Sports News Daily

(Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire)   The Detroit Lions’ defense has struggled lately after giving up at least 26 points a game since Week 7. They’ve also allowed an average of 24.2 points per game this year – which ranks 25th in the league. But Detroit will get a bit healthier for the final month of the season with one of their starting defensive backs reportedly scheduled to return. Veteran safety C.J. Gardner Johnson has reportedly been medically cleared to return from a torn pectoral injury he suffered in Week 2 and might be designated to return to the team next week, according to the 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. A potential huge boost: #Lions S CJ Gardner-Johnson (torn pec) has been medically cleared and the team is likely to designate him to return next week. pic.twitter.com/muskoWSn9n — Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 14, 2023 Gardner-Johnson was a big free-agent acquisition by Detroit this past offseason and planned to play a pivotal role in the Lions’ de...

(Photo by Bill McCay/Getty Images for SiriusXM)   Bill Belichick deserves every single ounce of praise coming his way from New England Patriots fans. However, he also deserves every single ounce of criticism that has come his way since Tom Brady left, especially this season. Why’s that? Well, simply because he’s been in charge of making every single decision, personnel-wise, NFL Draft-wise, and coaching staff-wise. With that in mind, Stephen A. Smith stated on ESPN’s First Take that it’s time Belichick leaves Foxboro once and for all. He reminded everybody that Belichick wanted Tom Brady to leave prematurely to replace him with Jimmy Garoppolo. He was also responsible for giving Matt Patricia and Joe Judge offensive play-calling duties in Mac Jones’ sophomore season, not to mention all the questionable personnel and scouting decisions he’s made ever since. However, Smith says that the straw that broke the camel’s back is that Belichick’s ego was so big that he refused t...

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani, MLB’s best and most complete player, to a 10-year, $700 million contract. The structure of the deal is somewhat odd, though. Ohtani will earn $2 million per year for the next 10 seasons, the duration of his contract. However, from 2034 to 2043, he will be paid $68 million per year. This way, the Dodgers have more flexibility to work with and sign more talented players, and they worry about paying Ohtani later when inflation has somewhat lowered the impact of those $68 million per season. Don’t worry about Ohtani: with all the money he makes on endorsement deals, he will make much, much more than $2 million per year. Some fans have criticized the league for allowing this structure and Ohtani and his camp for encouraging it. However, it’s not against the rules, as MLB insider Jeff Passan explains. “For anyone wondering if MLB will challenge or cancel Ohtani’s contract: The answer is une...

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)   The Chicago Bulls have been struggling to be a good team in the Eastern Conference for the better half of the last decade. The Bulls have made just one playoff and Play-In Tournament appearance over the last six seasons. Considering the team has a core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic, one would have expected the organization to be better over the past few years. Things haven’t exactly gone to plan for the Bulls, but the organization is yet to give up. In fact, the Bulls are currently scanning the open market to trade for a win-now player, as per Michael Scotto via NBACentral on Twitter. “They’re looking for players that can help them win now and maybe a pick down the line if they can add to their cupboard,” Scotto said about the Bulls’ plans. The Chicago Bulls are looking for win-now players on the trade market, per @mikeascotto “They’re looking for players that can help them win now and maybe a pick down the ...

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)   The Los Angeles Lakers only got four games from newcomer Gabe Vincent before a knee injury pulled him from the floor. He hasn’t played since mid-November but he could be returning to the team soon. According to Shams Charania, via Daniel Starkand, the Lakers are hopeful that Vincent will suit up again on December 18, just one week away. Gabe Vincent is hopeful for a return on Dec. 18, per Shams. That would be one week from today against the Kings. https://t.co/OPuqyGl6fH — Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) December 11, 2023 If Vincent does return on that night, that will have him squaring off against the New York Knicks (although Starkand’s initial tweet mistakenly said the Kings would be his opponent). Fans of the Lakers will be happy to see Vincent back because they want a fully healthy roster, but they are curious about what he will bring to the team. When he was acquired by the Lakers during the summer, it was just weeks after...

(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)   LeBron James has a lot to celebrate this weekend as he and the Los Angeles Lakers became the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament champions after beating the Indiana Pacers in the championship game. James has been locked in during every tournament game, and he and Anthony Davis dominated a young and inexperienced Pacers front court. The duo bullied Indiana in the painted area, while Los Angeles played their usual brand of tough and physical defense throughout the evening. James held the NBA Cup in front of the T-Mobile Arena crowd and was also named the NBA In-Season Tournament MVP. More importantly, though, James and his family will get to watch Bronny James make his college debut for USC. Bronny’s first game for the Trojans is the most anticipated event for the basketball program in ages and fans and students made sure to get in line early to see the event via Antonio Morales of The Athletic. Line of #USC students two hours bef...

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)   The Houston Texans have been the surprise story during the 2023 NFL season as they’ve been much more competitive than initially expected. Under first-time head coach DeMeco Ryans, the Texans have established a tough and physical identity on both sides of the football and they have a young roster on the cusp of a playoff spot. However, Houston suffered a setback last week when they lost rookie sensation Tank Dell for the remainder of the year to a fractured fibula. C.J. Stroud and Dell have formed an exciting quarterback-wideout tandem, and the former made sure to pay homage to his teammate during their Week 14 tilt against the New York Jets. Unfortunately for the Texans, the injuries piled on after Stroud took a big hit that knocked him out of the game. Video of the play circulated on social media and fans were not happy with what happened via Sharp Football Analysis. Stroud injured pic.twitter.com/QD77TuDGVG — Warren Sharp (@SharpFoot...