Sports

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says he is encouraged by the progress of quarterback Desmond Ridder and the potential of building the team around the rookie. Blank spoke with Falcons reporters from the Super Bowl. He expressed confidence in the direction of the team following a 7-10 finish under

By MARK ANDERSON AND DOUG FEINBERG AP Sports Writers LAS VEGAS (AP) — The WNBA is investigating former Las Vegas player Dearica Hamby’s allegations that the Aces bullied and manipulated her for being pregnant, the league said in a statement. It was the first time the league acknowledged publicly it was looking into the situation.

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho responded in style to cruel taunts from Leeds fans as Manchester United rallied to salvage a 2-2 draw in the Premier League. Both players scored in a rousing second-half comeback after facing chants of “You let your country down” in

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer Forward Alex Morgan says the U.S. national team should have internal discussions about whether to play exhibition games in states that restrict transgender kids from participating in sports. The national team is currently preparing for the SheBelieves Cup, a round-robin tournament with Canada, Brazil and Japan that starts

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State football coach Mike Norvell, whose team ended last season with a six-game winning streak, was rewarded with a three-year contract extension that will pay him an average of $8.05 million annually through 2029. The school released the contract Wednesday. It will pay Norvell $5.6 million in 2023 with annual

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN AP Sports Writer Marseille has celebrated its first home win against Paris Saint-Germain in more than a decade to reach the quarterfinals of the French Cup. Marseille beat its bitter rival 2-1 on Wednesday. Marseille had rarely looked so dominant against PSG since the Paris club started its supremacy in France after

PHOENIX (AP) — Ron Rivera’s dad served in the United States Army for 32 years. So for the coach of the Washington Commanders, winning the NFL’s Salute to Service Award was extra special. The award honors league personnel who take tangible steps to honor and support military communities. USAA — which sponsors the honor —

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Real Madrid has secured its place in the Club World Cup final with a 4-1 win against Egyptian club Al Ahly to keep alive its quest for a record-extending eighth world title. Vinícius Júnior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo and Sergio Arribas scored for the Spanish side, which will play Al-Hilal in Saturday’s

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue will replace Phoenix’s Monty Williams on the USA Basketball men’s national team coaching staff for this year’s World Cup and next year’s Paris Olympics. Lue joins head coach Steve Kerr of Golden State and fellow assistants Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat and

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Facing blowback, the director of Florida’s high school sports governing body is backing away from using an eligibility form that requires female athletes to disclose their menstrual history in order to compete. Instead, the executive director of the Florida High School Athletic Association is recommending that

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — After cutting ties with Josef Martinez, Atlanta United has bolstered its front line by signing Greek forward Giorgos Giakoumakis. The 28-year-old Giakoumakis comes to Major League Soccer from Celtic F.C., where he led the Scottish Premiership in goals and helped the team win both the league

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker went to salary arbitration with the World Series champion Houston Astros, asking for $7.5 million rather than the team’s $5 million offer. The $2.5 million gap matched the largest among 33 players who exchanged proposed salaries with their teams last month. The case was heard by

PHOENIX (AP) — Michael Irvin has been pulled from the remainder of NFL Network’s Super Bowl week coverage after a complaint about Irvin’s behavior in a hotel Sunday night. The Hall of Fame wide receiver went on a Dallas radio station Wednesday and said he was asked by network officials to move to another hotel

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will undergo surgery on his injured elbow later this month and should be fully recovered by training camp. A person familiar with the decision said Purdy will undergo the surgery on Feb. 22 to repair the torn ligament in his right elbow.

By JOHN MARSHALL AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Damar Hamlin has been named winner of the NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award and made a brief appearance in Phoenix during Super Bowl week to receive the award. Hamlin read a brief statement with his parents on stage with him at the Phoenix Convention Center. The

By ROB MAADDI and STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writers PHOENIX (AP) — Ron Rivera says Sam Howell will go into preparations for the 2023 season as the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback. Rivera said on AP’s Pro Football Podcast that Howell will have to earn the job to keep it. Washington drafted Howell in the fifth

PARIS (AP) — French Cup holder Nantes snatched a late equalizer against Angers before prevailing in a penalty shootout to advance to the quarterfinals. The match finished 1-1 and Nantes players were flawless during the 4-2 shootout while Amine Salama and Faouzi Ghoulam missed for the hosts. Lyon wasted a two-goal lead but also advanced