Sports

Ryan Giggs and football: A very complicated relationship

Published

3 weeks ago

April 12, 2024

Ryan Giggs and football: A very complicated relationship

The celebration was almost as glorious as the goal itself. The fuzz of chest hair, the twirling shirt, the body swerve to evade the Manchester United fans who had run on the pitch in their euphoria.

On Sunday, it is 25 years since Patrick Vieira, a genuine great of Arsenal’s midfield, played a wayward pass amid the high drama of an FA Cup semi-final between the leading two English sides of the time.

Ryan Giggs took the ball and then he was off and running, picking up speed from inside his own half, slaloming past opponents, one by one.

Vieira tried to get back but Giggs, crossing the halfway line, dipped his shoulder to get away. Lee Dixon was next to come across. He, too, could not get near him.

Arsenal had the most famously parsimonious defence in English football — yet Giggs had magic in his feet. He was on his own, with everyone to beat, under the floodlights of Villa Park. Martin Keown went to block him. Dixon was still in the chase. Giggs shimmied between them both and suddenly, with a sway of his hips, he was in the penalty area, sizing up David Seaman, the Arsenal and England goalkeeper.

His shot was still rising as it flew into the roof of the net. It was pandemonium in the stands and Martin Tyler’s voice, commentating for Sky Sports, seemed to have gone up a few octaves.

“He’s cut Arsenal to ribbons,” summed it up rather beautifully.

It’s a Thursday night in Radlett, a well-to-do village in London’s commuter belt, and a beery, boisterous crowd has broken into song.

Ryan Giggs, now 50, has wandered onto the stage of the 300-capacity Radlett Centre. The venue is not full, but there is a racket anyway. He is greeted with a standing ovation and a song that will be familiar to United fans of a certain generation. It is an adaptation of the old Robin Hood classic.

Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, running down the wing
Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, running down the wing
Feared by the Blues, loved by the Reds
Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs!

It doesn’t take long, therefore, to realise that whatever else has happened in Giggs’ life in the last few years — most notably, the criminal trial that led to him relinquishing his position as Wales national manager — there is no shortage of people who regard him as football royalty.

He has already done Cleethorpes, Hull and Lincoln since being acquitted last year of being a violent and abusive boyfriend. There was a night in Belfast and an event in Chester. Another “Evening with Ryan Giggs” is scheduled in Northampton, plus two in Manchester alongside Paul Scholes, his former United team-mate. It is not quite Giggs on tour, but it does feel like a man putting himself back out there.

Is it what he imagined for himself at this stage of his life? Perhaps not, and the most decorated player in English football history will touch upon that when he is asked whether he is seeking a way back into management.

“There’s a bit of unfinished business,” Giggs tells the audience. “I was obviously enjoying coaching Wales. We had a pretty successful time. And yeah, I loved it. So I don’t see why not.”

GO DEEPER

Who is the real Ryan Giggs?

It is complicated, though, bearing in mind all the unpleasantness and excruciating detail that came out during the 2022 trial in which he denied subjecting his former girlfriend, Kate Greville, to three years of psychological and, at times, physical abuse.

It also seems to be understood why there are no follow-up questions. To go any further might involve having to explain why he had to stand down from the Wales job, why we rarely see him on television these days, why he does not tend to do interviews and why, it seems, potential employers might have reservations about taking him on.

To go further might involve having to ask why Giggs, a history-maker with an Order of the British Empire for his services to football and 13 Premier League titles, keeps being left off the competition’s Hall of Fame.

Giggs had been charged with controlling and coercive behaviour, headbutting Greville, 10 years his junior, and assaulting her younger sister, Emma. The jury at Manchester Crown Court could not reach a verdict. Then, shortly before the retrial was due to begin last year, Greville wrote to the court to say she no longer wanted to give evidence because she felt “worn down” and “violated” by the judicial process.

Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in August 2023 after the jury in his trial failed to reach a verdict (Cameron Smith/Getty Images)

The judge issued not-guilty verdicts on all the alleged offences. “The position is, he has always been innocent of these charges,” Chris Daw KC, representing Giggs, told the court. “Going forward, he now looks to rebuild his life and career as an innocent man.”

And so, there are around 240 people in Radlett — just a few miles from Arsenal’s training ground — paying between £90 and £250 ($113 and $314) to see him, with the more expensive packages involving a meet-and-greet and a professionally taken photograph.

Giggs looks tanned, relaxed, trim — a regular, apparently, at Barry’s Bootcamp gym in Manchester — and his Salfordian accent seems more pronounced in a room mostly filled by southerners.

It is a friendly audience and, right from the start, Giggs reminds everyone that he has always been a crowd-pleaser. “The bar’s been open, has it?” is his opening line, as the most boisterous members of the audience have to be shushed down.

He talks about watching United’s FA Cup defeat of Liverpool at his mother’s house (“she hates Scousers more than anyone”) and why he believes Erik ten Hag should keep his job as manager. United, he says, have suffered from “crap” recruitment in the post-Ferguson years and he hopes INEOS will put that right.

