“Seattle Reign” return to their home stadium after a road stretch, the Seahawks make a surprise draft choice, and the Jets swap picks with another team. The weekend’s top sports stories.
Yellow Cartel: Seattle Reign prepare to face Utah Royals as they return to Lumen Field
After five road matches and a two-week international break, Seattle Reign finally return to their home ground, Lumen Field. On Sunday, April 26, Laura Harvey’s side will host the Utah Royals, who under second-year head coach Jimmy Konraats have shown markedly more confidence compared with last season. Kickoff is at 5:00 p.m. Pacific and the match will be streamed free on Victory+. The homecoming for the Reign is more than a venue change — it’s an opportunity to consolidate a top-table position: Seattle sit third with 10 points (3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), while the Royals follow with 7 points (2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses).
Reign head coach Laura Harvey emphasized the importance of home support after a long absence: “We’re really excited to get back in front of our fans and feel the atmosphere of a home opener, which for us has come a little late. This run of games is about taking the best of what we showed in the first five matches: creating chances, variety in goals, creativity on set pieces, and defensive reliability — and raising our level across all aspects of the game.” These words from Harvey’s pregame interview, published on Sounder at Heart, set the tone for the team.
The most emotional event of the weekend will be the tribute to club legend Jess Fishlock. The 38-year-old midfielder announced this week she will retire at the end of the current NWSL season, her 14th with the Reign. While the official farewell will happen in the penultimate regular-season match in October, Sunday’s fixture gives fans their first chance to thank her for years of dedication. Positive news also came from the treatment room: Mia Fishel, Maddie Dalin, and Holly Ward, the coaching staff says, will be available to play.
The head-to-head history favors Seattle: 9 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses, with a 5-1-1 record at home. The Reign have scored 21 goals against Utah and conceded 13. Despite losing several players in the offseason, the Royals strengthened their squad effectively. Key additions include former Club América forward Kiana Palacios, Haitian Diana Pierre-Louis, and Japanese players Narumi Miura and Miyabi Moriya. The transfer of Madison Hammond, previously of the Reign, drew particular attention. The club parted ways with Claudia Sornosa (retired), Bianca Saint-Georges (moved to Boston Legacy), and traded star forward Ellie Stenor to Kansas City.
Early-season stats paint an interesting picture. Both teams prefer to control possession: Reign average 54.2% possession, Royals 51.1%. But there are notable differences. Utah leads the league in long passes (24 per match) and accurate crosses (6 per match). Konraats’ side have scored 6 and conceded 6 so far, while the Reign sit at 7-4. The transition phase will be a key area of focus for Seattle’s coaching staff. Harvey explained: “They press very aggressively, bring a lot of players high to pressure the ball. That’s really tough. They’re excellent in transitions and are on a good winning run. Tomorrow will be a really difficult challenge for us.” To neutralize that threat, the Reign must be careful out of defense, create quick attacks to pin the opponent back, and use width and pace on the flanks.
Set pieces are another battleground. Utah are among the league’s best in this area, having generated 26 shots from corners, free kicks, and throw-ins, producing 2.38 expected goals (xG). The Reign, by contrast, have created just 0.37 xG from set plays. Paradoxically, both teams have already scored two goals from set pieces. Utah have conceded twice from set plays, Seattle once. The match could be decided where one side exploits that advantage. Lumen Field has historically been a fortress for the Reign: the club has gone 10 matches unbeaten at Washington’s home venues (including Spokane — 29 matches overall). Returning to the big stage is a chance to kick off a winning run in front of their fans.
Players to watch include Utah forward Chloé Lacasse. Joining the club mid-2024, she once scored a hat trick against the Reign that many fans would rather forget. After missing most of 2025 with an ACL tear, Lacasse returned and has already provided two assists; she leads her team in crosses (6 per game average) and ranks second in the league for chances created (15). The Reign will need to shadow her closely and deny space. In the center of Utah’s defense, veteran Kayt Del Fava is dangerous — she leads the team in passes and defensive actions per 90 minutes and wins 72% of aerial duels. In attack, Japan’s Mina Tanaka stands out with two goals and the team’s best shot and xG numbers. Her clever movements in the box demand special attention from Seattle’s defenders. Match kickoff Sunday is at 5:00 p.m. Pacific.
Seahawks add a promising safety: what’s surprising about the pick of Bud Clark?
The Seattle Seahawks surprised analysts again in the NFL Draft by selecting safety Bud Clark from TSU in the second round. While last year’s pick of Nick Emmanuori was expected and high-profile, Clark was a dark horse few linked with the Seahawks in pre-draft projections. Former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus called it on-air on Seattle Sports not a panic move but a calculated choice — “their guy,” someone Seattle scouts had long kept in mind.
Clark, listed at 188 cm (about 6'2") and 86 kg (roughly 190 lbs), shows impressive speed (4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and explosiveness (38-inch vertical). Over the last four seasons at TSU he recorded 15 interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and 21 pass breakups. In his 2025 senior campaign he added 4 interceptions, 7 pass breakups, one sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss. According to Pro Football Focus, Clark’s versatility is striking: across six years in college he played more than 1,200 snaps in the slot, 700 in box safety roles, and 400 as a free safety.
Bumpus highlighted technical details of the rookie’s game: “I like his backpedal — smooth, with great hip work. He senses where the receiver is going, flips his hips and easily reads routes. He has an almost radar-like feel for when the ball’s coming and can get his hand up. He’s aggressive downhill, always around the ball — that’s a trait of true players.” That makes Clark an ideal chess-piece for head coach Mike MacDonald’s scheme, which already features star cornerback Devon Weatherspoon and last year’s second-rounder Emmanuori.
Clark’s selection is notable given other available options. Analysts note the Seahawks could have taken Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, but McCoy’s ACL recovery made that pick risky. Clark, by contrast, is healthy, mobile, and ready to fit into an aggressive second-level defense immediately. Though not widely known to the public, Seattle’s scouting department clearly views him as a long-term investment. Whether he can replicate Emmanuori’s near-Rookie of the Year defensive impact remains to be seen, but early reactions are consistent: the Seahawks have added another athletic, intelligent defender with star potential.
“Mountain of Muscle”: New York Jets trade with Seattle and select massive guard Anes Cooper
The New York Jets made a small but telling move in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, swapping picks with the Seattle Seahawks. The Jets sent picks No. 199 (sixth round) and No. 242 (seventh round) in exchange for pick No. 188, which they used to select Anes Cooper, an interior offensive lineman from the University of Miami (Florida), according to Yahoo Sports.
Cooper is a physical anomaly. At 22 he weighs 335 pounds (about 152 kg) and stands 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm) tall, with 34-inch (86 cm) hands. The article’s author doesn’t stint on metaphors: “a mountain of muscle.” Last season Cooper made the ACC second team, confirming his status as one of college football’s top guards.
However, the piece notes Cooper has obvious limitations. Players of his size often struggle in space and against quicker, more explosive pass-rushers. His main strengths are overwhelming power and a solid initial punch. When Cooper gets his hands on a defender, it’s nearly impossible to move him off his spot. The Jets expect to develop him into a starting guard over time, but for now he’s viewed as a rotational piece and immediate depth.
The team still holds one more pick — No. 228 in the seventh round. Overall, the trade and selection look like a bet on long-term upside: the Jets gave up two relatively low picks to move up and take a player with exceptional physical traits who needs technical refinement. In today’s faster NFL, such “projects” are always risky, but if Cooper adapts, his power could become a real asset on the offensive line.
