Deadspin | FaZe Vegas bounces back from loss to capture CDL Stage 2 Major

Deadspin | FaZe Vegas bounces back from loss to capture CDL Stage 2 Major

FaZe Vegas rebounded from a loss to OpTic Texas earlier in the day to win the rematch in the grand final 4-1 on Sunday of the Call of Duty League’s Stage 2 Major.

OpTic Texas took a 3-1 victory in the best-of-five upper-bracket final in Marston Green, England. That sent FaZe Vegas to the lower-bracket final, where they beat Toronto KOI 3-1 to earn a spot opposite OpTic Texas in the best-of-seven grand final.

Toronto KOI had eliminated the Los Angeles Thieves 3-0 in the lower-bracket semifinal on Sunday.

The Stage 2 Major, part of the DreamHack Birmingham event, awarded $150,000 and 100 Call of Duty League points to champion FaZe Vegas. OpTic Texas, as the first runner-up collected $90,000 and 75 CDL points.

Vegas’ Jovan “04” Rodriguez of the United States was selected the match MVP. He had a kill-death differential of 118-84 to lead all players. American teammate Chris “Simp” Lehr had 109 kills and a plus-20 differential.

Their team opened the grand final with a 250-184 win on Colossus Hardpoint. Texas drew even with a 6-2 victory on Raid Search and Destroy. But FaZe Vegas then reeled off wins on Scar Overload (4-3), Exposure Hardpoint (250-207) and Exposure Search and Destroy (6-5).

No OpTic Texas players had positive numbers.

The teams met in the upper-bracket final, which OpTic opened with a 250-192 win on Exposure Hardpoint. FaZe Vegas came back with a 6-4 win on Raid Search and Destroy, then Texas took it with wins on Den Overload (6-3) and Scar Hardpoint (250-112).

Cuyler “Huke” Garland of the United States was the match MVP with 101 kills and a plus-26 differential for Texas. All players for Vegas had negative differentials.

FaZe Vegas recovered in the double-elimination playoff format by defeating Toronto KOI 3-1 in the lower-bracket final. Vegas won on Den Hardpoint (250-240), then Toronto triumphed on Exposure Search and Destroy (6-3) before FaZe won on Exposure Overload (5-3) and Exposure Hardpoint (250-225).

Jordan “Abuzah” Francois of Belgium was match MVP with 89 kills and a plus-18 differential for FaZe Vegas.

In the lower-bracket semifinal, Toronto KOI swept the Los Angeles Thieves, winning 250-188 on Den Hardpoint, 6-3 on Colossus Search and Destroy and 4-3 on Exposure Overload.

Jamie “Insight” Craven of England was the match MVP for Toronto with 61 kills and a plus-12 differential.

Call of Duty League’s Stage 2 Major prize pool, with money winnings and CDL points

1. $150,000, 100 — FaZe Vegas

2. $90,000, 75 — OpTic Texas

3. $50,000, 60 — Toronto KOI

4. $30,000, 45 — Los Angeles Thieves

5-6. $15,000, 30 — Paris Gentle Mates, G2 Minnesota

7-8. $7,500, 15 — Riyadh Falcons, Miami Heretics

9-10. no money, no points — Vancouver Surge, Carolina Royal Ravens

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Bengals decline Myles Murphy’s fifth-year option  Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy (99) wraps up Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.   Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy remains in the plans for Cincinnati’s rebuilt defense, but the franchise passed on the fifth-year option in his contract for the 2027 season.   Murphy would have been guaranteed .5 million under terms of the option structure. The decision was made ahead of the Friday deadline for teams to exercise the standard fifth-year option for 2023 first-round picks.   Vice president of personnel Duke Tobin said after the draft that the Bengals see a future for Murphy despite adding defensive help at multiple positions via trade, free agency and the draft.   “By the end of the year, he was a problem for teams. He’s a guy that we believe in,” Tobin said of Murphy.   Murphy was the 28th overall pick in 2023 out of Clemson. He turned 24 in January and had 5.5 sacks last season but only 8.5 in 47 games in the NFL.  Cincinnati spent its top pick in 2025 and 2026 on defensive ends. Shemar Stewart was the 17th overall pick in 2025 and the Bengals took another Texas A&M edge rusher with the No. 41 pick last week.   The Bengals traded their first-round pick, the 10th overall selection, for Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence prior to the draft.   –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Bengals #decline #Myles #Murphys #fifthyear #optionCincinnati Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy (99) wraps up Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.

Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy remains in the plans for Cincinnati’s rebuilt defense, but the franchise passed on the fifth-year option in his contract for the 2027 season.

Murphy would have been guaranteed $14.5 million under terms of the option structure. The decision was made ahead of the Friday deadline for teams to exercise the standard fifth-year option for 2023 first-round picks.

