Sports News

NEW YORK -- Juan Soto, one half of the New York Yankees' historic offensive tandem, added another memorable highlight to his 2024 reel Thursday night, delivering a walk-off single in a crucial 2-1, 10-inning win over the Boston Red Sox one night after blasting an electrifying home run on a throbbing foot. The other half, meanwhile, is mired in an unusually long home run drought. After nearly four months of mashing home runs at an unreal clip, Aaron Judge was held inside the ballpark for a 16th straight game. Judge has been stuck on a major league-leading 51 home runs since launching two against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 25. The American League MVP frontrunner extended his career-long homerless streak by going 1-for-4 with a single and some bad luck. Judge hit two flyouts at 99.9 mph -- one traveled 381 feet to center field at Yankee Stadium -- and smashed a 104.7 mph one-hopper that Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers snagged to...

A suspect in a hit-and-run crash was arrested Thursday night after driving his truck onto the playing field at Colorado's Folsom Field. Police in Boulder said they received a call reporting multiple hit-and-run crashes involving the same blue pickup truck near Foothills Parkway and Arapahoe Avenue, about 1.5 miles away from the stadium. The driver of the truck struck several trees and a car as he fled, and nearly struck a witness at the scene. Both Boulder police and university police tried to stop the driver before he rammed into a gate to Folsom Field, stopping the truck near the 40-yard line, along the visitors sideline. After negotiating with police, the driver got out of the truck and surrendered. Boulder police identified the suspect as Karl E. Haglund, 48, from Massachusetts. He will be booked in Boulder County Jail on several charges, including three counts of leaving a scene of a crash after damage, criminal attempt vehicular assault, reckless endangerment,...

MIAMI -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left Thursday night's 31-10 loss to the  Buffalo Bills after suffering a concussion in the third quarter, the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career. Late in the third quarter, Tagovailoa scrambled up the middle for a first down and lowered his shoulder to initiate contact with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa's helmet made hard contact with Hamlin's body, and the quarterback immediately went into a fencing response with his arms in an unnatural position. Dolphins medical trainers attended to him for several minutes as players knelt around him. He was ultimately able to walk off the field under his own power and into the team's locker room. He was quickly ruled out for the game.  Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get "proper procedural evaluation" and "appropriate care" on Friday. "The furthest thing from my mind is, 'What is the timeline?'" McDaniel said. "We...

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills after suffering a concussion late in the third quarter. Tagovailoa was ruled out for the game minutes after he left the field. The injury occurred as Tagovailoa scrambled for a first down and lowered his shoulder at the end of his run. He took a hit to the head as he was tackled by Bills safety Damar Hamlin with 4:24 left in the quarter. Tagovailoa stayed on the ground and was quickly attended to by Dolphins trainers, as concerned teammates took a knee on the field. Tagovailoa walked off the field on his own power and headed for the locker room. He was replaced by Skylar Thompson. Tagovailoa has a history of concussions, suffering at least two during the 2022 season. He was 17-of-25 for 145 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions Thursday night, leaving with the Dolphins trailing 31-10.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Two days after Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy ripped the Chiefs for what he called "unprofessional" treatment of his eye injury, NFL Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell expressed disappointment in the responsiveness of the Kansas City medical staff. Howell, who was visiting the Ravens on Thursday, said the medical treatment on-site should be provided "as quickly as possible" under the collective bargaining agreement. "I think this was an unfortunate situation where that did not occur," Howell said. "Thank God for Kyle's situation [that] it wasn't worse. But here we are with the first game of the season, we got many more games to play. We just can't have that." In a statement issued later Thursday, the league criticized the NFLPA for citing "unsupported conclusions," saying that Van Noy received "appropriate" care from the Chiefs' medical staff. "It's disappointing the NFLPA would publicize unsupported...

The Minnesota Twins released minor league catcher Derek Bender on Thursday after he told opposing hitters the types of pitches that were coming to the plate during at-bats in the game last week that eliminated his team from playoff contention, sources told ESPN. Bender, a sixth-round draft pick out of Coastal Carolina in July, was playing for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, the Twins' Single-A affiliate. In the second game of a Sept. 6 doubleheader, Bender told multiple hitters for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, a Detroit farm team, the specific pitches being thrown by starter Ross Dunn, sources said. Lakeland scored four runs in the second inning and won the game 6-0 to clinch the Florida State League West division and eliminate the Mighty Mussels from playoff contention after Fort Myers had held a six-game lead three weeks earlier. Fort Myers coaches were notified by Lakeland coaches about Bender's pitch tipping after the game, sources said. Bender's willingness to tip...

