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AUSTIN, Texas -- All year long, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has implored his players to lean into the target that the Longhorns had on their back in their final Big 12 season before they head to the SEC next year. On Friday night, Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium turned into one big farewell party as the Longhorns (11-1, 8-1 in conference) clinched an appearance in next Saturday's Big 12 championship game with a 57-7 destruction of  Texas Tech, a team that beat Texas a year ago in Lubbock. In doing so, the Longhorns marked their first 50-point win in a Big 12 game since 2007, and claimed their second-largest win over the Red Raiders in 73 meetings. The No. 7 Longhorns put on a dominating defensive performance, holding Texas Tech to 198 total yards and scoring on defense and special teams. Every bounce went Texas' way, including a ball bouncing off Red Raiders running back Tahj Brooks' foot into the arms of linebacker Jett Bush, who returned it...

WASHINGTON D.C. -- A potential superfight between two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison and Bellator MMA champion Cris Cyborg has tantalized fans for years. For the first time, however, nothing is really standing in the way of it happening. Harrison (16-1) certainly knows as much and called for Cyborg to meet her in the PFL in 2024 on Friday after dominating  Aspen Ladd in a three-round decision in her first appearance of 2023. Earlier this week, the PFL announced it had acquired Bellator MMA from Paramount, meaning both Harrison and Cyborg are under contract with the same company for the first time in their careers. Harrison immediately referenced a fight with Cyborg after Friday night's win. "PFL just acquired Bellator," Harrison said. "I heard there's a girl in Bellator who thinks she's a bad b----. Why don't we find out?" Cyborg (27-2), who is scheduled to box professionally in January, responded on X. "I'm a women (sic). Not a girl," she wrote....

NEW YORK -- When Tom Thibodeau's coach's challenge failed on an and-1 by Jimmy Butler with 3:40 to go in the third quarter Friday night, New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley took a peak at the scoreboard and saw his team trailing by 21 as the Miami Heat star sank the ensuing free throw. "It's a decision to mentally check out or not," Quickley would say later. "It's a decision to keep fighting. It's a decision to tell yourself, 'You got to keep fighting,' no matter what. "I did look at the score and say, 'Dang,' when I seen how much we was down, I literally said that. But then I got right back to it, seeing where I was at mentally and said, 'Let's go. Let's try to get a comeback going.'" And, sure enough, Quickley did get a comeback going. He buried a 3-pointer 21 seconds later, beginning a 38-15 game-closing run for the Knicks in a stunning 100-98 victory at a raucous, sold-out Madison Square Garden. With the win, the Knicks (9-6) exacted a...

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury wore a custom Native American Heritage night mask in warmups on Friday night despite the NHL having forbidden him from doing so because it violated league policy on players wearing specialty equipment on theme nights. Fleury wanted to honor his wife, Véronique, who is Native Canadian, by wearing a specially designed mask by artist Cole Redhorse Taylor. His agent Allan Walsh said Fleury was informed he wasn't permitted to wear the mask in the game or in warmups against the visiting  Colorado Avalanche because it violated a new NHL policy this season. Walsh said Fleury offered to pay whatever fine the league would levy, but that NHL then threatened the Wild organization with an "additional significant fine" if he did. A source told ESPN that there isn't any punishment expected for Fleury or the Wild from the NHL for the goalie having worn the Native American Heritage night mask. The Avalanche won  3-2 and Fleury did...

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard will be away from the team indefinitely while he receives care from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. The league and union announced Girard's status in a joint statement Friday before the Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild, 3-2. Girard, 25, had been away from the Avalanche for personal reasons and did not play in either of their past two games. He will continue to be paid while getting treatment and can return to the team when cleared for on-ice competition by program administrators. In a post published on X, formerly Twitter, Girard made a statement through his agency, CAA, saying that the decision was "proactive," and that he was "entering treatment for severe anxiety and depression that has gone untreated for too long and led to alcohol abuse." His father, Tony, said in a social media post earlier in the day that Girard was in good hands and asked others to respect his...

