Sports
Aces handle Storm, secure home court in Round 1
Sep 24, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; The Las Vegas Aces logo at center court during game one of the 2023 WNBA Semifinals at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum scored 21 points each to lead a balanced scoring effort and the visiting Las Vegas Aces clinched home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs with an 85-72 victory against the short-handed Seattle Storm on Tuesday night.
Jackie Young added 16 points, Chelsea Gray scored 13 and Tiffany Hayes had 10 for the Aces (26-13), who clinched no worse than fourth place by winning for the eighth time in nine games.
Las Vegas will finish the regular season at home against Dallas on Thursday night and could claim third place with a victory and a Connecticut loss to Chicago.
Nneka Ogwumike scored 19, Skylar Diggins-Smith had 17 points and nine assists and Gabby Williams scored 14 to lead the Storm (24-15), who played without leading scorer Jewell Loyd (knee) and leading rebounder Ezi Magbegor (concussion).
Seattle, whose four-game winning streak ended, will begin the playoffs on the road as the fifth seed. The Storm conclude the regular season at Phoenix on Thursday.
Ogwumike made two field goals and Diggins-Smith had one as the Storm started the third quarter with a 6-0 run to pull within 48-46.
Plum’s 3-pointer ended the Aces’ 4½-minute scoring drought and increased the lead to six points.
Seattle got as close as one point before Young’s three-point play helped Las Vegas take a 63-61 lead at the end of the quarter.
Diggins-Smith’s basket tied the score and, moments later, she made another to give Seattle its only lead, 65-64. Wilson made two free throws to start an 8-0 run that gave Las Vegas a 72-65 lead.
The Aces maintained control as the Storm scored just 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Wilson scored 10 points as the Aces took a 25-12 lead. They led by 13 points on two more occasions before Diggins-Smith made two free throws to trim the deficit to 29-18 at the end of the first quarter.
A field goal by the Storm’s Mercedes Russell started the second-quarter scoring, but Young scored seven points as Las Vegas expanded the lead to 44-26.
Ogwumike scored seven points during a 14-4 run that pulled Seattle within 48-40 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Falcons, G Matthew Bergeron agree to 4-year extension
Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron (65) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Atlanta Falcons and left guard Matthew Bergeron have agreed to a four-year contract extension through the 2030 season.
The team announced the deal on Saturday but didn’t provide any financial terms. ESPN and NFL Network said the contract is worth $96 million, with $60 million fully guaranteed.
“Matthew is the type of player you build around,” Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said. “He’s establishing himself as one of the top young guards in the NFL, and his toughness, consistency and leadership have made him a cornerstone of our offensive line and the culture we’re building in Atlanta.
“Extending players like Matthew reflects our commitment to investing in the trenches and building a strong foundation for the future.”
Bergeron, 26, is a native of Montreal who played in college at Syracuse. The Falcons selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and Bergeron has played in 49 of 51 possible games — all starts.
With Bergeron teaming with left tackle Jake Matthews, the Falcons led the league in 2025 with 61 first downs from that side of the line. Matthews enters his 13th season as a starting offensive lineman for the team.
Bergeron told AtlantaFalcons.com that staying in Atlanta with the new contract “means the world” to him.
“I’m from Canada, and the second I got to Atlanta everybody welcomed me with open arms,” he said. “Atlanta is a special place for me and my family. And now, I have the resources to give back to a community that has given me so much and changed my life.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
49ers WR Ricky Pearsall (knee) to miss season
Dec 14, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) stiff arms Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris (26) during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall requires right knee surgery and will miss the 2026 season.
General manager John Lynch confirmed on Saturday that Pearsall needs a procedure to repair a torn PCL.
Pearsall, a 2024 first-round pick, experienced pain and swelling in his knee earlier this week at training camp. He initially sustained the injury in Week 4 last season and wound up appearing in only nine games.
Through his first two seasons, Pearsall has recorded 67 catches for 928 yards and three scores in 20 contests.
The 49ers placed Pearsall, 25, on injured reserve Saturday and also confirmed the signing of wideout Deebo Samuel. Terms were not disclosed but reports earlier in the week said Samuel returns on a one-year deal for $7 million. Samuel will replace Pearsall of the 49ers’ roster.
Samuel, 30, caught 72 passes for 727 yards and five TDs in 16 games last season with the Washington Commanders.
Samuel played for San Francisco from 2019-24, posting 334 receptions for 4,792 yards and 22 TDs in 81 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Steelers signing veteran S Rayshawn Jenkins
Oct 19, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins (5) reacts after intercepting a pass against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins, multiple outlets reported on Saturday.
Jenkins, 32, recorded 45 tackles and one interception in 17 games (three starts) last season with Cleveland.
He has 562 tackles, 11 interceptions and four forced fumbles in 139 games (92 starts) with the Los Angeles Chargers (2017-20), Jacksonville Jaguars (2021-23), Seattle Seahawks (2024) and Browns.
Jenkins, a fourth-round draft pick by the Chargers in 2017, has scored two defensive touchdowns: a pick-six in 2022 and a 102-yard fumble return in 2024.
Jenkins provides depth in the secondary behind starting safeties DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker, along with fellow veteran newcomer Darnell Savage.
–Field Level Media
Falcons, G Matthew Bergeron agree to 4-year extension
49ers WR Ricky Pearsall (knee) to miss season
