Sports

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots entered the week with tough choices to make at running back. The picture has been made a bit clearer following the trade of Sony Michel to the Rams. It’s the latest sign yet that New England is confident Damien Harris is ready to

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have finalized their acquisition of ace defender Patrick Beverley. They’re sending 2019 first-round draft pick Jarrett Culver and backup forward Juancho Hernangómez to the Memphis Grizzlies. The trade was agreed to in principle last week after the Grizzlies got the 33-year-old Beverley from

By JOHN FINERAN Associated Press SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — No. 9 Notre Dame is eager to increase its scoring. The Fighting Irish averaged 33.4 points per game last season and made another trip to the College Football Playoff. The problem s that the last three national champions have averaged more than 44 points per

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer Auburn coach Bryan Harsin expects to be out of COVID-19 quarantine by game week, but says the Tigers’ vaccination rate hasn’t reached the 85% threshold required by the Southeastern Conference to avoid regular testing. Harsin, who has declined to say if he’s vaccinated, has been in quarantine since he

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer Alex Palou spent Wednesday in a simulator trying to learn as much as possible about Portland International Raceway, the next track on the IndyCar schedule. The second-year driver lost the points lead last weekend after back-to-back bad breaks knocked him out of a pair of races. The season

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer A handful of Pac-12 teams have yet to name a starting quarterback with their season openers looming. Washington state coach Nick Rolovich has trimmed the race to Jayden de Laura and graduate transfer Jarrett Guarantano. Oregon State has a three-way race going, including Tristan Gebbia, who started last

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer A diversity report found the NBA continues to lead men’s professional sports in racial and gender hiring practices. That was fueled by an increasing number of general managers and assistant coaches of color in the league. Wednesday’s report card from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs’ first-team offense will take the field for at least the first half of their preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night. Mahomes only threw two passes in their preseason opener in San

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins appears to have the inside track on landing a job with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The quarterback will get the start for Pittsburgh in the Steelers’ preseason finale against Carolina. Haskins signed with Pittsburgh in January shortly after being cut by Washington.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer The college football season is kicking off in the pandemic for a second consecutive year. Vaccination plans across the country are shaped by governors and legislatures, medical officials and university leaders. They are likely to change from week to week. Politics and policy are certain to collide. Millions of

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Pac-12 will hold a conference baseball tournament for the first time. The inaugural Pac-12 baseball tournament will be held May 25 to May 29 next year at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona. The initial agreement with the city of Scottsdale runs through 2024. The top eight teams during the regular season

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Washington has been practicing without receiver Curtis Samuel for the balance of training camp and without cornerback William Jackson for the past week. Samuel and Jackson were the team’s highest-priced, free-agent additions. Jackson signed for $40.5 million and Samuel $34.5 million over three years. Samuel

NEW YORK (AP) — Game 7 of the World Series is scheduled for Nov. 3, its latest since 2009. Major League Baseball’s postseason will start with the AL wild-card game on Oct. 5, followed by the NL wild-card matchup the following day. Both AL Division Series will start Oct. 7 and both NL Division Series

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets defensive end Vinny Curry has a rare blood disorder that required his spleen to be removed. The 33-year-old Curry wrote in a post on Twitter on Wednesday that Jets team doctors discovered the disorder last month, but he didn’t

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence will start Jacksonville’s season opener at Houston on Sept. 12. It’s one of the least surprising decisions in franchise history. Coach Urban Meyer gave Lawrence the nod over third-year pro Gardner Minshew after two preseason games and a month of training camp.

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos are going with the steady over the spectacular. Coach Vic Fangio informed the team Wednesday morning that Teddy Bridgewater edged incumbent Drew Lock to win the starting quarterback job. “It was really, really close,” Fangio said, adding there never really was

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson has a special understanding of his school’s football history that makes him want to leave his own legacy on the program. Growing up as the grandson of former Wisconsin football coach and athletic director Barry Alvarez will do that. That’s

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are still losing ground in a COVID-19 outbreak that was discovered just 90 minutes before their most recent preseason game. Coach Mike McCarthy isn’t sure how to assess the meaning two weeks before the Sept. 9 opener at Super Bowl champion

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Six Kentucky football players charged with first degree burglary have waived their cases to a state grand jury that will now hear information about a March incident at a private party. Reuben Adams, Robert McClain, Andru Phillips, Earnest Sanders IV, Devito Tisdale and Joel Williams were arrested last week following a

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan has signed forward Pietro Pellegri on loan from Monaco. Milan has the option to make the deal permanent and that becomes an obligation if certain conditions are met. The 20-year-old Pellegri is the second forward Milan has signed this offseason after the Rossoneri brought in the 34-year-old Olivier Giroud from