“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore,” Brady, who spent the past two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wrote on Instagram. “I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tom Brady (@tombrady)

ESPN reported the news about Brady’s retirement late last week, but the Buccaneers and those close to the legendary quarterback insisted that he still hasn’t made the final decision. The 44-year-old followed this up by saying that he’ll reveal his plans for the future “when the time’s right” while making an appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. The time ended up being right less than 24 hours later.   

“I’ve done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions,” Brady added. “And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.”

Tom Brady entered the league as the New England Patriots’ sixth-round pick in 2000. He went on to win six Super Bowl rings with the franchise while winning three NFL MVP honors as well. Brady then left New England in 2020 to sign with the Bucs and managed to lead the franchise to a Super Bowl win in his first season in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers were eliminated in the NFC’s divisional round this postseason.

Brady is widely viewed as the greatest quarterback in NFL history and holds almost every passing record there is. He retires with 84,520 passing yards, 624 passing touchdowns, and a career completion percentage of 64.2.

The post Tom Brady Confirms He’s Retiring After 22 Seasons in NFL appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to a recent report by ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, Palmeiras is willing to pay a transfer fee of $12.5 million in order to sign Castellanos. However, this might not be enough as NYCFC is looking to get at least $15 million for their star.

This is Palemiras’ second attempt to sign Castellanos as they already made an approach for the player last summer. MLS club considered the offer but decided to pull out of negotiations at the last moment and instead signed Castellanos to a new deal.

It is also unclear whether Castellanos would be willing to head to Brazil at this point in his career. He previously said that he would consider a move to Argentina but that his main goal remains playing in Europe. 

“I want to aim for European football,” Castellanos revealed in a recent interview with ESPN. “It’s reality, it’s my dream, I always wanted to [play] there. That’s my focus. Today I have many offers from Europe.”

European clubs are still monitoring the situation, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if some of them make a swoop when the January transfer window opens. The list of Castellanos’ suitors includes Premier League’s West Ham and Turkey’s Besiktas.

Valentin Castellanos first came to MLS in 2018, joining the New York City FC on loan from Uruguay’s Torque. After encouraging the start of his stint in the United States, NYCFC opted to make the move permanent ahead of the 2019 season. Since then, Castellanos has made 89 appearances and scored 40 goals.

The post Palmeiras Makes an Offer for NYCFC’s Valentin Castellanos appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The first name on the list is Doug Pederson, who is certainly one of the most accomplished candidates available. Pederson served as a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles for five years and has a Super Bowl win on his resume. During his time in Philly, he also led the Eagles to two NFC East titles and three playoff appearances while compiling a 42–37–1 record in the regular season.

Jacksonville also has an interest in former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell. He spent three years with the Colts and led the franchise to the postseason twice while accomplishing the same feat during his four years with the Lions. Caldwell’s most recent job in the NFL was serving as an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2019.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is also believed to be among potential candidates. Leftwich is highly-respected in the NFL while also having a connection with the Jaguars. He was the franchise’s quarterback for four years between 2003 and 2006, starting 44 games in the Jags’ uniform.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Urban Meyer to be their next franchise head coach even though Meyer never coached in NFL. The move backfired as Meyer got involved in several off-the-field controversies while failing to deliver on the field. The Jags had it enough with Meyer after 13 games and fired him while installing offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

The post Jags to Interview Doug Pederson and Jim Caldwell for their Head Coaching Vacancy appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to British media outlet Sky Sports, Newcastle is keen to add a player who can help them score goals but who also has experience of playing in the Premier League. Ighalo fits the bill as he scored 40 goals in 100 appearances while with Watford.

Ighalo is currently playing in Saudi Arabia, where he’s been having a productive season with Al Shabab that sees him sitting at the top of the goal-scoring list with nine goals. Despite this, the sources close to the player indicated that the 32-year-old would be open to returning to Premier League if Newcastle makes an official approach.

The only obstacle might be Odion Ighalo’s contract with Al Shabab, which runs through the summer of 2023. Still, Newcastle has money to spend and would likely be able to convince the Saudi Arabia club to budge if they really want their man.

Throughout his career, Ighalo also played for Udinese, Granada, and a couple of clubs in China. He spent portions of 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with Manchester United, scoring five goals in 23 matches.

