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MLS executive steps away from team after cancer diagnosis

Atlanta United president and CEO Garth Lagerwey, one of MLS’s most successful executives, is stepping away from his duties after being diagnosed with cancer.

Atlanta announced the news Thursday, referring to Lagerwey’s leave of absence as ‘indefinite’ and noting that doctors gave the 52-year-old an ‘encouraging’ prognosis for a full recovery.

‘I have made the difficult decision to step back from Atlanta United to tackle my cancer treatment head-on,’ said Lagerwey in a team statement. ‘I would like to express my profound gratitude to Arthur Blank for not only his support, but by doing everything in his power to make this process as painless as possible for me and my family. I could not possibly work for a better organization than [AMB Sports and Entertainment].’

‘On behalf of myself, Atlanta United, and the entire Blank Family of Businesses, we stand fully behind Garth and his family as they navigate this difficult challenge,’ added Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank. ‘Garth’s resilience and optimism are part of what makes him such an exceptional leader, and I know he’ll carry those strengths in the days ahead.

‘I have complete confidence in our leadership team and players as we navigate this transition together. We all look forward to welcoming Garth back in the future and will be praying for him and his family’s continued strength, and a smooth recovery.’

Atlanta announced that in Lagerwey’s absence, Chief Soccer Officer Chris Henderson, Chief Business Officer Skate Noftsinger and Senior Vice President of Strategy Dimitrios Efstathiou will run their respective departments on a day-to-day basis, with Lagerwey and CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment Rich McKay receiving regular reports.

Lagerwey’s statement expressed ‘full confidence’ in the club’s leadership to thrive during his absence, and concluded with a simple declaration: ‘I shall return.’

Garth Lagerwey: Who is Atlanta United executive?

Lagerwey began his career in MLS as a player in the 1990s, playing for the Kansas City Wiz, Dallas Burn and the now-defunct Miami Fusion. Upon retiring in 2000, Lagerwey got a law degree from Georgetown, but stayed attached to soccer by working as a color commentator for D.C. United and New England Revolution radio and television broadcasts.

However, his rise to prominence in MLS came as an executive. Real Salt Lake named Lagerwey its general manager in 2007, and by the end of its third season the club was lifting MLS Cup. Despite running one of the league’s smallest-market clubs, Lagerwey’s cap management and talent identification kept RSL among the league’s serious contenders. A focus on the long-term also saw the club start an academy in Arizona, and to this day RSL is one of the better MLS teams in terms of developing youngsters into pro-ready players.

Lagerwey left RSL in 2014 for the Seattle Sounders, and his success continued. Seattle won five major trophies during Lagerwey’s tenure, including the 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup (making the Sounders the first MLS club to win that competition in 22 years) and two MLS Cup wins in 2016 and 2019. The Sounders were a model of consistency during Lagerwey’s nine-season run, finishing in first or second place in the Western Conference six times, and only finishing outside of the top 10 in MLS’s overall standings once.

One week after Sounders season-ticket holders voted to retain him in 2022 — a formal process specific to Seattle where the team GM could lose their job should enough fans deliver a vote of no confidence — Atlanta United announced that Lagerwey was its new president and CEO. After missing the playoffs for just the second time ever in 2022, the Five Stripes returned to the postseason in the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, stunning Inter Miami in a major first-round upset last year.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

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Vikings LB Dallas Turner scammed out of $240,000, police say

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner was the victim of a bank fraud scheme that cost him $240,000, according to a police investigation.

A search warrant obtained by USA TODAY from Eagan Police Department details that Turner had received a phone call on Feb. 19 from ‘an individual impersonating a JPMorgan Chase banker. The caller claimed someone was attempting to impersonate [Turner] at a Chase Bank branch in Arizona and presented two copies of ID to execute a wire transfer.’

Turner was advised by the caller to transfer the money into two separate business accounts to prevent the theft, which he did later that afternoon at two different Chase Bank branches.

