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Texas state trooper scolds South Carolina wide receiver after touchdown; department speaks out

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Texas state trooper scolds South Carolina wide receiver after touchdown; department speaks out

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A Texas state trooper was “relieved of his game-day assignment” Saturday after exchanging words with South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor after a long touchdown.

After Harbor caught a pass and ran for the 80-yard score, he grabbed his right hamstring and continued walking into a tunnel at Kyle Field.

Several of his teammates joined him, and Harbor walked out of the tunnel gingerly.

 

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South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Nyck Harbor runs with the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies Oct. 28, 2023, at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.  (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As he walked back, an officer walked in between, and made contact with, Harbor and running back Oscar Adaway III.

The officer then scolded Harbor, who turned back but kept walking toward the field.

The police department announced on X that the officer was relieved of his game-day assignment and sent home.

NBA star LeBron James called for the officer to be suspended.

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“That A&M cop needs to suspended! That was premeditated and corny AF!! He went out his way to start some s—. Do better man,” he posted to X.

The touchdown put the Gamecocks up 27-3, and that lead would increase to 30-3, but the third-ranked Aggies stormed all the way back for a wild 31-30 victory.

South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Nyck Harbor celebrates a play against Texas A&M Aggies during the second half at Kyle Field. (Dustin Safranek/USA Today Sports)

JAMES FRANKLIN IN ‘EARLY TALKS’ TO BECOME VIRGINIA TECH’S NEXT HEAD COACH: REPORT

Texas A&M outscored South Carolina 28-0 in the second half to complete its biggest comeback ever.

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Marcel Reed threw for a career-high 439 yards and three touchdowns to move the Aggies to 10-0 on the season.

The comeback eclipsed a 21-point rally by a Johnny Manziel-led team in a 52-48 win in the 2013 Chick-fil-A Bowl over Duke. Entering Saturday, teams were 0-286 in Southeastern Conference play since 2004 when trailing by 27 points or more.

Reed bounced back from an awful first half, when he was intercepted twice and had a fumble returned for a score to put the Aggies in a 30-3 hole. He had a dazzling second half to keep Texas A&M on track for its first trip to the College Football Playoff.

The Aggies took the lead for the first time on a 4-yard run by EJ Smith with about 11 minutes left.

Texas A&M had a first down at the 1 after that, but Jamarion Morrow fumbled on a trick play, and the Gamecocks recovered with about three minutes to go.

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Texas A&M Aggies running back EJ Smith celebrates with wide receiver Izaiah Williams after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field.  (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)

Dalton Brooks and Cashius Howell sacked LaNorris Sellers on consecutive plays to bring up fourth-and-16 with about 90 seconds to go. Sellers scrambled on fourth down, and he was stopped short of the first down marker to seal the victory.

Sellers threw for 246 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for South Carolina (3-7, 1-7), which lost a fifth straight game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Russell Wilson announces retirement from NFL after 14 seasons

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Russell Wilson announces retirement from NFL after 14 seasons

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Russell Wilson has announced his retirement from the NFL after 14 seasons, a career highlighted by a Super Bowl victory with the Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowler and the 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, announced his retirement in a video posted to social media.

A third-round pick by the Seahawks in the 2012 NFL Draft, Wilson became one of the league’s most recognizable quarterbacks, tallying 46,966 passing yards and 353 total touchdowns during a career that also included stints with the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.

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Russell Wilson of the New York Giants walks off the field following the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

This announcement from Wilson comes after he reportedly finalized a deal to become a CBS Sports NFL analyst. When news broke of his sports media deal, it was unclear if he wished to call it quits for his playing career, or simply take a season off to think about it. But Wilson posted a lengthy video on his social media, where he reflected on his time with the game and confirmed that he would be joining CBS Sports. 

“I remember the moment I fell in love with football. Waking up before sunrise with my dad and brother. Deep post routes and ‘moon balls.’ Yeah, that’s where it all began. But somewhere along the way, my love for football turned into more than just passion. It was an obsession,” Wilson narrated as clips from his childhood to college, to the NFL Scouting Combine, to his career highlights. 

