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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his team will need to deliver their best performance of the season against Paris Saint-Germain if they are to book their place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Liverpool have a narrow advantage in the round-of-16 tie after beating PSG 1-0 in the first leg, despite the hosts dominating at the Parc des Princes. Slot conceded last week that his team were "very lucky" to win the match, and he has now called on his players to up their game in the second leg.
"I think [Liverpool will need to give the best performance of the season] because this is the most complete team we've faced so far," Slot told a news conference on Monday.
"Of course, we've faced Arsenal and Manchester City. It's not that there are big margins, but the intensity [PSG] played at combined with the quality they have -- let's be honest, we are talking about the richest club -- so they have so much quality and a great manager because he brings the best out of every player.
"He brings incredible work rate in the team, so that's why I think we need to be at our best tomorrow.
"I wasn't surprised at all about [PSG's] performance. They've impressed me a lot. Before the game last week, I watched a lot of their games and I was really impressed with the intensity they play at, the team cohesion, the rotations in the midfield.
"They are such a complete team, such a well-managed team and we experienced that last Wednesday. Some people said we played poor, I don't agree. I think they played tremendously well.
"I don't think we've faced this season a team that combines that quality with that much intensity but I do think we can do better. I'm not saying we play poor or not good at all but we are a better team than we were last week, and that's something we have to prove tomorrow with the help of our fans."
Slot's sentiments were echoed by forward Diogo Jota, who started last week's clash in Paris.
Asked whether it was the toughest game Liverpool have faced this season, Jota said: "Yes I think so, at least in my opinion. I obviously missed some games this season but I think the way the game went was not the plan.
"I think that shows as well that, even though things were not going well, we worked hard and stayed in the game to take our opportunity. That means a lot as well as it shows the character this team has. That's very positive to take into the remainder of the season.
"They had the ball more than we expected. They dominated the game, they created chances. Obviously, we were too far away from their goal a lot of the time but in the end we won the game.
"We know that tomorrow with our fans, we want to show a different face and the game will be different for sure but, in the end, we just want to go through."
MLS Power Rankings: Miami stay on top as Galaxy in free fall
The 2025 MLS season is now firmly underway, which means it's time for ESPN's Power Rankings.
Who's climbing the table? Who's in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 3 to come up with this week's order of all 30 teams in the league. Let's dive in.
1. Inter Miami CF
Previous ranking: 1
Can Inter Miami play a normal game of soccer? It doesn't look like it, no. Their 1-0 win over Charlotte on Sunday featured a red card to goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, forcing Javier Mascherano to dip down to third goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo given Drake Callender's injury. Miami win wild, but they win.
2. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 2
One of only two perfect teams left in MLS, the Union beat New England 2-0 on the road this weekend. Tai Baribo scored his sixth goal of the year in the process, which puts him level with Ante Razov's 1999 record for the most goals scored in the first three games of an MLS season.
3. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 4
Speaking of perfect teams, raise your hand if you had Vancouver snagging three wins from three games to start 2025? Nobody? Despite dealing with Concacaf Champions Cup play, Jesper Sørensen's team topped Montreal 2-0 to extend their unbeaten streak to five games across all competitions.
4. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 8
Cincinnati didn't have to get out of first gear to beat Toronto 2-0 on Saturday. Notably, star attacker Luca Orellano played his first MLS minutes of 2025 after a preseason contract dispute. Pat Noonan's squad is inching closer to full strength ahead of a big CCC clash with Tigres this week.
5. LAFC
Previous ranking: 3
It's hard to fault LAFC too much for losing on the road in Seattle this weekend with a rotated squad during Champions Cup play. Losing 5-2? Yeah, it doesn't look good, but wake us up when LAFC get blown out with more than a single DP on the field.
6. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 5
The Crew are holding steady without Cucho Hernández ... in MLS play. They fell to LAFC in the Concacaf Champions Cup midweek, but bounced back nicely with a controlled 0-0 draw against Houston over the weekend. Wilfried Nancy needs one more star attacker, but the Crew haven't fallen apart without their talisman in 2025.
