England Test opener Zak Crawley is targeting a more regular role in England’s white-ball team, telling the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast that he feels his game is ‘quite suited’ to the 50-over and T20 formats.
Crawley has played only eight ODIs for England since making his debut in 2021, averaging 28.42, while he has yet to make an appearance in the T20 team.
After enduring a dreadful 2022 summer in the Test team, where he struck just one fifty across 13 innings, registering seven single-digit scores, Crawley has been one of England’s standout performers since, leading to calls for his inclusion in the white-ball arena.
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“I’ve always wanted to be a good white-ball player,” Crawley told the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. “I’m trying to add a few other shots to my game, but I feel like it’s quite suited and I’ve gone well in T20 cricket in the past when I’ve had a run at it.
“In the last few years, things weren’t particularly going so well so I wanted to concentrate on the red ball and stay in that team – it was always my priority for me to play Test cricket.
“That will always be my number one format – it means the most to me – but playing any format for England is a huge honour and playing white-ball cricket is something I really want to do.
“I’m trying to add a bit more power to my game, I’m working hard in the nets trying a few different things to hopefully hit more and bigger sixes.”
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Crawley reveals he intended to make an impact on the first delivery of the Ashes series in 2023
‘Dealing with failure has helped my form massively’
Crawley put his Test match turnaround down to the support of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, who stuck with him during his lean patch in 2022.
The 26-year-old opener has averaged 41.60 in his 16 Tests since the 2022 summer, hitting two centuries, including a magnificent 168 at Old Trafford last summer in the drawn Ashes series.
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Crawley says a shift in mentality has helped him to improve his form
“When I was in bad form in 2022, I found myself reading a lot more [criticism],” Crawley said. “But luckily I’ve got out of that trend now and I don’t read positive or negative.
“It’s really what I’ve been working on this last year, which has helped my form massively, that dealing with failure.
“In India I was trying to get into this headspace where the results were pre-determined – ‘I’ve done all my work’, leave it up to fate. That helped massively to realise I’m not in control of the result – just go out and play.”
Crawley added: “It always felt like I had an itch to score and I think Baz [Brendon McCullum] and Stokesy [Ben Stokes] saw that in me… They give you that freedom to go out and take it on – it’s about how you play rather than how many runs you get.”
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Crawley explains the impact that Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have had on the England Test side
Despite England losing their last four straight Test matches in India to fall to a 4-1 series defeat, there is no expectation that Stokes will lose his grip on the captaincy any time soon – not that it’s an ambition of Crawley’s currently anyway.
Asked if he had any aspirations to one day be skipper, Crawley said: “To be honest, I don’t.
“If I get asked down the line, then obviously it would be a great honour, but playing under Stokesy, he’s the best captain I’ve ever played under.
“I always try and be a leader in the group in terms of acting in a professional way and being a good team man. You don’t have to be captain to be a leader.
“I’ve always felt like if you want to be captain, then you shouldn’t be. The captain should be the man the team wants to be captain.”
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TORONTO — The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength and conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Kelly is also suspended for Toronto’s two preseason games for violating its gender-based violence policy, the league announced.
Kelly will be required to undergo confidential assessments by an independent expert and attend mandatory counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert.
Both the counselling sessions and assessments must be satisfactorily completed before the CFL will consider Kelly’s reinstatement, the league added in a statement. Otherwise, the league reserves the right to modify his discipline.
Kelly, 30, was the CFL’s outstanding player last season after leading Toronto to a league-best and franchise-record 16-2 record.
The Argos’ season ended with a 38-17 home loss to eventual Grey Cup champion Montreal in the East Division final.
There was no announcement regarding any penalties or sanctions against the Argos. The league added that the club’s conduct in this matter, as laid out by the investigators, will be reviewed with the Argos.
Kelly played in college at Clemson, East Mississippi Community College and Mississippi. He was the last pick in the 2017 NFL draft, selected by the Denver Broncos. The team released him in 2018 after he was arrested for criminal trespassing.
Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports.
He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs.
A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI — If one didn’t know any better, Tuesday looked like a normal offseason workout for the Cincinnati Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow.
He weaved through tackling dummies, rolled to the side and threw off one leg, and he launched a couple of balls to receivers in the end zone. But it was more significant than it might seem, as it marked Burrow’s first outdoor team practice since he suffered a season-ending wrist injury in November.
In his first news conference this offseason, Burrow detailed the recovery process from surgery and the challenges presented.
“This was a difficult injury,” Burrow said. “It’s been a tough several months, but physically it’s not the worst injury that I’ve had. I’ve been through much tougher things physically and so that’s been a positive. I’ve been able to really lift and continue my offseason program kind of the way that it always has been.”
As a rookie in 2020, Burrow tore multiple ligaments in his left knee, including the ACL, that also required surgery. While he didn’t miss any games the following year, the season in which the Bengals went to the Super Bowl for the first time in more than three decades, he said it took about a year to feel normal.
On Tuesday, he said he imagines the wrist injury will have a similar timetable.
“Fortunately, that coincides with the beginning of training camp start of the season,” Burrow said. “We’ll see where it’s at when the time comes. You never know, but right now we’re in a good spot.”
Burrow said that at the beginning of the recovery process, he was “flying blind.” Unlike other injuries, such as the strained calf he sustained at the start of 2023 training camp in which he consulted with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, he didn’t come across players at his position who suffered a similar wrist injury.
“The guys that I have talked to have been offensive lineman, defensive lineman, linebackers that didn’t have to have that wrist mobility and the little intricacies of the wrist movement like I do,” Burrow said.
The quarterback added that the Bengals’ training staff has done a good job of making sure that Burrow regains motion in the wrist and said the rehab has been “lights out.”
The team’s franchise quarterback spent time Tuesday working with the tight ends, including recent signee Mike Gesicki. Other wide receivers such as Trenton Irwin also worked with the quarterbacks, with top targets Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins absent during voluntary workouts.
Burrow said he has been throwing since around the beginning of April. Irwin noted that the velocity on Burrow’s throws hasn’t diminished despite the wrist surgery.
“It’s there,” Irwin said. “It feels great.”
Burrow, who signed a five-year contract extension worth $275 million last offseason, believes he is cleared for everything but full contact, which could be coming as soon as next month. He declined to say if the wrist was hurting when he threw. However, he is happy with the progress at this stage of the recovery and feels comfortable with any risks of playing with it moving forward.
“I think most of those points are behind us,” Burrow said. “We’re kind of at the end of the six to seven months that this is going to take, and so at this point, it’s just about getting ready to play football and it’ll continue to get better.”
HACKENSACK, N.J. – There was a lot of talent from across the Northeast in New Jersey this weekend for the Under Armour camp. Get the latest from several prospects in attendance on their recruitment, upcoming visits and commitment dates.
Brickle, a four-star defensive lineman from Pennsylvania, has a lengthy offer sheet but one program that has begun to stick out to him is Oklahoma. The efforts by Sooners defensive line coach Todd Bates to maintain and build a relationship with Brickle have caught his attention. Brickle is hoping to take a handful of visits before the season starts, with Penn State, Alabama and Ohio State as potential destinations. Look for a top 10 from Brickle during the upcoming season.
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Byrne’s spring was full of unofficial visits and now he is preparing for official visits Florida State will get Byrne for an official visit. It is currently scheduled for June 14 but he might move it to June 7. Penn State has Byrne locked in for an official visit on June 21. The Seminoles and Nittany Lions, Byrne said, are in his top tier. Texas A&M, Michigan State and Clemson could get Byrne for official visits as well but those plans are not finalized right now. Byrne wants to get to know the players at each of the programs he takes official visits to and get a feel for how he fits in there before making a decision, which should be coming in June or July.
