Sports News

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...

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is likely to start Saturday's game against the Houston Texans despite a high ankle injury, coach Andy Reid told reporters Thursday. Mahomes has practiced in full this week after sustaining the injury in Sunday's 21-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns. "He worked out this week, full. He'll most likely end up playing. We'll just see how things work out today," Reid said.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Karl-Anthony Towns said he got a "warm feeling" entering the Target Center again Thursday morning, but that still didn't mask how strange it was for him to be entering the arena he called home for nine seasons as a visiting player for the first time. Towns will play his first game in Minnesota as a member of the New York Knicks on Thursday night, his first game against the Timberwolves since he was traded days before the start of training camp in September. "I know it's going to be a lot," Towns said with a laugh as he considered the emotions of the game later that evening. "But just appreciate every second, every moment and appreciate being back here." Towns, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Wolves in the 2015 NBA draft, said he still feels a strong connection to Minnesota, which includes keeping tabs on his former teammates from afar. "I'm an avid Timberwolves fan, so I watch a lot of the games when I get a chance," Towns said....

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers premier pass rusher T.J. Watt, who injured his ankle late against the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday, was noncommittal about his status for Saturday's game at the  Baltimore Ravens, but he said he felt "pretty good" this week. "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." Watt exited the Week 15 loss to the Eagles with five minutes to play after rolling his ankle. He didn't participate in Tuesday's walk-through, but he was upgraded to a limited participant Wednesday and appeared to do even more work on Thursday. "There's not a lot of things you do on practice in a short week like this to push it, so I want to see how it feels on Saturday," Watt said. "But I feel pretty good right now." Watt is one of several starters whose status is in question for Saturday. Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) missed...

Cody Bellinger called his dad as soon as he could after learning that he was being traded to the New York Yankees -- the same team that the elder Bellinger played for. "It is truly wild," Cody said on a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. "When I got the news, I called him, and he was very excited. He plays it all cool, but I know deep down he's really excited. "My parents did a good job of bringing the camcorder around, and back when I was younger in high school or even before that, we would watch home videos. So that's how I remember it a lot through the camcorder, but I still have some very solid memories of it." Clay Bellinger appeared in 181 games during his three seasons with the Yankees and was a member of their World Series-winning clubs in 1999 and 2000. Clay and Cody Bellinger will become the fourth father-son duo to play for the Yankees, joining Yogi and Dale Berra, Ron and Ike Davis, and Mark Leiter and Mark Leiter Jr. Cody Bellinger was acquired...

San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo is dealing with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play Sunday at the Miami Dolphins, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday. Guerendo has risen to the top of a 49ers depth chart at the position that has been decimated by injury this season. Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell all sustained season-ending injuries this season. Guerendo injured the hamstring against the Rams last week after he was questionable for that game because of a foot injury. He did not participate in Wednesday's practice. The other running backs on the 49ers' 53-man roster are Patrick Taylor Jr. and Israel Abanikanda. Taylor is expected to get the first shot to replace Guerendo. The 49ers also have running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn on the practice squad, and he has been elevated the past two games with Abanikanda inactive. Guerendo has rushed for 381 yards and four...

Nick Dunlap, who became the first player to win as an amateur and a professional in the same season, has been named the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year for the 2024 season. The 20-year-old American was selected for the Arnold Palmer Award over Max Greyserman, Jake Knapp and Matthieu Pavon, receiving 57% of the membership vote. "Nick carved out his place in the PGA Tour record book," PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said Thursday in a news release. "To begin 2024 as a collegiate golfer and end it with two PGA Tour victories and among the top-50 players in the FedExCup is truly impressive." In January, Dunlap won at The American Express in La Quinta, California, to become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991. Four days after the victory, Dunlap announced he was turning professional and in July, added to his breakthrough season when he won the Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club. Dunlap went on to qualify...

Justin Tinsley, senior culture writer for ESPN’s Andscape, discusses the former NFL quarterback’s return to football – this time, at an HBCU in Virginia.

