News+Notes: Philip Rivers retiring after historic 17-year NFL career,
INDIANAPOLIS >> Longtime NFL quarterback Philip Rivers has decided to retire after playing one year in Indianapolis.
“Every year, January 20th is a special and emotional day. It is St. Sebastian’s Feast day, the day I played in the AFC championship without an ACL, andnowthedaythatafter 17 seasons I’m announcing my retirement from the National Football League,” Rivers said in a statement on the Colts’ website. “Thank you God for allowing me to live out my childhood dream of playing quarterback in the NFL. I am grateful to the Chargers for 16 seasons, and the Colts for the 17th season.”
Rivers’ decision comes less than two weeks after the Colts’ lost 27-24 at Buffalo in a wild-card game.
Rivers spent his first 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers after being acquired in a draft-day trade that sent the top overall pick, Eli Manning, to the New York Giants in 2004. Manning went on to win two Super Bowls with the Giants and retired after last season. LIONS AGREE TO TERMS WITH SAINTS’ DAN CAMPBELL TO BE COACH >> The Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with Dan Campbell to be their coach.
The Lions announced the agreement with the New Orleans Saints tight ends coach, one day after formally introducing Brad Holmes as their general manager.
“With more than 20 years of experience as both a coach and player in the National Football League, Dan knows the rigors of professional football and what it takes to be successful,” team owner Sheila Ford Hamp said in a statement.
“He will help promote the culture we want to establish across our organization, while also bringing with him high energy, a respect for the gameandanidentitywith which everyone can align themselves.”
MLB
SPRINGER AGREES TO $150M, 6-YEAR DEAL WITH BLUE
JAYS >> All-Star outfielder George Springer became the most prominent among baseball’s free agents to reach an agreement this offseason, a $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
It would be the largest contract in team history.
Springer, who turned 31 in September, is a three-time All-Star who has spent his entire seven-season career with Houston and was the World Series MVP when the Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games for their first title in 2017. The championship was later taintedwhenitwasdiscovered Houston illicitly stole signs that season.
JOSÉ QUINTANA AGREES TO $8M DEAL WITH ANGELS
>> Left-hander José Quintana has agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement is subject to a successful physical.
Soccer
EARTHQUAKES SIGN MEXICAN MIDFIELDER >> In the first major outside move of the offseason, the San Jose Earthquakes announced they have acquired Mexican midfielder Javier Eduardo Lopez on loan from famed Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara.
Lopez, 26, is expected to fill the attacking midfielder role held by Magnus Eriksson before he returned to Sweden in the middle of last season.
Lopez has been signed to a one-year loan deal, pending receipt of a work visa and international transfer documents, the Quakes announced. In a news release, the Major League Soccer team said it will have an option to extend the loan for a half year or buy the player outright.
3RD-DIVISION CLUB ALCOYANO KNCOCKS OUT MADRID INCOPADELREY>> Third-division club Alcoyano came from behind to eliminate Real Madrid 2-1 in the round of 32 of the Copa de Rey.
The small club from eastern Spain scored in the 80th minute to force extra time and again in the 115th to make it to the last 16.
Tennis
HOUSTON TOURNAMENT CANCELED AS ATP ALTERS SCHEDULE >> The ATP Tour adjusted its 2021 schedule on Wednesday amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
The tour added two ATP 250 events — one in Singapore from Feb. 22-28 and the other in Marbella, Spain, from April 5-8.
The Spain event will replace the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, which was canceled for the second straight season.
WNBA
DREAM CLOSE TO BEING SOLD, TAKING LOEFFLER OUT OF LEAGUE >> The Atlanta Dream are close to being sold, ending defeated U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s contentious stint as a WNBA owner.
“As it relates to the Atlanta Dream, we understand a sale of the franchise is close to being finalized,” the league said in a statement. “Once the sale negotiation is concluded, additional information will be provided.”
Players around the league have called for Loeffler to sell her 49% stake in the Dream after she wrote a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert last summer objecting to the league’s initiatives to advocate for racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement.