ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News, Headlines & Videos (2023)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans' one-game suspension without pay was upheld by appeals officer James Thrash, the NFL announced Wednesday.Evans will miss the Buccaneers' home opener Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.Evans' one-game suspension will cost him $62,222. His base salary is $1.12 million after he restructured his contract during the offseason.The wide receiver was suspended Monday for his role in Sunday's altercation with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore. He appealed the suspension and the hearing before Thrash, who is jointly appointed by both the NFL and the NFL Players Association, was held Tuesday."We are disappointed that the league upheld a suspension when there are several arguments of players doing more egregious violations including; Punching kicking and choking players and not being suspended," Evans' representatives said in a statement. "In addition Evans had already been ejected...

1 hour ago

Buster Posey, who won three World Series titles as a catcher during his 12 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, will become the first former player to join the team's ownership group, it was announced Wednesday."Upon his retirement last year, Buster said that he would always stay involved with the organization, and when he approached us to express his interest in joining the ownership group, we were thrilled that he wanted to make this type of commitment," Giants chairman Greg Johnson said. "It is rare for a former player to join his own team's ownership with the desire to have an active role."Posey, 35, was a seven-time All-Star, including in his final season, when he hit .304. He joins Pete Rose as the only other player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year (2010), MVP (2012) and three World Series rings (2010, 2012, 2014)."I feel deeply connected to the Giants and the San Francisco Bay Area and hope that my perspective as a former player will be beneficial in...

3 hours ago

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said he does not have a contract beyond the 2022-23 NHL season but doesn't see that becoming a distraction for himself or the team."I'm more than happy to go through the year and be evaluated on the year and then have the decision made, because I believe in our group," Dubas said on the first day of Toronto Maple Leafs camp on Wednesday.Dubas was promoted to general manager in May 2018. The Leafs have made the Stanley Cup playoffs in all four of those seasons but haven't advanced past the first round of the NHL postseason since 2004.He said team president Brendan Shanahan informed him at the end of last season, after the Leafs were eliminated in seven games by the Tampa Bay Lightning, that Dubas would enter this season without a contract extension."For me, in the end, it's best. I don't obviously decide what the organization wants to do. I can only control what I can do each day," Dubas said. "My view of it is that if we...

3 hours ago

TAMPA, Fla. -- The NFL sent former Tampa Bay Buccaneerscoach Bruce Arians a warning about his conduct on the sideline in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, telling him future similar conduct will result in discipline for him and the club, a source told ESPN on Wednesday.Arians, who now works in the Bucs' front office as senior assistant to general manager Jason Licht, was on the sideline during the Bucs' 20-10 win over the Saints, and became very animated when cornerback Marshon Lattimore was not called for pass interference on a pass intended for wide receiver Scotty Miller, which led to not only quarterback Tom Brady confronting officials but wide receiver Mike Evans being ejected from the game, along with Lattimore.Evans received a one-game suspension. He appealed the punishment, which was upheld by appeals officer James Thrash on Wednesday.Arians and Licht were on the sideline rather than...

3 hours ago

Former UCLA basketball player Jalen Hill has died at age 22, the school confirmed early Wednesday morning.UCLA coach Mick Cronin said in a statement that Hill's death is "heartbreaking" and said the former Bruins forward "was a warm-hearted young man with a great smile who has left us far too soon."Hill's family said in an Instagram post that it learned of his death recently after Hill went missing in Costa Rica, but did not disclose further details."We know Jalen has played a part in the lives of so many people," his family wrote in the Instagram post. "We also acknowledge the role that so many of you have played in his. As we try to navigate this devastating time in our lives, we ask that you please give us time to grieve."Josh Giles, Hill's coach at Centennial High School in Corona, California, told the Los Angeles Times that Hill was "a great basketball player, but I just loved him as a person.""I'm so stunned I don't even have an emotion right...

September 21

Roger Federer said he will play just one doubles match at this weekend's Laver Cup in what would be his last professional match.The 41-year-old Swiss star announced his impending retirement last week, having failed to recover sufficiently from his most recent knee operation to resume his career.At a news conference at London's O2 Arena on Wednesday, the 20-time Grand Slam champion said he hoped to be fit enough to compete in one doubles match, probably on Friday night."I know my limitations, and this is why I asked Bjorn [Borg, the Europe captain] if it's OK that I play just one doubles," Federer said. "I guess that one would have to be Friday night."So here I am, trying to prepare for one last doubles. We'll see how it is. I am nervous, because I haven't played for so long. I hope it goes well."Playing just one doubles match requires a tweaking of the Laver Cup rules -- a team competition between Europe and the rest of the world in which players usually have to...

