last season

Don’t look for Jared Verse to appear bare-chested on Sunday night at Soldier Field in Chicago.

In 2024, before a late-December game against the New York Jets in New Jersey, Verse and other Rams outside linebackers apparently tried to make a point about their toughness by going through warmups in a 20-degree temperature sans shirts.

Verse said Thursday that former Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht instigated the demonstration.

Another is not expected on Sunday when the Rams play the Chicago Bears in an NFC divisional-round game in temperatures that could have a wind chill below zero degrees.

“Hoecht’s not here right now,” Verse said, laughing heartily, “so I don’t feel like taking mine off. It might be in short sleeves like always. But shirtless…”

Verse, the 2024 NFL defensive rookie of the year, made the Pro Bowl for the second time after recording 7½ sacks, a number that does not fully represent his impact on opposing offenses.

Under first-year coach Ben Johnson, the Bears averaged 25.9 points and 369.2 yards per game, which ranked ninth and sixth respectively, among 32 NFL teams. The Bears were third in rushing (144.5 yards per game) and 10th in passing (225.1).

Quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 27 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. He was sacked only 24 times, third-fewest in the league behind the Rams and the Denver Broncos, each of which allowed 23 sacks.

“He looks comfortable,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said of Williams, who also rushed for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns, “He looks calm.”

Tight end Colston Loveland is Williams’ favorite target. Loveland had a team-best 58 receptions during the regular season, and Loveland and receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze each had six touchdown catches.

In the Bears’ 31-27 wild-card victory over the Green Bay Packers, which was played in wind-chill of 26 degrees, Williams completed 24 of 48 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions. Loveland was targeted 15 times, and had eight catches for 137 yards.

Rams coach Sean McVay said Williams has played well in and out of rhythm.

“Those second-reaction plays, where he’s getting flushed to his right or getting flushed to his left and guys understand how to be able to work with him,” McVay said, “those are the ones that are really scary.”

Jumping or lunging at Williams is futile, Verse said, because “he’s very able to get away from anything you bring to him.” So it is imperative to wrap up the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

“It’s impossible to say like he won’t get away from one of us,” Verse said, “but we all have to keep pursuing him and be able to make that tackle on him.”

The weather and conditions could cause both teams to rely on their rushing attacks.

Bears running back D’Andre Swift rushed for nine touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass during the regular season. In the wild-card game, Swift carried the ball 19 times for 55 yards.

Last season, the Rams’ season ended in the divisional round on a cold, snowy day in Philadelphia.

Verse said he would not be affected by the cold conditions in Chicago, citing his youth in Ohio and time spent in New York.

“I’m used to playing in the hail,” he said. “That really doesn’t faze me or anything like that.”

Etc.

Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo did not practice because of a back issue, according to the injury report … Guard Kevin Dotson, sidelined for three games because of an ankle injury, was limited in his first practice since he was injured on Dec. 18 against the Seattle Seahawks. Dotson said this week that he intended to fully test the ankle, with hopes of playing on Sunday. … Shula, a candidate for several NFL head coach vacancies, said he would participate in interviews Friday after the Rams have completed installing their game plan for the Bears. “Full focus on the Bears, “ Shula said, “and then after practice [Friday] worry about that.”

A.J. Brown had nothing to say — to reporters after the Philadelphia Eagles’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, that is.

Philadelphia’s star receiver did have plenty to say to Coach Nick Sirianni — and vice-versa — during a sideline spat late in the second quarter of the game that eventually marked an end to the Eagles’ attempt at defending their Super Bowl title from last season.

Massive winds blew through Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field throughout the game, possibly contributing to a rough outing for Brown, who caught three of the seven passes for 25 yards and tied a career high with two dropped passes.

One of those drops came on 3rd-and-9 with a little more than two minutes remaining in the first half. Brown had created some separation from 49ers cornerback Renardo Green deep along the right sideline, but the pass from quarterback Jalen Hurts bounced off the receiver’s fingers.

Brown was slow to get off the field following the play, prompting Sirianni to run yelling down the sideline and eventually confront the three-time Pro Bowl selection face-to-face. The men appeared to exchange words for a few seconds before being separated by Eagles chief security officer Dom DiSandro. Brown went on to remove his helmet and yell more in Sirianni’s direction.

While Brown did not speak to reporters after the 23-19 loss, Sirianni downplayed the incident during his postgame news conference.

