8:06 AM ET ESPN staff Which players could turn into stars next season with breakout performances? Here’s a very early look at 25 players to watch for the teams in Mark Schlabach’s 2020 Way-Too-Early Top 25. With Tee Higgins off to the NFL, Clemson needs another go-to, big-play receiver to pair with Justyn Ross. Enter
7:31 PM ET CHICAGO — Bears head coach Matt Nagy continued to remake his offensive coaching staff by hiring John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach and promoting Dave Ragone to passing game coordinator, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. ESPN reported on Monday that Nagy intended to hire veteran assistant Bill Lazor as offensive coordinator. DeFilippo, who
6:57 PM ET SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was a surprise addition to the team’s participation report after he did not practice Wednesday afternoon. According to the league’s mandatory participation report, Kittle is listed with an ankle injury. The 49ers said Kittle is dealing with some ankle soreness left
7:00 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN MILWAUKEE — Eric Bledsoe flashed a smile an hour ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks‘ tipoff against the Minnesota Timberwolves on New Year’s Day. The Bucks guard had just completed his pregame shooting routine, with his 4-year-old son, Ethan, at his side. There was a dunk contest on the ball rack,
6:40 PM ET Steve Gleason became the first former NFL player to receive a Congressional Gold Medal — the highest honor that Congress can bestow on a civilian — during an emotional ceremony Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Gleason, who was a special teams standout for the New Orleans Saints, was recognized for his crusading work
6:42 PM ET Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio — The playoff loss to Clemson that ended Ohio State’s season will sting for a long time, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day acknowledged Wednesday. Day, in his first meeting with the media since the Buckeyes’ 29-23 loss on Dec. 28, joked he was now pondering the loss “every other
6:37 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — A report on the death of Mongolian Groom in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita says veterinarians missed opportunities to remove the gelding from the $6 million race because of time constraints or deficiencies in the process used to evaluate horses. In the 20-page report issued
6:00 PM ET CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There was an outpouring of sadness in the Charlotte area after Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly made a surprise retirement announcement Tuesday at age 28. Even Kuechly said he was sad to step away from the game he loved after eight NFL seasons. Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7:00 AM ET The NHL All-Star Game is scheduled for Jan. 25 in St. Louis, where some of the NHL’s best and brightest (and available if their schedules permit) players will be showcased. Being named an All-Star takes great numbers and some level of renown. It’s easy for worthy players to be overlooked. So for
5:33 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Veteran referee Bill Vinovich will head the crew for the Super Bowl in Miami. Vinovich is in his 15th season as an NFL official. He previously worked the 2015 game between New England and Seattle. It’s been a difficult season for NFL officials and the league went