The Minnesota Twins released minor league catcher Derek Bender on Thursday after he told opposing hitters the type of pitch that was coming to the plate during at-bats of the game last week that eliminated his team from playoff contention, sources told ESPN. Bender, a sixth-round draft pick out of Coastal Carolina in July, was playing for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, the Twins' Low-A affiliate. In the second game of a Sept. 6 doubleheader, Bender told multiple hitters for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, a Detroit farm team, the specific pitch being thrown by starter Ross Dunn, sources said. Lakeland scored four runs in the second inning and won the game 6-0, to capture the Florida State League West division and eliminate the Mighty Mussels from playoff contention after they had held a six-game lead three weeks earlier. Fort Myers coaches were notified by Lakeland coaches about Bender's pitch tipping following the game, sources said. Bender's willingness to tip pitches...

CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Bengals might be a couple of years removed from being the best team in the AFC. But ahead of Sunday's matchup against Kansas City, the back-to-back reigning conference and Super Bowl champion, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase said the team still believed it was the team that commands the top spot. "Everybody knows that, bro," Chase said Thursday. "It's not 'if.' We are the team to beat in the AFC. And we know it. And we gotta play like it, too." In two of the past three years, the Cincinnati-Kansas City matchup determined who represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. Cincinnati won at Arrowhead Stadium in the 2021 playoffs to clinch the Bengals' first conference title in 33 seasons. The next season, Kansas City hit the winning field goal with three seconds left to win the rematch in the AFC title game. Last year, the Bengals missed the playoffs after quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11....

CINCINNATI -- Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is confused by the narrative surrounding his injury situation. Higgins told ESPN on Thursday the hamstring injury that has kept him out of practice this week is completely unrelated to his contract status. Higgins has not practiced since he injured a hamstring in practice Sept. 5, just a few days before the team's season-opening loss to the New England Patriots. But the fifth-year player made it known he wants to be on the field. "I just don't understand why fans think I'm faking an injury, when for me to get an extension for a contract, the deadline is over," Higgins told ESPN. "I just don't understand why they think I'm faking an injury. It doesn't make sense to me." Higgins did not practice for the second straight day as he continues to recover. The deadline Higgins referred to was July 15. That's the final day teams and players who were on the franchise tag could reach a long-term deal. If one isn't...

BEREA, Ohio -- The attorney representing the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery told ESPN on Thursday that the woman will speak to the NFL within two weeks. "We will be scheduling a meeting with the NFL and hope that can be accomplished in the next two weeks," attorney Tony Buzbee wrote in an email. "We have a video and two additional witnesses for the NFL to speak with. I've personally never had confidence in the NFL's disciplinary process but my client has chosen to engage it." According to the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Harris County, Texas, the alleged actions occurred in October 2020 before Watson and a woman, identified as Jane Doe in the court filing, were set to have dinner at the woman's apartment. Watson was a member of the Houston Texans at the time. Watson on Wednesday denied the allegations in a statement issued by his attorney, Rusty...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Two days after Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy ripped the Chiefs for what he called "unprofessional" treatment of his eye injury, NFL Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell expressed disappointment in the responsiveness of the Kansas City medical staff. Howell, who was visiting the Ravens on Thursday, said the medical treatment on-site should be provided "as quickly as possible" under the collective bargaining agreement. "I think this was an unfortunate situation where that did not occur," Howell said. "Thank God for Kyle's situation [that] it wasn't worse. But here we are with the first game of the season; we got many more games to play. We just can't have that." In Baltimore's 27-20 loss in Kansas City on Sept. 5, Van Noy suffered a fractured orbital bone in the third quarter while rushing Patrick Mahomes. Van Noy said Tuesday that it was "unacceptable" that it took an entire quarter for him to see the...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Two days after Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy ripped the Chiefs for what he called "unprofessional" treatment of his eye injury, NFL Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell expressed disappointment in the responsiveness of the Kansas City medical staff. Howell, who was visiting the Ravens on Thursday, said the medical treatment on-site should be provided "as quickly as possible" under the collective bargaining agreement. "I think this was an unfortunate situation where that did not occur," Howell said. "Thank God for Kyle's situation [that] it wasn't worse. But here we are with the first game of the season, we got many more games to play. We just can't have that." In last Thursday's 27-20 loss in Kansas City, Van Noy suffered a fractured orbital bone in the third quarter while rushing Patrick Mahomes. Van Noy said Tuesday it was "unacceptable" that it took an entire quarter for him to see the Chiefs...