“I was trying to get him off the field because we were about to punt, and that was really it,” Siranni said. “I love A.J. I think he knows how I feel about him. I have a special relationship with him. We probably went through every emotion you can possibly have together.

“We’ve laughed together, we’ve cried together, we’ve yelled at each other. We’re both emotional. I was trying to get him off the field — you know, that happens in this game.”

Brown’s other drop came on a third-and-5 from the Philadelphia 40 with a little more than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Eagles trailing by four. Brown was open over the middle for what could have been an easy first down, but the pass again bounced off his hands. Philadelphia converted the fourth down on a pass to tight end Dallas Goedert, but the last-gasp drive eventually stalled at the San Francisco 21.

Sirianni said of Brown: “He’s got the best hands I’ve ever seen, you know, the way he catches the ball, the amount of different types of catches that he’s made. When you get as many targets as he does, you’re going to have some drops. Not ever using it as an excuse, but the ball moves differently in the wind.

“I thought Jalen did a good job of cutting the wind a lot of times. But, yeah, we had some uncharacteristic drops. I think the one that [Brown] had, we overcame it the very next play with Dallas, but I know [Brown will] beat himself up on that. And I know A.J. — he’ll catch 9,000 balls with the one drop that he had.”

Brown got off to a slow start this season and wasn’t shy about voicing his frustrations. His production increased as the year went on, and Brown finished the season with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.

Overall, the Eagles’ offense declined under first-year coordinator Kevin Patullo, dropping from seventh in scoring and eighth in yards last year to 19th in scoring and 24th in yards this season. Asked Sunday about Patullo’s overall performance, Sirianni said there “will be time to evaluate everybody’s performance.”

“Right now, I feel for all our guys in the locker room, all the players, all the coaches, the front office, everybody that works so hard, the fans that come out and support us, Mr. [team owner Jeffrey] Lurie. I feel for all of us, all of them, and there’ll be time to evaluate everything coming up.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Reliever Kirby Yates finalized a $5-million, one-year deal with the Angels on Tuesday.

A 38-year-old right-hander, Yates flopped last season with the Dodgers. He did not pitch after Sept. 20 after straining his right hamstring, an injury that also sidelined him between May 17 and June 8.

Yates is technically making a return the Angels, who employed him for one major league appearance in 2017 after claiming him off waivers from the Yankees. Yates subsequently joined the San Diego Padres and enjoyed the longest sustained success of his career before bouncing to Atlanta, Texas and the Dodgers over the past three seasons.

The veteran is rejoining Mike Maddux, the pitching coach who oversaw Yates’ All-Star performance in 2024 while both were with the Rangers. Yates went 7-2 with a 1.17 ERA, an 0.83 WHIP and 85 strikeouts in 61 innings for Texas.

Yates still earned a World Series ring last season after agreeing to a $13-million, one-year deal with the Dodgers, but he spent three stints on the injured list and had a 5.23 ERA before failing to get on the postseason roster as part of the Dodgers’ struggling bullpen.

Yates is 30-24 with a 3.36 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and 98 saves in 472 relief appearances over 11 major league seasons with Tampa Bay (2014-15), the Yankees (2016), the Angels, San Diego (2017-20), Atlanta (2022-23), Texas (2024) and the Dodgers. He led the major leagues with 41 saves in 2019.

He had Tommy John surgery twice, in 2006 while in college and after getting hurt during spring training in 2021 with Toronto.

He is the latest addition to the Angels’ overhauled pitching staff, joining new relievers Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz. The Angels also took low-cost fliers on Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah, two once-promising starters whose careers were derailed in recent years.

If you asked Los Alamitos basketball coach Nate Berger to be honest about early expectations for a team that returned zero starters, he would have said a 1-9 start wouldn’t have been surprising.

But the Griffins, loaded with backups from last season and members of a good junior varsity team, are 8-6 going into an early Sunset League showdown with 16-1 Corona del Mar on Monday.

Tyler Lopez has been leading the way. The senior committed to Jessup University in Northern California is averaging 17 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Isaiah Williamson, younger brother of former Eastvale Roosevelt standout Issac Williamson, has been making major contributions.

Berger has been pleased with his players’ growing experience and confidence after some early season struggles adjusting.

