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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson isn't ruling anything out when it comes to making changes in the wake of his team's 0-3 start. Maybe not even regarding quarterback Trevor Lawrence. "There has to be changes, whether it's play design, personnel, everything," Pederson said after the 47-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Monday night. "Everything's on the table, let's call it, and those are all things that I have to look at, we have to look at as a staff and make the adjustments." However, when asked if that included changes to the starting lineup and applied to Lawrence, Pederson was noncommittal. "You say everything is on the table, we've got to take a look at injury," he said. "Tonight, we had some guys injured. Could be moved that way. Could be performance. It's all things we have to evaluate as we move forward." The Jaguars (0-3) have been a mess offensively since the first half of the season opener...

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze made it clear that the Tigers lost to a lesser team when they fell 24-14 to Arkansas on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Speaking Monday night on Tiger Talk with the Auburn Sports Network, Freeze said Auburn's latest home loss, much like the Sept. 7 defeat to Cal, was especially frustrating because of the quality of the opposition. "I mean no offense whatsoever to Arkansas ... I love [coach] Sam Pittman, I hope he wins the rest of his games, but I'm telling you, the hard truth is if we play them nine more times, we beat them nine times," Freeze said Monday. "That's what's hard to take, and it's hard for our fans, I'm sure, and it's certainly hard for us." Freeze cited Auburn's five turnovers in the loss, which limited the Tigers to 61 plays. Auburn outgained Arkansas 431-334, but the Razorbacks ran 22 more plays and scored 10 points off of turnovers. The second-year Auburn coach had a similar message earlier Monday at his news conference,...

CINCINNATI -- A postseason run was nowhere near Joe Burrow's mind after Monday night's 38-33 upset loss to the Washington Commanders. Burrow repeated the Bengals have a "long way to go" after they sputtered to a third straight defeat to open the season, the team's worst start since 2019 -- the year before Burrow arrived. "We're by no means out of it, but playoffs and winning division is the furthest thing from my mind," Burrow said. Cincinnati's star quarterback issued a similar sentiment after a Week 2 loss to Kansas City in a matchup between the two finalists in the AFC Championship Game in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. But the most recent loss was not against the same caliber of competition. Washington (2-1) didn't score a touchdown last week in a win over the New York Giants and was led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was drafted with the second pick following the Commanders' four-win season a year ago. Daniels and the Commanders...

Utah State has accepted an invitation to join the Pac-12 and become the newly formatted conference's seventh member, sources told ESPN on Monday night. The move comes amid a dizzying day of realignment that saw the Pac-12's interest in a handful of AAC schools get rebuffed, the Mountain West expected to retain a commitment from key member Air Force and UNLV's decision become uncertain after its commitment to the MWC earlier in the day was not formalized. Utah State's reported acceptance would make it the fifth school from the Mountain West to join Oregon State and Washington State in the rebuilding Pac-12. Utah State would join Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State, who have announced they are going to the league. Utah State has a solid football program, having won a Mountain West championship in 2021. Utah State has reached 11 bowl games since 2011 and has 16 bowl appearances in its history. It has been in the Mountain West since 2013. Utah State also is...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce would not rule out making a quarterback change from Gardner Minshew to Aidan O'Connell after O'Connell's late-game touchdown drive in the Raiders' blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers. "We've got to get with the players and just evaluate everything first," Pierce said Monday in his weekly media conference, which was delayed more than an hour due to extra meetings with his coaching staff in the wake of the 36-22 home-opening loss dropping the Raiders to 1-2. And Pierce, a day after saying certain players made "business decisions" during the game, did not back off from his postgame comment. Rather, he said: "I don't bite my tongue." The Raiders, who host the Cleveland Browns (1-2) on Sunday, had yet to make any "business decisions" of their own, Pierce said. "You're going to have times where sometimes your best players don't have their best days and other...

UNLV is expected to reengage in conversations with the Pac-12 after its commitment to the Mountain West earlier in the day was not formalized, sources told ESPN on Monday evening. UNLV agreed to a memorandum of understanding to return to the Mountain West, but that was predicated on all eight remaining schools agreeing to stay, sources told ESPN. When Utah State decided not to return and go to the Pac-12, sources said UNLV officials agreed to pause and further explore their options. UNLV was set to take a deal from the Mountain West that included it and Air Force receiving a significant lump payment to stay in the league and be one of its linchpins. The decision by UNLV to explore its options leaves the Mountain West potentially in flux, as Air Force's commitment earlier in the day and UNLV's initial commitment Monday were viewed as positive signs that the league could leverage its buyout money from the departing schools to stay together. Part of the Mountain West pitch is that...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- While the San Francisco 49ers have been ravaged by injury in the opening weeks of the season, they had mostly avoided the big, season-ending type of ailments. Until Sunday. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave suffered a partially torn right triceps in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, an injury that will require surgery and is likely to bring his 2024 season to an end. "It's a big [loss]," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I thought he had his best game yesterday. I thought he was a huge factor, really affected the quarterback in that game. ... He's one of our better players. He was definitely going in the right direction and was going to have a big year." Hargrave wasn't the only injury update of note from Shanahan on Monday. Quarterback Brock Purdy came out of the game with back soreness and though an MRI came back clean, he will be day-to-day this week, according to Shanahan. In addition, running back Christian McCaffrey...

