John Tavares redirected a shot from Morgan Rielly into the net with five seconds left in overtime to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Ducks in a fight-marred game Monday night.
The Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit with three goals in the third period, including Rielly’s snap shot from the high slot that beat Ducks goalie Ville Husso stick-side to give Toronto a 4-3 lead with three minutes left in regulation.
But Leo Carlsson, who hobbled to the locker room after taking a hard hit and falling to the ice in the first minute of the third, gathered a loose puck near the left circle and flicked a shot past Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz to make it 4-4 with 1:39 left.
Tavares added a first-period goal, and Stolarz stopped 28 of 32 shots for Toronto, which took the ice about 1½ hours after general manager Brad Treliving was fired near the end of his third season, with the Maple Leafs on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier scored in the first 10 minutes, and John Carlson scored his first goal for the Ducks. Gauthier, who leads the Pacific Division-leading Ducks with 38 goals and 65 points, suffered an upper-body injury on a cross-check late in the first and did not return. Husso had 22 saves.
Ducks captain Radko Gudas, slowed by a lower-body injury, insisted on playing in the rematch of a March 12 game in which his knee-on-knee hit on Auston Matthews led to a season-ending injury for the Toronto captain and a five-game suspension for Gudas.
It took three seconds for the Leafs to exact some revenge, Toronto forward Max Domi and Gudas dropping the gloves and exchanging punches as soon as the puck dropped.
That set the tone for a hard-hitting game that featured a combined 85 penalty minutes, numerous scuffles and game misconducts incurred by Toronto’s Michael Pezzetta and Domi in the second.
Wales host Northern Ireland in a friendly on Tuesday, a match that nobody wants.
The fixture is having to take place because both teams lost their World Cup play-off semi-finals on Thursday, against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy respectively.
So, while the winners of those ties face each other in Zenica for a place at this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the losers must meet in Cardiff.
The game will provide fringe players with a chance to impress their bosses, Craig Bellamy and Michael O’Neill, who are understandably keen to stress the value of this encounter.
But for the fans and anyone else associated with these teams, this is a tough sell.
“For the supporters, it’s a complete dead rubber. It is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard – it’s pointless,” was the blunt assessment from former Northern Ireland midfielder Chris Brunt.
The reality, however, is that international football’s governing bodies have decreed the game must go ahead, whether anyone likes it or not.
CHICAGO — Edward Cabrera pitched six shutout innings, Ian Happ hit a solo homer and the Chicago Cubs beat the Angels 7-2 on Monday night.
Cabrera gave up one hit and walked one in his Chicago debut, delighting the crowd of 36,702 on a picturesque night at Wrigley Field. The 6-foot-5 right-hander was acquired in a January trade with Miami.
Carson Kelly and Moisés Ballesteros each drove in two runs for the Cubs (2-2) in the opener of a three-game series.
Yoán Moncada hit a two-run homer for the Angels (2-3) in their third consecutive loss. Ryan Johnson (0-1) yielded six runs and seven hits over 3⅓ innings in his first career start.
Angels star Mike Trout went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts after collecting six hits and walking seven times over the first four games of the season.
Johnson struggled with his control in the first, walking the bases loaded. Pete Crow-Armstrong reached on an 11-pitch walk ahead of Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice fly. Kelly made it 3-0 with a two-out fly ball that landed just out of the reach of a lunging Trout in shallow right-center for a two-run single.
The Cubs added three more in the third. Happ extended his homer streak to three games, and Ballesteros grounded a two-run single into right field.
Cabrera (1-0) struck out five while throwing 80 pitches, 49 for strikes. Colin Rea worked three innings for his first save of the season, striking out Moncada with two runners on for the final out.
Roy Hodgson said there was much he missed about football after coming out of retirement to return to the dugout as caretaker manager of Bristol City.
The 78-year-old accepted the role at the Championship club until the end of the season following the sacking of Gerhard Struber on Friday.
The former England manager has not worked since leaving Crystal Palace in 2024 and confirmed he will only be in the position for City’s seven remaining games, insisting he was “too old” for a long-term position.
“You don’t work at top-level football at my age really very often,” Hodgson said.
“I’d come to terms with that quite well then something like this happens and you realise that there’s a lot I do miss.
“Having this opportunity to get a feel for that again, and have a chance to work with a good group of players – it seems from what I saw this morning – and to relive being on the grass and doing the coaching, which I’ve always been really keen to do, and with a group of players without necessarily having all the drawbacks.”
Hodgson returns to the club where he began his career in 1982, spending four months as Bristol City manager during a turbulent financial time when the club nearly went out of business.
“I’ve been perfectly happy in my retirement period – a little bit bored from time to time – but a challenge like this was hard to turn down,” Hodgson said.
“Plus the fact it is Bristol which is a lovely city and I do have fond memories of my time here, despite the fact I shouldn’t have fond memories – I should be having nightmares.”
