By MARK LONG JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Urban Meyer first started thinking about the NFL about a decade ago. He was getting phone calls from team owners. He was intrigued by the notion of testing his coaching skills at football’s highest level. He was ready to make the jump. But he put it off time…… read more »
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Jets were searching for a leader, someone who could bring a frustrated, playoff-starved franchise back to respectability. They think they found their guy in Robert Saleh. The Jets reached an agreement in principle with the popular and energetic San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Thursday…… read more »
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Thousands of University of Alabama football fans partied in the street near campus after the Crimson Tide defeated Ohio State 52-24 for the national championship, ignoring pleas for safety at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in a celebration a top health official said Tuesday could worsen disease. Students and others…… read more »
By JOSH DUBOW The NFL has never seen a playoff matchup quite like the upcoming one between Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Drew Brees’ New Orleans Saints. A pair of quarterbacks in their 40s still thriving on the playoff stage at an age when nearly every other great passer in NFL history was already…… read more »
By PAUL NEWBERRY By halftime, with Alabama clearly unstoppable and cruising toward a perfect season, the mind began to wander toward an obvious question. Has Nick Saban, the greatest coach in the history of college football, assembled the greatest team of them all? Certainly, a case can be made for a group that breezed through…… read more »
By BRETT MARTEL NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Drew Brees will get to celebrate his 42nd birthday by preparing for a playoff game that will also feature the one active NFL quarterback older than him. Brees completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards, connecting with Michael Thomas and Latavius Murray for touchdowns, and the New…… read more »
By TIM BOOTH SEATTLE (AP) — Quietly, Aaron Donald, Jared Goff and the rest of the Los Angeles Rams seethed. They watched less than two weeks ago as the Seattle Seahawks loudly celebrated a division title the Rams felt they gave away. Los Angeles desperately wanted another shot. Behind a lot of Cam Akers churning…… read more »
By LARRY LAGE ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan has decided to stick with coach Jim Harbaugh, finalizing a new, five-year deal that cuts his guaranteed compensation but gives him an opportunity to make up for the financial loss if he can start winning championships. The school will pay him $4 million in 2021 with…… read more »
By DOUG FERGUSON KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Defending champion Justin Thomas began the new year with an 8-under 65, a share of the lead with Harris English and no bogeys on his card, all of which made him happy Thursday in the Sentry Tournament of Champions. He owes the clean card to Dustin Johnson’s caddie.…… read more »
By FRED GOODALL TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New team, same ole Tom Brady. The six-time Super Bowl champion who left New England for sunny Florida is in the playoffs for a NFL-record 18th time in 21 years, and eager to build on an ever-expanding legacy in his first postseason appearance with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.…… read more »