The compere asks him to wish happy birthday to a United fan called Nina, who is in the audience with a group of friends. It is her 61st birthday and Giggs turns the charm on full beam. “I met her earlier,” he says. “She doesn’t look it.”

But he is here to talk about his own United career, for the most part, and the evening opens with a video montage reminding the audience why they cherished him so much as a player.

The footage shows Giggs, at 17, making his United debut in a shirt that seems a size or two too big for him. In between the mazy runs and spontaneous skills, there is a clip of Best himself, analysing the teenager. “One day,” he says, “they might say I was another Ryan Giggs.”

The video moves on to the goal at Villa Park — April 14, 1999 — that would be voted in 2004 as the greatest FA Cup moment of all time. Vieira gives the ball away and the audience start cheering. They know what is coming. So does the compere, Alan Keegan, usually United’s matchday announcer.

“Oh, this is the one,” says Keegan. “Keep going, keep going, keep going Ryan… wow! That is extraordinary.”

Ryan Giggs fires in his famous goal against Arsenal in 1999 (Shaun Botterill /Allsport

It would end up being voted the greatest goal in 50 years of the BBC’s Match of the Day. Giggs was 25 at the time and, incredibly, still had another 16 years ahead of him in United’s team.

“I left the ground on crutches,” says Giggs, whose Achilles had been damaged after a tackle by Dixon. “I thought my season was over. As I was getting on the bus, a reporter asked me: ‘Was that the greatest goal you ever scored?’.”

His answer, he explains, was that, no, he didn’t think it was. But he hadn’t seen it back at that point. “In my head, I was 30 yards out and I had beaten only a couple of players. It wasn’t until I got home, watching it on the news, that I realised I was that far out and that I’d beaten that many players.”

He leaves Radlett around 11pm and, by the following afternoon, he has made his way 190 miles north to watch Salford City take on Sutton United in League Two.

Giggs is the co-owner of Salford alongside Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and David Beckham. It is the fourth tier of English football and, at times, there have been some unexpected challenges for the group of ex-United players known as the Class of ’92.

“It’s different, especially when you have been in football at the top level,” says Giggs. “When we first took over, the manager had booked a two-week holiday in pre-season. ‘I book my family holiday at the same time every year’. But it’s your job, isn’t it? ‘I’m not changing it’. So yeah, we had a few things we had to get our heads around.”

Sutton begin the day in the relegation zone, dangerously close to falling out of the EFL. It is 87th versus 91st at the start of play, in a ladder of 92 clubs. And it is a bad day for Salford, in a game of blood and thunder, a fair bit of thud and blunder, and not a great amount of skill. Salford lose 2-1 and the home fans in a crowd of 2,983 go home disappointed.

Overall, though, it has been a story of near-unremitting success, involving four promotions, since the Class of ’92 took control of Salford 10 years ago, backed by the wealth of Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim.

“We love it,” Giggs tells the audience in Radlett. “Myself, Gary, Nicky, Scholesy. Phil and Becks are in America so don’t get to a lot of games. But the rest of the lads do. Roy Keane loves coming to home games. Steve Bruce comes because his son, Alex, is now assistant manager. So there’s a real United connection.”

Ryan Giggs takes his seat at Salford City, where he is director of football (Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

The Athletic is there, too, though it is difficult not to get the feeling our presence is less welcome. Salford get in touch two days before the game to ask what we want to write about, which doesn’t usually happen. Giggs, we are told, is not expected to be there.

In the end, they approve our accreditation request. The only logical explanation, however, is that there are people at the club who are not keen on Giggs being the subject of interest.

A few weeks back, it was revealed that Giggs had been working for Salford all season as director of football. As well as going to all the home games, it means he is there for the majority of their away fixtures, too. So he has plenty to keep him busy, even if it is noticeable that his appointment was not announced at the time.

Nor is he afraid to make the hard calls, judging by the story Robbie Savage, director of football at non-League Macclesfield Town, told recently about Giggs ringing him in February “to warn me that Salford City were poaching my manager”.

Savage, who was once in United’s youth system with Giggs, recalled the conversation in his column for the Daily Mirror newspaper. “I thought Giggsy was calling to arrange a game of padel tennis, which we play occasionally, but this time he opened the conversation with, ‘You’re not going to like this’.

“He said Salford wanted to speak to Alex Bruce, who had guided Macclesfield into the Northern Premier League play-off places and quarter-finals of the FA Trophy, two steps from Wembley. Laughing, but disappointed, I replied, ‘First you take my place in the 1992 FA Youth Cup final team and now you’re taking my manager?’.”

Is Giggs actively applying for managerial jobs of his own? His brief spell as United’s caretaker manager in 2014 was, he says, the proudest he has ever felt. It also left him convinced he could do the job full-time. But it is far from straightforward when, unfortunately for Giggs, it is also clear that prospective employers would have to consider the damage to his reputation.

Ryan Giggs called his spell in caretaker charge of United his proudest moment (Andrew Yates/AFP via Getty Images)

“George Best has a statue outside Old Trafford and his charge sheet off the pitch is much worse than Ryan’s,” says the writer and author Frank Worrall. “So if that’s the yardstick, Giggs should have one, too. Not that he ever will. Times and attitudes have changed. Best wouldn’t get one now, either — protest groups wouldn’t stand for it.”

