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Luke Hales/Getty Images North America/TNS

Wide receiver Garrett Wilson noncommittal about remaining with Jets long-term

Sports / Football /

NEW YORK — Garrett Wilson called the 2023 season “the worst year” of his life.

Although he has not commented on how he would sum up the current season, Wilson has obviously been disappointed with the Jets’ performance this year.

Gang Green sits at 4-10 and has already been eliminated from playoff contention with three games remaining. ...Read more

Norm Hall/Getty Images North America/TNS

Fair-catch free-kick rule is Jim Harbaugh's favorite. Here's how many times it's worked in NFL

Sports / Football /

LOS ANGELES — The Chargers and kicker Cameron Dicker made NFL history against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, earning three points at the end of the first half with the successful execution of a rare fair-catch free-kick field goal.

So what's a fair-catch kick? It's Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh's favorite rule in football.

The NFL rule ...Read more

Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/TNS

Ravens waive WR Diontae Johnson, elevate Anthony Miller vs. Steelers with Nelson Agholor out

Sports / Football /

BALTIMORE — Diontae Johnson’s Ravens career was as brief as it was ignominious.

Baltimore announced Friday that it has waived the irascible veteran wide receiver. The move came four days after what the organization called a mutual agreement that he would be away from the team for this week and on the eve of the Ravens’ huge AFC North ...Read more

Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group/TNS

49ers' GM John Lynch addresses 'confrontation' with De'Vondre Campbell

Sports / Football /

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch talked about his decision to banish De’Vondre Campbell from the sideline after the veteran linebacker said he didn’t want to play in a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Campbell was suspended for the final three games of the season. Players and coach Kyle Shanahan ...Read more

Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/TNS

Ravens elevating WR Anthony Miller vs. Steelers with Nelson Agholor out

Sports / Football /

BALTIMORE — Wide receiver Anthony Miller will make his Ravens debut and play his first game in three years Saturday in what will also be Baltimore’s biggest game of the season.

Miller, 30, is expected to be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster on the eve of Saturday’s showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank ...Read more

Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

Raiders QB Aidan O'Connell 'should be good to go' against Jaguars on Sunday

Sports / Football /

LAS VEGAS — Aidan O’Connell will likely be back under center as the Raiders’ starting quarterback when the team hosts the Jaguars on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

Coach Antonio Pierce said Friday morning O’Connell had a few good days of practice and would be on track to return as long as things went well later in the day. O’Connell ...Read more

Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Dylan Hernández: Comeback win over Broncos is proof Jim Harbaugh has changed Chargers' culture

Sports / Football /

LOS ANGELES — How was Justin Herbert able to make the cross-body throw on the run that resulted in Derius Davis' go-ahead touchdown?

How was Joshua Palmer able to get his right hand on a deflected pass, turn around and corral the tipped ball along the back edge of the end zone for a crucial two-point conversion?

How were the Chargers able to...Read more

Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS

Chris Perkins: Is Dolphins' Tyreek Hill an expert troll or tone deaf to fans?

Sports / Football /

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Is Tyreek Hill the perfect troll, or is Tyreek Hill simply tone deaf to Dolphins fans?

I think it’s both, but unfortunately more of the latter.

That bothers me a little.

What matters more is that it greatly bothers and agitates a large contingent of Dolphins fans.

Hill, the Dolphins’ dynamic wide receiver, is the ...Read more

Nick Cammett/Getty Images North America/TNS

Antwan Staley: If the Jets want to end their postseason futility, it all starts with Woody Johnson

Sports / Football /

NEW YORK — Just when you thought the Jets couldn’t get any more dysfunctional, they continue to prove otherwise.

That never became more evident than after a damning report of Woody Johnson’s ownership of the franchise was published by The Athletic and laid bare the issues within 1 Jets Drive in Florham Park, N.J.

The report included ...Read more

RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post/TNS

Broncos' four-game winning streak snapped, postseason aspirations delayed in penalty-marred, 34-27 loss to Chargers

Sports / Football /

LOS ANGELES — Sean Payton never felt settled during the Broncos’ recent bye week.

He said he never fully does. A few days with the prospect of more work ahead isn’t long enough to truly decompress. And the task is even tougher when you’re trying to end an eight-year playoff drought.

