Devin Booker called out 1 referee by name after losing Game 2 to Thunder
Devin Booker singled out NBA referee James Williams on Wednesday after the Phoenix Suns fell to 0-2 in their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Booker was upset with Williams over a controversial sequence late in the third quarter of Game 2 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Suns trailed 93-75 with about two minutes left when Booker was called for a technical foul.
The Suns All-Star looked in utter disbelief over the ruling, which didn’t help his team at all while on the comeback trail. Even the ESPN broadcast was perplexed at what the technical foul was for, as Booker was seemingly being penalized for trying to save the ball from going out of bounds.
Devin Booker receives a technical foul trying to save the ball from going out of bounds. 😳🤔
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 23, 2026
(h/t @ridiculouscage)
pic.twitter.com/4xnQpT8qWX
The Suns fought back in the fourth quarter to get within 10, but did not get any closer in the 120-107 Thunder win.
Booker did not hold back his criticism after the game. He called out referee James Williams by name and accused him of calling a technical foul because Thunder guard Alex Caruso asked him to.
“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight, through and through,” Booker said during his postgame press conference. “It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as the WWE if they’re not held responsible.”
“… It just feels disrespectful. I know I haven’t won a championship in this league, but I have been in it for 11 years now, so to get to this point to be treated like that, for me to even be saying something out loud … It’s bad.”
Booker challenged anyone questioning his stance to “pull the clips and see where the frustration comes from.” He said he would willingly pay the fine to get his feelings across.
The NBA did hit Booker with a $35,000 fine on Thursday for “public criticism of the officiating.” The league looked into the matter through interviews and video replays and “found no basis to any claim” Booker made.
Everyone felt Sean McVay ‘did not want’ Ty Simpson after his unusual press conference
Sean McVay did not sound like a head coach ecstatic about his team’s draft choices after Day 1 of the 2026 NFL draft.
The Los Angeles Rams made the surprise move of the draft on Thursday with their selection of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. The Rams, of course, employ reigning MVP Matthew Stafford as the team’s starting QB.
McVay addressed the media next to Rams GM Les Snead after Simpson’s name was called. The Super Bowl-winning coach was uncharacteristically muted about Simpson and appeared to be shooting daggers at Snead throughout the press conference.
Sean McVay couldn’t be more pumped about drafting Ty Simpson pic.twitter.com/lDnfC99JwT
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 24, 2026
Sean McVay after drafting Verse vs Simpson pic.twitter.com/EDxIJoHvwm
— kev mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) April 24, 2026
Fans and media members alike couldn’t help but feel McVay’s body language and snarky answers conveyed that he was not on board with the pick. McVay has maintained a close, personal relationship with Stafford throughout their five seasons together in Los Angeles.
Sean McVay did not want Ty Simpson. Oh my goodness. Please watch that Rams presser.
— Breiden Fehoko (@BreidenFehoko) April 24, 2026
You could tell that McVay looked dead inside after Snead drafted Ty Simpson. pic.twitter.com/EVvbUfxgEE
— Matthew (@compSciMatt) April 24, 2026
I just watched the entire Rams presser, and I can't say Sean McVay was showing a ton of excitement about the Ty Simpson selection. Said he will compete with Stetson Bennett for the QB2 job. Not a bunch of smiles.
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) April 24, 2026
Les Snead was way more fired up.
I’ve covered a lot of first-round pick pressers across four beats. This was by far the most muted I have seen a regime about the player they drafted. https://t.co/g0W27EjINE
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) April 24, 2026
McVay reportedly informed Stafford earlier in the day that the Rams were planning to draft Simpson specifically to prepare for life after Stafford. But just because McVay was the messenger of the news doesn’t mean that he agreed with the call to draft his star QB’s replacement.
Makai Lemon was on the phone with the wrong team after Eagles drafted him
Makai Lemon had quite the draft night to begin his NFL career.