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Official visits are right around the corner for Cyrus. The Pennsylvania native will take an official visit to Penn State on May 31 followed by an official visit to South Carolina. It’s fair to say those two programs are at the top contenders for Cyrus but Oregon, Miami, and Texas A&M are also in the mix to get official visits.
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One of the most important pieces of the Rutgers 2025 recruiting class, Dorilas pulled the trigger on his commitment at the end of March. He loves the in-state program and feels like it’s a great fit for him on and off the field. Dorilas said he has a great bond with the coaching staff too. He’ll take his official visit on May 31 but is also planning to visit Miami on June 8. That trip to Coral Gables will be an unofficial visit. The Canes recently offered and both sides are still learning more about each other.
Dembele is getting close to ten Power Four offers but it’s likely he commits before reaching that threshold. The defensive tackle out of New York has official visits planned for Boston College (May 31st) and Wake Forest (June 21st). Keep an eye on Duke and West Virginia as June gets closer. Both schools could be close to getting him scheduled for an official visit. Look for a commitment from Dembele in July.
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Forster’s recruitment is about to hit another gear. The four-star running back from New Jersey will begin his official visit schedule with Rutgers on May 31. The next weekend Forster will head to Illinois for his official visit and then he’ll make the trip to Wisconsin on June 14. He’ll end the month with an official visit to North Carolina on June 21. Expect Forster to announce a commitment at some point this summer.
Wisconsin and Rutgers should like where they stand with Forster right now. The in-state program has very strong connections to Forster and he is comfortable on campus. Forster was in Madison for an unofficial visit to Wisconsin a few weeks ago and he really liked what he saw. The practice was physical and efficient and the offensive linemen impressed him too.
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Funke is one of the most promising defenders out of New England in the 2026 class. Wake Forest, Boston College, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Syracuse are doing well in his recruitment thus far. Funke likes the coaches at Wake Forest and Rutgers. His brother plays for Boston College and the new staff in Chestnut Hill have been hitting the right notes for Funke so far. Funke visited Syracuse this spring and he liked how intense new head coach Fran Brown’s practice was.
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Teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast are already familiar with Hiller and teams around the country will soon turn their focus to the 2027 offensive tackle out of Pennsylvania. Penn State, Pittsburgh, Maryland, and West Virginia are just some of the teams currently pursuing him and Syracuse threw their hat into the ring shortly after the camp on Sunday. Penn State, South Carolina, and Maryland are just some of the schools Hiller has visited thus far.
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Jin should see his stock rise as the football season gets closer. Originally from Washington D.C., Jin is a wrestling standout making the move from the defensive line to the offensive line. Boston College hosted him for a visit during their spring game and Jin came away with an offer. Interest in Jin will increase in the coming weeks as coaches hit the road to take a look at prospects in the Northeast.
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Kinsler has built up an impressive offer sheet but the 2026 prospect has yet to really attack the recruiting process. He’s taken a couple visits to the Florida schools (where he’s originally from), Duke, and Rutgers but there will be plenty more in the months ahead. Kinsler has not yet mapped out his summer visit schedule but did mention the teams he’s had recent contact with are Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Michigan.
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Penn State picked up a commitment from McClary back in September but a lot has changed since then. The Nittany Lions have a new defensive coordinator in Tom Allen, who replaced Manny Diaz when he left to take the head coaching position at Duke. Diaz did most of the heavy lifting to get McClary to commit so Allen and the other Penn State coaches have been working to rebuild those bonds. In the meantime, McClary took a visit to Syracuse earlier this offseason and they’re pushing to get him back on campus for an official visit. That is still a work in progress but McClary does have an official visit scheduled to Rutgers on May 31st. The in-state school would love to flip him away from their conference rival but the Nittany Lions also have McClary scheduled for an official visit on June 14th. Michigan is also involved and could end up with an official visit.
Programs around the country have already started making Merrill a priority in the 2026 class. The four-star out of Pennsylvania highlighted spring trips to Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia and Michigan as his favorite visits thus far. He liked getting a feel for the daily lives at each of the programs. Michigan will get him back for a visit during their its BBQ visit weekend this summer but that is the only visit Merrill has scheduled thus far.
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Penn State, Duke, Illinois, and Boston College are doing well in Pritchard’s recruitment thus far. The 2026 offensive lineman had an impressive performance on Sunday and his recruitment is poised to see a jump. At 6-foot-5, 270-pounds, Pritchard’s blend of size, agility, strength, and fairly advanced technical abilities should attract more attention from college coaches.
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Ohio State added Stewart’s commitment at the end of March and he hasn’t looked at another program since even though Michigan State, Penn State and Florida are still showing interest in him. Stewart is consistently communicating with the Ohio State coaching staff and is engaging with their fan base more often. Look for Stewart to take his official visit to Columbus on June 14 or 21.
Thomas was a standout at the Rivals Camp Series in Charlotte earlier this offseason and has picked up offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma since then. On Sunday, Thomas said he is really excited about all four programs and wants to learn more about each program. It is still early in his recruiting process though. Look for Thomas to take a lot more visits before getting serious about his contenders. Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Oklahoma are just some of the programs he wants to visit.
Washington is preparing for the homestretch of his recruitment. His official visit schedule begins with UCF on May 31 followed by Syracuse on June 7 and Maryland on June 21. An official visit to Baylor on June 14 is in the works but isn’t locked in yet. Washington is looking at committing in early July, soon after his official visits. He doesn’t claim a leader at this point but he is very high on Virginia Tech after taking an official visit to Blacksburg in mid-April for their spring game.
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Williams committed to Syracuse in March and he intends to stick with the local program. He is in touch with the coaching staff frequently and feels like they really love him. Williams really likes new head coach Fran Brown and the entire coaching staff. Since his commitment, Purdue and Vanderbilt have offered and Rutgers and Virginia are staying in contact with him. Williams isn’t shutting down communication with other programs just yet but he says he remains locked in with Syracuse.
Zollers continues to impress with each performance this offseason. He was outstanding on Sunday in rough weather conditions and Missouri fans are rightfully excited about what he’ll bring to Columbia. Since committing a little over a month ago, Zollers has turned into a recruiter for the Tigers. Rivals250 receiver Jayvan Boggs has been one of his top targets and, on Sunday, Zollers mentioned he’d like to recruit tight end Andrew Olesh to Missouri as well.
ORLANDO, Fla. — A tennis player was awarded $9 million in damages by a jury in federal court in Florida after accusing the U.S. Tennis Association of failing to protect her from a coach she said sexually abused her at one of its training centers when she was a teenager.
The lawsuit, filed by Kylie McKenzie in March 2022, said Anibal Aranda, who was employed by the sport’s national governing body for about seven years and later fired, used his position as a USTA coach to get access to vulnerable female athletes and commit sexual battery against them.
“I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I feel validated,” McKenzie said in a statement emailed Tuesday by one of her lawyers, Amy Judkins. “It was very hard, but I feel now that it was all worth it. I hope I can be an example for other girls to speak out even when it’s difficult.”
The AP generally doesn’t name people who say they are victims of sexual assault, but McKenzie agreed to let her identity be used in news coverage about her lawsuit.
Her lawsuit said the USTA negligently failed to protect her from sexual assaults and was negligent in keeping Aranda as a coach after he sexually assaulted a USTA employee.
As a junior player, McKenzie — who is now 25 — reached a career-high ranking of No. 33 in 2016. The year before, she compiled a 20-6 record in junior competition, including victories over Sofia Kenin, who would go on to win the championship at the 2020 Australian Open, and Tamara Zidansek, later a semifinalist at the 2021 French Open.
The U.S. District Court jury awarded McKenzie $3 million in compensation and added $6 million in punitive damages on Monday.
