Day: December 16, 2021

By The Associated Press Maybe Baker Mayfield needed to follow the lead of Kareem Jackson. The Cleveland quarterback attended an event at a Boys & Girls Club, now has tested positive for COVID-19, and the youth organization had needed to take extra precautions. Jackson, a safety with the Broncos, canceled his appearance at his annual “Shop with a Jock” charity event. He and several teammates were supposed to host 50 youth ages 6-17 from the Boys & Girls Club of Denver and take them holiday shopping in suburban Parker, Colorado. Instead, Jackson did a Zoom session with the kids as they ate dinner — and then received $100 Walmart gift cards to buy presents. “Just something that I felt like was the right thing to do under the circumstances in wh...

By MARK LONG, AP Pro Football Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence has never experienced this much drama in a football season. Not in college. Not in high school. Not as a kid growing up in Cartersville, Georgia. Jacksonville’s starting quarterback is ready for it to end, too. “I do think that has to change and that’s something that we need to work on for sure,” Lawrence said Wednesday. “You can’t always be in the headlines. You just got to go play football, and that’s where we’re trying to get, and I have no doubt we’ll get there.” No one expects it to happen anytime soon. The Jaguars (2-11) have been mostly a punchline since hiring coach Urban Meyer in January. Meyer has created headlines and headaches for just about everyone Newly Jor...

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are in the process of enhancing their health and safety protocols in response to rising coronavirus numbers around the league, said a person familiar with the negotiations. Among the biggest changes: The league and the union are working to finalize a plan to return to daily testing for players and coaches, at least in the short term, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday on condition of anonymity because nothing had been finalized or publicly announced. Fully vaccinated players have not needed daily testing this season.Nike Air Force 1 Shadow The league and the union were already prepared to start daily testing on Friday for those who have yet to re...

By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer The No. 1 high school football recruit in the country pulled a signing day shocker Wednesday, deciding to attend Jackson State and play for coach Deion Sanders after being verbally committed to Florida State for months. Travis Hunter, a cornerback from Suwanee, Georgia, made the unprecedented announcement during a ceremony at Collins Hill High School. Hunter was Baltimore Ravens Jersey  the top prospect in the country in 247 Sports' composite rankings, which take into account its own ratings plus those of other major recruiting websites. Sanders is a former Florida State star and Pro Football Hall of Famer who is in his second year coaching Jackson State, a historically black college in Jackson, Mississippi. ...

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — When Kevin Stefanski received word he'd tested positive again for COVID-19, Cleveland's cool coach barely blinked. Nothing new for him or the Browns. On Wednesday, the team's virus outbreak widened and worsened with Stefanski, quarterback Baker Mayfield and three others starters testing positive, jeopardizing their chances of participating in Saturday’s critical game against the Las Vegas Raiders. In all, Cleveland has 18 players — 11 of them starters or regulars — and two coaches on the COVID-19 list. It's the second straight year the Browns are dealing Hey Dude Shoes with a major spike in COVID-19 cases while in the midst of pursuing a playoff spot. Last season, Stefanski had to sit out Cleveland's...

By ERIC OLSON, AP College Football Writer Through all the changes to the college sports landscape with money-making opportunities for athletes and open transfers, one thing remains the same. A bunch of Southeastern Conference schools along with venerable programs like Ohio State and Texas are at or near the top of the national recruiting rankings. The three-day December signing period opened Wednesday, with Texas A&M finishing the day with the lead according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher put together his fourth straight top-10 class. Alabama, which won nine of the previous 11 recruiting titles, was No. 2. Georgia was No. 3, Skechers Womens Outlet  marking the fifth straight year the Bulldogs have been in the top five....