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Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves got to celebrate two major accomplishments on the field Sunday night, proposing to longtime girlfriend Mikaela Worley after he and his teammates beat Atlanta in overtime to clinch a spot in the playoffs. "I hate losing, so there's no way I could have done that in the right spirit after a loss," Reaves said. "That thing was burning a hole in my pocket." Reaves considered doing it last week but finally decided to make the move after giving Worley's family a heads-up Friday. "If we win this game, it's destiny," Reaves said. "She's earned it. I can't say enough about her. When I was at my lowest last year, she was there to pick me up every day. She showed up. That's my best friend. Been my best friend since high school." Worley was in attendance Sunday night at Northwest Stadium and joined Reaves and his teammates on the field to celebrate the victory when the 28-year-old defensive back dropped to one knee and popped the...

LANDOVER, Md. -- Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris said calling a timeout after a key first-down catch late in the fourth quarter with the score tied Sunday night "could have" been a better decision than running a hurry-up play. The Falcons had to settle for a 56-yard field goal attempt from Riley Patterson, who is only in his second week with the team. Patterson's kick came up short as time expired, the game went to overtime and the Commanders won, 30-24, on a game-ending  Jayden Daniels 2-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz. "In hindsight, it could have been a good decision or a better decision to take that timeout, but I wanted to have the opportunity to move up there," Morris said. "You always second-guess those things, you can always second-guess those motives. You can always go back and look at it and see if you can get it snapped a little bit quicker." On the Falcons' final drive in regulation, quarterback Michael Penix Jr....

LANDOVER, Md. -- As Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, still wearing his burgundy uniform, sat down at a table for his postgame news conference, he smiled and said something that shouldn't have surprised anyone after watching his playoff-clinching performance Sunday night. "I'm tired," he said. "But I'm happy." Carrying a franchise to the playoffs and its best season in years can do that to a rookie. But that's what Daniels has done: His 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz in overtime gave Washington a 30-24 win against the Atlanta Falcons and clinched a playoff spot. "He just willed it," Washington coach Dan Quinn said of Daniels. Daniels threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 127 yards. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least two touchdowns, throw for at least 200 yards and run for at least 65 yards in three consecutive games. He now has 25 touchdown passes on the...

MINNEAPOLIS -- More than 100 people were waiting in the Minnesota Vikings locker room Sunday evening for one man. Sam Darnold was conducting a pair of on-field interviews after his team's 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers, and no one -- owners, coaches, players, front office staff members -- wanted to begin the celebration without him. So they waited for Darnold to speak with Fox Sports reporter Tom Rinaldi. Then they waited a few more minutes while Fox Sports analyst Tom Brady awarded Darnold his "LFG" trophy for the game. "We felt like we waited for a long time," coach Kevin O'Connell said. In the meantime, linebacker Jonathan Greenard launched a plan to commemorate Darnold's eventual arrival. They mobbed him as he ran through the door, pouring what linebacker Blake Cashman called "a waterfall of water" over him and eventually lifted him onto their shoulders -- all to honor a season that has the Vikings headed to...

The Los Angeles Lakers have traded  D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, it was announced Sunday. The Lakers sent their own second-round picks in 2027, 2030 and 2031 to the Nets. Russell, the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, is averaging 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 26.3 minutes per game this season. The 28-year-old point guard returns to the Nets, where he played for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, when he earned his only All-Star selection. The move gives the Lakers a versatile 3-and-D player in Finney-Smith. The 31-year-old averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this season for the Nets, with whom he has played since arriving in the Kyrie Irving trade from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2023. Finney-Smith is shooting a career-high 43.5% from 3 this season and is known as a high-level wing...