Arkansas guard Tramon Mark was released from a local hospital in the Bahamas on Friday after taking a hard fall late in the team's game against North Carolina. Mark was injured with 1:12 remaining in the third-place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. He stayed on the floor for several minutes following his fall after an off-balance layup before being lifted onto a stretcher and taken away from the court. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said in his postgame news conference that Mark was being checked for a back injury. Later Friday, the school said an MRI showed no significant damage to Mark's back, leading to his release from the hospital. He will travel back to Arkansas on Saturday morning, the school said.  Mark scored 34 points as No. 20 Arkansas lost 87-72 to No. 14 North Carolina. He joined the Tar Heels' RJ Davis (30), Villanova's Eric Dixon (34) and Memphis' David Jones (36) as 30-point scorers in the tournament. A...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. --  Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips left Friday's 34-13 win over the New York Jets with an Achilles injury and did not return, casting a dark cloud over an otherwise dominant performance from the Dolphins' defense. Phillips went down with a non-contact lower leg injury late in the fourth quarter; the television replay showed what appeared to be his calf firing - a telling sign of a ruptured Achilles tendon. He was taken back to the locker room on a cart and was visibly emotional on his way off the field. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was not optimistic about Phillips' injury when he provided an update after the game. "It's his Achilles -- doesn't look great, but we'll find out more tomorrow," McDaniel said. "Yeah, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but not fired up about it." Phillips was surrounded by his teammates as he was helped onto the cart in what McDaniel described as an "emotional" moment. McDaniel said the...

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Tristen Newton recorded his third career triple-double Friday, and No. 5 UConn (6-0) routed Manhattan 90-60 to win its 23rd consecutive nonconference game in record fashion. Each of those 23 nonconference wins, including all six in last season's NCAA tournament, have come by double digits. That gives the Huskies a tie with the 2008-09 North Carolina Tar Heels for most consecutive victories in that fashion. "Obviously, it's in the back of our heads," UConn's Donovan Clingan said. "We're trying to go be a part of history and do something no team has done." Newton, the 6-foot-5 graduate student, finished with 15 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, receiving a huge ovation from the 15,000 fans when he pulled down his 10th board in the second half and was subbed out. "He should be talked about as one of the best guards in the country," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "But, people that don't watch the games and just watch...

Phoenix Suns star forward Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Friday's in-season tournament game against the host Memphis Grizzlies because of right foot soreness. Friday's game marks the first that Durant has missed this season. Durant, 35, is averaging 31.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 15 games this season. The 13-time All-Star and four-time scoring champion erupted for 32 points and eight rebounds in a 123-115 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. The Suns also listed forwards Drew Eubanks (left ankle sprain) and Yuta Watanabe (left quad contusion) and guards Bradley Beal (low back strain) and Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) as out for Friday's game.

Arkansas guard Tramon Mark was stretchered off the court after taking a hard fall late in Friday's game against North Carolina. Mark was injured with 1:12 remaining in the game. He stayed on the floor for several minutes following his fall after an off-balance layup before being lifted onto a stretcher. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said in his postgame news conference Mark was being checked for a back injury but noted he did not have much more information on his player's health. Mark scored 34 points as No. 20 Arkansas lost 87-72 to No. 14 North Carolina in the third-place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. He joined the Tar Heels' RJ Davis (30), Villanova's Eric Dixon (34) and Memphis' David Jones (36) as 30-point scorers in the tournament. A Houston transfer, Mark was 13-of-17 from the field, 4-of-6 behind the arc and 4-of-7 at the free throw line to top his previous career high of 26 points during a...

The NBA is looking into allegations that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey had an improper relationship with an underage girl, a league spokesperson said Friday. The allegations surfaced on social media earlier this week. In a since-deleted post, an anonymous social media user said a girl who is seen with Giddey in videos and photographs was a high school junior at the time. The social media account has since been deactivated. Giddey, 21, declined comment Friday. "I understand the question obviously, but there's no further comment right now," Giddey told reporters when asked about the allegations after practice. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault also declined to discuss the issue after Friday's practice. "Personal matter, and I have no comment on it," Daigneault told reporters. "And that'll be my comment on anything related." Giddey, the No. 6 pick in the 2021 draft, is averaging 12.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for the 11-4 Thunder, who...

EAGAN, Minn. -- It's not about his contract. Nor is it because he is trying to punish fantasy football managers who drafted him this season. The only reason Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has missed six games because of a strained right hamstring, he said Friday, is that it's not fully healed. As he continued his third week of practice since the Vikings opened his window to return from injured reserve, Jefferson said he isn't sure whether he will play Monday night against the Chicago Bears. And he is as upset about it as the thousands of people who have messaged him over the past month on social media. "If I miss this one, it's going to be the seventh game," Jefferson said, "so it's definitely frustrating, and it's tough to be patient and try to make sure that an injury heals properly. It's definitely not something I want to do, but it comes with the game, it comes with trying to be healthy, trying to be 100% and [following] the safe...

CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Bengals will be without one of their top playmakers for another week. Wide receiver Tee Higgins will not play vs. the  Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the third straight game he has missed with a hamstring injury, coach Zac Taylor said after Friday's practice. The fourth-year player out of Clemson did not practice all week as he continues to recover from the injury. The Bengals' coach said that Higgins is "on a good track" and is "encouraged" by his recovery progress. But Taylor also pointed out that Higgins is still only 16 days removed from when he initially suffered the hamstring injury at practice. "[We] didn't feel good about him going this week, so let's not push him at practice," Taylor said Friday. "He's pushing himself in the rehab process, but there was no reason to integrate him into practice and risk a setback with him doing something away from the trainers." Higgins was beginning to rebound from a slow start to the...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens could be at full strength at wide receiver when they play the NFL's worst pass defense. Rookie first-round pick Zay Flowers (hip) declared he would play and Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder) considers himself "a game-time decision" for Sunday night's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Flowers did not practice Thursday but returned Friday. He leads Baltimore with 53 catches for 588 yards receiving. "I'm ready to go," Flowers said after Friday's practice. "I feel great." Will Flowers play Sunday night? "That wasn't even a question. I had to take a little break real quick but now I'm back." Beckham injured his left shoulder in the Ravens' 34-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 16. He didn't practice Wednesday but has been limited the rest of the week. Asked if he would play Sunday night, Beckham smiled and replied: "A game-time decision." Beckham added, "I'm trying my best in each and every...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. --  New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard, struggling this season after signing a lucrative free agent contract in March, is inactive for Friday's game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium, the team announced. Lazard started the first 10 games but has only 20 receptions for 290 yards and a touchdown. He also has three dropped passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information. "He knows he can play a lot better," coach Robert Saleh said Monday. Lazard left the Green Bay Packers for a four-year, $44 million contract, which included $22 million in guarantees -- the largest guarantee for any free agent wide receiver in the 2023 offseason. He signed with the Jets in large part because he expected to be reunited with former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers tore an Achilles on the fourth play of the season, throwing the entire offense into a tailspin. The Jets (4-6), who began the day with only nine offensive...

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands -- LSU was without Angel Reese and Kateri Poole for Friday's 99-65 win over Niagara at the Cayman Islands Classic and lost Sa'Myah Smith to a right knee injury in the first quarter. Neither Reese nor Poole accompanied the team to the Cayman Islands. "You will know when she comes back," coach Kim Mulkey said about Reese following the game. "Obviously she's not with us." Mulkey said she will share more about Poole's absence when the team returns to Baton Rouge. Smith was going for a layup with 5:17 to play in the first quarter when she was fouled and fell to the floor. She was helped off the court by two LSU staff members and later returned to the bench, first with ice and then with a brace on her right knee. She did not return to the game, and Mulkey does not expect her to be available against Virginia on Saturday. "We'll get back and do an MRI and see about swelling," Mulkey said. "It doesn't...

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without a pair of key defensive starters Sunday at the Indianapolis Colts as they attempt to regain first place in the NFC South. Coach Todd Bowles said Friday that inside linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Jamel Dean will both be out after David suffered a groin injury and Dean an ankle injury last week against the San Francisco 49ers. Bowles said it's unclear how long David and Dean will be out, and both are "day-to-day, week-to-week." "Lavonte and Jamel will be out. Everybody else will be game-time decisions," Bowles said, adding that inside linebacker Devin White "did some things" and "will be a game-time decision." "He ran around today," Bowles said of White, who suffered a foot injury against the Niners. "It's about how he feels on Sunday." The Bucs' other starting cornerback, Carlton Davis III, is dealing with a hip injury and will also be a game-time...

PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles are waiving veteran defensive end Derek Barnett, sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter. Barnett, 27, was drafted 14th overall by the Eagles in 2017 out of Tennessee, where he broke Reggie White's team record for most career sacks (33). He made an impact as a rookie, posting five sacks and 16 quarterback hits during Philadelphia's Super Bowl run. But he never exceeded 6.5 sacks in a season and saw a sharp dip in playing time beginning in 2022. In August, Barnett and agent Drew Rosenhaus were gauging the market for potential trade partners that could give him more playing time, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, but nothing came to fruition. He was a healthy inactive Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys and was ruled out of Monday's game at the Kansas City Chiefs for what the team described as personal reasons. Barnett finishes his career in Philadelphia with 21.5 sacks over 73 games.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. --  New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard, struggling this season after signing a lucrative free agent contract in March, is inactive for Friday's game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium, a source confirmed to ESPN. Lazard's status for Friday's game was first reported by SNY. Lazard started the first 10 games but has only 20 receptions for 290 yards and a touchdown. He also has three dropped passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information. "He knows he can play a lot better," coach Robert Saleh said Monday. Lazard left the Green Bay Packers for a four-year, $44 million contract, which included $22 million in guarantees -- the largest guarantee for any free agent wide receiver in the 2023 offseason. He signed with the Jets in large part because he expected to be reunited with former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers tore an Achilles on the fourth play of the season, throwing the entire offense into a...

