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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs quickly moved to release running back Kareem Hunt six years ago when video surfaced of him shoving and kicking a woman outside of his residence. On Wednesday, the Chiefs welcomed Hunt back to the team, saying he had matured. "We just thought he needed a change of scenery and get some help and take care of business there and we felt like he did that," Reid said. "He did a nice job in Cleveland, and we talked to the people there and there were no issues there, so we felt OK by bringing him back. ... It looks like he's grown up. "I think people deserve a second chance if they've done something to work on the first part of it." The Chiefs, after losing starting running back Isiah Pacheco to a broken fibula, signed Hunt to the practice squad on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Reid said Hunt could play in Sunday night's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Patrick Mahomes said he has remained...

Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, and postseason kicking hero Adam Vinatieri are among the first-time nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025. The Hall announced 167 modern era candidates for the class Wednesday that included 16 players nominated for the first time, including two-time All-Pro guard Marshal Yanda. A screening committee will reduce the list of nominees to 50 players next month. Then the full 50-person selection committee will cut the list down to 25 semifinalists and then 15 finalists for the annual meeting before the Super Bowl that will produce the new class. Players must get 80% of votes to get in. Under the Hall of Fame's bylaws, between three to five players can get in as modern era candidates. There will also be three senior candidates, grouped with one coach and contributor. At least one and no more than three of those finalists will get in based on...

Pennsylvania made flag football an officially sanctioned girls' high school sport Wednesday amid a push from the commonwealth's NFL teams to encourage more female athletes to get on the field. The approval from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association -- the statewide body that governs high school athletics in the commonwealth -- makes flag football an official sport for girls in the nation's fifth-most populous state starting in the 2025-26 school year. As part of the process to sanction girls' flag football, the PIAA required at least 100 participating teams from across the state. That threshold was reached in April with 65 schools participating in the Philadelphia Eagles' flag football league and 36 in the Pittsburgh Steelers' league.penn "This is not just an important day for the Eagles and Steelers, but for the sport of football and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Eagles owner Jeff Lurie said in a statement. "When we launched our girls' flag...

Pennsylvania made flag football an officially sanctioned girls' high school sport Wednesday amid a push from the commonwealth's NFL teams to encourage more female athletes to get on the field. The approval from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association -- the statewide body that governs high school athletics in the commonwealth -- makes flag football an official sport for girls in the nation's fifth-most populous state starting in the 2025-26 school year. As part of the process to sanction girls' flag football, the PIAA required at least 100 participating teams from across the state. That threshold was reached in April with 65 schools participating in the Philadelphia Eagles' flag football league, and 36 in the Pittsburgh Steelers' league. "This is not just an important day for the Eagles and Steelers, but for the sport of football and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Eagles owner Jeff Lurie said in a statement. "When we launched our girls' flag football...

Rory McIlroy believes it will be difficult for Ian Poulter or Lee Westwood to be a future Ryder Cup captain because they no longer have a connection with Europe's emerging stars after defecting to the LIV Golf League. Poulter was a stalwart for Europe at Ryder Cups and typically saved his best performances for the team event, earning 16 points in seven appearances. Now playing on the LIV Golf circuit, Poulter said in a recent interview with Al Arabiya English that he would relish the opportunity to be captain of the European team -- even if that was currently not possible because he resigned his European tour membership after joining LIV Golf. Henrik Stenson was removed as captain of the European team for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome after the Swedish golfer moved to LIV in 2022. McIlroy said players such as Poulter and Westwood would struggle to reintegrate themselves after an unsavory split from the European tour and pointed to current Ryder Cup captain ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Travis Kelce blames the slow start to his season on himself. "I put that on me," Kelce said on the weekly "New Heights" podcast he co-hosts with brother Jason. "I didn't play my best, and it spreads if you don't fix it and I've got to get that thing fixed." Kelce has four catches for 39 yards in the Kansas City Chiefs' first two games of the season. Kelce, who turns 35 next month, is one of the most prolific pass-catching tight ends in NFL history. His streak of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons was ended at seven last year only when he sat out the final regular-season game after the Chiefs had clinched their playoff seed. He said many factors have to go right for any receiver to catch a large number of passes. "If you want to catch the football, (1) it has to be the right play, (2) it has to be the right coverage, and (3) it has to be everybody doing their job up front and on the back end in terms of running their routes. ... "For...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has a right ankle injury but is "feeling much better," coach Jim Harbaugh said Wednesday. Harbaugh said quarterback Easton Stick would start if Herbert can't play, but he said it was too early to consider hypotheticals. "Crystal ball?" Harbaugh said when asked if there's a possibility Herbert doesn't play. "[I] expect him to get better every day." The injury happened in the third quarter of Sunday's 26-3 win over the Carolina Panthers. Herbert tried to escape the pocket but was pulled from behind by linebacker DJ Johnson and hit face-first by defensive end Jayden Peevy simultaneously, causing his lower body to get trapped under Johnson. Herbert walked off the field and went into a medical tent with trainers, but he didn't miss a snap. After his postgame news conference, Herbert walked with a significant limp. This is second injury Herbert has dealt with this...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Travis Kelce blames the slow start to his season on himself. "I put that on me,'' Kelce said on the weekly New Heights podcast he co-hosts with his brother Jason. "I didn't play my best and it spreads if you don't fix it and I've got to get that thing fixed.'' Kelce has four catches for 39 yards in the Kansas City Chiefs' first two games of the season. Kelce, who turns 35 next month, is one of the most prolific pass catching tight ends in NFL history. His streak of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons was ended at seven last year only when he sat out the final regular season game after the Chiefs had clinched their playoff seed. He said many factors have to go right for any receiver to catch a large number of passes. "If you want to catch the football, one it has to be the right play, two it has to be the right coverage and three it has to be everybody doing their job up front and on the back end in terms of running their routes ... "For whatever...

