Category: Sports

Clint Dempsey says success on the field during friendlies over the next year would help the U.S. fill seats with pro-American fans at the World Cup next year, a turnaround from pro-opponent crowds at this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino and current players took note that spectators were overwhelmingly rooting for Guatemala in St. Louis and Mexico in Houston.

“We were outnumbered in the games that mattered in terms of the semifinal and then final. There were more fans for the opposing team. So it’s up to the national team players to put a product on the field that makes people want to go spend their hard-earned money,” Dempsey said Thursday during an interview with The Associated Press. “I think with everybody being back and having that fight and kind of mixing that together with the quality, I think that will give people motivation to go out there and support this team.”

The Americans have 10 friendlies on FIFA international fixture dates, two each in September, October, November, March and June, before opening the World Cup at Inglewood, California, on June 12. They play at Seattle seven days later then close the group stage at Inglewood on June 25.

“I want to see a team that is playing in an exciting style, whether it’s defending well, building out of the back, getting forward, creating chances, getting goals,” Dempsey said. “I just want to see the fight and the grit that we saw in the Gold Cup, just with more quality. That’s what I’m looking forward to, that team that gets you believing again that they can go and win games against top competition.”

Dempsey, tied with Landon Donovan for the American record of 57 international goals, is an analyst for CBS soccer coverage and the Men In Blazers Media Network, and he worked for Fox at the 2022 World Cup. He currently is involved in a promotion for the health care company Abbott in which 11 players will be selected to train at Real Madrid with club coaches and with input from Abbott scientists and the club’s medical staff.

Now 42, Dempsey played for U.S. teams that were eliminated in the group stage of the 2006 World Cup, reached the round of 16 in 2010 and ’14, and failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament. He says the rebuild for 2022, when the Americans again reached the round of 16, was positive with the new energy but came at the cost of veteran expertise. Defender DeAndre Yedlin was the only holdover from 2014.

After winning the CONCACAF Nations League in 2021, 2023 and 2024, the Americans were eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa America, causing the U.S. Soccer Federation to replace Gregg Berhalter with Pochettino, and lost in the semifinals of this year’s Nations League and the final of this year’s Gold Cup.

“There wasn’t that big mix of a lot of older players kind of passing down lessons that they learned over the years,” Dempsey said. “And sometimes it’s one of those situations where you need someone to shake things up, right? You don’t know if it’s egos. You don’t know what is the reason for why things don’t work out. So I think after Copa America after Nations League, there definitely needed to be some things shook up.

“And I think the more that people kind of look over their shoulder a little bit, their spots are not guaranteed, you have a culture that through training you can fight your way into getting into that starting lineup, I think people can get behind that and believe in that.”

Dempsey and wife Bethany have six children that keep them busy, daughters Elyse (16), Fifi (12) and Maevy (2), and sons Jackson (14) and Clay (10) and Linc (4).

Jackson plays for Charlotte’s academy. Dempsey doesn’t coach, and while he never expected to remain in soccer as a broadcaster, he’s pleased with his new roles.

At the World Cup, the U.S. will be seeded as one of the three co-hosts. That means the Americans won’t have a top 10 opponent in their group and if they finish first could avoid a strong nation in the new round of 32.

“If you are looking on numbers and looking on paper,” Dempsey said, “you have a chance to do something special and hopefully they take advantage of it. I think we need all the best players fit, playing week in, week out. I’m excited to see what they do with mixing a little bit more quality into this fighting and gritty kind of culture that you’ve seen throughout the Gold Cup.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Lloyd Howell has resigned as executive director of the NFL Players Association, citing distractions his leadership has caused in recent weeks.

“Two years ago, I accepted the role of Executive Director of the NFLPA because I believe deeply in the mission of this union and the power of collective action to drive positive change for the players of America’s most popular sport,” Howell said in a statement released late Thursday night. “Our members deserve a union that will fight relentlessly for their health, safety, financial futures, and long-term well-being. My priority has been to lead that fight by serving this union with focus and dedication.

