Former New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore has announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 35 after a decorated 13-year career.
The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year confirmed his decision to step away from the sport via a Thursday statement on social media.
“I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds,” wrote Gilmore in a post to Instagram.
The South Carolina collegiate product departs having firmly established himself as one of the elite defensive backs of his generation.
Reaching the pinnacle in Foxborough
Selected in the first round of the 2012 draft by the Buffalo Bills, the athletic defender spent five productive seasons in upstate New York.
However, he truly secured his lasting legacy after making a high-profile move to the division-rival Patriots ahead of the 2017 campaign.
During a dominant four-season spell with the franchise, the shutdown corner earned first-team All-Pro honours in consecutive years.
He was heavily instrumental in securing a Super Bowl championship for the team following the 2018 regular season.
The veteran defensive star recorded two crucial interceptions and five passes defended throughout that memorable three-game postseason run.
A journeyman finish to an outstanding tenure
Following his eventual departure from New England, the five-time Pro Bowler embarked on several short-term stints across the league.
He featured for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, and Dallas Cowboys before a final campaign with the Minnesota Vikings.
The acclaimed defensive back leaves the gridiron having amassed 32 career interceptions across 180 professional appearances.
Furthermore, he compiled 149 passes defended and 617 total tackles while building a reputation as a nightmare matchup for premier wide receivers.
Three-time champion Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the upcoming Masters at Augusta National to deal with an ongoing family health matter.
The 55-year-old released a statement confirming he will be absent from the iconic tournament and sidelined from competitive golf for an extended period.
His withdrawal means the first major of the year will be without two of the sport’s biggest modern figures.
Tiger Woods was already ruled out following a recent car crash and subsequent arrest near his Florida home.
Extended absence from the fairway
The American explained his decision on social media, expressing deep regret over missing the prestigious event.
“Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter.”
“I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club, and it is definitely the most special week of the year. I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching.”
This ongoing personal situation previously caused the six-time major winner to miss the first four LIV Golf events of the current campaign.
He recently returned to action in South Africa a fortnight ago, finishing tied for 48th place.
An illustrious Augusta record
The upcoming tournament would have marked the veteran’s 33rd career appearance at Augusta National.
He boasts an exceptional history at the Georgia venue, having secured the coveted green jacket on three separate occasions.
Only Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Woods have claimed more Masters victories than the left-handed golfer.
Recent performances proved he remained a formidable contender on the famed course, including a remarkable tie for second place behind Jon Rahm in 2023.
Despite this current absence, his caddie had previously indicated ambitions for further Augusta success, suggesting an eventual return to professional competition is planned.
UConn point guard Silas Demary Jr is expected to be at 90 percent fitness for Saturday’s NCAA tournament Final Four matchup against Illinois in Indianapolis following a high ankle sprain.
The sophomore floor general sustained the injury during the Big East title game against St. John’s on 14 March and was forced to miss the opening tournament round.
However, head coach Danny Hurley believes his playmaker is vastly improved after playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks.
Progressing through the pain
“This guy played at probably 65% the first weekend versus UCLA,” Hurley said.
“He probably got to 75% in the Sweet 16/Elite Eight game, and I think he’s much better this week.”
“I think he’s got a chance to play at like 90% physically for the Illinois game, which we’re going to need all of that.”
The recuperating star continues to wear a protective boot after games and has not been cleared for full-contact practice sessions.
A resilient family trait
Despite the severe lack of preparation time, the resilient guard insists he is growing increasingly comfortable on the court.
“I think once I start getting up and down, I start to feel more comfortable,” Demary noted.
Hurley complimented his gritty background, noting the player inherited a tough mentality from his father who played collegiate football at Virginia State.
That toughness was evident during Sunday’s comeback victory over Duke, where he secured a crucial late steal and sank consecutive three-pointers.
Chasing rings, not watches
The second-seeded Huskies enter the weekend as underdogs against third-seeded Illinois.
Either Michigan or Arizona will await the victor in Monday’s ultimate national championship game.
Hurley fully embraces this underdog mentality as his historic programme chases a remarkable third national title in four years.
“We came here for rings, not watches,” Hurley stated.
“Everyone that comes to the Final Four gets a beautiful watch, but only one group is going to get a ring.”
Everton hope to negotiate a second loan deal with Manchester City to keep England winger Jack Grealish at Hill Dickinson Stadium next season.
The England international is currently on loan from the Carabao Cup winners until the end of the current campaign.
This existing agreement includes a £50m option to buy the creative playmaker.
However, the Merseyside club are highly unlikely to trigger that clause as it would represent a club-record transfer fee.
Moyes keen to retain influential winger
Despite the financial constraints, manager David Moyes remains eager to keep the former Aston Villa captain within his squad.
A renewed temporary switch is considered the most probable outcome between the two Premier League clubs.
Formal discussions regarding the player’s future are not expected to commence until the current season officially concludes.
Immediate impact curtailed by injury
The talented forward is currently sidelined with a severe foot injury and has not featured competitively since January.
Medical staff expect the attacker to miss the remainder of the domestic campaign.
Before suffering the setback, he made a spectacular start to his Everton career by claiming the Premier League Player of the Month award in August.
Despite his ten-week absence, only three players in the top flight have registered more than his impressive tally of six assists.
Guardiola moves on with new additions
The Birmingham-born star will enter the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium this summer.
He originally joined City for a then-British record fee of £100m in 2021.
Manager Pep Guardiola has seemingly closed the door on a potential return after heavily investing in alternative attacking options.
Recent arrivals in Manchester include Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, and Antoine Semenyo.
City ideally want to secure a permanent transfer fee for a player who scored 17 goals in 157 appearances for them, but Everton strongly prefer another loan arrangement.
Three-time Masters champion Nick Faldo has accused golf authorities of a predictably weak response after Tiger Woods stepped away from the sport following a recent car crash and driving under the influence charge.
Woods recently announced his withdrawal from public life following an accident last week, which led to a DUI charge that the golfer currently denies.
The PGA Tour subsequently released a supportive statement confirming the 15-time major winner will miss next week’s Masters tournament to focus on his health and well-being.
However, this official stance has drawn sharp criticism from Faldo, who believes the sport’s administrators are failing to demand proper accountability.
Faldo demands accountability for self-inflicted issues
Speaking ahead of his punditry duties at Augusta, the 68-year-old suggested the tour will simply protect their biggest star as they always have done.
“There’s one side that’s like let’s care for Tiger, and then there has got to be a responsibility and an accountability side as well.”
The former European Ryder Cup captain stressed that the incident goes beyond golf and requires a firmer disciplinary approach.
“This is a serious thing that he has done. There has to be some accountability. Forget about golf.”
PGA Tour accused of avoiding serious action
Faldo expressed frustration at the prospect of the American simply retreating to a tropical island for treatment before returning to the circuit without facing consequences.
Recently appointed PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp has publicly offered his support to the 50-year-old following the incident.
Despite acknowledging the chronic physical discomfort his former rival endures, the English commentator maintained that the underlying problems are entirely self-inflicted.
“I feel sorry for Tiger that he is living 24/7 in pain. But it has all been self-inflicted.”
A history of vehicular incidents
The latest collision adds to a concerning catalogue of motoring incidents involving the legendary golfer over the past 15 years.
His high-profile troubles began with a fire hydrant collision in 2009 and included a 2017 arrest where he was found asleep at the wheel following an unexpected reaction to prescription medication.
More recently, the five-time Masters champion survived a near-fatal rollover crash in 2021 that caused severe leg injuries and permanently altered his professional career.
Following last week’s incident near his Florida home, police reports indicated that the veteran athlete was found in possession of hydrocodone pills.
Chelsea have announced a British record pre-tax loss of £262.4m for the 2024-25 season amid a backdrop of mounting squad unrest and poor on-pitch form.
The Stamford Bridge side revealed the historic deficit just days after suffering a fourth successive defeat prior to the international break.
