The Steelers claimed a 17-10 win at Baltimore to end the regular season, keeping their playoff hopes alive with Sunday’s games deciding how the AFC playoff picture will pan out.

But Pittsburgh did its job to get a win in wet and grimy conditions with Baltimore resting several key starters, including potential MVP Lamar Jackson, Odell Beckham Jr. and more.

With the result, the Steelers moved to 10-7 while the Ravens, who sealed the AFC’s No. 1 seed last time out, fell to 13-4. Let’s analyze the game further with five winners and losers:

WINNER: Najee Harris, Steelers

Bad-weather games usually mean one thing: A heavy workload for running backs. That played directly into the hands of Mike Tomlin’s offense, who got his running back Najee Harris going all throughout the contest. Harris ended the game with 112 rushing yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. He also added five catches for 21 yards. Most importantly, he was careful with the ball, which hampered the Steelers in spite of the win.

LOSER: Fumbles

The wet conditions saw players from both teams struggle to maintain possession, more so Pittsburgh than Baltimore. The Steelers fumbled six times on the day, though they only lost two. The Ravens fumbled twice and lost both. Quarterback Mason Rudolph was responsible for three of Pittsburgh’s but only lost one, while backup running back Jaylen Warren fumbled twice and lost one, too. Melvin Gordon III and Gus Edwards each lost a fumble for Baltimore.

WINNER: Diontae Johnson, Steelers

These are the types of games where one play can win the game. That moment came in Pittsburgh’s favor on the first play of the fourth quarter. Rudolph found wideout Diontae Johnson on a deep post route, and Johnson got past all safeties to cruise to the end zone.

Johnson ended with four catches for 89 yards and a touchdown on a day where the passing game never came to life for either side. George Pickens, for example, didn’t log a single target. His only touch came on a three-yard carry for a first down in the second half.

LOSER: Tyler Huntley, Ravens

Whereas Rudolph completed 18 of 20 passes for 152 yards, one touchdown and no picks (albeit had three fumbles), Tyler Huntley didn’t fare well replacing Jackson for Baltimore. The 25-year-old completed 15 of 28 passes for 146 yards, one touchdown and no picks while rushing for 40 yards on eight tries. He also took a sack in the closing seconds when Baltimore ideally needed a touchdown to keep it close. He was sacked four times for a loss of 28 yards, but the good news for the Ravens is that Jackson will return under center for the divisional round.

WINNER: Steelers’ playoff hopes

The Steelers ended Week 18 with five playoff scenarios in play:

• Steelers win and an Indianapolis Colts-Houston Texans tie 
• Steelers win and a Buffalo Bills loss 
• Steelers win and a Jacksonville Jaguars loss/tie
• Steelers tie and Colts and Texans do not tie and Jaguars lose 
• (Even with a Steelers loss) Colts and Texans do not tie, Jaguars lose and Denver Broncos win

The first three are now the ones they’ll root for. The Colts and Texans play each other in Indianapolis on Saturday; the Bills play at the Miami Dolphins for the AFC East title; and the Jaguars are at the 5-11 Tennessee Titans, where a win will see them lift the AFC South title.

Pittsburgh did its job — now it needs to see if help will come elsewhere.

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The NBA announced Saturday its decision to reinstate Green following a 12-game absence due to an indefinite suspension he received after striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face on Dec. 12.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported shortly after, citing sources, that Green is expected to need approximately a week to ramp up before returning to the court for the Warriors and that the veteran forward is expected to be with the team for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Raptors at Chase Center.

Wojnarowski previously reported on Thursday that Green was expected to return to the team “in the coming days” to begin ramping up in anticipation of being reinstated.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Green lost over $1.8 million during his 12-game suspension, which saved Golden State approximately $8.8 million on its projected luxury tax bill.

Green has served two NBA-imposed suspensions this season. The first was a five-game ban for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold during a Nov. 14 game at Chase Center.

The Warriors (17-18) have stayed afloat without their defensive leader, posting a 7-5 record in his absence, but certainly will welcome the four-time NBA All-Star back with open arms whenever he is ready to return.

In 15 games this season, Green is averaging 9.7 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from the field and a career-best 42.9 percent from 3-point range.

During Green’s suspension, the Warriors lost Gary Payton II (grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Chris Paul (fractured left hand} to injuries, so Green’s presence will help fill the void left by both players.

It remains to be seen how coach Steve Kerr’s rotations will shake out once

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On this occasion, the lens will be on the annual All-Star Weekend, which pits the league’s most talented players against one another through various competitions topped with the All-Star Game.

But where will the festivities take place this year following Utah’s run as host in 2023?

Here’s what to know for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game next February:

When is the 2024 NBA All-Star Game?

The game will be held on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. All-Star Weekend will start the Friday prior on Feb. 16.

Where is the 2024 NBA All-Star Game?

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers, is the venue for the game.

How many times has Indianapolis hosted the NBA All-Star Game?

This will mark Indianapolis’ second time ever hosting the game. The last came in 1985 at the now-demolished Hoosier Dome.

Where is the 2025 NBA All-Star Game?

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will be headed to Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors.

The first person to win the World Cup both as a player and a manager, Zagallo is for many Brazilian soccer fans synonymous with patriotism, grit and glory.

Brazilian Soccer Confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday confirming Zagallo’s death that Zagallo “is one of the biggest legends” of the sport.

No cause of death was released by the federation or his family.

“We offer solidarity to his family members and fans in this moment of grief for the departure of this great hero of our soccer,” Rodrigues said. Several Brazilian clubs where Zagallo played and coached also expressed their sorrow for his death.

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Zagallo’s social media channels called him “a dedicated father, a loving grandfather, a caring father-in-law, a loyal friend, a victorious professional and a great human being.”

“A gigantic hero. A patriot that leaves us a legacy of great achievements,” the text added, without giving more details about Zagallo’s death.

One of the most charismatic and superstitious figures in Brazilian football, he also was known for his fondness of the No. 13 and constant use of the phrase “You will have to put up with me” — voiced loudly at critics.

He said 13 was his lucky number because it carries the last two digits of his birth year: 1931. He always highlighted any link, however coincidental, between 13 and his football successes.

Zagallo played a role in nearly every major chapter in Brazilian football history, from its first World Cup title in 1958 to the tournament it hosted in 2014. Former Brazil coach Tite visited him to hear his advice before taking the team to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

He was Brazil’s forward when it won the World Cup in 1958 in Sweden and 1962 in Chile, and one of the first players to act as a false winger, playing between midfielders and strikers.

Zagallo stopped playing professionally in 1965 and began his coaching career with Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo the following year.

Named national team coach in 1970, just before the World Cup in Mexico, he inherited a squad that included Pelé, Jairzinho, Gerson, Roberto Rivellino and Tostão. Brazil crushed Italy 4-1 in the final, becoming the first three-time champion.

He also coached Brazil in 1974, but without Pelé, the team finished in fourth place.

Zagallo was assistant coach to Carlos Alberto Parreira when Brazil won the 1994 World Cup in the United States, again beating Italy in the final.

And he was back at the helm four years later for the World Cup in France, when Brazil lost 3-0 to the hosts in a final marked by striker Ronaldo’s unexplained convulsions before the game. Zagallo was criticized for letting Ronaldo play.

“He was cleared to play by the doctors,” Zagallo said. “Anyone in my position would have done the same thing. I wasn’t going to be the one keeping him from playing in a World Cup final.”

His final coaching role with the national team was as Parreira’s assistant in 2006. Brazil was a pre-tournament favorite to win its sixth World Cup title in Germany. But the squad led by Ronaldinho, Kaká, Ronaldo and Adriano fell to France in the quarterfinals.

“The story of the FIFA World Cup cannot be told without Mário Zagallo,” the governing body’s president Gianni Infantino said in a statement. “He will be remembered as the Godfather of Brazilian football and his presence will be sorely missed by everyone in the game but especially here at FIFA.”

Zagallo’s feat of being a World Cup winner as player and manager was later matched by Franz Beckenbauer with West Germany (1974, 1990) and Didier Deschamps with France (1998, 2018).

Zagallo was one of the few coaches who had successful coaching stints with all four traditional Rio clubs — Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama.

He began his career as a striker with Rio’s America and later also played for Flamengo and Botafogo, one of the few Brazilian clubs which rivaled Pele’s Santos in the 1960s.

Zagallo was hospitalized for more than a month in 2005 after undergoing stomach surgery.

Four years earlier he was placed under medical care for an irregular heartbeat while coaching Flamengo.

He spent 12 days in a hospital just before the 2014 World Cup because of a back infection, released just in time to watch the opening match. He served in an ambassadorial role for that tournament.

Zagallo was hospitalized for 22 days in August of last year due to a urinary infection. Upon his return to his home in Rio, he was filmed in a wheelchair.

“We are stronger than ever!,” he said then in a posting on his social media channels, which ended in his career motto. “You will have to put up with me!”

Chris Paul sustained a fractured left hand during the third quarter, and the 38-year-old guard will undergo surgery next week, the Warriors announced shortly after the game.

There is no timetable for Paul’s return, dealing a significant blow to the Warriors’ depth.

Paul’s injury occurred when he went for an offensive rebound off his own missed 3-point attempt. He banged into Pistons guard Jaden Ivey and immediately winced in pain before heading to the Warriors’ locker room.

The first question to Warriors coach Steve Kerr after the game was about Paul’s injury.

“Yeah, it’s tough,” Kerr told reporters. “I feel so bad for Chris. I know he’s had a couple of hand surgeries before, I believe. Maybe, I think it was on the other hand. I saw him holding it and instantly was worried, and so I just got the word after walking off the floor. So I feel terrible for Chris and, obviously, guys will step up and be ready to play, and we’ve got to hold down the fort without him.”

Paul has been an integral part of Kerr’s rotation in his first Warriors season, averaging 8.9 points and 7.2 assists in 32 games. After spending most of the season coming off the bench and anchoring the second unit, Paul shifted to the starting lineup for the last four games.

Paul’s injury comes a few days after the Warriors lost Gary Payton II for at least three weeks because of a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.

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The billionaire and now-former majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks announced to his team’s employees that he would be dishing out $35 million in bonuses, according to multiple reports.

Cuban sold his majority stake in the NBA franchise to the families that run the Las Vegas Sands casino company for $3.5 billion this past December. The deal gives the “Shark Tank” mogul a minority ownership stake in the team and will allow him to continue running basketball operations.

“As a thank you for all your hard work making the Mavs an amazing organization, each of you will be receiving a bonus from myself, and the Adelson and Dumont families,” Cuban’s message to employees read, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “In total, we will be paying out approximately $35 plus Million Dollars in bonuses to you all.”

The message goes on to say that the amount of pay will be calculated with a “framework that took into consideration how long you have worked for the Mavs.”

Cuban’s sale of the Mavs came as a shock to the NBA world, given that he is known as a basketball junkie. He is routinely seen courtside for Mavs games.

Part of Cuban’s reasoning for selling the team was to facilitate a partner to help get a new arena and casino in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with an aim toward downtown Dallas.

Although gambling remains illegal in Texas, it has been a pursuit of the Las Vegas Sands and Resort company to get a casino in the Lone Star State for some time.

“It’s a partnership. They’re not basketball people, I’m not real estate people. That’s why I did it,” Cuban told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth after the sale was approved.

The sale was also announced shortly after Cuban said he would be leaving “Shark Tank” after season 16, citing the time taping takes from his family as his reason.

“I feel like in doing ‘Shark Tank’ all these years,” Cuban told the hosts of Showtime’s “All the Smoke” podcast at the time, “we’ve trained multiple generations of entrepreneurs that, if somebody can come from Iowa or Sacramento or wherever, and show up on ‘Shark Tank’ and show their business and get a deal, it’s going to inspire generations of kids.”

Horse racing officials are calling on lawmakers to upgrade the state’s horse racing model. The plan would temporarily relocate Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore to Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County for two seasons.

Under the proposal, Pimlico would be rebuilt as a hub for Maryland’s year-round racing industry. There are plans for a hotel, event space and other developments to attract visitors.

However, the changes would first need to be approved by Maryland’s General Assembly.

Gov. Wes Moore released a statement Friday, saying in part, “I look forward to working with the General Assembly and the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority to finalize an agreement that ensures this important industry continues to create jobs and drive economic growth for years to come.”

ESPN’s Pat McAfee problem is getting more complicated.

On Friday, the host and former NFL punter publicly attacked longtime ESPN executive Norby Williamson, accusing him of “actively trying to sabotage” him by leaking information to reporters.

The New York Post reported on McAfee’s relatively low ratings Thursday, noting, “Since the inception of McAfee’s show on ESPN in the fall, Stephen A. Smith and ‘First Take’ are handing McAfee a 583,000 viewer lead-in, and McAfee is maintaining just 302,000, which is a 48% drop.”

McAfee implied Williamson may have leaked the idea for the story to New York Post reporter Andrew Marchand. Marchand declined to comment.

“I believe Norby Williamson is the guy who is attempting to sabotage our program,” McAfee said. “I’m not 100% sure. That is just seemingly the only human that has information and then somehow that information gets leaked, and it’s wrong.”

