New York Jets QB Sam Darnold cleared to play, slated to start against Dallas.
FOOTBALL
Darnold to start
Sam Darnold’s spleen is fully healthy and he’ll be back under center as the struggling New York Jets’ starting quarterback. Darnold was cleared by doctors Tuesday to play this week after he missed three games while recovering from mononucleosis. He had medical tests to determine if the swelling in his spleen — a common symptom of the illness — had dissipated enough for him to play again. The Jets announced in a Twitter post that Darnold would start Sunday at home against Dallas. It’s some rare good news for the Jets, who are 0-4 — their worst start since 2003. The team was optimistic last week that Darnold would be able to play at Philadelphia, which was the initial goal for his return. Darnold took first-team snaps last Wednesday and Thursday, but an ultrasound and blood test last Thursday night revealed he was not yet able to be fully cleared. So Luke Falk — on one day of full reps with the first-team offense — started his second consecutive game for New York. The Jets lost 31-6 and Falk was sacked nine times and had two turnovers returned for touchdowns. Darnold was diagnosed with mono on Sept. 11, three days after the season-opening loss to Buffalo.
Rudolph in protocol
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph “appears to be doing fine” according to Coach Mike Tomlin, but Rudolph remained in the concussion protocol following an illegal hit by Baltimore safety Earl Thomas. Rudolph left Sunday’s overtime loss to Baltimore in the third quarter after Thomas hit Rudolph in the chin with his helmet. Rudolph was knocked unconscious on the play but was able to slowly make his way to the sideline. Rudolph went to a hospital for evaluation before being cleared to go home. Tomlin declined to give a timetable on Rudolph’s potential availability for Sunday’s visit to Los Angeles to play the Chargers. Rookie undrafted free agent Devlin Hodges will start at quarterback if Rudolph is unable to play. Hodges played well after coming in, completing 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards. He also scrambled for a 21-yard gain that set up a go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter. Paxton Lynch, signed to the practice squad last month, is the only other quarterback with the team after the Steelers released Taryn Christion on Monday.
Titans sign Parkey
The Tennessee Titans signed kicker Cody Parkey one day after waiving Cairo Santos. Santos missed three field-goal attempts and had a fourth blocked Sunday in a 14-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Titans signed Santos on Sept. 4 when they put veteran Ryan Succop on injured reserve. Succop remains three weeks away from being eligible to be activated off injured reserve. Parkey played for the Chicago Bears last season but was released after missing a 43-yard field goal in the closing seconds of a 16-15 playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Parkey went 23 of 30 on fieldgoal attempts and 42 of 45 on extra points during the regular season.
Briles’ players ineligible
A district executive committee ruled that two players on an East Texas high school football team coached by former Baylor coach Art Briles are ineligible. The Dallas Morning News reported the committee voted 6-0 three weeks ago that Brock and Cameron Nellor moved to the Mount Vernon Independent School District for athletic purposes, a violation of University Interscholastic League rules. The vote was confirmed Sept. 18 by a 3-0 vote with three district superintendents abstaining. The committee had previously ruled the two were eligible. Mount Vernon school Superintendent Jason McCullough told the newspaper that Briles and the district received a public reprimand but no forfeitures. However, the UIL executive committee can still forfeit five games in which the two played.
GYMNASTICS
Biles sets record
Simone Biles won a record 21st medal at the world gymnastics championships on Tuesday as the United States retained its women’s team all-around title in Stuttgart, Germany. It was Biles’ 15th career gold and broke a tie with Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina for the most medals overall by a woman at the world championships. She’s now two short of Vitaly Scherbo’s all-time record of 23 among men or women. The U.S. team scored 172.330 points to beat second-place Russia by 5.801 points and win its seventh consecutive team title at an Olympics or world championships. Biles has won 15 gold medals at the world championships, along with three silver and three bronze medals. She earned five medals (four gold, one silver) at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
HOCKEY Marleau returns
Patrick Marleau is returning to San Jose. General Manager Doug Wilson announced Tuesday that the Sharks’ all-time leader in games, goals and points is returning to his original team with a one-year, $700,000 contract after spending the past two seasons in Toronto. Wilson said the Sharks remain committed to integrating their young players into the organization. But suspensions, injuries and San Jose’s slow start changed the plan. The Sharks failed to record a point in the first three games for the first time since 1993-94 and only scored three goals in the process. That led to the move to add a veteran forward with a history of production in the NHL. The 39-year-old Marleau left San Jose two summers ago to sign a threeyear, $18.75 million contract in Toronto after the Sharks were unwilling to offer a deal longer than two years. He was traded to Carolina in June in a salary cap move, then was bought out.
TENNIS
Federer advances
Roger Federer didn’t face a break point as he won his opening match at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, beating Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-2, 7-6 (5). The second-seeded Federer, who is bidding to win a third Shanghai Masters title, dominated in the first set, but was tested in the second. Federer struggled in the tiebreaker, falling behind 1-4, but eventually managed to pull even. He won his lone match point when he executed a forehand cross-court volley. Andy Murray served for his second-round match against 10th seed Fabio Fognini twice in the third set — in the 10th and 12th games — but ended up losing 7-6 (4), 2-6, 7-6 (2) in a match that lasted more than three hours. Two Americans — 16th-seeded John Isner and Reilly Opelka — are through to the second round. Isner ousted Alex De Minaur of Australia 7-6 (1), 6-4, and Opelka defeated Dusan Lajovic of Serbia 6-3, 6-4.