Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart highlighted how the bumpy journey to this point is what makes his team so unified, after they produced a near-perfect defensive fourth quarter to defeat the Golden State Warriors 116-110 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The win gives the Celtics a 2-1 series lead, with a chance to go up 3-1 by holding serve at home in Game 4.
In the process, the Celtics core of Smart, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown became the first trio since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper in 1984 to all have at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in a Finals game.
The Celtics needed to get up off the canvas after a trademark Golden State Warriors third-quarter run saw them claw back from a 12-point half-time deficit to take an 83-82 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the third.
In response, the Celtics held the Warriors to just 11 points in the fourth quarter, completely shutting down one of the most dynamic offenses in league history to lock up the win at home.
Smart, who has been criticised for trying to be too involved in the Celtics offense while neglecting his point guard duties, credited his star team-mates for helping him believe in his own scoring ability.
"The 'Jays' – Jayson and Jaylen – have done a really good job of encouraging me to be aggressive on the offensive end," he said. "And really understanding that for me, in this team, I have to be aggressive to help us win."
Smart's relationship with the 'Jays' goes deeper than basketball, and he said it took some growing up, as well as some tough conversations for the trio to become who they are today.
"First off, this is a family here," he said. "I grew up with the Jays.
"I've been playing five years with Jaylen, four years with Jayson. When my mom passed… they all came down to the funeral, so we've already had that bond.
"Early on in the season for us, it's just like it is with your siblings.
"You get into it, you squabble, you're mad at each other – and then the next day you're laughing, talking, hugging… giving each other their roses, and that's what this team is.
"It started off shaky for us, but that right there is what helped us get to where we are now. We had to go through the storm to see the rainbow at the end of it.
"For me, I had to look myself in the mirror. Along with my team-mates, we had to have a heart-to-heart, we had to sit down and have that hard talk, and understand that what we're saying is to help each other.
"It's nothing bad, it's nothing personal, it's to help us get to where we want to be. It's crazy, we're here, and nobody thought we would be here… but we stayed with it, and that's why I'm proud of this team, and it's what makes us who we are."
The Celtics have done plenty of soul-searching this season, and it was the case again after a demoralising Game 2 loss, but Smart said he was determined to not let the Warriors "bully" his side.
"We pride ourselves on being a physical team, and for us, [Game 2] left a bad taste in your mouth," he said.
"Coming out of Game 2, hearing and knowing that we got beat up. It's just like anybody else, if you're in a fight with a bully or anything, you've got to keep going, you've got to stand up."
When asked if he feels like the Celtics are in a fight with a bully, Smart replied: "We definitely are, we got the Golden State Warriors, who have done this before, multiple times, and they understand what it's like to be here.
"We're that little guy that is new to the school, and they want to see exactly what you've got. They came out and punched us in our mouth in Game 2, and we responded.
"We watched the film – and that was a nasty film session for us. It was ugly, we had to sit there and watch the whole film.
"You have to look yourself in the mirror and get it together. Coming out today it was not a matter of 'are we going to be physical' – it was 'how physical are we going to be'."
The Philadelphia Phillies put on a show against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, dominating with bat and ball to run away with a 10-0 win.
Philadelphia's stars were shining bright, with ace pitcher Aaron Nola on the mound, and MVP candidate Bryce Harper got in on the fun late.
Nola never gave the Brewers a chance to get into the game, pitching eight shutout innings, conceding just four hits and no walks to go with six strikeouts.
On the other side, Milwaukee's Adrian Houser had a tougher outing, with a pair of two-run homers in the third inning to Bryson Stott and Rhys Hoskins blowing the game open.
A solo home run to Odubel Herrera made it 5-0 in the fifth inning, before Kyle Schwarber collected two RBI doubles – one in the seventh frame and one in the ninth – to extend the lead to 7-0.
With the game well in hand, Harper stepped up to the plate with two outs in the final inning and put a bow on the contest, blasting the biggest hit of the game with his 413-foot, three-run home run.
Marlins ace Alcantara amazes
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara was the star in his side's 2-1 extra innings win at home against the Washington Nationals, pitching nine scoreless frames.
