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Marcus Mariota’s hair is grayer now than when he entered the NFL as a highly touted prospect and a potential face of a franchise.
He believes everything he has gone through since has set him up to be ready for anything in his next opportunity with the Washington Commanders.
After signing a one-year contract Thursday, Mariota said he’s prepared to play if called upon while also serving as a mentor to the young quarterback who could be coming with the second pick in the draft.
“Whatever this staff, whatever this team needs of me, I’m going to do it to the best of my abilities,” Mariota said on a video call with reporters.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of different things throughout my career. I’ve been a starter, won a playoff game. I’ve also been cut, I’ve also been injured, I’ve also been benched. So, I think all those experiences create value and also creates opportunities for me to build relationships with guys.”
One of those guys could be a rookie at football’s most important position. Washington is in place to select LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels, or North Carolina’s Drake Maye if Chicago selects USC’s Caleb Williams first, as expected.
It doesn’t hurt that Mariota was the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft out of Oregon to the Tennessee Titans. Now 30 and with 90 games and 74 pro starts under his belt, he remembers what that was like and could be the perfect person to provide some perspective.
“That expectation for you to be the quote-unquote ‘savior’ and all that is a lot,” Mariota said. “If that’s the way we go, I can provide a little bit of comfort knowing that: Just be your best version of yourself, don’t worry about everything else, don’t worry about the expectations, just go out there and try to get better every single day and the rest of it will fall into place.”
Hours after Mariota signed his contract, with a base salary of $6 million that could be worth up to $10 million, the Commanders traded 2023 starter Sam Howell to Seattle in a swap of draft picks. It’s the latest in new general manager Adam Peters’ flurry of moves to turn over the roster that may have only a dozen or so returnees next season.
New linebacker Frankie Luvu, one of many free agent signings, said he’s blessed to now be teammates with Mariota after playing against him for several years.
“Just excited to be on the same side as him,” Luvu said. “I’ve seen him grow a lot. … Just the amount he’s grown and the leadership he’s taken — guys listen to him when he steps in the room and taking control when time is on the clock.”
Mariota said he was willing to “wait and see” about possibly being the starter, which could easily be a placeholder job from Week 1 until a young QB is ready. On his fifth stop after Tennessee, Las Vegas, Atlanta and most recently Philadelphia as Jalen Hurts’ backup, he sounds at peace with whatever his role may be.
“For all of us that are in kind of this position, you always want to be a starter,” Mariota said. “You always want to be a guy that’s leading a franchise out there. That’s why you play. That’s why you do it. But I’ll never let my own ego get in the way of what’s most important for the team.”
NOTES: The Commanders resigned defensive end Efe Obada, making him the third player back from the previous regime along with safety and 2022 All-Pro special teams player Jeremy Reaves and punt returner Jamison Crowder. … The team also added free agent linebacker Anthony Pittman.
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 30, 2026, results for each game:
1PM: 7-1-4-0
4PM: 1-4-7-0
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10PM: 8-5-1-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
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This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Crime
A man from Oregon pleaded guilty Wednesday to a 1979 murder in Back Bay, a crime he confessed to in 2023, authorities said.
John Irmer, 71, was charged with first-degree murder of 24-year-old Susan Rose, whose body was found in an apartment at 285 Beacon St. on Oct. 30, 1979, according to a statement from Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
In August 2023, Irmer confessed to the murder at an FBI field office in Portland, Oregon. He initially spoke with federal authorities twice, each time admitting to the crime, before Boston Police Homicide Unit detectives traveled to Oregon to interview him, according to a 2023 statement of facts filed with the court.
Irmer told detectives that his decision to confess stemmed from becoming sober and “finding Jesus” after serving a lengthy prison sentence for a separate murder conviction in California, the statement of facts noted.
Irmer described meeting the victim, identified as Rose, in Boston around Halloween 1979 while she was arguing with her boyfriend, court records indicate.
After visiting Rose’s basement apartment and walking around Back Bay, Irmer and Rose stopped at a house under construction. As Rose walked up a set of stairs inside the house, Irmer struck her in the head with a hammer “so hard that he believes that he killed her instantly,” according to court documents.
Irmer also confessed to sexually assaulting Rose after killing her, authorities said.
After the murder, Irmer admitted to stealing Rose’s wallet, taking the cash, and discarding the remainder of the wallet into the Charles River before traveling by bus to New York.
Irmer additionally confessed to committing another murder in a southern state, which authorities from that state are investigating. He also admitted to shooting someone in a different southern state, though he was uncertain if that victim died, according to court documents.
“Irmer repeatedly stated that he wanted to do what was right and cited his finding Jesus and feeling bad about what he had done for his reason for confessing and wanting to plead guilty immediately,” the statement of facts noted.
First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
A different man was initially arrested for Rose’s murder but was ultimately found not guilty, according to Hayden. In 2005, a DNA profile was developed from sperm cells located on a broom that had been found inserted inside Rose’s body, and the person previously arrested was excluded as the source of the sperm found on the broomstick.
Rose’s older sister presented a victim impact statement during Wednesday’s hearing, Hayden said. She held a photo of Rose from first grade, saying she wished to remember her that way.
Rose was described by her sister as adventurous, intelligent, and motivated, with dreams of becoming a lawyer.

“All of this was taken from her … Susie never got to finish school, get married, or have her own children,” she said. “She never got to see all the places she wanted to visit, meet new friends, or have new adventures. Her life was cut short at the age of 24.”
Rose’s sister explained how the murder profoundly impacted her family.