A brother of World Cup winner Paul Pogba was sentenced Thursday by a Paris criminal court to three years in prison -- two of which are suspended -- in an extortion and kidnapping case. Mathias Pogba had already spent time in detention and the remainder of the sentence will be served under house arrest with electronic monitoring. This sentence is in line with the prosecution's request. His lawyer said he would appeal the ruling. The case at the Paris criminal court took place without the former Manchester United and Juventus player. A judge had ordered Mathias Pogba and five other men to stand trial following an investigation into whether Paul Pogba was the target of an extortion scheme by his brother and childhood friends in 2022. Mathias went on trial last month "for the offenses of attempted extortion and criminal conspiracy." The five others -- identified by their first names only -- demanded €13 million ($13.6m) from the France midfielder,...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs will activate wide receiver Hollywood Brown from injured reserve and play him in Saturday's game against the Houston Texans unless he has any setbacks, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Thursday. Brown hasn't played for the Chiefs since suffering a sternoclavicular injury on the first play of the first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He had surgery and was in rehab before returning to practice for the first time last week. The Chiefs cleared a roster spot for Brown earlier this week when they released running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Brown caught 51 passes for the Arizona Cardinals last season. His best season came for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns.

The NFL is adding a game show and a punting contest to its Pro Bowl skills competitions in February. The league announced on Thursday the full list of challenges, including tug-of-war and dodgeball. The games will take place at Central Florida and finish with a seven-on-seven flag football game between the AFC and NFC on Feb. 2. New this year are Helmet Harmony, a game show that will test players' knowledge of their teammates, and Punt Perfect that features one punter and one non-punter. The two players from each conference will punt from the 35-yard line, aiming to land as many balls as possible into six buckets positioned in the end zone. The passing and receiving competitions have a new twist this year. Quarterbacks will have 40 seconds to hit targets at various distances around the field, with each target worth different point values. Before the challenge, the quarterbacks will select a Pro Bowl Games teammate to answer five trivia questions about current Pro Bowl players....

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs will activate wide receiver Hollywood Brown from the injured reserve list and play him in Saturday's game against the Houston Texans unless he has any setbacks, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Brown hasn't played for the Chiefs since suffering a sternoclavicular injury on the first play of the initial preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He had surgery and was in rehab before returning to practice for the first time last week. The Chiefs cleared a roster spot for Brown earlier this week when they released running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Brown caught 51 passes for the Arizona Cardinals las season. His best season came for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards.

Auburn men's basketball leading scorer Johni Broome will not need surgery, the team said Wednesday, after he injured his shoulder Tuesday night against Georgia State. Broome, who entered the game averaging 19.7 points and a Division I-leading 12.7 rebounds, went to the locker room just 2:17 into the contest. Tigers coach Bruce Pearl told reporters afterward that Broome's shoulder "came out and came right back in," something that happened to him last season as well. MRI results indicated the standout center will not have to miss extended time, according to the team. The No. 2 Tigers face No. 16 Purdue on Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The New York Mets and right-hander Griffin Canning have agreed on a one-year, $4.25 million contract, pending a physical, a source confirmed to ESPN's Jeff Passan on Wednesday night. The deal includes $1 million in potential performance bonuses, a source said. Canning, 28, posted a 4.78 ERA in five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in October. The Braves nontendered him in November, making him a free agent. The right-hander recorded career highs in starts (31) and innings pitched (171⅔) in 2024. He finished the season 6-13 with a 5.19 ERA, leading the American League in earned runs allowed (99) for the last-place Angels. He registered his best season in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, pitching to a 3.99 ERA over 11 starts and earning a Gold Glove award. Canning is the third starting pitcher the Mets have added on a major league contract this offseason, joining Frankie Montas and Clay...

Everton's long-running ownership saga has ended after a takeover from U.S. firm the Friedkin Group was completed on Thursday, the club announced. The American ownership group takes over British-Iranian billionaire Farhad Moshiri's 94.1% majority share of the club, which will move next season from its long-term home, Goodison Park, to a new riverfront stadium. Everton becomes the 10th club in the Premier League to be under American ownership. "Today marks a momentous and proud occasion for The Friedkin Group as we become custodians of this iconic football club," Marc Watts, the club's incoming executive chairman, said in a statement. "We are committed to leading Everton into an exciting new era both on and off the pitch." The Friedkin Group also owns Serie A club AS Roma. The Premier League said the group had passed its league owners' and directors' test, adding: "Having been agreed by the [Premier League] board, the takeover has now been ratified...

