Aaron Rodgers hit back at an NFL MVP voter who said he would not cast his ballot for the Green Bay Packers quarterback, calling the reporter in question "a bum".
Rodgers has experienced a superb but controversial campaign, leading the Packers to the number one seed in the NFC but attracting significant criticism for appearing to mislead reporters regarding his vaccination status.
He tested positive for coronavirus and was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list in November for 10 days, as league rules dictate for unvaccinated players, forcing him to miss the Packers' Week 9 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. Rodgers had said back in August that he was "immunised".
Rodgers clarified that his immunisation comments referred to a homeopathic treatment he received. He applied for an exemption from the rules for unvaccinated players but saw his request rejected by the NFL and NFLPA.
The three-time MVP subsequently criticised the league's coronavirus protocols and has courted controversy with his comments regarding vaccines.
In an interview on Tuesday, MVP voter Hub Arkush told 670 The Score: "I don't think you can be the biggest jerk in the league and punish your team, and your organisation and your fanbase the way he did and be the Most Valuable Player.
"Has he been the most valuable on the field? Yeah, you could make that argument, but I don't think he is clearly that much more valuable than Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp or maybe even Tom Brady. So from where I sit, the rest of it is why he's not gonna be my choice."
Responding in a media conference on Wednesday, Rodgers said of Arkush: "I think he's a bum. I think he's an absolute bum. He doesn't know me. I don't know who he is. No one knew who he was, probably, until yesterday's comments. And I listened to the comments.
"But to say he had his mind made up in the summertime, in the offseason that I had zero chance of winning MVP – in my opinion, that should exclude [him from] future votes.
"His problem isn't with me being a 'bad guy' or 'the biggest jerk in the league' – because he doesn't know me. He doesn't know anything about me. I've never met him. I've never had lunch with him. I've never had an interview with him.
"His problem is I'm not vaccinated. So if he wants to go on a crusade and collude and come up with an extra letter to put on the award just for this season and make it the 'Most Valuable Vaccinated Player,' then he should do that.
"But he's a bum. And I'm not going to waste any time worrying about that stuff. He has no idea who I am. He's never talked to me in his life. But it's unfortunate that those sentiments – it's surprising that he would even say that, to be honest. But I knew this was possible."
Derrick Henry returned to practice on Wednesday, boosting hopes he could feature for the Tennessee Titans in the playoffs.
Henry was earlier designated to return from injured reserve, opening his 21-day window to be placed back on the active roster.
The star running back suffered a fractured foot in the Titans' overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts back on October 31.
Henry, who won the rushing title in 2019 and 2020, has 937 yards on 219 attempts with 10 touchdowns in the 2021 season.
Despite his return to practice, it appears unlikely he will be ready to feature in the Titans' regular-season finale against the Houston Texans, in which they could clinch the number one seed in the AFC.
However, should Tennessee indeed secure top spot in the conference, it will give the Titans a first-round bye and Henry extra time to recover for a home game in the Divisional Round.
Even with Henry missing half the season, the Titans still rank third in rush yards per game with 142.5 and will hope his return to their ground attack can help propel them to a second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.
Novak Djokovic was left fighting for the right to compete at the Australian Open on Wednesday after authorities cancelled his visa.
The world number one announced on Tuesday that he had received a medical exemption to play in the tournament he has won a record nine times.
That medical exemption was expected to allow Djokovic to enter the country, regardless of his vaccination status, which he has yet to formally disclose.
However, the Victorian government reportedly rejected an application as a member of Djokovic's support team made an error in requesting a sub-class of visa.
Further doubt was cast over Djokovic's chances of being allowed to contest the first grand slam of the year when Jaala Pulford, the acting sports minister of the state of Victoria, later declared on social media that the Serbian's application will not be supported.
It was later announced by the Australian Border Force (ABF) he had been ordered to fly out of the country on Thursday, although his legal team was said to be challenging the decision.
