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The Eagles, Bengals, 49ers, Lions and Vikings might want to ask the NFL to redo the schedule

Kyle Shanahan has had a lot to complain about when it comes to this year’s NFL schedule, and we’re going to go ahead and add one more thing to the list: The 49ers are one of five teams that got hit with an unprecedented scheduling disadvantage that no team has ever overcome. 

The disadvantage? Five different teams are scheduled to play an international game this year, followed by a game against a team coming off a bye. 

The 49ers have to play an international game in Week 11, then follow that up in Week 12 against a Seahawks team coming off a bye. Basically, the 49ers will be dealing with international traveling issues in Week 11, while the Seahawks get to sit at home and rest as they prepare for their huge showdown against the 49ers. 

The NFL’s first international game was played in 2005 between the Cardinals and 49ers, and in the 20 years since then, the league has done its best to avoid putting any teams in the situation that the 49ers are in. In two decades, there have been only four instances in which a team coming off an international game faced a team coming off a bye, and none of them have won. Ever.

It’s not just the 49ers, though; the Bengals, Eagles, Lions and Vikings also have to deal with a unique setup. 

Eagles

In Week 5, the Eagles face the Jaguars in London. In Week 6, the Eagles turn around and host a Panthers team coming off a Week 5 bye. 

Bengals

In Week 9, the Bengals head to Spain to face the Falcons. One week later, the Bengals host the Steelers on “Sunday Night Football.” The Steelers should be pretty fresh heading into that game, as they’ll be coming off a Week 9 bye. 

Lions

If there’s any team that should be complaining about their schedule, it’s the Detroit Lions. Their Week 10 game in Germany against the Patriots will start a stretch where they have to play three games in 11 days. After facing the Patriots in Munich, they have to fly back to the U.S. to face the Buccaneers in Week 11 and the Bucs will be coming off a Week 10 bye. 

Vikings vs. 49ers 

Both teams playing in Mexico City got hit with this unfortunate schedule setup. As we mentioned at the top, the 49ers have to head to Mexico City in Week 11 before returning to the Bay Area to face the Seahawks in Week 12. Seattle will be coming off a Week 11 bye before that game. 

In Minnesota’s case, the Vikings will face the Falcons

Looking at the previous teams in this situation

So, how bad of a disadvantage is this? It’s a small sample size, but in the four previous games, the team coming off an international game is 0-4 against the team coming off a bye and 0-3-1 against the spread, which suggests this might put teams at a competitive disadvantage. 

Here’s a brief look at the four games in which a team coming off an international game faced a team off a bye. 

• 2011: Jets 27-11 over Bills. From 2008 through 2013, the Bills played an annual game in Toronto. During the 2011 season, they played a Week 8 game in Canada, which turned out to be one of their most impressive wins of the year, a 23-0 victory over Washington. One week later, they return to the U.S. to face a Jets team coming off a bye. The 5-2 Bills were destroyed 27-11, a game in which Buffalo was favored by 2.5.
• 2016: Chargers 21-13 over Texans. The NFL put the Texans in an awkward spot: not only did they have to play in Mexico City in Week 11, but the game was on Monday night, so they had to turn around and play on short rest in Week 12 while the Chargers were coming off a bye. In a game where the Texans were 2.5-point underdogs, the Chargers won, 21-13.
• 2021: Falcons 30-28 over Dolphins. During the 2021 season, the Dolphins were sent to London to play the Jaguars in Week 6. In Week 7, they were forced to play a Falcons team that was coming off a Week 6 bye. In the game, the Dolphins trailed 20-7 midway through the third quarter before finally coming to life. Miami stormed back, but in the end, the Dolphins lost on a field goal as time expired.
• 2025: Steelers 23-9 over Browns. Last season, the Browns got shipped off to London in Week 5 and then had to turn around and play Pittsburgh in Week 6. The Steelers, who were coming off a Week 5 bye, held the Browns to under 250 yards of offense in a 23-9 win. 

The team coming off the international trip averaged just 15.25 points per game, and the ugly part is that they’ve been outscored  70-30 over the first three quarters. Again, it’s a small sample size, but those are eye-opening numbers. 

