11th at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix – an unfamiliar place for a driver who usually cares about the circuit. In a race where strategy and starting position matter so much, this was already a significant hole to dig out of. He managed to reach 8th place, but was held off by Pierre Gasly in a long battle for 7th place.

Verstappen is now 9th in the drivers’ standings – behind both Bearman and Gasly. Red Bull has 16 points after three rounds. The four-time champion has already raised the possibility of walking away from F1 at the end of the season if conditions do not improve. Whether it’s a statement of frustration or an actual threat, the car is clearly not close. Miami can’t come fast enough. For Red Bull, and those who enjoyed watching Verstappen actually race at the front, let’s hope they figure it out.

The five-week break before Miami gives each team time to regroup. For Antonelli, it is five weeks from becoming the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history. There are worse problems at age 19.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , More about Formula 1… Scott Gulbransen

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway was exactly what you’d expect from Virginia’s iconic short track. While the focus today is always on the winner of the NASCAR race, we also wanted to provide some analysis on how other drivers and teams performed at Martinsville this afternoon.

Let’s take a look at our winners and losers from the Cook Out 400.

Winner: Denny Hamlin

Complete dominance. Denny Hamlin went nearly pole-to-pole in the Cook Out 400 and could have scored maximum points with 76–20 points for the stage win, 55 for winning the race, and 1 point for fastest lap – if not for a late caution due to a wreck on Ty Dillon’s car. This allowed Chase Elliott’s pit strategy to completely pay off; Otherwise, this would have been a race that Hamlin would have won in historic fashion. Hamlin did not get a win in the Cook Out 400, but he left Martinsville with the most points (56) that day and led 292 laps. Agreed that he would be sad if he did not win.

RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series all-time win list

Loser: Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch is fed up with Richard Childress Racing and his time spent in the No. 8 car. That became abundantly clear after qualifying on Saturday, when his tone reflected that of a driver who knew the No. 8 car had no chance of being competitive after finishing 34th. Late in Stage 1 he fell and then at his first pit stop, Busch opted to drive through a wheel that came loose and bounced off the front of his car. Busch has now gone 100 consecutive races without a Cup Series win and it’s clear he’s counting down the days until he can join a new team.

Connected: What happened to Kyle Busch’s winless streak, 100-race drought

Winner: Ty Gibbs

Five consecutive top-10 finishes for Ty Gibbs. In fact, it’s even better than that, as his worst finishing position was sixth at Darlington last Sunday. The No. 54 car finished in the top four for the second time in the last three races and Gibbs demonstrated his ability to make the most of it, scoring the second-most stage points (16) at the Cook Out 400. Clearly, Gibbs is performing much like Chase Briscoe did at No. 19 last season. More about them later.

Connected: NASCAR standings today, Cup Series points leaders after Martinsville

Loser: Richard Childress Racing

Why does Richard Childress Racing even run a third car at this point? It’s clear they don’t have the ability to put Kyle Busch in any position to be competitive and with the win-and-playoff system gone, Austin Dillon and the No. 3 team are irrelevant for the season. In Sunday’s Cook Out 400, RCR had Austin Hill in the No. 33 car (part-time) and he spent the majority of the race leading several laps. In fact, we have to wonder if NASCAR’s top prospect Jesse Love would be better off pursuing a full-time Cup ride with another team since RCR has nothing to offer.

Connected: Best NASCAR Races 2026, Ranking Every Cup Series Race This Season

Winner: Shane van Gisbergen

Performing so well in the Cook Out 400 had a lot to do with qualifying, considering how little passing was on Sunday. This is still something for which Shane van Gisbergen deserves credit, as he achieved a season’s best fifth place in qualifying. This is even better than his starting position at COTA (13th) a few weeks ago. SVG needed a solid point total after recording a total of 24 points in his last two races and he accomplished that at Martinsville, while continuing to show that he is getting better at the ovals.

RELATED: Official 2026 Cook Out 400 results at Martinsville Speedway

Loser: Bubba Wallace

Silly. Bubba Wallace didn’t have a good race at Martinsville, but he was at least in position to finish in the top 20 for a good points day. Considering the points the 23rd-ranked team has earned this season, it would have been fine to keep them in the top seven. Instead, inexplicably, Wallace decided to hit the throttle and drive straight into Carson Hocevar not once but twice. Karma took care of the No. 23 car with race-ending damage, but Wallace’s actions are inexcusable and his immaturity caused damage to several other cars because he could not control his emotions. This felt like an older version of Wallace, and if he’s back after just two bad races, 23XI Racing has a problem beyond just an eight-place drop in the points.

Winner: Chase Elliott

Did some good luck help crew chief Alan Gustafson’s pit strategy succeed? Definitely. However, that’s also a gamble you can take when you have a driver of Chase Elliott’s caliber behind the wheel of the No. 9 car. The team did not score any stage points on Sunday at Martinsville, but an early pit stop and fresh tires gave Elliott a car he could drive further. The caution ended well for him, but you also have to give Elliott credit for how he controlled traffic on the final laps and didn’t give Hamlin a real chance to take the lead. Elliott gave Hendrick Motorsports its first win of the season and it looks great for the team too.

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

Tonight’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Martinsville Raceway featured a starting lineup that was determined by a metric score after qualifying on Friday. As the NFPA 250 results were captured, what happened created some extra excitement and late-stage crashes at the short track.

A theme of NASCAR races today is cautions in the final stages, culminating in a big stage with 16 laps that resulted in a red flag. As a result, the double-point cars failed to finish the race.

Let’s look at tonight’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series results straight from Martinsville. We’ll start with the final race results and total points, while you can find the OARS stage results below.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Results Martinsville

Here are the NFPA 250 results at Martinsville tonight.

NFPA 250 Step Results

Here are the results from today’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stage. Of note, 16 drivers earned stage points in the NFPA 250.

View the status of the updated 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts line.

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 field of 64 has been cut early in the NCAA Tournament. However, there has been very little chaos in March Madness, as evidenced by the fact that 13 teams have been seeded fifth or higher.

That means the best college basketball teams this season largely avoided upsets, leading to a battle between the true giants this weekend. Let’s take a look at our Sweet Sixteen predictions.

Purdue Boilermakers 83, Texas Longhorns 74

Credit goes to the Texas Longhorns, who made it to the Sweet Sixteen when we predicted they would fall out of the First Four. The Longhorns fell to NC State (68–66), but then managed to defeat No. 6-seeded BYU and No. 3-seeded Gonzaga by 14 combined points. However, as much as Texas has improved defensively during the NCAA Tournament, we don’t think that will continue against the Purdue Boilermakers. Facing a team that had the ninth-highest field goal percentage (50.3 percent) and ranked first in KenPom’s offensive efficiency during the regular season, we think four Boilermakers will score in double figures, with Trey Coffman-Wren leading the team in scoring and sending Purdue to the Elite Eight.

