Missouri Tigers tailback Ahmad Hardy is in a stable condition following surgery after being shot at a concert in Mississippi early on Sunday morning.
The university announced on Monday that the first-team All-SEC selection is currently recovering in hospital.
Missouri officials have stated that a specific timeline for his return to competitive football activities remains entirely unknown.
University rallies behind recovering star
The athletic department released an official statement expressing their continued backing for the standout athlete during his rehabilitation.
“Ahmad is deeply loved by his teammates, coaches, friends, family and fans.”
“We will continue to stand beside him and his family through this difficult time, offering our love, prayers, strength and support.”
A dominant force in college football
The Mississippi native established himself as one of the premier offensive threats in the nation during his most recent campaign.
He finished second among all Football Bowl Subdivision players by amassing an impressive 1,649 rushing yards.
Earning SEC Newcomer of the Year honours, the prolific runner also found the end zone 16 times while averaging 6.4 yards across his 256 attempts.
Prior to his arrival at Missouri, the highly rated talent spent the 2024 season competing for UL Monroe.
During his time with that programme, he recorded 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns on 237 carries before securing his high-profile transfer.
John Harbaugh will make his New York Giants coaching debut when they host NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys in the opening Sunday Night Football game of the 2026 season on 13 September.
The NFL confirmed the primetime fixture on Monday, marking the eighth time since 2012 that the two divisional foes have met in week one.
Recent Dallas dominance
The visiting side will arrive at MetLife Stadium holding a distinct historical advantage in these early-season encounters.
Dallas have emerged victorious in six of their past seven opening-weekend clashes against the New York franchise.
This broader trend of dominance extends across the regular season, with the Texas-based outfit winning nine of the last 10 meetings between the sides over the past five years.
Rebuilding a struggling squad
The demanding opening fixture presents an immediate challenge for the newly appointed head coach.
The former Baltimore Ravens boss took charge in January following a highly successful 18-year tenure in Maryland.
He inherits a struggling squad that has languished at the bottom of the NFC East standings for two consecutive seasons.
The four-time Super Bowl champions have managed to secure just a single post-season appearance since 2016.
The New York Jets have signed running back Breece Hall to a three-year contract extension worth $45.75m, securing one of their key offensive players.
The lucrative agreement includes $29m in guaranteed money for the standout offensive weapon.
With an average annual salary of $15.25m, the 25-year-old now ranks as the NFL’s third-highest-paid player at his position behind Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey.
He had previously received the franchise tag in February, which would have forced him to play the 2026 campaign on a $14.3m one-year deal had a long-term agreement not been reached.
Surviving the trade deadline
The significant financial commitment represents a dramatic shift in direction after the former second-round draft pick was heavily linked with a trade away from Florham Park last autumn.
General manager Darren Mougey opted to retain the prolific rusher to build around him, despite offloading star defenders Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the November deadline.
Negotiations were temporarily paused in March to accommodate draft preparations before concluding successfully this week with his representatives at Klutch Sports.
“Cried for the first time since I tore my ACL. This day really hit different for me man.”
The emotional reaction was shared by the player on the social media platform X shortly after the agreement became public.
A rare bright spark for a struggling franchise
The dynamic ball-carrier amassed a career-best 1,065 rushing yards during the 2025 season despite operating within a struggling team that finished with a dismal 3-14 record.
His production through the air was less impactful, yielding just 36 receptions, though new offensive coordinator Frank Reich will be tasked with better utilising those receiving skills.
Since entering the professional ranks, the explosive runner has accumulated 5,040 total scrimmage yards over four seasons.
He will now serve as a primary building block alongside wide receiver Garrett Wilson and newly drafted rookies Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr as the franchise attempts to rebuild.
Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will miss the entire 2026 NFL season after being placed on the reserve list with a long-standing neck issue.
The 26-year-old has not taken to the field since October 2024.
He sustained the severe injury while attempting to tackle Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry, which led to a brief hospitalisation.
Recovery timeline remains uncertain
This marks the second consecutive year the Ohio franchise has moved the defender to the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Doubts over his immediate playing future had already been raised earlier this year.
“I wasn’t overly optimistic,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry admitted at the NFL combine in February when discussing the linebacker’s availability for the 2026 campaign.
From Pro Bowl peak to academic pursuits
The former Notre Dame standout had established himself as a premier talent prior to his prolonged absence.
He earned his first Pro Bowl selection during a stellar 2023 campaign, registering a career-high 101 tackles.
That exceptional form prompted Cleveland to reward him with a three-year contract extension worth up to $39m (£30.8m) in August 2024.
Focusing on life off the pitch
With his professional sporting career temporarily on hold, the American is shifting his attention to the classroom.
He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School this autumn.
The Minnesota Vikings have agreed a one-year deal worth up to $13m with free-agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
The 28-year-old’s arrival provides crucial offensive depth behind star pass-catching duo Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
He directly replaces Jalen Nailor, who departed for the Las Vegas Raiders on a lucrative three-year contract in March.
Searching for proven quality
Head coach Kevin O’Connell specifically targeted an established veteran to support his formidable receiving corps.
While the franchise possesses promising second-year talent in Tai Felton, the recent draft pick saw limited action during his rookie campaign.
The Minnesota offence also required reinforcements following the retirement of emergency backup Adam Thielen at the end of last season.
Overcoming injury setbacks
The former San Francisco 49ers pass-catcher endured a challenging final season in California hampered by rib, ankle and shoulder issues.
Despite those physical setbacks, the aggressive blocker still managed to lead his former employers with nine receiving touchdowns last term.
That gritty performance followed a spectacular 2024 campaign where he amassed 77 catches for 975 yards.
An emotional departure
The 2020 draft pick had established himself as a fierce competitor renowned for successfully agitating opposition defenders.
A highly anticipated long-term extension with the Niners ultimately failed to materialise after a frustrating contract stalemate during training camp.
The departing playmaker previously expressed deep emotion when discussing the possibility of leaving the franchise that originally drafted him.
Four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to visit the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend with the intention of playing for the franchise during the 2026 NFL season.
While no formal agreement is currently in place, sources indicate the veteran caller is highly likely to commit his future to the Pennsylvania organisation.
Steelers president Art Rooney II previously expressed confidence that the situation would be resolved shortly, despite an initial expectation of a definitive answer prior to the NFL draft.
However, general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike McCarthy have both insisted there is no strict deadline for the 42-year-old to make his final decision.
Khan indicated that ongoing negotiations with the unattached free agent have “all been positive and good.”
Exclusive negotiating rights secured
In order to protect their interests while the former Green Bay Packer evaluated his options, Pittsburgh applied a rarely used unrestricted free agent tender late last month.
This strategic move ensures the team will receive a compensatory draft pick should the seasoned signal-caller choose to sign elsewhere.
If he accepts the tender, he will receive a 10% pay increase from his previous salary, guaranteeing him approximately $15m for the upcoming campaign.
Furthermore, the tender grants the Steelers exclusive negotiating rights if he remains unsigned by 22 July, or the start of the team’s training camp.
A successful reunion in Pittsburgh
The future Hall of Famer adapted seamlessly to life in Pittsburgh during the 2025 season after signing a one-year contract ahead of their June minicamp.
Despite fracturing his wrist and missing a Week 12 clash against the Chicago Bears, he still guided the team to a 10-6 record across his 16 starts.
He concluded the year having completed 65.7% of his passes, throwing 24 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions.
Committing to the 2026 season would extend his successful reunion with McCarthy, under whom he famously won a Super Bowl championship following the 2010 season.
Free agent quarterback Russell Wilson is weighing a contract offer to join the New York Jets against a potential move into television broadcasting.
The 37-year-old visited the franchise last week to discuss becoming the primary backup to current starting quarterback Geno Smith.
However, the veteran passer is also holding discussions with CBS Sports regarding a studio analyst role for their NFL coverage.
Decision looms for experienced playmaker
Speaking at a charity event in New York on Wednesday, the former Seattle Seahawks star confirmed he has multiple options on the table.
“They offered me, and I’m trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do,” he told the New York Post.
“I still know I can play ball at a high level, but I also have the opportunity to do TV, so we’ll see what happens.”
The Jets are eager to add valuable experience to a depth chart that currently features inexperienced backups Bailey Zappe, Brady Cook and rookie fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik.
Reuniting with a familiar face
Accepting the proposal would reunite the seasoned play-caller with Smith, with whom he shared a quarterback room for three seasons in Seattle.
The Jets consulted Smith on potential additions to the roster, and the established starter reportedly spoke highly of his former colleague.
Wilson spent last season on a $10.5m (£8.3m) one-year deal with the New York Giants, but was benched after starting the campaign with three consecutive defeats.
Meanwhile, newly appointed Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich has thrown his full support behind Smith as the undisputed leader of the offense.
“We’re getting the best version of who he is,” Reich stated during his first media availability.
“And I think his best football’s ahead of him.”
Las Vegas Raiders’ number one draft pick Fernando Mendoza will skip the Indiana Hoosiers’ celebratory visit to the White House to focus on his rookie preparations.
The 22-year-old was instrumental in leading Indiana to their first ever national championship.
The championship-winning team has been invited to Washington D.C. on 11 May by US President Donald Trump to commemorate their success.
However, the Heisman Trophy winner has opted out of the trip, citing a desire to make a strong impression on his new NFL employers.
Rookie prioritises team practice
The Boston-born star expressed concerns that attending the presidential reception would conflict with the Raiders’ Organised Team Activities (OTAs).
“If it is on the first day of OTAs, like I said, I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here,” Mendoza explained.
“I’ve got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice.”
The quarterback emphasised that his primary goal is to serve his new teammates as he transitions to the professional level.
“I don’t know anything official. I don’t have the calendar, but as a rookie I don’t think that’s a good look,” he added.
Scheduling discrepancy and college legacy
Despite the player’s scheduling concerns, the official Las Vegas Raiders website lists their rookie workouts as beginning on 18 May.
This timeline leaves a one-week gap between the White House ceremony and the start of official team activities in Nevada.
The first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft leaves behind a historic collegiate legacy before moving to Las Vegas.
The former Hoosiers quarterback threw for 222 yards to secure a 13-10 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game.
He later completed 16 passes for 186 yards and rushed for a touchdown as Indiana defeated the Miami Hurricanes 27-21 to claim the national title.