ESPN lands Monday night wild-card deal
ESPN signed a five-year agreement with the NFL to broadcast the Monday night game during the first weekend of the playoffs, beginning this season.
The NFL announced last month that it was moving the Saturday early afternoon game on wild-card weekend to Monday night. There will be two games on Saturday (1:35 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. PST), three on Sunday (10:05 a.m., 1:40 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. PST), and
one on Monday (5:15 p.m. PST).
Tennessee Titans receiver Julio Jones returned to practice after missing the last two games with an injured hamstring . ... Panthers coach Matt Rhule said running back Christian McCaffrey was “50-50” for Carolina’s game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. McCaffrey has missed Carolina’s last two games with a hamstring injury . ... Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed tight end Maxx Williams is out for the season because of a right knee injury he suffered in the team’s 17-10 win over the 49ers. He also said three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson (ribs) will miss the Browns game, while linebacker Chandler Jones is doubtful after testing positive for COVID-19 . ... Houston Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) won’t come off injured reserve this week, and left tackle Laremy Tunsil will have thumb surgery and is expected to be out at least a month . ... Cornerback Tre Flowers was released as the Seattle Seahawks struggle to find the right combination in the secondary.
Louisiana State starting cornerback Eli Ricks will have seasonending surgery to repair an injury that has nagged him for much of the season, coach Ed Orgeron said . ... A 22-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting Utah football player Aaron Lowe at a party was charged with aggravated murder and other counts. Lowe, 21, died at a late-September house party just hours after the team defeated Washington State. Buk M. Buk was charged with aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, possession of a firearm by a restricted person and obstruction of justice.
The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Mattias Ekholm toa four-year, $25-million extension, keeping him under contract through the 2025-26 season.
Kenyan Olympic runner and two-time world championship bronze medalist Agnes Tirop was found dead at her home with stab wounds and her husband was missing and wanted for questioning, police said. Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Chief Tom Makori said they were searching for Tirop’s husband after his family reported he had phoned them crying and asking for God’s forgiveness for something he had done.
The men’s Australian Open golf tournament and Australian Women’s Open scheduled for next year were canceled because of COVID-19-related travel and quarantine restrictions.