It was not just Alcantara pitching at the top of his game, as neither team was able to score a single run in the nine innings of regulation play, with Nationals starter Josiah Gray striking out six in his five innings of shutout work.
While the Nationals used four pitchers to make it through the nine innings, the Marlins needed only Alcantara, who gave up six hits and no walks before finishing his ninth inning in 105 pitches.
Washington finally broke the deadlock with an RBI single to Keibert Ruiz, but Willians Astudillo and Jesus Aguilar strung hits together in the bottom of the 10th to drive in the winning run.
Angels fall to record-breaking low
The Los Angeles Angels lost their franchise-record 14th consecutive game as they failed to score a single run in a 1-0 loss at home against the Boston Red Sox.
Red Sox starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was terrific, giving up six hits and no walks in his five scoreless innings, and the bullpen was just as impressive, combining to hold the Angels to just one hit and no walks in the final four frames.
Reid Detmers was strong on the mound for the Angels, giving up no runs in his four-and-a-third innings, but a Bobby Dalbec RBI double in the sixth frame would prove to be enough to deliver a Boston win.
The Boston Celtics have taken a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals after defeating the Golden State Warriors 116-100 in Game 3.
In front of their raucous home fans, the Celtics started red-hot on the offensive end, highlighted by Jaylen Brown's 17 points in the first quarter to carry his side to a 33-22 lead at the quarter-time.
Boston's offense did not slow down in the second quarter, either, putting up another 35 points, but the Warriors were able to put up 34 themselves to stay within touching distance, down 68-56 at half-time.
Brown led the way with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the first half – nearly matching his regular season averages of 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
For the Warriors, Klay Thompson had 15 points, Stephen Curry had 14, and Andrew Wiggins had 13, while the rest of the team combined for 12.
As has been a theme with the Warriors, they exploded once again in the third quarter, winning the frame 33-25 as Curry scored another 15 points in an eight-minute stretch.
The Warriors took the lead 83-82 with Curry's 15th point of the quarter, before the Celtics settled and fought back to take a 93-89 margin into the final break.
This Celtics team will be remembered as one of the finest defensive units of the modern era, and they relied on that end of the floor to pull out the win, holding the Warriors to just 11 points in the fourth quarter, while Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with eight down the stretch.
After setting a career-high of 13 assists in Game 1 of the Finals, Tatum showed it was no fluke, dishing another nine assists to go with his 26 points (nine-of-23 shooting).
Brown cooled off late to finish on 27 points (nine-of-16 shooting) with nine rebounds and five assists, while Marcus Smart put up similar numbers, scoring 24 points (eight-of-17 shooting) with seven rebounds and five assists.
The game-changer for the Celtics, however, was Robert Williams III. The injury-plagued center showed exactly why he received Defensive Player of the Year votes and NBA All-Defensive Second Team honours, finishing with four blocks and three steals to go with his eight points and 10 rebounds. Williams also finished with a game-high plus/minus of plus 21.
For the Warriors, Curry was terrific, scoring an efficient 31 points on 12-of-22 shooting, hitting six-of-11 from long range, while Thompson had his best game of the Finals with 25 points on seven-of-17 shooting.
Public enemy number one in Boston was Draymond Green, and the crowd gave him a fitting send-off when he fouled out in the fourth quarter with just two points, four rebounds and three assists in his 35 minutes.
England manager Gareth Southgate highlighted the pressures that come with such a high-profile role, and implied there will be some changes to the starting-11 in the next couple of Nations League games.
The Three Lions are coming off a 1-1 draw away against Germany, and will now prepare for fixtures against Italy on Saturday, and Hungary on Tuesday.
Harry Kane netted his 50th international goal in that last fixture, and while he is clearly the first-choice striker, the rest of the team is relatively unsettled.
England is currently sitting last in the Nations League's League A Group 3, and Southgate insisted there will be some experimentation as they try to find their optimal starting group ahead of the World Cup.
"You have seen right across Europe – France changed 10, Spain changed eight, Portugal changed seven," he said.
