The Orlando Magic have fired head coach Jamahl Mosley. 

This comes after the Game 7 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Magic were up in the series 3-1 before losing the next three games.

Mosley was hired in the 2021 offseason following Steve Clifford’s firing. The Magic went 22-60 in his first season. Cole Anthony was their leading scorer with 16 points per game.

The Magic’s poor record in 2021-22 got them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. They selected Paolo Banchero with this pick. Banchero won Rookie of the Year in 2023 while averaging 20 points per game. The Magic improved to 34 wins. 

By 2023-24, Mosley had established the Magic as a defensive-minded team. The Magic ranked No. 4 in defense that season. Banchero’s scoring average went up to 22.6, leading to him making the All-Star Game. The Magic won 47 games and finished with the No. 5 seed. 

The 2024-25 season was filled with injuries for the Magic. Banchero played just 46 games, and Franz Wagner just 60. The Magic won 41 games and finished with the No. 7 seed. 

In the 2025 offseason, the Magic traded for Desmond Bane. Although the Magic had played good defense under Mosley, they had lacked offense. Bane averaged just 16 points from October 2025 through January 2026. However, his point-per-game average increased to 21 from February to April. The Magic won 45 games and finished with the No. 8 seed. 

The Magic didn’t finish in the top 10 defensively. Although their offense was better than in the past two seasons, they were still in the bottom half of the league.

USA TODAY reported that Billy Donovan is a candidate to be the next head coach of the Magic. Donovan was nearly hired by the Magic in 2007 before returning to coach Florida.

Number one overall pick, Cooper Flagg, was named the 2026 Rookie of the Year on Monday, narrowly beating out his Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in one of the tightest races of all time.

The Dallas Mavericks rookie beat the Charlotte Hornets rookie by a total of 26 points amongst 100 media members who voted. Flagg received 56 first-place votes, and Knueppel receiving 44 first-place votes.

Flagg became the second youngest player ever to win the award at 19 years of age, only behind LeBron James.

“I see the games every night. I can check the box scores,” Flagg said when he was asked about his Duke roommate Knueppel. “I think also I was watching Kon just because that’s one of my brothers,” he added.

“We had such a good connection, and we’re gonna be there for each other for the rest of our lives. I was watching him as a fan, as well, but there was obviously that competition at the same time.”

The 26-point gap is the second closest margin ever in this award’s current voting history, with only the 2021-22 race being tighter between Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley, which was a 15-point gap.

Flagg averaged an impressive 21.0/6.7/4.5 in his rookie campaign, numbers only Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Doncic put up during their rookie seasons.

Knueppel, on the other hand, averaged 18.5/5.3/3.5 while leading the NBA in three-pointers made and breaking the rookie three-point record with 273 threes made.

The argument for Knueppel was that he was playing more meaningful minutes with the Hornets, finishing 44-38 and narrowly missing the playoffs.

Flagg set the scoring record for a teenager with 49 points on January 29 against the Knueppel and the Hornets despite losing the game.

The New York Mets continue to struggle after getting swept by the Colorado Rockies.

The Mets had won two straight games heading into the series with the Rockies, after losing 12 straight games. This means the Mets are 2-15 in their last 17 games, with an overall record of 9-19. 

The Mets played a doubleheader on April 26 after the game scheduled for the day before got rained out. The Mets lost the first game of the series on April 24, 4-3. 

Nolan McLean started the first game of the doubleheader. He only gave up one earned run in five innings. Despite this, he took the loss because Rockies starter Jose Quintana also allowed only one run. The Mets’ bullpen gave up one run, while the Rockies’ bullpen gave up no runs. 

Jake McCarthy had two hits and an RBI for the Rockies. Tyrone Taylor had a hit and drove in the Mets’ only run. 

Kodei Senga started the second game of the doubleheader. The Rockies scored three runs off him in 2 2/3 innings. Although the Mets bullpen didn’t give up any runs, the Rockies got a seven-inning shutout from starter Chase Dollander to get the win. 

The Rockies only had four hits, with three of them coming off Senga. However, Hunter Goodman’s two-run home run extended the Rockies’ lead to 3-0. The Mets outhit the Rockies six to four, but they couldn’t score any runs. Carson Benge had two of the Mets’ six hits. 

Very little has gone right for the Mets this season. Their one bright spot has been starter Clay Holmes. The two-time All-Star has a 2.10 ERA in five starts. The Mets moved him to the starting rotation in 2025. 

The Mets will play the Washington Nationals in their next series starting April 28.