"The ABF can confirm that Mr Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled," the force said.
"Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa cancelled will be detained and removed from Australia.
"The ABF can confirm Mr Djokovic had access to his phone."
Djokovic's father had earlier accused authorities of holding the 20-time major winner "captive for five hours".
He told Russian news agency Sputnik: "This is a fight for the libertarian world, not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world.
"If they don't let him go in half an hour, we will gather on the street. This is a fight for everyone."
Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley will not countenance a "complicit" tie should such a result benefit both his team and the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
The AFC playoff picture is an intriguing one heading into Week 18 and a favourable result at Allegiant Stadium could take both teams into the postseason.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens, and the Jacksonville Jaguars – fresh from a 50-10 blowout defeat to the New England Patriots – upset the 9-7 Indianapolis Colts, the scenario in Nevada becomes straightforward.
Should those results fall into place, a tie between the Raiders and Chargers would send both to the playoffs at the expense of the other remaining challengers.
However, Staley is not prepared to engage in any such approach regardless of the bigger picture come kickoff.
"That's a pretty loaded scenario," he told The Rich Eisen Show. "That is an all-time coffee shop scenario. I feel like I'm with my buddies at the University of Dayton.
"I think we all respect the game and the NFL shield and the integrity of this game far too much to be complicit in something like that. This game matters too much to too many people, and we want to play our best and be proud of the result one way or another.
"We're going to do everything we can to go win this game, and play the way we're capable of playing. I hope all the fans and everybody who loves the NFL will be proud of the game on Sunday.
"What makes it so special is the competition and the level of integrity and respect that it stands for."
The Chargers and Raiders head into the contest evenly matched, both standing at 9-7 with Las Vegas on a three-game winning streak.
Novak Djokovic is "being held captive" in a room guarded by police after arriving in Melbourne for the upcoming Australian Open, the tennis star's father has alleged.
World number one Djokovic announced on Tuesday that he had received a medical exemption to play in the tournament he has won a record nine times.
That medical exemption was expected to allow Djokovic to enter the country, regardless of his vaccination status, which he has yet to formally disclose.
However, the Victorian government reportedly rejected an application from Border Force as a member of Djokovic's support team made an error in requesting a sub-class of visa.
Further doubt was cast over Djokovic's chances of being allowed to contest the first grand slam of the year when Jaala Pulford, the acting sports minister of the state of Victoria, later declared on social media that the Serbian's application will not be supported.
And amid later reports that the 20-time major winner could be forced to fly back home, Djokovic's father Srdjan hit out at authorities for their treatment of his son.
"Novak is currently in a room which no one can enter," he told the B92 internet portal. "In front of the room are two policemen."
Srdjan added to Russian news agency Sputnik: "I have no idea what's going on. My son has been held captive for five hours.
"This is a fight for the libertarian world, not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world.
"If they don't let him go in half an hour, we will gather on the street, this is a fight for everyone."
The latest twist in the Djokovic saga comes after Australian prime minister Scott Morrison stated that Djokovic "will be on the next plane home" if he fails to prove he merits medical exemption to play in the tournament.
Australian Open director Craig Tiley insisted on Tuesday that Djokovic had not been given a "special favour" to play in the tournament, which is scheduled to run from January 17 until January 30.
Novak Djokovic's participation at the Australian Open is reportedly back in doubt due to an issue with his visa.
World number one Djokovic flew into Melbourne on Wednesday, a day after revealing he had been cleared to take part in the tournament after receiving a medical exemption.
The Serbian has not directly addressed whether he has been vaccinated against COVID-19, but players who compete at Melbourne Park either require proof they have been jabbed or an exemption.
He has spoken openly and critically about vaccine mandates, insisting there should be freedom of choice in all walks of life.
Many Australians criticised the decision to welcome Djokovic into the country, but the 34-year-old appears to have hit another stumbling block in his battle to defend the title he has won a record nine times.