McAfee didn’t specifically say what information was wrong. Over the years, other ESPN talent have speculated that Williamson has leaked private details, including contract information, according to people familiar with the matter. On Friday, former ESPN journalist Jemele Hill posted on social media platform X “I can relate” with regard to McAfee’s comments about Williamson.

There’s no evidence Williamson has leaked information. Williamson, who has worked for ESPN for nearly 40 years, declined to comment through an ESPN spokesperson.

There’s also a contingent of ESPN employees who have grumbled about McAfee’s show and his large contract. McAfee signed a five-year, $85 million contract with ESPN in May.

ESPN management values the importance of McAfee and Williamson and is looking into why McAfee denigrated an executive, according to a person familiar with the matter. There is no planned suspension for McAfee, and ESPN hopes to find a path forward for both Williamson and McAfee, according to a person familiar with the matter.

“No one is more committed to and invested in ESPN’s success than Norby Williamson,” an ESPN spokesperson said. “At the same time, we are thrilled with the multi-platform success that we have seen from the Pat McAfee Show across ESPN. We will handle this matter internally and have no further comment.”

Earlier this week, McAfee found himself in hot water for providing a platform for New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers to disparage a fellow Disney employee. Rodgers, a frequent guest on McAfee’s show, incorrectly suggested ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel would be included in court documents related to late sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein. Kimmel fired back Tuesday, tweeting Rodgers’ “reckless words put [his] family in danger.”

McAfee later apologized over the Kimmel comments.

“I could see exactly why Jimmy Kimmel felt the way he felt, especially with his position,” McAfee said Wednesday, noting that Rodgers “did go too far.”

ESPN on Friday also addressed Rodgers’ comments about Kimmel.

“Aaron made a dumb and factually inaccurate joke about Jimmy Kimmel. It should never have happened. We all realized that in the moment,” ESPN executive Mike Foss told Front Office Sports.

The New York Post previously reported that McAfee has paid Rodgers “millions” to appear on his show. The former MVP and Super Bowl champion, who has made hundreds of millions of dollars in the NFL, joined the Jets last year after playing for over a decade with the Green Bay Packers. He missed the season with an Achilles tendon injury.

A representative for Rodgers didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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About his four years in charge. About handling off-field issues that had nothing to do with football. About how this season under new ownership went wrong on the field after a hopeful start.

And about how everyone knows change is on the horizon following the season finale Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Rivera acknowledged controlling owner Josh Harris will be splitting general manager and coaching duties moving forward, with a fresh start coming for the organization in the next few weeks.

“It’ll be separate, and that, I think, is going to be really good,” Rivera said Friday after running his final practice of the year and, possibly, his NFL career.

The respected coaching veteran, who turns 62 Sunday and could be dismissed as early as Monday morning, had largely been reluctant to talk about his tenure in Washington. He got wrapped up in the day-to-day coaching that ramped up after Thanksgiving when he fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and started calling the defensive plays.

Being back in the thick of coaching after three and a half years of what he called “managing” gave Rivera a thrill and reminded him how much he missed having a hands-on approach.

“I had certain responsibilities before that — you get pulled away from certain things,” Rivera said. “You got to deal with certain things, you got to respond to certain things, you got to correct or set up, so that was different. But being in the middle of it now, yeah, that’s kind of cool.”

Rivera has ‘been very encouraging of us,’ McLaurin says

The Commanders (4-12) have lost seven in a row, and any talk of playoff contention was gone in November. But team leaders never sensed anything from Rivera about giving up on a lost season, even knowing he wouldn’t be back, barring a sudden, unforeseen change of events.

“He’s been very encouraging of us,” top wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “He hasn’t really come down with a bad demeanor or a ‘woe is me’ attitude because of our season. I think we all know we’ve had a hand in where we’re at, but he’s just kept things consistent for us.”

Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has adopted a similar approach of digging into his job and not addressing his uncertain future. After coming to Washington to work under a defensive coach to show what he could do away from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes and potentially get an NFL head-coaching job, this season has not gone as planned and left Bieniemy in a sort of no man’s land.

“The only thing I can worry about and control is today,” Bieniemy said Thursday. “You can only live in this particular moment. You can’t worry about tomorrow. You can take care of tomorrow when tomorrow gets here.”

Rivera said he thinks Bieniemy can still get a head coaching gig based on his time in Kansas City, when the Chiefs won two Super Bowls.

“I’m talking about his whole career,” Rivera said. “I mean, guys who’ve done less have gotten opportunities.”

The judge said Franco is allowed to leave the Dominican Republic but must return once a month to meet with authorities.

Franco, who was expected to be released early Saturday, did not speak to reporters after the hearing ended.

The 22-year-old All-Star is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering.

The girl’s 35-year-old mother faces the same charges as Franco. The AP is not naming the woman in order to preserve her daughter’s privacy.

Franco, who was detained Monday in the northern province of Puerto Plata, hasn’t been charged with any crimes. The judge has received a nearly 600-page document detailing the evidence that prosecutors gathered during a monthslong investigation.

The athlete’s lawyers have not commented other than saying that Franco was “doing fine.”

Prosecutors said the investigation began after they received an anonymous tip in July 2023 stemming from someone who saw a media post alluding to the relationship. The AP has not been able to verify the reported post.

Authorities accuse Franco of taking the minor away from her home in Puerto Plata in December 2022 and having a four-month relationship with her with consent from the girl’s mother.

They accuse Franco of sending the mother monthly payments of $1,700 for seven months and buying her a car “in order to allow the relationship and let her go out with him wherever she wanted,” according to the document, which quoted the girl.

The girl also was quoted as saying that she had demanded for a local digital media site to publish an item about her alleged relationship with the baseball player because she was “tired” of her mother, whom she accused of taking Franco’s money and not sharing any of it with her.

Days later, Franco published a live video alleging it was a scheme to extort money from him, the document stated.

In September 2023, authorities raided the home of the girl’s mother and seized 800,000 Dominican pesos ($13,700) as well as $68,500 they said was found hidden behind a frame. Another seizure at a different home found a guarantee certificate from a local bank for 2.1 million Dominican pesos ($36,000) that they said was delivered by Franco for the “commercial and sexual exploitation” of the girl.

In addition, they seized a Suzuki Swift worth $26,600, according to the document. Authorities noted that days before the car was bought, the teenager’s mother had the equivalent of $821 in her bank account. The mother also bought property in Puerto Plata worth $36,000, they said.

Authorities also state that Franco’s mother had sent money to the girl’s mother, but she has not been charged in the case even though they said she got involved “to avoid traces of her son with the accused.”

Franco arrived at a court in Puerto Plata on Friday morning and remained silent while being escorted through a group of journalists that peppered with him questions. The girl’s mother, who works at a local bank and was wearing sunglasses, also declined comment as she was escorted to a courtroom.

Outside, a small group of young Dominican players donned in baseball attire gathered to support Franco, carrying posters that read, “Free Franco,” and “We all are Franco.”

Franco was having an All-Star season before being sidelined in August, when authorities in the Dominican Republic began investigating claims he had been in a relationship with a minor. Major League Baseball launched its own investigation, placing Franco on the restricted list on Aug. 14 before moving him to administrative leave on Aug. 22. Both investigations are ongoing.

Franco signed a $182 million, 11-year contract in 2021. His salary last year and this year is $2 million per season.

Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico

In an Instagram post, the Dodgers announced that the donation from the organization in conjunction with Guggenheim Baseball, the team’s ownership group, is a collaboration with Ohtani, who will be making his own personal contribution.

“Our thoughts are with all of Japan in the wake of this tragedy,” the team wrote on Thursday.

Ohtani, who is from Japan and has been competing in the U.S. since 2018, said his donation will be separate from the team’s.

“I would like to thank those who have joined in the recovery effort, and my hope is that we continue to come together to support those whose lives have been upended,” Ohtani said in a statement on social media. “I hope for the rapid rescue of missing persons and the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas.” 

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A series of earthquakes hit the Ishikawa coast, the most severe of which reached a magnitude of 7.6, that killed 94 people, forced about 33,000 people to leave their homes and left over 200 people unaccounted for.

Ohtani keeps up his relations with Japan. When the two-way MLB star signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December, his homeland honored him with a stamp and postcard collection.

Back in November, Ohtanu donated more than 60,000 baseball gloves to 20,000 elementary schools in Japan. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he donated to the Japan Mask Project, an initiative to supply masks to medical workers.

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With the game tied in the final moments of regulation, the Denver Nuggets center launched a 39-foot 3-pointer over Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney. The ball banked in off the backboard at the buzzer, completing a 130-127 comeback win in which Jokic’s Nuggets trailed by 18 points.

Check out the epic shot for yourself:

The Warriors held a 123-105 lead against the reigning NBA champions with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets proceeded to close out the contest on a 25-4 run capped off by a shot their star player knew was going in.

“That was the last option with that play,” Jokic said. “I just took a shot. I think those shots are the easiest shots to take. You don’t have any other options. So actually, when I felt it, I thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to bank this.’ You can see the flight of the ball, and I just knew I was going to bank it.”

Jokic fell one rebound shy of a triple-double on Thursday, settling for 34 points, 10 assists and nine boards. He’s only missed five field goal attempts (39-for-44) over his last four games, and his latest highlight will be played for years to come.

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The department gave no more details of Pistorius’ release. The announcement came at around 8:30 a.m., indicating corrections officials had released the world-famous double-amputee Olympic runner from the Atteridgeville Correctional Center in the South African capital, Pretoria, in the early hours.

Pistorius has served nearly nine years of his 13 years and five months murder sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013. He was approved for parole in November.

Serious offenders in South Africa are eligible for parole after serving at least half their sentence.

The Department of Corrections said in a two-sentence statement announcing Pistorius’ release that it was “able to confirm that Oscar Pistorius is a parolee, effectively from 5 January 2024. He was admitted into the system of Community Corrections and is now at home.”

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Pistorius was expected to initially live at his uncle’s mansion in the upscale Waterkloof suburb of Pretoria, and a police van was seen parked outside of that house.

Department of Corrections officials had said Pistorius’ release time would not be announced in advance and he would not be “paraded” because they hoped to keep him away from the media glare that has trailed him since he shot Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet door at his home in the predawn hours of Feb. 14, 2013.

He will live under strict parole conditions until the remainder of his sentence expires in December 2029.

Steenkamp’s mother, June Steenkamp, said in a statement earlier Friday that she had accepted Pistorius’ parole as part of South African law.

“Has there been justice for Reeva? Has Oscar served enough time? There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back,” June Steenkamp said. “We who remain behind are the ones serving a life sentence.”

“With the release of Oscar Pistorius on parole, my only desire is that I will be allowed to live my last years in peace with my focus remaining on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, to continue Reeva’s legacy.”

The Department of Corrections has emphasized that the multiple Paralympic champion’s release — like every other offender on parole — does not mean that he has served his time.

Some of Pistorius’ parole conditions include restrictions on when he’s allowed to leave his home, a ban on consuming alcohol, and orders that he must attend programs on anger management and on violence against women. He will have to perform community service.

Pistorius will also have to regularly meet with parole officials at his home and at correctional services offices and will be subjected to unannounced visits by authorities. He is not allowed to leave the Waterkloof district without permission and is banned from speaking to the media until the end of his sentence. He could be sent back to jail if he is in breach of any of his parole conditions.

South Africa does not use tags or bracelets on paroled offenders so Pistorius will not wear any monitoring device, Department of Corrections officials said. But he will be constantly monitored by a department official and will have to inform the official of any major changes in his life, such as if he wants to get a job or move to another house.

Pistorius has maintained that he shot Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, by mistake. He testified that he believed Steenkamp was a dangerous intruder hiding in his bathroom and shot through the door with his licensed 9 mm pistol in self-defense.

Prosecutors said he killed his girlfriend intentionally during a late-night argument.

Steenkamp’s family did not oppose his parole application in November, although June Steenkamp said in a victim statement submitted to the parole board that she didn’t believe Pistorius had been fully rehabilitated and was still lying about the killing.

Before the killing, Pistorius was held up as an inspiring role model after having had both of his legs amputated below the knee as a baby because of a congenital condition. He became a champion sprinter on his carbon-fiber running blades and made history by competing at the 2012 London Olympics.

But his murder trial destroyed his image. He was accused of being prone to angry outbursts and acting recklessly with guns, while witnesses testified about various altercations he had with others, including an argument in which he allegedly threatened to break a man’s legs.

Pistorius was first convicted of culpable homicide — a charge comparable to manslaughter — and sentenced to five years in prison for killing Steenkamp. After appeals by prosecutors, he was ultimately found guilty of murder and had his sentence increased, although that judgment by the Supreme Court of Appeal still didn’t definitively rule that he knew it was Steenkamp behind the toilet door.

Pistorius was first sent to prison in 2014, was released on house arrest in 2015 during an appeal and was sent back to prison in 2016. He was initially incarcerated at the maximum security Kgosi Mampuru II Prison in Pretoria but was moved to Atteridgeville early in his sentence because it is better suited to holding disabled prisoners.

Reaction to Pistorius’ parole has been muted in South Africa, a stark contrast to the first days and months after Steenkamp’s killing, which sparked angry protests outside of Pistorius’ court hearings calling for him to receive a long prison sentence. There is no death penalty in South Africa.

