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Infielder Marcus Semien is in agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year, $18 million contract, a source familiar with the deal told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Semien will become the second star and fourth free agent added by the Blue Jays during a slow offseason amid the coronavirus pandemic. Toronto gave outfielder George Springer a $150 million, six-year deal. Toronto also agreed to one-year contracts with right-handers Kirby Yates ($5.5 million) and Tyler Chatwood ($3 million) and re-signed left-hander Robbie Ray to an $8 million, one-year contract. Coming off a career year in 2019, Semien struggled in 2020 while dealing with a rib injury, as the shortstop hit just .223 with 7 home runs, 28 runs, 23 RBIs and 4 stolen bases for the Oakland Athletics. His production was down largely due to his strikeouts being up, as he fanned on 21.2% of his plate appearances. It was a different story for Semien in 2019, when he...

For the first time since 1960, the membership of the National Baseball Hall of Fame will remain frozen. No player on the Hall's 2021 Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot reached the 75 percent threshold needed for enshrinement in Cooperstown. The results of the voting were announced by Hall of Fame president Tim Mead on MLB Network on Tuesday night. The leading vote-getter was controversial pitcher Curt Schilling, who was named on 71.1 percent of the ballots, 16 votes shy of the minimum needed for selection. Schilling was followed by all-time home run leader Barry Bonds (61.8 percent) and 354-game winner Roger Clemens (61.6) in the voting. All three former All-Stars were in their ninth year of eligibility on the ballot, leaving them one more chance next winter. Players get 10 shots at enshrinement via the writers' voting before moving on to consideration by one of the Hall's various era-based veterans committees. However, Schilling, in a lengthy letter to the Hall...

NFL teams have started reaching out to the Detroit Lions to gauge what it would take to trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday. This had been the expectation after Saturday, when the Lions and Stafford mutually agreed to a separation between the longtime Detroit quarterback and the only franchise for which he's ever played. A source familiar with the situation said Saturday night that the Lions would be looking for "fair market value" for Stafford, who is the franchise leader in every major passing category. Stafford will leave Detroit, whenever he is traded, having thrown for 45,109 yards, 282 touchdowns and 144 interceptions. The Lions made three playoff appearances with Stafford, losing in the wild-card round all three times. He was the team's pick at No. 1 overall in 2009 -- the first pick of then-general manager Martin Mayhew. Mayhew is now the general manager in Washington, one of many NFL teams in need...

MOBILE, Ala. -- Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith has already pictured himself in a Miami Dolphins uniform reuniting with former college teammate Tua Tagovailoa, and the thought could be mutual. "We just talked about it would be nice to run it back again," Smith told NFL Network after Tuesday's practice at the Senior Bowl about the possibility of teaming up again with the Dolphins' starting quarterback. "Not too much, but somewhat talked about it." The Dolphins hold the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and the team has a big need for more explosive playmakers for Tagovailoa. Smith, who became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991 and only the second since 1940, would certainly fit that criterion. Smith is participating in meetings and watching practices along with Dolphins coaches at the Senior Bowl, but he is not participating on the field because of a dislocated finger suffered in Alabama's national...

MOBILE, Ala. -- Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith has already pictured himself in a Miami Dolphins uniform reuniting with former college teammate Tua Tagovailoa, and the thought could be mutual. "We just talked about it would be nice to run it back again," Smith told NFL Network after Tuesday's practice at the Senior Bowl about the possibility of teaming up again with the Miami Dolphins starting quarterback. "Not too much, but somewhat talked about it." The Dolphins hold the No.3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and the team has a big need to add more explosive playmakers for Tagovailoa. Smith, who became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991 and only the second since 1940, would certainly fit that criteria. Smith is participating in meetings and watching practices along with Dolphins coaches at the Senior Bowl, but he is not participating on the field due to a dislocated finger suffered in Alabama's national...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Two days after Aaron Rodgers opened up speculation about his future with the Green Bay Packers, the presumptive NFL MVP said Tuesday that he has reason to think he will be back with the only team he has ever played for during his 16-year NFL career. However, he put an emphasis on the word "think" during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show and SiriusXM Radio. "I don't think that there is any reason why I wouldn't be back," Rodgers said. "But look, there's not many absolutes in this business. So to make an absolute statement about something that is not an absolute, I didn't do it. And I guess that's why it went kind of nuts." Rodgers included himself in a group of players with uncertain futures in his comments after Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game. Leading into the game, he called his future "a beautiful mystery." On Monday, Packers president Mark Murphy said on WTAQ-WNFL radio in...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Two days after Aaron Rodgers opened up speculation about his future with the Green Bay Packers, the presumptive NFL MVP said Tuesday that he has reason to think he will be back with the only team he's ever played for during his 16-year NFL career. However, he put an emphasis on the word "think" during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show and SiriusXM Radio. "I don't think that there is any reason why I wouldn't be back," Rodgers said. "But look, there's not many absolutes in this business. So to make an absolute statement about something that is not an absolute, I didn't do it. And I guess that's why it went kind of nuts." Rodgers included himself in a group of players with uncertain futures in his comments after Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game. Leading into the game, he called his future "a beautiful mystery." On Monday, Packers president Mark Murphy said on WTAQ-WNFL radio in...

