Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. Today’s installment covers:
An honest assessment of Justin Herbert.
But first, a look at one quarterback who deserves a lot more love …
It is rare for a former No. 1 overall pick to be underrated, but that has become the case with Jared Goff. In fact, I think he’s the most underrated quarterback in the game today. While the football world and NFL scouting community continue to search for the next megastar with the breathtaking playmaking talents of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, Goff has emerged as a true franchise QB who shreds defenses from the pocket.
By any metric, Goff has become the elite quarterback that he was expected to be when he was selected with the top pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. The 11th-year pro has compiled a 90-60-1 record while completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 39,622 yards (averaging 262.4 per game), with 256 touchdowns against 102 interceptions. Most importantly, he has transformed one of the league’s most downtrodden franchises — Detroit had one playoff win from 1958 through 2023 — into a contender.
Although Goff’s detractors will suggest that he has benefited from playing for some of the brightest offensive minds in football — while also being flanked by some of the game’s best playmakers and pass protectors — Goff deserves great acclaim for helping the X’s and O’s come to life with his accuracy and decision-making.
As a young scout with the Seattle Seahawks, I worked under Mike Holmgren while he served as the franchise’s executive vice president of football operations, general manager and head coach. During that time, I frequently heard the Super Bowl champion and quarterback guru discuss the importance of ball placement and judgment at the position. He drew that insight from his experiences in working with Joe Montana and Steve Young on the San Francisco 49ers, while also citing Brett Favre’s growth to become a back-to-back-to-back MVP during their time together with the Green Bay Packers.
While Goff’s talent does not jump off the screen like the electric dual-threat quarterbacks who have taken the NFL by storm, the veteran’s numbers don’t lie. Since 2022, he has started every game while comfortably leading the league in passing yards (18,206) and passing touchdowns (130). During that span, Goff also ranks top five in QB wins (45, T-third), completion percentage (68.1, fifth), yards per attempt (7.9, T-fifth) and passer rating (103.4, third). Operating like a pass-first point guard from the pocket, Goff has become a model of consistency at the position. It’s quite an impressive development, considering many folks initially viewed him as something of a toss-in alongside the immense draft capital the Lions received from the Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade.
Denver Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper was arrested Thursday night in Colorado on domestic violence and criminal mischief charges, per Douglas County Sheriff’s Office jail records.
Cooper was taken into custody by the Parker Police Department at 11:16 p.m. local time and booked into the Douglas County jail at 2:38 a.m.
Cooper appeared in court Friday morning. His next scheduled court date is Monday at 10 a.m.
It is unclear what led to Cooper’s arrest.
The Broncos told The Associated Press they “are aware of the matter and are gathering more information.”
A seventh-round pick out of Ohio State in 2021, Cooper has developed into one of Denver’s top edge rushers. He’s started 65 of 81 regular-season games played, including 55 straight since 2022, totaling 63 QB hits, 31.5 sacks and an interception. Paired with Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, Cooper headlines a Broncos defense that ranked in the top three in points and yards allowed last season. The linebacker finished with 16 QB hits and eight sacks, second only to Bonitto on the team.
Cooper, 28, signed a four-year, $54 million extension in Denver in 2024 and is under contract through the 2028 season.
Denver wrapped up its first week of voluntary organized team activities on Thursday. The Broncos reconvene for OTAs on June 9 and then mandatory minicamp on June 16.
The Chicago Bears announced on Friday that their board of directors has voted to advance their stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, with a specific site to be determined.
“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,” Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and president & CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement. “It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.”
Friday’s news comes after the Illinois House adjourned on the last day of the state’s spring legislative session this week without taking up a measure that would have cleared the way for Arlington Heights and Chicago to create local stadium authorities, creating a pathway for the Bears to avoid paying property taxes on a new stadium in Illinois.
The Bears said at the time that they were finalizing their evaluation of possible stadium sites in Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana.
The twists and turns during the final days of Illinois’ spring legislative session were consistent with what has been a laborious stadium process for the Bears, a charter NFL franchise.
The team announced in September 2021 that they had signed a purchase agreement for 326 acres of land in Arlington Heights, about 30 miles northwest of Chicago. The $197 million deal with Churchill Downs Incorporated was finalized in 2023.
In September 2022, the team unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that called for an enclosed stadium that could host Super Bowls and Final Fours. The conceptual illustrations also provided for a year-round entertainment district with restaurants and shopping.
But the Bears shifted their focus toward building a new stadium next to Soldier Field after Kevin Warren was hired as team president in January 2023, replacing the retiring Ted Phillips. The plan to transform Chicago’s Museum Campus got an enthusiastic endorsement from Mayor Brandon Johnson and a tepid reception from Gov. JB Pritzker and state legislators when it was announced in April 2024.
The team switched gears again in May 2025, announcing it had made “significant progress” with local leaders in Arlington Heights.
Amid lingering efforts to secure tax incentives in Illinois, along with as much as $855 million in public money for infrastructure at the Arlington Heights site, the Bears began to take a closer look at possible options in Northwest Indiana.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and state lawmakers jumped on the Bears’ interest. A state House of Representatives committee passed a bill in February that established a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium. The team said it was doing its due diligence on a tract of land near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana.
The Bears said on May 21 that Hammond and Arlington Heights were the only sites under consideration, but some Illinois state lawmakers kept pushing for a plan that they hoped would make Chicago part of the conversation once again.
The Bears have played in Illinois since the team’s founding in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys. Since moving to Chicago in 1921, the Bears have never owned their stadium, whether playing at Wrigley Field from 1921 to 1970 or Soldier Field since.
A winding road eventually led Baker Mayfield to a welcome home in Tampa Bay, where he’s followed the Tom Brady era respectably while also revitalizing his NFL career.
Continuing that marriage for the foreseeable future is desired by Mayfield, who enters the final year of his contract in 2026, but the Buccaneers quarterback said Friday that he won’t be discussing the matter with club after training camp.
“First and foremost, regardless, we’ve built roots here in Tampa,” Mayfield said Friday from his youth football camp in Tampa, Florida. “We love the community, we love being here, they’ve embraced us, and we enjoy being here and obviously gonna raise kids here. But yeah, contract stuff, it’s happening, it’s starting, the talks and what not, but not anywhere close to what we were thinking.
“So, we’d love to be here long-term, and as of right now, it’s not exactly the case. But as of now, I’m under contract for 2026, and the guys in that locker room, the staff know that I’m still gonna be me. I’m still gonna do everything that I can to help this team win the Super Bowl. To me, that’s the priority. Everything else will take care of itself. Obviously, yes, I would love to have a long-term deal, but they know my deadline is as soon as training camp starts, we’re not doing any contract stuff, it’s all ball. So, it’s not up to me when that gets done. So, hopefully before that. If not, we’re still gonna have a good year.”
Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million deal in 2024 following a prove-it campaign in 2023 when he led Tampa back into the playoffs and secured a postseason win in the year following Brady’s retirement. He followed that up with his best season in 2024, notching career highs in passing yards (4,500), passing touchdowns (41) and completion percentage (71.4) while continuing the club’s string of NFC South titles.
The Buccaneers’ streak of five straight playoff appearances ended in 2025 with a lowly 8-9 campaign. The team dealt with a number of key injuries along the season, but lost four their final five games to end it in a three-way tie atop the division, which was claimed by the Panthers despite losing to Tampa Bay in Week 18.
A disappointing season was soon followed up by a disconcerting exit for the Buccaneers. Mike Evans, the club’s all-time leading wide receiver, went to San Francisco via free agency for less money than what Tampa offered.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat it. It’s disappointing to not have him back,” Mayfield said of Evans leaving. “Just the caliber of player he is, he’s a Hall of Famer, deserved to be a Buc for life. Things happen, but luckily, him and I have a great relationship, we’ll still be friends for life, and I’ll be cheering him on except when we play them, if it comes down to it.”
While Mayfield recognizes the loss of his top target will have an impact, the veteran QB remains confident in a strong receiver corps that returns Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson. The Bucs also drafted third-rounder Ted Hurst, a 6-foot-3 wideout they hope can alleviate Evans’ absence as a big-bodied target.
“For Mike to leave, it allows Chris to step up — he’s always been an unbelievable leader — but for him to really take charge of that room,” Mayfield said. “With all the injuries we had, a lot of guys played last year. So to also have J-Mac, Chris, Emeka, really, really healthy right now, feeling good, to lead those guys and just to watch the steps that they’re taking from Year 1 to Year 2 when it comes to Mek and Tez, and watching them help Ted Hurst out as well. … There’s a lot of weapons in that room. So when you lose a guy like that, you’ve got to have a lot of people to fill those shoes, not just one person, and we have that.”
Mayfield has yet to miss a start during his three-year tenure with the Buccaneers and has proven himself as a more than capable passer who can run a healthy offense that has shown flashes of dominance.
Seemingly, the Buccaneers and the 31-year-old found each other at the perfect time. Mayfield made his intentions clear of what he wants for his future in Tampa and maybe the Buccaneers will heed his deadline. If not, an intense negotiation is instead in their future with other teams able to contact a valuable free-agent QB.
Unlike the A.J. Brown trade — which we had anticipated for months before the news broke on Monday — the deal that sent that sent reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns to the Los Angeles Rams (which also happened Monday) was a complete shocker. Garrett had recently signed a four-year, $160 million extension with Cleveland that included a no-trade clause. Ultimately, he waived that clause to make the move across country to Los Angeles.
You can get an insightful breakdown of the winners and losers of this trade, including Jared Verse’s potential impact in Cleveland. Now, let’s explore the analytical breakdown on how Garrett fits into the Browns’ defense and what you can expect from him statistically in 2026. Coming off a record-setting 23-sack campaign, it’s going to be tough to improve, but can Garrett remain just as dominant with his new team? Should we expect to see regression in the five-time All-Pro’s production?
Let’s dive into the data, informed by Next Gen Stats insights on NFL Pro, which can be accessed with an NFL+ Premium subscription.
Fit on the defensive line
On the surface, it might seem like Garrett will simply fill the hole left by Verse in his departure to Cleveland. There are aspects of that assumption that could be true: Garrett primarily aligned as a right edge rusher in 2025 (82.9% of snaps), and Verse did the same on the majority of his snaps (66.5%). However, from that right side, Garrett almost exclusively aligned as a 9-technique (81% of snaps) — meaning he was positioned extremely wide, outside the opposing tight end. While Verse did align as a 9-technique on 65% of his right-side snaps, he slid into more interior positions far more frequently than Garrett, taking 10% of snaps as both a 7-technique (just inside the tight end) and a 5-technique (on the left tackle’s outside shoulder).
In terms of technique, Rams outside linebacker Byron Young, who led the team with 12 sacks last season, would be the better comparison to Garrett. Young played 81% of his snaps as a 9-technique, yet he took just 20.7% of his snaps on the right edge, instead heavily favoring the left edge (71.3%). Ultimately, this presents defensive coordinator Chris Shula and the Rams staff with an interesting decision. They’ll likely keep Garrett on the right, where he’s strongest, but will they shift him inside more often, as they did with Verse? Do they adjust their scheme to keep both Garrett and Young at the 9-technique as often as possible? Will they do some combination of that or an alternative? We might learn a bit more in OTAs and the preseason. Either way, it should be fascinating to watch.
What Garrett brings to Rams
It’s not hard to portray what Garrett does for a defense. He just recorded an NFL-record 23 sacks, won Defensive Player of the Year for a second time and earned his sixth straight Pro Bowl selection after an eighth consecutive season with double-digit sacks. Specifically over the last five years, no player in the league has more sacks (83), QB hits (156) or tackles for loss (107) than Garrett, and only Micah Parsons (418) has more quarterback pressures than Garrett’s 401.
The face value numbers don’t even tell the entire story. Consider Garrett’s get-off — the time it takes for a pass rusher to cross the line of scrimmage after the snap. His average get-off of 0.7 seconds last season was the fastest by any player with 200+ pass rushes. Moreover, that enabled Garrett to generate 31 quick QB pressures — pressures within 2.5 seconds of the snap — the fifth-most in the NFL, despite facing the most chip blocks in the league (139). To summarize, that means Garrett was consistently drawing extra attention from a route runner at the start of the play and was still getting to the quarterback as quickly — and as often — as anyone. Meanwhile, Rams edge rushers recorded an average get-off of 0.96 seconds last season, second-slowest in the league (ahead of only the Bears). Make no mistake, Garrett will be bringing the “rush” to the Los Angeles “pass rush” in 2026.
Oh, and just when you thought Garrett’s game couldn’t get any more impactful, he also recorded 17 run stuffs from edge alignment — run tackles that resulted in a loss of yards or no gain — last season, the second-most in the NFL behind only Maxx Crosby. And Garrett’s 28 run stops from edge alignment — run tackles that resulted in a “success” for the defense, per NGS — were fourth-most, behind Crosby, T.J. Watt and Young. The 2025 Rams were the only team in the league to have multiple players (Young and Verse) with 50+ pressures and 25+ run stops from edge alignment, and it will remain that way heading into 2026 with Young and Garrett.
Ultimately, Garrett brings many of the same strengths to the Rams that Verse did, while adding aspects of the pass-rush game L.A. was lacking. He should make Shula’s front even more well-rounded — which is saying something — while also elevating its ceiling for disruption and destruction.
Projecting Garrett’s 2026 stats
With all this in mind, what kind of production can we expect from Garrett in 2026? Let’s start with a realistic historical outlook: No player has recorded 20+ sacks in consecutive seasons, since the stat was first individually tracked in 1982. Only two of the 13 previous players to record a 20-sack season logged more than 15 sacks the ensuing year: Reggie White in 1988 (18) and J.J. Watt in 2015 (17.5). The average for those 13 previous players the following season is 12, with nine of them recording between 10 and 14 sacks. That said, none of the players in those instances changed teams the following year. You could argue that few — if any — were set up to play for a Super Bowl contender after upgrading a new defense, just as Garrett is with Los Angeles. Also, there’s an intriguing possibility that Aaron Donald comes out of retirement for one last hurrah with the Rams. If that happens, this defensive line would be absurd.
Plus, there’s an underrated aspect of this transition that plays in Garrett’s favor. Last year, Rams’ opponents dropped back to pass 661 times, seventh-most in the NFL. Defenses facing the Browns dropped back just 566 times, fourth-fewest for any defense. Applying Garrett’s career pressure and sack rate numbers, that gap of 95 drop backs would theoretically create an additional 16 pressures and three sacks. Garrett should see a relatively high number of pass rushes, likely close to 500, and should be able to maintain extremely high efficiency, given the level he’s playing at and the excellence of the roster around him. With a pressure rate in the 17-18% range and a sack rate around 3.5% (both slightly above his career averages), that could translate to 80+ pressures and roughly 17 sacks. In logging 25+ QB hits and 25-30 run stops, Garrett would lock in another incredibly well-rounded season, similar to his 2023 DPOY campaign. That level of production again should put him in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year and would position him alongside White and J.J. Watt for the best season following a 20-sack year we’ve ever seen.
J.J. McCarthy’s comments last week that he and Kyler Murray sit on opposite sides of the QB meeting room have been interpreted as indicating an icy relationship between the two. Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell rejected that translation on Thursday, saying the two have been “very professional.”
O’Connell noted that there’s been “no hiding anything” regarding the QB competition, as the club has been transparent about its plans.
“I want players who are smart, tough guys that love football,” O’Connell said, via ESPN. “Guys who — I don’t even want to say are great teammates — that need to attempt to be a great teammate. You need to repeat that time and time again because that process never stops.
“But it also doesn’t mean that everybody has to be smiling every day. When they speak to [reporters], I want them to be open. I want them to be honest, because I think it’s all part of having a transparent quarterback competition that allows these guys to truly demonstrate that they can consistently be the same guy every day and stack really good days. And when they do that, the team grows, and that’s what I ultimately care about — that position being an igniter of our team getting to what our ceiling may be for this year.”
The Vikings signed Murray to a one-year deal this offseason to push McCarthy for the starting gig. All indications are that the veteran signal-caller is ahead in the early stages. KOC added that McCarthy has handled the reworked quarterback room “really well.”
The coach doesn’t care if the players grow particularly close, only that they both have the same goal: to improve each day and help the club win.
“What actually matters is what I care about,” O’Connell said. “Did we take the right footwork on a play? Did we have our eyes in the right spot? Did we make a protection call against one of [defensive coordinator Brian Flores’] blitz looks? Did we do our jobs to manufacture the starting point and potential path to success for the offense? And there’s enough that goes into that that I don’t have a ton of space left over for who says what and how they say it.
“I mean, it’s all a reflection of how people handle competitive situations and we’re all going to handle them differently. What I care about is when they step between the white lines, that there’s growth and development and that it really is a competition.”
Eventually, one of the QBs will be named the Week 1 starter. For now, O’Connell will keep praising the entire room.
Dallas Cowboys 2024 first-round pick Tyler Guyton will have to battle to keep his starting gig.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer said Thursday that Guyton and Nathan Thomas are in a competition for the starting left tackle job. The coach noted that the club needs to see more reliability from Guyton, with health being a concern as well.
“Tyler’s biggest thing is the consistency has not been there,” Schottenheimer said, via the team’s official website. “Very talented, maybe one of the most athletic big men I’ve ever been around with his ability to kick slide, punch, move, run. But there’s got to be more consistency, and that’s been the challenge that he’s been working extremely, extremely hard on.”
Guyton, the No. 29 overall pick in ’24, was immediately installed as the starting left tackle but struggled through ups and downs in his rookie campaign. His 2025 season was pockmarked by injury — a knee issue in training camp and a high ankle sprain that forced him onto injured reserve to end his campaign early.
Schottenheimer said the Cowboys plan “to make (Guyton) earn it” and that the competition is “going to get the best out of Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas.”
Schottenheimer’s comments were clearly meant to challenge the 24-year-old Guyton; otherwise, the coach wouldn’t have needed to make a declaration at all. He’d just let the process play out. After two years of inconsistency, opening the potential for a switch is a warning to the former first-rounder.
Thomas, a 2024 seventh-rounder selected 204 picks after Guyton, started four games last season but struggled, leading the Cowboys to flip Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith out to tackle for the final four games. Dallas prefers to keep Smith at guard, which has led to competition at LT. However, if things go awry, Schotty could elect to revisit the issue. Instability on Dak Prescott’s blindside is a recipe for disaster.
Guyton is simply taking a one-day-at-a-time approach.
“Same equation, come to work every day, try to get better, prepare myself for the next day,” Guyton said. “There’s competition everywhere on the team. It’s a football team and everybody wants to play. Friendly competition isn’t bad. It brings the best out of people.”
The Cowboys are hoping it brings out the best in their former first-round pick; otherwise, they could face issues in 2026.
Paul Westhead turned heads for setting a breakneck pace, and was honored with the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.
SAN ANTONIO — As far as Paul Westhead is concerned, the NBA might as well use an hourglass as the 24-second shot clock it introduced way back in 1954 to inject pace and offense into the game.
If Westhead had his druthers, we would see teams squeezing off shots just four or five seconds after they got their hands on the ball.
“The speed is the issue for me,” the coaching lifer said before Game 2 of the Finals Friday night at the Frost Bank Center. “I would walk into a new job and say, ‘All right, guys or gals, who wants to run fast this year?’ If there were 12 players in the room, they’d all raise their hand. A week later, ‘Who wants to run fast?’ No hands.”
Westhead, 87, almost turned himself into a brand name for breakneck offense through a coaching career spanning seven decades. He was honored as the 2026 recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award presented annually by the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA).
Before the running-and-gunning of the Phoenix Suns 20 years ago under Mike D’Antoni’s “Seven Seconds or Less” style earned point guard Steve Nash two MVP awards, Westhead had put a premium on pace. He laid the groundwork for the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, turned up the oxygen needs of opponents in Denver already fighting the altitude, and made Loyola Marymount college games feel like half basketball, half track meet.
“First man down, shoot,” Westhead said, sharing his creed Friday. “That’s what we do. If they pass it to you, shoot it. It works. If you go fast enough.”
A winner, on-court and off
Westhead is the only coach to win both NBA and WNBA championships, achieving those dreams with the Lakers in 1980 and the Phoenix Mercury in 2007. Before, in between and after, he coached in high school, at multiple men’s and women’s college programs, as a head coach of two other NBA teams, and as an assistant for three more. He even worked a season in Japan.
“Coach Westhead’s impact on the game extends far beyond wins and championships,” said J.B. Bickerstaff, the Detroit Pistons coach now serving as NBCA president.
Coincidentally, it was Bickerstaff’s father Bernie, as GM of the Nuggets, who hired Westhead in Denver.
“He challenged conventional thinking,” Bickerstaff said, “introduced ideas that were ahead of their time, and influenced generations of coaches across every level of men’s and women’s basketball. His commitment to innovation, teaching, and the growth of our game has left a lasting mark on our profession.”
The Daly award honors the Hall of Fame coach best known for his NBA titles with Detroit’s “Bad Boys,” for setting what the NBCA calls a “standard for integrity, competitive excellence and tireless promotion of NBA basketball.”
Said Westhead: “Chuck was a good friend of mine, who helped me in my early coaching career back in Philadelphia. It was always a challenge to coach against Chuck. He usually outsmarted me, but in how to dress for the game, Chuck never came in second.”
From St. Joe’s to the pros
Westhead got his first coaching job before graduating from St. Joseph’s, serving as an assistant to his mentor Jack Ramsay. From there he went to Cheltenham high school outside Philadelphia, then worked from 1970 to 1979 at La Salle.
When Jack McKinney was hired as the Lakers head coach in 1979, Westhead joined him as his lone assistant. Just 14 games into the season, McKinney was hospitalized after a serious bicycle accident. Westhead was named the team’s interim coach and helped L.A. go 50-18 the rest of the way with super-rookie Magic Johnson and a revitalized Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. That crew beat Philadelphia for the 1980 NBA title, Johnson famously jumping center and dominating (42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists) in the clinching Game 6 when Abdul-Jabbar was injured.
The Lakers went 54-28 the following season but got eliminated in the playoffs’ first round. By the next fall, Westhead and Johnson were at odds, with the point guard feeling constrained by his coach’s system-first style. Westhead was fired after 11 games in 1981-82, replaced by assistant Pat Riley.
Westhead coached the Chicago Bulls in 1982-83, then veered back to college to install a fast-paced offensive game at Loyola Marymount in L.A. With a pair of transfers from USC, Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble, the Lions posted a combine 70-18 record in Westhead’s final three seasons there and set several NCAA scoring records.
Back in the NBA for two seasons with Denver, Westhead turned the Nuggets into the league’s most potent scorers in 1990-91. But they couldn’t overcome defensive and roster deficiencies, finishing 20-62. Denver improved by only four victories the next season, after which Westhead pivoted back to college at George Mason from 1993 to 1997.
From there, Westhead interspersed two-year stints as an NBA assistant with Golden State, Orlando and Seattle/OKC with jobs in the ABA minor league and with the Panasonic Super Kangaroos in the Japan Basketball League.
Westhead was hired by the Mercury in 2005 and guided star Diana Taurasi and the team to the WNBA title. He spent 2009 to 2014 coaching the women’s program at the University of Oregon.
20 jobs for the 21st award-winner
By Westhead’s count, he had 20 jobs in basketball. He thanked his wife Cassie and their children Monica, Patrice, Paul and Juliet for their indulgence in relocating so many times so he could do what he loved.
The trail Westhead blazed cut across all levels, from preps to pros, working with both genders, for teams both domestic and foreign. He became something of a guru for others who wanted to push the ball and score fast, a pro-active way to thwart both his teams’ foes and any referees that might size up his crew for whistles in a more physical halfcourt game.
“Fantastic coach,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown, before Friday’s game. “When I took the Lakers job [in 2011], I actually went and had lunch with him and asked him more importantly about the finer points of transition offense.”
Westhead is the 21st honoree of the Daly award. He joins Don Nelson (2025), Rudy Tomjanovich (2024), Rick Adelman (2023), Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), K.C. Jones and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010) and Tommy Heinsohn (2009).
Follow along as the San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks in Game 2 (8:30 ET, ABC) of the 2026 NBA Finals.
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks held off a late comeback from the San Antonio Spurs to win Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
Victor Wembanyama (29 pts, 9 reb) missed a game-winning jumper at the buzzer, as the New York Knicks fended off a 14-point fourth-quarter rally from the San Antonio Spurs to win Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals 105-104.
We’re headed back to New York with the Knicks two wins away from their first championship since 1973. The City That Never Sleeps will be in a frenzy as the Finals comes to town.
What we know after Game 2 of the NBA Finals:
Wembanyama threw the ball off Stephon Castle’s back with 9.5 seconds left. It ended up in the hands of Jalen Brunson (20 pts), who hit a game-deciding free throw after colliding with Wemby.
It was the 13th consecutive Playoff win for the Knicks. Only the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors, who won 15 straight, have had a longer winning streak in the postseason.
JUNE 5 / 11:25 ET
Knicks win
Victor Wembanyama (29 pts, 9 reb) had a shot at the buzzer, but it was too strong, and the Knicks hold on to take a 2–0 lead in the 2026 NBA Finals.
It’s the 13th straight win for the Knicks in these Playoffs. They led by as many as 14 here in the fourth, but the Spurs couldn’t quite get over the top to take it.
Wembanyama turned the ball over with 9.5 seconds to go, throwing it off Stephon Castle’s back as he turned to run up the floor. It fell into Jalen Brunson’s hands; Wembanyama crashed into him, sending the Knicks’ captain to the line for game-deciding free-throws, which he hit one of two.
On the next possession, Wemby squared up for a 20-foot jumper over Mitchell Robinson, but couldn’t convert.
“A great player got a great shot. It just didn’t go in… I take it as a sign my Mom is here with me,” said Karl-Anthony Towns (21 pts, 13 reb, 4 ast). “The reason we won this game is we gave ourselves a lead… the Spurs fought, they got themselves back in the game, gave themselves a chance to win. The grit, the resiliency — New York City showed up.”
De’Aaron Fox (20 pts on 8-for-12 shooting) and Dylan Harper (15 pts) showed up, but they were countered by Jalen Brunson (20 pts, 5 reb, 6 ast, 5 stl) and Mikal Bridges (20 pts, 4 3PM).
This was a physical, fiery battle. The Spurs were near their best, but the Knicks had the answer. They’re headed back to New York, two wins away from the championship.
“An NBA Finals classic,” said Mike Breen.
JUNE 5 / 11:18 ET
Anyone’s game
Dylan Harper pushed the ball on the break, dropping it off to Victor Wembanyama (28 pts, 21 in the second half) who surged into the lane for the and-one finish, giving the Spurs their first lead of the half at 104-102.
But Jalen Brunson had the answer, finding the touch from 13 feet to tie the game at 104 with 39 seconds left.
You can’t ask for much more than tonight’s Game 2.
JUNE 5 / 11:15 ET
All on the line
The intensity is at a fever pitch in the Frost Bank Center. Get to ABC to catch the finish of this tremendous contest.
De’Aaron Fox is banged up, but still fighting; Julian Champagnie is trying to hold Karl-Anthony Towns off the glass. Dylan Harper is crashing to the rim.
102-101 Knicks with 1:25 to go.
JUNE 5 / 11:09 ET
The spirit of San Antonio
The Spurs just tied the game at 97 on a drive by Dylan Harper (13 pts). They’re flying around defensively, harassing the Knicks, as the crowd roars and Mike Breen is in full throat.
Victor Wembanyama rallied the squad in the huddle with just over five minutes remaining, and they’ve responded with a burst of heart and hustle, rushing back into the game with a 14-0 run.
“Bedlam here at the Frost Bank Center!” Breen said.
We’ve got 2:37 to go in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
JUNE 5 / 11:04 ET
Fox keeps the Spurs alive
De’Aaron Fox (18 pts) shook Jalen Brunson with the stepback, then drilled a 3-pointer to cut the Knicks’ lead to 97-88 with 5:27 to go in the fourth quarter.
The 2023 Kia Clutch Player of the Year has been big, responding to his 3-for-13 performance in Game 1 with 8-for-12 shooting tonight. He’s going toe-to-toe with Jalen Brunson, who has 15 points on 18 shots.
JUNE 5 / 10:56 ET
Dueling in the fourth
Both these teams want it.
Off an outlet pass from OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson just went through Julian Champagnie at the rim, then floated the ball over the desperate leap of Devin Vassell.
Then, Miles McBride stuck a 3-pointer, pushing the Knicks’ lead to 12.
95-83 Knicks with 6:45 to go in the contest. Can San Antonio respond?
JUNE 5 / 10:48 ET
‘We are seeing Finals tenacity here in Game 2’
De’Aaron Fox just went jaw-to-jaw with Jalen Brunson, before Dylan Harper slashed to the rim for a layup in transition, cutting the Knicks’ lead to 87-82.
It’s a 7-0 run for the Spurs.
The game’s gotten genuinely physical out there. These players are putting it on the line tonight.
JUNE 5 / 10:39 ET
Knicks up 84-75 after three
Mikal Bridges (20 pts on 8-for-9 shooting, 6 reb, 5 ast, 4 3PM) is in full command of his powers tonight. He scored four straight points for the Knicks, then tossed an on-point lob to Mitchell Robinson for the alley-oop.
Victor Wembanyama (19 pts, 12 in the quarter) responded with a jumper, but the Spurs need to pull something out of the bag here in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve got to fight. We’re too passive,” said Mitch Johnson. “We’ve just got to walk the game down.”
JUNE 5 / 10:31 ET
‘This third quarter, a bunch of haymakers’
Victor Wembanyama (17 pts, 10 in the quarter) drilled a 3-pointer over OG Anunoby. Anunoby responded by shrugging off two defenders and finishing a layup; Stephon Castle saw and raised him with a sweet hesitation step, shaking Jalen Brunson for a highlight-reel finish.
These teams are putting their hearts into it tonight.
76-72 Knicks with 3:19 to go in the third quarter.
JUNE 5 / 10:27 ET
Spurs need every basket right now
The series could be hanging in the balance, as the Knicks extend their lead to 72-62 with 6:17 to go in the third quarter.
De’Aaron Fox (15 pts) converted an and-one layup, prompting a fist-pump from Victor Wembanyama. Wemby followed it up by converting a dunk, putting in a layup and drawing a foul over Karl-Anthony Towns.
But the Knicks have had a response for everything since the first quarter ended. Mikal Bridges (14 pts) knocked down another 3-pointer, while Towns (21 pts) powered to the rim through a game Stephon Castle.
The experience factor is weighing heavy right now. It’s early, but the Spurs are facing a tough test here tonight.
JUNE 5 / 10:19 ET
Brunson sends it to a break
Jalen Brunson (13 pts) just pulled up for a 3-pointer over Victor Wembanyama, extending the Knicks’ lead to double-digits and forcing a Spurs timeout.
This New York team is looking very strong right now. Destiny may be in their hands.
