Cleveland Browns standout return specialist Jakeem Grant will miss the 2022 season with a torn left Achilles tendon, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Wednesday.
Grant, a second team All-Pro as a punt returner in each of the last two seasons, was hurt during Tuesday's practice and underwent an MRI that confirmed the injury.
"I really feel awful for Jakeem," Stefanski said in a statement. "We've witnessed how hard the young man has worked since he got to our team.
"We all realise injuries are a part of our game, but that doesn't make it any easier to accept, especially for someone that works as hard and carries himself like Jakeem."
The Browns signed Grant to a three-year contract worth up to $13.8million in March to be their primary return man and compete for snaps at slot receiver after the team released Jarvis Landry.
One of the game's premier returners, Grant has averaged 10.3 yards per punt return with four touchdowns and 24.5 yards per kick return with two touchdowns over six NFL seasons. His six combined touchdowns on kick and punt returns since 2016 are tied with Jacksonville Jaguars' Jamal Agnew for the most in the league over that period.
As a receiver, Grant has totaled 100 catches for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns for his career. The 29-year-old had career highs of 36 receptions and 373 receiving yards with the Miami Dolphins in 2020.
A sixth-round pick of the Dolphins in 2016, Grant had spent his entire career with Miami before being traded to the Chicago Bears in October.
Grant's injury gives rookie David Bell, a third-round pick in this year's draft, the inside track to be Cleveland's No. 3 receiver behind Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Second-year pro Demetric Felton will likely take over on returns barring any additional roster moves.
Bernardo Silva is frustrated about Manchester City players apparently not getting as much credit as they deserve.
City have won four of the past five Premier League titles, a feat only previously managed by Alex Ferguson's Manchester United.
Pep Guardiola's arrival in 2016 has undoubtedly had an impact on their domination, with the Catalan coach quickly establishing a team identity that has made them one of the most entertaining and ruthless sides in Europe.
But Bernardo, who joined a year after Guardiola, thinks City are not as appreciated as they should be, with the Portugal international suggesting the end-of-season awards are evidence of this.
Last season, the Professional Footballers' Association's (PFA) Team of the Year contained only three City players – including Bernardo – to Liverpool's six and Jurgen Klopp took the managers' award, despite City winning the title.
While that does appear to be an anomaly, with City boasting the most Team of the Year representatives and Guardiola claiming the managers' prize in each of their previous three title-winning campaigns before last season, Bernardo still feels the champions are judged differently to the rest.
Asked specifically if he gets the praise he deserves, Bernardo – who took the opportunity to go off on a bit of a tangent – told ESPN: "From Man City fans, definitely. I feel a lot of support, and they show a lot of appreciation for what I do.
"From outside, it's difficult. I'm not complaining here, but I feel like other clubs get a lot more credit than Man City for doing less.
"For example, when I was at Benfica – a huge club in Portugal with more fans, more everything – you do something nice and they make it look like it's great. Here at Man City, you do something great and they make it look like it's just good.
"Again, I'm not complaining, but playing in the Premier League and winning four titles in five years and checking the Premier League Team of the Year every year and knowing that we're never the team that has the most players.
"We don't have the best manager, we don't have the best players, but we still win four Premier Leagues in five years? It just doesn't make sense. It probably shows that Man City players don't get as much credit as they should.
"For me, it doesn't matter honestly. I'm happy with the titles that we have and with the memories that in the last five years, we won four times. Of course, we don't get the credit that we deserve."
Pep Guardiola has no excuse not to win the Champions League with Manchester City given Erling Haaland's talent, according to Fabio Capello.
City were Premier League champions last season but again came up short in Europe, losing to eventual winners Real Madrid in the semi-finals.
The perennial league winners are still waiting on their first taste of glory in the Champions League, which Guardiola himself has not won since 2011.
Widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the modern game, Guardiola's failure to deliver success in Europe's elite club competition has regularly been used as a source of criticism.
And Capello – a European champion as Milan coach in 1994 – now believes City must succeed this season.
New superstar striker Haaland marked his Premier League debut with two goals in a win at West Ham, and Capello spotted the final piece of the City jigsaw.
"This year there is a favourite for me: Manchester City," the ex-England manager told Il Mattino. "There is no race.
"They finally have a powerful centre-forward in Haaland. He has power and speed.
"I saw the match against West Ham and I realised that this time Guardiola has no excuse: he has to win the Champions League.
"Even if, in the end, they'll tell him that he [only] won the Champions League first with [Lionel] Messi and then with Haaland."
Trinidad and Tobago athletes who won medals at the recently concluded 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, will have some extra cash to spend this year under the twin-island republic Ministry of Sports’ Reward and Incentives Framework, according to reports.
Under the programme, cyclist Nicholas Paul and sprinter Jereem Richards will be the primary beneficiaries as both men are responsible for the three gold medals the country won in Birmingham.
Paul won gold in the keirin, silver in the match sprint and bronze in the 1000m time trials and is set to receive TT$437,500 while Richards, who won the 200m title in a Games record 19.80 and anchored the country’s 4x400m relay to the gold medal is set to receive TT$375,000.
