Aug 9, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; A Green Bay Packers helmet during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Green Bay Packers addressed arguably their biggest weakness with their latest roster move.
The Packers are signing veteran kicker Brandon McManus to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Green Bay subsequently released kicker Brayden Narveson after bringing McManus on board.
Narveson had been one of the worst kickers before his release. Through six games this season, the 25-year-old missed five of his 17 field goal attempts for a brutal 70.6% conversion rate. Narveson didn’t even have a single field goal attempt from 50-or-more yards out.
McManus brings a wealth of experience to the Packers’ special teams unit. He began his career with a nine-year stint on the Denver Broncos, which included a Super Bowl run in 2015.
The new Packers signee last kicked for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. The 33-year-old went 30-for-37 (81.4%) on field goal attempts and 35-for-35 on extra point attempts.
The Washington Commanders signed McManus earlier this year. But the team let him go after McManus was hit with sexual assault allegations.
While McManus’ legal battle still continues, the NFL opted not to punish McManus due to what the league called “insufficient evidence.”
Dec 6, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J. B. Bickerstaff reacts in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
JB Bickerstaff is doing everything that he can to set the tone for The Bad News Bears of the NBA.
The new Detroit Pistons head coach Bickerstaff revealed in an interview with Joe Vardon of The Athletic this week that he has implemented an interesting rule for his team this season. The Pistons players are not permitted to wear hoodies during practice.
“Just the last shred of that old-school mentality,” Bickerstaff was quoted as saying. “Just growing up with my dad, you don’t wear anything on your head during the game. You don’t wear jewelry. You practice how you play.”
Bickerstaff, 45, is referring to his father Bernie Bickerstaff, a longtime NBA coach. The elder Bickerstaff, now 80, was a head coach in the Association for 15 total seasons (with Seattle, Denver, Washington, Charlotte, and the Los Angeles Lakers) and now works as an executive in the front office of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As for JB, the Pistons are now his NBA fourth head coaching stop himself after Houston, Memphis, and Cleveland. They will also likely represent his biggest challenge yet, especially after Detroit went an all-time franchise-worst 14-68 (.171) last season and then ate a boatload of money to fire Bickerstaff’s predecessor.
Bickerstaff’s tactics here might seem a bit corny and performative to some. But you definitely cannot blame Bickerstaff for trying to create a new culture of accountability and professionalism for a very young Pistons team that has turned losing into a way of life over the last several years.
Aug 28, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; A Baltimore Ravens helmet sits on a box on the sidelines during the second half of their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
One Baltimore Ravens fan is facing the consequences after a video surfaced of him attacking a pair of Washington Commanders fans.
The Ravens fan, identified as 24-year-old Jack Callis, was seen walking along a street Sunday following the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md.
Callis appeared to be specifically looking for Commanders fans. Once he spotted two men in Commanders jerseys, Callis got violent. He punched one man in the face and slammed the other against a brick wall.
“I don’t lose!” screamed Callis into the camera after beating up the two men.
A police investigation has since been launched with Baltimore police asking the Ravens fan’s two victims to come forward. But it didn’t take long for some retribution to be dealt against Callis. Internet sleuths found Callis’ employer, insurance firm Maury Donnelly & Parr, and reported him. Not long after, the firm announced on X that Callis had been fired.
“MDP has a zero-tolerance policy for violence and aggressive behavior,” the company posted. “This individual is no longer employed with our firm.”
Back in 2021, Callis was charged with second-degree assault after an altercation with a police officer. He pleaded not guilty and was placed on probation the following year.
Aug 23, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) runs to first base after hitting a single against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Judge got the New York Yankees on the board early during his first at-bat Tuesday in Game 2 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. But it didn’t come the way you’d expect from the likely 2024 AL MVP.
Judge came up to bat with runners at the corners and nobody out in the bottom of the 1st. The Yankees star hit a 0-1 cutter about a mile high right above second base. But what looked like a routine popup for Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio somehow touched infield grass. The Yankees got the game’s first run due to Rocchio’s error.