Days after routing Michigan and climbing to No. 2 in the AP poll, Texas continued its run of late-summer recruiting momentum Thursday afternoon as the Longhorns landed a commitment from four-star safety Zelus Hicks, ESPN's No. 1 safety in the class of 2026. Hicks, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound defensive back from Georgia's Carrollton High School, is the No. 19 prospect in the ESPN Junior 300. He is Texas' third ESPN 300 pledge in the 2026 cycle, joining No. 2 pocket passer Dia Bell and four-star wide receiver Chris Stewart. Hicks held nearly 40 Division I offers and picked the Longhorns over Georgia, Ohio State and USC. Hicks' commitment comes as Texas holds its highest ranking in the AP poll since 2009 and arrives as the latest recruiting victory for Steve Sarkisian & Co. in recent weeks. The Longhorns recorded a scorching month of August in the 2025 class, landing pledges from five-star defender Jonah Williams...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- When New York Jets center Connor McGovern dislocated his left kneecap and damaged his MCL in a game last Oct. 29, he figured his football career was over. He was 30. "After I got hurt, I called my wife and was like, 'Well, that's it. We're hanging 'em up,'" he recalled Thursday. Not so fast, his agent told him. McGovern put off retirement, stayed in shape and -- wouldn't you know it? -- re-signed with the Jets on Wednesday after a tryout at their facility. He was added to the practice squad, providing interior line depth. On Thursday, he suited up and put on a football helmet for the first time since the injury. "If or when this team goes to the playoffs and if I wasn't helping in some capacity," McGovern said, "I'd be pretty disappointed that I didn't seize any opportunity. I had to come have another ride with this group and be a part of something special." McGovern, now 31, was the Jets' starting center from 2020 through his injury last...

Top-15 senior Isiah Harwell announced his commitment to Houston on Thursday, becoming just the second five-star prospect to pick the Cougars since 2012. Harwell chose Kelvin Sampson's program over a final list that also included Gonzaga, Texas and California. He took visits to Gonzaga -- at one point considered the favorite -- and California before the summer, then went to Houston and Texas in the final weeks of August. "Coach Sampson is a cool dude," Harwell told ESPN. "He knows what it takes for players to reach the next level, we talked about that. I need to shoot 38-40% from 3, average six or seven rebounds and play defense on the opponent's best perimeter player. He said if you don't play defense you won't play at Houston." Harwell, an Idaho native, suffered a knee injury midway through his junior campaign at Wasatch Academy (Utah) that forced him to miss the summer grassroots season. But Houston maintained steady contact with the 6-foot-6 guard and was...

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes will need between six to eight weeks to recover from a shoulder injury he suffered earlier this month, the team said Thursday. Hughes suffered a left shoulder injury during offseason training. After being evaluated by the Devils' medical staff, it was determined he would not require surgery and that it could take more than six weeks for him to recover. That timeline means Hughes would miss the Devils' seven preseason games and their season-opening games on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he could return would be the week of Oct. 20, which means the Devils would have already played eight regular-season games. Losing Hughes for even a brief period comes after he used his rookie campaign to reinforce why he's considered one of the game's brightest young stars. Hughes finished last season with six goals and 47 points while also being one of five Devils to play in all 82 games. What...

Xavier Worthy showcased his record-breaking speed during his NFL debut, but at least one member of the Cincinnati Bengals' secondary wasn't overly impressed with the Kansas City Chiefs rookie. Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt did not mince words Wednesday when asked about the qualities that Worthy adds to Kansas City's offense. "Speed, that's about it," Taylor-Britt told reporters. "He can run straight -- run jet sweeps and just run straight. He can't do too much else, so that's about it." The Bengals visit the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs on Sunday, when Taylor-Britt figures to line up against Worthy. Worthy was drafted by Kansas City with the 28th pick after dazzling at this year's NFL scouting combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in a record 4.21 seconds. The former University of Texas star showed off those wheels last Thursday, when he hauled in a 35-yard touchdown reception and also ran for a 21-yard score in the Chiefs' 27-20...

BEREA, Ohio -- The attorney representing the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery told ESPN on Thursday that the woman will speak to the NFL within two weeks. "We will be scheduling a meeting with the NFL and hope that can be accomplished in the next two weeks," attorney Tony Buzbee wrote in an email. "We have a video and two additional witnesses for the NFL to speak with. I've personally never had confidence in the NFL's disciplinary process but my client has chosen to engage it." According to the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Harris County, Texas, the alleged actions occurred in October 2020 before Watson and a woman, identified as Jane Doe in the court filing, were set to have dinner at the woman's apartment. Watson was a member of the Houston Texans at the time. Watson on Wednesday denied the allegations in a statement issued by his attorney, Rusty...

The French league's legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the €55 million ($61m) in unpaid wages that he claims he's entitled to, the league said Thursday. The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club. PSG officials and Mbappé's representatives met in Paris on Wednesday after Mbappé asked the commission to get involved. Mbappé joined  Real Madrid this summer on a free transfer. After the meeting, Mbappé's representatives told the AP that the striker had asked the commission to take note of the nonpayment of three months of salary and the last third of a loyalty bonus. PSG does not intend to pay and announced that it will take further legal action. "In light of the limitations of the commission's legal scope to take a complete decision on this matter,...

Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Fresno State will join the Pac-12 in the 2026-27 academic year, they announced Thursday. The Pac-12 board of directors unanimously approved applications from the four Mountain West schools, which will join Oregon State and Washington State, the conference's two remaining schools following the league's collapse in the summer of 2023. "For over a century, the Pac-12 Conference has been recognized as a leading brand in intercollegiate athletics," Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould said in a statement. "We will continue to pursue bold cutting-edge opportunities for growth and progress, to best serve our member institutions and student-athletes. I am thankful to our board for their efforts to welcome Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, and San Diego State University to the conference. An exciting new era for the Pac-12 Conference begins...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jaguars' home opener against the Cleveland Browns won't be played at EverBank Stadium. But it's not moving. The teams will instead meet at TrEverBank Stadium, renamed after Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence as part of his collaboration with the stadium's naming rights sponsor, EverBank. By the time the game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, work crews will have added temporary signage throughout the stadium and on the outside with the new name. "I don't like having too much of the spotlight with stuff like that, but I think it was clever," Lawrence said. "They have the naming rights for the stadium, so it's a good play on words, and I was fine with it." Lawrence's collaboration with the Jacksonville-based financial services company began last month, and he has appeared in ads across multiple platforms, including social media and television. The ads were filmed in June and include one in which he is helping supervise the...

LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have agreed to introduce FIFA's new "No Racism" gesture for referees, which will be used by officials to signal that a racist incident has been reported. The "cross-arm" gesture was approved at FIFA's congress in Bangkok in May 2024 and will now be adopted in Spain, the two governing bodies said on Thursday. Racism in Spanish football has come under the spotlight with a number of high-profile incidents of fans insulting players, many involving the Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, who has led calls for more action on the issue. Earlier this year, three fans received prison sentences for racially abusing the Brazil international at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium in May 2023, in the first guilty verdict of its kind in Spain. In May, FIFA announced the introduction of a "global standard gesture" for referees "to signal the implementation of the three-step procedure to halt, suspend and...

Mikel Arteta signed a new three-year contract to remain as Arsenal manager, the club announced on Thursday. ESPN reported the news earlier on Thursday, with sources adding that Arteta, 42, of Spain, will receive a significant increase on his existing £9 million-a-year ($11.7m) salary. Arteta's contract was due to expire next summer, although he told ESPN in an exclusive interview on July 4 that he didn't "predict any issues happening" when extension talks took place and last month added that all parties would address the situation when the transfer window closed. "I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next. I'm proud to be where I am and have the relationships that I have with everyone at the club," Arteta said in a statement. "I feel extremely lucky to work every single day with good people and the ambition we have here. I feel very inspired, I feel challenged, I feel supported and I want to do much more than...

Mikel Arteta has signed a new three-year contract to remain as Arsenal manager, sources have told ESPN. Sources have told ESPN that the Spaniard will receive a significant increase on his existing £9 million-a-year ($11.7m) salary. The 42-year-old's contract was due to expire next summer, although he told ESPN in an exclusive interview on July 4 that he didn't "predict any issues happening" when extension talks took place and last month added that all parties would address the situation when the transfer window closed. Arsenal have always been confident that Arteta would commit his future to the club but the news will still come as a boost as they try to topple Manchester City and win their first Premier League title since 2004. Arsenal have finished second to City in each of the past two seasons and sought to close the gap by adding Riccardo Calafiori and  Mikel Merino over the summer, in addition to the late loan arrival of ...

Mikel Arteta has agreed a new three-year contract to remain as Arsenal manager, sources have told ESPN. The 42-year-old told ESPN in an exclusive interview on July 4 that he didn't "predict any issues happening" when talks took place and last month added that all parties would address the situation when the transfer window closed. Arsenal have always been confident that Arteta would commit his future to the club but the news will still come as a boost as they try to topple Manchester City and win their first Premier League title since 2004. Sources added that the Spaniard will receive a significant increase on his existing £9 million-a-year ($11.7m) salary. Arsenal have finished second to City in each of the past two seasons and sought to close the gap by adding Riccardo Calafiori and  Mikel Merino over the summer, in addition to the late loan arrival of Raheem Sterling from Chelsea. Sources have told ESPN that...

