December 14, 2023 9:34 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt has been cleared from the concussion protocol by an independent neurologist. The decision means Watt should be available when Pittsburgh visits Indianapolis. Watt entered the protocol when he reported concussion-like symptoms less than 24 hours after a loss to New England. Watt took a knee to the facemask from Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott on the first play from scrimmage in what became a 21-18 defeat. He missed a handful of snaps before returning, wearing a tinted visor for most of the game.
December 14, 2023 4:35 am
IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will play a regular-season game in Brazil in 2024. It’s the latest expansion in the league’s rapidly growing international plan. The league says the game will be played at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. The stadium has a capacity of nearly 50,000 and was a World Cup venue in 2014. The NFL played its first two regular-season games in Frankfurt, Germany, this year, with three more in London. There will be games in both those countries again in 2024.
December 14, 2023 4:36 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — College athletes who were denied the chance to play immediately after transferring a second time can return to competition, for now. A federal judge in West Virginia issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Wednesday against the NCAA. The order comes after seven states filed a lawsuit contending the NCAA’s transfer rule violates federal antitrust law. The NCAA said in a statement it would comply with the order. NCAA rules allow underclassmen to transfer once without having to sit out. But an additional transfer as an undergraduate generally requires the NCAA to grant a waiver to play immediately. A hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for Dec. 27.
December 13, 2023 4:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jeff Carter and Jake Guentzel both scored twice and Pittsburgh’s beleaguered power play showed signs of life as the Penguins slipped past the Arizona Coyotes 4-2. Pittsburgh scored twice with the man advantage while ending an 0-for-37 drought that stretched over a month. Tristan Jarry made 20 saves as the Penguins beat the Coyotes for the 11th straight time. Lawson Crouse scored his 13th of the season for Arizona and added an assist on Matias Maccelli’s power-play tally.
December 13, 2023 4:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodríguez will miss the entire 2024 season after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his right elbow. The team says the 23-year-old Rodríguez was injured taking a swing while playing in the Dominican Republic. The estimated recovery time is 10-12 months. The 23-year-old Rodríguez is considered a major part of the Pirates’ future after making his major league debut in July. He hit .220 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 57 games. Henry Davis, Jason Delay and recently signed Ali Sanchez will be in the mix to take on the bulk of the catching duties in 2024.
December 13, 2023 4:49 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rowdy Tellez and the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a $3.2 million, one-year contract. The first baseman and designated hitter can earn $800,000 in performance bonuses as part of the deal, which is pending a successful physical. The 28-year-old Tellez hit .215 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs for Milwaukee in 2023. The left-handed batter is a career .233 hitter in six seasons with Toronto and Milwaukee. The Pirates entered the offseason in need of help at first base. Connor Joe and Jared Triolo, among others, spent time at the position during the final two months of the 2023 season.
December 12, 2023 4:40 am
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Rookie Will Levis threw for a career-high 327 yards and directed two touchdown drives in the final 4 1/2 minutes, and the Tennessee Titans rallied to stun Miami 28-27, knocking the Dolphins out of the top spot in the AFC. The Titans held Tua Tagovailoa and Miami’s explosive offense in check for most of the game but still fell behind by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, thanks to critical mistakes that gave short fields to the Dolphins. Raheem Mostert ran for TDs of 3 yards and 5 yards to put Miami ahead 27-13. But Levis threw a TD pass to DeAndre Hopkins and then set up a 3-yard run by Derrick Henry for the go-ahead score.
December 12, 2023 4:40 am
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Tommy DeVito threw a 32-yard pass to Wan’Dale Robinson to set up Randy Bullock’s 37-yard field goal as time expired, and the New York Giants beat Green Bay 24-22 to hand the Packers their first December loss since Matt LaFleur took over as coach in 2019. The Giants went 57 yards in eight plays after Jordan Love threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Malik Heath with 1:33 to play. Green Bay then tried a 2-point conversion but Jayden Reed was stopped by linebacker Bobby Okereke. The go-ahead drive was set up by a Saquon Barkley fumble. DeVito rushed for 71 yards in the third straight win for the Giants.
December 12, 2023 4:42 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani will receive just $20 million of his $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers over the next 10 years, with $680 million payable from 2034-43 in an unusual structure that gives the team greater payroll flexibility in coming seasons. Ohtani’s record-setting deal, agreed to Saturday, calls for annual salaries of $70 million, according to details obtained by The Associated Press. Of each year’s salary, $68 million is deferred with no interest, payable in equal installments each July 1 from 2034-43. For purposes of baseball’s luxury tax, the contract is valued as a yearly addition to the Dodgers’ payroll of about $46 million.
December 12, 2023 4:42 am
Jon Rahm has officially been suspended by the PGA Tour for joining LIV Golf. That’s not a surprise. The defection is good news for the likes of Mackenzie Hughes and Carl Yuan. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan is telling players that Rahm’s suspension means he is officially removed from the FedEx Cup list. That moves up Hughes one spot to No. 50 and makes him eligible for all the $20 million events next year. It might be even better news for Yuan. He goes up one spot to No. 125. That’s the magic number to keep his PGA Tour card.