FIFA opened disciplinary cases against  Argentina and Brazil on Friday after fan violence at the Maracanã Stadium delayed the start of a World Cup qualifying game. The Argentina football federation (AFA) was charged with crowd disturbances and the late kickoff at Tuesday's game in Rio de Janeiro. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The Brazilian federation was charged with failures of managing security at a game it organised, FIFA said. Fights among fans broke out after the national anthems. The teams were led back to the dressing rooms and the game started 27 minutes late. "There was family of the players [there]. We were more worried about that than playing the match," Argentina captain Lionel Messi said. Argentina won the game 1-0. FIFA gave no timetable to judge the case and impose sanctions. The teams' next World Cup qualifying games are in September. Brazil host  Ecuador and Argentina...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will have a key member of the team's defense back for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles with nickel corner Taron Johnson clearing concussion protocol. Johnson was injured in the second quarter of the team's win last week vs. the New York Jets on the same play that safety Taylor Rapp was injured. Rapp was taken off the field in an ambulance with a neck injury, and despite being limited in practice Thursday, has been ruled out of Sunday's game. "Nah, just still feeling it," coach Sean McDermott said when asked whether Rapp had any setback. "So, just based on where we think it's headed, just going to rule him out for the game at this point." Having Johnson clear concussion protocol is a significant development for the Bills' defense. He has played over 80% of snaps in all but two games this season and is third on the team in tackles (56). Johnson, 27, has allowed six yards per target as the nearest...

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Commanders have fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, coach Ron Rivera announced Friday, as the Washington defense has plummeted to the bottom of the NFL rankings after entering the season with high expectations. The Commanders (4-8) have lost three in a row -- including their 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday -- and eight of the past 10. They had hoped the defense would be a consistent force, given how many new options they had on offense. But instead the defense became an albatross. As the losses mounted, so did pressure for the organization to make a move. Rivera, who also fired defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer, will take over the defensive playcalling for the rest of the season, he said during a video conference call Friday afternoon. "If you don't change things, can you expect things to change?" Rivera said. "So that's what I'm doing, to see if things will change." The Commanders' defense ranks worst in...

Howard Webb invited airline pilots to talk to his team of  Premier League referees last month as part of a drive to improve communication in the VAR hub and with the referee on the pitch. Webb, who is the chief refereeing officer for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), is looking at all measures that could help officials avoid the kind of catastrophic error that led to Luis Díaz's goal being wrongly disallowed for offside for Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Pilots work in a high-pressure environment where they must make split-second decisions and communicate with other members of the team in the cockpit and in traffic control. PGMOL is not the first body to look at the way pilots work for improvements. In 2013, the National Health Service turned to the airline industry to bring greater standardisation of procedures and more use of...

South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius, jailed in 2014 for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was granted parole effective from Jan. 5, the Department of Correctional Services said on Friday. Known as the "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs, Pistorius went from a public hero as a Paralympic champion to a convicted killer in hearings that caught the world's attention a decade ago. Pistorius shot and killed Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013. He was initially jailed for five years in 2014 for culpable homicide by a high court but the Supreme Court of Appeal in late 2015 found him guilty of murder after an appeal by prosecutors. He was sent back to jail for six years in 2016, less than half the 15-year minimum term sought by prosecutors. In 2017, the Supreme Court more than doubled his sentence to 13 years and five months, saying the six-year jail term was "shockingly lenient".

SEATTLE -- San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey had just etched his name into the franchise record books once again and his team had done the same with a landmark victory in Seattle against the rival  Seahawks. But the thing most on McCaffrey's mind after setting the franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season and his team throttling Seattle 31-13 on Thursday night was the postgame meal he got to enjoy on Lumen Field with his teammates. "That was awesome," McCaffrey said. "It was actually really good turkey, too. I have no idea how they kept all of the dishes hot ... but the turkey was really good, well cooked. It wasn't dry at all and like I said, still hot, which was impressive for being 20 minutes after the game." For as impressive as hot turkey might have been for McCaffrey and six of his teammates, what they did Thursday night shined even brighter as they took control of the NFC West division. For starters, the Niners...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- After tying the NFL single-season record for interception returns for a touchdown with his fourth on Sunday, Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland said he was gunning to set the mark as soon as possible. He needed just five days. The second-year cornerback returned an interception 63 yards for the Cowboys' final score in a 45-10 demolition of the Washington Commanders on Thanksgiving Day.  "It's great, especially on this day," Bland said. "Another thing to be thankful for." Entering Thursday, Bland had been tied with Eric Allen (1993), Jim Kearney (1972) and Ken Houston (1971) for the record. Bland has more defensive touchdowns than any other team this season. The Indianapolis Colts are second with three. His five touchdowns are equal to notable offensive players like Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Las Vegas Raiders...