“We are very pleased with the jury’s decision to award Ms. McKenzie for her pain and suffering but more importantly we believe the jury’s decision to award punitive damages sends the correct message to all sports organizations that they must take necessary steps to protect the athletes under their banner,” Judkins wrote.
Spokesman Chris Widmaier said the USTA would appeal.
“We are sympathetic to the plaintiff and what she endured. We do not — and have never — disputed her allegations against a coach,” Widmaier said.
He said the USTA was “deeply troubled” by the decision, including that “the court ruled that the USTA was liable because one of its employees — a non-athlete — had an obligation to report her own experience with this coach to the USTA; an incident that was unknown until after the USTA removed the coach. This sets a new and unreasonable expectation for victims, one that will deter them from coming forward in the future.”
Widmaier said Tuesday that a review of the USTA’s safeguarding policies and procedures is ongoing. Two lawyers at a Washington-based firm were enlisted to look into how the USTA keeps athletes safe from abuse and how it responds to reports of misconduct.
As expected, SEC programs were busy during the spring transfer window. While the spring additions continue to trickle in, here’s how each of the conference’s 16 teams graded out so far.
Outlook: We’re penciling in Jones even though he’s yet to officially commit. The former Wake Forest cornerback is widely expected to roll with the Tide. Once he does, Alabama will have done a good job of addressing its two biggest needs out of the portal.
The Tide readded the best available offensive tackle in Proctor and provided experience in the secondary with Jones. Losing a talented safety like Woodyard stings, but Alabama did a nice job of adding further depth at the position to compensate for that.
Outlook: Arkansas lost a starting cornerback in Johnson as well as Fletcher, who ranked third in the SEC in punting average last season. However, Sam Pittman did well to restock what was a depleted roster with some nice pieces.
Dix and Worth should compete for starting roles in a linebacker room that desperately needed bolstering. Meanwhile, Switzer might be a strong candidate to man the team’s linebacker/safety hybrid HOG position. On the other side of the ball, Brown is a solid addition at receiver.
Outlook: There are still question marks at the quarterback position, but Hugh Freeze has given Payton Thorne every opportunity to be successful this fall. After bringing in a loaded crop of receivers over the winter, Auburn added an established target in Lambert-Smith, who led Penn State with 53 receptions for 673 yards to go with four touchdowns through the air last season.
On the other side of the ball, the Tigers netted a big run-stuffer in Raikes as well as a high-upside pass rusher in Crawford.
Auburn loses depth pieces in Fair, Hood and Steiner. However, the Tigers easily came away with a net positive this spring.
Outlook: It was a non-eventful spring portal in the Swamp. Florida added a four-star 2024 offensive lineman in Zandamela and lost a reserve cornerback in Pouncey to the portal.
Outlook:Kirby Smart always seems to be one step ahead of the curve. The addition of Rashada shouldn’t make too much of a difference this season but will set the Bulldogs up nicely for when Carson Beck leaves for the NFL next spring. More importantly for Georgia, it only lost a pair of notable players in Williams and Paul.
Outlook: Waller was a nice addition to the secondary and figures to start across from Max Hairston at cornerback this fall. However, Kentucky’s secondary depth took a bit of a hit with the departures of Anglin and Robinson.
Outlook: While LSU had a quiet spring portal, it was able to hold onto its key players. The Tigers lost a former four-star back in Emery to the portal. However, the rising sixth-year senior is coming off an ACL injury and has compiled just 1,062 yards and 14 touchdowns over the past five years. The addition of Paez should add depth to a defensive line that lost Jordan Jefferson, Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith this to the NFL this offseason.
Outlook: After missing out on Miami-Ohio transfer running back Rashad Amos, Mississippi State rebounded by reeling in Booth from Utah State. The Bulldogs also addressed a need at cornerback, adding Brumfield from Memphis.
Losing Robinson is another blow to a receiving corps that already saw the departure of its two leading receivers Lideatrick Griffen (NFL) and Zavion Thomas (LSU). However, the Bulldogs helped offset that by bringing in Hudson, who recorded 36 receptions for 571 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns through the air for New Mexico State last season.
Outlook: Missouri needed to beef up its offensive line and did so by adding an established talent in Bryant. The 6-foot-8, 318-pound offensive tackle was an All-AAC selection last season and should add to a revamped offensive line, which also added Cayden Green this offseason. While Beasley might not be a difference-maker this season, the Michigan transfer linebacker was a nice long-term get.
On top of their additions, the Tigers didn’t have too many key departures this spring. Missouri should be well-positioned to make some noise in the SEC again this season.
Outlook: Oklahoma landed a couple of solid commitments in Hickman and Lole before hitting it out of the park with the addition of Williams. The 6-foot-2, 320-pound defensive tackle earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors last season, recording 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Williams, a rising junior, has started every game of his collegiate career and was key to TCU’s national championship game run in 2022.
While the Sooners lost a couple of talented defensive backs, they came out of the spring portal stronger than they entered it.
Outlook: They call Lane Kiffin the “Portal King” for a reason. After bringing in a star-studded transfer haul over the winter, the Ole Miss head coach added even more weapons to his arsenal this spring.
The additions of Croskey-Merritt and former Parish help offset Judkins’ transfer to Ohio State earlier this offseason. Ole Miss also strengthened its secondary with a late commitment from Hamilton, who led Houston with four interceptions last season.
Ole Miss saw two talented departures in Walker and Harris which could hurt moving forward. However, the focus in Oxford is on the present, and the Rebels should be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone this fall.
Outlook:South Carolina worked toward restocking its receiving corps after losing Xavier Legette (NFL) and Antwane Wells Jr. (Ole Miss) this offseason. That being said, Campbell and Jacobs don’t instill too much fear into opposing defenses on paper.
The biggest positive for the Gamecocks is that head coach Shane Beamer managed to keep most of his roster intact. Still, it figures to be tough sledding for South Carolina this fall.
Outlook: Other than losing a starting linebacker in Herring, it was a sleepy spring portal on Rocky Top. Herring led the Volunteers with 80 tackles last season. Still, Tennessee is in an OK spot at the linebacker position where it returns veterans Keenan Pili and Kalib Perry to go with rising talents Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander.
Outlook: After signing a loaded transfer class over the winter, Steve Sarkisian’s spring haul was much more subdued.
Norton will help reload a Texas defensive line unit that lost T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy to the draft. Losing Brooks is a blow to a secondary trying to improve from last year. However, the Longhorns helped remedy that with the addition of Cole, who has compiled seven interceptions over the past two seasons.
Outlook: Texas A&M continued a strong offseason, adding a pair of starters in DeShields and Faaiu. Deshields recorded 58 tackles, including eight stops for loss and two sacks for Pittsburgh last season. Faaiu started at center for Utah last season and figures to replace Foster in that role for the Aggies.
On the negative side, the Aggies lost a starting safety in Matthews as well as another key secondary reserve in McCall. Texas A&M also failed to address the wide receiver position after losing Ainias Smith (NFL) and Evan Stewart (Oregon) earlier this offseason.
Outlook: No one is expecting Clark Lea to pull in stars from other programs. Still, the Commodores head coach did a decent job of bolstering his offensive line with the additions of Hubbard and McConnell. Vanderbilt lost a few young talents, but that’s life at the bottom of the SEC.
Nottingham Forest have failed in their appeal to have their four-point deduction for breaking financial rules in the 2022/23 season overturned.
The club were charged in January after breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) by £34.5m above their permitted threshold of £61m for the assessment period ending 2022/23.
Clubs are usually allowed a maximum loss of £105m over a three-year assessment period, although this is reduced by £22m per season for any seasons within the period spent in the Championship.
Forest were the second top-flight team to be penalised for PSR breaches after Everton lost 10 points in November, which was reduced to six on appeal.
