The Denver Broncos believe Russell Wilson is fixable as they head into an offseason looking to pick up the pieces from a debacle of a 2022 season.
Denver fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday after under a year at the helm of a team many expected to contend this campaign.
The Broncos' 51-14 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day sealed Hackett's fate, the loss dropping Denver to 4-11 on the season.
Wilson was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason, the Broncos parting with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to land his services.
But the nine-time Pro Bowler has endured the worst season of his career, completing 60.1 per cent of his passes for 3,019 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Wilson's well-thrown rate of 78.8 per cent is below the NFL average of 81.1 per cent and, heading into last weekend's games, he ranked 25th (for QBs with a minimum of 100 plays in expected passing situations) in yards over expected on downs where the defense would be anticipating a pass, according to Stats Perform data.
His level of performance after being handed a five-year, $245million extension by Denver arguably makes the Broncos job an unappealing one for potential Hackett successors, with the dead cap hits that would come with parting with Wilson meaning they are likely committed to keeping him until at least end of the 2024 season.
But general manager George Paton remains confident Wilson can be salvaged and return to the form that made him such a prized asset.
"We saw flashes of Russ this year. Russ even said he didn't play up to his standard," Paton said at a press conference.
"He will be the first one to tell you he didn't play up to his standard, didn't play up to our standard. He needs to be better.
"I don't think we made a coaching move based on Russ. That wasn't what it's all about.
"That's not why we're getting a new coach, to turn around Russ; it's about the entire organisation. It's about the entire football team.
"It's just not one player. It's not whether Russ is fixable or not. We do believe he is. We do."
Broncos owner and CEO George Penner, who revealed the new head coach would report into him rather than Paton, echoed the general manager's apparent lack of panic surrounding Wilson.
"The decision to have Russell here was a long-term one," Penner said. "This season has not been up to his standards or expectations. We saw some glimpses of it in the last few weeks.
"He knows he can play better, we know he can play better, and we know he will do the right work in the offseason to be ready for next year.
"George and I have had a chance to get to know each other – we talk every day since we purchased the team a number of months ago – and he acknowledged right up front there were a couple of decisions that hadn't worked out as he had expected.
"But I understand his thought process. He understands the work that needs to be done in this offseason, and I'm going to rely on him heavily as we go through and make these changes."
Mason Mount and Kai Havertz struck as Chelsea relaunched their Premier League season with a much-needed 2-0 victory against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
Graham Potter's side headed into the mid-season World Cup break last month having failed to notch a win in their previous five top-flight games, with three losses on the bounce to boot.
An impressive performance from the hosts saw them break their barren run, though it came at a cost with Reece James forced off injured in his first match since October.
The outcome means Bournemouth have had two losses in two competitive games under head coach Gary O'Neil since he took charge of the Cherries on a permanent basis, having been Scott Parker's interim successor for the majority of the season.
Chelsea's early dominance brought a swift breakthrough, with Havertz prodding home Raheem Sterling's low delivery at full stretch just 16 minutes in.
Eight minutes later, Germany international Havertz turned provider for England midfielder Mount, who curled a first-time shot through the scrambled Bournemouth defence to double the lead.
The Blues went close to making it 3-0 just before the interval, with goalkeeper Mark Travers parrying a close-range Sterling strike at his top corner.
A third goal proved elusive following the break for Chelsea, and they were dealt a blow when James was forced down the tunnel after lengthy treatment for an apparent leg problem.
His absence threw their rhythm off to a point, with Bournemouth gaining confidence in pursuit of a response, albeit without showing a great cutting edge.
Former Chelsea youth-team graduate Dominic Solanke headed just wide in stoppage time from Bournemouth's best chance as the visitors could not find a way back into the contest.
Reece James was forced out of his comeback match for Chelsea as injury again got the better of the defender who missed England's World Cup campaign.
The right-back sat out the Qatar 2022 finals because of a knee blow sustained on Champions League duty against Milan on October 11.