Mikel Arteta has agreed a new three-year contract to remain as Arsenal manager, sources have told ESPN. The 42-year-old's contract was due to expire next summer, although he told ESPN in an exclusive interview on July 4 that he didn't "predict any issues happening" when extension talks took place and last month added that all parties would address the situation when the transfer window closed. Arsenal have always been confident that Arteta would commit his future to the club but the news will still come as a boost as they try to topple Manchester City and win their first Premier League title since 2004. Sources added that the Spaniard will receive a significant increase on his existing £9 million-a-year ($11.7m) salary. Arsenal have finished second to City in each of the past two seasons and sought to close the gap by adding Riccardo Calafiori and  Mikel Merino over the summer, in addition to the late loan arrival of Raheem...

NEW YORK -- For a moment Wednesday night, during the sixth inning of perhaps the Yankees' best win of the 2024 season, dread filled Yankee Stadium. That's what happens when Juan Soto hops halfway down the first-base line and drops to his knees after fouling a pitch off the top of his right foot three weeks before the start of the postseason. Soto stayed down as a trainer and manager Aaron Boone tended to him in front of a hushed crowd. He tried walking it off, but the pain didn't seem to subside. He limped around. He was clearly uncomfortable. It did not matter. Soto stayed in the game anyway to continue his at-bat against Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans, an All-Star who, to that point, was dominating the Yankees. With that, the stage was set for Soto's latest signature moment in pinstripes. Soto fouled the next pitch the other way with a checked swing. Ragans followed up with a curveball. This time, Soto was ready, launching the pitch...

Four schools are set to announce Thursday that they will depart the Mountain West Conference to join the Pac-12, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. The Pac-12 board of directors unanimously approved applications from  ...

A TV cameraman said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez "slapped me" after Colombia's 2-1 home win in a World Cup qualifying match. Jhonny Jackson told Colombian reporters he approached Martínez after the final whistle in Barranquilla on Tuesday as the goalkeeper greeted another player. Footage he captured shows the World Cup winner, who Argentines know as Dibu, hitting the camera, which quickly falls to the ground. "Out of the blue he slapped me," Jackson told RCN Deportes on Wednesday. "I felt angry, very angry. I was working, just like he was. He was playing and I was shooting with my camera." He also sent a message to Martínez: "Dibu, my brother, how are you? I am Jhonny Jackson, the cameraman you assaulted in the match against Colombia. I wanted to tell you it is all good, my brother. Everyone has lost a match in their life. This defeat clearly meant a lot to you. But look ahead, Dibu." Jackson works for a company that delivers...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Toward the end of the first half Wednesday night,  Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson received the ball from teammate Chelsea Gray, jabbed to the left and then took fellow former South Carolina Gamecock Aliyah Boston off the dribble, pulling up at the free throw line for a jump shot. It has been a remarkable run for the two-time -- presumably soon-to-be three-time -- WNBA MVP. And in Wednesday's 86-75 win over the red-hot Indiana Fever, Wilson etched her name in the history books once more by recording the most points ever in a WNBA season. Wilson's pull-up jumper with 26.4 seconds left in the first half gave her 941 points this season, two more than  Jewell Loyd's previous record of 939 set last season. With 27 points by game's end, Wilson's point total for 2024 sits at 956, putting her 44 points from becoming the first WNBA player to score 1,000 in a single season. The accomplishment came in Wilson's return...

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Usually even-keeled, Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. said Wednesday he found himself getting frustrated during Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. The No. 4 pick had only one catch for four yards on three targets in his NFL debut, but Harrison said his frustration was largely geared toward how the game was unfolding -- his NFL debut not panning out how he had hoped. "I mean, obviously it wasn't great," Harrison said. "Definitely wasn't what I expected, what I wanted to happen, what the team wanted to happen. Obviously, you wanted to come out with a victory and we didn't do that." Harrison added he felt as if he could have done a better job of helping Arizona win. "That's why it kind of brought me here is to help the team, help the offense go," he said. "So, I have to do a better job of that going forward. "I got to get open and catch the ball. That's my job as a receiver. That is your job...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Two days after he was a surprise inactive in Monday night's season opener, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey explained how the decision to sit him out was made and why he was adamant Friday he would be available to play. Speaking to Bay Area reporters before Wednesday afternoon's practice, McCaffrey attributed his confidence he'd be able to play last week to the mentality he believes is necessary in such situations. "My mindset every week is I'm going to play," McCaffrey said. "There's been weeks where I'll go the full week, not even feeling good enough to do the walk-through, and then I wake up and the body's capable of a lot of cool things. Mentally, I'm always prepared to play, and then I woke up and it was a group decision, a very tough one. I hate not playing, but I look at it as a chess move and something that hopefully you can benefit from the rest of the season." McCaffrey did not play against the New York...