Reports from Australia suggested that the Victorian government had rejected an application from Border Force regarding Djokovic's visa as a member of his support team made an error in requesting a sub-class of visa.
And Jaala Pulford, the acting sports minister of the state of Victoria, later declared on social media that Djokovic's application will not be supported.
"The Federal Government has asked if we will support Novak Djokovic's visa application to enter Australia," she posted on Twitter.
"We will not be providing Novak Djokovic with individual visa application support to participate in the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam.
"We've always been clear on two points: visa approvals are a matter for the Federal Government, and medical exemptions are a matter for doctors."
The latest twist in the Djokovic saga comes after Australian prime minister Scott Morrison stated that Djokovic "will be on the next plane home" if he fails to prove he merits medical exemption to play in the tournament.
Australian Open director Craig Tiley insisted on Tuesday that the 20-time major champion had not been given a "special favour" to play in the tournament, which is scheduled to run from January 17 until January 30.
Ricardas Berankis will face Rafael Nadal in the second round of the Melbourne Summer Set after beating Marcos Giron on Wednesday.
Nadal made his return after a five-month absence due to injury when he and fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar beat Sebastian Baez and Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3 3-6 10-4 in a doubles match in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The 20-time grand slam champion will be back in singles action against Berankis at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday after the Lithuanian qualifier dispatched American Giron 7-5 6-4.
Fifth seed Benoit Paire was trailing 4-6 6-3 5-2 to Henri Laaksonen when the Frenchman retired from the contest.
Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson advanced on home soil, beating Stefano Travaglia 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 and Christopher O'Connell 1-6 7-5 6-4 respectively.
Munar beat towering South African Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-4, while Emil Ruusuvuori, Alex Molcan and Maxime Cressy also made it through.
Marin Cilic racked up the 550th victory of his career at the Adelaide International 1, defeating Thiago Monteiro 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Third seed Cilic will now come up against Laslo Djere, who was level at one set apiece with Corentin Moutet when the Frenchman was disqualified after reportedly swearing at the umpire.
Thanasi Kokkinakis fought back to oust Frances Tiafoe in the final match of the day, the Australian wild card winning 3-6 7-5 6-1.
Novak Djokovic should clear up any doubts over the reasons for his medical exemption to play at the Australian Open, says Toni Nadal.
Tournament organisers have faced a backlash after it was announced this week that men's world number one Djokovic has been granted a medical exemption to play in the first grand slam of the year.
Protocols in Australia require proof that competitors and staff have been jabbed or have a medical exemption to compete at Melbourne Park. Djokovic has thus far refused to state whether he has been vaccinated.
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday that Djokovic would be on the "next plane home" if he fails to prove he is medically exempt, though tournament organiser Craig Tiley insisted the 20-time major champion had not been given a "special favour" to play.
Nadal, the uncle of Djokovic's long-term rival and also 20-time major victor Rafael Nadal, has now weighed in, expressing surprise the Serbian did not pull out of the tournament and urging him to clarify his situation.
In his column for El Pais, Nadal wrote: "I must admit that, until Tuesday's announcement, I thought that the Serbian player would give up participating in the tournament or that he would get the vaccine.
"The way I understand it, if you have requested and received an exemption then it's because you must not have been administered any of the authorised [vaccines].
"There are almost six million people who have lost their lives due to this damn virus and many other millions who have received the vaccine.
"I want to think that Novak is no stranger to all this and that he will clear up the doubts as a sign of human sensitivity and understanding."
The Australian Open begins on January 17.
Ash Barty produced an impressive comeback to defeat Coco Gauff in her first singles match since the US Open.
World number one Barty moved into the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International with a battling 4-6 7-5 6-1 triumph.
The home hope, who is favourite to win the Australian Open when it starts later this month, was a set and a break down against the American wonderkid before ultimately progressing in two hours and 12 minutes.