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead on Tuesday echoed coach Sean McVay when it comes to the future of quarterback Jared Goff. "Jared Goff is a Ram at this moment," Snead said when asked whether Goff would be on the roster in 2021. "It's way too early to speculate the future. That's a beautiful mystery." McVay on Jan. 17 -- one day after the Rams' loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional playoff -- wouldn't commit to Goff's future with the team. "Jared Goff, he's a Ram right now," said Snead, who was asked repeatedly about Goff's status moving forward during an hourlong videoconference with reporters Tuesday. "So what's the date? January 26th. That's a fact. That's obvious." Snead pointed out Goff's win total -- 42 -- since he partnered with McVay in 2017. That is tied with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and second only to Tom Brady (47) over that span. However, Goff, the...

Catcher J.T. Realmuto and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a five-year, $115.5 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The $23.1 million average annual value in Realmuto's deal is the highest for any catcher in Major League Baseball history. Realmuto also is just the third catcher in MLB history to sign a contract worth more than $100 million, joining Joe Mauer (eight-year, $184 million extension with the Minnesota Twins in 2010) and Buster Posey (nine-year, $167 million extension with the San Francisco Giants in 2013). Mauer previously held the record for highest average annual value, at $23 million, with his deal in 2010. Realmuto is the first catcher to sign a contract worth over $100 million in free agency. Realmuto, 29, continues to be one of the best all-around catchers in the majors, hitting .266 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs with the Phillies during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He did not accept an...

Catcher J.T. Realmuto and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a five-year, $115.5 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Realmuto, 29, continues to be one of the best all-around catchers in the majors, hitting .266 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs with the Phillies during the pandemic-shortened season. He did not accept an $18.9 million, one-year qualifying offer, instead seeking a longer-term deal on the free-agent market. Since 2018, Realmuto leads all MLB catchers in WAR (10.1), RBIs (189), stolen bases (16) and is second in slugging percentage (.489) and OPS (.825). His 57 home runs during that span ranks third among MLB catchers. Defensively, he has 11 runs saved over the past two seasons, which ranks fourth among catchers who have played more than 1,000 innings. Realmuto hit .275 with 25 homers and 83 RBIs while earning his second consecutive All-Star selection in 2019, leading the National League with 43 runners thrown out in his...

Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert is expected to make a full recovery after undergoing surgery to treat renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney Monday, the team announced. The surgery was performed by Dr. Jason Sprunger at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis, and the team said no further treatment is needed. LeVert, who was acquired in the four-team trade that sent James Harden to the Nets and Victor Oladipo to the Rockets, will remain out indefinitely, the Pacers said. The small mass on his kidney was discovered during a team physical and medical tests prior to that trade being finalized. The Pacers' front office has pledged to support him and stick by him throughout the process with no time frame set on his return. "I've always known Caris from afar, I've never known him as a person," Pacers center Myles Turner told ESPN. "I've always heard great things about him, obviously as a basketball player and an individual, so I think...

Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman and Pro Football Hall of Famer Will Shields, who also won the Outland Trophy while at Nebraska, and Virginia Union athletic director Joe Taylor, one of the winningest coaches in HBCU history, headline five new College Football Playoff selection committee members announced Tuesday. Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan and Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte, along with Shields and Taylor, will begin their three-year terms this spring on the 13-member committee. They will replace Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, former coach Ken Hatfield, former USC All-American Ronnie Lott, Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury, and Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin, whose terms have expired. "Mitch, Boo, Chris, Will and Joe will continue the integrity that has been the committee's hallmark through our seven...

Several injured players for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to be healthy for Super Bowl LV. Chiefs running back Le'Veon Bell (knee) and wide receiver Sammy Watkins (calf), as well as the Bucs duo of wide receiver Antonio Brown (knee) and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle), are all expected to be ready for Feb. 7, sources told ESPN's Dianna Russini. All four missed their conference championship games Sunday. Watkins played in 10 games for the Chiefs in the regular season. He was out earlier in the season with a sore hamstring and later with a calf injury, and he did not play in either of the Chiefs' previous postseason games. Watkins finished the regular season fifth on the Chiefs with 37 catches for 421 yards and two touchdowns. Bell joined the Chiefs in October after he was released by the New York Jets. Since his arrival, he has had a lesser impact for the Chiefs than had been...