LOS ANGELES -- The NFL on Monday suspended Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. for one game without pay, citing "repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players, including during Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers." James will appeal the suspension, according to a source. If the suspension is upheld, James would be eligible to return to the Chargers' active roster Sept. 30, after missing the team's Sept. 29 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. James was flagged for unnecessary roughness for a hit to Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth in the third quarter of Los Angeles' 20-10 loss. In a letter to James that was included in the NFL's announcement, vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote that video shows James lowered his head on the hit, making illegal forcible contact with his helmet that could have been avoided. "Your continued disregard for NFL playing...

Utah State is set to agree to a deal to become the seventh member of the newly formed Pac-12, sources told ESPN. The move comes amid a dizzying day of realignment that saw the Pac-12's interest in a handful of AAC schools get rebuffed and the Mountain West expected to retain a commitment from key member Air Force and UNLV's decision becoming uncertain after its commitment to the MWC earlier in the day was not formalized. The offer to Utah State and the expected acceptance in the near future means that it would be the fifth school from the Mountain West to join Oregon State and Washington State in the newly formatted Pac-12. Utah State would join Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State, who have announced they are going to the league. Utah State is a solid football program, having won a Mountain West championship in 2021. Utah State has reached 11 bowl games since 2011 and has 16 bowl appearances in its history. It has been in the Mountain West since...

Detroit Lions defensive end Marcus Davenport suffered a likely season-ending injury in his team's victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Davenport suffered a torn triceps, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. Coach Dan Campbell made the announcement Monday that Davenport's injury likely would end his season but added that the veteran was seeking additional opinions. Davenport sustained the injury in the third quarter Sunday but returned to the game with a sleeve on his left arm. Linebacker Derrick Barnes, meanwhile, will miss "a significant amount of time" with the knee injury he sustained Sunday, Campbell said. Campbell said the other key players who suffered injuries Sunday, including tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) and safety Brian Branch (concussion), are considered day-to-day. Branch is in the protocol, "but as of today he was doing pretty good, so we'll see how that goes," Campbell said. The Lions signed Davenport, 28, to a...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Free agent outside linebacker Yannick Ngakoue, who has 69 career sacks, is returning to the Baltimore Ravens, for whom he last played in 2020, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. Ngakoue, 29, is being signed to Baltimore's practice squad, according to another source. The move is surprising because the Ravens have gotten pressure on quarterbacks this season. Baltimore has 10 sacks in three games, ranking ninth in the NFL. Ngakoue brings experience to one of the Ravens' youngest groups. Of Baltimore's top four pass rushers, only Kyle Van Noy is older than 25. The Ravens acquired Ngakoue in 2020 from the Minnesota Vikings, trading a third-round pick and a conditional fifth-rounder for him. But he never really clicked in Baltimore, finishing with 11 tackles and three sacks in nine games. Ngakoue played only that season with the Ravens, signing with the Raiders in free agency after playing 20 snaps in Baltimore's...

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Chargers rookie right tackle Joe Alt suffered an MCL sprain in Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and will likely miss Sunday's game against the  Kansas City Chiefs, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. Alt, selected fifth overall by the Chargers in this year's draft, suffered the injury on his team's final offensive possession in the fourth quarter after Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward rolled into his right leg. Alt adds to a lengthy list of Chargers injuries from Sunday's game. In the third quarter, quarterback Justin Herbert aggravated a high right ankle sprain and left in a walking boot. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that Herbert's X-rays were negative and that the team would know more about his status Sunday as the week went on. Harbaugh said he didn't regret playing Herbert with the injury. "Warriors, you give them a shot. And that's what I wanted to do," Harbaugh...

Free agent defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who has 69 career sacks, is returning to the Baltimore Ravens, for whom he last played in 2020, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. The Chicago Bears brought in Ngakoue, 29, at the start of 2023 training camp on a one-year, $10.5 million contract to help fix the league's worst pass rush, which had totaled an NFL-low 20 sacks in 2022. It wasn't until the Bears traded for edge rusher Montez Sweat last November that their pass rush saw considerable improvement. Pairing Ngakoue with Sweat had a significant effect on the eight-year NFL veteran, whose season was cut short after 13 games when he broke an ankle Dec. 10 and was placed on injured reserve. In those 13 games, Ngakoue totaled 4 sacks, 7 quarterback hits and 22 tackles. The Bears were Ngakoue's fifth team since the start of the 2020 season. He posted at least eight sacks in each of his first seven NFL seasons and joined the Bears after...