Tuesday's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge was James' first game back, having returned to training at the start of December.
However, he lasted only 51 minutes before injury struck again, with Chelsea 2-0 ahead at the time.
James appeared to feel a twinge after beating Bournemouth's Jaidon Anthony to the ball, and he immediately signalled to the bench he needed to be replaced.
James went down to the ground, covering his face and looking to be in trouble.
He was treated by Chelsea medical staff before being able to stand up and walk off the pitch, passing head coach Graham Potter as he departed to have the pain checked out.
Before the game, Potter had described James as being "in a good place" again after the "brutal" experience of having to sit out the World Cup.
Milan coach Stefano Pioli still thinks his side can defend their Serie A crown despite their eight-point deficit to league leaders Napoli.
The Rossoneri beat rivals Inter in a title race that went down to the wire last season, taking a first Scudetto since the 2010-11 campaign.
But their hopes of a second successive triumph look to be under serious threat, with Napoli having romped away at the summit after 15 games.
Milan remain their nearest rivals, however, and Pioli argues his team can still turn it around, although he knows they must hit the ground running in 2023.
"It is clear that we arrived at this prestigious [title] victory ahead of time, because the club's desire was to invest in players, especially young players, so maybe we expected to win a little later," he told Italia Uno.
"But we managed almost immediately, so it is clear that for me and for us 2022 was a really important year and full of satisfaction.
"You have to think that you can still win the championship [this season], this in the most absolute way.
"Then it is clear that if Napoli continues like this they can make 100 points and then we must congratulate them, but we must think about making many points.
"Last year, 86 were needed; perhaps this year they could need even more. There are still 69 points available – that's a lot – but we have to start pedalling hard and we definitely have to believe in it."
Phil Foden can be "whatever he wants" because of the magic he has at his disposal, according to Manchester City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne.
The England winger is already a four-time Premier League winner, and has helped the national team enjoy deep runs in two major tournaments so far.
At just 22, however, Foden still appears a long way from realising his potential, an assessment with which De Bruyne agrees.
Ahead of a return to top-flight action against Leeds United, De Bruyne said of Foden: "He is still that young boy who just loves to play football. Every time you see a ball running around, he is running to it.
"He is probably one of the biggest talents that I have played with, and his ceiling can be so high. He has already won four Premier Leagues, and he is 22.
"He is doing well for himself. He is very smart as a player. Where there are a lot of tactics, you still have that guy who has that little bit of magic, and he is one of those guys.
"The ceiling is so high. He has already done so much at that age playing for a team like us who have to win all of the time.
"He has already done so much at [his] age. He can do that for the next 15 years if he wants to, and then he can be whatever he wants."
Arizona Cardinals star defensive end JJ Watt has announced his football career is ending.
Watt posted to Twitter on Monday that Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the first NFL game his son attended but also his final NFL home game.
"Koa's first ever NFL game," Watt wrote. "My last ever NFL home game."
Already eliminated from the playoffs, the Cardinals play their final two games on the road – at the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday and at the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18.
"My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude," Watt wrote. "It's been an absolute honour and a pleasure."
One of the NFL's most feared pass-rushers early in his career, the 33-year-old Watt battled through injuries in the past few seasons and revealed in October he was playing through a case of atrial fibrillation.
A first-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2011, Watt is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a five-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection.
The future Hall of Famer led the league in sacks in 2012 and 2015, and his 111.5 career sacks rank fourth among active players. His 9.5 sacks this season are his most since recording 16 in 2018.
Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn feels his side's focus on court matters alone is key to their form, after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving set up a ninth win in a row.
The pair posted 32 points each in a remarkable double act to ensuring a 125-117 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, which gave the Nets their longest winning streak since 2006.
It marks a sharp contrast from the early season blues the Nets suffered from, with Irving banned for a post that supported anti-semitism and prior head coach Steve Nash dismissed amid poor form.
