There have not been too many championship performances from the Golden State Warriors as they have produced an unconvincing defence of their NBA title so far this season.
On Saturday, they delivered a reminder of their ability to rise to the occasion against the most vaunted of opponents, and typically it was Steph Curry who inspired them as the Warriors saw off the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime.
Curry was at his brilliant best in the clutch in a 125-116 victory, with 22 of his 36 points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Eleven of his 13 fourth-quarter points came in the final two minutes of regulation, including a three-pointer over Jevon Carter with 19 seconds left to tie the game.
A more important contribution was to follow with 2.2 seconds left when Curry rose to block a potential game-winning shot from Jrue Holiday.
In his regular-season career, that was the first time Curry had blocked a shot in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter and overtime.
"When you [make] a couple of big shots down the stretch and then find yourself in a position to make a play on the other side, I think that gives everybody a good boost," Curry said. "I think I got more compliments on that in the locker room than any shot I made."
Curry re-entered the game in the fourth after a spell on the bench with the Warriors trailing by eight points to a Bucks team that leads the Eastern Conference having compiled 48 wins this campaign. Golden State had led by 13 in the third.
"It's the challenge of bringing execution and focus," Curry said. "Even when things aren't going your way -- that fourth quarter when they take an eight-point lead -- and you slowly walk them down, that's the belief you have to have that we can do."
Coach Steve Kerr was in awe of Curry's all-round display, which lifted the Warriors to 35-33, still in the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
"Steph was incredible, and he did it against one of the great defenders in Jrue Holiday," Kerr said. "It's amazing watching those two guys battle. Steph is fearless. It doesn't matter if there is a slow start or if he hasn't had much going, he can ignite at any time."
"Championship stuff," he added of the Warriors finishing the game off. "That is the team that won four titles. They know how to do it. They got it done against probably the best team in the league."
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz and reigning champion Taylor Fritz both overcame challenges to progress into the third round of the Indian Wells Open on Saturday.
Alcaraz won 6-3 6-3 over Thanasi Kokkinakis in one hour and 18 minutes in his opening match of the event, which also marked his return from a fortnight out with a hamstring injury.
The Spaniard, who reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells last year, could return to the number one ranking with victory at this year's event in the absence of Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz hit 21 winners against the 94th-ranked Australian, dropping only one point on serve in the opening frame.
Fritz went a set down against 2023 Australian Open quarter-finalist Ben Shelton but eventually prevailed 4-6 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 53 minutes.
Both players were excellent on serve throughout the contest, with Fritz earning a break in the 10th game of the second set to tie up the match, before swooping again in the sixth game of the decisive frame.
Veteran Andy Murray moved into the third round with a 6-4 6-3 win over Radu Albot, with the Briton to take on countryman Jack Draper next. Draper won 6-4 6-2 over 24th seed Daniel Evans.
Murray had been set to face 15th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round, but he withdrew due to a muscle injury, allowing Albot into the draw as a lucky loser. Murray's win was his first in straight sets since October.
Seventh seed Holger Rune won 7-5 6-3 over American Mackenzie McDonald, progressing to face Stanislas Wawrinka after he toppled 26th seed Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6 (10-8) 6-4.
Ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz got past Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-3 6-3, setting up a third-round clash with 17th seed Tommy Paul who won 6-3 6-3 over Jan-Lennard Struff.
Eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime won 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 over Pedro Martinez, while 11th seed Jannik Sinner got past veteran Richard Gasquet 6-3 7-6 (7-2).
Last week's Mexican Open champion and 16th seed Alex de Minaur was the highest seed to be knocked out on Saturday after a 6-4 6-2 loss to Martin Fucsovics.
Stephen Curry came alight down the stretch with 22 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Golden State Warriors showed they are not a spent force beating the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Warriors won 125-116 in overtime after Draymond Green's three-point attempt in the final seconds of regulation rimmed out, before Golden State went on a 9-0 run led by Curry at the Chase Center on Saturday.
Curry shot poorly in the first three quarters but knocked down several crucial three-pointers in the latter periods, finishing with 13-of-27 shooting from the field including six-of-15 from beyond the arc in his first home game since returning from a leg injury.
The result meant the Warriors have won seven straight at home, while it ended the Bucks' nine-game road streak. Golden State are 11-1 in their last 12 games at the Chase Center.
NBA-leading Milwaukee were without Giannis Antetokounmpo (sore hand) but could have won it in regulation with Jrue Holiday driving to the basket with scores locked, only to be blocked by Curry with 1.9 seconds left.
That was Curry's 16th block of the season and came after the reigning NBA Finals MVP landed a tying three-pointer.
Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez top scored for the Bucks with 19 points, with the latter having seven rebounds and five blocks. Holiday scored 18 points with nine rebounds and eight assists.
Klay Thompson and Donte DiVincenzo supported Curry with 22 and 20 points respectively, with the latter adding 10 rebounds.
Kawhi shines as Clippers keep winning
Kawhi Leonard continued his resurgent form with 38 points as the Los Angeles Clippers downed the New York Knicks 106-95.
