Major League Baseball career hits leader Pete Rose, who was banned from the game and barred from the Hall of Fame for gambling on his sport, has died. He was 83 years old.
A spokesperson from Clark County, Nevada, confirmed Rose’s death on Monday. A cause of death has yet to be determined.
Starring for his home-town Cincinnati Reds in the 1960s and ‘70s, Rose was the heart and soul of the “Big Red Machine” and helped them win two World Series titles and four National League pennants.
A 17-time All-Star, “Charlie Hustle” was an unquestioned fan favourite on the field, known for his relentless play and passionate demeanour. Playing in 24 major league seasons, Rose accumulated 4,256 career hits, long considered one of baseball’s most unbreakable records.
Rose broke the previous hits record in 1985, surpassing Ty Cobb’s mark of 4,191 hits to nationwide adulation, and he even received a call from President Ronald Reagan.
Rose’s sterling legacy, however, was tarnished just four years later by one of the most infamous scandals in sports history.
On March 20, 1989, Major League Baseball opened an enquiry into gambling allegations against Rose, who had taken over as the Reds’ manager. The Commissioner’s Office found that Rose placed bets through bookies and friends on baseball games, including ones involving his own team.
MLB’s enquiry found that “accumulated testimony of witnesses, together with the documentary evidence and telephone records, reveal extensive betting activity by Pete Rose in connection with professional baseball and, in particular, Cincinnati Reds games, during the 1985, 1986, and 1987 baseball seasons.”
In August 1989, Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti announced Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball. “One of the game’s greatest players has engaged in a variety of acts which have stained the game, and he must now live with the consequences of those acts,” Giamatti said.
In 1991, the Hall of Fame ruled that Rose’s transgressions made him ineligible for induction.
Rose initially maintained his innocence and downplayed the ban, believing that he would one day be reinstated.
As time passed, however, he changed his tune. In a memoir released three months after his ban, Rose admitted to gambling on baseball, but legally.
In “Play Hungry,” a memoir published in 2019, he seemed to admit to all the allegations.
“I don’t think betting is morally wrong. I don’t even think betting on baseball if morally wrong,” Rose wrote. “There are legal ways, and there are illegal ways, and betting on baseball the way I did was against the rules of baseball.”
Rose’s banishment would go on to serve as a precedent, with certain voters refusing to vote for some players who played in the “steroid era” of the 1990s and 2000s.
As Rose aged, his disgrace gradually faded from public consciousness, and there were some who lobbied for the ban to be lifted, believing that four decades of ostracisation was punishment enough.
While Rose never got to see his bust in Cooperstown, he is represented by several pieces of memorabilia in the Hall of Fame, including the cleats he wore when he became baseball’s hits king.
Rose was voted the 1973 NL MVP, and a helmet from that season also resides in Cooperstown, a reluctant nod to one of baseball's iconic players.
While Rose played stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos, he played more than 18 seasons with the Reds, sharing the field with Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez.
The switch-hitting Rose was the lead-off hitter and tone-setter for the Reds’ feared Great Eight lineup, and Cincinnati inducted him into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2016. A year later, the club retired his No. 14 and unveiled a bronze statue outside of Great American Ballpark.
His fans will remember Rose for his enthusiasm and competitiveness as much as for his measurable achievements.
Rose was known for giving full effort to the game he loved, and he earned his “Charlie Hustle” moniker for running to first base even after walks.
In so many ways, Rose embodied everything baseball fans have loved about the game for over a century, but that legacy will forever be coupled with his wrongdoings and public fall from grace.
Rose was a career .303 hitter who retired with more walks than strikeouts. He holds MLB records for games played (3,562) and plate appearances (15,890), and his 44-game hitting streak in 1978 is the longest in National League history.
The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves secured the last two spots in the MLB playoffs when they split a doubleheader against one another on Monday, the final day of the regular season.
New York got a ninth-inning home run from Francisco Lindor in the dramatic opener to rally for an 8-7 victory, and Atlanta took care of business in a must-win Game 2 with a 3-0 win.
Monday’s results eliminated the idle Arizona Diamondbacks, the reigning National League champions, from play-off contention. If either New York (89-73) or Atlanta (89-73) had swept the doubleheader, Arizona (89-73) would have been the final NL wild-card team.
The Braves and Mets will begin their wild-card series on Tuesday night, with New York headed to Milwaukee to face the Brewers, and Atlanta travelling to San Diego to play the Padres.
Game 1
The opener to Monday’s doubleheader was a memorable back-and-forth affair, especially late.
Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies opened the scoring with a two-run homer off Tylor Megill in the second inning, and Ramon Laureano added a solo shot in the sixth.
The Mets trailed 3-0 through seven innings but claimed the lead with a six-run eighth that included RBIs by Francisco Lindor, Jose Iglesias, Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez and a two-run homer by Brandon Nimmo.
The Braves reclaimed the lead by scoring four in the bottom of the eighth, powered by Albies’ three-run double off the left field wall that sent the Atlanta crowd into a frenzy. Albies delivered the blow against Edwin Diaz, whose earlier defensive lapse came back to bite him.
The Mets’ Sterling Marte singled in the top of the ninth, representing the tying run, then Lindor hit the first pitch he saw from Pierce Johnson over the fence in right-centre to take the lead yet again.
Diaz returned to the mound for the ninth despite struggling with command issues. He let the tying run reach second base before closing the door on a 40-pitch outing.
Game 2
Atlanta had scheduled Chris Sale to start a do-or-die Game 2, but the lefty was scratched due to back spasms, sending Grant Holmes to the mound.
The rookie right-hander responded with four shutout innings to start the nightcap, allowing one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts.
Gio Urshela's single in the second plated Jorge Soler and gave the Braves a 1-0 lead.
Atlanta clung to that narrow lead until Marcell Ozuna’s two-run single in the seventh.
Six Braves pitchers combined for the three-hit shutout, even after Atlanta used many of their top bullpen options in the matinée.