Vaughn credits the turnaround to keeping his players tightly trained on their performances rather than matters away from the court, indicating that discipline has been the secret of the success.
"I am a simple person," he said. "[I] really try to keep things simple. We stripped our playbook down a little bit, we are simple in what we do.
"[We] have our guys play extremely free of mind. I think there's something important in that if you're going to ask your guys to play hard."
Durant concurred with his coach's assessment, noting the Nets feel like they are in a better headspace under Vaughn's command, while suggesting outside forces were played up in the media.
"To be honest, I think we've always been about ball," he added. "Everybody has a platform, so there are many voices speaking [about] what we do inside our locker room
"I think that's the noise that you hear. But from us, we've always been about the game. We struggled early on, we were always focused on playing basketball."
David Warner can continue in Test cricket for "as long as he wants", believes Australia team-mate Steve Smith after the batsman's double century against South Africa.
Amid speculation over Warner's future in the red-ball team, the New South Wales veteran became the eighth man to cross the 8,000-run boundary for his country in the game's oldest format.
After a slew of lacklustre performances, the 36-year-old's first Test century since facing New Zealand in 2020 reaffirmed his credentials, and Warner was only halted when he was forced to retire on 200 with cramp.
Smith, the seventh man to reach the 8,000-run mark, was full of plaudits for his partner at the crease, after they piled on the runs against the Proteas in Melbourne, and feels he is still in his prime.
"I don't see any reason why he can't continue playing," Smith said. "He saw the ball well today. He can play as long as he wants.
"He played exceptionally well from ball one yesterday. He looks like he has a lot of energy, his feet moved really nicely.
"Today, he just played beautifully. I think the more he started to cramp, the more shots he started playing. Everything came from the middle."
Australia finished day two at the MCG on 386 for three, with Warner and Cameron Green both retiring hurt. Smith was the last batsman dismissed, having shared in a partnership of 239 for the third wicket with Warner, before the retirements made it an unusual end to the day's play.
The batting efforts gave Australia an overnight lead of 197 runs, with Warner chiefly responsible.
"It was a great blow [to lose him] but nice to be on the other side for much of it," Smith said. "He's doing fine, he's fit. It was quite energy consuming.
"Obviously, it was a strange end to the day. It was hard to believe I was the last wicket. It was an interesting finish but a good day."
Novak Djokovic made a low-key arrival in Australia on Tuesday and can expect a warm welcome from tennis fans a year on from his deportation drama, according to grand slam boss Craig Tiley.
Tiley, tournament director at the Australian Open, said he was confident the public would respond positively to the 21-time major winner who was thrown out of the country ahead of the last Melbourne Park event.
In early January this year, Australian's then immigration minister Alex Hawke determined Djokovic should be removed from the country "on health and good order grounds" and "in the public interest".
Djokovic had been granted a medical exemption to enter Australia, despite not being vaccinated, only for border officials to block him upon his arrival, setting in motion a saga that dominated the lead-up to the championship.
There had been concerns Djokovic would be banned from the country for the next three years, as that is the punishment that usually comes with a deportation order, but instead he has been welcomed back.
Australia's border entry rules changed in July, with travellers no longer obliged to provide evidence of vaccination status.
On Tuesday, Tiley said Djokovic had arrived in Adelaide, with local media also reporting he had quietly entered the country.
The Australian Open begins on January 16, with Djokovic due to compete in the first of two Adelaide International tournaments before then, from January 1-8.
Djokovic was kept in a detention centre on his arrival last year, but this time the 35-year-old Serbian can expect all the trappings that come with his status as an all-time tennis great.
"He finished 2022 playing the best tennis, he does want to get to equalling the current record held by Rafa," said Tiley at a press conference, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. "He has a goal to be the greatest of all time."
Djokovic has nine Australian Open men's singles titles, the most of any player.
Should he scoop another, he would move alongside Rafael Nadal on 22 slams, the most singles majors won by a man. Nadal won the Australian Open in Djokovic's absence last year.