7. Minnesota United
Previous ranking: 9
The Loons haven't played a single flashy game in 2025, but they sure are playing a lot of effective soccer. A 1-0 road win against San Jose is a lot more notable this year than it was last, now that Bruce Arena is in charge of the Quakes, and Kelvin Yeboah keeps scoring.
8. Charlotte FC
Previous ranking: 7
Charlotte's inability to create chances against a deeper defense was a concern last year and it remains one in 2025. Even with Wilfried Zaha on the wing, Dean Smith's team managed just nine shots with 57% possession in a 1-0 loss to Inter Miami.
9. San Diego FC
Previous ranking: 23
They left it late, but San Diego secured a 3-1 win on the road against Salt Lake on Saturday. Missing Hirving "Chucky" Lozano due to injury, Anders Dreyer and Marcus Ingvartsen both stepped up in second-half stoppage time.
Marcus Ingvartsen scores in the 95th minute to give San Diego a 3-1 win vs. Real Salt Lake.
10. Seattle Sounders
Previous ranking: 21
On the day Jordan Morris became the Sounders' all-time leading scorer, Seattle topped LAFC 5-2 at Lumen Field. Yet another injury to Pedro de la Vega soured the occasion slightly, but Sounders fans won't soon forget Morris' record-breaking goal.
11. Colorado Rapids
Previous ranking: 17
With Djordje Mihailovic pulling the strings as a narrow left winger in Chris Armas' new 4-3-3 shape, the Rapids found a first-half breakthrough against Austin and never looked back in a 1-0 road win.
12. San Jose Earthquakes
Previous ranking: 6
Bruce Arena's Quakes are, in fact, beatable. San Jose fell 1-0 to Minnesota, although they still had some impressive attacking moments even with No. 10 Hernan Lopez serving a card suspension.
13. New York Red Bulls
Previous ranking: 10
Traveling to Atlanta to take on the Five Stripes, the Red Bulls gutted out a 0-0 draw at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Sandro Schwarz's team was a step behind the pace in the first half, but some big saves from Carlos Coronel kept them level.
14. St. Louis City SC
Previous ranking: 15
Keeping their third-straight clean sheet to start 2025? Check. Scoring their first (three) goal(s) of 2025? Check. Beating last year's MLS Cup winners on their turf? Check. Sunday's 3-0 win over the Galaxy was a big one for St. Louis.
Simon Becher scores a goal in the second half and gives St. Louis a 3-0 win vs. LA Galaxy.
15. Atlanta United
Previous ranking: 12
Despite a strong first 45 minutes, Atlanta couldn't push past the Red Bulls in an eventual 0-0 draw on Saturday. Ronny Deila's team is still a work in progress at both ends, but getting left-back Pedro Amador back from injury was a solid step.
16. New York City FC
Previous ranking: 16
On the 10-year anniversary of their first-ever game, New York City topped Orlando City 2-1 on Saturday. The standout was 17-year-old Jonny Shore starting in midfield for Pascal Jansen's team. Shore moved the ball cleanly, ranged from one box to the other, and looked assured.
17. D.C. United
Previous ranking: 25
Despite having an underwhelming offseason, D.C. are yet to lose a game in 2025 -- and they even won their first match of the year with a 2-1 win over Kansas City this past weekend. United are generating a bit of real momentum here.
18. Chicago Fire
Previous ranking: 24
With a trio of goals after the 81st minute, the Fire came back to claim three points on the road in a 3-1 win over Dallas. Brian Gutiérrez continues to show his quality on the ball, while Hugo Cuypers looks increasingly like a superstar up top.
19. FC Dallas
Previous ranking: 13
Although Dallas jumped out to a lead via Logan Farrington in the second half, late concessions turned a would-be win into a devastating 3-1 home defeat for Eric Quill's team. There's still work to do in Frisco.
20. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 11
Despite Luis Muriel scoring a rare goal in a rare start up top for Orlando, the Lions fell 2-1 on the road to New York City exactly 10 years after the two teams met for the first time.
21. Real Salt Lake
Previous ranking: 14
RSL managed a wonderfully aesthetic goal against San Diego, only to concede three unanswered and crumble in second-half stoppage time in a 3-1 home defeat. The defense, which has conceded seven goals in three matches, needs to tighten up.
22. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 22
Although they had two penalties saved, Nashville still managed a 2-0 win over Portland. B.J. Callaghan's squad ran all over the Timbers at Geodis Park, with Edvard Tagseth putting in a workmanlike performance in the middle.
23. Austin FC
Previous ranking: 19
After falling behind in the 18th minute, Austin just couldn't work their way back in an eventual 1-0 defeat to Colorado. Club-record signing Myrto Uzuni's first start wasn't enough to turn a cross-filled outing into a successful one.
24. Houston Dynamo
Previous ranking: 30
The Dynamo didn't put in an inspiring attacking performance against Columbus to kick off the weekend's schedule, but their tight defensive setup was enough to see Ben Olsen's team collect a point from a 0-0 draw.
25. LA Galaxy
Previous ranking: 20
The Galaxy look well and truly broken right now. Despite having their best chance-creating performance of the season in a 3-0 loss to St. Louis, Novak Micovic continues to struggle in goal and the attack still looks disconnected.
26. Portland Timbers
Previous ranking: 18
Another game, another brutal defensive outing for the Timbers, who allowed two penalties and two goals from open play in a 2-0 loss to Nashville. That's right, folks, goalkeeper James Pantemis saved two penalties and his team still lost.
27. CF Montréal
Previous ranking: 26
In the middle of a classic early-season road trip, Montréal are still without a win after a 2-0 loss to Vancouver on Saturday. They can't get back home fast enough.
28. New England Revolution
Previous ranking: 27
Losing 2-0 to Philadelphia in front of the home crowd? That's bad. Losing starting striker Leo Campana to injury just a few minutes into Saturday's contest? That's even worse. Caleb Porter has to be sweating.
29. Sporting Kansas City
Previous ranking: 29
One of only three teams yet to collect even a single point in 2025, Sporting fell 2-1 to D.C. this weekend. It's shaping up to be a long year in Kansas City.
30. Toronto FC
Previous ranking: 28
Toronto managed just one shot from inside the box against Cincinnati. You won't be surprised to learn, then, that Robin Fraser's team lost 2-0.
CSA one-day cup: Warriors lose playoff spot after sanction for not meeting transformation targets
Warriors, the provincial team based in Gqeberha, will not compete in the domestic one-day cup playoffs after being docked points for failing to meet Cricket South Africa's (CSA) transformation targets.
On Monday afternoon, CSA confirmed the sanction in a statement, which included a monetary fine of an undisclosed amount. "A monetary fine has also been included, with 50% payable before the end of the current financial year," the statement said. "The remaining 50% will be suspended for five years and will only be activated if a similar breach occurs within that period."
Warriors are now also at the bottom of the consolidated standings - which takes into account performances across first-class, one-day and T20 cricket - and at risk of relegation to the second division of South Africa's provincial structure. The team that finishes last in Division One automatically drops down to Division Two, and the team that tops Division Two is promoted.
Teams that contravene the transformation targets without satisfactory explanation (such as an injury) are required to appear in front of the CSA board. In this instance, Warriors were asked to present their case to the CSA's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) commission and ESPNcricinfo understands Warriors explained their team selection as being based on "cricketing reasons". The DEI then deliberated on an appropriate sanction, which was to dock points from Warriors and award them to Dolphins.
Notification of the points deduction was communicated to teams on Sunday evening, three weeks after the incident took place and two days before the knockouts. There has been no reason given for the timeline and it appears not everyone at CSA was aware of the points change. On Monday, CSA's own website said that Titans and Warriors had made the playoffs while Dolphins had missed out, but the points table distributed by CSA's stats team confirmed the new positions and included this note: "Warriors were penalised all 5 points for their match against Dolphins on 16 February for a breach of Clause 3.2.2 of the Administrative Conditions for not complying with the on-field target requirement of a minimum of three Black African players in the starting eleven. Dolphins were awarded 4 points for the match."
