Ty Simpson landing with 1 team is seen as ‘inevitable’
One specific NFL team appears to have its eyes on Ty Simpson in the NFL Draft, and is increasingly viewed as his likely landing spot.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Friday that Simpson landing with the Arizona Cardinals feels “inevitable.” The Cardinals lack a long-term solution at the quarterback position, and their situation may be complicated even further by Jacoby Brissett’s contract demands.
Ty Simpson to AZ feels inevitable. https://t.co/HjQPfMAQn7
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) April 17, 2026
There are plenty of other reasons to believe that Simpson might be a major target for the Cardinals. They already brought him in for a pre-draft visit and have not done a great deal to hide their interest.
The Cardinals are rumored to be among the teams at least open to trading down in the draft. They currently sit at No. 3 overall, which would be rather high for Simpson, so they could probably add a few more picks and still get their man if Simpson is who they want.
Simpson has seemingly trended up throughout the NFL Draft process. The former Alabama quarterback threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Crimson Tide last season.
Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe have broken up
Former US soccer star Megan Rapinoe announced Friday that she and Sue Bird have broken up.
In a statement posted to social media, Rapinoe said she and Bird had “made the decision to separate as a couple.” The two had been together since 2017.
A personal update from Megan and @S10Bird 💌 pic.twitter.com/rosVdXS7Gx
— TOGETHXR (@togethxr) April 17, 2026
The two also hosted a podcast together, “A Touch More,” which will also apparently be ending.
Bird and Rapinoe first met at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and have been together since then. They were engaged in 2020, though they never formally married.
Bird and Rapinoe had one of the most high-profile relationships in the sports world, as Bird was a WNBA star and Rapinoe a standout soccer player. Bird was a 13-time All-Star in her career before announcing her retirement in 2022. Rapinoe retired a year later after a career that saw her win two FIFA Women’s World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal.
Will Anderson’s agent reacts to his huge new contract
Houston Texans edge rusher Will Anderson effectively reset the market for pass rushers on Friday with his new $150 million deal, and his agent is taking a well-earned victory lap.
Anderson agreed to a three-year, $150 million extension with Houston to tack on to the two years left on his current deal. That makes him the first non-quarterback to make in excess of $50 million annually.
Anderson’s agent, Nicole Lynn, couldn’t help but gloat a little after getting the deal done.
“Anybody have a brinks truck?” she wrote on X.
Anybody have a brinks truck?
— Nicole Lynn (@AgentNicoleLynn) April 17, 2026
Lynn will be getting compensated well from this, too. You can hardly blame her for being pleased.
Anderson has already become one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers just three seasons into his career. He was an All-Pro for the first time in 2025 as he collected 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss while playing in all 17 games. No wonder the Texans made him such a high priority in the 2023 NFL Draft.
As for Lynn, she has established herself as the sort of agent who fights for her clients. She gets them plenty of cash in negotiations, too.
Jacoby Brissett wants more money from Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett wants some more money from the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals let Kyler Murray go this offseason, which leaves Brissett and Gardner Minshew as their quarterbacks. The Cardinals could also use their No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft on a QB. Until that point, Brissett’s representatives are trying to squeeze more money out of the Cardinals.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported on Friday that Brissett is not attending the first phase of the Cardinals’ offseason as the quarterback seeks more money.
Sources: #AZCardinals QB Jacoby Brissett is not attending Phase 1 of the offseason program and is asking for an extension that pays him as the starter.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 17, 2026
Brissett, set to make $9.06M in ‘26, has only $1.5M in guaranteed money and wants security. AZ appears willing to address it. pic.twitter.com/tl5HdMdvnO
The Cardinals may be reluctant to give Brissett more money. Even if they begin the season with him as their starter, they do not appear to have him locked in as their QB1.
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said Thursday regarding the starting quarterback position that the team is “not really naming anybody and we’ll see how that room works by the time we get to August.”
Brissett started 12 games for the Cardinals last season, and the team went 1-11 in those starts. He passed for 3,366 yards with 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His stats are respectable on the surface, but NFL teams are not going to be winning many games with Brissett at QB.
LeBron James’ stance on a retirement tour has been revealed
LeBron James’ future is up for debate again, this time answering the question about whether he actually wants a retirement tour.
James is not seeking a farewell tour season, according to Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic. James himself has allegedly told that to people close to him, and retirement at the end of this season remains a “real possibility.”