Everton's long-running ownership saga has ended after a takover from U.S. firm the Friedkin Group was completed on Thursday, the club has announced. The American ownership group takes over British-Iranian billionaire Farhad Moshiri's 94.1% majority share of the club, which will move next season from its long-term home, Goodison Park, to a new riverfront stadium. Everton becomes the 10th club in the Premier League to be under American ownership. "Today marks a momentous and proud occasion for The Friedkin Group as we become custodians of this iconic football club," Marc Watts, the club's incoming executive chairman, said in a statement. "We are committed to leading Everton into an exciting new era both on and off the pitch." The Friedkin Group also owns Serie A club AS Roma. The Premier League said the group had passed its League Owners' and Directors' test, adding: "Having been agreed by the [Premier League] board, the takeover has now been...

The NBA, where a big three combination of players often proves successful on the court, has a big three in terms of franchise value too. The Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are the league's most valuable franchises by a wide margin, Sportico announced in its  annual assessment Wednesday. The Warriors are worth $9.14 billion, the Knicks $8.3 billion and the Lakers $8.07 billion, according to the report. Golden State is considered the second-most valuable franchise in U.S. sports, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys ($10.3 billion). The assessments include ownership's real estate and team-related businesses such as WNBA franchises. The average NBA team is worth $4.6 billion, a 15% rise over last year and nearly twice the worth from four years ago. The Warriors, who have an affiliated WNBA expansion team set to start next year, saw their value go up 10% from 2023. The Knicks had a 12% rise, and the Lakers had a 10%...

Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer has committed to Oklahoma, he announced on social media Wednesday. Mateer is the No. 1 overall player in ESPN's transfer rankings and joins the Sooners after a breakthrough season as the Cougars' starter in 2024. He will have two more seasons of eligibility. Oklahoma hired Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski earlier this month and was long considered the favorite to land Mateer if he transferred. Oklahoma held off a strong push from Miami to secure his pledge, sources told ESPN. After backing up Cam Ward for two years, Mateer took over as the Cougars' starter in 2024 and threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns on 64.6% passing. He was one of the top dual-threat playmakers in the FBS, ranking sixth among quarterbacks with 826 rushing yards and scoring 15 rushing touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 219-pound redshirt sophomore had a top-10...

The New York Rangers traded forward Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, in exchange for defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2025 sixth-round pick. Kakko, 23, was drafted second overall by New York in 2019 and scored 61 goals and 131 points in 330 games. This has been another tough season for Kakko, though, in which he has produced only four goals and 14 points in 30 games. Kakko had been subject to multiple trade rumors over the past two years but signed a one-year, $2.4 million contract as a restricted free agent last spring to stick with the Rangers. The forward was recently a healthy scratch in New York's game against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday, a move by coach Peter Laviolette that didn't sit well with Kakko and was reflective of how he has struggled to establish a firm positioning within the organization. Kakko was also vocal about the decision, claiming all he was told by the coaching staff is he...

Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer has committed to Oklahoma, he announced on social media Wednesday. Mateer is the No. 1 overall player in ESPN's transfer rankings and joins the Sooners after a breakthrough season as the Cougars' starter in 2024. He'll have two more seasons of eligibility. Oklahoma hired Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski earlier this month and was long considered the favorite to land Mateer if he transferred. Oklahoma held off a strong push from Miami to secure his pledge, sources told ESPN. After backing up Cam Ward for two years, Mateer took over as the Cougars' starter in 2024 and threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns on 65% passing. He was one of the top dual-threat playmakers in FBS, ranking sixth among all quarterbacks with 827 rushing yards and scoring 15 rushing touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 219-pound redshirt sophomore had a top-10 QBR...