A judge on Tuesday dismissed a federal lawsuit filed by a woman who accused James Dolan, chairman of Madison Square Garden and governor of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, of unwanted sex nearly a decade ago while also alleging that Dolan facilitated an encounter with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, whom she also claimed sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit was dismissed by a U.S. District Court judge in California, according to a three-page filing Tuesday night that was obtained by ESPN. The lawsuit was originally filed in January by a Tennessee woman named Kellye Croft who said she was 27 and working as a licensed massage therapist when she met Dolan in fall 2013 while he was on tour with a rock band, the Eagles. (Dolan's band, JD & The Straight Shot, opened for the Eagles during the tour.) She alleged that Dolan pressured her into unwanted sexual intercourse with him. She also alleged that in January 2014, Dolan helped arrange for...

ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski has agreed to become the general manager of the men's basketball program at St. Bonaventure, he told ESPN. Wojnarowski is a St. Bonaventure alumnus and has a strong relationship with the program, including as a fundraiser for the school's collective in recent years. He is a 1991 graduate of the western New York school and a distinguished alumnus from the Jandoli School of Communication. "It is a thrill of a lifetime to be able to return to a university and community that I love in a role of service to our student-athletes, coaches and institution," Wojnarowski told ESPN. "I am hopeful that I can bring value in a lot of areas to our basketball program and open doors for our young men's futures in ways both professionally and personally." Wojnarowski, 55, has worked at ESPN since 2017. He previously worked at Yahoo Sports and The Record of Bergen County (New Jersey), among other stops. "I am retiring from a dream job at ESPN and...

Former New Orleans Saints safety and ALS advocate Steve Gleason has returned home after spending six nights in the hospital following a medical event last week. "I've been inside for six days, so to be greeted by the full Mooooooooooooooon, the Oaks, and our family ... Reborn," Gleason posted on social media Tuesday night, along with several pictures of him at home with his family. Gleason has been active on social media and had posted a picture of himself in his hospital bed watching the Saints' 44-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011 and uses a ventilator to breathe. He was transported to the hospital on Sept. 11 because of low blood pressure and a fever, his publicist, Clare Durrett, told ESPN last week. His physician suggested he go to the hospital for evaluation, which was made more complicated by Hurricane Francine, a Category 2 storm that had made landfall in Louisiana. Thousands of people in New...

Less than 11 months after WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert wrote in a letter that consideration of a Portland expansion team would be " deferred for now," the league announced Wednesday a return to the city as its 15th franchise, to begin play in the 2026 season. Portland previously entered the WNBA as the expansion Fire in 2000 before folding after the 2002 season, when the league moved from central ownership to individual ownership of teams. The new team will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by controlling owner Lisa Bhathal Merage and her brother, Alex Bhathal. They also are the majority owners of the NWSL's Portland Thorns. This is the first time the WNBA will return to a city it previously left, although Engelbert expressed an openness to do so again in the future. "I don't think we ever have a bias as to whether there was a team there before or not," Engelbert told ESPN, "but certainly I think Portland has proven they'll show up for women's sports and...

In what might have been  Diana Taurasi's last game in her hometown of Los Angeles, her Mercury won a chippy game Tuesday night that saw Phoenix veteran Brittney Griner and Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson get ejected. Emotions ran high in a matchup that didn't mean anything in terms of the standings. With their 85-81 win, the Mercury improved to 19-20, but they already had the No. 7 playoff seed locked up.  The Sparks, now 7-32, were eliminated from playoff contention last week. Still, the longtime Phoenix-Los Angeles rivalry always seems to be hot even when the stakes aren't high. Taurasi, 42, has played through 20 seasons of it with the Mercury. After recording 13 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds against the Sparks, she was asked if she was sure this season "was it" for her. "I don't know," said Taurasi, who attended Don Lugo High School in Chino, California, and has played in WNBA games and attended NBA contests at Crypto.com...