Exhausted after a six-month road trip that included Wimbledon glory last year, Barty took a break from the WTA Tour after her third-round exit at Flushing Meadows on September 5.
Her return came in a marquee matchup at the WTA 500 event which did not disappoint, as Barty battled to win 11 of the last 13 games and prevail.
The victor stemmed the early errors she was making on the forehand side, with Gauff paying the price for only converting three of her 15 break-point opportunities.
It was only the second meeting between Barty and Gauff, with the Australian having to retire with an arm injury while leading their first encounter in Rome last year.
"I felt like I played a pretty good quality match considering it was my first match in a few months," said Barty.
"In the first set I was able to create opportunities but just was a little bit slack on the execution, rusty in the sense of stringing quality points together.
"Midway through the second set I was able to find my rhythm a little bit better on serve and just continued to be aggressive on my forehand. I just found execution a little bit more.
"Coco played great and forced me to hit a lot of balls. I felt I got better and better as the match went on. It was nice to get some court time."
An intriguing last-eight tie lies in wait for Barty. She will either play former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin or compatriot Ajla Tomljanovic.
And there was more good news for Barty as two of her main rivals for glory were eliminated.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka was surprisingly beaten as Kaja Juvan, the world number 100, prevailed 7-6 (8-6) 6-1.
Maria Sakkari, the third seed, also crashed out, beaten in three sets by Shelby Rogers, the player who knocked Barty out of the US Open the last time the Australian was on court.
There are two other tournaments taking place this week, both at WTA 250 level.
At Melbourne Summer Set 1, second seed Simona Halep joined Naomi Osaka in round two with a routine 6-4 6-2 win over Destanee Aiava.
The field is not as strong at Melbourne Summer Set 2, where the highest seed remaining, Daria Kasatkina, progressed after opponent Anna Kalinskaya, having already lost the first set, withdrew through injury.
Novak Djokovic will be on the "next plane home" if he fails to prove he merits a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open.
Tournament organisers have faced a backlash after it was announced this week that Djokovic has been granted a medical exemption to play in the first grand slam of the year.
The Serbian has refused to state whether he has been vaccinated, but protocols in Australia require proof that competitors and staff have been jabbed or have a medical exemption to compete at Melbourne Park.
Tournament director Craig Tiley insisted that the 20-time major champion had not been given a "special favour" to play in the tournament.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday stated that Djokovic will not defend his title if he fails to show that he is exempt.
He told reporters: "We await his presentation and what evidence he provides us to support that.
"If that evidence is insufficient, then he won't be treated any different to anyone else and he'll be on the next plane home. There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all. None whatsoever."
Tiley told The Today Show on Tuesday: "There's been no special favour. There's been no special opportunity granted to Novak.
"As an organisation and as a sport, we've done what everyone else does and would do if they wanted to come to Australia and under certain conditions.
"And we have abided by those conditions and I know Australia's had the most comprehensive response to COVID of any nation in the world. And our governments have done everything they humanly possibly can to keep us safe.
"It's ultimately the decision of the medical experts and we follow that accordingly. In this case, Novak made that application.
"And like others, there's been 26 athletes and their primary support staff that have made applications and a handful of those have been granted by the panel.
"The conditions in which any tennis player comes in, no matter who they are, are conditions that have been put on tennis and put on anyone coming into Australia by the Australian government."
The Australian Open begins on January 17.
Jimmy Butler has been ruled out for the Miami Heat ahead of their game at the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.
Five-time All Star Butler had to be helped from the court after suffering an ankle injury during Monday's loss to the Golden State Warriors.
And the Heat will have to do without the swingman, who is averaging 23.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists this season, as they look to avoid a third straight NBA defeat.
Butler has already missed 15 games so far in 2021-22, some due to issues with the same right ankle, while he also had a tailbone injury.
The team did not provide any further details on his status other than ruling him out of the game against the Trail Blazers.
