Deshaun Watson's season is ended by a ruptured Achilles tendon. Browns say QB will have surgery
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Deshaun Watson won't finish the season as Cleveland's starting quarterback for the second straight year. Watson ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the first half of Sunday's loss to Cincinnati. His collapse triggered some Browns fans to cheer as he laid on the ground. The team says an MRI confirmed the rupture. The Browns said Watson will have surgery and that he is expected to make a full recovery. It's his second significant injury in two seasons. He broke a bone in his throwing shoulder last year. The Browns signed Watson to a $230 million contract in 2022 as he dealt with accusations of sexual assault brought by two dozen women in Texas.
Tua Tagovailoa could return Sunday for Dolphins after medical experts clear him to play
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could return this weekend against the Arizona Cardinals after medical experts cleared him to return to practice following his latest concussion. Coach Mike McDaniel says Tagovailoa will practice on Wednesday, and if that goes well, the plan is for him to start at home on Sunday. Tagovailoa got hurt in a Week 2 game against Buffalo when he collided with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa ran for a first down and then initiated the contact by lowering his shoulder into Hamlin instead of sliding.
WNBA players union decides to opt out of current collective bargaining agreement
NEW YORK (AP) -- The WNBA players union has decided to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement, two years before its expiration. The league and players union had the option to do so before Nov. 1. The early opt-out marks a crucial juncture for the league. The WNBA signed a historic 11-year media rights deal worth $200 million a year. The league had record attendance and viewership this year that culminated in the WNBA Finals that saw New York beat Minnesota in a decisive fifth game on Sunday. WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike says "this is a defining moment not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress."
Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. will be at Lakers' opener, hoping to see LeBron and Bronny make NBA history
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- If LeBron James and his son, Bronny, make NBA history Tuesday night by playing in the same game for the Los Angeles Lakers, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. will be there to witness it. The first father-son duo to play in Major League Baseball plans to be in attendance at the Lakers' season opener in their downtown arena, where the entire crowd will hoping to see the James family accomplish the same rare sporting feat for the NBA. The Griffeys' presence is exciting to Bronny James, the 20-year-old rookie picked in the second round by the Lakers.
NBA season is set to begin with the Celtics seeking a 19th title and several challengers looming
The defending champion Boston Celtics will open the new NBA season at home on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks. According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Celtics are the overwhelming favorite to capture the 2025 championship. The Celtics-Knicks matchup starts an opening night doubleheader, followed by Minnesota at the Los Angeles Lakers. That game will see LeBron James tie Vince Carter by playing in a 22nd NBA season. It could be the first official game in which a father and son are teammates, with Bronny James entering his rookie season.
Duke's Cooper Flagg makes preseason AP All-America team as ACC, Big 12, SEC each place 2 players
Alabama's Mark Sears and North Carolina's RJ Davis headline The Associated Press preseason All-America men's basketball team. Sears received all but one vote from a 55-person panel and Davis was right behind him with 51. They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team.
Tests confirm a season-ending knee injury for 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- San Francisco 49ers star receiver Brandon Aiyuk will miss the rest of the season after tearing ligaments in his right knee. Coach Kyle Shanahan said tests confirmed the initial diagnosis that Aiyuk tore his ACL and would need major reconstructive surgery after getting hit on the knee while making a catch in the red zone late in the second quarter of a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Shanahan said Aiyuk also tore his MCL.
Aaron Boone says Yankees clubhouse togetherness at a high going into World Series
NEW YORK (AP) -- Aaron Boone is convinced the New York Yankees have their highest kumbaya in years. He cites the together of the clubhouse and relative health as factors in the team's success heading into a World Series matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Seeking their 28th title, the Yankees reached the World Series for the first time since winning the 2009 championship. New York went 82-80 last year and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. That failure motivated many players, including captain Aaron Judge, to report in January to the team's minor league complex in Tampa, Florida.
Dodgers stay alive all the way to the World Series with bullpen games and contributions from all
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The World Series is always the goal for the big-spending Los Angeles Dodgers. It's been elusive recently, with first-round flops two years running. Now, with Shohei Ohtani leading the way for the first time, they are going for another championship. The Dodgers have been winning despite being down to three healthy starting pitchers. They've used three bullpen games in the playoffs, and it's worked out twice, notably against the New York Mets in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series. They'll likely try that same approach against the New York Yankees in the World Series.
After thrilling season ends in NLCS, surprising Mets have 'work to do'
NEW YORK (AP) -- Yes, the New York Mets have much to feel good about following a rousing run of unexpected success this season. All those warm and fuzzies were warranted. Now, the cold reality: Pete Alonso's uncertain future is far from the only priority this winter. New York will probably have about a dozen free agents to replace -- including Alonso -- once contract options are decided, and the pitching staff is particularly thin at the moment. The good news is the Mets have an owner with deep pockets, an established core that has playoff experience -- and perhaps more than $100 million coming off their payroll as they look to build on a surprise appearance in the National League Championship Series.