3:53 PM ET BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens has Baker Mayfield‘s back. In a big way. Kitchens said Thursday he has no problem with any of Mayfield’s recent statements about former coach Hue Jackson, including an Instagram response when Mayfield called Jackson “fake.” Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield said Wednesday that he
3:44 PM ET Mack Brown’s new coaching staff at North Carolina will have a very familiar feel. Brown is hiring at least two of his former assistants, including Greg Robinson, who will be the Tar Heels’ defensive coordinator and play caller, sources tell ESPN. Mack Brown, five years removed from coaching at Texas, is optimistic
3:46 PM ET LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears have been reluctant to rule out Mitchell Trubisky for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, but head coach Matt Nagy said Thursday that the quarterback has still not thrown a football since injuring his right shoulder on Nov. 18 versus the Vikings. “He’s going to
7:00 AM ET Greg WyshynskiESPN NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Pekka Rinne is thinking about Miikka Kiprusoff. With career win No. 320 on Nov. 22, the Nashville Predators star passed the former Calgary Flames netminder for the most NHL victories by a goalie born in Finland. “He was a different kind of guy,” Rinne recalled, which was
3:00 PM ET Lindsey ThiryESPN Close Covered Rams for two years for Los Angeles Times Previously covered the Falcons Has covered the NBA and college football and basketball THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams are anticipating the return of cornerback Aqib Talib when they play the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Rams designated
2:18 PM GMT Ellis Jenkins will require surgery after sustaining a “significant knee injury” during Wales’ November Test against South Africa, his club Cardiff Blues confirmed on Thursday. Jenkins, who was man of the match in Wales’ victory over the the Springboks, was stretchered off the pitch following the match on Nov.24. Wales head coach
3:00 PM GMT Jamie BraidwoodESPN LONDON, ENGLAND — Siya Kolisi can’t stop smiling as he pictures himself pulling on the famous black and white jersey of the Barbarians this weekend. “It’s my dream and I’m getting goosebumps thinking about it,” Kolisi tells ESPN, at the end of an historic year which saw the Stormers flanker
2:50 PM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports Patricia Driscoll, Kurt Busch‘s former girlfriend and Armed Forces Foundation executive director, was found guilty of fraud and tax evasion Thursday by a federal jury, according to a Department of Justice spokesman. FBI
11:44 AM ET Fresh from a learning experience he recommends all UFC athletes should heed, former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos says his return to the top is a mere formality, with Tai Tuivasa little more than a speed bump at the UFC Fight Night in Adelaide, South Australia, on Sunday (Saturday night, U.S. time).
3:55 PM ET Nearly two months since the first puck dropped, we’re already more than one-quarter of the way through the regular season. The NHL’s Christmas break, though still a few weeks off, is definitely within sight. Fantasy success through the dozen or so games scheduled for each team between now and Dec. 23 could