Sports News

The Houston Texans, in need of receiving help after  Tank Dell's season-ending knee injury, claimed wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers Monday. Earlier Monday, the team announced that Dell suffered a torn ACL and dislocated kneecap in the Texans' 27-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. The Ravens waived Johnson on Friday, ending his drama-filled seven weeks with the team. The Ravens suspended him for one game after he refused to play in a Dec. 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles and then he was excused from team activities last week. Baltimore had acquired Johnson in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29, but he played only 39 snaps for the team, catching one pass for 6 yards. The Ravens, meanwhile, claimed wide receiver/kick returner Steven Sims off waivers from the Texans on Monday. Sims averaged 27.9 yards on seven kickoff returns and 6.2 yards on 16 punt returns this season. The...

The NBA fined Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards $75,000 on Monday for criticizing the referees of Saturday's game between Minnesota and the visiting Golden State Warriors. In a news release, the league said Edwards used "inappropriate and profane language" during a postgame media session after the Timberwolves' 113-103 loss. It marks the second time in two weeks that Edwards' postgame comments have cost him cash. The 23-year-old was fined $25,000 on Dec. 9 for using profane language during an interview after Minnesota won at Golden State 107-90 three days earlier. A two-time All-Star, Edwards leads the Timberwolves (14-13) with 25.6 points per game this season to go with 5.4 rebounds and four assists per contest.

Former Purdue tight end Max Klare has committed to Ohio State, he told ESPN. He's the No. 1 tight end in the NCAA transfer portal in ESPN's rankings. Klare is a redshirt sophomore who will have two years of eligibility remaining. He emerged as one of the country's most productive tight ends in 2024, hauling in 51 passes for 685 yards and four receiving touchdowns. Each of those numbers led the Boilermakers. He pointed to coach Ryan Day's history of developing players and the plan laid out to him by offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and tight ends coach Keenan Bailey as playing a big role in his decision. "Really, when it came down to making the decision, Coach Day's ability to develop players and send them off to the NFL, the developmental process for me was huge," Klare told ESPN. He added that the program's annual high ceiling also played into the decision. "Just an opportunity to win a national championship and develop into a better player and...

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose football future remains a mystery, suggested Monday that he could be released at the end of the season. He also joked about the possibility of being released by the owner's teenage son -- an obvious poke at owner Woody Johnson and the latest controversy surrounding the organization. "Being released would be a first; being released by a teenager, that would also be a first," Rodgers said with a laugh during his weekly spot on "The Pat McAfee Show." "So, hey, I'm open to everything and I find the comedy in all of it. If that happens, hey, it's a great story." It was a reference to a story last week by The Athletic, which reported that Johnson, 77, takes advice from his teenage sons, Brick and Jack. Rodgers, 41, has said the Jets are his "first option" if he decides to return for a 21st season. The Jets are in the process of a regime change, as they fired coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas during the...

The Houston Texans claimed wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers Monday, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move comes on the same day the team announced wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a torn ACL and dislocated kneecap in Saturday's 27-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Ravens waived Johnson on Friday, ending his drama-filled seven weeks with the team. The Ravens suspended him for one game after he refused to play in a Dec. 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles and then he was excused from team activities last week. Baltimore had acquired Johnson in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29, but he played only 39 snaps for the team, catching one pass for 6 yards. The Texans host the Ravens on Christmas Day. The Texans were thin at receiver beyond star wideout  Nico Collins after also losing Stefon Diggs to a torn ACL earlier this season. John Metchie III, Robert Woods and ...

Once again, Bevo will not be making the trip to Atlanta, as the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl announced Monday that there is not enough room on the sideline in Mercedes Benz-Stadium for the Texas Longhorns mascot. Earlier this month, Bevo was not allowed to travel to the SEC championship game, at the same venue, for the same reason. Texas faces Arizona State in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal Jan. 1. The Peach Bowl said in a statement, "We love all of the great traditions of college football and no doubt, Bevo is one of the best, but the unfortunate reality is there is simply not enough room on the sidelines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. "With the constraints of the stadium and prioritizing the safety of Bevo, the players, all the network cameras, support staff, cheerleaders, and photographers, we unfortunately will not be able to have Bevo on the field." The 1,700-pound Bevo XV, with a horn span of 58 inches, would need a significantly sized enclosure to fit...