The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers faced off in Los Angeles, and Cubs manager Craig Counsell was talking about the upcoming series against the defending champions.

Counsell told reporters that he has “never understood” the two-way rule for global sensation Shohei Ohtani, claiming that it is an “offensive rule” made to benefit the Dodgers.

“It’s an offensive rule, essentially. It’s a rule to help offense, more than anything, if you ask me. And then there’s one team that’s allowed to carry basically one of both, and he gets special consideration, which is probably the most bizarre rule. For one team.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts fired back at Counsell, saying, “The thing is, it certainly benefits us because we have the player. We’re more than willing for other teams to go out and find a player who can do both. He’s an exception because he’s an exceptional player. It is what it is.”

The rules to qualify as a two-way player require a player to pitch at least 20 innings as a starter or reliever and to start 20 games as a position player or DH, with at least 3 plate appearances in those games.

Ohtani did just that last season, earning him the label of a “two-way” player on the roster.

This seems to be a bizarre gripe from Counsell, as the rule was introduced in 2020, when Ohtani was with the Los Angeles Angels.

However, the one actual problem that would make sense for Counsell to have is that the MLB quietly changed the rule in 2024, making it so the player would only have to meet the criteria in the two previous seasons rather than one, which allowed Ohtani to be labeled as a “two-way” player despite his elbow surgery. This allowed the Dodgers way more roster flexibility than other teams.

The Dodgers hold the best record in baseball at 16-6, while the Cubs stand at 13-9. The managers of these two teams are already providing fireworks in what will be a fiery series at Dodger Stadium this weekend.

Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker did not mix up his words following a 120-107 Game 2 loss to the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it cost him a $35,000 fine.

Booker called out official James Williams in his postgame press conference, saying that he was “terrible.”

The five-time All-Star picked up a bizarre technical in the third quarter of game two that clearly ticked off Booker enough for him to rip into the officiating. He even compared the NBA to pro wrestling during his press conference.

“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight through and through,” Booker said.

“It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as a WWE if they’re not held responsible.”

Booker wasn’t the only Suns player to call out the officiating, as Suns forward Dillon Brooks had similar gripes about how the game is being officiated.

“When I used to watch this back when Michael Jordan was playing, or whoever else, when LeBron [James] was younger, it was physical basketball,” Brooks said.

“I don’t get why all the falling, the flopping and flailing and all this stuff is allowed when we get to the playoffs. Leave that for the [regular] season, for the fans. This is about who is the better team, who is the [smarter] team. Don’t decide the games on free throws.”

Brooks went in on his Canadian national team teammate and reigning league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, calling him “frail” and this is a “man’s” game.

The Suns will welcome the Thunder for games three and four in hopes of evening the series and heading back to Oklahoma City.

The Los Angeles Rams stunned the entire league when commissioner Roger Goodell announced Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft.

Draft experts are calling this the biggest reach of the draft, and some expected the former Alabama quarterback to not hear his name until day two of the draft.

The draft pick seemed to even shock Rams head coach Sean McVay, as he did not seem too pleased with the pick in his post-draft interview.

The Rams currently have the reigning league MVP, Matthew Stafford, returning for at least another year, but this could indicate a shift in his timeline and future with the franchise.

McVay confirmed to reporters that he did speak with Stafford about the draft pick, but did not reveal exactly what he said: “I’ll keep that between us.” McVay also added that Simpson will be “going to compete with Stetson [Bennett]” as the team’s backup quarterback.

If any coach in the league can get the most out of Simpson and development, McVay is the guy for it, as he developed Jared Goff and got the absolute most out of Stafford.

The Rams’ situation is almost identical to what the Green Bay Packers did in the 2020 draft, when they selected Jordan Love in the first round and stunned the entire league and Aaron Rodgers himself. It turned out to be a fantastic pick for the Packers because not only did they find their franchise quarterback after Rodgers, but Rodgers went on to win back-to-back MVPs after they drafted his replacement.

Simpson, similarly to Love, is deemed a project and will almost certainly sit for a couple of seasons before seeing his opportunity on the field.

The Philadelphia Eagles are likely to trade A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots after June 1.

Brown never formally requested a trade, but expressed displeasure with how the Eagles’ offense is run. The Eagles will wait until after June 1 to make the trade so that they can split the dead cap hit between 2026 and 2027. 

Last season, Brown had 78 receptions for 1,003 yards. Although Brown was targeted more than in 2024, his targets were still below those in his first two seasons with the Eagles.