According to the Trinidad Guardian, athletes competing in relay team events will earn $125,000 each for a gold medal, $62,500 for silver and for bronze, $31,250. Individual gold medals get a whopping TT$250,000.
That means Dwight St Hillaire, Asa Guevara and Machel Cedenio will each get $125,000 and the members of the 4x100 metres team - Jerod Elcock, Eric Harrison Jnr, Kion Benjamin and Kyle Greaux - will each get $62,500 for their silver medal run.
The 37th running of the Caribbean Senior Squash Championship will take place in Jamaica, August 21 - 27 at the Liguanea Club in Kingston.
Ahead of her much-anticipated clash with five-time 100m world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Monaco on Wednesday, 200m world champion Shericka Jackson has revealed that she has not yet achieved her goal in the 100m.
Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy has pleaded not guilty to an additional rape charge.
Mendy appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday to enter the plea ahead of his trial.
The 28-year-old attended court back in May when he entered pleas for nine charges of sexual offences – he then denied seven counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape.
Mendy also denies this further count of rape.
The offences, reported by seven different women, allegedly occurred between October 2018 and August last year, with all purported to have taken place at Mendy's home.
Mendy will go on trial with co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, who denies eight counts of rape and four of sexual assault between July 2012 and August 2021.
Both men are expected to stand trial later this week, with proceedings unlikely to conclude before November.
Mendy was suspended by City on August 26, 2021, and has not played for them since.
Reported Manchester United target Cody Gakpo believes he is more likely to stay at PSV than leave if they qualify for the Champions League.
The 23-year-old winger has been linked with several Premier League clubs in this transfer window, with Leeds United and Arsenal initially considered potential destinations.
United then emerged as apparent suitors following their shock 2-1 home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on matchday one of the Premier League season.
Although the Red Devils have signed Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen, it has been a frustrating window for new manager Erik ten Hag, with several other areas of the squad widely deemed to be lacking quality in depth.
Defeat to Brighton only further highlighted some of United's issues, and reports early in the week suggested a £35million bid was being prepared for Gakpo, a winger who is capable of playing through the middle.
But Gakpo will seemingly be happy to stay at PSV if they can reach the Champions League group stages – they are due to face Rangers in their qualification play-off after the Eredivisie side saw off Monaco in a 4-3 aggregate win that was secured by a dramatic 3-2 success after extra time in Eindhoven on Tuesday.
Asked about his future after the game, Gakpo told ESPN: "We must first focus on and try to make it to the Champions League.
"Then it is more likely that I will stay. I don't think I have said anywhere that I am leaving, so there is definitely a chance that I will stay.
"I'm open for a cup of coffee with the management – or coffee for them and water for me. We'll see how it goes."
Gakpo appeared to be a backup option after United were unable to lure Antony away from Ajax, who reportedly value the Brazilian at approximately €82m (£70m).
It was rumoured that United hoped the presence of former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy – who is head coach at PSV – might have been able to encourage an agreement, but it would appear Gakpo is in no rush to depart.
Cameron Smith has vowed he will come forward when he has any announcement to make on his future, although the world number two is reported to have already agreed to join the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
Smith is the Open champion and would represent another major coup for the breakaway golf league.
Fellow Australian Cameron Percy indicated Smith would be joining LIV Golf this week, telling RSN Radio that the 28-year-old and Marc Leishman were "gone".
Smith subsequently responded to these claims in a news conference ahead of the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Tuesday.
"My goal here is to win the FedEx Cup play-offs," he said. "That's all I'm here for.
"If there's something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour or LIV, it will come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy.
"I'm a man of my word, and whenever you guys need to know anything, it will be said by me.
"Like I said, I'm here to play the FedEx Cup play-offs. That's been my focus the last week and a half, that's what I'm here to do. I'm here to win the FedEx Cup play-offs."
However, Wednesday brought an exclusive report from The Telegraph claiming Smith had signed a $100million-plus deal with LIV Golf.
The report says an initial offer of around $100m was made to Smith ahead of The Open, but he is set to be boosted by his new status as a major winner.
An announcement, The Telegraph said, would likely follow the FedEx Cup play-offs, with Smith second in the standings.
Chris Eubank Jr will face Conor Benn and renew the two families' rivalry 29 years on from their fathers' second fight.
Chris Eubank twice faced Nigel Benn, beating him in their first bout in November 1990 before the pair drew the rematch three years later.
The latter meeting took place on October 9, 1993, and their sons will now take to the ring on October 8, 2022.
Benn's son Conor is still undefeated, with a 21-0 record that he will put on the line against Eubank Jr (32-2) at the O2 Arena in London.
"It's definitely a legacy fight," he said. "There was obviously a great rivalry between Eubank Sr and my dad, Nigel Benn.
"It's a fight that's even still spoken about now. It was one of the greatest British rivalries.
"So, the legacy lives on. It really is for the legacy, this fight. For me, it feels like the stars are aligned for this moment, to be honest."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has explained the league appealed the advised six-game ban for Deshaun Watson because a disciplinary hearing found "egregious" violations and "predatory behaviour".