SAN DIEGO -- Moments after Jose Altuve was ejected for taking off his left cleat and sock to try to prove a point, his replacement, Grae Kessinger, scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and then made a sensational play at second base to seal the Houston Astros' wild 4-3 win against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night. Altuve grounded out to third for the final out of the ninth but insisted he had fouled the ball off his foot. In a crazy scene, he took off his cleat and sock, trying to show the umpires where the ball hit, which got him ejected by plate umpire Brennan Miller. Manager Joe Espada was tossed after continuing to argue. "Sometimes you get hit somewhere in the hand and you take your batting glove [off] to show you got hit. I was expecting to do the same thing," Altuve said. "It was going through my head that it can't happen," he added. "It's the ninth inning, winning run on second base, I'm battling against a good pitcher, ...

SEATTLE -- With seven rebounds in Tuesday's 85-72 win over the Seattle Storm, A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces surpassed injured Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese for the WNBA's single-season rebounding record. Last week, Wilson broke the WNBA's single-season scoring record, and on Sunday she became the  first player in league history to reach 1,000 points in a single season.  "It's a blessing," Wilson said. "This league is tough, so if my name can be in the record books in some sort of way, it's a blessing. So that's cool." Compared to the attention on her scoring record, Wilson was surprised when informed during postgame interviews that she had set the rebounding mark, leading to a humorous back-and-forth exchange with Aces coach Becky Hammon. "No, she didn't know," Hammon joked. "You can tell." "Only because I don't hunt rebounds, so it's not something that's always on my mind," Wilson replied. "She doesn't hunt...

MIAMI -- The Los Angeles Dodgers' recent series at the  Atlanta Braves marked the first time in more than three months that Shohei Ohtani went four consecutive games without a home run or a stolen base. It was a rut he had not been in since June 6 to 9. Ohtani finally snapped that streak on Tuesday, hitting a third-inning home run in an 11-9 loss to the lowly Miami Marlins. Ohtani, who has 48 homers and 48 steals with 11 games remaining, said he is "just one little thing away" from feeling good with the mechanics of his swing again. He also denied feeling any pressure to become the first player in baseball history to reach the 50/50 mark before the regular season wraps. "No pressure," Ohtani said through an interpreter. "Just trying to maintain quality at-bats regardless of the situation. It's something I've been trying to do over the course of the entire season." Ohtani trails only Aaron Judge (53) for the major league lead in...

The New York Liberty clinched the top seed in the WNBA playoffs with an 87-71 victory at Washington on Tuesday night. At 32-7, the Liberty are guaranteed the league's best record with one game to go. This marks the second time the Liberty, an original WNBA franchise dating to 1997, will have the best record in a season. The other came in 2015, when the WNBA played a 34-game schedule and New York was 23-11. Minnesota, which defeated  Connecticut 78-76 on Tuesday, moved to 30-9 and will be the No. 2 seed. Connecticut is 27-12 and currently in third place.  Las Vegas, 26-13 after winning at  Seattle, is in fourth. Coach Sandy Brondello said it was one of the Liberty's goals to get the No. 1 seed. Last year, New York was the No. 2 seed and lost in the WNBA Finals to top-seeded Las Vegas. After losing 88-79 at home to Minnesota on Sunday, Brondello said she wanted her team to be angry at how it played and it responded. "We started talking...

Talks between Clemson, Florida State and the ACC have ramped up in recent weeks, according to sources, on a proposal that would allot a greater share of revenue to schools based on brand valuation and television ratings, as well as potentially alter the expiration of the league's grant of rights -- which currently runs through 2036 -- in exchange for the Tigers and Seminoles dropping their lawsuits against the conference. According to multiple sources within the league, the conversations are preliminary and the sides are not close to an agreement, but the conversations represent a strong signal that Florida State and Clemson are open to remaining in the conference under more favorable financial terms. The proposal, which was formulated by Clemson and Florida State and discussed by the league's presidents during Tuesday's regularly scheduled meeting, includes additional money going to schools with better ratings success in football and basketball. While the proposal has not been...

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk was detained Tuesday at Krakow Airport in Poland and subsequently released after Ukraine's Foreign Ministry intervened, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on social media. A source told ESPN that Usyk, a native of Ukraine, was detained after he attempted to board a flight to Valencia, Spain, where he is set to begin preparations for his Dec. 21 heavyweight championship rematch with Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Usyk and his trainer, Sergey Lapin, were denied boarding after an airline official determined they were not fit to travel, a source said. According to a source, Usyk explained that they were fine to fly and were simply exhausted from a nearly 14-hour travel day from Kyiv, the capital of war-torn Ukraine, that included a 557-mile drive. Between the language barrier and Usyk being adamant that they were not impaired in any way, he was detained. Usyk's wife, Katheryna, was traveling with Usyk and Lapin. She posted a video...