"This is quite a unique set of games where teams are thinking about player welfare to a degree, freshness, but also they are preparing for a World Cup, because they know what’s coming and what they haven’t got in terms of friendlies ahead of the tournament.
“Harry [Kane] is… a phenomenal professional, the way he looks after himself. I’m not saying he’s going to get his desire to start all four games, by the way, because there’s also Tammy [Abraham] that we want to see perform as well."
Southgate went on to discuss how demanding of a role he has, and that it feels like "you have got to win every match".
"I know what I wanted from these games," he said. "I also accept that with England, you’re going to be judged, and you have got to win every match.
"But I’ve got to think a little bit differently to that and accept that if there is criticism, fine.
"I have got to make the right decisions for the players, for the team, to try to improve the team and if that means criticism, then so be it.
"If my decision-making is affected by that, then it’s something I am not going to be successful with."
Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to come off the injured list on Sunday to start the Los Angeles Dodgers’ series finale against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the news on Wednesday before their game against the Chicago White Sox.
This will be Kershaw’s first start for Los Angeles since May 7, after he landed on the IL due to right SI joint inflammation.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner was off to a sensational start to the season before getting hurt, going 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA over his first five outings. The 34-year-old veteran left-hander had 32 strikeouts to just three walks over 30 innings of work.
He was just as impressive in his lone minor league rehab start this past Sunday, yielding one run while striking out seven and walking one in four innings for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. He threw 44 of 59 pitches for strikes.
The Dodgers enter play Wednesday atop the NL West with a 35-20 record, one-and-a-half games ahead of the San Diego Padres and five-and-a-half games in front of the third-place Giants.
Cooper Kupp is undoubtedly among the best wide receivers in the NFL – and now he’ll be paid like one.
The Los Angeles Rams and Kupp have agreed on a three-year, $80million contract extension Wednesday that ties him to the franchise for the next five years at $110m, according to multiple reports.
Kupp put together one of the best seasons in league history in 2021, leading the NFL with 145 receptions for 1,945 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning Offensive Player of the Year honours in the process.
He capped the memorable season with eight catches for 92 yards and two scores, including the late game-winner, and was named MVP in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in February.
Even with the new extension, Kupp will still trail the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, Las Vegas Raiders’ Davante Adams, Arizona Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins, Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs in yearly value on receiver contracts.
Kupp was asked in April if he felt he needed to be the league’s highest-paid receiver after his stellar season.
''I don't think that's really kind of the approach that I take,'' he said. ''I think there's definitely a place where you want to be.
"There's a place that I think you feel is fair, and a place both for me and this organization. I want to be there. I'm not trying to beat anybody. I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone else. It's more of just being in a place that's just right for both sides.''
Kupp becomes the second star player the champion Rams have extended this week. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had his contract re-worked on Monday, making him the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Lamar Jackson may not be attending the Baltimore Ravens’ organised team activities, but that isn’t a concern for head coach John Harbaugh.
It’s not uncommon for established players to skip their team’s OTAs, and although Jackson won the league’s MVP Award in 2019, he is coming off an injury-marred 2021 season and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The fact that he hasn’t engaged in discussions with the Ravens over a contract extension is also somewhat concerning.
But Harbaugh is certain his star quarterback is training hard on his own, and will be present when the Ravens open mandatory minicamp on June 14.
"I expect him to be here at mandatory minicamp," Harbaugh said Wednesday. "I know he's working hard. Lamar Jackson's a hard worker, so I'm not worried about how hard he's working.
"I fully expect him to come back in great shape, that's what he talks about. I'm sure he's throwing, I'm sure he's doing a good job, and when he gets back here, we’ll roll with Lamar."
Jackson was criticized by Chris Simms on Pro Football Talk Live on May 27, with the former NFL QB saying: "(Tom) Brady wouldn't be missing OTAs in year four of his career... Brady didn't miss an OTA until he had played in four Super Bowls."
Responding to those comments quoting a tweet featuring a clip of Simms' remarks, Jackson wrote: "Lamar wants to be Lamar Chris.