Records show that the Vikings linebacker transferred $120,000 to ‘Island Vibes Food Truck LLC’ at a Chase in Eagan, Minnesota and another $120,000 to ‘CNL FL LLC’ from a location in West St. Paul.

Turner began to suspect he was a victim of a scam after speaking with a family member.

Police say they have identified several suspects and are moving towards bringing charges. As for Turner’s money, they have recovered $2,457.17, per the warrant.

Investigators have also questioned if JPMorgan Chase has been able to determine how the fraudsters were able to obtain the necessary sensitive information to pull off such an act. Police also questioned if any bank employees played a role in the scheme.

There has been no comment from the Vikings, Turner or his attorney at this time.

Turner is entering his second season in the NFL after posting three sacks and an interception in 16 games during his rookie year. Taken with the 17th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Turner inked a four-year, $15.7 million deal that is fully guaranteed with Minnesota.

The 22-year-old is hoping to play a bigger role for the Vikings in 2025 after spending the 2024 season behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard on the depth chart.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores previously called it a learning year for Turner, who has now learned some lessons on and off the field.

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Duffy just got an additional job in Trump’s administration — and he’s not the only one wearing multiple hats

The Trump administration has repeatedly assigned additional job roles to Cabinet members and other officials amid government shake-ups as the president solidifies his agenda for the coming years, Fox News Digital found. 

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy was the latest Trump official to be charged with an additional role on June 9. The Transportation chief and Trump ally now also serves as the administration’s acting NASA administrator, after the president pulled a former nominee’s name from consideration to lead NASA. 

Duffy, however, is not alone in taking on multiple roles within Trump’s second administration. Fox News Digital looked back on the various Trump Cabinet members and officials who have or are currently wearing multiple hats as the president works to realign the federal government to track with his ‘America First’ policies. 

Sean Duffy 

Duffy, a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin, was tapped to oversee the Department of Transportation and was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 28. Since his confirmation, Duffy has juggled a handful of crises related to tragic plane crashes — including the Potomac River mid-air collision on Jan. 29 — and air traffic control issues that plagued New Jersey’s Liberty International Airport earlier this year. 

Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday evening that Duffy would also serve as interim chief of NASA. 

‘I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA,’ Trump wrote in his announcement. 

‘Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country’s Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again. He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time. Congratulations, and thank you, Sean!’

Duffy replaced Janet Petro, who has served as acting NASA administrator since Trump’s inauguration. The president had previously nominated an Elon Musk ally named Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, but pulled his nomination in June as Trump’s and Musk’s relationship hit the rocks over the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’

‘Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let’s launch,’ Duffy posted to X of the new role. 

Marco Rubio 

Rubio and the Trump administration came under fire from Democrats for the secretary of state holding multiple high-profile roles in the second administration, including Democrats sounding off on the national security council shake-up on Sunday news shows. 

‘There’s no way he can do that and do it well, especially since there’s such incompetence over at DOD with Pete Hegseth being secretary of defense and just the hollowing out of the top leadership,’ Illinois Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth said on CBS’s ‘Face the Nation.’ ‘There’s no way he can carry all that entire load on his own.’

‘I don’t know how anybody could do these two big jobs,’ Democrat Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said Sunday on CNN’s ‘State of the Union.’

Rubio’s roles in the administration include leading the State Department; serving as acting archivist of the United States after Trump ousted a Biden-era appointee; serving as acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development as the admin works to dissolve the independent agency by September; and taking the helm as the interim national security advisor. Rubio’s role overseeing USAID concluded at the start of July when the State Department officially absorbed the agency. 

When asked about the trend of Trump officials wearing multiple work hats back in May, the White House reflected in comment to Fox News Digital on former President Joe Biden’s ‘disaster of a Cabinet.’ 

‘Democrats cheered on Joe Biden’s disaster of a Cabinet as it launched the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, opened the southern border to migrant criminals, weaponized the justice system against political opponents, and more,’ White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital in May. ‘President Trump has filled his administration with many qualified, talented individuals he trusts to manage many responsibilities.’ 

