QB Rodgers returns to Packers’ practice
Aaron Rodgers celebrated his 34th birthday by returning to Green Bay Packers practice.
The two-time NFL MVP is on injured reserve and was designated to return by the Packers on Saturday. Rodgers wouldn’t be eligible to play at the earliest until Dec. 17 at Carolina.
But at least the Packers have their starting quarterback back at practice for the first time since he broke his right collarbone on Oct. 15 at Minnesota. He had surgery four days later.
Coach Mike McCarthy said Friday that Rodgers was on track for a trial return. Rodgers threw several passes of at least 50 yards before a loss to Pittsburgh last week.
The Packers are not available to media on Saturdays.
Green Bay (5-6) is 1-5 since Rodgers was hurt. Saints’ Fleener on IR: New Orleans placed starting tight end Coby Fleener (concussion) on injured reserve, potentially ending his season.
The Saints also waived defensive back DeVante Harris while adding two practice squad players — cornerback Arthur Maulet and tight end Garrett Griffin — to the active roster.
Fleener has caught 22 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns this season.
ELSEWHERE Shiffrin soars to downhill win
U.S. slalom star Mikaela Shiffrin raced to her first World Cup downhill victory of the season at Lake Louise, Alberta.
Racing in her fourth career downhill, the 22-year-old Olympic and world slalom champion finished in 1 minute, 27.55 seconds to edge Germany’s Viktoria Rebensberg by 0.13 seconds.
The defending World Cup overall champion extended her overall lead over Rebensburg to 149 points.
Americans Lindsey Vonn was 12th a day after crashing in the downhill opener, and Stacey Cook was sixth.
Aksel Lund Svindal started first and the hard-charging Norwegian put down such a blistering run that no one could catch him as he captured a World Cup downhill race at Beaver Creek, Colo.
Svindal took a calculated risk by picking the No. 1 spot the night before, believing the snow conditions would hold up better. He finished in a time of 1: 40.46 to beat Switzerland’s Beat Feuz by 0.15 seconds. Thomas Dressen wound up third to give Germany its first World Cup men’s downhill podium spot since 2004.
No American racer placed in the top 20.
Soccer: Antonio Valencia and Jesse Lingard scored in the first half and Jose Mourinho finally won a big away game in the English Premier League after 18 months in charge of Manchester United, winning 3-1 at Arsenal.
However, United’s Paul Pogba was sent off after a studs-first challenge on the leg of Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin in the 74th minute and will miss the top-of-the-standings derby against Manchester City next weekend.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez scored, but host Barcelona stumbled for the second consecutive week in the Spanish league, settling for a 2-2 tie with Celta Vigo. Barcelona has a five-point lead over second-place Valencia, which plays Sunday.
Volleyball: Kathryn Plummer had 14 kills as host Stanford (28-3) won 25-14, 25-15, 25-9 over Colorado State (28-4) to advance to the NCAA Regional semifinals. The Cardinal will host Wisconsin (22-9) on Friday.