"This part of OTAs is voluntary my guy I will be there, just not on your watch. It's probably other QBs not attending voluntary OTAs either but since it's Lamar it's a huge deal. Find something else to talk about."
Jackson, who is set to make just over $23 million guaranteed on his fifth-year option in 2022, averaged 240.2 passing yards and 63.9 yards rushing in 12 games last season. He finished with 16 passing touchdowns, a career-high 13 interceptions and an 87.0 QB rating – eighth lowest among the 30 quarterbacks with at least 350 passing attempts last season.
The Ravens lost four of the five games Jackson missed last season and finished 8-9 to miss the playoffs for the first time in his career.
Number four seed Shuai Zhang made it through to the quarter-finals of the Nottingham Open after a straight-sets win over home hope Jodie Burrage.
Zhang was never in danger against her unseeded opponent, easing to a 6-2 7-6 (7-4) win to set up a last-eight clash with Tereza Martincova.
Martincova brushed aside number eight seed Magda Linette 6-2 7-6 (7-3) in their round-of-16 meeting on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Viktorija Golubic beat Heather Watson 7-5 6-2, while the match between number three seed Camila Giorgi and Harriet Dart was suspended at the start of the third set after the Briton had made it one set each.
Meanwhile, rain caused havoc at the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, with top seed Aryna Sabalenka's match against Arianne Hartono the only one to partially take place.
The match was called off for the day after Sabalenka had claimed the first set 6-2.
Rory McIlroy has reiterated he has no interest in joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series and believes decisions made purely based on money "usually doesn't end up going the right way."
Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson this week quit the PGA Tour after agreeing massive paydays to join the breakaway LIV Tour.
Bryson DeChambeau is reportedly set to follow for the second event of the series, which starts in Portland later this month, while Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler are also said to be ready to sign up.
Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood are among the other players who will tee off in the first LIV Tour event at Centurion Golf Club on Thursday.
McIlroy has made it clear he is committed to the PGA Tour and will defend his Canadian Open title this week.
The four-time major champion says he would rather compete against the best players in the world than be tempted by wherever he could maximise his earnings.
"I think my stance on it has been pretty clear from the start. It's not something that I want to participate in," said McIlroy.
"I certainly understand the guys that went and understand what their goals and their ambitions are in their life, and I'm certainly not knocking anyone for going.
"It is their life. It is their decision. They can live it the way they want to, but, for me, I want to play on the PGA Tour against the best players in the world.
"I was speaking to a few people yesterday and one of the comments was any decision that you make in your life that is purely for money usually doesn't end up going the right way.
"Obviously, money is a deciding factor in a lot of things in this world but if it is purely for money, it never seems to go the way you want it to, and I've had that before a couple of times before in my life.
"There are other things that are a part of it too, but it is a weird time in professional golf. I said it a couple of weeks ago, we are just going to have to see how this season plays out, and if any other guys do decide to go another direction than the established tours, see what the consequences are.
"For me right now, I can only speak personally. It is not something I envisage ever doing and I'm happy playing on the PGA Tour. I have a nice schedule, but I can pick for myself.
"I can spend a lot of time at home with my family if I want to, prioritise the majors and there is nothing about my schedule or my life or my earnings or anything that I would change."
Matteo Berrettini made a winning return in his first match back since hand surgery after defeating Radu Albot at the Stuttgart Open.
The world number 10 was forced to sit out the ATP clay season after undergoing surgery following his withdrawal from Miami.
But the Italian was in fine form upon his return as he saw off Moldovan qualifier Albot with a battling 6-2 4-6 6-3 victory to get his grass-court season underway.
Following his last-four appearance at the Australian Open, Berrettini will be seeking another deep run at Wimbledon this year, after reaching his maiden grand slam final there last summer.
The former world number six will have to wait to discover his quarter-final opponent however, after rain forced a suspension in the match between Lorenzo Sonego and Jan-Lennard Struff.
Sonego took the opening set in a tie break, with the match to be finished on Thursday.
At the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, Jenson Brooksby likewise saw his match against Hugo Gaston brought to a standstill by overhead conditions, with the American leading 4-2 in the first set.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has announced the team have excused quarterback Baker Mayfield from attending their mandatory minicamp set to begin next week.
The move prevents the unhappy former number one overall pick from being subjected to financial penalties by missing the three-day session.
Mayfield could have been fined upwards of $90,000 by not attending the entire portion of minicamp.
Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday that the decision was mutual and in the best interests of both parties.
"Obviously that was a decision made between our organisation, Baker and Baker’s team. We felt that was the best decision between both sides," he said.
Mayfield’s four-year run as the Browns' starting quarterback essentially came to an end when the team acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in March and promptly signed the three-time Pro Bowler to a four-year, $160million extension.
The fiery quarterback reacted strongly and negatively to the move, saying he felt "disrespected" and blindsided during an interview in April.
"I was told one thing and they completely did another," he told the Ya Neva Know podcast. "I’m ready for the next chapter, the next opportunity."
Mayfield previously skipped Cleveland’s recent voluntary organised training activities program and has requested a trade, though he remains on the roster for now.
The former Heisman Trophy winner is due a guaranteed $18.9m this season in the final year of his rookie contract.
Finding a trade partner has so far proven to be difficult due to Mayfield's fifth-year option price-tag, pending free agency and year-to-year inconsistency.
The 27-year-old’s 21 interceptions in his first full season as a starter in 2019 ranked second in the NFL, but he bounced back to throw for 26 touchdowns and only eight picks the following season while leading Cleveland to an 11-5 record and the franchise's first playoff appearance in 18 years.
Mayfield struggled to repeat that success last season while plagued by a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder that eventually required surgery.
His passer rating dipped from 95.9 in 2020 to 83.1 last season and he finished with a 17-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Watson's status for the start of the season is also undetermined as he faces a potential league suspension due to civil lawsuits filed by 24 female massage therapists alleging him of sexual assault and impropriety.
Stefanski was non-committal when asked if Mayfield would remain an option if he is still on the roster and Watson begins the season under suspension.
The Browns do have another experienced backup after signing six-year veteran Jacoby Brissett in March.
"We're just going to deal with it day by day," Stefanski said of the Mayfield situation.
Sebastian Vettel is confident Aston Martin can improve their results after a disappointing start to 2022 amid doubts over his future in Formula One.
The four-time world champion is nearing the end of his contract with Aston Martin and it remains to be seen whether he will continue in the sport beyond this season.
Aston Martin's form has done little to quieten talk of retirement.
Vettel was 12th in the drivers' championship with 43 points in 2021. After missing the first two races of this season with COVID-19, he has claimed only five points from five grands prix.
However, as F1 returns to Baku, the scene of a second-placed finish for Vettel last season, he is hopeful changes to the car - which provoked controversy and questions from Red Bull due to the similarities the two cars now share - can spark an upturn in fortunes.
He told Stats Perform: "Obviously we are not aiming to be where we are now. But yeah let's see, we still have some races ahead of us and the team is pushing hard to improve the car.
"With the new set of regulations, there's always a risk you might get it wrong and I think that we have changed our path with a different car that we have adopted now and we believe that it is a better option for the races in the future.
"At the moment, we are not happy with where we are, we would like to be further up but there's a lot of work going into the project and hopefully we will see some better results soon."
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, partners of the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team, are bringing F1 fans the passion from inside the garage via a new multi-sensory experience 'IL PITSTOP' which is travelling around Europe this summer. 'IL PITSTOP' will immerse fans in the sights, sounds and smells of an F1 garage, whilst providing an opportunity to trial the crisp and refreshing taste of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%.
Cam Newton remains unsigned as NFL teams begin ramping up preparations for the upcoming season, though the 2015 league MVP still feels confident he can be an impact player despite two straight difficult campaigns.
Speaking as a guest on ESPN’s ‘The Pivot Podcast,’ the quarterback attributed his struggles in 2020 and 2021 to putting himself in tough situations during his short stint with the New England Patriots as well as last year’s return to his original team, the Carolina Panthers.
"Before I sit up here and allow the narrative to be made that Cam ain't got it no more, Cam is taking full responsibility and saying Cam put himself in a [messed] up situation, which then had a ricochet effect to how people think of me," Newton said.