Rory McIlroy said Wednesday he wasn't trying to send a message by agreeing to team up with world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler in a made-for-TV match against LIV Golf League stars Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in December. Last week's announcement of the match came as officials from the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund prepared to meet in New York this week to continue talks about a potential investment that might bring the fractured sport back together. The PIF is financing LIV Golf, which has lured DeChambeau, Koepka, Jon Rahm and others from the PGA Tour. "I don't know much about the talks that are going on. I know that there is but that's not something that I'm a part of," McIlroy said Wednesday during a news conference at the Irish Open. "Yeah, I mean, I think we are all in the game of golf trying to look for a solution to all this and try to move forward. So we'll see, yeah. I know as much as you do at this point, and...

CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow laughed, raised his eyebrows and cracked a smile about the most harrowing topic in Cincinnati. Online sleuths wondered how his surgically repaired wrist felt after broadcast cameras captured him handling a water bottle in an unorthodox manner in the team's Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots. Burrow was oblivious to the discourse. "I just drank water," Burrow said with a chuckle. But after he was spotted flexing his wrist throughout the team's upset defeat Sunday, Burrow maintained the wrist felt great, and it was "absolutely not" affecting his throwing. "It feels better this week than it did last week, than it did the week before, so it's continually getting better," Burrow said. For the second straight week, Burrow was listed on the team's injury report because of his wrist issue. He tore a ligament in Week 11 last season against the Baltimore Ravens and had surgery in November. Throughout...

LAS VEGAS -- Sean O'Malley believes he's very close to eclipsing Conor McGregor as the biggest star in the UFC. The current UFC bantamweight champion will defend his championship against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of Noche UFC at The Sphere in Las Vegas this weekend. While the event itself is highly anticipated because of the massive production budget and is suggested to be "the greatest sporting event of all time" by UFC CEO Dana White, the fact that O'Malley was chosen to headline suggests that the promotion holds him in high regard. Should he emerge victorious, O'Malley believes the gap between him and McGregor will close significantly. "I think I'm close [to catching Conor McGregor]," O'Malley told ESPN during Wednesday's media day. "I think Conor still has one more big fight in him, but the big question mark is if he can come back and beat Michael Chandler. I think he has one more huge fight. But if he goes out and loses his next...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Ten years ago, quarterback Aaron Rodgers famously told a nervous Green Bay Packers fan base to "R-E-L-A-X" after the team's 1-2 start. Coming off the New York Jets' blowout loss Monday night, Rodgers dusted off the oldie but goodie, delivering a revised version Wednesday for fans -- and perhaps teammates -- who might be edgy about the team's current plight. "I think we always have to stay relaxed," he said. "It's a long season. I think, at times, people think the season is like you're out in the prairie or the desert and you're moving around trying to find water, but it's more like a nice, slow Bolero, where we're just swaying with the music and reacting to whatever comes to us and through us, just trying to not get too high with the highs or too low with the lows." Perhaps fittingly, the Jets -- 32-19 losers to the San Francisco 49ers -- will head to Music City in search of their first win. They face the Tennessee...

Tampa Bay Rays reliever Edwin Uceta was suspended three games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for throwing at Nick Castellanos during Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. MLB also announced that Rays manager Kevin Cash has been suspended one game. It was unclear as of Wednesday afternoon whether Uceta will appeal the suspension. Uceta was ejected in the eighth inning Tuesday after hitting Castellanos with a 96 mph pitch. The hard-throwing right-hander said he did not plunk Castellanos on purpose, claiming he threw a changeup, but the Phillies did not believe Uceta. "I had an overwhelming sense that I was about to get drilled," Castellanos said. "We all just got a sense of what it was -- he was just [ticked] off that he got hit around and his ERA shot through the roof." Uceta had surrendered a tiebreaking two-run double earlier in the inning to pinch hitter Cal Stevenson, then gave up a Buddy Kennedy...

