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Two years after allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse rocked the NWSL, some league general managers are now voicing concerns that reforms for players have "gone too far," a survey by ESPN found, which has prompted pushback from the players association. In an anonymous ESPN survey of GMs from each of the league's 14 teams, all unanimously said that the culture of the league has undergone a drastic shift in accountability since a pair of investigations in 2022 uncovered systemic abuse across the NWSL. But a prevailing sentiment was that "the pendulum has swung too far the other way," a phrase two separate GMs used verbatim. "I think it's still a very stressful place for staff," a GM said. "I think you have to be very calculated in every conversation, every interaction that you have with athletes. We have to err on the side of extremely positive or conservative policies that I think in any other professional or corporate environment wouldn't really necessarily...

Two years after abuse scandals rocked the NWSL, some league general managers are now voicing concerns that reforms for players have "gone too far," a survey by ESPN found, which has prompted pushback from the players association. In an anonymous ESPN survey of GMs from each of the league's 14 teams, all unanimously said that the culture of the league has undergone a drastic shift in accountability since a pair of investigations in 2022 uncovered systemic abuse across the NWSL. But a prevailing sentiment was that "the pendulum has swung too far the other way," a phrase two separate GMs used verbatim. "I think it's still a very stressful place for staff," a GM said. "I think you have to be very calculated in every conversation, every interaction that you have with athletes. We have to err on the side of extremely positive or conservative policies that I think in any other professional or corporate environment wouldn't really necessarily exist." Last month, the...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- For the past two-plus seasons, Jordan Mason has always looked the part of a starting running back. He just hadn't been able to play it until Monday night. The wait might have been longer than Mason wanted and come about under less-than-ideal circumstances -- replacing an injured Christian McCaffrey -- but it was clear in the season opener that Mason was more than ready for the job, as he and the Niners battered the New York Jets on the ground in a 32-19 victory. "I've been working all of training camp for this moment, and I'm blessed to be able to get to play today and show it," Mason said. By the time Mason was done, he'd set career highs with 28 carries for 147 yards. He added a rushing score and caught a pass for 5 more yards. After the win, some were left wondering when the Niners knew McCaffrey would be out and Mason would be in. In an on-field interview with ESPN's Lisa Salters, Mason suggested he found out "maybe...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- This time, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed a pass on his fourth snap of the season -- a shovel to running back Breece Hall, who promptly fumbled. It was that kind of season opener for Rodgers, whose highly anticipated comeback was spoiled by mistakes and poor performances on both sides of the ball in a 32-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night at Levi's Stadium. "They are a championship-level group -- and I hope we see them then," Rodgers said of the 49ers, ending his postgame news conference with a hint of optimism. Rodgers, who tore his left Achilles on the fourth snap of the 2023 season opener, saw his first extensive action in 20 months. He became the 22nd quarterback in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to play after his 40th birthday. There were a few vintage moments for the four-time MVP, but he wasn't pleased with his return performance. "This is a tough opener for us, travel-wise...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After declaring Friday that he had no doubt he would play, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey missed Monday night's 32-19 season-opening win over the New York Jets. McCaffrey has dealt with a calf and Achilles injury since the early days of training camp, with coach Kyle Shanahan announcing the ailments on Aug. 6. Shanahan said then that McCaffrey would be out for a couple of weeks and not participate in the preseason. The expectation, though, was that McCaffrey would be able to get back in time for Monday's game.  On Friday, McCaffrey even said he was hopeful he would get his usual heavy workload. And general manager John Lynch told KNBR radio Friday morning that McCaffrey would "be out there and ready to roll." But even after participating on a limited basis in four practices this week, McCaffrey was ruled out against the Jets about 90 minutes before the game as one of their six inactives (plus the emergency...

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees called up top prospect Jasson Domínguez ahead of Monday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals, a move that seemed inevitable once rosters were expanded at the beginning of the month. Domínguez, 21, played center field and batted sixth in the Yankees' 10-4 win Monday. He went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and run scored in his first game at Yankee Stadium in exactly a year. Manager Aaron Boone said he will play "a lot" as the Yankees continue battling the Baltimore Orioles for the American League East title with 18 games remaining. "This is a dream," Dominguez said before the game. "Since I started playing, I wanted to play in the big leagues, and now I'm here again and it's exciting and I'm happy [about] it." The Yankees' decision to not promote the switch-hitter known as "The Martian" on Sept. 1, when teams were first allowed to field 28-man rosters, was surprising. A swath of the fan base reacted with furor....