CLEVELAND -- Surgery is not currently in the plans for Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who missed Sunday's 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns with a hip injury. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa suffered the injury against the Houston Texans in Week 15 and was able to play through it against San Francisco last week. However, he aggravated the injury on a play vs. the 49ers and it did not progress the way the team had hoped this past week. Tagovailoa was limited in both of Miami's practices leading up to Sunday's game, and he was downgraded to doubtful Saturday. "You try to forecast how things will heal based upon the only thing that you have to work with, which is the previous week's forecast," McDaniel said. "So, we were hoping and anticipating for a timeline similar to that, and as the week progressed, we didn't see the improvement we'd hoped. ... Ultimately, he absolutely wanted to play. It wasn't a pain...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't get his 500th touchdown pass Sunday, but he still made history in a 40-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium -- a defeat so lopsided that it left some of his teammates wondering if players had quit. Rodgers was sacked four times to bring his career total to 568, passing Tom Brady (565) as the most-sacked quarterback in NFL history. "Yeah, I got Tom on that," Rodgers said with a weak smile, feigning a hint of excitement. Gallows humor. The day was so bad for Rodgers and the Jets (4-12) that the future Hall of Famer told his coaches to play his backup at the start of the fourth quarter with the Jets trailing 40-0. In came Tyrod Taylor for mop-up duty. It was the first time in Rodgers' career that his team had faced a 40-point deficit in a game he started. It was an awful outing in a bitterly disappointing season, one that began with Super Bowl...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- As Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott reached the end of his opening statement following a 40-14 win over the New York Jets, he made a point to talk about one player who received a game ball. " Josh Allen continues to show why he should be the MVP," McDermott said. "And it's great to see our offense do what they've been able to do here." It's not the first time McDermott has touted his quarterback's level of play this year, but the endorsement comes at a time when the discussion around MVP at a peak. With his three-touchdown performance against the Jets (2 passing, 1 rushing), Allen, 28, extended his NFL record of consecutive seasons with 40 or more rushing and passing touchdowns to five. Only the quarterback on the other sideline, Aaron Rodgers, has more such seasons (6) in a career. "I don't know what more else he could do," right tackle Spencer Brown said. "That's consistency ... he does it with...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Even when the New York Giants win these days, it comes at a cost. The Giants fell out of pole position for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft with a 45-33 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. With a week of games still to play, the No. 1 pick in the draft currently belongs to the New England Patriots (3-13), with the Giants falling to No. 4 -- behind the  Cleveland Browns and  Tennessee Titans -- after their third win. Strength of schedule serves as the tiebreaker for the draft, and the Patriots currently have the easiest slate. The quarterback-needy Giants have the hardest schedule of the group. "That's why you have a [general manager], all those assistants and scouts," offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said. The Giants entered Sunday with a 57% chance of finishing with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, according to ESPN Analytics. It would have...

HOUSTON --  Tyler Herro scored 27 points before being one of six people ejected after a fight in the final minute of the Miami Heat's 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Herro was thrown to the ground by the Rockets' Amen Thompson with 35 seconds left and the Heat leading 99-94. Players and coaches from both benches rushed onto the court. Both players were thrown out, along with Rockets guard Jalen Green, coach Ime Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Terry Rozier was also ejected for Miami. "During the dead ball, Thompsons grabs the jersey and body slams Herro. Herro responds and they are both ejected for fighting fouls," crew chief Marc Davis said in a pool report after the game. Davis said Rozier and Green were ejected for escalating the altercation while Sullivan was tossed for "unsportsmanlike comments directed at me." Houston led 92-85 after Fred VanVleet's layup with 8:10 to play, but the...

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles running back Saquon Barkley on Sunday became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. The accomplishment came in the fourth quarter of a 41-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys that clinched the NFC East Division title for the Eagles. "Being a fan of the game and the running back position, to reach a milestone and put myself up there with eight other backs that I respect, and some I grew up watching, definitely means a lot," Barkley said, donning an NFC East champion hat for the first time in his career. "But at the same time, I wouldn't be able to do that without this team. You can't be great without the greatness of others." The coaching staff kept Barkley in the game in the fourth quarter despite Philadelphia holding a big lead. He was handed the ball on five straight plays, the last of which was a 23-yard scamper down the left side that put him over 2,000 yards. Barkley trotted to the...

Former President Jimmy Carter died Sunday afternoon at the age of 100. The Carter Center confirmed that Carter died peacefully and surrounded by his family at his home in Plains, Georgia. At 100, Carter was the longest-living president in U.S. history.  A lifelong Atlanta Braves fan, he was the first president to welcome a Super Bowl champion to the White House (the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1980, who visited alongside the World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates). Carter also was president in 1980 when he announced that the United States would boycott the Olympic Summer Games in Moscow to protest the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. More than 60 nations ultimately boycotted the Games, including West Germany, Japan and China. Writing in his 2010 book, "White House Diary," Carter observed that in hindsight, with respect to the U.S. team, "one of my most difficult decisions was supporting the boycott of the Summer Olympics." In his presidential memoir, "Keeping Faith,"...