September 21

Joe Hadenwill sign a one-day contract to retire with the Browns, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter, as the cornerback ends a12-year NFL career spent in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.Haden's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the decision to retire to Schefter.Haden, 33, had spent the 2017 to 2021 seasons with the Steelers after he was released by the Browns. He had served as a steady presence in the Steelers' secondary, starting 66 games and racking up 10 interceptions during his time in Pittsburgh, but dealt with a foot injury last season, when he missed five games and did not record an interception.A first-round selection by the Browns in 2010, Haden was a two-time Pro Bowler in Cleveland (2013, '14) while tallying at least three interceptions in five of seven seasons.In his NFL career, Haden made 148 starts and totaled 615 tackles, 29 interceptions and 2 touchdowns. He was selected to three Pro Bowls.ESPN's Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.

September 21

Joe Hadenwill sign a one-day contract to retire with the Browns, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter, as the cornerback ends a12-year NFL career spent in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.Haden's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the decision to retire to Schefter.Haden, 33, had spent the 2017 to 2021 seasons with the Steelers after he was released by the Browns. He had served as a steady presence in the Steelers' secondary, starting 66 games and racking up 10 interceptions during his time in Pittsburgh, but dealt with a foot injury last season, when he missed five games and did not record an interception.A first-round selection by the Browns in 2010, Haden was a two-time Pro Bowler in Cleveland (2013, '14) while tallying at least three interceptions in five of seven seasons.In his NFL career, Haden made 148 starts and totaled 615 tackles, 29 interceptions and two touchdowns. He was selected to three Pro Bowls in all.ESPN's Brooke Pryor contributed to this report. ...

September 21

Roger Federer said he will play just one doubles match at this weekend's Laver Cup in what would be his last professional match.The 41-year-old Swiss star announced his impending retirement last week, having failed to recover sufficiently from his most recent knee operation to resume his career.At a news conference at London's O2 Arena on Wednesday, the 20-time Grand Slam champion said he hoped to be fit enough to compete in one doubles match, probably on Friday night."I know my limitations, and this is why I asked Bjorn [Borg, the Europe captain] if it's OK that I play just one doubles," Federer said. "I guess that one would have to be Friday night."So here I am, trying to prepare for one last doubles. We'll see how it is. I am nervous, because I haven't played for so long. I hope it goes well."Playing just one doubles match requires a tweaking of the Laver Cup rules -- a team competition between Europe and the rest of the world in which players usually have to...

September 21

Joe Haden will sign a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Steelers, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter, and the cornerback will be honored during Thursday's Pittsburgh- Cleveland game, a matchup of the two teams he played for in his 12-year NFL career.Haden's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed Haden's decision to retire to Schefter.Haden, 33, had spent the 2017 to 2021 seasons with the Steelers after he was released by the Browns. He had served as a steady presence in the Steelers' secondary, starting 66 games and racking up 10 interceptions during his time in Pittsburgh.He dealt with a foot injury last season, missed five games and did not record an interception.In his NFL career, Haden made 148 starts and totaled 615 tackles, 29 interceptions and two touchdowns. He was selected to three Pro Bowls.ESPN's Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.

September 21

North Carolina freshman quarterback Drake Maye apologized Tuesday evening for taking a shot at rival NC Stateearlier in the day, saying that his remark was meant as a joke but was "inappropriate."Maye, while meeting with the media to discuss the Tar Heels' upcoming game on Saturday against Notre Dame, was asked about the success of his predecessor, Sam Howell, during his time with the program. Like Howell, Maye also grew up in North Carolina and elected to stay in-state and play for UNC."I didn't want to miss out on the home state, seeing Sam being a hometown kid, too. ... Whether you want to admit it or not, growing up in Carolina, you're gonna be a Carolina fan," Maye began his answer, before taking a jab at the school 25 miles southeast of Chapel Hill. "Some people may say State, but really people who go to State just can't get into Carolina."He continued, "At the end of the day, playing for Carolina is what a lot of people from...

September 21

NEW YORK -- Only five players had hit 60 home runs in a single season in the history of the major leagues -- that is, until New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge joined that exclusive club with a solo homer against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.Judge turned on a sinker from right-hander Wil Crowe leading off the final frame and drove it 430 feet into the left-field bleachers, sparking a five-run, ninth-inning rally for a 9-8 Yankees win.He took a rare curtain call, forced by his teammates."I really didn't want to do it, especially, we're losing. It's a solo shot," Judge said.Said Giancarlo Stanton, who delivered a game-ending grand slam:"He hit 60 tonight, and it's like nothing happened. He's got more work to do, and that's the mindset, and that's how it will always be. It's fun to be a part of."The All-Star outfielder is now one homer shy of tying Roger Maris' American League single-season record of 61 home runs,...

