Apr 26, 2023; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) talks to the media during the introductory press conference at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Rodgers has a new “fountain of youth” elixir he can imbibe while on his darkness retreats sipping ayahuasca.
Rodgers on Tuesday revealed that he has a new drink he’s been sipping that was recommended by New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead. According to reporter Rich Cimini, Rodgers said that Morstead recommended a drink containing cayenne pepper and water. The drink apparently can have some health benefits, such as pain relief.
Rodgers is nearly 41 years old, so he will take just about anything he can that might give him an advantage. Morstead is 38 and has been playing in the NFL since 2009 and has rarely missed a game. Of course, he is a punter, while Rodgers takes some hits as a quarterback. But the point still stands — Rodgers is looking to extend his career and will drink his pepper beverages if it might help.
Oct 18, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (7) dribbles the ball before the start of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Golden State Warriors wing Buddy Hield had a huge second half Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, and he apparently had TNT’s Reggie Miller to thank for some of it.
After going just 1-for-8 in the first half, Hield went off for 25 points in the second half, with 19 of them coming in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s 124-106 win. Hield made all six of the three-point tries in the second half as part of his scoring surge.
During the second half of TNT’s coverage, play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Harlan suggested Miller had something to do with it. Harlan got Miller to confess that Miller “had a conversation” with Hield at halftime, though he refused to offer any details about what that chat entailed.
Hield, however, was willing to spill after the game, and it turned out the message was quite simple.
“He told me to shoot the blanking ball,” Hield told TNT after the game. “Sometimes you need somebody like that to come to you, and I responded well.”
Hield has provided the exact sort of contributions the Warriors had hoped they would get from him. While Tuesday’s game was his best to the season, it was the third time in four games he provided at least 20 points, and he is shooting a torrid 55.6 percent from three-point range. That may be unsustainable, but as long as he can provide regular scoring, Golden State will be thrilled.
Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Carolina Panthers are sticking with Bryce Young at quarterback for Week 9.
Young began the season as Carolina’s starter but was benched by the team after just two weeks. Andy Dalton, who had been the backup, was named their starter in Week 3. Dalton started in Weeks 3-7 and led the Panthers to a win in Week 3 but losses thereafter.
Dalton did not start last week after injuring his thumb in a car accident. Though he is not listed on the team’s injury report this week, Panthers head coach Dave Canales told the media on Wednesday that Young will remain the starter for Week 9.
In his return to the lineup, Young went 24/37 for 224 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions as Carolina lost to Denver 28-14. The Panthers have lost all five games in which Young has appeared this season.
Carolina will host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Feb 7, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rob Gronkowski at Fox Sports media day at the Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Leave it to Rob Gronkowski to have a connection to the story of the New York Yankees fans who were banned from Game 5 of the World Series.
A Yankees fan who was sitting in the first row down the right field line ripped a ball out of Mookie Betts glove after the Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder made a catch in the first inning of Game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., on Tuesday night.
The fan and his friend were removed from their seats. On Wednesday, the Yankees announced that the fan would not be allowed to attend Wednesday’s Game 5 due to his actions the night before.
During “Up and Adams” on Wednesday, Gronk revealed that he was friends with the fan, Austin Capobianco, in college at the University of Arizona. Gronkowski, who played football for the Wildcats, said Capobianco played on the school’s club ice hockey team.
“The whole hockey team, they were absolute maniacs. It’s undescribable how wild these guys were. Him doing that represents him very well. He is all-in for his teams. He is all-in for the Yankees. I remember him talking about the Yankees all the time, how he loves them so much. That describes him perfectly, just doing whatever it takes to help his team out,” Gronkowski said of Austin.
“I haven’t talked to him in a while. They were fun, that’s for sure. He’s a fun dude.”
If Rob Gronkowski is calling you wild, then ou must be really wild.
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; A New England Patriots helmet sits on the sideline during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
The New England Patriots are nowhere near playoff contention despite their Week 8 win over the New York Jets, but apparently they have not ruled out trying to add players ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
According to NFL reporter Josina Anderson, the Patriots are looking for ways to improve at three positions — wide receiver, offensive tackle, and defensive tackle — before the Nov. 5 trade deadline.
That seems a bit hard to believe. New England improved to 2-6 with their win over the New York Jets on Sunday. They certainly need to improve their roster, but most teams in their position would be looking ahead to the offseason, where they can build for the future via the draft and free agency.
While the Patriots could check in on inexpensive players, it is highly doubtful that they would give up draft capital to acquire an impact player midseason.
We already saw the Patriots trade away one of their better defensive players and get very little in return. It would make a lot more sense for them to continue to be sellers. Perhaps they are simply trying to maintain leverage by making it seem like they could look to buy.