Detroit Lions defensive end Marcus Davenport suffered a likely season-ending elbow injury in his team's victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Coach Dan Campbell made the announcement Monday, adding that Davenport is seeking additional opinions. Davenport sustained the injury in the third quarter Sunday but returned to the game with a sleeve on his left arm. Linebacker Derrick Barnes, meanwhile, will miss "a significant amount of time" with the knee injury he sustained Sunday, Campbell said. Campbell said the other key players who suffered injuries Sunday, including tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) and safety Brian Branch (concussion), are considered day-to-day. Branch is in the protocol "but as of today he was doing pretty good, so we'll see how that goes," Campbell said. The Lions signed Davenport, 28, to a one-year, $7.095 million contract in free agency earlier this year. He appeared in two of the Lions' three games this season, missing...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce would not rule out making a quarterback change from Gardner Minshew to Aidan O'Connell after O'Connell's late-game touchdown drive in the Raiders' blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers. "We've got to get with the players and just evaluate everything first," Pierce said Monday in his weekly media conference, which was delayed more than an hour due to extra meetings with his coaching staff in the wake of the 36-22 home-opening loss dropping the Raiders to 1-2. And Pierce, a day after saying certain players made "business decisions" during the game, did not back off from his postgame comment. Rather, he said: "I don't bite my tongue." The Raiders, who host the Cleveland Browns (1-2) on Sunday, had yet to make any "business decisions" of their own, Pierce said. "You're going to have times where sometimes your best players don't have their best days and other...

Some of the highest-profile targets of the Pac-12's expansion have rebuffed its interest, as Memphis, Tulane, USF and UTSA publicly committed to stay in the American Athletic Conference on Monday. The schools announced their intentions on social media, which solidifies the AAC in the short term and leaves the six-team Pac-12 in flux as it searches for at least two more members to complete its rebuild. The Pac-12 added Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State and San Diego State in recent weeks, with the goal to create a clear-cut fifth-best football conference. The school is in discussions with Gonzaga as a basketball addition, which sources told ESPN would come with a full revenue share. ESPN is also reporting preliminary discussions with Saint Mary's for the Pac-12. But some of the Pac-12's momentum to become the top football conference outside the Power 4 leagues has stalled, as Memphis loomed as the linchpin of any potential additions.   The schools issued statements...

In a week with a flurry of conference realignment activity expected, the Mountain West is attempting to execute a plan to keep its eight remaining schools together. The conference is pushing to solidify its future by offering guaranteed money to the schools, including one-time payments to formalize their status as league members, sources told ESPN. The plan includes large payments to UNLV and Air Force and significant money for the other remaining members as well.  Part of the Mountain West pitch is that the league would ensure no schools take a step back in media distribution money, which is guaranteed, compared with the projected revenue the Pac-12 has presented to some colleges.   The remaining Mountain West schools, along with UNLV and Air Force, are Hawaii, Utah State, New Mexico, Nevada, San Jose State and Wyoming. The league could then add schools to that core of eight. Air Force has already committed to stay in the Mountain West, ESPN confirmed, in the form of a...

Former USC running back and 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush announced that he has filed a lawsuit against the university, the Pac-12 and the NCAA, seeking compensation for his name, image and likeness during his time with the program. Bush's legal team says that the three organizations earned significant compensation thanks to Bush's "significant popularity" and "prominence" by way of TV contracts, merchandise sales and media rights. Bush's attorneys also said in a release that even after he left USC to play in the NFL, the three entities continued to benefit financially from his reputation "without any acknowledgment of his contribution." "This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush," Evan Selik, one of the attorneys representing Bush, said. "It's about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes. Our goal is to rectify this injustice and pave the way for a system where athletes are rightfully recognized, compensated and...