DALLAS -- The Washington Commanders didn't want to focus on possible coaching changes -- and they're not convinced any would help. After the Commanders lost 45-10 to Dallas -- their eighth loss in 10 games dropping them to 4-8 -- speculation once again turned to the job security of fourth-year head coach Ron Rivera and his staff. Rivera said about his situation, "I've told you before I'm not worried about anything. All I'm going to do is do my job and see how things go. That's the only thing I can do." But multiple players said they're not focused on the coaches fate. "It's only when you guys ask," Washington left tackle Charles Leno, Jr. said. "No one else is bringing this s---- up. We don't talk about this s----; we don't care about this stuff, we're listening to our coaches following game plan and trying to win games." Because it's the fourth year of Rivera's regime and the first of owner Josh Harris, there has been constant talk about the coach's...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- After tying the NFL single-season record for interception returns for a touchdown with his fourth on Sunday, Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland said he was gunning to set the mark as soon as possible. He needed just five days. The second-year cornerback returned an interception 63 yards for the Cowboys' final score in a 45-10 demolition of the Washington Commanders on Thanksgiving Day.  "It's great, especially on this day," Bland said. "Another thing to be thankful for." Entering Thursday, Bland had been tied with Eric Allen (1993), Jim Kearney (1972) and Ken Houston (1971) for the record. Bland has more defensive touchdowns than any other team this season. The Indianapolis Colts are second with three. His five touchdowns are equal to notable offensive players like Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Las Vegas Raiders...

DETROIT --  Jordan Love and Christian Watson went to sleep Wednesday night with the perfect visualization: The Green Bay Packers quarterback and receiver were going to start the Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions with something big. And then coach Matt LaFleur had second thoughts. "Matter of fact, I almost changed that first play call," LaFleur admitted after Thursday's 29-22 upset win at Ford Field. "I was kind of mulling it over quite a bit, and I texted Jordan this morning and told him I was going to change it to something else." Love, however, pushed back. LaFleur decided to trust his first-year starting quarterback and his speedy receiver who has, at times, struggled to come down with those plays. Good thing, because on the first play from scrimmage, Watson played perfectly the deep ball that Love put up for grabs, and it turned into a 53-yard gain. It set up the game's first touchdown -- the third in as many games for rookie receiver...

SoCal Challenge officials have launched an investigation after a fan allegedly called Cal forward Fardaws Aimaq a "terrorist" during Monday's tournament game against  UTEP, before the sixth-year forward confronted the man in the stands. "The SoCal Challenge has a strict policy that's read before each game by the public address announcer against the use of profanity, derogatory comments or other intimidating actions by fans directed at athletes, officials or team representatives," the tournament said in a statement to ESPN on Thursday. "Any such actions are grounds for removal from the event. Event organizers were made aware of the issue by Cal representatives on Wednesday morning. "Security has been briefed to strictly enforce the policy and an internal investigation is ongoing related to Monday's events." A video circulating on social media shows Aimaq, who is the son of Afghan refugees and from Vancouver, British Columbia, approaching a fan in the crowd after...

Rodrygo said he received racist insults on social media after Brazil's 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Argentina in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. The game at the Maracana stadium kicked off almost 30 minutes late after clashes between Brazilian police and Argentine fans in the stands. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Nicolás Otamendi's 63rd-minute goal for world champions Argentina was enough to inflict Brazil's first-ever home loss in World Cup qualifying, leaving them sixth in the CONMEBOL standings with just seven points from six games. As the two teams waited on the pitch for the match to begin, TV images showed Brazil forward Rodrygo in a heated discussion with Argentina captain Lionel Messi and midfielder Rodrigo de Paul. In a post on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, Rodrygo said he had been targeted by racists on social media after the game. "Racists are always...

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr cleared concussion protocol Thursday, making him a likely participant in Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Carr left the Saints' Week 10 game against the Minnesota Vikings with a concussion and right shoulder injury after taking a hard hit from two defenders in the third quarter. He was examined by athletic trainers, went to the medical tent on the sideline and then left on a cart. The Saints had a bye last week and did not practice, but Carr was a full participant when they resumed Wednesday. He was officially removed from the injury report Thursday. The Saints are still without cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who also left the game against the Vikings on a cart. He had an ankle injury. Lattimore has not practiced this week, and coach Dennis Allen said his injury was likely to "take some time." Allen did not rule out a stint on injured reserve for Lattimore. "We'll wait and see. We're going to...