Nebraska Cornhuskers 72, Iowa Hawkeyes 68

We’re only getting one regular season rematch in the Sweet Sixteen: a battle between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes. The two Big Ten rivals will compete for both a spot in the Elite Eight and historic bragging rights. It’s also a shot at revenge against his former team for Nebraska star Pryce Sandfort as he faces off against another standout guard, Bennett Sturtz. Iowa won the first meeting 57–52 on February 17, but Nebraska won 84–75 in the regular season finale in overtime on March 8. ​​In the rubber match, we think the Cornhuskers’ defense will lead the way to a tough win.

Arizona Wildcats 85, Arkansas Razorbacks 72

Can freshman Darius Acuff Jr. lead the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Elite Eight? It is definitely possible. Projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Acuff has combined for 60 points and 13 assists in two March Madness games so far. However, the 6-foot-3 guard – as is the theme of this team – leaves a lot to be desired defensively. We fully expect Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, to take full advantage of this. Coach John Calipari may feel good about putting his program further ahead than Kentucky, but the race will likely end there.

Houston Cougars 79, Illinois Fighting Illini 77

It probably isn’t wise to pick against Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars in the Sweet Sixteen. What we have a lot of confidence in right now is the ease with which the Illinois Fighting Illini score, as they have demonstrated in their first two tournament wins. The standout for Illinois has clearly been freshman guard Keaton Wagler – the Big Ten Freshman of the Year – but it’s a deep group that includes high-impact transfers like Andrej Stojakovic. However, home-court advantage matters immensely here. Sampson’s ability to prepare his team for a high-risk environment, combined with the pro-Houston atmosphere at Toyota Center, should be enough to swing a very tight game in the Cougars’ favor.

Duke Blue Devils 84, St. John’s Red Storm 75

Even with injuries that are keeping the Duke Blue Devils from becoming a clear title favorite, freshman Cameron Boozer is proving he can lead this team to a deep March Madness run. He has had double-double performances in both tournament games so far, including a 19-point, 11-rebound performance against TCU, where he shot 70 percent from the field. It’s also hard not to be impressed with how Isaiah Evans has filled the void left by Caleb Foster’s foot injury; Evans has averaged 17.7 points over his last three contests, including a clutch 17-point showing to help sink the Horned Frogs. We think it’s this duo’s star power that propels the Blue Devils to a convincing win over Rick Pitino and St. John’s.

RELATED: Cameron Boozer could be the No. 1 pick for elite teams

Michigan Wolverines 88, Alabama Crimson Tide 74

We believe the biggest shock of the Sweet Sixteen comes when the Alabama Crimson Tide takes the court against the Michigan Wolverines. Even getting this far without Aidan Holloway – who is suspended following his arrest last week – is impressive. The program did this by crushing Hofstra and Texas Tech by more than 20 points. However, there’s a reason Michigan went 19-1 in the Big Ten this season. The quartet of Ade Mara, Elliot Cadeau, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. beats out Alabama’s offer. Michigan has a “core four” that can play different roles and take over the game at different moments. That’s what you need to reach the Elite Eight, and the Wolverines will likely make it easy on Friday.

Michigan State Spartans 72, UConn Huskies 69

Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies vs. Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans. Need we say more? The most exciting part of this matchup is the opportunity to see what guard Jeremy Fears Jr. can do in the biggest game of his life. While Fears is a high-level facilitator, what has stood out about Michigan State this season is how well-rounded the team is on both ends of the floor. The new-look Huskies have shown more cohesiveness recently, but we think Fiers is on his way to a double-double, which, combined with his teammates’ great defense, sends Izzo to the Elite Eight.

Tennessee Volunteers 68, Iowa State Cyclones 67

Rick Barnes is attempting to make three consecutive Elite Eight appearances with the Tennessee Volunteers. What complicates this is that freshman Nate Ament is playing through an injury. On paper, the Iowa State Cyclones lineup is better, but All-American forward Joshua Jefferson will either be out or playing in the Sweet Sixteen with an ankle injury. We believe that matters, especially against a physical Volunteers team that defends very well. In a nail-biter, guard Ja’Coby Gillespie rallied the Volunteers in the second half and hit a clutch shot that sends Tennessee back to the Elite Eight for the third consecutive year.

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 the week leading up to Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR Cup Series drivers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe said there will be some wild racing. We couldn’t quite figure it out, two drivers largely dominated this race while some other big names disappointed.

Let’s take a look at our winners and losers from today’s NASCAR race, highlight the standout performances from the Goodyear 400 drivers and some related developments.

Winner: Tyler Reddick did it again

Tyler Reddick easily had the fastest car in qualifying and early on it looked like he would be on his way to victory in the Goodyear 400. However, due to battery problems he was forced to drive without a cool suit and in Stage 2 he reported problems with the brakes. Despite all this, which included an extended pit stop under caution for a battery change, Reddick worked his way back to the front of the field and easily passed everyone else to take his fourth win of the season. What Redick and the No. 45 team are doing right now is absolutely ridiculous.

RELATED: Goodyear 400 results from Darlington, total points and stage results today

Loser: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Team

The signs of trouble first started for Joey Logano and Team Penske on Saturday at Darlington. The No. 22 car did not have long laps in traffic and when qualifying came, Logano finished 29th. He dropped further back when the green flag waved, and fell out of the top 30 minutes of Sunday’s race. As he explained on the radio, grip was a major problem with the No. 22 car and there was no improvement after the first pit stop. Logano spent most of the day at least 2 laps down, and recorded single-digit points for the first time this season.

RELATED: State of NASCAR after Darlington, Cup Series on top right now

Winner: Brad Keselowski

Through six races this season, only two drivers had won multiple stages in the Cup Series. Brad Keselowski managed to become the first driver this year to win both stages in the same race. A quick pit stop allowed him to beat Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney to take Stage 1, and then he battled teammate Chris Buescher at the end of Stage 2. The sweep secured him 20 stage points after entering the weekend with a total of 9 stage points through the first six races. Keselowski now has a consistent top-10 finish, and he recorded more total points today than in Phoenix (22) and Las Vegas (27). Just a phenomenal day for the No. 6 team.

RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series stage winners 2026, full season stats

Loser: Ryan Blaney’s Pit Crew

Ryan Blaney certainly had one of the fastest cars in the NASCAR race today, and running early helped the No. 12 finish third in Stage 1. Unfortunately for Blaney, his pit crew’s propensity for mistakes reared its ugly head again. At a pit stop under caution after Stage 1, Blaney was forced to stop in teammate Austin Cindric’s box to tighten the left front wheel after his crew could not get it right the first time. It has happened twice in the last three races that Blaney has had to pit in someone else’s stall and fall back because his crew could not properly tighten the left wheel. Unsurprisingly, Blaney’s pit crew placed 33rd out of 36 teams coming into the weekend. Congratulations to Blaney on finishing third today even though his pit crew did him no favors.