The outcome of their appeal means Forest remain in 17th position, just three points clear of the relegation zone with two games remaining.
Forest had sought a reduction because they felt the original commission should have taken the sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham – two months after the end of the financial year ending 2023 – into account as a mitigating factor.
They also felt the original commission had made a mistake by not wholly or partially suspending the sanction.
Image: Nottingham Forest were docked four points in March for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules
A release published on the Premier League website read: “The club argued that the independent commission committed an error in not treating its sale of a high-profile player shortly after the assessment period as a mitigating factor, and that it committed a further error in electing not to suspend some or all of the points deduction it imposed.
“Each of these grounds was rejected by the appeal board, which found the independent commission was entitled to immediately impose the sanction it did. The four-point deduction will therefore remain in place.”
Forest have decided not to comment following the appeal panel’s verdict.
Timeline of Nottingham Forest case
January 15: Nottingham Forest and Everton and are charged for breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
March 7-8: Nottingham Forest’s hearing takes place.
March 18: Nottingham Forest are deducted four points and drop into the Premier League relegation zone.
April 24: Nottingham Forest’s appeal against their four-point deduction is heard.
May 7: An independent appeal board upholds the commission’s decision to deduct Nottingham Forest four points.
‘Premier League delighted’ | What about Everton’s appeal?
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
“The Premier League will be delighted this issue has been dealt with before the final game of the season because everybody was worried these PSR cases involving Forest and Everton would not be resolved by the final day, but that has all been settled now.
“Forest were basing their appeal on Brennan Johnson’s sale. In the summer of 2023, Forest could have sold Johnson to Brentford for £35m and they would’ve been clear of PSR rules.
“But they waited until September 1 to sell him to Spurs for £47.5m and they felt that was the right thing to do, but by doing that they couldn’t bank that money in the PSR accounts for that period because it ended at the end of June.
“They also argued elements of the punishment should have been suspended but the appeal commission decided not to accept any of these arguments.
“I don’t think there will be any impact on Everton’s appeal over their two-point deduction. These appeals are heard by commissions made up of three different people so I don’t think it will have any effect.
“Everton and Forest, though, will feel incredibly hard done by because these rules are so controversial and the rules are on the way out because they’re going to be replaced for the 2025/26 season by new squad cost control rules.”
It’s one of the biggest sporting events in a generation. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk collide for the undisputed world heavyweight championship on Saturday May 18, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book the fight now.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A smile kept creeping onto Lando Norris’s face throughout post-race media sessions.
His maiden Formula One victory has been a long-time coming. He’s come close a couple of times, only to be foiled by small errors, like in Qatar 2023, and things out of his control, like the rain and strategy calls from Sochi 2021. He joined the F1 grid in 2019 with McLaren as a 19-year-old, and now in his sixth season and heading into the Miami Grand Prix weekend, the Briton had secured one pole position, stood on the podium 15 times, and driven over 6,000 laps.
As each driver stopped in the media pen for interviews, nearly every one touched on the same point: It’s about time.
Fernando Alonso predicted this would be “the first of many wins” for Lando Norris. (Kym Illman/Getty Images)
“Well done to Lando,” Fernando Alonso said. “First win after so many podiums. I’m really happy for him. Hopefully he (remembers) this day — the first of many wins.” The Aston Martin driver wasn’t the only one who indicated that this wouldn’t be the final victory for the 24-year-old. Max Verstappen said, “I’m very happy for Lando. It’s been a long time coming. And it’s not going to be his last. He deserves it today.”
The victory came at a crucial moment in the sport. Over the last 28 grands prix, Red Bull has topped all but two races, Singapore 2023 and Australia 2024, both won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Verstappen has gone largely unchallenged, building a fairly decent lead race after race. But in Miami this weekend, McLaren took advantage of the chance it got to beat Red Bull in a straight fight. As Norris pulled ahead from Verstappen after the safety cars, it became a matter of fresh tires and clean air beating a wickedly fast car.
“I’m very happy for Lando. It’s been a long time coming. And it’s not going to be his last. He deserves it today,” Max Verstappen (left) said of Lando Norris (right). (Giorgio Viera / AFP)
“He’s deserving of a race victory probably many, many years ago,” Mercedes’ George Russell said. “And I think for all the drivers in Formula One in this era of dominance from one team and one driver, it’s always great to see somebody get that chance to score a victory.”
Norris started last year’s Miami GP 16th and finished P17 for a struggling McLaren, which turned its season around in the second half of 2023. Now, it has its first win in three years. Oscar Piastri said he was “very happy for (Norris) and for the whole team, and I think we deserve it. Our trajectory in the last 12 months has been towards this moment.”
Lewis Hamilton reminisced about his first F1 victory, which also was with McLaren, back in 2007. The team still has “a big part of my heart,” he said, and was happy to see them win again. The Woking-based crew’s last F1 victory was with Daniel Ricciardo at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
Before doing post-race interviews, it’s traditional for drivers to chat with their team briefly, crew members patting them on the helmet or back. Norris, though, launched himself over the barrier in joy, McLaren crew members equally as happy to embrace their new race winner. The emotion was overflowing.
“I’m just really happy for Lando. As much as we all want to beat each other and to come out on top, it’s always emotional to see so many emotions in one of your competitors,” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc said. “We have all grown up together. I remember looking at Lando when he was in KF3, and we all had this same dream of being a Formula One driver someday.”
Norris is no a stranger to hate, memes and nicknames like “Lando No Wins” popping up on social media as people discuss his record. But the Briton says the words from those closest to him hold more meaning, and thanked his competitors for their praise and support. In parc ferme and the media pen, different drivers embraced Norris, congratulating him on this moment he’ll likely remember forever.
“As much as when you put the helmet on, you hate them, and you want to beat them, and you don’t care who’s who, I’ve always had respect for the people I’ve raced against. So when anyone comes up [to me], especially people who have achieved a lot, because it always means a little bit more,” Norris said. “So when Lewis, Fernando, Max, Charles, Carlos, whenever they come up to you or people have good words for you, I appreciate those things a lot. Because from these people, it means something. Maybe from others, it doesn’t.
“From these people, they’re the people who know what it takes to achieve these types of things for the work, the time, the effort that goes into doing something like this.”
(Lead photo of Lando Norris and George Russell: Giorgio Viera / AFP)
Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.
CHICAGO — Caleb Williams acknowledged at the NFL combine he knew quite a bit about the makeup of the Chicago Bears, who owned the No. 1 overall draft pick on April 25.
“I mean, the Bears were an 8-9 team last year, I believe? Seven and 10, sorry,” Williams said in March. “That is pretty good for a team that has the first pick. And they got a good defense.
“They got good players on offense, and it’s pretty exciting if you can go into a situation like that.”
After getting the call from Bears general manager Ryan Poles — confirming Williams was the top pick — he revealed that underneath his navy blue suit was a custom shirt reading “Chicago” in orange gothic lettering on the back.
Williams’ landing spot will play a critical role in determining how quickly he can find success. Before bringing Williams into the fold, Poles added players who raised the Bears’ level of talent. That began with trading for wide receiver DJ Moore, who is coming off a career-best season, and defensive end Montez Sweat, who led the Bears with six sacks in 2023 despite playing in Chicago for eight games.
The overhaul continued this offseason when they added offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and a new scheme. The Bears also extended All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson, traded for wide receiver Keenan Allen and signed Pro Bowl running back D’Andre Swift in free agency.
“The infrastructure has to be there, and I think we’ve done that part to have the talent around our quarterback now,” Poles said. “I think the other thing is our entire organization is going to have to be on the same page on how we handle this, how we develop Caleb.
“But I also say I think we have a really good approach with all of the players, and I think that’s maybe different than it was in the past.”