The Patriots are coming off a Super Bowl appearance. Earlier this offseason, they cut Stefon Diggs to create cap space. Diggs had 85 receptions for 1,013 yards. However, he showed a decline in the playoffs. His best game was the divisional round game against the Houston Texans, where he had just 40 yards. Along with that, his personal controversies, like being accused of assaulting his personal chef, led the Patriots to want to move on from Diggs. 

Brown will try to replicate Diggs’ production from last season. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels frequently uses option routes for wide receivers. This means that wide receivers have multiple ways to get open within the offensive scheme. 

During the 2025 season, the Eagles sometimes struggled to get Brown involved. Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was criticized for a lack of flow and creativity in his schemes. He was fired after the playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers and was replaced by Sean Mannion. 

Brown gives a young Patriots team some important veteran experience. He was a big part of the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl win. During the playoffs, he had 12 receptions for 163 yards. 

The NFL Draft will start on April 23. Now that the Patriots have the wide receiver spot figured out, they will likely focus on offensive line improvements. 

Victor Wembanyama suffered a concussion in the San Antonio Spurs loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers defeated the Spurs 106-103. This tied their playoff series at one win for each team. 

At the 9:02 mark in the second quarter, Wembanyama tried to do a spin move to get to the basket. Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday got out of the way to avoid committing a foul. This caused Wembanyama to lose balance. He took a hard fall on the floor and hit his head.

He was immediately placed in concussion protocol. After the game, the Spurs confirmed he suffered a concussion. He will undergo further testing, but the NBA concussion protocol requires Wembanyama to be completely inactive for 48 hours before attempting to return. 

With Wembanyama out, the Spurs needed their supporting pieces to step up. De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell all shot under 40% from the field. Dylan Harper and Luke Kornet provided some help off the bench. Harper scored 10 points while Kornet secured nine rebounds. Despite this, the Spurs were unable to hold off the Trail Blazers. 

If Wembanyama needs to miss games for his concussion, Kornet is likely to become the new starting center. Kornet was a valuable piece to the 2024 Boston Celtics championship team. However, he’s only started 84 games in his nine-year NBA career, including one playoff start against the New York Knicks. 

Of course, somebody will need to replicate Kornet’s production off the bench. The Spurs currently have three centers on their playoff roster, but out of the rotation. Bismack Biyombo, Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee all have experience in playoff games. 

Olynyk played in 42 regular-season games for the Spurs. He played for one minute in Game 1. Olynyk played in 18 playoff games for the 2017 Celtics, including two starts against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is planning to withdraw financial support from LIV Golf. 

The wealth fund announced its $1 trillion five-year spending plan. The fund’s governor said that his focus was on increasing efficiency in the fund’s investments.

Saudi Arabia already has many long-term investments. They will be hosting the World Expo in 2030 and the World Cup in 2034.

No official source has given a reason for the LIV Golf funding specifically being cut. However, the head of the fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, gave reasons for the general cuts.

“There needed to be a reconsideration of the timing of some investments,” Al-Rumayyan said, speaking during a news conference in Riyadh, the kingdom’s capital.

The fund has made major investments in Uber, SoftBank and the English Premier League in recent years. 

LIV Golf has been one of their least successful ventures. It’s estimated that the league has cost Saudi Arabia around $5 billion since its initial $2 billion investment.

This $2 billion investment turned a lot of heads. The PGA Tour is estimated to make $400 million in profits. Even if Saudi Arabia thought their league could overtake the PGA, there was no world where they’d make $2 billion or more. 

LIV Golf did put this massive investment to use. They signed notable golfers like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brook Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Phil Mickelson. 

Mickelson was the most notable name to join LIV. He won 45 PGA Tour events and six championships. In 2021, he became the oldest player to win a PGA Championship at age 50. 

If the league disbanded, the golfers would need to return to the PGA Tour to continue golfing. Golfers may face suspensions for leaving the league or will need to requalify on the Korn Ferry Tour. 

Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar in the first match of the second night of WrestleMania 42.

Femi improved his WWE record to 8-1-1. Meanwhile, Lesnar’s record falls to 317-117, which gives him over a 70 percent win rate.

Femi used his special “fall from grace” move to get Lesnar on the ground. This move is a variant of the powerbomb, in which a wrestler picks up an opponent by the shoulders and slams them back-first onto the mat. The match was over in less than five minutes.

Despite the loss, the fans still cheered for Lesnar. “Thank you, Brock,” chants could be heard shortly after the match ended. Lesnar was in tears when he hugged his manager, Paul Heyman.