Several injured players for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to be healthy for Super Bowl LV. Chiefs running back Le'Veon Bell (knee) and wide receiver Sammy Watkins (calf), as well as the Bucs duo of wide receiver Antonio Brown (knee) and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle), are all expected to be ready for Feb. 7, sources told ESPN's Dianna Russini. Each missed their team's championship game victories on Sunday. Watkins played in 10 games for the Chiefs in the regular season. He was out earlier in the season with a sore hamstring and later with a calf injury, and he did not play in either of the Chiefs' previous postseason games. Watkins finished the regular season fifth on the Chiefs with 37 catches for 421 yards and two touchdowns. Bell joined the Chiefs in October after he was released from the New York Jets. Since his arrival, he's had a lesser impact for the Chiefs than had been...

Jake Paul, the internet personality turned pro boxer, has his next fight set, and this time he'll be competing against an actual professional fighter. Paul will face former UFC fighter Ben Askren in an eight-round pro boxing match on April 17, Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh told ESPN. The fight will take place under the Triller Fight Club banner and will serve as the main event. The location of the event, which will air on traditional pay-per-view platforms, hasn't been finalized yet. The full card, which is expected to feature familiar names from the world of boxing, present and past, as well as other social media celebrities and MMA fighters all competing in boxing matches, will be revealed in the coming weeks. According to Kavanaugh, the fight will be contested with 10-ounce gloves in a 20-by-20 ring. It will mark the first pro boxing match of Askren's career. "I know Jake Paul is enjoying pretending he is a fighter," Askren said. "I think on April 17 he...

While Los Angeles and Philadelphia will mourn the one-year anniversary of the death of native son Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna on Tuesday, another one of Bryant's hometowns halfway across the globe will be doing the same. Reggio Emilia, located about an hour's drive west from Bologna in northern Italy, will unveil the "Largo Kobe and Gianna Bryant," a plaza dedicated to the man who spent several years of his youth living in the small city while his father, Joe Bryant, played for the Cantine Riunite, Reggio's professional basketball team. "The city of Reggio Emilia and its citizens loved, first Joe, and then Kobe Bryant, the child who, once he returned to America, always remembered Reggio with love," Emanuele Maccaferri, the vice president of the Sport Foundation of Reggio Emilia, told ESPN. "On this sad day we want to remember that happy child who left wonderful memories in so many people of Reggio Emilia." The space, located in the historic center of town, will be...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Andrew Wiggins spent six years playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he believes he has found a much better basketball home competing in a "winning culture" as a member of the Golden State Warriors. After playing against the Timberwolves on Monday for the first time in his career, the soft-spoken swingman made it clear he is more comfortable playing in the framework of the Warriors' "organized" team. "They're a championship team," Wiggins said after scoring 23 points and grabbing six rebounds, while explaining some of the differences he sees. "It's very positive over here, very positive, everyone's getting along. No egos, nothing like that. Everyone just wants to win. It's just a winning attitude, winning culture, everything is about winning. And we all want to get better, everyone is lifting each other up, cheering for each other, so it's all love over here." Wiggins, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2014 who was acquired by Minnesota...

It had been more than two years since LeBron James played a game in Cleveland, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The  Los Angeles Lakers star certainly made up for lost time on Monday, turning in perhaps his greatest performance against his former team. James scored a season-high 46 points in the Lakers' 115-108 win over the  Cavaliers, extending L.A.'s road winning streak to 10-0 to start the season, a franchise record, and he did it in style back in his home state of Ohio. "Home cooking," he said afterward on a videoconference with reporters. "It just felt good to be back in my haven, my rest haven, and that's being home." For much of the trip, it was all warm and fuzzy feelings for the 18-year veteran. He spent time with his mother and uncle. He greeted former teammate Cedi Osman with a big hug during warm-ups, skirting the league's health and safety protocols to show some love. He shouted out longtime Cavs employee Mark "Cobra" Cashman,...

DALLAS --  Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was ejected after what appeared to be an intentional shot to the groin area of the  Dallas Mavericks'  Tim Hardaway Jr. in the second half of their game Monday night. Murray stumbled backward after the pair collided as Denver was setting up on offense. Murray got up and reached between Hardaway's legs with his right arm, prompting Hardaway to double over. The official closest to the contact blew the whistle to stop play with 4:51 left in the third quarter and conferred with the other referees. The initial call was a foul on Murray, and it was upgraded to a flagrant foul 2 on a video review. Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after his team's 117-113 win that he had not seen a replay of the incident, but that he was told by crew chief Zach Zarba that the decision to upgrade the foul to a flagrant 2 was "fairly obvious." "Hopefully, it's nothing more than Jamal being ejected tonight and we can use...

A defamation lawsuit filed against Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Angels by Brian Harkins, the longtime clubhouse attendant who was fired for supplying illegal ball-doctoring substances to pitchers, has been struck down in Orange County Superior Court. Judge Geoffrey T. Glass granted the defendants' motion to dismiss Harkins' complaint, stating there was not enough evidence to prove Harkins had been defamed in the wake of his firing. A hearing was held on Jan. 21 to determine whether the case would move forward, and the judge's ruling was released Monday. Dan Rasmussen, an attorney for Harkins, said he plans to appeal. Harkins was fired last March, ending a nearly four-decade run with the Angels, after the organization was informed by MLB that he was providing pitchers with an illegal blend of rosin and pine tar. Harkins' original complaint, alleging defamation and false light, outlined the reasons applying rosin and pine tar on baseballs has been a long-held,...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr inserted veteran Kevon Looney into the team's starting lineup in place of rookie center James Wiseman for Monday night's contest -- a 130-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kerr said before the game he hoped the move would improve the unit's struggling defense. But after it was over, Kerr said he wasn't tied to the idea of keeping Wiseman, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, out of the starting lineup indefinitely. "I would say that development doesn't equal playing time or vice versa," Kerr said, when asked how difficult it is to balance trying to win while developing a young player such as Wiseman. "Development is really something that is -- it's tougher to define. It's really about understanding the game, learning the game. Sometimes you can learn observing from the bench a little bit. We're figuring out creative ways to try to teach him in practice sessions between...

The NHL has suspended former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka through Dec. 31, 2021, a source confirmed to ESPN. Commissioner Gary Bettman made the ruling Monday and circulated a memo to all teams that stated Chayka engaged in "conduct detrimental to the league and game." Bettman's ruling also said Chayka "breached his obligation to the club." The suspension is tied to Chayka's pursuing other opportunities while under contract with the Coyotes and terminating his contract with three years remaining on it, a source said. Chayka, 31, suddenly left the Coyotes in July, just before the playoffs. In a statement at the time, the team said: "The Club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to enter the NHL's hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin postseason play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the...

After sending a letter to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred that suggested delaying spring training "to allow for the COVID-19 situation to improve here," Cactus League executive director Bridget Binsbacher told ESPN on Monday that the 10 Phoenix-area facilities that host teams will be ready to open if games start as scheduled. "If it is determined that spring training is going to start on Feb. 27, we're prepared for that," Binsbacher told ESPN in an interview. "Our focus is having a safe, secure experience for all involved. We believe we can do that on the 27th. We believe we can do that a month from the 27th." Binsbacher's letter, which was co-signed by six mayors, two city managers and a president of a tribal community, cited the Phoenix area's high COVID-19 infection rate and a model that "projects a sharp decline in infections in Arizona by mid-March." Fifteen teams are scheduled to arrive in Arizona around mid-February, with games slated to begin Feb. 27....

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been ruled out for the  LA Clippers' game against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. The two stars did not join the team on its flight to Atlanta on Monday, sources told ESPN. The Clippers will be without their two best players and starting point guard Patrick Beverley (right knee soreness) as they carry a seven-game winning streak into Atlanta for the start of a six-game road trip. Depending on the extent of the NBA protocols, Leonard or George could potentially join the team on this trip, sources said. Leonard, George and Beverley played during Sunday's 108-100 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, George was held out of the final four-plus minutes with hamstring tightness and Beverley did not play in the second half due to the knee injury. Beverley also did not make the trip to Atlanta, sources said.  Leonard has been playing his best basketball...

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are discussing the possibility of holding an All-Star Game in early March -- with Atlanta emerging as the likely site, sources tell ESPN. The traditional All-Star Weekend -- previously scheduled for Indianapolis in February -- was canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but sources tell ESPN there are ongoing talks with the league and union about a March 7 game in Atlanta that would be a far-scaled-down version of the typical All-Star Weekend festivities, sources said. The NBA has a midseason break set for March 5-10. NBPA president Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns has been a proponent of the idea, which would include the showcasing and benefiting of historically Black colleges and universities and COVID-19 relief funds, sources said. Both the Atlanta Hawks' State Farm Arena and Atlanta-based HBCU campus gyms are under consideration to house a potential game, sources said. Atlanta is the...