Leonard shot 14-of-22 from the field and is now averaging 31 points across his past seven games, including four 30-point games during that span.
Paul George contributed 22 points for the Clippers, who have won three in a row, while the Knicks have now lost three straight after a nine-game winning run.
Smart ejected as Celtics clip Hawks
Jayson Tatum led the way with 34 points and 15 rebounds after Marcus Smart was ejected for a tussle with Trae Young as the Boston Celtics won 134-125 over the Atlanta Hawks.
Tatum added 11 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter as the Hawks tried to launch a comeback, while Jaylen Brown had 24 points with five rebounds and seven assists.
Hawks guard Young scored a game-high 35 points with 13 assists, but had to be separated from Smart with 1:25 remaining, with the latter ejected for his part in their confrontation.
Vegas Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault hailed goaltender Jonathan Quick after recording his first shutout for his new side in Saturday's 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Quick only joined VGK earlier this month via trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, making 33 saves in the win where they scored in every period from Marchessault, Reilly Smith, Paul Cotter and Brett Howden goals.
The veteran goaltender is 3-0-0 since joining the Golden Knights, playing his part as the Hurricanes were shut out for the first time since November 23.
"Quick was unbelievable tonight," Marchessault told reporters. "We're able to get him the shutout. That's something the team should be really proud to do for him.
"It's easy to get a guy like that going in your locker room. He's such a good veteran. He's been around for a long time and we're lucky to have him."
The win was 40-20-6 Vegas' fifth from their past six games, while it snapped the Hurricanes' four-game winning streak, leaving them 43-13-8.
Marchessault added: "I thought we were pretty good. They had a strong first period but I thought we kept a lot of their chances to the outside. Definitely a lot of positives today."
The result sees VGK improve their record to 40-20-6 to remain top of the Pacific Division, clinching their second win in the third game of their five-game road trip.
The Golden Knights won 4-3 in overtime at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, having lost 2-1 to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, with games against the St Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers to come.
"That's a pretty tough road trip," Marchessault said. "To get two wins out of those three teams is really good for our group.
"We've got a few guys down so we need guys to step up which is what we're doing now.
"We've got to be ready to go back out there tomorrow and do the same thing."
Top seed Iga Swiatek spurned the chance for a double-bagel victory over Claire Liu at the Indian Wells Open on Saturday but she still cruised into the third round in 66 minutes.
The 21-year-old Pole, who won last year's Indian Wells, had match point at 6-0 5-0, before Liu rallied back on serve to avoid the ignominy of a double-bagel defeat, with Swiatek eventually winning 6-0 6-1.
Swiatek was in a dominant mood, winning 57 of 83 points for the match and converting five of nine break points generated. She dropped only 11 points in seven service games.
The three-time grand slam champion is 13-3 on the season, with all 13 wins coming in straight sets. In five of those matches, she has dropped just one game.
Former US Open winner Emma Raducanu moved into the third round with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 win over 20th seed and 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist Magda Linette.
Raducanu's win meant she has put together back-to-back victories for the first time since September, setting up a clash with 13th-seed Beatriz Haddad Maia after she beat Katerina Siniakova 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
Fourth seed Ons Jabeur fought back from a set down to prevail over Magdalena Frech 4-6 6-4 6-1 in one hour and 44 minutes.
Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu also overcame an early deficit to win 4-6 6-4 6-3 over Peyton Stearns.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina got the edge in a tight two-set clash with 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin, triumphing 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) in two hours and 10 minutes. Rybakina fought back from 4-1 down in the second frame.
Fifth seed Caroline Garcia overcame a wobble to win 6-1 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 over Hungary's Dalma Galfi, with 30th seed Leylah Fernandez her next opponent after beating Emma Navarro 6-2 6-4.
Two-time major winner and three-time US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka was the big casualty from the day's play, losing 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 to 2021 Australian Open semi-finalist Karolina Muchova.
Although Derek Carr has not known anything but the Raiders in nine seasons as an NFL quarterback, he is ready to embrace a new opportunity with the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints introduced their latest acquisition on Saturday in a news conference that lasted 45 minutes. Carr was joined by coach Dennis Allen, his family and members of the Saints front office.
New Orleans first tried to trade for Carr before the Las Vegas Raiders released him last month. That stuck with Carr as he entertained other offers.
"You're valuing me as a quarterback, me as a human, without even having to say anything," Carr said. "I'd be lying to you if I said I didn’t have a chip on my shoulder with how everything finished.
"It lit a fire in me that I’ve always had. But it just made it hotter and gave me this excitement to where I can’t wait to get to another building and just show what I’m capable of."
The Saints' brass and Allen, who was the Raiders' coach when Carr was drafted in 2014, did not need convincing. The team went all out to persuade Carr it was the best fit for him, and they agreed on a four-year, $150 million contract Monday.
"He was clearly our number one target in terms of what we wanted to do at the quarterback position," Allen said.
"We wanted to be first out there and just make sure that he knew he was the number one option."