PITTSBURGH -- Pirates ace Paul Skenes struck out nine over six solid innings in a win Monday to bring his strikeout total for the year to 151, a franchise record for a rookie. The 22-year-old Skenes (10-2) allowed one run on six hits in the 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins, lowering his ERA to 2.10. The 6-foot-6 right-hander's fastball hit 100 mph six times. He became just the fourth rookie to reach 150 strikeouts in 20 starts or less, joining Kerry Wood, Dwight Gooden and Mark Prior. Cy Blanton in 1935 previously held the record for most strikeouts by a Pirates rookie. "I think that just goes to the quality of his stuff," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "This kid's got elite stuff, and he's going to strike out a lot of people throughout his career." While Skenes wasn't particularly efficient -- he needed 98 pitches to record 18 outs and retired Miami in order just once -- he was able to avoid major trouble to bolster his bid for National League...

MIAMI -- Newly released body camera footage of the detainment of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill shows Miami-Dade police officers pulling the star player out of his car and forcing him to the pavement before putting him in handcuffs. The footage shows Hill is originally pulled over for speeding while approaching Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. It takes approximately one minute from when the officer leaves his motorcycle and starts walking toward Hill's car to when Hill is forcibly pulled out. Upon arrival, the officer knocks on Hill's car window, prompting Hill to roll down the window, hand the officer his driver's license and repeatedly tell the officer not to knock on his window. The footage also shows the officer asking Hill to keep his window down. The incident escalates when Hill doesn't comply. Hill tells the officer, "Give me my ticket, bro, so I can go, I'm gonna be late. Do what you gotta do," and rolls his darkly tinted window back up. "Keep your...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After declaring Friday that he had no doubt he would play, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is out for Monday night's opener against the New York Jets. McCaffrey has dealt with a calf and Achilles injury since the early days of training camp, with coach Kyle Shanahan announcing the ailments on Aug. 6. Shanahan said then that McCaffrey would be out for a couple of weeks and not participate in the preseason. The expectation, though, was that McCaffrey would be able to get back in time for Monday's game.  On Friday, McCaffrey even said he was hopeful he would get his usual heavy workload. And general manager John Lynch told KNBR radio Friday morning that McCaffrey would "be out there and ready to roll." But even after participating on a limited basis in four practices this week, McCaffrey was ruled out against the Jets about 90 minutes before the game as one of their six inactives (plus the emergency third...

CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz knows his team is staring down a record number of losses this season, but he's urging his players to "make the best of it" as they draw closer to 120 or more defeats, the modern record for losses in a single season. "I think if you would have told me we were going to end up flirting with the record I would have been a little surprised," Getz said on Monday afternoon. "Now if you would have told me prior to the year that we would have ended up with over 100 losses, 105, 110, I wouldn't have been as surprised. But this is the cards that we've been dealt at this point. You try to make the best of it, and I think it's an opportunity to embrace the situation that we're in." The White Sox are 33-111 with 18 games remaining on the schedule, including Monday night's contest against the Cleveland Guardians. Their .229 winning percentage has them on pace for 125 losses. The 1962 Mets, the modern record holders for most...

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees called up top prospect Jasson Domínguez ahead of Monday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals, abruptly answering the question hovering over the club since rosters were expanded at the beginning of the month. Domínguez, 21, was in the Yankees' starting lineup Monday, playing center field and batting sixth. Manager Aaron Boone said he will play "a lot" as the Yankees continue battling the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East title. "This is a dream," Domínguez said. "Since I started playing, I wanted to play in the big leagues and now I'm here again and it's exciting and I'm happy [about] it." The Yankees' decision to not promote the switch-hitter known as The Martian on Sept. 1, when teams were first allowed to field 28-man rosters, was surprising to outsiders. A significant swath of the fan base reacted with furor. Domínguez was producing at the Triple-A level while Alex Verdugo, the Yankees' everyday left...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers do not plan to put quarterback  Jordan Love on injured reserve, which means they think the recovery from his left knee injury will be on the shorter end of the timeline. In the meantime, they will prepare the recently acquired Malik Willis to be their starting quarterback on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Green Bay traded a seventh-round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans for Willis the day before final roster cuts last month. If he starts Sunday's home opener at Lambeau Field, he will do so just 20 days after he joined the Packers. Willis served as the backup in Friday's season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil and took the final two snaps -- an incompletion and a sack -- after Love sustained a sprained MCL in his left knee with 6 seconds left in the 34-29 loss. The only other quarterback currently with the team is Sean Clifford, who served as Love's backup...