Wilson found quick success in the NFL after a college career that began at NC State, but flourished at Wisconsin. He went 11-5 in his first NFL season, as the Seahawks quickly became a feared squad in the NFC. 

EX-NFL STAR IMPLORES RUSSELL WILSON TO HANG IT UP ‘DO YOUR TV THING’

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Accompanied by the “Legion of Boom” defense in Seattle, Wilson and the Seahawks walked into MetLife Stadium for Super Bowl XLVIII and put on a rout of the Denver Broncos, 43-8, to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy. It was just the second season for Wilson, who cemented himself as the future at quarterback for Seattle under head coach Pete Carroll, who he shouted out in his video. 

“To Coach Carroll, thanks for taking a chance on the young, 5’11″ black kid from Richmond, Virginia who was told he was too small to ever make it in the NFL. We knew what winning was like,” Wilson said.  

Wilson wasn’t able to win the trophy again, ultimately falling to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIV in heartbreaking fashion. Instead of running with Marshawn Lynch on the goal line, the Seahawks infamously chose to pass, and Wilson was picked off by Malcolm Butler to seal victory for yet another Tom Brady ring. 

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson passes during warm-ups before an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

In 10 seasons with Seattle, Wilson had 37,059 passing yards with 292 touchdowns and a 104-53-1 overall record. Wilson told Seattle fans, “You raised me,” in his video.

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It wasn’t as sweet for Wilson once he was traded to the Broncos before the start of the 2022 season, as he started to face some serious adversity and public rifts with head coach Sean Payton. Wilson went 4-11 in his inaugural season with Denver, and after going 7-8 in 2023, the team moved on despite his massive contract looming. 

As a result, Wilson took a veteran minimum deal to join Mike Tomlin and the Steelers during the 2024 campaign. He went 6-5 in his starts, earning his 10th and final Pro Bowl bid. The Steelers made the playoffs, but didn’t make it out of the Wild Card Round. 

Finally, the Giants signed Wilson before the start of the 2025 season, though they drafted Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss to be his successor. That quickly changed after just three starts for Wilson, as Dart took over in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Wilson never regained the starting role, though he was as classy as ever, talking about his mentorship of Dart. 

Throughout the years, Wilson enjoyed working with every coach, teammate and the fans of each franchise across his football journey.

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson waves to fans after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Jan. 4, 2026. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)

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“To every teammate I’ve had the privilege of sharing the locker room with, thank you for the sacrifices, the brotherhood, the memories. None of this is possible without you,” he said. 

“To every fan who supported, through the highs and the lows, your belief, your energy and your passion meant more than you’ll ever know.”

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‘SNL’ star Marcello Hernández to host 2026 ESPYs as show leaves L.A. for New York

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‘SNL’ star Marcello Hernández to host 2026 ESPYs as show leaves L.A. for New York

Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” standout Marcello Hernández will host this year’s ESPY Awards, ESPN announced Wednesday.

The event, honoring excellence in sports performance, will be broadcast live on ABC and the ESPN app from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on July 15, making it the first ESPYs in New York City since 1999. For the last 25 years, the awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles.

“I started doing comedy 10 years ago, in Cleveland, Ohio, and I would take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time,” Hernández said in a statement. “It is an honor, and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYs this year in New York. I’m sure the energy is going to be great.”

Hernández recently headlined the biggest Spanish-language comedy show ever at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Netflix Is a Joke Festival in May, and wrapped up his fourth season of “SNL” soon after. His first stand-up special, “American Boy,” premiered on Netflix in January.

He’s also a sports enthusiast, having grown up playing soccer and competing at the collegiate level during his time at John Carroll University in Ohio.

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“Marcello is one of the most electric, young comedians today. His genuine enthusiasm for sports and his ties to New York City make him a natural fit to host this year’s ESPYs,” Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and executive producer of the ESPYs, said in a statement.

Hernández succeeds last year’s emcee, comedian Shane Gillis, as well as past hosts that include Jimmy Kimmel, John Cena, LeBron James and Peyton Manning.

In January, Puck reported that the change in venue is an effort to capitalize on the popularity of Fanatics Fest, the massive sports festival taking place in New York’s Javits Center from July 16-19, which also coincides with the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

“This return to the heart of Manhattan brings the celebration of sports back to its roots for an unforgettable night at an iconic cultural landmark,” an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement.