“I was pleasantly surprised how my team responded and some of these young players have jelled,” he said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Anthony Rendon has agreed to restructure the final year of his $245-million, seven-year contract with the Angels, a person with knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Angels hadn’t announced any developments with Rendon, who didn’t play last season following hip surgery.

The team and Rendon have amended the deal to restructure the remaining $38 million owed to the third baseman in 2026, presumably spreading the money over time.

Rendon is still on the roster and continuing to rehab at home in Houston, but his horrendous tenure with the Angels could be over.

Rendon’s massive free-agent contract has paid almost no dividends for the Angels. The former Washington Nationals standout has been injured for the majority of the past five seasons and has played just 257 games in an Angels uniform, batting .242 with 22 homers, 125 RBIs and a .717 OPS.

If Rendon doesn’t play in 2026, he will have appeared in only about a quarter of the Angels’ total games during his seven seasons with the team.

Rendon led the majors in RBIs, earned an All-Star selection and won a World Series ring in 2019 to cap an outstanding four-year stretch for Washington. After playing fairly well for the Angels during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he was nowhere close to that player in the ensuing four years with the Angels, who haven’t made the playoffs or had a winning record during his tenure.

Rendon dealt with injuries to his groin, his left knee, his left hamstring, his left shin, his oblique muscles, his lower back, both wrists and both hips during the past five years.

Rendon also alienated Angels fans with public comments in which he appeared to say he doesn’t like baseball, although he attempted to clarify his connection to the game as a business relationship that isn’t as important as his family or his religion. Rendon had previously criticized the length of games and excitement level of baseball, saying he doesn’t watch the sport.

Luis Rengifo and Yoán Moncada largely played third base last season for the Angels. Both are currently free agents.

Rendon’s deal might top the long list of high-priced player acquisitions that have worked out terribly for the Angels during owner Arte Moreno’s tenure, including the signings of Gary Matthews Jr., Josh Hamilton and Zack Cozart and unsuccessful trades for Vernon Wells and Justin Upton.

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

Jared Verse was on the field running at the Rams’ Woodland Hills training facility. Byron Young was nearby working out in the weight room.

When Rams coach Sean McVay informed the two edge rushers that they had both been voted to the Pro Bowl, Young ran to meet Verse, and a celebration ensued.

“It was kind of weird the way we, like, hype up each other,” Verse said, laughing heartily.

The two players hugged and jumped in a circle. They tackled each other to the ground. Then they got to their feet and hugged again.

“It was something you can’t fake,” McVay said. “It was one of those moments. … You step back and you say, ‘these are the moments of why you do this.’”

Verse and Young have become a celebrated duo for a Rams team that is 11-4 heading into Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Verse, the 19th pick in the 2024 draft, is accustomed to receiving postseason honors.

Last season, he had 4½ sacks and was voted to the Pro Bowl. He also was named the NFL defensive rookie of the year.

This season, he has become the focus of opponents’ protection schemes, regularly drawing double teams. He earned Pro Bowl recognition despite having only 6½ sacks, well behind the statistical leaders.

“Honestly, not getting the stats can be frustrating at times,” he said, adding, “So to know that my impact’s still being felt, it’s a good feeling.”

Young, a third-round pick in 2023, steadily improved his first two seasons before this season’s breakout.

He has 11 sacks, tied for ninth most in the NFL.

“It means a lot,” he said of making the Pro Bowl. “All the hard work the past few years, learning from my mistakes … and just taking a better approach to this offseason — I feel like it paid off.”

The 6-foot, 4-inch, 265-pound Verse and the 6-2, 260-pound Young are a violent combination on the field, and a comical one off of it.

“I’ll get on ‘BY’ for anything,” Verse said. “I saw him trip the other day and I clowned him for like two days.”

But it isn’t always fun and games.

While coaches playfully refer to them as stepbrothers, Verse said the relationship goes deeper.

“‘B.Y. is somebody that I genuinely talk to outside of here,” Verse said. “If I have any problems in my personal life, me and him will be talking to each other. … That’s somebody I genuinely count on.

“If I’m going through a tough time, I come to him and vice versa.”

Said Young: “We push each other to be better, hold each other accountable and I feel like that’s why we’ve been successful.”

Verse and Young both have improved from last season, when the Rams advanced to the NFC divisional round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.

During training camp, Verse said that he spent the offseason studying the positive plays he made as a rookie, but also the ones he missed.