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will almost certainly miss the rest of the season after tests on Monday morning suggested he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee during Sunday's draw with Arsenal, a source told ESPN. The source told ESPN that the Spain international is set for more tests but that everything points toward an ACL tear. He is likely to undergo surgery in Barcelona. Rodri was substituted in the 21st minute of Sunday's clash after going down clutching the knee in what was his first start in the Premier League this season.  City scored a last-minute equaliser through John Stones to secure the  2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. The result ensured that Pep Guardiola's team remained at the top of the table with 13 points from its first five games. Rodri was voted the player of the tournament at Euro 2024 after playing a key role in Spain's triumph. He is among the favourites to win the...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans will be without starting cornerback Chidobe Awuzie for extended time due to a groin injury he suffered in Sunday's 30-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Titans coach Brian Callahan said there is "definitely" a possibility Awuzie gets placed on injured reserve. "Chido's got a groin," Callahan said. "We'll probably miss him for some weeks at this point. What that timeline is remains to be seen, but I would expect him to miss some time." Awuzie suffered the groin injury on the final Titans defensive play of the first quarter while covering Packers receiver  Romeo Doubs. The Titans signed Awuzie to a three-year, $36 million deal in March. Rookie cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. came on in place of Awuzie and played 28 snaps. Callahan said the Titans will stick with Brownlee as the starter opposite L'Jarius Sneed while Awuzie is out. Second-year cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. also saw snaps in the...

EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings breathed a sigh of relief Monday upon learning that quarterback Sam Darnold's left knee is not seriously injured. Tests revealed a bruise but no structural damage, coach Kevin O'Connell said, and Darnold is not expected to miss much if any time in preparation for the team's Week 4 matchup at the Green Bay Packers. "It's a little sore," O'Connell said, "but hoping Sam can have a normal week of preparation as we go through it." Darnold has been one of the biggest surprises of the NFL season, throwing a league-high eight touchdown passes in leading the Vikings to a 3-0 start. Playing for the fourth team of his seven-year career, Darnold ranks fifth in the NFL in Total QBR (73.1). The injury occurred with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter of Sunday's 34-7 victory over the Houston Texans. Dropping back for a second-down pass, Darnold absorbed a low hit from Texans defensive end Danielle...

Georgia coach Kirby Smart said he's hopeful the No. 2 Bulldogs will have back a few injured defensive linemen for Saturday night's SEC showdown at No. 4 Alabama. Smart said injured defensive tackle Warren Brinson, who missed the past two games with an Achilles tendon injury, practiced last week and should be ready to go. Star defensive end Mykel Williams, who hasn't played since injuring his left ankle in a 34-3 victory against Clemson in the opener, was able to run last week. "I'm hopeful," Smart said of Williams during a news conference on Monday. "We'll see. He didn't do much last week. He got a lot of rehab Friday and Saturday and was able to run Friday and Saturday, which is positive. But he hasn't been out to practice today and we'll see how today goes." Williams, 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, is ranked the No. 2 prospect available for the 2025 NFL draft by ESPN analyst Field Yates. Only Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is ranked...

Quinn Ewers remains questionable for No. 1 Texas' SEC debut against Mississippi State as he recovers from an oblique strain, coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday. "He's got to do enough to show me he can play," Sarkisian said. "Can he execute the game plan? I kind of need to see how he responds from today's work, and then what it looks like on a Tuesday, then a Wednesday, which are pretty heavy days for him, and then how he rebounds on Thursday. "It's going to be kind of a work in progress. But today was a good start." Sarkisian said he was encouraged by the performance from backup Arch Manning, who made his first career start in the Longhorns' 51-3 victory against UL Monroe on Saturday night. Manning completed 15 of 29 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, including one on his first possession. "I've seen a lot of young quarterbacks have a rough start, and then that rough start turns into a rough game," Sarkisian said...

Vince Carter's jersey will be taking flight to the rafters in two arenas this season. Carter, who is going into the Hall of Fame next month, will have his jersey retired by the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 2, when the Raptors face the Atlanta Hawks, sources confirmed to ESPN, making him the first player in franchise history to have his number retired. He's also set to get the same honor from the Brooklyn Nets this season, after they officially announced last week that they will raise Carter's No. 15 to the rafters on Jan. 25 against the Miami Heat. Carter was an eight-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, the 1999 Rookie of the Year and 2000 slam dunk contest champion. Carter's longevity was as impressive as his accolades. He played 1,541 games across his 22-year NBA career, the third most in the history of the league behind fellow Hall of Famers Robert Parish and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Carter also is the only player to have appeared in four...

In the aftermath of a dismal 70-50 loss to James Madison on Saturday, North Carolina coach Mack Brown said he told his team that if players didn't feel they were getting the leadership they needed from him, he would step aside. A number of people in the locker room left believing the 73-year-old Brown planned to step down, but on Monday, he said that was a misinterpretation while taking full responsibility for the rumors that swirled after an emotional meeting in the locker room. "I shouldn't have put that pressure on them, so I'm disappointed in me," Brown said. "I love my job, I love these kids, and I love this place. That's why I hate losing so much." Brown said he effectively offered his resignation to the team if players believed he was not capable of properly leading the program, but that the players "overwhelmingly" supported him. He said he sent the team a message 30 minutes to an hour after getting home Saturday night and apologized for...