In 2010, Worrall brought out a biography, Giggsy, that eulogised in the main about a player he regarded as “a personable guy away from the pitch and a genius on it”.

Worrall can vividly remember that epic semi-final against Arsenal when Keane was sent off, Peter Schmeichel saved Dennis Bergkamp’s 90th-minute penalty and Giggs’ wonder goal pushed United closer towards what was, back then, an unprecedented treble.

“The utter audacity of it,” says Worrall. “The interception, the dazzling dribble past bemused defenders, the hammer shot beyond David Seaman. The shirt off, twirling it in the air. The chest hair, the congratulatory hugs. The whole bloody miracle of a snatched glory in the face of 10-men adversity.”

Giggs, he adds, “is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend… a footballing legend”.

Over the years, however, Worrall has had to get used to the idea that “the Bobby Charlton-style, clean-as-a-whistle family man” was not the person he thought him to be. And that can be conflicting — “Sir Bobby he certainly ain’t” — when Worrall counts Giggs in his top five United players from the 1970s onwards.

“Ryan contributed as much to United as anyone ever,” he says. “Thirty-four trophies from 1991 to 2013, the most appearances (963), the first and last of the Class of ’92 to play for the club and United’s most decorated player… a winger-turned-midfielder genius who tore the opposition apart, again and again.”

Against that kind of backdrop, there are many people in football who think it is wrong, and certainly inconsistent, that the Premier League has excluded Giggs from the latest shortlist of possible Hall of Famers.

Yes, there are other stories about Giggs’ private life that will be held against him. And, yes, it only needs a cursory look through the internet to understand, for example, why his relationship with his younger brother, Rhodri, has suffered badly.

Yet the Premier League inducted Tony Adams into its Hall of Fame last year, even though the former Arsenal captain had previously served a prison sentence for drink-driving.

John Terry, the former Chelsea captain, is one of the 15 players on this year’s shortlist, despite being banned for four matches and fined £220,000 by a Football Association commission that decided he had racially abused Anton Ferdinand, then of Queens Park Rangers.

Perhaps the best way of summing it up is that Giggs may just have to accept that he is always going to polarise opinion but that, in football terms alone, his achievements are as solid as the foundations of Old Trafford itself.

“You cannot separate genius from Ryan Giggs,” Ferguson said after the 1999 semi-final against Arsenal that, 20 years later, was ranked No 38 in The Times’ 50 Greatest Football Matches.

That genius has been tarnished over recent years. In football, however, where there is genius, there will also be adoration. And, however complicated it can be in the rest of his life, Giggs will always be guaranteed that in a room filled with United fans.

(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)

Click to comment

Sports

NFL Power Rankings post-free agency: The Texans are going for it, the Cowboys are … not

Published

3 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Press Room

NFL Power Rankings post-free agency: The Texans are going for it, the Cowboys are … not

The NFL’s free-agent frenzy is over, which doesn’t mean free agency is over. Players will continue to be added to rosters, but the headline makers are all off the market now.

That makes it a good time for the Power Rankings to re-evaluate where everyone stands. We’ve listed the notable additions and notable losses for each team, including not only free-agency signings but players acquired or lost via trade and/or release, to help us get a clearer picture. For some teams, those moves haven’t changed much. For others, they have warranted some movement up or down the rankings.

For the Chiefs, it’s business as usual, and that’s where this list starts again.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Post-Super Bowl rank: 1

Notable addition: WR Marquise Brown

Notable losses: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, OL Nick Allegretti, P Tommy Townsend

The reigning Super Bowl champions have made only one significant addition, signing the speedy but inconsistent Brown, but honestly, Kansas City could have signed only celebrity chef Alton Brown and it would still be No. 1 on this list. The Chiefs signaled their seriousness about going for a three-peat when they locked up defensive tackle Chris Jones. Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed also is still on the roster on the franchise tag, though he could be traded soon.

GO DEEPER

Who are the best available NFL free agents? Justin Simmons, Josh Reynolds lead list

Post-Super Bowl rank: 2

Notable additions: Edge Leonard Floyd, Edge Yetur Gross-Matos, DT Jordan Elliott

Notable losses: DT Arik Armstead, Edge Chase Young, DT Javon Kinlaw, TE Charlie Woerner, QB Sam Darnold

Out go interior defensive linemen, in come edge rushers. That’s basically a wash for a team that returns everyone from an offense that led the NFL in EPA (expected points added) per game (8.81) and the NFC in points scored (491) last season, according to TruMedia. Trade talk around star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is worth listening for, though.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 3

Notable additions: DT D.J. Reader, Edge Marcus Davenport, CB Amik Robertson, CB Carlton Davis III

Notable losses: OG Jonah Jackson

Lions general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell did their major work the previous two offseasons. Now, it’s about improving on the margins in an effort to catch the 49ers. A defense that was 24th in the league in yards per play allowed (5.5) last season has gotten all the help in free agency.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 5

Notable additions: Edge Danielle Hunter, Edge Denico Autry, RB Joe Mixon, LB Azeez Al-Shaair, CB Jeff Okudah

Notable losses: Edge Jonathan Greenard, DT Sheldon Rankins, LB Blake Cashman, RB Devin Singletary

The Texans don’t want to waste any of the years in which quarterback C.J. Stroud is on a rookie contract. They gave Hunter a deal worth almost $25 million per year and retained most of their own free agents. Houston no longer has a first-round pick, thanks to a deal with Minnesota, but don’t be surprised if the Texans add to the wide receiver room in the second round.