One of several Saints players that reached out to Carr was record-setting receiver Michael Thomas, whose contract status and injury-plagued past three seasons have created uncertainty about his future with the club.
Carr sounded eager to work with Thomas, and confident he might get that chance, even though it would virtually require Thomas – the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year - and the Saints to agree by Friday on a more salary cap-friendly contract.
"He wasn’t even trying to recruit me," Carr said. "He was just like, ‘When are we getting to work, we’re wasting time, time is ticking'."
Carr is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and is the Raiders’ all-time leader in yards passing (35,222) and touchdown passes (217), but the team made the playoffs just twice with him at QB and did not win a postseason game.
The Saints have not made the playoffs since franchise all-time passer Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season. New Orleans went 9-8 in 2021 and 7-10 last season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss a third straight game for the Milwaukee Bucks when they face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday due to a sore right hand.
The 2019 and 2020 NBA MVP was listed as questionable before being declared out hours prior to tip-off on Saturday.
Antetokounmpo missed Thursday's 118-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets with the same issue, while he was absent for Tuesday's 134-123 victory over the Orlando Magic with a non-COVID illness.
The Bucks lead the Eastern Conference with an NBA-best 48-18 record, winning 19 of their past 20 games.
Antetokounmpo is fourth overall for points per game in the NBA this season with 31.2 and second for rebounds, with 11.9 per game.
Tom Hoge set a new course record without realising it and Aaron Rai celebrated a hole-in-one at the 17th, but it is Scottie Scheffler who heads into the final round of The Players Championship with a two-shot lead.
An absorbing Saturday at Sawgrass saw Hoge card a 10-under 62, as both he and Rai put themselves into contention going into Sunday's closing 18 holes.
Scheffler's 65 took him to 14-under par and made him the only player with three sub-70 rounds, earning the world number two a two-shot lead over Australian Min Woo Lee. They had been tied at 13 under entering the closing moments of the day, but Lee had a bogey at the last and just minutes later Scheffler made birdie.
Lee had to settle for a six-under 66, which he had kick-started by holing a 112-yard shot from the fairway on the opening hole for an eagle two. Another Australian, Cam Davis, had a 67 to reach 10 under for outright third place.
Englishman Aaron Rai drew the biggest roars of the day with a hole-in-one at 17, becoming the second player to ace the famous island hole this week, after Hayden Buckley managed the feat on Thursday.
Birdies either side meant Rai finished the round in style and carded a seven-under 65 to reach nine-under overall for a tie of fourth spot with compatriot Tommy Fleetwood (65), American Chad Ramey (68) and South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout (69).
Hoge, whose lone PGA Tour title came at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am last year, finished the day one shot further back. Incredibly, he did not know what the previous scoring record was, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn it stood at 63, achieved multiple times on the flagship course.
"I didn't even know it was a course record until after we got done in the scoring there," Hoge said. Former Open winner Shane Lowry suggested to Hoge he had broken the record after a birdie at the 18th hole, but Hoge still waited for confirmation.
Hoge only scraped into the final 36 holes on the cut mark of two over, after producing a gutsy 68 on Friday following an opening 78. He rocketed into contention on Saturday and said it felt good to be able to cancel his flight home to Dallas Fort Worth, having booked it in the anticipation his tournament would be over.
South Korean Im Sung-jae jumped from level par to eight under with a 64, and Jordan Spieth followed his eagle on the final hole of his second round on Friday with a 66 to go to six under for the tournament.
It was a day for low scoring and those that missed out got left behind, including second-round leader Adam Svensson, with the Canadian shooting a 75 to plummet down the leaderboard to join Spieth in a tie for 14th. Jerry Kelly, the 56-year-old who became the oldest player to make the cut in this tournament's history, went from two over to one under with a round of 69.
Tom Hoge set a new course record without realising it and Aaron Rai celebrated a hole-in-one at the 17th, but it is Scottie Scheffler who heads into the final round of The Players Championship with a two-shot lead.
An absorbing Saturday at Sawgrass saw Hoge card a 10-under 62, as both he and Rai put themselves into contention going into Sunday's closing 18 holes.
Scheffler's 65 took him to 14-under par and made him the only player with three sub-70 rounds, earning the world number two a two-shot lead over Australian Min Woo Lee. They had been tied at 13 under entering the closing moments of the day, but Lee had a bogey at the last and just minutes later Scheffler made birdie.
Lee had to settle for a six-under 66, which he had kick-started by holing a 112-yard shot from the fairway on the opening hole for an eagle two. Another Australian, Cam Davis, had a 67 to reach 10 under for outright third place.
Englishman Aaron Rai drew the biggest roars of the day with a hole-in-one at 17, becoming the second player to ace the famous island hole this week, after Hayden Buckley managed the feat on Thursday.
Birdies either side meant Rai finished the round in style and carded a seven-under 65 to reach nine-under overall for a tie of fourth spot with compatriot Tommy Fleetwood (65), American Chad Ramey (68) and South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout (69).
Hoge, whose lone PGA Tour title came at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am last year, finished the day one shot further back. Incredibly, he did not know what the previous scoring record was, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn it stood at 63, achieved multiple times on the flagship course.
