Mike Tomlin makes ‘gun to my head’ prediction about Aaron Rodgers’ future
Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t think Aaron Rodgers is going anywhere.
The Steelers’ quarterback plans for next season remained in limbo before the NFL draft, and not much has changed since. Rodgers has yet to confirm whether he’ll return to Pittsburgh next season or finally hang up his cleats for good.
Tomlin, who coached Rodgers during the 2025 season, believes he knows what’s going through his former QB1’s head. During his first appearance as an analyst on NBC, Tomlin was asked who he believes would be the Steelers’ starting quarterback once the season rolls around.
“Man, if you’ve got a gun to my head, I’d say it’s A.R.,” Tomlin told Maria Taylor. “I just think being around him for 12 months, he’s got a love affair with the game of football. And not only the game, but the process.
“The informal moments of the development of younger guys, the interaction with teammates — I think he has an addiction to that, and there’s only one way to feed it. And certainly, he’s still capable and in really good shape. I think at the end of the day, he’ll play football.”
Rodgers has been in the NFL for over two decades and has been widely revered as one of the league’s most talented players for most of that time. Going from being “the man” for all those years to the next retired player to appear as an analyst for the NFL Network is an adjustment he may not be ready to make.
Everyone made the same joke about Diego Pavia joining Ravens
Diego Pavia may be getting a chance to form something of an odd couple in Baltimore.
The former Vanderbilt quarterback Pavia has accepted an invite to rookie minicamp from the Baltimore Ravens, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Sunday. After officially going undrafted this week, Pavia will be joining the Ravens for minicamp next weekend.
That news of Pavia heading to Baltimore led to everybody making the same joke online. Many users on X joked about the impending dynamic between Pavia and Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Lamar Jackson and Diego Pavia at Ravens mini camp pic.twitter.com/kNkKBZTT5m
— Onyx (@OnyxOdds) April 26, 2026
Lamar after Pavia demands to play with the 1s pic.twitter.com/gY7a1YOwVV
— Garage Gameday Sports (@GamedayGarage) April 26, 2026
Lamar to Diego. pic.twitter.com/8p9oGnbP2b
— Brady (@TheyCallMeBrady) April 26, 2026
Pavia when he sees Lamar pic.twitter.com/af9rMNeELJ
— Ralph (@Ralph6554183881) April 26, 2026
Pavia, 24, was a Heisman finalist and an SEC Offensive Player of the Year winner in 2025 after throwing for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns at Vanderbilt (plus adding 862 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground). But with real questions over his height and arm strength, Pavia was ultimately not selected in the NFL Draft this week.
Additionally, Pavia did not help his own cause with his well-documented maturity concerns. But now Pavia will be getting a chance to potentially be teammates with a very different quarterback personality in Jackson.
Behind the former MVP Jackson, the Ravens currently have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley but no other backups at the QB position. Thus after Pavia made some embarrassing history by going undrafted, he will be getting his opportunity to prove that he belongs at the NFL level.
NBA decides on punishments for Nuggets-Timberwolves Game 4 fight
The Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves will officially have every (healthy) player available for Monday’s Game 5.
The NBA announced on Sunday that they are handing down fines only for Saturday night’s Game 4 incident between the Nuggets and the Timberwolves. Denver star Nikola Jokic is being fined $50,000 and Minnesota counterpart Julius Randle is being fined $35,000 as well.
In their official release, the NBA said that Jokic initiated the heated incident. Meanwhile, Randle was said to have “forcefully” inserted himself into the scrum before shoving Nuggets swingman Bruce Brown in the process.
Minnesota defeated Denver by a final score of 112-96 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. on Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round series. In the closing seconds of the game, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels made a layup after both teams had effectively stopped playing.
That led to Jokic rushing over to confront McDaniels, and players from both teams then proceeding to exchange shoves. You can see the full video of the incident here.
