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Right-hander Luis Castillo and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a five-year contract extension that will keep the prized trade-deadline acquisition part of the ascendant team's core for the foreseeable future, the team announced on Saturday. The deal is worth $108 million over the duration of the deal, sources told ESPN. The contract, which includes a vesting option that could take its total value to $133 million, buys out four years of free agency for the 29-year-old, who has been dominant in eight starts since joining Seattle before the Aug. 2 trade deadline. In 54 innings, Castillo has struck out 64, walked 13 and allowed just five home runs with a 2.83 ERA -- even better than the 2.86 ERA he posted in 14 starts with the Cincinnati Reds and a key element in helping push the Mariners to the precipice of their first playoff berth in 21 years. A two-time All-Star, Castillo will be paid on an annual basis among the upper echelon of pitchers. The deal...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Bills safety Micah Hyde will miss the rest of the 2022 season because of a neck injury, he confirmed on social media on Saturday. Hyde was officially placed on injured reserve Saturday. He was not at practice throughout the week but did make a brief appearance in the locker room. "Thank you so much for the love and support you've shown me and my family. It is truly unreal," Hyde tweeted Saturday. "Bills Mafia, we love you! #23in23" Earlier Saturday, Hyde's agent, Jack Bechta, wrote on Twitter that a healthy return in 2023 is expected for Hyde, who is under contract with the Bills through next season. Coach Sean McDermott declined to get into details when asked about Hyde's injury throughout the week. "[Hyde and cornerback Dane Jackson, who is also dealing with a neck injury] both seem to be moving around or walking around or in the building here," McDermott said Friday. "And they're in there going about their business, trying to improve...

Colorado freshman quarterback Owen McCown, the son of longtime former NFL quarterback Josh McCown, started Saturday against UCLA in the team's Pac-12 opener. McCown is Colorado's third different starting quarterback, as the team tries to spark an offense that has scored only 30 points in three blowout losses and ranks 124th nationally in pass offense. Returning starter  Brendon Lewis opened the season as CU's starting quarterback but was replaced by Tennessee transfer  J.T. Shrout in Week 2. Shrout started last week against Minnesota but rotated with Lewis, as neither had much success in a 49-7 loss. McCown came in and passed for a team-high 52 yards in the game. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound McCown was an ESPN three-star recruit out of Rusk, Texas. Josh McCown, who played college football at SMU and Sam Houston State, played 18 NFL season and had 17,731 passing yards and 98 touchdowns. After the Minnesota loss, Colorado athletic director Rick George said...

CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa won't return to the dugout this season, the team announced in a press release on Saturday. La Russa, 78, has been advised by his doctors not to manage again in 2022. He has been out since late August with a heart ailment, and after undergoing additional testing and medical procedures over the past week, it was determined he should not return. It's not clear if La Russa will manage the White Sox next season. By all accounts, the team has underachieved this year, which has included another season of injuries to key players. Bench coach Miguel Cairo will continue as acting manager as the White Sox are on the verge of being eliminated from the postseason, having lost their past four games, including three to division-leading Cleveland. La Russa came out of retirement to rejoin Chicago last season and led the White Sox to the playoffs. He has one year remaining on his contract. The Hall of Fame manager shared specifics of...

TAMPA, Fla. -- With uncertainty looming over their wide receiver position heading into Sunday's home opener against the Green Bay Packers (1-1), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) have elevated wide receiver Cole Beasley from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced Saturday. Beasley, an 11-year veteran who spent the past three seasons with the Buffalo Bills, signed with the club Wednesday to help offset the loss of a trio of Pro Bowlers wideouts:  Mike Evans -- who is serving a one-game suspension for his role in last week's melee at the New Orleans Saints --  Chris Godwin and Julio Jones, who are dealing with hamstring and knee injuries, respectively. After missing Week 2's victory at New Orleans, Jones was able to return to practice Friday, spending the portion of practice open to the media working with team trainer Bobby Slater off to the side. He is officially listed as questionable for Sunday,...

NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre continued to press Mississippi state officials for help in paying for new sports facilities at the University of Southern Mississippi months after being told by then-Gov. Phil Bryant that the misuse of state welfare funds could be illegal, according to text messages in a court filing. Favre, who has not been charged in Mississippi's massive welfare scandal, has said through attorneys that he did not know the origin of the funds. On July 28, 2019, Bryant texted Favre that the founder of a nonprofit who paid him "has some limited control over Federal Funds in the form of Grants for Children and adults in the Low Income Community." "Use of these funds [is] tightly controlled," Bryant wrote, according to the filing. "Any improper use could result in violation of Federal Law. Auditors are currently reviewing the use of these funds." Still, Favre continued to push for a $6 million volleyball facility, according to the 62-page filing that objects to a...