There also remains a lack of clarity regarding whether James will stay with the Lakers even if he does continue to play. The team’s strong play in March suggested to James that he might actually be able to remain with the Lakers, as winning remains his top priority if he does continue his career. This was whispered about in late March, before injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves threatened the team’s season.
The Lakers can still offer James the most money, but the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers have been linked to him anyway. Some other teams have also been whispered about, but nowhere near as seriously.
Even at 41, James remains a threat whenever he is on the court. He averaged 20.9 points and 7.2 assists per game on the season.
Angels legend Garret Anderson dies at age 53
Legendary former Los Angeles Angels star Garret Anderson has died at the age of 53, the Angels announced on Friday. The death of Anderson was unexpected and came following a medical emergency at his home in Newport Beach, Calif., on Thursday, according to TMZ.
The Angels shared the news of Anderson’s death with a prepared statement from team owner Arte Moreno.
“The Angels organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” Moreno in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series championship.”
The Angels will wear a memorial patch on their jerseys for the rest of the season to honor Anderson.
Anderson was a fourth-round pick by the Angels in 1990. He made it up to the majors in 1994, though 1995 was his first full season in the bigs. He made an immediate impact by batting .321 as a rookie, finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Anderson continued to be a reliable outfielder for the Angels. He batted .293 with 287 home runs during his career. Anderson made the All-Star team in 2002, 2003 and 2005. He led the AL in doubles in both 2002 and 2003, and won the Silver Slugger award in both seasons.
Anderson finished fourth in AL MVP voting in 2002, the same year he helped the Angels win their first and only World Series ever, by slugging a tie-breaking 3-run double in Game 7 against the San Francisco Giants.
Anderson, who played 17 seasons in MLB, including one with each the Braves and Dodgers after 15 seasons with the Angels, is the Angels’ franchise leader in games played (2,013), hits (2,368), RBIs (1,292), doubles (489), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796) and grand slams (eight).
Anderson had some other spectacular moments in his career. He had a 10-RBI game in 2007, and in 2003, he won both the Home Run Derby and All Star Game MVP.
After his playing career ended, Anderson became a broadcaster for the Angels. He was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2016.
San Diego Padres to be sold for record-breaking price
The San Diego Padres are finally set to be sold, and they will fetch a record-setting price for an MLB franchise.
The Padres are being purchased by a group led by private equity billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife Kwanza Jones, according to Jared Diamond and Miriam Gottfried of the Wall Street Journal. The sale price is said to be $3.9 billion, nearly $1.5 billion more than the previous record-breaking sale of the New York Mets to Steve Cohen.
The sale should end the uncertainty over the status of the Padres, which has been in question since owner Peter Seidler died in 2023. There has been infighting among Seidler’s widow and siblings over who controlled the franchise since then, which has negatively impacted the team in certain ways.
Feliciano is also the owner of Chelsea F.C. of the English Premier League. It remains to be seen whether he intends to maintain a high payroll, as Seidler did. Seidler bolstered the team’s payroll to nearly $250 million, but it has fallen closer to $200 million since his death.
Forbes had estimated that the Padres would be worth $3.1 billion. One can only imagine how much money clubs like the Yankees or Cubs would fetch if they ever hit the open market.
Mike McDaniel used hilarious tactic to influence Chargers’ FA decisions
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel employed an unconventional and humorous approach during the team’s free agency process.
Rather than relying on traditional presentations such as spreadsheets or messages, McDaniel created and pinned “Wanted” posters in the office of general manager Joe Hortiz. The posters featured running back Keaton Mitchell and fullback Alec Ingold as prime targets, evoking an Old West bounty hunt style.
Hortiz later recounted the moment with amusement, noting that McDaniel had placed the posters on his walls.
“Mike put up a wanted reward for a couple players,” Hortiz said, adding that McDaniel would “owe a little bit of money” since the front office secured both signings.
The tactic proved effective. The Chargers signed Pro Bowl fullback Alec Ingold to a two-year, $7.5 million deal, reuniting him with McDaniel after four seasons together in Miami. They also added explosive running back Keaton Mitchell on a two-year, $9.25 million contract with $5 million guaranteed.
These moves aimed to bolster a run game that struggled to support quarterback Justin Herbert.
McDaniel’s playful persistence highlighted his creative influence in shaping the roster.
Aaron Boone blasts ‘overly sensitive’ umps following ejection
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed frustration with the umpiring crew after receiving his first ejection of the 2026 season during an 11-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday at Yankee Stadium.
The incident occurred in the eighth inning following a balk call on Yankees pitcher Ryan Yarbrough.
With two outs and runners on first and second, first-base umpire Ryan Additon ruled Yarbrough had balked on a pickoff attempt to first base. The call advanced the runners, setting up an intentional walk to Mike Trout and a grand slam by Jo Adell that widened the Angels’ lead.
Boone initially approached home-plate umpire Will Little for clarification before returning to the field at the end of the inning. He was ejected by Little after seeking further explanation from Additon, with crew chief Lance Barksdale intervening.
“I still haven’t gotten good clarity, because of course, they got overly sensitive when I was as calm as could be,” Boone said, via MLB.com. “I wasn’t out there arguing. I just wanted to hear their explanation. I think it’s a fine play.”
Boone, who has led the American League in ejections in each of the past five seasons, described the pickoff as a standard defensive play that the Yankees had called. He noted dissatisfaction with the limited explanation provided by the umpires.
The ejection amplified ongoing tensions between managers and umpires, even as Major League Baseball implements the automated ball-strike system.
Wings shut down question about Azzi Fudd-Paige Bueckers relationship
The Dallas Wings introduced No. 1 overall 2026 WNBA Draft pick Azzi Fudd during a press conference on Thursday.
The event centered on her seamless transition from a standout UConn career into professional basketball with the rebuilding franchise. Fudd, who averaged 17.3 points per game on 47 percent shooting in her final college season, will reunite in the backcourt with reigning Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers.
Most questions focused on basketball topics, including Fudd’s elite shooting, defensive competitiveness, high basketball IQ, and unselfish approach, which has been praised by general manager Curt Miller.
Miller highlighted the organization’s deliberate evaluation process that consistently pointed back to Fudd as the ideal selection.
The tone shifted briefly when a reporter asked Fudd whether she and Bueckers, who publicly confirmed their romantic relationship on social media in 2025, remained together and if they had consulted other WNBA couples about navigating the dynamic as professional teammates.
Before Fudd could respond, a Wings public relations staffer interjected.
“I understand why you have to ask that question, but we’re going to respectfully decline from commenting on our players’ personal lives,” they said.
Miller later reinforced the team’s commitment to protecting athletes’ privacy off the court.
Fudd fielded additional inquiries about her excitement for the WNBA and her competitive drive.
With training camp approaching, the duo now prepares to lead Dallas on the court while the franchise maintains its policy of shielding private lives from public scrutiny. Of course, whether fair or unfair, that will only result in further discussion and speculation.
Clock is ticking on Bears to make stadium relocation decision
The Chicago Bears face mounting pressure to decide the future home of a new domed stadium as they prepare to leave Soldier Field after 50 years.
NFL stadium committee members, including Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf, will meet virtually with Bears officials the week of April 27 to review progress on two primary options: The team-owned 326-acre site in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and a proposed location near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana.
Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren has targeted a resolution by late spring or early summer, aligning with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s call for action “relatively soon.”
In Illinois, the team seeks roughly $850 million in public funding for infrastructure while pushing for tax certainty through payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) legislation, which has stalled in the General Assembly ahead of its May 31 session end. Without assured tax relief, Bears officials say construction cannot proceed.
Indiana offers greater certainty after passing Senate Bill 27, which creates a stadium authority and commits around $1 billion in financing, including toll road adjustments.
Bears chairman George H. McCaskey has noted that fans would adjust to either location, much as they did with prior venue shifts. A decision will shape the franchise’s path toward a potential 2030 opening while navigating political and financial hurdles in both states.
Soccer player’s all-time flop leads to second-hand embarrassment
In the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal second leg on Wednesday, Tigres winger Diego Lainez delivered a performance that had fans covering their eyes for all the wrong reasons.
Fresh off a suspension for accumulated cards, the 25-year-old found himself on the receiving end of a feather-light graze to the back from Seattle Sounders defender Nouhou Tolo just eight minutes in. Rather than shrugging off the gentle tap, Lainez spun dramatically, let out a theatrical yelp, and collapsed as if struck by a freight train.
The referee and VAR quickly saw through the charade, taking no action against either player.
