AP Sports

Damar Hamlin not expected to play in the Bills’ opener against the Jets, AP source says

Damar Hamlin isn’t expected to play in a regular-season game for the first time since going into cardiac arrest when the Buffalo Bills open the season against the New York Jets on Monday night. That’s according to a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Bills didn’t announce their lineup ahead of the game. Hamlin had to be resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati in January. He made the Bills’ roster as a backup safety after many doubted he would be able to take the field again. He played in three exhibition games this summer.

With Rubiales finally out, Spanish soccer ready to leave embarrassing chapter behind

Spanish soccer is ready to move forward three weeks after its women’s team won the Women’s World Cup but had its celebrations marred by a kiss that ignited a crisis. Luis Rubiales resigned late Sunday following weeks of relentless pressure after the Spanish soccer federation president kissed a player on the lips without her consent during the trophy ceremony in Australia last month. The decision was expected to help Spanish soccer start overcoming one of its most embarrassing chapters. It should also clear the way for Spain to get back on track with its bid to host the men’s World Cup in 2030 along with Portugal, Morocco and possibly Ukraine.

Analysis: For USA Basketball, the focus immediately shifts to the Paris Olympics

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The World Cup is over. The U.S. didn’t medal. The world proved again that the Americans, even with NBA players, are vulnerable on the international stage. And now, every bit of USA Basketball’s focus shifts to the Paris Olympics. There, the challenge will be even tougher than the World Cup, which again reminded the Americans how much the FIBA game has changed.

Revenue-sharing with major college football players seems ‘inevitable.’ How could it be done?

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh created headlines when he went out of his way to encourage sharing with football players the billions of dollars conferences and schools make from selling the rights to their games to television networks. Harbaugh is far from alone in believing professional sports-style revenue-sharing, basically pay-for-play, is the next evolution of major college sports. Many college sports leader are hesitant about heading down that path, but there are those in and around the enterprise planning for it to happen.

Disney, Charter settle cable dispute hours before ‘Monday Night Football’ season opener

NEW YORK (AP) — Disney and Charter Communications announced a deal to settle a dispute that had cut some 15 million cable TV customers off from ESPN and other Disney-owned stations. The two businesses faced a pressing deadline — the year’s first ‘Monday Night Football’ game, that would have left a lot of angry football fans if they weren’t able to watch the game. It matches the New York Jets against the Buffalo Bills, and many of the affected customers with the Charter-owned Spectrum TV are in the New York area. The companies were seeking to nail an agreement for Spectrum to carry Disney’s stations, made difficult by cord-cutting that has cut into cable’s audience.

Plenty of rust to go with the shine in NFL’s Week 1. Many of the $50 million men had shaky days

Several NFL teams looked like they needed more preseason work. Some seemed unstoppable. It’s only one game so don’t rush to judge. Most of the NFL’s $50 million men had shaky days, though two ended up on the winning side. The Packers, Dolphins, 49ers and Rams were impressive. The Cowboys dominated despite an average offensive performance. Eight of 14 games finished under 40 points combined and 12 teams scored fewer than 20. Nine road teams won, including five underdogs.

Aaron Rodgers gets ‘butterflies,’ too. How does the Jets QB handle the pressure of the spotlight?

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he had butterflies before his preseason debut with his new team a few weeks ago. And they’ll be back Monday night when the Jets open the regular season against the AFC East-rival Buffalo Bills in front of a home crowd at MetLife Stadium with a primetime audience watching. Even the game’s greatest players have moments when they need to get their emotions in check. Rodgers has learned how to handle pressure during his long NFL career spent largely in the spotlight.

Sabalenka and Djokovic are No. 1 in the rankings. Coco Gauff is No. 3 in singles, No. 1 in doubles

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Open women’s runner-up Aryna Sabalenka and men’s champion Novak Djokovic each moved up one spot to No. 1 in the rankings. Monday’s moves mark Sabalenka’s first week atop the WTA, and Djokovic’s record-extending 390th week atop the ATP. Women’s champion Coco Gauff rose to a career-high No. 3 in singles and No. 1 in doubles. Sabalenka is a 25-year-old from Belarus who is the 29th player to top the women’s list since computerized rankings began in the 1970s. She overtook Iga Swiatek, who slides to No. 2 after holding No. 1 since April 2022. Swiatek won the trophy at year ago but lost in the fourth round this time.

After pounding the Rangers this past week, the Astros have a chance to take control in the AL West

The Houston Astros swept the Rangers in a Texas-sized rout. Now the question is whether the defending World Series champions will deny the AL West a thrilling division race. The Astros won three games at Texas by a combined score of 39-10 this past week. Then they followed that up by taking two of three at home against San Diego. Houston now leads the AL West by 2 1/2 games over Seattle and three over Texas. And there’s more bad news for those two challengers: Nine of the Astros’ next 12 games are against Oakland or Kansas City.

Reddick rides a fast car and good fortune into the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Tyler Reddick took advantage of good speed and good fortunate, perhaps the two things most needed for success in the NASCAR Cup Series, to win at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. The win clinched his spot in the second round of the playoffs for the first time. Meanwhile, second-place finisher Denny Hamlin was missing the luck element, with a late caution spoiling what appeared to be a stress-free win. And Bubba Wallace and Martin Truex Jr. were also fast but both blew tires and sustained damage that not only ruined their chances Sunday but put them in peril heading to the last race in the first round of the playoffs.