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose football future remains a mystery, suggested Monday he could be released at the end of the season. He also joked about the possibility of being released by the owner's teenaged son -- an obvious poke at owner Woody Johnson and the latest controversy surrounding the organization. "Being released would be a first; being released by a teenager, that would also be a first," Rodgers said with a laugh during his weekly spot on "The Pat McAfee Show." "So, hey, I'm open to everything and I find the comedy in all of it. If that happens, hey, it's a great story." It was a reference to a story last week by The Athletic, which reported that Johnson, 77, takes advice from his teenaged sons, Brick and Jack. Rodgers, 41, has said the Jets are his "first option" if he decides to return for a 21st season. The Jets are in the process of a regime change, as they fired coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas during the season...

A Notre Dame defense that has overcome key injuries all season must do so again as standout defensive lineman Rylie Mills will miss the remainder of the College Football Playoff with a right knee injury. Coach Marcus Freeman on Monday confirmed the outlook for Mills, who was injured while sacking Indiana's Kurtis Rourke early in the second half of Friday's 27-17 first-round win at Notre Dame Stadium. Mills, a senior and a captain, leads Notre Dame in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (8.5). Following the game, Freeman told ESPN's Scott Van Pelt that Mills' injury did not appear to be season-ending and that there was "optimism" Notre Dame could regain him for the CFP quarterfinal against No. 2 seed Georgia on Jan. 1 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Mills' absence stings a Fighting Irish defense that already has lost All-America cornerback Benjamin Morrison and rush ends Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore. The defensive...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Patrick Mahomes said his injured ankle "should be in a better place" heading into the Kansas City Chiefs' Christmas Day game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. "We haven't done a ton as far as getting out there on the practice field,'' Mahomes said before Monday's practice, the most intense of the short workweek. "We've done a walk-through, actually two walk-throughs now, and I feel like I can move around and do what I need to do and now we'll get to get to a little bit faster-paced practice and see where I'm truly at. But I thought, all in all, I came out pretty well. "Obviously the body's going to be sore just with a short week and everything like that, but I think the ankle should be in a better place. We'll see in practice [Monday], but as far as how I felt after this game compared to the one before, I'm definitely in a lot better place.'' Six days after suffering a high ankle sprain against the Cleveland Browns, Mahomes...

Chris Koclanes, a former WNBA and current USC assistant coach, has been hired as the new head coach of the Dallas Wings, the team announced Monday. With Koclanes at the helm, the Wings -- who boast the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft -- will look to return to the playoffs after finishing second-to-last in the standings in 2024. They previously fired Latricia Trammell after the team went 9-31 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Koclanes takes over the role after spending eight seasons in the league working under Wings general manager Curt Miller, who previously coached the Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun. Known for his defensive focus, Koclanes served as defensive coordinator under Miller in both Connecticut and Los Angeles and is also well-regarded for his work in player development. Miller has previously called Koclanes "one of the elite assistant coaches" and "best and brightest" in the WNBA. "We are thrilled to...

HOUSTON --  Texans wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a torn ACL and dislocated kneecap in Saturday's 27-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday. Ryans also said there are "other things" Dell will need to get repaired when he undergoes surgery. After Dell suffered the injury, he was admitted overnight to University of Kansas Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center about 12 miles from Arrowhead Stadium. He flew back to Houston on Sunday and met with doctors for further evaluation. Dell's injury occurred on a touchdown catch from quarterback C.J. Stroud on the Texans' first possession of the second half when Texans wideout Jared Wayne collided with his knee. It was his seventh reception for 98 yards and cut Kansas City's lead to 17-16. This is Dell's second major leg injury after his rookie season was cut short due to a broken leg in an early-December game against the Denver Broncos. He also was shot in late April,...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce does not care one bit about his quarterback-needy team's slot in the 2025 NFL draft slipping from No. 2 to No. 6 with its 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Even as Raiders fans howled loudly and negatively about the possibility of Las Vegas falling out of contention for the first overall pick and potentially selecting either Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders or Miami QB Cam Ward. "We don't do this to lose," Pierce said Monday. "We don't do this for anybody's fantasy football team. We don't do this for anybody's draft projections. None of that s--- matters to us. The only thing that matters is winning, and that's all we want to do." The Raiders (3-12) snapped a 10-game losing streak, their longest such skid since 2014, with the win over the Jaguars, who fell to 3-12. Las Vegas also has wins over the Cleveland Browns (3-12) and Baltimore...

Right-hander Walker Buehler and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $21.05 million contract, sources told ESPN, sending the pitcher who secured the final out of the World Series this year to a team loading up on starting pitching as it pivots toward contention. The deal, first reported by Yahoo Sports, includes an additional $2.5 million in performance bonuses, sources said. Buehler, a 30-year-old two-time All-Star who was among the game's best starters from 2018 to 2021, was one of the most fascinating free agents this winter. After undergoing a second Tommy John surgery in 2022, Buehler returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers and allowed a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts. He remained in the Dodgers' postseason rotation and reinforced his previously established big-game bona fides, throwing four shutout innings in a National League Championship Series win, providing five more shutout innings in a World Series win and then returning on one day's rest to...

SMU quarterback Preston Stone is set to transfer to Northwestern for the 2025 season, sources told ESPN. Stone, who opened the last two seasons as SMU's starter, entered the transfer portal earlier this month but said he would remain with the team through the College Football Playoff. He was with the 11th-seeded Mustangs for Saturday's 38-10 loss at No. 6 Penn State but did not play, even though starter Kevin Jennings threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for Penn State touchdowns. Northwestern is looking for an established starter after dropping to 110th nationally in passing offense with only seven passing touchdowns during a 4-8 season. Jack Lausch started the team's final 10 games, although both he and Mike Wright are set to return in 2025. Stone, a 6-foot-1, 214-pound junior, started SMU's first 12 games last season and passed for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions, as the team reached the AAC champions game. He broke his leg in the...

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. --  Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas returned interceptions for touchdowns and Penn State toyed with mistake-prone SMU in a 38-10 victory on Saturday in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (12-2) advanced to face fourth-seeded Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve by hounding Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings into three turnovers, including a pair of ill-thrown floaters in the first half DeLuca and Rojas converted into Pick-6s that sent the white-out crowd at wintry Beaver Stadium into a frenzy and SMU (11-3) into a funk from which it never recovered. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen ran for scores for the Nittany Lions. Drew Allar completed 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards while playing every meaningful snap after backup Beau Pribula - who occasionally and effectively spelled Allar throughout the year - entered the transfer portal earlier...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The injuries are piling up for the Houston Texans as wideout Tank Dell was carted off with a left leg injury after catching a touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud in the third quarter of Saturday's 27-19 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs. Dell was taken to University of Kansas Hospital, 12 miles from stadium, and is being treated at a level 1 trauma center. On the Texans' first possession of the second half, Stroud threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Dell in the end zone to make the score 17-16. But on the reception, wideout Jared Wayne collided with Dell's lower leg and the second-year wideout out of Houston immediately grabbed his leg and barely moved. The Texans hovered around Dell as a few players broke out into tears before his leg was placed in an air cast and he was lifted into the back of the cart. Dell was playing a major role on the day as he had a team-high 98 yards on seven catches with a touchdown. This is...

Florida State transfer defensive end Patrick Payton has committed to LSU, sources told ESPN on Saturday, adding to a star-studded transfer portal recruiting class for the Tigers. Payton is the No. 1 defensive end and No. 12 overall player in ESPN's transfer rankings. He has one more season of eligibility. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound pass rusher was viewed as a potential early-round draft pick if he put together a strong junior season, but he is now looking to stay in school for one more year. The 2022 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year recorded 80 pressures, 31.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and 13 pass breakups over the past three seasons for the Seminoles. LSU has now signed four of the top 12 players in ESPN's transfer rankings, with Payton joining former Kentucky wide receiver Barion Brown (No. 7), Virginia Tech cornerback Mansoor Delane (No. 9) and Oklahoma wide receiver Nic Anderson (No. 11). The Tigers also picked up...

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a one-year, $12.5 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN, pairing the 2022 National League MVP and seven-time All-Star with the American League champions in the midst of a significant overhaul. Goldschmidt, 37, has been among the most consistent hitters of his generation. He combines power and patience, hitting .289/.381/.510 with 362 home runs over a 14-year career. His four Gold Gloves were earned through a deftness at first, and in his time in Arizona and St. Louis, Goldschmidt was a beloved figure. In his first foray into free agency, Goldschmidt chose to join a Yankees team that is redoubling its championship efforts after losing star right fielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets. The Yankees started by signing left-hander Max Fried, followed with trades for closer Devin Williams and outfielder Cody Bellinger, and dipped back...

Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker has been ruled out for the next two games because of left groin soreness, the team announced Saturday. Booker will miss Saturday's game against the Detroit Pistons and Monday's game at the Denver Nuggets. The team said he will be reevaluated early next week. Booker, 28, sat out practice Friday, one day after sustaining the injury in the third quarter of a 120-111 loss to the visiting Indiana Pacers. He departed with 5:18 left in the third quarter and was examined in the locker room before being ruled out. He had 17 points and six assists in 25 minutes and made 5 of 10 shots. "Hopefully, it's nothing serious," Suns big man Jusuf Nurkic said of Booker's injury. "For me, it's a part of the game. We've got to figure it out." Saturday will mark Booker's first missed game of the season. He is averaging 25.1 points, 6.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds. Information from Field Level Media was used in this report. ...