FS1’s commentator captured the collective cringe, calling it “barely a love tap” and the sort of display that leaves viewers squirming in discomfort.
“I mean, that’s the type of stuff that’s embarrassing,” he said.
Social media erupted with mockery, branding the dive “pathetic” and a “disgrace to the game.”
The flop was so comically overdone that it probably even made LeBron James cringe from the NBA sidelines, where such his theatrical tumbles are practically patented.
In a sport celebrated for skill and grit, Lainez’s second-leg theatrics provided an unintended masterclass in how not to win hearts—or calls.
Tigres advanced on aggregate despite the 3-1 loss, but this moment may linger longer than any trophy.
Mariners broadcaster defends AI use after unjust criticism
Seattle Mariners broadcaster Angie Mentink, a respected figure in MLB media since 1997, recently faced unwarranted online criticism after a short video surfaced showing her using Google Gemini to generate ideas for postgame interview questions following a tough loss.
Mentink responded with grace and humor on social media, explaining that she was simply experimenting with the tool as a learning aid to supplement her own prepared questions, noting the evolution from pen and paper in her early career.
The backlash is particularly concerning given Mentink’s breast cancer survival and recovery from a stroke in February that left her paralyzed on her left side. She had only recently returned to the booth, focusing on regaining her bearings with support from the Mariners organization.
Any criticism in this context appears insensitive and misguided.
Further complicating the matter is the video’s unauthorized recording and release without her knowledge or consent. Filmed by a fan at a game and posted online with a mocking tone, it raises serious questions about privacy in public spaces and the ethics of sharing such footage to provoke backlash.
Mentink has handled the episode professionally, underscoring her dedication amid personal challenges.
LaVar Ball blasts Nick Wright over his LaMelo Ball comments
LaVar Ball is respawning this week to defend his youngest son LaMelo Ball.
The Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo drew widespread backlash with a dirty takedown of Miami Heat counterpart Bam Adebayo during Tuesday’s play-in tournament game (see the video here). While LaMelo was not punished for the incident in the actual game, the NBA retroactively hit LaMelo with a flagrant 2 foul as well as a fine the day afterwards.
In response to the dirty play this week, Nick Wright of FS1 went off on LaMelo. During an episode of “First Things First,” Wright ripped LaMelo by saying, “That young man is a clown and has been a clown forever and will never not be a clown.”
“That young man is a clown, and has been a clown forever and will never not be a clown.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 15, 2026
– Nick Wright on LaMelo pic.twitter.com/dkAvhqzHem
That led to a rebuttal from LaMelo’s father LaVar. On the latest episode of his “Big Baller Podcast,” LaVar fired right back at Wright.
“We got these folks over here [who] won’t even comment on the game,” said LaVar. “They talking about somebody a clown? Has Nick Wright ever looked in the mirror? I bet you if you look in the dictionary right now, you look up a clown, you gonna see two things. One, it’s gonna somebody with long hair on the sides and a big a– nose. Yep, that’s Nick Wright! A clown in itself. He’s been a clown ever since I’ve known him.”
Here is the full video of LaVar’s remarks (which also included swipes at Jason Whitlock and Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra).
LaVar Ball responds and goes off on Nick Wright for getting personal and calling his son LaMelo Ball a “clown,” and also calls out Erik Spoelstra for making excuses after losing to the Hornets. pic.twitter.com/8RdCfq8Rzn
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) April 16, 2026
For context, Spoelstra also called out LaMelo following the play-in game, which the Hornets narrowly won in overtime by a 127-126 final score. Spoelstra said that LaMelo should have been thrown out for the “stupid” play.
As for LaVar, he was in the news last year after having to get his foot amputated due to a diabtetes-related infection. But LaVar looked energetic a few months later as he showed off his new prosthetic leg and is clearly still vintage LaVar with his swipes this week at the FS1 personality Wright.
Wings shut down reporter’s question to Azzi Fudd about Paige Bueckers relationship
The Dallas Wings did not want reporters to ask about the romantic relationship between their two new co-stars.
Wings guard Azzi Fudd had her introductory press conference on Thursday, three days after Dallas made her the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. During the media session, one reporter asked Fudd about her former UConn teammate (and now Wings teammate) Paige Bueckers.