Deion Sanders and his staff have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving as ESPN 300 athlete Kamron Mikell announced his commitment to Colorado on Thursday. Mikell, ranked No. 143 overall in the 2024 ESPN 300, chose the Buffs over offers from Georgia, Texas A&M and a handful of other big programs. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound athlete out of Statesboro, Georgia, is a two-way athlete who could help Colorado on offense and defense, similar to what Travis Hunter has done this season. Mikell joins Colorado's class with his cousin and high school teammate, Amontrae Bradford, and the commitment gives Sanders three ESPN 300 commitments. Mikell joins athlete Aaron Butler, the No. 70 prospect overall, and defensive end Brandon Davis-Swain, the No. 230 prospect overall. With Mikell on board, Colorado has nine total high school commitments with a few weeks remaining until the early signing period. That would normally be an...

Amid several significant injuries, the Memphis Grizzlies are signing guards Shaquille Harrison and Jaylen Nowell to 10-day hardship exceptions, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The NBA awarded the Grizzlies the exceptions with five players expected to be out two-plus weeks, sources said. All-NBA guard Ja Morant continues to serve his 25-game league suspension. The Grizzlies are without center Steven Adams (season-ending knee surgery) and forward Brandon Clarke (Achilles recovery) as well as shorter-term losses of guard Marcus Smart (sprained foot), guard Luke Kennard (left knee bone bruise), forward Xavier Tillman (left knee) and forward Jake LaRavia (left eye abrasion). The Grizzlies are 3-11. Harrison, 30, will make his eighth NBA stop with the Grizzlies. He played with Memphis in the preseason before being released. Nowell, 24, played parts of four seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the...

Former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Harald Hasselbach, one of at least 10 players to have won both a Super Bowl and the CFL's Grey Cup, has died of cancer at age 56, his family announced Thursday. Hasselbach had been diagnosed with metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma, the family said. Hasselbach, who started in Super Bowl XXXIII and also won a ring in Super Bowl XXXII, was coaching the defensive line at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado. The team was informed of his death Thursday morning. "We'd like to make it known that he passed from cancer peacefully in the comfort of his home, free of pain," Hasselbach's family said in a statement. "He's had an overwhelming amount of support over the last week, including past teammates, coaches and family that've flown in from around the world. "... We learned he had the illness less than 6 months ago and he fought as hard any human possibly could, with incredible strength." Hasselbach played...

PITTSBURGH -- The promotion to interim offensive coordinator is bittersweet for Pittsburgh Steelers running backs coach Eddie Faulkner. Faulkner, who has been on staff in Pittsburgh since 2019, is close friends with fired OC Matt Canada. "I couldn't say enough good about Matt Canada," said Faulkner, who first worked with him at Northern Illinois in 2011. "It's a little bit bittersweet in that way because when you sit back and you see all that goes on, and all that's being said about him and the offense, we all -- and I'm speaking for the offense when I say this to staff -- we all felt that we're all part of that. Nobody's absolving themselves from anything that's happened in that regard. We feel like we let him down. "I got to say that because that's what a real one would do. That's a friend of mine, and that's not going to change." Coach Mike Tomlin said earlier this week that he made the change because improvements to the offense weren't "rapid enough or consistent...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- On the final day of his 21-day practice window, New York Jets left tackle Duane Brown was activated from injured reserve Thursday and added to the 53-man roster. By rule, Brown, 38, would have remained on IR for the remainder of the season if the Jets hadn't made the move. It's unclear what role, if any, he will have against the Miami Dolphins in the NFL's first Black Friday game. The Jets have major issues on the offensive line, as they have started a league-high 11 players in 10 games. Mekhi Becton started the past eight at left tackle, replacing Brown, but Becton sprained an ankle, putting his status up in the air. Rookie Carter Warren finished last week's game at left tackle. Becton is listed as questionable after not practicing Thursday -- a downgrade after limited practice on Wednesday. Brown also is questionable, though he has been listed as a full participant for the last three weeks. Brown started the first...