Williams is walking into an unusually favorable situation for a rookie quarterback, especially one taken with the No. 1 pick. The teams that drafted Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence — which were coming off two, zero and one win the prior seasons, respectively — are more typical for QBs going No. 1. But the Bears landed the pick because of a 2023 trade with the Carolina Panthers, who finished with a league-worst two wins.
But what are realistic expectations for Williams’ first season in Chicago? Only eight rookie QBs have posted double-digit wins since 1950 (two landed on teams that had won seven games the previous season). Sportsbooks aren’t convinced Williams will make it nine, as the over-under on Bears’ wins is 8.5, and they have the third-shortest odds to win the NFC North.
But most of the eight successful rookie quarterbacks also faced long odds and managed to succeed. Here’s a look at the rookie signal-callers who had double-digit wins, and one who fell just short last season while leading his team to the playoffs. They set the bar Williams is hoping to top.
Drafted by the Houston Texans: Round 1, No. 2 overall, 2023
Inherited: The Texans finished 3-13-1 in 2022 and featured Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Rookie season: Stroud started nine of Houston’s 10 wins and led the Texans to the postseason with a 10-7 record. Stroud also won a playoff game. He earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors by throwing for 4,108 yards, the third most by a rookie quarterback, while his 273.9 passing yards per game were the second most ever for a rookie and led the NFL. What’s most impressive was the production Stroud generated without star power around him (Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz were his top weapons).
Bears reality: Like the Texans, the Bears overhauled their offensive staff from 2022 to sync up Williams’ development with his offensive coordinator. Chicago has more veteran talent surrounding its quarterback, from the offensive line to the backfield to the group of pass-catchers.
Inherited: The Patriots finished 7-9 in 2020 and the only players who earned awards were All-Pro/Pro Bowl punter Jake Bailey and Pro Bowl returner Gunner Olszewski.
Rookie season: Jones threw for 3,801 yards (13th), 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a balanced attack that featured two 800-yard wide receivers in Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne along with running back Damien Harris, who rushed for more than 900 yards.
New England also boasted the league’s No. 2 defense. Jones started all 10 of the Patriots’ wins and was the only New England player to be named to the Pro Bowl. The Patriots lost to the Bills in the wild-card round.
Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys: Round 4, No. 135 overall, 2016
Inherited: The Cowboys finished 4-12 in 2015 with three Pro Bowl offensive linemen: left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack Martin.
Rookie season: Dallas went 13-3 with Prescott starting, the most wins by a rookie quarterback since the Pittsburgh Steelers won 13 with Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Prescott threw for 3,667 yards, 23 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He set an NFL record with 176 passes without an interception to start his career.
The Cowboys won the NFC East and lost to the Packers in the divisional round. The offensive line catalyzed Prescott’s rookie season as Frederick and Martin started all 16 games while Smith started 13. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, whom the Cowboys drafted fourth overall in 2016, earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after rushing for 1,631 yards and totaling 16 touchdowns. The Cowboys also boasted a top-five scoring defense and ranked No. 1 against the run.
Bears reality: Chicago reworked its offensive line by bringing in starting center Ryan Bates with quality depth behind him in Coleman Shelton. The Bears also used a third-round pick on Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie, who the team believes has starting potential.
Chicago’s O-line isn’t as strong as Dallas’ was during Prescott’s rookie season, but the team believes the growth shown by right tackle Darnell Wright — a first-round pick in 2022 — and left guard Teven Jenkins should help this reworked unit take the next step.
Inherited: The Colts finished 2-14 in 2011, and defensive end Dwight Freeney was their only player named to the Pro Bowl.
Rookie season: Luck set the NFL rookie passing record with 4,374 yards and started in each of the Colts’ 11 wins. He relied most heavily on receivers Reggie Wayne, who earned Pro Bowl honors with 1,355 yards and five touchdowns, and T.Y. Hilton, who led the Colts with seven TDs. Indianapolis achieved balance offensively with running back Vick Ballard, who had a team-high 814 rushing yards. The Colts made the playoffs but lost in the wild-card round.
Bears reality: Chicago has never had a quarterback pass for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season. Luck crossed that first threshold as a rookie despite being sacked 41 times behind a struggling offensive line.
The upgrades the Bears have made to their starting front five, along with the replenished depth at tackle and guard, should have Williams in a better situation to operate than Luck was in as a rookie.
Inherited: The Seahawks finished 7-9 in 2011, with Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch and fullback Michael Robinson leading the way on offense, and Kam Chancellor and Brandon Browner on defense.
Rookie season: Wilson beat out Matt Flynn for the starting QB job and tied the then-record for touchdown passes thrown by a rookie (26). Seattle’s 2012 draft class brought an influx of talent to a roster that would reach 11 wins and the divisional playoffs.
Seattle boasted six Pro Bowlers in 2012 and four All-Pro selections, including offensive linemen Russell Okung and Max Unger.
Bears reality: Chicago didn’t have as deep of a draft class this year as Seattle did in 2012, but the Bears will lean on WR Rome Odunze and punter Tory Taylor for immediate contributions.
Inherited: The Ravens finished 5-11 in 2007, led by Pro Bowl running back Willis McGahee and All-Pro safety Ed Reed.
Rookie season: Flacco threw for 2,971 yards and 14 touchdowns while running in two more scores, which earned him Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. His top weapons were wide receiver Derek Mason, who had 1,037 receiving yards, and first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl fullback Le’Ron McClain.
Baltimore put together an 11-win season in 2008 and reached the AFC title game largely because of its defense. The Ravens allowed the third-fewest points per game (15.3), second-fewest yards per play (4.5) and fewest first downs per game (14.3).
Bears reality: The Ravens were similar to the Bears of the last decade as Chicago’s inconsistent quarterback play squandered contributions from solid defenses. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were named All-Pro players and Pro Bowlers in 2008 while Terrell Suggs and Brendon Ayanbadejo earned Pro Bowl honors.
Chicago’s defense returns two Pro Bowlers in Johnson and Sweat and was No. 1 in interception rate (3.57%) and rushing yards allowed per game (86.4). After acquiring Sweat at the trade deadline, the Bears ranked sixth in opponent passer rating, 16th in sack percentage, seventh in QB hits, 14th in pressure percentage and 10th on third down in Weeks 10-18.
Matt Ryan
Drafted by the Atlanta Falcons: Round 1, No. 3 overall, 2008
Inherited: The Falcons finished 4-12 in 2007 and had no Pro Bowlers.
Rookie season: The Falcons boasted a 1,000-yard rusher in Michael Turner, who earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, and a 1,000-yard receiver in Roddy White, who made the Pro Bowl.
Ryan’s favorite two weapons helped him lead Atlanta to become a top-10 offense, while the Falcons’ defense ranked 11th. Atlanta reached 11 wins and lost in the wild-card round.
Kyle Orton
Drafted by the Bears: Round 4, No. 106 overall, 2005
Inherited: The Bears finished 5-11 in 2004 with center Olin Kreutz being the lone Pro Bowl player.
Rookie season: The Bears’ offense relied heavily on their run game, which ranked ninth, during Orton’s rookie season. Orton ranked 33rd out of 34 starting quarterbacks in completion percentage (51.6%) and threw for 1,869 yards as a rookie.
Chicago’s No. 1-ranked defense carried the Bears to an NFC North title and 11 wins before the Bears lost in the divisional playoffs. Kreutz was the only Bears offensive player to be named to the Pro Bowl in 2005, while the defense featured All-Pro picks Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs and sent the two linebackers plus Mike Brown, Nathan Vasher and Tommie Harris to the Pro Bowl.
Bears reality: The days of Bears teams looking like they did in 2005 should be over. Chicago enters the 2024 season with a defense that finished fifth in weighted DVOA but with an offense that should also be a strength. Chicago’s three projected starting wide receivers combined for 4,247 receiving yards in the NFL and college last season (DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze).