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is on Real Madrid’s shortlist, Juventus are eyeing Manchester United‘s Manuel Ugarte, while Newcastle receive a boost in their bid to keep hold of Sandro Tonali.
Newcastlehave been given a boost in their bid to keep hold of Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali this summer with Serie A clubs unlikely to be able to afford the 25-year-old. (Talksport), external
Newcastle have agreed a deal in principle to sign Independiente del Valle’s 16-year-old Ecuadorian winger Johan Martinez. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Newcastle‘s contract talks have stalled with England defender Tino Livramento, opening the door for a summer exit for the 23-year-old. (Football Insider), external
“The US government has deported more than 500,000 people from the USA in 2025, more than six times as many people than will watch the World Cup final in the MetLife Stadium”, said Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice Steve Cockburn.
“…It’s a deeply troubling time in the US, which will certainly extend to fans who want to take part in World Cup celebrations.”
Last month, the acting head of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said that the agency is “a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup”, vowing it was “dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event”.
Earlier this year, ICE agents shot and killed two American citizens as part of US president Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
Trump has sent federal agents, as well as the National Guard, to major US cities over the past year to make good on his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration. They have been met with protests and legal challenges in Democrat-led cities like Portland, Los Angeles and Chicago.
“Despite the astounding numbers of arrests and deportations, neither Fifa nor the US authorities have provided any guarantees that fans and local communities will be safe from ethnic and racial profiling, indiscriminate raids, or unlawful detention and deportation,” said Cockburn.
“Only four of the 16 host cities have so far published their human rights plans, and none of those that have done so to date say anything about protection from abusive immigration enforcement.
“This World Cup is no longer the ‘medium risk’ tournament that Fifa once judged it to be – whether it is to protect people from ICE, guarantee the right to protest or prevent homelessness, urgent action is needed to make sure the reality of this World Cup matches its original promise.”
Amnesty says that ICE and other agencies “pose a chilling threat to people living in the US, those traveling to see a game, and players themselves”.
It added: “Fans face intrusive surveillance, with proposals to force visitors to make their social media accounts available for vetting, and screening for “anti-Americanism”.
In January, fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) told BBC Sport it was “extremely concerned by the ongoing militarisation of police forces in the US” before the World Cup”.
At the time, Fifa said the safety and security of fans and participants was its “top priority”, adding it works closely with local authorities “to plan, co-ordinate and deliver comprehensive security measures for the tournament”.
The White House’s World Cup Task Force said that the tournament will be “the largest, safest, and most welcoming sporting event in history” and that it was working to deliver an event “that highlights America’s hospitality, commitment to security, and spirit of excellence”. It promised that fans “can look forward to a smooth, secure, and truly unforgettable tournament”.
And the campaign group also claims that in Canada, a growing housing crisis has “raised fears that people experiencing homelessness will again be displaced and pushed further to the margins”.
LAS VEGAS — The Super Bowl will return to Las Vegas in 2029 for the second time after NFL owners voted Monday to award the nation’s gambling and entertainment capital the big game.
Las Vegas getting the Super Bowl back seemed only like a matter of time after Kansas City defeated San Francisco 25-22 in overtime at Allegiant Stadium in February 2024.
Commissioner Roger Goodell all but gave the return his blessing after the first Super Bowl in a city the league long shunned because of concerns about legalized sports betting.
“We’re excited to bring the Super Bowl back to Las Vegas and provide our fans another incredible experience in one of America’s greatest sport and entertainment destinations,” Goodell said in a statement.
“Super Bowl LVIII demonstrated the scale, energy and hospitality the city brings to global events, and we look forward to working alongside the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Raiders and the community to deliver an even greater experience this time around.”
Judd Trump beat Mark Allen in a back-and-forth contest to progress in the first round of the Tour Championship in Manchester.
World number one Trump made a slow start as Allen won the opening four frames, but breaks of 71, 104 and 88 helped the Englishman level the match.
Northern Ireland’s Allen made a break of 121 to move ahead again, before Trump took the next two frames to lead for the first time.
Allen made another 121 break to level at 6-6, but from there Trump kept his nose in front, securing breaks of 114 and 100 as he wrapped up the contest 10-8.
World number one Trump, 36, set up a quarter-final against England’s Shaun Murphy, who received a bye to the last eight.
The match was the only one to reach a conclusion on the opening day of the tournament, with England’s Barry Hawkins leading Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5-3 when play ended.
The other first-round tie saw China’s Wu Yize end the day 6-2 up against England’s Chris Wakelin.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. The Dodgers are on pace to finish 162-0! That might be a record.
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Some random thoughts after an opening three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
—It is apparent that the Dodgers will never be out of almost any game. They’re 3-0, and they trailed in all three games.
—Opening day is always fun, filled with pomp and circumstance.
—However, having the starting lineup on opening day come in from center field, walk up a stage and back down it, was a bit much. Even the players seemed somewhat embarrassed, and I was just waiting for someone to turn an ankle on the stairs.
—Shohei Ohtani is hitting only .125. He is so overpaid.
—Clayton Kershaw did really well as an analyst. He seemed to know a lot about the Dodgers. I wonder how?
—Bob Costas told Kershaw he had permission to leave in a few minutes for the ring ceremony. Way to do your homework there, Bob. The ring ceremony was the next day.
—Kershaw sat in the stands next to the dugout during the game. Sitting across the aisle from him was Magic Johnson. Two of the greatest sports legends in L.A. history. We have an embarrassment of riches here.
—Alex Freeland certainly showed why he belongs on the roster. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, Hyeseong Kim went five for five on Saturday.
—It took all the way until the second inning of the second game of the season to get an email from a reader concerned about the team. “They don’t look ready!”
—Will Smith comes through on Will Smith bobblehead night. You can’t write it any better than that.
—OK, the Timmy Trumpet entrance by Edwin Díaz is really cool. If you haven’t seen it, you can here.
—That brings me a to quick poll. Which Dodgers closer had the best entrance?
—Eric Gagne, “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses —Kenley Jansen, “California Love” by Tupac Shakur —Edwin Díaz, “Narco” by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet
—Remember in the last newsletter when we talked about Will Klein perhaps reaching a new level after his Game 3 performance last season? Well, he has pitched two scoreless innings and has a win.
—The first three batters in the lineup are hitting below .200, but the Dodgers are 3-0. A good sign.
—If you believe social media, there were apparently a lot of fights in the stands in the opening homestand. I can’t speak as to this season yet, but in the past it has always been ridiculously easy to get around their beer limitation policies. And alcohol has been a prime factor in every fight I’ve ever seen there.
—What a bizarre schedule. Games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but no game on Sunday.
—Take a look at the very, very early NL West standings. Maybe the experts were right about everyone except the Dodgers finishing with a losing record.
Dodgers, 3-0 San Diego, 1-2 Arizona, 0-3 Colorado, 0-3 San Francisco, 0-3
—The Dodgers’ magic number is 158. Too soon?
—There are only 159 games left to go in the season.
Meet Maddie Lee
Jack Harris, our former Dodgers beat writer, has left us to become a Tibetan monk (at least, that’s what I’ve heard). We have a new Dodgers beat writer this season: Maddie Lee, who spent the last few years covering the Chicago Cubs. Here’s a Q&A with her:
Q. Welcome to The Times. What was the road that led you here?
Lee: Thank you. It was a pretty winding road, to be honest. I grew up in Seattle, played Division III softball in Portland, and have covered everything from high school football, to MLS, to the NBA. But the last six years I’ve been a Cubs beat writer, first for NBC Sports Chicago and then for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Q. We will just jump right into the fire: Roki Sasaki. He looks lost at times. Is he really the best pick for the rotation?
Lee: Sasaki’s spring performance rightfully made him a controversial pick. And if his first regular-season start goes the same way, we could very well see Justin Wrobleski coming in to pitch multiple innings behind him. But with Sasaki’s record in Japan, and even last year, the Dodgers are hoping that pitching in games that matter will help him snap into compete mode and pull out a better version than we’ve seen so far. And if that doesn’t happen, they may have to reevaluate.
Q.You covered the Cubs for a bit. Have you detected any big differences in the way the teams do things? Which team has the best press box?
Lee: I haven’t been around the Dodgers enough yet to give a fair comparison between the organizations. But I’ve spent plenty of time in both press boxes. The Wrigley Field press box is roomier, but this time of year it’s also usually freezing.
Q.Why Alex Freeland and not Hyeseong Kim?
Lee: This was another decision that wasn’t rooted in spring performance. The Dodgers thought Kim could get value going to triple A, where he could get his swing and plate discipline back on track with regular at-bats, while also playing multiple positions. On the other hand, they saw a greater development opportunity for Freeland in the majors, where he’d be tested against a higher caliber of pitching. And it’s not a long-term decision. Kim is expected to make an impact on the major-league roster this year. And when Tommy Edman is ready to return from the IL, the Dodgers will have to clear a spot on the active roster for him.
Q. For many of our readers, covering the Dodgers sounds like a dream job. But there’s travel, little free time, not to mention the fact you have to try and find somewhere to live and move all your belongings. What do you do in your little free time to stay sane?
Lee: Let me be clear, it’s definitely a dream job. That will never be lost on me.
Also, what’s this free time you speak of?
Just kidding, most of my time away from the ballpark is spent with my dog, who loves beach walks and hikes.
Q. I understand you once had Tommy John surgery! What was that recovery like, and can you still touch 100 on the radar?
Lee: I had TJ between my freshman and sophomore year in college. I also got nerve damage from the operation, which added a bit of a wrinkle to the recovery, but I played all four years. I was a catcher and luckily my biggest strength was my softball IQ, not any physical gifts. What a shock that I would end up in the press box rather than on the field.