In addition to Jokic and Randle (both of whom were ejected on the spot), there was uncertainty about whether players such as Aaron Gordon of Denver or Rudy Gobert of Minnesota would trigger automatic one-game suspensions for leaving the bench area during the fight. Ultimately however, the NBA will not be handing out any suspensions, though the bigger concern for the leading Timberwolves right now is the bad news that they just got on star player Anthony Edwards.
Rams may still add another quarterback
The Los Angeles Rams might be committed to loading up on quarterbacks this offseason.
The Rams drafted Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall as their quarterback of the future on Thursday in the NFL Draft, but they may not be done. Coach Sean McVay refused to completely shut the door on the potential return of Jimmy Garoppolo in a backup role to Matthew Stafford.
“I don’t want to say completely closed, but I would say this. You guys know how much I appreciate Jimmy and what he could really do. I always viewed him as a starting-caliber quarterback,” McVay said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I wouldn’t say he’d ever close it, but by being able to do what we did last night, it probably lessens the level of urgency for that position. I certainly would never say never in anything like that.”
The Rams have essentially confirmed that Garoppolo is contemplating retirement, which may have played at least a small role in the Simpson pick. The team is still hopeful that he will reconsider, even though, as McVay alluded to, their backup situation is more settled now.
If Garoppolo did come back to the Rams, Simpson would wind up third on the depth chart. That shows just how serious the Rams are about letting him develop instead of throwing him into game action.
Report reveals how severe Kevin Durant’s injury really is
Kevin Durant will not play in Game 4 of the Houston Rockets’ first round playoff series, and under normal circumstances, he would be out for a while after that, too.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday that Durant has not been cleared by doctors to play in Sunday’s do-or-die game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant is dealing with a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would be a two-to-three week injury during the regular season.
Houston's Kevin Durant is expected to miss Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Durant has a bone bruise in his sprained ankle, which would sideline him 2 to 3 weeks in season. He's had around-the-clock treatment to play but has not been cleared by doctors. pic.twitter.com/DpOdclPEAw
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2026
Obviously, Durant is pushing to return as soon as possible with the Rockets on the brink of elimination. The timeline gives an indication, however, of just how significant Durant’s injury really is.
Details about Durant’s injury have been few and far between. He missed Games 1 and 3, and even his teammates seem largely unaware of what is going on and whether his rehab is progressing. It is not clear if he would have a chance to play in a hypothetical Game 5 either, with the Rockets likely to take things day-by-day.
Durant scored 23 points on 7/12 shooting in Game 2, his only appearance of the series to date.
Raptors set an incredibly ugly record in their playoff win
The Toronto Raptors evened their Eastern Conference first round series on Sunday despite a performance that went into the record books for the wrong reasons.
The Raptors pulled out a 93-89 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, On. in what was a defensive struggle for most of the game. The two teams combined for just 74 first half points, and things did not improve significantly in the second half.
The Raptors wound up shooting 31/97 from the field, a 32 percent mark. That is the lowest figure a winning team has ever posted in a playoff game since the advent of the three-point line.
Raptors win! They shot 32% from the field, the worst mark in a playoff win in the 3-point era.
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) April 26, 2026
Toronto went just 4/30 from three-point range. Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett combined to shoot 14/45, while Scottie Barnes was a bit more respectable at 6/15.
Though they have come back to tie the series at 2, the Raptors have played some ugly basketball against the Cavaliers. They should feel fortunate to be in the series, but that is exactly where they find themselves.
Brett Baty got yelled at by umpire Ryan Blakney for ridiculous reason
New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty got in hot water with home plate umpire Ryan Blakney for a ridiculous reason.
Baty was called out on strikes on a pitch at the bottom of the zone to end the fourth inning of Sunday’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field in New York, N.Y. Baty was clearly displeased with the call and took a glance back toward Blakney as he removed his equipment. Blakney did not like that, initially telling Baty he should have challenged. Baty pointed out that he hadn’t said anything to Blakney, but he apparently didn’t need to.