Watson faced 24 civil lawsuits following sexual assault and misconduct allegations. He was not charged by two grand juries and has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
The Cleveland Browns quarterback settled 20 of the lawsuits in June, with a further three settlements reported at the start of August ahead of the verdict of his NFL hearing.
Former US district judge Sue L. Robinson oversaw those proceedings and concluded Watson should miss six games with no additional fine.
But the NFL felt, having reviewed that decision, the evidence uncovered by Robinson required a harsher punishment, and it has used its right to appeal.
It is widely reported the league believes Watson should be suspended for the entire 2022 season, and Goodell outlined why this is the case.
"We've seen the evidence," he said. "[Robinson] was very clear about the evidence, should we enforce the evidence – that there were multiple violations here, and they were egregious, and it was predatory behaviour.
"Those are things that we always felt were important for us to address in a way that's responsible."
A single run in the 13th inning gave the Seattle Mariners a memorable win over the New York Yankees late on Tuesday in "one of the best games I've ever seen", according to Scott Servais.
The Mariners held their own in a pitching battle with the Yankees, as new signing Luis Castillo marked his first home start by giving up just three hits through eight scoreless innings.
Seattle's relief pitching was similarly effective, while there were a series of stunning defensive plays as the two teams repeatedly failed to bat in runners in scoring positions.
Eventually, after more than four hours of play, a pinch-hit single from Luis Torrens scored Eugenio Suarez to the delight of a raucous Seattle crowd.
"Baseball's not a boring game," Mariners manager Servais said after the 1-0 victory.
"I've been at a lot of major league games, I've been in a lot of major league games, and that was one of the best games I've ever seen.
"The electricity in our ballpark tonight, the fans were incredible. As we sit here in early August, we've got big things ahead of us."
The Mariners occupy the second AL wild card place at 60-52 as they bid to end a 21-year playoff drought.
"I don't know, because we haven't been to the postseason in a while, but I'm assuming it would be like this and maybe a little bit better," Servais added.
"Our fan base is starved for this type of baseball. We have a team that can provide it. We're fun to watch. We can be frustrating to watch.
"I get all that as a fan and what it means to hang on the edge of your seat for every pitch. That's what baseball is about, and our team embodies that."
Coco Gauff described Serena Williams as "the reason why I play tennis" as she paid tribute to the soon-to-retire great, declaring: "There will never be another Serena."
Williams, a 23-time grand slam champion, announced in a piece in Vogue on Tuesday that she would soon retire.
The 40-year-old did not provide a firm date for the end of her career, but hinted that she could bow out after the US Open, which begins at the end of August.
Williams had won her first singles match in over a year on Monday at the Canadian Open, yet she wrote of the need to now prioritise her family.
And Gauff, playing at the same event in Toronto, was not short of praise for a legend of the sport.
"She's just been playing forever, my whole life," Gauff said after beating Madison Brengle.
"The legacy that she's left throughout her tennis career is something that I don't think any other player can probably touch.
"I think that the legacy that she'll continue to leave throughout her life is something that can inspire many more generations."
Gauff, a highly talented 18-year-old, has no interest in any tag as the 'next Serena', although she can take inspiration from Williams in dealing with such pressure.
"I've learned a lot from them [Serena and sister Venus]," Gauff said.
"People always tell me that you're going to be 'next whatever', blah, blah, blah, and Serena has been considered the GOAT [greatest of all time] for at least the second half of her career, and she never succumbed to that pressure.
"I think she overcame it, and I think that's something I take from her and try to learn from it. Not that I'm at her level and experiencing the same pressure she is, but in the moment I try to emulate that.
"For me, I grew up watching her. That's the reason why I play tennis, and tennis being a predominantly white sport, it definitely helped a lot, because I saw somebody who looked like me dominating the game, and it made me believe I could dominate, too.
"She's the GOAT. And undisputed, too, in my opinion. But I don't think that's an opinion, it's a fact.
"Serena, for me, is the GOAT. The GOAT of all GOATs. There will never be another Serena."
Sean McVay has announced he signed a contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams over the offseason, but talks are ongoing with general manager Les Snead.
Head coach McVay guided the Rams to a Super Bowl win last season, and tying down his long-term future represents a major boost for the franchise.
Yet McVay revealed he and Snead were waiting until both men were committed to the team before formally confirming the deals.
"We are in a good place," McVay said at training camp. "I feel really good about the direction that's going in, and I think it'll be something where it'll be me and Les, and you guys will know when that is finalised for us.
"We wanted to be able to announce that when both of us got it done.
"It is something that we've been taking care of, but it is very important for Les and I to kind of have that represented as we're a partnership and a pair."
McVay has been Rams coach since 2017, with this his first head coaching role after holding various assistant positions in Washington.
Earning his first title against the Cincinnati Bengals at Super Bowl LVI earlier this year, McVay, 36, became the youngest coach to win the Super Bowl.
McVay has a 55-26 career record, with his winning percentage of 67.9 the seventh-best of all time among coaches to oversee 80 or more games.
Snead was the man who brought McVay to Los Angeles, having been the Rams GM since 2012, when the team were in St. Louis.
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