The Major League Baseball Players Association has turned down the latest MLB proposal for the universal designated hitter and an expanded playoff format, sources confirmed to ESPN. The news was first reported by MLB Network. The union's stance has been all along that it did not want to talk about a trade of the universal DH -- which benefits a group of players -- in return for expanded playoffs. Nonetheless, MLB included the two items in its proposal, and that concept has been turned down, per sources. The universal DH and expanded playoff format were implemented for 2020 during the 60-game shortened regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic. NL teams have used a DH when playing in AL parks since interleague play was instituted in 1997. MLB implemented a 16-team playoff format for the 2020 postseason. The top two teams in each division, plus the two remaining teams with the best records in each league, made up the eight-team fields in the American and National Leagues. The...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Monday that the team could strike a long-term contract extension with quarterback Lamar Jackson this offseason, and he will speak to the reigning NFL MVP within the next 10 days. Jackson completed his third NFL season, which is the time when Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson each received their big-money deals. Based on market value, Jackson likely will command at least $40 million per season on an extension. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Jackson is scheduled to earn $1.77 million this upcoming season, which currently ranks 25th among quarterbacks in base salary. He will make significantly more in 2022 if he plays under his fifth-year option. "[He] certainly deserves a contract," DeCosta said in his 45-minute end-of-season news conference. "He has played phenomenal football over the last couple of years. My intention is to keep him in Baltimore for many, many...

The New York Yankees have traded reliever Adam Ottavino to the Boston Red Sox. The trade is the first deal between the AL East rivals since one involving Stephen Drew and Kelly Johnson in 2014. In addition to Ottavino, the Yankees announced they are sending RHP Frank German to Boston, with a source telling ESPN's Buster Olney $850,000 is also heading to the Red Sox. Boston, in exchange, will send either a player to be named later or cash considerations to New York. Ottavino signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Yankees ahead of the 2019 season. He proved a key part of the back end of New York's bullpen in 2019, pitching to a 1.90 ERA in 73 appearances that season. However, 2020 proved to be challenging for Ottavino, as he had a 5.89 ERA and blew three saves in 24 appearances. The right-hander will always hold a place in Yankees lore, as he was the first player in franchise history to wear No. 0.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Left tackle Eric Fisher won't play for the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he tore his Achilles tendon in Sunday's AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs shifted right tackle Mike Remmers to Fisher's spot after he left Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, and Remmers is the likely starter at left tackle against the Bucs, who finished the regular season tied for fourth in sacks with 48. The Bucs have seven sacks in their three playoff games, including five Sunday in their NFC Championship Game win over the  Green Bay Packers. The Chiefs have had to dig deep into their offensive line depth this season. They will play against the Bucs with three starting offensive linemen out with injuries, including both starting tackles (right tackle Mitchell Schwartz has been sidelined since Week 6 with a back injury). The Chiefs also had one starter, ...

The Major League Baseball Players Association has turned down the latest MLB proposal for the universal designated hitter and an expanded playoff format, sources confirmed to ESPN. The news was first reported by MLB Network. The union's stance has been all along that it did not want to talk about a trade of the universal DH -- which benefits a group of players -- in return for expanded playoffs. Nonetheless, MLB included the two items in its proposal, and that concept has been turned down, per sources. The universal DH and expanded playoff format were implemented for 2020 during the 60-game shortened regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic. NL teams have used a DH when playing in AL parks since interleague play was instituted in 1997. MLB implemented a 16-team playoff format for the 2020 postseason. The top two teams in each division, plus the two remaining teams with the best records in each league, made up the eight-team fields in the American and National Leagues. The...

Tom Brady's father says both he and his wife battled COVID-19 last year, which "stressed out" the star quarterback as he was beginning his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tom Brady Sr., in an interview Monday with ESPN Radio's #Greeny, said he was hospitalized for three weeks at one point last year and that both he and his wife, Galynn, were "sick as a dog." Brady Sr. noted that the couple, both 76 years old, did not watch the Bucs' first two games this season because of his hospitalization, saying it was the first time in their son's football career that they missed any games. "We've never missed a game at Michigan or New England or wherever," he told ESPN. "For the first two games when I was in the hospital, I didn't even care if they were playing -- much less missing the game. It was a matter of life and death, just like anybody who goes to the hospital. That's serious stuff." Tom Sr. said Galynn, who is a breast cancer survivor, did not require...

Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski reached out and apologized to a student reporter days after a viral exchange between the two. Jake Piazza, a reporter for the Duke Chronicle student newspaper, asked Krzyzewski about his team's "next step forward" after Saturday's 70-65 loss to Louisville -- Duke missed multiple shots in the final minutes -- but the longtime head coach wasn't in the mood to answer. "Yeah, why don't we just evaluate this game? I'm not into what our next step forward is right now," Krzyzewski said on the postgame Zoom call. He then compared the scenario to Piazza exiting a difficult class and immediately being asked about his "toughest test." But Piazza, who had made the trip from North Carolina to Kentucky, said Krzyzewski called him once he got back to his apartment in Durham. "Our call was short, but the sincerity in his apology was genuine," he wrote in a column on Monday. "And in the end, I appreciated the call." The...