“You didn’t need to. Don’t look at me,” Blakney replied.
"Don't look at me"
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 26, 2026
Brett Baty has a back-and-forth with the home plate umpire following a strikeout pic.twitter.com/naRGIg5Fyl
Baty rightly asked Blakney why the umpire was instigating, but things did not escalate from there.
Blakney is correct to point out that if Baty disliked the call, he should have challenged. The pitch did look like a strike, too. Getting worked up because Baty looked back at him, however, is pretty soft behavior.
Maybe there’s something about New York that gets home plate umpires a bit uptight. Fortunately, everyone kept their cool, and Baty was not ejected or anything silly like that.
Son of WWE legend lands an NFL contract
The son of a WWE Hall of Famer is embarking on an NFL career after landing a contract following the NFL Draft.
Former Jacksonville State wide receiver Brock Rechsteiner is signing with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent, the team announced Sunday. Rechsteiner is the son of WWE legend Scott Steiner, who promptly celebrated the news on social media.
Titan Up! @brocksteiner pic.twitter.com/02JWORyzXp
— Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner (@ScottSteiner) April 26, 2026
Steiner was one half of the Steiner Brothers wrestling duo in the 1980s and 1990s. He was also a WCW Triple Crown Champion, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2022 as half of the Steiner Brothers.
Rechsteiner is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a big wide receiver at 6’2″ and 225 pounds. He caught 36 passes for 383 yards and five touchdowns for Jacksonville State last season.
The Steiner Brothers have plenty of athletes in the family. Scott’s nephew Bronson is also a pro wrestler under the name Bron Breakker.
Jason Varitek had a priceless reaction to the Red Sox firings
Jason Varitek is doing is best right now to grin and bear it.
The Boston Red Sox decided on the nuclear option on Saturday, firing manager Alex Cora and several other top coaches. The drastic move came with the Red Sox having gotten off to a lousy 10-17 start to the 2026 MLB season.
Varitek, the retired Red Sox legend, was originally reported to have been fired as well from his job as the team’s run prevention coach. It was later revealed however that Varitek was actually getting reassigned to a different role by Boston (with the exact details to come at a later date).
Nevertheless, Varitek still went viral for his priceless reaction to the news. Varitek posed for a photo with all of his fired colleagues amid their flight back to Boston. In the photo, which was posted by Cora to Instagram, Varitek was smiling and giving the thumbs-down sign.
Jason Varitek gives a thumbs down as the fired group of Red Sox coaches flies back to Boston (via Alex Cora’s IG story). pic.twitter.com/QoOIrhzPTC
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 26, 2026
Now 54 years old, Varitek is a Red Sox icon. He played his entire MLB career in Boston from 1997-2011, making three MLB All-Star teams and serving as the starting catcher on two Red Sox World Series-winning teams in 2004 and 2007.
But obviously “Tek” is not too pleased about seeing all of his colleagues get the boot. He can now join the club along with Boston’s current players, many of whom are reportedly unhappy about the Cora firing.
Deion Sanders sends encouraging message to Diego Pavia
Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is still waiting for an NFL opportunity, but he has at least one believer in Colorado coach Deion Sanders.
Sanders had a message for Pavia on Saturday after the Heisman Trophy finalist went undrafted in the NFL Draft. On X, Sanders said he was a believer in Pavia and urged the quarterback to “stay strong.”
“I BELIEVE IN YOU MY MAN!” Sanders wrote. “Stay strong and don’t let up. Show them what time it is and never allow them to forget.”
@diegopavia02 “I BELIEVE IN YOU MY MAN! Stay strong and don’t let up. Show them what time it is and never allow them to forget. Much Love & God bless you. #PRIME
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) April 26, 2026
Pavia going undrafted is not a total shock, as he was never regarded as a top-tier prospect. Still, he was a Heisman finalist, and there is not much precedent for someone with that pedigree to go undrafted.