A handful of fans on X sarcastically joked that Judge finally silenced his critics by getting a run across in a high-leverage situation.
Judge got a chance to redeem himself in the third inning. The six-time All-Star came up to the plate with the bases juiced and one out. Judge failed to get a hit but did manage to send a ball toward the outfield for a sac fly, extending the Yankees’ lead to 3-0.
It’s telling that the Guardians intentionally walked Juan Soto to have Judge up in that spot. It was just the third time in Judge’s career that the batter before him was intentionally walked.
Judge has largely struggled this postseason. He entered Tuesday’s contest batting .133 with just a single RBI through five playoff games. On Monday, Judge went 0-for-4 during the Yankees’ 5-2 win in Game 1. But Judge silenced the doubters by busting loose with a solo home run in the 7th.
Jul 31, 2022; Irvine, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers (3) during training camp at UC Irvine. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Cam Akers has completed his 360-degree turn.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Tuesday that the Houston Texans have traded the running back Akers to the Minnesota Vikings. Akers and a 2026 conditional seventh-round pick are going to Minnesota while a 2026 conditional sixth-round pick goes back to Houston.
The 25-year-old Akers, a former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams, looked poised to be a stud for the Rams and was a member of their Super Bowl LVI-winning team. But Akers missed almost all of the 2021 season due to an Achilles rupture and was eventually leapfrogged at running back by Kyren Williams.
Minnesota, the last remaining undefeated team in the NFC at 5-0, already had Akers on their roster last season when they acquired him from the Rams in a trade. But Akers managed only a forgettable handful of games with them before he was placed on season-ending injured reserve (and then signed with the Texans in the off-season).
Akers is back on the Vikings now though and should get a better shot as a potential No. 2 to Aaron Jones than he got on a Texans team that now has Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce, and Dare Ogunbowale all healthy again. The former Florida State star still clearly has some value and drew trade interest from an AFC team around this time last year too.
Aug 26, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up before a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Rodgers is not sugarcoating things about his game now that he is 40 years old.
The veteran quarterback joined “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday for his weekly appearance. During his interview, Rodgers talked about his usual practice schedule. The four-time MVP said that while he loves to practice, he will likely continue with his schedule of being limited in practice on Wednesday and a full participant on Thursdays to help keep him fresh.
Rodgers also made an admission while talking with McAfee.
“I don’t run quite as well as I used to,” Rodgers admitted. “And some of those shots hurt a little bit more at 40 than they did at 25. But I’m going to strap up each week and get out there.”
Rodgers is coming off a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in the Jets’ opener last year. As good as he is as a passer, Rodgers has also always been a threat to scramble. This year, Rodgers is averaging 36.4 rushing yards per game. During his Packers career, Rodgers averaged 48 yards per game as a rusher.
Rodgers is spot on — he doesn’t run the ball quite as well as he used to, which also makes him less of a threat in the Jets’ offense.
New York is 2-4 following their loss to the Bills on Monday night. Despite their record, one analyst believes they will make the playoffs.
Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni walks to the bench before a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles fan who allegedly was on the other end of a much-publicized exchange with Nick Sirianni over the weekend has shared his side of the story.
On Monday, a fan who goes by “checking_your_math” on Reddit, posted to the Eagles’ Reddit forum. The fan titled his post “I am the fan that Sirianni ‘yelled’ at towards the end of the game.” The fan then told his side of the story, and also shared a copy of his electronic ticket stub to confirm his seat location for the 20-16 win over the Browns at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Penn., on Sunday.
The fan said he instigated matters by telling Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to run the ball more.
“I was hoping to get around to this sooner, but it just did not happen. I am the fan who Sirianni’s ‘yelling’ at the end of the game was directed to. I am hoping to provide some context, because it was actually awesome!