There is no appeals process for sanctions meted out for missed targets but ESPNcricinfo has learned that Warriors have sent CSA a legal letter in an attempt to have the punishment reversed. This is unlikely, with Dolphins already advertising the playoff match at their home ground, and given the short turnaround time. Further, Warriors, like all other teams, agreed to CSA's administrative conditions at the start of the season which includes the application of transformation targets. This has happened every season since targets were re-introduced in 2013.
CSA's transformation target for domestic teams requires them to field six players of colour per XI, of which at least three must be black African. This is different to the national team's target of six players of colour including at least two black African players which is calculated on average over the course of a season, which gives them more flexibility. A similar notion was mooted to domestic sides in 2018 but rejected at a coaches' conference in favour of more rigidly applied targets for every game.
Several sources have told ESPNcricinfo that the process of obtaining an exemption from CSA in the case of injury is relatively simple and efficient. However, Warriors did not claim to have any injured players and explained their selection was based on strategy instead. Tactical swaps are not reasonable grounds for missing the transformation targets.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and women's cricket
Human Rights Watch asks ICC to suspend Afghanistan's membership
Human Rights Watch has called on the ICC to suspend Afghanistan's membership and ban the Taliban-run nation from competing in international cricket. The request came via an email addressed to ICC chair Jay Shah, dated February 3 and made public on March 7, with the subject line: "Suspending the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Implementing a Human Rights Policy".
Human Rights Watch describes itself as an independent, international, non-governmental organisation that conducts research and advocacy on human rights abuses by states and non-state actors around the world.
"We are writing at this time to urge the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Taliban-run Afghanistan from ICC membership, and from participating in international cricket, until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport in the country," the email said.
"We also urge the ICC to implement a human rights policy based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
"We note that you have pledged 'to allocate more resources to women's cricket' during your tenure at the helm of global cricket and 'champion the ICC's mission further by allocating more resources and attention to women's cricket'.
"However, since retaking power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed a long and growing list of rules and policies that bars women and girls from exercising their fundamental rights, including to freedom of expression and movement, many forms of employment, and education beyond sixth grade. These affect virtually all their rights, including to life, livelihood, shelter, health care, food, and water."
The email went on to say that the ICC's anti-discrimination policy for international cricket states that it is committed to ensuring that wherever cricket is played, it can be enjoyed by all participants regardless of their respective backgrounds. It pointed out that the policy also strives to ensure all participants can enjoy sport without being subjected to intimidating conduct on the basis of - among other factors - sex, gender, marital status and/or maternity status.
The email also argued that while payments to Afghanistan's Women's team were suspended in 2021, the country's men's team continues to receive financial and logistical support, apparently in contravention of the ICC's own anti-discrimination rules.
"By not allowing women and girls to play cricket, and not allowing a national team for women and girls to compete internationally, the Afghanistan Cricket Board is failing to abide by this Anti-Discrimination Policy," Human Rights Watch said.
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, women have been forced to adhere to an increasingly restrictive range of laws barring them from most areas of public life, including sport. Shortly before that, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had agreed to contract 25 women's players, most of whom now live in exile in Australia.
In July last year, former members of the Afghanistan women's national team, no longer recognised as such by the country's Taliban rulers, wrote to the ICC asking to be recognised as a refugee team.
England and Australia have opted not to play Afghanistan in bilateral games, while agreeing to face them at ICC events, with ECB chief executive Richard Gould calling for a "co-ordinated, ICC-led, response" rather than unilateral action from individual countries.
Human Rights Watch asked for a timely response from the ICC to a number of questions, including what steps the governing body is taking towards developing a human rights policy, why it hasn't suspended the ACB from playing international cricket until women and girls have access to education and sport and, would it be prepared to recognise the Afghanistan women's national team in exile, allowing it to train, compete and receive ICC financial support.
It also asks what steps the ICC has taken or plans to take to "pressure the Afghanistan Cricket Board to include women and girl players in their competitions" and what funding or other support has been or will be provided to the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
"The International Cricket Council should follow in the steps of other sport governing bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee, by calling on the Taliban to include Afghan women and girls in sport, and committing to a human rights frame work," the email concluded.
The ICC has been contacted for comment.
