Colts GM weighs in on Anthony Richardson’s future after 3 seasons
Time is running out for Anthony Richardson to prove himself worthy of another contract with the Indianapolis Colts.
But at the very least, Colts general manager Chris Ballard remains confident that Richardson will be sticking around in the NFL.
“I’m not gonna say he needs a complete fresh start,” Ballard said on Tuesday, via JJ Stankevitz of the team’s official website. “Anthony’s still young. He’s still developing. So we’ll see what the future holds. But I still believe in Anthony.”
Whether that belief translates into an extension deal for Richardson down the road remains to be seen. The former Florida Gators signal-caller still has his fifth-year option unpicked by Indianapolis, which has until May 1 to exercise it.
The Colts could shop him for a potential trade, but there might be more equity in keeping him for at least one more year than sending him elsewhere for a lackluster return. For that reason, it’s fair to expect that Richardson will still be with Indianapolis by Week 1 of the 2026 season.
Richardson lost the quarterback battle to Daniel Jones in 2025. In the same season, he suffered an eye injury and eventually finished the campaign on the injured reserve. When Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, Indianapolis resorted to Philip Rivers and Riley Leonard for their needs under center, while Richardson watched from the sidelines.
A first-round pick by the Colts in 2023, the 23-year-old Richardson has 2,400 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 17 appearances (15 starts).
William Nylander reacts to Auston Matthews’ Olympic win
It is back to business in the NHL for William Nylander and the rest of the Toronto Maple Leafs following the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
That also means that he’ll be reunited on the ice with Auston Matthews, whose Team USA defeated Nylander and Sweden in the quarterfinals of the Olympics before beating Slovakia in the semifinals and taking down Canada in the gold-medal match.
On Tuesday, Nylander joined the Maple Leafs for his first practice back from the Olympics and opened up about the disappointment of losing to Matthews and the Americans. He admitted that he’s yet to talk to Matthews since the loss to Team USA, but shared what he told the Maple Leafs captain after the matchup.
“I told him (Matthews) to win it after they beat us, so I’m happy they did,” the Maple Leafs’ point leader so far in the 2025-26 season said, via Leafslatest.
Team USA survived that thriller against Sweden, 2-1, with Matthews playing a significant role in the victory, as he assisted on Quinn Hughes’ goal in overtime.
Now, Matthews and Nylander will work together again, as the Maple Leafs resume their mission to end the franchise’s long Stanley Cup drought.
Toronto entered the Olympic break on a three-game winning streak and will look to keep it going on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla.
LeBron James reacts to Luka Doncic’s befuddling decision against the Magic
Luka Doncic is used to clutch situations, but his killer instinct seemingly did not show up in Tuesday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
With the Los Angeles Lakers down a point, Doncic had a chance to win it for his team with one shot, but decided not to pull the trigger despite being open from deep with seconds remaining in regulation.
Instead, Doncic took a dribble and passed the ball to LeBron James, who put up a desperate jumper that did not find its target as time expired, resulting in a 110-109 loss for the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
Here’s how that play transpired.
LUKA DONCIC PASSED UP AN OPEN GAME-WINNING THREE ATTEMPT & DISHED IT TO LEBRON JAMES WHO MISSED THE FADING THREE! 😳❌
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) February 25, 2026
Magic beat Lakers, 110-109!
Thoughts on the Lakers’ final possession? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/grStLdwAMs
Doncic’s hesitation to take that shot left many confused. While he got the ball around four feet from the 3-point line, it was still within his range.
That’s not to mention the urgency of the situation. Given the circumstances, it was the best opportunity for the Lakers to win the game, and Doncic simply failed to deliver, as Los Angeles settled for James’ much more difficult attempt.
Following the game, LeBron James shared his perspective on the doomed final play.
“I mean, obviously, you have to ask Luka what he saw on there, but I thought he had a good look,” James told reporters. “And it looked like he kind of just lost his balance. Didn’t have a rhythm with the ball. Whatever the case may be. And it kind of allowed [Magic defender] to get back in front of him.”