Right-hander Luis Castillo and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a five-year, $108 million contract extension that will keep the prized trade-deadline acquisition part of the ascendant team's core for the foreseeable future, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN on Saturday. The contract, which includes a vesting option that could take its total value to $133 million, buys out four years of free agency for the 29-year-old, who has been dominant in eight starts since joining Seattle before the Aug. 2 trade deadline. In 54 innings, Castillo has struck out 64, walked 13 and allowed just five home runs with a 2.83 ERA -- even better than the 2.86 ERA he posted in 14 starts with the Cincinnati Reds and a key element in helping push the Mariners to the precipice of their first playoff berth in 21 years. A two-time All-Star, Castillo will be paid on an annual basis among the upper echelon of pitchers. The deal includes a $7 million signing bonus, a $10...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans have lost starting left tackle Taylor Lewan for the season because of a right knee injury, a team source confirmed Saturday. Lewan's podcast, "Bussin' With The Boys," also tweeted Saturday that the offensive tackle wouldn't play again in 2022. Lewan injured the knee on the first play of Monday's 41-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The injury occurred as he attempted to block down on a defensive end and his knee buckled before he fell to the ground. The team had feared Tuesday that Lewan would be out for the season, and he went to Los Angeles for a second opinion on the injury. Reserve offensive lineman Dennis Daley went in for Lewan and played the rest of Monday's game. Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Friday that Daley would be the starting left tackle Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. The injuries have piled on for Lewan recently. He tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 2 of the 2020 season and...

Colorado freshman quarterback Owen McCown, the son of longtime former NFL quarterback Josh McCown, will start Saturday against UCLA in the team's Pac-12 opener, a source confirmed to ESPN. McCown will be Colorado's third different starting quarterback, as the team tries to spark an offense that has scored only 30 points in three blowout losses and ranks 124th nationally in pass offense. Returning starter  Brendon Lewis opened the season as CU's starting quarterback but was replaced by Tennessee transfer  J.T. Shrout in Week 2. Shrout started last week against Minnesota but rotated with Lewis, as neither had much success in a 49-7 loss. McCown came in and passed for a team-high 52 yards in the game. The Boulder Daily Camera first reported that McCown would start against the Bruins. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound McCown was an ESPN three-star recruit out of Rusk, Texas. Josh McCown, who played college football at SMU and Sam Houston State, played 18 NFL...

The Green Bay Packers have put wide receiver Sammy Watkins on injured reserve, the team announced Saturday. Watkins, who has a hamstring injury, had already been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the IR designation, he's out a minimum of four games and could return no earlier than Oct. 23 against Washington. The only one of the Packers' top four receivers who has been cleared to play and taken off the injury report is Allen Lazard, who has been limited in practice this week because of the ankle injury that kept him out of the season opener. Lazard returned for last week's game against the Chicago Bears and is the only receiver on the roster to have caught a touchdown this season. Watkins, 29, has six catches for a team-high 111 yards through the first two games. He caught three passes for 93 yards vs. the Bears. Watkins also dealt with hamstring issues last season with the Baltimore Ravens,...

New Orleans Pelicans star CJ McCollum has agreed on a two-year, $64 million contract extension that'll take him through the 2025-2026 season, his agent Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports told ESPN on Saturday. McCollum's new deal ties him to New Orleans for four years and $133 million, aligning him on long-term deals with franchise cornerstones Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. McCollum's extension completes an offseason priority for New Orleans senior vice president of basketball operations David Griffin and general manager Trajan Langdon, who've greatly valued McCollum's production and his leadership since his arrival in a February deal from the Portland Trail Blazers. McCollum had an immense impact on the franchise's play-in tournament berth this year and advancement into the Western Conference playoffs. He arrived in a Feb. 8 trade with the Blazers after reaching the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons as part of a backcourt with Damian...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Bills safety Micah Hyde will miss the rest of the 2022 season because of a neck injury, he confirmed on social media on Saturday. Hyde will be placed on injured reserve Saturday. He was not at practice throughout the week but did make a brief appearance in the locker room. "Thank you so much for the love and support you've shown me and my family. It is truly unreal," Hyde tweeted Saturday. "Bills Mafia, we love you! #23in23" Earlier Saturday, Hyde's agent, Jack Bechta, wrote on Twitter that a healthy return in 2023 is expected for Hyde, who is under contract with the Bills through next season. Coach Sean McDermott declined to get into details when asked about Hyde's injury throughout the week. "[Hyde and cornerback Dane Jackson, who is also dealing with a neck injury] both seem to be moving around or walking around or in the building here," McDermott said Friday. "And they're in there going about their business, trying to improve each...

BYU on Saturday night will recognize members of the Black 14, a group of former Wyoming players kicked off the team in 1969 for wanting to protest a Latter-day Saints church policy that prohibited Black men from becoming priests. Black 14 members Mel Hamilton and John Griffin will serve as "Y Lighters" and be honored before BYU's home game against Wyoming. In 1969, Hamilton, Griffin and 12 of their Black teammates requested to wear black armbands for the BYU game as part of a protest by the school's Black Student Alliance against the LDS church priest policy. Wyoming coach Lloyd Eaton kicked them off the team. The Black 14 later formed a philanthropic organization to serve communities in need, and it partnered with Latter-day Saint Charities to provide food for communities. In 2020, the group delivered more than 180 tons of food in eight states near the homes of the Black 14 members. BYU's communications school made a documentary about the Black 14 and its work with LDS...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Bills safety Micah Hyde will miss the rest of the 2022 season with a neck injury, his agent, Jack Bechta, tweeted Saturday morning. Hyde will be placed on injured reserve Saturday. He was not at practice throughout the week but did make a brief appearance in the locker room. Bechta wrote that a healthy return in 2023 is expected for Hyde, who is under contract with the Bills through next season. Coach Sean McDermott declined to get into details when asked about Hyde's injury throughout the week. "[Hyde and cornerback Dane Jackson, who is also dealing with a neck injury] both seem to be moving around or walking around or in the building here," McDermott said Friday. "And they're in there going about their business, trying to improve each and every day. Obviously not going to make this game. Other than that, I don't have anything else for you at this point. We're just going to work with them on their cadence and their timing at this...

The Atlanta Braves have placed right-hander Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list with a strained left oblique muscle. The move is retroactive to Sept. 21 and Strider has not pitched since last Sunday. After that 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, Strider told the team he didn't feel right. The Braves said Tuesday they would push back Strider's next start in the hopes of avoiding a trip to the IL. Strider has been excellent in his first full season with Atlanta, going 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 31 appearances (20 starts). He has recorded 10 or more strikeouts in a game six times this season, including twice this month -- striking out 16 against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 1, and 10 in his most recent start Sunday against the Phillies. Strider broke the record for fastest to 200 strikeouts in a single season, doing so in 130 innings, two-thirds of an inning quicker than Hall of Famer Randy Johnson in 2001. Atlanta enters...

Rafael Nadal withdrew from the Laver Cup on Saturday for personal reasons, his press spokesman confirmed to ESPN. The Spaniard partnered Roger Federer in his last ever professional match at the team competition between Europe and the rest of the world in London on Friday, losing out in a deciding match tiebreak to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. Nadal, 36, has struggled with an abdominal injury for much of the summer. The pain caused him to pull out before his semifinal at Wimbledon and he then suffered more problems with it after losing in the fourth round of the US Open. In the early hours of Saturday morning, after a joint press conference with Federer, Nadal told Spanish reporters at London's O2 Arena he needed to return home. "I'm not good, I'm not good," Nadal said. "The truth is these have been difficult weeks in that sense. Few, very few hours of sleep, a bit of stress in general, slightly more difficult situations than usual at...

Wake Forest's already depleted secondary is facing another significant loss against Clemson on Saturday. Starting cornerback Caelen Carson, who is considered the Demon Deacons' top corner, is out for Saturday's game against the Tigers and is considered week-to-week, a source told ESPN. He suffered a leg injury in the third quarter of last week's win over Liberty and missed the remainder of the game. This is another blow to Wake Forest's secondary, as  Coby Davis, the nickelback who started the season, is out for the remainder of the year after an injury against Vanderbilt. Davis' replacement at nickel, Brendon Harris, was also injured in the Liberty game, hurting his arm on a tackle. Harris is week-to-week. This will be a setback for Wake Forest, which hasn't beaten Clemson since 2008. The Tigers have won the past four meetings by an average of 38.5 points per game. The Demon Deacons are facing a Clemson team with a formidable...

Tennessee star wide receiver Cedric Tillman will not play against Florida on Saturday because of an ankle injury, sources told ESPN. Tillman injured his ankle last week against Akron midway through the second quarter. With Tennessee having a bye next week, there is optimism that he could return for the Volunteers' next game at LSU on Oct. 8, sources said. Tillman entered the season as the most productive returning receiver in the SEC and a first-team all-conference preseason selection, and he is considered Tennessee's top receiving threat. In three games this season, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Tillman had 17 catches for 246 yards and a touchdown. Tillman's absence will be significant for a Tennessee offense that relies heavily on the passing game and vertical routes. Veteran Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker is expected to look more to dynamic slot receiver Jalin Hyatt, who is also a deep threat and is Tennessee's leading...

LOS ANGELES --  Albert Pujols crossed home plate and darted to the backstop to double-high-five Adrian Beltre, his longtime rival, fellow countryman and devoted friend. He wrapped his arms around Yadier Molina, embraced Adam Wainwright, saluted the rest of his St. Louis Cardinals teammates, doffed his helmet for the Dodger Stadium crowd -- and then he needed to be alone. He barreled down the dugout steps and into an empty hallway, and in that moment, the man famously hailed as "The Machine" became vulnerable. "My emotions came out," Pujols said in Spanish. The enormity of 700 home runs, which Pujols reached amid a thrilling two-homer performance Friday night, had finally hit him. But it was more than that. It was that it happened in Los Angeles, which meant his five children could all be there to witness it. It was that it happened in this place, Dodger Stadium, the ballpark that he said "gave me life" and propelled him to keep moving...