“I think the Houston Texans are trying to be the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals.”
.@danorlovsky7 thinks the Texans are gearing up for a Super Bowl run 👀 pic.twitter.com/U7xx0fPee8
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 13, 2024

Post-Super Bowl rank: 6

Notable additions: S Xavier McKinney, RB Josh Jacobs

Notable losses: OG Jon Runyan, LB De’Vondre Campbell, RB Aaron Jones

The Packers essentially swapped out 29-year-old running back Aaron Jones for 26-year-old running back Josh Jacobs, who signed a four-year deal that could be worth $48 million (or could be terminated pretty cheaply after one year). They also spent big on McKinney to help new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Green Bay released David Bahktiari, but that doesn’t count as a notable loss because the left tackle has played only 13 games in the last three seasons.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 4

Notable addition: RB Derrick Henry

Notable losses: LB Patrick Queen, S Geno Stone, CB Ronald Darby, WR Devin Duvernay, RB Gus Edwards, Edge Tyus Bowser, WR Odell Beckham Jr.

The Ravens lost a lot of good players in free agency, but they extended star defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and added Henry, which makes it hard to be too down on Baltimore. Henry is 30 and since he entered the league in 2016, he’s the only player in the NFL with more than 10,000 yards. If he can hold up physically, the Ravens’ run game with Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson is going to be formidable.

GO DEEPER

Grading the good, bad and ugly of every major NFL free agency 2024 deal

Post-Super Bowl rank: 8

Notable additions: WR Jerry Jeudy

Notable losses: DT Jordan Elliott, LB Sione Takitaki

How we remember Cleveland’s March will depend entirely on Jeudy, the No. 15 pick in 2020 who has yet to top 1,000 yards in four NFL seasons. The Browns didn’t risk much, sending a fifth- and a sixth-round pick to Denver for Jeudy, but the reward could be high if Deshaun Watson and Jeudy develop a connection.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 10

Notable additions: DT Sheldon Rankins, S Geno Stone, RB Zack Moss, S Vonn Bell

Notable losses: CB Chidobe Awuzie, OT Jonah Williams

Cincinnati used its franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins, who now wants a trade. The Bengals, though, are pretty stubborn negotiators, so Higgins will be back alongside Ja’Marr Chase with a healthy Joe Burrow at quarterback. That’s why the big-money free-agent deals focused on the defense.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 11

Notable additions: None

Notable losses: OT Tyron Smith, Edge Dorance Armstrong, C Tyler Biadasz, RB Tony Pollard

People are going to stop believing Cowboys owner Jerry Jones when he says he’s “all in” after Dallas added no players of consequence and watched three good linemen walk out the door. Yes, the Cowboys have to hang on to money for new deals with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, but there’s a difference between being prudent and playing dead.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 7

Notable addition: WR Curtis Samuel

Notable losses: WR Gabe Davis, S Jordan Poyer, CB Tre’Davious White, C Mitch Morse, RB Nyheim Hines, CB Dane Jackson

Quarterback Josh Allen’s contract starts getting expensive this season (from an $18 million cap hit to $30 million), which is one reason why the Bills had to cut so many contracts during free agency. They spent the money they had on retaining key free agents, including defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, and extending left tackle Dion Dawkins. In the next two seasons, Allen’s cap hit goes up another $33 million, so Buffalo’s window is closing.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 12

Notable additions: OG Jonah Jackson, TE Colby Parkinson, CB Darious Williams, S Kamren Curl

Notable losses: DT Aaron Donald

Aaron Donald, the No. 13 pick in the 2014 draft, was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season. After that, he finished in the top five of Defensive Player of the Year voting for seven straight seasons, winning the award three times. In a 10-year career, he totaled 111 sacks and 260 quarterback hits. Donald’s retirement stands as the only significant loss for the Rams, but it’s a big one.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 13

Notable additions: S Jordan Whitehead, CB Bryce Hall

Notable losses: Edge Shaquil Barrett, LB Devin White

Tampa Bay didn’t add anybody of real consequence. Still, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht called it “one of the greatest free-agency hauls ever” after his team re-signed wide receiver Mike Evans, linebacker Lavonte David and quarterback Baker Mayfield and used the franchise tag on safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Will that be enough for a fourth straight NFC South title?