Winner: Daniel Suarez

Daniel Suárez made it clear that he did not feel much support at Trackhouse Racing last season, and indicated that the lack of support contributed to one of the worst years of his career, highlighted by an average finishing position of 20.89. So far his move seems to be right. In his sixth points race with Spire Motorsports, Suárez drove the No. 7 car to top-10 finishes in each stage (ninth and 10th) and finished the day with his second top-10 finish of the year. He is currently outperforming his former colleagues at Trackhouse and is giving Spire plenty of reasons to consider a long-term solution for the No. 7 seat after this year.

READ MORE: Bubba Wallace Addresses NASCAR Fighting Penalty After Daniel Suarez Incident

Loser: 23XI Racing defeated Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace qualified second on Saturday and recorded the fastest lap of the Xfinity on Sunday. The No. 23 car clearly had the pace to finish in the top-10 and, at the very least, should have come away with a top-10 points day on Sunday. After finishing fourth in Stage 1, Wallace was forced to return to his box when his pit crew failed to secure the left-front tyre, costing him track position. Although he got back into the top 15, his day was ultimately ruined when 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin caused a multi-car incident by spinning into Erik Jones and sliding into Wallace, sending the No. 23 car into the wall. The contact seriously hampered Wallace’s handling and he was never able to finish higher than 34th.

RELATED: Insider Explains Why Corey Heim Isn’t Driving Full-Time for 23XI Racing

Winner: Ty Gibbs

At this point no one should question Ty Gibbs’ ability as a Cup Series driver with a top team. After three consecutive top-five finishes at Darlington, the No. 54 car was at a slight disadvantage when the race started on Sunday, as it dropped to 28th on the grid. He overcame that poor starting condition to finish sixth on the day and score more total points than any of his JGR teammates. Gibbs is downright sad this time, and his performance should be especially validating considering what Chris Gabehart has said about him.

Loser: Hendrick Motorsports

William Byron was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to finish in the top 10 in the Goodyear 400. Kyle Larson (32nd) had a strong day, as evidenced by the third-most stage points (14), but the No. 5 car suffered a flat tire in the final laps and dropped like a rock, finishing 11th on Sunday. Meanwhile, Chase Elliott finished a modest 15th, and another finish outside the top-20 for the replacement driver in the No. 48 car is pretty damning evidence regarding the fourth Hendrick car. HMS is still without a win in six races, and although it is no time to panic, it was a worrying performance from HMS.

Winner: Carson Hocevar

After three consecutive finishes of 20th or worse, Carson Hocevar and the No. 77 team were at Darlington. It was one of the fastest cars of the Goodyear 400, especially over long distances. Hocevar also showed tenacity and willingness to be aggressive late in the race, and worked his way into the top 10 to finish fourth. While Hocevar did not score any stage points that day, Spier and the No. 77 team should feel very good about what the young driver showed late in the race.

RELATED: Carson Hocevar Addresses Comparisons to NASCAR Legend

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

Who has the most stage wins in NASCAR this season? We’re tracking NASCAR stage results for the 2026 Cup Series season, tracking every race from the Daytona 500 to the Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Miami.

Let’s take a look at the statistics from all NASCAR stage results this season.

Who has the most stage wins in 2026?

Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell are tied for most stage wins in NASCAR this season with two. William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Austin Cindric and Zane Smith have all achieved stage wins.

NASCAR stage wins leaderboard 2026

Read more: Best NASCAR races 2026, ranking every race this season

2026 NASCAR Stage Finale Delivery

Here’s a breakdown of how each NASCAR Cup Series driver has performed across the stages this season. We have divided it into Top-3, Top-5 and Top-10 in Phase 1 and 2.

Weekly 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Stage Results

Here are the stage results for every NASCAR Cup Series race this season.

daytona 500

RELATED: Daytona 500 Results 2026

AutoTrader 400 (Atlanta)

Related: AutoTrader 400 Results 2026

Duramax Texas Grand Prix (COTA)

RELATED: Duramax Texas Grand Prix results at COTA 2026

Straight Talk Wireless 500 (Phoenix)

Connected: straight talk wireless 500 results

Pennzoil 400 (Las Vegas)

Connected: pennzoil 400 result 2026

Most career stage wins (Cup) in NASCAR

Here are the career Cup Series leaders in most stage wins in NASCAR. Data via NASCAR Insights on March 17 and updated manually.

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

March Madness officially begins with the First Four on Tuesday, with the next two days helping to determine which four programs advance to the first round. Luckily, we have some good First Four matchups to enjoy this year.

Let’s take a look at our March Madness predictions for the First Four.

(16) UMBC Retrievers vs. (16) Howard Bison

Eight years after the UMBC Retrievers men’s basketball team stunned us forever by defeating No. 16 seed No. 1-seeded Virginia 74-54, they are back to try to deliver another Cinderella story. Of course, the program is very different several years later with fifth-year coach Jim Ferry and a new roster. The Retrievers also faced a tough test against a Howard Bison program that went 11–1 in their last 12 games with a +19.7 point differential. However, UMBC is currently riding a 12-game winning streak, and during that time they have shot 47.7 percent from the field while averaging nearly 80 points per game. We’re giving the edge to a Retrievers team that has a little more scoring and playmaking depth. Heading into UMBC facing Michigan, millions are hoping we’ll see the 16-seed beat the No. 1 seed again.

• Prediction: UMBC 74, Howard 69

(11) Texas Longhorns vs. (11) NC State Wolfpack

After helping McNeese reach March Madness in consecutive years, coach Will Wade is on the verge of doing it again in his first season with the NC State Wolfpack. Wade’s program could be facing the Texas Longhorns at just the right time. The Longhorns finished 1–5 in the SEC, allowing 85.7 ppg and shooting 50.8 percent from the field, all the while barely winning the rebounding battle (180–177). Dellin Swain, the SEC Newcomer of the Year and an All-SEC Second Team selection, has played an average of nearly 37 minutes per game during that span, and he has been able to average over 20 points with double-digit rebounds and five assists along with multiple steals. However, NC State is very well coached, and we think Wade will prepare them to exploit the Longhorns’ defensive weaknesses. NC State advances to face BYU.

• Prediction: NC State 82, Texas 77

Rebroadcast: 2026 NBA mock draft, lottery picks ahead of March Madness

(11) SMU Mustangs vs. (11) Miami Redhawks

Did the Miami (OH) RedHawks deserve a run in March Madness after going undefeated in the regular season? Absolutely. 31 consecutive wins deserve recognition; This is a historic achievement that we don’t get to see often. That said, losing immediately to a 17-15 UMass Minutemen team in the quarterfinals of the MAC Championship Tournament also served as a reminder of why so many doubted the Redhawks. Heading into the First Four, the SMU Mustangs are ranked 42nd in the KenPom rankings, while Miami (OH) is ranked 93rd. We expect guard Boopie Miller and the Mustangs to win comfortably, clinching a spot in the first round against Tennessee.