September 20

The UFC is bringing in a fighter who is just shy of his 18th birthday.Raul Rosas Jr. became the youngest fighter to sign with the UFC on Tuesday night, following a unanimous decision win over Mando Gutierrez on Dana White's Contender Series. White, impressed by Rosas' performance, offered the teen a contract before the end of the show, which he accepted. Rosas is the youngest fighter to compete on the series."I've never seen anything like it," White said of Rosas' age and outing against Gutierrez. "Not only that, the amount of fighters blowing me up saying you're crazy not to (sign him). ... He's absolutely, positively talented. He's special, he's different."Rosas, a bantamweight fighter, dominated the 25-year-old Gutierrez for most of the fight with his grappling prowess. He nearly finished Gutierrez in the first round with a rarely used Suloev stretch submission from back control. Gutierrez had moments, taking Rosas down and landing some ground-and-pound. But almost...

September 20

TORONTO -- Canada likely will drop the vaccine requirement for people who enter the country by the end of September, according to multiple reports Tuesday, a move that impacts unvaccinated professional athletes who travel there for games.To enter the country, the Canadian government currently requires a person to have received a second COVID-19 vaccine dose -- or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine -- at least 14 days before entry. But the government likely will be dropping the requirement, pending a final sign-off from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.In baseball, unvaccinated players have been placed on the restricted list during their teams' games in Canada. They are not paid and do not accrue major league service time, according to a March agreement between Major League Baseball and the players' association. Canada's lifting of its restrictions would now allow unvaccinated major leaguers to play in Toronto in the playoffs should the Blue Jays make the...

September 20

Despite his league winning 12 of the last 16 national championships, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said one of the most important components of an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff would be helping the sport not to be so regionalized."My view is how do you bring more people into November, including in our league," Sankey told ESPN. "Our league would be fine, even at 16 teams with a four-team playoff. At 14, we've taken half the field a couple of times. Nobody else has done that. When we go to 16 and add Texas and Oklahoma, we're not going to have less opportunity by adding those two. We're going to have more."But we've excluded the West Coast and everything west of the Rockies for all but two years. We want college football to be strong nationally, and I think that's the responsibility we all have."Sankey was a member of the College Football Playoff working group, and after another wave of realignment in August that included USC and UCLA moving from the Pac-12 to the Big...

September 20

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said Tuesday that any discussion about his school's role in the future of the Bedlam rivalry with Oklahoma was "childish."Athletic directors for both schools told the Action Network on Monday that the series officially would be ending when Oklahoma departs for the SEC."We don't have any openings to play them," Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said. "We're full. Unless there are significant undertakings to make the game happen, it can't happen."Weiberg's counterpart at Oklahoma, Joe Castiglione, said that the Cowboys had opted not to continue with the series."Oklahoma State has shown no interest to schedule any future games in football, so we're moving on," he said.On Tuesday, Gundy told reporters at Cowboys practice that while he likes Castiglione, "We've got to quit beating around the bush and call it the way it is.""Bedlam is history, we all know that. We've known that," Gundy said, "because OU chose to follow...

September 20

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The NFL on Tuesday suspended Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Bobby Hart for one game after the league said he took a swing at a Titans player following Monday night's game but instead hit a Tennessee coach.Per the league's release announcing the suspension for violating unsportsmanlike conduct rules, Hart's actions came at the conclusion of the Bills' 41-7 victory. Neither the Titans player whom Hart took a swing at nor the coach hit by Hart were identified by the NFL.In a letter to Hart, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote, "As both teams were heading to the tunnel, you walked directly across the field to seek out your opponent. You approached him near the end zone and a coach had to hold you back as others shook hands."Once you and your opponent were in the end zone near the tunnel, you confronted him and immediately swung at him with a closed fist, striking the head of a Tennessee coach. Your aggressive...

September 20

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff does not anticipate any more teams exiting for the Big Ten or the Big 12, as his league continues to negotiate its next media rights deal.Speaking on " Canzano & Wilner: The Podcast," Kliavkoff said the Pac-12 remains unified despite rumors of additional Big Ten expansion and the Big 12's aggressive pursuit of Pac-12 members.USC and UCLAannounced in June that they were leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten in 2024, leading to speculation that other schools, namely Washington and Oregon, could soon follow."Listen, I think if schools would have left for the Big Ten, they would have left for the Big Ten already," Kliavkoff told reporters John Canzano and Jon Wilner. "Also, I'm very focused on things that are in my control."Kliavkoff also doubled down on his guarantee from July that no Pac-12 schools would depart for the Big 12, which reportedly has been targeting Arizona, Arizona State, ...

September 20

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been fined $40,000 for using offensive and derogatory language on social media, the NBA announced Tuesday.Edwards made anti-gay comments while observing a group of people standing on a sidewalk during a video posted to his Instagram story last week. The video has been deleted, and Edwards acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate, the league said in a news release.He also i ssued an apology on his Twitter account last Sunday following the incident."What I said was immature, hurtful and disrespectful and I'm incredibly sorry," Edwards, 21, wrote in a tweet. "It's unacceptable for me to anyone to use that language in such a hurtful way, there's no excuse for it, at all. I was raised better than that."The Timberwolves also expressed their disappointment with Edwards' comments in a statement last week."We are disappointed in the language and actions Anthony Edwards displayed on social media," the statement...

September 20

BEREA, Ohio -- A fan was arrested for allegedly throwing a water bottle at Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam in the final moments of Sunday's loss to the New York Jets.Jeffrey Miller, 51, was arrested Sunday on complaints of assault, failure to comply with a lawful order and disorderly conduct, according to the police report.The Browns are planning to ban Miller from returning to FirstEnergy Stadium, a source told ESPN. NFL Network, which first reported that the fan would be banned, captured video of Haslam walking to the Browns' tunnel just as Jets receiver Garrett Wilsonscored the winning touchdown in a 31-30 win over Cleveland.After the bottle hit Haslam, he looked up to try to find the fan who threw it.Police identified Miller as the suspect using stadium video surveillance and found him before he could leave the stadium. According to the police report, Miller didn't stop when police ordered him to. After detaining him near the...

September 20

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns are planning to ban a fan who threw at bottle that hit team owner Jimmy Haslam in the final moments of Sunday's loss to the New York Jets, a source confirmed to ESPN.NFL Network, which first reported that the fan would be banned, captured video of Haslam walking to the Browns tunnel just as the Jets receiver Garrett Wilsonscored the game-winning touchdown in a 31-30 win over Cleveland.After the bottle hit Haslam, he looked up to try and find the fan that threw it. Stadium video helped confirm the identity of the fan, who will no longer be allowed inside FirstEnergy Stadium."Fan, player and staff safety is the top priority in our building and behavior that puts others in danger will not be tolerated," the Browns said in a statement. "Luckily no one was harmed in this incident and as a standard practice, we've cooperated with law enforcement authorities and security video footage of the object being...

September 20

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb took the blame for Sunday's loss to the New York Jets, saying he should've gone down instead of scoring in the final two minutes.Chubb's 12-yard touchdown run with 1:55 to play put the Browns up 30-17. Rookie kicker Cade York then missed the extra point. But with the Jets already out of timeouts, the Browns could have kneeled and ended the game there had Chubb not scored.Instead, the Jets became the first team in 21 years to overcome a 13-point deficit in the last two minutes of game."Yeah, I probably shouldn't have scored right there," Chubb said Tuesday. "Honestly, looking back at it, it cost us the game. A lot of things went wrong, not just one thing. But collectively as a unit, as a team, we could've all done things different. But it's only a problem because we didn't win. So I probably should've went down."After Chubb's touchdown, the Jets answered on the second play of the ensuing...

September 20

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb took the blame for Sunday's loss to the New York Jets, saying he should've gone down instead of scoring in the final 2 minutes.Chubb's 12-yard touchdown run with 1:55 to play put the Browns up 30-17. Rookie kicker Cade York then missed the extra point. But with the Jets already out of timeouts, the Browns could've kneeled and ended the game there had Chubb not scored.Instead, the Jets became the first team in 21 years to overcome a 13-point deficit in the last 2 minutes of game."Yeah, I probably shouldn't have scored right there," Chubb said Tuesday. "Honestly looking back at it, it cost us the game. A lot of things went wrong, not just one thing. But collectively as a unit, as a team, we could've all done things different. But it's only a problem because we didn't win. So I probably should've went down."After Chubb's touchdown, the Jets answered on the second play of the ensuing drive....

September 20

Instead of Nathan MacKinnon having the mantle of one of the league's best bargain contracts, he is now about to become the highest-paid player in the game starting next season.MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche agreed to an eight-year, $100.8 million extension that will carry a $12.6 million AAV, sources told ESPN, confirming multiple reports. It is a deal that will see MacKinnon sign the richest contract in the salary cap era. His new deal sees him overtake Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid for the top spot by $100,000 with McDavid's AAV being $12.5 million.The pact will go into effect at the start of the 2023-24 season with the upcoming 2022-23 campaign being the final year of MacKinnon's previous extension that was a seven-year deal that saw him earn $6.3 million annually.MacKinnon said it's "really cool" to be the league's top-paid player, but said that wasn't the driving force behind his deal."Obviously it's really cool, for sure....

September 20

The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed star Nathan MacKinnon to a new eight-year extension, the team announced Tuesday.MacKinnon's deal is worth $100.8 million and carries an average annual value of $12.6 million, according to multiple reports. Those figures surpass Connor McDavid's $100 million over eight years as the richest deal signed since the salary-cap era began in 2005. McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers' captain, has an average annual value of $12.5 million.The signing comes after the Avalanche won their third Stanley Cup in franchise history with MacKinnon contributing 24 points in 20 postseason games.Drafted with the first overall pick in 2013, the 27-year-old MacKinnon has been a finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP three times in the past five seasons.