“He has ticked all the necessary boxes,” said Themba Masango, secretary general of Not In My Name International, a group that campaigns against violence against women. “And we can only wish and hope Oscar Pistorius will come out a better human being.”

“We tend to forget that there is a possibility where somebody can be rehabilitated.”

___

Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.

During the Los Angeles Kings hockey game versus the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night, the comedian appeared in a recorded video encouraging fans to root on the team, yelling “Go Kings GO!!” in the most Will Ferrell way possible.

Not only did Ferrell have the crowd at Crypto.com Arena chanting and laughing with him, but he also had Dodgers’ star Mookie Betts cracking up alongside him in the front row.

This is not the SoCal native’s first time making a sports appearances. In March 2022, Ferrell joined the Golden State Warriors during their pregame warmups dressed as basketball player Jackie Moon from his movie, “Semi-Pro.”

Ferrell has been known to frequent the front row of Kings games in recent years, and has been unafraid to play into his fandom. During the 2023 Stanley Cup, the “Step Brothers” star painted his face to support the team.

The “Barbie” star is also expected to make an appearance at the 2024 Golden Globes on Jan. 7, where he is sure to provide more hilarious content.

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In their first ever head-to-head meeting, the two NBA unicorns lit up the box score and combined for several ridiculous highlights as the Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 125-121 in a thriller at the Frost Bank Center.

Antetokounmpo went off for 44 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block to power Milwaukee’s victory.

With the game tied inside the final minute, the Greek Freak stormed down the lane and threw down a thunderous and-one poster dunk over Spurs guard Tre Jones to put the Bucks ahead for good.

Wembanyama, who was celebrating his 20th birthday, finished with 27 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and five blocks.

His birthday performance included a behind-the-back move to set up an and-one dunk in transition and a denial of Antetokounmpo at the rim inside the final minute of regulation, among other absurd plays.

“[Wembanyama is] an unbelievable talent,” Antetokounmpo told the TNT broadcast postgame. “Can score at will any time he wants, plays to win. It was great playing against him.”

NBA fans couldn’t get enough of the two-time MVP and the No. 1 overall pick going toe to toe:

Unfortunately, it will be a long wait until the next Wemby versus Giannis showdown.

The two teams have already played each other twice this season (Wembanyama missed the first game), meaning the only way they could cross paths again is in the NBA Finals. The 24-10 Bucks certainly look capable of making a run to the Finals, but the same can’t be said for the 5-29 Spurs.

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That’s an honor that has been bestowed upon only 16 players in NBA history.

Shaquille O’Neal is already on that list, but in February he will become just the second player in NBA history to have his number retired by three former teams.

The Orlando Magic announced Thursday that they will retire O’Neal’s No. 32 in February. O’Neal previously had his No. 34 retired by the Los Angeles Lakers and his No. 32 retired by the Miami Heat.

Shaq will join Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in league history to be honored with a jersey retirement by three teams they previously played for. And they are likely to remain alone in that exclusive three-team club until LeBron James retires.

Here are the 16 NBA players who have their numbers retired by multiple teams.

Bill Russell – Celtics, all NBA teams

Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell received the ultimate number-retirement honor when the NBA announced after his passing in July of 2022 that his No. 6 would be permanently retired throughout the league. Russell, an 11-time NBA champion and a civil rights pioneer, became the first player to have his number retired league-wide. The Celtics retired Russell’s No. 6 in 1972.   

Wilt Chamberlain – Warriors, 76ers, Lakers

Only one player in NBA history has had his number retired by three teams that he played for: Wilt Chamberlain. The four-time MVP and seven-time scoring champion spent six seasons playing for the Warriors, beginning when the team was based in Philadelphia. He scored more than 20,000 career points with the team, including his 100-point performance. He then spent four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and five with the Lakers, winning championships with each organization. 

Chamberlain’s No. 13 was retired by all three teams. The Warriors did so in 1999 after Chamberlain died, making him the first and only player to receive the honor from three teams. He’ll likely remain so until LeBron James inevitably has his numbers retired by the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. 

Pete Maravich – Hawks, Jazz, Pelicans

Pete Maravich also had his number retired by three teams, but he never played for one of them. The Pelicans, in 2002 after the then-Hornets relocated to New Orleans, honored Louisiana legend “Pistol Pete” by retiring the No. 7 he wore as a member of the New Orleans Jazz. The Jazz, of course, moved from New Orleans to Utah in 1979, keeping the ill-fitting team nickname, and also retired Maravich’s number. The Hall of Fame guard also had his No. 44 retired by the Atlanta Hawks, where he spent the first four seasons of his career.    

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Bucks, Lakers

No surprise that the NBA’s former leading scorer had his No. 33 retired by both teams he played for. Abdul-Jabbar spent his first six seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 30.4 points per game. He played 14 seasons with the Lakers, with whom he scored 24,176 of his 38,387 career points. 

Charles Barkley – 76ers, Suns

Kids today might not realize that before Charles Barkley was a lovable television analyst, he was a very good basketball player. “The Round Mound of Rebound” had his No. 34 retired by the Sixers, where he spent the first eight seasons of his Hall of Fame career, and the Phoenix Suns, whom he led to the NBA FInals in his first of four seasons with the team.

Kobe Bryant – Lakers, Mavericks

The two chapters of Kobe Bryant’s 20-year Hall of Fame career are divided by two numbers: 8 and 24. Both of those numbers have been retired by the Los Angeles Lakers in honor of Bryant, who won five championships with the team and became one of the greatest scorers in the history of the sport. On the day Bryant died at the age of 41 years old in a helicopter accident in 2020, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban released a statement saying, “Kobe’s legacy transcends basketball, and our organization has decided that the number 24 will never again be worn by a Dallas Maverick.”

Clyde Drexler – Blazers, Rockets

Clyde “The Glide” Drexler spent 12-plus seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, leading the team to two appearances in the NBA Finals. He was dealt to Houston during the 1994-95 season and helped the Rockets capture a second consecutive NBA championship. The Hall of Famer had his No. 22 retired by both teams.  

Julius Erving – Nets, 76ers         

Julius Erving had his number retired by two different teams … in two different leagues. Before the NBA merged with the ABA in 1976, “Dr. J” won three straight MVP awards and two championships with the New York Nets. He was dealt to the Sixers, winning a championship during his 11 years with the team. During his final season with Philadelphia in 1987, the then-New Jersey Nets retired the No. 32 Erving wore in the ABA. The Sixers later retired his No. 6.    

Michael Jordan – Bulls, Heat

You were expecting the Washington Wizards? With all due respect to “His Airness,” Michael Jordan probably shouldn’t be on this list. Make no mistake, based on his dominance and overall importance to the game of basketball, he is worthy of having his No. 23 retired by the Chicago Bulls and even across the league in the same way Wayne Gretzky’s No. 99 is in hockey. But the Heat retiring his number despite Jordan having no ties to the organization other than defeating them many times, is kind of cringeworthy. 

“In honor of your greatness, Michael, and for all you have done for the game of basketball, not only the NBA but for all the fans around the world, we want to honor you tonight by hanging your jersey forever, No. 23, from the rafters of the American Airlines Arena,” Heat president Pat Riley said prior to Jordan’s final game in Miami in 2003. “No player ever again will ever wear No. 23 for the Miami Heat here. You’re the best.”

As for the other team Jordan actually played for, the Wizards, no Washington player has worn No. 23 since his final season, but the number has not yet been officially retired.     

Bob Lanier – Pistons, Bucks

Bob Lanier was drafted first overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 1970 NBA Draft and went on to become one of the great centers of his era. He spent 10 seasons with the Pistons, making the All-Star team seven times, and remains the team’s third all-time leading scorer and rebounder. He was traded to the Bucks in 1980 and went on to help the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 1983 and 1984. Lanier averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds over his career and had his No. 16 retired by both teams.  

Moses Malone – Rockets, 76ers

Moses Malone led the league in rebounding in three of his last four seasons with the Rockets and his first three seasons with the 76ers. Hence the reason he was known as “The Chairman of the Board” and hence why his No. 24 was retired by the Rockets and his No. 2 was retired by the Sixers. The Hall of Famer won two MVP awards while in Houston and added a third in his first season with Philadelphia while helping the 76ers win the NBA championship.

Earl Monroe – Wizards, Knicks

Earl “The Pearl” Monroe helped revolutionize the NBA with his school-yard moves. His impact was first felt in Baltimore, where he starred for the then-Bullets after being selected second overall in the 1967 draft. He was named Rookie of the Year, made two All-Star teams in his first four seasons, and led the Bullets to the 1971 Finals before being traded to New York. There he formed a backcourt with Walt Frazier and helped guide the Knicks to the 1972 Finals and to the 1973 NBA championship. Monroe had his No. 15 retired by the Knicks in 1986 (the team later retired No. 15 for a second time in honor of Dick McGuire, who played for the Knicks from 1949 to 1957). The Wizards retired Monroe’s No. 10 in 2007.

Dikembe Mutombo – Nuggets, Hawks

Any player who asks to wear No. 55 in Denver or Atlanta will have a finger wagged in their face. That number in both cities forever belongs to Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutumbo. Drafted fourth overall by the Nuggets in the 1991 draft, Mutumbo was an All-Star in his rookie season. He led the league in blocks for three straight seasons in Denver, helping the team become the first eight seed to upset a one seed in 1994 when the Nuggets stunned the Seattle SuperSonics. The Hall of Famer signed with the Hawks as a free agent and won three of his four Defensive Player of the Year awards while with Atlanta. The Hawks retired his number in 2015, and the Nuggets did the same the following year.

Shaquille O’Neal – Lakers, Heat

One of the most dominant players in NBA history, Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 34 was retired by the Lakers after he teamed with Bryant to win three straight championships, earning Finals MVP in each. When the well-documented Shaq and Kobe drama reached its peak, O’Neal was dealt to the Heat, where he joined a young Dwyane Wade and captured the organization’s first NBA title. O’Neal became the third member of the Heat to have his number retired when his No. 32 was immortalized in 2016. Shaq’s original team, the Magic, will make O’Neal the first player in franchise history to have his number retired in February when his No. 32 is raised to the rafters. O’Neal will become the only NBA player other than Wilt Chamberlain to have his number retired by three former teams.

Oscar Robertson – Kings, Bucks

Oscar Robertson knows a thing or two about doubling up. The first player to average a triple-double in a season has his number retired by both of the teams he played for. Robertson spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Royals, averaging 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists in his second season with the team. After 10 All-Star seasons, he was dealt to Milwaukee, where in his first season he teamed with Abdul-Jabbar to lead the Bucks to an NBA championship in 1971. Three years later, after Robertson retired, his No. 1 was retired by Milwaukee, and his No. 14 was retired by the then-Kansas City Kings, previously the Royals and soon to be the Sacramento Kings.

Nate Thurmond – Warriors, Cavaliers

All Nate Thurmond had to do was replace Chamberlain. When Chamberlain was traded by the Warriors in 1965, it was Thurmond who was left to fill his shoes. That season would be the first of seven All-Star selections for Thurmond, who averaged 17.4 points and 16.9 rebounds in his career with the Warriors. He spent his final two seasons with the Cavaliers, playing in only 114 games and averaging just 5.0 points and 6.3 rebounds over 18.7 minutes per. But the veteran presence he provided on a team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals, along with his status as a fan favorite, was enough for the Akron, Ohio, native to get his number immortalized in Cleveland – becoming the organization’s first player to receive the honor. The No. 42 was retired by the Warriors and Cavs in honor of “Nate the Great.”

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The intent is to provide skills on the ice and in the classroom.

“They’re going to make a difference,” NHL Senior Director of Youth Hockey and Industry Growth Matt Herr said. “It’s going to help their math scores, their social studies, their history.”

The partnership looks to introduce the game to more than 93,000 students in the county’s elementary and middle schools.

“This program means exposure and access, which is one of the things that a lot of students who are Black and brown don’t necessarily get a lot of,” Capitol Heights Elementary School principal Shawna Berry said.

She believes the initiative will lead to multiple successes.

“Many of our students will be able to engage with a sport that promotes physical activity, leadership and teamwork skills — all things that can work to their advantage outside of the rink,” she said.

The Capitals invested almost $4 million in the development of young players in schools across D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

“Kids are learning valuable life lessons, as principal Berry said today, that are going to help these kids throughout their lives, and I think that’s probably the most valuable piece,” Herr said.

The program has reached 1 million local students thanks to the NHL’s industry growth fund.

“Not only are we affecting diverse communities like this, but we’re also seeing diversity in gender,” Herr said. “And you’re seeing more girls’ teams, and all of this could be coming from just having access to gym class.”

The Warriors forward is expected to return to the team facility in the coming days and will start ramping up to resume play again, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday morning, citing sources.

Green will miss his 11th game Thursday night when Golden State hosts the reigning champion Denver Nuggets at Chase Center. The 33-year-old was suspended after striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face during the Warriors’ 119-116 loss on Dec. 12 at Footprint Center.

Wojnarowski added that there still are “ongoing” conversations about when Green will return from the suspension, but his first game back is “getting closer.”

