Dec 4, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) walks off the field after the Raiders defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 27-20 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Davante Adams missed his final three games with the Las Vegas Raiders because of a hamstring injury, but it sounds like the star wide receiver joined his new team with a clean bill of health.
Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich told reporters on Wednesday that he expects Adams to play in Sunday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Adams’ hamstring injury coincidentally popped up right around the time he requested a trade from the Raiders. His status for Week 7 was unclear at the time he was traded to the Jets on Tuesday. It sounds like the 31-year-old is ready to return to the field, however.
The Jets could use a boost after they fell to 2-4 with their 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Aaron Rodgers threw an interception to end the game and later blamed one of his teammates. The former MVP quarterback should be ecstatic to reunite with Adams, who was his teammate for several seasons in Green Bay as well.
Barring an unexpected change, fans will not have to wait very long to see if Rodgers and Adams can pick up where they left off with the Packers.
Aug 19, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore (90) on the sidelines during the second half of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
New England Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore claims he was a victim of racism when he had a run-in with police on Wednesday.
According to police records that were obtained by FOX 25 in Boston, Barmore was pulled over just before 1:00 a.m. Wednesday morning in Providence, R.I. Two officers said they stopped Barmore after seeing his Grey Jeep Grand Cherokee with tinted windows and a plate cover over a temporary license plate. The officers said they could not read the car’s info and noticed a temporary registration from an unknown state.
After police turned their overhead lights on to pull the vehicle over, they said the driver began to do a “slow stop,” which is often a sign that the driver is hiding contraband or weapons before officers approach. When the officers eventually approached Barmore, they say he had an “attitude” and behaved aggressively.
The police report states that Barmore continued to be combative when asked why he had an expired registration. He allegedly asked the officers to just give him a ticket before being informed that the car would need to be searched and towed. At that point, police said they witnessed Barmore trying to conceal something under his seat.
Barmore then exited the car and began “pushing away” from police and stating that he did not want to be touched, according to the report. When police searched the vehicle, they found an ash cup with a blunt and several tubes filled with marijuana.
Barmore was not arrested. He was picked up by someone in another vehicle and left the scene. A summons was left in his Jeep for operation of an unregistered vehicle, display of plates, and driving with expired registration.
Shortly after the stop, Barmore took to social media and alleged that the traffic stop was racially motivated.
“I just experienced for the first time 5 Providence cops being very unprofessional racism at it’s finest,” Barmore wrote on X.
The Providence Police Department issued a statement supporting the officers who pulled Barmore over.
“In this particular case, the vehicle in question was found to be unregistered during a routine traffic stop, which is a violation of the law. The officer acted in full compliance with department protocols and state regulations,” the statement read. “We understand that any encounter with law enforcement can be stressful, however, it’s important to note that officers are required to enforce all applicable laws, including those related to vehicle registration. We will continue to review the situation to ensure that proper procedures were followed and to maintain transparency with the public.”
Barmore is one of New England’s best defensive players. He signed a 4-year, $83 million extension this offseason. He has not played this year due to a frightening health issue.
Nov 27, 2022; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) drops back to pass against the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth quarter at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
The Jacksonville Jaguars seem to have gotten consistently worse under head coach Doug Pederson over the past few seasons, and we know at least one thing they could do to change that — start catching the ball.
Jaguars pass-catchers dropped several Trevor Lawrence throws during Sunday’s 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. Four of those passes would have resulted in touchdowns had they been hauled in.
To say that dropped passes have been a problem for the Jaguars in the Lawrence era would be an understatement. Since Lawrence became Jacksonville’s starting quarterback in 2021, the Jaguars have dropped 113 passes. That is the most in the NFL during that span and 21 more than the next-worst team, which is the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jaguars pass-catchers have also been targeted 1,948 times compared to Kansas City’s 2,021, so Jacksonville has 21 more drops with 73 fewer targets.
Lawrence has a tendency to put too much velocity on short throws at times, but that has hardly been the biggest factor in all the dropped passes. The ball was almost perfectly placed with every one of the Jagaurs’ four would-be touchdowns that were dropped against Chicago.
The Jaguars are in London again in Week 7 to take on the New England Patriots, who are also 1-5. Many people had the same reaction to the Jags’ embarrassing loss to the Bears, and another poor performance could lead to significant changes for the franchise.
Aug 28, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) before playing the Detroit Lions at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
TJ Watt fired a haymaker at JJ Watt on social media this week that could take older bro a long, long time to recover from.
JJ Watt joined the Peloton community after he retired from playing football. Last year, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year shared a screenshot on social media showing that he finished 8th out of 54,553 riders in one particular 20-minute workout. JJ said he was baffled that seven people finished ahead of him “based on how damn hard this was.”
The post went viral, and JJ shared it again on Tuesday. He said the result “still haunts me” over a year later.
Well, one of the seven people who finished ahead of JJ has now been identified. TJ just barely beat his older brother’s stats and finished in 7th. The Pittsburgh Steelers star shared the proof on Tuesday with a screenshot of his own results:
We have seen plenty of heartwarming moments between the Watt brothers over the years, but that social media response was an act of war. JJ might have no choice but to retaliate.
Oct 8, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon committed what appeared to be a brilliant intentional penalty at the end of their game against Ohio State on Saturday, and it does not sound like the NCAA was happy about it.
Ohio State had the ball at the Oregon 43-yard line with 10 seconds remaining in the Ducks’ 32-31 win over the Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Just before the ball was snapped on 3rd-and-25, Oregon called a timeout.
On the next play, Oregon lined up in a regular defensive formation before sending a 12th player onto the field. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard threw an incomplete pass, but a flag was thrown. The Ducks were penalized five yards for an illegal substitution and having 12 men on the field. NBC announcers Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge attributed the penalty to “confusion” for Oregon’s defense.
As it turns out, Oregon was not confused at all. Head coach Dan Lanning intentionally sent the 12th player onto the field to both prevent Ohio State from converting a big play while also running time off the clock. There were just 6 seconds remaining after the play, which left Ohio State out of field-goal range with time for only one final play. You can see the full sequence:
On Tuesday, NCAA secretary rules editor Steve Shaw told Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports that the NCAA Football Playing Rules Committee is discussing a way to address the loophole that was exploited by Oregon. Mid-season rule changes are uncommon, but they are not out of the question in situations where it is determined that a penalty benefits the team that is penalized.
While it may have to wait until the offseason, the obvious change would be to reset the clock to where it was before a 12-men penalty is committed. That is the way the situation is handled at the NFL level.
Lanning was asked about the play after Oregon’s big win. While he stopped just short of admitting that Oregon committed the penalty on purpose, he spoke about the importance of preparing for unique situations. Lanning said that particular situation is something the Ducks worked on and “you can see the result.”
Of course, Oregon also got some help when Howard committed a brutal mistake on the final play.
Lanning’s strategy, which was perfectly within the rules, paid off. Great coaches are always familiar with the rule book and how to best exploit it. The only question now is whether the NCAA will immediately stop teams from using a similar strategy or wait until the offseason to implement a change.
Aug 24, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson warms up before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Richardson is expected to return to the Indianapolis Colts’ starting lineup on Sunday, and the quarterback will do so with a new look.
Richardson is no longer rocking the dreadlocks that he had earlier this season and when he entered the NFL last year. During a promotional event on Tuesday at a Dairy Queen in Westfield, Ind., Richardson was asked about his new haircut. He said he simply “felt like it was the right time.”
“Why did I do it? Feel like it was a big move to do,” Richardson said. “I feel like it was the right time, and I wanted something new, so why not?”
Richardson also said he was inspired by Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, who chopped off his long hair just before the start of the season.
After missing two games with a hip injury, Richardson is in line to start against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The former Florida star has 3 touchdown passes and 6 interceptions in four games, and there have been a lot of questions about him losing his starting job. Perhaps the new hairstyle will bring Richardson some luck.
Dec 20, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The Columbus Blue Jackets paid tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau on Tuesday night.
The Blue Jackets lost 3-2 to the Florida Panthers in their first home game of the season at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. At the start of the game, the Blue Jackets played without a left winger for 13 seconds.
