Jets announce they’ve told Aaron Rodgers they’re moving forward without him
The New York Jets announced they told quarterback Aaron Rodgers they are moving on without him next season. While Rodgers hasn’t said whether he intends to continue playing for a 21st NFL season, the Jets with new general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn in charge have officially ruled out a return to New York. In a statement issued by the team, the Jets said they met with the 41-year-old quarterback last week and informed him of their plans. The four-time MVP is the fifth player in NFL history to throw 500 touchdown passes in the regular season. He has one year of non-guaranteed money left on his contract.
Marcus Stroman a no-show for New York Yankees’ first two workouts
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Marcus Stroman has been a no-show on the field for the New York Yankees’ first two spring training workouts. Stroman isn’t required to participate in spring training until Feb. 22, the mandatory reporting date under the collective bargaining agreement. But most players arrive on the voluntary reporting date. Yankees manager Aaron Boon says he had talked to Stroman and knew he might be out the first couple of days. Boone wouldn’t disclose Stroman’s reasoning for being absent after the team’s second day of practice Thursday.
McCarthy’s big finish gives him the lead in the cold rain and brutal test of Torrey Pines
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Denny McCarthy is leading the Genesis Invitational thanks to two holes to close out an otherwise tough and miserable day of weather. McCarthy finished birdie-eagle for a 68. That gives him a one-shot lead over Seamus Power and Patrick Rodgers. Scottie Scheffler was another shot back after missing a short birdie attempt on his final hole. Torrey Pines was brutal as ever because of a cold rain and enough wind. Two of the par 5s played over par. The fifth hole didn’t yield a single birdie. Torrey Pines is filling in for Riviera this year because of the LA wildfires.
Castroneves to use “world-class driver” provisional to race in Daytona 500 after qualifying crash
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will race in the Daytona 500 as a special 41st driver under a new rule that allows for a “world-class driver” to receive a provisional spot. The Brazilian did not want to use the provisional and hoped to race his way into the field in the first of two 150-mile qualifying races. But he was involved in an early eight-car accident. With 41 drivers, it will be the largest Daytona 500 field since 43 cars was the standard in 2015. Bubba Wallace won the first qualifying race and Justin Allgaier raced his way into the Daytona 500 to help JR Motorsports make its Cup debut Sunday. Austin Cindric won the second qualifying race and Corey LaJoie earned the final spot in the field.
Oh, baby! Bubba Wallace celebrates his 1st win at Daytona with his newborn son and a new outlook
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Bubba Wallace won the first of two qualifying races for the Daytona 500. He showed enough speed to make him one of the favorites heading into “The Great American Race.” Wallace will start third in the Daytona 500 behind pole-sitter Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric. Wallace continued Toyota’s early dominance at Daytona International Speedway, where Briscoe won the pole in his new Joe Gibbs Racing ride. The 31-year-old Wallace celebrated his first victory at Daytona by spraying a Coke at his crew, hugging car co-owner Denny Hamlin and then lifting his newborn high into the air a la “The Lion King.” The baby was wearing noise-protective headphones and a checkered-flag bib while sucking on a pacifier.
Steph vs. Sabrina, the big hit of All-Star weekend last year, won’t happen this year
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — There will be no Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu rematch at All-Star weekend. The NBA announced Thursday that the 3-point shooting event bringing together two of the biggest stars in the NBA and WNBA is not going to be part of the lineup in San Francisco. It was the hit of All-Star weekend last year. Talks went on for weeks to try to make the rematch happen, even stretching into All-Star week itself. It seemed more than logical that a rematch would occur; All-Star weekend is on Curry’s home floor this weekend and Ionescu is a Bay Area native who grew up watching Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Norway’s Ingebrigtsen sets world record in the indoor mile days after Nuguse’s mark
LIEVIN, France (AP) — Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen has set a world record in the indoor mile, beating Yared Nuguse’s mark set just five days earlier at the Millrose Games. The two-time Olympic champion also set the world indoor 1,500 meter record at the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophée EDF in northern France. Ingebrigtsen crossed the finish line in a time of 3 minutes, 45.14 seconds, improving on Nuguse’s 3:46.63 in New York. Along the way, he hit 1,500 meters in 3:29.63, taking almost a second off the mark he set on the same track in 2022.
Another year, another All-Star for LeBron: How he ranks in All-Star history
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — There was a conversation that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had with Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic during last year’s All-Star Game that went viral, since microphones picked up the exchange. The question was about who James played with in his first All-Star appearance. “It was me, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy … that was my first All-Star Game back in ’68, I think,” James said. It was an exaggeration. A slight one, perhaps. James’ first All-Star Game was in 2005 and he hasn’t missed one since, meaning Sunday’s All-Star event in San Francisco will be his 21st and further extend his all-time record in that department.
Kevin Durant cherishes another chance to return to Chase Center, this time for the All-Star Game
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Each time Kevin Durant comes back through Chase Center to face his former Warriors, he takes time to stop and enjoy seeing all of the old familiar faces. Albeit brief reunions, they are meaningful nonetheless. So, fresh off becoming the eighth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 points, KD can’t wait to get back to the Bay Area for this weekend’s All-Star Game.
Ten minute overtime? Longer TV timeouts? 4 Nations Face-Off is an NHL testing ground
MONTREAL (AP) — The opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off was decided by Mitch Marner’s goal six minutes into overtime. During the NHL season, 3-on-3 OT is 5 minutes, so it would have gone to a shootout. Extending to 10 minutes and adding 30 seconds to each TV timeout are among the experiments at the tournament that could become full time in some capacity. The 4 Nations also uses the international system awarding three points for a regulation win, though that’s far less likely to get adopted by the NHL.