President Joe Biden is abandoning his efforts to provide some protections for transgender student-athletes and cancel student loans for more than 38 million Americans, the first steps in an administration-wide plan to jettison pending regulations to prevent President-elect Donald Trump from retooling them to achieve his own aims. The White House expects to pull back unfinished rules across several agencies if there isn't enough time to finalize them before Trump takes office. If the proposed regulations were left in their current state, the next administration would be able to rewrite them and advance its agenda more quickly. As the pending Biden regulations are withdrawn, nothing prevents Trump from pursuing his own regulations on the same issues when he returns to the White House, but he would have to start from scratch in a process that can take months or even years. For the regulation on transgender students, the Education Department said it was withdrawing the proposal...

The New York Yankees traded catcher Jose Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds for right-hander Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson, the teams announced Friday. The move represents a passing of the torch behind the plate for the Yankees. Trevino, 32, arrived in New York via trade with the Texas Rangers before the start of the 2022 season to start at catcher. He excelled with his bat in the first half of that season, making his first and only All-Star team. He also won a Gold Glove and the American League Platinum Glove after leading all catchers with 21 defensive runs saved. He finished the season batting .248 with 11 home runs and a .671 OPS. Injuries limited Trevino to 55 games in 2023. He began the 2024 campaign as the Yankees' starting catcher until he landed on the injured list because of a quadriceps injury in July. Austin Wells, a rookie, replaced Trevino and didn't surrender the starting job for the remainder of the season....

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Oleksandr Usyk's team requested the Middle East Professional Boxing Commission at Friday's rules meeting to mandate that Tyson Fury trim his burly beard ahead of Saturday's unified heavyweight championship rematch, sources told ESPN. Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) was clean-shaven in May when he was floored in Round 9 and lost a split decision to Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) for the undisputed heavyweight championship in Riyadh. Throughout fight week, the 36-year-old has sported an unruly beard. The WBC, WBA and WBO titles are on the line. WBC championship fight rules state that "a boxer may spouse a trimmed beard ... as long as, in the direction of the commission and the supervisor, the facial hair thickness does not: 1) cushion or in any way affect the impact or trajectory of punches; or 2) cut cuts or abrasions to his rival." Fury will not trim the beard, his manager, Spencer Brown of Goldstar, told ESPN. "Tyson Fury has boxed with a beard on many occasions as do other...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame players and coaches linked arms in the northeast corner of the field late Friday, waiting to sing the alma mater for the final time at home in 2024. After a slight delay, coach Marcus Freeman bounded into the group, pumping his first toward the student section before the band began to play. No. 7 Notre Dame had beaten No. 10  Indiana  27-17, using a familiar formula of stifling defense, big-play runs and relentless physicality to overwhelm a lesser opponent, just like the Fighting Irish had done for most of the season. But Friday's win and setting was different. A Notre Dame program steeped in history became the first to win a campus College Football Playoff game. The Irish, who had not won a CFP contest before, played their first Friday home game since 1900 before a full-throated crowd, many of whom came to campus on a snowy morning and celebrated throughout the day and night. Freeman, fresh off a new contract in his third...

A week full of wild swings for the Washington Commanders' pursuit of a stadium in the District of Columbia ended with another twist -- and what one person involved called a Hail Mary -- that elevates the likelihood of the team returning to the city. Early Saturday morning, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill by unanimous consent that would allow the federal government to lease more than 170 acres of land to the district at the site where RFK Stadium resides. It greatly increases the chances of the Commanders building a new stadium at the site, although more hurdles remain before that's a reality. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has said the district plans to build more housing and a recreation center on the grounds. She has been aggressive in her pursuit of the Commanders, who have been looking for a new stadium site for several years. "This is a win for DC, for our region, and for America," Bowser posted on X. "Everybody loves a good comeback story - and that's DC's...

Kirk Cousins' divorce from the Falcons is expected to be finalized before his $10 million roster bonus is due March 17, with executives across the NFL fully expecting Atlanta to release him by then. The split between Cousins and the Falcons is inevitable at this point, according to multiple sources. Front office executives observing the situation have pointed out that, due to the no-trade clause in Cousins' contract, he now has all the leverage. And nobody believes he will do any favors for a Falcons team that surprised him on draft night by selecting another quarterback,  Michael Penix Jr., in the first round, then benched him this week in favor of the rookie. Thus there now is a widespread expectation across the league that the Falcons will not be able to trade Cousins and will have to release him before March 17, when his $10 million roster bonus for the 2026 season comes due. There is no need for the Falcons to absorb any more costs for a quarterback whom they...