The post Newcastle United Targets Ex-Man Utd Striker Odion Ighalo appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Rodriguez’s deal reportedly contains an opt-out after the 2023 MLB season. The 28-year-old will also have a chance to up his earnings by $3 million based on incentives.

Rodriguez spent seven seasons with the Red Sox but played only six after sitting out 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic. He has a 64-39 career record with Boston while boosting 4.16 ERA and 892 strikeouts. The Venezuela native was part of the team that won the World Series in 2018.

Despite missing the entire 2020, Rodriguez had a solid campaign this year. He finished the season with a 13-8 record in 31 starts and posted a 4.74 ERA with 185 strikeouts.

The deal with Rodriguez might turn out to be quite a coup for the Detroit Tigers, considering he fits well with their young core. He is also a “well-established starter,” something that was the franchise’s main goal in the free agency, according to general manager Al Avila.

Rodriguez was reportedly an in-demand player in recent days, with teams like the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels being interested in his services. The Red Sox also presented him with a multi-year offer, according to several sources.

The post Tigers and Eduardo Rodriguez Agree to 5-Year, $77 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The match against Berrettini started in the same fashion as Djokovic’s previous two matches. He lost the first set and it seemed that a big upset was possible. However, just like against Kei Nishikori and Jenson Brooksby, the world’s No. 1 tennis player asserted his dominance in the following three sets and strolled to an easy win.

By beating Berrettini, Djokovic improved to 26-0 in Grand Slam matches this season. He only has to claim two more wins to etch his name in the history books and become the first male player since 1969 and Rod Laver to win all four Grand Slams in a single season. Earlier in 2020, he claimed the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon titles.

The first obstacle standing in his way of this historic feat will be the No. 4-seeded Alexander Zverev, whom he faces in the semifinals.

“I’m pumped,” Djokovic told reporters during a press conference. “The bigger the challenge, the more glory in overcoming it.”

The second semifinals match in the men’s draw will pit Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime, who currently ranks No. 15 on the ATP list, and the world’s second-ranked player Daniil Medvedev.

The post Novak Djokovic Beats Matteo Berrettini to Make the 2021 US Open Semifinals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Kounde was one of Chelsea’s main targets during the summer, with the club making several offers to Sevilla. At one point, the two sides seemed close to reaching the deal that would see Kounde move to Stamford Bridge for around $60 million, but the La Liga club surprisingly increased their demands.

Reportedly, Sevilla believed that Chelsea selling defender Kurt Zouma to West Ham puts them in a tight situation and that they will be willing to pay a premium for Kounde. But they overplayed their hand, as the English club wasn’t interested in improving their last offer.

While Chelsea remains unimpressed with Sevilla’s tactics, the sources close to the club say that the Blues are willing to reopen the negotiations when the transfer window opens again. However, they will only do so if Sevilla indicates that they are prepared to give a reasonable price for the player.

Kounde is believed to be eager to join Chelsea and will make a push to get the move over the line. He already agreed to personal terms with the club and would sign a five-year deal if the transfer goes through.

Jules Kounde arrived at Sevilla in 2019 in a $30 million transfer from Ligue 1 side Bordeaux. During his time in Spain, Kounde played 90 games and established himself as one of the most talented young defenders in soccer. He also made France’s national team and already has three appearances on the international level.

The post Chelsea to Make Another Run at Sevilla’s Jules Kounde in January appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Schefter, the Saints made a move after unsuccessfully approaching Murray with a salary reduction proposal earlier this week. The 31-year-old player was set to earn $3.15 million this season according to the four-year, $14.4 million contract he signed with the franchise in 2019.

Murray played well for the Saints last season, managing to rush for 656 yards and four touchdowns in a backup role behind Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara. He was also useful in the passing game, making 23 catches for 176 yards and one score.

But despite his production, the Saints were comfortable walking away from Murray after 2020’s undrafted pickup Tony Jones Jr. showed potential in the preseason. Jones, who spent much of the last season on the team’s practice squad, rushed for 106 yards and a TD in two preseason games while also managing to come down with six receptions for 42 yards.

Given his track record, Latavius Murray should have no trouble landing a spot on an NFL team before Week 1. Murray, who also played with the Raiders and Minnesota Vikings in the past, has 4,991 career rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns. He has one Pro Bowl nod from 2015.

The post Saints Release Latavius Murray After He Rejects to Reduce His Salary appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Sewell visibly struggled to deal with pass rushers since arriving in the NFL and was consistently beaten on the edge. He also ranked last in pass-blocking among right tackles who played at least 50 offensive snaps during the preseason.

Still, Lions general manager Brad Holmes believes that Sewell will be just fine once the regular season comes.

“I believe that he will be ready for Week 1, and I think he’s ready now,” said Holmes via the Detroit Free Press.

According to Holmes, Sewell’s struggles are part of the growing pains that each rookie goes through, and the team isn’t too alarmed by them.

“So what he’s done, and I know it’s magnified by what may be a hiccup here or there, but there’s so much of the good stuff that maybe kind of hidden when you really kind of deep dive the film, little subtle nuances that is going to make a big difference,” he added.

One of the reasons why Penei Sewell doesn’t have the best of preseasons might be the fact that he didn’t play football at all last year, deciding to opt-out of the 2020 college campaign. The Lions also didn’t do him favors by putting him on right tackle even though his natural position is left tackle.

The post Lions Believe Penei Sewell is “Ready” for NFL appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

UK media outlet Telegraph reports that the two sides have been engaged in negotiations for some time now, and the talks have been described as “positive.” There are few minor things left to sort out, including a second part of the player’s medical, after which Heath will ink a two-year deal.

Heath joined Man Utd in September 2020, inking a one-year deal with the club alongside her USWNT teammate Christen Press. The 33-year-old star had a great start in England, scoring four goals in eight matches and being selected WSL Player of the Month for November. Unfortunately, an ankle injury in January and subsequent knee injury sidelined her for the remainder of the season and prompted the club not to renew her contract.

Tobin Heath left the biggest mark in NWSL, where she played seven seasons with the Portland Thorns. She helped the club win two NWSL titles while earning a number of individual accolades, including the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year award in 2016.

Heath also found success with United States Women’s national team, being part of the squad that won two World Cups and two Olympics gold. She made a total of 177 international appearances and scored 35 goals.

The post USWNT’s Tobin Heath Close to Joining Arsenal in WSL appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore,” Brady, who spent the past two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wrote on Instagram. “I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tom Brady (@tombrady)

ESPN reported the news about Brady’s retirement late last week, but the Buccaneers and those close to the legendary quarterback insisted that he still hasn’t made the final decision. The 44-year-old followed this up by saying that he’ll reveal his plans for the future “when the time’s right” while making an appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. The time ended up being right less than 24 hours later.   

“I’ve done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions,” Brady added. “And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.”

Tom Brady entered the league as the New England Patriots’ sixth-round pick in 2000. He went on to win six Super Bowl rings with the franchise while winning three NFL MVP honors as well. Brady then left New England in 2020 to sign with the Bucs and managed to lead the franchise to a Super Bowl win in his first season in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers were eliminated in the NFC’s divisional round this postseason.

Brady is widely viewed as the greatest quarterback in NFL history and holds almost every passing record there is. He retires with 84,520 passing yards, 624 passing touchdowns, and a career completion percentage of 64.2.

The post Tom Brady Confirms He’s Retiring After 22 Seasons in NFL appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to a recent report by ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, Palmeiras is willing to pay a transfer fee of $12.5 million in order to sign Castellanos. However, this might not be enough as NYCFC is looking to get at least $15 million for their star.

This is Palemiras’ second attempt to sign Castellanos as they already made an approach for the player last summer. MLS club considered the offer but decided to pull out of negotiations at the last moment and instead signed Castellanos to a new deal.

It is also unclear whether Castellanos would be willing to head to Brazil at this point in his career. He previously said that he would consider a move to Argentina but that his main goal remains playing in Europe. 

“I want to aim for European football,” Castellanos revealed in a recent interview with ESPN. “It’s reality, it’s my dream, I always wanted to [play] there. That’s my focus. Today I have many offers from Europe.”

European clubs are still monitoring the situation, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if some of them make a swoop when the January transfer window opens. The list of Castellanos’ suitors includes Premier League’s West Ham and Turkey’s Besiktas.

Valentin Castellanos first came to MLS in 2018, joining the New York City FC on loan from Uruguay’s Torque. After encouraging the start of his stint in the United States, NYCFC opted to make the move permanent ahead of the 2019 season. Since then, Castellanos has made 89 appearances and scored 40 goals.

The post Palmeiras Makes an Offer for NYCFC’s Valentin Castellanos appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The first name on the list is Doug Pederson, who is certainly one of the most accomplished candidates available. Pederson served as a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles for five years and has a Super Bowl win on his resume. During his time in Philly, he also led the Eagles to two NFC East titles and three playoff appearances while compiling a 42–37–1 record in the regular season.

Jacksonville also has an interest in former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell. He spent three years with the Colts and led the franchise to the postseason twice while accomplishing the same feat during his four years with the Lions. Caldwell’s most recent job in the NFL was serving as an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2019.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is also believed to be among potential candidates. Leftwich is highly-respected in the NFL while also having a connection with the Jaguars. He was the franchise’s quarterback for four years between 2003 and 2006, starting 44 games in the Jags’ uniform.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Urban Meyer to be their next franchise head coach even though Meyer never coached in NFL. The move backfired as Meyer got involved in several off-the-field controversies while failing to deliver on the field. The Jags had it enough with Meyer after 13 games and fired him while installing offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

The post Jags to Interview Doug Pederson and Jim Caldwell for their Head Coaching Vacancy appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to British media outlet Sky Sports, Newcastle is keen to add a player who can help them score goals but who also has experience of playing in the Premier League. Ighalo fits the bill as he scored 40 goals in 100 appearances while with Watford.

Ighalo is currently playing in Saudi Arabia, where he’s been having a productive season with Al Shabab that sees him sitting at the top of the goal-scoring list with nine goals. Despite this, the sources close to the player indicated that the 32-year-old would be open to returning to Premier League if Newcastle makes an official approach.

The only obstacle might be Odion Ighalo’s contract with Al Shabab, which runs through the summer of 2023. Still, Newcastle has money to spend and would likely be able to convince the Saudi Arabia club to budge if they really want their man.

Throughout his career, Ighalo also played for Udinese, Granada, and a couple of clubs in China. He spent portions of 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with Manchester United, scoring five goals in 23 matches.

The post Newcastle United Targets Ex-Man Utd Striker Odion Ighalo appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Rodriguez’s deal reportedly contains an opt-out after the 2023 MLB season. The 28-year-old will also have a chance to up his earnings by $3 million based on incentives.

Rodriguez spent seven seasons with the Red Sox but played only six after sitting out 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic. He has a 64-39 career record with Boston while boosting 4.16 ERA and 892 strikeouts. The Venezuela native was part of the team that won the World Series in 2018.

Despite missing the entire 2020, Rodriguez had a solid campaign this year. He finished the season with a 13-8 record in 31 starts and posted a 4.74 ERA with 185 strikeouts.

The deal with Rodriguez might turn out to be quite a coup for the Detroit Tigers, considering he fits well with their young core. He is also a “well-established starter,” something that was the franchise’s main goal in the free agency, according to general manager Al Avila.

Rodriguez was reportedly an in-demand player in recent days, with teams like the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels being interested in his services. The Red Sox also presented him with a multi-year offer, according to several sources.

The post Tigers and Eduardo Rodriguez Agree to 5-Year, $77 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The match against Berrettini started in the same fashion as Djokovic’s previous two matches. He lost the first set and it seemed that a big upset was possible. However, just like against Kei Nishikori and Jenson Brooksby, the world’s No. 1 tennis player asserted his dominance in the following three sets and strolled to an easy win.

By beating Berrettini, Djokovic improved to 26-0 in Grand Slam matches this season. He only has to claim two more wins to etch his name in the history books and become the first male player since 1969 and Rod Laver to win all four Grand Slams in a single season. Earlier in 2020, he claimed the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon titles.

The first obstacle standing in his way of this historic feat will be the No. 4-seeded Alexander Zverev, whom he faces in the semifinals.

“I’m pumped,” Djokovic told reporters during a press conference. “The bigger the challenge, the more glory in overcoming it.”

The second semifinals match in the men’s draw will pit Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime, who currently ranks No. 15 on the ATP list, and the world’s second-ranked player Daniil Medvedev.