• Prediction: SMU 89, Miami (Ohio) 75

(16) Prairie View AM Panthers vs. (16) Lehigh Mountain Hawks

Lehigh returns to the tournament for the first time since 2012, following an 18–16 season that ended with a dominant win over Boston University to win the Patriot League title. The win means a First Four matchup against Prairie View A&M, which won the SWAC Tournament after finishing just one game above .500 this season. In his second season with the program and coming off an outstanding Patriot League Tournament appearance, guard Nasir Whitlock would lead Lehigh to victory. Unfortunately for the program, the No. 1-seeded Florida Gators are waiting for them.

• Prediction: Lehigh 80, Prairie View A&M 68

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 legal tampering period is in the rearview mirror and the first days of NFL free agency have passed, with several deals now official. With all the important physical details out of the way, with pen and declarations put to paper, we can now consider some action.

Let’s dive into our analysis of the biggest winners and losers from the early days of NFL free agency.

Winner: Tennessee Titans

Robert Saleh and the Tennessee Titans certainly opened the checkbook in NFL free agency and guaranteed more than $160 million in total contracts. Tennessee helped quarterback Cam Ward and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, adding slot receiver Van’Dale Robinson and center Austin Schlottman. Naturally, an even bigger investment was made on the defensive side of the ball. Saleh now gets a chance to defend himself with John Franklin-Myers and Jeffery Simmons wreaking havoc on the interior, while Tennessee upgrades at cornerback with Alonte Taylor and Kor’Dale Floot. The beauty of all these moves is that the club didn’t really have to break the bank on any of them, and it doesn’t feel like they overspent. After a poor roster in 2025, the Titans now have a strong unit that can at least be competitive next season.

RELATED: NFL free agency predictions for top free agents on offense

Loser: Dallas Cowboys

When the Cleveland Browns realized that the Green Bay Packers were going to release Elgton Jenkins, they waited for him to be cut rather than trade for him. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys saw Rashaan Gary’s farewell post last weekend and decided they would trade their 2027 fourth-round pick to Green Bay. Dallas also signed Gary’s contract extension, which reduces his cap hit for 2026 but adds six void years to the deal. Let’s remind everyone how Gary did in 2025. He didn’t record a sack after Micah Parsons’ season-ending injury, and he was one of the least effective pass rushers in the NFL last year. We like the acquisitions of PJ Locke and Kobe Durant, but there haven’t been the defensive improvements expected from Dallas this offseason and the Gary trade is one of the most shocking moves in the NFL this offseason.

Winner:Baltimore Ravens

What did the Baltimore Ravens lose by keeping two first-round picks and adding All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson? Just money and a lot of respect in the league. From a pure rules perspective, Baltimore had the right to back out of the Max Crosby trade, and retaining both first-round picks while adding Hendrickson is a smart football move. That’s what we’re focused on here: The Ravens added what this defense desperately needed for first-year head coach Jesse Minter, and they still have the 14th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to use. Did they go about it the right way? certainly not. That said, you don’t have to look hard to find examples of teams doing questionable things throughout the NFL, as long as it makes them a little better on the field. Baltimore did just that.

READ MORE: Fantasy football winners, losers from NFL free agency

Loser: Indianapolis Colts

This is what happens when you let a general manager, who knows he’s on the hot seat, stay for another year and make all the decisions in NFL free agency. Rather than lose Alec Pierce to the open market, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard gave him the largest contract ever for a free-agent receiver. The deal itself felt like an overpayment. However, we can justify the decision to use the transition tag on Daniel Jones. What makes less sense is to give a 50 million guarantee to a dual-threat quarterback who is dependent on his athleticism, coming off a torn Achilles, when he already has a history of durability issues. Ask the New York Giants how it went when they paid Jones for a small sample size of success. With all the money spent on Jones and Pierce, Indianapolis had nothing left to make meaningful growth anywhere else.

Read more: The worst contracts from the first day of NFL free agency

Winner: San Francisco 49ers

We understand that Mike Evans and Dre Greenlaw are no longer the premium impact starters they were in their prime. It also doesn’t help that he has a history of durability issues and will now be playing for the constantly snakebitten San Francisco 49ers. That said, Evans is a complete upgrade over Jaun Jennings as a red-zone threat, vertical option and third-down target for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Health is not a given, but Evans could provide production that puts him on pace for 1,000-yard and double-digit-touchdown runs. As for Greenlaw, he is still a very effective starter and is at his best when paired with Fred Warner. San Francisco addressed two positions of need and didn’t spend much money, plus it handed Jake Tonga and Eddie Piñeiro new deals.

Loser: Denver Broncos

In a season where everything was going right for the Denver Broncos until Bo Nix’s injury, the inactivity this offseason has been strange. Russell Wilson’s contract is off the books, but Denver lost John Franklin-Myers on the open market, traded away Dre Greenlaw and did nothing to improve the receiving corps. We like the re-signing of JK Dobbins, as he has been extremely effective in Sean Payton’s offense when healthy. However, the Broncos’ roster looks significantly worse on paper than it did at the end of the regular season, and that could prove costly with so many AFC contenders strengthening this offseason.

Winner: Carolina Panthers

Did the Carolina Panthers overspend Jaylen Phillips with his $30 million per season contract? Absolutely. However, the move also addressed their most glaring defensive need with the best player that fits their long-term timeline. Carolina helped defensive coordinator Ejiro Avro even more by signing Devin Lloyd to a contract ($45 million over three seasons) that should prove to be quite a bargain. It added two high-end defensive starters, acquisitions that give the Panthers a lot of flexibility heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Also, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers not performing well, Carolina may have to lose the division.

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

Throughout the college basketball season, the debate over who should be selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft between BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa and Kansas’ Darrin Peterson has occupied the minds of draft experts. But according to ESPN’s Jeremy Wu, the choice between the two new stars could depend on which team actually wins the 2026 NBA Draft lottery.

During Wu’s latest NBA mock draft and lottery simulation, he had the Sacramento Kings take the top pick and select Darrin Peterson. He has the Washington Wizards coming in at No. 2 and selecting Darin Peterson in the NBA Draft.

These selections make sense considering the current rosters of both teams. The Kings’ need for a long-term solution at point guard is no surprise, and Peterson would give them a potential franchise cornerstone. The Wizards made a blockbuster trade at the deadline for a star point guard in Trae Young, and a young wing like DiBantsa who can feed Young the ball is probably more of a necessity.

As Wu reports, “The battle for No. 1 is a close one between Peterson and AJ DiBuntsa, with league sources largely seeing it as a matter of which team will ultimately be picked. Cameron Boozer’s impressive season has also kept him in the debate.”

A few days ago, a scenario was revealed where the Thunder ended up with the No. 1 pick. This will ensure that Cameron Boozer will be in the game in place of both DiBantsa and Peterson.