Lemon, one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL draft, did not hear his name called Thursday through the first 19 picks of the first round. The Dallas Cowboys were also widely expected to pass on Lemon with their 20th pick in favor of a defensive player.
That was before the Philadelphia Eagles swooped in at the last minute, trading up with the Cowboys to nab the USC star at 20. Nobody told the Pittsburgh Steelers that, however, as they geared up to draft Lemon at 21.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport, the Steelers were already on the phone with Lemon as the Cowboys were on the clock. The Eagles were trying to call Lemon, but hilariously couldn’t get through because Lemon was still talking to Pittsburgh’s brass.
From the NFL Draft: A wild story, as the #Eagles trade up for Makai Lemon… while he was on the phone with the #Steelers. pic.twitter.com/r1R6pQnFgi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2026
The whole thing played out like a high school love triangle, complete with the usual teenage miscommunication and last-minute moves. Lemon must have at least felt quite the ego boost, given that two suitors were fighting over him right before prom.
The Eagles made the move for Lemon in the first place because they wanted out of their current relationship with wide receiver AJ Brown. Only time will tell whether Lemon will just be a rebound for Philly or if the two sides end up tying the knot with a second contract in a few years.
Fans stunned by Nikola Jokic’s ‘worst quarter ever’ in Game 3
The Minnesota Timberwolves somehow made Nikola Jokic look like a complete pedestrian to open Game 3.
The Denver Nuggets star had one of his most uncharacteristic quarters ever in the opening period on Thursday in their first-round series at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The Timberwolves were able to take Jokic, the quarterback of the best offense in the NBA during the regular season, out of his element.
Jokic went 1/8 from the field and badly missed all three of his shots from beyond the arc. The NBA’s assist leader also recorded no assists with two turnovers. But the stunning numbers didn’t even encapsulate how flustered the 3-time MVP looked against a stifling T-Wolves defense.
Several fans called the showing potentially the worst quarter ever they’ve seen from Jokic.
This might be the worse first quarter I’ve ever seen from Jokic he’s a little to a non factor on defense (per usual) and unusually a not good offense player rn
— lagoonnxtdoor (@Perfect0blivion) April 24, 2026
Absolutely embarrassing quarter from Jokic
— tilfurthernotice (@krum_k) April 24, 2026
The worst Nikola Jokic quarter in what? Five years? Ever?
— Kyle Standfield (@KyleStan94) April 24, 2026
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the Jokic Nuggets look this discombobulated. That first quarter was a MESS.
— Corey DeMoss (@CoreyDeMoss) April 24, 2026
Jokic took Denver’s first six shots to try to force the issue against Rudy Gobert, and missed all of them.The Nuggets’ NBA-best offense was held to 11 points in the first quarter, as Jokic appeared out of his depth.
Jokic usually plays off his supreme passing ability and lets his offense come within the flow of the game.
That wasn’t the case on Thursday. The Joker desperately tried to find his shot and abandoned the pass-first mentality that has long been at the center of the Nuggets’ success. The Timberwolves took advantage with a 61-39 lead at the half.
Timberwolves swingman Jaden McDaniels threw some series shade at Jokic and the rest of the Nuggets after Game 2. Minnesota backed that talk up right away.
Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing sparks more backlash with a controversial slide
Dalton Rushing is speedrunning his villain arc.
The Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Rushing sparked more criticism during Thursday’s game against the rival San Francisco Giants. In the top of the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., Rushing was hit in the ribs by a pitch from Giants starter Logan Webb.
Whether or not the plunking was intentional, Rushing certainly seemed to take it personally. The next batter, Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim, hit into a double play, and Rushing slid hard into Giants shortstop Willy Adames, who was well off to the side of the bag.
Here is the video of the full sequence.
An interesting sequence of events here pic.twitter.com/I88Nu9XErt
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 23, 2026
For context, Rushing drew backlash earlier in the series against the Giants for appearing to say “F–k him” about San Francisco outfielder Jung Hoo Lee after a play at the plate in which Lee suffered an injury (check out the video here). Rushing later denied dissing Lee and insisted that the video was taken out of context.