Atlanta will play in the post-season for the seventh straight year and will be looking to rebound from Divisional-round exits at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies in each of the last two play-offs.
The Mets atoned for last year’s 75-win season and hope to win their first post-season series since 2015.
Baker Mayfield said comments he made about Tom Brady were "taken out of context" after he helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 33-16 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The quarterback was a guest on the Casa de Klub podcast with Corey Kluber and Tyler Casagrande last week and spoke about the difference between himself and seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady – who won one of his rings with the Buccs.
Mayfield suggested that his own style was a little more relaxed than New England Patriots legend Brady, who was back in Tampa as an analyst with Fox Sports and was pictured speaking with Mayfield.
"The building was a little bit different with Tom in there," Mayfield said on the podcast.
"Obviously, playing-wise, Tom is different. He had everybody dialled in, high-strung environment, so I think everybody was pretty stressed out.
"They wanted me to come in, be myself, bring the joy back to football, for guys who weren't having as much fun."
Speaking after leading four touchdown drives in the Buccs' victory over the Eagles, Mayfield sought to clarify his comments about Brady.
"I think a lot of that got taken out of context, and none of it was personal by any means," said Mayfield.
"It's just what he demanded of the guys, and that's the aura of Tom Brady. And that's what he did to bring a championship here.
"Nothing personal, but yeah, talking before the game, he's obviously happy for me and he knows the guys, so he knows how much I enjoy throwing to Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] [because] he got to do the same. It's fun to be able to talk about the same experience with a guy like that."
When speaking about Mayfield's podcast comments, Brady said: "I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings. So, there was a mindset of a champion that I took to work every day. This wasn't daycare. If I was going to have fun, I'd go to Disneyland with my kids.
"There's a way to approach this game and it's with the right mindset to try to push each other outside our comfort zone, and great teammates do that. You come, I have someone like [Rob] Gronkowski, I have someone like Evans – there's high expectations for us. We got to make sure we go out there and deliver."
Mayfield took Brady's "daycare" comment in good spirits, saying: " "Like I said, some things got taken out of context. He did it his own way and that's why he has seven rings. So, not much else needs to be said."
The Buccs are top of the NFC South standings with their victory over the Eagles leaving them 3-1 for the season.
Nicolas Wilson and Dianne Brown took home the top awards at last Saturday’s Mayberry/JOA Jamaica Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) National Senior Bodybuilding Championships at the AC Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.
Wilson took home the biggest prize of the day, taking home the trophy as the overall bodybuilding champion or Mr. Jamaica Bodybuilding.
Like he did last year, Wilson also won top spot in the Light Heavyweight bodybuilding category. The other bodybuilding category winners were Andrew Chisolm-Heavyweight, Wendell Martin-Middleweight and Steve Rodgers-Lightweight.
Chisolm also took top spot in the Bodybuilding Masters category.
Rayon Henry, winner of the medium class men’s physique category, beat out tall class winner Sheldon Harper and short class winner Malik Griffiths to take the overall men’s physique crown.
On the women’s side, tall class winner Dianne Brown was crowned Ms. Jamaica Bikini Fitness after beating out short class winner Donaith Anderson for the overall title.
Ashane Gordon-Morrison, just like she did in 2023, took the titles for Women’s Body Fitness and Women’s Physique.
Other winners on Saturday included Kymani Kirby-Classic Bodybuilding, Bryana Johnson-Bikini Wellness and Nicole Lewis-Bikini Fitness Masters.
Naomi Osaka is confident she will be able to gain control of her tie with Coco Gauff at the China Open.
Osaka defeated Katie Volynets 6-3 6-2 on Monday to progress to the last 16 in Beijing.
And the four-time grand slam champion's reward was a meeting with world number six Gauff.
The duo have played each other on four occasions, splitting the head-to-head record with two wins each, though their last meeting came in 2022, with Gauff winning in straight sets.
"She's very athletic obviously. For me, my strongest traits are being aggressive and also my serve," Osaka said.
"So it's definitely going to be a battle - who wants to take control of the point first? And I think it's going to be me."
Osaka's tie with Gauff will represent the first time two former grand slam winners will meet in the last 16 at the China Open since 2016, when Petra Kvitova overcame Garbine Muguruza.
World number two Aryna Sabalenka also sealed her progress on Monday, beating American Ashlyn Krueger 6-2 6-2.
"Control over my emotions, that's the key," said US Open champion Sabalenka, who will face Kruger's compatriot Madison Keys in the next round.
"Before it felt like if I'm not going to win this match, something bad is going to happen. I'm going to die," she explained.
"Nowadays I'm just working hard, I'm trying to improve myself every day. Every time I'm on the court, I'm trying to give my best. If you give your best but you didn't win the match, it's okay."
Sabalenka has now registered 800 winners in WTA 1000 tournaments during 2024, while she is the only woman during the Open Era to register a win percentage of over 80% in WTA tournaments held in China (81.3%, 39-9, minimum10 matches played).
Jannik Sinner reached the last four of the China Open after defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-2 7-6 (8-6) on Monday.
The world number one will face Bu Yunchaokete in the semi-finals in Beijing, with a final against Carlos Alcaraz an intriguing prospect.
In the process, Sinner brought up his 58th win of the season, seeing him surpass Alexander Zverev as the player with the most TATP our-level wins in 2024.
"We always try to improve day by day and I feel like the result is coming in what level you’re playing throughout the season, how consistent you are as a player," said Sinner, who has now reeled off 14 successive victories.
"You also have to be ready mentally to do that. So we just try to stay in the present moment.
"We know what we have done this season, which is great for me. But every match we see we can improve, which is very good."
Data Debrief: The Italian job
Sinner has now become the first Italian in the Open Era to reach 10+ ATP event semi-finals in back-to-back seasons.
His next opponent, Bu, meanwhile, stunned Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-4.
Bu is the first Chinese player to claim multiple ATP top 20 wins at a single event on hard court, and the first player representing the host nation to reach the last four at the China Open.
Dikembo Mutombo, one of the greatest shot-blockers in NBA history and a Hall of Famer, died Monday due to brain cancer at 58.