Last week, Wojnarowski reported, citing sources, that Green has been participating in virtual meetings, which include the Warriors, NBA and union officials, to “chart his progress” toward fully rejoining the team. He also reported, citing sources, that there is a “general belief” that Green’s suspension will cover a range of 11 to 13 games — barring any setbacks.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported last month, citing league sources, that Green was expected to receive counseling and work with the Warriors and the NBA during his suspension and was “prepared to undergo the process required” to return to play with the Warriors, Charania said.

One day after the Nurkić incident, the NBA announced it indefinitely suspended the four-time champion with hopes of Green getting himself right before being able to return to the hardwood.

Before the suspension, Green was averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 15 games this season. The Warriors have gone 6-4 in Green’s absence.

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The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Jovan Buha reported, citing six sources with direct knowledge of the situation, on Thursday that there’s a “deepening disconnect” between Lakers players and head coach Darvin Ham.

The disconnect stems from “extreme rotation and starting lineup adjustments recently from Ham, leading to a fluctuating rhythm for several players across the roster,” according to the report.

The report cited one specific lineup change, when Ham started LeBron James, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jarred Vanderbilt and Anthony Davis against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 23, that was viewed as “a head-scratcher by multiple parties internally.” Los Angeles, however, did win that game behind a 40-point performance from James.

While the Lakers had an unblemished In-Season Tournament record en route to capturing the inaugural NBA Cup, it’s been a disappointing campaign otherwise. Los Angeles is just 11-18 in non-IST games and 17-18 overall, sitting 10th in the Western Conference standings. And those struggles have come despite James and Davis only missing a combined five games.

The Lakers have dropped nine of 12 games since their IST title triumph, most recently falling to the Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat at home on Wednesday for a third straight loss. The game saw Los Angeles use its 10th different starting lineup this season.

After the 110-96 loss to Miami, James left Crypto.com Arena without speaking to the media while Austin Reaves described the team’s mood as “s*****.”

“We’re losing. Anytime you lose, the vibe should be off, you know? If I went in [the locker room] and the vibe wasn’t off after the rough stretch that we’ve had, then I’d be concerned. That’s really it,” Reaves told reporters, via ESPN. “You know, I don’t expect for us to be happy with how we’ve played. So, until we figure that out, you know, the vibe should be off. We got to win games.”

Ham is in his second year as Lakers head coach. Last season, Los Angeles rebounded from a 2-10 start to finish 43-39 and make the conference finals.

But the Lakers currently look far from a threat to reach the conference finals again.

“It’s a little bit of everything right now,” Ham said after Wednesday’s loss, via ESPN. “We’re not executing. That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight, so it’s a bit of everything right now.

“If we keep on this train, it’s not going to be good for us.”

The Nets are the first team to be sanctioned for violating the league’s player participation policy, which took effect starting this season.

Starters Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton, along with reserve forward Dorian Finney-Smith, were held out of the matchup. Three players who started for the Nets in that game — Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neale and Cam Thomas — each logged fewer than 12 minutes apiece as the Bucks won 144-122.

“We’ve talked to all 30 teams about, ‘Hey, there is a way to rest your players,’” NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars said. “What we’ve said is sitting four or five guys at one time is not that way. So, if you want to get your players rest, there are ways to do this. But if you do it in a way where it becomes egregious in terms of sitting four or five guys at a time, that’s just not what we’re about in an 82-game league.”

The Nets had played a road game against the Detroit Pistons a day before returning to Barclays Center to host the Bucks.

“I’ve got to think short term and long term and make executive decisions for the betterment of the group,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said before the Dec. 27 game. “So that’s where we’re at tonight.”

The NBA’s new player participation policy was approved in September. Teams are fined $100,000 for their first violation, $250,000 for their second violation and then an additional $1 million for any further violations.

“This is not about, ‘You can’t rest your players,’” Dumars said. “It’s about how you do it, and that’s not the way to do it.”

The stadium in suburban East Rutherford, N.J., is among the contenders for the final of the expanded 48-nation, 104-game World Cup on July 19, 2026, along with AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“I speak on behalf of New Jersey but also as our partner of New York City, do not underestimate how aggressive we’re prepared to be to get the best package of games possible,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said during a telephone interview last fall.

FIFA has not set a date for announcing the sites of specific games and could not provide details on renovations at other stadiums, spokesman Lenny Santiago said. For the 1994 tournament, FIFA announced sites of specific games in June 1992, awarding the final to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

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Heimo Schirgi, who replaced Colin Smith as the World Cup’s chief operating officer last July, was not available for comment. Unlike the 1994 World Cup, FIFA is running the 2026 tournament itself without a local organizing committee.

“The few stadiums that require capital projects are handling each project differently — with some venues scheduling the work across multiple NFL offseasons, while others plan to complete everything at once sometime between now and spring 2026,” FIFA said in a statement.

MetLife, which opened in 2010, has had a high crowd for sports of 83,367 for a Jets–Giants NFL game in October, and the World Cup bid book estimated a capacity of 74,895. The current dimension for soccer matches is 70-by-115 yards (64-by-105 meters), spokeswoman Helen Strus said.

Strus said construction will be in the corners and extend along the sidelines, though field-level club areas will not be impacted. The removed seats will be in the corners and will be replaced with seats in removable sections after the World Cup. Murphy said who pays the cost of the construction was under negotiation.

“The FIFA setback provisions really impact MetLife only at the corners. Other stadiums have a much tougher nut where they have to set the entire perimeter back,” Murphy said. “FIFA wants a deal that works for them. New Jersey and New York City — remember our partners New York City — we’re prepared clearly to put serious skin in the game. In fact, we have already.”

FIFA requires a 75-by-115 yard (68-by-105 meter) field for World Cup games, although that requirement was ignored by some venues during the 1994 tournament. Both MetLife and AT&T will have to replace artificial turf with grass, along with stadiums in Atlanta; Foxboro, Mass.; Houston; Inglewood, Calif.; and Seattle.

MetLife’s narrower field was used for the 2016 Copa América final, won by Chile on penalty kicks over Argentina, and will be used for three matches at this summer’s South American championship: Argentina-Chile and Uruguay-Bolivia group stage games and a July 9 semifinal.

Murphy also hopes UEFA will stage a European Champions League final at MetLife.

“We would be able to sell 10 stadiums worth of tickets for the UEFA Champions League final,” he said. “We would welcome the opportunity, and I’ve said many times I welcome the opportunity to host what we would call in the States regular-season league games for any of the big European leagues at MetLife, as well.”

Joe Trahan, a spokesman for the Dallas Cowboys, who run AT&T Stadium, declined comment on dimensions and possible changes. He referred questions to FIFA and the Dallas Sports Commission, which did not respond to emails seeking comment.

FIFA awarded the 2026 tournament to the U.S., Mexico and Canada in 2018 and announced the 16 host cities in 2022.

All 11 U.S. stadiums for the World Cup are the homes of NFL teams, which use playing fields of 53.3-by-120 yards (49-by-110 meters).

Giants Stadium, adjacent to where MetLife was built, hosted seven games in 1994, including Bulgaria’s quarterfinal upset of defending champion Germany and Italy’s semifinal win over Bulgaria. At the 1994 tournament, government officials closed the Lincoln Tunnel to regular traffic to allow FIFA executives faster access from Manhattan.

“I think we’ll do the right thing by the VIPs who need to get transited,” Murphy said. “We’ll do it in a way which doesn’t take it out of the hide of the regular customers, but we’ll also do it in a way — we’re committed that to FIFA, that we’ll move folks expeditiously and with the right level of care.”

The Australian Open will kick off the 2024 Grand Slam calendar and players are bouncing back from their offseasons.

This year’s tournament is even more exciting with the return of many fan favorites, including tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka. And for the players, the incentive to win is higher than ever with historic prize money on the line.

Ahead of the action, here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park:

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How much do winners win per round at the 2024 Australian Open?

Where is the 2024 Australian Open?

The 2024 Australian Open will be held at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia.

When is the 2024 Australian Open?

The 2024 Australian Open starts on Sunday, Jan. 14, and ends on Sunday, Jan. 28.

This is the first time an extra Sunday has been added to the tournament.

Who won the 2023 Australian Open?

On the men’s side, the 2023 Australian Open champion was Novak Djokovic, who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6.

The women’s champion was Aryna Sabalenka, as she defeated Elena Rybakina in the final, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to claim her first ever Grand Slam title.

How can I watch the 2024 Australian Open in the United States?

The 2024 Australian Open will be available to watch on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and the Tennis Channel. 

You can stream the entire tournament with a live TV service provider or watch on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, iOS and Android Devices.

What is the 2024 Australian Open draw?

The Australian Open draw has not been released yet.

Is Rafael Nadal playing the 2024 Australian Open?

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is back in action Down Under.

The Spaniard returns to the Australian Open after taking nearly 12 months to heal a hip injury. His last competitive match ahead of the 2024 season was last year’s Australian Open, where he fell in the second round.

Is Naomi Osaka playing the 2024 Australian Open?

Naomi Osaka will be at the Australian Open, but this time with a different perspective as a mother.

The 26-year-old from Japan has a special place in her heart for the Grand Slam Down Under. She is a two-time singles champion at Melbourne Park and is looking to reclaim her world No. 1 ranking one win at a time.

While Brandon Staley, Frank Reich and Josh McDaniels failed to make it through the year, other franchises are expected to cut ties with their head coaches on Monday, the first day after the regular season ends.

With Week 18 added to the NFL season in 2020, Black Monday got pushed back a few days, but its impact on coaches and general managers remains. What is the origin of the phrase, and who has been a Black Monday casualty in recent years?

Here’s a look at the history of Black Monday in the NFL:

What is Black Monday in the NFL?

Black Monday commonly refers to the first Monday after the conclusion of the regular season. While some coaches and general managers are gearing up for playoff matchups, others have to pack up their offices after being fired. 

Since Black Monday is the first day of the offseason for 18 NFL teams each year, it is common for multiple head coaches and front office members to be let go across the league.

When did Black Monday originate?

While a Chicago Tribune story used the term when referencing a day in which multiple college coaches were fired in the late 1990s, 1998 is the year when Black Monday became a noteworthy phrase for the NFL. The Associated Press, New York Post and Houston Chronicle all used Black Monday in headlines on the same day after the season ended.

Black Monday 2024

Three teams already got ahead of the Black Monday by firing their head coaches during the 2023 regular season. The Las Vegas Raiders fired McDaniels in October, the Carolina Panthers fired Frank Reich in November and the Los Angeles Chargers fired Brandon Staley in December.

There are several other coaches on the hot seat entering Week 18. With new ownership and a 4-12 record entering Week 18, Ron Rivera could be on his way out at the helm of the Washington Commanders. Over in New England, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran reported in December that “a decision was made” in December regarding Bill Belichick’s future with the Patriots.

How many coaches were fired on Black Monday in 2023?

Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and Nathaniel Hackett were all let go from their respective teams midseason, while the Houston Texans fired Lovie Smith just hours after their season-ending victory on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. 

Kliff Kingsbury was the lone head coach to be fired on Black Monday in 2023. The Arizona Cardinals announced that they parted ways with Kingsbury after four seasons and that general manager Steve Keim was stepping down from his position to focus on his health.

How many coaches were fired on Black Monday in 2022?

There were several coaches on the hot seat heading into Week 18 of the 2021 season, and two of them were on opposite sidelines at U.S. Bank Stadium. Matt Nagy of the Chicago Bears and Mike Zimmer of the Minnesota Vikings both wound up being fired on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. Nagy had been with the Bears since 2018, while Zimmer had been at the helm for the Vikings since 2014.

Perhaps the biggest surprise when it came to head coaching moves following the 2021 regular season happened in Miami. The Dolphins fired Brian Flores on Black Monday after he spent three seasons in the role.

Vic Fangio was fired on a Sunday since his Denver Broncos concluded their 2021 regular season with a Saturday matchup in Kansas City. In New York, Joe Judge was gone after two seasons with the Giants, though the team waited an extra day before letting go of its head coach. David Culley lasted a few more days before the Texans fired him.

Urban Meyer and Jon Gruden did not make it through the 2021 regular season.

How many coaches were fired on Black Monday in 2021?

Two coaches were fired on Black Monday in 2021: Anthony Lynn of the Chargers and Doug Marrone of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Some teams did not wait until that Monday to cut ties with their coaches. The New York Jets fired Adam Gase that Sunday after losing to the Patriots in the regular season finale. Matt Patricia, Dan Quinn and Bill O’Brien were all fired by their teams during the 2020 regular season. Doug Pederson, meanwhile, was fired by the Philadelphia Eagles exactly one week after Black Monday.

What does Black Monday mean outside of football?

Black Monday is not an exclusive term to the NFL, but its sinister connotation continues throughout its various meanings.

Black Monday has been used to reference a notable drop in the stock market, particularly as part of crashes in 1929 and 1987. Other infamous Black Mondays date back to the 13th century, when native Irish massacred hundreds of Dublin citizens.

A fire that swept through the Florida mansion of Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill on Wednesday was caused by a child playing with a cigarette lighter, officials said.

Davie Fire Rescue Fire Marshal Robert Taylor told NBC South Florida on Thursday that the cause of the fire was ruled accidental, as a result of a child playing with a lighter.

No one was injured in the fire, which broke out shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday. The house is located in a gated community in Southwest Ranches, which is about 30 miles northwest of Miami.

Aerial footage showed heavy smoke coming from the mansion’s roof as firefighters doused the house with water.

TYREEK HILL HOUSE FIRE

real estate Jan 3

A look at Tyreek Hill's luxurious South Florida mansion

Fire rescue crews from Davie and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue were able to get the fire under control within about two hours.

Taylor said the fire was limited to the attic and roof but said there was smoke damage in much of the house. Aerial footage showed a large hole in one section of the roof, along with smaller holes.

Hill, the Dolphins’ star wide receiver, was at practice with the team Wednesday and not at the home when the fire broke out.

He rushed home and was seen hugging family members and his wife, as he walked with a boot on his foot.

Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said the flames were contained to one room but said there was extensive water damage.

“He is going to be fine physically, mentally this is challenging,” Rosenhaus said.

Property records showed Hill purchased the mansion in 2022 for $6.9 million.

The 9,300-square-foot home features seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a home theater, a full-size basketball court, a massive pool and two guest houses.

Rapper Rick Ross, a neighbor of Hill, posted video on Instagram of the fire from his home.

“It’s unfortunate the house caught on fire across the street but I checked with the firefighters, there’s no one that was injured, everybody was out of the house,” Ross said in the video.

Hill, 29, was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Dolphins in 2022 and signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $120 million.

The NFL on Wednesday revealed the list of AFC and NFC players for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, which will be held on Thursday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 4.

The San Francisco 49ers earned the most selections with nine, headlined by QB Brock Purdy and RB Christian McCaffrey. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers were the four teams with no selections.

Of course, things could change with alternate selections, but there are no guarantees. Let’s dive into the five biggest snubs from 2024, along with honorable mentions, as well as who the player should’ve replaced:

WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers

Maybe the 49ers shouldn’t be greedy as they had a league-high nine selections, but Brandon Aiyuk should still feel hard done by being snubbed. The 25-year-old star wideout has logged 72 catches on 101 targets for 1,317 yards and seven touchdowns through 15 games. For example, fellow selections A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles and Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams hit 1,400-plus receiving yards on 151 and 147 targets, respectively.

Combine that with the fact that Aiyuk is one of the league’s premier route runners and blocking wide receivers, there’s not many better all-around options like him.

Who Aiyuk should replace: A.J. Brown, Eagles — the second half of the year has been a nightmare.

CB L’Jarius Sneed, Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs’ defense is an immense part of their success this season, carrying an offense that has uncharacteristically struggled in the Patrick Mahomes era. Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, 26, has been colossal defending some of the league’s best wideouts Kansas City has faced this season.

He’s played 570 coverage snaps without allowing a touchdown, with two interceptions and 14 passes defended to his name. There’s an argument to be made that he’s the best corner in the game, but he won’t get to show it in the Pro Bowl.

Who Sneed should replace: Jalen Ramsey, Miami Dolphins — he’s only played nine games to Sneed’s 16.

S Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Good luck finding a more versatile safety than the 25-year-old Winfield Jr. The Minnesota product has been sensational on all fronts for Tampa Bay’s defense, logging five sacks, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three interceptions, five stuffs, 12 passes defended and 117 total tackles (73 solo). You really can’t ask for more, and he’ll probably be a First-Team All-Pro selection despite not being an initial Pro Bowler.

Who Winfield Jr. should’ve replaced: Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals — his stats are all considerably worse than Winfield Jr.’s.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

The third-year wideout out of USC has posted career-high numbers all across the board in Detroit: 112 catches on 154 targets, 1,371 yards, 12.2 yards per catch, nine touchdowns and 70 first downs. Oh, and he’s played in his fewest games thus far at 15. Jared Goff and the Lions’ offense wouldn’t be as good as they are without St. Brown, but the 24-year-old will have to wait to see his name picked.

Who St. Brown should’ve replaced: Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Evans is as elite as they get and deserving, but his numbers and impact this year isn’t the same as St. Brown’s.

QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

The player with the most total touchdowns in the league did not get picked. Allen has thrown 27 touchdowns and ran in 15, with tush pushes not being the primary source. The 27-year-old has developed a turnover-prone habit that has hurt his team in the biggest games, but that risky nature has also paid off with wins in key moments.

Who Allen should’ve replaced: Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins — Tagovailoa has enjoyed a career year, but Allen wouldn’t get in over Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes. It’ll come down to the Week 18 AFC East division decider.

Honorable mentions

DT Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams: The third-round rookie has been a gem for the Rams. His statistics are eerily similar to Pro Bowl nominee Aaron Donald, with Turner also having one more sack.

WR DJ Moore, Chicago Bears: The 26-year-old has 92 catches on 130 targets for 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns. The Bears wideout seemingly reacted to the snub on social media, though it would be hard for him to displace someone else.

LB Quincy Williams, New York Jets: The Jets‘ defensive unit remains one of the league’s best despite a struggling offense, with the 27-year-old Williams coming into his own this year. His 10 passes defended is second most among all linebackers and he leads all linebackers with 93 stops. It’d be difficult to slot him in over one of the two Baltimore Ravens standouts, but he deserved a shout.

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Prosecutors requested that a judge hold Franco on an $86,000 bond, bar him from leaving the Dominican Republic and place him under house arrest. They noted the money laundering charges stems from allegations that Franco made payments to the minor’s mother.

Prosecutors also asked that the judge prohibit the minor’s mother from leaving the country and place her under house arrest.

“These measures requested by the Public Ministry seek to guarantee the integrity of the process,” the ministry said in a statement.

Prosecutors on Wednesday also delivered evidence to a judge who is expected to soon rule on Franco’s future.

The judge is scheduled to analyze the documents and other evidence collected during a monthslong investigation and issue a ruling Friday in a courtroom in the northern Dominican Republic province of Puerto Plata, where the alleged act occurred.

The judge has several options: release Franco on bond, temporarily arrest him, prevent him from leaving the Dominican Republic or demand that he make occasional appearances until the investigation or a trial has ended.

The 22-year-old All-Star player remains in jail for now after being detained on Monday in Puerto Plata.

His attorney, Teodosio Jáquez Encarnación, has declined to talk to media, saying only that Franco is doing fine.

Prosecutors also have declined comment.

Authorities have not shared details of the case, although prosecutors said on Aug. 14 that Franco was being investigated because of social media postings suggesting he had a relationship with a minor. The AP has not been able to verify the reported posts.

On Dec. 26, police and prosecutors visited two of Franco’s properties located in his hometown of Baní, just southwest of the capital of Santo Domingo, but the player was not there.

On Dec. 28, a prosecutor requested that Franco appear, but he did not do so until Monday, when he was detained following a nearly three-hour interview.

Major League Baseball placed Franco on administrative leave in August under its the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy with the players’ association. He was paid and received service time while on leave.

There is no timetable for a conclusion of MLB’s investigation and whether the results might lead to discipline by the the commissioner’s office.

The NFC’s top-seeded San Francisco 49ers boast the most Pro Bowl selections of any team with nine, headlined by quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey.

The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys each have seven selections, while the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles both have six. The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs have five apiece.

The Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders are the only teams to not have any players named to this year’s Pro Bowl Games.

In total, 44 players from each conference received a Pro Bowl nod. The rosters were voted on by fans, players and coaches.

Among the most notable omissions are Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. Of course, those players could still make it as alternates. The Pro Bowlers from the two teams that make it to Super Bowl LVIII won’t partake in the festivities, and others could decide to opt out of the event for various reasons as well.

The first ever Pro Bowl Games, a multi-day event featuring several skills competitions and culminating in a flag football contest, were held last year in Las Vegas. This year’s all-star showcase takes place Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 1 and 4.

Here’s a full look at the AFC and NFC teams (* = starter):

AFC Pro Bowl roster

Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa* (Dolphins), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Running back: Raheem Mostert* (Dolphins), James Cook (Bills), Derrick Henry (Titans)

Fullback: Alec Ingold* (Dolphins)

Wide receiver: Tyreek Hill* (Dolphins), Amari Cooper* (Browns), Keenan Allen (Chargers), Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals)

Tight end: Travis Kelce* (Chiefs), David Njoku (Browns)

Offensive tackle: Laremy Tunsil* (Texans), Dion Dawkins* (Bills), Terron Armstead (Dolphins)

Offensive guard: Quenton Nelson* (Colts), Joel Bitonio* (Browns), Joe Thuney (Chiefs)

Center: Creed Humphrey* (Chiefs), Tyler Linderbaum (Ravens)

Defensive end: Myles Garrett* (Browns), Maxx Crosby* (Raiders), Trey Hendrickson (Bengals)

Defensive tackle: Chris Jones* (Chiefs), Quinnen Williams* (Jets), Justin Madubuike (Ravens)

Outside linebacker: T.J. Watt* (Steelers), Khalil Mack* (Chargers), Josh Allen (Jaguars)

Inside linebacker: Roquan Smith* (Ravens), Patrick Queen (Ravens)

Cornerback: Pat Surtain II* (Broncos), Sauce Gardner* (Jets), Jalen Ramsey (Dolphins), Denzel Ward (Browns)

Free safety: Justin Simmons* (Broncos), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Steelers)

Strong safety: Kyle Hamilton* (Ravens)

Long snapper: Ross Matiscik (Jaguars)

Kicker: Justin Tucker (Ravens)

Punter: AJ Cole (Raiders)

Returner: Marvin Mims Jr. (Broncos)

Special teamer: Miles Killebrew (Steelers)

NFC Pro Bowl roster

Quarterback: Brock Purdy* (49ers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Running back: Christian McCaffrey* (49ers), D’Andre Swift (Eagles), Kyren Williams (Rams)

Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk* (49ers)

Wide receiver: A.J. Brown* (Eagles), CeeDee Lamb* (Cowboys), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Puka Nacua (Rams)

Tight end: George Kittle* (49ers), Sam LaPorta (Lions)

Offensive tackle: Trent Williams* (49ers), Lane Johnson* (Eagles), Penei Sewell (Lions)

Offensive guard: Zack Martin* (Cowboys), Chris Lindstrom* (Falcons), Landon Dickerson (Eagles)

Center: Jason Kelce* (Eagles), Frank Ragnow (Lions)

Defensive end: Nick Bosa* (49ers), Montez Sweat* (Bears), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

Defensive tackle: Aaron Donald* (Rams), Dexter Lawrence* (Giants), Javon Hargrave (49ers)

Outside linebacker: Micah Parsons* (Cowboys), Danielle Hunter* (Vikings), Haason Reddick (Eagles)

Inside linebacker: Fred Warner* (49ers), Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)

Cornerback: DaRon Bland* (Cowboys), Charvarius Ward* (49ers), Jaylon Johnson (Bears), Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks)

Free safety: Jessie Bates* (Falcons)

Strong safety: Budda Baker* (Cardinals), Julian Love (Seahawks)

Long snapper: Andrew DePaola (Vikings)

Kicker: Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

Punter: Bryan Anger (Cowboys)

Returner: Rashid Shaheed (Saints)

Special teamer: Jalen Reeves-Maybin (Lions)

Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Megan Ahsens had filed a motion Tuesday to dismiss three counts of aggravated sexual battery. Jackson Mahomes appeared at a hearing Wednesday and the felony charges were dropped. A fourth charge — misdemeanor battery — remains, and Jackson Mahomes pleaded not guilty to that charge.

The court filing cited a lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.

Jackson Mahomes’ attorney, Brandan Davies, said in a statement that his client “has done nothing wrong. We had full confidence that the truth of the matter would ultimately be revealed.”

The original charges accused Jackson Mahomes, a 23-year-old social media influencer, of crimes that occurred Feb. 25 at Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.

Investigators said Mahomes shoved a waiter who tried to come into a room where he was with the restaurant’s owner, Aspen Vaughn. After the waiter left, Mahomes grabbed Vaughn by the throat and forcefully kissed her three different times without her consent, prosecutors alleged.

Vaughn told police Mahomes was a friend of her stepdaughter, and had caused trouble and been asked to leave the restaurant in the past.

Vaughn closed the restaurant in August, saying her business suffered from the publicity associated with the case. She told the Kansas City Star at the time that she endured death threats and harassment and the restaurant was vandalized in the aftermath of the charges.

Tuesday’s court filing said prosecutors were presented with an affidavit from Vaughn’s attorneys stating that she would refuse to testify. The filing said prosecutors still planned to move ahead with the case, noting that surveillance video captured the encounter.

But the filing also said subpoenas meant for Vaughn, who was referred to in court documents by her initials, were not delivered.

“Indeed, it has become clear to the State, through conversations with more than one person in contact with her, that A.R. is actively thwarting attempts to serve her to avoid coming to court,” Ahsens wrote.

The misdemeanor battery charge remains because that charge involved the alleged shoving of the waiter.

A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office declined comment.

According to property records, Hill bought the mansion for $6.9 million back in May 2022. The property is located in a gated community of Southwest Ranches, a suburban town 15 miles southwest of Fort Lauderdale and about 22 miles northwest of Miami.