"I didn't even know it was a course record until after we got done in the scoring there," Hoge said. Former Open winner Shane Lowry suggested to Hoge he had broken the record after a birdie at the 18th hole, but Hoge still waited for confirmation.
Hoge only scraped into the final 36 holes on the cut mark of two over, after producing a gutsy 68 on Friday following an opening 78. He rocketed into contention on Saturday and said it felt good to be able to cancel his flight home to Dallas Fort Worth, having booked it in the anticipation his tournament would be over.
South Korean Im Sung-jae jumped from level par to eight under with a 64, and Jordan Spieth followed his eagle on the final hole of his second round on Friday with a 66 to go to six under for the tournament.
It was a day for low scoring and those that missed out got left behind, including second-round leader Adam Svensson, with the Canadian shooting a 75 to plummet down the leaderboard to join Spieth in a tie for 14th. Jerry Kelly, the 56-year-old who became the oldest player to make the cut in this tournament's history, went from two over to one under with a round of 69.
Katie Taylor will face off against Chantelle Cameron in Dublin on May 20 in a bid to become a two-weight world champion.
Taylor, the undisputed lightweight champion, was due to meet Amanda Serrano in a rematch on the same date, but the Puerto Rican pulled out due to injury.
Instead, Taylor accepted a bout with Cameron after the English fighter challenged her on social media.
Cameron offered to move up in weight and has now got her shot, which will be the first professional fight Taylor has contested in her homeland of Ireland.
"Once Serrano pulled out this was the natural fight to make," the Irish world champion said.
"It's two undefeated, reigning undisputed world champions going up against each other and I believe that's the first time that's ever happened in the modern era of the sport.
"People have been talking about this fight for a long time now, so I'm delighted it's happening and I'm looking forward to becoming a two-weight undisputed champion."
Cameron has been victorious in all 17 of her professional fights, becoming the UK's first undisputed female champion after defeating Jessica McCaskill in November.
Meanwhile, Taylor's record stands at 22-0 with six knockouts, 17 of those bouts coming in title matches.
The 36-year-old made history alongside Serrano in New York in May 2022, with theirs the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden as Taylor won on points.
Jordan Spieth soared up the Sawgrass leaderboard and revealed it was a serving US Marine who had inadvertently spared him a possible missed cut at The Players Championship.
Spieth was five over for his second round on Friday heading to the 18th hole, where a wild drive looked set to find the water and leave him in even deeper trouble.
Already on the cut borderline at two over, Spieth got a lucky break when the stray tee shot struck a spectator's knee, and bounced not into the drink but back onto the fairway.
He was gifted a reprieve, played his second shot just short of the green and then chipped in for an eagle to get back to level par through 36 holes.
Following that with a six-under 66 on Saturday to move two shots outside the top 10 gave Spieth hope of figuring even higher on the leaderboard on Sunday.
"Especially with the way my round finished yesterday I have nothing to lose, I have everything to gain," Spieth said.
Addressing Friday's lucky break, Spieth was asked whether he had since made contact with the man whose knee felt the full force of his ball.
"He's over there right now," Spieth said. "He's an active Marine. His name is Matt. He didn't want anything."
Spieth added: "I spent a little time with him yesterday. He didn't want anything, but I thought if I could do anything for him, I'd try to, and the [PGA] Tour stepped in and hooked him up too.
"So hopefully he's having a good weekend. And his knee, I mean, once I found out he was an active Marine I don't really think getting hit in the knee really does much to those guys.
"I would like to say once the cut moved to two over I felt like I could have still finagled my way through. But it's still two shots that it saved me at least. That will make a difference regardless tomorrow."
The Arizona Diamondbacks and top prospect Corbin Carroll have agreed to an eight-year contract extension, according to multiple reports.
The 22-year-old outfielder signed for a base compensation of $111million, with a team option and escalators that could raise the total value of the deal over $134m.
According to MLB.com, Carroll's compensation is the most ever given to a U.S.-based player with fewer than 100 days of major league service time.
The previous record of $70m had been set by the Atlanta Braves' Michael Harris, who went on to be named the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year.
The deal locks Carroll up for all of his arbitration-eligible seasons, plus at least his first two free agency seasons.
Arizona drafted Carroll in the first round of the 2019 draft, and the left-handed center fielder has remained among the highest-ranked prospects in the organisation ever since.
Carroll made his major league debut last season, batting .260 with an .830 OPS in 115 plate appearances. In 32 games he had 27 hits, 15 for extra bases.
Earlier this offseason, MLB.com ranked the speedy outfielder as the No. 2 prospect in baseball, behind Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson.
Clive Woodward never thought he would see the day England were so badly outclassed on home soil after witnessing their record home loss to France.
France crossed over seven times in their astonishing 53-10 victory at Twickenham on Saturday to keep their Six Nations title defence alive.
It is the most points ever conceded by England in a home Test, overtaking the 42 points scored by South Africa in November 2008.