Cal running back Jaydn Ott announced early Sunday morning that he will return to school for his senior season. His announcement, posted on X with the famous "I'm not leaving" clip from "The Wolf of Wall Street," is big news for the Bears. Cal lost quarterback Fernando Mendoza to the transfer portal but now returns its top two running backs in Ott and Jaivian Thomas. Ott, who entered 2024 off a breakthrough 1,300-yard season, injured his ankle in the season opener and was never 100% healthy. He missed two games, was limited in others and finished with 116 carries for 385 yards and four touchdowns. Ott has become a favorite among Cal supporters, with one fan making a viral cover song "Ott To Go" to the tune of "Hot to Go!" by Chappell Roan.

On the scoreboard, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders went out with a whimper at Colorado. But their lasting impact in Boulder -- on the field and off -- was probably immeasurable. With two dynamic stars playing their final college game, the 23rd-ranked Buffaloes were blown out 36-14 by No. 17 BYU in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday night. Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner and two-way sensation, caught four passes for a game-high 106 yards and a touchdown. His 43-yard scoring grab from Sanders cut Colorado's deficit to 27-7 with 6:14 left in the third quarter. The lockdown cornerback also made four solo tackles. Sanders was 16-of-23 passing for 208 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Both players are expected to be picked high in the NFL draft next spring. "It felt great representing Colorado and bringing it back to where it was in the past," Sanders said. "And obviously, we laid the foundation of the program, so now it's...

Cal running back Jaydn Ott announced early Sunday morning he will return to school for his senior season. His announcement, posted on X with the famous "I'm not leaving" clip from "The Wolf of Wall Street," is big news for the Bears. Cal lost quarterback Fernando Mendoza to the portal but now returns its top two running backs in Ott and Jaivian Thomas. Ott, who entered 2024 off a breakthrough 1,000-yard season, injured his ankle in the season opener and was never 100% healthy. He missed two games and was limited in others and finished with 116 carries for 385 yards and four touchdowns. Ott has become a favorite among Cal supporters, with one fan making a viral cover song "Ott To Go" to the tune of "Hot to Go!" by Chappell Roan.

TORONTO -- Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-net goal in his return to action, and the Washington Capitals upended the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Saturday night. In posting his 869th career goal, Washington's captain is now within 25 of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL mark of 894. It was his 16th goal in 19 games this season. Ovechkin, who skated with the team often and was around the locker room throughout his recovery, played in his first game since he fractured his left fibula Nov. 18 against the Utah Hockey Club, a night in which he collided with forward Jack McBain. "It was fun, it was tough," Ovechkin said of his return in a postgame interview during SportsNet's "Hockey Night In Canada" broadcast. "Obviously, it was a different rhythm, different speed. But you know, I'll take it, and we won." The 39-year-old -- who had never missed more than six games in his career with an ailment -- was scheduled to be out four to six weeks following the...

WASHINGTON --  Jalen Brunson scored nine of his season-high 55 points in overtime and Karl-Anthony Towns had 30 points and 14 rebounds as the New York Knicks extended their season-best winning streak to seven games in a 136-132 win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. It was the first overtime game for both teams, and New York outscored Washington 17-13 in the extra period. Brunson, who scored 42 points after halftime, converted two jump shots and five free throws in overtime. "I read the game, and then I find a way to impact it," Brunson said. "Tonight was scoring, and you've gotta find a way." Justin Champagnie scored a career-high 31 points with 10 rebounds and Malcolm Brogdon added 22 as the Wizards failed to win their second straight game after beating the  Charlotte Hornets 113-110 on Thursday. Playing without leading scorer Jordan Poole, who was out with a bruised left hip, Washington led for most of the...

The home of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was burglarized Friday night, his business manager, Lara Beth Seager, told ESPN, in what is the latest in a series of break-ins at the residences of high-profile athletes.  "No one was home at the time, and thankfully, Luka and his family are safe," Seager said. "Luka has filed a police report, and an investigation is ongoing." Jewelry valued at about $30,000 was stolen, the Dallas Morning News reported, according to an internal police report it obtained. "I've reached out to Luka and talked to him after that incident," coach Jason Kidd said Saturday night before the Mavericks played at the  Portland Trail Blazers. "He's fine. Glad no one got hurt." The burglary added to a difficult week for Doncic, who suffered a strained left calf during the Mavericks' Christmas Day loss at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves. That injury is expected to keep him sidelined for at least a month, sources told...