The 9,300-square-foot European-inspired-styled home features seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms and boasts stellar amenities, including a game room, recording studio, movie room and a massive pool.

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A video posted on Hill’s YouTube channel in June 2022 shows him giving a tour of the property, showing off the mini golf course, bounce house and a reportedly NBA regulation basketball court.

“This house right here is definitely one of best I’ve ever stayed in in my life and probably one of the best I’ve seen,” Hill said.

The cause of Wednesday’s fire was under investigation. Hill’s family was inside the house but was safe and uninjured.

Fire officials said the blaze was contained to a room but there was smoke and water damage throughout the house.

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The unseeded Littler would have become the youngest-ever winner of darts’ biggest prize, but lost an epic match at the Alexandra Palace in London.

At one point the teenager had the chance to take a 5-2 lead, but world No. 1 Humphries came back to win five straight sets and his first world title.

As runner-up, Littler won 200,000 pounds ($250,000) in prize money and looks likely to contend for major titles for years to come. He made history by becoming the youngest finalist.

Humphries was the No. 3 seed for the tournament and went into it on the back of winning three major titles in the space of two months.

He will pick up the top prize of 500,000 pounds ($630,000) for Wednesday’s win.

Michigan plays Washington for the national title in Houston on Monday as the NCAA continues to investigate allegations that the Wolverines, over three years extending into this season, had a staff member do in-person advance scouting against NCAA rules and used video equipment to pick off future opponents’ play-call signs from the sideline.

Asked during a CFP media teleconference about the possibility of the NCAA ordering Michigan to vacate wins, McCarthy said it would be unfortunate for the players not to be recognized for what they’ve achieved.

“But at the end of the day,” he said, “it’s not going to change the amount of accomplishment and the amount of pride for being on this football team and just everything that we accomplished because we know what we put in, we know the work that we’ve put in, and we know that we did things the right way as players.”

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Coach Jim Harbaugh deflected a question about possible sanctions, saying he is focused on the game against Washington.

“I don’t know if you want to live in rumorville or speculation, but we just don’t really have any room to be doing that at this point,” he said. “That’s done elsewhere.”

The NCAA does not directly ban the stealing of signs, but there are rules against using electronic equipment to record an opponent’s signals and in-person, advanced scouting of future opponents in season. There are also rules against unsportsmanlike or unethical activities by coaches, and head coaches are generally considered to be responsible for violations that occur under them.

The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three regular-season games for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy. Harbaugh has denied having knowledge of sign-stealing activities. Michigan suspended Harbaugh for the first three games of the season amid allegations of recruiting violations.

McCarthy estimated 80% of college football teams steal signs.

“It’s just a thing about football,” he said. “It’s been around for years. We actually had to adapt because in 2020 or 2019 when Ohio State was stealing our signs — which is legal and they were doing it — we had to get up to the level that they were at, and we had to make it an even playing field.”

Michigan associate athletic director for football communications Dave Ablauf did not immediately respond to an Associated Press email requesting McCarthy to elaborate on his comment.

McCarthy and defensive lineman Mason Graham said they and their teammates put in significant time operating inside the rules to find clues about how opponents might react in different situations.

“We do watch so much film and look for those little tendencies and spend like 10, 15 minutes on one clip alone just looking at all the little details,” McCarthy said, referring to the posture of linebackers or defensive linemen and differences in where cornerbacks and safeties are lined up. “You could say it’s all sign stealing, but there’s a lot more that goes into play, and a lot of stuff that gets masked, a lot of work that gets masked just because of the outside perception of what sign stealing is all about.”

He referred to Jon Rahm’s decision to join LIV Golf last month as a “smart business move.”

McIlroy also suggested he helped instigate discussions with the PGA Tour and the Saudi backers of LIV Golf. He said he met with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund, at the end of 2022 in Dubai.

“When I got back to America, I was on the board of the PGA Tour and I said to the guys, ‘Someone has got to go talk to this guy.’ Then there was a plan put in place that one of the board members would try to develop a relationship with him,” McIlroy said.

He said on the “Stick to Football” podcast the surprise was how quickly a deal came together. Board member Jimmy Dunne and chairman Ed Herlihy arranged the first meeting after the Masters in April.

The PGA Tour and PIF announced the agreement for a commercial deal on June 6.

The podcast was posted a day before the PGA Tour begins a new year that includes eight “signature events” with limited fields and $20 million purses, a model that McIlroy helped orchestrate over the last year.

He resigned from the policy board in November, saying it was taking up too much of his time. The framework agreement missed its Dec. 31 deadline to get finalized, and now the PGA Tour also is negotiating with a private group of U.S. investors.

McIlroy referred to early defections to LIV as players wanting to take the easy way out, and said that players were being duplicitous for pledging support and then taking the Saudi cash.

He had said no peace could be made as long as Greg Norman was in charge, and as recently as July said he “hates” LIV and hoped it went away. “If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on Earth, I would retire. That’s how I feel about it,” he said in July.

His tone began to soften when Rahm, the Masters champion, became arguably the biggest name to leave, because the 29-year-old Spaniard is entering the peak of his career.

“I think, at this point, I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start, and I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realize that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods’ position,” McIlroy said on the podcast.

“We all turn professional to make a living playing the sports that we do, and I think that’s what I realized over the last two years. I can’t judge people for making that decision.”

McIlroy said his biggest beef is players leaving and speaking poorly about the PGA Tour or European tour because that’s what gave players their start in the game.

He also said the tour’s deal announced June 6 legitimized what LIV is trying to do and “made it easier for guys to jump.”

“Jon Rahm has not got any of the heat that the first guys got for going,” McIlroy said. “I think Jon, he’s smart. And I think he sees things coming together at some point. … I thought it was a smart business move. It was opportunistic.”

And because Rahm is exempt in all the majors for five years or more, McIlroy said, there was little risk of the Masters champion leaving.

“I have no problem with Jon going if that’s what he wants to do,” McIlroy said. “Who am I to say different?”

McIlroy said while he doesn’t feel he “lost the fight” against LIV, he has accepted that it is part of the sport. He says if anything, the concept of LIV Golf has exposed flaw in the tour system because the rival league guarantees all its stars will be at tournaments.

PGA Tour players can pick and choose where they play. McIlroy, for example, is the only eligible player not at Kapalua for the season-opening tournament. He says the PGA Tour is raising the cost to sponsor tournaments without being able to guarantee who will play.

Wells Fargo already has said it would no longer sponsor the signature event at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina after this year.

“I can’t believe the PGA Tour has done so well for so long,” he said.

The 2023 NFL regular season will conclude with one last Sunday Night Football matchup. This week’s edition will take place at Hard Rock Stadium with the Miami Dolphins hosting the Buffalo Bills and the AFC East crown up for grabs.

For years, the NFL has waited until the penultimate week of the season to reveal which matchup would be moved to NBC’s primetime showcase as the last game before the playoffs. The league intentionally chooses a showdown with the most playoff implications, particularly ones with win-and-in stakes.

This year’s tilt could fall under that bucket for the Bills, though they could clinch a playoff spot before taking the field based on other Week 18 results. The Dolphins, on the other hand, already punched their ticket to the playoffs. Still, the winner of the matchup will earn the division title and the AFC’s No. 2 seed.

Bills-Dolphins has some tough acts to follow when it comes to the last Sunday Night Football game given how epic some recent finales have been. Here are five of the best SNF games that wrapped up an NFL regular season.

2012: Washington 28, Cowboys 18

From 2011 to 2013, the NFC East title was decided on Sunday Night Football in Week 17, and there was a common loser in each matchup.

The 2012 edition was played between 9-6 Washington and the 8-7 Dallas Cowboys at FedExField. Rookie Robert Griffin III had Washington on the verge of its first playoff berth in five years, while Tony Romo and the Cowboys were seeking a bounce-back after falling to the New York Giants in Week 17 of the 2011 season with the division on the line.

Alfred Morris put Washington up 21-10 in the fourth quarter with a 32-yard touchdown, but Dallas countered with a touchdown and two-point conversion to make it a three-point game with less than six minutes remaining. The Cowboys got the ball back with a chance to tie the game or take the lead, but Romo then lofted a back-breaking interception. Morris proceeded to find the endzone for the third time and punctuated a 28-18 Washington win.

2013: Eagles 24, Cowboys 22

After the Giants and Washington beat the Cowboys on Week 17’s Sunday Night Football in consecutive seasons, it was the Philadelphia Eagles’ turn in 2013.

The Cowboys were on home turf against the Birds for the 2013 regular season finale, and it was once again a close contest. The Eagles pushed their lead to 24-16 with six minutes to go on a Bryce Brown rushing touchdown. Just over two minutes later, Kyle Orton found Dez Bryant for a 32-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-9. Orton tried finding Bryant again on the ensuing two-point try, but the pass was incomplete as the Eagles closed out on a 24-22 victory.

2015: Vikings 20, Packers 13

The Green Bay Packers welcomed a division rival to town to conclude the 2015 campaign, but it was the visitors that left Lambeau Field with the NFC North crown.

The Minnesota Vikings went up 20-3 in the third quarter thanks to an Aaron Rodgers fumble that was returned for a touchdown, but the Packers weren’t done fighting. Aaron Rodgers and Richard Rodgers connected on a 16-yard touchdown and Mason Crosby later tacked on a field goal to make it a seven-point deficit. 

Green Bay had a pair of golden chances to tie the game, but Minnesota’s defense stepped up when it mattered most. Xavier Rhodes intercepted a pass in the endzone on a Packers fourth-and-goal attempt with 2:09 left in regulation, and the Vikings batted down a Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the game to cement a 20-13 win.

2019: 49ers 26, Seahawks 21

It’s exciting enough when the NFL regular season comes down to the last game. The intensity gets even higher when it comes down to the last yard.

The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks had already clinched playoff berths when they met at Lumen Field in Week 17 of the 2019 season. However, the NFC West was on the line with the 49ers chasing the No. 1 seed and the Seahawks chasing the No. 3 seed.

The Seahawks trailed 13-0 at the half and 19-7 entering the fourth quarter, but a pair of late touchdowns put them down five points heading into their final drive. Seattle got the ball to the 1-yard line with 23 seconds left, but San Francisco’s defense came up with a goal-line stand for the ages.

Dre Greenlaw made the play of the game by crushing Jacob Hollister within feet of the endzone on fourth-and-goal, giving his team the ball back and the NFC’s top seed. 

2021: Raiders 35, Chargers 32 (OT)

The 2021 SNF finale offered a strange scenario. The Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders had the chance to eliminate the other from playoff contention, but there was also a path to both teams reaching the postseason – all they needed to do was tie one another in Week 18.

The possibility of a tie got even more real as the game went on. After falling behind 29-14, Justin Herbert brought the Chargers back even with two touchdown passes, including one from 12 yards out on the final play of regulation. Once overtime began, the teams exchanged field goals to put the score at 32-32 with 4:30 left.

Daniel Carlson trotted out to the field with two seconds remaining in OT and the playoff chances for three teams hanging in the balance. If he made the kick, the Raiders and Steelers would move on. If he missed it, the Raiders and Chargers would move on. It was the Chargers he sent home packing, as he nailed his fifth field goal of the game to give the Raiders an iconic 35-32 win.

The fire broke out shortly before 2 p.m. at the home in the 16000 block of Berkshire Court in a gated community in Southwest Ranches.

Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed heavy smoke coming from the mansion as crews poured water onto it and firefighters cut holes into sections of the roof.

A large amount of firefighters and police from multiple nearby agencies responded to the scene including Davie Fire Rescue and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

Davie Fire Rescue’s Bob Taylor said the fire was limited to the attic and roof but said there was smoke damage in much of the house. It was too early to determine the cause of the fire, Taylor said.

Taylor said there were no injuries reported.

Hill, the Dolphins’ star wide receiver, was at practice with the team Wednesday and not at the home when it broke out.

A Dolphins spokesperson said Hill had left practice and said everyone who was in the home at the time was safe.

Footage showed Hill, wearing a white T-shirt, dark sweatpants and a boot on his left foot, arriving back at the home and hugging family members.

The fire appeared to be extinguished by around 3 p.m., though a large hole could be seen on one portion of the roof.

Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said it was unknown whether the family could stay in the home Wednesday night but said Hill was thankful no one was injured.

“It’s very difficult for anyone to have their home catch on fire, but Tyreek and his family are handling it with much poise as you can hope, he was grateful to the firefighters who saved his home,” Rosenhaus said.

Property records showed Hill purchased the mansion in 2022 for $6.9 million.

The 9,300-square-foot home features seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a home theater, a full-size basketball court, a massive pool and two guest houses.

Hill, 29, was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Dolphins in 2022 and signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $120 million.

A Dolphins injury report released Wednesday ahead of the team’s Sunday night matchup against the Buffalo Bills lists Hill with an ankle injury.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa told reporters he learned of the fire after practice and after Hill had left to go home.

“The main thing is his family is safe, his loved ones are good, he’s good as well,” Tagovailoa said. “I’m just glad that a lot of his family members are safe…We’re thinking of them, hoping that everyone is good.”

The Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies will square off in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship at NRG Stadium in Houston. Both teams will look to cap off undefeated seasons after winning thrilling CFP semifinals.

No. 1 Michigan came from behind to win an overtime thriller against No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl. No. 2 Washington then fended off No. 3 Texas in an exhilarating Sugar Bowl to set up the championship matchup. 

While both schools are making their debut in the CFP National Championship, Michigan brings much more championship experience into the 2024 title game. The Wolverines have nine national championships in their history with the last one coming in 1997, when they were co-champions with Nebraska. The Huskies have only been named consensus champions, earning the title with Miami in 1991.

As indicated by split championships, the sport went through several systems to determine a top team before landing on its current College Football Playoff format. More change is on the way, too, with the Michigan-Washington matchup serving as the end of an era for the CFP.

Ahead of Monday’s showdown, here’s a look back at recent national title winners and the system in place for their championships:

Bowl Coalition and Bowl Alliance champions by year

From 1968 (the year the AP poll began crowning its champion after bowl games) to 1992, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams entering bowl season only matched up in a bowl game six times.

After Consensus National Champions were announced for the 1990 and 1991 seasons, the Bowl Coalition went into place beginning with the 1992 season. The coalition was formed through an agreement between conferences and bowl games to set up a national championship game between the top two teams each season. After three seasons, the coalition was reconfigured and became the Bowl Alliance, which lasted for three seasons, as well.

There was a major flaw in the Bowl Coalition and Bowl Alliance being used to crown a national champion: the Big Ten and Pac-10 were not involved since both conferences were contractually obligated to play in the Rose Bowl. The Tournament of Roses Association did not allow either conference champion to play in a title game, even if one of them was ranked No. 1 or No. 2.

Here are the championship game results from the years under the Bowl Coalition and Bowl Alliance:

• 1993 Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Alabama 34, No. 1 Miami 13
• 1994 Orange Bowl: No. 1 Florida State 18, No. 2 Nebraska 16
• 1995 Orange Bowl: No. 1 Nebraska 24, No. 3 Miami 17
• 1996 Fiesta Bowl: No. 1 Nebraska 62, No. 2 Florida 24
• 1997 Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Florida 52, No. 1 Florida State 20
• 1998 Orange Bowl: No. 2 Nebraska 42, No. 3 Tennessee 17

Even with the Bowl Coalition in place, it still did not lead to a consensus champion. For the 1997 season, Nebraska was named the national champion via the Coaches’ Poll following its Orange Bowl win over Tennessee, but No. 1 Michigan was named the national champion via the Associated Press after winning the Rose Bowl over No. 7 Washington State.

BCS National Championship winners by year

The Bowl Championship Series was put in place beginning with the 1998 season. The Big Ten and Pac-10, along with the Rose Bowl, joined Bowl Alliance’s member conferences to create a system that determined five bowl matchups between 10 of the top-ranked teams.

Known for its combination of polls and computer selection methods, the BCS did not have a standalone title game until the 2006 season. For eight years, the top two teams squared off for the national championship via a rotating group of four elite bowls: the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and Rose Bowl.

Here are the BCS Championship contests from 1999 through 2006 (games listed by the year in which the game was played, not the season as a whole):

• 1999 Fiesta Bowl: No. 1 Tennessee 23, No. 2 Florida State 16
• 2000 Sugar Bowl: No. 1 Florida State 46, No. 2 Virginia Tech 29
• 2001 Orange Bowl: No. 1 Oklahoma 13, No. 2 Florida State 2
• 2002 Rose Bowl: No. 1 Miami 37, No. 2 Nebraska 14
• 2003 Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State 31, No. 1 Miami 24 (2OT)
• 2004 Sugar Bowl: No. 2 LSU 21, No. 1 Oklahoma 14
• 2005 Orange Bowl: No. 1 USC 55, No. 2 Oklahoma 19
• 2006 Rose Bowl: No. 2 Texas 41, No. 1 USC 38

BCS National Championship Game winners by year

The national title was determined through the BCS National Championship Game for the 2006 season through the 2013 season. The championship was a standalone contest that pinned the top two ranked teams entering bowl season.

Here is the winner from each BCS National Championship Game (the BCS named its championship games based on the year in which the game was played, not the season as a whole):

• 2007: No. 2 Florida 41, No. 1 Ohio State 14
• 2008: No. 2 LSU 38, No. 1 Ohio State 24
• 2009: No. 2 Florida 24, No. 1 Oklahoma 14
• 2010: No. 1 Alabama 37, No. 2 Texas 21
• 2011: No. 1 Auburn 22, No. 2 Oregon 19
• 2012: No. 2 Alabama 21, No. 1 LSU 0
• 2013: No. 2 Alabama 42, No. 1 Notre Dame 14
• 2014: No. 1 Florida State 34, No. 2 Auburn 31

College Football Playoff National Championship winners by year

The College Football Playoff system replaced the BCS beginning with the 2014 season. The CFP puts the top four ranked teams in a single-elimination bracket with semifinals being played in bowl games. The winners of the two semifinals then match up in the CFP National Championship.

Here are the final scores for the CFP National Championship game since it crowned its first champion in the 2014 season (the College Football Playoff also names its championship games based on the year in which it is played):

• 2015: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20
• 2016: No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40
• 2017: No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31
• 2018: No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT)
• 2019: No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16
• 2020: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25
• 2021: No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24
• 2022: No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18
• 2023: No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7

What is the new College Football Playoff format?

After a champion is crowned Monday night at NRG Stadium, the College Football Playoff will move to a 12-team format.

Teams seeded Nos. 1-4 will get a bye to the quarterfinals, while teams seeded Nos. 5-12 will play first-round games at the home field of the higher-seeded team. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in the following bowl games: the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl.

The semifinal winners will then face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Where will next year’s College Football Playoff National Championship be played?

The first title game under the new format will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025.

The 2026 CFP National Championship will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Jan. 19, 2026.

Littler, an unseeded player from Runcorn in northwest England who started throwing darts as a toddler, beat 2018 champion Rob Cross 6-2 to get into Wednesday’s title match against Luke Humphries.

“I was happy winning one game but I could go all the way,” said Littler, a tournament debutant. “My target was to still be here after Christmas and now here I am in the final.”

The winner of the final will earn 500,000 pounds ($630,000) and Littler, who has already guaranteed himself 200,000 pounds ($250,000), said he’ll stick to his daily routine before the match.

“In the morning I’ll go for my ham and cheese omelette, then later a pizza and then practice on the board,” the teenager said.

Littler, the world youth champion, has made front-page headlines with his amazing run at Alexandra Palace that also included eliminating multiple former world champion Raymond van Barneveld, his idol. It started on Dec. 20, when he beat Christian Kist in the first round to be the youngest player to win a match at the tournament and got serenaded with chants of “You’ve got school in the morning” by the boisterous fans.

Littler’s new-found celebrity status has led to him and his family receiving complimentary tickets to watch Premier League matches at Arsenal and Tottenham.

Against Cross, he lost the first set for the first time this tournament but finished with an average of more than 106.

Humphries, the No. 3 seed, beat Scott Williams 6-0 in the second semifinal match and will be competing in his first world final.

“I’m probably going to have to play the game of my life … to stand a chance tomorrow,” Humphries said of the match against Littler.

Fresh off a controversial game between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, Allen and his officiating crew will work another nationally televised game on Saturday between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday.

Down 21-20 in the final seconds, Lions head coach Dan Campbell sent his offense onto the field for a two-point conversion that could win them the game. Quarterback Jared Goff completed a pass to offensive lineman Taylor Decker, but the seemingly successful try was negated after the officials ruled that Decker did not report as eligible.

Video showed Decker among three Lions offensive linemen who approached Allen before the play. Decker and Penei Sewell were the first to reach Allen, who turned away before Dan Skipper reached the group. Allen then ruled that it was Skipper, not Decker, who had reported as eligible for the conversion.

The Lions had two more chances to get the conversion, but they failed to find the endzone and left Dallas with a loss.

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The two-point snafu was not the only controversial moment for Allen’s crew in the game, let alone the season. Officials bungled a key tripping flag that was incorrectly called against the Cowboys instead of the Lions. Earlier in the year, Allen and Co. missed a blatant pass interference by the Green Bay Packers in their win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.

While the Ravens (13-3) have clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed, their regular season finale will still carry playoff implications for the rival Steelers. At 9-7, Pittsburgh’s postseason fate is up in the air. Even with a win, the team will need help to get one of the AFC’s final wild card spots.

Rabbi Avremi Zippel, a longstanding Utah Jazz fan, and three other rabbis brought the signs to the Delta Center Monday night to protest the involvement of Kyrie Irving, now a Dallas Mavericks player. Irving was suspended from the Brooklyn Nets in 2022 for tweeting a link to a movie widely considered to be antisemitic and for initially failing to disavow it.

Zippel said in a string of posts on X that Irving spotted the sign early in the first quarter and told him: “No need to bring that to a game.” Zippel said Irving then spoke to Mavericks security staff, before Jazz officials came to check the rabbis’ tickets and tell them to put the signs away.

The Jazz said in a statement that the signs were in breach of its audience code of conduct that maintains games must be played “without distraction or disturbance.”

Read the full story at NBCNews.com.

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“Honestly, when it left my hand, I knew it was going in,” Clark said.

No. 4 Iowa and Michigan State were tied in the final seconds when Clark stepped back onto the beak of the Hawkeye at center court and launched a 3 for the win. It promptly ripped through the net, giving her team a 76-73 win over its Big Ten rival.

Check out the cold-blooded shot for yourself:

The buzzer-beater was Clark’s eighth 3-point make of the night and gave her 40 points for the game. After a night like that, it was no surprise where the ball ended up on the final play.

“Caitlin has ice in her veins,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. “Everybody knows it.”

A year after leading Iowa to the national title game, Clark is chasing NCAA women’s basketball history in her senior season. She ranks fourth all-time in points (3,189) and is well within striking distance of Kelsey Plum’s all-time scoring record (3,527).

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The Los Angeles Rams first-year standout has been a key part of the team’s sudden emergence as a true threat in the looming playoffs.

Coming out of BYU as a fifth-round pick by Los Angeles, Nacua can make league history as he chases the NFL rookie receiving record, which has stood still since 1960.

The additional game teams now play definitely helps Nacua’s case, but he’s also missed one contest this season that could’ve put him further over the line.

Can Nacua break the record at the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday? Here’s what to know about the NFL rookie receiving record:

What is the NFL rookie receiving record?

The NFL rookie receiving record belongs to Bill Groman, who set the mark in 1960 with the Houston Oilers. The undrafted wideout did so in 14 games, logging 1,473 yards on 72 catches and 12 touchdowns.

Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase came closest to breaking the mark in 2021 when he caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns.

What rookie has the most receptions in NFL history?

Jaylen Waddle has the most receptions as a rookie in NFL history. The Miami Dolphins wideout caught 104 passes in 2021, but Nacua, at 101, could pass him in Week 18.

What rookie has the most receiving yards in 2023?

Nacua has the most receiving yards as a rookie in 2023 with 1,445 and counting. He also has 101 catches and five touchdowns.

Who has the most 100 yard receiving games in a rookie season?

Groman has the most 100-plus-yard receiving games as a rookie in NFL history, recording nine in his 1960 campaign. In total in those nine games, he logged 56 catches for 1,222 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Nacua has seven, which is level with Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson and Odell Beckham Jr. (New York Giants). The Rams wideout could go alone in second in Week 18.

Rodgers made the comments during an appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show.” The four-time NFL MVP and the hosts were discussing the impending unsealing of court documents related to Epstein, the convicted sex-offender who died by suicide at an NYC prison, when Rogers seemed to suggest that Kimmel would be among the high-profile names associated with Epstein.

“There’s a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, that are really hoping that (list) doesn’t come out,” Rodgers said.

Hours later, the late night TV host ripped Rodgers for his comment in a post on X.

“Dear (a——): for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any ‘list’ other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality,” Kimmel’s post read. “Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court.”

Last month, a federal judge ordered the public disclosure of the identities of more than 150 people mentioned in a mountain of court documents related to the Epstein, saying that most of the names were already public and that many had not objected to the release.

Epstein took his own life in August 2019 in a federal lockup in Manhattan as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. He was accused of luring numerous underage girls to his homes under the guise of giving him massages, and then sexually abusing them. The people whose names are to be disclosed include sex abuse victims, litigation witnesses, Epstein’s employees and even some people with only a passing connection to the scandal.

The case has spawned countless conspiracy theories about the possible involvement of rich and powerful people in sex trafficking. 

This isn’t the first time that barbs have been tossed between Kimmel and Rodgers. During an appearance on McAfee’s show in February 2023, Rodgers floated a conspiracy theory that information related to UFOs was being disclosed as a distraction to other things such as the Epstein associate list.

The theory was then a topic on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with the late-night host calling Rodgers a “tin foil hatter” and a “Green Bay wack Packer,” when Rodgers was still a player for the Packers at the time.