The Trump administration has repeatedly brushed off concern over Rubio holding multiple roles, most notably juggling both his State Department leadership and serving as acting national security advisor. Similarly, former President Richard Nixon in 1973 named then-National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to simultaneously serve as secretary of state. 

‘You need a team player who is very honest with the president and the senior team, not someone trying to build an empire or wield a knife or drive their own agenda. He is singularly focused on delivering the president’s agenda,’ an administration official told Politico. 

Despite Democratic rhetoric that Rubio was taking on too many roles, the former Florida senator helped oversee the U.S.’ successful strikes on Iran in June, which destroyed a trio of nuclear facilities and decimated the country’s efforts to advance its nuclear program. 

Kash Patel

FBI Director Kash Patel, who railed against the ‘deep state’ and vowed to strip corruption from the federal law enforcement agency ahead of his confirmation, was briefly charged with overseeing the of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in February after the Biden-era director resigned in January. 

Patel was later replaced by Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll as acting ATF director in a job change that was publicly reported in April. 

‘Director Kash Patel was briefly designated ATF director while awaiting Senate confirmations, a standard, short-term move. Dozens of similar re-designations have occurred across the federal government,’ the White House told Reuters in April. ‘Director Patel is now excelling in his role at the FBI and delivering outstanding results.’

Daniel Driscoll 

Driscoll was sworn in as the 26th secretary of the Army in February. The secretary of the army is a senior-level civilian official charged with overseeing the management of the Army and also acts as an advisor to the secretary of defense in matters related to the Army. 

It was reported in April that Driscoll was named acting ATF director, replacing Patel in that role. 

‘Mr. Driscoll is responsible for the oversight of the agency’s mission to protect communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, and the illegal trafficking of firearms, explosives, and contraband. Under his leadership, the ATF works to enforce federal laws, ensure public safety, and provide critical support in the investigation of firearms-related crimes and domestic and international criminal enterprises,’ his ATF biography reads. 

Ahead of Trump taking office, Republican Reps. Eric Burlison of Missouri and Lauren Boebert of Colorado introduced legislation to abolish the ATF, saying the agency has worked to strip Second Amendment rights from U.S. citizens. 

The ATF has been tasked with assisting the Department of Homeland Security in its deportation efforts under the Trump administration. 

Doug Collins 

Former Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins was sworn-in as the Trump administration’s secretary of Veterans Affairs in February, a Cabinet-level position tasked with overseeing the department and its mission of providing health, education and financial benefits to military veterans. 

Days after his confirmation as VA secretary, Trump tapped Collins to temporarily lead two oversight agencies: the Office of Government Ethics and the Office of Special Counsel. 

The Office of Government Ethics is charged with overseeing the executive branch’s ethics program, including setting ethics standards for the government and monitoring ethics compliance across federal agencies and departments. 

The Office of Special Counsel is charged with overseeing and protecting the federal government’s merit system, most notably ensuring federal whistleblowers don’t face retaliation for sounding the alarm on an issue they’ve experienced. The office also has an established secure channel to allow federal employees to blow the whistle on alleged wrongdoing. 

The Office of Special Counsel also enforces the Hatch Act, which bans executive branch staffers, except the president and vice president, from engaging in certain forms of political activity. 

Jamieson Greer 

Trump’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, has also been tapped for multiple roles within the administration, in addition to help leading the administration’s tariff negotiations to bring parity to the U.S.’ chronic trade deficit with other nations. 

Greer took on Collins’ roles as acting director of the Office of Government Ethics and as acting special counsel of the Office of Special Counsel on April 1. 

Trump nominated conservative attorney Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel in May. 

Russell Vought 

Trump named his former director of the Office of Management and Budget under his first administration, Russell Vought, to the same role in his second administration. Vought was confirmed as the federal government’s budget chief in February. 

Days later, Vought was also named the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).  