LeBron James on the Lakers’ final inbounds play to Luka Doncic: "I’m not sure. Obviously you’ll have to ask Luka what he saw on that. I thought he had a good look… I was kinda off balance when he gave it to me. I thought he had a great look"
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) February 25, 2026
Via: https://t.co/GPx5b66Cms pic.twitter.com/SRiBaPcFYW
Luka Doncic might have hesitated to launch a shot in that moment because he was shooting poorly from the field all game long. He finished with 22 points but went 8-for-24 from the field and 2-for-10 from deep. Still, that situation wasn’t exactly an ideal time to pass up a shot, regardless of the night he was having.
The Lakers will look to snap their two-game losing skid on Thursday, when they visit the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz.
Warriors fans all said the same thing after Jonathan Kuminga went off in his Hawks debut
Golden State Warriors fans were in their feelings on Tuesday after watching Jonathan Kuminga look like a star in a different uniform.
Kuminga was spectacular in his first game as a member of the Atlanta Hawks. The fifth-year pro popped off for 27 points on 9-for-12 shooting in a 119-98 victory over the Washington Wizards. He also had seven rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals off the Hawks’ bench.
Beyond his box score numbers, Kuminga also flashed a smile that Warriors fans haven’t seen in quite some time.
JONATHAN KUMINGA IN HIS HAWKS DEBUT:
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 25, 2026
27 PTS – SEASON HIGH
9-12 FG | 3-4 3-PT FG
7 REB | 4 AST
2 STL
WELCOME TO ATLANTA 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HXqr49Y0k8
Jonathan Kuminga is excited after his first game in the 🅰️ pic.twitter.com/qEJ1pS74Id
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 25, 2026
Kuminga showed similar flashes during his time with the Warriors, but was seldom utilized by head coach Steve Kerr. Many felt Kerr was holding Kuminga back, and those same voices were loud after Tuesday’s game.
Several Warriors fans called for Kerr to be fired for wasting Kuminga’s talents.
We need to fire Steve Kerr after we traded him and now he goes off like this proud of kuminga our coach did not treat him well
— dashxrjb30 (@JaredBr11807628) February 25, 2026
I hope you make Kerr look so senile that the warriors send him straight to a retirement home instead of just firing him
— nick (@nick_sq707) February 25, 2026
If Kuminga has a great rest of the season, ain’t no way Kerr should be allowed anywhere near the warriors next year… idc
— Abeni (@AbeniJewel) February 25, 2026
Seasoned fans know better than to put too much stock into one game, particularly against a tanking team like the Wizards. But there are few things more demoralizing to a fan base than watching a young player blossom on a different team.
Kerr and Kuminga clashed for years behind the scenes in what felt like a never-ending saga before the Warriors traded the 23-year-old earlier this month. If Kuminga continues to look like a star throughout the rest of the year, the calls for Kerr’s firing would only grow louder.
NBA analyst rips into Luka Doncic for whining after ‘every f—ing play’
Veteran NBA writer Zach Lowe is sick and tired of watching Luka Doncic complain to the referees.
The Ringer analyst went at the Los Angeles Lakers star during a recent episode of his podcast alongside guest host Michael Pina. The pair commented on the offensive incongruence of the Lakers’ trio of Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves before Pina mentioned Luka’s penchant for arguing with the officials.
Lowe did not hold back once the topic came up.
“The whining is back at just peak/nadir Dallas levels,” Lowe said. “It’s every f—ing play! Just play, man! Not everything is a foul.
“It’s almost like, are you playing to draw a foul or are you playing basketball? Which one are you doing? Are you playing 1-on-1 with the refs, or are you playing a game? It’s every single possession now. It’s completely out of control. It’s back to Dallas levels. It’s just unwatchable.”
Zach Lowe says Luka Dončić is becoming “unwatchable” due to his constant complaining to the refs
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 24, 2026
“Are you playing 1 on 1 with the refs? It’s every possession now. It’s completely out of control. It’s unwatchable”😳
(h/t @NBA__Courtside )
pic.twitter.com/hyBJOjE9MI
Lowe added that his frustration comes from a belief that Doncic is “a literal basketball genius who can get any shot and any pass he wants,” which can occasionally get overshadowed by his constant complaining.