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will almost certainly miss the rest of the season after tests on Monday morning suggested he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee during Sunday's draw with Arsenal, a source told ESPN. The source told ESPN that the Spain international is set for more tests but everything points toward an ACL tear. He is likely to undergo surgery in Barcelona. Rodri was substituted in the 21st minute of Sunday's clash after going down clutching his knee in what was his first start in the Premier League this season.  City scored a last-minute equaliser through John Stones to secure a 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The result ensured that Pep Guardiola's team remained at the top of the table with 13 points from their first five games. Rodri was voted the player of the tournament at Euro 2024 after playing a key role in Spain's triumph. He is among the favourites to win the...

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will miss the remainder of the season after tests this morning suggested he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee during Sunday's draw with Arsenal, a source told ESPN. The source told ESPN that the Spain international is set for more tests but everything points towards an ACL injury. He is likely to undergo surgery in Barcelona. Rodri went off in the 21st minute of Sunday's clash after going down clutching his knee in what was his first start in the Premier League this season.  City scored a last-minute equaliser through John Stones to secure a 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The result keeps them at the top of the table with 13 points from the first five games. More to follow

No. 4 Alabama begins the week as a rare home underdog to No. 2 Georgia in Saturday's SEC showdown in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide on Monday were consensus 2-point underdogs to the Bulldogs at sportsbooks, but the line has been shifting toward Alabama. The Crimson Tide have been favored in 90 consecutive home games, dating back to 2007 against LSU, and haven't been underdogs in any regular-season game since 2015 against Georgia. Barring notable line movement, both streaks will end against the Bulldogs. The earliest point spread on the game from over the summer had Georgia favored by 4.5, as oddsmakers tried to assess any dropoff for Alabama with the departure of coach Nick Saban. But oddsmakers say the Crimson Tide have been the more impressive team this season. In July, Chris Andrews, a veteran Las Vegas oddsmaker with the South Point, opened Georgia as a 4.5-point favorite over Alabama in his early lines on big college football games. His perception of the two teams has shifted...

Alabama begins the week as a rare home underdog to Georgia in Saturday's SEC showdown in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide on Monday were consensus 2-point underdogs to the Bulldogs at sportsbooks, but the line has been shifting toward Alabama. The Crimson Tide have been favored in 90 consecutive home games, dating back to 2007 against LSU, and haven't been underdogs in any regular season game since 2015 against Georgia. Barring notable line movement, both streaks will end against the Bulldogs. The earliest point spread on the game from over the summer had Georgia favored by 4.5, as oddsmakers tried to assess any drop off for Alabama with the departure of coach Nick Saban. But oddsmakers say the Crimson Tide have been the more impressive team this season. In July, Chris Andrews, a veteran Las Vegas oddsmaker with the South Point, opened Georgia as a 4.5-point favorite over Alabama in his early lines on big college football games. His perception of the two teams have shifted over the...

Erling Haaland will not face punishment for throwing the ball at Gabriel Magalhães in the aftermath of Manchester City's stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal, a source told ESPN. Cameras caught Haaland throwing the ball against the back of the Arsenal defender's head after John Stones had scored to make it 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The incident was missed by on-field referee Michael Oliver, but it was spotted by video assistant referee John Brooks, who decided it did not constitute violent conduct. A source told ESPN that the FA are happy that the incident was dealt with at the time and Haaland will not face retrospective action. Haaland, who scored to put City 1-0 up earlier in the game, was involved in a heated exchange with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and striker Gabriel Jesus after the final whistle. City players were incensed at what they viewed as time-wasting by Arsenal as they tried to play out the second...

Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho was called "the crying one" by Galatasaray following his team's 3-1 home loss in the Istanbul derby on Saturday. It marked Fenerbahce's first Super Lig defeat of the season and left Mourinho's side trailing league leaders Galatasaray by five points. Mourinho, who famously described himself as a "Special One" during his first spell at Chelsea, left the stadium on Saturday without attending the postgame news conference. Galatasaray posted on their official X account a Photoshopped image of a book titled "The Crying One," with an image of Mourinho looking sad on the cover with the caption: "On sale in stores around Kadıköy." With Fenerbahce down 3-1 after 63 minutes, Galatasaray posted "Seems like we're cooking a special one tonight." The club also posted a photograph of Mourinho behind Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk during the game with the caption "the winner one." Mourinho, who took over at...