Georgia All-American guard Tate Ratledge underwent TightRope surgery on his sprained left ankle Monday and is expected to miss a handful of games, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart announced Tuesday. Ratledge, a senior from Rome, Georgia, was hurt in the second quarter of the team's  13-12 victory at Kentucky on Saturday. The procedure typically has a recovery period of four to six weeks. The news concerning star quarterback Carson Beck was better. Beck has a sprained AC joint in his left (nonthrowing) shoulder, but Smart said he isn't expected to miss any games. Beck was hurt at the end of a run in the fourth quarter at Kentucky. "We've got like seven AC joint sprains, so that's not like a significant or major injury," Smart said Tuesday. "Carson's fine. He's practiced both days." Georgia has an open date this week before traveling to No. 4 Alabama on Sept. 28 (7:30 pm. ET, ABC). The No. 2 Bulldogs play home games against Auburn and Mississippi State before...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Aaron Rodgers' emotions will be swirling Thursday night in the New York Jets' home opener against the New England Patriots. It will be his first game at MetLife Stadium since that fateful night last Sept. 11, when he tore his left Achilles on the fourth snap of the 2023 season. It also will be a night to appreciate his NFL longevity. Rodgers, 40, is two years older than Patriots coach Jerod Mayo. Then, of course, there's Jets rookie running back Braelon Allen, 20, who last week became the youngest NFL player to score from scrimmage since 1930. "It just gets a little weird when you're playing against head coaches you played against, and you're playing with guys that could be your kid," Rodgers said Tuesday. "Yeah, it's a good reminder of how special it is to still be playing at 40." Mayo, a former Patriots linebacker, was drafted in 2008, three years after Rodgers was picked by the Green Bay Packers. They faced each...

MUNICH -- Harry Kane scored four times on Tuesday to bring his  Champions League goal total to 33, blowing past the previous record of 30 set by Wayne Rooney for the most goals by an English player in the competition. It was all part of a record night for the striker and Bayern Munich, as they cruised to a 9-2 rout of Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb in the first round of games in the new-look Champions League format. The nine goals for Bayern were also the most ever in a Champions League game by a single team, and Kane had another European record to his credit with three of his goals coming from the penalty spot. "Amazing game, a bit of a crazy game for sure," Kane told broadcaster DAZN. "To score all those goals in the end was a great night. "To be honest, after the second [penalty] I didn't really know what to do with the third one, but thankfully I was able to put it away." Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot to give Bayern the lead and...

MIAMI -- The Miami Dolphins placed  Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve Tuesday after the quarterback suffered another concussion in Thursday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. Per NFL rules, Tagovailoa must remain on injured reserve for at least four games. There is no timetable for how long Miami plans to keep him on IR as he focuses on his health before his return to the field. It is the third diagnosed concussion of Tagovailoa's NFL career. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel on Monday said Tagovailoa wouldn't be placed on IR until more information became available, but the decision was made Tuesday after further evaluation. Miami signed quarterback Tyler Huntley from the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad. Per NFL rules, the Dolphins must allocate a spot on their 53-man roster to Huntley for at least their next three games. "We got to learn firsthand a nice reminder of how it only takes one play and what you think your depth is changes...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Six years after releasing Kareem Hunt in the middle of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed the veteran running back to their practice squad. The Chiefs were looking for help at running back after starter Isiah Pacheco broke a fibula in last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Chiefs selected Hunt in the third round in 2017, the same draft in which they acquired quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Hunt had a big rookie season, rushing for a league-high 1,327 yards, catching 53 passes and scoring 11 touchdowns. He was well on his way to another 1,000-yard season in 2018 when a video surfaced showing Hunt earlier that year shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel where Hunt had an apartment. The NFL then placed Hunt on the commissioner's exempt list, and the Chiefs released the running back, saying he had not been truthful with them when they asked him about the incident. Hunt, 29, played the past...

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- In what is believed to be the first arrangement of its kind, Tennessee fans for all sports will be charged a 10% "talent fee" on tickets to help pay athletes as part of the new revenue-sharing plan set to begin in 2025. The university shared the news with football season-ticket holders via email Tuesday, which included an impassioned four-minute video of athletic director Danny White telling fans the talent fee and other strategies were "part of an extensive plan to continue our dominance in college athletics and build something like never seen before." In addition to the 10% increase on all ticket invoices -- season tickets and single-game purchases -- as well as donations for those seats, Tennessee will add an average increase of 4.5% on all football tickets. "In this era of name, image and likeness (NIL), there has never been as close a connection between resources and competitive success," said White, noting that Tennessee had captured the last...