Miami had won five games in a row prior to consecutive road losses against the Sacramento Kings and the Warriors, who won 115-108 with Butler forced off towards the end of the third quarter.
The team sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 23-15 record, having made it to the NBA Finals last season.
Miami were already due to be without Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson against Portland (14-22).
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel says LeBron James scoring 14 final-quarter points and leading the side to victory over the Sacramento Kings is "just who he is".
James had shot six-of-17 from the field for the game, before stepping up in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers past the Kings 122-114 on Tuesday.
The four-time MVP finished with 31 points, sinking two three-pointers in a row with under five minutes to go, turning around his shooting struggles from earlier in the game.
"You always know that's a possibility," Vogel said at the post-game news conference. "If he's not having a good shooting night, like anybody, you coach him.
"You have to coach him like everybody else but you never lose belief that he's going to do what he did in the fourth quarter. That's just who he is.
"If anything, I think the tweaks we made tonight were about what he was doing on the defensive side.
"He was exerting energy trying to double down. We had to pull back some of that."
The victory means the Lakers have won three in a row after a recent five-game skid, improving to 20-19.
James has averaged 28.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game this season.
LeBron James powered the Los Angeles Lakers to a hard-fought 122-144 win over the Sacramento Kings with a last-quarter barrage on Tuesday.
James finished with 31 points including 14 in the fourth quarter along with five rebounds and five assists for the game to help the Lakers improve to 20-19.
With the Lakers trailing 102-101 with less than five minutes to go, the four-time MVP hit back-to-back three-pointers to claim the ascendancy.
Malik Monk contributed 24 points for the Lakers, while Russell Westbrook had 19 points and seven rebounds.
De'Aaron Fox scored 30 points with three rebounds and six assists for the Kings who move to 16-23.
Paul and Booker shine for Suns
Chris Paul provided 15 assists alongside his 11 points as the west's second seeds, the Phoenix Suns, defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 123-110. Devin Booker scored 33 points for the Suns with nine rebounds and four assists, while Jonas Valanciunas had 25 points with 16 rebounds for the Pels.
The Memphis Grizzlies secured their sixth straight win with a 110-106 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers led by Ja Morant with 26 points, five rebounds and six assists. Darius Garland (27 points and 10 assists) and Kevin Love (18 points and 10 rebounds) were good for the Cavs.
Sabonis struggles from stripe
Domantas Sabonis struggled from the stripe making five-of-12 free-throws while he was bossed by Julius Randle as the Indiana Pacers were beaten 104-94 by the New York Knicks. Sabonis only managed 15 points with eight rebounds, while Randle scored 30 points with 16 rebounds. The Pacers have lost five in a row.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin refused to get caught up in his own record-breaking history after sealing 15 consecutive seasons without a losing record.
The Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 26-14 on Monday to keep alive their playoffs hopes with a 8-7-1 record with one game left.
The victory also meant Tomlin will avoid a losing season for the 15th consecutive year, which exceeds Marty Schottenheimer's streak from 1984 to 1997 to begin an NFL career.
"Not as I sit here today, and I say that humbly," Tomlin told reporters when asked if the record meant anything to him. "Our agenda, this year, is to get into the single-elimination tournament and then pit our skills against others in that single-elimination tournament in an effort to win the world championship.
"That's our mentality every year and so with that mentality, it's just certain hardware that you expect to pick up along the way. If you don't, you'd be seriously disappointed. That's just an expectation that we have here in Pittsburgh."
Pittsburgh are second in the AFC North with the Cincinnati Benglas having seal the divisional title on Sunday.
Tomlin's Steelers face divisional rivals the Baltimore Ravens in the final regular season game on Sunday as both chase a victory to be in contention for an AFC wild card berth.
Tomlin remains the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl, when he led the Steelers to the title in 2009 at 36-years-old.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts says Sunday's railing collapse at FedEx Field "could have been so much worse" and wants changes made.