Shakur Stevenson lost his two 130-pound titles at the scales, but he still cruised to a unanimous decision victory over Robson Conceicao on Friday before an announced crowd of 10,107 in Newark, New Jersey. Two judges scored the bout 117-109, while the third judge had it 118-108 for Stevenson, who floored Conceicao with a left hand to the sternum with one second remaining in Round 4. "I killed myself to make weight," said Stevenson, ESPN's No. 9 pound-for-pound boxer. "He held me the whole night, but I did everything I could. I think that he was doing a lot of holding whenever I got to the inside." Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) was stripped of his WBC and WBO junior lightweight belts on Thursday after he weighed 131.6 pounds, more than 1½ pounds over the division limit. Conceicao (17-2, 8 KOs) weighed 129.6 pounds and was eligible to win the two belts. Those titles are now vacant, and the top two available contenders in each organization's rankings will vie for the belts in the...

LOS ANGELES --  Albert Pujols crossed home plate and darted to the backstop to double-high-five Adrian Beltre, his longtime rival, fellow countryman and devoted friend. He wrapped his arms around Yadier Molina, embraced Adam Wainwright, saluted the rest of his St. Louis Cardinals teammates, doffed his helmet for the Dodger Stadium crowd -- and then he needed to be alone. He barreled down the dugout steps and into an empty hallway, and in that moment, the man famously hailed as "The Machine" became vulnerable. "My emotions came out," Pujols said in Spanish. The enormity of 700 home runs, which Pujols reached amid a thrilling two-homer performance on Friday night, had finally hit him. But it was more than that. It was that it happened in L.A., which meant his five children could all be there to witness it. It was that it happened in this place, Dodger Stadium, the ballpark that he said "gave me life" and propelled him to keep moving forward. "What a...

Shakur Stevenson lost his two 130-pound titles at the scales, but he still cruised to a unanimous decision victory over Robson Conceicao on Friday in Newark, New Jersey. Two judges scored the bout 117-109; the other scorecard was 118-108 for Stevenson, who floored Conceicao with a left hand to the sternum with one second remaining in Round 4. "I killed myself to make weight," said Stevenson, ESPN's No. 9 pound-for-pound boxer. "He held me the whole night but I did everything I could. I think that he was doing a lot of holding whenever I got to the inside. ... He real awkward and he real tough, so he know how to survive. "I was trying to fight. I wanted to stand there and beat him up. And he was grabbing and holding." Stevenson was stripped of his WBC and WBO junior lightweight belts on Thursday after he weighed 131.6 pounds, more than 1½ pounds over the division limit. Conceicao weighed 129.6 pounds and was eligible to win the two belts. Those titles are now vacant, and...

LOS ANGELES -- Albert Pujols launched the 699th home run of his career, a no-doubt, 434-foot shot to left-center field off Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Andrew Heaney in the third inning Friday night that gave the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-0 lead. The Cardinals are playing their 152nd game of the season, and Pujols is only one home run away from joining Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the distinguished 700 home run club. The team plays two more in Los Angeles, then a two-game series in Milwaukee before returning to St. Louis for its final homestand of the regular season, a three-game set. Pujols' two-run shot gave him 2,205 RBIs for his career, nine away from tying Ruth for the second most all time. It's fitting, perhaps, that Pujols finds himself on the doorstep of history here, in Dodger Stadium, the place he has often said played a big part in energizing him to play one final season in 2022. Pujols, 42, joined the Dodgers last May,...

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees pitcher  Gerrit Cole and manager Aaron Boone were both ejected from Friday night's 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox for arguing with plate umpire Brian Knight about a called ball that preceded a game-tying home run in the sixth inning. Cole's 1-2 pitch to Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo -- which in replays appeared to be low in the strike zone -- was called a ball, and his ensuing pitch, a 100 mph four-seam fastball, was drilled by Verdugo over the right-field fence for a three-run homer that tied the game at 4. The right-hander dropped his head and bent over behind the mound as Verdugo took a slow trot around the bases. Cole then struck out J.D. Martinez to end the inning; as he was walking off the mound, he started screaming and pointing angrily at Knight, who promptly motioned for Cole to be ejected. It was the first ejection of Cole's career -- although the five-time All-Star was probably done for the...