Tiley thinks Djokovic has achieved enough in his career for last January's sorry soap opera to be set aside, saying: "I have a great deal of confidence in the Australian public.
"We're a very well-educated sporting public, particularly those who come to the tennis, they love their tennis, they love seeing greatness, they love seeing great athleticism, great matches.
"And I have a lot of confidence that the fans will react like we hope they would react and have respect for that."
Ahead of his journey Down Under, Djokovic had said: "I'm just glad to have a chance to start there.
"After obviously what happened earlier this year, hopefully, I can have a decent reception there, and that can help me play some good tennis."
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has not thought about how the team will handle their quarterback situation in 2023 following rookie Brock Purdy's stunning emergence.
The Niners claimed their eighth straight win on Christmas Eve as they eased to a 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders to improve to 11-4 on the season.
Purdy, the last pick in this year's draft, has been the starting quarterback for the last three games, having come in and replaced Jimmy Garoppolo following his injury in the first quarter of the Week 13 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Since quarterback starts were first tracked in 1950, Purdy is only the second player to begin his career 3-0 as a starter while throwing multiple touchdown passes in each game. The other is Kurt Warner, who did so in 1999 after stepping in for the injured Trent Green and went on to lead the St. Louis Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The 49ers and Purdy have ambitions on lifting the Lombardi Trophy at the end of this campaign, and it is that goal Shanahan is entirely focused on, not a quarterback decision that figures to be one of the dominant storylines of the offseason.
Garoppolo will become a free agent at the start of the 2023 league year in March, leaving Purdy and Trey Lance — who was the 49ers’ starter before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 — as the two quarterbacks on the roster.
San Francisco traded three first-round picks for the right to acquire Lance with the third overall selection in 2021, but he has started only four games in two seasons and it may be difficult to demote Purdy from the starting role if he continues to thrive and the 49ers enjoy a deep playoff run.
But asked if he had thought about how he will approach the quarterback issue in the offseason, Shanahan told reporters on Monday: "No, I didn't even know what year it is after this season is over, so I'm trying to think about how to get him ready for Wednesday [practice].
"That's a great question, but honestly, I don't look ahead like that. We have a number of big games in front of us."
Purdy averaged 10.64 yards per pass attempt in throwing for 234 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Washington despite still dealing with an oblique injury.
Assessing Purdy's display, Shanahan said: "I thought Brock played well, really well. He was smart with the ball.
"There were a couple situations that were tight, where there was an unblocked player and the play was almost there and I thought he just did a great job not doing anything stupid in some tough situations also.
"He's shown that he's willing to let a rip at all times and there were a couple times in the game that they got an unblocked guy right to him and he made a couple great decisions just to take the sack, so I was really impressed with how Brock played just talking to him here the last two days.
"He got out healthy again and I think that should continue healing up and I think he should be even a little better this week with more health."
Christophe Galtier insists there is no risk involved in throwing his World Cup stars straight back into Ligue 1 action.
The likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi are poised to face Strasbourg on Wednesday as the French top flight cranks into gear once more.
A six-week break for domestic duty has seen PSG's star names experience the roller coaster emotions and intense scrutiny of national team duty at the highest level.
Hakimi helped Morocco make history by becoming Africa's first semi-finalists, while Neymar had an injury-plagued campaign that ended with Brazil's defeat on penalties to Croatia in the quarter-finals.
Mbappe then experienced the cruellest of fates when he became just the second man to hit a hat-trick in a World Cup final, only to finish as a runner-up after France's spot-kicks loss to Argentina.
Ten days will have passed since that loss at Lusail Stadium when Mbappe steps out to face lowly domestic rivals, and Galtier said: "I don't think there is a risk.
"They wanted to get to play in these very important league games. Of course, we will need to manage things in the coming weeks to see how Achraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappe cope.