The situation that the Eagles, Bengals and Lions will be facing wasn’t even possible as recently as 10 years ago. The first London game was played in 2007, and for the first nine years of the series, any team playing Europe received a bye after its game. However, in 2016, the Colts decided they didn’t WANT a bye after their London game — because they didn’t want to get it so early in the season — and since then, the NFL has allowed teams to request whether they want the bye after playing abroad. That being said, even if a team requests a bye, there’s no guarantee they’ll get it. 

The NFL’s vice president of broadcast planning, Mike North, said that teams are no longer guaranteed a bye after an international game because the travel has become more routine. 

“In the ‘old days,’ quote unquote, we really tried to learn about the inconvenience or the additional travel considerations for international games,” North told Bengals.com recently. “I know it’s not quite routine, but it’s getting to the point where it’s pretty routine. You play an afternoon (game) over there, it’s morning over here, you’re back in the facility by what? Midnight Sunday night? That’s better than if it’s played out in Seattle or Los Angeles … That’s the new normal for us.”

What North didn’t mention is the impact of asking a team coming off an international trip to face a team coming off a bye in their next game. Yes, you might get back to your facility late Sunday night, but if your body is still on European time, there will be an adjustment period, and jet lag could last a day or two, which could impact practice for your next game. 

If the Eagles, Bengals and Lions all lose the following week after their international game this year, the NFL will have to give some serious consideration to avoiding this situation going forward, especially when it involves teams coming back from Europe. 

For the Vikings-49ers game, there isn’t a huge time change involved — the Vikings will be staying in their time zone and the 49ers will be moving from Pacific to Central Time — but there is a lot of travel. Not only will both teams have to take a flight that will last more than four hours, but they’ll be playing at an altitude of 7,350 feet in Mexico City. Not to mention, since this is the Sunday night game, neither team will get back to their facility until Monday. 

The 49ers have to deal with a trip to Australia in Week 1 which Shanahan already isn’t happy about, and the fact that he has to come back from Mexico to face a Seahawks team coming off a bye will likely just give him something else to complain about on the schedule, but this time, he might have some company with his complaint, because Zac Taylor, Dan Campbell, Kevin O’Connell and Nick Sirianni probably also aren’t thrilled with this part of their schedule. 

The Hurricanes came up with an enormous road win in Game 4.

The Carolina Hurricanes tied the 2026 Stanley Cup Final with a 5-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4. Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal willed his team to victory, and now they’ll bring home-ice advantage back to Raleigh.

If you thought Staal was just a defensive specialist at this stage of his career — nearing the end of his 20th season — think again. The 37-year-old Staal scored a pair of goals, including the game-winning tally in the third period, and he’s up to five in the Stanley Cup Final.

That game-winner wasn’t the most graceful, but it counted all the same. As Staal was falling to the ice, he managed to chip the puck over the glove of a diving Carter Hart to give Carolina the lead.

After winning his playoff debut, which just happened to come in the Stanley Cup Final, Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi had an apt description of the game-winning tally.

“Hectic, like the whole series has been,” Bussi told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.

Bussi is a great story as a player who battled through college hockey and the minor leagues before finally making his NHL debut this season at the age of 27. Although he wasn’t perfect in Game 4, Bussi made key saves early and late, which gave Carolina a chance to win the game.

If the bright lights of the Final caused any jitters, Bussi certainly didn’t show it in his postgame interview.

“Maybe just never give up,” Bussi said about what people can learn from his career arc. “Have fun with it. I’m having a blast. As long as you’re having fun, there’s no need to stress about anything.”

In addition to Staal and Bussi, the Hurricanes got big contributions from Nikolaj Ehlers (three points) and Jackson Blake (two points). Sebastian Aho remained somewhat quiet, but Carolina is two wins away from a Stanley Cup in spite of that fact.

As has been the case throughout the series, we had wild momentum swings with the Golden Knights rallying from two goals down to tie the game at 3-3 in the third period, and Brett Howden broke the franchise record with his 14th playoff goal. Unfortunately for Vegas, it couldn’t find another goal and will have to settle for a split in the two-game set at home.

Game 5 is on Thursday night in Raleigh, and the winner of that game will be within one victory of the Stanley Cup.

Staal still has gas in the tank

Old dogs don’t need to learn new tricks. They just need to be damn good at the ones they already know. That was Staal in Game 4. Both of his goals were the result of the 37-year-old captain doing what he does best.