Quarterback Kirk Cousins' debut for the Atlanta Falcons did not go as planned, but it wasn't due to injury, according to coach Raheem Morris. Cousins struggled in an 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in Atlanta. He had just 19 passing yards in the second half, the lowest total of his 13-year career. Cousins was 16-of-26 for 155 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions overall. It was Cousins' first game since suffering a torn Achilles in Week 8 last season. Cousins did not play at all in the preseason but was not really limited in training camp. "I feel like Kirk is healthy," Morris said Monday. "He's been healthy since he's been here." The Falcons' playcalling, under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, fueled speculation that the team was trying to protect Cousins. Atlanta ran only one offensive play with Cousins under center, per Next Gen Stats. They ran 26 plays out of the pistol set and 22 out of shotgun. Cousins had never...

A new civil lawsuit filed in Houston on Monday accuses Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery in October 2020, when he was a member of the Houston Texans. According to the lawsuit, the alleged actions occurred before Watson and a woman, who goes by the pseudonym "Jane Doe" in the court filing, were set to have dinner at the woman's apartment. The lawsuit states that Watson met the woman, a single mother, at a Houston restaurant and bar, managed to get her phone number and initially attempted to have her meet him at the Houston Galleria for a date. Reluctant to meet Watson in public, the woman instead agreed to a dinner date at her apartment, according to the lawsuit. On the evening of the date, according to the lawsuit, she said Watson had trouble finding her apartment and began aggressively yelling and screaming at her on the phone, saying he didn't "have time for this." The lawsuit alleges that, while applying makeup in...

LOS ANGELES -- Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua aggravated his knee injury against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night and will be placed on injured reserve, coach Sean McVay said Monday. Nacua has a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) sprain, McVay said, and will miss at least four games by being placed on IR. Nacua suffered the injury while making a catch midway through the second quarter of the 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions. He limped off the field and went into the blue medical tent. Nacua later returned to the game for a short stint before exiting. He had four catches for 35 yards in Sunday's game before the injury. The injury was an aggravation of an Aug. 4 injury that took place during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers but was "a little bit more significant than what was previously the situation," McVay said. Nacua missed several weeks before returning to practice on Aug. 26. The receiver was listed as a full participant in the...

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua aggravated his knee injury against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night and, while he still is going through additional testing, he is expected to be considered week-to-week, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. Nacua suffered the injury while making a catch midway through the second quarter of the 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions. He limped off the field and went into the blue medical tent. Nacua later returned to the game for a short stint before exiting. He had four catches for 35 yards in Sunday's game before the injury. Nacua missed several weeks during training camp after injuring a knee in a joint practice. He returned to practice Aug. 26 and was listed as a full participant in the week leading up to Sunday's game. Nacua set records last season for most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) by a rookie in NFL history. ESPN's Sarah Barshop contributed to this report.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been cleared to participate in Monday's walk-through practice and play in the team's game against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night, coach Sean McDermott said Monday. Allen injured his left (non-throwing) hand in the team's 34-28 Week 1 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The Bills will be without 2023 second-team All-Pro nickel cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm) in the game against the Dolphins after he left Sunday's game on the first drive. Cam Lewis is the team's backup nickel. McDermott did not have a timeline on his return and said they are still doing "research" into that. The coach also said it "is looking like" defensive end Dawuane Smoot (toe) will be ruled out for Thursday's game. Allen appeared to suffer his injury on a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter during which he leaped over Cardinals safety Budda Baker to reach the end zone. His...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The news went from bad to worse for the Carolina Panthers after Sunday's 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints when they discovered Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury. Panthers coach Dave Canales said Monday that Brown will get a second opinion before deciding to have surgery to repair his meniscus. "Definitely a huge loss,'' Canales said. "He's one of our best players. That's big shoes to fill. At the same time, we encourage [to whoever is playing] go in with great technique and just do your job. We don't need you to make the special plays that Derrick makes. Just do your job. That's the truth of it. If you play team football with a bunch of guys you can have success.'' It was unclear when Brown suffered the injury. He played 60 of Carolina's 66 snaps in its worst opening-day loss in team history and fourth-largest margin of defeat overall. Canales said Brown "isn't really sure''...

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that he has cautioned his team against the " Notre Dame scenario" and reminded his players that "we're entitled to nothing" following Saturday's 31-12 win over then-No. 10 Michigan that moved the Longhorns to No. 2 in the AP Top 25. Texas' 19-point victory over the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium represented an early statement victory in the Longhorns' pursuit of a second-consecutive College Football Playoff appearance this fall. Led by 246 passing yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Quinn Ewers, Texas notched its largest road win over a top-10 opponent since 1979, handing Michigan its first home loss since 2020 and the program's first defeat since the Wolverines fell to TCU in the 2022 College Football Playoff. The Longhorns' win came hours before then-No. 5 Notre Dame suffered a monumental upset Saturday afternoon, falling as a 28.5-point home favorite in a 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois -- seven days...