Leaders of all eight Cactus League cities have sent a letter to Major League Baseball saying it would be "wise" to delay the start of spring training due to the high rate of COVID-19 infections in Arizona's Maricopa County. "In view of the current state of the pandemic in Maricopa County -- with one of the nation's highest infection rates -- we believe it is wise to delay the start of spring training to allow for the COVID-19 situation here," reads the letter, first acquired by TV station KPNX in Phoenix. "This position is based on public data from University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, which projects a sharp decline in infections in Arizona by Mid-March." The letter was signed by the executive director of the Cactus League, the city managers of Phoenix and Tempe, the mayors of Mesa, Scottsdale, Surprise, Glendale and Peoria, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community president The Cactus League serves as the spring training home for 15...

Texas coach Shaka Smart announced Monday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation. "I tested positive for COVID and am in isolation away from our team and my family," Smart said in a statement. "I am working remotely and look forward to rejoining our team in person when it is safe to do so." Texas, ranked No. 5 in this week's AP men's basketball poll, is scheduled to face Oklahoma on Tuesday and travel to Kentucky on Saturday. It's unclear whether either game will be impacted by Smart's positive test, and the school hasn't announced who will take over as interim head coach if Smart is forced to miss games. The Longhorns' associate head coach is K.T. Turner, who spent seven seasons at SMU before moving to Texas last offseason. The Longhorns had games against Iowa State and TCU postponed last week because of COVID-19 issues in the Cyclones' and Horned Frogs' programs. Texas is 11-2 overall, 5-1 in the Big 12 and in the mix for a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament.

Wide receiver  Martavis Bryant, who has not played in the NFL since 2018 because of an indefinite suspension for multiple drug policy violations, has signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. Bryant's last season in the NFL was with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2018, when he had 19 receptions for 266 yards in 12 games. He played that season while a yearlong suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy was under appeal, then he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL in December 2018. Bryant applied for reinstatement in 2019 but has not been reinstated by the league. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2014 to 2017 but was suspended for the entire 2016 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He also drew a four-game suspension in 2015 for the same reason. The Steelers traded Bryant to the Raiders before the 2018 season. Bryant, 29, was a...

The New York Yankees are trading reliever Adam Ottavino to the Boston Red Sox, a source confirmed to ESPN. The trade is the first deal between the AL East rivals since one involving Stephen Drew and Kelly Johnson in 2014. By moving Ottavino, the Yankees free up some cash, while the Red Sox add a late-inning arm. New York is also kicking in $850,000 in the deal, sources told ESPN's Buster Olney. The Athletic earlier reported news of the trade. Ottavino signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Yankees ahead of the 2019 season. He proved a key part of the back end of New York's bullpen in 2019, pitching to a 1.90 ERA in 73 appearances that season. However, 2020 proved to be challenging for Ottavino, as he had a 5.89 ERA and blew three saves in 24 appearances. The right-hander will always hold a place in Yankees lore, as he was the first player in franchise history to wear No. 0.

Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Jamal Adams and Derrick Henry will be among the real-life participants controlling the AFC and NFC in the virtual Pro Bowl using Madden NFL 21 on Sunday. Watson, Henry, Snoop Dogg and Keyshawn Johnson will represent the AFC. Murray, Adams, Bubba Wallace and Marshawn Lynch will represent the NFC. Each player will play for one five-minute quarter -- exact head-to-head matchups have not been determined -- while playing from his home using the official AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters. The Pro Bowl will be hosted by Charissa Thompson and Michael Strahan at 5 p.m. ET and will be streamed on the EA Madden NFL Twitch channel and the NFL's YouTube, Twitter and Facebook platforms. "We'll be taking the Pro Bowl to the virtual world of Madden this weekend and I can't wait to do it big with football fans in my favorite game," Snoop Dogg said in a media release explaining the particulars of the game. "I'm a Madden NFL star. So...

Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Jamal Adams and Derrick Henry will be among the real-life participants controlling the AFC and NFC in the virtual Pro Bowl using Madden 21 on Sunday. Watson, Henry, Snoop Dogg and Keyshawn Johnson will represent the AFC. Murray, Adams, Bubba Wallace and Marshawn Lynch will represent the NFC. Each player will play for one 5-minute quarter -- exact head-to-head matchups have not been determined -- while playing from their homes using the official AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters. The Pro Bowl will be hosted by Charissa Thompson and Michael Strahan at 5 p.m. ET and will be streamed on the EA Madden NFL Twitch channel and the NFL's YouTube, Twitter and Facebook platforms. "We'll be taking the Pro Bowl to the virtual world of Madden this weekend and I can't wait to do it big with football fans in my favorite game," Snoop Dogg said in a media release explaining the particulars of the game. "I'm a Madden NFL star. So Kyler and...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After last weekend's playoff win against the Cleveland Browns, safety  Tyrann Mathieu stole a look in the Kansas City Chiefs locker room at injured quarterback Patrick Mahomes. That quick peek told him Mahomes would not only return to play in Sunday night's AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills, but he would play well. "He was in the locker room and he had that look in his eye like, 'Don't forget about me,''' Mathieu said after Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 38-24 victory over Buffalo and a berth in Super Bowl LV against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "Just watching him work throughout the week, he was the same old Pat, the same teammate, the same leader, moving around, trying to extend plays. "On top of that, he's a gamer. It doesn't necessarily matter the situation or the circumstances. He tends to rise above all that.'' Mahomes, who was knocked out of last week's...

The GOAT is a 'dog in the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs opened as consensus 3-point favorites over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. The line was trending up Sunday night, with some sportsbooks moving to Kansas City -3.5. Barring significant line movement, it will be only the second time Brady has been an underdog in his 10 Super Bowl appearances. In his Super Bowl debut, Brady and the Patriots were 14-point underdogs against the St. Louis  Rams in 2002, a game New England won outright. The Chiefs were 3.5-point favorites over the Buccaneers when the teams met in Tampa, Florida, during Week 12 of the regular season. Kansas City won 27-24. The rematch in the Super Bowl also will take place at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, but oddsmakers don't expect there to be any home-field advantage for the Bucs. Brady led Tampa Bay to the franchise's second Super Bowl appearance by holding off the Green Bay...

HOUSTON -- Houstonians everywhere are hoping the Texans and quarterback  Deshaun Watson can reconcile before the 2021 season begins. Even in the mayor's office. On Sunday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted that the city "loves" Watson and the Texans and as the mayor, "I pray we move forward together." Later in the day, Turner followed that by tweeting he values Watson as a player, but he respects him even more as a person. "I know he loves this City because I have seen how much he has given of himself and his treasure to people in this City," Turner tweeted. "I am humbled to be his Mayor. I hope that won't change anytime soon." Watson is upset with the Texans' organization because of the way it handled the process of finding a new general manager, eventually hiring Nick Caserio, sources previously told ESPN. Watson has not asked for a trade, but on Sunday, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that the Texans' coaching decision is not expected to change...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Matt LaFleur said that while he did end up regretting his decision to take the ball out of Aaron Rodgers' hands and kick a field goal with 2:09 left in the Green Bay Packers' 31-26 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, he trusted the thinking behind the move. Down eight points (31-23) at the time and facing fourth-and-goal at the 8-yard line, LaFleur sent Mason Crosby in for a 26-yard field goal instead of giving Rodgers one more shot at the end zone (and then a 2-point-conversation attempt) to tie the score. Crosby converted, but Rodgers never got the ball back thanks to Tom Brady and a pass interference call on Packers cornerback Kevin King that allowed the Bucs to run out the clock. "Yeah, anytime it doesn't work out, you always regret it, right?" LaFleur said after the game. "It was just the circumstances of having three shots and coming away with no yards and knowing that you...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Even Aaron Rodgers doesn't know what the future holds for him with the Green Bay Packers. That's how he left things after Sunday's 31-26 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game. "[The Packers have] a lot of guys' futures that are uncertain -- myself included," Rodgers said as part of an answer about how different the team could look next season and what the 2020 campaign meant to him. "That's what's sad about it, most, getting this far. Obviously, it's going to be an end at some point, whether we make it past this one or not, but just the uncertainty's tough and finality of it all." The 37-year-old presumptive NFL MVP is under contract through 2023 via the $134 million contract extension he signed in 2018. But his long-term future with the Packers was thrown into question when general manager Brian Gutekunst traded up to select Rodgers' possible eventual replacement, Jordan Love, with the 26th pick in...