The reporter asked Fudd if she was still in a relationship with Bueckers and, if so, if they had consulted any other couples in the WNBA for advice. But the reporter got his question shut down by a Wings staffer, who intervened by saying, “I understand why you have to ask that question. But we’re going to respectfully decline from commenting on our players’ personal lives. Next question.”
Here is the video.
A reporter asked Azzi Fudd about her relationship with Paige Bueckers, but the Wings' media team said they won't be commenting on their players' personal lives. pic.twitter.com/iH3enGfoVE
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 16, 2026
Bueckers, 24, and Fudd, 23, were teammates and backcourt partners in college at UConn from 2021-25. With Bueckers going No. 1 overall to the Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft and Fudd following suit a year later, the two now find themselves reunited in the WNBA.
After years of dating rumors, Bueckers finally publicly confirmed her relationship with Fudd in 2025. Bueckers was even shown on TV at this week’s WNBA Draft reacting to the news of her team, the Wings, drafting her girlfriend Fudd at No. 1.
Now that Bueckers and Fudd are teammates in the WNBA (and star teammates at that), the top storyline in Dallas will be the personal and professional relationship between the two. But the Wings came prepared for that question to be asked on Thursday and promptly put the kibosh on it.
Dillon Brooks takes a swipe at the Warriors ahead of play-in game
Dillon Brooks is more than ready for the latest chapter of his rivalry with the Golden State Warriors.
Speaking with reporters this week, the Phoenix Suns swingman Brooks said that he was hoping to face the Warriors in the play-in tournament. Brooks specifically called out Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and head coach Steve Kerr as the reasons he wanted to get Golden State.
“I would like to see the Warriors,” said Brooks, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “[Because of] Steph and Draymond. And Steve Kerr.”
While Brooks’ comments came on Wednesday morning, he got his wish as the Warriors defeated the LA Clippers in their 9/10 play-in game later that day at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. That now sets up a play-in game between the Suns and the Warriors on Friday at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz. to decide who will now be the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed.
The former All-Defensive selection Brooks has a lot of individual history with Golden State, even dating back to his time with the Memphis Grizzlies. Brooks and the Grizzlies faced the Warriors in the second round of the 2022 playoffs, a series perhaps best remembered for a flagrant foul Brooks committed that drew the ire of the Warriors coach Kerr.
On top of that, Brooks, who also faced the Warriors in a first-round playoff series last season as a member of the Houston Rockets, has a well-documented beef with the Golden State star Green. Even as a member of the Suns this season, Brooks was criticized for a dirty foul on the Warriors superstar Curry. Now Brooks will officially be getting another shot at Golden State in this week’s play-in tournament and will likely bring plenty more antics.
Pirates fan caught groping his female companion during live broadcast
One Pittsburgh Pirates fan certainly had a day to remember at the ballpark on Thursday.
The Pirates faced off on Thursday against the NL rival Washington Nationals for the final meeting of their four-game series. The game between the two teams took place at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pa.
With the Pirates and the Nationals battling their way into extra innings, Pittsburgh outfielder Jake Mangum came up to bat in the bottom of the tenth inning with runners on the corners and one out (as the Nationals nursed an 8-7 lead). But the Pirates television broadcast caught something else noteworthy besides the clutch at-bat by Mangum.
As the broadcast cut to a close-up shot of Mangum in between pitches, a Pirates fan sitting down the first-base line was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The fan could be seen zealously groping his female companion sitting next to him. Take a look at the video.
The most excited a Pirates fan has been on yearshttps://t.co/G9pnT9FFCp
— Bracco | Social Sportsbook (@PlayBracco) April 16, 2026
Mangum would go on to hit into a game-ending double play during the at-bat. As a result, the Pirates fell to 11-8 on the season with the extra-inning loss.
But in any case, that Pirates fan ended up as the ultimate winner. That video was definitely reminiscent of the time that the Athletics’ broadcasters were left speechless over a similar groping incident during a game.
Zohran Mamdani takes a shot at Trae Young
Trae Young is hearing it this week from the mayor of New York City.
The New York Knicks are set to face the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. With the Knicks earning the No. 3 seed and the Hawks getting No. 6, the two sides will begin a best-of-seven series on Saturday in New York.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked about the high cost of playoff tickets for the game at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. Mamdani responded by taking a swipe at former Hawks star Trae Young.
“I would say that I blame Trae Young,” replied Mamdani. “And I think it’s always important to blame Trae Young.” Here is the full clip of Mamdani’s remarks.