After evaluating his team's shocking 16-14 home loss to Northern Illinois on Saturday, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said on Monday that in addition to the mistakes the Irish made on the field, it was also clear his team needs to learn how to handle success. One week after earning a statement season-opening win at Texas A&M and looking like legitimate contenders for the 12-team College Football Playoff, the Irish suffered one of the program's biggest upsets in decades, losing a game they were favored to win by 28.5 points. "This is the first time in my three years as a head coach that we have won the big game early in the season," Freeman said. "Two losses to Ohio State and then all of a sudden, we win and everybody says, 'Hey, you're going to the playoff. You've got an easy schedule.' We all hear it, and I think we started to believe that. "There is a physical approach to preparing for a game, and I think physically we prepared the right way," he said, "but...

After evaluating his team's shocking 16-14 home loss to Northern Illinois on Saturday, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said on Monday that in addition to the mistakes the Irish made on the field, it was also clear his team needs to learn how to handle success. One week after earning a statement season-opening win at Texas A&M and looking like a legitimate contender for the 12-team College Football Playoff, the Irish suffered one of the program's biggest upsets in decades, losing a game they were favored to win by 28.5 points. "This is the first time in my three years as a head coach that we have won the big game early in the season," Freeman said. "Two losses to Ohio State and then all of a sudden, we win and everybody says, 'Hey, you're going to the playoff. You've got an easy schedule.' We all hear it, and I think we started to believe that. "There is a physical approach to preparing for a game, and I think physically we prepared the right way," he said, "but there's also a...

Colorado safety Shilo Sanders is recovering from surgery to repair a right forearm injury sustained in Saturday's loss at Nebraska. Sanders' father, Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders, posted pictures on social media Monday of Shilo resting in a hospital bed, with the caption: "God is Good! Can't wait to see u back ready to go. Love ya son!" Shilo Sanders left the game in the first quarter after attempting to tackle Huskers running back Dante Dowdell. He soon went into the Colorado locker room. Deion Sanders told NBC during the game that Shilo likely suffered a broken forearm and would not return. Colorado did not provide an update on Shilo Sanders' status immediately after the game. The 6-foot, 195-pound safety started 11 games for Colorado in 2023, leading the team in tackles (70) and forced fumbles (4), and earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors. He tied for the Pac-12 lead with 55 solo tackles and had nine tackles, including one for loss, in Colorado's...

The union representing Miami-Dade police officers said in a statement Monday that Tyreek Hill was "uncooperative" and was "redirected" to the ground while in handcuffs during his detainment before the Miami Dolphins' game Sunday only because he refused orders to sit. "Before the Dolphins game yesterday, an incident occurred where Tyreek Hill was placed in handcuffs before being released. First, to be clear, at no time was he ever under arrest. He was briefly detained for officer safety, after driving in a manner in which he was putting himself and others in great danger," Steadman Stahl, the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, said in a statement. "Upon being stopped, Mr. Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers on scene who, pursuant to policy and for their immediate safety, placed Mr. Hill in handcuffs. Mr. Hill, still uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground," Stahl...

Carroll Dawson, who spent nearly three decades with the Houston Rockets' organization as an assistant coach and general manager, has died at the age of 86, the team announced Monday. No other details of his death were given. "The Rockets family mourns the loss of beloved former coach and general manager, Carroll Dawson, affectionately known as 'CD,'" the team said. He was an assistant coach with Houston from 1980 to '97. The Rockets were 461-409 with six trips to the playoffs during his tenure as GM of the Rockets from 1996 to 2007. "For nearly three decades, CD was a cornerstone of our organization, instrumental in shaping the careers of stars like Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. A proud Texas native, CD served as the only coach to be present for all four of Houston's NBA Finals appearances, including the back-to-back championship teams. As general manager, he brought iconic talents to Houston including Charles Barkley, Steve Francis, Yao Ming,...

Florida State will be without tailback Jaylin Lucas for the remainder of the season,  coach Mike Norvell said. Florida State does not release details on injuries, but Norvell said that Lucas has a remaining redshirt he can use and would have two years of eligibility remaining. Norvell said he anticipates Lucas returning to FSU in 2025. "I'm still very excited about what his future is as a Seminole," Norvell said, "but it's unfortunate we're going to lose him for the rest of the season." Lucas was part of the Seminoles' running back rotation and is one of the most explosive kick returners in the country. A transfer from Indiana, he finished last season with 572 return yards and a touchdown. FSU expected its running game to be the strength of its offense in 2024, but through an 0-2 start, the Seminoles rank 128th nationally in rush yards per game (59.5) and Lucas has had just two carries for 13 yards. He's also had three catches for 39 yards as a receiver. Norvell...