The post Novak Djokovic Beats Matteo Berrettini to Make the 2021 US Open Semifinals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Kounde was one of Chelsea’s main targets during the summer, with the club making several offers to Sevilla. At one point, the two sides seemed close to reaching the deal that would see Kounde move to Stamford Bridge for around $60 million, but the La Liga club surprisingly increased their demands.

Reportedly, Sevilla believed that Chelsea selling defender Kurt Zouma to West Ham puts them in a tight situation and that they will be willing to pay a premium for Kounde. But they overplayed their hand, as the English club wasn’t interested in improving their last offer.

While Chelsea remains unimpressed with Sevilla’s tactics, the sources close to the club say that the Blues are willing to reopen the negotiations when the transfer window opens again. However, they will only do so if Sevilla indicates that they are prepared to give a reasonable price for the player.

Kounde is believed to be eager to join Chelsea and will make a push to get the move over the line. He already agreed to personal terms with the club and would sign a five-year deal if the transfer goes through.

Jules Kounde arrived at Sevilla in 2019 in a $30 million transfer from Ligue 1 side Bordeaux. During his time in Spain, Kounde played 90 games and established himself as one of the most talented young defenders in soccer. He also made France’s national team and already has three appearances on the international level.

The post Chelsea to Make Another Run at Sevilla’s Jules Kounde in January appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Schefter, the Saints made a move after unsuccessfully approaching Murray with a salary reduction proposal earlier this week. The 31-year-old player was set to earn $3.15 million this season according to the four-year, $14.4 million contract he signed with the franchise in 2019.

Murray played well for the Saints last season, managing to rush for 656 yards and four touchdowns in a backup role behind Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara. He was also useful in the passing game, making 23 catches for 176 yards and one score.

But despite his production, the Saints were comfortable walking away from Murray after 2020’s undrafted pickup Tony Jones Jr. showed potential in the preseason. Jones, who spent much of the last season on the team’s practice squad, rushed for 106 yards and a TD in two preseason games while also managing to come down with six receptions for 42 yards.

Given his track record, Latavius Murray should have no trouble landing a spot on an NFL team before Week 1. Murray, who also played with the Raiders and Minnesota Vikings in the past, has 4,991 career rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns. He has one Pro Bowl nod from 2015.

The post Saints Release Latavius Murray After He Rejects to Reduce His Salary appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Sewell visibly struggled to deal with pass rushers since arriving in the NFL and was consistently beaten on the edge. He also ranked last in pass-blocking among right tackles who played at least 50 offensive snaps during the preseason.

Still, Lions general manager Brad Holmes believes that Sewell will be just fine once the regular season comes.

“I believe that he will be ready for Week 1, and I think he’s ready now,” said Holmes via the Detroit Free Press.

According to Holmes, Sewell’s struggles are part of the growing pains that each rookie goes through, and the team isn’t too alarmed by them.

“So what he’s done, and I know it’s magnified by what may be a hiccup here or there, but there’s so much of the good stuff that maybe kind of hidden when you really kind of deep dive the film, little subtle nuances that is going to make a big difference,” he added.

One of the reasons why Penei Sewell doesn’t have the best of preseasons might be the fact that he didn’t play football at all last year, deciding to opt-out of the 2020 college campaign. The Lions also didn’t do him favors by putting him on right tackle even though his natural position is left tackle.

The post Lions Believe Penei Sewell is “Ready” for NFL appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

UK media outlet Telegraph reports that the two sides have been engaged in negotiations for some time now, and the talks have been described as “positive.” There are few minor things left to sort out, including a second part of the player’s medical, after which Heath will ink a two-year deal.

Heath joined Man Utd in September 2020, inking a one-year deal with the club alongside her USWNT teammate Christen Press. The 33-year-old star had a great start in England, scoring four goals in eight matches and being selected WSL Player of the Month for November. Unfortunately, an ankle injury in January and subsequent knee injury sidelined her for the remainder of the season and prompted the club not to renew her contract.

Tobin Heath left the biggest mark in NWSL, where she played seven seasons with the Portland Thorns. She helped the club win two NWSL titles while earning a number of individual accolades, including the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year award in 2016.

Heath also found success with United States Women’s national team, being part of the squad that won two World Cups and two Olympics gold. She made a total of 177 international appearances and scored 35 goals.

The post USWNT’s Tobin Heath Close to Joining Arsenal in WSL appeared first on yoursportspot.com.