September 20

Golden State Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green called on NBA owners to hold a vote to terminate Robert Sarver's position as owner of the Phoenix Suns."I'm asking that there be a vote," Green said on "The Draymond Green Show" podcast, which was published Tuesday.The league's rules require a vote of three-quarters of the board of governors to remove an owner."It's a little baffling to me that we'll walk into the arena next year," Green said on his podcast. "The Phoenix Suns will walk into the arena next year, he'll sit on the sideline and we'll just continue on playing. So the one thing that I am going to need is someone to explain to me why is it that it was OK to get rid of [ LA Clippers owner Donald] Sterling, but it's not possible to force Robert Sarver to sell after what we read?"... I'm asking that there be a vote. If that's the only way, then let's see what those numbers are. Let's see what they are."Sarver, who also is the...

September 20

The Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva boxing undercard will feature an unorthodox matchup.UFC and Bellator MMA veteran Chris Avila will compete against YouTube star Doctor Mike in a four-round, professional boxing match Oct. 29 in Glendale, Arizona, officials told ESPN. The contracted weight will be 185 pounds, and the pair will fight with 10-ounce gloves. An official announcement is expected to be made later Tuesday.Doctor Mike, whose real name is Mikhail Varshavski, is a well-known social media influencer with more than 23 million followers across platforms and more than 10 million YouTube subscribers.Varshavski competed in an amateur boxing match back in May, a unanimous decision win over YouTube personality Ian "iDubbbz" Washburn. That event raised $1.3 million for charity, and Varshavski donated his entire fight purse to Ukraine relief. For the Avila fight, Varshavski will donate his purse to the Boys & Girls Club, per officials."As a practicing physician,...

September 20

The Monaco Grand Prix will continue in Formula One for at least another season, the 2023 schedule release has confirmed.The record-breaking 24-race calendar will start with the Bahrain Grand Prix in early March and finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in late November.F1 has also confirmed the first ever Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18.Only three F1 races have not taken place on a Sunday, the last being 38 years ago at the 1985 South African Grand Prix.The race, happening on a circuit which includes the city's famous Strip, will be the third race in the U.S., joining events in Miami and Austin. 2023 race scheduleMarch 5 - Bahrain Grand PrixMarch 19 - Saudi Arabian Grand PrixApril 2 - Australian Grand PrixApril 16 - Chinese Grand Prix (TBC)April 30 - Azerbaijan Grand PrixMay 7 - Miami Grand PrixMay 21 - Emilia Romagna Grand PrixMay 28 - Monaco Grand PrixJune 4 - Spanish Grand PrixJune 18 - Canadian Grand PrixJuly 2 -...

September 20

Each of the 48 players who competed in last week's LIV Golf event outside Chicago have signed a letter sent to the chairperson of the Official World Golf Ranking asking that OWGR retroactively include LIV Golf results in its rankings.The letter was sent to OWGR chairperson Peter Dawson on Friday. The letter was also signed by nonplaying captain Bubba Watson and reserves."To maintain trust, we urge you -- as one of the true statesmen of sports -- to act appropriately to include, on a retroactive basis, the results of LIV Golf events in OWGR's ranking calculations," the players wrote in the letter. "An OWGR without LIV would be incomplete and inaccurate, the equivalent of leaving the Big 10 or the SEC out of the U.S. college football rankings, or leaving Belgium, Argentina, and England out of the FIFA rankings."LIV players have not received points for their finishes in the first five tournaments staged by the new circuit, which is being fronted by two-time Open winner ...

September 20

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Bills cornerback Dane Jackson has been released from the hospital after a neck injury, with the team saying that he suffered no major injury to his neck or spinal cord.The cornerback was taken off the field in an ambulance during the Bills' 41-7 win over the Tennessee Titans on Monday night. He received a CT scan and an X-ray at the hospital and is undergoing further evaluation Tuesday.Jackson was transported to Erie County Medical Center after teammate Tremaine Edmunds inadvertently made contact with Jackson's head/neck area while trying to assist in tackling receiver Treylon Burks in the last minute of the second quarter."Definitely a tough play. Just kind of saw the receiver still up, just trying to finish the play," Edmunds said. "A situation that, obviously, I didn't do intentionally. I would never try to do something like that to my teammate, but like I said ... the receiver was still up, I was just...

September 20

Zdeno Chara, the hulking defenseman who captained the Boston Bruins to their sixth Stanley Cup, announced Tuesday he is retiring from the NHL.The 45-year-old finishes his career with 209 goals and 680 points in 1,680 games over 24 seasons with the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Bruins and Washington Capitals before returning to the Isles for what proved to be his last season. Chara scored twice and had 14 points while averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time over 44 games in what ultimately became his final NHL campaign.Chara, who at 6-foot-9 was also the tallest player in NHL history, made his formal announcement with an Instagram post. He also said in the post he signed a one-day contract so he could retire as a Bruin."I am honored to return to TD Garden today to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins and officially finish my career with the team that has meant so much to me and my family," Chara wrote.Chara played his first...