He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in October 2022, and the NBA said he was surrounded by his family at the time of his death.
Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that he will be remembered for his play on the court and his humanitarian work after his retirement.
"Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life," Silver said. "On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others."
The fourth overall pick of the 1991 draft, Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA selection during his 18-year career, playing for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and the then-New Jersey Nets.
A native of the Congo, the 7-foot-2 centre was also one of just three players to be named the defensive player of the year four times, along with reigning winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.
Mutombo was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after putting up career averages of 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.75 blocked shots. He led the league in blocks five times - the most by any player in the past 50 seasons.
He routinely followed up a blocked shot by waving his index finger in his opponent's face, insinuating don't try to shoot the ball over me.
Also remembered for his gigantic smile, Mutombo spent his time after his retirement from the NBA in 2008-09 working for several charitable organisations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
In 1997, he founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which focused on improving the health and quality of life for people in the Congo.
Carlos Alcaraz will face Daniil Medvedev in a blockbuster China Open semi-final matchup after downing Karen Khachanov in the last eight.
The four-time grand slam champion needed just 96 minutes on court to beat Khachanov 7-5 6-2, easing through the second set after fending off some early pressure.
Alcaraz, who registered his 200th career victory last time out against Tallon Griekspoor, went a break up five games into the opener but was immediately pegged back, only to convert his seventh break point to seize the initiative once more.
Back-to-back breaks midway through the second set then did the trick for Alcaraz, who dropped just two points on his own serve after clinching the opener.
The 21-year-old, whose victory saw him leapfrog Alexander Zverev to go second in the ATP rankings, said: "I always try to be aggressive, hitting strong shots, and I feel like I'm not afraid to show that.
"That's what I'm feeling right now. In the past matches, everything went well, and I'm not letting my opponents show their best tennis. That's what I like and what I want in every match."
He will face Medvedev for a place in the final after the Russian registered his own straight-sets win over Flavio Cobolli on Monday.
Medvedev was forced to save 10 of 11 break points during his 6-2 6-4 win, which was far more competitive than the scoreline suggested.
Data Debrief: Medvedev's hard-court mastery
Since the start of the 2020 season, Medvedev has now registered 186 ATP victories at hard-court events.
That is the most of any player on the surface and puts him some 22 wins clear of second-placed Jannik Sinner, who is a potential final opponent if he can overcome Alcaraz in the last four.
Derrick Henry was described as one of a kind by his Baltimore Ravens team-mates after his 87-yard touchdown run got the ball rolling in their impressive rout of the Buffalo Bills.
The Ravens handed the Bills their first defeat of the season by a comprehensive 35-10 scoreline on Sunday, with Henry continuing his strong start for his new team.
He went all the way from 87 yards on the Ravens' first drive of the game, the longest touchdown run in franchise history, also catching a Lamar Jackson pass for another score in the second quarter.
Henry finished the game with 199 yards on the ground and 10 receiving, while he could also have had a third touchdown if not for a fumble near the goal line, which led to fullback Patrick Ricard falling on the loose ball to further extend the Ravens' lead.
It was the 11th time, including playoff games, that Henry had rushed for at least 180 yards in a game – the most by any player in NFL history.
"He's one of one, I'll say that," Ricard said of the former Tennessee Titans back.
"That's why he's just been one of the best backs in this league. I'm just so happy to have him here and block for him."
Henry has managed 480 yards rushing this term, the most by any player through four games of an NFL season since 2021, with his powerful style taking the pressure off reigning league MVP Jackson.
Reflecting on his early score, Henry said: "It was indescribable.
"I did an interview Friday, talking about starting the game off right with a big play, and that happens. Sometimes you speak stuff into existence."
The Ravens have now managed back-to-back wins after a surprising 0-2 start, with four huge tussles with fellow AFC North teams on the agenda within the next six weeks.
Coach John Harbaugh said: "Now we know we are just getting better. We know what's possible, we know what we're capable of, but we have a long way to go, and we have a lot of work to do.
"We're just four games in, and we have 13 more regular-season games to play. And where the season goes, it's going to be defined by what we do in the next 13 games plus."
Derrick Henry's franchise-record 87-yard touchdown run set the tone as the Baltimore Ravens knocked the Buffalo Bills from the ranks of the unbeaten with an emphatic 35-10 victory on Sunday night.
Henry broke free for the longest run in team history on Baltimore's first play from scrimmage to foreshadow a dominating performance from the defending AFC North champions, who out-gained the Bills by a 427-236 margin in total yards en route to handing Buffalo (3-1) its first loss of the season.
The Ravens amassed 271 yards on the ground, with Henry producing 199 on 24 carries and adding a touchdown catch to lead Baltimore (2-2) to a second straight win following a surprising 0-2 start.
Lamar Jackson chipped in as well by throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. The 2023 NFL MVP completed 13 of 18 passes for 156 yards and added 54 as a runner.
The Ravens scored touchdowns on each of their first three drives to build a 21-3 half-time lead. After Buffalo's Tyler Bass hit a 50-yard field goal after Henry's record-setting run, Baltimore promptly marched 70 yards in nine plays to reach the end zone again.
Henry finished that drive as well by catching Jackson's short pass and crossing the goal line untouched on the first play of the second quarter.
The Bills also offered no resistance on Baltimore's next drive, a 10-play, 81-yard march capped by Jackson's 19-yard touchdown pass to Justice Hill midway through the second quarter.
Buffalo regrouped after intermission, with Josh Allen finding Khalil Shakir for a 52-yard gain before Ty Johnson cut the lead to 21-10 with a 3-yard touchdown run on the Bills' opening series of the third quarter.
The Bills' next possession ended in a turnover, however, as Allen fumbled when sacked by Kyle Van Noy and the Ravens recovered at Buffalo's 41-yard line.
A 25-yard Henry run and Hill's 17-yard catch following the takeaway preceded Jackson's 9-yard touchdown run and a 28-10 advantage late in the third quarter.