LOS ANGELES -- With less than two weeks remaining in their regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have removed Craig Kimbrel as their closer, a major development that will have wide-ranging impact on their pitching staff. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Kimbrel, 34, will occupy different roles in his bullpen and that he will deploy a closer-by-committee approach, at least for the foreseeable future. Roberts didn't commit to continuing this strategy into the postseason, but it seems highly unlikely that the team would pivot again with October fast approaching. "Right now the plan is to change roles and just kind of get him in a position to pitch in different innings and different situations," Roberts said of Kimbrel. "He was very open to doing whatever was best for the ballclub. I feel good about it, and we'll see where that takes us." The Dodgers acquired Kimbrel in a one-for-one trade that sent outfielder AJ Pollock to the Chicago...

Former Washington State coach Nick Rolovich is finally speaking out about his reasoning for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 and the "ugly conversations" he says occurred with school administrators that led up to his firing. Rolovich, in his first public comments since his firing, told Allison Williams, the host of The Daily Wire's Breakaways, in an interview published on Friday that "lack of answers, lack of dialogue" about the effects of the vaccine, as well as his beliefs as a Catholic, led him to not comply with Gov. Jay Inslee's mandate for Washington state employees. Washington State fired Rolovich and four other assistant coaches last October for failing to comply with a state mandate to receive the vaccine. The school fired Rolovich for cause, preventing him from receiving the approximately $9 million remaining on his contract. Earlier this year, Rolovich filed a $25 million wrongful termination claim against the school. "The priest broke it down to me,...

TAMPA, Fla. -- With a finger injury that's been nagging him all week, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady was added to the Bucs' injury report Friday, although his status for the Sunday game hosting the Green Bay Packers is not in jeopardy. A source said Brady did not suffer a setback of any kind. He was in some obvious discomfort during portions of the practices open to the media this week, but he was added to the report out of an abundance of caution. Brady suffered the injury to his right ring finger in the Bucs' 20-10 victory at the New Orleans Saints last week but practiced in full Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. "He's ready to go, he's full-practice," coach Todd Bowles said Friday. "He took every throw." Brady downplayed the injury when asked about it Thursday, despite looking down at his right hand multiple times during practice and shaking it. He even poked fun at it when creating a video tutorial for his TB12 brand on how to make...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- This game still has Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, but the quarterbacks of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers won't have anything close to their full complement of receivers on Sunday. The Packers for sure won't have Sammy Watkins, their leading receiver through two games, because of a hamstring injury. Two of their other top receivers, rookie second-round pick Christian Watson (hamstring) and veteran Randall Cobb (illness), were listed as questionable on Friday. The only one of the Packers' top four receivers who has been cleared to play and taken off the injury report is Allen Lazard, who has been limited in practice this week because of the ankle injury that kept him out of the season opener. Lazard returned for last week's game against the Chicago Bears and is the only receiver on the roster to have caught a touchdown this season. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The last time San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle played the Denver Broncos in the regular season, he had the most productive day of his NFL career. Which means Kittle's return from the groin injury that kept him on the sidelines for the first two weeks of this season couldn't come at a better time. Yes, Kittle will make his season debut Sunday night against the Broncos, coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Friday afternoon. "He's good to go," Shanahan said. "I thought he got better each day. He means a ton in both [the run and pass game]. Kittle has been one of our better players here over the years when he's out there. We've got to get him back into football shape just because he hasn't played in a little bit but he helps us in every facet." Kittle made it through the practice week without any issues, participating in the first two sessions on a limited basis and going in full Friday. He has no injury designation on the Friday...

LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas Raiders will be without a pair of Pro Bowlers at the Tennessee Titans on Sunday as the Raiders ruled out their leading pass-catcher and leading tackler from last season. And while slot receiver Hunter Renfrow (concussion) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (ankle) will not play, starting running back Josh Jacobs (illness) will not travel with the team to Nashville on Friday. A pair of AFC playoff teams last season, the Raiders and Titans are both searching for their first victory in Week 3. "You always try to build depth on your roster so that you can accommodate situations like this," Raiders first-year coach Josh McDaniels said earlier in the day. "We've tried to preach since we got here, 'Let's learn the concept, not one spot in the concept.' ... and so from the beginning we've kind of preached, 'Let's learn the why, and the whole concept of big picture,' because this could happen in the game, too, where all of a...