Pina mentioned an instance during the Lakers’ Sunday loss to the Boston Celtics, when Doncic argued with a referee following a no-call in the second quarter. With Doncic distracted, the Celtics took advantage and scored an easy bucket in transition.
Lowe and Pina were far from the only media members to call out Doncic after Sunday’s primetime matchup, with several sportswriters slamming the Slovenian superstar as well.
Coby White had great quote after his return to Chicago
Coby White did not take his time as a Chicago Bulls guard for granted.
The Bulls traded White to the Charlotte Hornets before the NBA trade deadline early this month, but he missed his first few games with the team due to a left calf strain. White made sure to suit up Tuesday as the Hornets visited the Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Ill.
White got a hero’s welcome in his return to Chicago, complete with a tribute video and an outpouring of love from the fans who cheered him on during his seven-year stay with the team.
Welcome back to the UC, @CobyWhite ❤️ pic.twitter.com/56uOAoXgpU
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 25, 2026
The North Carolina product was emotional as he spoke out on the experience after the game.
“You don’t really know the impact you have on people, and the impact that people have on you — and that’s very humbling for me,” White told reporters during a locker room interview. “That was the biggest part. I got the ovation or whatever, but just so many people being here tonight, either wearing my jersey or calling my name. I just tried to be in the moment.
“It’s very humbling to find out how many people you impact through this beautiful game that we play.”
White tallied 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists across 16 minutes off the Charlotte bench. He was one of 7 Hornets players in double figures in a 131-99 drubbing of the Bulls.
While White never became an All-Star with the Bulls, fans watched him grow from an inefficient, trigger-happy rookie to a solid 20-point scorer toward the end of his tenure in Chicago.
Draymond Green pulls an unusual move on DeAndre Jordan during game
Draymond Green took a page out of the book of former teammate Chris Paul during Tuesday’s game.
Green and the Golden State Warriors faced off on Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La. With the Warriors trailing 99-90 with 4:27 left in the fourth quarter, Green decided to pull an unusual (and desperate) move.
Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan was in the game at the time while Warriors forward Gui Santos was shooting the second of two free throws. While the shot was up in the air, Green dramatically leapt up onto the back of Jordan.
Here is the bizarre video.
Draymond goes for a piggy back ride for the Hack-a-DeAndre pic.twitter.com/mjWxaOVcLL
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) February 25, 2026
That was indeed a strategy-based move by Green. Jordan has long been known as one of the worst free-throw shooters in the NBA and might have been subbed out by New Orleans on the next dead ball. Intentionally fouling him allowed the Warriors to potentially force an empty offensive possession out of the Pelicans during a moment in the game where Golden State needed any help that they could get.
Jordan, a 50.0 percent free-throw shooter this season and a 47.5 percent free-throw shooter for his career, wound up splitting his two ensuing foul shots before being subbed out at the 4:10 mark. While the Warriors ended up making a late run, they still lost to the Pelicans by a final score of 113-109.
Though the free-throw-line-saddle move is very rarely seen in the NBA, it is not entirely unprecedented. After all, retired 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, a former Warrior, once pulled that exact same move on Dwight Howard during a playoff game.
Notable update emerges about Joe Mixon’s future
The forgotten man in Houston will likely to continue to be forgotten.
“All signs” are pointing to a breakup between the Houston Texans and running back Joe Mixon, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle reported on Tuesday. Alexander notes that Texans GM Nick Caserio called Mixon’s future “a moving target” in some recent remarks to the press and even made the surprise revelation that Mixon underwent another surgery this offseason.
The 29-year-old Mixon was a team captain for the Texans in 2024, rushing for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to his second career Pro Bowl selection. But he had to miss the entire 2025 NFL season due to a mysterious foot injury.
Houston placed Mixon on the Reserve/Non-Football injury list prior the season after he curiously hurt his foot while away from the team. The last we heard of Mixon’s injury was a few months ago when a troubling report emerged suggesting that the former second-round pick had not been getting any better.
In Mixon’s absence, the Texans gave the reps at RB to their two-headed attack of former All-Pro Nick Chubb and fourth-round rookie Woody Marks. Those two only combined to rush for a total 1,209 yards and five touchdowns on the entire season however.
