SPORTS SHORTS
NFL: League looking at SB backups
The NFL, not surprisingly in the midst of a rise in COVID-19 cases, has looked into other potential sites for next month’s Super Bowl. That’s not unusual because the league does so every year, but this year it has become more noteworthy.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the Cowboys, reportedly is one of the facilities contacted. The stadium hosted the Rose Bowl in 2021 when it was switched from Pasadena because of COVID-19 restrictions in California.
In other league news, the time-honored tradition of allegedly confidential Wonderlic scores getting leaked before the NFL Draft appears to be coming to an end, according to the AP.
■ The Titans opened the 21-day window for Derrick Henry to start practicing by activating him from injured reserve. The next decision will be when — and if — to put Henry on the active roster.
■ The Bengals won’t play quarterback Joe Burrow in the regular-season finale against the Browns on Sunday to make sure he is healthy for the first round of the playoffs.
■ Ross Browner, a two-time All-American at Notre Dame and one of four brothers who played in the NFL, has died. He was 67.
NHL: Maple Leafs beat Oilers
Ilya Mikheyev scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play in the third period, and the Maple Leafs beat short-handed Edmonton 4-2 in Toronto, handing the Oilers their 11th loss in 13 games. Edmonton was missing captain Connor McDavid, fellow center Derek Ryan and defenseman Tyson Barrie after all three were added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols.
■ In Pittsburgh, Bryan Rust had two goals and an assist as the Penguins erased two 2-goal deficits to win their ninth straight game, 5-3 over the Blues.
NBA: Mavericks win over Warriors
In Dallas, Luka Doncic scored 26 points and the Mavericks celebrated the retirement of Dirk Nowitzki’s No. 41 by beating the cold-shooting Stephen Curry and the Warriors 99-82 on Wednesday night.
Curry scored 14 points and made just five of 24 shots coming off his worst shooting night of the season.
■ In Boston, Gregg Popovich became the first to coach 2,000 NBA games with the same team, and Dejounte Murray scored 22 points to lead the Spurs to a 99-97 victory over the Celtics.
NCAA: Michigan St. wins 8th in row
Freshman guard Max Christie scored a season-high 21 points to help No. 10 Michigan State pull away and beat Nebraska 79-67 in East Lansing, Mich. for its eighth victory in a row.
■ In Knoxville, Tenn., Santiago Vescovi scored 17 points, including a critical 3-pointer and two big free throws in overtime, as No. 18 Tennessee won 66-60 over Ole Miss. SOCCER: Sands loaned to Rangers
American midfielder and defender James Sands was loaned to Glasgow Rangers from MLS champion NYCFC through the end of the 2023-24 Scottish Premier League season.
■ The new MLS team in St. Louis named former Red Bulls assistant Bradley Carnell as head coach.