“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day. For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.”

Howell has come under scrutiny since ESPN reported he has maintained a part-time consulting job with the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm that holds league approval to seek minority ownership in NFL franchises.

That followed the revelation that the NFLPA and the league had a confidentiality agreement to keep quiet an arbitrator’s ruling about possible collusion by owners over quarterback salaries.

The latest issue was an ESPN report Thursday that revealed two player representatives who voted for Howell were not aware that he was sued in 2011 for sexual discrimination and retaliation while he was a senior executive at Booz Allen.

“I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish at the NFLPA over the past two years,” Howell said. “I will be rooting for the players from the sidelines as loud as ever, and I know the NFLPA will continue to ensure that players remain firmly at the center of football’s future.”

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard is back where he started.

Lillard signed a three-year deal worth $42 million to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been officially announced.

ESPN first reported the deal.

Lillard, 35, was the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Trail Blazers and spent 11 seasons with Portland before he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks just before the 2023-24 season.

However, it might not be Lillard Time in Portland just yet for the player known for pointing at his wrist after sinking key shots.

Lillard tore his left Achilles tendon during a first-round NBA playoff series against the Indiana Pacers and required surgery, meaning he could miss the entire 2025-26 season. The Bucks had waived him earlier this month and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract over five years.

Lillard ranked 10th in the league in scoring (24.9) and assists (7.1) this season while earning his ninth All-Star Game selection. But he played only 58 games because of deep vein thrombosis.

Lillard confirmed the deal, posting a video to his Instagram of the Trail Blazers’ locker room, ending with a frame of a locker labeled with his name, followed by the words “Together Again.”

He wrote ”RipCityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!”

Lillard averaged 32.2 points his final season in Portland. He became just the seventh player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in a game when he finished with 71 against the Houston Rockets that season.

But Portland won only four playoff series during Lillard’s tenure, getting to the Western Conference finals once.

Lillard was beloved in Portland and always insisted there are no hard feelings over his separation with the Blazers. He wanted to try and chase a championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, while Portland was focused on developing young talent, like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.

Lillard, who has a signature shoe deal with Adidas, hinted during an event at the company’s North American headquarters in 2024 that some day he might be willing to return to the Trail Blazers.

Lillard holds Portland records for points (19,376) and 3-pointers (2,387). He’s the only Trail Blazers player to score 70 or more points in a game. He had five games of 60 or more points with Portland.

For his career, Lillard averaged 25.1 points and 6.7 assists. He was the 2013 Rookie of the Year and was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team in 2021. He won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

PITTSBURGH (AP) — T.J. Watt has wanted to be a “one-helmet guy” from the second he arrived in Pittsburgh eight years ago.

The star outside linebacker took one big step toward that goal on Thursday, agreeing to a new pact that will make him the league’s highest-paid defender and keep the perennial All-Pro in black-and gold well into his 30s.

Watt, who was entering the final season of the four-year extension he signed in 2021, is scheduled to make $123 million over the course of the three-year agreement, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract had not yet been made public.

ESPN first reported the extension.

Watt appeared to celebrate by making a rare Instagram post on Thursday afternoon, sharing a picture of him flexing in his signature No. 90 jersey. Watt also posted a photo in his Instagram stories of him posing alongside protégé and third-year Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig.

The agreement’s average annual value of $41 million eclipses the previous record contract for a defender set by Cleveland defensive lineman and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in March.

The annual average salary is also tick above what Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase received when he (briefly) became the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback a few days after Garrett agreed to terms with the Browns.

The fact that Watt’s extension is worth 2.5% more per season than Garrett’s (whose overall total value of $204 million is still higher than Watt’s) is not a coincidence. Watt, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year and a four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, has long believed he is the best edge rusher in the NFL.

For the second time in four years, he’s being paid like it, though he might not hold the distinction of being the league’s highest-paid defender for long. Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is also due for an extension that — given Parsons’ age (26) and the league’s ever-rising salary cap — figures to set the bar even higher.

Watt, who turns 31 in November, took the unusual step of skipping mandatory minicamp last month in hopes of putting pressure on Pittsburgh’s front office to get something done. Head coach Mike Tomlin brushed off Watt’s absence, saying it was only a matter of time before things worked themselves out.

The timing couldn’t be better. The new-look Steelers — now led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers — report to training camp at Saint Vincent College next Wednesday.

They’ll do it with a familiar face in tow. Watt, who tied an NFL record by racking up 22 1/2 sacks in 2021, is the linchpin of a defense that will be relied on heavily if the Steelers want to end a playoff drought that stretches to the 2016 AFC Championship, a few months before the Steelers selected Watt with the 30th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

While Watt is putting together a Hall-of-Fame worthy resume, the one thing he is lacking is any sort of postseason success. Watt’s singular brilliance has helped keep the Steelers competitive during his tenure, Pittsburgh is winless in the postseason with Watt in the lineup, most of them losses in which the defense has struggled.

Watt, who has 108 sacks in 121 regular-season games, has just one in four playoff appearances.

The Steelers are taking a flyer on 2025 — signing Rodgers and trading for veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey, among other notable moves — and are intent on trying to find their next franchise quarterback in the 2026 draft, which just so happens to be taking place in Pittsburgh.

The lack of star power under center, however, has given the team the financial flexibility to take care of Watt now, hoping he can remain an impact player into his mid-30s in the same way longtime teammate Cam Heyward has done.

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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Manny Pacquiao insisted he was back, and from a purely technical standpoint, he was correct.

Back in the ring. Back as a headliner.

But back to what he was when Pacquiao was one of the planet’s most dominant fighters, building a massive fanbase and a gold-standard resume that put him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month? That is the real question.

He will get a chance to answer it Saturday night when the 46-year-old from the Philippines will try to take the WBC welterweight belt from Mario Barrios. It will be Pacquiao’s first fight since losing by unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugás nearly four years ago. His last victory occurred in 2019, a split decision over Keith Thurman.

“Saturday night, it’s going to be a great fight,” Pacquiao said. “It’s been a while that I’ve been out of the ring, but I’m still active and exercising all the time. I’m going to prove to everyone that I’m in great condition.

“I’ve been enjoying training camp like I did in the past, just like when I was 26 years old. The discipline is still the same. Even with my layoff, my passion is still there.”

Barrios, a 30-year-old from San Antonio, is a -275 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook to spoil Pacquiao’s return. But he needs to bounce back from a split-decision draw on Nov. 15 against Abel Ramos that dropped his record to 29-2-1, 18 wins by knockout.

“Manny is one of a kind,” Barrios said. “He’s not an easy style to copy in training camp. We’ve gotten a lot of different southpaw looks, so I’m feeling extremely comfortable.

“It feels amazing to be in this position. I poured everything into this sport since I was (a) kid, and now I get to walk the (Las Vegas) Strip with my family and see my name all over. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of. Now it’s my job to show why I’m going to continue to be the champion.”

The build-up to this bout hasn’t come with the usual forced hatred that envelops many title fights. The combatants even chatted during the standard face-off pose at Wednesday’s news conference and then broke into laughter.

Hard to imagine that happening at a Gervonta Davis presser.

Barrios cautioned not to read too much into the mutual respect and admiration when it comes to what the action in the ring might look like, that each boxer would bring his all.

Pacquiao enters with a resume that includes 12 world championships in eight divisions as well as a 62-8-2 record with 39 KOs. He’s considerably older and gives away about seven inches in height to the 6-foot Barrios.

Pacman is back, but how back he truly is will be revealed Saturday night.

“I’ve been a challenger many times and it’s always the same feeling,” Pacquiao said. “I’m excited to take the belt. He’s a good fighter also, but our job is to entertain the fans. We’re going to give them a real fight.”

In the co-main event, WBC super welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 14 KOs) will face Tim Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs). Fundora emerged with a split-decision victory over Tszyu on March 30, 2024.

The WBO stripped Fundora of his belt for taking the rematch rather than face mandatory challenger Xander Zayas.

“It doesn’t matter what happened in the first fight because we have the second fight coming up,” Fundora said. “Tune in Saturday, because it’s going to be another great war.”

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AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Rory McIlroy experienced that sinking feeling again on the first hole at Royal Portrush.

OK, the returning hometown hero hadn’t hit his drive out-of-bounds this time. No spectator’s phone had been smashed. He hadn’t made a quadruple bogey, either. So, for sure, this wasn’t as bad as 2019.

But McIlroy had just missed a par putt from 3 feet, eliciting groans from the spectators around the green who had flocked to the Dunluce Links on Thursday to welcome back their favorite son.

Was it happening again?

Not quite.

Six years after opening with a 79 and missing the cut when the British Open returned to this corner of his native Northern Ireland, McIlroy made partial amends with a 1-under 70 in his first round that at least hasn’t played him out of the tournament.

“I felt like I dealt with it really well today,” McIlroy said. “Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago.”

Yet it was far from perfect.

Starting with an opening shot that he pulled into wispy rough, McIlroy struggled off the tee throughout a turbulent round played in better-than-forecast conditions and to a backdrop of Rory mania.

He hit just two fairways — on Nos. 8 and 9 — all day, losing his cool at No. 17 after another drive left into deep rough.

“It was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the time,” McIlroy said. “So to shoot under par was a good effort.”

Yet the locals never stopped willing him on and the cries of “Come on, Rory” followed him around Portrush, even during a run of three bogeys in four holes from No. 11 when McIlroy’s round was threatening to unravel as the wind picked up.

From being 3-under par after 10 holes, McIlroy was at even par as he faced a tough second shot at the 17th. He somehow hit it to 12 feet and holed the birdie putt.

There were throaty roars from the grandstand around No. 18 as he walked to the green for a 45-foot birdie putt that slipped by the hole. He tapped in, raised his putter and thanked his fans. They’ll be back in droves on Friday morning, no doubt.

“I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in,” he said, “but at the same time, you don’t want to let them down. So there’s that little bit of added pressure.”

Especially on the first tee, which McIlroy walked onto in 2019 not quite realizing the emotions he’d soon feel playing an Open on Northern Irish turf for the first time. He handled it badly and the wind that swept in off the North Atlantic coast wound up blowing him out of the tournament.

“This time I had a better idea of what was going to be coming my way,” he said.

In 2019, McIlroy started his second round 13 strokes off the lead and a charging 65 on Friday wasn’t enough to make the weekend.

Six years later — and now in the exclusive career Grand Slam club — he is three shots back and very much in the mix for a second claret jug.

McIlroy and his legion of fans will definitely take that.

“I’m surprised 4 under is leading,” he said. “I thought someone might have gone out there and shot 6 or 7 (under) today.

“Only three back with 54 holes to go. I’m really happy with where I am.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is testing out tinted contact lenses as training camp opens.

He wore them Thursday under sunny skies after trying them out earlier in the week while working with the team’s rookies.

“They’re like sunglasses,” he said. “They really helped. I didn’t have to squint nearly as much.”

Herbert tried wearing a tinted visor a couple years ago and didn’t like having to constantly clean it off.

The contacts make Herbert’s blue eyes appear red.

“When I stepped in the huddle, I think some of the guys were a little surprised,” he said, smiling, “but they were like, ‘Oh, we’re going to score.’”

Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker told “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” that he and Herbert wore the red contacts to dinner recently.

“We looked like we were vampires,” Dicker said, adding that initially people didn’t recognize them. “We were like, ‘This is incredible.’”

Herbert said he thinks he could wear the contacts in games with a medical prescription due to sensitive eyes.