"We are thinking about that and we will need to find the fight time for them to rest."
That rest is likely to come sooner rather than later, given PSG have Champions League commitments from February, but for now Galtier believes his players are reliable judges of their readiness to play.
Head coach Galtier saw PSG pull five points clear of second-placed Lens before the World Cup, and with a trip to Stade Bollaert-Delelis coming up on Sunday, the Strasbourg game might be seen by outsiders as a soft landing before the first big test arrives.
Galtier sees it as nothing of the sort, warning the 19th-placed visitors are "playing for their lives" and suggesting PSG's previous form counts for nothing.
Strasbourg have won just one of 15 league games to date this season, while unbeaten PSG have 41 points from the same number of matches.
Strasbourg also have the highest expected goals against total in Ligue 1 this season (28.52 xGA), signalling their opponents have been able to create a high number of good goalscoring chances, while PSG have the lowest (15.06 xGA) and have shipped just nine goals.
PSG are unbeaten in 31 home games against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 (W24 D7), too, the longest such streak against a specific opponent by a Ligue 1 team without ever losing.
On paper, therefore, there is little for Strasbourg to cling to. PSG have not lost at home in their past 36 home games spanning all competitions (W30 D6), since losing to Manchester City in the Champions League in April of last year.
Perhaps the only saving grace for the team from Alsace is they will not have to face World Cup winner Lionel Messi, who has been granted an extended break by PSG.
Galtier knows anything less than three points would be a disappointment, which is why he is preparing the team with the utmost seriousness and backing them to respond.
"If you just focus on the table that would be a big mistake," Galtier said.
"We are starting from scratch. That is what I said to my players. We had a very good start to the season and we know why that was. The players a had a serious approach. They were demanding. They showed determination and humility.
"They want to achieve something together and all of us need to be in the same mindset tomorrow come kick-off."
Lionel Messi will not return to Paris Saint-Germain until early January, but Kylian Mbappe is set for an immediate return to Ligue 1 action against Strasbourg on Wednesday.
Head coach Christophe Galtier revealed Messi will miss the Strasbourg game, and Sunday's trip to Lens, after being given dispensation to stay in Argentina for an extended post-World Cup break.
Messi headed home after Argentina's Qatar 2022 triumph, to be feted for his leading role in the team's triumph after their dramatic win on penalties against France in the December 18 final.
Mbappe, who hit a hat-trick for France in that game but still finished as a runner-up, has returned to full training with the capital club and looks set to line up at the Parc des Princes against Strasbourg, with Brazil's Neymar and Marquinhos and Morocco's Achraf Hakimi also available after rejoining Galtier's group.
Galtier said: "There are individual cases with the players who went very far. Achraf Hakimi played in every game at the World Cup for Morocco. He was in the team of the World Cup.
"He wanted to get back as quickly as possible, as did Kylian Mbappe. He also turned in some brilliant performances and was the top goalscorer at the World Cup.
"After speaking to him and all my different teams who stayed in regular contact with the players, Kylian Mbappe wanted to join back up with us pretty quickly.
"There could be a time when Achraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappe need to rest. Not necessarily physically, but definitely mentally.
"As for Leo Messi, who had a brilliant tournament, given they won the competition, he went back to Argentina for the celebrations. We made the decision to give him until January 1, so he will be back here with us on the second or third to get back into the swing of things after 13 or 14 days off."
Reports have claimed Messi, who scored seven goals and won the World Cup's Golden Ball prize, has agreed a contract extension with PSG, who will be hoping to get that deal completed soon after his return to France.
An ankle blow for Neymar during the World Cup is no longer troubling the former Barcelona forward, Galtier said.
He returned to France on December 22, and Galtier said: "He has been working outside as normal without any restrictions. Physically he is fine, and mentally he is looking forward to playing."
The PSG boss dismissed any suggestion of a possible problem emerging between Messi and Mbappe, after Argentina's post-final celebrations in the dressing room saw goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez mock the PSG and France striker.