Cam Ward made NCAA history in his final college game. The Miami quarterback threw a record-setting 156th touchdown pass of his college career Saturday, connecting with Jacolby George for a 4-yard score with 4:12 left in the first quarter of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. That's the Division I (FBS and FCS) record, one more than Houston's Case Keenum threw from 2007 through 2011. Ward finished with three touchdown passes in the first half, pushing his total to 158. As was the plan, Emory Williams started and played the second half for Miami, which went on to lose 42-41 to Iowa State. "Just blessed, man," Ward told WQAM radio, Miami's flagship station. "I think I've grown so much as a person this year, outside of football. This is the best team that I've been around. ... I was just blessed to be here." After the loss, Miami coach Mario Cristobal was asked about the decision for Ward to sit.  "All meetings with players, and decisions like that,...

SAN ANTONIO -- On the scoreboard, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders went out with a whimper at Colorado. But their lasting impact in Boulder -- both on the field and off -- was probably immeasurable. With two dynamic stars playing their final college game, the 23rd-ranked Buffaloes were blown out 36-14 by No. 17 BYU in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday night. Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner and two-way sensation, caught four passes for a game-high 106 yards and a touchdown. His 43-yard scoring grab from Sanders cut Colorado's deficit to 27-7 with 6:14 left in the third quarter. The lockdown cornerback also made four solo tackles. Sanders was 16-of-23 passing for 208 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Both players are expected to be picked high in the NFL draft next spring. "It felt great representing Colorado and bringing it back to where it was in the past," Sanders said. "And obviously, we laid the foundation of the program,...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In Week 14 last season, the Los Angeles Chargers were surrounded by fans in their home stadium chanting for the firing of then-coach Brandon Staley amid a disappointing season. A little over a year later, the Chargers saw what that felt like from the other side. As Los Angeles steamrolled New England  40-7 on Saturday to clinch a playoff spot, the small contingent of Patriots fans left at Gillette Stadium began to chant "Fire Mayo," referring to Patriots coach Jerod Mayo. It was just the second time New England had lost by 30 or more points at home this century. Saturday's win was the Chargers' best performance of the season and perhaps the clearest example of just how much this team has changed in a year under coach Jim Harbaugh. "It feels good to be playing meaningful football," safety Derwin James said. "I remember being on my couch last year just wishing and wondering, 'Man, like, what I need to do differently to be able...

CINCINNATI --  Tee Higgins knew what Saturday night represented for him and the Bengals. With his contract up after this season, the wide receiver understood that the matchup against the Denver Broncos could have been his final home game with the team that drafted him. He also knew that Cincinnati needed a win to keep its playoff hopes alive. On top of all that, Higgins was dealing with an ankle and a knee injury. So at the beginning of the week, Higgins sent coach Zac Taylor a brief text message during a team meeting that set the tone going into Saturday: "I'm playing." With the season on the line, Higgins turned in a career performance. He had the winning touchdown that sealed a 30-24 overtime victory over the Broncos and kept the Bengals in postseason contention entering Week 18. "I hope not, but that could have been my last game in the [Bengals] stripes here," Higgins said. "This game, it meant a lot more to me coming into it. Definitely a...

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied his career high with 45 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-114 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. Gilgeous-Alexander hit 15 of 22 shots and all 11 free throws in Oklahoma City's ninth consecutive victory. He had a career-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander was coming off a 41-point night in a win against the Washington Wizards on Monday. He became the first Thunder player with consecutive 40-point games since Russell Westbrook had three straight in 2019. Paul George, Kevin Durant and Dale Ellis are the only others to do so in franchise history. "Everybody seemed to make a big play for us tonight that we really needed on a night where we were playing a very hot opponent," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "With that said, Shai was outstanding tonight. That was a masterpiece. I mean, he was at his own pace the entire night. I thought he moved it...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied his career high with 45 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-114 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. Gilgeous-Alexander hit 15 of 22 shots and all 11 free throws in Oklahoma City's ninth consecutive victory. He had a career-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander was coming off a 41-point night in a win against the Washington Wizards on Monday. He became the first Thunder player with consecutive 40-point games since Russell Westbrook had three straight in 2019. Paul George, Kevin Durant and Dale Ellis are the only others to do so in franchise history. "Everybody seemed to make a big play for us tonight that we really needed on a night where we were playing a very hot opponent," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "With that said, Shai was outstanding tonight. That was a masterpiece. I mean, he was at his own pace the entire...

The Miami Heat have no plans to trade Jimmy Butler, team president Pat Riley said Thursday. "We usually don't comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear -- we are not trading Jimmy Butler," he said in a statement. Riley's statement comes a day after league sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that six-time All-Star Butler prefers a trade out of Miami ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. Butler is open to trade destinations such as the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets, league sources told Charania. The Heat play in Orlando on Thursday. Butler did not fly with the team to Orlando on Wednesday night and has been ruled out for the game due to return to competition conditioning. He twisted an ankle in Miami's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. He missed the remainder of that...