"There’s not 32 [quarterbacks] better than me. If you think I couldn't be on somebody's team right now, you're a damn fool."
Newton's career has experienced a downturn since shoulder and foot injuries led to the Panthers releasing their then-franchise face following a 2019 season in which he was limited to just two games.
He signed with the Patriots shortly before training camp opened in 2020 and started 15 games in New England’s first year of the post-Tom Brady era, with mostly mixed results.
The three-time Pro Bowler finished 2020 with eight touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, the first time in Newton’s career he had more picks than TD throws when starting three or more games, and the Patriots went 7-8 in his starts to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Newton said he was never fully able to grasp a new offense on account of joining New England just two months before that season’s start.
"The New England experience was a [messed up] situation," he remarked. "I was still learning the offense seven to eight weeks into the season.
"It was just brain overload. It was times I was going to the line and I'm still thinking, 'Did I know it?’ Yes. To the degree that I needed to know it to show the world that I'm still Cam Newton? No. But I put myself in that situation."
The Patriots released Newton just prior to the start of last season after turning the offense over to rookie quarterback Mac Jones, and he spent nine weeks as a free agent before rejoining the Panthers in November.
Following a dazzling return in which he rushed for two touchdowns off the bench in Carolina’s Week 10 victory over Arizona, Newton was named the starter the following week but was never able to recapture his early-career form. The 33-year-old lost all five of his starts while completing just 54.1 per cent of his passes and recording a 61.4 passer rating.
"I signed on Thursday. I played on Sunday," Newton said of his Carolina comeback. "At what point did you think you was going to be successful? The next week, I started. That's still under 10 days of you being on the team. And you’re still trying to learn the offense."
Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said last month that the team has kept in contact with Newton and has not ruled out bringing him back. It’s unclear if the veteran quarterback would agree to another reunion, as he stated h'’s looking for a scenario where he would have sufficient time to learn an offense while surrounded by a strong support system.
“If you’re asking to run this show without your supporting cast upholding their end of the bargain, then you’re always going to be left alone." Newton said.
The Jamaica Gymnastics Association has received a boost in the form of well-needed equipment from the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
Aaron Rodgers has confirmed he intends to finish his storied career as a Green Bay Packer, though he was less definitive on exactly how long he plans to keep playing.
Speaking to reporters following Tuesday's first practice of mandatory minicamp, the two-time reigning NFL MVP revealed he was taking it year by year as he enters his 18th season.
That is despite Rodgers signing a three-year contract extension in March that runs through 2026.
"The conversations I've had with [general manager] Brian [Gutekunst] have been very honest and direct, and that's not going to change," Rodgers said.
"We'll sit down after the season, hopefully after a championship, and figure out what the next step is."
Rodgers left no doubt, however, when asked if he wants his final game to come with the only team he has played for since entering the NFL in 2005.
"Yes, definitely," he said. "Unless they trade me. When I made the decision [to return], that's 100 per cent in.
"But it doesn’t mean you don’t think about the other side. This is my 18th season. Of course you think about the next chapter and what is next in your life all the time.
"It doesn't mean you’re not fully invested."
Rodgers' stance is in stark contrast to that of a year ago, when a public rift between him and Gutekunst prompted the star quarterback to skip minicamp and reportedly request a trade.
The two ultimately patched things up, and Rodgers went on to produce one of his best statistical seasons in 2021 to earn the fourth MVP award of his brilliant career.
The 38-year-old’s future was again somewhat in limbo this offseason, with Rodgers saying in March he was not sure if he wanted to play the upcoming season with the Packers or another team.
He later agreed to a three-year, $150million extension that made him the league's highest-paid player in terms of annual salary.
While Rodgers will be back for at least one more season, the Packers did undergo one major change since their loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional playoffs back in January after trading Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders at the All-Pro receiver's request.
The offense will also have a new play-caller for 2022 after offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was named the Denver Broncos’ head coach, and quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy also departed to become the Chicago Bears' OC.
