As he reflected on everything that happened this season, head coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged that the Vikings fell short of their ultimate goal. It pained him to watch the playoffs last weekend rather them compete in them.

Though there were a lot of variables that went into the Vikings underachieving by their standards, the misevaluation of quarterback J.J. McCarthy and his readiness played arguably the biggest role in that.

Asked on Tuesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center about the plan at the most important position, O’Connell expressed confidence in McCarthy while also leaving the door wide open to bring in somebody else, saying, “It’s about having the most talented and deep quarterback room that we can.”

On that note, O’Connell seemed to indicate that the Vikings need to more competition for McCarthy, which sets the stage for a fascinating next few months as it pertains to the future of the franchise.

“That’s what’s going to make everybody better,” O’Connell said. “I definitely want a competitive situation.”

It’s still unclear how big of a swing the Vikings plan to take over the next few months. There are a number of routes they could take whenever they decide to wade into those water. They will leave no stone unturned throughout the process.

The only certainty at this point is that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell haven’t fully committed to McCarthy as their starter for the Vikings next season. He will have to earn the right by beating out whoever the Vikings decide to bring in.

“We’ve set a standard here for winning when we’ve gotten a certain level of play at that position,” Adofo-Mensah said. “That has allowed us to be explosive enough on offense to set the table for how we play defense.”

In other words, when the Vikings have been at their best in the past, they have generated a number of big plays on offense, which, in turn, has allowed them to thrive on defense.

That was especially evident last season with veteran quarterback Sam Darnold was at the helm. There was a balance on both sides of the ball that helped the Vikings finish with a 14-3 record.

The difference was drastic this season with McCarthy leading the charge. There were too many times that the offense needed to be bailed out be the defense and that resulted in the Vikings finishing with a 9-8 record.

“Just seeing how when we weren’t that explosive how teams played us,” Adofo-Mensah said. “That was a great learning experience that tied into the quarterback discussion and we will carry that with us moving forward.”

That explains why the Vikings have placed an emphasis on adding more competition for McCarthy that goes beyond what they had this season in veteran quarterback Carson Wentz and rookie quarterback Max Brosmer.

Not only did McCarthy prove to be wildly inconsistent, completing 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, he also struggled to stay on the field, missing time with a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a broken hand.

“We’re still looking at a quarterback who has started 10 games,” O’Connell said. “Not the ideal path for a quarterback to develop on the field.”

That might be the most concerning part about McCarthy. He’s started only 10 games in his career despite the fact that the Vikings have played 34 games since selecting him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

That doesn’t mean there wasn’t growth from McCarthy. He showed marked improvement over the final month of this season, albeit against some of the worst defenses in the NFL, which provided some glimpses of what he could potentially be down the road.

“I was really encouraged by the type of football he started to play toward the second half of this season and finishing the way he did,” O’Connell said. “We all just tried to have a mindset on completions and how we could generate them and we started to see a little bit of that show up.”

That wasn’t enough for Adofo-Mensah or O’Connell to guarantee that McCarthy will be the starter for the Vikings next season.

“I know that he wants it more than anybody I’ve ever been around,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’re excited to see his development and the steps he takes towards being available for us.”

Briefly

After wrapping up all of his exit interviews last week, O’Connell announced on Tuesday afternoon that assistant head coach Mike Pettine is retiring from the NFL. In his career, Pettine spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns, the Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers, and the Chicago Bears, filling a variety of different roles in that span.

Related Articles

Vikings receiver Jordan Addison arrested in Florida

Frederick: Should J.J. McCarthy be Vikings 2026 starting QB? Depends on Brian Flores

Vikings kicker Will Reichard finally gets his flowers

Dallas Turner says he’s just ‘scratching the surface’ for the Vikings

If Vikings want to add another quarterback, here are some options

By LISA MASCARO and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The plane used by the U.S. military to strike a boat accused of smuggling drugs off the coast of Venezuela last fall was painted to look like a civilian aircraft, a move that appears to be at odds with the Pentagon’s manual on the laws of war.

The plane, part of a secret U.S. fleet used in surveillance operations, also was carrying munitions in the fuselage, rather than beneath the aircraft, raising questions about the extent to which the operation was disguised in ways that run contrary to military protocol.

Details of the plane’s appearance, first reported Monday by The New York Times, were confirmed by two people familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement that “the U.S. military utilizes a wide array of standard and nonstandard aircraft depending on mission requirements.”

The new details come after the Trump administration’s pressure campaign on Venezuela — which began with it massing military resources in Latin America and attacking a series of alleged drug-smuggling boats, killing at least 115 people — culminated this month in a stunning raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He and his wife were spirited to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges.