The 25-year-old Rushing and the Dodgers went on to defeat the Giants on Thursday by a final score of 3-0. But Rushing has continued to stack up the controversies over these last several days as he also infuriated fans by accusing a previous opponent of cheating after beating the Dodgers.
Eagles add their potential replacement for AJ Brown
The Philadelphia Eagles continue to beef up their contingency plan for the expected trade of AJ Brown.
Philadelphia made a notable move during Thursday’s NFL Draft. They traded up to the No. 20 pick, sending picks No. 23, 114, and 137 to the Dallas Cowboys in return (along with a seventh-round draft pick in 2027).
With the No. 20 pick, the Eagles chose wide receiver Makai Lemon out of USC. Lemon, 21, now heads to Philadelphia after winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award in 2025 as the nation’s top wide receiver.
The @Eagles trade up to the 20th pick and select Makai Lemon from @uscfb!
— NFL (@NFL) April 24, 2026
2026 NFL Draft starts on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/k0ARwfiTMv
The Eagles still currently have the disgruntled three-time NFL All-Pro Brown on their roster. But they are widely expected to trade Brown to one top AFC team after June 1 (with the timing due to the nature of Brown’s contract and the associated cap hit).
Meanwhile, Philadelphia has already been busy adding wide receivers in recent months. They signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore and also acquired Dontayvion Wicks in a trade earlier in April with the Green Bay Packers.
Lemon, 21, was an All-American for the Trojans last year, catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. Though Lemon sparked concern at the NFL Combine with some very bizarre interviews, the Eagles will now task him with helping to replace some of Brown’s production in 2026 and beyond.
Notable update emerges on Victor Wembanyama’s status after concussion
Victor Wembanyama is giving San Antonio Spurs fans at least a slight glimmer of hope right now.
The Spurs star big man Wembanyama is getting a status update ahead of Friday’s Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. San Antonio is officially listing Wembanyama as “questionable” for the game as he attempts to clear concussion protocol.
Victor Wembanyama officially listed as questionable for Game 3 vs. Portland. pic.twitter.com/gZvp4lKp26
— Mary Rominger (@KSATMaryRom) April 24, 2026
Wembanyama, the seven-footer, was concussed during the Spurs’ Game 2 loss to the Blazers on Tuesday at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. He was knocked off balance by Portland’s Jrue Holiday and ended up falling hard onto his face (see the video here).
The newly-minted Defensive Player of the Year Wembanyama was quickly ruled out for the rest of the contest and ultimately got diagnosed with a concussion. With Wembanyama going down in the second quarter, San Antonio lost to Portland by a final score of 106-103 to knot the series at one game apiece.
By Friday’s Game 3, Wembanyama will have had about 72 full hours to recover. However, Wembanyama and the Spurs will be subject to the NBA’s fairly stringent concussion protocol, which involves meeting a number of key requirements before any potential return to play.
After Game 3, San Antonio and Portland will be playing every other day (with Game 4 taking place on Sunday in Portland). Even if Wembanyama is not quite ready yet by Friday, it sounds like there is a good chance that he will be back to make an impact by the second half of the first-round series against the Blazers.
Rams’ message to Matthew Stafford after picking Ty Simpson revealed
The Los Angeles Rams put their post-Matthew Stafford plans in motion on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL draft.
The Rams turned a few heads with their decision on Thursday to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick — a move that was undoubtedly going to come with questions following an MVP season from Stafford.
Rams head coach Sean McVay reportedly informed Stafford of the plan to select Simpson earlier in the day. According to FOX reporter Jay Glazer, McVay “made it clear” to his QB1 that the Simpson pick was part of a succession plan once Stafford was ready to move on. Simpson will only take the reins once Stafford is ready to give them up.