As the Broncos returned to action ahead of a game ...Read more

Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register/TNS

Chargers rally in second half to overcome Broncos, improve AFC playoff seed

Sports / Football /

LOS ANGELES — Jim Harbaugh called. The Chargers responded.

Needing to bounce back quickly from a blowout loss last Sunday to not only save their playoff seedings but also reinforce Harbaugh’s first-year turnaround of the much-maligned franchise, the Chargers delivered a thrilling second-half comeback against the Denver Broncos, winning 34-...Read more

Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/TNS

Pat Leonard: Giants should give Mike Kafka a head coaching audition with Brian Daboll's run at an end

Sports / Football /

NEW YORK — The Giants gave Mike Kafka a promotion to assistant head coach last season to spray some cologne on their coaching staff’s stink coming off last season.

But now, with Brian Daboll on the verge of an obvious firing, they’re leaving Kafka marginalized on the fringe of the NFL’s worst offense as the Giants (2-12) veer towards a ...Read more

Robin Buckson/The Detroit News/TNS

Bob Wojnowski: Lions are dinged but not down, and far from done

Sports / Football /

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — They hear you. They feel your pain, as you feel their pain. They don’t totally understand the sudden reversal, but they get it.

A week ago, the Lions were 12-1 and Super Bowl favorites, with a clear path to the division title and the No. 1 seed. Today, based on the outside discourse — locally and nationally — they’...Read more

Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/TNS

Fantasy football Week 16: Start and sit

Sports / Football /

Here’s a look back at Week 15’s action and fantasy advice for the week ahead:

WEEK 15 RECAP

Rams 12, 49ers 6: Cooper Kupp had no receptions for only the third time in his career in an ugly, rain-soaked game.

Chiefs 21, Browns 7: Nick Chubb broke his foot in the third quarter of Cleveland’s loss. Jerome Ford finished with 104 total ...Read more

Chris Graythen/Getty Images North America/TNS

Jerry Jeudy on report that Jets nixed deal for him: 'Why would somebody look at Madden rating?'

Sports / Football /

Cleveland Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy is amused by a story circulating Thursday that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson didn’t want his team to trade for the star because his player rating in the “Madden NFL” video game series was too low.

But does the fifth-year player actually believe the anecdote that was related as part of a lengthy ...Read more

Jason Getz/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

Michael Penix Jr. ready to lead the Falcons out of tunnel as starting quarterback

Sports / Football /

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — New Falcons starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was out doing some shopping Tuesday night when he received the life-changing phone call.

He was at a popular big-box store with the cheap hot dogs and massive TV sets.

“I got a hot dog,” Penix said Wednesday. “But I wasn’t hungry no more.”

His days of holding...Read more

Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

Greg Cote's Week 16 NFL picks

Sports / Football /

Happy holidays, y’all! Our sizzlin’ hot run straight-up continued last week with a big 14-2 record, but the betting line again proved tougher at an even 8-8 against the spread. We nailed our Upset of the Week with Cowboys winning at Carolina, scored a second outright upset bull’s-eye on Buccaneers beating Chargers, and also had a ‘dog-...Read more

Jason Getz / Jason.Getz/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

Sam Farmer's Week 16 NFL picks

Sports / Football /

Los Angeles Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines the matchups this week. Lines according to FanDuel Sportsbook (O/U = over/under). Record last week 13-3 (.813); season 154-70 (.688). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, the record against the spread last week would have been 9-7 (.563); season 120-102-2 (.541).

BRONCOS (9-5) AT...Read more

Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS

Chiefs coach Andy Reid updates availability of Patrick Mahomes, Hollywood Brown

Sports / Football /

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All signs point to Patrick Mahomes taking the field Saturday as the Chiefs starting quarterback.

On Thursday, Andy Reid all but named Mahomes the starter for the home game against the Houston Texans.

“He worked out this week — full — and will most likely end up playing,” Reid said.

Mahomes suffered a mild high ...Read more

Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

T.J. Watt feels 'pretty good' and will play, but Steelers won't have George Pickens again vs. Ravens

Sports / Football /

PITTSBURGH — A week of injury watch wound down Thursday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, and the Steelers didn't exactly get everything on their Christmas list.

But right at the top is T.J. Watt, and the star outside linebacker, who leads the team with 11 1/2 sacks, finished practice feeling confident in his chances to play ...Read more