Hurts was exiting the field after Sunday's 20-16 win at the Washington Football Team when railing on the side of the tunnel collapsed with fans falling and spilling on to the ground.
The Eagles QB narrowly avoided being crushed by the fall and assisted fans to their feet and posed for pictures with them but insisted it cannot happen again.
"I tried to handle the situation with a lot of poise and show compassion for the people that fell down, really, but I know it could have been so much worse," Hurts said during a news conference.
"It kind of didn't hit me until after the fact, having some time to reflect on it and think about it. I just wanted to see what could be done to make sure it doesn't happen again. That's all I really care about."
Hurts has penned a letter to the Washington Football Team seeking clarification on what safeguards can be put in place to ensure it never happens again.
"What follow-up action is being considered in response to the near-tragic incident that took place at FedEx Field on January 2, 2022," Hurts wrote.
"Through the initial shock, my first reaction was to assist those involved. However, while I displayed a calm composure, I understand the severity of what happened and am extremely concerned for the well-being of the fans and media.
"As a result, I would like to know what safeguards the NFL and the Washington Football Team are implementing to prevent this from ever occurring in the future.
"The resources of the NFL and team organizations ensure our safety through playing this physical sport, but what happened Sunday put both fans and players unnecessarily at risk long after the final whistle. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter."
There have been reports of minor injuries from those involved in the fall but Washington released a statement following the incident on Sunday which said: "To our knowledge, everyone involved was offered onsite medical evaluation and left the stadium of their own accord."
Novak Djokovic has not been granted any "special favour" for a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open, tournament director Craig Tiley insisted.
Djokovic announced on Tuesday that he was on his way to Melbourne for the first grand slam of 2022, a revelation that was met with a host of criticism.
The world number one has not openly addressed whether he has been vaccinated for COVID-19, but protocols in Australia require proof that competitors have been jabbed or have a medical exemption to feature at Melbourne Park.
The Serbian has been vocal in his opposition for vaccine mandates, calling for freedom across the world, and is now expected to be welcomed with a frosty reception by those in the country battling a surge in cases of the Omicron variant.
Tiley spoke on the matter, coinciding with confirmation from the Australian Open that the 34-year-old was set to compete, as he referenced the "fair and independent protocols" in granting exemptions.
The tournament director has since reiterated his defence over the decision to allow Djokovic to defend his title, and search for a record 21st singles grand slam triumph, as he insisted there had been no preferential treatment.
Tiley said on Australia's The Today Show: "There's been no special favour. There's been no special opportunity granted to Novak.
"As an organisation and as a sport, we've done what everyone else does and would do if they wanted to come to Australia and under certain conditions.
"And we have abided by those conditions and I know Australia's had the most comprehensive response to COVID of any nation in the world. And our governments have done everything they humanly possibly can to keep us safe.
"It's ultimately the decision of the medical experts and we follow that accordingly. In this case, Novak made that application.
"And like others, there's been 26 athletes and their primary support staff that have made applications and a handful of those have been granted by the panel.
"The conditions in which any tennis player comes in, no matter who they are, are conditions that have been put on tennis and put on anyone coming into Australia by the Australian government."
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal also sit with Djokovic on 20 major crowns, but the Swiss star is already ruled out of the tournament, which starts on January 17, through injury.
Nadal could yet compete after posting pictures showing he was in Melbourne as he continues to recover from a positive COVID-19 test in recent weeks.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is set to have surgery on his injured shoulder as soon as possible, ruling him out of action against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Mayfield revealed after Monday's defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers that he would undergo an operation on the torn labrum in his non-throwing left shoulder – an issue he has carried since Week 2 - in the offseason.
"I've continued to lay it out on the line when I haven't been healthy and tried to fight for our guys," said Mayfield post-game. "Now it's time for me to start looking at what's in the best interest of me and my health."