MI survive Fulmali scare to get closer to final, go up 6-0 against Gujarat Giants
Mumbai Indians 179 for 6 (Harmanpreet 54, Sciver-Brunt 38, Mishra 1-23, Gardner 1-27) beat Gujarat Giants 170 for 9 (Fulmali 61, Kerr 3-34, Matthews 3038) by nine runs
The win took MI to ten points, on par with Delhi Capitals, with a net run rate of 0.298 (just below DC's 0.396) and a game to spare. They play Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday in under 24 hours to round off the league stage. MI need to win that match to top the table and get a direct entry into the final, while the team that finishes second will play GG in the eliminator.
Soon after GG fell just short, coach Michael Klinger said at the press conference that they tried to chase the target down in 18 overs, which would have taken them to the top of the table.
Fulmali blitz gives MIghty scare
GG were 70 for 5 in the 11th over and Deandra Dottin had survived a dropped chance just before Fulmali walked out. She got to her task by taking Sciver-Brunt for three fours in an over - one square through the off side, one over cover and then through square leg. It is not often that a batter outshines Dottin and causes headache to the opposition but such was Fulmali's assault. Soon Kerr bowled Dottin to leave GG's equation down to 88 off 41.
Opening troubles continue for MI
For the second game in a row, MI opened the batting with Kerr after being inserted. She faced the left-arm spin of Kanwar for starters before clipping Kashvee Gautam for a four. But she found it tough to rotate strike and was run-out after pushing one straight to Gardner at mid-on and setting off.
It was Matthews and Sciver-Brunt who provided MI the momentum in the powerplay. They exploited the short boundary - the square boundaries measured 58m and 52m - by moving around the crease. Matthews pulled her West Indies team-mate Dottin over deep square leg for a six in the opening over before aerially sweeping Kanwar in the same region for another. Sciver-Brunt also swept Kanwar through short fine leg as MI were 44 for 1 after six overs.
The Kaurs set MI for a strong finish
Legspinner Priya Mishra had Matthews caught behind soon after the powerplay. Like she has been doing this season, Harmanpreet started off swiftly - she reversed Mishra through short third with the back of her bat and then attacked Meghna Singh in the only over she bowled. MI's run rate hovered in the early sevens and she, in the company of Sciver-Brunt, ensured it never dipped. They added 59 off 40 before Gardner broke through.
That brought Amanjot to the crease at No. 5 for only the second time in the WPL. She drove Dottin through the covers and then meted out special treatment to Gautam, with whom she has trained with for over a decade now, hitting her for a sequence of 4, 4, 6 to help MI take 15 off the 17th over. Gautam did have the last laugh by having Amanjot caught at long-on for a 15-ball 27 to end the 19-ball 33-run stand. Harmanpreet then completed her half-century off just 31 balls as MI scored 55 off the last four overs, the exact equation GG needed in the chase.
Early strikes cost Giants
Having benched the misfiring Hemalatha, GG opted to use Gautam as the opener alongside Beth Mooney, who popped a catch to cover on the first ball of Matthews' spell. While Gautam does possess the ability to hit big shots down the order, she was like a deer caught in headlights against the high-pace and swing of Ismail. Gautam was on 9 off 12 balls with nine dots at the end of the fifth over when GG were 34 for 1. She just managed to get away from a 120kph short ball Ismail hurled at her. Gautam fell in the last over of the powerplay, stumped off Sanskriti Gupta's offspin.
Two balls later, Ismail had Gardner caught low at slip for a two-ball duck, that was a body blow for GG. While Harleen Deol hit five fours against spin - three of them in successive balls off Matthews - she missed a googly from Kerr to be trapped lbw. GG could have lost steam and finished much lower than what they did, if not for Fulmali.
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Sudarshanan7
LSG fast bowler Mayank Yadav set to miss first half of IPL 2025 with back injury
There is no firm date set by the BCCI for Mayank's return yet, but if he meets all the fitness parameters alongside increasing his bowling workload, he could feature in the latter half of the IPL.
