NEW YORK (AP) — A person with knowledge of the deal says the New York Jets are trading seldom-used wide receiver Mecole Hardman back to the Kansas City Chiefs. Hardman signed with the Jets as a free agent last offseason and now returns to the team with which he played his first four NFL seasons and helped win two Super Bowls. The deal includes the Jets sending a seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft to the Chiefs for a sixth-rounder, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t announced the trade.
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James is leading in the league in a category few players want to top. James has been called for three unnecessary roughness penalties in the four games he has played. Before this year, he had been flagged for unnecessary roughness three times in five seasons. James acknowledged that his hit on Indianapolis’ Ashton Dulin late last season that got him ejected is one reason he's getting more attention from officials. He says he has adjusted his approach in an effort to tackle lower. James will need to be at his best when he faces Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league still needs to hire more minority head coaches. The latest rule change was aimed at increasing opportunities. Owners voted Tuesday to push in-person head coaching interviews back one more week until after all divisional playoff games have been completed to slow down the hiring process. NFL executive Dasha Smith said the league office and the 32 teams are 50% diverse. There are six minority head coaches, including three who are Black. The goal of pushing the in-person interviews back one week is to create more opportunities for candidates.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson will have season-ending shoulder surgery. Colts coach Shane Steichen says the long-term health of the former Florida Gators star was the key factor in making the decision. The fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft, Richardson suffered a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder at the end of a short run against Tennessee on Oct. 8. With Richardson out, veteran Gardner Minshew will continue to start.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jose Altuve homered, Cristian Javier worked into the sixth inning of another solid postseason start and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-5, closing to 2-1 in the AL Championship Series. Texas lost for the first time this postseason after a 7-0 start as three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was gone after four innings in his first outing in more than a month after recovering from a strained shoulder muscle. Javier set a franchise record for the defending champion Astros by extending his postseason scoreless streak to 20 1/3 innings.
PHOENIX (AP) — The Diamondbacks will turn to rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series to try and slow the homer-happy Phillies offense. Philadelphia has a 2-0 lead in the series after a dominant two games at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies smashed six homers in the two wins, including three by Kyle Schwarber. Pfaadt has a tendency to give up homers in the regular season, but had one of his best games of the season against the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Big 12 has historically been one of the best leagues in the country, and two national titles in the past three seasons is more evidence of it. But the rich are getting richer this year with the addition of four more schools, headlined by Houston, when went to a Final Four of its own not long ago. Cincinnati brings along two national championships and UCF and BYU have each been to the NCAA Tournament in the last five years.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cincinnati is appealing a decision by the NCAA to deny immediate eligiblity to transfers Aziz Bandaogo and Jamille Reynolds. Both are second-time transfers and the NCAA requires those players to sit a year before they can play. Bandaogo, a 7-footer from Senegal, began his career at Akron before playing last season at Utah Valley. Reynolds played two seasons at Big 12 newcomer UCF before spending last season at Temple. The season begins Nov. 6.
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse said he had no explanation for why James Harden skipped practice Wednesday but planned to proceed as if the disgruntled guard will play in the preseason finale. Harden said last week he could try to play in the Sixers’ preseason finale on Friday against Atlanta. But once he skipped practice, the 76ers were left unsure of what comes next. Harden has yet to play in the preseason. He did attend training camp and continued to practice with the Sixers in the wake of his offseason trade demand. Harden said last week his fractured relationship with team president Daryl Morey couldn't be repaired.
UNDATED (AP) — Phil Mickelson is sounding confident as ever that more players are willing to jump over to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League. LIV is wrapping up its second season at Trump Doral outside Miami for its team championship. Mickelson says he knows players want to be part of it without mentioning who. None of the top players have indicated they are willing to leave the PGA Tour or European tour. The business agreement among Saudi Arabia's wealth fund and the tours included a clause to stop poaching players. That was removed in July at the request of the Justice Department.