Jon Rahm said he intends to play in three DP World Tour events by the end of the season to remain eligible for next year's Ryder Cup. Rahm isn't sure, however, whether the DP World Tour will allow him to compete in those tournaments because he's refusing to pay fines levied against him for playing in the LIV Golf League without a conflicting-event release. Rahm entered the Spanish Open on Sept. 26-29 and said his representatives are still talking with DP World Tour officials about how to resolve the situation. "Well, I'm entered into the tournament," Rahm told reporters Wednesday during a news conference at Bolingbrook Golf Club outside Chicago, the site of this week's LIV Golf tournament. "We entered a long time ago. Whether they let me play or not is a different thing. I'm not a big fan of the fines. I think I've been outspoken about that. I don't intend to pay the fines, and we keep trying to have a discussion with them about how we can make this happen." Rahm also wants to...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy ripped the Kansas City Chiefs' medical staff for a lack of urgency after he suffered an eye injury in Thursday's season opener, calling it "unacceptable" and "unprofessional." "I was disappointed in the way the training staff of the Chiefs handled the situation," Van Noy said on his podcast Tuesday. "I was supposed to see an ophthalmologist ... and they took an entire quarter to get down to talk to me in the locker room -- which, to me, is unacceptable." The Chiefs had no comment on Van Noy's remarks. Van Noy suffered a fractured orbital bone in the third quarter while rushing Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The injury occurred when his helmet went under his chin strap while he was at the bottom of a pile that included Mahomes and Baltimore defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. The Ravens ruled out Van Noy about 40 minutes after he left the game with an eye injury. Van Noy...

MIAMI -- Three days after his detainment by Miami-Dade police officers, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill said he "could have been better" in terms of how he handled the situation. Hill was pulled over for speeding roughly three hours before the Dolphins' season opener Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Body camera footage released Monday night showed Hill was slow to roll his window down when asked to by the officer who pulled him over and was ultimately told to exit his vehicle. When he did not comply quickly enough, an officer, who has since been identified as Danny Torres, pulled him out of his car and handcuffed him while he was face down on the pavement. Torres kneeled on Hill's back while placing him in handcuffs and forced him to the ground again roughly a minute later, when Hill was slow to comply with an order to sit down. Speaking to local media Wednesday, Hill explained why he was slow to roll his window down and took responsibility for...

Jon Rahm said he intends to play in three DP World Tour events by the end of the season to remain eligible for next year's Ryder Cup. Rahm isn't sure, however, whether the DP World Tour will allow him to compete in those tournaments because he's refusing to pay fines levied against him for playing in the LIV Golf League without a conflicting-event release. Rahm entered the Spanish Open on Sept. 26-29 and said his representatives are still talking with DP World Tour officials about how to resolve the situation. "Well, I'm entered into the tournament," Rahm told reporters Wednesday during a news conference at Bolingbrook Golf Club outside Chicago, the site of this week's LIV Golf tournament. "We entered a long time ago. Whether they let me play or not is a different thing. I'm not a big fan of the fines. I think I've been outspoken about that. I don't intend to pay the fines, and we keep trying to have a discussion with them about how we can make this happen." Rahm also wants to...

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has denied allegations of sexual assault and battery that were levied in a civil lawsuit filed earlier this week in Texas. "Deshaun strongly denies the allegations in the Jane Doe lawsuit filed Monday," attorney Rusty Hardin, who is representing Watson, wrote Wednesday in a statement. "We have asked him not to comment further while this matter works its way through the courts, but are comfortable he will ultimately be vindicated. We will be ready to defend this case in court at the appropriate time, but don't intend to conduct our defense in the media. We would ask that people be patient while the legal process runs its course." The NFL on Tuesday said it is reviewing the complaint under the personal conduct policy, but added that Watson will not be placed on the commissioner's exempt list because there have been no formal charges and the league's review just began. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said...

Chicago Cubs closer Porter Hodge got the save in Tuesday night's 6-3 over the Dodgers but not without some drama, some of which was concerning. With two outs in the ninth and Max Muncy at the plate, Hodge stepped off the rubber and walked around the mound. Catcher Miguel Amaya, manager Craig Counsell, the athletic trainer and teammates met him. Hodge, a 23-year-old right-hander who has five saves since taking over closing duties late in the season, appeared to rub his chest. He then went down to one knee with the trainer talking to him. "We noticed he was just going super fast, and then at some point, his heart was racing, and just to the point where he was concerned a little bit," Counsell said, according to MLB.com. "He said it had happened to him before, and it would go away, and nothing would be of it. So it took him a couple minutes, but it went away, and he said, 'I'm good to go.'" Hodge ended up getting Muncy to hit a fly ball that almost left the...

MIAMI -- Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert will not play in Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills, coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday, leaving the team without its leading rusher from a season ago. Mostert was estimated to have missed all of the Dolphins' practices this week with a chest injury; the team didn't practice Monday and held walk-through practices Tuesday and Wednesday. Running back De'Von Achane also missed Monday's and Tuesday's practices with an ankle injury but returned to the practice field Wednesday. In terms of Achane's availability for Thursday's game, McDaniel said: "We'll see." Achane was officially listed as questionable for the game by the Dolphins. He was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, according to the team. Both players picked up their injuries during the Dolphins' 20-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1. Mostert recorded 19 total yards on eight touches, while Achane...