St. Louis Cardinals star third baseman Nolan Arenado invoked his no-trade clause to block a deal that would have sent him to the Houston Astros, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, confirming news that was first reported by MLB.com. Despite the setback, the two teams were still negotiating a potential trade involving Arenado, though a deal was not imminent, according to MLB.com. The Astros' attempt to land Arenado comes days after they traded outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs.  Alex Bregman, the Astros' longtime third baseman, could leave in free agency. Houston won the American League West last season but was eliminated in the wild-card round. An eight-time All-Star, Arenado, 33, is considered one of the game's best third basemen, both at the plate and in the field. He hit .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs last season for the Cardinals, for whom he has played the past four years. Arenado, who has won 10 Gold Gloves, is a...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Aaron Rodgers was stunned when the Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Love as his heir apparent in 2020. He won't be surprised if the New York Jets do the same this spring. In fact, Rodgers said he would embrace it -- if he's still playing. While he reiterated Wednesday that he's undecided on his future, Rodgers indicated his decision won't be influenced by the Jets' plans. He said he's not opposed to the idea of helping develop a highly drafted quarterback. "When they drafted Jordan, I felt like I was one bad stretch from being benched -- and I won MVP a couple of years, so that's the way the league is," Rodgers said after practice. "You have to prove you can play every single week and through stretches. "So if [the Jets] asked me back and they drafted a guy, I'd mentor the hell out of him if I was playing and I'd try to play as well as I could to keep him on the bench." Rodgers was 36 when the Packers drafted Love in the...

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Less than 24 hours after being benched, Kirk Cousins said he will do what he can to help new Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Falcons coach Raheem Morris on Tuesday made the decision to start Penix after the team's 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on "Monday Night Football." Cousins struggled in that contest, during which he attempted only 17 passes. He has nine interceptions in his past five outings. "It's pro football, and there's a standard that I have for myself, that the team has for me, that, unfortunately, I wasn't playing up to that standard consistently enough," Cousins said Wednesday in his first comments since the change. "And so, it is what it is, and you roll with it and now you still get ready -- 'one play away' kind of a thing -- and support Mike and just try to help our team be able to find a way to win these last three to get in the playoffs, and that's what it's...

One week after coach Doug Gottlieb referred to weaker potential opponents as "Nobody U," his Green Bay men's basketball team lost at home to Division II Michigan Tech 72-70 on Wednesday for its eighth consecutive defeat. Green Bay took a double-digit lead into halftime and led by as many as 13 points in the second half before Michigan Tech came back to take the lead with just under eight minutes left. The teams went back and forth until Michigan Tech's Marcus Tomashek hit a 3-pointer with 53 seconds left to give the Huskies a lead they didn't relinquish. In a news conference last week after the Phoenix's home loss to Milwaukee, Gottlieb explained his scheduling outlook and used the now-famous "Nobody U" phrase. "Part of the reason I want to play better teams is like, it's 2 degrees outside, it's snowing. I don't really like the idea of Nobody U coming in here," he said. "What do we learn playing a game where we win by 20? There's a methodology to...

After Alabama narrowly missed the College Football Playoff in coach Kalen DeBoer's first season, athletic director Greg Byrne told fans in a letter on X on Wednesday that "now is a time for action" and "time for the Bama Nation to fight back." "Although we have been competitive from an NIL standpoint, our competition has us in their sights and are actively trying to surge ahead with NIL," Byrne said in the letter. "You have heard examples of other teams using promises of million-dollar paydays to lure away our players or convince them not to come to Alabama. It is time for the Bama Nation to fight back." The Crimson Tide went 9-3 under DeBoer, a former Washington coach, who replaced Nick Saban when he retired on Jan. 10. Alabama fell 40-35 at Vanderbilt on Oct. 5, its first loss to the Commodores in 40 years, and a 24-3 defeat at Oklahoma on Nov. 23 knocked the Tide out of the SEC championship game. Alabama was No....

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans quarterback Will Levis found out Tuesday morning that he was getting reduced to a backup role this week. He was informed of his new role when he went to Titans coach Brian Callahan's office for their weekly meeting. The decision comes after Levis' four turnovers landed him on the bench in last week's 37-27 loss to the Bengals. The second-year quarterback was obviously disappointed about the decision but admitted he could have played better. With three games left, Levis said his plan is to take a day-by-day approach. That doesn't mean Levis feels the door is closed on his future with the Titans. "I still believe that I can be the franchise quarterback for this team," Levis said Wednesday. "I have the utmost confidence in myself and my ability to lead any team in this league." In the meantime, Levis plans to do his best to help Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback. Rudolph referred to the switch as an easy dynamic because he...