"The offense has to change," Rodgers remarked. "Last year, when you have a guy who is that talented, it's probably not an exaggeration to say that 80 per cent of the plays in the passing game were designed specifically for [Adams].
"So we're obviously going to do some things a little different."
Rodgers is using this week's practices as a chance to get acclimated with a new group of receivers that includes veteran Sammy Watkins and a pair of 2022 draft picks, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who could play key roles as rookies.
"I like production over potential," Rodgers admitted.
"We have some production. We have a lot of potential, so we need to temper expectations and heighten the accountability."
Max Verstappen is looking to settle some "unfinished business" at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as he sets out to further extend his lead in the Formula One drivers' championship.
Verstappen is nine points ahead of Charles Leclerc after a chaotic Monaco Grand Prix in which the Dutchman finished third ahead of his Ferrari rival.
Leclerc was apoplectic as a Ferrari miscue that saw them double stack the Monegasque and team-mate Carlos Sainz in the pits cost him the chance of a home victory.
Red Bull have won each of the last four races, with Leclerc's loss in Monte Carlo the gain of the victorious Sergio Perez, who will be out to replicate his 2021 triumph in Baku.
That win for Perez came after a rear tyre failure caused Verstappen to crash from the lead on lap 47, a piece of misfortune for which he is keen to make up.
"I'm looking forward to returning to Baku, we have some unfinished business there after last year," said Verstappen.
"It's a tricky track with big braking zones and a tight run-off, finding the best set-up for the car will be difficult in terms of making sure we get the correct wing level.
"It will also be interesting to see if we can make our one-lap performance better for qualifying as we’ve been lacking a little."
Ferrari have never tasted victory at the street circuit in the Azerbaijan capital, which presents one of the most challenging tests on the F1 calendar.
Leclerc finished fourth from pole last year and failing to back up qualifying performance on race day has been a persistent problem for Ferrari in 2022.
Luckless Leclerc
Leclerc has claimed pole in five of the first seven races this season and could become the first Ferrari driver to record six poles in the opening eight races since Michael Schumacher in 2001.
Yet he has only two victories to his name this campaign, with wins snatched from his grasp in Barcelona and Monaco.
For his career, Leclerc has won just four of the 14 races in which he has taken pole position. His win percentage of 29 per cent in those races is the second-lowest behind Jarno Trulli (25), who won one of the four races he started on pole.
Given the prevalence of fast straights in Baku, this is a track more likely to favour Red Bull, meaning it could be another frustrating weekend for Leclerc even if he continues his dominance of qualifying.
A Perez title push
Perez is himself only 15 points behind Verstappen in the title race and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently said the Mexican is "in this championship just as much as Max is".
That statement runs contrary to the call Red Bull made in Barcelona, ordering Perez to let Verstappen through en route to victory there.
Perez made his dissatisfaction in Spain clear, and Verstappen's father Jos expressed his irritation after Monaco that the Red Bull strategy went against the reigning world champion.
"Max was not helped by the chosen strategy. That was disappointing for me and I would have liked it to be different for the championship leader," he wrote on Verstappen.com.
Should Perez triumph again in Baku, any talk of Red Bull playing favourites may have to give way to an in-team title tussle.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 125
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 116
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 110
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 84
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 83
Constructors
1. Red Bull 235
2. Ferrari 199
3. Mercedes 134
4. McLaren 59
5. Alfa Romeo 41
Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood on Wednesday faced a grilling over their participation in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series that they hope will not end their Ryder Cup days.
The English duo will tee off at Centurion Golf Club when the first event of the controversial breakaway tour starts on Thursday.
Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson this week quit the PGA Tour after agreeing huge offers to join the LIV Tour.
Westwood and Poulter were quizzed over their morals as they became the latest players to be asked about Saudi Arabia's human rights record.
When asked if he would play in a tournament organised by Russian president Vladimir Putin, Poulter said: "I'm not even going to comment on speculation" before refusing to answer when quizzed if there is anywhere he would not play on a moral basis.
Westwood then replied "you're just asking us to a hypothetical question there and I'm not going to your answer" after being asked if he would have played in Apartheid South Africa.