Inherited: The Steelers finished 6-10 in 2003 with Pro Bowlers in wide receiver Hines Ward and left guard Alan Faneca.
Rookie season: Roethlisberger won all 13 games he started as a rookie, which set an NFL record, and the 15-1 Steelers reached the AFC title game. He ranked fifth in passer rating (98.1) and threw for 2,631 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with only 99 incompletions (196 of 295 passes completed). He was aided by the strong running back duo of Jerome Bettis, who became a Pro Bowler, and Duce Staley, who operated behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines (Faneca was named All-Pro for a third time in 2004). The Steelers’ defense allowed the fewest points and yards.
Bears reality: The Bears finished second in the league in rushing yards per game last season, averaging 141.1. Part of that was because of the passing game struggling and attempting the fifth-fewest passes in the league.
Swift, the running back the Bears signed to a three-year, $24.5 million contract, is coming off a Pro Bowl season with Philadelphia, where he rushed for 1,049 yards and totaled five TDs. Khalil Herbert finished second in rushing (611 yards) on the Bears last season behind quarterback Justin Fields (657).
DALLAS — Jason Kidd found a groove with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving a season after a chaotic ending to the first two months together for the Dallas superstars.
The Mavericks coach has his team advancing in the playoffs for the second time in his three years in charge, and the 51-year-old now has a contract extension to go with it.
Kidd signed a multiyear deal Monday, the day before Dallas opens a second-round playoff series against Oklahoma City. The Mavs moved on by beating the Los Angeles Clippers in six games.
A year ago, Dallas missed the playoffs after reaching the 2022 Western Conference finals in Kidd’s debut as coach for the team he helped win a championship as a point guard in 2011.
The blockbuster trade for Irving in February 2023 wasn’t the catalyst the Mavs hoped for another postseason run. Instead, the team tanked at the end of the regular season to try to preserve a draft pick, even when there were still mathematical hopes of qualifying for the play-in tournament.
Kidd was the front man for all the tough questions in the final days of the regular season, and got a vote of confidence from then-owner Mark Cuban. Dallas kept the draft pick, and first-rounder Dereck Lively II had a significant impact as a rookie center.
“Last year, we learned a lot about character, about the team,” Kidd said. “At the time, everyone had their opinion. But understanding what the plan is internally, I thought we executed the plan. Being calm and not losing your mind or being offended of what others say turned out to be the right thing.”
Irving re-signed with Dallas, and after Cuban sold his majority stake to the casino-linked families of Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson, a late-season surge lifted the Mavs to fifth in the West at 50-32.
The extension for Kidd comes after his name surfaced in reports of the Lakers’ coaching search. Los Angeles fired Darvin Ham last week.
Terms of the deal weren’t released. Doncic and Irving are under team control together for one more season. Irving has a player option in his contract for 2025-26, Doncic the following season.
“We are excited to have coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension,” said Dumont, who is the team’s governor while Cuban has the role of alternate governor. “We are looking forward to his leadership in continuing to build and grow this already great franchise.”
A hall of famer as a player, Kidd ended his career second on the all-time list for assists behind John Stockton. He went into coaching immediately upon retirement, leading Brooklyn to the second round of the playoffs in his first season in 2013-14 before Milwaukee hired him away from the Nets.
The Bucks fired Kidd in the middle of his fourth season — with a pair of first-round playoff exits the first three years — and he spent two years as an assistant with the Lakers, including when LA won the NBA title in the 2020 playoff bubble.
Kidd, who replaced Rick Carlisle in Dallas, has a 140-106 regular-season record with the Mavs and is 323-296 overall.
After Kidd and NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavs to the 2011 title, they didn’t win another playoff series until beating Utah in the first round under Kidd two years ago. Now Dallas has three series victories in three seasons.
“Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, which cannot be duplicated,” general manager Nico Harrison said. “He has earned the trust and respect of our players and that of so many across the league.”
___
This story corrects a previous version to put Dallas’ record this season at 50-32.
HACKENSACK, N.J. – The New Jersey Under Armour Camp on Sunday attracted some of the best prospects in the Northeast and there were plenty of impressive performances despite cold, windy, and rainy conditions. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman shares four quick takeaways from the event.
BRYCE UNDERWOOD, MATT ZOLLERS MAKE A STATEMENT
Matt Zollers
Five-star LSU quarterback commit Bryce Underwood is one of a tightly bunched group of players involved in the race for No. 1 in the Rivals250. He has just recently begun hitting the offseason camp circuit in a major way and has, unsurprisingly, impressed at each event. Two weeks ago at OT7 in Orlando and then this past weekend at the New Jersey Under Armour Camp, Underwood showed off the unique physical abilities that help him shine on the field. As a passer, he’s able to put the ball anywhere on the field with touch and timing. Though he may be slightly less developed when it comes to his footwork and mechanics, it’s not an exaggeration to say he has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in this class. There will be more opportunities to see Underwood perform against elite competition this offseason and tracking his development throughout the rest of the process should tell us a lot about how the race between him and current Rivals250 No. 1 and USC quarterback commit Julian Lewis will play out.
Missouri quarterback commit Matt Zollers has been trending upward throughout the offseason and it’s fair to say he’ll find himself in the Rivals250 when the rankings are updated at the end of the spring camp season. The four-star out of Pennsylvania has gotten better and better with each event he participates in and this weekend effort was his best yet. His well-rounded skill set and outstanding arm strength, coupled with his ability to consistently deliver an accurate and catchable pass on short and immediate routes make him a high floor prospect. Missouri fans should be really excited about where Zollers is in his development process and how well his skill set fits in with Eliah Drinkwitz’s offensive scheme.
*****
TYLER MERRILL LIVES UP TO THE HYPE
The camp on Sunday was the first major offseason camp that Tyler Merrill participated in and it could not have gone much better. The top-ranked guard in the 2026 class has an excellent build for an offensive lineman and has plenty of quickness and strength to hold up against the best defensive linemen in the nation. The 6-foot-5 Pennsylvania native played almost exclusively left tackle during one-on-ones on Sunday and dominated the competition. Merrill was quick at the snap, patient in his pass set, had a powerful punch, and strong hands, which he used to redirect defensive linemen. Only once was he beaten by an outside pass rusher but the rest of the time, Merrill was as solid as he could have hoped.
*****
PROMISING UNDERCLASSMEN QUARTERBACKS EMERGING
Even though the weather on Sunday was not ideal for quarterbacks, there were still a number of underclassmen at the position who stood out. Semaj Beals and Qur’an McNeill are two quarterbacks in the 2026 class who have already landed some impressive offers at this stage of their careers. Both rated as three-star prospects, Beals and McNeill each have the traits and skill set that are obviously attractive to college coaches. We could see more big offers come their way as they show off more consistent accuracy against tight coverage from defensive backs.
Christopher Vargas in the 2028 class and 2027 prospects Peter Bourque and Kahden Davis are all very intriguing prospects. As an incoming freshman, Vargas is a towering quarterback with a quick release and solid throwing mechanics for this point in his career. Bourque and Davis are a bit more polished as 2027 quarterbacks. Bourque’s passes could really pierce through the wind on Sunday. Davis arrived early and threw to the running backs during their one-on-one session against the linebackers in addition to competing in the later session with the receivers and defensive backs. The wind and rain along with the varying speed of his intended targets made it tough for him to throw with consistent timing but the raw tools he possesses will make him one of the more interesting quarterback prospects in the East region.