Zohran Mamdani, when asked about the high cost of Knicks playoff tickets vs Atlanta: "I would say that I blame Trae Young… and I think it's always important to blame Trae Young"
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 16, 2026
Via: https://t.co/E7EN07I2QX pic.twitter.com/4YG37kvdD1
Young is not even with the Hawks anymore after being traded to the Washington Wizards at the February trade deadline. But he still did more than enough during his time in Atlanta to create a rivalry between the Hawks and the Knicks (and also become Public Enemy No. 1 in New York).
Most notably, Young led the Hawks to a first-round playoff series victory over the Knicks in 2021 and openly taunted the MSG crowd over the course of that series. Even in more recent years, Young had still been pulling disrespectful moves on the Knicks.
The four-time All-Star Young will obviously not be taking part in this year’s playoff series between the Hawks and the Knicks. But plenty of New Yorkers, including the Democratic mayor Mamdani, still loathe Young for what he did to their city in the past.
NFL reporter Crissy Froyd gets fired for post about Dianna Russini
Crissy Froyd is now out of a job after her post this week about fellow reporter Dianna Russini.
USA Today has parted ways with their NFL reporter Froyd after Froyd made a post to her X page earlier this week celebrating Russini’s resignation from The Athletic. Froyd told TMZ Sports that USA Today severed ties with her via email on Thursday after she spent a decade with the publication.
On Tuesday, Froyd reacted to the news that Russini had resigned from her position with The Athletic. “I’m sure you were told to submit this or that you’d get fired instead,” Froyd wrote. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. We know who you really are and what you’ve been up to for years. It does so much detriment to women in sports who have done things the right way.”
I’m sure you were told to submit this or that you’d get fired instead.
— Crissy Froyd (@crissy_froyd) April 14, 2026
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. We know who you really are and what you’ve been up to for years. It does so much detriment to women in sports who have done things the right way. https://t.co/dswaHZjIHL
After being let go on Thursday, Froyd then proceeded to double down on her original post. She took to X to confirm her firing and added that “I regret zero of what I said.”
I would like to acknowledge the statements put out about me recently and that I am also no longer with USA TODAY SMG.
— Crissy Froyd (@crissy_froyd) April 16, 2026
I regret zero of what I said and stand beside it. If you want to talk, my messages are open. My email is operative, too.
I feel I've been very transparent and…
USA Today also released a statement of their own about Froyd’s firing.
"USA TODAY Sports has ended its contractor relationship with Crissy Froyd effective immediately. Her recent statements do not reflect our commitment to professionalism or uphold our principles of ethical conduct." pic.twitter.com/lAkOIwuc5G
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) April 16, 2026
Russini resigned earlier this week after being spotted seemingly holding hands and hugging with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. While Russini and Vrabel, who are both married with children, both continue to deny that anything inappropriate took place, Russini cited the “media frenzy” over the photos as a driving force behind her decision to quit.
Meanwhile, Froyd had officially been listed at USA Today as a managing editor and staff writer. She covered both college football for the network (specializing in the SEC) and NFL beats as well (including serving on the beat of the Atlanta Falcons and the Tennessee Titans).
All-Pro defensive lineman is reportedly done with the Giants
New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence has played his final snap with the team, at least if he has his way.
Lawrence is not interested in re-negotiating his Giants contract and wants a trade, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. The two sides did engage in some negotiations, but he is not interested in any further talks with the organization, and his issues with the organization are no longer financial.
“His time with the Giants is over.”
— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) April 16, 2026
Posturing? Trying to force a trade? Realization it’s time to move on? Dexter Lawrence is done with the Giants. https://t.co/uXszwNrhNR
Lawrence has already skipped the team’s offseason camp. He is due to make $20 million in 2026 and signed a contract extension three years ago. The market for defensive linemen has changed since then, in part because of Chris Jones’ 5-year extension worth nearly $160 million with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Giants may simply hold firm and call Lawrence’s bluff, as he still has two years left on his current deal. They are under no obligation to trade him, though keeping a disgruntled player risks causing distractions once training camp draws closer.
Lawrence has firmly established himself as one of the game’s best defensive tackles. The 28-year-old has been selected to three Pro Bowls and twice named second-team All-Pro. While he is coming off something of a down year, he is still seen as the anchor of the Giants’ defensive line.