Galtier suggested all the blame for that episode was with Martinez.
"What happened in the celebrations belongs to the Argentinians, and it is not down to me. What matters to me is what I saw in the final and on the sidelines I saw Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi embrace," Galtier said.
"There is a lot of respect between them. They have an exemplary attitude after the games. And of course, [Messi] needs to be congratulated for the trophies, and the Argentina coach as well.
"So I would focus on the relationship between them. It wasn't Leo Messi winding anybody else up. What I saw after the final, what I have experienced, is there is no reason to mix these things up because the goalkeeper's behaviour is down to him.
"What matters to me is the relationship between the players. Kylian Mbappe had a very good attitude, despite losing. Of course he was very disappointed, but he did that in a classy way. He congratulated Leo Messi and that is a very good thing for the club and for the team."
For the players who returned from the World Cup disheartened, Galtier says throwing themselves back into club duty has been a welcome escape.
"When they came back, our medical and coaching teams have spoken to the players to understand how they are feeling, because they are top-level footballers who enjoy playing and training to be able to play," Galtier said.
"There is no better remedy than to go back to your club where there is a very good atmosphere, a good feeling. Everyone is showing their commitment based on the training sessions I've been involved with."
Lionel Scaloni has no intention of stepping down as head coach after guiding Argentina to World Cup glory, says Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia.
Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties in a thrilling Qatar 2022 final that finished 3-3 after extra time to add to the Copa America crown won last year.
With his team's latest success, Scaloni became just the third manager in history to win both competitions, after former Brazil bosses Mario Zagallo and Carlos Alberto Parreira.
The 44-year-old is due to be out of contract later this week and has been tipped to take on a high-profile position at club level, but Tapia does not see that happening.
"I have no doubt he will continue to be the head coach of the Argentina team," AFA chief Tapia told reporters.
"We are both men of our word. We shook hands and we said yes to each other. He is currently travelling but as soon as he comes back we are going to finalise it."
Scaloni has been in charge since July 2018, initially on a caretaker basis, and also won the inaugural Finalissima earlier this year with victory over European champions Italy.
However, the decision to appoint Scaloni as Jorge Sampaoli's successor after defeat to France in the last 16 of Russia 2018 was not a unanimous one.
"Ninety-nine per cent of people thought we were wrong or even crazy," Tapia said. "But this team brought happiness to the people with the three titles they won."
Mikel Arteta believes it was the "right moment" for Arsene Wenger to make his long-awaited return to Arsenal on Boxing Day.
The legendary Gunners manager was in attendance for the 3-1 victory over West Ham, where the north London side returned to Premier League action in style to clinch a fourth consecutive league win.
Wenger's return to Emirates Stadium was significant as it was his first trip to the club since leaving in 2018, which brought an end to a 22-year tenure.
While he endured a frosty reception from the fans in the latter stages of his spell at the club, Wenger was serenaded by the Arsenal faithful during the comeback victory, where second-half goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah clinched all three points.
Though it has taken time for Wenger to return to his former hunting ground, Arteta believes Monday's match came at the ideal time.
"Winning, my mood is going to be much better talking to him and to be around the team," he told reporters.
"He picked the right moment, a really special day because Boxing Day is a beautiful day to play football and I thought today the levels were what he deserved and hopefully he'll like.
"The players didn't know [about it]. We wanted to keep it quiet and allow that space for Arsene. Stan and Josh [Kroenke] are here as well and it was a really special day.
"Thank you so much to him for coming. Hopefully walking through the building he's going to feel everything that everybody thinks of him, the legacy he left here.
"He is very, very attached to this football club. Thank you to him for everything he did at the club.
"Hopefully he's going to leave here and be willing to spend more time with us and be more around us because he's such a big influence for me personally in my career, the way I see the game, but as well for this football club."
Arsenal round off 2022 with a trip to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, then begin the new year three days later at home against Newcastle United.
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