Q. Lastly, some Dodger fans aren’t satisfied unless the Dodgers build a 20-game lead in April and then slowly pull away. Do you have a prediction for how many games they will win this season?
Lee: I like using PECOTA projections as a jumping off point. They have the Dodgers at 103 wins, which would be a big improvement from their 93-win season last year. But the Dodgers obviously dealt with the injury bug last year and underperformed in the regular season. And, of course, Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz were big offseason additions. So, 103 wins feels attainable. I’ll go with 100.
The new rings are here
A detailed look at the inside of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.
(The Champions Collective)
The Dodgers gave out World Series rings on Friday. The diamond- and sapphire-encrusted rings include engravings of the 2024 and 2025 trophies on both the outside and inside of the ring.
The L.A. logo is made up of 17 custom-cut blue sapphires, one for every postseason game the Dodgers played last year.
On the underside side of the ring, the four playoff series are listed, along with “11.01.25,” the date of Game 7 of the World Series.
A detailed look at the inside of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.
(The Champions Collective)
The ring top holds dirt collected from home plate during Game 7, visible through a glass window when the ring is opened. Inside the ring sits a band that’s also set with sapphires and a diamond.
The total attendance figure for the 2025 season (4,012,470) gleams in blue on the bottom of the ring. Each player’s ring is also personalized with his signature, last name and number.
Up next
Monday: Cleveland (*-Parker Messick) at Dodgers (Roki Sasaki), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Tuesday: Cleveland (TBA) at Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Wednesday: Cleveland (Gavin Williams) at Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto), 5:20 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
O’Neill has always spoken of wanting his players to play at the highest level, but as mentioned, a significant number of players will be going up against his Rovers to avoid the drop and it’s tight at the bottom.
They include Price at West Brom, who are also four points above the relegation zone, Ciaron Brown, Jamie McDonnell, Jamie Donley and Brodie Spencer at Oxford United, who are one point from safety and Terry Devlin at Portsmouth, who are one point above the drop, while he manages Tom Atcheson at Rovers.
Is it a cause for concern for Northern Ireland that the international boss could potentially relegate some of his regulars in the international squad?
O’Neill certainly didn’t think so.
When asked in February he said he isn’t “having that blood on my hands” and the fate of those clubs lay with their respective managers.
“At the end of the day, my job is to do the best I can for Blackburn Rovers,” he said.
“The lads who manage those respective clubs, their job is to do the best for their clubs as well. I don’t think that’s an issue at all.”
Cynics may question whether O’Neill, who will have reduced preparation time with Rovers for two big games by virtue of preparing NI to face Wales, will deliberately disadvantage Championship rivals while in charge of NI in terms of how he manages the aforementioned players’ loads against Wales with a busy spell of domestic action to follow.
Coincidentally, three of the four players released from the NI squad in Norwich’s Ruairi McConville (knee), Preston’s Ali McCann (knock) and Hull City’s Paddy McNair (thigh) will face three of O’Neill relegation rivals in Portsmouth, Leicester and Oxford on Friday.
O’Neill would refute any suggestion of meddling no doubt and when asked about the cramped schedule said he was “aware of the situation” but stressed he would still focus on helping Northern Ireland win the game in Cardiff.
“We’re not in charge of the schedule of the games for either the international window or the EFL. I think 80% of my squad play in the EFL. We’re mindful of the situation for the clubs, of course, but when the clubs signed these players, they knew they were international players and, we’re not going to be reckless with the players or anything like that there, but, we have to obviously look after ourselves as a group of players,” he explained.
“The most important thing is that the players just go out and play the game. They’ll be fine. The lads who play in the EFL, they play a lot of football and they’re used to playing regular football. So they’ve got resilience and I’m sure they’ll get through the game fine.”
Joey Browner, a star defensive back at USC and a six-time NFL Pro Bowl selection, has died. He was 65.
“The Vikings are mourning the loss of Ring of Honor member Joey Browner,” the team said Sunday in a statement. “Browner will be deeply missed by former coaches and teammates, as well as many others he impacted throughout his life.”
The Vikings added in a separate post: “He helped define what it is to be an NFL safety.”
No cause of death was given. In August, former Minnesota quarterback Tommy Kramer organized a fundraiser for Browner, who Kramer said was “battling through some serious health issues.”
On Sunday, Kramer wrote about Browning on Facebook: “Not only a great player, a great person. Rest in peace my friend.”
Browner was one of six brothers, all of whom played college football and four of whom went on to play in the NFL. Younger brother Keith Browner, who also played at USC and spent five seasons in the NFL, died in November at age 63 after a sudden illness.
Oldest brother Ross Browner, who played 10 NFL seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers, died in 2022. Another older brother, Jim Browner, who played two seasons for the Bengals, died in 2024.
A high school standout in football, basketball and track and field, Browner played at USC from 1979-1982. He was named team MVP his senior year and finished his college career with nine interceptions and 40 pass deflections, as well as one punt return for a touchdown.