In the first period, Staal planted his 6-foot-4 frame in front of Carter Hart on the power play, and he was rewarded for doing so. Shayne Gostisbehere’s shot bounced off Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb, and Staal reacted quickly to swat the rebound home behind Hart.

On the game-winning goal, Staal started and finished the play. His aggressive forecheck — and good stick position — forced the Shea Theodore turnover that sparked chaos. With Seth Jarvis fending off four Golden Knights in the corner, Staal got to the front of the net and laid out just to get a stick on the puck.

Staal’s sparkling performance in this series now has him sitting in elite company. Over the past 50 seasons, Staal is one of seven players who have scored five or more goals in the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final. Some of those other names include Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Mario Lemieux.

On top of that, Staal is one goal behind Brad Marchand for the most goals in a Stanley Cup Final by a player age 37 or older. Based on how things have gone so far, Staal will get there before the series is over.

Coming into the series, I wasn’t expecting Staal to be a huge contributor offensively, but he has been Carolina’s best player in that regard. It’s a testament to Staal’s longevity that he continues to be a major factor for the Canes in the biggest moments.

Special teams sinking Vegas

The Golden Knights were well above average on special teams in the regular season and throughout most of the playoffs. That edge has completely vanished against the Hurricanes, and it’s starting to become a serious problem.

In Game 4, the power play came up empty on all three attempts, and Vegas is now 1-for-12 on the man advantage in the Stanley Cup Final. Pavel Dorofeyev, who scored 20 power play goals in the regular season, doesn’t have a single point in the series. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Golden Knights have generated 6.78 xGF/60 on the power play, a number that would have ranked 31st in the regular season.

The penalty kill hasn’t been much better either. The Golden Knights have allowed the Hurricanes to score on four of their 11 power plays in the series, which puts their kill rate at a putrid 63.6%. If Carolina’s power play had been rolling coming into the Final, maybe that’s understandable, but it was operating at around a 12% clip prior to this series.

If you’ve watched even five minutes of this series, you know that there is zero daylight between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights. In such a tight series, special teams can make a huge difference. Unfortunately for Vegas, they’ve tipped the scales in favor of Carolina.

Are you not entertained?!

Let’s just take a beat to appreciate how great this series has been through four games. It has had just about everything from highlight-reel plays, overtime drama and dizzying momentum swings. Oh, and it has had scoring — a lot of scoring.

When this matchup was finalized, I thought this series had a chance to be one of the lowest-scoring Final matchups in quite a while. I was right about the the historic scoring, but not in the right direction. The 33 goals are the most through four games of a Stanley Cup Final since 1981 when the New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars were playing fire wagon hockey.

Scoring is fun, but it hits hardest when the games are close. No one cares about astronomical goal totals if every game ends 7-2. Luckily for us, every single game in the series has been tied at some point in the third period. Better yet, each of the first three games was decided by one goal, and Game 4 was one funny bounce into an empty net from falling into that same category.

No, these aren’t the most traditional hockey markets in the NHL. They also aren’t two of the biggest TV markets in the NHL. But that shouldn’t matter one iota. The hockey has sold itself in this series, and if the NHL can get people to tune in, then they need to re-evaluate their marketing strategy.

It would be unjust for the hockey gods to give us anything less than three more games of this.

Hurricanes hold on to even the series at 2-2

FINAL: Hurricanes 5, Golden Knights 3

The Hurricanes came up with an enormous road win in Game 4 to even the Stanley Cup Final as the series shifts back to Raleigh for Game 5. Captain Jordan Staal was invaluable for the Hurricanes as he netted a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the third period. Brandon Bussi, who got the start in relief of Frederik Andersen, became the first goalie since 1961 to win his playoff debut in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Golden Knights managed to rally from 3-1 down to tie the game at 3-3 late in the second period, but that hole proved a bit to deep tonight. They missed a chance to take a stranglehold on the series and will have to face a hostile atmosphere in a 2-2 series on Thursday night.

Athletic directors and conference commissioners are reacting strongly to an injunction that restored Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility for the 2026 season.

Athletic department leaders at Georgia and Nebraska instructed coaches and sport administrators not to schedule Texas Tech in any future athletic competition in the wake of Brendan Sorsby’s controversial eligibility ruling. 

“We are not scheduling [Texas Tech] moving forward,” Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen told CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson.

On Monday, retired Lubbock judge Ken Curry granted Sorsby a temporary injunction against the NCAA, allowing him to play during the 2026 season. Sorsby will sit out Texas Tech’s first two games against Abilene Christian and Oregon State, but is eligible for the Big 12 opener against Houston on Sept. 18.

The court ruled that Sorsby would suffer “probable, imminent and irreparable injury” if he were not allowed to participate in college athletics this season while his gambling case proceeds through the legal system. Earlier this year, the NCAA ruled Sorsby permanently ineligible after he admitted to placing thousands of bets over four years, including multiple on his own team while redshirting at Indiana.

Georgia and Nebraska sent memos to staff urging a scheduling moratorium, including language offering direct instructions on how to proceed if current scheduling conversations were underway with the Red Raiders.

Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks condemned Texas Tech’s decision to play Sorsby after the ruling.

“True integrity means holding your program accountable when things go wrong, not buying custom legislation or running to a local courtroom to bypass the rules,” Brooks wrote Monday night.

The Big Ten is expected to discuss a league-wide mandate against scheduling the Red Raiders in the future, according to a report from ESPN. 

ESPN also reports that the Big 12 is mulling its next move and “has defined a process to address” the Sorsby ruling, starting with a call on Tuesday involving the league’s athletic directors.

“We had a thoughtful and productive conversation with our athletics directors today as we continue to work through the broader implications of this situation,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement. “Many of our athletics directors voiced their opinions. We will continue to have open and honest dialogue amongst the group and until there is something to report, these conversations will remain within the conference.”

TCU athletic director Mike Buddie and Kansas State AD Gene Taylor both told ESPN that multiple Big 12 schools are informally entertaining the idea of not playing Texas Tech in 2026.

“We anticipate having conversations surrounding it,” Buddie told ESPN. “We’re all anticipating it, but this has not been formally discussed.”

Coaches, ADs sound off on Sorsby injunction

Across college football, athletic directors, coaches and conference officials are wrestling with the implications of a decision that many believe could set a precedent for years to come. What began as an isolated case has quickly evolved into a national talking point, with administrators questioning whether the NCAA is equipped to handle the growing challenges tied to gambling, player conduct and institutional accountability — and bluntly, if the NCAA has any power as an enforcement arm at all.

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan called Sorsby’s actions “clear violations of NCAA policies and ethical guidelines,” and warned they may result in permanent damage.

“As someone who grew up reading about the ‘Black Sox Scandal,’ and seeing what happened to Pete Rose and just understanding how bright that line seemed to be in all of American sports, I’m stunned that there would be a question at the court level that this is acceptable,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin told ESPN. “That’s not a judgment on the young man. It’s just that was a pretty fundamental tenet of American sports, that if you’re going to participate, you can’t gamble, especially on your own team.”

Only four rounds separate players from the third major championship of the season

For the second straight season, the RBC Canadian Open returns to TPC Toronto, where a full field of competitors will take to the North Course at Osprey Valley. Featuring a wide array of countrymen, former major champions and those seeking to find their first PGA Tour wins of the season, the 2026 RBC Canadian Open not only represents a fabulous opportunity to kickstart their summers but also play their way into next week’s U.S. Open.

While Shinnecock Hills may be on the horizon, Tommy Fleetwood finds himself with a stroke of form after contending at the Memorial Tournament. A runner-up finisher to Brooks Koepka the last time the U.S. Open was held at Shinnecock Hills, Fleetwood has unfinished business next week, as well as this week.

In 2023, Nick Taylor buried an eagle putt in a playoff for all of Canada to cheer for with Fleetwood being on the receiving end of it. Fleetwood is among the many Englishmen featured in this tournament — all of whom are playing great golf — that includes Matt Fitzpatrick, Alex Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai.

Falling into a similar boat as Fleetwood is Sam Burns. The American continues to contend on more difficult golf courses and major championships, but the wins continue to evade him. Burns has not won since the 2023 WGC-Dell Match Play despite his string of consistency.

In the first Canadian Open at TPC Toronto last summer, Burns was on the receiving end of a playoff loss at the hands of Ryan Fox. Coming off a run at last week’s Memorial, he hopes to keep a good thing going ahead of the U.S. Open, where he contended last year at Oakmont.

While the level of their play is not in question, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland have been on the other end of the stick lately. Hovland reportedly pulled out of the Memorial due to a back injury, which coincidentally has been Morikawa’s bugaboo after a fast start to his season. Answers regarding their health and their games will be provided this week.

Former U.S. Open champions Koepka and Wyndham Clark plan to tee it up, so do Europeans such as Kristoffer Reitan, Robert MacIntyre, Alex Noren and Shane Lowry. While big names are abundant in the Great White North, they will all play second fiddle to the Canadians themselves as one of them looks to follow in Taylor’s footsteps and win his national open.

2026 RBC Canadian Open schedule

Dates: June 11-14
Location: TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) — Caledon, Ontario, Canada
Par: 70 | Yardage: 7,389 | Architect: Doug Carrick
Purse: $9,800,000

2026 RBC Canadian Open odds

• Tommy Fleetwood (12-1): Hitting less than 50% of his greens in regulation heading into the final round at the Memorial, Fleetwood found his ball striking around the final 18 holes at Jack’s Place. An ill-timed bogey on the penultimate hole upended his chances, but it provided his first taste of true contention in 2026. The Englishman has two top-five finishes in his last three starts and remains one of the most accurate drivers of the golf ball on the planet. If the iron play looks like it did on Sunday, Fleetwood has the goods to grab his second career PGA Tour win.
• Matt Fitzpatrick (12-1): After winning three times in a four-tournament stretch, Fitzpatrick’s profile has cooled ever so slightly. Despite the winning upside, he has not factored in either major championship this season, and the putter has gone dormant. Over a longer window, Fitzpatrick still finds himself topping this field in numerous statistical categories, including total strokes gained.
• Sam Burns (13-1): Burns’ three top-10 finishes in 2026 have come at golf courses where you want them to come — Pebble Beach, Augusta National and now Muirfield Village. He was in with a fantastic chance last week but ultimately fell short due to some loose wedge play late in the proceedings. The good news for the right-hander is that his iron play is moving in the right direction, and given his putting prowess, that is dangerous for everyone else.
• Collin Morikawa (24-1): Morikawa has both his back and the birth of his first child on his mind as the two-time major champion has not been seen since the PGA Championship. While he was able to bunt his way around Augusta National and Harbour Town with a stiff back, he has been exposed since. At Aronimink, he continued to walk the fairways in a gingerly fashion, leaving doubt about his status.
• Wyndham Clark (24-1)
• Justin Rose (25-1)
• Robert MacIntyre (26-1)
• Kristoffer Reitan (26-1)
• Brooks Koepka (28-1): Pulled his name out of the field at the Charles Schwab Challenge in order to prepare more properly for the U.S. Open. Koepka comes in with that T14 finish at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson to his credit, where he finally — finally! — flashed a little form with the putter. It was the fourth time he gained strokes on the field with the putter in hand — all four starts have resulted in top-20 finishes — as he looked far more comfortable on the putting surfaces. He’ll go as far as that club takes him.
• Nicolai Hojgaard (30-1)

2026 RBC Canadian Open picks

	Justin Rose
Winner (25-1): The game has officially rounded the turn after a pile-up in Miami. Rose finished in the top 10 at the PGA Championship and ranked second in the field at the Memorial in terms of strokes gained tee to green, where he finished inside the top 15. The game is in a perfect spot to pounce, and while next week may be the target for him, he can easily stumble into the winner’s circle this weekend if the ball striking continues on this trajectory.
	Alex Noren
Contender (39-1): Perhaps the most unassuming top-20 player in the world, and that most would guess Noren’s OWGR status is much lower than his rank at No. 20. The Swede is still without a win on the PGA Tour, but the signs are beginning to surface. He won a handful of times last fall on the DP World Tour, and now his game is in an ideal spot coming off his top-10 finish at the Memorial — his second in his last four starts.
	Mac Meissner
Sleeper (65-1): Meissner has two podium finishes in his last 25 tournaments dating back to last season, and both have come on par 70s. The latest came at Colonial, where the 27-year-old acquitted himself nicely in the final grouping on Sunday for what was his third top-10 finish in a four-tournament stretch. This week marks his fourth straight week of action, so perhaps some fatigue could set in, but he is running hot and appears primed for another contention effort.

Who will win the 2026 RBC Canadian Open, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 17 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past five Masters, and find out. 

The Los Angeles starting left tackle was arrested Monday night on suspicion of felony domestic violence and the team says it is aware of the situation

Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson is facing a serious legal situation after being arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence following an incident on Monday night in Los Angeles. 

According to NBC4 in L.A., police responded to a call at Jackson’s residence just after 11 p.m. Jackson allegedly got into an altercation with a woman at his house because he thought she was using a cell phone to record him and he didn’t want that. Jackson apparently tried to take the phone away, and by the time police arrived, they noticed that the woman had scratch marks on her arms. 

The charge that Jackson could potentially be facing involves a person who “willfully inflicts physical or corporal injury resulting in a ‘traumatic condition’ on an intimate partner,” according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Jackson ended up spending nearly three hours in jail before being released on a $50,000 bond at 7:20 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Jackson is going into his sixth season with the Rams and they’ve been informed of the situation. 

“We are aware of the incident regarding Alaric Jackson, and we take these matters very seriously,” the Rams said in a statement. “Due to this being an ongoing legal situation, we cannot comment further at this time.”

This isn’t the first time Jackson has found himself in hot water legally. The 27-year-old was actually suspended for the first two games of the 2024 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. In that situation, Jackson allegedly recorded a woman during sex without her consent. Not only was he suspended, but the woman also filed a lawsuit against him in November. According to ESPN, the lawsuit was filed in federal court before being dismissed in April. 

Jackson, who has spent his entire career with the Rams, is a key part of the offense in L.A. The former undrafted free agent is the team’s starting left tackle and he started a total of 19 games last year (16 in the regular season and three in the playoffs). He won a Super Bowl with the team during his rookie year in 2021 and then cracked the starting lineup during his second season in 2022. Since then, he’s been a mainstay at multiple positions on the Rams’ offensive line, with left tackle being his current spot. 

The Rams signed him to a three-year, $57 million extension back in February 2025, and that came after he served his two-game suspension in 2024, so it seems that the team felt that he had put all of his distractions behind him. 

It’s not yet clear how this latest situation will play out, but the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case for potential charges, according to the L.A. Times. 

Ohio State freshmen Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd are pushing for early snaps in a wide‑open receiver room. Here’s why both newcomers could contribute in 2026

For most of the past decade, Ohio State wide receivers have arrived on campus, waited their turn, and eventually left as prized NFL Draft picks. Current star Jeremiah Smith is the lone exception after shattering almost all the Buckeyes’ freshman receiving records in 2024. This year, though, two more true freshmen are already part of the conversation about early playing time.

Chris Henry Jr. is the expected name in that group. The five-star receiver and 247Sports’ No. 2 wideout in the 2026 recruiting class arrived in Columbus with the kind of profile that usually guarantees attention from Day 1. He’s the next in line in a series of high-end Ohio State recruits who arrive with expectations of becoming a future NFL star.

The more unexpected development is Brock Boyd.

A three-star recruit out of Southlake Carroll in Texas, Boyd was the No. 123 receiver in his class. In most years, that profile would point toward a developmental path; limited early snaps, special teams work and a longer runway to offensive involvement.

Early indications, however, suggest something more immediate may be on the table for both true freshmen.

“Him and Chris Henry Jr. are both going to be very good players,” a source told CBS Sports this spring. “Skill sets are very different, but both are really effective at what they do. As freshmen, it’s always hard, but both will help this year. … Brock can go play right now at all three receiver positions. He’s really sharp.”

Opportunity exists behind Buckeyes’ top options

Ohio State’s receiver room is more open than it might initially appear. Jeremiah Smith remains the unquestioned centerpiece after two dominant seasons, and Brandon Innis is expected to take on a larger role entering his third year in the program. Ohio State also added experienced transfers Devin McCuin from UTSA and Kyle Parker from LSU.

But beyond those four, the competition for snaps remains unsettled.

In fact, only four receivers on Ohio State’s roster have seen at least 50 targets at the FBS level: McCuin (224), Smith (211), Innis (69) and Parker (51). That helps explain why two freshmen have already worked their way into the conversation.

For Henry, the path is relatively straightforward. As one of the highest-rated receivers in the country, the expectation has always been that he would eventually push for playing time. The question is how quickly.

Boyd’s emergence is more surprising. He arrived with far less recruiting acclaim than any Ohio State receiver who has generated offseason buzz in recent memory, yet has quickly established himself as a player capable of competing at multiple spots within the offense. In a room still sorting through its depth behind the top options, those traits could accelerate his path to playing time considerably.

How much can Ohio State’s freshman WRs actually contribute?

Before Smith rewrote the record book in 2024, Ohio State’s other eventual star receivers were complementary pieces as true freshmen. All six of the Buckeyes’ wideouts taken in the first round of the past five NFL Drafts totaled fewer than 500 yards receiving during their debut seasons. Even Garrett Wilson, whose 30 catches for 432 yards and five touchdowns in 2019 represented one of the more productive freshman campaigns at the position before Smith arrived, was still working behind established veterans.

Before the NFL: Ohio State WRs as true freshmen

Player	Year	Rec.	Yards	TD
Jeremiah Smith	2024	76	1,315	15
Carnell Tate	2023	18	264	1
Emeka Egbuka	2021	9	191	0
Marvin Harrison Jr.	2021	11	139	3
Jaxon Smith-Njigba	2020	10	49	1
Garrett Wilson	2019	30	432	5
Chris Olave	2018	12	197	3

Worth noting: Harrison and Olave arrived as four-star recruits, not the consensus five-star prospects that have since become the program’s standard at the position. Both finished their careers among Ohio State’s all-time receiving leaders.

Henry’s appeal is rooted in his physical tools. The 6-foot-5 receiver, son of former NFL wideout Chris Henry, pairs that size with a large catch radius, giving Ohio State a true outside target who can win above defenders and finish contested catches. A significant portion of his production at powerhouse Mater Dei in California came on downfield throws and tight coverage situations, where his length and ball skills allowed him to turn difficult chances into completions.

Boyd enrolled at Ohio State after becoming his high school’s all-time leading receiver, breaking records that had stood for two decades. But he was the 25th-highest rated signee in Ohio State’s 29-man high school recruiting class. By recruiting metrics alone, he had no business being in this conversation.

But he is. 

Whether that translates into significant production remains to be seen. But the early evaluations suggest both may already be closer to the field than Ohio State freshmen at the position typically are.

• Artan was due to be first Somali referee at World Cup
• ‘I promise you that I will attend the next one’

The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States arrived on Wednesday in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, where he was received by a crowd of supporters and officials.

Omar Artan was due to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making Fifa’s final list for the tournament. He is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.

He was denied entry at Miami international airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns”, US Customs and Border Protection said in a statement without giving details of those concerns. Fifa subsequently cut him from the tournament’s referee list.

Artan was issued with a visa to travel to the US last week, according to the Somali embassy in Kenya that processed it. He returned to a hero’s welcome at the airport in Mogadishu and thanked the Somali government and people as well as Fifa for their support.

“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said as hundreds of supporters at the airport waved the Somali flag. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”

LONDON,  American great Serena Williams said she was still to decide whether to play at Wimbledon after making a winning comeback on Tuesday nearly four years after her last competitive match.

The 44-year-old stole the limelight at the Queen’s Club WTA event on Tuesday as she returned to the court alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko to beat Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in front of a packed stadium.

Her performance, packing plenty of her trademark firepower, was impressive and with Wimbledon just around the corner, the prospect of her returning to the site of seven of her Grand Slam singles titles is an enticing one.

While she has been coy on a possible singles return, a doubles appearance would be a huge boost to the tournament’s TV ratings and she would almost certainly receive a wildcard.

“Like I said the other day, it’s just a day at a time. I still have a little time to decide, and they have been great about giving me that space and time to decide,” she said.

Williams was given a raucous reception as she walked on court and she treated the crowd to some crunching winners and some reminders of her awesome serving power.

Asked for her rating on her performance, she said: “My God. What do you think? A C-minus?

“I got nervous right before the match, like, maybe 30 minutes before, and then I just let it go.

“With all the elements, considering coming back on grass is probably not the easiest surface. Overall, it was decent.”

Playing in front of her daughters was one of the motivations for adding another chapter to her storied career and eight-year-old Olympia and Adira, two, are with her in London.

Asked how they reacted to their mum’s win, she said: “Adira wanted to go to the toy store, and Olympia wanted to know what was for dinner.”

Next up for Williams and 19-year-old Mboko is a clash with Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarter-finals, scheduled for Thursday.

“It feels like it was far from our level a little bit, but I think it’s great knowing that you have so much room for improvement,” world number nine Mboko said.

“I mean, overall, I’d say it was pretty good.”

Ironically for a team historically renowned for their attacking flair, Brazil’s defence was the main talking point during ​Tuesday’s press conference

BASKING RIDGE: Five-times champions Brazil play their opening World Cup game against Morocco on Saturday ​but there are few clues as to how Carlo Ancelotti ‌will solve the defensive problems they face.

Ironically for a team historically renowned for their attacking flair, Brazil’s defence was the main talking point during ​Tuesday’s press conference.

Brazil have lost first-choice right back Wesley, ​who was ruled out after suffering a thigh muscle ⁠injury during last Saturday’s friendly against Egypt.

The possible replacements — Roger ​Ibanez or Danilo — have not been playing regularly in that position ​recently, with both currently operating more as central defenders or full backs.

“We are working hard to get to the game in the strongest shape possible. ​That is all I can tell you,” Ibanez told reporters ​at Brazil’s hotel in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

“If I tell you anything else, ‌I ⁠would be in trouble,” he added when asked whether he expected to start and, if so, whether it would be at right back or in a more central role.

Ancelotti opted not ​to call up ​a specialist right ⁠back to replace Wesley, instead bringing in Atalanta midfielder Ederson.

Ibanez, who plays for Saudi side Al-Ahli, ​said Ancelotti had not yet held specific conversations ​with him ⁠or Danilo regarding the situation, suggesting a final decision has still to be made.

He added, however, that his own style is more ⁠defensive ​than Wesley’s, with the injured defender ​offering a greater attacking threat down the flank.

Ancelotti could also opt to use a ​midfielder at right back.

Jun 1, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the grand opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup international broadcast center at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

LOS ANGELES, June 9 : FIFA President Gianni Infantino warned Los Angeles on Tuesday that it was about to be invaded by soccer fans from around the world, as he helped launch World Cup festivities at a star-studded kickoff party at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Speaking ahead of this week’s opening matches, Infantino said the city would become a global gathering point during the 48-team tournament, which begins in Mexico City on Thursday before Los Angeles hosts the first U.S. match on Friday.

“You will be invaded,” Infantino told the crowd. 

“You will be invaded by a horde of barbarians. But it’s happy barbarians, don’t worry.”

The event drew entertainment and sports figures, including actors Will Ferrell and Brendan Hunt, singer Lance Bass, former NBA player Robert Horry, and U.S. soccer greats Mia Hamm and Cobi Jones.

‘UNITE THE WORLD’

Infantino said the tournament would turn Los Angeles and other host cities into a sea of national colors as fans of all ages arrive in jerseys, flags and face paint.

“Men, women, children, grandparents, doesn’t matter, they will all have their faces colored with the colors of their countries,” he said. 

“They will just want to enjoy and have fun because that’s what we want to do with the World Cup – we want to unite the world.”

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The tournament, hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, is the first to feature 48 national teams. Infantino said a quarter of the world’s countries would be represented on the field, while billions more would follow the tournament globally.

“This is not just a World Cup,” he said. “This will be the biggest and greatest FIFA World Cup in history.”

LOS ANGELES IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Los Angeles is scheduled to host eight matches, along with fan festivals and 10 fan zones across the area. Infantino thanked local organizers for staging the events, saying the city’s role reflected its standing as “the capital of entertainment in the world.”

The U.S. will open their campaign on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood against Paraguay after an opening ceremony featuring musical performances by Katy Perry, Future and Anitta.

Infantino likened the scale of the tournament to staging “104 Super Bowls” over a little more than a month, referring to the total number of matches across the three host countries.

“For the next month and a half, we can call it football or soccer, as long as we enjoy and have fun,” he said.