Mayank's unavailability in the first half of the tournament is a setback for LSG, who had retained him for INR 11 crore ($1.31 million approx.) ahead of the mega auction. It was an astronomical leap monetarily for Mayank who had been bought for INR 20 lakh ahead of the 2024 season as an uncapped fast bowler.
Mayank commanded such a huge salary primarily because of his ability to bowl at breakneck speeds, crossing 150kph-plus consistently, which earned him back-to-back Player-of-the-Match awards in his first two matches in the IPL. Encouraged by his potential talent, the national selectors added Mayank to the pool of quicks given fast-bowling contracts.
Mayank's time in IPL 2024 was limited to just four matches due to a lingering side strain in the last two matches he played. During rehab, Mayank picked a separate injury which delayed his comeback but he eventually played the Bangladesh T20Is. However, he picked up another injury immediately after which forced him to return to rehab. While the BCCI has not officially shared details on Mayank's injury, it is understood that Mayank has a stress-related injury in his lower back on the left-hand side.
In February, former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan, who has taken over as LSG's team director, said that the franchise was working closely with the BCCI's medical team to chart a roadmap for Mayank's return. However, Zaheer stressed he would only want a totally fit Mayank back in the saddle. "As much as we are keen on having him [play IPL 2025], we want him 150% fit not just 100% fit so we'll do everything possible to get him there," he had said.
LSG are set to play their first match of the season against Delhi Capitals on March 24 in Visakhapatnam, under new captain Rishabh Pant.
Wounded RCB look to keep MI from top-of-the-table finish
Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, March 11, 2025
What to expect: RCB look to end on high
Though the move to make Amelia Kerr open hasn't made much of a difference with the allrounder falling cheaply in both games, MI will be happy Nat Sciver-Brunt did not have to do the heavy lifting once again. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur made a fifty and there were handy contributions from the middle order. Their bowlers were excellent up front and even though they lost the plot in the second half of the chase, they kept their cool to defend 179 on a batting-friendly surface.
RCB also had similar issues from start to finish, including playing this season with a weakened bowling attack and depending on a couple of players to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility. In their previous match, it was the out-of-contention Warriorz who took RCB down with them, and now RCB will look to ruin MI's chances of wanting to finish on top.
MI WWLWW (last five matches, most recent first) RCB LLLLL
MI are unlikely to change their winning combination.
Mumbai Indians (probable XI): 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Amelia Kerr, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amanjot Kaur, 6 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 7 G Kamalini, 8 S Sajana, 9 Sanskriti Gupta, 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Parunika Sisodia
RCB made two changes for the previous match, bringing in Charlie Dean for Danni Wyatt-Hodge and opener S Meghana for left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht. While Dean had a tough outing, conceding 47 in her four overs of offspin, Meghana got off to a rapid start.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable XI): 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 S Meghana, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Raghvi Bisht, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Kanika Ahuja, 7 Georgia Wareham, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Charlie Dean, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Renuka Singh
Players to watch: Harmanpreet Kaur and Sneh Rana
The Seattle Seahawks have found their replacement for Geno Smith, agreeing to a three-year, $100.5 million deal with former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The deal includes $55 million guaranteed, sources told Schefter.
The Seahawks added Darnold three days after agreeing to trade Smith, their starting quarterback for the past three seasons, to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round draft pick.
Darnold's deal is the latest move in what has been a busy stretch for the Seahawks, who agreed to trade star receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday and released receiver Tyler Lockett and four other veteran players last week.
The Seahawks traded Smith after attempting to negotiate an extension with the veteran quarterback after last month's NFL scouting combine. Seattle then turned its focus to Darnold, widely considered the top quarterback on the free-agent market.
Darnold reunites in Seattle with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who was the San Francisco 49ers' passing game coordinator in 2023 when Darnold backed up Brock Purdy.
Darnold, 27, blossomed in the Vikings' scheme last season, with coach Kevin O'Connell's careful guidance, leading Minnesota to 14 wins after winning a total of 21 games in his previous six seasons. He ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards (4,319) and touchdown passes (35) while earning his first career Pro Bowl invitation.
Three of Darnold's 35 touchdown passes last season came during the Vikings' 27-24 victory over the Seahawks in December.
