AP-Newswatch
January 13, 2025AP Entertainment
January 13, 2025AP Sports
Update on the latest sports
Mike McCarthy is not returning as coach of the Dallas Cowboys, AP source says
DALLAS (AP) — A person with knowledge of the decision has told The Associated Press that Mike McCarthy is not returning as coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Monday because a decision hasn’t been announced. The person said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and McCarthy agreed to part ways. It’s possible the two sides could reconcile, but McCarthy will now speak to other teams as a free agent. The coach’s contract expired following a 7-10 season. Dallas was 12-5 each of the three years prior. The Cowboys haven’t been past the NFC divisional round since their 1995 Super Bowl season.
Bloody face didn’t stop Jayden Daniels from leading the Commanders to a comeback win
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jayden Daniels doesn’t get fazed, even when a crunching hit leaves his face bloodied. The rookie quarterback played with poise all season to lead the Washington Commanders to a dramatic eight-win improvement from 2023 and he wasn’t going to let a little blood bother him in his biggest game yet. He kept running around, making plays and did whatever was needed to lead Washington to the franchise’s first playoff win since he was 5 years old. With blood dripping down his face beneath his right eye, Daniels tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Dyami Brown for a 7-3 lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers early in the second quarter of a 23-20 victory Sunday night in an NFC wild-card game.
A.J. Brown’s sideline read skyrockets to No. 1 hottest seller on Amazon
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown could launch a book club of his own after a little sideline reading skyrocketed self-help author Jim Murphy overnight to the hottest seller on Amazon. The Eagles wide receiver passed on the playbook and checked out an inspirational title — Brown casually ignored the action in Philadelphia’s playoff game and flipped through the pages of Murphy’s book, “Inner Excellence.” The little-known book by the mental skills coach was listed No. 1 on Amazon’s best sellers list as of Monday morning. It jumped to the top spot after previously being ranked 523,497th. It had yet to crack the top 100 for sales in 2025, however.
Auburn rises to No. 1 in AP Top 25 after Tennessee loses, Georgia is ranked for 1st time since 2011
Auburn has climbed to No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s basketball poll for its second stint at the top in program history. Bruce Pearl’s Tigers claimed 60 of 62 first-place votes to rise one spot Monday. That came after previous No. 1 Tennessee suffered its first loss of the season, falling at Florida, to end a five-week reign. Auburn had been No. 1 once before during a three-week stint in 2022. Iowa State, Duke, Alabama and Florida rounded out the top five. The Southeastern Conference had nine ranked teams. That included No. 23 Georgia for the first time since 2011.
Minnesota earns 1st women’s AP Top 25 ranking since 2019. UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame still 1-3
Minnesota is off to its best start in 17 games and earned its first ranking since 2019, coming into The Associated Press women’s basketball poll at No. 24. The Golden Gophers have won 16 of their first 17 contests, with the loss coming against Nebraska last month. They are ranked for the first time since Dec. 30, 2019. Next up is a matchup at No. 8 Maryland on Tuesday. UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame and Southern California kept rolling, holding the top four spots again in the AP Top 25. The Bruins received 29 of the 31 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Fighting Irish, who were missing All-America guard Hannah Hidalgo in their last game because of a foot injury, got the other two top votes.
Notre Dame, Ohio State in uncharted territory: They’re playing 16-game seasons for the 1st time
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The year was 1894. Yale put together a football schedule that was daunting: Games on Wednesdays and Saturdays, basically every week from late September to late November, 16 contests in all. No major college football team at the FBS level had a 16-game season since. Until now. Texas and Penn State just played their 16th and final games of this 2024 season. And on Jan. 20 in the College Football Playoff championship game, Notre Dame and Ohio State will be playing their 16th and final games of this season in a matchup to decide the national title.
Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen will face off for a berth in the AFC championship game
Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen won’t decide the NFL MVP next week. The stakes are higher with a spot in the AFC championship game on the line. Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens will visit Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round while Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will host C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. The winners face off on Jan. 26 for a berth in the Super Bowl. In the NFC, the Washington Commanders will play at the top-seeded Detroit Lions after knocking off the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Fumble on opening kickoff, injuries and penalties cost the Packers in their loss to the Eagles
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Injuries and a litany of mistakes piled to end the Green Bay Packers’ season with a 22-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round. After Keisean Nixon fumbled on the opening kickoff, the Packers lost two of their top three wide receivers and two starting offensive linemen to injuries. Jordan Love’s two interceptions in his return from an elbow injury in the regular-season finale did not amount to any Eagles points, but they cut Packers drives short. Nixon had one of two unnecessary roughness penalties in the fourth quarter as Green Bay failed to mount a comeback.
British heavyweight Tyson Fury announces retirement from boxing again, one month after Usyk defeat
LONDON (AP) — British heavyweight Tyson Fury has retired from boxing — again — one month after losing a rematch with Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk. The 36-year-old Fury announced the decision in a short video posted on his Instagram account, saying “I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing,” and adding ”I’ve loved every single minute of it.” Fury was upset with the unanimous decision when he lost the Dec. 21 rematch with Usyk in Saudi Arabia. Fury had acknowledged making mistakes when losing their first fight in Riyadh in May by split decision. Fury previously retired on his 34th birthday in 2022. But he was back fighting again two months later.
Australian Open: Novak Djokovic and new coach Andy Murray get a win against US teen in debut
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic’s first match with former rival Andy Murray as his coach turned into a first-round victory at the Australian Open. That is after things did not start all that well, even against a 19-year-old making his Grand Slam debut. Eventually, Djokovic asserted himself for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win against Nishesh Basavareddy, an American who left Stanford University and turned pro last month. That got Djokovic started in his bid for an 11th championship at Melbourne Park and a record 25th major title overall. Djokovic says it was “a little bit of a strange experience” to have Murray in his box but that “he gave me some great advice mid-match.”