Woodward, who guided the Red Rose to World Cup glory in 2003, was left stunned by his former side's capitulation and is fearing the worst ahead of next week's trip to Ireland.
"England were never going to win that game; we were second best by a long, long way," he told ITV Sport. "To think we're going to play Ireland next week is a sobering thought.
"To actually see that in a Six Nations game... I never thought I'd see that scoreboard ever at Twickenham."
Fellow pundit Johnny Wilkinson described the loss as "a massive reality check" for England, who tasted defeat at home to France for the first time in 18 years.
England have now lost two of their four matches this campaign – Steve Borthwick's first since replacing Eddie Jones in December – and find themselves in fourth place.
Borthwick accepts England were too easily dismantled by France and knows there is a gulf between his side and the world's elite heading into the Rugby World Cup.
"Certainly you have to give immense credit to France and they are clearly a world-class team," he told ITV Sport. "We are really disappointed in that performance.
"There are lots of things we wanted to do but we couldn't execute. I think we lost collisions across both lines, attack and defence.
"We knew they have immense power and unfortunately we didn't deal with it. When we attacked they were able to dominate. There is plenty of work on the collision areas
"We got exposed today. I thought we would get a measure of where we are at – there is a big gap between us and the top teams in the world.
"I don't think it matters what I thought it [the gap] was before; I think we understand where we are and what we have to do."
France were 24 points to the good by half-time – another unwanted record for England in the Six Nations – with 23-point Thomas Ramos opening the scoring inside two minutes.
Thibaud Flament, Charles Ollivon and Damian Penaud all crossed over twice each in a one-sided contest, with Freddie Steward scoring England's only try.
It is the first time in the Six Nations era that three different France players have scored two tries each in a single game.
Reflecting on one of England's all-time worst displays, captain Ellis Genge admitted there can be no excuses.
"I am not going to sugar-coat it. That is one of our worst performances and we were punished numerous times," he said.
"We asked the boys to keep fighting and I think for 80 per cent of it we were fighting. The momentum was against us for too long and we didn't claw it back.
"I am not hiding away from it – we were well beaten today. [France] are brilliant. They have shown time and time again why they are the number two team in the world.
"We are way off where we want to be. If I had the answers I would be somewhere else earning millions. It's a bit of a mystery at the moment."
France boss Fabien Galthie found the 53-10 drubbing of England "very moving" as he delivered an emotional response to his team's record win at Twickenham.
Les Bleus had not won a Six Nations game at England's London HQ since 2005, but they turned on the style and piled on the most points England have ever conceded on home soil in a Test.
Defeat to Ireland last month could be the result that costs France the championship, but this was a third win in four this year and the biggest statement yet from Galthie's team in this Rugby World Cup year.
France inflicted a seven-try humiliation on their hosts, revelling in each score. They are the World Cup hosts this year, and performances such as Saturday's barnstorming rout will raise expectations.
Speaking to France 2, Galthie appeared to momentarily shed a tear as he considered the scale of his side's achievement.
He said: "I've been coming here for a long time, you realise that... it's very moving.
"We played just the way we wanted to play. We wanted to do this. We didn't know how, but we wanted to do it.
"This place, the context ... it's not a coincidence. We have been working for four years with the players. At the start of the tournament, we weren't satisfied, but we were on the right track.
"The players wanted to do something. We were able to get the game out. The players, the staff, the French Rugby Federation, all the people who helped us to be here today... I spare a thought for them."
Reigning champions France are now level on points with Grand Slam-chasing Ireland, who take on Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday in their penultimate game of the tournament.
Bud Grant, the legendary coach who led the Minnesota Vikings to four Super Bowl appearances in the 1970s, has died at the age of 95, the team announced on Saturday.
"We are absolutely devastated to announce legendary Minnesota Vikings head coach and Hall of Famer Bud Grant has passed away this morning at age 95,” the club posted on social media. "We, like all Vikings and NFL fans, are shocked and saddened by this terrible news."
A 1994 inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Grant was known for his stoic demeanour and steely-eyed stare. The teams he coached were feared for their 'Purple People Eaters' defense.
Grant led the Vikings from 1967-83, and again in 1985, compiling a 158-96-5 record. When he retired, Grant was eighth on the all-time coaching wins list.
Under his guidance, Minnesota played in the Super Bowls following the 1970, 1973, 1974 and 1976 seasons but lost all four. The franchise hasn't been back to a Super Bowl since.
The 1970 season was the last before the AFL-NFL merger. Grant's Vikings won the NFL championship that season, despite losing Super Bowl IV to the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs, 23-7.
Born in Superior, Wisconsin, Grant played football, basketball and baseball at the University of Minnesota and was drafted to play in both the NFL and NBA.
Grant played two seasons for the Minneapolis Lakers and won an NBA championship in 1950 before turning his focus to the football field.
He caught 56 passes for 997 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1952 before leaving the NFL for the Canadian Football League, where he joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Grant played four seasons in the CFL before becoming Winnipeg's coach.
Grant coached the Blue Bombers for 10 seasons, winning 102 games and four Grey Cup championships. The team would later build a statue of Grant outside their stadium.