FRISCO, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson could still play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints after being diagnosed with a bone bruise and a minor sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, a source told ESPN on Monday. Ferguson had an MRI on Monday morning after leaving the Cowboys' 33-17 victory against the Cleveland Browns following a 2-yard catch in the third quarter. He landed awkwardly while attempting to leap linebacker Jordan Hicks and immediately grabbed his knee. He went to the locker room and did not return. After the game, multiple sources said Ferguson's anterior cruciate ligament remained intact but the MRI was needed for the full diagnosis. "God is good," Ferguson posted to X on Monday morning. Ferguson finished with three catches for 15 yards. Last year, he established himself with 71 catches for 761 yards and five touchdowns and was added to the Pro Bowl as a...

FRISCO, Texas - Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson could still play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints after being diagnosed with a bone bruise and a minor sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, a source told ESPN on Monday. Ferguson had an MRI on Monday morning after leaving the Cowboys' 33-17 victory against the Cleveland Browns following a 2-yard catch in the third quarter. He landed awkwardly while attempting to leap linebacker Jordan Hicks and immediately grabbed his knee. He went to the locker room and did not return. After the game multiple sources said Ferguson's anterior cruciate ligament remained intact but the MRI was needed for the full diagnosis. "God is good," Ferguson posted to X on Monday morning. Ferguson finished with three catches for 15 yards. Last year, he established himself with 71 catches for 761 yards and five touchdowns and was added to the Pro Bowl as a replacement. "I think we...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The news went from bad to worse for the Carolina Panthers after Sunday's 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints when they discovered Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury. A league source confirmed to ESPN that Brown will undergo surgery to repair an apparent meniscus injury. It was unclear when Brown suffered the injury. He played 60 of Carolina's 66 snaps in its worst opening-day loss in team history and fourth-largest margin of defeat overall. Brown was coming off a 2023 campaign in which his 103 tackles were the most for an NFL defensive lineman in a season. Carolina rewarded the seventh pick of the 2020 draft with a four-year, $96 million extension earlier this year. Brown was Carolina's best defensive player and arguably the best player on the team. Although he has never had more than three sacks in a season, new coach Dave Canales challenged him to have eight to 10 in 2024,...

Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke was fired Monday, the school announced, citing a need to help the school navigate "a new era in college athletics." "Upon her arrival at Pitt in 2017, Heather guided our program through a unique period in college athletics and we thank her for her leadership during that time," chancellor Joan Gabel said in a statement. "However, as we enter a new era in college athletics, one that seems to change by the day, we need a new vision and a new leader of our athletics department." Lyke and Gabel, formally inaugurated as Pitt's chancellor in April, did not see eye to eye on a variety of issues, including NIL, sources told ESPN. Executive associate athletic director Jennifer Tuscano will serve as interim athletic director until a permanent AD is hired. During her Pitt tenure, Lyke helped raise the profile of the entire athletics department: The football team won the ACC championship in 2021; the women's volleyball team advanced to its first three final...

CLEVELAND -- Dak Prescott was in his room at the downtown Cleveland Marriott at Key Tower when the Dallas Cowboys quarterback got the call that he was going to become the highest-paid player in NFL history. He was with Ezekiel Elliott, his teammate and closest friend, and his physical therapist, Luke Miller, getting his body ready for the season opener against the Cleveland Browns as his agent, Todd France, FaceTimed him with the news: a four-year extension worth $240 million with $231 million guaranteed. "A little emotional call," Prescott said. From there were calls to his girlfriend, Sarah Jane Ramos, and a hello to his baby daughter, M.J. More calls went to his marketing team, financial advisers and his father. He sent out a number of text messages as well. Not more than an hour later, he was on the team bus to Huntington Bank Field and later led the Cowboys to a 33-17 win against the Cleveland Browns. "It works for everyone and understanding...

Forward Alex Morgan played a symbolic 13 minutes and had a penalty kick saved on Sunday for San Diego Wave FC in her final match as a professional -- a 4-1 loss to the North Carolina Courage. Morgan, a two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, announced Thursday that the Wave's NWSL home game at Snapdragon Stadium against the Courage would be the last of her nearly 14-year career at the international and professional level. On Sunday, the 35-year-old was denied a dream exit by North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy, one of Morgan's teammates with the United States national team in recent years. Morgan stepped up to the spot after the Wave earned a penalty in the 10th minute, but her left-footed effort was saved by Murphy. San Diego scored an equalizer three minutes later, and Morgan began leaving the field with just over 13 minutes on the clock, a nod to the No. 13 that she famously wore for club and country over...