Henry nearly had a third touchdown of the night, but he fumbled into the end zone after taking a hand-off at Buffalo's 1-yard line. Baltimore fullback Patrick Ricard fell on the loose ball, however, for the Ravens' final TD with 11:23 left to play.
Allen, coming off a four-touchdown passing performance in Buffalo's 47-10 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, was held to 180 yards while completing 16 of 29 attempts.
Darnold delivers again as 4-0 Vikings hold off Packers
Sam Darnold continued his remarkable comeback season with three more touchdown passes as the Minnesota Vikings moved to 4-0 by holding on for a 31-29 win over the NFC North-rival Green Bay Packers.
Darnold led the Vikings to touchdowns on four of their first five drives as Minnesota built a 28-0 lead before fending off a late comeback attempt spurred by Jordan Love in the Green Bay quarterback's return from a two-game absence.
Love threw three of his four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including two to Dontayvion Wicks, and finished with 389 yards through the air in his first start since spraining his knee in the Packers' season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil.
The Packers' franchise signal-caller was intercepted three times, however, and Green Bay (2-2) had four total turnovers that contributed to its two-game winning streak being halted.
Darnold completed 20 of 28 passes for 275 yards with one interception to spark Minnesota to its first 4-0 start since 2016. Former Packer Aaron Jones contributed 139 yards from scrimmage in his first game at Lambeau Field since being released by Green Bay in the offseason and signing with the Vikings.
Minnesota took control right away, as Darnold hit Jailen Nailor for a 31-yard gain on 3rd-and-14 before capping the game's initial drive with a 29-yard strike to a wide-open Jordan Addison just 3:07 into the contest.
After Green Bay's Brayden Narveson missed a 37-yard field goal attempt on the ensuing possession, the Vikings marched 73 yards in eight plays to take a 14-0 lead on Darnold's 2-yard touchdown pass to Josh Oliver late in the first quarter.
Kamu Grugier-Hill then intercepted Love to give Minnesota the ball near midfield, with the takeaway setting up Addison's 7-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep that extended the lead to 21-0 with 11:50 left before half-time.
Green Bay's next two drives ended in another Narveson missed field goal and Love's second interception, which Shaquil Griffin returned 28 yards to the Packers' 4-yard line.
After the Vikings were backed up by a holding penalty, Darnold found Justin Jefferson in the end zone for a 14-yard score to increase the margin to 28-0 with 5:28 remaining in the second quarter.
The Packers finally got some momentum late in the first half when Nailor fumbled a punt and Green Bay recovered deep in Minnesota territory, setting up Love's 15-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed just before half-time.
Reed finished with a career-high 139 yards on seven catches.
The Vikings maintained their 28-7 advantage into the fourth quarter, when Green Bay's offence came back to life.
Love engineered an 89-yard drive culminating in his 6-yard touchdown pass to Wicks to start the rally attempt, and cornerback Keisean Nixon sacked Darnold on the next play from scrimmage to force a fumble the Packers recovered on Minnesota's 20-yard line.
Two plays later, Love connected with Tucker Kraft for a 13-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 28-22 with 10:16 left.
The Vikings answered on their next possession, as a 27-yard completion from Darnold to Jefferson led to Will Reichard's 33-yard field goal with 6:50 remaining that made it a two-score game again.
Green Bay turned it over on its following two drives before closing within 31-29 on Love's 17-yard touchdown pass to Wicks with 56 seconds to play. The Vikings recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt, however, and ran out the clock.
Chiefs stay unbeaten with comeback win over Chargers
The Kansas City Chiefs also got to 4-0 on the season after overcoming an early 10-point deficit and an injury to wide receiver Rashee Rice in a 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Samaje Perine scored the tie-breaking touchdown with 6:04 remaining as the two-time defending Super Bowl champions won their 10th consecutive game dating back to last season, which includes four victories during the 2023 playoffs.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 245 yards and a touchdown, a 54-yard strike to rookie Xavier Worthy in the second quarter that came after Rice was carted off with what the Chiefs fear is a torn ACL in his right knee, according to multiple reports.
Travis Kelce also stepped up in Rice's absence, as the veteran tight end posted season highs of seven catches and 89 receiving yards.
Worthy hauled in Mahomes' perfectly thrown deep ball to bring the Chiefs within 10-7 at the half, and Kansas City got the ball near midfield on their first drive of the third quarter after Los Angeles' Cameron Dicker missed a 55-yard field goal attempt.
Mahomes completed 4 of 5 passes on the series to put the Chiefs in range for Harrison Butker's 37-yard field goal that tied the game.
Kansas City's defence stopped the Chargers on 4th-and-1 from the Chiefs' 3-yard line early in the fourth quarter to keep the score at 10-10, then forced a three-and-out on Los Angeles' next possession before the offence came through with the go-ahead drive.
The Chiefs marched 60 yards in just five plays, highlighted by Mahomes' 29-yard pass to Noah Gray, and took their first lead of the day when Perine powered into the end zone from two yards out.
Chris Jones' third-down sack of Justin Herbert forced the Chargers to punt with 3:15 to go, and Los Angeles never got the ball back as Kansas City successfully ran out the clock.
Herbert, playing on a sprained ankle he injured in Week 2, completed 16 of 27 passes for 179 yards and had a 7-yard touchdown toss to Ladd McConkey that gave Los Angeles (2-2) a 7-0 lead with 6:16 left in the first quarter.
Kristian Fulton then intercepted Mahomes on the next snap from scrimmage - the play where Rice was injured - and returned the ball 29 yards to set up Dicker's 50-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage.
Flacco's relief effort helps Colts deal Steelers first loss
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes in relief of an injured Anthony Richardson, and the Indianapolis Colts got a late defensive stop to hold on for a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Flacco took over after Richardson hurt his hip on a scramble late in the first quarter and threw for 168 yards on 16-of-26 passing. The 39-year-old hit Josh Downs and Drew Ogletree for touchdowns to help Indianapolis (2-2) to a second straight win following an 0-2 start.