Lesnar first joined WWE in 2000. By 2002, he was already one of the most notable names in the sport. He left WWE in 2004, then returned in 2012.

In 2020, Lesnar retired from WWE. However, he returned a little over a year later. 

In 2024, it was revealed that WWE CEO Vince McMahon was allegedly part of a sex trafficking ring. A woman named Janel Grant said that McMahon had coerced her into having sex with WWE executives and wrestlers. Lesnar was listed as one of the wrestlers. He was dropped from the Royal Rumble 2024 after the news broke. Lesnar was on a brief hiatus until 2025.

Lesnar made his return for SummerSlam 2025. In September 2025, he defeated John Cena in Wrestlepalooza 2025. 

As recently as January 2026, Lesnar was ranked as the No. 22 wrestler in WWE. He was defeated twice in the Royal Rumble 2026 by Cody Rhodes and LA Knight. 

Although the end of the WrestleMania match felt like a farewell, Lesnar has not formally announced his retirement yet. However, his 2020-2021 retirement was never formally announced. 

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is currently dealing with shingles.

Shingles is a byproduct of chickenpox, which means anybody who’s ever had chickenpox has the shingles virus in them. The virus creates blister-like sores that can stay on the body for weeks. Many patients experience pain in the affected areas years after the rash clears. 

Generally speaking, most shingles patients are older. However, high stress, a weakened immune system, medications or isolation can cause someone under 35 to get shingles.

Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Since then, he’s been in a rigorous recovery process to be ready to return by opening night 2026. This recovery process can cause high amounts of stress, along with requiring lots of medication. Haliburton has admitted that the virus has made his recovery more difficult. 

“It’s been miserable. I have good days and bad days, but for the most part, it’s been bad days. I’ve been taking unbelievable amounts of medication to try to get rid of it. It hasn’t worked. It’s not been fun, and hopefully it goes away soon. It’s hard to really tell with nerve pain, but I’ve been dealing now with nerve pain for two months, and in the world of nerve pain, that’s not very long. Hopefully it goes away soon.” Haliburton said. 

The Pacers played their final game of the season on April 12. They lost to the Detroit Pistons 133-121. Obi Toppin scored 21 points off the bench for the Pacers, while Kobe Brown scored 20. The Pistons won thanks to Paul Reed scoring 26 points and Tobias Harris scoring 24 points. 

The Pacers finished with a record of 19-63. This was the second-worst record in the NBA, only behind the Washington Wizards. They will need to finish in the top four in the draft lottery to keep their draft pick.

Giannis Antetokounmpo expressed his discontent with the Milwaukee Bucks after their season finale against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 76ers defeated the Bucks 126-106. The Bucks finished with a record of 32-50, making them the No. 11-ranked team in the Eastern Conference. This is the first time the Bucks have missed the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. Antetokounmpo was unwilling to commit to a future with the Bucks.

 “I don’t know. It’s not up to me. We’ll see,” Antetokounmpo said.

Antetokounmpo didn’t play in the season finale. AJ Green (19 points) and Jericho Sims (15 points) put up strong performances for the Bucks. Despite this, the 76ers still won because of Tyrese Maxey scoring 21 points and Quentin Grimes scoring 20 points off the bench.

Just minutes after the season finale, the Bucks announced that head coach Doc Rivers will not return for the 2026-27 season. Rivers was hired in the middle of the 2023-24 season after Adrian Griffin was fired. The Bucks did not win a playoff series with Rivers as head coach.

Rivers was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 4. He won Coach of the Year with the Orlando Magic and won a championship with the Boston Celtics.

ESPN reported that Rivers was possibly losing trust in the locker room. Six players questioned Rivers’s leadership during a locker room meeting, in which Rivers responded, “Look at my resume.”  

The Bucks will now need to search for a new head coach. Sam Cassell is widely reported as a likely candidate. Cassell played for the Bucks for five seasons. He’s been an assistant coach for the Celtics since 2023. Antetokounmpo recently started imitating Cassell’s iconic celebration. Cassell could be the Bucks’ best shot at keeping Antetokounmpo on the team. 

The Miami Heat are officially ending Terry Rozier‘s stint with the team, as they announced he will be waived.

Rozier, 32, is owed $26.6 million this year and is in the final season of a four-year $96.3 million contract that the Heat most definitely regretted handing out.

The former Louisville Cardinal was placed on leave by the NBA during the federal investigation into gambling and being accused of manipulating his own stats so that his “Unders” would hit. This allegedly occurred while Rozier was a member of the Charlotte Hornets.