PITTSBURGH -- For the third week in a row, the Steelers are readying for Justin Fields to start at quarterback Sunday as Russell Wilson continues to work through a lingering calf injury. "We're kind of in the same posture as we were in last week with Russ," Tomlin said Tuesday. "As I sit here today, Russ is not scheduled to be a full participant in practice [Wednesday], and so we're readying a plan that features Justin and his readiness." Wilson was a limited participant in each practice last week and was inactive as he served as the emergency third quarterback in the win against the Broncos. Wilson, who initially injured his calf on the eve of training camp as he pushed a sled in a team conditioning test, hasn't fully participated in practice or played in the first two regular-season games since aggravating his calf Sept. 5. "We'll follow Russ throughout the week, and if his participation gets to a level in participation and quality where we should...

Schools in Georgia have legal cover to immediately begin paying their athletes directly, according to an executive order signed by the state's governor Tuesday morning. Gov. Brian Kemp signed an order that prohibits the NCAA or athletic conferences from punishing any university or college in Georgia for "offering compensation, or compensating an intercollegiate student-athlete for the use of such student-athlete's NIL." NCAA rules currently prohibit schools from directly paying athletes for the rights to use their name, image and likeness. The association agreed to drop its restriction on schools paying for NIL deals as part of a pending antitrust settlement, but that agreement has not been finalized. If the settlement is approved in its current form, those new rules are expected to go into effect at the start of the next academic year. The order in Georgia is effective immediately. The Georgia order is similar to a law passed in July by the Virginia Legislature, which gave...

PITTSBURGH - For the third week in a row, the Pittsburgh Steelers are readying for Justin Fields to start at quarterback Sunday as Russell Wilson continues to work through a lingering calf injury. "We're kind of in the same posture as we were in last week with Russ," Tomlin said Tuesday. "As I sit here today, Russ is not scheduled to be a full participant in practice [Wednesday], and so we're ready in a plan that features Justin and his readiness." Wilson was a limited participant in each practice last week and was inactive as he served as the emergency third quarterback in the win against the Broncos. Wilson, who initially injured his calf on the eve of training camp as he pushed a sled in a team conditioning test, hasn't fully participated in practice or played in the first two regular season games since aggravating his calf on Sept. 5. "We'll follow Russ throughout the week, and if his participation gets to a level in participation and quality where we...

Schools in Georgia have legal cover to immediately begin paying their athletes directly, according to an executive order signed by the state's governor Tuesday morning. Gov. Brian Kemp signed an order that prohibits the NCAA or other athletic conferences from punishing any university or college in Georgia for "offering compensation, or compensating an intercollegiate student-athlete for the use of such student-athlete's NIL." NCAA rules currently prohibit schools from directly paying athletes for the rights to use their name, image and likeness. The association agreed to drop its restriction on schools paying for NIL deals as part of a pending antitrust settlement, but that agreement has not been finalized. If the pending settlement is approved in its current form, those new rules are expected to go into effect at the start of the next academic year. The order in Georgia is effective immediately. The order in Georgia is similar to a law passed in July by the Virginia legislature,...

VOORHEES, N.J. -- If goalie Alexei Kolosov doesn't want to play for the Philadelphia Flyers, the Flyers don't want him playing in Russia either. That's the status of the standoff between the Flyers and Kolosov, a 22-year-old Belarusian who is one of their top goaltending prospects. He didn't report to the team's rookie camp this week at their practice facility in New Jersey and has asked the Flyers to loan him back to Dinamo Minsk of Russia's KHL -- a request that Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said the team will not grant. "It's time for him to step up and respect the contract," he said at Flyers rookie camp Tuesday. Kolosov signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers in 2023, who loaned him to Dinamo Minsk last season before he came to the U.S. to play in the American Hockey League with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Kolosov appeared in two games last season in the AHL. "I guess we can still hope that he decides to show up if he wants to play hockey, but it's not...

Center Boban Marjanovic has reached an agreement with the EuroLeague team Fenerbahce after spending the past nine seasons in the NBA, sources confirmed to ESPN. Marjanovic's deal was first reported by Eurohoops.net. The contract includes an opt out if he gets an opportunity to return to the NBA, a source said.  The 7-foot-4 Marjanovic played for six teams in his nine NBA seasons, including the last two for the Houston Rockets. He had career averages of 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Marjanovic, 36, a native of Serbia, became a beloved figure because of his gregarious personality. He was featured in multiple national advertising campaigns, a rarity for a reserve player. Marjanovic played professionally for several years in Europe before beginning his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs in 2015.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian club,  Al Nassr, are looking for a new coach after firing Luis Castro on Tuesday, the second managerial change since the Portugal star's arrival. Castro, 63, had overseen a slow start to the new Saudi Pro League season, with just one win in three games. "Al Nassr can announce that head coach Luis Castro has left the club," the club said on social media. "Everyone at Al Nassr would like to thank Luis and his staff for their dedicated work during the past 14 months, wishing them the best of luck for the future." The Riyadh club drew 1-1 against Al Shorta of Iraq on Monday in the opening game of the AFC Champions League Elite. In April 2023, coach Rudi Garcia left Al Nassr after failing to secure first place despite Ronaldo's arrival four months prior. According to domestic media, Stefano Pioli, who managed AC Milan to the Serie A title in 2022 and is available after leaving the club in May, is on...