LAS VEGAS -- On the day she was announced as unanimous WNBA MVP, Las Vegas Aces star  A'ja Wilson had a first half to forget: just four points on 1-of-8 shooting. But of course, there was a second half for her to flourish in, and there also was a big lift off the bench from guard Tiffany Hayes. The Aces benefitted from both Sunday to beat the  Seattle Storm  78-67 in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round playoff series. "The basketball gods have a funny way of showing me that sometimes you've just got to get out of the mud," Wilson, now a three-time MVP, said of shaking off the poor start to finish with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks. "I love doing that, because it keeps my mind going. My teammates continue to never let me doubt myself. And I sometimes do ... and they always pick me up. "In the second half, the game kind of settled down for me and I really started to dissect the defense. That was kind of when I got rocking and...

SEATTLE --  Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson left midway through the third quarter of Sunday's 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks after suffering what coach Mike McDaniel called a painful rib injury. Making his first start of the season in place of the injured Tua Tagovailoa, Thompson took a hard hit on Miami's second drive of the third quarter and remained down for several minutes while medical trainers attended to him. He was ultimately able to leave the field and return to the Dolphins' locker room under his own power. Third-string quarterback Tim Boyle entered the game for Thompson. Boyle was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad prior to Week 1 and was elevated this past week after Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve. McDaniel said Thompson suffered a rib injury and wanted to play through it; ultimately, the Dolphins will not know the full extent of Thompson's injury until Monday. "I haven't talked to Skylar as...

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- As he addressed his team Saturday night, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan issued a stern warning about the type of opponent the Los Angeles Rams would be on Sunday. Although the winless Rams were coming off an embarrassing loss to the Arizona Cardinals and were as depleted by injuries as any team in the league, Shanahan expected Los Angeles to play with plenty of urgency and desperation. "You've got to take their hope away," Shanahan said. "You give [Rams quarterback  Matthew] Stafford too much hope [and] you put a ball in his hands at the end, it's not a situation you want to be in." Alas, that was precisely the situation the Niners were in late Sunday afternoon. Despite jumping out to a 14-point lead, San Francisco was unable to build on its early momentum because of special teams miscues, defensive breakdowns and offensive errors on the way to a stunning 27-24 loss. The Niners dropped their second consecutive...

The Cincinnati Reds fired manager David Bell on Sunday with five games to go in a disappointing season that began with the Reds as playoff contenders and will end with them missing the postseason for the 10th consecutive full season. Bell, 52, received a three-year contract extension in July 2023 after the surprising Reds surged into contention following a 100-loss season in 2022. With an exciting young core that included shortstop Elly De La Cruz and a cadre of talented arms, the Reds were expected to be in play for a National League Central title. Instead, they faltered, with injury and underperformance leading to a 76-81 record and fourth-place standing. "David provided the kind of steadiness that we needed in our clubhouse over the last few seasons," Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said in a statement. "We felt a change was needed to move the Major League team forward. We have not achieved the success we expected, and we need to begin focusing...

LAS VEGAS --  Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton looked relaxed and comfortable as he paused from Sunday's pregame warmups to pose for a picture with his wife and friends on the sideline at Allegiant Stadium. It was that demeanor first-year coach Dave Canales was looking for earlier in the week when he benched Bryce Young in favor of the 36-year-old veteran, who delivered with three first-half touchdown passes in a 36-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. It was that demeanor Canales believed a squad stinging from an 0-2 start by a combined 60 points needed to jump-start an offense and team he thought was closer to finding an identity than the losses made things appear. "That was one of things coming into this, I got a chance to just be me and be out there like how I normally am,'' Dalton said after completing 26 of 37 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. "I'm normally pretty calm, I'm normally relaxed. "Guys...

MINNEAPOLIS -- Diana Taurasi's potential retirement has been a theme throughout the 2024 WNBA season. And with her  Phoenix Mercury suffering a 102-95 loss in Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday at Target Center, the possibility could become the headline entering Game 2 on Wednesday. If anyone understands Taurasi's impact, it's Napheesa Collier, who -- like Taurasi -- won a national title during a stellar career at  UConn. The respect between the two is clear, but this is basketball, and Collier sees Taurasi and the Mercury only as an obstacle standing in her team's path to a championship. "It seems like it's her retirement tour," Collier said. "I don't know. She's been pretty quiet about it. She's, obviously, a UConn great, a league GOAT, so I feel lucky to have been able to play with her on Team USA and against her. Hopefully, we can end her career on Wednesday." Perhaps this is the end for...

LAS VEGAS -- Antonio Pierce angrily rocked back and forth for more than five minutes at the postgame podium, the Las Vegas Raiders coach searching for answers in the wake of his team's stunning 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Pierce was sure of one thing: His team did not show up for its home opener -- and he went in on some unnamed players. "As the game went on," Pierce said, "I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions. And we'll make business decisions going forward, as well. "We got our ass whupped ... I would have booed us too." Given what was on the table -- a festive home opener after last week's emotional comeback win at the Baltimore Ravens, the heretofore winless Panthers having benched their former No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young in favor of 14th-year veteran quarterback Andy Dalton and the Raiders' offense having seemingly caught up with the team's opportunistic defense -- this loss, to...