Post-Super Bowl rank: 9

Notable additions: LB Jordyn Brooks, CB Kendall Fuller, S Jordan Poyer, TE Jonnu Smith, Edge Shaquil Barrett, C Aaron Brewer

Notable losses: DT Christian Wilkins, OG Robert Hunt, LB Andrew Van Ginkel, S Brandon Jones, DT Raekwon Davis, Edge Emmanuel Ogbah, CB Xavien Howard

Salary-cap bills came due to South Florida this offseason. The Dolphins lost good to great players at all three levels of their defense and a mauling offensive lineman in Hunt. The offense already has been carrying most of the weight in Miami (second in NFL in scoring last year, 29.18 points per game), but the spotlight is going to be even hotter on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who’s aiming to prove he’s worth a new deal in the final year of his contract.

GO DEEPER

NFL free-agency superlatives: The best and the most puzzling moves so far

Post-Super Bowl rank: 14

Notable additions: DT Raekwon Davis, QB Joe Flacco

Notable losses: QB Gardner Minshew, RB Zack Moss

Externally, it was a quiet free agency for the Colts, but they committed $170 million to hang on to their internal talent — re-upping with wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., linebacker Zaire Franklin, defensive lineman Grover Stewart and safety Kenny Moore II. Now, Indianapolis gets to see if young quarterback Anthony Richardson is the real deal. Richardson, whose rookie season was cut short by shoulder surgery, started throwing again in February.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 17

Notable additions: OT Tyron Smith, OG John Simpson, DT Javon Kinlaw, QB Tyrod Taylor

Notable losses: Edge Bryce Huff, S Jordan Whitehead, OG Laken Tomlinson, TE C.J. Uzomah

Everything is about Aaron Rodgers, as usual. With the veteran quarterback set to return from his Achilles injury, the Jets signed two offensive linemen to protect him and a better backup quarterback in case that’s not enough. The Jets’ defense had the second-best success rate in the NFL last year (63.6 percent) and added defensive tackle depth with Kinlaw.

The Eagles paid to upgrade their backfield with former Giants running back Saquon Barkley. (David Berding / Getty Images)

Post-Super Bowl rank: 15

Notable additions: RB Saquon Barkley, Edge Bryce Huff, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, WR DeVante Parker, LB Devin White

Notable losses: C Jason Kelce, DT Fletcher Cox, S Kevin Byard, CB Avonte Maddox, RB D’Andre Swift

When the NFL schedule is released in May, get ready for everyone to circle the Eagles’ trip to MetLife Stadium in red. After six years in New York, Barkley jumped ship to a division rival after failing to get a long-term commitment from the Giants. Philly gave Barkley, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft, a three-year, $37.75 million deal hoping it would help offset the loss of organizational stalwarts Kelce and Cox, both of whom retired.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 29

Notable additions: QB Kirk Cousins, WR Darnell Mooney

Notable losses: TE Jonnu Smith, RB Cordarrelle Patterson

Nobody moved up more in these rankings than the Falcons. They will at least get that from the $100 million they guaranteed Cousins. The former Vikings quarterback could earn as much as $180 million in Atlanta, making it the largest total-value free-agency deal in NFL history. The Falcons believe the signing will pull together the rest of their offensive talent and allow them to snap a six-year postseason drought. Last year’s starting defensive ends — Bud Dupree and Calais Campbell — remain on the free-agent market.

.@Unexpected_Pts Improvement Index updated through this morning.
– Falcons still out in front with the big QB upgrade
– Jets moving up after a much-needed solidifying of their offensive linehttps://t.co/48SeBGcsIt pic.twitter.com/UnXuZL7PII
— Kevin Cole (@KevinCole___) March 17, 2024

Post-Super Bowl rank: 18

Notable additions: OT George Fant, C Nick Harris, QB Sam Howell

Notable losses: OG Damien Lewis, LB Jordyn Brooks, TE Colby Parkinson, TE Will Dissly, S Quandre Diggs, S Jamal Adams, LB Bobby Wagner, QB Drew Lock

The Seahawks kept defensive tackle Leonard Williams and tight end Noah Fant, but a lot of players who have felt synonymous with Seattle are gone, including Wagner, Brooks and Diggs. First-year head coach Mike Macdonald didn’t get an influx of talent either, so this season is going to be a challenge considering Seattle has only one pick in the first 80 selections of the draft.

19. Minnesota Vikings

Post-Super Bowl rank: 16

Notable additions: Edge Jonathan Greenard, Edge Andrew Van Ginkel, QB Sam Darnold, LB Blake Cashman, RB Aaron Jones

Notable losses: QB Kirk Cousins, DE Danielle Hunter, DE D.J. Wonnum, RB Alexander Mattison, LB Jordan Hicks

While the Falcons made a big bet by signing Kirk Cousins, the Vikings made a big bet by letting him leave. Now they’ve got to find his replacement. Minnesota has the Nos. 11 and 23 picks in the first round and is widely expected to try to package them with more draft capital to move up even further. The question is whether or not the Vikings can get as high as No. 3 or will have to settle for the fourth-best rookie quarterback prospect. Minnesota signed Darnold in case it can’t come out of the draft with a new starter.