Jan 4, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) warms up before the AFC Wild Card NFL Playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
J.J. Watt offered a surprising comment Wednesday about the Anthony Richardson situation.
Richardson asked out of his Indianapolis Colts’ loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday for one play. The young quarterback admitted after the game that he had asked out because he was tired.
Richardson has since been benched by the Colts in favor of Joe Flacco.
During an appearance Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Watt said he respected Richardson for being honest about the reason he asked out of the game.
“Sunday, clearly after the game, he said he was tired. I personally respect him being honest about it. I’ve never seen a situation ever where a quarterback tapped out from being tired. But I personally respect that he was just like, ‘I’m not going to lie about it. I’m just gonna do it,'” Watt said.
Watt added that he thinks Richardson should have lied about it. But Watt still respects what Richardson did.
“I think he should have lied about it.”
The Colts are 4-4 this season. Richardson has completed just 44.4 percent of his passes and has tossed 7 interceptions in 6 games. He has rushed for 242 yards and a touchdown.
Indianapolis has scored 21.9 points per game this season, which is 19th in the league. Flacco has appeared in 4 games for the team and has passed for 716 yards, 7 touchdowns and 1 interception. The switch to Flacco makes sense, regardless of the whole controversy.
Mar 9, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) dribbles in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
The Toronto Raptors are going to have a tough road for the next few weeks.
The team announced on Wednesday that Scottie Barnes will miss at least three weeks due to a right orbital fracture. Barnes was injured when he took a forearm/elbow from Nikola Jokic to the face while fighting for a rebound in the final minute of his team’s 127-125 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
Barnes received helped walking off the floor and was in clear pain following the incident. He was the team’s leading scorer in the game with 21 points and also had 12 rebounds, 9 assists and 5 steals.
Barnes is in his fourth NBA season after being drafted No. 4 overall by Toronto in 2021. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season and made the All-Star team last season.
Toronto is 1-3 this season. They have 11 games over the next three weeks.
The New York Yankees on Wednesday made a significant announcement about the two fans who were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series for interfering with Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts.
The two fans initially were not banned from Game 5, but the Yankees announced Monday they would not be welcomed back for Wednesday’s game. In a statement the team said it maintained a “zero-tolerance policy” toward physical contact with players, and that the fans “would not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity.”
One of the fans, Austin Capobianco, confirmed to Jesse Rogers of ESPN that the Yankees had informed him of the ban, and that he would be arrested at the door if he tried to enter in another way. He expressed hope that the ban would be temporary.
Capobianco and John Peter were both escorted from their seats after blatantly interfering with Betts on a first inning fly ball. On Tuesday, Capobianco claimed they had been told they would be welcomed back for Game 5. That might not have gone over well with the league, especially when he essentially admitted that their actions were all part of a plan.
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) during the day’s Colts camp practice at Grand Park in Westfield on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Photo Credit: Robert Scheer/IndyStar via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Indianapolis Colts have made a quarterback switch heading into Week 9, but apparently that information was not communicated to the team before it leaked publicly.
Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. told reporters on Wednesday that he found out through social media that the team has decided to bench Anthony Richardson for Joe Flacco.
Teams usually try to inform players of a major decision like a quarterback change prior to the news getting out. Based on what Pittman said, it sounds like Colts head coach Shane Steichen chose not to hold a team meeting about making the change from Richardson to Flacco.
For what it’s worth, Richardson also claimed Steichen did not give the former No. 4 overall pick much of an explanation for the benching.
Richardson has made 10 starts across his two NFL seasons. He has completed just 44.4% of his passes this year and 50.2% overall. It is not exactly a mystery why the 4-4 Colts have decided to bench him, especially with Flacco having 716 passing yards, 7 touchdowns and an interception on the year in limited time.
If anything, Pittman’s revelation might point to a communication issue with the Colts. That could reflect poorly on Steichen if the head coach finds himself on the hot seat down the stretch.
May 4, 2019; Louisville, KY, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and girlfriend Linda Holliday arrive on the red carpet during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
It has been more than a year since Bill Belichick and his longtime girlfriend Linda Holliday went their separate ways, but it looks like Holliday’s Halloween costume may have been inspired by the longtime New England Patriots coach.
Holliday was spotted at a Halloween party this week dressed as Uma Thurman’s character from the movie “Kill Bill.” The “GoJo and Golic” podcast shared a photo of Holliday in the costume alongside her friends, and let’s just say no one believes it was a coincidence.
On Wednesday, Holliday shared a message on her Instagram story that may have been a response to her “Kill Bill” costume going viral. She told people to “lighten up.”
Belichick and Holliday were together for more than 15 years. They went through a tense split about a year ago. The 72-year-old coach has since begun dating a 24-year-old former cheerleader.
