Rodgers' return will come next season
News is official now that Jets are out of playoff hunt
Aaron Rodgers' quest to make an improbable return this season for the New York Jets appears over.
The 40-year-old quarterback said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday he's not yet 100% healthy in his recovery from a torn left Achilles tendon and is still a few weeks away.
“I'm not going to slow my rehab down,” Rodgers said. “I'm going to keep attacking it every single day. But now without a timetable to come back, obviously we can be as smart as we need to be.”
Rodgers said if the Jets had won last Sunday at Miami and remained in the postseason hunt, he “would have pushed it as far as I could this week” even at less than fully healthy to be ready to play against Washington on Sunday. But the Jets were routed 30-0 and eliminated from the playoff hunt for the 13th straight year.
“If I was 100% today, I'd be definitely pushing to play,” Rodgers said. “But the fact is I'm not.”
College football WASHINGTON'S DEBOER IS THE AP COACH OF THE YEAR >>
Kalen DeBoer landing the job at Washington two years ago seemed to be an unheralded transaction at the time.
It has turned out to be a shrewd decision by the Huskies. One might say it's been perfect.
DeBoer was named The Associated Press coach of the year on Tuesday after leading the Huskies to a 13-0 record, the Pac-12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff in just his second year in charge at Washington. The Huskies will face Texas in the Sugar Bowl on
Jan. 1 with a spot in the CFP championship game on the line.
In his two seasons, the Huskies are 23-2, leaving behind the bitter memory of a 4-8 record in 2021 that led to a change and brought DeBoer to Washington. MARYLAND QB TAGOVAILOA IS OPTING OUT OF THE MUSIC CITY BOWL >> Taulia Tagovailoa is skipping Maryland's bowl game, closing the book on a record-setting career in which he helped the Terrapins return to respectability under coach Michael Locksley.
The Terps face Auburn in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. Locksley announced Tuesday that Tagovailoa is opting out.
Tagovailoa became the Big Ten's career leader in yards passing in his final game, last month at Rutgers. He also tops the Maryland career list in yards passing, completions, completion
percentage, passing touchdowns and total offense.
FLORIDA STATE STAR DEFENSIVE END VERSE OPTS OUT OF ORANGE BOWL >> Defensive end Jared Verse has opted out of Florida State's bowl game and will enter the NFL Draft following backto-back nine-sack seasons, he announced Tuesday on social media.
Verse played at FCS Albany in 2021 before transferring to Florida State, where he became the program's first two-time, first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference defensive end since Reinard Wilson in 1995-96. He was also named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches' Association as well as taking second-team honors from the Associated Press.
In addition to Verse, running back Trey Benson and receiver Johnny Wilson have announced they will
sit out of the Orange Bowl and declared for the NFL Draft.
NBA MORANT'S SUSPENSION IS OVER, ALLOWING THE ALLSTAR TO REJOIN THE GRIZZLIES >>
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant's 25-game suspension stemming from his social media antics with handguns ended Tuesday, making him available to play against the Pelicans in New Orleans.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James showed his support ahead of Morant's expected return by posting on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, “Welcome back!! Go be GREAT again!!” He addressed it to No. 12, Morant's jersey.
Under the terms of his suspension, Morant was able to practice and travel with the Grizzlies and take part in morning
shootarounds. But he was not permitted to be in an arena with his team during games.
Golf CABRERA CLEAR TO RETURN TO PGA TOUR AFTER PRISON >>
Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, released on parole from an Argentina prison in August for gender violence, has been cleared to play in PGA Tour-sanctioned events. He said in a Golf Digest interview he wants to clean up his image from “serious mistakes.”
Without confirming Cabrera was ever suspended — the PGA Tour does not publicize conduct violations — a tour spokesman confirmed the 54-year-old Argentine is eligible to play.
Cabrera, who won the U.S. Open at Oakmont in 2007 and the Masters in a playoff in 2009, was imprisoned for two years for threats and harassment of
Cecilia Torres Mana, his partner of two years. Her case was joined by that of another former partner, Micaela Escudero.
Soccer
FIFA DEFENDS EXPANDED CLUB WORLD CUP DESPITE CONCERNS OVER PLAYER WELFARE >> FIFA has defended its newly expanded Club World Cup from criticism that players are being overworked by pointing to the longevity of aging stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Concerns were raised about players' physical and mental health after world soccer's governing body introduced a 32-team tournament to an increasingly congested calendar.
Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, said Tuesday there have been “huge improvements on the welfare side” in areas such as nutrition, injury prevention and medical technology, and that players are performing at the highest level for longer.
The first edition of the revamped Club World Cup will be held in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
Olympics
ITALIAN SHOT PUTTER PONZIO BANNED FOR 18 MONTHS IN DOPING CASE >> American-born Italian shot putter Nick Ponzio was banned for 18 months by the Italian Anti-Doping Agency for drug-testing violations, ruling him out of next year's Paris Olympics.
Ponzio reached a plea deal with doping authorities after he was unable to be found for surprise tests on three occasions.
According to Italian media reports, Ponzio said it was not his fault and that there was a glitch with the app on his phone that meant he did not receive the notifications.
Ponzio's ban runs until Aug. 27 as it started last February. The Olympics take place from July 26 to Aug. 11.