Sean O'Malley is looking at an extended layoff from competition, as the former champ is scheduled to undergo hip surgery early next month. The 29-year-old suffered a torn labrum in his hip 10 weeks ago but managed the injury through a fight camp to take on Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 on Saturday in Las Vegas. O'Malley (18-2) lost his 135-pound title to Dvalishvili via unanimous decision. He will undergo surgery during the first week of October and said his Octagon return could be delayed to anywhere from six months to one year. "I have surgery on Oct. 3," O'Malley told online streamer Adin Ross. "I tore my left labrum in my hip. That's the only reason I'm going to be out for so long. This surgery should only take two months to come back from, then a couple months recovery. A year is a long time, could be six to eight months. You never know." In his own podcast with head coach Tim Welsh, O'Malley admitted it could be up to a year before he actually fights again,...

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has suggested players are "close" to going on strike because of concerns over their increasing workload. The Spain midfielder played 63 games for club and country last season in a campaign that didn't finish until the Euro 2024 final on July 14. He's facing even more games this season with City taking part in the expanded Champions League and the revamped Club World Cup, which begins in June. Asked whether the hectic schedule could lead to players going on strike, Rodri said: "I think we are close to that, it is easy to understand. I think it's something general. I think if you ask any player he will say the same, it is not the opinion of Rodri or whatever. "I think it's the general opinion of the players. And if it keeps this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option, I really think but let's see. "I don't know what's going to happen, but it's something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer." Top...

HOUSTON -- Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, having reviewed film of the play, said Monday he believes running back  Joe Mixon's ankle injury Sunday night was caused by Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards using the now-banned hip-drop tackle. Edwards was not penalized for the tackle, which occurred early in the third quarter of Houston's 19-13 win over Chicago. Mixon left the game to get treatment on the ankle and returned late in the third quarter, but played only seven snaps the rest of the way. After the game, Ryans said he wasn't sure if Mixon was brought down using the swivel hip-drop tackle. But he said Monday that after reviewing the play, he was certain Edwards had applied the rugby tackling technique that the NFL in March elected to ban given the many lower leg injuries it has caused. "[The tackle] definitely in my mind, is considered the hip-drop," Ryans said. "When the defender unweights himself and then he puts all of his...

HOUSTON -- Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, having reviewed film of the play, said Monday he believes running back  Joe Mixon's ankle injury Sunday night was caused by Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards using the now-banned hip-drop tackle. Edwards was not penalized for the tackle, which occurred early in the third quarter of Houston's 19-13 win over Chicago. Mixon left the game to get treatment on the ankle and returned late in the third quarter, but played only seven snaps the rest of the way. After the game, Ryans said he wasn't sure if Mixon was brought down using the swivel hip-drop tackle. But he said Monday that after reviewing the play, he was certain Edwards had applied the rugby tackling technique that the NFL in March elected to ban given the many lower leg injuries it has caused. "[The tackle] definitely in my mind, is considered the hip-drop," Ryans said. "When the defender unweights himself and then he puts all of his...

PHILADELPHIA --  Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took responsibility for his drop late in Monday night's game when a catch could have sealed a win over the Atlanta Falcons. "I let my team down today," Barkley said following the Eagles' 22-21 loss. "I shouldn't have put the defense in that position. If I make the catch, the game is over." Nursing a three-point lead with under two minutes remaining, the Eagles faced a third-and-3 from the Falcons' 10-yard line. Jalen Hurts sprinted to his right and delivered a pass into the flat for Barkley, who was open and in position to get the first down. But the ball caromed off his hands and rolled out of bounds. Philadelphia then opted to kick a field goal to make it 21-15. Kirk Cousins led a subsequent six-play, 70-yard drive in just 1:05 and capped it with a touchdown pass to Drake London, snatching away what had appeared to be a surefire win for the Eagles. "They were running a certain...

PHILADELPHIA -- Kirk Cousins spent the past week answering questions about his health, whether or not his rough performance in Week 1 was just rust or something more concerning. Maybe his surgically repaired right Achilles tendon had not fully recovered. Cousins put those questions to rest, at least in the interim, by leading the Atlanta Falcons on a sublime game-winning drive Monday on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. "We found a way to win, and we can build on that, and I think [it'll] build some character and some resolve in our group," Cousins said in the postgame news conference. The Falcons won 22-21 after a 70-yard scoring drive was capped by Cousins' 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Drake London with 34 seconds left. Cousins has now won four of his past five "Monday Night Football" games. And this was Raheem Morris' first victory as the full-time head coach of the Falcons. On the final drive, Cousins was 5-of-6...