His success in Canada opened an opportunity for Grant to coach the Vikings in 1967, and a storied NFL career was born.
Grant went on to become an icon for the state of Minnesota and a permanent resident, living in the same home he bought when hired by the Vikings in 1967.
Even after he retired from coaching, the Vikings listed Grant as a consultant every year from 1986 to 2023, and he maintained an office at the team facility.
France ended their 18-year wait for a Six Nations victory at Twickenham with a record 53-10 bonus-point triumph on Saturday to keep their title hopes alive.
Les Bleus crossed over three times in the first half and were 24 points ahead at the midway point – the biggest half-time margin any side has had over England in the tournament.
The visitors added four more after the restart, with Thibaud Flament, Charles Ollivon and Damian Penaud helping themselves to two tries apiece, while Thomas Ramos – who started the rout – finished with 23 points to his name.
A famous victory moves France level on points with Ireland, who are away at Scotland on Sunday, while England's campaign is effectively over with one round of games to go.
France were up and running inside five minutes following a rapid break as Ethan Dumortier fed Ramos to touch down and subsequently add the extras.
Ramos added to his tally from a penalty and Flament found a gap to power over soon after as France took complete control.
Marcus Smith temporarily reduced the deficit, only for Ramos to add another penalty of his own, before Ollivon smashed through Smith on the line to add to England's pain.
England looked dejected when Ramos converted again, but they started the second half well and, after Max Malins had one ruled out, Freddie Steward used his power to dot down.
Any hope of a miraculous comeback were ended eight minutes later when Ramos knocked a kick over the top into the path of Flament to race through.
The bonus point was secured at that stage but France were far from finished, with Ollivon alert at the breakdown – unlike England's players – to reach over and double his try count.
Penaud touched down under the posts and there was still time to add another try – France's seventh of the day – in one of England's darkest days in the tournament's history.
One of the most oft-repeated phrases is that there is no offseason for NFL teams.
It bears repeating because the league consistently validates it year after year, with the 'offseason' serving as an ever-increasing hive of activity as teams reconfigure their rosters through free agency and the NFL Draft in the hopes of putting together a winner.
That activity was supposed to kick into high gear for 2023 NFL free agents on March 13 when the 'negotiating period' opened ahead of the new league year.
But the league is already ahead of schedule in that sense, as Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline was one teeming with headlines.
Quarterbacks Derek Carr, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones were all signed to lucrative contracts, the latter pair remaining with the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants, respectively.
The Giants also franchise-tagged Saquon Barkley and the Baltimore Ravens did the same with 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson, though their decision to place the non-exclusive tag on the star quarterback has only increased the doubt about his long-term future.
So much has already been resolved, or not quite resolved in the case of Jackson, yet there are still a plethora of star names at positions on both sides of the ball who will be free to talk to teams on Monday.
The news will likely come thick and fast. With that in mind, let’s look at the key storylines to follow in free agency through the prism of Stats Perform's advanced data.
Brissett and Jimmy G's value
The first major domino in the quarterback market fell on Monday when Carr was signed to a four-year, $150million deal by the New Orleans Saints.
That deal was followed in relatively short order by another, with the Seahawks retaining Smith on a three-year contract worth $105 million, and then Jones receiving $160m over four years from the Giants.
Smith, the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year, led all quarterbacks (minimum 200 attempts) in well-thrown rate, delivering an accurate, well-thrown ball on 87.0 per cent of his passes.
Yet there is evidence to suggest the Saints could have got much more value for their money by looking elsewhere at the game's most important position.
Carr receiving $37.5m annually from the Saints after the Las Vegas Raiders released him appears a somewhat bemusing move from New Orleans, especially after one of the worst statistical seasons of his career.
His well-thrown rate of 78.5 per cent was below the league average of 80.7 and trailed that of two other prominent free-agent quarterbacks – Jimmy Garoppolo (82.3) and Jacoby Brissett (84.1). Brissett's ratio was the best among quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts who also averaged at least 9.0 air yards per attempt.
Garoppolo and Brissett could be described as anything from high-end backup to above-average starter, but Carr's deal and the $40m a year Jones got from the Giants after a season in which he posted a well-thrown rate of 84.9 per cent should give their agents leverage in negotiations with suitors.
The advanced data surrounding accuracy suggests the two former New England Patriots may have been better options for the Saints. Their numbers and level of performance from last season should encourage teams interested in QBs like the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans and New York Jets (Will Aaron Rodgers leave the Green Bay Packers?), though recent movements may mean neither is as affordable as might have previously been anticipated.
Meyers and Slayton set for paydays
The receiver options in free agency are limited, with most of the intrigue at that spot surrounding a man who did not play last season: Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham missed all of last year as he remained unsigned while recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in Super Bowl LVI.
Somebody will take a chance on Beckham this offseason given his pedigree, but the more eye-opening paydays may go to two more unheralded names.