Sanders’ endorsement probably won’t do much for Pavia, who has a lot working against him. He turned 24 in February, stands just 5’10”, and has dealt with questions about his temperament. Plenty of teams probably just don’t want to deal with that from a player who is unlikely to make a roster out of training camp.
Kevin Durant appears to be leaving his Rockets teammates in the dark
Kevin Durant may already be torching his goodwill with yet another franchise.
The Houston Rockets star Durant missed Game 3 of his team’s first-round series against the Lakers on Friday with an ankle sprain. The absence came after he also missed Game 1 of the series due to a knee injury.
Prior to Sunday’s Game 4 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas (a potential elimination game with the Rockets now down in the series 0-3), ESPN’s Dave McMenamin shared an unflattering report about Durant. McMenamin said that there are questions among Houston teammates about whether Durant is doing his rehab away from the team right now.
Additionally, McMenamin notes that Rockets forward Amen Thompson replied, “I don’t know” earlier in the day on Sunday when asked about Durant’s status. Questions also reportedly exist about whether teammates have been able to check in on Durant as he works to recover.
David McMenamin says Kevin Durant’s teammates have no idea what’s going on with him, raising questions about whether KD is rehabbing away from the team and whether his teammates have been checking on him
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 26, 2026
(h/t @NBA__Courtside ) pic.twitter.com/IsLVFXdPNS
The former NBA MVP Durant, 37, is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s Game 4 against the Lakers. But there has indeed been an air of mystery with Durant’s latest injury as he notably no-showed on the Rockets bench for the entirety of Game 3 in Houston.
Durant is in his first season with the Rockets but cannot become a free agent until 2027 after signing a contract extension this past October. But if there is a disconnect between Durant and his Houston teammates, that would only further fuel the uncertainty that the Rockets will be facing with a potential first-round exit this year.
Red Sox players are not happy with Alex Cora’s firing
Boston Red Sox players do not appear happy with the team’s decision to fire manager Alex Cora, or the way they went about it.
The Red Sox fired Cora on Saturday with the team off to a 10-17 start, prompting a great deal of surprise around the baseball world. That apparently extended to the players, many of whom found out about the decision via social media.
Some Red Sox players found out about the details of the firings of Alex Cora and the coaches on social media, like the rest of the world, I'm told.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 26, 2026
"We're gonna meet together tomorrow as a team," Sam Kennedy told MasLive. "We wanted to meet with Alex before talking to anybody…
Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said the team would be addressed on Sunday. That, apparently, did not go well. General manager Craig Breslow was the only member of team leadership to speak to the players, and according to pitcher Garrett Whitlock, players were not allowed to ask questions.
“They made it very clear that we get paid to play baseball and we need to just focus on playing baseball,” Whitlock said, via Tim Healey of the Boston Globe.
In general, the mood of the players appeared quite negative. Shortstop Trevor Story said he wanted to clear the air with Breslow, and said the coaching staff did not get a fair shot.
Trevor Story is not happy with the decisions and says he wants to clear the air with Craig Breslow today. Says “some of the best coaches in the world didn’t get a fair shot.”
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 26, 2026
Cora was seemingly made the scapegoat for the team’s 10-17 start, even though he has won a World Series as manager and few really blamed him for the issues. Cora himself seemed to believe he got a raw deal, at least based on his social media activity.
There had been past rumors about something of a power struggle between Cora and Breslow. If these reactions are any indication, the players are more supportive of their former manager, which may be a problem for Breslow in the future.
Jared McCain had the worst flop attempt of the NBA playoffs
The jokes are writing themselves now that Jared McCain is on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
McCain, the Thunder guard, went viral during Saturday’s Game 3 against the Phoenix Suns for his pathetic flop attempt. In the third quarter at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., McCain was driving up the floor after a made free throw by the Suns.
After successfully getting in front of Phoenix guard Collin Gillespie, McCain put on the brakes and successfully drew the foul on a tailing Gillespie. But McCain also produced a pathetic flop in an attempt to get free throws on the play. Take a look.