*****
WEATHER TAKES A TOLL ON RECEIVERS AND DEFENSIVE BACKS
The weather conditions on Sunday were really unfortunate for the players, regardless of their position, but the receivers, defensive backs, and quarterbacks really felt the brunt of the cold, wind, and rain. At no point in the day was it raining harder than during the one-on-one session between the receivers and defensive backs. It was hard for receivers to consistently catch the ball but prospects like Lex Cyrus, Notre Dame commit Elijah Burress, Messiah Hampton, and Penn State commit Lyrick Samuel were able to stand out. Syracuse commit Terrell Wilfong, Qeanu Johnson, Carter Bonner, Syracuse commit Darien Williams, Jourdin Houston and Ohio State commit De’zie Jones also flashed at various points during position drills and one-on-ones.
While some receivers had a difficult time catching passes in the rain, there were a lot of defensive backs who lost their footing thanks to the slick turf. Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, Rutgers commit Renick Dorilas, Larry Moon and DeMari Clemons were able to win a lot of reps. Four-star Jordan Thomas, Ohio State commit DeShawn Stewart, Terron Johnson and Charles Bell also had their fair share of wins and showed off impressive technical skills during the position drills prior to one-on-ones.
BEREA, Ohio — With no first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft and no selections in the top 50, the Cleveland Browns were unlikely to get a blue-chip prospect.
But among the team’s six picks, the Browns’ first selection was a player they believe has an invaluable skill set, one that could allow him to make an impact as a rookie.
The Browns selected Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. with the No. 54 overall pick, and though he was the seventh defensive tackle selected in the second round, Cleveland got a player it views is a perfect fit for its scheme.
“With Mike, he’s really tailor-made for our attack front,” general manager Andrew Berry said. “He’s explosive, he’s quite quick. He can rush the passer. He’s long, and he plays, really with a very high motor. He’s really the quintessential 3-technique in our defense. And for us, pass-rushers will always come at a premium, especially those that can affect the pocket from inside, and we think that’s something that Mike will be able to do along our front. So, we’re really excited to kind of keep him home, so to speak, and think his skill set and passion really matches perfectly for our organization.”
Hall, an Ohio native, recorded six sacks during three seasons at Ohio State. His 4.5 sacks in 2022 were tied for the team lead.
“I would just say my explosiveness and my get off, just having my toolbox,” Hall said to describe pass-rush skills. “Just learning that from Larry Johnson, my position coach at Ohio State. He developed me great into a player, just understanding different moves that I was already good at. It’s just working off that and just having a good foundation, and he was able to build off that.”
Though Hall’s sack total dropped in his junior season, the Browns saw an impact past those raw figures. Hall had the second-highest pressure percentage among FBS players with at least 100 pass rushes from the 1-technique — shading over the center — since 2021, according to ESPN’s Stats & Information Group. The Browns’ hope is that on a deep defensive front led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and three-time Pro Bowler Za’Darius Smith, Hall can win 1-on-1 matchups inside.
In the last two offseasons, several defensive tackles who can rush the passer have received lucrative deals. Berry said scouting players who can do so is one of the hardest things to find. So, the Browns view Hall’s ability as a commodity.
“He was really one of the more disruptive forces in college football, specifically in pass rush,” Berry said.
Hall laughed off a scouting report questioning his size — 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds — and ability to hold up in the trenches. At Ohio State, his teammates gave him the nickname “Baby Aaron Donald,” a nod to his standing as a smaller but dominant lineman. Hall won’t be expected to routinely take on double teams, but Berry downplayed concerns about Hall’s stature.
“It’s not a space-eating position for us,” Berry said. “We want guys who can move. And so our prototype for the position is going to look a little bit different than other schemes in the league.”
The Browns particularly opted to take a position that was already stocked with options over a position with less depth, such as wide receiver, or even trade back to accumulate more picks. With the run on defensive tackles, the team saw it as one of the last opportunities to get a player with a rare ability.
This offseason, Cleveland re-signed Smith, Maurice Hurst II and Shelby Harris. The team also signed veteran Quinton Jefferson to join the defensive front. Their experience won’t force the team to play Hall early. Many of the team’s defensive lineman, though, are over the age of 30. That’s why the Browns see the selection of Hall as a long-term investment, especially since he won’t turn 21 until June. But given the value placed on interior pass rush and Hall’s youth, Cleveland landed a prospect who could contribute early with a ceiling they believe won’t be reached for several years.
“We’ll always want to be strong up front,” Berry said. “We want to make sure that our defensive front, it’s a lot like the (Cleveland) Guardians have a reliever day, where you’re throwing five or six pitchers for one to two innings apiece. That’s really how our defensive line rotation, that’s what it’s predicated upon, is guys throwing fastballs and then you’re really exchanging them out, almost like hockey shifts.”
Chris Wright, Toe Poke writerMay 6, 2024, 05:30 AM ET
Much to the relief of many Bayern Munich fans, the Bundesliga giants have confirmed that they will be ditching their cursed 2023-24 home kit and returning to a more familiar red design for next season.
In fact, it’s hard to imagine how club and manufacturers Adidas could have made the 2024-25 uniform any more red.
Unfortunately, that shirt corresponded with something of an annus horribilis for Bayern, who floundered as perennial nearly-men Bayer Leverkusen upset the status quo by stampeding to the Bundesliga title, thus ending the Bavarians’ 11-year reign as champions.
Of course, at time of writing they could still win the Champions League this season, but this is what counts as a bad season at the Allianz Arena.
As such, Bayern have quickly moved to draw a line under their domestic shortcomings by revealing that the club will be returning to their “magic” triple red kit (i.e. red shirt, red shorts and red socks) in the hope that it will expedite their return to the Bundesliga summit.
The clubs say that the 2024-25 home kit “reflects the heartbeat and passion that unites the players on the pitch with the fans in the stands.” Slightly spurious metaphors aside, the kit is actually quite possibly the reddest that Bayern have ever produced, with three different hues making up the overall design.
Bayern also claim that the use of three different shades of a red is a visual reference to their successes of the past, being the only German men’s team to have won the league, cup and European treble. Just not this season, unfortunately.
The kit will be worn in a match for the first time in the women’s DFB-Pokal final against Wolfsburg on May 9 before the men’s team turn out in it for their final home game of the season three days later, also against Wolfsburg (stream LIVE at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN+).
The club are also keen to point out that they are now the first top-level German club to adorn their new kit with a QR code, which is printed on the sleeve and allows fans to access digital content provided by their stadium sponsor, Allianz.
We’re guessing Bayern fans would rather have a 12th consecutive Bundesliga shield to be celebrating at the moment, but the trailblazing implementation of a shirt-based barcode for next season probably makes for a serviceable runner-up prize.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Three months before Tom Brady gets roasted by critics as Fox Sports’ top NFL analyst, he took his share of barbs from comedians, former teammates and his longtime coach Sunday night during a made-for-streaming comedy live event on Netflix.
And it is safe to say after the one liners and jokes Brady heard during three hours of “The Greatest Roast of All Time” at The Forum, he will do just fine.
“It’s like a game. You run with a game plan, and then you get to see kind of how the strategy goes, and then you adjust on the fly,” Brady said before the event. “This is what a locker room has been like for me for all these years. So it’s not like I’m used to people not making fun of me.”
Comedian Nikki Glaser, whose monologue was among the funniest of the night, termed the roast as “the comedians’ Super Bowl” and how the competition level was ramped up because everyone wanted to one-up each other.
Brady sustained more blitzes and pressure than he did during an average NFL game as an impressive lineup of comedians, former teammates and opponents took the stage . Host Kevin Hart said before the event that no topic was off limits, and Hart went on the offensive early with jokes about Brady’s ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen.
“Gisele gave you an ultimatum. She said you retire or we’re done. When you got a chance to go 8-9 and all it will cost you is your wife and your kids, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” Hart said, referring to Brady coming out of a brief retirement in 2022 for one more season.
