The Vikings star issues a challenge to his teammate
The Further Review
The Vikings star issues a challenge to his teammate ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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April 21, 2026 |
Most disappointing MLB team so far? |
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| THE BREAKDOWN |
Minnesota’s QB Officially On Notice |
What Happened: Today, it’s time to appreciate Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Not for any of his on the field accomplishments, of which there are plenty. No, Jefferson earns a tip of the cap here for shooting one of his teammates straight and avoiding one of the most insulting traps football players can fall into. |
Why You Care: When an NFL team takes a quarterback high in the draft, it’s time for the rest of the organization to fall in line and support that player no matter what. The next few seasons hinge on that player’s development, so supporting him is crucial, even when the play isn’t matching the draft slot.
That’s how you get Jets teammates raving about Zach Wilson’s “swag” and Steelers players marvelling at Kenny Pickett taking “the huddle by the horns”. That need to prop up the team’s anointed QB by any means is why members of the Colts were claiming Anthony Richardson was “still my dog” despite his lack of production, and why Bryce Young is described as “gritty” and someone who “never varies or wavers” by fellow Carolina Panthers.
To be fair, these are mostly vague platitudes that don’t touch on whether these guys can actually play the position in the NFL or not, but you get the idea — teammates will rave about quarterbacks at all costs.
Not Justin Jefferson, not anymore. While Jefferson isn’t trashing J.J. McCarthy or anything like that, in a refreshing twist, the star wideout acknowledged what everyone, including McCarthy knows: it's put up or shut up time. When talking about Kyler Murray’s arrival in Minnesota, Jefferson put it on McCarthy to “step it up a little bit” in response.
“[I]t's good for him to feel that type of pressure and to really lock in a little bit and say, 'It's either now or I'm going to take that back seat again,’” is how Jefferson put it. And he’s right! Pretending that all is well and that McCarthy has played like some Pro Bowler would obviously be folly. Otherwise, why would Murray be wearing purple and gold? Instead, Jefferson is doing his teammate a favor by addressing the obvious and challenging him to improve while also being supportive.
Jefferson went on to detail all the hard work McCarthy is putting in during the offseason, nodding to the work ethic and commitment the young QB is displaying. But to pretend that McCarthy is in a QB battle entering 2026 because his development has gone swimmingly would be incoherent; we know because players make similar claims about their teammates all the time! So good for JJettas treating everyone like adults and facing some obvious truths head on. It’s better than hearing that Trey Lance is still a baller or whatever. |
| TODAY's LINEUP |
Keep An Eye On... |
A rare opportunity for me to play the "told you so" card, which I will do here since it won’t happen too often.
Just a few days ago in this very newsletter, I asked if the Los Angeles Dodgers’ signing of Edwin Diaz was a bad idea, specifically using the phrase "damaged goods." Diaz had a rocky start to the season, with his velocity ticking down and some poor results. The nature of being a closer means that guys are throwing as hard as they can basically every outing — it’s why we see closers blow out so often.
Well, that’s exactly what happened here. Yesterday, the Dodgers announced that Diaz is headed for surgery due to “loose bodies” in his right elbow and is set to miss at least three months. It’s an unavoidable danger of the position, unfortunately, and also a reminder that not everything the Dodgers do is a gold-plated success. |
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The 2026 Cincinnati Bengals will… |
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