Sports

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer Wild-card weekend is all about familiarity. All six games feature teams that already faced off this season, including three matchups between division rivals going head-to-head for the third time and two clubs playing each other in back-to-back weeks. Bust out the popcorn. It should be a wild weekend.

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills opened the window of possibility for starting safety Micah Hyde and backup receiver Jamison Crowder to return from injury at some point during the playoffs after both were cleared Wednesday to return to practice. Hyde has been out since he required

NEW YORK Boston’s Jim Montgomery will coach the Atlantic Division, Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour the Metropolitan, Dallas’ Peter DeBoer the Central and Vegas’ Bruce Cassidy the Pacific at NHL All-Star Weekend. They were chosen because each of their teams is atop the division at the midway point of the season. Montgomery’s Bruins sit atop the league

By The Associated Press Naomi Osaka is pregnant and plans to return to competition in 2024, the tennis star announced Wednesday. The former world No. 1 posted what she called “a little life update for 2023” on social media, including a picture of an ultrasound. The 25-year-old Osaka has been dating Cordae, a rapper, for

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — The naming rights deal between FTX and Miami-Dade County has been terminated by a federal bankruptcy court. The move allows the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange’s brand to be stripped from the arena where the NBA’s Miami Heat play. The order means that before long all FTX signage

ATLANTA (AP) — The Hawks have signed Atlanta native Derrick Favors to a 10-day contract, hoping he can provide a boost at center while Clint Capela deals with a calf injury. Favors is a 12-year NBA veteran who played one season at Georgia Tech before he was selected No. 3 overall pick by the Nets

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills safety Damar Hamlin was released from a Buffalo hospital on Wednesday, more than a week after he went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated during a game at Cincinnati, after his doctors said they completed a series of tests. A news

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer Returning a kick or punt for a touchdown has never been rarer in the NFL with one coming on average every 30 games. So when there’s a moment like there was Sunday when Nyheim Hines electrified the crowd in Buffalo with not one but two kickoff return scores

By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox manager Alex Cora had a sense that Rafael Devers would be sticking around during a high-level, mid-December meeting in the Dominican Republic when the rough terms of a new deal were discussed. Cora said: “His eyes got as big as when he sees a

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel says quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and has been ruled out for Sunday’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa has not yet been cleared to return to football activities. The Dolphins are preparing for rookie Skylar Thompson to be their

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Jim Schwartz is getting the first crack to prove to the Browns that he can fix their troubled defense. Detroit’s former coach is the first candidate to interview with Cleveland for its defensive coordinator position after coach Kevin Stefanski fired Joe Woods earlier this week

By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NFL has announced all eight skills competitions for the Pro Bowl. Five of the events will be Feb. 2 at Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center, the headquarters for the Las Vegas Raiders. The rest are Feb. 5 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. Seven-on-seven flag football

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills safety Damar Hamlin was released from a Buffalo hospital on Wednesday, more than a week after he went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated during a game at Cincinnati, after his doctors said they completed a series of tests. A news

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Correa finally has a deal done. He passed his physical exam and finalized a $200 million, six-year contract with Minnesota. Correa agreed to return to the Twins after richer deals with the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets both dissolved over concerns by those