Signing up to the LIV Tour has led to uncertainty over whether Ryder Cup stalwarts Westwood and Poulter were ruling themselves out of representing Europe again.
Poulter said: "We don't know [if they could be involved in the Ryder Cup]. I'd like to think it wouldn't [prevent them from being involved], all the golf I've played around the world in all the different countries and tours I don't see why this should be any different.
"It's an unknown risk, we don't know how DP World Tour will view it, it's obviously a factor."
Westwood, who pointed out that he has played on European Tour events in Saudi Arabia, said: "It's something I have to take into account. I'm not sure about the playing days, I'm 50 next April. The captaincy could be in jeopardy as well, but Ian pretty much covered it all.
"What I will say is myself and Ian have been members of the PGA Tour while we've been on the European Tour and that's had no effect in the past on whether people have been captains.
"LIV Golf is another tour so why should it be any different?"
Queensland survived a late rally from New South Wales to claim a tense 16-10 victory in this year's State of Origin opener in Sydney.
New South Wales went into Origin I having won three of the last four series, and Jack Wighton crashed over in the 14th minute at Accor Stadium to give them a 4-0 lead.
But the Blues could not build on that advantage and the Maroons overturned it in the 34th minute when Dane Gagai pounced on Selwyn Cobbo's grubber kick and Valentine Holmes added the extras.
Junior Paulo looked to have quickly restored the Blues' lead, only for Cameron Murray to be penalised for obstruction and Queensland took control after the restart.
Daly Cherry-Evans side-stepped his way over as first receiver from the scrum eight minutes into the second half and Kalyn Ponga fed Holmes for Queensland's third try five minutes later.
Murray gave New South Wales hope nine minutes from time, but Queensland held on with a great defensive effort led by Man of the Match Cameron Munster, who helped secure the win for former Melbourne Storm and Maroons team-mate Billy Slater in his first Origin game as head coach.
Phil Mickelson will not resign from the PGA Tour and has confirmed he intends to take part in next week's U.S. Open, despite his LIV Golf Invitational Series involvement.
The 51-year-old will end a four-month self-imposed exile from golf on Thursday when the inaugural LIV Golf event gets underway at Centurion Club on the outskirts of London.
Mickelson was met with widespread condemnation after criticising the PGA Tour earlier this year, for which he apologised and vowed to take a step back from the game.
That saw the six-time major champion miss The Masters and the defence of his US PGA Championship, though he is still registered to play at the upcoming U.S. Open.
And while Mickelson refused to confirm whether he has been serving a PGA Tour ban for his controversial comments, he will not voluntarily quit the American circuit.
"I've been a part of the tour for over 30 years and I've had a lot of incredible memories and experiences, tournaments that I've won and lost," he said on Wednesday.
"I've gained a lot, received a lot and I'm grateful for everything the tour has done for me. I've also worked hard to contribute and build and add value to the tour in my time there.
"I worked hard to get a lifetime exemption. I don't want to give that up. I don't feel I should have to.
"I don't know what's going to happen. I've earned that and I don't plan on just giving it up.
"I've really enjoyed my time on the PGA Tour. I've had some incredible experiences, great memories and I have a lot of strong opinions that it should and could be a lot better.
"One mistake I've made is voicing them publicly. I will make an effort to keep those conversations behind closed doors moving forward."
Mickelson then confirmed he will compete in next week's U.S. Open in Massachusetts and added: "I'm looking forward to it."
The United States Golf Association, which runs the major, has already announced it will not stop those competing in the LIV Golf series from playing at The Country Club.
Unlike Mickelson, others taking part in the Saudi-backed breakaway LIV Golf circuit – such as Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia – have resigned from the PGA Tour.
"I saw that and I think they're making the decision that's best for them personally," Mickelson said.
"I respect that. As a lifetime member I'm not required to play 15 events. I don't have to play any. I can play one. So I don't see a reason for me to give that up."
Mickelson is reported to have been given a $200million signing-on fee to appear in LIV Golf events, but he refused to be drawn on the specifics during a tense news conference.
"Contract agreements should remain private," he said.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