The CFPB is an independent government agency charged with protecting consumers from unfair financial practices in the private sector. It was created in 2010 under the Obama administration after the financial crash in 2008. Democrat Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren originally proposed and advocated for the creation of the agency.

The CFPB came under fierce investigation from the Department of Government Efficiency in February, with mass terminations rocking the agency before the reduction in force initiative was tied up in court. 

Ric Grenell 

President Donald Trump’s former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence under his first term, a pair of roles held at separate times in the first administration, currently serves as president of the Kennedy Center and special presidential envoy for special missions of the United States. 

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts serves as the national cultural center of the U.S. Trump notably serves as the center’s chair of the board, with Grenell saying the center will see a ‘golden age’ of the arts during Trump’s second administration through productions and concerts that Americans actually want to see after years of the performing arts center running in the red. 

Trump named Grenell as his special presidential envoy for special missions to the United States in December before his inauguration, saying Grenell will ‘work in some of the hottest spots around the world, including Venezuela and North Korea.’

In this role, Grenell helped lead the administration through its response to the wildfires that tore through Southern California in the last days of the Biden administration through the beginning days of the Trump administration. 

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report. 

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‘It will happen quickly’: State Dept poised to act after Supreme Court green-lights agency layoffs

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the agency is poised to move ‘quickly’ after the Supreme Court shot down a lower court’s ruling blocking the Trump administration from implementing widescale reductions in force across the federal government. 

‘I think it’s fair to say that with everything else that happens [at the State Department], it will happen quickly,’ Bruce said when asked how soon the agency would begin issuing notices to department employees. ‘This is not going to be an extended wait for people who are listening and watching in this building, or fellow Americans at home and around the world, this will happen quickly.’

Bruce pointed out that, up to this point, the only reason there has been a delay in implementing force reductions at the Department of State, is because of the courts that have stepped in to try to halt the reforms.

‘There has been a delay – not to our interests, but because of the courts,’ Bruce added. ‘It’s been difficult when you know you need to get something done for the benefit of everyone. So it will be – it will be quickly.’ 

However, while Bruce indicated the agency would be moving ‘quickly,’ she declined to provide any specific timeline. 

She also declined to provide specifics around whether a court order that followed the Supreme Court’s decision authorizing the Trump administration’s reductions in force, which seeks to resolve a dispute over whether the administration must publicly share the reasoning for their reorganization efforts, might slow down the process. 

The court order seeking to determine whether the Trump administration must publicly share the details of their planned reforms and reductions in force across the government was signed by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston. 

It was Illston’s previous ruling in May that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from implementing its executive agency reforms, which the Supreme Court overturned this week.

Illston’s May ruling stemmed from lawsuits initiated by labor unions and advocacy groups, which argued the president’s February work reduction executive order was an overreach of power and undermined certain civil service protections.

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Business

White House accuses Powell of mismanaging Federal Reserve, citing headquarters renovation

President Donald Trump’s budget chief on Thursday said that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell “has grossly mismanaged the Fed” and suggested he had misled Congress about a pricey and “ostentatious” renovation of the central bank’s headquarters.

The broadside by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought opened up a new front in Trump’s war of words against Powell.

Trump has repeatedly called on the Fed chairman to cut interest rates, without success. He reportedly has considered firing Powell and, more recently, publicly naming the chairman’s replacement months earlier than the end of Powell’s term next spring.

Vought’s letter raises the question of whether Trump will seek to remove Powell for cause, at least ostensibly.

But the Supreme Court in a recent decision strongly suggested that Federal Reserve board members have special protection from being fired by a president.

“While continuing to run a deficit since FY23 (the first time in the Fed’s history), the Fed is way over budget on the renovation of its headquarters,” Vought wrote in a post on the social media site X.

“Now up to $2.5 billion, roughly $700 million over its initial cost,” Vought wrote. “The cost per square foot is $1,923–double the cost for renovating an ordinary historic federal building. The Palace of Versailles would have cost $3 billion in today’s dollars!”

Vought’s tweet linked to a letter he sent Powell that referenced the Fed boss’s June 25 testimony before the Senate Banking Committee.

“Your testimony raises serious questions about the project’s compliance with the National Capital Planning Act, which requires that projects like the Fed headquarters renovation be approved by the National Capital Planning Commission,” Vought wrote.

“The plans for this project called for rooftop terrace gardens, VIP private dining rooms and elevators, water features, premium marble, and much more,” he wrote.

But Powell, in his testimony, said, “There’s no VIP dining room. There’s no new marble. There are no special elevators. There are no new water features. There’s no beehives and there’s no roof terrace gardens,” Vought wrote.

“Although minor deviations from approved plans may be inevitable, your testimony appears to reveal that the project is out of compliance with the approved plan with regard to major design elements,” Vought wrote.

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Italian chocolate giant Ferrero to buy Kellogg’s Froot Loops maker

What’s “Froot Loops” in Italian?

The European confectionary company Ferrero has agreed to buy WK Kellogg Co., the manufacturer of iconic American cereals, for $3.1 billion.

The acquisition is set to bring the publicly traded maker of Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies under the privately owned Italian manufacturer of Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder chocolates.

WK Kellogg, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, was spun off from Kellogg’s in 2023, splitting the company’s North American cereal business from its other snack products like Pringles and Pop-Tarts, a unit that is now owned by the publicly traded conglomerate Kellanova. WK Kellogg, one of North America’s largest cereal makers, saw its shares surge more than 30% Thursday on the news of the deal.

The agreement comes after years of slowing demand for sugary breakfast cereals as many consumers look for healthier options. WK Kellogg came under fire last year when CEO Gary Pilnick said on CNBC that households squeezed by food companies’ price hikes should consider eating “cereal for dinner” to save money, part of a marketing pitch the company was making as an answer to inflation.

Yet snack demand, too, has flagged recently, with The Campbell’s Co. and General Mills each warning this year of slower sales as customers prioritize square meals.

Ferrero Rocher chocolates.Alexander Sayganov / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images file

Ferrero, perhaps best known for its namesake Ferrero Rocher chocolates in gold foil, originated in Alba, Italy, after World War II and is now a multinational food maker headquartered in Luxembourg. The company reported revenue of 18.4 billion euros last fiscal year, up nearly 9% from the one before.

Ferrero executive chairman Giovanni Ferrero described the acquisition Thursday as “a key milestone” in an effort to grow its footprint in North America, where the closely held company sells an array of popular candies.

The deal is among a series of high-profile Ferrero acquisitions in recent years. The firm bought Butterfinger, Baby Ruth and other U.S. candy brands from Nestlé in 2018, then acquired Kellogg’s bakery business, including Famous Amos and Keebler, in 2019 along with the manufacturer of Halo Top ice cream in 2022.

After the transaction closes, WK Kellogg will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange and become a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrero. The deal is expected to close later this year.

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NFLPA head Lloyd Howell facing controversies on multiple fronts

The two sides stuck a confidentiality agreement after arbiter Christopher Droney ruled in January that the league had not colluded despite evidence commissioner Roger Goodell and former general counsel Jeff Pash instructed teams at the March 2022 league meeting to limit guaranteed money in players’ contracts.

Because of the confidentiality agreement, the collusion grievance’s findings did not become public until ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out’ reported on the 61-page ruling by Droney in June.

The NFLPA is appealing the decision, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person was granted anonymity because of the ongoing legal process. The person also said the arbitration ruling had been discussed with player leadership (such as the executive committee, which includes NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin and 10 vice presidents) since January, although ESPN reported Howell simply relayed the NFLPA had lost and didn’t reveal any findings or details. A three-person panel will hear the appeal.

The union hired law firm Wilmer Hale, according to ESPN and confirmed by USA TODAY Sports, to review the activities of executive director Lloyd Howell, who was elected to the position in June 2023. The NFLPA already had legal teams look into Howell’s involvement with a licensing group started jointly by the NFLPA and Major League Baseball Players’ Association called OneTeam Partners that became the focus of an FBI investigation last month for misuse of funds.