FRISCO, Texas --  CeeDee Lamb's season is over with two games to play as the Dallas Cowboys opted to shut down the wide receiver Thursday. Lamb, who has dealt with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder since a Nov. 3 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has aggravated it almost weekly, had more scans this week that showed the injury had worsened. With the Cowboys eliminated from the playoffs, the team decided to sit its No. 1 wide receiver. In a statement, the Cowboys said he is not expected to need surgery and should make a full recovery through a "process of treatment and rehabilitation." Lamb is the Cowboys' fifth Pro Bowl player to have his season end early because of injury, joining quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring), right guard Zack Martin (ankle), defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee). Pro Bowl cornerback DaRon Bland spent the first 10 games of the season on injured reserve...

CHICAGO -- One month after clock-management problems against the  Detroit Lions led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus, the Chicago Bears sealed their 10th straight loss when timeout issues and no attempt at a potential tying field goal resulted in a 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Thursday's Seahawks-Bears matchup was one of two NFL games this season without a touchdown. Chicago totaled 179 yards of offense, its fourth-lowest output in 2024, and managed only a field goal in its final home game of the season. Similar to how the Bears' loss to the Lions played out on Thanksgiving Day, Chicago trailed by three entering its final drive. The Bears took possession with 5 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter at their 11-yard line with all three timeouts. Chicago ran six plays before facing fourth-and-inches from its 39-yard line when left guard Jake Curhan, who started in place of injured Teven Jenkins (calf), was flagged for a...

DETROIT -- Tucker Gleason ran for one overtime score and threw for four more as Toledo beat Pittsburgh 48-46 in a bowl-record six overtimes at the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on Thursday. The game surpassed the previous mark set 48 hours earlier when South Florida beat San Jose State 41-39 in five overtimes in the Hawai'i Bowl on Tuesday. "It felt like we had to win the game three or four times today, but we are so proud of this team," Toledo coach Jason Candle said. "To hang in there and to keep fighting like we did today, we were able to keep up with the emotional swings over the course of the game. It was a sloppy game at times, but I am proud of our response. Today's game was ultimately defined by who made the last play and who threw the last punch." This is the third bowl game to go to multiple overtimes this season, already the most in a bowl season since OT was established in 1996. Northern Illinois beat Fresno State 28-20 in double overtime in the Famous...

Former Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver DeSean Jackson and Delaware State are finalizing an agreement for him to become the program's next head coach, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Thursday. Jackson did an on-campus interview in recent days, and the sides are expected to come together to complete the deal in the near future. According to a source, it has always been a dream of Jackson's to coach at a historically Black college or university (HBCU). That dream could be a reality in the near future. The 38-year-old would replace Lee Hull, who was dismissed earlier this month after two disappointing seasons, including a 1-11 showing this year. The news was first reported by Victory Formation Media. Jackson, who officially retired as a member of the Eagles after the 2023 season, made the Pro Bowl in three of his eight seasons with the team. He became the first player in NFL history to earn Pro Bowl honors at two positions -- kick returner and wide...

Dallas Mavericks All-NBA guard Luka Doncic will be reevaluated in one month after sustaining a left calf strain in Wednesday's Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told ESPN on Thursday night. Doncic underwent an MRI and received multiple opinions on the injury Thursday, sources said. Doncic exited late in the second quarter Wednesday after grimacing in pain when he planted on his left foot after picking up his dribble. He immediately looked toward the Mavs bench to indicate he was injured and was unable to get back on defense. After the Timberwolves scored, the Mavs called a timeout with 2:31 remaining in the first half to allow Doncic to leave the game. He hobbled to the locker room for further evaluation and was ruled out minutes later. Doncic used crutches while leaving the arena postgame. If he's reevaluated in 30 days, Doncic will miss at least 15 games and be eliminated from contention for the NBA's awards, such as MVP and the All-NBA...

Miami is in talks with basketball coach Jim Larranaga about him stepping down immediately, a source has confirmed to ESPN's Pete Thamel. Some clarity is expected later Thursday, the source told ESPN. The Miami Herald first reported that Larranaga was expected to step down.

