Sports News

EAGAN, Minn. -- As far as Justin Jefferson is concerned, there is no doubt that he will play Sunday against the Houston Texans -- despite a right quadriceps contusion that knocked him out of the Minnesota Vikings' Week 2 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Asked Thursday whether he will play against the Texans, Jefferson said: "Oh yeah, for sure." Jefferson suffered the injury while trying to block 49ers linebacker Fred Warner during a run play. On Thursday, Jefferson said he had missed his assignment and shouldn't have been anywhere near Warner. "I was supposed to stay on the corner and pretty much run him off," Jefferson said. "I've just got to make sure I'm aware of my rules." Jefferson was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday. He said the injury feels "great" and added: "Just taking it day by day, just staying in the treatment room and working with those guys to make sure I'm feeling fantastic Sunday." Fellow...

METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has been fined for his Week 2 touchdown celebration that imitated Michael Jackson, a source told ESPN.  Carr snuck the ball in from the 1-yard line for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Saints' 44-19 win against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. He then did a dance move made famous by Jackson that involved grabbing at his crotch.   While the NFL relaxed some touchdown celebration rules in 2017, the current rulebook states a player can be flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for "an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive." While the Week 2 fines haven't been made public yet, a first-time offense for an unsportsmanlike conduct fine is $14,069. Carr was not flagged for the celebration. Carr said that he chose the celebration because he promised his family that he would do a dance by Jackson if he scored a touchdown this season. "People don't know a lot of stuff about me. ... Weddings or...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Already without two of their most important players, the San Francisco 49ers added two more key names to the injury report Thursday when tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward did not participate in practice. Kittle is dealing with a hamstring injury and Ward is battling hamstring and knee issues, according to the team. Neither player was on the field for the early open portion of practice, leaving their status up in the air for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams. Those absences come on the heels of the Niners placing running back Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles tendinitis) on injured reserve and losing  Deebo Samuel to a calf injury against the Minnesota Vikings. McCaffrey sat out that game and will miss at least the next three. Samuel is expected to miss "a couple of weeks," coach Kyle Shanahan said. The extent of the injuries to Kittle and Ward is unclear...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Already without two of their most important players, the San Francisco 49ers added two more key names to the injury report Thursday when tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward did not participate in practice. Kittle is dealing with a hamstring injury while Ward is battling hamstring and knee issues, according to the team. Neither were on the practice field for the early open portion of practice, leaving their status up in the air for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams. Those absences come on the heels of the Niners placing running back Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles tendonitis) on injured reserve and losing  Deebo Samuel to a calf injury against the Minnesota Vikings. McCaffrey sat out that game and will miss at least the next three. Samuel is expected to miss "a couple of weeks," coach Kyle Shanahan said. The extent of the injuries to Kittle and Ward are...

MIAMI --  Shohei Ohtani stole his 50th base in the first inning against the Miami Marlins on Thursday, putting the Los Angeles Dodgers star two home runs away from the first 50/50 season in major league history. Ohtani hit a leadoff double against Edward Cabrera and swiped third on the front end of a double steal with Freddie Freeman, who reached on a walk. Ohtani later scored on a sacrifice fly by Will Smith to put the Dodgers ahead 1-0. An inning later, Ohtani recorded his 51st stolen base of the season when he swiped second base after a single. Ohtani has been successful on his past 28 stolen base attempts. He stole his 49th base in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Marlins. He hit his 48th homer in the series opener Tuesday night, connecting on a 1-1 sweeper from Marlins right-hander Darren McCaughan and sending it 402 yards to right field. He's the sixth player in major league history and the fastest ever to reach 40 home...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --  Bryce Young on Thursday admitted he was surprised when Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales benched him in favor of veteran Andy Dalton for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. "As a competitor, obviously not how you dream of what's going to happen,'' Young said in his first interview since the decision was made on Monday. "It wasn't something I necessarily was expecting. Obviously, it was not something that was great to hear. "It's on me to put them in that situation.'' Young, 2-16 as the starter since the Panthers (0-2) made him the top pick of the 2023 draft, repeatedly took responsibility for the decision to bench him the day after Canales said Young would start against the Raiders. He never admitted he was mad, although sources close to the situation said he initially was. Young also avoided speculation on whether he has a future at Carolina, although Canales said on Wednesday he still believed the...