In the 1983 draft, Browner became the first defensive back to be selected by the Vikings in the first round (19th overall). He went on to play nine seasons in Minnesota, making the Pro Bowl six times (1985-1990), and spent his final NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Browner finished his career with 37 interceptions, 17 forced fumbles and 17 fumble recoveries. He was named to the NFL 1980s all-decade team, as selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted into the Vikings’ Ring of Honor in 2013.
Sean Salisbury, a former quarterback whose career intersected with Browner’s in college and the NFL, was one of many in the football community paying their respects to the four-time All-Pro player.
“This is a major gut punch,” Salisbury wrote on X. “I was blessed to be his teammate at USC and with the Vikings! Phenomenal player and loved by so many. One of the best players I’ve ever played with in both college and the NFL. Very grateful to have called him a good friend. God Bless him and his family.”
Former tight end Steve Jordan, who played nine seasons with Browner in Minnesota, recently visited his former teammate in the Twin Cities, according to a Vikings news release.
“We’ve lost a great friend and one of the best Vikings teammates,” Jordan said in a statement released by the team. “God blessed Joey with phenomenal talent and a big heart to love people and be a beacon of positivity. Truly, he will be missed.”
Former quarterback Rich Gannon, who played five seasons with Browner in Minnesota, wrote on X: “Sad to hear about the passing of my former teammate Joey Browner. On the football field he was one bad dude, off he was a kind soul!”
Retired punter Greg Coleman wrote on X that “one of the happiest moments of my time with the Vikings” was learning that Browner was going to be added to the punt team.
“One of the best teammates you could have and a man I called Friend!” Coleman wrote. “Prayers up for his family. RIP JB!”
Current Vikings cornerback Dwight McGlothern wrote on X: “Dang, I had a chance to meet him my rookie year & I was wearing #47 at the time during camp & hearing about his accomplishments, I’m grateful to [have] had the chance to meet him & [represent] the # he wore with the Vikings !! Everytime I walk in the DB room I always see greatness on the wall !!”
“I trust this kid’s heart,” McVay said three times Monday at the NFL owners meetings.
But do the Rams trust Nacua, who has been at the center of several off-the-field situations, enough to break the bank with a massive extension?
Last week, a woman filed a civil lawsuit against Nacua, alleging that on New Year’s Eve he made an antisemitic statement during a group dinner and later bit her shoulder. Nacua’s attorney told The Times before the lawsuit was filed that Nacua “denies these allegations in the strongest possible terms,” and that Nacua would “pursue all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”
Last season during a livestream, Nacua criticized NFL officials and made a gesture regarded as antisemitic. Nacua apologized, and the Rams and the NFL issued statements condemning antisemitism and discrimination. But after the Rams’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Nacua criticized officials in a social media post from the locker room. The NFL fined him $25,000.
Last week the Seahawks signed receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a record-breaking extension that includes $120 million in guarantees, putting Nacua in line to possibly match or exceed that deal.
If Nacua’s off-the-field actions become a pattern that does not reflect well on the organization, are the Rams hesitant to invest in the 24-year-old star who led the NFL with 129 catches?
“The play on the field is amazing, and then with what the play has dictated and determined there is a responsibility in terms of representing all things not exclusive to just that,” McVay said. “He knows that, those are expectations and we are hopeful that … this will be an opportunity for him to learn and grow, and we are hopeful that he’s a Ram for a really long time.
“But he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to just the production on the field.”
Nacua was one of several topics McVay addressed during a 30-minute session with reporters.
The Rams traded for McDuffie, an All-Pro who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, to a four-year extension that includes $100 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
McVay said McDuffie “can do a lot of things” that made Jalen Ramsey such a force when he helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI.
“He’s rare,” McVay said of McDuffie. “And then he’s a rare human. … You can’t find anybody that doesn’t love this guy and what he represents.”
Like McDuffie, his former Chiefs teammate, Watson has played in three Super Bowls, winning two titles.
“He’s been in a lot of big-time atmospheres and environments,” McVay said of the 6-foot, 2-inch Watson, “and he’s got some of the length.”
McDuffie and Watson join a secondary that includes safety Quentin Lake, who signed an extension in January, and safety Kam Curl, who re-signed with the Rams this month.
The secondary was not the only position group the Rams considered remodeling.
McVay confirmed a report that the Rams explored trading receiver Davante Adams, who led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches.
“If we felt like it was best for our team, we would have done that,” McVay said, “but we didn’t think it was best for our team, so excited about being able to move forward with him.”
McVay said he spoke directly with Adams about the situation.
“I addressed what those conversations were even though they never really got too far but I did want to acknowledge it,” McVay said. “He’s a grown man, and I think he understood that this is a part of this business.”
McVay said he would “love” for Jimmy Garoppolo to return as Stafford’s backup. But Garoppolo remains a free agent.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins prepares to take a snap against the Rams in December.