September 20

P.K. Subban announced on Tuesday his retirement from the NHL following 13 seasons played among the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils.The defenseman suited up in 834 career games, with 115 goals and 467 points. He revealed "the end of this chapter" to his career in an Instagram post."I remember my dreams of playing in the NHL and winning a Stanley Cup," Subban wrote, "similar to the guys on the Don Cherry Rock'em Sock'em tapes at the end of every volume, with the black eyes, broken bones, and tears of joy. To this day, I still dream about it."I never looked at myself or ever felt I was 'just a hockey player.' I always looked at myself as a person who happened to play hockey. Having that perspective allowed me to enjoy every shift like it was my last, celebrate every goal with emotion, and play every game as if someone paid to watch me play who had never seen me play before....the NHL also provided me with a platform that...

September 20

Zdeno Chara, the hulking defenseman who captained the Boston Bruins to their sixth Stanley Cup, announced Tuesday he is retiring from the NHL.The 45-year-old finishes his career with 209 goals and 680 points in 1,680 games over 24 seasons with the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Bruins and Washington Capitals before returning to the Isles for the 2021-22 season. Chara scored twice and had 14 points while averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time over 44 games in what ultimately became his final NHL campaign.Chara, who at 6-foot-9 was also the tallest player in NHL history, made his formal announcement with an Instagram post. He also said in the post he signed a one-day contract so he could retire as a Bruin."I am honored to return to TD Garden today to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins and officially finish my career with the team that has meant so much to me and my family," Chara wrote.Chara played his first eight seasons with...

September 20

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will sign Cole Beasley to their practice squad, a source confirmed to ESPN, adding the 11-year veteran to a short-handed wide receiver corps.Beasley was released by the Bills in March and did not sign with another team as a free agent in the offseason. The Bucs plan to elevate Beasley to their active roster soon, according to NFL Network, which first reported the signing Tuesday.The Bills had granted Beasley permission to seek a trade in early March but ultimately released him in a move that created about $6.1 million in salary-cap space.Beasley, 33, now will join a Tampa Bay team entering its Week 3 showdown against the Packers without star receiver Mike Evans, who was suspended one game for his role in Sunday's brawl with the Saints. The Bucs also are dealing with injuries to veteran receivers Chris Godwin and Julio Jones, who both missed their victory over the Saints.Evans'...

September 20

MILWAUKEE -- For the New York Mets, a playoff spot was certainly worth celebrating. Even if they still have bigger goals on the table in the middle of a heated pennant race.Max Scherzer was pulled from his 200th win with a perfect game intact, and the Mets clinched their first trip to the postseason in six years by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2 on Monday night.Reinstated from the injured list before the game, Scherzer (10-4) struck out nine in six innings. The 38-year-old ace threw only 68 pitches, but that was as far as the NL East leaders let him go in his first start in 16 days.Brewers star Christian Yelich doubled leading off the seventh against Tylor Megill, making his first major league relief appearance after 27 starts. Megill also came off the injured list earlier in the day.Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer off reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes (10-8), and the Mets won their fifth straight to wrap up at least...

September 19

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Houston Astros clinched their fifth American League West title in six years, getting a leadoff home run from Jose Altuve in a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay RaysMonday night.Headed to the postseason for the sixth straight season, Houston won for the eighth time in nine games and improved the AL's best record to 97-51. A major league-best 16-4 (.800) in their last 20 games, the Astros are now assured ofa first-round bye in the playoffs."It never gets old. It's always fun," Alex Bregman said of the Astros' winning yet another division title. "This is why we play the game. We play the game to win. And this is what it's all about."I think this ballclub expects to be good on a daily basis. We take a lot of pride going out there every single day and playing hard. These guys prepare and show up and compete. They hold themselves to a high standard. And I think that's that's very important in championship teams."Houston...

September 19

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Houston Astros clinched their fifth AL West title in six years, getting a leadoff home run from Jose Altuve in a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rayson Monday night.Headed to the postseason for the sixth straight season, Houston won for the eighth time in nine games and improved the AL's best record to 97-51. A major league-best 16-4 (.800) in their last 20 games, the Astros are now assured ofa first-round bye in the playoffs."It never gets old. It's always fun," Alex Bregman said of the Astros' winning yet another division title. "This is why we play the game. We play the game to win. And this is what it's all about."I think this ballclub expects to be good on a daily basis. We take a lot of pride going out there every single day and playing hard. These guys prepare and show up and compete. They hold themselves to a high standard. And I think that's that's very important in championship teams."Luis Garcia (13-8)...