Downs finished with 82 yards on eight catches and Michael Pittman amassed 113 yards on six receptions for the Colts, who also received 88 rushing yards and a touchdown from Jonathan Taylor.
Pittsburgh (3-1) was handed its first loss of the season despite Justin Fields rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for another. Fields was sacked four times and had one of two Pittsburgh lost fumbles, however, as the Steelers failed to overcome a 17-0 deficit.
Fields completed 22 of 34 passes for 312 yards, while George Pickens led the Steelers' receivers with 113 yards on seven catches.
Richardson made an impact before his early departure, as he hit Pittman for a 32-yard gain on the game's first play to ignite an eight-play, 70-yard drive that Taylor finished with a 2-yard touchdown run less than three minutes in.
The 2023 first-round pick left after being tackled on a short run near the goal line on the Colts' next possession, which Flacco capped with a 4-yard touchdown delivery to Downs to extend the lead to 14-0 late in the first quarter.
Matt Gay's 33-yard field goal early in the second quarter increased Indianapolis' advantage to 17-0, but a 29-yard completion from Fields to Pat Freiermuth late in the first half got Pittsburgh on the board via Chris Boswell's 50-yard field goal.
The Steelers' defence then forced a pair of three-and-outs to begin the third quarter, and Fields and Pickens hooked up for a 38-yard completion to highlight a six-play drive culminating in Fields' 5-yard touchdown run that brought Pittsburgh within 17-10 with 2:53 to go in the period.
Indianapolis responded with a 10-play, 70-yard drive kept alive by Flacco's 25-yard completion to Downs on 3rd-and-7. The veteran quarterback later hit Ogletree over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown that put the Colts up 24-10 early in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh answered once again, though, as a 32-yard catch and run by Najee Harris moved the ball deep into Indianapolis territory before Fields trimmed the lead to 24-17 with a 2-yard touchdown run with 11:23 remaining.
After Gay hit a 35-yard field goal to increase the Colts' lead to 10, Fields found Freiermuth for an 8-yard touchdown with 3:40 left to pull the Steelers within 27-24. The score was set up by a 37-yard catch by Pickens.
Pittsburgh got the ball back with 2:39 remaining, but Fields' final two passes fell incomplete and the Colts took over on downs with 29 seconds on the clock.
Broncos earn narrow win over Jets as defence flusters Rodgers
Wil Lutz hit a go-ahead 47-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, and the Denver Broncos' defence made the kick stand up in a 10-9 win over the New York Jets at a soggy MetLife Stadium.
Denver (2-2) got its second straight win following an 0-2 start despite quarterback Bo Nix mustering just 60 passing yards in the rainy conditions. The rookie quarterback did throw his first NFL touchdown pass, however, when he found Courtland Sutton for an 8-yard score in the third quarter.
Running backs Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin combined for 123 rushing yards to give the offence some spark, though, while the defence kept Aaron Rodgers and the Jets out of the end zone while recording five sacks of the four-time NFL MVP.
Rodgers completed just 24 of 42 pass attempts for 225 yards on a day New York (2-2) managed just three Greg Zuerlein field goals and went 4 of 17 on third downs.
Zuerlein misfired on a 50-yard field goal try with 47 seconds left, however, to snap the Jets' two-game winning streak.
New York had taken a 9-7 lead on Zuerlein's 40-yard field goal with 13:34 remaining, a kick set up by Rodgers' 22-yard completion to Mike Williams and a 23-yard connection with Garrett Wilson on the following play.
Denver then answered with an eight-play drive in which all of its yards came on the ground, putting it in range for Lutz's field goal that put the Broncos back ahead with 8:55 to go.
Lutz later missed a 50-yard attempt with 1:27 remaining to give the Jets another chance, and a defensive pass interference penalty and a short catch from Williams got New York to Denver's 32-yard line for a field goal opportunity in the final minute.
Zuerlein's kick veered to the right of the post, however.
The Broncos managed just 46 total yards over the first two quarters and trailed 6-0 at the half after Zuerlein hit from 23 and 35 yards out in the second quarter. The first field goal came after Denver's Ty Badie fumbled when injured on a short catch and the Jets recovered at the Broncos' 34.
Nix was just 12 of 25 passing for the game, but the rookie came through with a key 29-yard completion to Sutton on 3rd-and-11 to extend what turned out to be the lone touchdown drive of the day.
Sutton got wide open in the end zone shortly afterward and came down with Nix's 8-yard toss to put the Broncos up 7-6 with 3:08 left in the third quarter.
Texans score late touchdown to keep Jaguars win-less
Dare Ogunbowale caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud with 18 seconds remaining to lift the Houston Texans to a 24-20 victory over Jacksonville that dropped the reeling Jaguars to 0-4.
After being forced to punt on their first five drives of the second half, the Texans' offence finally got untracked in the final minutes as Stroud led a nine-play, 69-yard series to put his team ahead.
The 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year connected with Nico Collins for 26 yards to the Jacksonville 27-yard line with Houston (3-1) down 20-17 at the two-minute warning. Stroud later found Dalton Schultz for a 6-yard gain on 3rd-and-3 from the Jaguars' 8 before rolling out and hitting Ogunbowale in stride for the go-ahead score.
Stroud finished with 345 yards and two touchdowns while completing 27 of 40 passes, with nearly half of them going to Collins. The star wide receiver racked up 151 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 12 catches.
Trevor Lawrence threw two touchdown passes for Jacksonville (0-4), including an 8-yard strike to Christian Kirk that put the Jaguars up 20-17 with 6:16 left in the third quarter.
Lawrence's first TD pass came after the Jaguars recovered a muffed punt from Houston's Steven Sims at the Texans' 2-yard line in the opening minutes. Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. came down with the former No. 1 overall pick's short toss on the next play to quickly give Jacksonville a 7-0 lead 2:16 in.
Houston answered with a nine-play, 70-yard drive capped by wide receiver Stefon Diggs' 6-yard touchdown run on an aborted passing play midway through the first quarter.