GO DEEPER

NFL Mock Draft: How will Kirk Cousins’ signing with the Falcons impact the top 11 picks?

Post-Super Bowl rank: 21

Notable additions: WR Gabe Davis, C Mitch Morse, DT Arik Armstead, WR Devin Duvernay, QB Mac Jones

Notable losses: WR Calvin Ridley, DT Foley Fatukasi, CB Darious Williams, S Rayshawn Jenkins

The Jaguars kept edge rusher Josh Allen with the franchise tag and added Armstead to the defensive line. That should help offset other defensive losses for a group that showed some promise last year but finished 17th in the league in points allowed (21.8 per game). On the other side of the ball, it appears Jacksonville botched its attempt to retain Ridley, but it did add size (Davis) and speed (Duvernay) to its wide receiver room.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 22

Notable additions: DT Christian Wilkins, QB Gardner Minshew

Notable losses: RB Josh Jacobs, DE Bilal Nichols, CB Amik Robertson, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, WR Hunter Renfrow, DT Jerry Tillery

The Raiders gave Minshew a two-year deal worth up to $25 million, which makes it seem like they are resigned to going into 2024 with Minshew as their starter. However, don’t rule out the Raiders trying to get into the trade-up conversation in April to get a quarterback. After losing Jacobs, wide receiver Davante Adams is going to start feeling lonely in Las Vegas if the Raiders don’t get a promising quarterback.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 19

Notable additions: QB Russell Wilson, QB Justin Fields, LB Patrick Queen, CB Donte Jackson, S DeShon Elliott

Notable losses: QB Kenny Pickett, WR Diontae Johnson, QB Mason Rudolph, QB Mitch Trubisky, S Keanu Neal, CB Patrick Peterson, WR Allen Robinson II, P Pressley Harvin III

Nobody has had a more interesting offseason than the Steelers, who moved out quarterbacks Pickett and Trubisky (and let Rudolph leave in free agency) and brought in Wilson and Fields. What it’s going to look like, no one knows. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith tried hard when he was head coach in Atlanta to make former Florida quarterback turned tight end Feleipe Franks into a multi-threat offensive weapon. Fields could play that role and is a better passer and athlete than Franks.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 24

Notable additions: WR Keenan Allen, RB D’Andre Swift, S Kevin Byard, TE Gerald Everett

Notable losses: WR Darnell Mooney, DT Justin Jones, OL Cody Whitehair, S Eddie Jackson

The Bears have been busy. They re-signed cornerback Jaylon Johnson, upgraded at running back with Swift and at wide receiver with Allen and traded quarterback Fields to Pittsburgh for a 2025 sixth-round pick that could become a fourth if Fields plays enough this year. However, they hope the most impactful move is still a month away. The Bears have the No. 1 pick in the draft and are widely expected to take USC quarterback Caleb Williams, which will bump them up this list. Chicago also has the No. 9 pick and $31.7 million in cap space.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 25

Notable additions: WR Calvin Ridley, RB Tony Pollard, C Lloyd Cushenberry III, CB Chidobe Awuzie, LB Kenneth Murray, QB Mason Rudolph

Notable losses: RB Derrick Henry, LB Azeez Al-Shaair, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, DE Denico Autry

Making quarterback Will Levis comfortable was the point of free agency, which is why Tennessee gave Ridley a four-year deal that could be worth $92 million and signed Pollard and Cushenberry. New head coach Brian Callahan should know by the end of the year whether Levis, the 33rd pick of the 2023 draft, is the future there or not. It will be odd not seeing Henry after eight seasons in Tennessee in which he carried the ball a Herculean 2,186 times.

25. Denver Broncos

Post-Super Bowl rank: 23

Notable additions: S Brandon Jones, DT Malcolm Roach

Notable losses: C Lloyd Cushenberry, LB Josey Jewell, QB Russell Wilson, S Justin Simmons

Head coach Sean Payton got Wilson out of town, but Jarrett Stidham is the only quarterback on the roster now. The Broncos made Stidham the starter to finish out last season, but during a four-year NFL career in which he’s 1-3 as a starter, he hasn’t proved that he can be a long-term answer. The Broncos still have $22 million in cap space, but they didn’t see fit to use any of it on Cushenberry or Simmons as Payton continues to remake the organization.

GO DEEPER

Kosmider: All signs point to Broncos grabbing QB in draft — but now or in 2025?

Post-Super Bowl rank: 20

Notable additions: RB Gus Edwards, TE Will Dissly

Notable losses: WR Keenan Allen, LB Kenneth Murray, TE Gerald Everett, RB Austin Ekeler, WR Mike Williams, LB Eric Kendricks

Jim Harbaugh’s first offseason with the Chargers involved cutting a lot of salary, which is why Allen and Williams are gone and Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack restructured their contracts. Edwards is an interesting addition and plays the power back role Harbaugh prefers better than Ekeler, but the exits outweigh the entrances on the roster so far, and Harbaugh’s first year might not be stellar.