64-54 Knicks with 9:20 to go in the quarter.
JUNE 5 / 10:16 ET
OG’s on it
OG Anunoby (10 pts, 3 reb) knocks down a 3-pointer, then swats Devin Vassell on the other end. On the next defensive possession, Josh Hart rejected Stephon Castle. Two talented wings in their primes making plays.
“The Knicks defense has come out with force here to start the third,” said Mike Breen.
61-54 Knicks with 9:33 to go in the quarter.
JUNE 5 / 9:57 ET
Knicks up 56-52 at the half
Mikal Bridges (11 pts, all in the second) slipped to the basket for a slick layup off a dime from Karl-Anthony Towns (17 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast) and shut down De’Aaron Fox on consecutive drives as the half wound down, finishing off a 16-point swing that left the Knicks in the lead at the break.
The Spurs have come out with energy, particularly Devin Vassell (11 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast) and Fox (12 pts).
But Victor Wembanyama (7 pts on 2-for-4 shooting, 5 reb) hasn’t made a tremendous impact, and they’re just 6-for-18 (33.3%) from 3-point range, while the Knicks are 8-for-20 (40%).
“Wemby’s in shock right now,” said Charles Barkley, saluting Towns’ effort so far. “He’s so flustered.”
JUNE 5 / 9:50 ET
Trading the lead
Landry Shamet (4 pts) lays it in off a feed from Mikal Bridges (2 ast) to lift the Knicks into the lead, but Devin Vassell (11 pts) responds with a four-point play to take it right back.
San Antonio’s down to 43.6% shooting, while New York’s at 42.1%.
Spurs 52-51 with 2:07 to go in the half.
JUNE 5 / 9:45 ET
‘We are seeing some tough, physical defense here in the first half’
It’s been tough all night out there — bodies hitting the floor, pressure defense, both teams talking.
Feels like the NBA Finals.
Mikal Bridges (9 pts) hits another 3-pointer, making his presence felt in this quarter.
48-47 Spurs with 4:00 to go in the half.
JUNE 5 / 9:39 ET
Bridges is a factor
Another pull-up 3-pointer for Mikal Bridges (6 pts) — he looks in rhythm tonight.
Josh Hart was just assessed a flagrant foul after tripping Devin Vassell (7 pts, 2 reb, 3 ast), who pressured him just over half court, then knocked the ball away.
The pressure at the timeline is a consistent tactic from San Antonio tonight, limiting the Knicks’ lesser ball-handlers. They have the length to force the ball into Jalen Brunson’s hands, then force it out of them.
JUNE 5 / 9:32 ET
Knicks keep rallying back
The Spurs pushed the lead back to seven, but Mikal Bridges (3 pts) just hit a fading 3-pointer in the corner off a kickout from Karl-Anthony Towns to shrink their lead to 42-39 with 7:03 to go in the half.
Jalen Brunson is returning to the floor, soon after Stephon Castle picked up his third foul, potentially consigning him to the bench for the remainder of the quarter.
De’Aaron Fox (12 pts) has had it flowing, but missed an open stepback in the lane after hesitating slightly. These are valuable minutes for San Antonio — Fox and Dylan Harper will have to run the show.
JUNE 5 / 9:26 ET
Knicks on a 7-0 run
Karl-Anthony Towns (12 pts, 4 reb) has begun to exert his influence, knocking down a 3-pointer over Victor Wembanyama, timing up The Alien to contest one, and slashing past him for a dunk during this stretch.
The Spurs are trying to get to the rim, but have been met with some stalwart defense from the Knicks. Landry Shamet went up and took a body-to-body blow from the attacking Stephon Castle, sending them both crashing to the floor.
37-32 Spurs with 9:35 to go in the second.
JUNE 5 / 9:17 ET
Spurs up 34-25 after one
San Antonio shot 13-for-20 (65%) from the field in the first quarter, rollicking to an early lead over New York in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
De’Aaron Fox (9 pts) and Julian Champagnie (8 pts) lead the Spurs, who have an 18-8 lead in points in the paint, in scoring.
Jalen Brunson (8 pts) is the top man for the Knicks, who were held to 38.1% shooting. OG Anunoby (5 pts) was a team-low -11 in the first quarter, as the Spurs moved the ball and attacked the rim.
“We’ve just got to weather the storm. They do play off a lot of energy, so hopefully we get it done,” said Mike Brown. “We still have to play faster.”
JUNE 5 / 9:14 ET
Spurs extend the lead
De’Aaron Fox (9 pts on 4-of-5 shooting) is off to a hot start, already putting in more points than he did in Game 1.
It’s a welcome development for the Spurs, who are up 32-23 with 1:00 to go in the first quarter.
San Antonio’s pressuring the Knicks guards up near halfcourt, forcing the ball out of Jalen Brunson’s hands. Couple that with some intentional fouls of Mitch Robinson, and they’ve controlled the feel of the game early.
JUNE 5 / 9:04 ET
Brunson takes a bump
Luke Kornet just leveled Jalen Brunson (8 pts on 2-for-6 shooting) on a screen above the break. The Knicks’ point guard is physical in his own right — he popped right back up with a smile.
22-18 San Antonio with 3:25 to go in the first.
JUNE 5 / 8:52 ET
Another flash from Vassell
The lanky wing just swatted Jalen Brunson at the rim — a second moment of success for one of the longest-tenured Spurs.
San Antonio’s come out with some energy, but New York is doggedly sticking around. We’ll see if the youthful Spurs can maintain this intensity.
“There’s a frenetic energy right now about the Spurs,” said Tim Legler. “They’re putting body-on-body.”
Keldon Johnson, the longest-tenured Spur, just subbed in after only playing eight minutes in Game 1.
17-13 Spurs with 5:46 to go in the first quarter, and some classic Lyle Lovett takes us to break — “that’s right, you’re not from Texas.”
JUNE 5 / 8:46 ET
Spurs open with brilliant ball movement
A moment of the beautiful game from the Spurs to open Game 2 — Stephon Castle’s one-motion kickout pass from under the rim to Devin Vassell was brilliant, assisting his 3-pointer.
It’s meaningful that Vassell opened the game with a three — he only had one in Game 1.
Jalen Brunson immediately countered with a stepback 20-foot jump shot. He’s an incredible shotmaker when he has it flowing.
5-all with 10:10 to go in the first in San Antonio.
JUNE 5 / 8:20 ET
Wemby from way deep
JUNE 5 / 7:30 ET
Starting Lineup: Knicks-Spurs, Game 2
Josh Hart and the Knicks are looking to take a 2-0 lead in Game 2 of the NBA Finals before the series shifts back to New York.
New York:
PG Jalen Brunson
The Knicks’ captain has scored 144 clutch points in the Playoffs since 2023. No one else has more than 84. He put the Spurs away in Game 1 with a variety of floaters and leaners in a signature performance, adding to his clutch bonafides.
One note: watch his 3-point shot. He was 2-for-9 in Game 1.
SG Josh Hart
Hart joined Larry Bird (1986) as the only players since 1973-74 with at least 15 reb, 6 ast and 4 stl in a Finals game with his Game 1 performance, and was the first player in that time period to lead both teams outright in rebounds, assists and steals in a single Finals game. He was also a game-high +22 for the Knicks.
SF Mikal Bridges
Bridges only took six shots in Game 1, but his defensive energy and off-ball movement are always valuable. He held Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle to 2-for-7 shooting combined in Game 1.
PF OG Anunoby
Anunoby is as solid a role player as you’ll find in the NBA. He knows his job to the letter, can step up his scoring and is a nightmare defensive matchup for much of the league. In this series, though, we’ll see if the Spurs can test his quickness.
C Karl-Anthony Towns
KAT had a great game (18 pts, 12 reb, 4 ast) on the biggest stage of his career in Game 1. His defensive effort has improved this season, especially in the postseason, and the Knicks are good at funneling ball-handlers into his orbit.
San Antonio:
PG De’Aaron Fox
Fox scored 7 points on 3-for-13 shooting in Game 1. The Spurs don’t really need him to take that many shots, given the scoring prowess of Dylan Harper. If he can pick his spots and distribute more, it could open things up for his teammates.
SG Stephon Castle
Castle noted that he switched off Jalen Brunson in the clutch in Game 1, following the Spurs’ traditional defensive scheme. We’ll see if Coach Mitch Johnson has him follow Brunson more — he’s clearly interested in the challenge.
SF Devin Vassell
Vassell disappeared somewhat in Game 1, coming up a team-low -13. His shooting runs hot-and-cold, and the Knicks wings are talented enough to consistently give him trouble.
PF Julian Champagnie
The Brooklyn native talked some trash with Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet in Game 1, knocking down five 3-pointers. But those all came in the first half, as the Spurs only made two as a team in the second stanza.
C Victor Wembanyama
The Alien looked tired in Game 1. Can he handle the strength of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in this series? Few teams have such established centers to challenge him, and he’s never played this deep into the season.
JUNE 5 / 7:03 ET
Friday’s injury report
Mitchell Robinson is probable for the Knicks with a fractured fifth metacarpal.
JUNE 5 / 6:08 ET
Finals MVP Ladder
NBA.com’s Shaun Powell picked five players that could be the favorites to hoist the Bill Russell Trophy as the 2026 NBA Finals MVP.
JUNE 5 / 5:05 ET
Wemby knows he must be better
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are looking to take Game 2 at home against the New York Knicks as the 2026 NBA Finals continue.
The 2026 World Cup is almost here. After years of build-up, dramatic qualifiers and numerous good – and bad – news stories surrounding FIFA’s flagship finals, players and coaches from around the world are completing their last preparations while descending on the United States, Mexico and Canada for the biggest international football tournament to ever have been staged.
But while excitement continues to build ahead of kick-off in Mexico City on June 11, fans around the globe have also found themselves holding their breath on numerous occasions over the past few weeks whenever a big-name player goes down with an injury, or looking on with dismay at the decision to leave a big name out of their country’s squad.
And so, while some of the planet’s biggest names won’t be strutting their stuff due to nation’s their failure to qualify, there is already now a substantial list of players who have missed on selection from the qualified nations, either due to injury or because they didn’t impress their respective managers enough to make the cut…
Cole Palmer (England)
There are teams with more depth than England right now, and Thomas Tuchel could easily have selected two squads that would have had a decent chance of going deep into this summer’s tournament. Even so, it came as quite a shock when the Three Lions boss opted to omit Cole Palmer from his final 26.
It’s true that Palmer has struggled with form and fitness over the past season at Chelsea, but there is no doubt when it comes to his game-changing abilities either as a starter or off the bench. He’s also an experienced penalty-taker, but the man who scored England’s goal in the Euro 2024 final wasn’t on the plane to North America two years later.
Palmer is in good company in that regard, too. Recent tournament stalwarts Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw all failed to make the cut, while there was genuine shock that none of Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarrod Bowen, Adam Wharton or Lewis Hall found their way into the final squad given their impressive individual campaigns in the Premier League.
Joao Pedro (Brazil)
Palmer was not the only Chelsea star to be surprisingly left at home, either, as Carlo Ancelotti chose to leave Joao Pedro out of his Brazil squad despite the forward’s 20-goal campaign at Stamford Bridge.
Pedro had looked to have been in pole position for the Selecao’s coveted No.9 shirt after starting the second of their March friendlies, a 3-1 win over Croatia, up front. However, he was overlooked in favour of Brentford’s Igor Thiago, meaning he will have to wait to add to his eight international caps.
The likes of Richarlison, Savinho and Joelinton also missed out on selection, highlighting the wealth of players available to Ancelotti ahead of his first major tournament as coach – and that’s without getting into those who were already ruled out through injury…
Rodrygo (Brazil)
Ex-Real Madrid boss Ancelotti was unable to call upon one of his former charges, Rodrygo, this summer after the forward suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in early March.
Having just returned from a previous spell on the sidelines, Rodrygo went down clutching his right knee during Madrid’s win over Getafe. His worst fears were subsequently confirmed after undergoing scans the following day, meaning the 25-year-old will miss out on the chance for redemption after having his penalty saved during the Selecao’s shootout loss to Croatia in the quarter-finals of the 2022 tournament.
Brazil seem to have been bitten by the injury bug more than most, with Rodrygo’s Madrid team-mate Eder Militao also missing after being forced to undergo thigh surgery in April. Militao has been beset by fitness issues in recent years, most notably tearing the ACLs in both his knees in the space of 15 months, and is now set to be out of action until October.
Perhaps the most disappointing of all Brazil’s absentees is that of teenage sensation Estevao, who suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Chelsea in April that he was unable to recover from in time. Given the 19-year-old had scored five goals in his last six international appearances, it’s a real shame that he won’t be able to strut his stuff on the biggest stage of all this summer.
Dean Huijsen (Spain)
While Brazil were unable to select two of their Real Madrid representatives, Spain have made the historic choice not to include any member of Los Blancos’ squad for the first time in their World Cup history.
The most surprising omission to that end was Dean Huijsen, who had endured an up-and-down first season at the Bernabeu following his summer arrival from Bournemouth, but was still expected to not just be part of Luis de la Fuente’s roster this summer, but start for the European champions, given he had been named to the line up on six of the previous seven occasions he had been available for La Roja.
At the other end of his career, Dani Carvajal may have played his final game for his country after the veteran right-back was also left at home.
Spain have suffered from injuries, too, with the most notable absentee on that front being Fermin Lopez. At the end of a season in which he produced 30 combined goals and assists, the Barcelona midfielder suffered a broken foot that required surgery and thus ruled him out of the upcoming tournament. Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, meanwhile, suffered a torn ACL in February.
Eduardo Camavinga (France)
There was further bad news for another member of the Real Madrid team from France manager Didier Deschamps, as he chose to leave out Eduardo Camavinga for what will be the coach’s final tournament in charge.
Camavinga endured a difficult second half of the season in the Spanish capital, and given he was already slipping down Les Bleus’ midfield pecking order, it perhaps came as no surprise when he didn’t make the final 26.
Hugo Ekitike (France)
Deschamps already knew, meanwhile, that he would have to cope without Hugo Ekitike after the forward suffered a ruptured Achilles in April that is set to rule him out of action for the remainder of 2026.
Ekitike only made his international debut in September, but had firmly established himself in within France’s attacking ranks following an impressive debut season at Liverpool that saw him score 17 goals for Arne Slot’s side, while he even netted what proved to be the winner in Les Bleus’ friendly victory over Brazil in March.
However, he will now be forced to watch on from afar this summer.
Xavi Simons (Netherlands)
After reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2024, the Netherlands believe they are capable of challenging for glory this summer. Their hopes, however, have suffered a major blow after it was confirmed in late April that Xavi Simons had torn his ACL while playing for Tottenham against Wolves.
While Simons struggled for consistency during his debut season in the Premier League following his arrival from RB Leipzig, he has emerged as one of Ronald Koeman’s most dependable operators during the current World Cup cycle, while his ability to produce something from nothing in attack will be sorely missed by an Oranje squad that otherwise lacks game-breaking talents.
Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt is in a similar boat after he was forced to undergo back surgery for the injury that had kept him out of action at Old Trafford since the end of November. De Ligt had hoped he would be able to put off the procedure until after this summer’s tournament, but was eventually forced to admit defeat.
Koeman, meanwhile, chose to leave out Liverpool’s flying full-back Jeremie Frimpong andAZ Alkmaar’s highly-rated and in-demand midfielder, Kees Smit.
Serge Gnabry (Germany)
Germany head to the World Cup with some question marks regarding how they will score goals in North America, and Julian Nagelsmann would have hoped that Serge Gnabry could play a key role in ensuring Die Mannschaft’s attack was able to function, given he had scored in four of their previous seven games ahead of their squad being announced.
However, after a strong season for Bayern Munich where Gnabry shone as a No.10 behind the free-flowing frontline of Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz, returning double-figures for both goals and assists, he suffered a torn adductor during training in April that meant, just like in 2018, he would not be available for selection.
Kaoru Mitoma (Japan)
Japan have been spoken of as potential dark horses for the tournament, with the Samurai Blue having put together one of the strongest squads to ever represent an Asian nation. However, if they are to go past the last 16 for the first time in their World Cup history, Japan will have to do without arguably their best player, Kaoru Mitoma.
The winger, who scored the winning goal against England in March’s friendly, suffered a hamstring injury in the closing weeks of the Premier League season while playing for Brighton, and will not recover in time to be able to play a meaningful part at this summer’s tournament.
With Takumi Minamino already having been ruled out after suffering a torn ACL in December, Japan’s attacking options do not look as potent as they might have had were they not struck by the injury bug.
Johnny Cardoso (United States)
While no player wants to miss out on selection for a World Cup, it hurts even more for those who were set to represent a host nation. It’s hard not to feel sorry for United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso, then, as he was forced to undergo ankle surgery in May that put pay to any hope of the Atletico Madrid man making it into Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
He joins striker Patrick Agyemang in being forced to watch on from home after the forward suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury while playing for Derby County in April. Agyemang had played in both of the U.S.’ March friendlies, scoring against Portugal to take his international goal tally to six in just 14 appearances, but will have to wait to add to that tally now.
Somewhat controversially, Pochettino opted against selecting attacking midfielder Diego Luna, despite the Real Salt Lake star having been one of the USMNT’s most consistent performers over the past 12 months.
Luis Angel Malagon (Mexico)
Fellow co-hosts Mexico have also been dealt an injury blow ahead of the tournament after first-choice goalkeeper Luis Angel Malagon ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for Club America in the CONCACAF Champions League, meaning El Tri will be without the Golden Glove winner from last year’s Gold Cup for this tournament.
However, while one player’s World Cup dream ends, it presents an opportunity for someone else to step up, and Malagon’s absence has opened the door for veteran shot-stopper Guillermo Ochoa to feature at his sixth World Cup on the eve of his 41st birthday.
Christoph Baumgartner (Austria)
Coaches and fans alike are now praying that no more injuries befall their teams during their pre-tournament training camps and warm-up friendlies. However, a couple of key men have already been forced to withdraw from the tournament in the final days before the big kick-off.
Coming off a season where he scored 17 goals and provided eight assists for RB Leipzig, Christoph Baumgartner was expected to be a key player for Austria this summer. However, in the pre-match warm-up for his country’s friendly against Tunisia, the attacking midfielder pulled up before exiting the pitch.
Already fearing the worst, it was confirmed the following day that Baumgartner would require surgery on a torn thigh muscle and thus would not be heading to North America.
Scotland are also counting the cost of their pre-tournament outings as key midfielder Billy Gilmour suffered a knee injury in the victory over Curacao at Hampden Park that means the Napoli man was forced to pull out of Steve Clarke’s squad.