Cam Little's 41-yard field goal on the ensuing possession put Jacksonville back ahead until Stroud's 3-yard touchdown pass to Collins gave the Texans a 14-10 edge with 7:19 left in the second quarter, with the score ending a 12-play, 74-yard drive.
Both teams traded field goals to close out the first half, with Little making a 52-yarder and Ka'imi Fairbairn countering with a 32-yard kick that sent Houston into half-time up 17-13.
Thomas recorded 86 yards on six catches for Jacksonville, while Kirk had seven receptions totalling 61 yards and Tank Bigsby rushed for 90 yards on just seven carries in the loss.
The Kansas City Chiefs earned another win on Sunday, but may have lost their top wide receiver in the process.
Multiple outlets reported that the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions believe Rashee Rice tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the team's 17-10 Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Rice, who led the NFL with 24 receptions through this season's first three weeks, will undergo an MRI Monday to confirm the initial diagnosis, according to ESPN.
The second-year wideout was injured in the first quarter of Sunday's game when he collided with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who inadvertently dove into Rice's knee as the two teammates were attempting to tackle Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton on an interception return.
Rice was carted off to the locker room shortly after leaving the field and eventually ruled out of the game.
The injury further depletes the Chiefs at an already thin position, as projected No. 2 receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown is expected to miss the entire regular season due to a preseason shoulder injury that required surgery.
Kansas City is also currently without leading rusher Isiah Pacheco, who is recovering from a fractured fibula he sustained in Week 2.
After recording 79 receptions for 938 yards and a team-leading seven touchdown catches during a strong 2023 rookie campaign, Rice was far and away Mahomes' top target during the early stages of this season. He accumulated 288 receiving yards and two touchdowns on his 24 catches through the first three games.
No other Kansas City player had double-digit receptions entering Sunday's contest.
Despite their injury issues, the Chiefs moved to 4-0 with Sunday's victory and have now won 10 consecutive games dating back to last season, which includes four wins in the 2023 NFL playoffs.
The Arizona Diamondbacks needed a win in Sunday's season finale to stay in the mix for a play-off berth.
They got the needed victory, but now must wait to see if it's enough.
The Diamondbacks ended a two-game skid with an 11-2 rout over a San Diego Padres team they hope to join in the post-season.
Arizona won't know its fate until the completion of Monday's make-up double-header between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. The games were originally scheduled for last Wednesday and Thursday in Atlanta but were postponed due to Hurricane Helene ripping through the southeastern United States.
The Diamondbacks (89-73) will qualify for the play-offs if either the Mets or Braves sweep the double-header. If the two teams split the two games, however, both the Mets and Braves will secure the NL's last two wild-card berths.
San Diego (93-69) had already captured the NL's top wild-card spot.
The Diamondbacks, who entered the finale having lost five of six, knocked around the Padres in the fourth inning with six runs.
Christian Walker started the outburst with a double - the first of five consecutive hits for Arizona.
Eugenio Suárez singled to drive in Walker for his 100th RBI of the season, and Ketel Marte capped the fourth-inning scoring with a two-run homer.
San Diego's Luis Arraez notched his 200th hit with a sixth-inning double, which gave him the NL's batting title with a .314 average.
This is the third straight batting crown for Arráez - and incredibly, all three have come with different teams.
He won his first with the Minnesota Twins in 2022, then led the NL in batting last season with the Miami Marlins.
Braves lose to Royals to squander shot at play-off berth
The Braves could've punched a post-season ticket with a win over the play-off-bound Kansas City Royals in their series finale, but suffered a 4-2 defeat.
The Royals (86-76) jumped on Atlanta starter Charlie Morton early, tallying three runs before he was able to record an out.
Tommy Pham led off the game with a double, Bobby Witt Jr. followed with a single and Michael Massey plated both of them with a home run.
Witt wound up winning the AL batting title with a .332 average, becoming the first Kansas City batting champ since Hall of Famer George Brett in 1990.
Braves lead-off hitter Michael Harris II had three singles, but Atlanta (88-72) wasted several scoring chances, going just 1 for 9 with runners on and leaving nine men on base.
The Royals' season will continue Tuesday when they visit the Baltimore Orioles in a wild card series.
Ohtani falls short of Triple Crown
Having already locked up the NL's top seed, the Los Angeles Dodgers didn't have much to play for in their season finale other than Shohei Ohtani trying to become the league's first Triple Crown winner in nearly 90 years.
Ohtani, however, came up short of the feat in the NL West-champion Dodgers' 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.
The Japanese superstar went 1 for 4 to finish the season with a .310 batting average to end up behind Arraez.
Ohtani led the NL this season in homers (54) and RBIs (130), but fell just short of becoming the league's first Triple Crown winner since the St. Louis Cardinals' Joe Medwick in 1937.
He did steal another base, however, his 59th of the season during Los Angeles' eighth-inning rally.
Chris Taylor's homer in the eighth evened the score at 1-1, and four batters later, Austin Barnes scored the winning run, coming home on a balk by Rockies reliever Seth Halvorsen.
The Dodgers (98-64) are now off until Saturday, when they open an NL Division Series.
The finale marked the last MLB game for four-time All-Star Charlie Blackmon, who announced earlier this week he was retiring after 14 seasons with the Rockies (61-101).
Coco Gauff claimed her 47th hard-court win in WTA-1000 matches with a straight-sets victory over Katie Boulter in the third round at the China Open.
The American now has the most wins on the surface before turning 21 and needed just 85 minutes to see off her opponent, prevailing 7-5 6-2 on Sunday.
Gauff looked set to sail through the first set after breaking Boulter’s serve in the sixth game and taking a 5-2 lead, but the Brit fought back to level the score.
Gauff, who served four of her five aces in the opening set, rallied to win the final two games, with Boulter failing to stop her from converting set point on the third time of asking.
Back in her groove, the world number three cruised through the second, which included three love games, to book a meeting with either Naomi Osaka or fellow American Katie Volynets in the next round.