Anthony Joshua has vowed to "break down" Daniel Dubois with his spirit on Saturday when they fight for the heavyweight world championship in London. Wembley is expected to host 96,000 fans in what would be a post-war record for a boxing event in the United Kingdom. Joshua will bid to become a three-time heavyweight world champion, while Dubois will look to keep the IBF belt he was awarded after Oleksandr Usyk vacated it June. When asked how he wins the fight, Joshua said: "It can happen in a variety of ways. I'm not depending on punch power; it takes a lot more to be a great fighter. I'll break him down with my spirit. "I showed Daniel and his whole team the respect they deserve through my training camp and that's going to put me in good stead. I'm tough, so is he. May the best man win. Good luck to him and his team. "One thing when first I started boxing is, I wanted to bring the heavyweight division back alive in the UK. So well done to everyone here as well. What a blessing...

The PGA of America announced Thursday that LIV Golf players are eligible to compete in both the PGA Championship and U.S. Ryder Cup teams going forward. LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka was part of last year's U.S. Ryder Cup team because of a grace period that allowed him to remain a PGA of America member through 2024, but it was not clear how the body would further handle the divide in professional golf. "Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the U.S. team as a captain's pick is eligible to compete," the PGA of America said. "This is consistent with LIV Golf players competing in the PGA Championship the past two years. Brooks Koepka was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team last year." The decision clears the way for LIV golfers such as reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who is third on the U.S. points list for the 2025 Ryder Cup despite being...

Rory McIlroy lost the clubhead on his 9-iron and then lost the lead by going out of bounds on the last hole in shooting an eventful 5-under 67 in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship on Thursday. The No. 3-ranked McIlroy bounced back well from the pain of being denied victory at his home Irish Open last week, overcoming a bizarre incident on the par-5 No. 12 when the head of his 9-iron detached from the shaft and flew down the fairway after McIlroy took his second shot. The Northern Irishman said he didn't even see the ball reach the green and settle inside 7 feet from the pin to set up one of his seven birdies. "It was a bit of a weird feeling," McIlroy said. "Obviously you're expecting the weight of the club to just pull through and there was nothing there." McIlroy got the 9-iron fixed and had it back in the bag by the 16th hole, ahead of two par 5s that complete the West Course at Wentworth. He made par at No. 17 despite hooking his drive into the trees. He dropped a...

With Quinn Ewers still recovering from an oblique injury, Arch Manning will make his first start for No. 1 Texas on Saturday night against UL Monroe, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday. "Quinn has made great strides ever since Saturday night into where he's gotten to," Sarkisian said. "But my decision is I'm looking forward to his future as a player, but also the future of the season for us. ... And getting him possibly one more week healthier for the long term, I think, is good for us as we're getting ready for SEC play." The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Manning, the top prospect in the Class of 2023, has appeared in four games for Texas but had his breakout last week in a 56-7 win over UTSA after Ewers was injured. Manning, who entered in the second quarter, accounted for five touchdowns. His 75-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo and his 67-yard touchdown run -- the longest ever by a UT freshman -- marked the first time in school...

Cleveland Browns rookie defensive tackle  Mike Hall Jr. pleaded no contest Thursday to a charge from a domestic altercation earlier this summer. Hall, 21, entered the plea to the reduced charge of disorderly conduct in Ohio's Avon Lake Municipal Court. Judge Alison Manning handed him a 30-day suspended jail sentence, a $250 fine and two years monitored time. "I regret this whole situation," Hall said in court, according to Cleveland.com. "I'm getting counseling and trying to better myself." A protection order between Hall and his fiancée was dropped at the latter's request last week. The NFL put Hall on the commissioner's exempt list last month as a result of the initial charge. "We have been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy. There's no change in his status," the NFL said in a statement Thursday. Hall, an Ohio native who played three seasons at Ohio State, was selected by the Browns in...

