AP National Sports

By The Associated Press Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has returned for an 18th season, with a cast of fresh faces around him as he chases a third Super Bowl title. Pittsburgh drafted running back Najee Harris in the first round and retooled the entire offensive line in hopes of avoiding the 1-5 slide that

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Panthers are relying on Sam Darnold to help them become relevant again. The Panthers traded second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Jets earlier this offseason for the 2018 No. 3 overall pick, who was just 13-25 in three seasons as a starter. Darnold

By The Associated Press No. 22 Coastal Carolina hopes to continue its strong run when it opens against The Citadel on Thursday night. The Chants started 11-0 and knocked off a pair of top-25 opponents in 2020 in what was among the biggest surprises of the COVID-19 impacted college football season. Coastal Carolina qualified for

By The Associated Press The once star-studded Houston Texans have lost virtually all their big names in recent years, and those departures coupled with Deshaun Watson not expected to play could make this the worst team in franchise history. After winning just four games last season with Watson and three-time Defensive Player of the Year

By The Associated Press Being better than last year is the lowest bar possible for the Jacksonville Jaguars. They went 1-15 last season. So it’s an easy goal considering the Jaguars upgraded the two most important NFL positions: head coach with Urban Meyer and quarterback with Trevor Lawrence, the top overall draft pick. Jacksonville lost

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets released cornerback Bless Austin and surprisingly moved on from a projected starter in their young secondary. The 25-year-old Austin was entering his third season with the Jets and was expected to start opposite Bryce Hall. With Austin gone,

By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have promoted general manager Jerry Dipoto to president of baseball operations and signed manager Scott Servais to a multiyear contract extension, keeping the pair locked in to oversee the completion of the franchise rebuild started three years ago. Both deals had been expected

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have parted ways with yet another unrestricted free agent they signed earlier this offseason. The Panthers released former Seahawks wide receiver David Moore and claimed guard Michael Jordan from the Cincinnati Bengals off waivers. Moore signed a two-year contract with Carolina in March that included a $1.25 million

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — New coach. New general manager. No Julio Jones. The Atlanta Falcons have embarked on a new era that doesn’t include the greatest receiver in franchise history. Jones was dealt to the Tennessee Titans for a couple of draft picks. The trade helped the Falcons deal with

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Kimi Raikkonen will retire at the end of the Formula One season, concluding a career that spanned two decades and included the 2007 world championship. Raikkonen is in the final year of his contract with Alfa Romeo. Raikkonen’s retirement will open a seat at Alfa Romeo for the 2022 season. The

By The Associated Press Only Seattle (nine) and Kansas City (eight) have had more consecutive winning seasons than the Tennessee Titans’ five straight in the NFL. The Titans overhauled the defense. They then traded for seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones. He joins an offense already led by the NFL’s back-to-back rushing leader Derrick

By The Associated Press American defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Erik Palmer-Brown, and forward Nicholas Gioacchini were loaned before Europe’s summer transfer window closed. Carter-Vickers was sent to Scotland’s Glasgow Celtic from England’s Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan. The Scottish team said it has an option to buy his rights. Gioacchini was loaned to first-tier

By The Associated Press Indianapolis already has one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, two 1,000-yard rushers and a young, confident defense. If Carson Wentz stays healthy and productive, the Colts could become a serious contender in the AFC. Yes, general manager Chris Ballard bet big on Wentz following the worst season of his five-year

By ANNA LIZ NICHOLS Associated Press/ Report for America LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State has named deputy athletic director and Spartan football alumnus Alan Haller its new athletic director. Haller has been deputy athletic director since 2019 and with the athletic department since 2010. The former campus police lieutenant played for coach George Perles

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer Atlantic Coast Conference coaches are counting on high program COVID-19 vaccination rates to minimize risks of illnesses or lineup-depleting contact tracing for the upcoming  college football season. That has meant teams working through the offseason’s final weeks toward an 85% threshold of vaccinated players, coaches and staffers. Teams that

By The Associated Press The Panthers have one of the most dynamic players in the league in running back Christian McCaffrey and a pair of returning 1,000-yard receivers in D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson along with super-talented rookie Terrace Marshall Jr. One of the biggest questions will be if the offensive line can protect new

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings are bracing for a season-long absence for on-the-rise tight end Irv Smith Jr., after knee surgery for a torn meniscus. Smith had the procedure done by team physician Dr. Christopher Larson. He was injured last week. Smith was in line for

By The Associated Press Coming off a dismal season, the Atlanta Falcons head into a rebuilding year with a new coach, a new general manager and no Julio Jones. The Falcons traded the greatest receiver in franchise history, the most prominent in a series of moves that were needed just to make the salary cap

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer Coastal Carolina has a preseason national ranking and a football program on the rise. The 22nd-ranked Chanticleers hope for another successful season when they open against The Citadel on Thursday night. Coastal was one of the biggest surprises of the 2020 COVID-19 impacted season when it went 11-1 and

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer Southeastern Conference officials are trying to get back to normal on football game days, with stadiums filled with fans and grills being fired up outside, even in a portion of the country where the states have among the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates. The SEC will fully reopen for business