Alarmed by the actions, the U.S. Senate is preparing to vote this week on a war powers resolution that would prohibit further military action in Venezuela without authorization from lawmakers.

Trump said to be trying to deter Republicans from war powers resolution

President Donald Trump was been so incensed over the Senate’s potential slapback on his war powers authority that he has been aggressively calling several Republican senators who joined the Democrats in voting to advance the resolution last week. It’s headed for a final vote as soon as Wednesday.

“He was very, very fired up,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who did not vote for the resolution. He described Trump as “animated” on the subject when they spoke before last week’s vote.

In justifying the boat strikes since September, the Trump administration has argued that the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels in the region and that those operating the boats are unlawful combatants.

US military guidelines warn against a civilian disguise

However, U.S. military guidelines on the laws of war prohibit troops from pretending to be civilians while engaging in combat. The practice is legally known as “perfidy.”

The Defense Department manual, which runs over 1,000 pages, specifically notes that “feigning civilian status and then attacking” is an example of the practice. An Air Force manual says the practice was prohibited because it means the enemy “neglects to take precautions which are otherwise necessary.”

The Navy’s manual explains that “attacking enemy forces while posing as a civilian puts all civilians at hazard,” and sailors must use offensive force “within the bounds of military honor, particularly without resort to perfidy.”

Wilson said each aircraft goes through a “rigorous procurement process to ensure compliance with domestic law, department policies and regulations, and applicable international standards, including the law of armed conflict.”

The plane that was painted as a civilian aircraft was used in a Sept. 2 strike, the first in what would become a monthslong campaign of U.S. deadly military strikes on suspected drug boats with political and policy ramifications for the Trump administration.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top officials have been called on by Congress to answer questions and concerns about the actions — particularly the first one because it involved a follow-up strike that killed two survivors holding onto the wreckage of the vessel hit in the initial attack.

Legal experts have said the follow-on strike may have been unlawful because striking shipwrecked sailors is considered out of line with laws of war. Some lawmakers have called for the Pentagon to publicly release the unedited video of the operation, which Hegseth has said he will not do.

In a Dec. 1 meeting of Trump’s Cabinet, Hegseth said he “watched that first strike live” but that he left before the follow-up strike.

Legal justification for Maduro’s ouster shared with lawmakers

Senators on Tuesday were able to review, in a classified setting, the White House’s still undisclosed legal opinion for having used the military to oust Maduro. It was described as a lengthy document outlining the Trump administration’s rationale.

Exiting the classified facility at the Capitol, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Republican who has long opposed U.S. military campaigns abroad, said none of the legal rationale should be kept secret.

“Legal arguments and constitutional arguments should all be public, and it’s a terrible thing that any of this is being kept secret because the arguments aren’t very good,” Paul said.

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said he is not confident in the legality of the Venezuelan operation and in particular Trump’s plans to “run” the South American country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the control will come from enforcing a quarantine on sanctioned oil tankers tied to Venezuela as the U.S. asserts power over the country’s oil.

“There’s an ongoing question whether the use of military can be for bringing a person to justice,” Welch said, calling Maduro “a really bad guy.”

The legal rationale addressed the military action “but not the current reality that the president is saying we’ll be there for years and that we’re running Venezuela,” Welch said.

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Director and Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield turned himself to authorities on Tuesday to face child sex abuse charges in New Mexico.

His apprehension comes after authorities in Albuquerque issued a warrant for his arrest on Jan. 9 on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The charges stem from allegations that Busfield inappropriately touched a young boy on the set of the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” that he was directing.

Busfield was being booked by Albuquerque police on the charges, said Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the city police department.

Related Articles

Family budgets are stretched and bargain grocer Aldi seizes the moment in a rapid expansion

Pentagon is embracing Musk’s Grok AI chatbot as it draws global outcry

Plastic pellets known as ‘nurdles’ are polluting beaches and waterways

US carbon pollution rose in 2025. Experts blame cold winter, high natural gas prices, data centers

Trump is ending protected immigration status for Somalis, long a target of his anti-immigrant barbs

A criminal complaint filed by an investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department says the boy reported that he was 7 years old when Busfield touched him three or four times on private areas over his clothing. Busfield allegedly touched him five or six times on another occasion when he was 8, the complaint said.

The child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him, the complaint said.

The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was touched by Busfield but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.

Busfield denied the allegations last fall when interviewed by authorities as part of the investigation, the complaint said. He suggested that the boys’ mother was seeking revenge for her children being replaced on the series. He also said he likely would have picked up and tickled the boys, saying the set was a playful environment.

Busfield’s attorney and agent have not responded to email messages seeking comment.