OKC got Jared McCain foul baiting now…
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 25, 2026
This is NASTY work pic.twitter.com/XOKxA2Ihxx
Here is another angle of the play (which shows that McCain was almost parallel with the ground in his comical effort to embellish the contact).
Okc needs to be investigated lmao sga got Jared McCain foul baiting now pic.twitter.com/Lt9uVMlNSx
— John (@iam_johnw) April 25, 2026
Referee James Capers (No. 19) called Gillespie for a foul on the floor, so the sell job by McCain did not quite work there. But it did not matter in the end as the Thunder still won by a fairly comfortable 121-109 final score to take a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Suns.
McCain, 22, is in his first season with the Thunder after being acquired in a midseason trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. It appears however that McCain has already learned a trick or two from some of his notorious foul-baiting teammates in OKC.
Report: Billy Donovan wants 1 NBA head coaching job
Billy Donovan and Al Horford might just end up being reunited.
The former Chicago Bulls head coach Donovan is waiting for the Golden State Warriors head coaching job to potentially open up, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported this week. Mannix notes that the Warriors’ status as a veteran, win-now team may be appealing to Donovan.
At 60 years old, Donovan now has over a decade of NBA head coaching experience between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Bulls. He spent the last six seasons as the head coach in Chicago but stepped down earlier this month after going 226-256 (.469) with just one winning season and one total playoff appearance.
As for the Warriors, they just went 37-45 and missed the playoffs altogether. Now Golden State is waiting on the status of head coach Steve Kerr, who has not made a decision on his future yet but is widely expected to leave the Warriors amid a reported rift with the team.
The urgency to win for Golden State is obviously immediate. In particular, Steph Curry (37), Jimmy Butler (36), and Draymond Green (35) will all be entering the final years of their respective contracts in 2026-27.
We learned earlier this week that Donovan was being mentioned in connection with a couple of more modest NBA head coaching jobs. But as it turns out, the job in Golden State could be what he has wanted all along.
Malik Nabers publicly questions Giants’ draft pick
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers was not necessarily a fan of one of his team’s first-round picks.
The Giants nabbed linebacker Arvell Reese of Ohio State when he fell to them at No. 5 overall. Reese was clearly the best player available when the Giants were on the clock, and the team decided not to pass on him.
Nabers was a guest on Micah Parsons’ NFL Draft livestream and questioned the pick in real time. He questioned the Giants picking another pass rusher and suggested the team made a mistake by passing on safety Caleb Downs.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love the player, but where do you play? You wanna be on the outside and rush but we just drafted somebody last year to do that same position,” Nabers said. “The reason why I said Caleb Downs is you have to get them when they’re available. And, because we just traded (Dexter Lawrence), we need interior D-line.”
Malik Nabers after the Giants drafted Arvell Reese, via @BleacherReport:
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) April 24, 2026
"Don't get me wrong I love the player but like, where do you play? You wanna be on the outside and rush but we just drafted somebody last year to do that same position." pic.twitter.com/W9Fn085fZn
Nabers was even more unhappy when the Giants passed on Downs a second time at No. 10, picking offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa instead. The Dallas Cowboys then nabbed Downs at No. 1..
Malik Nabers' reaction to the Cowboys trading up and drafting Caleb Downs 👀 pic.twitter.com/dgyuC2ocJ5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 24, 2026
Giants coach John Harbaugh was asked if he had a problem with Nabers’ public comments, but Harbaugh insisted he did not, encouraging players to “say what you think.”
John Harbaugh, asked about Malik Nabers' draft critiques, says his Giants "don’t get too worried about stuff as long as the person’s heart is in the right place.
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) April 25, 2026
"Say what you think."
He spoke to Nabers and explained how they intend to use Reese. Said "he’s a player that fits…
Nabers is correct that the Giants keep loading up on pass rushers. They drafted Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2024 and Abdul Carter in 2025, both in the top five. The Giants insist they are keeping all of them, too. One can understand why Nabers was looking for something else.