Initially, Mayfield's status for the Week 18 home game with the Bengals was uncertain.
But Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced on Tuesday that his starting quarterback will miss the game on Sunday in a bid to complete his surgery as soon as possible.
Stefanski added that both parties came to a mutual decision to end Mayfield's season a week early, with Cleveland (7-9) already out of postseason contention as they sit fourth in AFC North.
Case Keenum is in line to replace Mayfield for the game against the Bengals (10-6), who have already clinched the division title and still have an outside chance of claiming the number one seed in the conference.
The Browns were already out of the running for the playoffs before the loss to the Steelers (8-7-1), in which Mayfield was sacked nine times in a performance that summed up his difficult campaign.
Mayfield has been sacked on 43 occasions across 14 games, up from 26 sacks in 16 outings last season, while he has also been intercepted five more times (13 to eight).
Only two quarterbacks, Joe Burrow (51) and Ryan Tannehill (46), have been sacked more than the Browns QB this year.
His 3,010 passing yards is the lowest haul of his career, with his tally of touchdown passes also a low mark (17), while only four players in the league have a worse interception percentage than his 3.1.
Next season could be Mayfield's last given his current Cleveland deal expires at the end of the 2022 campaign, with the Browns having already exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie deal.
Cooper Kupp is closing in on what he concedes would be an "incredible" achievement of earning the NFL triple crown.
The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver leads the league in catches, touchdown receptions and receiving yards going into Week 18 of the regular season.
Only three players in the Super Bowl era have ever finished top of the standings in all three categories in the same year: Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe and Steve Smith. It is 16 years since the feat was last achieved.
Kupp has 138 receptions for 1,829 yards, totals which look highly unlikely to be caught in the last week of action before the playoffs.
His total of 15 touchdowns also looks strong, although the Cincinnati Bengals' rookie sensation Ja'Marr Chase has closed to within two behind him in that category after finding the endzone three times against the Kansas City Chiefs last time out.
Kupp's shot at history will come when the Rams host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the team still looking to wrap up the NFC West title with the Arizona Cardinals in hot pursuit behind them.
"It would be a pretty incredible thing," Kupp said, per ESPN, of the prospect of earning the triple crown.
"There are a lot of good football players in this league, a lot of really good receivers who I've got a ton of respect for, so it would be very cool."
Kupp will also have the chance to set the single-season receiving yards record, which is currently held by Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (1,964 in 2012).
The 28-year-old could also surpass the receptions record set by Michael Thomas (149) two years ago.
But Kupp concedes those records would come with an asterisk given the NFL is now playing a 17-game regular season.
"We're in a new age of football here," he said. "We're playing 17 games of football a year, and a lot of the stuff that happened before that, those records hold a different weight, being played in those 16 games.
"What those guys did in 16 games, it wouldn't seem right to, I don't know, for those to be broken in 17 games.
"It wouldn't hold the same weight to me as it does for guys that have done that in a 16-game season and the accomplishments those guys had and the seasons they put together.
"Those are incredible things, incredible accomplishments. You kind of have to separate the two.
"I just have an incredible respect for what those guys were able to do, what they were able to accomplish, what they were able to produce for their teams in those 16 games."
The Rams are assured of a place in the playoffs regardless of the outcome against the Niners, but the prize of a home playoff game in Wild Card Weekend and a division title mean the stakes are still high.
"My priorities are going out and winning this game this week, whatever it takes to win it," added Kupp, when asked if setting records were his priority.
"If it means spending more time blocking defensive ends and being able to get [running back] Sony Michel sprung for some big gains, that would be huge.
"I just want to do my job, whatever they ask of me, I just want to do my job over and over again and be a part of helping this team win."
The Rams face a Niners team who are looking to seal their own postseason berth.
To progress, Kyle Shanahan's team must win or tie against the Rams or hope the New Orleans Saints fail to beat the Atlanta Falcons.
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