“There I was in section 138, row 2, seat 4. 1st play of the game was a 5-yard run by Barkley. 2nd and 5, incomplete pass. 3rd and 5, incomplete pass. 4th and 5, punt. During the Brown’s (sic) next drive, there was a TV timeout due to injury. It was during this time that I voiced my concerns to Kellen and Nick.
“I began to yell, ‘If your star running back gets 5 yards on first down, you give it to him again! RUN. THE. BALL. RUN. THE. BALL.’ I had some more to say, but you get the point.
“Nick turned around, gestured for me to calm down, and said something to the effect of ‘We will, don’t worry. I’m on it!'” the fan wrote.
The fan then said that Sirianni coming over at the end of the game made plenty of sense.
“Fast forward to the end of the game. Nick came over to this area and began saying ‘I told you we would run! I told you!’ Admittedly, this is paraphrasing because I had indulged quite a bit at this point. The point being that it was not an unwarranted, nor did I see it as aggressive. Rather, I saw it as him making a point to let me know that he followed through.
“I wish I could provide this context elsewhere too, but I felt this was at least a good place to start.
“Though we did not handle the Browns the way we should have, we won. More importantly, to me at least, Jalen did not turn the ball over. GO BIRDS!!!”
The way FOX’s TV cameras showed things, it seemed like Sirianni had gotten into it with Eagles fans. But if this story is true, then he was just interacting with his fans during a game. Regardless, the fourth-year coach acknowledged he should not be mixing things up with fans during a game.
Jan 27, 2021; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (2) drives to the basket against the Florida Gators during the first half at Billy Donovan Court at Exactech Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Scotty Pippen Jr. is slowly climbing the ranks.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Tuesday that the Memphis Grizzlies have signed Pippen Jr. to a standard multi-year NBA contract. That represents a big promotion for Pippen Jr., who had previously been on a two-way contract with Memphis and now gets upped to a guaranteed deal.
The 23-year-old Pippen Jr. is the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and ex-wife Larsa. He played his college ball at Vanderbilt but went undrafted in 2022.
While Pippen Jr, who is represented by agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, is undersized at 6-foot-1 and got waived by the Los Angeles Lakers last year, he has impressed ever since joining the Grizzlies. He was pressed into action on the NBA roster due to the rash of injuries that Memphis dealt with last season and averaged 12.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game in 21 appearances. Pippen Jr. was also a stud in the G League, averaging 20.7 points per game over the last two regular seasons.
All things considered, this is a nice come-up for the younger Pippen, who had some awkwardness at his last NBA stop but has found a real home with the Grizzlies.
Aug 27, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) warms up before the game between the Browns and the Chicago Bears at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Amari Cooper shared an interesting 3-word reaction via his Instagram Story on Tuesday in response to being traded.
The Buffalo Bills acquired Cooper in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. The Bills sent a 2025 third-round draft pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Browns in exchange for Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick.
Cooper seems to be pleased with the trade, depending on how you interpret his Instagram post.
“Move or rust,” Cooper wrote on his story.
Cooper seems to be suggesting that he was rusting in Cleveland, and that maybe a trade to a team like the Bills will help him move around and be useful.
Cooper, a 5-time Pro Bowl selection, has 24 catches for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns through six games this season. He had a career-high 1,250 receiving yards last year and has had seven 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in his nine complete NFL seasons.
The 30-year-old Cooper should give the Bills the No. 1 receiver option they have lacked since trading away Stefon Diggs over the offseason.
Mar 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; LA Clippers forward Paul George before action against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
There is some positive news on the Paul George injury front.
George exited his Philadelphia 76ers’ preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night after hyperextending his knee during the second quarter.
Though the injury did not look great, things appear to be OK.
The 76ers shared an update Tuesday, saying that an MRI revealed no structural damage in George’s knee. The veteran has a bone bruise and will be out at least one week.
The 34-year-old George missed a total of 127 games across five seasons with the LA Clippers, so injuries are nothing new for him. The 76ers knew that injuries were a risk when they signed George this offseason, but they still took the chance.
George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in 74 contests last season. He’s beginning a 4-year, $211 million contract.