In any case, this is shaping up to be a very deep and talented draft class, and a prime time to pick a lottery pick, even if the NBA is threatening to crack down on ‘tanking’ in the near future.

Monday was the first day of the NFL free agency negotiating window. As always, this was the time when all the action happened. Many top free agents have already agreed to sign contracts with teams, however, so they will have two days before finalizing anything. He always leaves room for change of heart.

Still, after so many deals have been agreed upon in principle, it’s time to break down the biggest winners and losers of free agency so far.

Winner- Tyler Linderbaum

Linderbaum seemed like a strong bet to re-sign with the Ravens. Trading for Max Crosby would have changed Baltimore’s spending plans. Or, perhaps it was just the fact that the Raiders not only made Linderbaum the highest-paid center in NFL history with an offer, but Linderbaum signed a contract worth $27 million per season, while the previous mark was only $18 million. Talk about resetting the market.

Winner-Malik Willis

There was some talk that Willis would top Justin Fields’ two-year, $40 million contract signed last season. He cleared it easily. Miami signed Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal. Not bad for a player who has just six starts to his name. Still, if the dual-threat QB can live up to Miami’s projections, the Dolphins could have a star on their hands.

Winner-Mike Evans

It was hard to imagine, but Mike Evans left the Buccaneers after 12 seasons. Although the decision to do so may not have been easy, he found a great opportunity with Kyle Shanahan on the 49ers. He will step in as a top target for Brock Purdy, but he won’t have the full attention of the defense with players like Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle. Additionally, receiving over $20 million per season while coming off a career low in production at age 32 is good value for Evans, even if he is a potential Hall of Famer in the future.

Winners – Pass-Rushers

Pass-rushers get paid on the open market. Jaylen Phillips was right not to sign an extension with the Dolphins or Eagles after being dealt to Philadelphia for a third-round pick at the trade deadline. Now he joins the Panthers on a playoff team, also earning a massive four-year, $120 million contract. Not bad for a player who hasn’t gotten more than 8.5 sacks in a season, but the sky may be the limit for the 26-year-old in Carolina.

Meanwhile, we also saw Boye Mafe become Trey Hendrickson’s replacement in Cincinnati. The Bengals signed the 27-year-old to a three-year, $60 million contract. He had a career-high nine sacks in 2023, but has had just eight sacks since. Then, Washington signed Odafe Oweh away from the Chargers to a four-year, $100 million contract. Oweh has recorded 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons and that is a huge accomplishment for the Commanders.

Winner-Alec Pierce

Pierce said he deserved the right to hit the open market after a breakout season where he led the NFL with 1,003 receiving yards while averaging 21.3 yards per reception. That makes perfect sense, as Pierce received interest from a collection of major leaguers, but ultimately opted to pursue his success with the Colts. However, getting a four-year, $116 million contract certainly didn’t hurt.

Winner- Fernando Mendoza

He’s not on the team yet, but likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza ends up being a big winner here after the Raiders strengthen their core, especially on offense. Linderbaum is considered a good fit for Clint Kubiak’s offense, which values ​​an excellent center. Also, having an elite and experienced center is always good for a rookie QB. The Raiders also got a new deep threat in their final new franchise QB in Jalen ‘Speedy’ Neller, who could be poised for a breakout season if given more opportunities from Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in Minnesota.

Winner – Tennessee Titans

The Titans aren’t happy with being in the bottom five, and now the new arrangement is set to upgrade the roster talent. Tennessee has added several starters, including a new target for Cam Ward in 1,000-yard receiver Van’Dale Robinson. Robert Saleh’s defense also got some upgrades. First he signed a three-year, $63 million contract with John Franklin-Myers away from Denver. He has recorded 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons. They also added 24-year-old cornerback Kor’Dale Floet on a $45 million contract. Three major upgrades to address weak points at Tennessee, and they’re all already familiar to the coaching staff.

Winner – New York Giants

The Giants may have lost a 1,000-yard receiver in Van’Dale Robinson, but they didn’t panic. The Giants still managed to get franchise QB Jackson Dart a new weapon by stealing tight end Isaiah Brown from the Ravens. Was possibly seen as the eventual replacement for Mark Andrews in Baltimore, but now he’s got the starting job in New York instead.

Winner – Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are set to receive their highest draft pick since making Patrick Mahomes the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Still, they have now added a key playmaker to their backfield by signing Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III to a three-year, $45 million contract. Walker provides another threat to utilize Andy Reid on all three downs. Additionally, the Chiefs made sure to bring back Travis Kelce under contract for 2026 as well.

Winner – New York Jets

Even though their first move of the day happened before free agency began, we still have to note that the Jets traded All-Pro defender Minkah Fitzpatrick for just a seventh-round pick. But the Jets didn’t add adept players to Aaron Glenn’s defense. They also added former All-Pro linebacker Demario Davis on a two-year deal. Both veterinarians will help prepare the environment in New York.

Winner- Punters

It was a good day to be a speculator. The Giants made Jordan Stout the highest-paid punter in the NFL, and brought him in with John Harbaugh from Baltimore. Stout received a total of $12.3 million over three years. Then, the Saints gave Ryan Wright a four-year, $14 million contract. The Dolphins joined the party by re-signing Jake Bailey to a three-year, $9 million contract. Booting the ball isn’t bad.

Loser – Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans

It’s not easy saying goodbye to a franchise icon and potential future Hall of Famer like Mike Evans. He spent all 12 seasons of his career with the Buccaneers and became the franchise leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns. He also won a Super Bowl. Still, Bucs fans will now have to support Evans’ success in San Francisco for the next three seasons. Tampa Bay made some underrated signings in Kenneth Gainwell and Alex Anzalone while retaining Cade Otton, but still holding out Mike Evans.

Loser – Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens lost several starters, seeing Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely, Dre’Mont Jones and Jordan Stout leave for other teams in free agency. Baltimore signed offensive lineman John Simpson, but he was ranked just 54th among guards in 2025 according to Pro Football Focus. We’ve seen the Ravens get worse since trading for Crosby, but their defense should be much better.

Loser – Alvin Kamara

Franchise icon Alvin Kamara is being phased out due to Kellen Moore’s offense in New Orleans. He is coming off a career-low 471 rushing yards and 186 receiving yards with one touchdown. Additionally, the Saints signed Travis Etienne as his replacement by giving him a $52 million contract. Now 30, Kamara may have played his last snap in a Saints uniform.

Loser – Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks won the Super Bowl. Since then they have been misappropriating talent. It started with the loss of offensive coordinator/playcaller Clint Kubiak to the Raiders. Now players are also getting paid to take jobs elsewhere. Rashid Shahid remains unsigned, but the Seahawks’ chance to run it back has evaporated after seeing Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker sign with the Chiefs, where he might be able to add to his Lombardi total.

Loser – Michael Penix Jr.