September 19

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bills starting cornerback Dane Jacksonwas being evaluated for a neck injury at the hospital Monday night following a scary collision with a teammate during Buffalo's 41-7 win over the Tennessee Titans.Jackson has full movement in his extremities, according to the Bills, and was getting a CT scan and an X-ray at Erie County Medical Center."Still awaiting word and obviously praying for Dane and all of [the Bills' injured players]," coach Sean McDermott said after the game. "You go from the real part of it here; you go from being a coach to just being a human when I'm out there watching him getting loaded into the ambulance. That's a real moment."The inadvertent collision occurred while Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was making a second-down tackle on Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks with less than a minute remaining in the first half. Jackson's head appeared to snap back after making contact with...

September 19

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills starting cornerback Dane Jackson was taken off the field by ambulance following a scary collision with a teammate during Monday night's game against the Tennessee Titans.He has been taken to ECMC for evaluation of a neck injury, according to the team, and will be undergoing a CT scan and an X-ray. Jackson has full movement in extremities, the team said.The inadvertent collision occurred while Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds while making a second-down tackle on Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks with less than a minute remaining in the first half. Jackson's head appeared to snap back after making contact with Edmund's helmet.Trainers immediately came to Jackson's attention, and he was placed onto a stretcher and taken through the stadium tunnel on the ambulance.While athletic trainers tended to Jackson, including removing the facemask from his helmet, his teammates surrounded him with Edmunds...

September 19

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett knows the clock has already struck midnight on his -- and his team's -- early-season clock management woes.He said Monday he and his staff had already met on the topic that morning and would continue with the review into the evening."We've got to make sure the communication is clear and concise,'' Hackett said. "I need to do better making decisions, faster and quicker and getting that information to the quarterback ... It's got to improve.''The Broncos moved to 1-1 after Sunday's 16-9 victory over the Houston Texans -- Hackett's first regular-season win as the team's head coach -- but the team's start has been marred by consistent troubles with the play clock and penalties.The Broncos have been assessed four delay of game penalties already this season, including two in the win over the Texans on field goal attempts, and they used their last timeout of the second half Sunday with 7 minutes, 38...

September 19

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After suffering a season-ending right ankle injury in Sunday's 27-7 win over the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance is already on the road to recovery.The Niners and Lance announced Monday that the quarterback had "successful surgery on his injured right ankle."The procedure took place Monday morning at Stanford Hospital and, according to a statement from the team, repaired two injuries to Lance's ankle: "a fibula fracture and ligament disruption."Soon after the operation to repair his broken ankle, Lance took to social media to offer some insight into how he is feeling. In one tweet, Lance posted himself laying in a hospital bed with his right ankle in a cast and a smile on his face.The caption reads: "I truly appreciate all of the messages and prayers. Surgery was a success and I am ready to attack this rehab process. We will never understand why, but I trust that it's all a part of His plan....

September 19

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay has been suspended by the NFL for four games for a violation of the league's personal conduct policy.Gay was arrested in January in Overland Park, Kansas, on a charge of criminal property damage of less than $1,000, a misdemeanor.Gay's suspension will begin immediately. He will miss games against the Colts, Buccaneers, Raiders and Bills and is eligible to return after the Week 6 game against Buffalo.Gay agreed over the summer to enter a diversion program to resolve the criminal case.For the next two weeks, according to NFL rules, Gay is prohibited from entering the Chiefs' practice facility or having any contact with team officials. After two weeks, he can enter the team facility and attend team meetings.Gay started both games for the Chiefs this season and is tied for second on the team in tackles with 16. He is also tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (2) and...

September 19

LAS VEGAS -- Police in Las Vegas said Monday they're investigating allegations that a fan in the stands struck Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray amid celebrations of Arizona's 29-23 overtime victory over the Raiders.Murray was high-fiving front-row spectators at Allegiant Stadium following Byron Murphy Jr.'s game-ending fumble return on Sunday when a man appeared to reach out and smack Murray in the face with an open hand.Video showed Murray appearing stunned, but not injured, then attempting to identify the alleged attacker in the mostly happy crowd.Officer Larry Hadfield, a Las Vegas police spokesman, confirmed that a battery complaint was made around 6:30 p.m. at the stadium. The report was not immediately available.Hadfield did not name Murray as the reporting person but confirmed the allegation was that "a spectator at the stadium struck a professional football player."Hadfield said a suspect was not immediately...

September 19

The Detroit Tigers hired Scott Harris as president of baseball operations Monday, choosing the San Francisco Giants' general manager to run the organization as it tries to transition from a half-decade-long rebuild to contention.Harris, long seen as a rising star in front-office circles, spent the last three seasons with the Giants, working alongside president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi to build the team that won 107 games in 2021. Previously, Harris had spent seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs, ascending to assistant general manager and playing an integral role in their World Series-winning 2016 season.The Tigers fired Al Avila, their longtime general manager, Aug. 11 and immediately started a search to replace him in the midst of a season that has gone sideways. Detroit harbored hopes of contending in the American League Central Division after spending $230 million on free agent shortstop Javier Baez and pitchers Eduardo...