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AJ Brown trade outcome: Dianna Russini paid a heavy price while Mike Vrabel emerged unscathed

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AJ Brown trade outcome: Dianna Russini paid a heavy price while Mike Vrabel emerged unscathed

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Mike Vrabel and A.J. Brown were winning on Tuesday because the long-rumored trade that reunited them was finally complete. Brown was free of his recent unhappiness with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Vrabel spoke easily and smartly about how his Super Bowl team was getting better.

It was one lovely victory lap for everybody.

Except for Dianna Russini.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel celebrates after the AFC championship game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High in Denver, Colo., on Jan. 25, 2026. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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MIKE VRABEL BREAKS HIS SILENCE ON DIANNA RUSSINI CONTROVERSY

Yes, this is about her as much as Vrabel and Brown. Those three names will be linked for a long time in NFL circles based on what happened going back as far as September of 2025, and then definitely through this offseason that was about, well, the relationship between the coach and the reporter.

If you aren’t up to speed on that relationship, you’ve got homework. And you will probably catch up easily because the reference material is everywhere — the photos of Russini and Vrabel together, the denials of anything untoward between two married people, the collapse of the professional friendship narrative, and everything after.

So, to the uninitiated, you’re excused. Go now and read the soap opera’s opening chapters. Because this might be the saga’s end, barring a major surprise.

And let me cut to that end:

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown walks on the field during an NFL training camp in Philadelphia on July 29, 2025. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)

Brown wins. He’s wholly unscathed, in fact, and happy as a clam with a new team he grew up adoring.

Vrabel wins, too. Yes, he took some lumps, suffered some humiliating moments in front of reporters and had some family conversations he termed “very difficult,” but he’s ultimately none the worse for wear.

And then there’s Russini. She lost. Big time.

FORMER NFL REPORTER MICHELE TAFOYA WEIGHS IN ON WHY RUSSINI’S CREDIBILITY IS GONE

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It was saddening to watch Vrabel’s presser because it was Russini who first reported teams were calling the Eagles about Brown back in September of 2025. She first reported the Eagles weren’t interested in trading Brown.

Russini called it when she told everyone the Patriots were interested (so were the Los Angeles Rams, by the way). And she was right again when she said earlier this year that Brown wouldn’t be traded around the start of the league year in March but watch out for June.

She was dead-on accurate with practically all of it.

Dianna Russini, left, and Mike Vrabel, right, are shown in a split composite image featuring Russini with an ESPN microphone and Vrabel on the Titans sideline wearing a headset. (Imagn Images)

But everyone has surmised all that information came out of her relationship with Vrabel. All that insider work came from other alleged inside work.

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Russini’s information was great but how she seemingly attained it eventually led to her resigning from The Athletic. And sullying her professional reputation.

Losses.

MIKE VRABEL STEPS AWAY INDEFINITELY TO SEEK COUNSELING

Vrabel? He seemed just fine on Tuesday.

About the hardest thing he had to do was answer a question about Brown’s obvious displeasure last year in Philly.

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“I don’t know what happened,” Vrabel said. “I’m not trying to figure out what happened in Philadelphia. I’m trying to focus on what’s going to happen here and trying to get him acclimated to what we do and how we do it.”

Vrabel, during this press conference, congratulated a reporter for winning a marathon. He thanked Executive Vice President for Player Personnel Eliot Wolf for making the trade happen. And he took a bunch of football questions.

Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

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There was not one question about whether he indeed for months leaked to Russini details of where the Patriots and Eagles talks were. Not one question about how his family “counseling” sessions are going or if his marriage is certain to survive.

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There was nothing uncomfortable because it seems the local media lost interest or its curiosity on a day the story that Russini beat them on for months was laid bare before them.

And, the thing is, if Vrabel didn’t have to sweat this occasion, he’s probably in the clear. He’s not likely to get tough questions about the whole affair (pardon the pun) again unless more facts come out that raise the issue from the grave.

So, yeah, Mike Vrabel has survived. He’s won.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

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