Nabers has never been shy about publicly criticizing the Giants. At this point, the team appears to be used to it and is just shrugging it off.
Alex Cora sent provocative social media messages after his firing
Alex Cora took to social media after being fired by the Boston Red Sox and seemingly sent a few messages to the organization.
Cora was fired on Saturday and quickly fired off a few social media responses. Most provocatively, he reposted a video of former Red Sox star Mookie Betts to his Instagram account. In the video, Betts appears on the “All The Smoke” podcast and effusively praises Cora, calling the former manager the reason he still pays attention to the Red Sox.
Alex Cora shared this Mookie Betts video on his IG last night. pic.twitter.com/ifcns3q5lK
— Savage (@Savageboston) April 26, 2026
Cora also shared a photo of himself and his fired coaching staff as they got ready to fly back to Boston. Notably, Red Sox icon Jason Varitek, who lost his job as game planning coordinator, is seen flashing a thumbs down to the camera.
Jason Varitek gives a thumbs down as the fired group of Red Sox coaches flies back to Boston (via Alex Cora’s IG story). pic.twitter.com/QoOIrhzPTC
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 26, 2026
Cora also posted a one-word message on X: “Happy!”
Happy!
— Alex (@ac13alex) April 26, 2026
😊
Cora’s repost of the Betts clip is certainly telling on a lot of levels. The content certainly suggests that he feels he was fired unjustly. The fact that it’s Betts at all — a beloved player Red Sox ownership decided to trade instead of pay — is even bolder.
Cora won the 2018 World Series with the Red Sox and was well-regarded by the fanbase. Most agree that the team’s 10-17 start was not really his fault, and fans at games have made it very clear who they think is most responsible for the team’s issues. Perhaps Cora quietly feels the same way.
Timberwolves get bad news about Anthony Edwards’ injury
The Minnesota Timberwolves received rough news on the extent of Anthony Edwards’ injury early Sunday.
Edwards suffered a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee during Saturday’s win over the Denver Nuggets, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. While Edwards avoided any ligament damage, he is expected to miss multiple weeks.
Just in: Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has sustained a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee and is expected to miss multiple weeks, sources tell ESPN. Results showed Edwards avoided any ligament damage, but he will now miss time. pic.twitter.com/zVgDQtxXRd
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2026
In other words, Edwards is likely to miss at least a large portion of the Western Conference Semifinals, provided the Timberwolves close out the Nuggets. They currently hold a 3-1 lead in the series.
Edwards had already been dealing with a knee injury heading into the playoffs. He was in serious pain after suffering the injury and could not put any weight on his left leg as he was helped to the locker room (video here).
The Timberwolves simply cannot catch a break in the injury department. In addition to Edwards, they lost Donte DiVincenzo for the season to a torn Achilles in their Game 4 victory. Minnesota won anyway thanks to an unexpected 43-point eruption from backup guard Ayo Dosunmu.
Edwards was averaging 23 points per game for Minnesota in the first four games of the series. He was just 1/8 with five points at the time of his injury during Saturday’s contest.
Nikola Jokic ejected for starting melee in final seconds of Game 4
Nikola Jokic was at the center of a huge scuffle to close out Saturday’s postseason game between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jokic charged at Timberwolves swingman Jaden McDaniels in the final seconds at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The Nuggets center took exception to McDaniels laying in an uncontested layup rather than dribbling out the clock in what ended up being a 112-96 T-Wolves win in Game 4 of the first-round series.
Jokic ran the length of the floor to confront McDaniels right in front of Minnesota’s bench. Several players and coaches from both sides got involved — some playing peacemaker while others escalated the beef further.
Tensions were high at the end of Game 4 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves 😳
— ESPN (@espn) April 26, 2026
Both Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle were ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. pic.twitter.com/U7Pg8ULO1J
Both Jokic and Timberwolves forward Julius Randle were ejected from the contest for unsportsmanlike conduct with 1.3 seconds left on the clock.