Florida State opened some eyes with its Labor Day weekend victory over LSU in New Orleans. Off to its first 3-0 start since 2015, the Seminoles are building momentum -- both on the field and on the recruiting trail. Highly regarded wide receiver Hykeem Williams certainly has taken notice, demonstrating that by staying home by committing to Florida State on Friday. Williams, from Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is No. 22 on the 2023 ESPN 300. Ranked as the third-best receiver in the class, Williams becomes the top-ranked offensive player for Mike Norvell in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Williams tabbed the Seminoles over Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Texas A&M and Pittsburgh. He's the seventh ESPN 300 prospect to join Florida State's class, which is ranked 25th in ESPN's latest class rankings. Williams would be the first ESPN 300 wide receiver to sign with the Seminoles since Destyn Hill (No. 14 WR and No. 89 overall) and Malik McClain (No. 46 WR and...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will be without multiple defensive starters Sunday for the early AFC East battle at the Miami Dolphins, as cornerback Dane Jackson (neck), safety Micah Hyde (neck) and defensive tackles  Jordan Phillips (hamstring) and Ed Oliver (ankle) have been ruled out. The Bills are dealing with injuries to other starters as well. Safety Jordan Poyer (foot) missed practice time and defensive tackle  Tim Settle (calf) is working his way back after missing the Bills' win over the Tennessee Titans on Monday. Both are listed as questionable to play against the Dolphins, as are wide receiver  Gabe Davis, tight end Dawson Knox and center Mitch Morse. All the questionable players were limited in practice Friday. "We're just going to take [Poyer's status] one day at a time," coach Sean McDermott said at a news conference Friday. "He's one of those that are in that...

Florida State opened some eyes with its Labor Day weekend victory over LSU in New Orleans earlier this month. Off to its first 3-0 start since 2015, the Seminoles are building momentum - both on the field and on the recruiting trail. Highly regarded wide receiver Hykeem Williams certainly has taken notice, demonstrating that by staying home by committing to Florida State on Friday. Williams, a product of Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is No. 22 on the 2023 ESPN 300. Ranked as the third-best receiver in the class, Williams becomes the top-ranked offensive player for Mike Norvell in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Williams tabbed the Seminoles over Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Texas A&M and Pittsburgh. He's the seventh ESPN 300 prospect to join Florida State's class, which is ranked 25th in ESPN's latest class rankings. Williams would be the first ESPN 300 wide receiver to sign with the Seminoles since Destyn Hill (No. 14 WR and No. 89 overall) and Malik...

FRISCO, Texas -- To Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, there will be no quarterback dilemma. On Thursday, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he hoped Cooper Rush would play so well that the Cowboys could have a decision to make once Dak Prescott is healthy enough to return from right thumb surgery. "I'm just trying to say this with a straight face," McCarthy said Friday. "Like anything, you look at the whole thing, it's about winning. That's all we really care about. There is no quarterback controversy. ... Dak is our starter." McCarthy playfully chided the media for the reaction to Jones' comments. "We think you have to have a bigger responsibility in that," McCarthy said. "I think you need to be able to decipher between GM Jerry and owner Jerry. He can do that in like midsentence, too. I think you all need to do a better job of that. Get to work." McCarthy acknowledged it took him some time to decipher between GM Jerry and owner Jerry. "You...

BEREA, Ohio --  Cleveland Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. will miss the rest of the 2022 season after suffering a torn quad tendon during Thursday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team announced Friday. The injury, which was confirmed by an MRI on Friday and requires surgery, is considered to require a five- to seven-month recovery, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Walker was carted off the field after being injured in the third quarter of the 29-17 Browns win. He lay facedown for several minutes before trainers put an air cast around his knee and helped him onto the cart. "He is a huge, huge, huge part of our football team, what he brings to us on the field and off the field," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday before the MRI results were announced. Walker, 27, had six tackles against Pittsburgh before his injury. He had a team-leading 113 tackles and one sack in 13 games last season, his first with Cleveland. Jacob Phillips...

FRISCO, Texas -- To Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, there will be no quarterback dilemma. On Thursday owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he hoped Cooper Rush would play so well that the Cowboys could have a decision to make once Dak Prescott is healthy enough to return from right thumb surgery. "I'm just trying to say this with a straight face," McCarthy said. "Like anything, you look at the whole thing it's about winning. That's all we really care about. There is no quarterback controversy ... Dak is our starter." McCarthy playfully chided the media for the reaction to Jones' comments. "We think you have to have a bigger responsibility in that. I think you need to be able to decipher between GM Jerry and Owner Jerry," McCarthy said. "He can do that in like mid-sentence, too. I think you all need to do a better job of that. Get to work." McCarthy admitted it took him some time to decipher between GM Jerry and Owner Jerry. "You know the...

A protester lit the court and his arm on fire during a match at the Laver Cup tennis event Friday, briefly delaying the start of the second set between  Stefanos Tsitsipas and  Diego Schwartzman at the O2 Arena. The activist, carrying a lighter and wearing a white T-shirt with a message about private jets, made his way onto the black court and sat down near the net. The person eventually was carried away by security guards. "It came out of nowhere. ... I never had an incident like this happen on court," Tsitsipas, the runner-up at the 2021 French Open, said afterward. "I hope he's all right." Tsitsipas spoke to the chair umpire to make sure it would be safe to continue play and asked that a mark left on the court be cleaned up. "A man accessed the court this afternoon and was promptly removed by security," the Laver Cup said in a statement. "Play was stopped briefly, he has been arrested and the situation is being handled by the police." Tsitsipas recorded a...