Jakobi Meyers and Darius Slayton are each coming off impressive seasons. Meyers ranked 15th in combined open percentage (46.2) across man and zone coverages among wide receivers with at least 100 matchups and got open on 59.0 per cent of his man matchups. Only four wideouts with a minimum of 25 man matchups won a higher percentage.
The Giants were actively shopping Slayton last offseason, but his ability to create separation was a huge factor in their return to the playoffs.
He finished the year with a 69.0 burn percentage, which measures how often a receiver won his matchup with a defender strictly on plays where he was targeted. And his average of 13.5 burn yards per target ranked fifth among wideouts with at least 50 targets.
Given Beckham averaged 10.8 burn yards per target in his last season in the league and will not have played a game in over 18 months by the time the new season rolls around, handing Meyers or Slayton a large deal and backing them to continue their ascension may be a more astute move than betting on OBJ.
Should Schultz reset the market?
Arguably the biggest prize among the pass catchers is tight end Dalton Schultz, who may well reset the market at that position after the Dallas Cowboys elected not to use the franchise tag on him.
Darren Waller of the Raiders is the league's highest-paid tight end, earning an average of $17m per year.
Schultz could surpass that, but there is statistical evidence to suggest teams should be wary of paying him more than the NFL's established elite at the position.
His burn rate of 65.7 per cent was sixth among tight ends with at least 50 targets, trailing Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Dallas Goedert and George Kittle. He also was fifth in burn yards per route (2.3) behind Kelce, Andrews, Kittle and Kyle Pitts.
But he only finished with five touchdowns in his 15 games and his burn yards per target average of 9.5 was only just above the average of 9.4.
By paying up for Schultz, a team will be putting their faith in him to eventually rise to the level of Kelce and Kittle. The reality is it will be very tough for him to replicate their all-round impact and cap space may be better spent elsewhere in a year when the draft class at tight end is strong.
Offensive tackle overpays
Speaking of possible overpays, let's talk about the offensive tackle market. Top-tier offensive tackles usually do not make it to the market, but two bonafide starters are set to.
Orlando Brown Jr. could cash in after the Kansas City Chiefs opted not to franchise him in the wake of their Super Bowl victory, while former San Francisco 49ers starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey is also primed for pastures new.
The 49ers do not have the salary cap space to pay McGlinchey the top-of-market money he could receive and that is probably for the best.
His pressure-allowed rate of 8.7 per cent was slightly better than the average of 8.9 for players with a minimum of 100 snaps at right tackle, but he was also credited with giving up nine adjusted sacks (including the playoffs). Only five right tackles gave up more, three of whom played more pass protection snaps than McGlinchey.
McGlinchey provides consistently solid play, but his ceiling is quite low. With Brown, the level of consistency could certainly be called into question.
He allowed a pressure rate of 9.9 per cent (the average for left tackles with a minimum of 100 snaps was 8.9) and was in the bottom half of the league in both pass-block win rate (63.9 per cent) and run-block win rate (63.7 per cent).
Those numbers are an indication of why a Chiefs team who have done an excellent job of quickly developing young players were willing to let Brown test the market a year after trading star receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. And both he and McGlinchey come with 'buyer beware' stickers.
Edge rush bargains available
While the top tackles in the class could be considered fool's gold, there are some potential bargains to be had for those teams looking to add edge rushers in free agency.
Marcus Davenport only managed half a sack in the 2022 season for the Saints, but he was actually one of the better players at his position in terms of generating pressure.
His pressure rate of 23.6 per cent was 10th among edge rushers with at least 100 pass rush snaps.
Sixth on that list was Arden Key, whose decision to sign a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars did not pay off as his sack number dropped from 6.5 in 2021 with the 49ers to 4.5 last season.
Yet Key's 25.5 per cent pressure rate indicates he can be a very dangerous weapon for defensive coordinators to wield. Still only 26, Key has plenty of room to grow and realise the potential that was obvious during his college career at LSU.
Davenport and Key are not likely to command hugely lucrative contracts. The axiom goes that you can never have too many pass rushers, and adding either of this duo would be a wise move by general managers eyeing extra help on the defensive front.
Who can Philly keep?
Having re-signed edge rusher Brandon Graham to a one-year deal, the Eagles still have 18 players set to enter unrestricted free agency, giving Philadelphia a huge challenge as they try to keep the core of a Super Bowl roster intact.
Among that group are two starters on the much-vaunted offensive line, starting running back Miles Sanders and backup Boston Scott, five defensive linemen (including starting defensive tackles Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave), both starting linebackers and starting safeties, and starting cornerback James Bradberry.
To put it mildly, that is quite the list. And with a little under $4m in cap space to play with, the Eagles are going to have to get creative to retain many of those players.
The question is: Which players should they prioritise?
Future Hall-of-Fame center Jason Kelce could yet retire. If he does not, the Eagles have a difficult decision to make. Kelce's aggregate win rate across pass blocking and run blocking of 83.5 per cent was second among all offensive linemen last season. However, he is 35 and the Eagles drafted his successor, Cam Jurgens, last year.