(Danny Karnik / Associated Press)
“At this point, when there hasn’t been a decision, it feels less likely than likely, but I don’t want to rule that out,” McVay said of Garoppolo’s possible return for a third season with the Rams.
McVay said that he has communicated with Kirk Cousins and his agent about possibly signing with the Rams. McVay coached Cousins in the NFL with Washington.
“He’s a guy that I have familiarity with, history and a lot of reverence for because of the gratitude from our experiences together.”
Staff writer Steve Henson contributed to this report.
There’s a 12-ticket maximum for each fan across all sports and sessions, plus 12 tickets for soccer sessions that don’t count toward the general maximum. A four-ticket maximum per ceremony for the opening and closing ceremonies is included in the general limit. Each attendee, including children of any age, will need a ticket to attend.
Tickets included in hospitality packages sold by On Location, the official hospitality provider of the LA28 Games, will not count toward the general limit.
Kenyan distance runner Albert Korir has admitted to doping, prompting officials on Monday to ban him for five years.
Long a fixture at the New York Marathon, Korir tested positive for a blood-boosting substance in three separate samples taken in October while he was training to run in the New York Marathon on Nov. 2. He finished third in the race.
A verdict issued by the Athletics Integrity Unit said that Korir’s results since October will be disqualified, including that third-place finish in New York.
The three positive results provide “clear evidence of the athlete’s use of a prohibited substance on multiple occasions which is expressly identified in the definition of aggravating circumstances,” the verdict stated.
The punishment was reduced by one year because Korir, 32, admitted to taking a banned substance without requesting a hearing. He is banned until January 2031.
Korir will keep his 2021 New York Marathon title. He also was runner-up in 2019 and 2023, and finished third in 2024 in addition to 2025. His other first-place finishes came in the 2019 Houston Marathon, the 2017 Vienna Street Race and the 2019 and 2025 Ottawa Race Weekend.
Korir tested positive for Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator (CERA), a long-acting agent that stimulates red blood cell production much like the banned substance EPO. It is used legally to treat anemia associated with chronic kidney disease and typically is administered once every two to three weeks.
The World Anti-Doping Agency said in October that Kenya had made “significant” progress in tackling doping but the country remains on probation while it seeks to improve its monitoring.
The action by WADA occurred after Kenyan runner Ruth Chepngetich, the world marathon record holder, was banned for three years after admitting the use of Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a banned diuretic used as a masking agent.
Liverpool could not play on the Monday because of the Champions League, so Sky Sports could swap the games.
Everton‘s game is on a Monday, but it was not picked for a Monday. So it may not count as part of the Monday allocation.
Sky Sports says the process involves so many bodies, including clubs and the police, that much of the decision-making is taken out of their hands.
The order of first, second and third-choice picks between Sky and TNT Sports can also have an influence.
It is clear that the five-appearance maximum is a just loose limit.
Supporters will simply see their club has been picked six, seven or eight times.
Manchester United will almost certainly be in Europe next season, so will join the band of clubs largely shielded from the Friday-Monday package.
But with at least eight Premier League clubs set to be in Europe, the issue is not going to go away.
If Tottenham stay in the Premier League they will go to the top of the list for Friday and Monday selection, given they have a large fan base and are viewed as a glamourous club.
Everton fans say the scenario is “damaging supporter accessibility, matchday experience, and long-term engagement”.
The Final Four in men’s and women’s basketball is scheduled for this weekend, and Southern California has two players to root for who were high school graduates from the area.
McDonald’s All-American Brayden Burries, a freshman at Arizona from Eastvale Roosevelt, has been a key player in the Wildcats’ season, averaging 16.1 points.
Gabriela Jaquez has helped the UCLA’s women’s team reach the Final Four, averaging 13 points a game for the 35-1 Bruins.
The men’s semifinals and final are Saturday and Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The women’s semifinals and final are Friday and Sunday at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Lazraq-Khlass, 26, competed at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and finished 16th in the heptathlon.
The AIU website states that a provisional suspension means that an athlete cannot take part “in any competition or activity in athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct”.
In a recent case, former world 100m champion Fred Kerley, of America, was banned for two years for anti-doping whereabouts failures.
TV coverage is on the BBC Scotland channel from 19:15 BST, with the match also available on iPlayer.
Jonathan Sutherland is your host, with Rachel Corsie and Charlie Adam providing analysis, while commentary comes from Liam McLeod and a third former Scotland international, James McFadden.
Sportsound will also be on BBC Radio Scotland from 18:00 BST. Andy Burke is presenting, with former Scotland players Willie Miller and Leanne Crichton, plus BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer Tom English, in the studio.
Alasdair Lamont and former Scotland midfielder Stuart McCall are on radio commentary duty.
As ever, you can follow everything on the BBC Sport website and app, including text updates on the action, in-play clips, and have your say as it happens.
