Sports
OpTic Texas move to 7-0 at CDL Stage 2 Major qualifying
A contestant uses a video game controller in a Super Smash Brothers Nintendo Wii Tournament at the Manteca Branch Library in downtown Manteca on jul. 10. 2008. OpTic Texas preserved their unbeaten record, sweeping FaZe Vegas in qualifying for the Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major during Week 4 on Saturday.
In the day’s other matches, G2 Minnesota swept Paris Gentle Mates and Riyadh Falcons swept Toronto KOI, while Boston Breach took down Cloud9 New York 3-1.
The 12 Call of Duty League teams are playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the second major of the season, to be held March 27-29 in Marston Green, England, as part of the DreamHack Birmingham event.
The top six teams in qualifying head straight into the Stage 2 Major playoffs, while the teams in seventh through 10th place will compete in a play-in round.
The Stage 2 Major champion will receive $150,000 and 100 Call of Duty League points, while the runner-up will get $90,000 and 75 CDL points.
On Saturday, OpTic Texas opened with a 250-190 win on Scar Hardpoint and followed that with wins on Den Search & Destroy (6-1) and Scar Overload (5-3) to improve to 7-0.
American/Dutch/Saudi Arabian player Cuyler “Huke” Garland paced OpTic Texas with 77 kills and a plus-22 kill-death differential. Jordan “Abuzah” Francois of Belgium topped FaZe Vegas with 69 kills and a plus-9 K-D differential.
G2 Minnesota picked up a 250-240 victory on Scar Hardpoint, a 6-3 win on Raid Search & Destroy and a 5-2 triumph on Exposure Overload to complete the sweep.
Cesar “Skyx” Bueno of the United States led Minnesota with 75 kills and a plus-18 K-D differential. Daunte “Sib” Gray of the U.S. wound up with 75 kills and a plus-16 K-D differential for Paris.
Riyadh had little trouble sweeping Toronto, posting victories on Blackheart Hardpoint (250-160), Raid Search & Destroy (6-5) and Exposure Overload (7-2).
Riyadh’s Saud “Exnid” Alotai of Saudi Arabia posted a team-high 63 kills and finished with a plus-14 K-D differential. Nicholas “Kips” Lyons of the U.S. collected 48 kills for Toronto, which did not have a player with a positive K-D differential.
Boston jumped out to a 2-0 lead with wins on Scar Hardpoint (250-176) and Colossus Search & Destroy (6-2) before New York got on the board with a 3-2 victory on Scar Overload. Boston then put the match away, prevailing 250-156 on Colossus Hardpoint.
Eric “Snoopy” Perez of Mexico powered Boston’s win, notching 105 kills and a plus-26 K-D differential. For New York, Mexico’s Jacob “Hide” Bustillos led the way with 82 kills. No New York player finished with a positive K-D differential.
The remaining Week 4 matches:
Sunday
–Miami Heretics vs. Los Angeles Thieves
–Toronto KOI vs. Boston Breach
–OpTic Texas vs. Carolina Royal Ravens
–Vancouver Surge vs. Paris Gentle Mates
Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying standings (match record, map differential)
1. OpTic Texas, 7-0, +17
2. Los Angeles Thieves, 4-2, +7
3. G2 Minnesota, 4-3, +1
4. Riyadh Falcons, 4-3, +5
5. Paris Gentle Mates, 3-3, -1
6. Miami Heretics, 3-3, +2
7. Carolina Royal Ravens, 3-3, -1
8. Toronto KOI, 3-4, -2
9. Boston Breach, 3-4, -3
10. FaZe Vegas, 3-5, -4
11. Vancouver Surge, 2-4, -7
12. Cloud9 New York, 1-6, -14
–Field Level Media
Sports
Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews injured vs. Ducks
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) looks at an injured Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) after he delivered a knee on knee hit during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was helped off the ice and to the dressing room at 15:47 of the second period after taking a knee-on-knee hit from the Anaheim Ducks’ Radko Gudas Thursday evening.
The Maple Leafs later said Matthews will not return because of a lower-body injury.
The Ducks led 3-2 at the time of the incident. Gudas was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
Matthews, a two-time All-Star, ended a 12-game drought without a goal when he scored earlier in the period.
For the season, Matthews has 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Eagles sign CB Jonathan Jones to 1-year deal
Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devonta Smith (6) makes a catch as Washington Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) defends during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Eagles are bringing in veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones on a one-year deal, NFL Network reported Thursday.
Jones, 32, shifts from the NFC East rival Washington Commanders to the Eagles, one day after Philadelphia signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen from the Seattle Seahawks.
Jones spent one year with Washington after nine seasons with the New England Patriots, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He had five pass breakups, one sack and 41 tackles in 12 appearances (seven starts) for the Commanders.
Through 144 career games (78 starts), Jones has 11 interceptions — though none since a four-interception campaign in 2022 — as well as 477 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 62 pass breakups and 10 forced fumbles.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Which NFL Teams Improved the Most in Free Agency? Four Stand Out
The official 2026 calendar just started and the NFL still has that new-league-year smell.
Depending on what your favorite team did since player negotiations began on Monday and free agency opened on Wednesday, there’s a great chance it will end up smelling like either fresh roses or rotten eggs 11 months from now after the confetti settles on Super Bowl LXI.
Last March, the Seattle Seahawks signed quarterback Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100 million contract and went on to win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens mostly window shopped, missed the playoffs and ultimately said farewell to John Harbaugh, the most successful coach in franchise history
In March 2024, the Philadelphia Eagles locked up running back Saquon Barkley on a three-year, $37.75 million deal and then rode his historic 2,000-yard season to a Super Bowl championship. The Dallas Cowboys were the last team to sign anyone, kept their purse strings knotted and showed coach Mike McCarthy the door after a 7-10 season.
Who made the largest “Lombardi leaps” this week, keeping in mind that neither the 2025 Seahawks (10-7 during the previous season) nor 2024 Eagles (11-6 in 2023) needed massive makeovers? Who plugged the decisive pieces into their championship puzzles?
Four teams fit the mold. Two made playoff runs last season and two slipped from perennial AFC contenders to 6-11 records: the defending NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams and the NFC North champion Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Rams fell short of the Big Game when they allowed Darnold to throw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 31-27 victory in the NFC Championship.
General manager Les Snead attacked the situation head-on this month, shelling out a combined $176 million to add ex-Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson (who both own two Super Bowl rings) and also re-signing safety Kam Curl to a three-year, $36 million deal.
The Bears were 4-5 during the 2025 regular season when opponents averaged at least 6.0 yards per play (7-1 when foes were under that mark).
Seeking speed for Dennis Allen’s defense, Chicago GM Ryan Poles signed former Seahawks safety Coby Bryant and replaced Tremaine Edmunds with former Browns linebacker Devin Bush. The Bears also solidified the defensive line with tackles Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street.
The Bengals surrendered a franchise-record 492 points last season and finished 31st in total defense, including three games with more than 500 yards allowed.
Offsetting the departure of 31-year-old pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens, Cincinnati got better by making former Chief Bryan Cook (another two-time champ) the highest-paid safety in franchise history and making former Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe the franchise’s first $20 million per year free agent.
The Chiefs’ 10-year playoff streak ended last winter but the dynasty isn’t dead as long as Patrick Mahomes has two healthy legs to stand on. If he returns early enough from a torn ACL, you can’t count them out.
Sure, Kansas City lost a few key players, but GM Brett Veach signed reigning Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, veteran safety Alohi Gilman, defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga — a solid backup for 31-year-old Chris Jones — and wideout Tyquan Thornton. Tight end Travis Kelce also committed to another season, with the encouragement of Taylor Swift.
As for the rest, don’t start burning jerseys if your team didn’t make the cut here. There will be plenty more signings and trades before next month’s draft. At the time of writing, A.J. Brown is still an Eagle, Kyler Murray is still on the market and Maxx Crosby is still not a Raven.
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