Data Debrief: Out on her own
Gauff's win over Clara Burel in the last round pulled her level with Caroline Wozniacki for the joint-most WTA-1000 match wins on hard court before the age of 21 since the format's introduction in 2009.
But she made light work of pushing herself top of that list as she stormed through, dropping her serve just once in the contest.
Gauff (100) has also become the second player to record 100+ break-point conversions at WTA-1000 events in 2024, along with Iga Swiatek (145), getting four out of a possible seven against Boulter.
Carlos Alcaraz is already eyeing up another major landmark, straight after registering his 200th ATP-Tour level win on Sunday.
The Spaniard beat Tallon Griekspoor at the China Open in straight sets, prevailing 6-1 6-2, to progress from the second-round tie.
Among the 29 players to have reached the top of the world rankings, Alcaraz is the second fastest to win 200 matches. He did so in his 252nd match, with only John McEnroe hitting the landmark sooner (245 matches).
Meanwhile, he is just the third player born in the 2000s to achieve that feat, after Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Alcaraz may have struggled to get back to his best since losing the Paris Olympics final to Novak Djokovic in August, but he looked at home on hard court once more in Beijing.
His win rate on the surface is 75.4%, and since the start of the 2020 season, he is one of only two players to hold two separate win rates of 75%+ on all three surfaces at ATP level, along with Djokovic.
Alcaraz, who won the French Open and Wimbledon this year, was proud to reach his latest achievement and said he is ready to start pushing to the next.
"I'm really happy about it - 200 wins is a great number," Alcaraz said after the match.
"But I am already looking for the third hundred. I just want to keep going, to keep rolling.
"I am looking forward to playing matches and to keep doing the things that I am doing."
Alcaraz will face seventh seed Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals in Beijing.
Carlos Alcaraz won an ATP Tour-level match for the 200th time as he defeated Tallon Griekspoor at the China Open.
World number three Alcaraz prevailed 6-1 6-2 on Sunday to hit another milestone in his already stellar career.
The four-time grand slam champion needed less than an hour to progress from the second-round tie.
Alcaraz struck four aces, converted five of seven break points and did not offer up a single chance for Griekspoor, who he also beat to claim his 100th career win, to break back in a dominant display.
The Spaniard has not been at his best since reaching the final of the Paris Olympics, which he lost to Novak Djokovic, but delivered a statement win as he aims to round out the 2024 season on a high note.
He will face Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals.
Data Debrief: Double-centurion
While Alcaraz has been unable to hold down his world number one ranking his year, the 21-year-old has still enjoyed a remarkable season, winning two grand slams (the French Open and Wimbledon) and claiming an Olympic silver.
Among the 29 players to have reached the top of the world rankings, Alcaraz is the second fastest to win 200 matches. He has done so in his 252nd match, with only John McEnroe hitting the landmark sooner (245 matches).
It took Rafael Nadal 255 matches to reach the milestone, Novak Djokovic 274 (the same as Jannik Sinner) and Roger Federer needed 302 to get there.
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi was delighted with the character of his side as they defeated Argentina 48-7 to win the Rugby Championship title on Saturday.
In a role reversal last week, the Pumas denied Kolisi’s team the chance to win the title with a game to spare, pipping them to the post in a thrilling 29-28 win.
But the Springboks channelled the frustration from that near miss into a crushing win against the same opponents, and a first title in the competition since 2019.
Kolisi said: “I am lost for words but it has been a journey and a half, after last week, the way we stood up today says a lot about our team.”
The Springboks captain was also full of praise for his opponents, stating they will only improve in the coming years and that both sides share similarities.
He told Sky Sports: “Argentina are a side you cannot look over, how hard they work and what they did to us last week - they are a proud nation, similar to South Africa, the way they use the ball like we do. They will only get better and better."
Kolisi also reserved special praise for lock and long-time friend Eben Etzebeth, who became the most capped Springbok of all-time.
"I want to say to my best friend Eben that I am so grateful to be on this journey with you," Kolisi said.
"We have been together since we were 18 and you've been a true friend and you have led us in so many ways, the way you play the game.
"I am so proud of you and pleased to be your friend. I can't wait to tell my grandkids I played with Eben Etzebeth. Cheers, my friend, I love you!"
Having brought up that milestone, Etzebeth stated his desire to continue with the national team for as long as possible.
He said: “Rugby is like a religion in our country, to play for the Boks is the ultimate. You cannot go any better than that and I don't want to, it's the best team.
"Hopefully I stay fit and the coaches keep picking me. I will try my best."
Pumas captain Julian Montoya, meanwhile, was upfront about his side’s poor performance.
Montoya said: “Credit to South Africa, we were not good enough, they were the better team today.
“Of course I am pleased with what we have done, but you are only as good as your last game, and we were not good enough today. We have to get better."
Australia coach Joe Schmidt is determined to build on a disappointing Rugby Championship after being "frustrated" by their 33-13 defeat to New Zealand.
The Wallabies made a strong start on Saturday but found themselves trailing at the break after a topsy-turvy first half, and failed to get a single point on the board in the second as the All Blacks stretched their lead.
It was their ninth consecutive loss to New Zealand, who also beat them 31-28 in round five, and they have now won only one of their last six Test matches, losing the other five after making an unbeaten start under Schmidt.
Australia finished last in the four-nation tournament, with Schmidt rueing some of their missed chances after they slumped in the second half.
"I thought we created a few things early but what we had a lot of frustration [about] in that first half was slow ball," said Schmidt on Stan Sport.
"We were digging the ball out from amongst bodies on our side and that was really frustrating because it broke our rhythm.
"We started really strongly, got that try and then missed a couple of chances. They connect so well back off the sideline a couple of times, running back laterally and then connecting up with square runners.
"But just talking to Scott Barrett there, we made them work for it, and we're going to keep working for ourselves and make sure opponents do have to work for anything they get, and we try to get a little bit more."
Australia's tour in November, which includes Tests against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the nations that contribute players to the Lions, is next up, and Schmidt is looking forward to their next challenge.
"It's a bit like when we come up against the All Blacks, you know it's going to be a really tough tour.