The only time Brady objected to a joke was when Jeff Ross made a reference to Patriots owner Robert Kraft and massages. In 2019, Kraft originally received a misdemeanor charge that he paid for sex at a Florida massage parlor. Prosecutors later dropped the charge after courts blocked the use of video from cameras installed by police inside the massage parlors.
Brady walked up to Ross and said in his ear “don’t say that (stuff) again”, but it was clearly caught on the microphone and heard by those watching the roast at home. It was not heard by those in attendance.
Later, Kraft and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick did a shot together on stage after some coaxing from Hart.
Belichick was fired in January after 24 seasons with the Patriots, and a lot has been written about friction between the six-time winning Super Bowl coach and owner over the past couple years.
After joking about this being like a reunion and “unlike many family reunions there are some people I am desperately trying to avoid”, Kraft praised Belichick for what the two accomplished.
“I want to say this is the greatest coach in the history of the game that did what no one else has done. And having Tom Brady and him was the greatest honor the good Lord gave me,” Kraft said.
It wasn’t the first shot (of alcohol) that Belichick took. Rob Gronkowski got Belichick and Brady to do a shot together after his monologue. Gronkowski celebrated by spiking his shot glass.
Belichick appeared at the beginning of the roast during a pre-taped segment when he told Brady that he was “starting the roast” instead of Drew Bledsoe. Brady replaced Bledsoe in 2001 when Bledsoe was injured in a Week 2 game against the Jets and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title that season.
“For all of you out there who think about who’s responsible for the Patriots success during the time Tom and I was together — was it Tom or me — in reality the truth of the matter was it was both of us because of me,” Belichick said.
Brady did have some fun at Belichick’s expense though near the end of the show.
“I’ve been out of the game for a minute, so I’m curious, how many Super Bowl rings have you won since I left?,” Brady said. “Maybe it’s not just the guy on the sideline. When I go to the Indy 500, I don’t ask the winning driver, `Hey, you gassed up your car?;”
Hart said before the show that he thought Brady was in a great mindset going into the event. Brady did come in well prepared, going over his monologue with a group of people, including those at Fox Sports.
“You have to be able to laugh at yourself and I love that he is doing in this forum,” Hart said. “I love that he is embracing the things that some people think he runs away from. It is a celebration of greatness and we are doing it in a fun way.”
Bledsoe also said that Brady has had a sense of humor, but that this was a different stage.
“I thought he was very brave. There’s plenty of material to make fun of him on,” Bledsoe said. “The truth is when you’re a professional athlete, roasting each other is kind of what we do every day in the locker room. And so, you better have thick skin going in. Now, people get to laugh along with it.”
Adam Friedman joined Rivals.com as the East Coast Recruiting Analyst in 2012 and covers D1 CFB recruits from SC to Maine & out to PA & WV. Media requests- RivalsFriedman@gmail.com
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Lando Norris believes his maiden F1 win was a “long time coming” after he won the Miami Grand Prix.
After 110 Grand Prix, Norris finally stood on the top step of an F1 podium on Sunday to become the 21st British driver to win a race.
The 24-year-old capitalised on a timely Safety Car to lead Max Verstappen with 25 laps to go and held his nerve to become F1’s 114th different race winner.
“I don’t know what I’m feeling! I’m just happy, proud. It feels like it’s been a long time coming,” Norris told Sky Sports F1.
“I feel like we’ve had many opportunities. We’ve been getting closer and closer.
“We’ve never been able to put it altogether and today was that day. We’ve been good all weekend.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris dedicated his first Grand Prix win to his family after claiming a maiden victory in Miami.
“As much as we had some setbacks – Friday Qualifying, the Sprint, not the best Qualifying on Saturday, I stayed positive. And that’s rare!
“It all just came together. We were quick all day. I had a good strategy, a good plan. I stayed out of the way of trouble in Turn One because it was very close. I just focused on our race and we were quick.
“Of course, we got a bit lucky with the Safety Car. But even after, the pace was the best on track by quite a long way.
“I have to say thanks to the team. Without this, it wouldn’t be possible.”
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Lando Norris felt the chance to win in Miami was on as soon as the safety car came out as he knew his pace was good.
Norris: I was confident when Safety Car came out
Norris had the full upgrade package in Miami from McLaren and looked quick immediately from first practice.
However, Norris was on the wrong end of a first corner collision in Saturday’s Sprint and qualified in fifth for Sunday’s race.
It initially looked like a fight for the win between Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Norris’ team-mate, Oscar Piastri, but Norris took advantage of a the Safety Car, for Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant’s collision, before cruising away from Verstappen.
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Zak Brown congratulates the whole McLaren team setup that earned Lando Norris his first Grand Prix victory at Miami.
“As soon as the Safety Car came out. Even before I felt very good. The pace was amazing, the pace was better than Max and everyone,” said Norris.
“I was a long way back but knew there could have been opportunities. Hard work turned into luck. It wasn’t just luck. Things were going well and that little extra thing helped me out.
“As soon as the Safety Car came out I wasn’t like ‘Max is going to have me here’. I was confident.
“I didn’t do the best of jobs on the restart. I defended into Turn One and from that point on it was fairly straightforward.”
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Lando Norris celebrates in style, crowdsurfing with his McLaren team as well as being congratulated by rival drivers.
Driver respect is ‘best thing’ after win
Norris was initially meant to fly out from Miami after the race, but moved his flight back to Monday, in order to continue the celebrations.
Following the race, he was congratulated by almost the entire field as he celebrated victory with his McLaren team.
“It’s incredible. That’s the best thing of all, the people you have respect for and the people you race against, when Fernando comes up to you and Lewis comes up to you, those are people I’ve looked up to since I was I kid,” he said.
“The fact I’m racing against them and… they are probably not deep down happy for me, but they are happy for me and I respect that a lot and I’m thankful for that.”
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Lando Norris pulls away from Max Verstappen at safety car restart during the Miami GP.
Norris pays tribute to De Ferran
Norris also paid tribute to former McLaren sporting director and consultant Gil de Ferran, who died at the end of last year.
De Ferran offered Norris advice when the British driver getting used to life in F1, after joining the championship in 2019.
“He helped us a lot. He said I was going to win a race in the next couple of years and I managed to do that, so a big shout out to Gil as well,” said Norris.
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz reflects on all the big talking points from the Miami Grand Prix where Lando Norris claimed his first victory in Formula One.
“My dad probably wishes he came here! But this was for my family, not just my mum and dad.
“I’ve travelled a lot, I spend a lot of time away. They have helped me since the very beginning – my brother, my sisters, my grandparents, it’s all for them.”
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CHICAGO — Bob Avellini, the former Bears quarterback who teamed with Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton to lead the Bears to the 1977 playoffs, has died. He was 70.
The Bears said Saturday that Avellini died of cancer. The team did not say when he died.
Avellini and Payton had the finest seasons of their careers in 1977, when Chicago and the Minnesota Vikings each went 9-5 in the NFC North. Minnesota won the division, while Chicago earned a wild-card playoff berth.
The Bears were beaten by Dallas 37-7 in the playoffs that season. Avellini threw 11 touchdown passes and had a career-high 2,004 yards with 18 interceptions. Payton, meanwhile, rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 14 TDs.
“Bob was one-of-kind, a fierce and tough competitor,” the team said in a statement. “He’s perhaps best remembered for leading the Bears on an improbable run in 1977 to our first postseason appearance in fourteen years. He will be missed.”
Avellini threw for 7,111 yards with 33 touchdowns and 69 interceptions in 73 games over nine seasons, from 1975 to 1984.
Avellini, from New York, was part of the same draft class as Payton, selected by Chicago in the sixth round out of Maryland in 1975. Payton was the fourth overall pick.