September 19

The Detroit Tigers hired Scott Harris as president of baseball operations Monday, choosing the San Francisco Giants' general manager to run the organization as it tries to transition from a half-decade-long rebuild to contention, sources told ESPN.Harris, long seen as a rising star in front-office circles, spent the last three seasons with the Giants, working alongside president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi to build the team that won 107 games in 2021. Previously, Harris had spent seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs, ascending to assistant general manager and playing an integral role in their World Series-winning 2016 season.The Tigers fired Al Avila, their longtime general manager, Aug. 11 and immediately started a search to replace him in the midst of a season that has gone sideways. Detroit harbored hopes of contending in the American League Central after spending $230 million on free agent shortstop Javier Baez and pitchers ...

September 19

PITTSBURGH -- After another anemic performance from the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, coach Mike Tomlin is holding off pressing the panic button on that unit and starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky ahead of Thursday night's matchup with the Cleveland Browns."I'm going toexercise appropriate patience and continue to teach and ask the guys to continue to learn in an effort to continue to push this train down the track and get better," said Tomlin on Monday when asked whether he was happy with the team's playcalling. "I think that if anyone is sitting here on Monday in Week 2 of this thing feeling happy, they're probably wrong or misinformed."Trubisky completed 21 of 33 attempts for 168 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the 17-14 loss to the New England Patriots, and for the second week in a row, Trubisky rarely took shots downfield. Through two games, Trubisky is averaging 5.1 yards per attempt, second-worst in the NFL behind only ...

September 19

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will not play Thursday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday.Clowney suffered a right ankle injury while chasing quarterback Joe Flacco during the second half of Sunday's 31-30 loss to the New York Jets. Clowney limped back and forth on the sideline before eventually heading into the locker room with the training staff.Clowney is tied for sixth in the NFL with a pass rush win rate of 28.6%, one spot behind Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett (37.1%).Clowney has 1.5 sacks this season. He had nine last year.Stefanski said that key backup defensive end Chase Winovich (hamstring) will sit against the Steelers as well.On Sunday against the Jets, the Browns surrendered two touchdowns in the final 82 seconds, becoming the first team in 21 years to blow a 13-point deficit in the last two minutes of a loss. The Browns were also the...

September 19

Emoni Bates, a former high school star who transferred from Memphisto Eastern Michiganthis summer, was arrested Sunday night about two miles from campus in Superior Township, Michigan, after sheriff's deputies discovered a firearm in a vehicle he was driving.Derrick Jackson, the public information officer for the Superior Township, Washtenaw County sheriff's office, told ESPN that officers "initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle which failed to stop" at an intersection.Bates was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and "altering ID marks" on a firearm. He was arraigned Monday, and his attorney, Steve Haney, asked that a plea of not guilty be entered on Bates' behalf.According to Haney, the judge agreed to a nonmonetary personal recognizance bond for Bates to be immediately released from jail. Bates' next court date is scheduled for Oct. 6.Haney told ESPN that the arrest Sunday night came after a routine traffic stop when Bates was driving a borrowed car...

September 19

LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman is visiting Capitol Hill later this week to discuss the new circuit's plans and business model with lawmakers, a LIV Golf spokesperson confirmed to ESPN on Monday.Norman, a two-time Open Championship winner, hopes to educate lawmakers about what the new circuit is doing to change professional golf and about the PGA Tour's alleged efforts to prevent it from becoming a legitimate rival for the best golfers in the world.Some federal lawmakers have publicly expressed concerns about the league's controversial ties to Saudi Arabia."LIV Golf is coming to the Hill this week to meet with lawmakers from both parties," LIV Golf spokesperson Jonathan Grella told ESPN in a statement Monday. "Given the PGA Tour's attempts to stifle our progress in reimagining the game, we think it's imperative to educate members on LIV's business model and counter the Tour's anti-competitive efforts."On Monday, Politico first reported Norman's plans to travel to...

September 19

Emoni Bates, a former high school star who transferred from Memphisto Eastern Michiganthis summer, was arrested Sunday night in Superior Township, Michigan, after sheriff's deputies discovered a firearm in a vehicle he was driving.Derrick Jackson, the public information officer for the Superior Township, Washtenaw County sheriff's office, told ESPN that officers "initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle which failed to stop" at an intersection.Bates will be charged with carrying a concealed weapon. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. ET, per Jackson.Steve Haney, lawyer for Bates, told ESPN that the arrest last night came after a routine traffic stop when he was driving a borrowed car that had a gun in it. "Reserve judgment on this," Haney said in a statement. "There's way more to the story. He borrowed someone's car, was pulled over and a gun was located in the car."Bates, a 6-foot-9 small forward, was considered one of the elite basketball prospects in...

September 19