Mixon is under contract for next season at a total cap hit of $10 million, but his salary notably is not guaranteed. Houston would stand to save $8.5 million in cap space by cutting Mixon, and it looks like that is exactly the way this situation is trending.
Former NBA All-Star ends his birthday tradition with ‘final’ dunk at 70
Milwaukee Bucks legend Marques Johnson clearly still has some hops left.
The five-time NBA All-Star has maintained an annual tradition of throwing down a dunk to commemorate his birthday. Despite turning the ripe old age of 70, Johnson still had his sneakers on and a ball in hand. Johnson flashed a wide smile for the camera before getting up for a one-handed flush.
“Birthday dunk! 70 years old, this is the last one,” Johnson said.
Still dunking at 70 years old!!! 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/2CGYFac1Hd
— Elder Marques Johnson (@olskool888) February 23, 2026
Johnson turned 70 on Feb. 8, but only posted the clip of him dunking this week on his personal Instagram account. With this year’s dunk being labeled his “final” one, well-wishers spread the clip across social media.
Never mind that Johnson clearly had the ball deflated for a better grip, or that the rim may have been lowered a couple of inches. Anyone younger than 70 wishes they could jump like that when they hit Johnson’s age.
Johnson had a blue-and-gold baseball uniform to pay homage to his alma mater, Crenshaw High School in Crenshaw, Calif. He also promoted a book he wrote in honor of his school titled “Crenshaw Chronicles.”
Johnson played 11 seasons in the NBA, finding most of his success with the Milwaukee Bucks. The team retired his No. 8 jersey in 2019. He has since moved on to media work, serving as the Bucks’ primary color commentator.
Browns GM addresses Shedeur Sanders’ status as QB1
The Cleveland Browns are not prepared to give Shedeur Sanders the keys to the kingdom just yet.
The Browns named Sanders the team’s starting quarterback for the last seven games of the 2025 season. With last year’s Week 1 starter, Joe Flacco, no longer with the team, some have wondered whether Sanders would keep the title heading into his second NFL season.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry was not ready to go that far. Speaking to reporters Tuesday at the NFL combine, he was non-committal when asked which QB had the edge for the Browns’ starting job: Sanders or Deshaun Watson.
“We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,” Berry told reporters, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “I think any player that we have in that room we would expect to compete to earn a role. Those two would be no different.”
Berry stated that he was encouraged by Sanders’ growth as the season progressed, as the Colorado shook off a disastrous NFL debut in Week 11 to close the year with back-to-back wins.
Berry also noted that Watson has been “working his tail off” to come back from his second torn Achilles suffered during rehab last January. The Browns executive did not rule out the possibility of adding another veteran passer to provide insurance behind Sanders, the recovering Watson, and second-year QB Dillon Gabriel.
The Browns’ QB situation was messy coming into last season. That doesn’t seem likely to change heading into Sanders’ second NFL season.
1 notable trade suitor for Kawhi Leonard has been revealed
Kawhi Leonard may be poised for a return to the Eastern Conference.
The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to pursue a trade for the LA Clippers star Leonard this offseason, Ashish Mathur of Ahn Fire Digital reported on Tuesday. Mathur notes that Bucks head coach Doc Rivers previously coached Leonard on the Clippers and that Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo has privately stated that he would “love” to play with Leonard.
Leonard, who turns 35 years old in the summer, is averaging a career-high 28.0 points per game this season for the Clippers. But with the Clippers seemingly pivoting into a rebuild after trading away James Harden and Ivica Zubac earlier this month, many believe that Leonard could be the next one to go come the offseason.
The seven-time All-Star Leonard is at a peak of his value right now, especially since he has played in 44 of 57 games (77.2 percent) for the Clippers so far this season. As it stands right now, Leonard will be on an expiring contract in 2026-27, making roughly $50.3 million.
As for the Bucks, they are enduring a nightmare season with a 24-31 record (11th in the Eastern Conference) and with Antetokounmpo in the midst of a second extended absence due to a calf injury. However, a trade for the former Finals MVP Leonard might be just the desperate, win-now move that Milwaukee needs to convince Antetokounmpo to stay and not to pursue a trade of his own.