ESPN also reported Howell has been a paid, part-time consultant for The Carlyle Group since March 2023, three months prior to his election as head of the union.

The Carlyle Group is one of the few private-equity firms currently approved by the league that could seek to invest in NFL franchises. A union lawyer apparently questioned Howell about his involvement and advised him to resign his position at Carlyle, per ESPN. A spokeswoman for the company said in a statement to ESPN ‘(Howell) had no access to information about the NFL and Carlyle process beyond public news reports due to strict Carlyle information barriers in place’ and was not aware of the request from union lawyers for Lloyd to resign from Carlyle.

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LPGA star withdraws from Evian Championship after collapsing twice

British golfer Charley Hull withdrew from the Amundi Evian Championship in Évian-les-Bains, France, on Thursday, July 10 after collapsing twice during her first round. The Amundi Evian Championship is one of the LPGA’s five major championship tournaments.

On the third hole, Hull, who played with partners Ruoning Yin and Haeran Ryu, was seen in discomfort and sat down by a fairway bunker.

Before her tee shot on hole No. 4, Hull went down on the grass and immediately received medical attention, while tournament officials allowed the group behind her to continue playing.

Just 15 minutes later, Hull was well enough to hit the tee shot, but after her swing, whe went to the ground again. She was taken off the golf course on a motorized cart with a flatbed stretcher on it.

The 29-year-old Hull, who is ranked No. 19 in the world, was at 1-under through 12 holes after starting play on the back nine.

The Amundi Evian Championship runs through Sunday, July 13. Golf Channel has live coverage of the tournament each day, beginning at 6 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday for the first two rounds and 4 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday for the final two rounds.

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Red Bull F1 boss responds to firing: ‘Obviously came as a shock’

Over the last four years, one team has dominated Formula 1: Red Bull Racing.

With Max Verstappen as the lead driver, the team won the last four drivers’ world championships and two constructors’ championships in that span. It’s the latest run of dominance after their success in the early 2010s with four consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ world championships.

One man’s been a constant during both periods of success: team principal Christian Horner. But Red Bull made a massive change this week by firing him after 21 years in the position.

Horner was the longest-tenured team principal on the F1 grid. He’s been in the sport longer than one of the current teams (Haas) and all but one current driver: Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

‘Yesterday I was informed by Red Bull that operationally I would no longer be involved with the business or the team moving forward from after this gathering,’ he said in the clip. ‘I will still remain employed by the company but operationally the baton will be handed over. And that obviously came as a shock.’

Red Bull hired Horner ahead of the 2005 season, the team’s first in the sport. Red Bull had bought the team formerly known as Jaguar Racing F1 Team and brought Horner in to usher in a new era.

He’s been the team principal for all 124 of the team’s wins in the sport. Only former McLaren boss Ron Dennis has overseen more in F1 history.

‘What I have had time to do is to reflect over the last 12 hours or so and I wanted to stand in front of all of you and just express my gratitude to each and every single member of the team that has given so much during the last 20 and a half years,’ Horner said.

Laurent Mekies will take over for Horner. He’s set to make his debut as Red Bull team principal at the Belgian Grand Prix on July 27.

Prior this move, Mekies had served as team principal at Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s second team on the F1 grid.

Red Bull sits fourth in constructors’ standings which would be its worst result as a team since the 2015 season.

Christian Horner firing reaction

Horner’s firing has drawn mixed reactions from across F1 media. Commentator David Croft – the voice of F1 on Sky Sports and ESPN’s re-broadcast – posted on X that ‘it doesn’t get much bigger in F1’ than a firing like this.

Croft’s broadcast partner, Martin Brundle, said he was sad to hear of Horner’s firing but wasn’t completely surprised by the move.

