The World No 1 required surgery after cutting his hand on a broken glass and will miss the event at The Sentry
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It’s water under the bridge for Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and one of his former players, Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz.
The two were spotted in a heated confrontation on the field following the Eagles' loss to Washington on Sunday. Ertz, who signed a one-year deal with the Commanders during the offseason, appeared to high-five his former coach, who then reportedly made a comment about Ertz’s performance in passing.
Ertz turned back to share words with Sirianni before the two had to be separated by the Eagles' head of security, Dom DiSandro.
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But a league source told ESPN that Sirianni later called Ertz to apologize.
When asked about the interaction by reporters on Thursday, the head coach declined to talk specifics but said the two are in good standing.
"I’ll just keep my conversations with any guys private," he said. "I’ve got a lot of respect for Zach. Great football player, great person to be around. I’ve really got a lot of respect for Zach, and all the good things that he’s done, and my relationship with him."
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Ertz, who played six games under Sirianni before being traded to Arizona in 2021, echoed that sentiment when addressing the incident with the media.
"Nick and I had a great relationship when I was there, and we still have a great relationship. It’s definitely been blown way out of proportion," he said Thursday.
"We spoke. We’re good. There’s no ill feelings on my part, and I don’t think there are any ill feelings on his part. It’s just something in the heat of the moment that probably got blown out of proportion and maybe a misunderstanding. But him and I are fine. Everyone knows how I feel about that place and that building, but at the same time, I love being here."
Without Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts under center due to a concussion he sustained in the first quarter of Sunday's game, the Commanders rallied to defeat the Eagles, 36-33.
Ertz played more than eight seasons in Philadelphia. He scored a touchdown in their 2018 Super Bowl victory.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The NFL used to do almost everything possible to avoid Christmas.
Now, the league is even scheduling games on Wednesdays to get in on the holiday action.
Christmas used to be known as the unofficial start of the NBA season — the season actually starts two months earlier — with classic matchups.
Wednesday featured the typical five NBA games throughout the day, while two NFL games kicked off.
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After a Lakers-Warriors thriller Christmas night, LeBron James made a bold claim with NBA ratings declining and the NFL as popular as ever.
"I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day," he said.
The numbers say otherwise.
It should be noted the NBA had a great day by its standards, averaging 5.2 million viewers on Wednesday, its most on the holiday in five years.
James' game against Stephen Curry and the Warriors averaged 7.7 million viewers, peaking at 8.3 million. The 10:30 p.m. ET game between the Suns and Nuggets was also the largest late window ever with 3.8 million people watching.
But the NFL still dominated, averaging 24.2 million viewers with the Chiefs-Steelers and Texans-Ravens games despite both games being blowouts on Netflix.
James was predictably trolled on social media.
NFL games will have been played on five separate days in Week 17 when it's said and done. Thursday, Sunday, and Monday are common game days, and Saturday games are played later in the season.
Christmas falls on a Thursday next year, so maybe the NFL will load up similarly to its Thanksgiving tripleheader.
The NFL's Christmas viewership didn't match Thanksgiving numbers, while the NBA had improved ratings after a decline early on in the season.
But it's clear the NFL is king, no matter the day.
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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said it’s going to be tough for quarterback Jalen Hurts to play in the upcoming game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
"He’s still in the (concussion) protocol, it’s going to be tough for him to make it this week," Sirianni said to reporters during a press conference on Friday.
Hurts sustained a concussion in the first quarter of the Eagles' 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders this past Sunday.
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The star quarterback was scrambling on a second-and-20 when he hit his head on the ground while being tackled at the end of his 13-yard run. Hurts was evaluated on the sideline before eventually being taken to the locker room and ruled out with a concussion.
The game against the Cowboys will be the first game Hurts has missed this season.
Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with a touchdown and interception in relief of Hurts. Pickett, like Hurts, was also on the Eagles' injury report this week with a rib injury.
However, Pickett said during a press conference on Thursday that he will be "ready to go" on Sunday.
EAGLES’ JALEN HURTS RULED OUT WITH A CONCUSSION IN FIRST QUARTER VS COMMANDERS
Sirianni said he liked what Pickett did in practice this week.