Of course, the situation will change dramatically if Leonard gets his contract with the Clippers voided by the NBA within the next few weeks pursuant to the Aspiration scandal. Should that happen, Leonard would immediately be free to sign with any team and has already been linked to three particular free-agent suitors.
Brandon Aubrey, Cowboys have a major gap in contract talks
The best kicker in the NFL wants to paid as such (and then some).
Brandon Aubrey and the Dallas Cowboys have a sizable gap in their negotiations on a contract extension, Todd Archer of ESPN reported on Tuesday. The Cowboys have reportedly offered Aubrey a deal worth more than the league-high $6.4 million average annual value of Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. However, Aubrey is said to want a deal closer to $10 million per year instead.
Archer notes that the Cowboys are “likely” to place the second-round tender on Aubrey (who is about to become a restricted free agent) at a cost of close to $5.8 million. That would keep Aubrey on an affordable contract for the 2026 season but would also let Aubrey negotiate with other teams this offseason (with the Cowboys retaining matching rights). Aubrey could then potentially leave Dallas altogether as an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
You can read Archer’s full report on the situation here.
The 30-year-old Aubrey is coming off his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection as well as his third consecutive All-Pro nod in 2025. Thanks to his elite combination of range and accuracy, Aubrey is almost unanimously seen as the top kicker in the game today.
Last season, Aubrey was 36/42 (85.7 percent) on field goals (with all of his misses coming from 50+ yards) and 47/48 (97.9 percent) on extra points. Over his career, Aubrey is 112/127 (85.7 percent) on field goals and 126/130 (96.9 percent) on extra points. Aubrey also managed to singlehandedly win games for the Cowboys during the 2025 season and even showed off some of his skills beyond kicking.
With that being said however, Aubrey’s ask is still pretty hefty, especially with Dallas having just re-signed a key player to a $24 million contract and also looking probable to franchise-tag another different player instead. While Aubrey is clearly deserving of resetting the market for kickers, it is highly unlikely to be by that exorbitant amount.
Brewers shock fans with video of Jacob Misiorowski
Jacob Misiorowski was (seemingly) doing his best William Tell impression this week.
The Milwaukee Brewers shocked fans on Tuesday with the video that they posted of their right-handed phenom Misiorowski. With the Brewers having started up Spring Training action, they shared a video of Misiorowski appearing to knock an apple off teammate Cooper Pratt’s head … using only his fastball.
The footage showed Misiorowski on the mound firing a rocket towards Pratt (who was seated on a crate at home plate with his back turned). Misiorowski succeeded in knocking the apple off the head of Pratt, who only managed to flinch a little bit before giving the thumbs-up.
Take a look at the video.
Would you let The Miz throw a fastball at your head? pic.twitter.com/5Ekr848IdD
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) February 24, 2026
Of course, the jaw-dropping clip was not at all real. After their brief moment of awe, fans quickly found clues that the footage had been edited (including that the apple had splintered too early).
Obviously from the standpoints of liability and common sense as well, there was no way that the Brewers would actually put on such a production. But the team did succeed in generating further excitement about the 23-year-old Misiorowski, who was an All-Star as a rookie last season and pulled off some incredible feats that hadn’t been seen since the 19th century.
Sean Payton has stern message for teams looking to ban ‘tush push’
Sean Payton did not mince words when asked to weigh in on the controversial tush push play.
The NFL announced Sunday that no team proposed a ban on the tush push this offseason — a stark contrast from last year, when the Philadelphia Eagles were fresh off their Super Bowl run.
Payton defended the tush push last year and stood up for it again when he spoke to reporters Tuesday at the NFL combine. The Denver Broncos coach stated that the ban was “not a health and safety thing,” but rather purely for aesthetic reasons.
“We discussed that last year for two hours, and we just adopted 1,000 kick returns (with the new kickoff rule). Which play do you think is more of a health risk?” Payton asked the room full of reporters.
“I think if we choose to ever move on from that, it won’t be because of health and safety, it’ll just be like, we don’t like it.”
Payton was referring to the new kickoff rule the NFL instituted in 2024, which drastically raised the number of kickoff returns over the last two seasons.
While a few players have gotten injured while running the tush push, it’s indeed far less dangerous than a kickoff return, where players run toward each other at full speed. In contrast, Payton last year called the tush push the “safest play in football.”