Italy's Sinner defeated American Taylor Fritz to win the title.

NEW YORK -- World No. 1 Jannik Sinner arrived in New York more than two weeks ago facing a slew of questions and scrutiny over the news that he had been exonerated and avoided suspension after twice testing positive for a banned substance in March.  His expectations for the US Open were "low," he said at the start. But he leaves as a champion, having left little doubt about his status as the best hard-court player in 2024. Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, won the US Open on Sunday behind a dominant 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 effort against American Taylor Fritz in front of a lively, celebrity-filled Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd that was largely against him. There were "U-S-A" chants and "Let's go, Taylor" cheers throughout, but Sinner was unfazed. He didn't drop a single point on his first serve over the final two sets of the match. "He was too good," the No. 12-seeded Fritz said during the on-court trophy presentation. He later called Sinner "the best player in...

CHICAGO -- With the game ball secured in his left arm, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams threw up his signature Bear claw with his right hand in response to the ovation he received from fans upon exiting the tunnel at Soldier Field. In Chicago's 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans, Williams became the first quarterback drafted with the No. 1 pick to win his first career start since David Carr in 2002. His performance, however, left the quarterback frustrated. Williams completed 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards, did not throw a touchdown or an interception, fumbled once and was sacked twice. The rookie quarterback was off target on 31% of his throws and averaged 3.2 yards per pass attempt. "We want to be the most efficient team out there, myself included," Williams said. "Didn't perform the way that I wanted to. I missed a few passes that I normally don't miss, all these other things. "Obviously, it's great to get this first win. We're all excited. Went to the...

LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani hit his 46th home run of the season to tie his career high, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-0 on Sunday in record-tying heat. With the first-pitch temperature of 103 degrees matching the hottest in Dodger Stadium history, Ohtani hit a 450-foot solo shot down the right-field line off  Tanner Bibee in the fifth inning that was reviewed to see if it was fair. "We were just curious why it was taking so long to look at the replay," Dodgers teammate Max Muncy said. "Maybe the guys in New York were admiring it just as much as we were." Ohtani has 22 home runs of at least 450 feet for his career, all coming since 2021. That's five more than any other player over that span.  Ohtani also hit 46 home runs in 2021 for the Los Angeles Angels in his unanimous American League MVP season. The Japanese star has 46 stolen bases in a bid to become the first major league player with a 50-50...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills quarterback  Josh Allen's second rushing touchdown Sunday was a leaping effort into the end zone over  Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker that put the team up by two scores in the fourth quarter, but the landing appeared to leave Allen with a left hand injury. After leaping over Baker, Allen put his hands around the football to brace for impact as defensive lineman Justin Jones tried to push the quarterback from falling into the end zone. As a result, Allen landed with his left (non-throwing) hand around the ball and underneath him. "The first rushing touchdown, I kind of lowered the shoulder, knowing that was a corner," Allen said. "Second time, I knew it was Budda, and Budda's a good player and he'll lay the boom on you, so I decided to go up and over, but probably can't make a living doing that, but here we are." The Bills went on to recover from a 17-3 deficit with less than three minutes remaining...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It didn't take long for New York Giants fans to reach their boiling point -- two plays into the season opener, to be exact. That is when the booing began. It went on sporadically for four quarters during a 28-6 drubbing at MetLife Stadium to Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon. The Giants were booed off the field at halftime and later when quarterback Daniel Jones threw a pair of interceptions, including one that was returned 10 yards for a touchdown. Eventually, all that could be heard in the final moments of the blowout was the Vikings fans' "Skol" chant reverberating throughout the stadium. It's only Week 1 in New York. The booing didn't sit well with everyone. "I don't respect it, honestly," Giants defensive captain  Dexter Lawrence said. "I get it. They want to see their team win. It's a rough patch. It just is what it is." The problem is that the Giants' struggles appear to be...