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. --  Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell is selling his suburban Detroit home to get more privacy. "There's plenty of space, it's on 2 acres, the home is beautiful," Campbell told Crain's Detroit Business. "It's just that people figured out where we lived when we lost." He didn't elaborate, but Fox 2 in Detroit reported that Campbell's home address was leaked to the public and he and his family became the victim of pranks and harassment after tough Lions losses, including in the NFC Championship Game. The Campbell family has filed police reports, Fox 2 reported. The Bloomfield Township Police Department released a statement, saying in part that it "is committed to the safety of all of our residents. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. We hope that everyone, including fans, will respect the privacy of individuals and their families." Campbell and wife, Holly, listed the 7,800-square-foot house in Bloomfield Hills for $4.5...

Lewis Hamilton raised concerns over FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem comparing Formula 1 drivers swearing on team radio to "rappers," saying there was a "racial element" to Ben Sulayem's comments. In an interview with Motorsport.com, Ben Sulayem said the FIA plans to clamp down on use of profanities over team radio, including removing offensive language from F1 broadcasts. "We have to differentiate between our sport -- motorsport -- and rap music," Ben Sulayem told Motorsport. "We're not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That's them and we are [us]." When asked about the comments, Hamilton said he understood the move to cut down on swearing for the benefit of younger audiences but took issue with the comparison. "With what he's saying, I don't like how he's expressed it, saying that rappers is very stereotypical," Hamilton said. "You think about most rappers are Black. That really kind points it...

A year ago, the New York Yankees were knocked out of playoff contention with a week to go in the regular season, ending a string of six straight postseason appearances. Remembering what that was like made wrapping up a playoff berth with more than a week left this time feel that much better. "A lot of things have come together. Probably better health overall. Definitely an added focus for guys that were coming off tough years, and simply put, we're better," New York manager Aaron Boone said. "We weren't a great team last year, and this team has a chance to do something special." After spending last year sitting at home when the postseason arrived, the Yankees earned their place in the 2024 playoffs with a 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners in 10 innings Wednesday night. Nestor Cortes, who pitched six shutout innings, said this Yankees team is using the sting of last season as motivation heading into October. "Last year we were out of the playoffs. Sour...

Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre will testify during a congressional hearing about the need for welfare reform Tuesday, the communications director for the House Ways and Means committee confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. The committee's website lists the hearing as "Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States' Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind." TANF funds are at the heart of the sprawling Mississippi welfare case in which Favre has been embroiled since 2022. At least $77 million in TANF funds, earmarked for poor families, were diverted to the rich and powerful people, according to a Mississippi state audit. Favre is one of dozens of defendants in a civil lawsuit seeking to recoup the misappropriated funds. He has denied wrongdoing and has not been criminally charged. House Ways and Means communications director J.P. Freire did not give further details about Favre's scheduled appearance. A spokesperson for Favre did not immediately...

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers became the first major league team to clinch a division championship Wednesday when it sealed its third National League Central title in the past four years. The Chicago Cubs' 5-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics enabled the Brewers to wrap up the division crown. The Brewers' clubhouse emptied with one out to go in the ninth inning in Chicago, a couple of hours before Milwaukee's scheduled first pitch against Philadelphia. A muffled cheer could be heard after the final out when the Brewers won consecutive division titles for the first time in 42 years. The Brewers were able to celebrate much more later Tuesday when they beat the Phillies 2-1 on a walk-off single by Jake Bauers.  Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said he watched the final outs of the Cubs' game with 90-year-old longtime Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker. "We were doing our show and I watched it with him," Murphy said. "What's better than...

HOUSTON -- Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said Wednesday he wasn't trying to "little bro" Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams during their postgame handshake Sunday night, an interaction that drew attention on social media. Stroud was mic'd up during the Texans' 19-13 win over the Bears on "Sunday Night Football." After the game, Stroud embraced Williams and provided advice to the No. 1 pick. He told the rookie "Good job out there," and to "stop taking those hits," after Williams was sacked seven times and took 11 quarterback hits while finishing 23-of-37 passing for 174 yards with two interceptions. Williams began to walk away, but Stroud pulled Williams back into the conversation and said, "Come here. Learn from those mistakes. And everything that you got, bro, is in you already, bro. You're going to be a hell of a player in this league." Stroud, speaking to reporters Wednesday, made it clear he was trying to help Williams during...