Rams are drafting QB Ty Simpson with the 13th pick. Sean McVay actually told Matthew Stafford today of their decision and made it clear it’s for whenever Stafford decides to move on @nflonfox
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) April 24, 2026
Stafford battled a back injury early in the season that put his status for the 2025 campaign in jeopardy. The former first overall pick erased any doubts with an All-Pro campaign: 4,707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, with just 8 interceptions across 17 games.
An MVP-worthy season was not enough, however, to silence the retirement rumors that have surrounded the battered and bruised Stafford each offseason. Even McVay sounded frustrated last season with the media droning over how long Stafford has left in the NFL.
Simpson had a standout season in his final year at Alabama. He threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions over 15 games for Alabama.
Simpson now gets a chance to learn behind one of the best in the game before getting his shot, however many seasons in the future.
Report: Jeremiyah Love had a medical issue get flagged at NFL Combine
Jeremiyah Love is officially headed to the NFL but not before some weeks of real uncertainty.
The former Notre Dame star running back Love went No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals in this year’s NFL Draft. He became the highest RB to be selected in the draft since Saquon Barkley at No. 2 to the New York Giants back in 2018.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network shared a surprise report though about Love after Love got drafted. Rapoport revealed that Love’s heart was red-flagged at the NFL Combine due to an abnormal EKG.
However, further testing on Love showed a positive development. According to Rapoport, no additional issues were found with Love, indicating that he had no added risk.
From the NFL Draft: A major sigh of relief for new #AZCardinals RB Jeremiyah Love, whose heart was flagged at the Combine. Additional research revealed he has no added risk. pic.twitter.com/ttp6wj6wYn
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2026
Love, 20, was the 2025 Doak Award winner after a superb junior season at Notre Dame in which he rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns. Those numbers were also good enough for Love to be named a unanimous All-American as well as to finish third in Heisman Trophy voting.
Despite Love being medically red-flagged at the Combine, NFL teams apparently were not too concerned as we heard in recent days that Love was very high on multiple teams’ draft boards. Ultimately, it was the Cardinals who selected him, and Love will now head to Arizona to join a talented core of young skill players that already includes Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, and Michael Wilson.
Giants’ plan for Kayvon Thibodeaux is revealed after Arvell Reese pick
The New York Giants apparently view Kayvon Thibodeaux and Arvell Reese as a dynamic duo of sorts.
New York decided to select the former Ohio State star edge rusher Reese at No. 5 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday. The Giants benefited from Reese surprisingly being passed on by some of the teams ahead of them.
Immediately after the Reese pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN revealed New York’s plan for their current defensive end Thibodeaux. Schefter reports that the Giants do not intend to trade Thibodeaux, even after their selection of Reese.
Reese, 20, is actually officially listed as a linebacker. He can play at a number of different positions in the field, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network even reports that the Giants will have the option of playing Reese at ILB.
Meanwhile, Thibodeaux, 25, was the Giants No. 5 overall pick himself back in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has largely failed to live up to expectations since then however and recorded just 2.5 sacks and 25 combined tackles over 10 total appearances for New York last season.
The Giants also selected another front-seven standout in last year’s draft, taking linebacker Abdul Carter at No. 3 overall. While there was indeed talk earlier this offseason that Thibodeaux could be dealt, it looks like he is safe in New York for now, namely after fellow defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence already got traded earlier this month.
Chiefs shake up NFL draft via trade with Browns
The Kansas City Chiefs were wheeling and dealing to get their man in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.
The Chiefs reportedly agreed to a trade on Thursday to acquire the Cleveland Browns’ No. 6 overall pick. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs sent its own No. 9 pick to Cleveland along with the No. 74 and No. 148 picks.
Trade:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2026
Chiefs get No. 6
Browns get No. 9, 74, 148 https://t.co/Lz1QXGnH6m
Kansas City gave up picks in the third and fifth rounds just to move up three spots. That’s how badly the Chiefs wanted to ensure that they got their man: LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. The Browns used the No. 9 pick to land Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano.