When all is said and done one of the biggest losers of free agency may be Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons now have a Pro Bowl quarterback joining them in Atlanta after signing Tua Tagovailoa after recovering from an ACL injury suffered on November 16. After throwing a career-high 15 interceptions last season, Tagovailoa will not only be highly motivated to show the Falcons that he is capable of being an elite QB again, but he will need to increase his value in time to hit the open market again in 2027.

RELATED: Philadelphia Eagles have made trade offer for young Pro Bowl defender

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

NFL free agency begins next week and the new NFL league year 2026 will also make some blockbuster trades official. There’s been a lot happening lately with top players being added to new teams and marquee players getting franchise tags, so it’s worth breaking down some of the early action.

Following the first true week of the 2026 NFL offseason, we’re breaking down the winners and losers so far.

Winner: Baltimore Ravens HC Jesse Minter

Did the Baltimore Ravens pay a premium in the Max Crosby trade? Yes. This is exactly the type of move the front office needs to make to support first-year head coach Jesse Minter. He’s one of the best defensive play-callers in the NFL, but his scheme can only be truly excellent if it has an excellent edge player who can let him get past seven players. Last season, Baltimore ranked 28th in ESPN pass-rush win rate (30 percent) with the sixth-lowest pressure rate (19 percent) in the NFL. Crosby, when healthy, is one of the best three-down edge rushers in football. Minter now has his difference-maker at all three levels, with Crosby generating pressure, Roquan Smith playing the middle of the field and Kyle Hamilton doing everything else. This is the kind of move Super Bowl contenders make.

RELATED: Grading NFL Coaching Hires 2026

Loser: 2026 NFL Draft RB class out Jeremiah Love

Jeremiah Love is not only the best running back in the 2026 NFL Draft class; He is viewed by most people as one of the top three players overall this year. What does the NFL think of its draft-eligible teammates? The reported contract projections for Kenneth Walker ($13-plus million average annual value) and Travis Etienne ($10-plus million AAV), along with the likes of Rachad White, Tyler Allger, Kenneth Gainwell and Rico Dowdle among several teams keeping an eye on him, tell you everything you need to know. No matter who one sees as the second-best running back prospect — whether it’s Jonah Coleman, Jadarion Price or Emmett Johnson — the club is not fond of this year’s pool outside of Love. We could see only three running backs selected in the first three rounds.

RELATED: Ranking the Jeremiah Love landing spots

Winner: Fernando Mendoza and the Las Vegas Raiders

Let’s leave aside the debate about the Las Vegas Raiders not taking quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s developments that will help beginners. First, the Baltimore Ravens have made moves that make re-signing Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum seem unlikely. Second, several of Linderbaum’s competitors – like the Chicago Bears, who just acquired Garrett Bradbury, and the Los Angeles Chargers, who just signed Tyler Biadasz – have taken themselves out of the mix. According to OverTheCap.com, the Raiders now have nearly $120 million in cap space, giving them the financial flexibility to aggressively pursue Linderbaum, potentially sign Rashid Shahid and do even more to fill out the supporting cast around Mendoza. Additionally, it appears the club will also sign an experienced quarterback to ease Mendoza if he doesn’t win the starting job in training camp.

RELATED: NFL free agency predictions for top running backs

Loser: Joe Burrow

The week began with the Cincinnati Bengals opting not to use the franchise tag on Trey Hendrickson, allowing him to leave in free agency. What does it mean? The organization can either make moderate moves now just to improve the roster so it can get a compensatory third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft or it can spend more money and let Hendrickson effectively walk for nothing. Of course, that assumes there are key players who want to play for Cincinnati for a long time. Meanwhile, quarterback Joe Burrow will also now have to deal with the fact that he will be playing eight games per season against Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett and TJ Watt. This also does not include next season’s matchups against the Houston Texans defense. Burrow will either miss games in 2026 or take more than 50 sacks.

Winner: Alec Pierce

In January, it looked like Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce would get a multi-year contract in the range of $20 to $25 million per season when he hit the open market. Once Indianapolis placed the transition tag on Daniel Jones and George Pickens was tagged by the Dallas Cowboys, Pierce became the top offensive weapon in NFL free agency. He is reportedly already on the radar for clubs like the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders. Because of all that interest and this free-agent class being weaker than usual, we think Pierce could now reach $30 million AAV. The hottest deep threat in the NFL is about to cash in, with his signing bonus almost certainly tripling his career earnings ($8.66 million) from his first four seasons.

RELATED: Predicting landing spots for top NFL free agent wide receivers

Loser: Daniel Jones

We are not here to suggest that quarterback Daniel Jones is suffering from his current situation in any way. After all, the “worst-case scenario” is for him to suffer a bust while earning a fully guaranteed $37.833 million in 2026. However, it seems like the 2026 NFL offseason didn’t unfold the way they wanted for Jones’ camp. First, Indianapolis did not sign him to a multi-year contract, nor did they use the franchise tag on him, which would have been worth $43.9 million. So he immediately lost money there. Second, while he is technically a free agent and free to sign an offer sheet with another team, there are other quarterbacks available and only a few teams are willing to spend big.

We also suspect the market will reflect reality more than the NFL free agency rankings. Jones is a dual-threat quarterback who is coming off an injury that had a significant impact at quarterback in his first season. He had durability problems early in his career. We suspect there won’t be much of a market for Jones, effectively forcing him to sign a one-year deal with Indianapolis.

RELATED: 2026 NFL free agency predictions for top quarterbacks

Winner: Minnesota Vikings

Heading into the 2026 NFL offseason, the Minnesota Vikings find themselves in a worrisome situation. Salary-cap issues forced cap casualties at some key positions, resulting in this roster becoming weaker at several positions and having less depth than before. All along, Minnesota needed to go out and find a viable quarterback who could challenge JJ McCarthy for the starting job when it had little money to offer. Then the Arizona Cardinals announced they would be releasing Kyler Murray, putting the majority of their salary on hold in 2026. We know Murray will probably talk to multiple teams, but signing with Minnesota seems inevitable. Assuming a deal gets done, the Vikings will have to sign an above-average starting quarterback for a minimum amount of money. It’s a dream for Kevin O’Connell and it could soon become a reality.

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 Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders are finalizing a blockbuster trade with EDGE rusher Max Crosby. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, the Ravens are sending the 14th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a 2027 first-round pick to the Raiders for Crosby. It’s a surprising move that gives Baltimore an alpha on the defensive line who is capable of sacking the quarterback at a high level.

Below, we’ll break down the winners and losers of the Crosby trade between the Raiders and Ravens.

Winner: Baltimore Ravens, Max Crosby

The Ravens are undoubtedly the biggest winners of the Crosby trade with the Raiders. The 28-year-old pass rusher recorded 10 sacks and one interception despite missing two games during the 2025-26 NFL season. The Ravens were in desperate need of a pass rusher after trading Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers at the trade deadline. Crosby is now the center of a Super Bowl-contending team’s defense.