Darnold, however, appeared to hit his ceiling as the end of the season. His final two starts were his worst, as he threw a combined 23 off-target throws and took 11 sacks as the Vikings lost games to the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams by a combined score of 58-18.
The Vikings signed Darnold in 2024 as insurance for their plan to draft their quarterback of the future. His primary job was to give the team an option good enough that it would not be forced to play that quarterback, who turned out to be J.J. McCarthy, until he was ready.
Darnold, however, had a strong training camp and was in line to be the Vikings' Week 1 starter even before McCarthy suffered a season-ending torn meniscus in his right knee during the preseason opener.
The No. 3 pick of the 2018 draft, Darnold spent three seasons with the New York Jets, two with the Carolina Panthers and one as a backup with the 49ers before signing with the Vikings in what was widely viewed as his final opportunity to prove he could be an NFL starter.
ESPN's Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.
Bueckers lifts UConn to 23rd Big East tourney title
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Paige Bueckers scored 24 points and Azzi Fudd added 13 to help No. 3 UConn beat 22nd-ranked Creighton 70-50 to win the Big East championship Monday night.
It's the 23rd Big East title and fifth consecutive one for the Huskies (31-3) since they returned to the conference in 2021. This was Creighton's first time in the championship game since 2016, when the Bluejays lost to St. John's.
Overall, it is the Huskies' 30th conference tournament title, making them the first team to have 30 conference tournament titles in Division I history.
Sarah Strong had 13 points, 11 rebounds and 6 steals for the Huskies, who scored the game's first 11 points. The Bluejays then scored seven straight but could get no closer as the Huskies answered with a 16-4 run to end the quarter up 27-11.
Strong joins Aaliyah Edwards (2023) and Napheesa Collier (2019) as the only UConn players with three double-doubles in a single conference tournament since 2000, according to ESPN Research.
Since losing to Tennessee on Feb. 6, the Huskies have looked unbeatable. They have won every game by at least 19 points, including a 29-point win at South Carolina. UConn enters the NCAA tournament on a 10-game win streak, tied with TCU for the longest active win streak by a major conference team, according to ESPN Research.
Lauren Jensen scored 13 points to lead Creighton (26-6). The Bluejays came into the game averaging more than nine 3-pointers a game and shooting 37% from behind the arc. They were just 6-for-23 against UConn, with five of the makes coming in the second half.
The Bluejays have an impressive résumé, with their only losses this season coming to UConn (three times), UCLA, South Dakota State and Kansas State. They could be a tough out in the NCAA tournament no matter where they are seeded.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sources: Rams to release Kupp if no trade made
The Los Angeles Rams plan to release wide receiver Cooper Kupp when the NFL's new season starts March 12 if they can't find a trade partner, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.
The news came a day after the team announced they agreed to sign six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams on a two-year deal. Adams arrives as the Rams now prepare to move on from Kupp.
The news also comes after Kupp said on social media in early February that the Rams were attempting to trade him after eight seasons with the club, and that he didn't like the decision.
"I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships," Kupp, who was named Super Bowl 56 MVP, said at the time.
After a record-breaking 2021 season during which he led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, Kupp signed a three-year contract extension worth $80.1 million. He just completed the first season of that contract, which is scheduled to count $29.8 million against the cap next season and $27.3 million in 2026.
Kupp's guaranteed salary next season is only $5 million, and he has no guaranteed money on the final year of the contract in 2026. If the Rams trade Kupp in a deal designated post-June 1, they will save $20 million toward their 2025 salary cap.
If the Rams cut Kupp this offseason, they will save $15 million in cash and $7.52 million against the salary cap. If the Rams release him without a post-June 1 designation, they will absorb $22.2 million in dead money due to the remaining prorated portions of his signing bonus and $5 million of his roster bonus.
Kupp has been a prolific receiver whenever healthy for the Rams, who drafted him in the third round out of Eastern Washington a few months after hiring Sean McVay as their head coach.
Kupp has been a centerpiece of McVay's offensive game plans throughout his career, catching 634 passes for 7,776 yards and 57 touchdowns.
ESPN's Sarah Barshop and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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