Andre Iguodala will return to play his 19th season in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, the veteran announced on his "Point Forward" podcast Friday morning. His return fill's the team's 14th roster spot heading into training camp. According to Iguodala, this will be his final season. "I'm going to blame a few people," Iguodala joked about his decision. "Steph Curry is one person I am going to blame. But as a group, I am blaming Steph, Draymond [Green] and Klay [Thompson]. Steve [Kerr] a little bit, Bob Myers, I think they just showed me a lot of love. They helped me see my presence outside of physically playing basketball, but also, I think Steve was a big culprit of, 'We really need you on the court.' Draymond was big on that as well." The Warriors had held Iguodala's roster spot for him all offseason, trying not to put pressure on him to make to a decision. Myers, the Warriors' general manager, said no deals came to him over the summer that made the team feel the...

BEREA, Ohio --  Cleveland Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. needs season-ending surgery after suffering a torn quad tendon during Thursday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The injury, which was confirmed by an MRI on Friday, is considered to require a five- to seven-month recovery, the source said. Walker was carted off the field after being injured in the third quarter of the 29-17 Browns win. He lay facedown for several minutes before trainers put an air cast around his knee and helped him onto the cart. "He is a huge, huge, huge part of our football team, what he brings to us on the field and off the field," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday before the MRI results. Walker, 27, had six tackles against Pittsburgh before his injury. He had a team-leading 113 tackles and one sack in 13 games last season, his first with Cleveland. Jacob Phillips is expected to take over for Walker as the Browns'...

Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said the organization's decision to suspend Ime Udoka for the entire 2022-23 NBA season came after an investigation by an independent law firm uncovered multiple violations of team policies. "I am concerned about the situation and its impact on everybody in the Celtics' organization," Grousbeck said during a news conference Friday morning at the team's practice facility. "I do hope this represents the beginning of a new chapter, and a chance to turn the page and move forward with things, to some extent, resolved." Both Grousbeck and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said little about the specifics of the case involved, or what policies Udoka violated. Sources previously told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Udoka had an intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise's staff. Grousbeck said once the organization had been made aware of a potential situation in the organization within the past few weeks, it hired the...

BOSTON -- The Celtics suspended coach Ime Udoka for the upcoming season after a months-long investigation by an external law firm that found multiple violations of team policies, team owner Wyc Grousbeck said Friday. Grousbeck would not comment on specifics. Sources previously told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Udoka had an intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise's staff. Grousbeck said no one else from the organization is facing punishment. He would not say whether the suspension was unpaid but confirmed that it comes with a "significant financial penalty." The suspension runs through June 30, 2023, and assistant Joe Mazzulla will lead the team as interim coach for the season. No decision has been made about Udoka's possible return at the end of his punishment, Grousbeck said. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will be without multiple defensive starters for Sunday's early AFC East battle at the Miami Dolphins, with coach Sean McDermott ruling out cornerback Dane Jackson (neck), safety Micah Hyde (neck) and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (hamstring) for the game. The Bills are dealing with a variety of injuries to starters this week, as safety Jordan Poyer (foot) also missed practice time and defensive tackles Ed Oliver (ankle) and Tim Settle (calf) are working their way back after missing the Bills' win over the Tennessee Titans on Monday. The rest of the team's status for the game has not yet been shared. "We're just going to take [Poyer's status] one day at a time," McDermott said in a news conference Friday. "He's one of those that are in that group in there, we've got a couple of those guys, maybe three or four, that remains to be seen what they'll be able to get done on...

An outlier opening line on USC- Oregon State prompted a flood of bets on the underdog Beavers this week and left one sportsbook with more money at stake on the Pac-12 tilt than any of the week's NFL games. Caesars Sportsbook on Sunday opened USC as a 13.5-point favorite over Oregon State. Minutes later, oddsmakers at Circa Sports put up the Trojans as only a 5-point favorite. Bettors pounced on the discrepancy, causing the line to drop significantly at Caesars and tick up slightly at other sportsbooks, before settling at consensus number of USC -6 on Sunday night. "We had a high opinion on [USC]," said Joey Feazel, lead college football trader for Caesars Sportsbook. "So we put out a number to kind of attract Oregon State money. And it worked." Action from influential bettors came in on the Beavers immediately at Caesars, and Feazel moved the line down aggressively. Line archives from odds provider Don Best Sports show Caesars went from USC -13.5 to -9 within 30...

A matchup with Bronny James headlines the 90-game 2022-23 schedule Overtime Elite unveiled in advance of its second basketball season in existence, the league announced Friday. OTE has expanded its three-team league to six this season, incorporating prep schools Hillcrest Academy from Phoenix, Word of God Academy from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Our Savior Lutheran from New York City, which will include home and away games at those school's locations. Many eyeballs will be on OTE Arena opening night in Atlanta for the preseason tournament Oct. 20 and 21, which will include games against several well-regarded teams. California Basketball Club will feature Bronny and Bryce James, sons of LeBron James. While the Explorers boast ESPN's No. 1 player in the 2025 recruiting class,  Cam Boozer, the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer. Cam Boozer is considered by some as the best prospect in high school basketball, while his twin brother,  ...