Loser: Las Vegas Raiders defense

The Raiders’ defense is the biggest loser, as losing Crosby would be detrimental to the team. Crosby was the heart and soul of the Las Vegas defense, and it will be difficult to replicate his success on the football field. The Raiders have two first-round picks to help find a replacement, but it will be difficult to bounce back from this trade next season.

Winner: Ravens head coach Jesse Minter

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter will be calling defensive plays for the team, and he’s feeling pretty good right now. Baltimore trading for Crosby would give the team an EDGE rusher who can sack the quarterback 10 or more times while moving forward. This allows Minter to be more creative in his defensive schemes and playcalling, increasing the efficiency of the Ravens’ defense.

Loser: Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys battled Baltimore for Crosby but were unsuccessful. Dallas made a big move for the former Raider, but the trade fell through, presumably because it was unwilling to give up two first-round picks. While the Cowboys did not feel comfortable passing much forward, defensive players like Crosby are not often available.

Winner: Raiders Front Office

Losing Crosby would hurt the Raiders defense and the team as a whole; However, this is a huge return. The 14th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft gives Las Vegas the opportunity to either select an elite EDGE prospect or fill another need. The first-round pick in 2027 would also give the Raiders more ammo to surround their potential next quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Two first-round picks are a great return, and the Las Vegas front office did a good job.

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

The Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders are finalizing a blockbuster trade with EDGE rusher Max Crosby. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, the Ravens are sending the 14th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a 2027 first-round pick to the Raiders for Crosby. It’s a surprising move that gives Baltimore an alpha on the defensive line who is capable of sacking the quarterback at a high level.

Below, we’ll break down the winners and losers of the Crosby trade between the Raiders and Ravens!

Winner: Baltimore Ravens, Max Crosby

The Ravens are undoubtedly the biggest winners of the Crosby trade with the Raiders. The 28-year-old pass rusher recorded 10 sacks and one interception despite missing two games during the 2025-26 NFL season. The Ravens were in desperate need of a pass rusher after trading Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers at the trade deadline. Crosby is now the center of a Super Bowl-contending team’s defense.

Loser: Las Vegas Raiders defense

The Raiders’ defense is the biggest loser, as losing Crosby would be detrimental to the team. Crosby was the heart and soul of the Las Vegas defense, and it will be difficult to replicate his success on the football field. The Raiders have two first-round picks to help find a replacement, but it will be difficult to bounce back from this trade next season.

Winner: Ravens head coach Jesse Minter

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter will be calling defensive plays for the team, and he’s feeling pretty good right now. Baltimore trading for Crosby would give the team an EDGE rusher who can sack the quarterback 10 or more times while moving forward. This allows Minter to be more creative in his defensive schemes and playcalling, increasing the efficiency of the Ravens’ defense.

Loser: Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys battled Baltimore for Crosby but were unsuccessful. Dallas made a big move for the former Raider, but the trade fell through, presumably because it was unwilling to give up two first-round picks. While the Cowboys did not feel comfortable passing much forward, defensive players like Crosby are not often available.

Winner: Raiders Front Office

Losing Crosby would hurt the Raiders defense and the team as a whole; However, this is a huge return. The 14th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft gives Las Vegas the opportunity to either select an elite EDGE prospect or fill another need. The first-round pick in 2027 would also give the Raiders more ammo to surround their potential next quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Two first-round picks are a great return, and the Las Vegas front office did a good job.

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs have made a blockbuster trade involving cornerback Trent McDuffie. The Rams are sending the 29th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, a 2026 fifth-round pick, a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick for McDuffie. This is the major move that makes Los Angeles secondary.

Below, we’ll break down the winners and losers of the McDuffie trade between the Chiefs and Rams!

Winner: Los Angeles Rams

The Rams entered the 2026 NFL offseason needing help in the secondary, particularly at cornerback. McDuffie is very good in coverage and run defense, giving Los Angeles a much-needed lockdown defender on the outside. With only one year remaining on his contract, McDuffie plans to sign a long-term extension with the Rams. Los Angeles gave up a large number of draft picks, but the All-Pro cornerback is worth the price.

Loser: Kansas City Chiefs Secondary

Kansas City’s secondary is the biggest loser in this trade. By transferring McDuffie, the Chiefs have kept Christian Fulton and Noah Williams as their starting cornerbacks, which may not be the case moving forward in the 2026-27 NFL season. The Chiefs are projected to make at least one move for a cornerback during the offseason, but it will be very difficult to replace McDuffie’s production on the field.

Winner: Kansas City Front Office

Kansas City’s front office did a great job by trading McDuffie to Los Angeles. The Chiefs secondary has lagged, but the 29th pick and three other picks in the 2026 NFL Draft are very strong. Additionally, the 25-year-old cornerback was set to become a free agent after the upcoming season. The move allows the Chiefs to recover value for McDuffie, add cap flexibility and find a higher-ranked prospect in the NFL Draft.

Loser: Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are the Super Bowl champions, but that has a major impact on their chances of repeating. The Seahawks’ biggest needs heading into the 2026 NFL offseason are running backs and cornerbacks. With Rick Woolen and Josh Jobe becoming free agents, Seattle has a need at the cornerback position. Instead of acquiring McDuffie, the organization saw its biggest rival complete a deal.

Winner: Los Angeles defensive coordinator Chris Shula

Los Angeles defensive coordinator Chris Shula is a big winner. After a strong 2025-26 NFL season, Shula’s secondary struggled mightily. This affected the calling of the game on defense, as the secondary was unreliable. Now, Shula can be more confident with his secondary and prepare himself for a strong defense in 2026-27. If all goes well, he may soon get an NFL head coaching job.

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

The Daytona 500 officially kicked off the 2026 NASCAR season for the Cup Series on Sunday, with Daytona International Raceway offering a spectacular battle. Between crashes, podiums and the battle of the finals, some of the best drivers in NASCAR races today had mixed results.

Let’s take a look at our winners and losers from the Daytona 500.

Winner: Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick is back. Last season, he clearly wasn’t himself as he faced a 23XI Racing lawsuit against NASCAR that clouded his future while he and his wife were dealing with their newborn son’s dire medical condition. Fortunately, both issues have been resolved and Reddick is now the winner of the Daytona 500. On Sunday he only led one lap, but it was the only lap that mattered. Reddick’s move to move ahead of the field in the final seconds – snatching the lead as a large debris burst behind him – was a masterclass in driving. The No. 45 car has returned to its 2024 form, meaning Reddick is a legitimate championship contender this season.

RELATED: Insider sheds light on Tyler Reddick’s future with 23XI Racing

Loser: BJ McLeod

BJ McLeod gained a spot in the Daytona 500 field after Anthony Alfredo failed post-qualifying inspection. However, his luck was short-lived, as disaster struck just five laps into the Great American Race. A right-rear tire failure caused the No. 78 to spin sideways; The ensuing damage destroyed the braking system and forced him to end his day.