CINCINNATI -- New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo was presented a game ball by owner Robert Kraft after Sunday's 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals to acknowledge his first career win. Kraft delivered the ball to Mayo in the locker room, which led to a rousing cheer from players. "It was special. I'm just appreciative of the opportunity," Mayo said, adding that he presented a game ball to executive director of player personnel Eliot Wolf for his first win in the role. "My message to the players was without them, I'm nothing. I made sure they knew that. All the praise goes to those guys." The 38-year-old Mayo, who succeeded Bill Belichick after 24 years, joins Ron Meyer (1982), Raymond Berry (1984), Dick MacPherson (1991) and Pete Carroll (1997) as the only Patriots coaches to earn a win in their first regular-season game. "He was ecstatic, elated, overjoyed. He should be. It's his first one," quarterback Jacoby Brissett said of Mayo. "He...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The new members of the Houston Texans' offense dazzled in their debut as running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Stefon Diggs combined for three touchdowns in Sunday's 29-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Mixon had his third-highest career rushing output in a single game as he finished with 159 yards with a touchdown. Diggs had six catches for just 33 yards but finished with two touchdowns, one of which came on a crucial fourth-and-goal play from the Colts' 2-yard line with 4:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans called Diggs and Mixon's offensive performance "everything" for Houston as the duo scored all of the team's touchdowns in Week 1. "Those guys can step up and make plays no matter what the situation is," Ryans said postgame. "When you can count on those guys to make plays, it's huge for our team, not just the offense, but what they did for our entire team."   Mixon ran well against every...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Minnesota Vikings had just completed their longest drive in 16 years on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium -- one punctuated by a pair of laser throws from quarterback Sam Darnold to receiver Justin Jefferson -- when coach Kevin O'Connell stole a knowing glance at Jefferson. "I saw Justin's face after that drive," O'Connell said, "and I think he felt pretty darn good about who is throwing him the football." In his Vikings debut, Darnold produced one of the best games of his career by connecting on his first 12 throws and finishing with 19 completions in 24 attempts for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Were it not for a third-quarter interception caused by a hit as he threw, his passer rating would have been a career-high 130.6. External uncertainty about Darnold's aptitude as a full-time starter is largely why the Vikings are a consensus pick to finish last in the NFC North. But at least on this day, Darnold utilized the...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Multiple Dolphins players were detained by Miami-Dade Police Department officers before Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, including All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill said he was pulled over for allegedly speeding while driving to Hard Rock Stadium, roughly three hours before the game kicked off. He was ultimately placed in handcuffs after a "verbal altercation" occurred, sources told ESPN's Jeff Darlington. Hill was cited for reckless driving, sources told Darlington. He was released after several minutes, but the incident was filmed by nearby fans and quickly went viral on social media. Hill said he didn't know why the situation escalated the way it did. "Right now, I'm still trying to put it all together ... I still don't know what happened," he said after the game. "But I do want to use this platform to say, 'What if I wasn't Tyreek Hill?' Worst-case scenario, you know? ... Everybody has bad apples in every...

The debut of quarterback Kirk Cousins with the new-look Atlanta Falcons did not go the way they had hoped. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Falcons 18-10 on Sunday in Atlanta's Week 1 home opener and made what some expected to be a high-powered offense look pretty pedestrian. Cousins was 16-of-26 for 155 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. The last interception killed a fourth-quarter drive in a one-score game. Cousins had just 19 yards passing in the second half, the lowest total of his 13-year career. "I was disappointed," Cousins said. "Certainly disappointed. You always go out there with an expectation that you're going to play at a high level, and we didn't play up to our standard today." The team's defense allowed just 18 points, but its offense looked out of sorts throughout. A bad-snap fumble hit tight end  Ross Dwelley while he was in motion. Penalties killed promising drives. It looks like there will be an adjustment...

NEW YORK -- Jannik Sinner started slowly at the US Open, dropping the first set he played after being exonerated in a doping case no one knew about until shortly before play began at Flushing Meadows. If that episode initially hung over him during the tournament, he was able to put it aside while on court. The No. 1-ranked Sinner beat Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 with his typical relentless baseline game to win the men's singles championship at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, less than three weeks after word emerged of his two positive drug tests. "This title, for me, means so much," said Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, "because the last period of my career was really not easy." He won the second Grand Slam trophy of his nascent career -- the other was at the Australian Open in January -- and prevented No. 12 Fritz from ending a major title drought for American men that has lasted 21 years. Sinner is the fourth different man to win both the Australian Open and US...

The Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott have agreed on a four-year, $240 million contract extension that will make the star quarterback the highest-paid player in NFL history and keep him in a Cowboys uniform through the 2028 season, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Sunday. The deal includes $231 million guaranteed, which is the most in league history. Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed deal with the Cleveland Browns was worth $230 million. "I know that these numbers are beyond anything that I could have ever imagined," Jones said of the guaranteed money in Prescott's deal. The $60 million average annual value of Prescott's contract is the highest in NFL history, easily surpassing recent deals worth $55 million in average annual value signed by Cincinnati's Joe Burrow, Green Bay's Jordan Love and Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence. Prescott also received a record $80 million signing bonus, passing...

Baseball Hall of Fame member Wade Boggs has prostate cancer. The former third baseman made the announcement Saturday night on social media and sounded optimistic, saying he will be ready to take part in the ritual cancer patients have of ringing a bell when they have concluded their treatment. "With the strength and support of my family and my faith in God I'm going to ring that damn bell," Boggs wrote, adding a photo of a prostate cancer patient guide. Boggs, 66, played 18 MLB seasons with the Boston Red Sox (1982-92), New York Yankees (1993-97) and the then- Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-99). A five-time batting champion and 12-time All-Star, Boggs was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005 on the first ballot, garnering votes on 91.9% of ballots. The Hall of Fame sent good wishes, posting to social media, "We're with you every step of the way, Wade!" In his career, Boggs hit .328 and joined the 3,000-hit club, finishing with 3,010 to go with 1,513...

NEW YORK -- Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson was ruled out of Sunday's 75-71 loss to the  New York Liberty after injuring her right ankle Friday in the closing minute of her team's win over the Connecticut Sun. Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon described the injury as a tweak and said there are no long-term concerns after Wilson underwent imaging but that they are taking things slow with her and will see how she feels going into the Aces' next game Wednesday against the Indiana Fever. "There's never a good time for this, but she does get a couple days to get that ankle right and get a little bit of rest," Hammon said, referring to the team's approach with Wilson as "very precautionary." Wilson was seen entering Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon in a walking boot. The Aces started  Megan Gustafson and Alysha Clark alongside their usual backcourt of Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie...

Lincoln Riley and USC landed another key defensive piece in the 2025 class Sunday afternoon with a commitment from four-star linebacker Ty Jackson, ESPN's No. 1 inside linebacker in the cycle. Jackson, ranked 44th in the 2025 ESPN 300, made his commitment following a visit to the Trojans over the weekend, during which he saw USC's defense blank Utah State in a 48-0 victory Saturday night. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound defender is now the Trojans' highest-rated defensive pledge and the program's eighth ESPN 300 commit in the 2025 class. He recently told ESPN that he planned to take his commitment deep into the fall, perhaps as late as the start of the early signing period on Dec. 4. Instead, ESPN's fourth-highest-rated remaining uncommitted defender in the 2025 class gave his pledge just two weeks into the regular season, swayed by the brand of defense emerging with the Trojans under first-year coordinator D'Anton Lynn. Jackson, a star defender...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. --  Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was detained by police Sunday outside Hard Rock Stadium for a driving violation but was released from custody before Miami's game against the  Jacksonville Jaguars. Hill is playing in the game and scored a touchdown on an 80-yard pass play from Tua Tagovailoa in the third quarter. Hill appeared to reenact his detainment to celebrate his touchdown. Fellow wide receiver Jaylen Waddle walked behind as Hill held his arms behind his back like he was in handcuffs. Hill finished the Dolphins' 20-17 victory with 130 yards receiving on seven receptions. Before the game, Hill was seen on video posted to social media face down on the ground as officers placed his hands behind his back and put him in handcuffs. Sources told ESPN's Jeff Darlington that Hill was stopped for speeding and then got into a verbal altercation with police and was subsequently placed in handcuffs. Hill...

Baseball Hall of Fame member Wade Boggs has prostate cancer. The former third baseman made the announcement Saturday night on social media and sounded optimistic, saying he will be ready to take part in the ritual cancer patients have of ringing a bell when they have concluded their treatment. "With the strength and support of my family and my faith in God I'm going to ring that damn bell," Boggs wrote, adding a photo of a prostate cancer patient guide. Boggs, 66, played 18 MLB seasons with the Boston Red Sox (1982-92), New York Yankees (1993-97) and the then- Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-99). A five-time batting champion and 12-time All-Star, Boggs was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005 on the first ballot, garnering votes on 91.9% of ballots. The Hall of Fame sent good wishes, posting to social media, "We're with you every step of the way, Wade!" In his career, Boggs hit .328 and joined the 3,000-hit club, finishing with 3,010 to go with 1,513...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. --  Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was detained by police Sunday outside Hard Rock Stadium for a driving violation but was released from custody before Miami's game against the  Jacksonville Jaguars and is playing. Hill was seen on video posted to social media face down on the ground as officers placed his hands behind his back and put him in handcuffs. Sources told ESPN's Jeff Darlington that Hill was stopped for speeding and then got into a verbal altercation with police and was subsequently placed in handcuffs. Hill was cited for reckless driving, sources told Darlington. The traffic incident happened about one block away from the stadium, the team said. Several teammates saw the incident and stopped to offer support, according to the team.  The Miami-Dade Police Department released a statement from Director Stephanie V. Daniels, who requested an "immediate review" of the incident. "We are aware of the recent detainment...