Kimmel also took at aim Rodgers for his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 after the quarterback admitted to have made “misleading” comments about being vaccinated by saying he was “immunized” against COVID-19. Rodgers had not been vaccinated.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

The Lions scored a late touchdown with 23 seconds to go to make it 20-19. Head coach Dan Campbell opted for a two-point try to win on Cowboys‘ soil, with offensive lineman Taylor Decker hauling in the catch to take a 21-20 lead.

But head referee Brad Allen and the crew chalked it off due to illegal touching, as they said Decker did not report to be an eligible receiver but rather Decker’s fellow OL Dan Skipper.

The controversial ruling has been the talk of the NFL world in recent days, and Detroit wants it to stay that way ahead of a decisive Week 18. There were billboards around Detroit that read ‘Decker Reported’ in white lettering on a blue backdrop, the Lions’ main colors.

The billboard was seen the same day the NFL sent a memo to all teams on how players should properly report being eligible, even though Lions’ personnel have claimed to have followed all procedures correctly. Campbell in his post-game presser said he explained the play to the referees before the game “to a tee.”

Dallas went on to win 20-19, which could prove to be vital in the NFC playoff picture. With the Philadelphia Eagles losing at home 35-31 to the Arizona Cardinals, the Cowboys regained control of the conference’s No. 2 seed.

Had Detroit won in Dallas, it would’ve been the Lions in that position. They have not hosted a playoff game in the Ford Field era, last doing so in 1994. They’ll host at least one this season, but they may not get another after.

If the Lions hope to get the No. 2 seed, they’ll need to beat the Minnesota Vikings at home, the Cowboys to lose at the Washington Commanders and the Eagles to fall at the New York Giants.

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The No. 1 Michigan Wolverines and No. 2 Washington Huskies emerged victorious in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff to keep their perfect seasons alive. Michigan rallied for a thrilling overtime win over No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl, while Washington held off No. 3 Texas for a dramatic Sugar Bowl victory.

But only one of Michigan or Washington will finish with an unblemished 15-0 record as the two programs are set for an epic national title game showdown. Michigan is seeking to win its first national championship since 1997, while Washington is looking to end a national title drought that dates back to 1991.

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So how much does it cost to attend the CFP final at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas?

How much do Michigan vs. Washington national championship tickets cost?

Tickets on the secondary market for the Michigan-Washington championship cost a pretty penny.

The cheapest tickets on TickPick as of Tuesday night are listed for a whopping $1,207 each all-in, and they are for seats located on the 600 level — the uppermost level at NRG Stadium. The lowest-priced tickets on SeatGeek, meanwhile, are 600-level seats that cost $1,287 each, including fees.

The all-in cost of seats on the 100 level ranges from $1,949 to $53,475 on TickPick.

On Monday, however, the legendary slugger struck out in one of the most important at-bats of his life.

Expecting a child with his girlfriend María Yeribell Martínez, Ortiz stepped up to the plate for the gender reveal. The three-time World Series champion hilarious whiffed at the high-and-inside pitch.

Fortunately for Ortiz, others at the party came prepared with confetti poppers that revealed the gender of the baby. You can watch the video below, via Pio Deportes on Instagram.

The strikeout didn’t appear to faze Ortiz, who jumped around in jubilation upon finding out he and Yeribell were having a boy.

Ortiz’s next child will be his fourth. The 48-year-old had three children — D’Angelo, Alexandra, and Jessica — with his ex-wife Tiffany.

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The Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors, for example, haven’t improved on their form from the last season, instead regressing even further. That could make them become sellers at the trade deadline as they look to cash in on prized assets, with the Raptors already doing so with OG Anunoby by dealing him to the New York Knicks.

On the other hand, contending teams will look to bolster their respective rosters to embark on a deep postseason run, such as the Philadelphia 76ers or Boston Celtics.

But by when do teams have to make pivotal roster decisions? Here’s what to know for 2023-24:

When is the NBA trade deadline?

The 2023-24 NBA trade deadline is set for Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. Teams will have until 3 p.m. ET that day to finalize paperwork.

Why is Dec. 15 important for NBA trades?

Dec. 15, 2023, is an important date because it means players who signed deals in the recent free agency period can now be dealt.

That list of 81 players includes Kyrie Irving, Dillon Brooks, D’Angelo Russell and more.

When are NBA contracts fully guaranteed in 2023-24?

All NBA contracts become fully guaranteed on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, which could factor into some teams’ decisions.

Who are NBA trade candidates in 2023-24?

These are some top names who could be on the move this year:

G Zach Lavine, Chicago Bulls: LaVine, 28, wants out of Chicago and would bring a ball-handling and sharpshooting presence to whichever team needs an offensive spark at the guard spot. DeMar DeRozan could be another name in Chicago.

F Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz: Despite likely costing a lot, Markkanen, 26, is a 7-footer who can score in multiple ways and protect the rim. He fits just about every team in the league and would elevate a contender. Jordan Clarkson is another Utah name to monitor.

F Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors: An elite 3-and-D player, Siakam, 29, is another player who could elevate a contender in his final peak years. The Raptors have already shown they could be willing to finally part ways with key assets.

G Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks: The Murray-Trae Young experiment is failing in Atlanta. A guard-needing team could come calling for the 27-year-old elite defensive and scoring guard.

G D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers could trade the 27-year-old Russell once again to add a better third star alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

And this Sunday in San Francisco’s regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams, Samuel has the opportunity to accomplish something only one other dual-threat wideout has done before if he can rush for just a handful of yards.

Samuel, currently in his fifth pro season, has tallied 4,101 receiving yards and 996 rushing yards since the 49ers selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. With 4 more rushing yards in Week 18 against the Rams at Levi’s Stadium, Samuel would join Pro Football Hall of Famer Charley Taylor (Washington, 1964-1968) as the only players ever to reach 4,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards within their first five seasons.

The star wide receiver’s ability to run the ball has been evident since his first season. When the 49ers went to Super Bowl LIV during Samuel’s rookie year, his 53 rushing yards against the Kansas City Chiefs were — and still are — the most by a receiver in Super Bowl history.

Samuel’s All-Pro campaign in 2021 was when coach Kyle Shanahan truly began to take advantage of his rushing abilities, lining the receiver up at running back on roughly 11 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. Samuel set the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns by a wideout that season, and his 49ers contract extension the following summer even included rushing incentives.

In the 2023 NFL regular-season finale, Samuel again will have a shot at etching his name in the NFL record books thanks to his versatility. And even though the 49ers already have locked up the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, complete with home-field advantage throughout the postseason and a first-round bye, the Faithful can expect to see Samuel on the field come Sunday — with a shot at history.

“I feel like we’ll play [in Week 18] for a good bit, keep the groove going and not take too much time off,” Samuel told Kay Adams during Tuesday’s episode of the “Up & Adams” show. “… It ain’t no negotiation. Once Coach says one thing, it’s all hands on deck.”

This season, Samuel has 871 receiving yards to go with 214 rushing yards on 36 carries. And as San Francisco looks to earn the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl victory in the coming weeks, they’ll certainly rely plenty on one Samuel’s duality.

“All NFL personnel are expected to conduct themselves at all times in ways that respect our fans and favorably reflect on their team and the NFL,” the NFL said in a statement.

A video posted on social media appeared to show Tepper throwing the contents of a drink into the Jacksonville crowd from inside a suite at EverBank Stadium. The incident happened late in Carolina’s 26-0 loss.

“I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday,” Tepper said in a statement. “I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose. I respect the NFL’s code of conduct and accept the league’s discipline for my behavior.”

Tepper, 66, purchased the Panthers for $2.75 billion in 2018. But the franchise has yet to have a winning season since he’s taken over, going 31-67 with zero playoff appearances and four head coaches being fired.

Frank Reich was let go following a 1-10 start to this season, marking the second straight year Carolina made an in-season head coaching change. The 2-14 Panthers have already clinched the NFL’s worst record, but they won’t receive the No. 1 overall pick after trading up to the top spot for quarterback Bryce Young in 2023.

Rooney earned only two wins since his controversial appointment in October. Birmingham was sixth in the Championship when he started, and has fallen to 20th.

The club was taken over last summer by a company owned by American businessman Tom Wagner, and it got rid of popular coach John Eustace, who had been in charge for 15 months and steered the club away from relegation.

“Birmingham City has today parted company with manager Wayne Rooney and first-team coach Carl Robinson,” the club said in a statement. “Despite their best efforts, results have not met the expectations that were made clear at the outset. Therefore, the board feels that a change in management is in the best interests of the football club.”

Birmingham lost at Leeds 3-0 on Monday, and supporters called for the removal of Rooney, the former Manchester United and England striker.

NFL great Tom Brady became a minority owner of the club in August.

Rooney thanked Wagner, Brady and club CEO Garry Cook for the opportunity but said he wasn’t given enough time.

“Football is a results business — and I recognize they have not been at the level I wanted them to be,” Rooney’s statement read. “However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.”

The 38-year-old Rooney added that it “will take me some time to get over this setback” but that he eventually will “prepare for the next opportunity in my journey as a manager.”

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He had joined Birmingham in early October after one full season in charge at D.C. United in Major League Soccer. Rooney previously was manager of second-tier Derby.

Birmingham last played in the Premier League in 2011, the same year it won the English League Cup — one of two major trophies the club has captured in its 148-year history.

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His arm helped make the Cleveland Browns champions. His intellect earned him wider acclaim off the field.

Ryan, who led the the Browns to their last NFL title in 1964 while spending his offseasons getting a doctorate diploma in mathematics, died on Monday. He was 87.

The team said Ryan died while being cared for at a nursing home in Connecticut. There was no immediate cause of death given, but Ryan’s son, Frank Ryan Jr., told Cleveland.com that his father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

In the 1964 title game, Ryan threw three touchdown passes to wide receiver Gary Collins as the Browns shocked Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas and the heavily favored Baltimore Colts 27-0 on Dec. 27. Cleveland hasn’t won a football championship since and remains one of four teams never to make the Super Bowl.

However, with Ryan and Hall of Fame running backs Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly, the Browns were a perennial power in the early to mid-1960s.

Just months after winning the ‘64 title — the last for any of the city’s three major professional teams for 52 years until the Cavaliers won the NBA crown in 2016 — Ryan got his Ph.D. from Rice, where he played college ball in his home state of Texas.

He went on to teach math at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland and later at Yale and Rice. Ryan is also credited with helping create an electronic voting system that modernized the U.S. House of Representatives.

A three-time Pro Bowler with the Browns, Ryan spent seven seasons with Cleveland, compiling a 52-22-2 record as a starter. He led the league in passing touchdowns in 1964 and 1966.

Although Cleveland rode the great Brown and later Kelly on the ground to many wins, Ryan was one of the league’s top passers and threw at least 25 TD passes in three seasons. He also played for the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins before retiring after the 1970 season.

Ryan also served for 10 years as athletic director at Yale.

During his 13-year playing career, Ryan passed for 16,042 yards and 149 TDs while going 57-27-3 as a starter.

Jenni Hermoso was at the Madrid court to give her version of the kiss by Luis Rubiales following Spain’s victory over England in the final in Sydney in August.

“Everything went well,” Hermoso told reporters afterward. “The judicial process will continue its course, and thanks for the support that many of you had given to me.”

The incident sparked outrage across the soccer world and ignited one of the worst crises in the history of the sport in Spain. It also led to a boycott of the national team by the World Cup-winning players, and to the eventual resignation of Rubiales despite his denial of wrongdoing and his allegation that the kiss was consensual.

Hermoso was expected to reiterate in court her allegations that the kiss was unwanted and Rubiales and his staff tried to pressure her and her family to downplay the incident that tarnished Spain’s first Women’s World Cup title.

Spain Oct 30, 2023

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The testimony was behind close doors and the court did not release any details about her statements. Spanish media said Hermoso asked the judge to keep her court appearance as private as possible. She arrived wearing a grey coat and waved to journalists before entering the court through one of its main entrances along with her lawyers.

Spanish state prosecutors accused Rubiales of sexual assault and coercion, alleging he tried to convince Hermoso and her relatives to publicly downplay the kiss.

The judge is also hearing testimony from other World Cup-winning players, coaches and federation officials, before deciding whether to start a trial.

Among those being investigated for allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso was former Spain women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and other former federation officials.

Rubiales previously denied wrongdoing to the judge who imposed a restraining order on him not to contact Hermoso.

The 33-year-old Hermoso, the record scorer for Spain’s women’s team, said last year she received threats in the fallout from the kiss, though she did not elaborate.

Hermoso became somewhat of a celebrity in Spain after coming forward to denounce the kiss and help promote a “Me Too” movement in the country. She was one of the New Year’s Eve presenters on public television on Saturday, calling for a 2024 with more equality. Hermoso announced this week that she will play for Mexican club Tigres after a stint with Pachuca.

The boycott of the national team ended last year after players were given guarantees of change within the federation following the intervention of government officials.

Based on a sexual consent law passed last year, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty, according to the prosecutors’ office in Madrid. The new law eliminated the difference between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any unconsented sexual act.

FIFA banned Rubiales for three years until after the men’s 2026 World Cup. His ban will expire before the next women’s tournament in 2027.

He resigned as the federation president and as a UEFA vice president on Sept. 10 amid mounting pressure in Spain from lawmakers and players. One day later, UEFA thanked Rubiales for his service.