BEREA, Ohio -- Despite enduring another season of double-digit losses, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett wants to continue his career in Cleveland. But the NFL's reigning Defensive Player of the Year wants to know definitively that the Browns have a plan to place him on a winning team soon. Garrett said Friday that he has no desire for a rebuild and wants to speak to the organization's decision-makers about its offseason plans, including at quarterback. "I'm not trying to rebuild," he said. "I'm trying to win right now. And I want that to be apparent when the season is over and we have those discussions. I want them to be able to illuminate, illustrate that for me so that can be something I can see in the near future. Because that's all we want to do. "I want to stay loyal to a team that showed loyalty to me and faith in me by drafting me. But we have to do, at the end of the day, what's best for us. So, if we have that alignment where this is something that is...

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany and RB Leipzig counterpart Marco Rose struggled to discuss Bayern's 5-1 victory on Friday and a planned Christmas ceremony at the Allianz Arena was cut short after a car drove into crowds at a market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg. Authorities described the incident as a deliberate attack. It occurred approximately one hour before the start of the  Bundesliga match, leaving at least two people killed and 60 others injured. "It's almost impossible to talk about football tonight. Right now the people in Magdeburg are in our thoughts," Kompany said. "Hopefully, at some point there will be peace, not only in Germany but everywhere. We won today, but I hope next year there will be more wins for peace." The two people confirmed dead were an adult and a toddler, but officials said additional deaths couldn't be ruled out because 15 people had been seriously injured. "I've heard the news from Magdeburg, it makes all...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens waived disgruntled wide receiver Diontae Johnson on Friday, ending his drama-filled seven weeks with the team. Johnson, who was acquired by the Ravens from the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29, can be claimed by a team starting Monday at 4 p.m. Johnson's time with the Ravens amounted to 1 catch, 6 yards receiving, 39 snaps and a lot of frustration. He was suspended by Baltimore for one game after he refused to play Dec. 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles and was then excused from team activities this past week. His departure comes at a time when the Ravens could use him the most. Baltimore might be very thin on experienced wide receivers after ruling out Nelson Agholor (concussion) and listing Rashod Bateman (foot) as questionable for Saturday's pivotal AFC North game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The lack of proven depth at wide receiver led the Ravens to send a fifth-round pick to...

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Commanders' ability to return to the District of Columbia suffered a critical blow when a provision that would have given the city control of the land was excluded from a spending bill that passed in Congress. A provision that would have allowed Congress to transfer federal land to the district would have been a significant step toward the Commanders building a stadium in the city. But the provision, included in the first iteration of the bill Tuesday, was removed and not included in the final version that passed Friday. It would have given the city control of more than 170 acres in the district at the site that still houses RFK Stadium, where Washington played from 1961 to 1996. The franchise won three Super Bowls from 1982 to 1991. It was not a guarantee the Commanders would have built a stadium there, but one source said it would have greatly increased their chances of doing so. It still would have needed approval from the D.C. council,...

The Houston Astros and free agent first baseman Christian Walker have agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN amid multiple reports Friday. The deal is pending a physical exam, a source told ESPN. The addition of Walker in all likelihood marks the end of Alex Bregman's tenure in Houston, not to mention the Astros' ill-fated attempts to pry Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals. Walker manning first base for the next three years means Isaac Paredes, the 25-year-old corner infielder who was recently acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, will probably be Bregman's replacement at third base. Walker, who turns 34 on March 28, is widely regarded as one of the sport's best defensive first basemen and will also provide some power to the middle of the Astros' lineup. He slashed .250/.332/.481 with 95 home runs and 281 RBIs with the Arizona...

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was back in the starting lineup Friday night against the visiting  Charlotte Hornets after a one-game absence due to a sinus fracture. Sporting a black protective mask, Embiid returned to the court after sitting out the Sixers' 121-108 victory over the Hornets on Monday. He suffered the injury last Friday when he was struck in the face by  Indiana's  Bennedict Mathurin while going for a defensive rebound.  Head coach Nick Nurse noted earlier this week that the sinus fracture was "not nearly as severe" as the two previous facial fractures Embiid suffered in his career. Embiid entered the day with just six games played this season due to knee soreness and was averaging just 20.3 points, well below his career average.

A record nine MLB teams were over the luxury tax threshold for 2024, according to a memo sent to teams on Friday and obtained by ESPN. The result was a record $311 million paid in penalties, led by the Los Angeles Dodgers who are paying $103,016,896. The New York Mets were next at $97,115,609. The Chicago Cubs were taxed the least, paying $570,309. The six other teams, along with their penalties, who had Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payrolls higher than $237 million, which triggers the tax, include the New York Yankees ($62,512,111), the Philadelphia Phillies ($14,351,954), the Atlanta Braves ($14,026,496), the Texas Rangers ($10,807,196), the Houston Astros ($6,483,041) and the San Francisco Giants ($2,421,788). The Dodgers, Mets, Yankees and Phillies were taxed at a base rate of 50% because they've been over the tax in three or more consecutive years. The Braves and Rangers exceeded the threshold for the...

Netflix and FIFA have agreed a deal for the streaming giant to have exclusive United States broadcasting rights to the next two FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments, global football's governing body confirmed on Friday. The 2027 edition of the World Cup is set for Brazil, while a host has not yet been finalised for the 2031 tournament. The U.S. is expected to make a bid. FIFA unbundled media rights from the men's bidding for the first time for the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. Fox has the men's World Cup deal through 2026, which cleared the way for FIFA's separate bidding process. "This is a landmark moment for sports media rights," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. "As a marquee brand and FIFA's new long-term partner, Netflix has shown a very strong level of commitment to growing women's football. "This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Women's World Cup and the global women's game. FIFA and Netflix partnering together makes this a truly...

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky -- Penn State's women's volleyball team won a historic national semifinal match Thursday to set up even more history Sunday: For the first time since the NCAA tournament for the sport began in 1981, a woman will win the title as head coach. That's guaranteed, as both teams in Sunday's final (ABC, 3 p.m. ET) are coached by women. Penn State is led by Katie Schumacher-Cawley, while its opponent in the championship round, Louisville, is led by Dani Busboom Kelly. Both women won NCAA titles as players -- Schumacher-Cawley with Penn State in 1999 and Busboom Kelly with Nebraska in 2006. "I think we've heard that quite a bit: the first time a woman this or that," Schumacher-Cawley said. "But I'm excited for this team. I think Dani's an exceptional coach, and I'm excited we both get to compete at this level." It has been an emotional year for the Nittany Lions, with Schumacher-Cawley coaching despite being diagnosed with breast cancer in September. The Nittany Lions...

SAN ANTONIO -- Finger by finger, Devin Vassell counted the "wow" moments executed by Victor Wembanyama in his 42-point gem Thursday night that carried the San Antonio Spurs to a 133-126 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks. "The pass to  Jeremy [Sochan], I sat there and said, 'There is no way.' Way," Vassell said, laughing. "Then, obviously he throws it off the glass [to himself]. Are we playing in our backyard or are we playing in the NBA?" Regardless of the venue, Wembanyama's performance proved near otherworldly. He became the first NBA player to connect on seven 3-pointers while totaling 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks in the same game. The 20-year old also joined  Joel Embiid (November 2022) and Karl-Anthony Towns (December 2018) as the only players this century to rack up 60 points, 10 assists and 10 blocks in a two-game span. Wembanyama capped the latest milestone in dramatic fashion against the Hawks by scoring...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- After LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leader in regular-season minutes played Thursday, Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick congratulated the 39-year-old star in the locker room in front of the team. The reception from his teammates following L.A.'s 113-100 win over the Sacramento Kings was a little looser. "They told me I'm old as hell and all that," James said after logging 34 minutes to bring his career total to 57,471, moving Abdul-Jabbar to No. 2 with 57,446. James, a 22-year veteran, is the oldest active player in the league and has finally shown signs of aging this season, recently taking an eight-day absence from the team to rehabilitate a left foot injury. However, he has turned in two effective performances since coming back to the lineup, and the Lakers won both games against teams they're jostling with in the Western Conference standings in the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento. He had 19...

Outfielder Max Kepler and the Phillies are in agreement on a one-year, $10 million contract, sources told ESPN, adding a corner outfielder to Philadelphia's offensive mix as it looks to retool after a disappointing exit in the National League Division Series. Kepler, 31, spent the first 10 years of his career with the Minnesota Twins, tantalizing with physical tools and providing solid defense. Over the past decade, Kepler has hit .237/.318/.429 with 161 home runs and 508 RBIs in 1,072 games. The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by MLB.com. Kepler missed time because of injuries to both knees in 2024 and hit .253/.302/.380 over 105 games. Kepler, who is expected to spend most of his time with Philadelphia in left field, had a career-best season in 2019, when he hit .252/.336/.519 with 36 home runs and 90 RBIs. The Phillies, whose outfield production ranked in the bottom third of Major League Baseball this year, entered the...

