Harbaugh back in Houston for playoffs a year after winning college title when Chargers visit TexansVideo
HOUSTON — Coach Jim Harbaugh returns to Houston on Saturday with the Los Angeles Chargers for a wild-card playoff game against the Texans, a little more than a year after leading Michigan to a national championship at NRG Stadium. Harbaugh left Michigan after that 34-13 victory and has turned around...
Latest NFL season highlights financial risks for sports betting companies when so many favorites win
NEW YORK — It’s been a tough football season for sports books. FanDuel and its key rival DraftKings have both showed investors that the house can indeed lose, or at least lose more than anticipated. Flutter Entertainment, which operates FanDuel and dominates the sports betting industry with a market value...
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts clears concussion protocol, will start wild-card game against Green Bay
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts has cleared the NFL concussion protocol and will start for the Philadelphia Eagles in their NFC wild-card game Sunday against Green Bay. The Eagles quarterback hasn’t played since he suffered a concussion and left a Dec. 22 game early against Washington. Coach Nick Sirianni said Friday...
Browns QB Deshaun Watson reinjures Achilles, has surgery and will miss ‘significant’ time in 2025
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson had surgery after rupturing his Achilles tendon for the second time in three months and could miss the entire 2025 season. The team said Watson, who has played in just 19 games in three seasons with Cleveland due to an NFL suspension and...
Lamar Jackson repeats, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for AP All-Pro
Lamar Jackson beat out Josh Allen, and Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro Team. Saquon Barkley received 48 of 50 first-place votes and Patrick Surtain II got 49 from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. “Wow,...
Buccaneers-Commanders could be prime-time shootout
ASHBURN, Va. — Todd Bowles as a defensive coach does not want to see the wild-card playoff game between his Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Commanders turn into a high-scoring shootout. His quarterback wouldn’t mind. “If you come out on the right side of it, yeah,” Baker Mayfield said....
Bills’ Von Miller won’t let affection for Broncos get in way of playoff objectiveVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Von Miller is as competitive as he can be sentimental, which is why the Buffalo Bills edge rusher won’t utter a negative word about the Denver Broncos. The memories are too fond, and the 10-plus seasons he spent in Colorado too meaningful. Denver is where the...
NFL moves Vikings-Rams playoff game to Arizona because of wildfires in Los AngelesVideo
LOS ANGELES — The NFL moved the Rams’ wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona after days of devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The game will be played Monday night at State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals, in suburban Glendale, Ariz. The league...
Tyreek Hill’s agent says he’s committed to the Dolphins and he played in 2024 with a broken wristVideo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tyreek Hill is committed to the Miami Dolphins, his agent said, despite the star wide receiver seeming to indicate otherwise last week. Agent Drew Rosenhaus called Hill “very passionate” on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday and said Hill’s comments suggesting he wanted out of...
Las Vegas Raiders fire general manager Tom Telesco after just 1 yearVideo
HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders continued their house cleaning Thursday, firing general manager Tom Telesco just two days after dismissing coach Antonio Pierce. The moves took place after the Raiders went 4-13 this season. “We appreciate his efforts in helping build a foundation for the future,” the club...
Former Steelers DB Townsend, ex-Jets coach Saleh interviewed for 49ers defensive coordinator postVideo
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers began their search for a new defensive coordinator Thursday by interviewing Robert Saleh for a second stint at the job and Detroit Lions assistant Deshea Townsend. Townsend played defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1998-2009, recording 21 interceptions and 15 1/2...
Researchers confirm ‘Music City Miracle’ star Frank Wycheck had CTE
Frank Wycheck, the NFL tight end best known for throwing the lateral that started the “Music City Miracle” and launched the Tennessee Titans’ run to the franchise’s lone Super Bowl appearance, had stage III chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died on Dec. 9, 2023, at his Chattanooga home, his family...
Chargers QB Justin Herbert looks to add playoff victory to list of accomplishmentsVideo
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Justin Herbert has accomplished several personal milestones during his first five years in the league. However, it hasn’t resulted in playoff success for the Los Angeles Chargers. Herbert can change that Saturday when the Chargers travel to Houston for an AFC wild-card round game. It will...
Rookie class led by Bucky Irving, Jalen McMillan lift Buccaneers
TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield had the best statistical year of his career, Mike Evans topped 1,000 yards receiving for a record-tying 11th consecutive season and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are NFC South champions for a franchise-best fourth straight time. It would be safe to say, though, the Bucs (10-7)...
Ending 8-year playoff drought sweet for Broncos’ Courtland Sutton, Garett BollesVideo
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Ending the Denver Broncos’ long playoff drought was especially poignant for left tackle Garett Bolles and wide receiver Courtland Sutton. “GB and I are the two longest-tenured guys on the team, so we’ve been through the ugly,” Sutton said. “For us to be able to see this...
Josh Allen proves critics wrong as he leads Bills into playoffs for 6th straight yearVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen has a long list of doubters dating to his humble beginnings at central California’s Reedley community college. It’s not often that the Buffalo Bills quarterback gets an opportunity to amusingly confront one of them during a celebrity golf tournament, like he did with Pro...
Commanders who went through ‘darkness’ savor playoffs
ASHBURN, Va. — Tress Way does not like using the word “darkness” to describe the losing he has endured over the past decade as Washington’s longest-tenured player because of the fun he has had along the way. The two-time Pro Bowl punter even got to take part in a couple...
NHL postpones L.A. Kings’ home game against Calgary due to wildfires, while NFL monitors situation
LOS ANGELES — The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires still burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers...
Jets interview Rex Ryan, who led franchise to its last playoff appearance, for head coaching job
Rex Ryan has returned to the New York Jets — for an interview, at least. The former Jets coach and current ESPN analyst, who led the franchise to its last playoff appearance to cap the 2010 season, met with the team Tuesday about its head coaching vacancy. Ryan went 50-52,...
Raiders fire coach Antonio Pierce after he goes 4-13 in lone full season
HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders fired Antonio Pierce on Tuesday after just one season as their full-time coach, the latest in a line of coaching changes over the past several years. “We appreciate Antonio’s leadership, first as an interim head coach and this past season as the head...
NFL playoffs feature veteran running backs producing successful second acts with new teams
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Those veteran running backs who changed addresses in the offseason have given themselves a chance to showcase the difference they can make in the postseason. Plenty of contenders capitalized on a crowded market by adding proven ball carriers. The moves paid major dividends. Now players such...
Titans fire GM Ran Carthon after 2 seasons despite big spending spree
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — General manager Ran Carthon paid the price for the Tennessee Titans going 9-25 in his two seasons. The Titans introduced Carthon as the franchise’s first Black general manager in January 2023, and he helped the franchise hire a new coach in Brian Callahan a year later. A...
Week 18 settles playoff field and draft order but also served as the last chance to reach bonuses
DENVER — It’s not about the money until it is. The final weekend of the NFL regular season brought the usual intrigue over which teams would clinch the final playoff spots — the Buccaneers and Broncos — and who would get the No. 1 overall draft pick — the Titans...
NFL coaching searches have complicated rules about timing and interviews
The overlap of the NFL playoffs and coaching search season will have many of the league’s top assistants pulling double duty this month. While 14 teams are deep into playoff preparations with hopes of winning a Super Bowl, there are five teams that had disappointing campaigns that have led to...
Tyreek Hill’s frustration becomes main issue for Dolphins heading into offseasonVideo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tyreek Hill spoke glowingly about his situation in Miami just three months ago, amid speculation that the star receiver could be traded from the Dolphins to a contending team. “We’ve got a beautiful team here, and I want to be a part of it,” Hill said...