Gaudreau played left wing during his NHL career, and 13 was his jersey number.
Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew were killed in August after the two were struck by a drunk driver while biking in their hometown of Oldmans Township, N.J. Johnny was 31 and Matthew was 29.
A fourth-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 NHL Draft, Gaudreau played 11 seasons in the NHL. He was with the Flames for nine seasons before signing a 7-year, $68.25 million contract with Columbus before the 2022-23 campaign.
In his final season with the Blue Jackets, Gaudreau recorded 12 goals and scored 60 points in 81 games played. He finished with 243 goals and 743 points in 763 career NHL games.
Jul 10, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. (9) between plays against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Bronny James got a lot of love Tuesday during the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Warriors led the Lakers 88-73 when James checked in with 9:07 left in the exhibition contest.
Given how loudly the crowd cheered for James, it was clear that a good number of fans present were eager to see him play. The packed arena chanted Brony’s name as if he were a fan favorite returning from a lengthy stint on the injured list.
Fan attendance is usually sparse during preseason games. The spectators who do attend are almost never as enthusiastic as the T-Mobile Arena crowd was on Tuesday. But with stars like LeBron James and Steph Curry making a rare visit to Las Vegas, the audience was understandably lively.
Bronny gave his fans something to cheer about later in the contest. With over five minutes remaining, James drove hard into the paint and banked in his only two points of the game.
In nine minutes of action, Bronny finished with two points and one rebound on 1/5 shooting.
The Lakers rookie has just four total points through four preseason contests. Brony’s best moment thus far came on the defensive end when he recorded a chasedown block during his preseason debut.
Victor Wembanyama appeared visibly frustrated Tuesday after one of his teammates missed him for what would have been an uncontested dunk.
The Miami Heat hosted Wemby’s Spurs for a preseason contest at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla. With the teams tied 5-5 just minutes into the first quarter, Wembanyama pulled off an awesome spin move to get away from Heat center Bam Adebayo.
A wide-open Wembanyama called for a lob from Spurs veteran Harrison Barnes. But Barnes failed to spot the 7’4″ center and instead ended up turning the ball over. Wemby clapped his hands loudly and yelled in frustration after Barnes missed him.
The Spurs’ inability to feed Wembanyama was a narrative that loomed large over the French phenom’s rookie season.
San Antonio brought in veterans like Barnes and Chris Paul in the offseason to bolster the team’s supporting cast around Wemby. But there may still be some kinks to work out ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Wembanyama finished the game with just eight points on 3/6 shooting from the field with seven rebounds across 17 minutes of action. The Spurs lost the preseason contest 120-117.
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New York Yankees radio announcer John Sterling said what fans were probably thinking Tuesday during a sloppy 6th inning for the Bronx Bombers in Game 2 of the 2024 ALCS.
The Yankees had a 3-2 lead to start the bottom of the 6th inning at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled, and then Anthony Volpe walked to set up runners on first and second with nobody out for Anthony Rizzo. But before Rizzo even saw a pitch, Guardians pitcher Erik Sabrowski had picked off Chisholm at second.
Chisholm’s baserunning mistake loomed large given that Rizzo later doubled down the right-field line to drive Volpe in from first. But Rizzo inexplicably committed the same mistake as Chisholm two batters later.
With Gleyber Torres at the plate and two outs, new Guardians pitcher Pedro Avila threw a ball in the dirt that almost got away from catcher Austin Hedges. Rizzo got caught in a rundown between second and third and was eventually tagged out to end the inning.
Sterling perfectly summed up the Yankees’ baserunning blunders.
“A bouncer. And Rizzo is going to be picked off!” said Sterling on the WFAN radio broadcast. “He’s in the middle, between second and third. … Tagged out. End of inning. Boy, if that’s not the Yankees! That’s what they do — run the bases like drunks.”
Despite the Yankees giving away a couple of outs in the 6th, the home team held on for a 6-2 win.
It’s safe to say more than a few Yankees fans got drunk themselves after their team got to two wins away from its first World Series appearance since 2009. The Yankees lead the series 2-0.