Tiger Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and causing property damage following a rollover car crash Friday afternoon in Florida, authorities said.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said that Woods, 50, had tried to overtake another vehicle when his Land Rover clipped it. Woods climbed out of the passenger side of the car. He showed signs of impairment at the scene and was arrested, authorities said. Woods was driving alone, and neither he nor the driver of the other car were injured in the crash.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office released Tiger Woods’ booking photo on Friday night following the golfer’s arrest.
(Martin County Sheriff’s Office via Associated Press)
Woods’ talent agency, Excel Sports Management, did not respond to a request for comment.
A breathalyzer test showed he had no alcohol in his system, but he refused to do a urine test, Martin County Sheriff John M. Budensiek said at a news conference around 5 p.m. local time.
The crash occurred around 1 p.m. local time, the department said in a Facebook post. The Jupiter Island Police Dept. was first to respond to the scene and found a pickup truck that had been pulling a pressure cleaner trailer and Woods’ Land Rover rolled over on the driver’s side door, Budensiek said. Officers talked to Woods and then asked the sheriff’s office for help.
The sheriff’s office determined that the pickup truck was slowing down to make a turn into a driveway off of a two-lane road with no shoulder when the driver looked in his mirror and saw the Land Rover approaching quickly from behind. The pickup driver tried to get out of the way of the approaching car. The Land Rover swerved at the last moment to avoid a crash, clipped the back end of the trailer, listed to the side and rolled onto the driver’s side door.
At the scene, Woods appeared lethargic, the sheriff’s office said, and was arrested following “in depth” roadside tests. The sheriff said he does not know exactly what Woods was intoxicated with, but concluded it was likely due to “some type of medication or drug.”
Because Woods refused to submit to a urinalysis, “we will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash,” the sheriff said. No drugs or medications were found in Woods’ car.
In addition to DUI and property damage, Woods also was charged with refusal to submit to a lawful test, Budensiek said. All three charges are misdemeanors.
Under Florida law, Woods had to remain in Martin County jail for at least eight hours following the arrest.
Asked if Woods would get preferential treatment, Budensiek said the celebrity would not be with other inmates who could take advantage of his position. Otherwise, it would be just another case.
“We know we arrested a high-profile figure,” Budensiek said. “I’m not trying to dramatize, but it doesn’t matter who you are. If you break the law, we’re going to follow the law. That’s a really easy path to take.”
Around Thanksgiving 2009, a report that Woods had been in a car accident near his home erupted into a major scandal involving allegations of affairs with multiple women. It resulted in Woods’ divorce from Elin Nordegren, the mother of his children.
Assistant Editor Christie D’Zurilla contributed to this story.
Clayton Kershaw’s 2025 teammates had already received their World Series rings in a pregame ceremony Friday at Dodger Stadium when the future Hall of Famer jogged out of the dugout wearing his No. 22 Dodgers jersey.
He took the ball from manager Dave Roberts on the mound and delivered the ceremonial first pitch. Then the team re-emerged to present Kershaw with his ring.
“For me it’s just a great ending to my career,” Kershaw said when asked what the new ring meant to him. “I couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
A detailed look at the inside of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.
(The Champions Collective)
Though his playing days are over, Kershaw’s time with the Dodgers will continue. He’s joining the front office as a special assistant, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.
The Dodgers’ ring ceremony was the second part of a two-day celebration of the team’s 2025 World Series title. On opening day, the Dodgers brought out their trophies from back-to-back World Series titles and raised their new championship banner.
“I’m excited,” Kershaw said a couple hours earlier, after watching the Dodgers take batting practice before facing the Arizona Diamondbacks. “It’s why we play, is to win some of these rings. I heard the ring is pretty over the top; I haven’t seen it yet.”
Over the top, indeed.
A detailed look at the inside of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.
(The Champions Collective)
The diamond- and sapphire-encrusted rings highlight the back-to-back nature of last year’s World Series victory. They include engravings of the 2024 and 2025 trophies on both the outside and inside of the ring.
The L.A. logo is made up of 17 custom-cut blue sapphires, one for every postseason game the Dodgers played last year.
On the underside side of the ring, the four playoff series are listed, along with “11.01.25,” the date of Game 7 of the World Series.
The ring top holds dirt collected from home plate during Game 7, visible through a glass window when the ring is opened. Inside the ring sits a bespoke band that’s also set with sapphires and a diamond.
Dodgers players (from left) Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy show off their World Series rings before beating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
In a nod to the fan base, the total attendance figure for the 2025 season (4,012,470) gleams in blue on the bottom of the ring. Each players’ ring is also personalized with his signature, last name and number.
“Anytime you get to celebrate one more time with your teammates, it’s pretty special,” Kershaw said. “I know they’ve got to move on to this season, but I don’t have to. So I’m just going to keep relishing it. It’ll be great.”
Kershaw was already in town for work. He appeared on NBC’s broadcast of the Dodgers’ 8-2 win Thursday against the Diamondbacks.
A detailed look at the side of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.
(The Champions Collective)
“It’s just talking baseball,” Kershaw said. “So if people want to hear me talk about baseball, I can do that all day. I love baseball.”