Rozier was placed under arrest by the FBI during their investigation into an illegal gambling ring. He pleaded not guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges.

Despite being placed on leave, he still held a roster spot, so the Heat decided to create an open roster spot ahead of the Play-In tournament.

With the season coming to an end, the Heat have been planning this move for quite some time, knowing Rozier would not be a factor in the postseason.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, 19, became the first teenager to score over 50 points in an NBA game.

Flagg scored 51 points in the Mavericks’ 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic on April 3. Flagg continues to build his Rookie of the Year case.

Along with his 51 points, Flagg also had six rebounds and three assists. Brandon Williams scored 23 points off the Mavericks’ bench as well.

Despite getting good performances from Flagg and Williams, it wasn’t enough to beat the Magic. Wendell Carter Jr. (28 points) and Desmond Bane (27 points) led the way for the Magic.

The Magic had more all-around production. The Magic had six double-digit scorers compared to the Mavericks’ four. The Mavericks have two key contributors, Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II, out for the season. Additionally, Caleb Martin and Daniel Gafford also didn’t play against the Magic. 

Although this game was a frustrating loss, the Mavericks bounced back against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 5. Flagg nearly scored 50 points again, but his 45 points, eight rebounds and nine assists were enough to lead the Mavericks to victory. P.J. Washington also made strong contributions with 15 points. Gafford was healthy for this game and scored seven points.

The Lakers received major injury updates before this game. They were informed that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will miss the rest of the regular season and likely the start of the playoffs as well. LeBron James will be tasked with leading the team while his two 20-point-per-game scorers are hurt. He played very well against the Mavericks, with 30 points, nine rebounds and 15 assists. However, it wasn’t enough to get the win. Jaxson Hayes also scored 23 points off the bench. 

The Mavericks have four more games this season. They will play the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls.

The Los Angeles Lakers had a nightmare game against the Oklahoma City Thunder – not only did they lose 139-96, but superstar Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter, ending his night.

Doncic, 27, is set to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the hamstring injury, according to head coach JJ Redick, as the Lakers fanbase and organization hold their breath, as this comes at the worst time, right before the playoffs.

“At this point, at this juncture of the season, it’s the last thing you want to see,” Doncic’s teammate LeBron James said. “When you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury…. So, pray for the best, for sure, and a speedy recovery.”

Doncic appeared to have injured his hamstring at the end of the first half, but according to Redick, he was checked out and cleared to stay in the game before ultimately suffering the injury.

“We checked him out,” Redick said. “He got work done. He was cleared. I mean, again, we’re not going to put a player at risk.”

Doncic was just named the Western Conference Player of the Month for the second time this season and is just one game away from qualifying for the end-of-season awards.

The Lakers (50-27) currently sit third in the Western Conference with just five games left, holding a narrow one-game lead over the Denver Nuggets.

Atlanta Braves starter Spencer Strider will begin the season on the IL with an oblique strain.

The severity of the strain has not been revealed. He’s expected to miss a minimum of two weeks.

Strider pitched three games in spring training and had a 3.24 ERA. Last season, he had a 4.45 ERA in 23 starts.

Strider’s career got off to a very strong start. In 2022, he had a 2.67 ERA to finish second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. In 2023, he had 281 strikeouts to lead the National League. Although his ERA went up, his FIP was a National League-leading 2.85. This suggests that Strider was getting unlucky.

His 2024 season ended after just two starts due to Tommy John surgery. In 2025, he made his season debut on April 16, a little over a year after his surgery. Strider pitched six innings and gave up two runs to the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Strider’s strikeouts per nine went down from 13.5 in 2023 to 9.4 in 2025. His walks per nine went up from 2.8 in 2023 to 3.7 in 2025. Although some pitchers can return to form quickly from Tommy John surgery, it’s not always possible.  

Strider looked like he was returning to form in spring training. However, he felt a pull in his arm during a minor league game against the Boston Red Sox on March 17. Strider was supposed to start on March 23 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was placed on the IL instead. 

Chris Sale is a reliable starter for the Braves at the top of the rotation, but the rest of their rotation is questionable. Reynaldo Lopez has mostly been a reliever the past two seasons, Grant Holmes is solid but nothing amazing, Bryce Elder has struggled to find consistency after his rookie season, and the No. 5 starter spot is currently up in the air.

Terry Rozier hasn’t played a game all season due to being arrested and charged for his involvement in the illegal gambling scheme.