The Timberwolves prevailed Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in the series despite losing both Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo to serious injuries in the first half. Ayo Dosunmu emerged from the bench and scored a career-high 43 points to lead his undermanned squad to victory.
McDaniels made some ruthless comments about Jokic and the entire Nuggets roster after Game 2, which added fuel to an already roaring fire of animosity between the two teams.
The NBA could look into possibly handing out suspensions over the Game 4 incident.
Donte DiVincenzo’s torn Achilles continues eerie trend dating back to last playoffs
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn Achilles on Saturday, continuing a wild streak that dates back to last season’s playoffs.
DiVincenzo went down with a non-contact injury in the opening minutes of Game 4 in the Timberwolves’ first-round series against the Denver Nuggets. DiVincenzo missed a long three-pointer and got hurt while trying to rush toward the loose ball along the sideline at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
Before the game ended, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that DiVincenzo had been diagnosed with a torn Achilles.
Fans could not help but notice that DiVincenzo also wears the number zero — the same jersey number worn by Damian Lillard, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jayson Tatum. Those three players all suffered season-ending torn Achilles injuries in last year’s playoffs.
Every player who tore their Achilles the last 2 playoffs wore number 0
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 26, 2026
That jersey is cursed pic.twitter.com/vH1Rtl4oFA
Some fans were calling the number cursed. Even the least superstitious folks out there have to acknowledge how wild the coincidence is.
The Timberwolves must have felt cursed during Saturday’s game, as Anthony Edwards also suffered a gruesome injury in the contest.
Despite being down a starting backcourt, Minnesota managed to win 112-96 in Game 4. Reserve guard Ayo Dosunmu had the game of his life, erupting for 43 points on 13/17 shooting off the Timberwolves’ bench.
Fernando Mendoza’s ringtone caught everyone’s attention
Fans could see from miles away which team would pick Fernando Mendoza on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, but they had no idea what the call from the Las Vegas Raiders would sound like.
With all eyes on the Indiana Hoosiers quarterback right before the Raiders selected him first overall, Mendoza’s phone rang, with a ringtone that sounded like it was straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon.
Here’s a video of that moment.
Las Vegas calling. 📲#ProIU | @Raiders pic.twitter.com/rZEs7JWqex
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) April 24, 2026
Nobody in the room seemed to pay attention to Mendoza’s ringtone. They were all quiet as he spoke to Raiders general manager John Spytek, who informed the national champion quarterback that Las Vegas would pick him first overall.
All that mattered to his family and friends at the time was that he was headed to Las Vegas.
The internet, meanwhile, had things to say about his ringtone choice.
When the ringtone matches the grind, you know the league just got a problem
— Noor Mustafa (@Mustafa8097) April 24, 2026
Fernando Mendoza having the “Fred Flintstone twinkle toes bowling” noise as his ringtone is so on brand.
— Ryan Talbot (@RyanTalbotBills) April 24, 2026
I’m also aging myself greatly with that reference. https://t.co/mDSieGFrGS
Most Fernando Mendoza ringtone ever 😂
— NFL Drop (@TheNFLDrop) April 24, 2026
Special moment for the new Raiders QB 🥲 pic.twitter.com/2ia1eEpxz1
Tom & Jerry ass ringtone I’m dead 😭😭😭 Fernando Mendoza special talent https://t.co/fWieSJctjS
— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) April 24, 2026
Fernando Mendoza ringtone said pic.twitter.com/RoKIWKBiVk
— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) April 24, 2026
Many view Mendoza as a football messiah for the Raiders franchise, an expectation that can be hard for some to reconcile with how his phone sounded.
But that’s part of the intrigue when it comes to the young quarterback.
Keeping that ringtone, knowing everyone would hear it, shows some level of confidence from Mendoza, who spearheaded one of the greatest championship runs in college football history with the Hoosiers.