His new role with the Dodgers, first reported by the Athletic, is another form of talking baseball.
“Probably not physically here in L.A.,” Kershaw said. “But definitely, I’m sure I’ll watch games. I still want to be a part of the Dodgers, so if I can help in some small piece, I will.”
A detailed look at the side of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.
(The Champions Collective)
Because Kershaw joined Team USA for the World Baseball Classic and then jumped into part-time broadcasting, he hasn’t fully experienced retirement yet. He said he doesn’t miss playing, but he misses the people.
“There’s a freedom with retirement,” Kershaw said. “If you don’t want to work out, you don’t have to. If your back hurts, it doesn’t matter. If your arm hurts, it doesn’t matter. You get to see a lot more stuff, be around for everything. So there’s a lot of great parts. It doesn’t take away from how special playing this game is, but there’s a lot of really awesome parts about being home.”
SACRAMENTO — While the UCLA women’s basketball team has a veteran roster that was in this exact position a season ago, the Bruins have an entirely different vibe during their current postseason run.
This year, they expect something different, in large part because of an upgraded starting lineup.
A tangible difference is the addition of Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens. Each was the top scorer on their former squads — Washington State and Utah, respectively — and have taken on drastically different roles as arguably the fourth and fifth pieces of this Bruins team.
Charlisse Leger-Walker hits a reverse layup in front of Minnesota’s Grace Grocholski during the tournament on Friday in Sacramento.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
“It’s huge we have them,” said senior Gabriela Jaquez, who has spent her entire NCAA career with the Bruins. “They’re perfect fits here. Charlisse as a point guard has been great, and then just being a guard out there, a ready shooter, doing whatever we need, and obviously them being able to defend is really great for our team.”
With the Cougars, Leger-Walker averaged double-digit scoring and more than 10 shots per game in every season. With the Bruins, her production has dropped to 8.7 points per game on 7.1 shots.
Where she has improved, though, is a career-high 5.7 assists per contest.
“I look at the talent we have, especially on the offensive end, there are a lot of times where I don’t have to shoot and force some of the shots that I would have to back at Washington State,” she said. “I’ve always been able to facilitate and be that connector, but this is the role I am needed in the most here.”
Kneepkens was the Utes’ top shooting option and Pac-12 freshman of the year. There, she was relied on as the team’s top three-point shooter, and after Alissa Pili left, their top scorer overall.
During her graduate season, she has taken a significant reduction in shots per game, going from 12.3 field goals per game to 9.4.
“I think it tells you what their ‘why’ is, what their purpose is, why they came here,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “It wasn’t to get their own stats. It was to be a part of something bigger than themselves.”
On a night where neither of them did much shooting against Minnesota, though, it was their defensive length that made a significant difference against a physical Golden Gophers team. It was the kind of defense they could not have played a year ago with Londynn Jones, who transferred to USC, in the spot Leger-Walker now occupies and Angela Dugalic starting rather than providing invaluable depth coming off the bench.
UCLA guard Gianna Kneepkens dribbles under pressure from Oklahoma State forward Achol Akot during an NCAA tournament game at Pauley Pavilion on March 23.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Offensively, Leger-Walker’s presence has given the Bruins more options to score from throughout the floor. Known as a three-point threat at Washington State, she needs to be guarded on the perimeter but also not be left to connect to other open players.
“But I think Charlisse, specifically, is one of the best processing point guards I’ve ever been around,” Close said. “Her ability to understand how rotations are happening in the second line, what’s the next play and if she makes one mistake, boy, she’s not making it a second time. … Having Charlisse on our team has freed Kiki [Rice] up in some ways and vice versa. So that’s been really fun to see.”
Rice has played more of a shooting guard role this season with Leger-Walker taking over at point guard, which has opened her up to shoot more and drive to the hoop without facilitating as often.
That freedom has given Rice her best offense season yet.
“[Leger-Walker’s] basketball IQ is insane,” Rice said. “She gets buckets, she defends super well, she does it all for us. She’s selfless, and she kind of knows when to take over. I’m grateful we’ve had her this year.”
Close said that Kneepkens played one of her best defensive games in the win over Minnesota, but that her length playing as a wing has opened up the UCLA defense to guard the perimeter all season.
“It’s just learning to play with great players,” Kneepkens said. “If that’s finding them when they’re open, then I’ll do that. Or if I need to take my shot, I’ll do that too.”
UCLA’s biggest wins have featured dominant performances from Lauren Betts and generally, its other bigs — Sienna Betts and Dugalic — playing at their best.
But the true depth of the Bruins has come from having long guards who can defend and change up what they need to do in any given matchup. They might be the difference going into the toughest parts of the tournament.
“Coming to a program also where you are surrounded by elite players, and at the end of the day we want to win and be a part of a program that can do that,” Leger-Walker said. “Whatever that role is that we have to adjust to throughout the season, I think, we really bought into that.”