A matchup with Bronny James headlines the 90-game 2022-23 schedule Overtime Elite unveiled in advance of their second season in existence, the league announced Monday. OTE has expanded their three-team league to six this season, incorporating prep schools Hillcrest Academy from Phoenix, Word of God Academy from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Our Savior Lutheran from New York City, which will include home and away games at those school's locations. Many eyeballs will be on OTE Arena opening night in Atlanta for their preseason tournament October 20 and 21, which will include games against several well-regarded teams. California Basketball Club will feature Bronny and Bryce James, sons of LeBron James. While the Explorers boast ESPN's No. 1 player in the 2025 recruiting class,  Cam Boozer, the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer. Cam Boozer is considered by some as the best prospect in high school basketball, while his twin brother Cayden...

David Villa missed a penalty kick and then scored in the final minute, giving Valencia a 2-1 victory at Genoa on Thursday night and a berth in the second round of the new Europa League. Anderlecht. Lille and Twente also advanced and completed the 32-club field for the next round, which includes eight teams knocked out of the Champions League: Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Liverpool, Marseille, Rubin Kazan, Standard Liege, Unirea Urziceni and Wolfsburg. The draw is Friday. At Genoa, Santor Bruno put Valencia ahead in the final minute of the first half, but Hernan Crespo tied the score in the 51st. Villa missed the penalty kick in the 86th. Valencia (3-0-3) won Group B with 12 points and advanced along with second-place Lille (3-2-1), which finished with 10, three ahead of Genoa (2-3-1). Lille beat Slavia Prague 3-1, Anderlecht (3-1-2) won 3-1 at already-qualified Ajax Amsterdam and Twente (2-2-2) gained a 1-1 tie at Steaua Bucharest.

In a letter provided to the University of California Board of Regents ahead of a closed-door session Thursday to discuss UCLA's proposed move to the Big Ten conference, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff detailed "significant concerns" he had with the move, including its effect on student-athlete mental health, increased travel and operational costs, and negative impacts on both Cal's revenue and the UC system's climate goals. Klivakoff's letter was provided in response to a request from the regents for the conference's perspective on UCLA's move, according to a source. "Despite all the explanations made after the fact, UCLA's decision to join the Big Ten was clearly financially motivated after the UCLA athletic department managed to accumulate more than $100 million in debt over the past three fiscal years," Kliavkoff wrote. He said the increased revenue UCLA will receive would be completely offset by higher costs coming from added travel, the need for competitive...

In a letter provided to the University of California Board of Regents ahead of a closed-door session Thursday to discuss UCLA's proposed move to the Big Ten conference, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff detailed "significant concerns" he had with the move, including student-athlete mental health, increased travel and operational costs, and negative impacts on both Cal's revenue and the UC system's climate goals. Klivakoff's letter was provided in response to a request from the regents for the conference's perspective on UCLA's move, according to a source. "Despite all the explanations made after the fact, UCLA's decision to join the Big Ten was clearly financially motivated after the UCLA athletic department managed to accumulate more than $100 million in debt over the past three fiscal years," Kliavkoff wrote. From there, he made the case the increased revenue UCLA will receive would be completely offset by the increased costs coming from increased travel, the need for...

The Boston Celtics have suspended coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season, the team announced Thursday night. The Celtics cited violations of team policies in their announcement. Sources previously told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Udoka had an intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise's staff. The suspension is effective immediately, and a decision about Udoka's future with the organization will be made later, the team said. "I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down," Udoka said in a statement to ESPN's Malika Andrews. "I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team's decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment."  The season-long suspension is largely unprecedented for a sitting head coach in the NBA. The Celtics have made assistant coach Joe Mazzulla the interim head coach, sources told Wojnarowski. Udoka's top...

The Los Angeles Dodgers are picking up right-hander Daniel Hudson's $6.5 million option for the 2023 season, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Thursday. The 35-year-old Hudson suffered a season-ending torn left ACL in June when his knee buckled while reacting to a ground ball. The team's top setup reliever had five saves and a 2.22 ERA at the time of the injury, and his goal is to be ready for the start of spring training. The Dodgers also will get a club option for 2024, likely worth around $6.5 million, sources told ESPN. Hudson had signed a one-year, $7 million contract with a team option last offseason. He has spent parts of 13 seasons in the majors with seven teams, including the Dodgers. He spent parts of seven seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, starting 33 games with 16 victories in 2011 before undergoing Tommy John surgery and transitioning to a bullpen career in the ensuing years.