Wednesday's game between the Bulls and Grizzlies at FedExForum in Memphis has been postponed due to the NBA's health and safety's protocols. It will be the Grizzlies' fifth straight game postponed under the policy and sixth overall, matching the Washington Wizards for most in the NBA. The Wizards returned to action on Sunday, their first game in 13 days after six players tested positive for COVID-19 and three others had to miss several days following contact tracing. The NBA said the game is being postponed due to contact tracing with the Grizzlies and the fact the team will not be able to practice before the scheduled game. The Grizzlies have no new players entered into the health and safety protocols, a source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The next scheduled game for the Grizzlies is Saturday in San Antonio against the Spurs. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Closer Brad Hand and the Washington Nationals are in agreement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Sunday. The 30-year-old left-hander is poised to become Washington's closer in his 11th major league season, joining the back end of the bullpen that already includes Will Harris, Daniel Hudson and Tanner Rainey. Hand had another solid season as the closer for the Cleveland Indians in 2020, leading the major leagues with 16 saves, but he was a victim of the team's salary purge heading into 2021. Cleveland declined his $10 million option in exchange for a $1 million buyout. Cleveland tried to deal the three-time All-Star after the season but was unable to find a trade partner. Hand was acquired from the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline in 2018. In two-plus seasons with Cleveland, he had 58 saves in 65 chances and a 2.78 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 107 innings over...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Matt LaFleur said that while he did end up regretting his decision to take the ball out of Aaron Rodgers' hands and kick a field goal with 2:09 left in the Green Bay Packers' 31-26 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game, he trusted the thinking behind the move. Down eight points (31-23) at the time and facing fourth-and-goal at the 8-yard line, LaFleur sent Mason Crosby in for a 26-yard field goal instead of giving Rodgers one more shot at the end zone (and then a 2-point-conversation attempt) to tie the game.   Rodgers never got the ball back thanks to Tom Brady and a pass interference call on Packers cornerback Kevin King that allowed the Bucs to run out the clock. "Yeah, anytime it doesn't work out, you always regret it, right?" LaFleur said after the game. "It was just the circumstances of having three shots and coming away with no yards and knowing that you not only need the...

Tom Brady is going back to the Super Bowl. For a 10th time. At the age of 43. But this time it comes as the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady and the Bucs knocked off the No. 1-seeded Green Bay Packers 31-26 in Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field. They now will face the defending Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs -- a 38-24 winner over the Buffalo Bills in Sunday's AFC Championship Game -- at Raymond James Stadium in Super Bowl LV. The Bucs will become the first team in NFL history to play a Super Bowl in their own stadium. As Brady walked off the field Sunday, he shouted to teammate Devin White, "D-White, where we going? We're going home!" "I guess when I was holding the Halas Trophy, I was like, 'Oh my gosh. We're actually gonna do it,'" coach Bruce Arians said. "We can dream about looking across the street [at the stadium] for two weeks." Arians will become the second-oldest coach behind Marv Levy to...

Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen announced before Sunday's NFC Championship Game that he plans to retire and join Fox Sports' NFL coverage. Olsen spent the 2021 season with the Seattle Seahawks after nine years with the Carolina Panthers, where he became the first tight end in NFL history to have three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2014 to '16. The Panthers released Olsen, 35, during the 2020 offseason under new coach Matt Rhule. He signed a one-year, $6.6 million deal with Seattle in February. In July, Olsen signed a deal to be Fox Sports' No. 2 NFL television analyst, paired with Kevin Burkhardt, after he retires. "Proud of what I was able to accomplish in this league, proud of the relationships and everything that the game has given me,'' Olsen said during Fox Sports' pregame show. "But sometimes, when it's time, it's time, and my time in the NFL now has come to an end. I'm excited for the next chapter. ... I've got it all out of my...

The New York Yankees added another bounce-back candidate to their starting rotation Sunday, acquiring Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates for four minor league prospects. Pittsburgh received pitchers Miguel Yajure and Roansy Contreras, infielder Maikol Escotto and outfielder Canaan Smith in the trade, which has been announced by both teams. Taillon, 29, was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2010 and was a 14-game winner for the Pirates in 2018. But the hard-throwing right-hander appeared in just seven games in 2019 and missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow. The Yankees agreed to the trade less than two weeks after signing two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, who also is looking to rebound from back-to-back injury-marred seasons. Taillon, who has spent his entire professional career in the Pirates' organization, tweeted Sunday that it was a "bittersweet day" for...

The Texans' coaching decision is not expected to change Deshaun Watson's thinking, as the quarterback is still expected to want out of Houston, no matter who the head coach is, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The Texans are expected to request a second interview with Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and could ask for a second interview with  Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy after Sunday's AFC Championship Game, sources told ESPN. Frazier privately has told some people that he thinks he has a legitimate chance to land the Texans' job and has tried assembling a coaching staff in the event that he does. Bieniemy had a strong staff, but some of his candidates are beginning to accept other jobs. But Watson has been upset with the Texans over, among other issues, the process they used to hire general manager Nick Caserio, sources told ESPN, leading to widespread speculation that Houston could trade the star...