“My parents were never the same after Susie’s murder,” she said. “Though they lived long lives, they were never truly happy or at peace.”
Mourning the loss of her only sibling, Rose’s sister shared her personal grief, saddened by the fact that her daughter would never have the chance to meet her aunt.
“I am relieved that there is some closure to this nightmare,” she said. “I truly hope that John Irmer understands what he did because I will never forget.”
Following the hearing, Hayden commended the investigators on the case. He also addressed Rose’s family, saying “The answers for Susan Rose’s sister and friends finally came today, though after a very long and sad period of time. I hope other families affected by John Irmer’s murderous behavior find similar answers.”
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BANDON, Ore. – It was the kind of beautiful shot golfers dream about. Pure contact, the ball soaring against a blue sky and sliding just a touch a right before touching down on the green near the flagstick on the closing stretch at iconic Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. And it was all propelled by a late bathroom break and a quick walk back into the fairway that left little time to overthink a pressure-packed situation.
This particular shot, an 8-iron from 173 yards, had significant meaning. Jesse Droemer, a teaching professional at Riverbend Country Club near Houston, was tied for the lead through 16 holes in Wednesday’s final round of the PGA Professional Championship. His lead had been as many as three during the back nine, but he had been run down by Ben Kern. Droemer needed to make something happen.
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On No. 17 of the resort’s Bandon Dunes course, Droemer faced a challenging shot into the green with the flag tucked on the left behind a knob as strong winds blew off the left. He nailed that 8-iron to within birdie range. He missed the putt and settled for a par, but that proved to be enough. Kern, playing in the final group behind Droemer, soon after landed his approach on the right side of the putting surface and watched the ball slide off the green into the rough. Kern’s ensuing bogey gave Droemer a one-shot lead, and after both players parred the 18th, the title was Droemer’s.
Jesse Droemer won the 2026 PGA Professional Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon.
What were Droemer’s thoughts as he left the 17th tee on his way to what would prove to be the tournament-deciding shot? Probably not what you would think, as Droemer explained after receiving the trophy.
“Well, honestly, I had to use the restroom so bad, I had to run from the tee over to the Porta Potty that was like 200 yards away,” Droemer said with a smile. “[Caddie Carl Everts] got the number, and I said, ‘Give me a yardage,’ and he had it, and I just stepped up and hit the shot. No time to think, just react. I do think that was one of the shots of the tournament, for sure.”
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After nearly holing a 77-yard approach shot into the par-5 18th that set up the winning par, Droemer finished with a 2-under 70 in the final round, good for a 4-under total of 283. Kern, of South Bloomfield, Ohio, shot 71 in the final round to finish in second place at 3-under. Michael Kartrude of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, was third after a closing 70 and a 2-under total. It was the second straight day of strong breezes that at times surpassed 20 mph, causing havoc for club selection and making it tough to hole putts of any length.
“I was just embracing the challenge,” said Droemer, 34. “I knew it was gonna be windy. I knew the conditions were gonna be tough, and I was just really was trying to embrace the elements. And, you know, I’m glad it was windy. I’m glad it was playing hard.”
Droemer, Kern, Kartrude and 17 other players now have a new challenge: the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 14-17. The top 20 from the PGA Professional Championship qualified for the major in Pennsylvania. It will be Droemer’s third appearance in the PGA Championship, having first qualified via the PGA Professional Championship in 2023 and again in 2025. He missed the cut in both those tries, but the victory at Bandon Dunes inspired fresh confidence.
“Well, this will be my third one, and the first one was in ’23, and I realized that I was a lot more comfortable last year after that one,” Droemer said. “But going into that tournament, I’m not trying to just enjoy it. I’m trying to go out and win a golf tournament. I said it last year: I’ve never played a tournament to try to lose, so I’m gonna go out and try to win a golf tournament.”
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Droemer had experience to lean on in the PGA Professional Championship. He finished second behind Tyler Collet in 2025 at PGA Golf Club in Florida, and he tied for 11th at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Golf Club in 2023 in New Mexico.
Droemer worked for years as an assistant professional before switching to teaching full-time, and he commits long hours to combine golf instruction with his own needs to practice — such is the life of most of the contenders in the PGA Professional Championship who represented 41 PGA of America sections at Bandon Dunes.
“Sometimes I have to get to the golf course at 6:30 and practice before (giving) my 8 o’clock lesson,” Droemer said. “I have to stay until dark. But I love to compete. This is why I practice, being in situations like this. So I just have to make a lot of time for it.”
All that work in Texas, well-known for its frequently windy golf, helped prepare him for Bandon Dunes. Most people would think the toughest shots in the breeze are those up in the air, but at Bandon Dunes, it was the putting that was most difficult for most competitors. When winds exceed 20 mph, a rolling ball often breaks in unexpected ways. “Honestly, that was the hardest thing of the week, making putts,” Droemer said.
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He hired Everts, who has caddied at Bandon Dunes for seven years, to help. Evert’s experience reading putts in the breezes proved invaluable in all four rounds. Droemer had played at Bandon Dunes Golf resort in the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and qualified for the match play portion then, so he was familiar with the resort’s typically firm and bouncy turf conditions, but he wanted all the help he could get from his caddie on the greens in this PGA Professional Championship.
“It was huge,” Droemer said. “I mean, he saved me I couldn’t even tell you how many shots, with different reads that I didn’t see. I just trusted him. I told him, ‘Just whatever you see, tell me,’ and I wouldn’t have been able to do without him. No chance.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Texas teaching pro takes title at PGA Professional Championship in Oregon
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