Vice president of personnel Duke Tobin said after the draft that the Bengals see a future for Murphy despite adding defensive help at multiple positions via trade, free agency and the draft.


“By the end of the year, he was a problem for teams. He’s a guy that we believe in,” Tobin said of Murphy.

Murphy was the 28th overall pick in 2023 out of Clemson. He turned 24 in January and had 5.5 sacks last season but only 8.5 in 47 games in the NFL.

Cincinnati spent its top pick in 2025 and 2026 on defensive ends. Shemar Stewart was the 17th overall pick in 2025 and the Bengals took another Texas A&M edge rusher with the No. 41 pick last week.

The Bengals traded their first-round pick, the 10th overall selection, for Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence prior to the draft.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Bengals #decline #Myles #Murphys #fifthyear #option">Deadspin | Bengals decline Myles Murphy’s fifth-year option  Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy (99) wraps up Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.   Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy remains in the plans for Cincinnati’s rebuilt defense, but the franchise passed on the fifth-year option in his contract for the 2027 season.   Murphy would have been guaranteed .5 million under terms of the option structure. The decision was made ahead of the Friday deadline for teams to exercise the standard fifth-year option for 2023 first-round picks.   Vice president of personnel Duke Tobin said after the draft that the Bengals see a future for Murphy despite adding defensive help at multiple positions via trade, free agency and the draft.   “By the end of the year, he was a problem for teams. He’s a guy that we believe in,” Tobin said of Murphy.   Murphy was the 28th overall pick in 2023 out of Clemson. He turned 24 in January and had 5.5 sacks last season but only 8.5 in 47 games in the NFL.  Cincinnati spent its top pick in 2025 and 2026 on defensive ends. Shemar Stewart was the 17th overall pick in 2025 and the Bengals took another Texas A&M edge rusher with the No. 41 pick last week.   The Bengals traded their first-round pick, the 10th overall selection, for Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence prior to the draft.   –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Bengals #decline #Myles #Murphys #fifthyear #option

Deadspin | Report: Eagles sign first-round WR Makai Lemon  Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number 20 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Wide receiver Makai Lemon reportedly became the initial first-round pick of the 2026 NFL Draft class to sign his rookie contract.  NFL Network reported on Thursday that Lemon signed his four-year rookie deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Lemon, the 20th overall pick of the draft out of Southern California, will receive just over .81 million in fully guaranteed money that includes an .5 million signing bonus. The deal also includes a fifth-year team option.  He received the Biletnikoff Award in 2025 as the nation’s top receiver, becoming just the second Trojan to win it after Marqise Lee in 2012.   Lemon finished with 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season with Southern California.  Lemon, 21, will be looked upon to contribute right away with star wideout A.J. Brown’s departure seemingly an inevitability. DeVonta Smith likely will assume the top spot among wideouts for the Eagles, who signed both Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Report #Eagles #sign #firstround #Makai #LemonApr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number 20 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Wide receiver Makai Lemon reportedly became the initial first-round pick of the 2026 NFL Draft class to sign his rookie contract.

NFL Network reported on Thursday that Lemon signed his four-year rookie deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Lemon, the 20th overall pick of the draft out of Southern California, will receive just over $20.81 million in fully guaranteed money that includes an $11.5 million signing bonus. The deal also includes a fifth-year team option.


He received the Biletnikoff Award in 2025 as the nation’s top receiver, becoming just the second Trojan to win it after Marqise Lee in 2012.

Lemon finished with 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season with Southern California.

Lemon, 21, will be looked upon to contribute right away with star wideout A.J. Brown’s departure seemingly an inevitability. DeVonta Smith likely will assume the top spot among wideouts for the Eagles, who signed both Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Report #Eagles #sign #firstround #Makai #Lemon">Deadspin | Report: Eagles sign first-round WR Makai Lemon  Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number 20 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Wide receiver Makai Lemon reportedly became the initial first-round pick of the 2026 NFL Draft class to sign his rookie contract.  NFL Network reported on Thursday that Lemon signed his four-year rookie deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Lemon, the 20th overall pick of the draft out of Southern California, will receive just over .81 million in fully guaranteed money that includes an .5 million signing bonus. The deal also includes a fifth-year team option.  He received the Biletnikoff Award in 2025 as the nation’s top receiver, becoming just the second Trojan to win it after Marqise Lee in 2012.   Lemon finished with 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season with Southern California.  Lemon, 21, will be looked upon to contribute right away with star wideout A.J. Brown’s departure seemingly an inevitability. DeVonta Smith likely will assume the top spot among wideouts for the Eagles, who signed both Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Report #Eagles #sign #firstround #Makai #Lemon

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