With veteran outside linebacker Michael Hoecht moving on, Young focused during the offseason on improving his flexibility with Pilates workouts. He also vowed to assume more of a leadership role.

“Seeing it all pay off is really amazing,” Young said.

Verse and Young are part of an outside linebacker group coached by Joe Coniglio that also includes rookie Josaiah Stewart, Desjuan Johnson and Nick Hampton.

Verse and Young, along with defensive linemen Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Poona Ford, make up a formidable starting front.

Verse’s and Young’s contributions go beyond sacks and quarterback pressures, defensive coordinator Chris Shula said.

“It’s the down-in, down-out play,” Shula said, “how they’re affecting the game.”

Turner, like Young a third-year pro, has come on in the second half of the season to amass seven sacks. He said Verse and Young complement each other, aiding the entire line to work in tandem.

“They’re relentless,” Turner said. “Their mentality helps us all.”

Stewart, a third-round pick from Michigan, playfully described Verse and Young as “two knuckleheads” who set an example with their work ethic and results.

“I’ve seen them put in the work since I got here and they have helped me along the way,” he said.

While honored to be voted to the Pro Bowl, Verse and Young would much prefer to be preparing with the Rams for Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara when the Pro Bowl Games are held that week in San Francisco.

The Rams have clinched a playoff spot and they are currently seeded sixth in the NFC, with games against the Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals remaining.

Verse and Young will continue to play off each other as the Rams make their postseason push.

Verse is proud to share Pro Bowl recognition with Young.

“People hype him up because of how many sacks he gets, the pressure and everything that he does,” Verse said, “but to see the amount of work he puts in, to see it finally pay off.”

And Young is proud to share it with Verse.

“Since he got in the league, I feel like we’ve been competing with each other,” Young said. “He brings an energy to the team, and just making me be a better player.”

Twisting and tying shoelaces into a knot became a formidable task for Justin Herbert in the days following hand surgery.

Every time the Chargers quarterback leaned over to tie his shoes, his cast would nudge in the way, complicating a once-menial task.

For Herbert, it became a constant reminder of the broken bone he suffered during a 31-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 30 — a helmet-to-hand hit from Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn that required surgery on his non-throwing hand the next day.

And while the 27-year-old, who earned his second Pro Bowl honor Tuesday, has been far from perfect since the injury, the Chargers (11-4) have managed to win four consecutive games, including two against last season’s Super Bowl teams.

“The days went on, and as I got better and more mobility with (the left hand), I think it’s become more normal, and it feels a bit better, so that’s also a positive,” Herbert said earlier this week.

Eking out wins against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, Herbert increased his yards-per-pass attempt from 5.3 yards to 7.2 yards. His completion percentage improved from a season-low 46.2% against the Eagles to a respectable 65.5% against the Chiefs.

Against the Dallas Cowboys, Herbert recorded a 132.8 passer rating, his best since December 2021 in Week 14 against the New York Giants. He passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-17 win over the Cowboys that led to the Chargers clinching a playoff berth Monday with San Francisco’s win over Indianapolis.

“To me, that’s just a test of the type of person, type of player he is,” said wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who made a spectacular, one-handed touchdown catch and finished with 104 receiving yards against Dallas. “I mean, shoot, still playing and executing at a high level — I’m really happy to be on the team with him. I would rather be with nobody else but him.”

The Houston Texans (10-5) on Saturday at SoFi Stadium will allow Herbert the chance to build on his impressive season, and exorcise at least some of his playoff demons.

Herbert’s nightmare performance against the Texans in the wild-card playoffs last season remains seared into his memory. He threw a career-worst four interceptions in a 32-12 defeat that dropped him to 0-2 in career playoff games.

“No one felt worse than I did,” Herbert said. “I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened, and it would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened and to live in this reality where, if I tried to block it out, I don’t think that’s gonna be any good.”

Plenty remains at stake for the Chargers. They remain in the hunt for the AFC West title and the AFC’s top playoff seed. If the Chargers beat the Texans and follow with a win over the Denver Broncos in Week 18, they’ll win the division. The Chargers need to win out and hope the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots both lose at least once to secure the No. 1 seed.

While coach Jim Harbaugh says the team is approaching the next two weeks one game at a time, the Chargers’ defense — inspired by Herbert’s efforts — sees the path to continuing their red-hot run.

“It’s a hell of a statement he’s making throughout the building, and everybody can feel it,” outside linebacker Khalil Mack said.