Officials makes a decision on potential charges for Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley can officially put his 2025 arrest behind him.
A grand jury in Fort Bend County, Texas has declined to indict the ex-NBA guard Beverley in his assault case, TMZ Sports reported this week. The grand jury has no-billed Beverley, indicating that they did not believe there was sufficient evidence to proceed with charges for the 37-year-old.
In the wake of the grand jury decision, Beverley issued a statement of gratitude to his X page.
I am deeply grateful for all thoughts and prayers for the family. We must continue to protect our children, especially our young girls. This ordeal has truly made our family stronger. Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) February 24, 2026
Beverley was arrested in Richmond, Texas last November on a felony assault charge. According to a probable cause affidavit, Beverley allegedly punched and choked his teenage sister after supposedly becoming angry that she had left the house in the middle of the night to meet up with her boyfriend.
You can read the full disturbing accusations here.
Beverley’s camp strongly denied the allegations, saying that he was “not violent that night.” Additionally, Beverley himself went on social media after his arrest to urge the public not to “believe everything you see on the Internet.”
The three-time All-Defensive selection Beverley played in the NBA for 12 total seasons from 2013-24 but now plays professionally in Greece for PAOK Thessaloniki. After his arrest, Beverley was suspended by Barstool Sports (for whom he used to host “The Pat Bev Podcast”) but could be set for a return now that he has been cleared legally.
Trae Young had a message for Hawks fans in Atlanta return
In January, the Atlanta Hawks finally ended the ongoing Trae Young trade rumors by sending him to the Washington Wizards.
Young has yet to make his Wizards debut, although it is getting close. On Tuesday, Young returned to State Farm Arena, the home of the Hawks, as the Wizards came to town.
Not only was Young seen taking warmup shots before the game, but he also spoke about the city of Atlanta and the fanbase as he gets used to being in the other locker room.
Trae says it’s been crazy & different being back in ATL, now in Wizards gear. He says he’s thought a lot about his legacy here, and he hopes that is rooted in his community impact. But he also shouts out the fans, saying he couldn’t have put the Hawks on the map without them. pic.twitter.com/s6ceM1fOsw
— Kelly Price (@thekellyprice) February 24, 2026
Young said he wanted the Hawks fans to know how much he loves and appreciates them after everything they went through during his tenure in Atlanta, leading up to the trade.
Young was not ready to play on Tuesday, although his taking the floor for warmups is a promising sign.
Trae Young back on the Hawks floor, but in different warmup gear pic.twitter.com/iVa6Qrn49a
— Malik Brown (@_MalikATL) February 24, 2026
The Wizards and Hawks will face off again on Thursday at State Farm Arena. When asked about his status for that game, Young said, “You never know,” but he is listening to the team’s medical staff.
The Wizards also acquired Anthony Davis at the trade deadline, but the big man has yet to play as well.
Recently-fired Vikings GM has landed a new job
The Minnesota Vikings made a big change to their front office by firing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on January 30.
However, it didn’t take long for Adofo-Mensah to find a new job. San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch mentioned that Adofo-Mensah has been brought on in an executive role with the 49ers.
49ers are welcoming back ex Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as a personnel executive, Lynch said.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) February 24, 2026
The Vikings fired Adofo-Mensah just eight months after giving him a contract extension, so it was a bit of a surprising move by Minnesota.
Adofo-Mensah has ties to San Francisco, which likely made this an easy decision for Lynch. The former Vikings GM was in the 49ers front office beginning in 2013, all the way through 2019, with his latest title being the director of football research & development.
Adofo-Mensah then took a job with the Cleveland Browns as vice president of football operations before being hired by Minnesota in 2022.
Lynch also said that Adofo-Mensah’s title will be finalized after the NFL Draft, but the ex-Vikings GM reached out to Lynch after being fired.
Lynch said Kwesi Adofo-Mensah reached out to him after losing job in Minnesota and their reunion happened "organically."
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) February 24, 2026
"We're bringing him back in a personnel executive role that after the draft, I think we hope to give more finality to, but we're excited to have him back." https://t.co/lOiFxOL5Ax
So, less than one month after being fired, Adofo-Mensah has a new job and stays in the NFC.