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Two days after Drake London scored the go-ahead touchdown on "Monday Night Football" and celebrated by pantomiming shooting a gun into the air, the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver said he wasn't pleased with how it all went down. Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to London with 34 seconds left Monday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The score put the Falcons even, 21-21, on the road in Philadelphia. London, after his first MNF touchdown, said he got a little carried away in the moment. The Falcons were flagged for a 15-yard penalty, and kicker Younghoe Koo had to kick a 48-yard extra point to give the team the lead, which they held on to for a major, 22-21 early-season victory. "It's a trend around football right now to do that type of celebration," London told ESPN. "It was my first 'Monday Night Football' game. I kind of lost myself in there. I wasn't happy with the position I put my team...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Twelve days after suffering a left knee injury in the season opener, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love returned to the practice field and left open the possibility of playing Sunday at the Tennessee Titans. Love has missed only one game -- Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts, when Malik Willis started at quarterback -- after initial indications were that he could miss up to a month because of a sprained MCL. Love wore a protective brace that was covered by a sleeve that extended almost the entire length of his leg and was officially a limited participant in Wednesday's practice. Coach Matt LaFleur wouldn't specify whether Love took part in only selected drills or took part in every drill under a rep count. In addition to still needing medical clearance, Love would have to be mobile enough to protect himself from injury to play Sunday. "The trainers are seeing everything I'm doing and they're not gonna put me...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales didn't hesitate Wednesday when asked whether  Bryce Young still has a chance to be a franchise quarterback. "Absolutely," he said of Young, who was benched Monday after an 0-2 start to this season and 2-16 start to his pro career. Canales also debunked any possibility the Panthers would consider trading the top pick of the 2023 draft, who has been replaced by 36-year-old Andy Dalton for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. "That's not something we're really considering," he said. "We have a great situation with our quarterbacks right now with guys that have experience. "We love where we are at, and it's all hands on deck." Carolina players also insisted they still believe in the 23-year-old Young. "It's definitely not over," said running back Miles Sanders, who lost his starting job last season to Chuba Hubbard. "Definitely. He's smart. He's fast. He's the...

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Two days after Drake London scored the go-ahead touchdown on "Monday Night Football" and celebrated by pantomiming shooting a gun into the air, the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver said he wasn't pleased with how it all went down. Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to London with 34 seconds left Monday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The score put the Falcons even, 21-21, on the road in Philadelphia. London, after his first MNF touchdown, said he got a little carried away in the moment. The Falcons were flagged for a 15-yard penalty, and kicker Younghoe Koo had to kick a 48-yard extra point to give the team the lead, which they held on to for a major, 22-21 early-season victory. "It's a trend around football right now to do that type of celebration," London told ESPN. "It was my first 'Monday Night Football' game. I kind of lost myself in there. I wasn't happy with the position I put my team...

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- DJ Moore was unaware how his body language was being perceived during the Chicago Bears' 19-13 loss in Houston until he saw video clips of himself circulating on social media. Upon seeing how he was captured by cameras during "Sunday Night Football," the veteran wide receiver did some "self-evaluation" and noted that his frustrations were not directed at the Bears' passing game nor anyone in specific. "I shouldn't have shown as much," Moore said. "But it's a part of the game. Like I said, we were one play away from the game changing. And we just couldn't connect, nobody on offense could connect with the one play or get the one play started to get us on track and go up. It's football. Everybody is going to have their ups and downs and frustrations." Down nine points with 3:01 to play in Houston, Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams threw a back-shoulder pass to Moore on third-and-4 from the  Texans' 36-yard line. After the...