Cristiano Ronaldo warned that  Manchester United require a total rebuild after Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment in the club, and he addressed his acrimonious exit. With  Ratcliffe having acquired a 27.7% stake of United earlier this year, Ronaldo is upbeat about the team's future but warns that returning to the top tier of club football will require patience. "They [United] need to rebuild everything, in my opinion," Ronaldo, 39, said. "This club needs time to rebuild because it's still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change. They understand that. This is the only way ... They're investing in the training ground ... So I'm happy because [things are changing]. I believe that the future will be bright. "They have to rebuild from the bottom. If not, they cannot compete. It will be impossible. They can do good things, yes, they can win Carabao, yeah, but I mean, Champions League or Europa League or  Premier League -- difficult, in my...

Sherrone Moore finally has a completed contract. Michigan announced Wednesday that the Wolverines head coach had signed a contract after coaching the first two games this season without one. Moore, Michigan's former offensive coordinator, took over for Jim Harbaugh, who left in the offseason after winning a national title to coach the  Los Angeles Chargers. "He is a proven leader and has been a great ambassador during his seven-plus years representing Michigan," school president Santa Ono said in a statement. "Our university and athletic department leadership is behind Coach Moore, his coaching staff and the great student-athletes that compete on the field and in the classroom." The two sides agreed to the framework of a deal in January. Moore's contract was set to be for five years with a base salary of $500,000 and $5 million in additional compensation in Year 1. His salary and additional compensation would increase by 2% in the subsequent years, with a...

Borussia Dortmund head coach Nuri Şahin said an "extremely sad" Giovanni Reyna will miss the team's Bundesliga match against Heidenheim on Friday and that the United States international is set to be out for "a few weeks." Reyna missed both of the USMNT's matches during the international break after suffering a groin injury. "Gio Reyna will be out; he has picked up an injury with the national team," Şahin told a news conference on Wednesday. Schlotti [ Nico Schlotterbeck] is suspended. Everything else should be OK. That would mean that Serhou [Guirassy] will be involved." The winger played just 280 minutes in the league for Dortmund in the first half of last season and a further 235 for Nottingham Forest following a loan move in January. "He came straight back [from the national team] and I found him extremely sad; unfortunately, it will take a few weeks. And then I hope that he can continue on this good path afterwards," Şahin...

PHILADELPHIA -- Tampa Bay Rays reliever  Edwin Uceta was ejected from the team's 9-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night after hitting Nick Castellanos with a pitch. Castellanos, for his part, said he knew it was coming.  Uceta gave up a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning to pinch-hitter Cal Stevenson, then proceeded to give up a Buddy Kennedy RBI single, a two-run Trea Turner homer and a Bryce Harper double before Castellanos stepped to the plate.  Uceta's pitch hit the Phillies slugger on the hip and caused both benches and bullpens to empty and the players to gather on the infield grass.  "I had an overwhelming sense that I was about to get drilled," Castellanos said. "We all just got a sense of what it was -- he was just [ticked] off that he got hit around and his ERA shot through the roof." Uceta, who entered the game with a 0.79 ERA, said it was not a purpose pitch and claimed it...

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber set the MLB single-season record with his 14th leadoff home run Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays before being removed from the game in the fourth inning due to a hyperextended left elbow. In the bottom of the first inning, Schwarber sent a 1-0 fastball from Rays starter Taj Bradley 437 feet to center field, moving ahead of Alfonso Soriano, who had 13 leadoff homers in 2003 with the New York Yankees. The Phillies went on to win 9-4. Schwarber's 35th homer of the season was the 45th leadoff homer of his career, with 32 coming since joining the Phillies in 2022. "It's a cool thing," Schwarber said. "When you're all said and done, whenever it's over with, you can look back at all the cool things that happened in your career. It'll probably be a little more enjoyable whenever I play my last game." Schwarber walked to lead off the bottom of the third inning and appeared to...

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber set the MLB single-season record with his 14th leadoff home run Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays before being removed from the game in the fourth inning due to left elbow discomfort. In the bottom of the first inning, Schwarber sent a 1-0 fastball from Rays starter Taj Bradley 437 feet to center field, moving ahead of Alfonso Soriano, who had 13 leadoff homers in 2003 with the New York Yankees. Schwarber's 35th homer of the season was the 45th leadoff homer of his career, with 32 coming since joining the Phillies in 2022. Schwarber walked to lead off the bottom of the third inning and appeared to injure his elbow diving back into first base on a pickoff attempt by Tampa Bay catcher Logan Driscoll. He was replaced at designated hitter by Buddy Kennedy in the fourth. The Phillies said Schwarber would be evaluated further. Philadelphia won 9-4. After...