#LSU CB Mansoor Delane to the #Chiefs. https://t.co/4cMI0laWuq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2026
The move makes sense given the Chiefs’ desperate need for a top-shelf cornerback. Delane is considered the top cornerback prospect of the 2026 draft class.
Delane recorded 45 tackles, 11 passes defended, and a pair of interceptions in his final year at LSU. He also had the third-highest grade among all prospects at the NFL combine, ahead of high-profile names such as Fernando Mendoza and Jeremiyah Love.
The NFL combine, however, did not measure the one requirement Travis Kelce had for whoever the Chiefs ended up selecting. Delane still needs to prove his worth to Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and Andy Reid, but it’s clear the team expects him to be an impact player as early as next season.
Fans all said the same thing about Jets’ surprise pick at No. 2 overall
The New York Jets did not quite go chalk with their first-round draft pick.
New York surprised many during Thursday’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pa. by selecting the former Texas Tech star David Bailey at No. 2 overall. The defensive end Bailey will now be tasked with helping to anchor the Jets’ pass rush in 2026.
In reaction to the pick, fans all said the same thing over social media. They questioned why the Jets selected Bailey over his fellow edge rusher Arvell Reese, formerly of Ohio State.
Wow, the Jets picked David Bailey over Arvell Reese?
— BearsFanSteven (@BearsFanSteven) April 24, 2026
David Bailey over Arvell Reese?! pic.twitter.com/hOflnH1M6j
— BLITZN (@BLITZNofficial) April 24, 2026
My official statement on the Jets taking David Bailey over Arvell Reese pic.twitter.com/gQ4EXaDDFM
— Jake Chatzky (@jchat85) April 24, 2026
Jets took David Bailey when Arvell Reese was sitting right there. That's gonna age like milkpic.twitter.com/MV25JmOzIH
— Bracco Football (@BraccoNFL) April 24, 2026
We had heard for the last week or so that the Jets were deciding between Bailey and Reese at No. 2 overall. While some indications were that the Jets had indeed been leaning towards Bailey of the two, Reese entered the day as the odds-on favorite to go at No. 2.
Both Bailey and Reese are coming off standout All-American seasons in 2025. The former had 19.5 tackles for loss and an FBS-leading 14.5 sacks while the latter had a more moderate 10.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks (albeit in a tougher Big 10 conference).
It appears the Jets may have also been swayed by Bailey’s experience with four full collegiate seasons compared to just two for Reese. But after going a woeful 3-14 last season and now owning an ugly distinction as well, the Jets have a lot of work to do to prove that Bailey was indeed the right pick there.
George Pickens makes final decision on franchise tag
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens put pen to paper on Thursday.
Just hours before the 2026 NFL Draft, Pickens signed his franchise tag, meaning he will make $27.3 million guaranteed in the 2026 season and hit free agency next year.
#Cowboys WR George Pickens is now under contract for one year and $27.3M fully guaranteed. He'll play it out with the chance to cash in during the 2027 offseason. https://t.co/Czb4r9wTvz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 23, 2026
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported earlier on Thursday that Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones reached out to Pickens’ agent, David Mulugheta, to discuss the future of the wide receiver.
It was reported on Wednesday that the Cowboys would give Pickens the franchise tag without negotiating a long-term extension this season, although questions remained whether Pickens would be open to it or not.
However, it seems Pickens is on board as he put pen to paper for the tag and is now under contract for the 2026 season.
The caveat to this is that now Pickens technically could be traded at any time since he signed the tag, although it remains to be seen if there are any suitors for the wide receiver during the NFL Draft.
It was reported in February that Pickens wouldn’t play on the franchise tag, so things have certainly changed a bit in the past couple of months.
For now, George Pickens is a member of the Cowboys, and he could sign a long-term deal with the franchise at the end of the 2026 campaign if he wants to stay.
Thunder get Jalen Williams injury update after Game 2
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the NBA Playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and with hopes of a second straight NBA title.
However, the Thunder will have to play without Jalen Williams for some time after he suffered an injury in Game 2 against the Phoenix Suns.