Dayton Raiola, a quarterback in the 2026 class and the younger brother of Nebraska freshman phenom Dylan Raiola, announced his commitment to Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers on Sunday night. Raiola, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound junior, is Nebraska's first pledge in the 2026 cycle and is not currently in ESPN's high school prospect rankings for the class. The younger Raiola replaced Dylan as the starting quarterback at Georgia's Buford High School after he left for college and has led the Wolves to a 4-1 start this fall. With his commitment, Raiola becomes the latest member of the family to land at Nebraska. The Raiolas' father, Dominic, was a two-time All-Big 12 selection with the Huskers from 1997 to 2000 before spending 14 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. Donovan Raiola, Dominic's brother, has spent the past three seasons as Nebraska's offensive line coach following four years coaching with the Chicago Bears, and Raiola's older sister, Taylor, is a graduate...

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- On May 14, the Connecticut Sun hosted No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in their 2024 season opener, comfortably winning by 21 and enjoying a triple-double from star Alyssa Thomas. Over four months later, Sunday's Game 1 of their first-round playoff series featured similar beats: Connecticut used a big fourth quarter and another Thomas triple-double to take Game 1 93-69 in what was Clark's WNBA playoff debut and the Fever franchise's first postseason game since 2016. The result marked the largest playoff loss in Fever history. The Sun showed why they boast the top defensive rating in the league, holding Clark -- who earlier in the day came in fourth in MVP voting -- to 11 points on 4-for-17 shooting (2-for-13 on 3-pointers). Backcourt mate Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in scoring with 21 points but also struggled from the arc (2-for-10). Clark, who generated more offense than any other player...

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- On May 14, the Connecticut Sun hosted No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in their 2024 season opener, comfortably winning by 21 and enjoying a triple-double from star Alyssa Thomas. Over four months later, Sunday's Game 1 of their first-round playoff series featured similar beats: Connecticut used a big fourth quarter and another Thomas triple-double to take Game 1, 93-69, in what was Clark's WNBA playoff debut and the Fever franchise's first postseason game since 2016. The result marked the largest playoff loss in Fever history. The Sun showed why they boast the top defensive rating in the league, holding Clark -- who earlier in the day came in fourth in MVP voting -- to 11 points on 4 for 17 shooting (2 for 13 on 3-pointers). Backcourt mate Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in scoring with 21 points, but also struggled from the arc (2 for 10). Clark, who generated more offense than any other player in...

SEATTLE --  Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks after suffering a chest injury in the second half. Making his first start of the season in place of the injured Tua Tagovailoa, Thompson took a hard hit on Miami's second drive of the third quarter and remained down for several minutes while medical trainers attended to him. He was ultimately able to leave the field and return to the Dolphins' locker room under his own power. Third-string quarterback Tim Boyle entered the game for Thompson. Boyle was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad prior to Week 1 and was elevated this past week after Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve. Miami signed quarterback Tyler Huntley off the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad last week but he was not active for Sunday's game. Huntley was listed as the team's emergency quarterback. Before leaving, Thompson...

SAN DIEGO -- The Chicago White Sox had a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning on Sunday, and then history struck. That tenuous lead disappeared in the span of four San Diego Padres batters, and the White Sox went on to their 120th loss, tying the post-1900 record set by the 1962 expansion New York Mets. The dichotomy couldn't have been greater. The White Sox headed to a somber clubhouse and quietly packed for their flight home. The Padres, who are closing in on a postseason berth, gathered in front of their dugout to applaud the sellout crowd of 45,197 that roared through the bottom of the eighth and then the top of the ninth of the 4-2 win in their regular-season home finale on the brilliant first day of autumn. Some fans even chanted "Beat L.A.!" in anticipation of a huge series starting Tuesday night at the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I guess when you lose 120 it's easier to brush it off but it [stinks] to go through it, but that's...

NEW ORLEANS --  Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson called the hit that injured receiver DeVonta Smith in Sunday's game against the  New Orleans Saints a "cheap shot" and accused his former team of "playing dirty." Smith left early in the fourth quarter with a concussion after a big collision with Saints defensive tackle Khristian Boyd. Smith's momentum was going backward after he was corralled by Saints defenders following a short completion, and he was blindsided by a high hit from Boyd. There was no flag on the play. "Man, that's the dirtiest s--- I ever saw in football, bro," Gardner-Johnson said following the Eagles' narrow 15-12 win. "Y'all obviously saw forward progression was stopped. For them to take a cheap shot on one of our key players, it goes to show what type of team that is. They're front-runners." This was Gardner-Johnson's first time playing against the Saints since they traded him to the Eagles in...