Former Hart Trophy winner and five-time NHL All-Star Taylor Hall will undergo surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season, the Chicago Blackhawks announced Thursday. Coach Luke Richardson said Hall will have ACL surgery. "He's very disappointed," Richardson said. "But it just came from [an] accumulation of a bunch of little injuries in the game and even in practice the other day. It just became unstable that we have to fix that now." Hall, who had two goals and four points in 10 games, was injured when he was hit by the Tampa Bay Lightning's Michael Eyssimont on Nov. 9. Hall returned in Saturday's loss at Nashville and logged more than 17 minutes in Sunday's loss against Buffalo before missing Wednesday's defeat at Columbus with what was previously described as an undisclosed injury. "A guy just pulled him down. It was just a nothing play, and just the way he fell on it, that was kind of one of the last straws,"...

There are two sides to every story. For the NFL, on Thanksgiving, it's heads, John Madden; tails, six-legged turducken. Those will be the two images that team captains will be presented with during the coin toss for Thursday's games. It is part of the league's second annual Thanksgiving tribute to the late broadcaster and coach, a holiday on which he called 20 games over his career. "There's no place that I would rather be today on Thanksgiving than right here, right now, at a football game," Madden said at a Chicago Bears- Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game in 1997. "There are just certain things that go together: the turkey, the family, the tradition, football. ... And we have it all today." The league's tribute during Thursday's tripleheader will include jersey patches featuring Madden's silhouette for all players and on-field "John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration" stencils on the sidelines. In addition, the Madden Player of the Game will receive a $10,000...

BOSTON -- Milwaukee superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and coach Adrian Griffin appeared to have a heated exchange when Antetokounmpo checked out of Wednesday's game midway through the third quarter, but neither had much to say about it following the Bucks' 119-116 loss to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. "He wanted to stay in, I wanted to give him a breather. That's all it was," Griffin said afterward. "And then I told him to stay at the table for one possession, and he got right back out there." Antetokounmpo gave a one-word response when asked for an explanation of what took place: "No." The exchange happened with 5 minutes, 58 seconds left in the third quarter, after Antetokounmpo had been called for a carrying violation. As he began walking to the other end of the court, he looked at the Bucks bench and shook his head, and then appeared upset that Bobby Portis was checking in for him. Antetokounmpo then sat on the scorer's table and had an...

Cal has asked officials at a West Coast holiday tournament to ban a fan who allegedly called Fardaws Aimaq a "terrorist" before the sixth-year forward confronted him in the stands. A video circulating on social media shows Aimaq, who is the son of Afghan refugees and is from Vancouver, British Columbia, approaching a fan in the crowd after Cal's 75-72 loss to UTEP on Monday in the SoCal Challenge held in San Juan Capistrano. Aimaq can be seen leaning toward the man and pointing his finger at him while he talks to him. Cal coach Mark Madsen said in a statement Wednesday that Aimaq confronted the fan after allegedly being subjected to derogatory language during the game and after it. "Throughout and after Monday's game, Fardaws Aimaq was allegedly subjected to abhorrent and offensive comments from a fan -- including being called a terrorist," Madsen said. "I have asked the SoCal Challenge tournament director that a formal investigation be conducted and that this fan...

PHOENIX -- Wednesday night's game between the  Warriors and  Suns added another incident to the long conflict between Golden State's  Chris Paul and referee Scott Foster when Paul was ejected after Foster slapped him with two quick technical fouls. It was Paul's seventh career ejection. "It's personal," Paul said. "We had a situation some years ago and it's personal. The league knows. Everybody knows. There was a meeting and all of that. ... I'm OK with a ref saying whatever they're saying, but don't use a tech to get your point across." With 23 seconds left in the second quarter, Phoenix forward Kevin Durant drew a foul on Paul, who vehemently disagreed with the call. As Durant lined up to shoot free throws, Paul chirped at Foster, the crew chief for the night. It didn't take long before Foster assessed his first technical foul on Paul. Just seconds later, he hit him with his second, which earned Paul an ejection. Paul finished with six points...

SAN ANTONIO --  Spurs coach Gregg Popovich grabbed the PA announcer's microphone during Wednesday night's game against the LA Clippers and asked the home fans to stop booing while former Spurs standout  Kawhi Leonard shot a pair of free throws. Leonard stepped to the line with 3:06 left in the second quarter. As the crowd began booing during Leonard's first free throw, Popovich briefly spoke to crew chief Tyler Ford before walking over to the scorer's table. "Excuse me for a second," Popovich said to the crowd. "Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play? Have a little class. That's not who we are. Knock off the booing." When asked about the moment postgame, Popovich said his message was about not wanting fans to give Leonard any extra motivation. "I think anybody that knows anything about sports -- you don't poke the bear," Popovich said. Popovich repeatedly went back to the "don't poke the bear" comment when responding to follow-up...