The mother of the twins — who are identified only by their initials in court records — reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint said.

The investigation began in November 2024, when the investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The boys’ parents had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, one of the boys has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented him saying he has had nightmares about Busfield touching him.

“The Cleaning Lady” aired for four seasons on Fox, ending in 2025. The show was produced by Warner Bros., which according to the complaint conducted its own investigation into the abuse allegations but was unable to corroborate them.

Busfield, who is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter of which won him an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991.

Related Articles

Photos: 2026 Golden Globes red carpet standout fashion moments

Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir dies at 78

Comedian John Mulaney postpones weekend shows following ICE shooting

Harvey Weinstein weighs plea on rape charge but insists he ‘never assaulted anyone’

Re-create Anthony Bourdain’s beef bourguignon with this simple recipe

By MEG KINNARD, GARY FIELDS and CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Smithsonian Institution faced a Tuesday deadline to detail its plans for celebrating the country’s 250th birthday, part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping efforts to purge negativity from the stories that Americans are told about their history.

Trump has previously threatened the Smithsonian’s funding if it continues to promote what he considers “divisive narratives.” The institution is a cornerstone of American culture, operating 21 museums and a zoo that are among the most popular tourist destinations in Washington.

By Tuesday, the Smithsonian was supposed to provide lists of all displays, objects, wall text and other material dedicated to this year’s anniversary and other purposes. The intent is to ensure Americans get an upbeat accounting of the country’s history, not one weighted by complexities or shameful episodes of the past.

The ultimatum was laid out in a Dec. 18 letter to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III from the White House budget director, Russell Vought, and the domestic policy director, Vince Haley.

Related Articles

Fewer Americans sign up for Affordable Care Act health insurance as costs spike

What to know about the Muslim Brotherhood after the US terrorist designation

EPA proposes limiting power of states and tribes to block major projects over water concerns

Trump travel ban leaves Senegal, Ivory Coast fans in limbo for World Cup

Joe Thompson, other prosecutors quit after push to investigate Renee Good’s widow

Escalating pressure

“We wish to be assured that none of the leadership of the Smithsonian museums is confused about the fact that the United States has been among the greatest forces for good in the history of the world,” the letter said.

Americans “will have no patience for any museum that is diffident about America’s founding or otherwise uncomfortable conveying a positive view of American history, one which is justifiably proud of our country’s accomplishments and record.”

The Smithsonian is not a federal entity but receives a majority of its money from Congress.

The White House initially asked for all relevant materials in September but said documents turned over by the Smithsonian fell far short of what it requested.

In his March executive order, Trump claimed there had been a “concerted and widespread” effort over the past decade to rewrite American history by replacing “objective facts” with a “distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.”

As part of that, Vice President JD Vance was placed on the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents to oversee efforts to “remove improper ideology” from all areas of the institution.

The Smithsonian and the White House did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

Reshaping America’s story

The prospect of polishing the historical record to satisfy a president is concerning to many who study the past.

“History is about evidence,” said Matthew Delmont, a history professor at Dartmouth College. “It’s about welcoming complexity and nuance. It’s not about crafting a single story that needs to make everyone feel happy.”

Jim McSweeney, a retired archivist from the National Archives, said: “Here’s our history. Here’s our shared experience. We have to learn from it and never go back and try to whitewash or change anything based upon your political leanings.”

In the months leading up to Trump’s order in August for an official review of all Smithsonian exhibits, Trump fired the head archivist of the National Archives and said he was firing the National Portrait Gallery’s director, Kim Sajet, who maintained the backing of the Smithsonian’s governing board, but ultimately resigned.

Already, references to Trump’s two impeachments have been removed from his photo portrait display at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in its “American Presidents” exhibition, though the text was available online.

Museums under scrutiny

Administration officials have couched the accounting as work needed before the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, which the letter calls “a singular opportunity to justify confidence in the operations of America’s leading cultural institutions.”

The Smithsonian review is just one part of Trump’s broadside against a culture he deems too liberal.

Trump fired the board of the Kennedy Center, one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions, handpicking a new one that voted to add his name to the storied complex’s exterior. In the months since, a number of artists have withdrawn from performances at the venue, some citing the name change and Trump’s involvement.

At the White House, Trump designed a partisan and subjective “Presidential Walk of Fame” featuring gilded photographs of himself and predecessors, with plaques on what they did. He excludes Democrat Joe Biden, who is represented instead by an autopen to symbolize what Trump has described as a presidency in absentia.

At the time, the White House said Trump was a primary author of the plaques, which praised him as a historically successful figure and described Biden as the worst president in history and one who brought the U.S. to “the brink of destruction.”