Red Sox player somehow broke his bat on a check swing
The Boston Red Sox fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates 16-7 on Tuesday in their latest spring training game.
However, the game made for aviral moment. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu tried to check his swing, and in a bizarre sequence, the bat broke with the barrel flying just a few feet in front of home plate.
The announcers were also stunned, and Abreu also stood at the plate in disbelief after seeing what had taken place.
Wilyer Abreu is so strong he broke this bat at the handle pulling back on a check swing 🤯 pic.twitter.com/JeQcsVdXkf
— NESN (@NESN) February 24, 2026
The third base umpire said Abreu went around and called it a strike, and Abreu proceeded to ground out after getting another bat.
While fans couldn’t believe what had happened with the bat, others were in disbelief that the call was a strike on the appeal to the third base umpire.
I think we should really be talking about why this was ruled a swing https://t.co/xXEc2VK8ax
— Isaiah Campbell Enjoyer (ICE) 3-1 ☀️🌴 (@cnm_playz) February 24, 2026
For future reference he didn’t go at all there lol https://t.co/xp36AvX3jF
— John Hunter (@JohnnyFBaseball) February 24, 2026
that’s not a swing lol https://t.co/H0KU8a5m9T
— rell (@rellgottsnackss) February 24, 2026
Abreu is entering his fourth season with the Red Sox, and he played in 115 games in 2025 with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs.
Abreu finished the game with one hit in three at-bats, although this clip and this moment will be something he likely remembers for the rest of his life.
Trail Blazers lose 21.4 PPG scorer for at least a month
As of Tuesday, the Portland Trail Blazers were the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference, which means they would be in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Unfortunately, the Blazers’ playoff hopes took a major hit with an injury to Shaedon Sharpe. The Blazers announced that Sharpe is out for 4-to-6 weeks.
Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe continues to receive treatment associated with a left calf strain. Follow-up imaging has revealed a stress reaction of the left fibula.
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 24, 2026
Sharpe will be re-evaluated in approximately four-to-six weeks to allow for adequate healing before… pic.twitter.com/XAwNWlDMAK
Sharpe last played on Feb. 6 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
On the season, the former Kentucky Wildcats star is averaging 21.4 points per game with 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Sharpe is having the best season of his young career, and he is second on the team in points per game behind only Deni Avdija (24.4 PPG).
Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter has been relying more on Vit Krejci and Scoot Henderson with Sharpe’s recent absence.
The Blazers have won five of their last seven games to move just two games below .500, but playing the next month or more without Sharpe is not the news the team was hoping for.
As of Tuesday, the Blazers are one game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference standings and just two games behind the Golden State Warriors for the No. 8 seed, so a lot can happen over the next month.
Broncos are making a big change for 2026
The Denver Broncos fell short of a Super Bowl trip with a 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Champinship Game in Denver, Colo.
After the loss, Broncos head coach Sean Payton fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. He then named Davis Webb as the new OC.
Now, Payton is making another change. He is allowing Webb to call plays, making it the first time Payton won’t be calling the plays in Denver.
Broncos HC Sean Payton said that new OC Davis Webb is “extremely talented” and said Webb will call plays for Denver’s offense.
— Aric DiLalla (@AricDiLalla) February 24, 2026
Payton said he’ll still be involved with what they do offensively, but he said he’s making the decision for what’s best for the team.
The Broncos not only fired Lombardi, but they also moved on from wide receivers coach Keary Colbert and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch.
Payton was the New Orleans Saints head coach from 2006 through 2021, and he was the primary play-caller his entire time in New Orleans. Payton was also the play-caller in Denver, so this is a huge change for the offense.
Webb interviewed for the Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills jobs and had interest elsewhere as an OC before the Broncos fired Lombardi and promoted Webb.
Webb called plays for a game in the 2025 preseason and drew rave reviews from Broncos players, so handing him control of the plays this time makes sense for Payton.
Webb’s final season as an NFL player was in 2022, and he joined the Denver coaching staff in 2023.
The Broncos’ offense finished 14th in points per game and 14th in total yards this past season, so perhaps a change can help this group going forward.
