Author: Shekari Philemon

An MRI confirmed that Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain in Wednesday’s season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks that is expected to sideline him for at least four weeks, a source told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Thursday. X-rays taken earlier did not show a fracture. Coach Mike Vrabel had said before the MRI results that the right ankle injury was the one they would have to monitor because of its potential impact on his availability. Brown left the game early in the third quarter after a third-down incompletion in tight coverage. Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett’s…

Myles Garrett called his performance in the Los Angeles Rams’ 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne on Friday the worst version of himself he has put out there, saying his knee was not fully healthy going into the game. He missed most of training camp with what coach Sean McVay described as swelling in his knee. He declined to specify which knee but wore a sleeve on his left leg at multiple practices. He said he was more focused on staying healthy than on what the 49ers were doing, and that it showed. He said he was…

Aryna Sabalenka acknowledged she was probably going to lose the No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina and could not do much about it. The US Open title is a different matter, and she made that clear Thursday in a dominant 7-5, 6-2 semifinal win over Jessica Pegula. The two-time defending champion could become the first player to win three consecutive US Open titles since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014. She said she wanted badly to reach the final and of course wants to go all the way. Elena Rybakina set up the final by beating No. 4 seed Coco…

Bradley Beal is expected to reclaim No. 3 for the Clippers this season, reclaiming the number he wore for 13 years in Washington and Phoenix after yielding it last season out of respect for Chris Paul. League sources said that Beal plans to wear No. 3, and the number is available on the team’s online store. He appeared to address the situation on social media Thursday, writing that the former Clipper is a legend and that the history and brand cannot be touched or erased. Paul, 41, wore No. 3 from 2011 to 2017 with the franchise and again during…

Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers over allegations the team circumvented the NBA’s salary cap to compensate Kawhi Leonard, The New York Times reported Thursday, citing people briefed on the matter. The investigation is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn and is in its earliest stages, The Times reported. At least one subpoena has been issued. Spokespeople for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Clippers and the NBA did not respond to requests for comment. The federal inquiry represents a second government front looking into…

St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red is at the center of a growing legal storm that has nothing to do with her music. A woman identified as the grandmother of her child is pursuing a massive default judgment against the artist after claiming that Sexyy used her massive social media platform to direct fans toward violence. The case is escalating fast, and so far, the rapper has not responded in court. The lawsuit was filed in March 2025 by a woman named Nicole Barnes. She alleges that Sexyy did not just air out personal grievances online but went further by sharing…

Zuffa Boxing plans to proceed with a Saturday cruiserweight bout between Jai Opetaia and Noel Mikaelian despite a cease and desist letter from Don King Productions alleging it holds exclusive promotional rights to the fighter’s career. Dana White, CEO of both companies, told reporters at Contender Series in Las Vegas on Tuesday that Mikaelian would fight as scheduled. He characterized boxing as deeply unsophisticated and suggested that the organization does not interfere with fighters’ existing contracts, asking reporters to point to an example in the organization’s 25-year history where it had done so. He said he has always had good…

Drake Maye called his three-interception night in a 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday unacceptable, including a game-sealing pick in the end zone when New England was positioned to attempt a tying field goal. He finished 23 of 33 for 178 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions, saying the performance was not how he plays football and not how he wants to represent himself and the quarterback position. New England led 10-0 early in the third quarter with Seattle’s Sam Darnold knocked out in the first quarter, but the Patriots squandered that lead as Maye threw three…

Sam Darnold left with a right hip injury on the fifth play of the game, Drew Lock led a second-half rally behind a spectacular Jaxon Smith-Njigba touchdown, and the Seattle Seahawks opened their title defense with a 13-10 win over the New England Patriots on Wednesday night at Lumen Field. Coach Mike Macdonald said after the game that a fracture has been ruled out, which he called great news, but that more tests are needed. Darnold was taken to Harborview Medical Center for a CT scan that was encouraging but inconclusive, and he is scheduled for an MRI Thursday. Whether…

The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Eric Amsler, a longtime Miami Heat executive, as an assistant general manager, sources told ESPN Wednesday, filling the second of two assistant GM positions Rob Pelinka set out to build this offseason. Amsler spent two decades with the Heat, starting as an intern in 2004-05 and working his way through scouting, personnel and G League roles. He most recently served as vice president of player personnel and general manager of Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Pelinka previously told reporters the second assistant GM position he was filling would focus on player…