Williams scored 19 points in Game 2, but he exited early after suffering a hamstring injury, and it was revealed on Thursday that he will be out indefinitely due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
Thunder's Jalen Williams has sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 23, 2026
Williams averaged 17.1 points with 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds this season as a key piece for the Thunder’s starting rotation, so this will be a key injury to monitor going forward.
On the other hand, the Thunder defeated the Suns by 35 in Game 1 and then 13 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead to Phoenix for Games 3 and 4.
Here is the play where Williams suffered the injury.
Jalen Williams left Game 2 vs. the Suns with an apparent hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com/P47wjF0c9T
— ESPN (@espn) April 23, 2026
Williams played just 33 games this regular season due to various injuries. He missed the first 19 games due to offseason right wrist surgery, then missed three weeks due to a right hamstring strain and later missed another month-plus after re-aggravating the hamstring strain.
The previous hamstring issue was on the right side and this new one is on the left, but it’s still a concern for the Thunder.
The Thunder and Suns face off in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz.
Patriots release statement on Mike Vrabel
The New England Patriots have released a statement on the situation involving head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini.
The New York Post’s Page Six originally published photos of Vrabel and Russini at a hotel in Arizona, and on Thursday, new photos were released of the two together at a bar from 2020. Shortly after, the Patriots released a statement, making it clear that the team is supporting Vrabel amid the controversy.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being. Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Russini, who most recently worked for The Athletic, resigned from her position on April 14 amid the fallout.
It was then revealed that Vrabel will not be there for Day 3 of the NFL Draft on Saturday as he heads to counseling.
Now, the Patriots have released a statement saying they “fully support” Vrabel’s decision to head for counseling and missed the final day of the draft.
New photos of Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini emerge
Some new photos of Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini together were published on Thursday, adding further credence to the suspicion that the two are having an extramarital affair.
The New York Post’s Page Six, which initially published photos of Russini and Vrabel together at hotel in Arizona, published a follow-up story on Thursday. The follow-up story included never-previously-published photos of Vrabel and Russini together at a bar in New York City in March 2020. Vrabel was still married to his longtime wife at the time, while Russini was six months away from marrying her current husband Kevin Goldschmidt.
Page Six says Vrabel and Russini were said to have been “all over each other” at the bar in 2020.
EXCLUSIVE: Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini were “all over each other” at a secluded bar in New York City — six years before they were caught holding hands and hugging at an Arizona resort. More pics: https://t.co/kIdr6RlQUB pic.twitter.com/DCgbDEZ8PB
— Page Six (@PageSix) April 23, 2026
Coupling the 2020 bar photos with the 2026 hotel photos isn’t good for Russini and Vrabel.
The fallout from the photos
Russini was under a probe from her employer, The New York Times, which owns The Athletic — a sports brand for which she was a reporter. She resigned from her position on April 14.
Vrabel, who is the head coach of the New England Patriots, has said he will begin counseling this weekend. Vrabel was a three-time Super Bowl champion linebacker as a player with the Patriots. He led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season as their head coach. That followed a six-season stint as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-2023.
Support from the Patriots
While Russini has lost her job, Vrabel’s seems secure. He received support from the team in a statement issued on Thursday.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being. Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Braves pitcher gives up home run on first pitch of his MLB career
The Atlanta Braves called up No. 2 prospect JR Ritchie, and the starting pitcher made his first-ever MLB start on Thursday against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
However, Ritchie’s first pitch is one to forget as James Wood slugged a home run to right field before fans could even settle into their seats.
There should be a rule against hitting someone's 1st MLB pitch for a home run. 🧑⚖️ pic.twitter.com/9bhZmwZkPq
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 23, 2026
While there isn’t an exact statistic as of yet, it is rare to allow a home run on the first pitch, but that is exactly what Ritchie did here.
The good news is that Ritchie settled down after that. He finished the game going seven innings, allowing five hits, two runs and two walks while striking out seven in an impressive debut.