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Cameron Dicker made the longest fair catch free kick in NFL history at the end of the second quarter of the Los Angeles Chargers' 34-27 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. Dicker made the 57-yarder on the seldom-used play, which allows a team that has just made a fair catch to attempt a field goal without the opponent trying to block it. The kick shortened the Broncos' lead to 21-13 at the half and proved to be a spark for the Chargers, who outscored Denver 21-6 over the next two quarters.  The longest previous fair catch free kick was a 52-yarder by Paul Hornung of the Green Bay Packers in 1962. The Chargers looked as if they would go into halftime down 11 points after quarterback Justin Herbert was intercepted by cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine late in the first half. But a quick three-and-out by the Broncos' offense and a fair catch interference penalty on Denver cornerback Tremon...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- By the time Jake LaRavia swished a 3-pointer to give the Grizzlies an eye-popping 123-66 lead early in the fourth quarter Thursday night, the nights for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green had been long over. The Golden State Warriors had such a brutal and humiliating evening that their two stars didn't even realize they had failed to make a field goal in a game together for the first time in their careers as Memphis rolled to a 144-93 win -- the largest in the NBA this season -- at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies, winners of 11 of their past 13 games, smothered Curry into just two points and 0-for-7 shooting, including 0-for-6 from 3-point range. It was Curry's most field goal attempts and most minutes (24) without a make in his 16-year career. Green went scoreless, missing all four of his shots in 19 minutes. "Damn, that happen," Green said after being told that he and Curry didn't make a field goal in a game together...

Georgia is preparing to play the College Football Playoff without starting quarterback Carson Beck, who is exploring surgery options to repair an injury to the elbow on his throwing arm, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Beck, who was considered a potential first-round pick in next year's NFL draft, is seeking medical opinions. He hasn't practiced with the Bulldogs since he was hurt on the final play of the first half in Georgia's 22-19 overtime victory against Texas in the SEC championship game Dec. 7, sources told ESPN. Beck's return this season is unlikely, according to sources, and sophomore Gunner Stockton is expected to make his first college start in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Year's Day (8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+). The Bulldogs received a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the CFP and will play the winner of Friday's game between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 10 ...

DETROIT -- The Lions held off on placing running back David Montgomery on the injured reserve list after he received a third medical opinion following an MCL injury in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Montgomery "might have avoided season-ending surgery" and there is "optimism [for a potential return] in the playoffs." "It's about rehabbing and going from there," the source said. Initially, Montgomery was feared to be out for the season before receiving additional testing. Earlier in the week, Lions coach Dan Campbell acknowledged that the team was leaning on doctors while in a "waiting mode" about his injury status. "It is one of these injuries that's unique because you need to know is it stable? OK, is it fixed, or will it scar? And then be certainly stable for now and for later and then you've got to rely on him, like, 'Hey man, I'm good. I can do this,'" Campbell said on Wednesday. "So, it's a combination...

Ruben Amorim insisted he was right to drop Marcus Rashford from the Manchester United squad despite going out of the Carabao Cup at the quarterfinal stage following a 4-3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Rashford was left out of Amorim's squad for the second game in a row after he was also dropped for the 2-1 win over Manchester City on Sunday. The 27-year-old suggested in an interview on Tuesday that he wants to leave the club. Asked afterwards whether Spurs' victory made him rethink his stance on the England forward, Amorim said he stood by his decision. "I feel that I do the right thing for the team so it's never a mistake," said the United head coach. "We have to make a selection. I think it wasn't a mistake because I'm always doing the best for the team in my way of seeing things." Without Rashford in the squad, United briefly recovered from 3-0 down to make it 3-2 thanks to two errors from goalkeeper Fraser...

METAIRIE, La. --  New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will start on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers if Derek Carr misses a second game with a hand injury, interim coach Darren Rizzi said Thursday. Rizzi said that Rattler gave the team a spark after playing the second half of a 20-19 loss to the Washington Commanders last week, and he was impressed by how he led the team down the field to score in the final two minutes. The Saints initially went with Jake Haener as their starter before switching to Rattler after halftime. Rattler previously started three games when Carr was out with an oblique injury. The Saints could be without both Carr and running back Alvin Kamara this week. Rizzi said running back Kamara's groin injury is more serious than initial tests revealed. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the injury is still being evaluated but it is potentially season ending. Rizzi said Kamara...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. --  LeBron James is set to become the NBA's all-time leader in regular-season minutes played Thursday back in the same city where he logged his first when the Los Angeles Lakers play the Sacramento Kings. It will be another accomplishment in a career teeming with them for the four-time MVP, four-time champion and 20-time All-Star who also happens to be the league's all-time leading scorer. But James, 39, was not in a celebratory mood after Lakers shootaround Thursday morning. Rather, when asked about the announced changes for the All-Star Game format in February, James lamented the state of the league. "It's not just the All-Star Game. It's our game in general," James said. "There's a lot of f---ing 3s being shot. So it's a bigger conversation than just the All-Star Game." NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed criticism aimed at the increase in 3-point volume this week ahead of the NBA Cup championship on Tuesday. "The answer is yes,...

FRISCO, Texas -- If Micah Parsons has his way, a long-term contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys would be worked out before free agency begins in March. "I'm going to try and work with them as much as possible to help them attack free agency," Parsons said Thursday. "I want to be back with this team. This offseason, I want to be here. I want to get these guys right. I want to take big steps, so hopefully it can be done sooner than later so we can attack the offseason." Parsons is set to make $21.4 million in 2025 on the fifth-year option the Cowboys exercised on his rookie deal last spring. But the star edge rusher is looking at a massive extension that would make him among the highest-paid players in the NFL. Parsons reiterated a point he made to ESPN two weeks ago that he does not need to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league, which is currently San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa at $34 million per year. "I think I'm the best player...

CHICAGO -- Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs reconciled Thursday afternoon, ending their 17-year estrangement after the former slugger apologized for making "mistakes" during his playing career. Sosa, who has been linked to performance-enhancing drugs for decades, stopped short of directly admitting to PED use in a statement released Thursday. But the former National League MVP said that at times throughout his playing career he "did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games" and added, "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize." Sosa, 56, hit 609 home runs -- the ninth most in Major League Baseball history -- during an 18-year career highlighted by his 13-year stint with the Cubs. He hit at least 60 homers in three seasons over a four-year stretch from 1998 to 2001, all of which came in the heart of baseball's steroid era. Minutes after the apology was released, the Cubs invited...

United States forward Trinity Rodman says her relationship with her father, Dennis Rodman, remains strained and that he is still largely absent from her life. "He's not a dad. Maybe by blood, but nothing else," Trinity Rodman told host Alex Cooper on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast on Wednesday. The podcast comments echo what Trinity Rodman told ESPN's Charlotte Gibson in June 2022. Rodman said that growing up, her mother tried to shield her two children from the chaotic lifestyle of the former NBA star. Rodman's mother, Michelle Moyer, divorced Dennis Rodman in 2012. Trinity Rodman, who won a gold medal with the United States this summer at the Paris Olympics, has a brother, DJ Rodman, who plays in the NBA's G League. Dennis Rodman responded to his daughter on Instagram, saying he is sorry he "wasn't the dad you wanted me to be" and said he tried to be a father and will keep trying. "I will try even when it's difficult and if it takes a long time....

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers premier pass rusher T.J. Watt, who injured his ankle late against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, was removed from the injury report Thursday and will play in Saturday's game at the  Baltimore Ravens. He has no game designation, signaling that he's good to go for the game.  Earlier Thursday, Watt had said he felt "pretty good" this week but was noncommittal on his status. "We'll see Sunday -- or Saturday, I guess I should say -- but I felt pretty good this week," Watt said Thursday. "Obviously it's a short week, but felt pretty good." Although the Steelers will have Watt, they'll be without wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) for the third consecutive game and without quarterback Justin Fields, who injured his abdomen against the Eagles. Cornerback Donte Jackson (back) and defensive end Larry Ogunjobi (groin) were both listed as questionable, while safety DeShon Elliott...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes will start for the Kansas City Chiefs in Saturday's game against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium despite sustaining a high ankle injury last Sunday. Mahomes has no injury status for the game. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier Thursday that Mahomes took a full practice workload Thursday, the Chiefs' final session of the week. He also was a full practice participant in the Tuesday and Wednesday practices. "He did look good out there,'' Reid said. "He moved around pretty good. So, you're always looking to make sure they can get out the way, not to further any harm to them. So that's what I look at. "I've been through it with him before, and he amazed me every time he does it. The guy, he's been so mentally tough and just puts it into a mindset that he has going into it [from] where he was a few days ago.'' Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, asked how Mahomes looked in practice this week, said,...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes will "most likely'' start for the Kansas City Chiefs in Saturday's game against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium, coach Andy Reid said. Reid said Mahomes took a full practice workload Thursday, the Chiefs' final session of the week. He also was a full practice participant in the Tuesday and Wednesday practices. "He did look good out there,'' Reid said. "He moved around pretty good. So, you're always looking to make sure they can get out the way, not to further any harm to them. So that's what I look at. "I've been through it with him before, and he amazed me every time he does it. The guy, he's been so mentally tough and just puts it into a mindset that he has going into it [from] where he was a few days ago.'' Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, asked how Mahomes looked in practice this week, said, "Like he always does.'' Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of last...