NFL owners approve a radical overhaul to the kickoff rules
Kickoff returns are returning to the NFL.
Team owners on Tuesday approved a new rule that will take what essentially had become “a dead play” and make it an integral part of the game again.
“We feel this is a great day for the NFL,” said Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, who was heavily involved in creating the framework for the new hybrid kickoff.
The major overhaul to special teams — which has been in the works for years — takes elements of the kickoff rules used in the XFL and tweaks them for use in the NFL beginning in 2024. The rule will be in play for one season on a trial basis and then be subject to renewal in 2025.
NFL Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay said the new rule passed by a 29-3 to vote.
There were 1,970 touchbacks on kickoffs last season that now could be returns. There were 92 fair catches last season that are no longer allowed. Any ball caught in the field of play must be returned.
MLB
LEFT-HANDER MCFARLAND ACQUIRED BY THE A'S >> Lefthander T.J. McFarland was acquired by the Oakland Athletics from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday for cash and was added to the 40-man roster.
The 34-year-old agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers on Jan. 26 and had a 1.35 ERA in seven spring training games.
He made three relief appearances last year with the New York Mets, going 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA. McFarland was 5-2 with a 2.30 ERA in 44 relief appearances at Triple-A with Baltimore's Norfolk farm team and the Mets' Syracuse affiliate.
McFarland is 24-16 with a 4.14 ERA in parts of 11 seasons with Baltimore (2013-16), Arizona (201719), Oakland (2020), St. Louis (2021-22) and the Mets.
DIAMONDBACKS ADD LHP MONTGOMERY ON $25M, 1-YEAR DEAL >> The Arizona Diamondbacks and pitcher Jordan Montgomery have agreed on a $25 million, one-year contract with a vesting option for 2025, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. The option for next year can become guaranteed to Montgomery if he makes at least 10 starts this season.
The addition bulks up the defending NL champions' rotation just days before the regular season begins. Montgomery should slide into the No. 3 or No. 4 spot once he's ready for game action, joining Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez, who signed an $80 million, four-year contract with the Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason.
Women's basketball
UTAH COACH SAYS TEAM WAS SHAKEN AFTER EXPERIENCING RACIST HATE DURING NCAA TOURNAMENT >> Members of the Utah women's basketball team were subjected to racism near their hotel in Idaho last week when a pickup truck with a Confederate flag drove near them and the driver began using offensive language, including the N-word, authorities said Tuesday. The team was left shaken and wound up moving to a different hotel the next day.
Utah coach Lynne Roberts said her team experienced a series of hate crimes after arriving at its first NCAA Tournament hotel in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She revealed what happened after Utah lost to Gonzaga in the second round of the tournament Monday night and authorities confirmed some of the details the following day.
Roberts said the incidents happened last Thursday night after the team arrived and they were disturbing to the traveling party to the point there were concerns about safety. Utah and other teams played their games in Spokane, but the Utes were staying about 30 miles away in Coeur d'Alene before they were relocated to a different hotel Friday.
Tony Stewart, an official with the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, said at a news conference the Utes were walking from the hotel to a restaurant when the truck drove up and the driver began using racist language. After the team left the restaurant, the same driver returned “reinforced by others,” Stewart said, and they revved their engines and again yelled at the players.