27. New York Giants

Post-Super Bowl rank: 30

Notable additions: DE Brian Burns, OG Jon Runyan, RB Devin Singletary, QB Drew Lock

Notable losses: RB Saquon Barkley, S Xavier McKinney, DT A’Shawn Robinson

The most impactful move of free agency might not be a free agency deal at all. The Giants acquired the top free agent available, defensive end Brian Burns, after Carolina had franchise-tagged him and then moved him for a second-round pick, a fifth-round pick and a fifth-round pick swap. Burns had 46 sacks in five seasons with the Panthers, and now he will be joining Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the defensive line.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 26

Notable additions: Edge Dorance Armstrong, C Tyler Biadasz, LB Frankie Luvu, RB Austin Ekeler, S Jeremy Chinn, LB Bobby Wagner, QB Marcus Mariota

Notable losses: WR Curtis Samuel, QB Sam Howell, CB Kendall Fuller, RB Antonio Gibson, S Kamren Curl

The Commanders shipped out former starting quarterback Howell in a trade of late-round draft picks to clear the way for whichever quarterback they take with the second pick next month. Washington signed free-agent quarterback Marcus Mariota to back up the new guy and also added a lot of players who have a background with new head coach Dan Quinn, including Armstrong and Wagner.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 27

Notable additions: RB Antonio Gibson, QB Jacoby Brissett, LB Sione Takitaki

Notable losses: LB Mack Wilson, DT Lawrence Guy, CB J.C. Jackson, WR DeVante Parker, QB Mac Jones

The Patriots pick third in the draft, but they didn’t give any helpful hints about their intentions during free agency. Brissett signed a one-year deal worth at least $8 million and up to $12 million. That could be good backup money if New England takes a quarterback in the first round, or Brissett, who is 18-30 as a starting quarterback in eight seasons, could handle the starting job if the Patriots want to trade the No. 3 pick and get more draft assets. Jones, the former starter, was traded to Jacksonville.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 28

Notable addition: Edge Chase Young

Notable losses: DE Malcolm Roach, S Marcus Maye, WR Michael Thomas, QB Jameis Winston

One of the drawbacks to New Orleans’ strategy of constantly pushing the salary-cap option is the lack of options during free agency. Cedrick Wilson Jr., who has 101 catches in five pro seasons, and journeyman cornerback Lonnie Johnson were the only additions before Young joined on a one-year deal Monday. This is not quarterback Derek Carr’s fault, though. There are five veteran Saints whose salary-cap hits are higher than Carr’s. That will change in 2025 as Carr’s number goes way up, so this could be his last chance with the Saints.

Post-Super Bowl rank: 31

Notable additions: DT Bilal Nichols, OT Jonah Williams, DT Justin Jones, CB Sean-Murphy Bunting, LB Mack Wilson

Notable losses: WR Marquise Brown, OT D.J. Humphries

The Cardinals seem to be waiting for the draft to make their offseason noise, which makes sense considering they have six picks in the top 90. The addition of the former Bengal Williams will allow Arizona to make Paris Johnson Jr. its fixture at left tackle if it prefers. Jones and Nichols bolster a defensive line for a team that was 31st in the NFL in scoring defense last year (26.8).

32. Carolina Panthers

Post-Super Bowl rank: 32

Notable additions: WR Diontae Johnson, OG Robert Hunt, OG Damien Lewis, DT A’Shawn Robinson, DE D.J. Wonnum

Notable losses: DE Brian Burns, LB Frankie Luvu, C Bradley Bozeman, S Vonn Bell, S Jeremy Chinn, CB Donte Jackson

Losing Burns for second- and a fifth-round picks feels like a loss for the Panthers, but there are some potential bright spots. Carolina committed to the interior of the offensive line with deals that could total $153 million and got a wide receiver with the talent to be its top pass catcher by trading with the Steelers for Johnson. New head coach Dave Canales hopes those moves help him get 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young on track.

(Top photo of Danielle Hunter: Ryan Kang / Getty Images)

Sports

MLS goalie, wife arrested after nightclub fight in Florida

Published

4 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Press Room

MLS goalie, wife arrested after nightclub fight in Florida

Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

Please enter a valid email address.

A Major League Soccer goalkeeper and his wife were arrested early Sunday morning after a fight outside a nightclub in Florida, police said.

Orlando City’s Mason Stajduhar, 26, and his wife Tatiana, 25, were charged with disorderly conduct during an incident in Orlando at around 1 a.m. ET, Fox 35 Orlando reported, citing arrest records. Responding officers arrived to see Mason allegedly trying to get back inside the club.

Booking photos showing Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar. (Orange County Jail)

The club manager told officers the couple was “being disrespectful and causing a scene at the front entrance of the nightclub” and allegedly berated female employees at the door, the station reported.

According to an affidavit, Mason said one of the bouncers at the club hit his wife and wanted to re-enter the club. He reportedly admitted to resisting security officers in an attempt to check on his wife.

USA, MEXICO PULL BID FOR 2027 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP WITH FOCUS ON 2031

Mason Stajduhar, #31 of Orlando City SC, before a game between Orlando City SC and New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on June 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Andrew Katsampes/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Tatiana Stajduhar was allegedly “screaming obscenities” at officers who arrested her husband. She allegedly pushed an officer with an open hand but was not charged with battery on an officer and resisting arrest with violence. Police said “discretion was used,” according to Fox 35 Orlando.

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time,” Orlando City said in a statement.

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar, #31, warms up before the Leagues Cup Quarterfinal match between Orlando City SC and Santos Laguna on Aug. 12, 2021, at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida. (Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Stajduhar is in his fourth season with Orlando City. He has made one start this season and 12 starts overall with the club. He previously played for Orlando City B in USL League One and the Tulsa Roughnecks in the USL Championship.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Sports

Four takeaways from UCLA's first spring football practice under coach DeShaun Foster

Published

4 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Press Room

Four takeaways from UCLA's first spring football practice under coach DeShaun Foster

If there was a College Football Playoff for the offseason, DeShaun Foster would have his team in contention.

Name an aspect of program-building — assembling a staff, getting buy-in from players, recruiting, engaging fans, soliciting name, image and likeness dollars — and UCLA’s new coach has nailed it in his first months on the job.

Foster has rejuvenated the fan base, not to mention a roster that has mostly remained intact because of its belief in its coach. He’s courted donors in a way that his predecessor was unwilling to do. He’s aggressively pursued high school recruits in addition to transfers, who had formed the core of the team in recent years. He’s built a buzz around a faded brand that hasn’t gone to a major bowl game in a quarter of a century.

Can these early wins vault the Bruins to success in their inaugural Big Ten season? Impossible to say. But it’s apparent that Foster will take on challenges as fearlessly as he did defenders when he starred at running back for his alma mater’s last Rose Bowl team.

Here are four takeaways from UCLA’s first spring practice under Foster:

A dynamic offense

UCLA’s offense put up plenty of points under Chip Kelly but often had a stubbornly predictable feel, particularly on fourth downs and short-yardage situations.

What the Bruins have shown in their first weeks under new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is a more versatile approach that appears to emphasize protecting the quarterback. Among the plays the team ran were a variety of screen passes and rollouts that minimized the possibility of sacks while getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands quickly.

Barring the arrival of a veteran quarterback, Ethan Garbers has clearly established himself as the one who will take the season’s first snap. He’s found a reliable rhythm throwing to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, Logan Loya and Rico Flores Jr.

Keegan Jones is pushing T.J. Harden for the designation as the top running back, showing more explosiveness and pass-catching ability out of the backfield. The offensive line is in flux with at least three transfers yet to arrive on campus. The hope is they can solidify what was the team’s biggest weakness a year ago.

An electric vibe

There was sometimes yelling, leaping and cheering before the first practice drill.

It was all part of one-on-one competitions Foster instituted to get his players in the mood for football. The entire team would gather around the combatants to take sides, with the winner swarmed by joyous teammates.

Another tradition was unveiled with the debut of Friday Night Lights, an evening football practice with a festive feel that drew a few thousand fans, donors and recruits.

Foster also brought the spring showcase back to the Rose Bowl for the first time in nearly a decade, fans given the opportunity to greet players with the revival of the Bruin Walk from a parking lot into the stadium.

That’s not to say Foster was more focused on fun than football.

“My No. 1 thing each practice is how hard are we competing?” Foster said. “Are these guys really leaving it out there on the field? Are they trying to get better daily?”

Real go-getters

Some days there were more high school recruits than fans watching practice, a sign of renewed interest in the team among local prospects.

Earlier this spring, Foster estimated that the team had hosted more than 2,000 recruits. A few gave verbal commitments immediately after the end of the Friday Night Lights event.

“It was so good that people wanted to jump in the boat,” Foster said, “so I was pretty impressed.”

Foster and his staff have appeared to trumpet commitments with simultaneous video tweets featuring the school and Southern California hot spots.

Those videos have gotten significant airtime considering the Bruins’ ability to land five transfers since the portal opened last month, providing an infusion of veterans at positions of need. Tackle Reuben Unije (formerly of Houston and Louisville) and interior offensive lineman Alani Makihele (Nevada Las Vegas) could start immediately and tight end Bryce Pierre (Arizona State) could get plenty of playing time alongside returners Moliki Matavao and Jack Pederson. Punter Brody Richter (Northern Arizona) and long snapper Travis Drosos (South Alabama) are the latest transfers to commit.

A few holes left

The team is so thin at edge rusher that it’s regularly used linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo in that spot, capitalizing on his combination of speed and power. More help will arrive once Miami transfer Collins Acheampong recovers from an injury and Johns Hopkins transfer Luke Schuermann gets on campus for fall training camp.

The Bruins also lost two offensive linemen — Bruno Fina and Benjamin Roy Jr. — to the transfer portal, nearly offsetting any gains in depth. They could certainly use a few more proven players at the position.

Earlier this spring, the Bruins had as many tight end coaches (one) as they had available scholarship players at the position after injuries to Pederson and Hudson Habermehl. They could use at least one more tight end besides Pierre given Bieniemy’s apparent fondness for plays that incorporate two tight ends.

Other positions of need include defensive back, running back and quarterback.