NEW YORK -- World No. 6 Coco Gauff and coach Brad Gilbert are parting company after the player suffered a frustrating fourth-round exit at the US Open, Gilbert said Wednesday, adding that he was looking forward to the next chapter of his career. Gilbert helped to coach Gauff to her first Grand Slam trophy in New York last year, but the player was unable to retain her title after disappointing early departures from US Open tuneup tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati. "Thanks to @CocoGauff and the entire team for an absolutely amazing summer run in 2023 and for 14 months of incredible team effort," Gilbert, who got to No. 4 in the world during a 13-year playing career, said on X. "Coco, at just 20 years young, your future is incredibly bright, and I wish you nothing but continued success ahead. I'm excited for the next chapter in my coaching career." Gauff followed up her major breakthrough in Flushing Meadows with semifinal berths at the Australian Open and French Open...

TAMPA, Fla. -- Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield voiced his support for Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young on Wednesday, two days after the first pick of the 2023 draft was benched following an 0-2 start. "Obviously [my career] didn't happen in the same time frame as Bryce, but quarterback is hard, especially for young guys when you're not surrounded with the pieces ... and you're not given the opportunity to have success," Mayfield said. "A lot of time, guys have the talent, they might have the brains, but they don't have the right opportunity or the right fit. I'm sitting here right now in a way better fit than the other places I've been. That's not to put other teams down. But it's a matter of the pieces around you, the coaches. And for Bryce, a guy that -- I can relate to this -- finding that belief within yourself again. He'll get it. His story is far, far from finished." Mayfield would know. After four seasons with the ...

LOS ANGELES -- The Rams have placed guard Jonah Jackson (shoulder) and safety John Johnson III (shoulder) on injured reserve, a move coach Sean McVay said Monday was a possibility. The Rams did not make the same move for wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who McVay has said will miss "an extended period of time" with a left ankle sprain. On Monday, McVay noted that the Rams are running out of injured reserve/designated for return spots, "and we're only into Week 3." NFL teams can designate up to eight players to return from injured reserve during the regular season. In the Rams' Week 2 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Jackson aggravated the shoulder injury that caused him to miss time during training camp. Johnson will be out for four to six weeks with a fracture in his scapula, he announced Monday on his podcast. "[That's] a big loss [at] safety," McVay said. "Young guys will be asked to be able to step up, guys that we do have confidence in, but...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sean Monahan said he will miss Johnny Gaudreau for the rest of his life -- but called it "special to get that memory every day" as his locker stall is next to the one the team will keep reserved for the late Columbus Blue Jackets star. Monahan, 29, signed a five-year deal in Columbus this summer in part to reunite with Gaudreau, his teammate for nine years in Calgary, whom he called "arguably my best friend." As the Blue Jackets opened training camp on Wednesday, Monahan spoke for the first time publicly since Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles on Aug. 29. Monahan was a pallbearer at the funeral and was going to live three houses down from the Gaudreau family in Ohio. "I still don't know the exact words to even say," said Monahan, who wore a shirt featuring a large No. 13 and a photo of Gaudreau to the news conference. "I'm excited for the season. I'm excited to get it going. We're...

USC landed a key commitment Wednesday when four-star wide receiver Jerome Myles, the No. 26 prospect in the 2025 ESPN 300, committed to the Trojans, continuing a hot late-summer recruiting run for Lincoln Riley & Co. Myles, who decommitted from Ole Miss in June, is ESPN's fifth-ranked wide receiver in 2025 and stood as the nation's top uncommitted pass catcher prior to his commitment. The No. 1 prospect in the state of Utah this cycle, Myles picked the Trojans over Texas A&M and Utah, and he now lands as the second-ranked member of USC's 2025 class, trailing only five-star quarterback Julian Lewis (No. 2 in the 2025 ESPN 300). Myles, who felt home ties to Utah and visited Texas A&M in Week 1, told ESPN his recruitment swung on the plan Riley and his staff presented during Myles' Week 2 visit to USC. "USC just blew everybody out of the water," Myles said. "They produce the most NFL draft picks. And the wide receiver development is crazy. And if I don't make it in...

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 who became eligible this year, 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...