"But if we can keep building through that tour, then I think we put ourselves in a position of potentially being competitive next July [against the Lions]."
Meanwhile, New Zealand's victory was their first in Wellington since June 2018, ending a five-game winless run in the capital.
They made a slow start to the game before rallying to a dominant comeback win, but captain Scott Barrett was just happy to triumph in Wellington.
"Really pleased to reverse the curse," All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett said.
"We didn't start too well, but I'm really pleased with how we finished: some grit in defence, and we held out the Aussies."
Travis d’Arnaud hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves kept up their postseason push with a 2-1 win over the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
Reynaldo López came off the injured list to throw six strong innings for the Braves, who moved one game ahead of the New York Mets and Arizona for the final two wild-card spots in the National League.
After an injury-plagued season, the Braves can clinch their seventh straight playoff appearance on Sunday with a sweep of the Royals paired with another loss by the Diamondbacks.
D'Arnaud ended it with one swing in the ninth, launching a 2-0 pitch from Sam Long over the center-field wall for his 15th homer this season.
López pitched for the first time since Sept. 10, when he lasted only one inning at Washington before coming out with shoulder discomfort. An MRI showed no structural damage, but the Braves placed him on the 15-day disabled list in the heat of playoff race to make sure things didn't get worse.
López looked as good as ever in his return, allowing only two singles while striking out nine. After fanning Adam Frazier with the last of his 73 pitches, he pounded his glove in satisfaction walking off the mound, having lowered his ERA in a dazzling season to an even 2.00.
Sixteen-game winner Seth Lugo pitched two scoreless innings for Kansas City, limited to 36 pitches in what was essentially a tune-up for the Wild Card Series that begins Tuesday.
Mets shut down by Brewers
Joey Ortiz drove in three runs for Milwaukee and the New York Mets mustered just two hits as their playoff hopes sustained another blow with a 6-0 loss to the Brewers.
New York (87-72) lost its third straight and fell one game behind Atlanta (88-71) in the NL wild card race when the Braves beat Kansas City 2-1 on a ninth-inning, walk-off homer from former Met Travis d'Arnaud.
The Mets did get some help when San Diego beat Arizona 5-0. The Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks (88-73) are competing for the NL's final two wild-card playoff berths.
Both the Mets and Braves have head-to-head tiebreaker advantages over the Diamondbacks. The Mets and Braves would play a Monday doubleheader in Atlanta if their postseason fates haven’t been settled.
Ortiz put the Brewers ahead 2-0 in the fourth by looping a full-count curveball from Jose Quintana into left-center with a bases-loaded single.
Milwaukee broke open the game in the eighth inning by scoring four runs off Reed Garrett, the first runs he allowed since Aug. 18. The outburst included an RBI single by Willy Adames, a bases-loaded walk by Ortiz and a two-run single by Andruw Monasterio.
Quintana and four relievers combined to strike out 18 - the Mets' highest total this season. But New York was shut out for the first time since Aug. 23 and was held to two hits or fewer for just the fifth time this year.
Jose Iglesias singled in the first inning and Starling Marte hit a ground-rule double in the fifth. The only other time the Mets put a runner on base was when Iglesias drew a one-out walk in the ninth.
Struggling Diamondbacks blanked by Padres
Kyle Higashioka, Brandon Lockridge and Donovan Solano homered in the ninth inning, lifting the San Diego Padres to a 5-0 win over the sliding Arizona Diamondbacks, who continued to lose ground in the National League playoff race.
The Diamondbacks (88-73) have lost five of six as they chase an NL wild card. They’re currently behind the Braves (88-71) and tied with the Mets (87-72), who hold the final two playoff spots.
The game was scoreless heading into the ninth. With one out, David Peralta singled up the middle and then Higashioka cranked a no-doubt, two-run homer deep into the left field stands.
Lockridge followed with his first big league homer, which was also hit to left.
It was a stunning blowup for Diamondbacks left-hander A.J. Puk, who has been the team's most dominant reliever since he was acquired from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. He had given up just one run over 27 innings over his 29 outings since coming to Arizona.
Solano added a two-run homer, his fourth hit of the night, later in the ninth off Scott McGough for a 5-0 advantage.
With opportunities at certain levels of motorsport only coming far and few in between, Zane Maloney could not pass up the chance to participate in Formula E.
As such, the Barbados racing sensation made the decision to cut short his Formula 2 campaign after securing a seat to represent team Lola Yamaha ABT in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
The event, is an open-wheel single-seater motorsport championship for electric cars. The racing series is the highest class of competition for electrically powered single-seater racing cars.
Though he currently occupies third position in the F2 drivers’ championship with two rounds remaining, Maloney, who recently inked a deal with Lola, is well aware of the significance of the Formula E opportunity presented to him and, as such, is eager to make the most of it at the expense of his F2 ambitions.
“In one way, I wanted to win Formula 2 this year. I wanted to give myself the best chance to do that, but I live my life by the day and I understand the opportunity that I have for next year, and when I think about that opportunity, everything in the present moment kind of gets forgotten about to some extent,” the 20-year-old said.
“So, of course, I know that coming to Formula E is a big opportunity for me and something amazing to show my skills in a world championship. I don’t really focus too much on the negative side of certain things. I try to focus on the positives, and I only see a positive thing coming into next year,” he added.
Maloney, who won the opening two races of the Formula 2 season, believes Formula E has gained traction as a top-notch championship, which made his decision a no-brainer.
“In F1, IndyCar, Formula E, and WEC as well, there’s not many seats that become available every year. There are a lot more drivers than there are seats, which makes it very difficult, and I think Formula E has always been a series that has amazing drivers, amazing manufacturers, and amazing teams. And of course, the media sees different motorsport genres a bit differently,” Maloney explained.
“But within the group of motorsports, Formula E is very well recognized, and every driver that goes into it knows how difficult it is to perform, so from that side of things, I don’t really focus too much on anything other than driving a race car as fast as I can with the opportunity that I’m given,” he noted.
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