Ritchie also did something no Braves pitcher had done in this situation since 2015.
Ritchie is the first Braves pitcher to allow 2 runs or fewer over 7+ innings in his MLB debut since Matt Wisler in 2015. Only others to do this since 1990 are Horacio Ramirez (2003), David Nied (1992) and Paul Marak (1990).
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 23, 2026
The Braves ended up winning the game 7-2 on Thursday, and even though Ritchie’s first pitch will be one to forget, he gets the victory in his first-ever start.
Bucks have hired a new head coach
The Milwaukee Bucks moved on from Doc Rivers following the 2025-26 season, and now they have found their new head coach.
After a quick process, the Bucks are finalizing a deal to hire former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Ramona Shelburne.
The Bucks moved on from Rivers after the season, and Jenkins quickly emerged as a leading candidate for the job.
Rivers took over for Adrian Griffin during the 2023-24 season, and the Bucks went 97-103 during Rivers’ tenure with the franchise.
Jenkins was an assistant with Milwaukee during the 2018-19 season before being hired by the Grizzlies. He then went 250-214 in Memphis with three playoff trips.
However, the Grizzlies shockingly fired Jenkins right before the playoffs last season.
The Bucks also face questions about the future of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was in trade rumors this past season, so it will be an interesting couple of months for Milwaukee going into free agency.
Nonetheless, Jenkins comes to town as the new coach for the Bucks in a quick process by the franchise.
Dave Roberts reveals Dodgers’ lineup plan amid Kyle Tucker slump
Kyle Tucker, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ prized free agent signing, has not gotten off to a strong start to begin the 2026 MLB season.
As of April 23, Tucker is batting just .233 with three home runs and 13 RBIs, and much more is to be expected after the Dodgers gave him a whopping four-year, $240 million deal.
Tucker has been batting second this season, but Roberts changed things up for Thursday’s game and put Tucker in the cleanup spot. And, for now, Roberts plans to keep Tucker there for some time.
Also, Roberts said he will keep Freddie Freeman hitting second and Kyle Tucker hitting fourth for the foreseeable future.
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) April 23, 2026
“I do feel (Tucker) is trying to do too much,” Roberts said. “I definitely expect him to come out of it.” #Dodgers
At the start of April, Tucker had a five-game stretch with at least one RBI, but he has had just two RBIs in five games entering Thursday.
The Dodgers’ offense, as a whole, has struggled during the series against the San Francisco Giants. LA scored just one run combined in the first two games, so it isn’t just Tucker.
After Wednesday’s game, Roberts said Tucker is “clearly not comfortable” and “frustrated,” so maybe the lineup switch will turn things around for the star outfielder.
Hines Ward sends strong message about Jordyn Tyson before NFL Draft
Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson could be the first pass-catcher selected in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
Tyson and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate have spent the entire pre-draft process in the WR1 conversation, and both should be taken early in the first round. On the morning of the draft, former Pittsburgh Steelers star and current Arizona State WRs coach Hines Ward had a strong message for Tyson on social media.
“When they listen, learn, and apply… this is what it looks like. Proud of you JT,” Ward wrote with a video of Tyson’s highlights.
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham also posted the video with a few handshake emojis.
— Coach Dillingham (@KennyDillingham) April 23, 2026
Tyson, who began his career at Colorado, had 1,101 yards with 10 scores in 2024 at Arizona State and another 711 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025 despite battling injuries.
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo, Tyson’s former Arizona State teammate, also made a plea previously, hoping that the Giants select Tyson.
Tyson has gained a lot of steam as the potential WR1 recently, and CBS Sports’ insider Jonathan Jones echoed that sentiment on the morning of the first round.
“The more I talk to folks and the closer it gets to the draft, the more it seems Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson will be the first receiver selected tonight. Sources at multiple teams have told me he’s the most talented receiver in the draft,” Jones wrote.
Even if Tyson isn’t the first WR taken, it would be a massive surprise if he isn’t selected in the first round on Thursday night.