On the other side of the trenches, it could be very tough for them to keep both Cox and Hargrave, and it is easy to make a case for either one.
Cox had the higher aggregate win rate in pass rushing and run defense. His 40.1 per cent win rate was vastly superior to Hargrave's 34.4 per cent, but the scales tip firmly in Hargave's favour when it comes to the pass rush. Hargrave won 43.8 per cent of his rushes compared to 33.0 for Cox.
In 2023, the edge goes to players who more consistently impact the passing game. That is Hargrave, but the league-wide recognition of his abilities may make him too expensive to keep.
Further back in the secondary, there are two standout names who should be high on Philadelphia's list of in-house targets to re-sign.
Bradberry is one after he finished 15th among all starting corners with a combined open percentage-allowed across man and zone coverage of 25.3.
Safety Marcus Epps may have been unable to prevent Travis Kelce from finding the endzone in the Super Bowl, but he was ninth for all defensive backs by the same metric, posting an open percentage-allowed of 20.2.
Some of the higher-profile names may depart, but keeping Epps around would be a shrewd and important bit of business.
Dean set to cash in
Bradberry will be one of the top cornerbacks in a free-agent class that has plenty of depth, but Jamel Dean is arguably the top prize at that position.
The 26-year-old Dean was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' best corner in 2022, ranking 10th among corners with a combined open percentage-allowed of 24.3.
In addition, he finished 12th among outside corners with a burn-allowed rate of 44.1 per cent.
Simply put, Dean has already established himself as one of the better young corners in the NFL by doing an excellent job of preventing receivers from creating separation against him.
And with the Buccaneers in a dire salary cap position, he will have the opportunity to cash in with a new team.
With a track record of impressive play on his resume as he enters what should be his prime years, Dean could soon be one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.
Cincy's safety dance
The Cincinnati Bengals are set to see safeties Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell hit the open market. They will likely only re-sign one after drafting Dax Hill in the first round last year.
Bates was a second-team All-Pro in 2020 and has served as a key cog on the Cincinnati defense, but Bell's greater versatility could make him the choice.
Bell played 627 snaps as a deep safety last season as the Bengals suffered an agonising AFC championship game loss, but he also played over 100 snaps at both box safety and nickel corner. Additionally, he spent time at outside corner, both linebacker spots and on the edge.
By contrast, Bates played 78.5 per cent of his snaps as a deep safety. The only other position where he played more than 100 snaps was at box safety.
There was nothing to separate the two in terms of performance in zone coverage, which made up the bulk of their coverage snaps. Both Bates and Bell finished the season with a zone open-allowed percentage of 21.6.
However, Bell's multiplicity may carry more value in a league in which being able to disguise coverages is a significant advantage.
Bates' best fit is with a team that plays a lot of single-high safety coverage. Though the Bengals' most common coverage in 2022 was Cover 3, they did also play a large amount of two-high coverages, often leaning on Tampa 2 and Cover 4.
As such, do not be surprised to see the Bengals hang on to Bell and leave Bates to try to find a place he can continue to thrive in a league pivoting away from schemes that suit him best.
Warren Gatland saluted the "excellent" Rhys Webb after the Wales scrum-half marked his international return with a man-of-the-match display against Italy.
Starting in his first Test since October 2020 - and first Six Nations match for six years - Webb played an instrumental role as Gatland's side prevailed 29-17 in Rome to claim a welcome first win of this year's tournament.
The Ospreys scrum-half assisted two of Wales' four tries in their bonus-point victory. His clever kick bounced kindly for Rio Dyer to go over early on, before his quick burst paved the way for Taulupe Faletau to cross in the second half.
Gatland felt Webb "played outstandingly well" during an important triumph for the visitors, who would have slipped outside the top 10 in the world rankings for the first time with defeat at Stadio Olimpico.
"His decision-making was excellent, he didn't force anything and kept us on the front foot," the Wales coach told S4C.
"I thought we deserved to win and with the bonus point which was great.
"There's still a massive amount of growth in this team in terms of them going forward. A lot of players will have learned a lot about themselves - it wasn't a bad Italian side.
"The second half wasn't as good as the first. It would be nice to be in the coaching box and think the game wasn't going down to the wire, but the boys scrambled well."
Flanker Jac Morgan added: "We've worked hard over the last few weeks, and it's nice to get the win."
Wales' campaign will conclude with a match against France in Paris next week.
Jerry Kelly became the oldest player to ever make the cut at The Players Championship as the American scraped through to the final round.
At the age of 56 years, three months and 16 days, Kelly ensured he would stick around for the full weekend at TPC Sawgrass.
The PGA Tour confirmed that as a new age record for its flagship tournament.
Kelly only just made it though, with rounds of 74 and 72 putting him two over par. At one stage, the cut looked like falling at one over, but that changed on Saturday when second rounds resumed after weather disruption curtailed Friday's action.
Madison-based Kelly won two PGA Tour events in 2002 and a third in 2009, but he has had greater success on the senior PGA Champions tour. There, he has totted up 11 titles since 2017, on the way to helping his career prize-money reach $40.25million.
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