Despite not playing all year and being arrested, he has remained on the Miami Heat’s roster, but that will soon change as the team is expected to waive the guard right before the start of the playoffs.

“The Heat is expected to waive Rozier before the end of the regular season to open a roster spot to add a player for depth in the postseason,” according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

They had kept him on the roster but listed him as “away from the team.” Rozier is currently on a $26.6 million expiring contract that could have been used as a trade piece, but nothing came to fruition. The Heat haven’t been in any rush to release him because their depth has been so good, leaving little to no urgency to open a roster spot.

The Heat have a full 15-man roster, and waiving Rozier will open up a spot for the postseason. They are likely holding off on releasing Rozier in case an injury arises, and need to add a body. This also allows them to convert one of their two-way players to a standard contract, making them playoff-eligible.

Rozier has pleaded not guilty to the charges from the gambling investigation, and his case is currently going through the court system.

The Las Vegas Raiders have sent Geno Smith back to the New York Jets in a trade.

The Jets sent their sixth-round pick to the Raiders. The Raiders will absorb most of Smith’s salary.

Smith was drafted by the Jets in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Starting quarterback Mark Sanchez tore his labrum in the preseason, leading to Smith being named the starter. Smith had an up-and-down rookie season. He threw 21 interceptions, but led the league with five game-winning drives. 

The Jets believed in Smith’s potential heading into the 2014 season. He cut his interceptions down to 13, but saw a decline in most other aspects of the game. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick was signed by the Jets in the 2015 offseason. He was the Jets’ starting QB for the next two seasons. Smith played in just three games. After his rookie deal expired in the 2017 offseason, he signed with the New York Giants. 

After the Seattle Seahawks traded Russell Wilson in the 2022 offseason, Smith was given a chance to start. He threw 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, which got him his first Pro Bowl appearance.

After three strong seasons with the Seahawks, the Raiders traded for him in the 2025 offseason. He led the league in interceptions last season with 17.

Frank Reich was named the Jets’ offensive coordinator this offseason. Reich runs a West Coast-style offense that emphasizes speed. 

This is different from the offensive system he was in when he shone with the Seahawks. Seahawks’ offensive coordinator Shane Waldron prefers outside runs and pre-snap movement rather than speed. 

Smith has had on-and-off problems with interceptions throughout his career. A fast-paced system could possibly make these issues worse.

Smith will compete with Justin Fields for the starting QB job during training camp. 

The Cleveland Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson have agreed to restructure his contract, freeing up $36 million in cap space to be cap-compliant before the new football year begins.

Watson, 30, missed all of last season while recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered in 2024. He was supposed to have a cap hit of $80.7 million, which was by far a league high, before the restructure.

The Browns will owe Watson $46 million guaranteed in 2026 after signing a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract after being traded to the Browns.

Watson has hardly seen the field for the Browns due to suspensions and injuries, but the Browns expect and hope Watson to be in the mix to be their starting quarterback next season. In games he has played, he has not been good, posting a league-worst 33.1 total quarterback rating.

He will be competing with Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and potentially another quarterback if they choose to bring one in.

New Browns head coach Todd Monken said he wants Watson in the mix because “anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skill set at an elite level,” hope remains.

“I think you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of him again, and I think that’s how you should look at every player.”

The Browns still have more work to do and more contracts to restructure before free agency officially begins.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami visited President Donald Trump at the White House, with Messi giving him a gift.

Messi and the team were honored for winning the MLS Cup final for the first time in club history. Trump was gifted a pink Miami ball, an Inter Miami jersey, and a watch by head coach Javier Mascherano.

This comes in the wake of other soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo visiting Trump at the Oval Office, as this was Messi’s first trip to the White House.

Trump spoke about Inter Miami’s visit to the White House, saying, “We’re honoring truly talented people.”

“It’s my distinct privilege to say what no American president has ever had the chance to say before: ‘Welcome to the White House, Lionel Messi.’

“My son said, ‘Dad, do you know who’s going to be there today?’ I said, ‘No, I got a lot of things going on.’ He said, ‘Messi.’

“He’s a big fan of yours. He thinks you’re just a great person. And I think you got to meet a little while ago. So he’s a big soccer fan, but he’s a tremendous fan of yours. And a gentleman named Ronaldo. Cristiano is great. You’re great,” Trump said.

Inter Miami won the title back in December, defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Messi was also named the league MVP for the second straight season.

“Leo, you came in, and you won, and that’s something very hard to do, very, very unusual, and frankly, there’s a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know, because you sort of expected to win, but almost nobody wins,” Trump added.