RELATED: NASCAR Truck Results from Daytona International Speedway

Winner: Bubba Wallace

Had William Byron not cut in front of him and forced a sudden deceleration – to which the No. 23 team did a great job reacting and avoiding a massive crash – Bubba Wallace would have finished in the top five at the Daytona 500. Nevertheless, he finished 10th, won Stage 2, and led the most laps in NASCAR’s season-opening race. Wallace seemed to have some good luck today, finding debris that his car may have been magnetized to in the past. What matters is that he looks like a top-10 driver once again on superspeedways, building on his success at the end of the season in 2024. Furthermore, he starts the season with a solid 37 points.

RELATED: Daytona 500 results, NASCAR stage results today

Loser: William Byron

There are a few reasons why no one has won the Daytona 500 three consecutive times; Bad luck almost always plays a role. William Byron entered Sunday in an unfavorable situation, after an incident in the Duel at Daytona forced him to use the backup car. Just five laps in, BJ McLeod suffered a tire failure and a subsequent crash just before the No. 24 led to Byron making heavy contact with the wall. The damage required three separate trips to pit road under caution. Afterwards, he crashed into the wall again and then got caught in the “major incident” resulting in even more damage at the end of Stage 2. However, all things considered, finishing in 12th place isn’t so bad, considering everything that came before it.

RELATED: NASCAR points standings today after the Daytona 500

Winner: Shane van Gisbergen

Few would have assumed that the changes NASCAR made in 2026 — eliminating the “win-and-you’re-in” playoff format and reducing the number of road-course races — would keep Shane Van Gisbergen out of the Chase this year. At Sunday’s Daytona 500, SVG showed why that’s not the case. He didn’t just perform well on superspeedways; He led several laps and spent a significant portion of the race at the front of the field. He has clearly begun to master the art of oval racing, and today’s performance is the latest example of his improvement on the superspeedway. SVG is an even better driver than 2025. Unfortunately, his total points today will not show it because he has got into big trouble.

RELATED: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series results from Daytona International Speedway

Loser: Chase Briscoe

Coming off a highly successful first season in the No. 19 car with Joe Gibbs Racing, Chase Briscoe had a relatively strong Stage 1, leading 23 laps. Unfortunately, a run of luck struck him at the start of Stage 2. When Connor Zylisch got loose at the front of the field, the pack piled up and Ross Chastain got in front of Cody Ware’s right. Ware then broke loose and collided with Brisco. As the No. 19 slid down the infield and into the pit lane, it was T-boned by Austin Dillon. The damage caused Briscoe’s car to be sent to the garage for significant repairs, knocking him out of contention on Sunday. He would leave Daytona in last place among full-time drivers in points.

Winner: Zane Smith

In 2025, Zane Smith led only 22 laps in 36 races and failed to score a single stage win. He immediately changed his fortunes at the start of the 2026 campaign. By increasing his fuel while most of the field was pitting, Smith led nine laps and won Stage 1 to collect 10 points. It was a risky strategy – as evidenced by Noah Gragson running out of fuel shortly after – but Smith made it work, scoring his first career stage win and leading both the first laps at Daytona. Smith finished the day in sixth, marking a top-10 finish to start the season and demonstrating the potential for a breakout year.

Loser: Denny Hamlin

We’ll start with this: The Big One wasn’t Denny Hamlin’s fault. The No. 11 made an aggressive move to the high side in a tight gap, but Justin Allgaier reacted too late when attempting to block, causing a pileup behind Hamlin. This seems especially painful for the future Hall of Famer; After a disappointing performance in the duel, he returned to the front and set himself up for the Stage 2 victory. Allgaier’s mistake wiped out that progress, resulting in the destruction of 19 other cars. It’s been an extremely difficult year for Hamlin, both on and off the track. With 10 laps remaining, Hamlin again set himself up for a strong finish until his favorite young driver got by him. 23XI Racing’s Corey Heim contacted Hamlin and passed the No. 11 to teammate Christopher Bell. No. 20’s loss ended its day and No. 11 suffered its own loss. Ultimately, he finished the day in 31st place and possibly ruined any good feelings he had as a co-owner of 23XI Racing.

Winner: Chris Buescher

Forced to start the race from the back of the field in the backup car, Chris Buescher showed why he is one of the most underrated drivers in NASCAR. The No. 17 fought hard to finish fifth in Stage 1 (6 points) and followed that up with a sixth-place effort in Stage 2 (5 points). Having collected the second-most stage points (11) earlier in the day, Buescher kept himself at the front of the field to finish seventh and demonstrate why he is a strong contender for top-eight points this year.

Loser: Connor Zylisch

Connor Zylisch is one of the best NASCAR prospects of the modern era, but the “broadcast curse” eventually gets to everyone. As the FOX crew began praising the 19-year-old for maintaining a top-three finish, the No. 88 broke loose and caused the first major crash of the day. Ultimately, the mistake was caused by Zylisch’s inexperience driving a Next Gen car on a superspeedway. He’ll learn with time, but the Daytona 500 humbles every driver, and Zylisch experienced that firsthand today.

Winner: 23XI Racing

Michael Jordan took NASCAR to court to overturn the system he believed to be flawed, resulting in a multi-million dollar settlement and teams eventually receiving permanent charters. Clearly, the hunger to win on NASCAR’s biggest stage remains through 2026. Jordan celebrates as 23XI’s Tyler Reddick wins the Daytona 500 with an incredible finish. The trophy is headed home, and Jordan can also be proud of the fact that Bubba Wallace finished 10th with a Stage 2 win, Corey Haim ran at the front of the field during the race, and Riley Herbst finished eighth. This is an impressive start to the 2026 season for 23XI Racing.

RELATED: Winner of 23XI Racing lawsuit, loser wins over NASCAR

Loser: Carson Hocevar

Did Carson Hocevar offend the NASCAR gods at Daytona? Tire problems derailed his chances in the Truck Series, and a series of chaotic events forced him out of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Saturday. Entering the final lap of the Daytona 500, the No. 77 was looking for his first career Cup Series win as the race leader. However, he was knocked out and pinned to the wall. Hocevar was effectively dead in the water at that point, losing control and ultimately finishing 18th.

RELATED: NASCAR Predictions 2026

Winner: Riley Herbst

Ignore the circulating narrative: Tyler Reddick definitely had help from a teammate on the way to his Daytona 500 victory. However, one can show some leniency toward the team, as few expected it to be teammate Riley Herbst – who failed to record a single top-12 finish last season – who pushed the No. 45 to victory. Herbst played the best teammate role, using the No. 35 car to pass Reddick for the lead and then making sure Chase Elliott couldn’t make a desperate bid for the win. Additionally, Herbst secured eighth place for himself. While it is widely known that Herbst has entered the hot seat in 2026, this selfless performance will earn him significant credit within the 23XI organization.

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