Mike Trout, working his way back from two knee surgeries, acknowledged that a move away from center field could be in his future. The Los Angeles Angels superstar had his left meniscus repaired in early May and needed a second operation on the knee in July, which ended his season. He talked about his recovery on Monday ahead of the team's series opener against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, California. Trout, 33, a three-time American League MVP, has averaged just 66.5 games over the past four seasons. Looking ahead to his return next year and where he might fit on the field, Trout said, "I think everything's on the table. Ultimately, my goal is to be in that batter's box, in the field, every single day. Whether that's moving to a corner [outfield position] or DHing more, I'll leave it up to the front office to come up with a plan. Where I'm at and what's happened the last few years, I'm definitely going to try to explore every option that can keep me out...

PHILADELPHIA -- Receiver A.J. Brown told ESPN reporter Lisa Salters he expects to miss "a couple of weeks" with his injured hamstring. The Philadelphia Eagles star added that he doesn't consider the injury to be serious. Brown popped up on the injury report Friday after his hamstring "got a little tight" in practice, according to coach Nick Sirianni. He was later ruled out for Monday night's 22-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. If the timeline holds, the Eagles will be without their star receiver for next week's game at the red-hot New Orleans Saints. Philadelphia then plays at the Tampa Bay Bucs before its Week 5 bye. With Brown sidelined, receiver Parris Campbell was elevated off the practice squad Monday. Jahan Dotson and Britain Covey received snaps alongside DeVonta Smith against the Falcons. Brown, 27, has been a central part of the Eagles' offensive attack since being acquired from the Tennessee...

The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Lucas Raymond to an eight-year contract worth $64.6 million on Monday, marking an average annual value of $8.075 million. Raymond, 22, was the fourth pick of the 2020 NHL draft, and he has blossomed into one of the Red Wings' best players. In 2023-24, Raymond's third season in the league, he led Detroit with 72 points (31 goals, 41 assists). All of those numbers marked career bests. He appeared in all 82 games and also set career highs in blocked shots (27), hits (69), takeaways (48) and plus-minus (minus-12). Through 238 career games, Raymond has amassed 174 points (71 goals, 103 assists) for the Red Wings. He and young teammates such as defenseman Moritz Seider are attempting to end the Original Six franchise's eight-year playoff drought. The Red Wings went 41-32-9 (91 points) last season and missed the postseason by a tiebreaker for the last wild-card spot with the  Washington Capitals.

Major League Baseball's players' union sued DraftKings and FanDuel on Monday, accusing the sports betting companies and two others of using the names and likenesses of hundreds of players on their platforms without permission. Players are seeking compensatory and punitive damages from DraftKings and Britain's bet365 Group in Philadelphia federal court, and from FanDuel and Brooklyn-based Underdog Fantasy in a New York state court in Manhattan. Calling online sports betting "big business," MLB players accused the defendants of "flagrant" violations of state laws protecting the right of publicity, saying nearly every active player's image appears on their websites and mobile apps. "For professional athletes, the ability to control the commercial use of their names, images, and likenesses is a crucial return on their substantial career investment," the players said. Keeping such control also helps players avoid being perceived as supportive of companies and products they dislike,...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Already without running back Christian McCaffrey for at least the next three games, the San Francisco 49ers will also not have wide receiver  Deebo Samuel for the next couple of weeks. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Samuel strained a calf late in Sunday's 23-17 loss at the Minnesota Vikings and would "probably miss a couple of weeks." According to Shanahan, Samuel suffered the injury with a little more than two minutes left in the game. "He told me he thinks he did it when he caught, I think it was the third to last play," Shanahan said. "They had a blitz down in the red zone. He caught the hot route breaking in. He says he thinks he did it on that play." With 2:18 left in the fourth quarter, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy threw short to the right side to Samuel for a 2-yard gain. Television replays showed Samuel grimacing and moving slowly to the sideline favoring his right leg just...

Air Force has emerged as a serious target to be added to the American Athletic Conference, sources told ESPN on Monday. Air Force had been referenced in conversations as a potential AAC add in recent months, prior to the Pac-12 taking four Mountain West Conference schools last week. The AAC released a statement Monday night saying the league "is a pioneering brand, firmly grounded in grit and hard work, with powerful and prestigious member institutions. In the past five months, we have prioritized seizing every opportunity that enhances value for our member institutions and student-athletes." "Whether through private capital, naming rights, innovative partnerships, or realignment, we have proactively assessed each opportunity, and are prepared to collaboratively take action-steps, to be at the forefront of success and sustainability," the statement read. The AAC has 14 football schools this season, including Army and  Navy. The league does not have any programs...

LOS ANGELES -- Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp will miss "an extended period of time" with a left ankle sprain, coach Sean McVay said on Monday. Kupp left the Rams' 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday with the injury. He is a candidate for injured reserve, McVay said, which is a decision the head coach said the team expects to make either Monday or Tuesday. McVay said guard Jonah Jackson (shoulder) and safety John Johnson III (shoulder) are also candidates for injured reserve. On Sunday, Jackson reaggravated the shoulder injury that caused him to miss time during training camp. "We're kind of running out of those [injured reserve] spots and we're only into Week 3 in terms of the return to play, but that is a possibility for all of those guys," McVay said. The Rams already have two offensive linemen on injured reserve: left guard Steve Avila, who sprained his MCL in Week 1, and tackle Joe Noteboom, who left the...

VERNON, Conn. -- An Oregon man was held on $100,000 bond after appearing in Connecticut Superior Court in Rockville on Monday to face charges that he stalked and harassed UConn women's basketball standout Paige Bueckers. He was arrested by UConn Police on Friday. Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, of Grants Pass, Oregon, is charged with breach of peace, electronic stalking and harassment. Parmalee is also referred to as Parmelee in various documents and social media accounts. According to UConn Police, officials in UConn's communications department became aware of Parmalee in June after they received emails that were described by campus police as "rambling." Police said Parmalee's emails claimed he was a member of the royal family and wanted to marry a member of the women's basketball team. His social media posts contained dozens of references to Bueckers, including a post of a fake wedding invitation and multiple photos of Parmalee with what appears to be a diamond...

Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a torn ACL in his right knee during Saturday's 42-10 loss to Alabama, sources confirmed ESPN's Pete Thamel. Van Dyke sustained the injury on Wisconsin's opening possession while trying to scramble along the sideline. His knee appeared to buckle just before being hit by Alabama's Keanu Koht. Van Dyke had to be helped to the injury tent and was later carted to the locker room. He appeared on Wisconsin's sideline after halftime in street clothes and crutches, with his right leg in a large brace. Coach Luke Fickell said after the game that Van Dyke would undergo an MRI on Sunday but that the initial prognosis was not promising for the senior. Redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke replaced Van Dyke in the game and completed 13 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Wisconsin has an open week, so Fickell has not spoken with reporters since Saturday. A transfer from Miami, Van...

BIRMINGHAM, England -- Tom Brady took the bragging rights over Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds in the game dubbed the "Hollywood derby" as Birmingham City ended Wrexham's unbeaten start to life in League One with a commanding 3-1 victory at St Andrew's on Monday evening. The match played out in front of a crowd including NFL legend Brady, Hollywood star McElhenney and ex-England football captain David Beckham, but it was Birmingham's club-record signee Jay Stansfield who was the star act. He scored twice to help validate the £15 million the club spent on him on deadline day -- the largest signing in League One history and a statement of intent from the ambitious Blues. Stansfield knows this club well, having spent last season there on loan, and his two goals, alongside a brilliant strike from Tomoki Iwata, gave Birmingham the win against Wrexham, whose sole goal came from Jack Marriott after just two minutes. "Birmingham have had an extraordinary opportunity this summer and every...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --  Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is expected to miss approximately six to eight weeks after suffering a fibula injuryduring Sunday's game against the  Cincinnati Bengals, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. Pacheco will be placed on injured reserve, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter, but he is expected to return this season. Pacheco underwent X-rays on Sunday night and will have an MRI on Monday to determine whether there is a fracture and/or ligament damage to his right ankle, sources told ESPN. He left Arrowhead Stadium on crutches and with his right foot in a walking boot after Sunday's 26-25 win.  "I know it won't be this week and it'll probably be more than that," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said about a potential timeline for Pacheco's return. "... It's going to take a little bit of time there.'' The Chiefs are bringing Kareem Hunt, their former running back, back to Kansas City for a Tuesday visit, league...

MIAMI -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will not be placed on injured reserve, coach Mike McDaniel said Monday, at least not until more information becomes available. Tagovailoa remains in the NFL's return to participation protocol after suffering a concussion in Thursday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. McDaniel said that it's too early in the process to say whether Tagovailoa will be placed on injured reserve but that he and general manager Chris Grier will make that decision once further evaluations have been completed. McDaniel declined to comment on reports that Tagovailoa is not considering retirement and reiterated what he told local media Friday -- that Tagovailoa should be allowed to speak on his own career. "As far as Tua's career is concerned, I think it's an utmost priority of mine for Tua to speak onto his career," he said. "I think as far as I'm concerned, I'm just worried about the human being and where that's at day to day. I'll let...