“If I’m able to see the field better because of it, it definitely helps,” he said.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

NEW YORK (AP) — Dr. David Altchek, who performed more than 2,000 Tommy John surgeries and was the New York Mets longtime medical director, died Thursday. He was 68.

His death was announced by the Hospital for Special Surgery, where he was co-chief emeritus. Altchek told associates last year he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

He was the Mets head team physician from 1991-2001 and medical director from 2005-24, physician of the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1999-2003 and North American medical director of the ATP Tour. Altchek was co-chief of HSS’s sports medicine and shoulder service from 2005-14.

“While Dr. Altchek’s intelligence and innovations certainly benefited his patients — and sports medicine in general — his biggest impact was his warm, friendly, caring personality,” said Glenn S. Fleisig, biomechanics research director of the American Sports Medicine Institute. “Colleagues, friends, and patients all loved David and are thankful for the time we had with him.”

A son of orthopedic surgeon Martin Altchek, David attended Middletown High School in New York, received his undergraduate degree at Columbia and his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1982. He interned at The New York Hospital and became a resident at HSS, where he had a fellowship under Dr. Russell Warren, HSS’s surgeon in chief from 1993-03 and a longtime team physician of the New York Giants.

“My first Tommy John surgery was in 1993, and I did the procedure that Dr. Jobe, Dr. Frank Jobe prescribed,” Altchek said during a 2024 interview with The Associated Press. “It took 2 1/2 hours and I was exhausted. And I realized then that we had to do something about Tommy John surgery. We had to make it a little bit easier.”

Working with residents and fellows, Altchek developed what was called a docking procedure and tested it on about 100 elbows.

“It worked and it worked amazingly well,” Altchek said. “We really did not change it at all for 20-something years.”

Altchek estimated last year he had performed more than 2,400 Tommy John surgeries. He was a preferred surgeon for the Tommy John procedure in recent years along with Texas Rangers physician Dr. Keith Meister and Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

“Renowned worldwide for his surgical expertise, he was equally admired for the compassion and care he showed to our players,” Mets owner Steve Cohen and wife Alex said in a statement.

Part of Altchek’s job was to reassure a player his baseball career was not over.

“You tell them this is unfortunate, but this is your MRI. This is probably why it happened — meaning you threw outside the envelope of your tissue quality,” he explained. “But we have a procedure that can repair your ligament and reconstruct it in a kind of belt, suspenders way that once it heals the likelihood of you going back to pitching at the same level or above is 95%.”

Altchek received Columbia’s John Jay Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement in 2003.

He is survived by his wife, the former Anne Salmson, whom he married in 1981, sons Charles and Christopher, and daughters Chloe and Sophie. Charles is president of Major League Soccer’s third-tier MLS Next Pro minor league and was the Ivy League men’s soccer player of the year while at Harvard in 2005 and 2006.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Fox Sports is joining forces with Barstool Sports.

Barstool Sports’ programming will appear on Fox Sports 1 while founder Dave Portnoy will appear on Fox Sports “Big Noon Kickoff” college football show. The partnership was announced Thursday afternoon.

“(Barstool owner and founder) Dave (Portnoy) has built a one-of-a-kind brand that connects with a new generation of sports fans — authentic, bold, and original. Their unique voice and loyal fanbase makes them a natural fit for our evolving multiplatform content strategy,” Fox Sports CEO and executive producer Eric Shanks said in a statement.

Portnoy graduated from Michigan, which could lead to some interesting interactions with former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer.

“Nobody has been there to defend the Kings of the Conference. That ends today,” Portnoy said in a video posted to Twitter/X.

“Big Noon Kickoff” will begin the season in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 29 when defending national champion Ohio State hosts Texas. The show also features host Rob Stone and analysts Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram and Chris “The Bear” Fallica.

The “Barstool College Football Show” — which will air on Saturday’s from 9-9:45 a.m. — will also be streamed across Fox’s digital platforms, including Tubi.

Other Barstool personalities will also make appearances on “Big Noon Kickoff,” including Dan “Big Cat” Katz. Barstool will also contribute to Fox’s college basketball coverage and possibly horse racing.

Barstool will have a live two-hour weekday morning show on FS1 with the launch date to be announced later.

FS1 has a need for studio programming after cancelling three shows earlier this week.

“In our two-decade history, we’ve never had the chance to work with so much talent and resources. We can’t wait to collab and bring our voice to FOX Sports’ airwaves,” Portnoy said in a statement.

Barstool’s addition gives Fox Sports what it hopes will be its answer to Pat McAfee as well as possible inroads with the age 18-34 demographic.

Barstool previously had a relationship with ESPN, but its program was canceled after one episode in 2017 after the network received criticism both inside and outside the company.

Portnoy founded Barstool in 2004 but Penn Gaming acquired majority stake in 2023 after being an investor since 2020. Portnoy bought Barstool back later that year for $1 after Penn Gaming rebranded Barstool Sportsbook as ESPN Bet.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams has retired from the NFL at age 30.

His agent, Tory Dandy, told general manager Joe Ortiz on Wednesday night, hours before the Chargers became the first NFL team to open training camp Thursday.

Williams signed a $6 million, one-year deal in mid-March to return to the Chargers for his second stint with the team. On Monday, he was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury and two days later called it quits.

“It’s obviously a tough situation,” quarterback Justin Herbert said. “Football, at the end of the day, is a game and there’s more to life than just football and I’m just hoping for the best for him.”

Williams played eight seasons in the NFL, including stints with both the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.

“I don’t want to say shocking,” safety Derwin James said of the news, “but definitely I’d love to have him out there with me.”

Coach Jim Harbaugh made no mention of Williams’ decision when he spoke to media earlier Thursday.

“Mike has always done such a great job of just showing up and working. He’s been an excellent leader and teammate,” Herbert said. “That’s what we appreciate and love the most about him. It’s definitely tough to replace a guy like that. There’s not too many guys like Mike and we’re definitely going to miss him.”

The Chargers drafted Williams in the first round with the seventh overall pick in 2017. He had 330 career receptions, 5,104 receiving yards and 32 touchdown receptions over his eight-year career.

Williams’ pro debut was delayed by a back injury that caused him to miss training camp. He sat out the first six games of the regular season before seeing action. He was sidelined by a knee injury in Week 13.

In 2021, Williams and Herbert built a rapport early on, with Williams totaling six receiving TDs and 471 receiving yards in the team’s first five games. That set the stage for a breakout season, with Williams setting career highs in receptions (76), targets (129) and yards (1,146) while scoring nine TDs.

After the 2021 season, Williams signed a $60 million, three-year extension with the Chargers.

In 2022, Williams had a back fracture that kept him out of the team’s opening playoff loss to Jacksonville. The following season, Williams sustained a season-ending ACL tear in Week 3. He was released by the Chargers early last year.

Soon after, Williams signed a one-year deal with the Jets. He was later criticized by quarterback Aaron Rodgers for running the wrong route on a pass intended for him, leading to a game-clinching interception in a loss to Buffalo.

Last November, the Jets traded Williams to the Steelers for a fifth-round draft pick. He had a combined 21 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown for both teams.

Williams helped Clemson win the national championship in 2017 and then decided to forego his senior year to enter the draft. In 2015, he broke a bone in his neck after colliding with the goal post as he caught a touchdown pass.

Wide receiver Tre’ Harris signed with the team Thursday, ending a brief holdout. He was a second-round pick out of Mississippi.

The Chargers also signed tackle Ryan Nelson from the UFL.

Nelson started 22 of 28 games for the Michigan Panthers over the last three years in the UFL, including an appearance in the league’s championship game last year.

Nelson, who is from nearby Buena Park in Orange County, played four seasons at Virginia.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl