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🏈 Five things to know Thursday
- The Chiefs sent CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams in a blockbuster deal. It appears Rams GM Les Snead is back in F— them picks mode. Los Angeles sent four picks, including a 2026 first-round selection, to Kansas City in exchange for the two-time All-Pro. Despite the high acquisition cost for the Rams, no one got fleeced in this deal. Both teams scored high marks in our trade grades.
- Stefon Diggs will be released by the Patriots. Sticking in the NFL, a big-name receiver is about to hit the free agency market when March 11 rolls around. That’s because the Patriots plan to release Diggs after just one season, and the veteran wideout should have some options after posting 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. The Titans should be one of the teams to keep an eye on as they look to surround Cam Ward with some more reliable options.
- The USWNT topped Canada to take control of the SheBelieves Cup. The United States and Canada have had a few heated battles in sports lately, and the latest round came on the pitch with the Americans prevailing once again. Ally Sentnor’s goal gave the Americans a 1-0 win in the SheBelieves Cup. It was a huge victory because if the USWNT gets a win or draw against Colombia on Saturday, it wins the tournament.
- Australia kicked off the World Baseball Classic with a 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei. Baseball’s international best-on-best showcase is officially underway, the Australians notched the first win of the tournament. Team USA gets started on Friday, and here is everything you need to know about the World Baseball Classic, including the rules, pools and how to tune in for each game.
- Legendary Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz has died at 89. In more somber news, college football has lost a national champion, Hall of Fame coach and larger-than-life personality with the death of Holtz. He guided Notre Dame to a national championship in 1988 and went 249-132-7 in his entire coaching career. After his coaching career ended, Holtz became a media star thanks to his eccentricity and passion for college football.
🏀 Do not miss this: Women’s conference tourney picks
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Conference tournament season is already underway, and the major conferences in women’s basketball will crown a champion this weekend. That being the case, our experts have logged their conference tourney winner predictions, and there are a couple of surprises in the mix.
I really hope I’m not spoiling anything, but all four experts picked UConn to run the table in the Big East Tournament. That said, No. 3 South Carolina was not a unanimous selection in the SEC. Isabel Gonzalez was the contrarian there, and she explains why Texas is the team to beat in Greenville, South Carolina.
- Gonzalez: “My SEC pick of Texas over South Carolina might be a little bold, especially since the tournament is in South Carolina. However, the Longhorns are one of the only two teams to defeat South Carolina this season and they have the added incentive of trying to cement their status as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.”
If you want more analysis, check out our conference tournament bold predictions. Also, be sure to keep track of the updated schedules and scores from the Big Ten and SEC tournaments.
🏈 NFL mock draft: Chiefs restock the cupboard
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The Chiefs have already undergone some changes this offseason — and more could soon be on the way with major questions about Travis Kelce‘s future. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Kansas City just missed the postseason for the first time since 2014. Maybe some new blood will reinvigorate the franchise.
There’s no better time to kickstart that next chapter than next month’s NFL Draft, and the Chiefs just loaded up on selections with the McDuffie trade. In his latest NFL mock draft, Tom Fornelli projects Kansas City finding a long-term replacement for Kelce in Kenyon Sadiq and nabbing a threat off the edge in Cashius Howell.
- Fornelli: “The Chiefs move down a few spots, accumulate some extra picks and then draft a long-term Travis Kelce replacement. It’ll be a lot of fun to see what Andy Reid cooks up with both Kelce and Sadiq on the field together.”
While we’re at it, the NFL is in the midst of silly season, and Jonathan Jones has all the latest intel on the trade and free agent markets. Check out his latest for updates on…
- Maxx Crosby trade buzz
- Potential Kyler Murray destinations
- The future of A.J. Brown in Philadelphia
⛳ Arnold Palmer Invitational preview
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The stars will be out for the third signature event of the 2026 PGA Tour season, and it should be a good time at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. As usual, Patrick McDonald has a thorough preview of the event, as well as some picks for the people.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are among the favorites this weekend. That said, don’t sleep on Tommy Fleetwood, who just happens to be McDonald’s winner pick at 20-1.
- McDonald: “Fleetwood has flown out of the gates with two straight top 10 finishes to start his PGA Tour season, picking up where he left off a season ago. He hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in the United States since last year’s U.S. Open and is playing as well as anyone. Another big win appears imminent.”
McIlroy has already made some waves this season and this week. His hot start to the PGA Tour season has him right on the heels of Scheffler in our updated Power 18 rankings. Plus, McIlroy took a verbal swipe at Jon Rahm over his frustrations with the DP World Tour.
👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
📺 What we’re watching Thursday
⚾ World Baseball Classic: Czechia vs. South Korea, 5 a.m. on FS1
🏀 SEC Tournament: No. 17 Kentucky vs. No. 22 Georgia (W), 11 a.m. on SEC Network
🏀 SEC Tournament: Florida vs. No. 7 Oklahoma (W), 1:30 p.m. on SEC Network
🏀 Big Ten Tournament: Indiana vs. Ohio State (W), 2:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
⚽ Crystal Palace at Tottenham, 3 p.m. on USA Network
🏀 Big Ten Tournament: Illinois vs. No. 18 Michigan State (W), 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
🏒 Sabres at Penguins, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 No. 3 Michigan at Iowa (M), 8 p.m. on Peacock
🏒 Islanders at Kings, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ World Baseball Classic: Australia vs. Czechia, 10 p.m. on FS1