‘I don’t think it’s completely out of the blue, given the problems in the team,’ he wrote. ‘It’s not too difficult to feel in the F1 paddock and to observe and hear that things were not particularly rosy. … It perhaps makes it more likely that the Verstappens will stay there – I think that became quite personal.’

Horner also faced an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a female colleague in 2024. Red Bull cleared him of wrongdoing after an external investigation but that may have had an impact on his relationship with star driver Verstappen and his father, Jos.

Fox Sports’ Will Buxton, who many will recognize from his appearances on the Netflix F1 series ‘Drive to Survive,’ posted on X that this may be the right move at this time to keep Verstappen from getting signed away by rival Mercedes.

Verstappen himself thanked Horner in a post to his Instagram page.

‘From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes,’ he wrote. ‘Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!’

Red Bull rankings in F1 history

Red Bull’s been a part of F1 for 21 seasons – all under Horner’s watch – and has become one of the most accomplished teams in history.

Here’s a list of their team records and where they rank among all teams in F1 history:

Races: 405 (7th)
Wins: 124 (4th)
Podiums: 287 (5th)
Pole positions: 107 (5th)
Constructors’ championships: 6 (6th)
Drivers’ championships: 8 (4th)

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Novak Djokovic injury update: Wimbledon star suffers ‘nasty’ fall

If Novak Djokovic is going to add to his record haul of grand slam titles at Wimbledon in 2025, he’ll potentially have to overcome No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner, defending champion and No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz, and an injury suffered in the final moments of his latest match.

Djokovic fell to the grass at Wimbledon in pain and discomfort after winding up in an awkward splits position during the final game of his quarterfinal win over No. 22 seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday, July 9. Djokovic finished the final two points of the match, but admitted afterward that he didn’t know yet how much damage might have been done to his hip or groin region.

‘The real impact or effect of what happened, I will feel tomorrow,’ Djokovic said on Wednesday. ‘So let’s see.’

Here’s the latest news on Djokovic’s status ahead of his much-anticipated Wimbledon semifinal against No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner on Friday.

Is Novak Djokovic playing Friday in Wimbledon semifinals?

As of Thursday afternoon, Djokovic is still scheduled to face No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner in one of two Wimbledon semifinals for the men’s singles bracket.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner indicated after his dangerous misstep that he planned to play his semifinal match on Friday. The outlook became a bit more concerning Thursday, however, when Djokovic canceled a scheduled practice session, according to multiple reports.

“It was a nasty fall. It was very awkward,” Djokovic said in his news conference after the quarterfinals. “That happens on grass. I’ve had quite a few of those throughout my grass-court career. Obviously, [my] body is not the same today like it was before. … I’m hoping the next 24, 48 hours, the severity of what happened is not too bad, that I’ll be able to play at my best and free of pain.”

Novak Djokovic injury update

Djokovic suffered the apparent injury in the final game of the fourth set during his quarterfinal win over Cobolli. He got caught wrong-footed on the baseline during a rally and did the splits as he attempted to retrieve a shot by Cobolli.

Djokovic lay on the turf of Centre Court for several seconds before standing and stretching his legs. Cobolli retrieved Djokovic’s racket for him, crossing the net in a sign of sportsmanship that received a standing ovation from the Wimbledon crowd. Djokovic then served out the final two points to clinch the win.

The 38-year-old Djokovic said he has about 10 people working for him each day on ‘preparation and recovery,’ and noted all the hours ‘spent off the court, in the gym or on the table just trying to work with what I have,’ given his age.

But Djovokic is motivated by the chance to face Sinner, who beat him in the French Open semifinals last month. Djokovic is seeking his eighth Wimbledon title, but hasn’t won since 2022 after losing in the final to Alcaraz in back-to-back years.

“I get another opportunity. For me, this is what actually counts the most, being in the last stages of Grand Slams and playing against the best player in the world right now,’ Djokovic said of Sinner, who is playing through an elbow injury. “I couldn’t ask for a bigger challenge for myself. I look forward to it. I’ll do my best to get ready and perform my best there.”

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