SAN FRANCISCO -- After becoming the NBA's all-time leader in Christmas Day victories -- earning his 11th in his 19th appearance in the Los Angeles Lakers' 115-113 win over the Golden State Warriors --  LeBron James was asked what still makes the league special in today's sports landscape. "LeBron and  Steph [Curry]," James said with a smile. Indeed, nearly a decade after the pair met for the first of four straight showdowns in the NBA Finals, and less than a week before James' 40th birthday, the duo looked as dominant as ever Wednesday. James led L.A. with 31 points on 12-for-22 shooting and tallied 10 assists with only one turnover. Curry scored 17 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter, tying the score with a 31-foot 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left after Golden State had trailed by as many as 10 in the final period. James' performance was needed for L.A. after Lakers big man Anthony Davis sprained his left ankle with...

HOUSTON -- On a day when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson didn't feel like he was running at top speed -- even though he was clocked at over 21 mph -- the reigning NFL MVP added another title: the all-time leading rushing quarterback. In running away with a 31-2 Christmas Day victory over the Houston Texans, Jackson ran just enough to surpass Michael Vick for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history. With 87 yards Wednesday, Jackson now has 6,110 career rushing yards, which is one more than Vick's total. Jackson broke the record with a 6-yard scramble in the third quarter that set up his 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews. "It feels unreal, to be honest with you," Jackson said. "I'm grateful because that's a record that's been there for a long time. Michael Vick is one of my favorite players. That's just dope." Vick held the record for 13 years after he eclipsed Randall Cunningham for the most rushing...

BOSTON -- A month ago, the Philadelphia 76ers seemed like a team headed for infamy. Having come into the season with championship aspirations, the 76ers instead saw themselves sitting at an unfathomable 3-14 on Thanksgiving Day, with daily questions about whether they would be better off trying to keep their draft pick as opposed to attempting to reach the postseason. But after Wednesday's 118-114 Christmas Day victory over the defending champion Boston Celtics, Philadelphia has now ripped off wins in eight of its past 11 games, has climbed out of the basement in the Eastern Conference and has renewed the team's hopes of a deep postseason run. "We got a high ceiling," said Joel Embiid, who twisted his ankle when he stepped on a security guard's foot during warmups but finished with 27 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes for Philadelphia (11-17). "It's all about us putting it together. "I don't think that was close to our best basketball, but we...

DALLAS -- After losing Luka Doncic to a strained left calf, an injury that sources told ESPN could sideline the superstar for an extended period of time, the  Dallas Mavericks' bid for a Christmas miracle comeback fell just short. The Minnesota Timberwolves escaped American Airlines Center with a 105-99 win Wednesday after the Mavs whittled a 28-point second-half deficit to a one-possession margin in the final minute. That was no consolation for a Dallas squad that is bracing for its perennial MVP candidate to miss several games. Doncic is expected to undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the severity of his calf strain, sources said. "It stings for sure for all of us," said Mavs co-star Kyrie Irving, who scored a game-high 39 points to give the Mavs a chance to win without Doncic. "Praying for Luka just to have a speedy recovery. However long the timetable is, we're going to have to adjust. It's just the nature of the business. Hopefully,...

PITTSBURGH -- Mike Tomlin and his team didn't mince words in the aftermath of the  Steelers' third straight loss. "That sucked, to be blunt," the coach said after Pittsburgh's  29-10 Christmas Day loss to the  Kansas City Chiefs. "Not the type of ball we want to play and really kind of eerily similar to our last performance in that we're not doing the fundamental things well enough." In losing to the Chiefs, the Steelers (10-6) not only failed to compete with another one of the league's top teams, they also lost the ability to control their destiny in the race for the AFC North title and a coveted home playoff game. Though they once led the division by two games, the Steelers now have to beat the  Cincinnati Bengals in the regular-season finale and have the Baltimore Ravens lose their Week 18 game to the Cleveland Browns to capture the crown. "It's got to be a want-to," linebacker  Alex Highsmith said of how to right the...

PITTSBURGH -- The Kansas City Chiefs have received a first-round playoff bye before, but Patrick Mahomes said they've never needed it quite like this season. The Chiefs clinched the AFC's top playoff seed -- which means they'll get a first-round bye and have home-field advantage throughout the postseason -- by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10 on Wednesday to reach 15-1. "It's just going to be nice getting guys healthy,'' said Mahomes, who was 29-of-38 for 320 yards and three touchdowns. "I think this was the earliest [regular-season] bye I've ever had just in general. To kind of have this grind of whatever it is -- I think we had our bye Week 6 -- so it's like almost 10 weeks of just football and grinding and then this short schedule at the very end of the year. "We have some guys banged up, and to get them back healthy now and we'll see how Week 18 goes and who plays and who doesn't play. That's up to Coach [Andy Reid]. But even getting this...

