The Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 24, 2026, a surprise move that immediately positioned Simpson as the heir apparent to veteran Matthew Stafford. Simpson, who started one full season for the Crimson Tide, threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2025 and earned second-team All-SEC honors. The pick was unexpected because many mock drafts projected Simpson as a late first-round or early second-round selection; some draft boards did not rate him as a clear first-round talent. Rams general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay signalled the choice was made with the future in mind, giving Simpson a season to develop behind Stafford, who remains the starter for 2026 but is 38 and signed only through the coming year. Analysts noted Simpson’s strong processing and mechanics but flagged limited starting experience and modest size. The selection alters the Rams’ immediate draft narrative — prioritising long-term quarterback succession over adding a ready-made weapon for a team still chasing a Super Bowl run.

The 2026 NFL Draft opens April 23 in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders widely expected to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1. First-round coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network; rounds 2-3 follow Friday and rounds 4-7 on Saturday. The New York Jets hold the No. 2 pick and five selections in the top 103, leaving open the prospect of staying put or trading. Oddsmakers and sportsbooks have shifted attention to edge rusher David Bailey — who tied for the NCAA lead with 14.5 sacks last season — overtaking Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese as the favorite to go No. 2 after rapid betting-market moves. Other top prospects include Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., Ohio State’s Sonny Styles and Spencer Fano. The league shortened first-round pick windows to eight minutes this year, tightening trade and negotiation timelines. Pittsburgh is hosting large fan festivities near Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park, with heightened security, road closures and expanded transit as hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett each scored 33 points as the Toronto Raptors routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-104 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at Scotiabank Arena on April 24, 2026. Barnes added a playoff career-high 11 assists and five rebounds, while Barrett shot 6-of-8 from three. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles contributed 22 points — the most ever by a Raptors rookie in a playoff game — and Jamison Battle scored all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter to help the home side outscore Cleveland 43-23 in the final period. The Cavaliers were plagued by 22 turnovers; James Harden led Cleveland with 18 points while Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus had 15 apiece. Toronto’s win snapped a long postseason losing run against Cleveland and cut the series deficit to 2-1. Game 4 is scheduled back in Toronto on Sunday afternoon, with momentum shifting to the Raptors after their decisive fourth-quarter surge.

On April 23, 2026 the BBC announced it will end long‑running Saturday lunchtime programme Football Focus at the close of the 2025‑26 season after 52 years on air. Launched in 1974, the magazine show — which has been presented by figures including Bob Wilson, Gary Lineker, Dan Walker and currently Alex Scott — has provided interviews, features and pre‑match analysis ahead of the afternoon kick‑offs. The corporation cited “changing audience behaviours” and a long‑term decline in linear television viewing since 2018 as the rationale, and said it will expand multi‑platform and digital output, including exclusive YouTube shows. The BBC said the decision was taken before a recent announcement on wider savings and that Scott will remain with the corporation and be involved in a new project. Schedule changes next season will see Kelly Somers’ The Football Interview move to 12:45 BST on Saturdays and Final Score start earlier at 15:45. Reported audience figures have fallen markedly in recent years — from roughly 849,000 in 2019 to about 564,000 by 2023 — underscoring the shift to on‑demand and social platforms.

Carolina Hurricanes edged the Ottawa Senators 2-1 in Game 3 on Thursday night in Ottawa, taking a 3-0 lead in the first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series and placing the Senators on the brink of elimination. Logan Stankoven opened the scoring for the third straight game and Jackson Blake netted the eventual winner late in the second period after a cross-ice feed from K’Andre Miller. Frederik Andersen made 21 saves for Carolina; Linus Ullmark stopped 25 for Ottawa. Drake Batherson scored Ottawa’s lone goal. The Senators finished with limited success on the power play, failing to convert on the man advantage through three games (0-for-12). Ottawa also lost top defenseman Jake Sanderson in the second period after a hit to the head from Taylor Hall; Hall was assessed a minor penalty and Sanderson did not return. The series returns to the Canadian Tire Centre for a potential Carolina sweep in Game 4 on Saturday afternoon.

The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves head into a pivotal Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series in Minneapolis after splitting the first two games in Denver. The series is tied 1-1 ahead of Thursday’s 9:30 p.m. ET tip at Target Center, nationally streamed on Amazon Prime Video. Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is listed as questionable with right-knee maintenance after back-to-back games in Denver (30 points, 10 rebounds in Game 2), while the Nuggets could have Aaron Gordon (calf) listed as probable and remain without Peyton Watson (hamstring). Tensions have risen after Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels publicly called Denver players “bad defenders,” comments Nuggets coach David Adelman and players brushed off. Denver was flagged for poor rebounding in Game 2 — Minnesota outscored them 20-3 on second-chance points — a focal point Nuggets coaches say must be cleaned up. Betting markets slightly favor Denver (around a 2.5-point spread) in a matchup that will shape momentum in this Northwest Division rivalry.