AP Sports Summary for January 26th, 2024.
Raheem Morris hired as head coach by Atlanta Falcons, who pass on Bill Belichick
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their new head coach after an exhaustive search that included six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick. Morris is a familiar name in Atlanta, having served as the Falcons' interim head coach for the final 11 games of the 2020 season after the firing of Dan Quinn. He previously coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons. The Falcons interviewed 14 candidates to replace Arthur Smith, who was fired after three straight 7-10 seasons. They settled on Morris, who has a record of 21-38 as a head coach.
It's Mahomes vs. Jackson for the first time in the playoffs. And there's a Super Bowl spot at stake
BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson is one star AFC quarterback whom Patrick Mahomes has never run into in the postseason. Jackson could match Mahomes this season with his second MVP award. But he's only now making his first appearance in the AFC championship game. Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are in it for the sixth straight year. They'll take on Jackson's Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions. The Ravens have the NFL's best record this season. It's a fascinating matchup made even more so by the presence of Mahomes and Jackson.
49ers look to avenge NFC title game losses. Lions seek 1st Super Bowl appearance
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have been waiting a year to get back to the NFC championship game after last season's disappointing loss. The wait for the Detroit Lions and their fans has been far longer. The success-starved franchise is one step away from their first Super Bowl appearance. Either the Niners will avenge title game losses the past two seasons or the Lions will win in their first appearance on this stage in 32 years when the teams meet in the NFC championship game Sunday.
Jackson, McCaffrey and Prescott are finalists for the AP 2023 NFL MVP and offensive player awards
Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey and Dak Prescott are finalists for The Associated Press 2023 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards. The winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 8. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began. The Cleveland Browns have finalists in four categories: Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year; Kevin Stefanski for Coach of the Year; Joe Flacco for Comeback Player of the Year and Jim Schwartz for Assistant Coach of the Year.
Djokovic says one Australian Open semifinal loss is not the beginning of the end
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic is certain his first Australian Open semifinal loss in 11 attempts is "not the beginning of the end." The 36-year-old Djokovic has won 10 Australian titles among his record 24 in Grand Slams. He'd never lost at the Australian Open after making it to the final four, until a four-set defeat to 22-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner on Friday. The so-called Big Three of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have dominated the majors in this era. Stan Wawrinka's 2014 win was the only Australian title that one of the Big Three didn't win since Marat Safin in 2005. That's going to change this weekend. Federer is retired and Nadal is injured. Djokovic says he's far from finished.
Shiffrin gets up after losing control and crashing while landing a jump in a World Cup downhill
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin has crashed into the safety nets after losing control while landing a jump during a World Cup downhill. Shiffrin's arms were flailing as she landed in a patch of soft snow on the upper portion of the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina, Italy. The American slammed into the net at high speed and rebounded back onto the snow. Medics tended to Shiffrin immediately and she eventually got up and limped away for more care. Shiffrin has a record 95 World Cup wins.
Jannik Sinner ends 10-time champion Novak Djokovic's unbeaten streak in Australian Open semifinals
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Jannik Sinner has upset Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open to end the 10-time champion's long unbeaten record in semifinals at Melbourne Park. Sinner broke Djokovic's serve twice in each of the first two sets and missed a match point in the third before securing a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 victory that earned him a place in a Grand Slam final for the first time. Djokovic's bid for a record-extending 25th major title will have to wait. He hadn't lost a match at Melbourne Park since 2018 and was on a 33-match winning streak at the season's first major. Sinner was playing just his second semifinal at a Grand Slam. He lost his first in straight sets to Djokovic last year at Wimbledon.
Jurgen Klopp announces he will step down as Liverpool manager at end of season
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Jurgen Klopp has announced he will step down as Liverpool manager at the end of this season. Klopp has led Liverpool to a Champions League title and Premier League championship in his tenure after being hired in October 2015. He made the shock announcement Friday that he will resign at the end of season, saying he is "running out of energy."
Panthers agree to terms with Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales to become their next head coach
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have agreed to terms with Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales to become their new head coach Thursday in hopes that he can end a six-year playoff drought. The Panthers are 31-68 since 2018, tied with the New York Jets for the worst record in the league during that span. Canales becomes the seventh head coach to lead the Panthers since owner David Tepper took over in 2018. He inherits a team that went 2-15 last season and does not have a first-round draft pick in 2024. The 42-year-old Canales has spent only one season as an NFL coordinator.
LeBron James makes NBA All-Star team for record 20th time, Kevin Durant for 14th time
LeBron James joined yet another exclusive club, and he'll have plenty of familiar faces alongside him at the NBA All-Star Game. James is an All-Star — and an All-Star starter — for the 20th time, with the league unveiling the results of this season's starter balloting on Thursday night. James is the first 20-time All-Star in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose career scoring record was broken by James last season, was a 19-time selection. This year's game is Feb. 18 in Indianapolis. The other starters are Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the Western Conference and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard in the East.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Utah 123 Washington 108
Final Indiana 134 Philadelphia 122
Final Boston 143 Miami 110
Final New York 122 Denver 84
Final Minnesota 96 Brooklyn 94
Final Sacramento 134 Golden State 133
Final L.A. Lakers 141 Chicago 132
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 6 Arizona 3
Final Detroit 3 Philadelphia 0
Final Montreal 4 N-Y Islanders 3
Final OT Boston 3 Ottawa 2
Final Carolina 3 New Jersey 2
Final OT Dallas 4 Anaheim 3
Final Nashville 3 Minnesota 2
Final Edmonton 3 Chicago 0
Final Columbus 5 Calgary 2
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final Oregon St. 83 (9)Arizona 80
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Dallas at Atlanta 7 p.m.
Houston at Charlotte 7 p.m.
Phoenix at Indiana 7 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland at Milwaukee 8 p.m.
Oklahoma City at New Orleans 8 p.m.
Orlando at Memphis 8 p.m.
Portland at San Antonio 9:30 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Florida at Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
Vegas at N-Y Rangers 7 p.m.
Los Angeles at Colorado 9 p.m.
St. Louis at Seattle 10 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Michigan St. at (13)Wisconsin 8 p.m.
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