NEW YORK -- High on the Madison Square Garden scoreboard, a video montage played of blocked shots from New York Knicks of yesteryear as DMX's "Party Up" blared over the public address system. Down on the court, though, no Knick could leap high enough Wednesday to swat a shot launched by Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 owner of a standing reach of nearly 10 feet. Making his Christmas Day debut, the Frenchman blistered the Knicks for a game-high 42 points -- the most by a visitor on Christmas at Madison Square Garden -- to go with 18 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks in a 117-114 San Antonio Spurs loss delivered through a 41-point effort from Mikal Bridges. Wembanyama let out a deep sigh and paused for five seconds to ponder his performance in a game the Spurs had a chance to tie in the final minute. "I don't even know really the history of the best Christmas games," Wembanyama said. "I'm thinking about the game right now and just thinking we...

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic exited the team's Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Timberwolves late in the second quarter because of a left calf strain. Doncic was ruled out for the remainder of the game during halftime, and the Mavs went on to lose 105-99. Doncic, who recently missed two games because of a left heel contusion, grimaced in pain when he planted that foot after picking up his dribble. He immediately looked toward the Mavs' bench and indicated he was injured. Doncic wasn't able to get back on defense on the ensuing possession and hobbled straight to the locker room to be evaluated after Dallas called a timeout with 2:31 remaining in the half. Doncic scored 14 points in 16 minutes against Minnesota. He entered the game averaging 28.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. Doncic has a history of injuries to that calf. Most recently, he missed all of this year's training camp and preseason because of a...

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic exited the team's Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Timberwolves late in the second quarter because of a left calf strain. Doncic was ruled out for the remainder of the game during halftime. Doncic, who recently missed two games because of a left heel contusion, grimaced in pain when he planted that foot after picking up his dribble. He immediately looked toward the Mavs' bench and indicated he was injured. Doncic wasn't able to get back on defense on the ensuing possession and hobbled straight to the locker room to be evaluated after Dallas called a timeout with 2:31 remaining in the half. Doncic scored 14 points in 16 minutes against Minnesota. He entered the game averaging 28.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. Doncic has a history of injuries to that calf. Most recently, he missed all of this year's training camp and preseason because of a left calf contusion. This is the third time...

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic exited the Christmas game against the Minnesota Timberwolves late in the second quarter. Doncic, who recently missed two games due to a left heel contusion, grimaced in pain when he planted that foot after picking up his dribble. He immediately looked toward the Mavs' bench and indicated he was injured. Doncic wasn't able to get back on defense on the ensuing possession and hobbled straight to the locker room to be evaluated after Dallas called a timeout with 2:31 remaining in the half. Doncic scored 14 points in 16 minutes against Minnesota. He entered the game averaging 28.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game.

Legendary Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey has died after a three-year cancer battle. He was 79. Bergey's son, Jake, announced the five-time Pro Bowl selection's passing in a post on social media Christmas morning. After 68 games in five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals (1969-1973), Bergey played in 91 games in seven seasons with the Eagles (1974-1980). He collected 27 career interceptions and 21 fumble recoveries. His final game was Philadelphia's 27-10 loss against the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV on Jan. 25, 1981, in New Orleans. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in 1974 and 1975 and was runner-up to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Joe Greene in the 1974 NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting. Bergey was inducted into the Eagles' Roll of Honor in 1988 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

Miami Heat guard Dru Smith has suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. He suffered the injury during Monday's victory against the Brooklyn Nets. As Smith dribbled during a possession early in the second quarter, he lost the ball on a turnover and immediately fell to the court grimacing in pain. Smith was escorted off the court to the locker room. The injury, which requires surgery and months of rehabilitation, is devastating after the two-way guard made a tremendous recovery from a torn ACL just over a year ago to the Heat's rotation and was on the cusp of a standard NBA contract. Smith also saw his 2021-22 season with Miami's Sioux Falls affiliate in the G League cut short by a knee injury. "We have incredible deep respect for his journey and what he has to overcome," coach Erik Spoelstra said after Monday's game. "I've been in the building all those times last year when nobody else was here and he was doing all the...