SEATTLE --  Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks after suffering a chest injury in the second half. Making his first start of the season in place of the injured Tua Tagovailoa, Thompson took a hard hit on Miami's second drive of the third quarter and remained down for several minutes while medical trainers attended to him. He was ultimately able to leave the field and return to the Dolphins' locker room under his own power. Third-string quarterback Tim Boyle entered the game for Thompson; he was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad prior to Week 1 and was elevated after Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve this week. Miami signed quarterback Tyler Huntley off the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad last week but he was not active for Sunday's game; Huntley was listed as the team's emergency quarterback. Before leaving the game, Thompson completed...

NEW ORLEANS --  Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson called the hit that injured receiver DeVonta Smith in Sunday's game against the  New Orleans Saints a "cheap shot" and accused his former team of "playing dirty." Smith left early in the fourth quarter with a concussion after a big collision with Saints defensive tackle Khristian Boyd. Smith's momentum was going backward after being corralled by Saints defenders following a short completion, and was blindsided by a high hit from Boyd. There was no flag on the play. "Man, that's the dirtiest s--- I ever saw in football, bro," Gardner-Johnson said following the Eagles' narrow 15-12 win. "Y'all obviously saw forward progression was stopped. For them to take a cheap shot on one of our key players, it goes to show what type of team that is. They're front-runners." This was Gardner-Johnson's first time playing against the Saints since they traded him to the Eagles in August...

NEW YORK -- It was a historic Sunday afternoon at Barclays Center for rookie Leonie Fiebich and veteran Courtney Vandersloot. Fiebich had a career-high 21 points, pacing the Liberty in their 83-69 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Vandersloot, meanwhile, passed Sue Bird to become the WNBA's all-time playoff assist leader. Vandersloot broke Bird's record with just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter. After a steal, she lobbed the ball ahead to a streaking Breanna Stewart, who finished at the rim. It was the 365th playoff assist for Vandersloot. Bird was sitting courtside. "It's tough to chase Sue," Vandersloot said. "She's a winner, that's why she has a lot of playoff assists. For her to be in the building, that's pretty special." "The way that [Vandersloot] can continue to set people up in many different ways, I've been a [beneficiary] of that," said Stewart, who also played six...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan said with no hesitation that Will Levis will remain the quarterback despite having two turnovers in the Titans' 30-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. "Oh yeah," Callahan said when asked about Levis as his starter. "We've also got to play better around him. I'm not going to overreact to an interception. Those things happen, guys throw picks, we just can't give it to their team. It's a killer. But we've not played a complete game in any phase at any point yet." One of Levis' two turnovers was an interception that got returned 35 yards for a touchdown by Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. Levis now has a league-high eight turnovers through three games, the most by a quarterback in his team's first three games over the past three years, and the Titans are 0-3. "I'm still confident," Levis said. "Something needs to click with this team and we're just waiting for it. We really thought that...

Matteo Gabbia headed home the winner in the closing minutes as AC Milan secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Internazionale in Serie A on Sunday. Defender Gabbia evaded his marker and found the top corner with a perfectly timed header from a free kick into the box in the 89th minute. The victory lifted some of the pressure on coach Paulo Fonseca following a disappointing start to the campaign, as Milan earned their first win in the Derby della Madonnina following six consecutive defeats to Inter. Milan had won just once in five games in all competitions to spark talk of a crisis, but Sunday's victory moved them to eight points in Serie A from five games, level with Inter. "I am so happy for us, for the fans," Gabbia told DAZN. "It was a pretty difficult moment where things weren't going well, but I am sure this game will give us a real energy boost. "It is our duty to give our all. There are negative moments in life and in careers, we must make sure...

A knee injury will rule out Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen for months after he was carried off on a stretcher during Sunday's 5-1 LaLiga win at Villarreal, a source confirmed to ESPN. Barça coach Hansi Flick confirmed the injury appears to be "huge and serious," but added he could not offer any timeframe until he undergoes further tests. Radio station RAC1 reported Ter Stegen, who was taken to a hospital close to Villarreal's Estadio de la Cerámica, could be out for as long as eight months, which would rule him out for the rest of the season. "It doesn't look good for Marc," Flick told Spanish television after the game. "We have to wait to know the full diagnosis of the injury, but it's true it does appear to be really serious." Ter Stegen, 32, collapsed to the ground after claiming a corner at the end of the first half and it was immediately clear that he would not be able to continue. Iñaki Peña replaced him. The injury to the...