Despite the staggering financial figures, the club maintain they remain compliant with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Compliance was heavily bolstered by a £128.4m profit recorded in the previous year, which included the £200m sale of their women’s team to a sister company.
Mounting pressure on the pitch
The financial disclosures compound a miserable period for the West London outfit.
A recent loss to Everton means the Blues have conceded 12 goals across their last four fixtures.
Frustration appears to be seeping into the dressing room, with key figures openly discussing their futures away from the capital.
Dressing room discontent
Midfielder Enzo Fernandez recently hinted at a desire to join Real Madrid, despite signing a contract that runs until 2032.
The Argentine World Cup winner’s comments were quickly followed by similar sentiments from team-mate Marc Cucurella.
The Spanish full-back publicly questioned the ownership’s transfer policy and suggested a potential move to Barcelona would strongly appeal to him.
Both players have struggled to consistently justify their heavy price tags during an underwhelming domestic campaign.
Agent fees and regulatory scrutiny
Adding to the scrutiny of the BlueCo ownership model, the Football Association confirmed the club spent more on agent commission than any of their top-flight rivals.
Their ability to avoid regulatory sanctions continues to draw sharp contrast with the points deductions previously handed to Everton and Nottingham Forest.
The vast expenditure raises significant questions regarding the long-term viability of the current boardroom strategy.
Detroit Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham will remain sidelined for at least another week as he continues his recovery from a collapsed left lung.
The Eastern Conference leaders provided an official medical update on Thursday regarding the health of their franchise centrepiece.
The standout playmaker is currently undergoing a supervised rehabilitation programme alongside independent doctors and the team’s performance staff.
Detroit first announced the initial respiratory injury on 19 March.
Historic season paused by setback
The former overall top draft pick was enjoying a spectacular individual campaign before suffering the unexpected medical issue.
He is currently averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists per game for the current campaign.
Should he maintain those numbers upon his return, the dynamic guard would become the first player in franchise history to achieve those statistics over a full season.
Only eight players in the history of the league have ever recorded such prolific combined scoring and passing averages during a single year.
Playoff preparations continue in Detroit
Despite the extended absence of their leading scorer, the team has successfully clinched the Central Division title.
Detroit currently holds a four-game advantage over the Boston Celtics in the race for the top overall seed in the East with just six regular-season fixtures remaining.
The squad is scheduled to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night as they look to consolidate their dominant league position.
Their postseason campaign is officially set to begin on either 18 or 19 April when the opening round of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals commences.
Gabriel Jesus has expressed his amazement at the rapid rise of Max Dowman after the 16-year-old recently became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history for Arsenal.
The teenage winger made history in March when he found the back of the net during a 2-0 victory over Everton at the Emirates Stadium.
Having made his top-flight debut as a substitute in an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Leeds United last August, the youngster has already accumulated seven senior appearances.
Mikel Arteta has clearly placed immense trust in the academy graduate, who has contributed one goal and an assist across all competitions.
Balancing school with elite football
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Jesus revealed his astonishment that his young team-mate still attends classes despite his burgeoning stardom.
The Brazilian international reflected on his own upbringing, noting the stark contrast between his early years and the reality facing the current Arsenal prodigy.
“Max is still 16, he started with us at 15, and when I was 15 I was playing in the streets.”
“So at 15, you are playing Champions League, Premier League, it’s crazy.”
“Because in Brazil, if this happens, it’s impossible to go to school.”
The former Manchester City striker added that the fervent nature of South American football fans would make a normal education completely unviable for a player of similar status.
International recognition and FA Cup hopes
Dowman’s stellar domestic form recently earned him a call-up to the England Under-19 squad during the international break.
The highly-rated prospect immediately justified his selection by scoring a superb goal against Portugal in a UEFA European Championship qualifying fixture.
His next opportunity to impress could come in the FA Cup quarter-finals when the Gunners travel to St Mary’s to face Southampton on Saturday.
The rising star previously started in the competition earlier this month, playing 77 minutes as the north London club secured a 2-1 fifth-round victory over Mansfield Town.