One day after enjoying a laugh at the expense of New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, quarterback Aaron Rodgers offered an unusually curt response Tuesday when asked about Johnson -- boosting the perception of a rift between them. Rodgers, discussing his future, said he must be "in the plans of multiple people, starting with the ownership" for the Jets to retain him in 2025. The future Hall of Famer sidestepped a question on whether he believes Johnson wants him back. "You should ask Woody," Rodgers said tersely. Has he had any conversations with Johnson about his future? "No." Rodgers, 41, is preparing for what likely will be the final two games of his Jets career -- and perhaps his NFL career. Despite an MCL injury to his left knee, Rodgers said he is planning to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, insisting, "There is no way I'm not playing." Earlier Tuesday, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich was noncommittal. With the Jets (4-11) closing out their most...

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been ruled out of Wednesday's Christmas night home game against the Denver Nuggets because of a groin strain. It would be the third straight game Booker has missed after suffering the injury in the third quarter of a defeat last week to the visiting  Indiana Pacers. The Suns lost both games he missed.   Several other stars are listed as questionable for Christmas Day, including Los Angeles Lakers stars Anthony Davis (shoulder) and LeBron James (injury management). Davis and James both played in Monday night's home loss to the Detroit Pistons. Jamal Murray, who missed the Nuggets' home win over the Suns on Monday, is listed as questionable for Wednesday's rematch due to an ankle injury. Jayson Tatum is listed as questionable for the Boston Celtics' game against the visiting  Philadelphia 76ers with an illness that also kept him out of a loss Monday at the ...

Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler prefers a trade out of Miami ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, league sources told ESPN. ESPN reported in the Inside Pass on Dec. 10 that the Heat are willing to listen to trade offers for Butler, and that Butler wants a win-now contender in any deal. Butler has not formally requested a trade, sources said, but is believed to be ready for his exit. Butler has $49 million on his contract with the Heat for this season and a $52 million player option for 2025-26 after the two sides failed to reach an extension last summer. Both sides appear ready to move on from this Butler-led era as the Heat lean into a rising core of All-Star center Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro (in the midst of a career season), and Butler's player option for next season has given the parties their own vantage point of leverage. Teams have been informed that Butler intends to decline his 2025-26 player option and become a free agent in July, sources...

Seattle Seahawks Super-Bowl winning coach Pete Carroll has expressed interest in the Chicago Bears' head coaching job and would like to return to the sideline next season, league sources told ESPN. Carroll is one of four head coaches to have led teams to both a national championship and the Super Bowl. The others are Barry Switzer, Jimmy Johnson and Jim Harbaugh. Three teams -- the Bears, Jets and Saints -- are in the market for a head coach who can help reset their culture. Few coaches have been more effective than Carroll at doing just that. The Bears fired Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29, one day after a 23-20 loss to the Lions that ended with the Bears' furious comeback attempt falling short thanks to clock mismanagement. Thomas Brown, who had recently been named Chicago's interim offensive coordinator, assumed Chicago's interim head coaching duties. Carroll helped shape USC into a national champion and then went to Seattle and, over a run...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The holiday week brought early good news for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, with President Joe Biden signing into law a bill that aims to improve access to resources for heart health around the country. Hamlin, 26, who suffered a  cardiac arrest during a "Monday Night Football" game on Jan. 2. 2023, advocated for the bill and worked on it with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). The NFL's Smart Hearts Coalition and others supported the effort. The Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, and Research, and AED Training in the Schools Act of 2024 (HEARTS Act) was officially signed by the president on Monday after the United States Senate voted unanimously to pass the bill on Dec. 10. The House of Representatives passed it in September. "It's super dope, man. Shoutout to Senator Schumer. Shoutout to the Smart Hearts Coalition. Shoutout to the American Heart Association and to my Chasing M's foundation," Hamlin told ESPN when the Senate passed...

The athlete died on Monday at the age of 26, the Swiss-Ski federation said.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk had to be helped off the ice and taken to the locker room in the first period after a collision with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov during Monday night's 4-0 loss. Tkachuk returned in the second period and received a standing ovation. He joined the Panthers' power-play unit in his first shift back. "We wouldn't let him back in the game if we didn't think he was OK," Florida coach Paul Maurice said in his in-game interview on Scripps Sports. "But he's tough." Kucherov crashed full speed into Tkachuk's right leg late in the first period, causing Tkachuk to fall and grab his knee. He remained down for a couple of minutes until a team trainer helped him off. He didn't appear to put any weight on the leg. After the teams exchanged words following the hit, Kucherov was assessed a five-minute major penalty. Ultimately, after an officials' review, a game misconduct was issued for the infraction. "It's...