Hundreds of families in need will have a great meal on their Thanksgiving table, as the organization and some of its players handed out 200 baskets to families in need.

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks expect to have quarterback Geno Smith for their NFC West showdown with the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving night, but they'll likely be without running back  Kenneth Walker III. Coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that he believes Smith, who's listed as questionable with a triceps contusion on his throwing arm, will play. The Seahawks held Smith out of Monday's practice a day after he was injured in their loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He progressed to a limited participant on their practice report Tuesday -- the Seahawks were holding walk-throughs, as is typical on a short week -- and a full participant Wednesday. "He did quite well today," Carroll said. "We rested him for most of the week, the short week, in terms of throwing. He did really well today."   Carroll said Smith won't have to pass any on-field tests before Thursday night's game other than his usual warmup, adding that "we'll be very...

PITTSBURGH -- Like many of his teammates, quarterback Kenny Pickett wasn't expecting the Pittsburgh Steelers to make a significant change to the offense following their 13-10 loss at the Cleveland Browns. Yet, he woke up Tuesday morning to his phone buzzing non-stop and saw the news that coach Mike Tomlin fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada. "I wasn't aware of any moves that were going to be made," Pickett said Wednesday. "... You hate to see it. You don't want to see one of your coaches lose their job. We all got to be better. Called coach [Canada], wished him well. We had a great conversation, but you got to bounce back quick and get ready to go." Canada's dismissal, Pickett said, feels like a challenge of sorts to the offense to step up in the final seven games of the season. "It's a challenge to everybody," Pickett said. "I feel like you have to take it personal. It's a guy you've worked with since I got drafted here, you want to play great, you...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Packers rookie tight end Luke Musgrave and running back Emanuel Wilson will both be out for the Thanksgiving game against the Lions and at least three more games after the team placed both on injured reserve Wednesday. Musgrave suffered a lacerated kidney, a source told ESPN on Tuesday, in Sunday's win over the Chargers, while Wilson left the game with a shoulder injury. It's not yet known whether Musgrave could play again this season, but if he does, the earliest possible date for a return would be Dec. 24 at the  Panthers. The Packers signed running back James Robinson, a former 1,000-yard rusher with the Jaguars, from their practice squad. They re-signed him to the practice squad on Monday after Wilson and Aaron Jones (knee) were injured. Robinson had been on the practice squad earlier this season.  Jones was ruled out Wednesday against the Lions. The Packers have running backs ...

The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired Eugenio Suarez in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, filling their vacancy at third base and adding much-needed power to their lineup. The Mariners received right-hander Carlos Vargas and veteran catcher Seby Zavala for Suarez, who has belted at least 21 home runs in each of the past seven full seasons. The reigning National League champion Diamondbacks were in need of a third baseman when three-time All-Star Evan Longoria became a free agent this month. Longoria, 38, appeared in just 74 games during the regular season but started 16 of 17 games at the hot corner during Arizona's postseason run. "It adds a little bit of stability at that spot," Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said. "He's a guy we've liked for a long time." Suarez, 32, will make just over $11 million in 2024 -- the final guaranteed year of a seven-year contract that also includes a $15 million club option for 2025. His...

The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired Eugenio Suarez in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, sources confirmed to ESPN, filling their vacancy at third base and adding some much-needed power to their lineup. The Mariners will receive right-hander Carlos Vargas and veteran catcher Seby Zavala for Suarez, who has belted at least 21 home runs in each of the past seven full seasons. The reigning National League champion Diamondbacks were in need of a third baseman when three-time All-Star Evan Longoria became a free agent this month. Longoria, 38, appeared in just 74 games during the regular season but started 16 of 17 games at the hot corner during Arizona's postseason run. Suarez, 32, will make just over $11 million in 2024 -- the final guaranteed year of a seven-year contract that also includes a $15 million club option for 2025. His 7.2 WAR over the last two seasons is ninth among all major league third basemen. Suarez batted .232 with 22...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones underwent successful surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee Wednesday and is facing eight to 10 months of recovery. The procedure was done at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York by team physician Dr. Scott Rodeo. Eight months of recovery would take Jones, 26, right up to the start of training camp next summer. "I'm more focused kind of day-to-day on what I'm doing here and trying to get healthy," Jones, who suffered the injury Nov. 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders, told the "Up and Adams Show" on Tuesday. "Have been getting ready for this surgery and then recovering from this surgery going forward. How that works out is down the road a ways and I don't have a ton of control over it. Just focus on what I can do to get back." The Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million deal earlier in the year, and he's due another $35.5 million in guaranteed pay next season. This season did...