December 28, 2022 3:57 am
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – Even though he’s still playing great football, it looks as if J.J. Watt is ready to call it a career. The three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year indicated Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season, posting pictures of his wife and family on social media while writing: “Koa’s first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game. My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.” Watt and his wife, Kealia, became parents in October. Koa is the name of their son. The 33-year-old Watt was among the premier defensive players in the NFL during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans.
December 27, 2022 3:45 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Austin Ekeler scored on two 1-yard runs and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018, intercepting Indianapolis quarterback Nick Foles three times to beat the overmatched Colts 20-3. Justin Herbert threw for 235 yards and Cameron Dicker made two short field goals for the Chargers, who won their third straight after getting the help they needed this weekend from Las Vegas, Miami, New England and the New York Jets. Los Angeles won on the road on a Monday night for the first time in more than a decade. Indianapolis lost its fifth straight under interim coach Jeff Saturday.
December 27, 2022 3:41 am
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – The Denver Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett after 15 games. Hackett never was able to get quarterback Russell Wilson out of a season-long slump. The Broncos are 4-11 and have posted their sixth straight losing season and are missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. Hackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but the Broncos got worse in almost every category under the first-time head coach. Players were told during a team meeting Monday that senior assistant coach Jerry Rosburg will serve as interim head coach.
December 27, 2022 3:42 am
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has returned to the NFL’s concussion protocol. Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Tagovailoa was experiencing concussion symptoms when he met with team doctors on Monday, a day after the Dolphins’ 26-20 loss to Green Bay. Teddy Bridgewater is expected to get most of the first-team reps in practice this week. McDaniel said it is too early to name a starter for Miami’s game at New England on Sunday. It is the second time this season that Tagovailoa has been in the concussion protocol. The protocol itself was changed after Tagovailoa took a hard hit and appeared to show concussion symptoms but remained in a game.
December 27, 2022 3:46 am
HAVANA (AP) – The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba to represent their home country in the World Baseball Classic next year. The license could be a big step in once again turning Cuba’s national team into heavy hitters on an international stage. It clears the way for MLB stars such as Yordan Alvarez, José Abreu and Randy Arozarena to play for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic in March if they choose to accept a potential invitation. It’s up to each country’s national governing body to pick the players on its team. Final 30-man rosters are due Feb. 7 for the WBC, which begins March 8 with Cuba facing the Netherlands in Taiwan.
December 26, 2022 4:02 am
The upcoming Steelers-Ravens game has been rescheduled. The NFL announced Sunday that the game will now be played at 8:20 p.m. on NBC on Jan. 1. The Steelers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with Saturday night’s win over the Raiders. Baltimore, meanwhile, has already clinched a playoff spot.
December 26, 2022 3:53 am
Hall of Fame golfer Kathy Whitworth has died at the age of 83. Whitworth holds the record with 88 wins on the LPGA Tour. That’s one of the most famous records in golf because no one else has ever won more on any tour. Sam Snead and Tiger Woods have 82 wins on the PGA Tour. Whitworth died on Christmas Eve. Her longtime partner says she was celebrating with family and friends. Whitworth won the LPGA money title eight times and was player of the year seven times. But she will also be defined by one number – 88.
December 26, 2022 5:33 pm
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) – The Los Angeles Rams routed the Denver Broncos 51-14 for their second victory since mid-October. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee and Cam Akers rushed for 118 yards and three more scores. Larrell Murchison made 2 1/2 of the Rams’ six sacks of Russell Wilson. Wilson passed for 214 yards with three interceptions for Denver in his return from a one-game absence with a concussion. It was the Rams’ first 50-point performance under Sean McVay since a 54-51 victory over Kansas City in 2018.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – Aaron Rodgers threw for 238 yards and a touchdown, Green Bay’s defense had four takeaways and the Packers came from behind to defeat the Miami Dolphins 26-20 and keep their playoff hopes alive. The Packers (7-8) have won their past three games after starting the season 4-8. Miami (8-7) lost its fourth straight game and must win its final two regular to make the postseason. Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted three times in the fourth quarter to end Miami’s comeback bid with the Dolphins trailing by six points.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers maintained control of the NFC South, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and beating the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 in overtime Sunday night. Ryan Succop hit a 40-yard field goal with 3:41 left in overtime, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive. The Cardinals got the ball to start overtime but eventually had to punt. Arizona (4-11) has lost five straight games, while Tampa Bay snapped a two-game skid. The Bucs (7-8) stayed a game ahead of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in the medicore NFC South. Tampa Bay has a crucial home game against Carolina next weekend.
December 25, 2022 8:46 am
December 25, 2022 8:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers retired the No. 32 of Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris during a bittersweet halftime ceremony. The long-planned honor came three days after Harris died at age 72 and one day after the 50th anniversary of “The Immaculate Reception,” his last-second touchdown in a playoff victory over the Raiders. Harris’ widow, Dana Dokmanovich, and their son, Dok, joined Steelers president Art Rooney II on the field as he was honored. The Steelers paid tribute to Harris throughout the night. Players wore replicas of his No. 32 into the stadium. Cam Heyward carried a large black flag with Harris’ number.