"I think (Pickett) has had a nice week of practice; he’s done a nice job. And you know, have had some good practices and walk-throughs this week," he said.
Philadelphia acquired Pickett from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March to back up Hurts. Now, the team's seed in the playoffs lies in his hands.
The Eagles still have an outside chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC as they are currently 12-3, but both the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings are 13-2. Philadelphia would need some help to grab the top spot and the all-important bye week in the Wild Card round.
While the Eagles may be eyeing the No. 1 seed, the NFC East is still up for grabs after their loss to the Commanders on Sunday.
If the Eagles were to lose their next two games and the Commanders to win their next two, the NFC East would be decided based off tiebreakers.
The Eagles’ last two games are at home, as they play the Cowboys at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday and then the lowly New York Giants in Week 18.
The Commanders face a tougher schedule over the last two weeks of the regular season. They play the Atlanta Falcons, who are fighting for their playoff lives, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, and then the Cowboys in Week 18.
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Saquon Barkley needs 268 yards rushing his final two games to become the NFL's new single-season rushing champion, and the current record holder is hoping Barkley misses the mark.
Barkley has proven to be the best signing of the offseason after the Philadelphia Eagles inked him to a three-year deal after six seasons with the division rival New York Giants.
Barkley has put himself in the league MVP conversation, averaging 122.5 rushing yards per game and taking the Birds to another level.
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Barkley would need to average 134 yards per game the last two weeks to break the record, a number he has notched six times this season already.
Eric Dickerson set the record of 2,105 yards in 1984, and the Los Angeles Rams legend admits he wants to remain the king.
2024 NFL ODDS: WILL SAQUON BARKLEY BEST SINGLE-SEASON RUSHING RECORD?
"I don't think he'll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not," Dickerson told the Los Angeles Times this week. "I don't pull no punches on that."
Dickerson set the record in 16 games, so Barkley has one extra contest to break the record. Dickerson doesn't mind that too much.
"I'm not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football. That's the way I look at it. If he's fortunate to get over 2,000 yards and get the record, it's a great record to have," he continued.
Barkley's mostly likely chance to break the record will come against his former team, which Dickerson said would be "a true slap in the face."
Barkley is on pace to become the ninth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. The other eight all did it in 16-game seasons, including the most recent, Derrick Henry, four years ago.
Amorim has been unable to turn around the Old Trafford club’s form since his arrival
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Tommy Lazzaro, a former Central Michigan quarterback and a sergeant in the United States Army, was tragically killed in a hunting accident over the weekend, according to officials. He was 27.
Lazzaro, who served with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, was shot by a stray bullet at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on Sunday when he was driving to help another soldier who was experiencing car trouble, a spokesperson for 7th Special Forces Group told Task & Purpose.
A hunter shooting on the range fired the shot. According to the report, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office described the incident as a "tragic hunting accident."
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"We deeply mourn the loss of U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Lazzaro of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)," Col. Patrick Nelson, 7th SFG(A) commander, said in a statement to the news site.
"We will never forget his dedication, courage, and commitment to safeguarding our freedoms. His absence leaves a void that will be felt professionally and personally among those who had the honor of working with Thomas. Our heartfelt condolences extend to his family, friends, and comrades during this difficult time.
Central Michigan also released a statement mourning the loss of the former Chippewas quarterback.
20-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER DIES FROM HEAD INJURIES SUSTAINED DURING GAME
"When we took over the program, Tommy was truly our leader in so many ways," former head coach Jim McElwain said in a statement provided by the school. "CMU Football was blessed to have him and will always remember him for all he did for many of us. He will be missed by all of the Chippewas."
Lazzaro played four years at Central Michigan, where he had five starts from 2016-2019. During the 2019 season, he led the Chippewas to a 6-2 record in conference play and bowl appearance. He finished his career at Central Michigan with 542 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns and 758 passing yards and five touchdowns.
According to Central Michigan, Lazzaro graduated with a degree in entrepreneurship in 2019 and joined the Army to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
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The 26-year-old joined Barca from RB Leipzig in August but is only registered for the first half of the season
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