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MINNEAPOLIS — Shohei Ohtani forcefully rebounded from a rough inning on the mound to earn yet another win for the major league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

The two-way superstar carried his struggling catcher Dalton Rushing along with him, showing there’s even more to his marvelous game than simply pitching and hitting.

Ohtani had eight strikeouts over six innings before yielding to the bullpen in the 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, and he helped himself at the plate with an RBI single to spark a three-run third inning that put the Dodgers in front for the rest of the night.

But the bottom of the second at Target Field — where the Twins announced their first sellout of the season — was ugly.

Three hits off Ohtani loaded the bases with one out, before he and Rushing got crossed up on a pitch that escaped the catcher’s glove and zipped toward the backstop to let in a run. Two more scored on Ryan Kreidler’s single that gave the Twins a 3-1 lead.

Rushing, the 2022 second-round draft pick who has temporarily taken over as the primary catcher while three-time All-Star Will Smith is on the injured list with neck inflammation, was expecting an off-speed pitch. Ohtani threw a 101 mph fastball, wincing with slumped shoulders as he saw the run come across. Rushing was charged with a passed ball, making one of the three runs against Ohtani unearned.

“They were just out of sync early, and you could tell,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think both guys were frustrated and trying to get on the same page.”

Ohtani, through his interpreter after the game, offered his usual diplomatic assessment about his work with Rushing, who’s in his second major league season.

“The in-game flexibility, reading the swings, reading how the hitters are really taking their approach during the game — that’s how I see what adjustment needs to happen,” Ohtani said. “In that sense, I personally realized we just have to be better at being on the same page and communicating throughout the game.”

Rushing, for his part, was particularly upset with himself that Ohtani had to essentially take over the pitch calling process to get through the night.

“Good thing he’s as good as he is and he can take control of the game, but it’s pretty embarrassing,” said Rushing, who also went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and a foul pop out at the plate. “They’ve always got my back. Once again, it’s embarrassing that I need support like that. I’m a grown man, and it’s a pretty tough pill to swallow.”

Ohtani, who has pitched through lingering soreness in his left knee and a blister on his right middle finger this month, has logged quality starts of six or more innings with three or fewer earned runs in 11 of 13 turns. The four-time MVP award winner has also reached base safely in 23 straight road games, batting .381 with 24 RBIs over those contests.

Ohtani had an 0.74 ERA over his first 10 starts with Smith as his catcher. Since the injury, over three turns with Rushing behind the plate, Ohtani has a 4.34 ERA.

“Showing Rush my pitching style I’m capable of, that’s really another way of being able to communicate,” Ohtani said. “In an ideal world, where I want to be is both of us to pitch in and really be able to shine because we have very different talents.”

Rushing doesn’t have to be concerned about losing his role, Roberts said.

“It’s a work in progress. He wants to do really well, and he expects a lot of himself, so when he’s not doing what he expects then he gets frustrated,” Roberts said. “I think the good thing is he still understands his priority is to serve the pitchers and be behind the plate, but the last few games he’s had a tough go of it.”

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold is facing multiple felony charges after he was arrested Wednesday in Tampa, Florida, in connection with a robbery and kidnapping in early February.

Tampa police previously arrested six other individuals involved in the targeted armed robbery that took place shortly after midnight on Feb. 4, during which three male victims were pistol-whipped, held at gunpoint and robbed, according to police.

Police say that Arnold was the primary conspirator, accused of “coordinating and directing the codefendants” to lure the three men to an apartment where the assault occurred, according to a release from the state attorney’s office.

Arnold turned himself in and was taken into custody at Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County on Wednesday night. He faces four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery, which carry a potential sentence of life in prison. He is scheduled to appear in Hillsborough County court Thursday afternoon.

The state attorney’s office said it would file a pretrial motion to keep Arnold in jail until trial. A date for that hearing has not been set.

According to the police investigation, the incident began after personal property belonging to Arnold and others was stolen on Feb. 1 from an Airbnb that Arnold rented in Largo, Florida, and periodically stayed at with the six codefendants — Arianna Del Valle, Jasmine Randazzo, Lyndell Hudson II, Christion Williams, Boakai Hilton Jr. and Freddie Hughes — and other friends.

Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual reported property loss totaling more than $250,000 to the Largo Police Department on Feb. 3. Arnold, according to Tampa police, suspected that two of the three victims in the kidnapping case were responsible for the Airbnb robbery, but investigators later determined they were not involved.

The state attorney’s office, in its release, accused Arnold of “orchestrating the kidnapping and robbery just hours after reporting the missing items to the Largo Police Department.” Investigators also said they located a group chat in which Arnold and Hilton reportedly gave directions to Del Valle, Williams and Hudson during the assault at the apartment.

In a statement Wednesday, a representative for Arnold said he “categorically denies any involvement in the matters underlying the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence. There is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations. Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences.

“Mr. Arnold looks forward to his day in court and is confident that the judicial process will lead to his ultimate vindication.”

The Lions, in a statement, said they were aware of the situation but declined to comment “out of respect for the ongoing legal process.”

Arnold was approached by reporters about the off-field incident during the Lions’ veteran minicamp on June 17 and declined to comment, saying he just wanted to “focus on football” while coming off a season-ending shoulder surgery.

The Lions drafted Arnold out of Alabama with the No. 24 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Brandon Aiyuk continued his push to become a member of the Commanders on Wednesday, saying in a video posted to Instagram that if the San Francisco 49ers release him, he will sign with Washington “tomorrow.”

Two days after posting a video to Instagram in which he shouted, “Go Commanders,” the wide receiver posted two more videos Wednesday.

In the first, he holds an NFL football that has a Commanders logo. A graphic on the video says, “The best sport in the world The best league in the world [and] the best team in the world.” The next part of his story is a photo of himself with a graphic that says, “And I almost forgot.. The best WR in the world.” He then shares his intentions in the second Commanders-related video.

“And if I’m crazy or if I’m cappin’, tell them boys cut me today. And I’ll sign with the Commanders tomorrow.”

It’s unclear whether the Commanders would have interest in signing Aiyuk. Because he’s still under contract with the 49ers, the Commanders can’t publicly express interest in the wide receiver without violating the NFL’s tampering rules.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch said in January that it was “safe to say that [Aiyuk] has played his last snap with the Niners.” However, the team has held on to him in the hope that it could find a trade partner.

Veterans on the 49ers are scheduled to report to training camp July 25. It’s possible the 49ers are waiting until then to decide on Aiyuk’s status with the team.

While he is in limbo, Aiyuk has been voicing his frustration toward the 49ers via social media. In early June, Aiyuk spoke out publicly for the first time. In a pair of videos posted to social media, he called the 49ers “dumb” and “stupid” for paying him and suggested that the team was scared to release him because of how he might play for another franchise.

This week’s videos aren’t the first time that Aiyuk has hinted at his desire to play for the Commanders and reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his close friend and former teammate at Arizona State. He had previously posted photos of himself in a Commanders hat. Daniels and the Commanders are among the five accounts he follows on Instagram.

The 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract extension in August 2024. However, San Francisco and Aiyuk have been at odds for almost a year with the situation escalating last July when the 49ers voided the remaining guaranteed money in his contract because he did not participate in rehab sessions for the torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee that he suffered during the 2024 season. The Niners then put Aiyuk on the reserve/left team list in December after he stopped showing up at the team facility.

Before his knee injury, Aiyuk had emerged as one of the league’s most productive wideouts. He had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to second-team All-Pro honors in 2023.

It’s been nearly six months since the Ravens fired John Harbaugh, yet some are still reckoning with their new reality.

Consider Todd Monken, the Browns’ new coach who landed the job only after he was dismissed as part of Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore. Although he’s happy with where he is now, he also isn’t afraid to speak candidly on the end of his tenure with the now-rival Ravens.

“It tells you how fickle, just in general, life is,” Monken told The Baltimore Sun. “From the year before, if you’d have told me that we’d have been fired after the year we had offensively … “

“I’ll give it this, coaches, for the most part the players, never quit.”

In 2024 — Monken’s second season as Ravens offensive coordinator — Baltimore owned the most productive offense in the NFL, finishing first in yards per game (424.9) and third in scoring (30.5 points per contest). The newly formed tandem of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry steamrolled defenses, powering a 12-5 finish and a playoff run that ended in heartbreaking fashion in a Divisional Round loss to the Bills in Buffalo.

Coming off that season, most everyone expected the Ravens to replicate their success in 2025. But injuries struck, sidelining Jackson for an extended period and sending Baltimore into an unexpected spiral.

Backup quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley did his best to keep the Ravens’ afloat, posting a 2-0 record as a starter, and the Ravens managed to fight their way back into a winner-take-all Week 18 showdown with the rival Steelers in Pittsburgh. With Monken directing the offense from the booth, Jackson led a heroic final drive that positioned the Ravens to kick a game-winning field goal that would have won them the AFC North crown and sent them back to the postseason.

Tyler Loop’s miss changed everything. Baltimore lost, Harbaugh and Monken were fired, and more than five months later, Monken now finds himself wearing the rival’s colors in Cleveland.

“We had no idea we’d still have a chance,” Monken said. “And for them to come out and play their ass off, play physical? Hell, Snoop saved our season twice. He saved our season against the Bears when we were 1-5, and he saved our season against Green Bay. And that’s a real credit to him for a guy that wasn’t even with us at the start of the season.

“But ultimately, everything has a shelf life.”

Monken echoed similar sentiments regarding his partnership with Jackson, which failed to replicate the elite production that propelled the Ravens to success a year earlier.

“I can say this: The coaching staff and our preparation never changed,” Monken said. “We worked our balls off. I can’t say that about everybody, so I’ll just say that. Ultimately, it was time. It was just time.”

Now, it’s time for Monken to prove himself as a first-time NFL head coach with a Cleveland team that certainly doesn’t feature the same star power under center. That won’t deter Monken, however. Although he appreciates Jackson greatly for their shared success, he won’t take it easy on his former quarterback, not even after Jackson sent him a congratulatory text when he landed the job in Cleveland.

“Then I said, ‘go f— yourself,’” Monken said. “We are going to blitz you every third down. He laughed.”

Jeffery Simmons is a newly paid man after receiving the most lucrative contract extension for a defensive tackle in the NFL, a signal that reflects his approach to his craft.

“Each and every day I wake up, it’s: ‘How can I separate myself from everyone else? How can I be the best version of myself? How can I be better than yesterday?,’ ” Simmons said last week, via the Titans’ official site. “I kind of have that mindset that I am not everyone else, I am a different breed.”

Those who have watched Simmons play football know he’s a different breed, a destructive defensive tackle who frequently wrecks opposing offenses. He expects to receive his best opportunity to do so in 2026, his first season spent under new coach Robert Saleh.

“It’s kind of my first year playing in an attack defense,” Simmons said. “That’s my game. I like to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage. … I love this type of defense, to be able to be on the other side of the line of scrimmage each and every play. It demands you to make plays. I love this philosophy, and think it will help me make a lot more plays in the backfield, and it will help this team for sure.”

An attack defense carries the risk of players running themselves out of the action due to a lack of discipline, but at this stage of Simmons’ seven-year career — which included his inaugural first-team All-Pro nod in 2025 — he’s too experienced to make such youthful mistakes. Instead, he’s embracing the opportunity to make an even bigger impact — one that could match his lavish salary.

Tennessee has already cleared the first hurdle that comes with installing a new scheme during the spring and early summer months. From there, it’s about repetition and developing continuity in a defense that could feature as many as six new starters (plus a collection of new rotational players).

The point is simple: There’s plenty of work left to accomplish. Simmons is ready for it.

“My goal this offseason,” Simmons said, “is to work my tail off and get ready for training camp.

“My biggest goal is to win. … (My mindset) is: How can I be the best Jeffery when I leave here, to come back July 28 (for training camp) ready to roll.”

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Former Buffalo Bills star quarterback Jim Kelly told reporters Tuesday that he was hospitalized after experiencing a stroke in the spring.

“I had a little setback about a month and a half ago,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Bills stadium. “But right now, I feel good. Eyesight’s not great. My hearing still sucks, but that’s part of life.”

The 66-year-old Kelly said recent tests were clean.

He underwent a combination of surgeries and chemotherapy in 2013, 2014 and 2018 because of various forms of cancer.

Kelly expressed excitement about attending the Bills’ first game in their new stadium when the Detroit Lions visit on Sept. 17.

“It’s going to be special, not only for the players, but imagine the fans in there, how crazy and wild and loud they’re going to get,” Kelly said. “And that’s what I’m looking forward to. I want to see how loud this stadium can get. And from what I’ve been told, it’s going to be unbelievable, but I don’t expect anything less.”

Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil has reached the stage of his career in which he plays mentor for the next generation.

He’s found his personal project in fellow Washington tackle Josh Conerly Jr.

“I see myself,” Tunsil said last week of Conerly, via the Commanders’ official site. “I don’t wanna sound cliché. I see a dog. I see somebody who wants it. He wants to be great.”

A first-round pick of the Dolphins in the 2016 NFL Draft, Tunsil has seen plenty in his NFL career, which has included five Pro Bowl nods earned during stints in Miami and Houston before landing in Washington last year. He knows a thing or two about playing tackle in the NFL and found a teammate in Conerly, a 2025 first-round pick of the Commanders, who could use his expertise.

So far, so good. Conerly has committed himself to following in Tunsil’s footsteps, which includes Tunsil’s annual offseason training in Alabama as well as direction in diet and routine. The results are already noticeable: Conerly showed up to minicamp looking leaner, the product of “working our ass off,” per Tunsil.

“We’re working every day; every single day,” Tunsil said. “He came to work with me every day. He ate right. It’s protein for lunch and breakfast. There’s no carbs for dinner. There’s supplements every day. It’s a routine that we have to live by.”

Such a dedicated offseason routine might seem like standard practice for an NFL player, but acclimating isn’t as simple as showing up for work and being told what to do. Often, the best players only reach that status because a veteran was willing to consistently show them the way. In those moments, they often establish standards that propel them to consistent success well after their wise veteran teammates have moved on.

Though his 32nd birthday is approaching in August, Tunsil isn’t going anywhere soon. He’s focused on helping Conerly — a naturally talented, all-conference tackle at Oregon who got off to a rough start as a rookie and could use some cultivating — become a premier tackle because it will benefit the Commanders in both the short and long term.

“He has a lot of room for improvement, and he can keep getting better,” Tunsil said. “That’s why I’m on him. That’s why I’m telling him to come and build this routine.”

He sees potential in Conerly. The second-year blocker has bought in. We’ll see if the improvements extend beyond mere appearance this fall.

Mac Jones’ 2025 season kept the 49ers afloat amid adversity and boosted his stock as a potential starting candidate elsewhere.

As of now, he remains in San Francisco.

That hasn’t stopped the trade rumor mill from churning, though. With quarterback remaining a premium position that is never quite fully stocked across the NFL, Jones’ name will continue to own a prominent place in the market, even if the 49ers haven’t made him available.

“I think this is my No. 1 question that I’ve been asked,” Jones, who went 5-3 in eight starts last season, said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. “Look, I love (49ers general manger) John (Lynch), I love (49ers coach) Kyle (Shanahan), the York family. It’s the best organization I feel like that I’ve played for in terms of just top-to-bottom greatness, so far, and I don’t like leaving good people. I hope they enjoy having me there.

“I’m excited for this year, to be honest. A lot of that was offseason talk. Anything’s possible, right? I mean, the trade deadline’s not until a little bit through the season. But I try not to keep up with it. I really just want to keep getting better. … I played decent last year. I think I can play a lot better, which is what I’m striving to do this summer — improve on my technique and see if that helps me and elevates me to get a big deal or something in the future. I always say be where your feet are. My feet are in San Francisco, and I like it a lot.”

Jones has reason to relish his current standing in the Bay Area. He occupies a relatively low-pressure job as Brock Purdy’s backup, is valued by Shanahan and the entire 49ers organization — especially after he kept them competitive in Purdy’s absence in 2025 — and is receiving top-tier instruction from one of the most stable organizations in the NFL.

He isn’t receiving a salary that lands anywhere near starter money, but he did agree to a revised contract in May that added a $300,000 roster bonus, boosting his pay to $3.55 million in 2026 with the potential to earn an additional $2.5 million in incentives.

If everything goes right, Jones stands to cash in as a valued free agent in 2027, too. In eight starts in 2025, Jones posted a 5-3 record and demonstrated clear capability to lead an NFL offense as its top option, as well as remarkable toughness while playing through minor injury. He’s produced a strong enough resume to attract interest on the open market — if he makes it there.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of pro football, and, as of now, the 49ers hold a strong trade chip in Jones should a team develop a need for a starting-caliber quarterback. Keeping Jones is perfectly fine for the 49ers, too. They’ll have a trusted, low-cost backup behind Purdy who has already proven he can keep the offense going if called upon.

It helps that Jones is content in San Francisco, the same place in which Sam Darnold began his career renaissance by spending a year as a backup in Shanahan’s system before moving onto Minnesota and eventually, Seattle. Jones could follow a similar route.

There’s no need to rush the process, though. And as Jones sees it, he’s perfectly fine with being patient and living in the moment.

The RCX Sports Foundation, with the support of the National Football League (NFL), today announced Laura Hernández Sánchez of Spain and Ella Sowden of Canada as recipients of the 2026 Women’s Flag Football International Scholarship.

The scholarship program, launched in 2024, provides financial assistance and mentorship to elite international athletes pursuing collegiate flag football opportunities in the United States. Each year, the program supports international athletes as they continue their academic and athletic careers at U.S. colleges and universities. Scholarship recipients are selected based on athletic achievement, leadership, character, community impact, and commitment to growing the game of flag football.

Hernández Sánchez, a defensive back and wide receiver, just completed her freshman season at Kansas Wesleyan University and will transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington for her sophomore season. She was named a team captain as a freshman and competed for Spain’s national team at the IFAF European Championship, where the team earned a bronze medal.

Sowden has committed to Lindsey Wilson University, where she will continue her academic and athletic career at the collegiate level. A standout member of Football Saskatchewan’s U18 Provincial Team, Sowden has also participated in Senior Women’s National Flag Football Team identification camps in Canada. In addition to participating in international competitions through the Institute of Saskatchewan Football and Toon Squad programs, she mentors younger athletes through her coaching work with “Tykes on Spikes.”

“Laura and Ella embody the promise of flag football’s global future — athletes whose passion, resilience, and leadership are already shaping the next generation of the game,” said Brian Flinn, NFL Senior Vice President, Global Flag Football. “Through the RCX Sports Foundation’s Women’s Flag Football International Scholarship Program, we’re proud to help turn their aspirations into opportunity as they pursue their education, compete at the collegiate level, and help drive the growth of flag football around the world.”
The RCX Sports Foundation works closely with schools, state associations, and governing bodies to build the infrastructure, access, and resources needed to support women’s flag football at scale.

“Laura and Ella represent the incredible level of talent emerging across the global flag football landscape,” said Ericka Newsome, Executive Director of the RCX Sports Foundation. “While the talent is undeniable, access to collegiate opportunities, especially for women, has not always kept pace. At the RCX Sports Foundation, we are committed to expanding access to women’s flag football and strengthening the pipeline from youth participation to collegiate competition and beyond. This scholarship is a direct investment in that future, creating pathways for elite international athletes to continue competing, pursue their education, and help elevate the game globally.”

The scholarship program comes at a pivotal moment for flag football’s growth at the collegiate and international levels. Women’s flag football was officially voted into the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program in January 2026, representing a major step toward achieving championship status. Last month, the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact recommended Divisions I, II, and III sponsor legislation to establish a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship, with all three divisions scheduled to vote at the NCAA Convention in early 2027.

Through initiatives like the International Scholarship Program, the RCX Sports Foundation and the NFL are continuing to expand access and create clearer pathways for athletes pursuing collegiate flag football opportunities.

Collegiate participation in women’s flag football continues to accelerate nationwide, with more than 250 colleges now offering women’s flag football programs at the varsity or club level across the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA. School participation grew more than 130% from the 2024–2025 season to the 2025–2026 season, further signaling the sport’s rapid momentum and long-term opportunity for athletes worldwide.

There is no shortage of big-money extensions being worked and speculated on at this time of year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and elite running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are among the most intriguing potentially in the works.

While new market-setting deals are a matter of if, not when, for Robinson and Gibbs, Mayfield and the Buccaneers continue to be on a different page, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday on NFL Network’s The Insiders.

Mayfield, 31, let it be known at the top of the month that parties were “not anywhere close” to a long-term arrangement ahead of the final season on his contract. That remains true in late June, per Pelissero.

The two-time Pro Bowl signal-caller also went on the record that the deadline for an extension was training camp, which kicks off July 30 for the Bucs. With Mayfield choosing to focus solely on prepping for the season and then his play thereafter, he would be staring at a potential franchise tag or free agency after the 2026 campaign concludes.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft has resurrected his career during three seasons as the Bucs starter from 2023-2025. Both of his Pro Bowl selections have come with Tampa, though 2025 was the Buccaneers’ first losing season with Mayfield under center. As he played through nagging injuries, Mayfield’s 3,694 yards and 26 touchdown passes were lows for his time in Tampa.

Still, it’s easy to argue he’s underpaid when it comes to franchise quarterbacks.

Averaging $33.33 million on his current three-year, $100 million deal, Mayfield is smackdab in the middle of the road at 16^th in average annual salary for QBs.

While Mayfield is trying to move up from the middle, Robinson and Gibbs are seemingly locks to reset the RB markets.

Getting extensions worked out with the talented backs are priorities for the Lions and Falcons, Pelissero reported.

However, there could be a waiting game carrying on with both franchises. Whomever comes to the table first is likely to be surpassed shortly thereafter. Hence it could be better (aka cheaper) for Atlanta or Detroit to get to an agreement done first, while Gibbs or Robinson are likely to get the bigger payday if they sign second.

It’s fitting the two are tied together, as Robinson was taken eighth overall in the 2023 first round and Gibbs was picked at 12th.

Gibbs, 24, has gone to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons and racked up an eye-popping 5,029 scrimmage yards and 49 scrimmage touchdowns.

The 24-year-old Robinson has been a Pro Bowler twice, an All-Pro last season, and has tallied 5,648 scrimmage yards and 34 TDs.

Big numbers have been a byproduct for Gibbs and Robinson on the field throughout their tenures. They’ll follow into their bank accounts now.

Currently, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley ($41 million total value; $20.6 million average annual value), the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey ($38 million; $19 million) and the Miami Dolphins’ De’Von Achane ($64 million; $16 million) are the standard bearers in average annual salary. Jeremiyah Love, meanwhile, recently received a position record $53.02 million guaranteed after the Arizona Cardinals picked him third overall in 2026.

Just how high Robinson and Gibbs’ dollars will go remains to be seen.