Minnesota Teams

Timberwolves had quite the return Monday night — star Anthony Edwards came back from a six-game absence, but missed the opening tip-off because he had to use the bathroom. Nature calls, even for NBA stars. The good news is he's back; the bad news is fellow forward Jaden McDaniels is now listed week-to-week with a knee injury, leaving Minnesota a bit shorthanded right when the playoff push matters most.

In sad news off the court, former Vikings safety Joey Browner passed away at 65. Browner was a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro selection during the 1980s and is a member of the Vikings' Ring of Honor — one of the franchise's all-time greats.

---

NFL

The biggest offseason storyline in Minnesota: the Vikings have a genuine quarterback competition brewing. Coach Kevin O'Connell addressed the race between Kyler Murray and second-year man J.J. McCarthy at the NFL Annual Meeting, with veteran Carson Wentz potentially in the mix too. It's a big decision for a team with playoff ambitions.

The NFL is also floating the idea of an 18-game regular season, which got a mixed reaction from owners and coaches at this week's league meetings. More games means more money, but also more wear on players. Separately, the NFL announced plans for a professional flag football league tied to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

---

NBA

The big off-court story: the Chicago Bulls waived Jaden Ivey — a top-five pick just four years ago — after he posted anti-LGBTQ remarks online. The team called it "conduct detrimental to the team." It's a stunning fall for a highly touted young player.

The MVP race is heating up late in the season. Lakers coach JJ Redick is publicly campaigning for Luka Doncic, while Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (widely considered the other frontrunner) is staying cool, simply saying he lets his game do the talking. Separately, LeBron James' future this summer is the talk of the league — insiders are weighing in on whether he returns to the Lakers, heads back to Cleveland, or goes somewhere unexpected.

---

MLB

The 2026 season is just five days old, and the early sensation is Joey Wiemer of the Washington Nationals, who reached base safely in his first 10 plate appearances of the season — tying a record set by Carlos Delgado. Going 8-for-8 with two walks to start a season is extraordinarily rare.

In a quirky piece of history, Twins manager Derek Shelton was ejected in what's believed to be the first-ever ejection resulting from an argument over the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system — baseball's new tech-assisted strike zone review. Early power rankings have the Dodgers and Blue Jays near the top after opening week.

---

NHL

Vegas made a dramatic move: the Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy and hired John Tortorella just as the playoff race hits its final stretch. Tortorella is one of the most experienced (and fiery) coaches in the league — a bold shakeup for a team trying to right the ship before the postseason.

The surprise story of the season is the Buffalo Sabres, who are ending one of the longest playoff droughts in pro sports and are looking like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. On the individual side, Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was poised Monday night to tie or break an NHL record for rookie goals by a defenseman.

---

College Sports

March Madness is down to the Final Four in the men's tournament, and the big storyline is Duke's stunning collapse — the No. 1 overall seed blew a 19-point lead to UConn in the Elite Eight. Duke joins a long list of top overall seeds who failed to reach the Final Four, reinforcing that the top seed is no guarantee of anything in March. UConn and Illinois are set to meet in one Final Four matchup.

On the women's side, all four No. 1 seeds — UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina — made it to the Final Four for the second straight year, setting up a high-profile clash of the sport's best programs.

---

Other Sports

Tottenham Hotspur fired manager Igor Tudor after just 44 days on the job, making him their third coach of the season. The London club is dangerously close to relegation in the Premier League — meaning they could be dropped to a lower division — which is a stunning situation for one of England's most storied clubs.

In golf, the Masters at Augusta is right around the corner, and the Valero Texas Open is this week serving as one of the last tune-ups before the sport's most prestigious major.

Minnesota will also host the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in just 82 days, welcoming 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches from all 50 states — a big moment for the state.