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Report: Patriots interviewing Byron Leftwich

NFL: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay BuccaneersJan 1, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense coordinator Byron Leftwich against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are interviewing Byron Leftwich for their head coaching vacancy on Tuesday, The Athletic reported.

The Patriots fired Jerod Mayo on Sunday after compiling a 4-13 record in his first season in Foxborough.

Leftwich, 44, most recently worked as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2019-22, a stint that included a Super Bowl win in the 2020 season.

Leftwich was fired by Bucs head coach Todd Bowles after the 2022 season, which saw Tampa Bay slip from the top 3 in scoring the previous three seasons to No. 15 in yards and No. 25 in points in 2022.

A quarterback and first-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2003 NFL Draft, Leftwich had a 24-26 record with 10,532 passing yards and 58 touchdowns in 60 games with the Jaguars (2003-06), Atlanta Falcons (2007), Bucs (2009) and Steelers (2008, 2010, 2012).

He was also the interim offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018.

Leftwich told The Athletic that he’s ready to get back into coaching.

“There’s something missing. … I really do feel as though something’s not there, and I’ve got to get back to it,” he said. “I’m really into helping other players. I want to help them to play the best. I love to teach.

“Just give me the opportunity. Bring me in and see. Communicate with me, see if I’m the right type of leader you want. Do your homework. See if I can lead men. … See if I know my X’s and O’s. See if I know people. See if I know what needs to be done to succeed at the job.”

New England’s 23-16 win over Buffalo in Sunday’s season finale secured the No. 4 overall selection in April’s NFL draft, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft seems to be moving quickly to get a new head coach in place.

Kraft said Monday that the front office will remain intact and that the coaching search will be headed by Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith.

Former Tennessee Titans coach and longtime Patriots player Mike Vrabel is also reportedly expected to interview along with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

–Field Level Media

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Michael Busch drives in 4 as Cubs win, sweep D-backs

MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at Chicago CubsMay 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs designated hitter Moises Ballesteros (25) celebrates his two-run home run with second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Michael Busch drove in four runs to lead the host Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday.

Busch doubled and scored a run in the second and broke the game open for good with a three-run triple in the fifth as Chicago finished the three-game sweep with its 11th straight win at home.

Matthew Boyd (2-1) picked the win. The southpaw gave up four hits and two earned runs over six innings, walking one and fanning five in 94 pitches. The quality start was the Cubs’ seventh in their last 10 home games.

Chicago tied a season high with six extra-base hits. Busch, Nico Hoerner, Moises Ballesteros, Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly all contributed a pair of hits.

The Cubs extended a 3-2 lead with a three-run fifth.

Ballesteros led off with a walk and Alex Bregman reached on a fielder’s choice when Nolan Arenado’s throw was too late to get Ballesteros at second.

Ian Happ loaded the bases with a walk and Busch tripled into the right-field corner to clear the bases and give Chicago a 6-2 lead.

The triple chased Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly (1-3). The veteran right-hander went 4 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and six earned runs. He struck out five and walked three in 92 pitches.

The Diamondbacks opened the scoring in the second when Arenado doubled with one out and Gabe Moreno hit his first home run of the season deep to left field for a 2-0 lead.

The Cubs cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning when Kelly singled in Busch with two outs.

Chicago took the lead for good in the third when Hoerner singled to deep short and Ballesteros smashed an opposite-field home run to left-center for a 3-2 advantage.

The Cubs scored a pair of insurance runs in the seventh when Happ led off with a walk and Suzuki doubled into the left-field corner.

Busch drove in his fourth run of the game with a deep sacrifice fly to right to make it 7-2 Cubs and Kelly singled in Suzuki to give Chicago an 8-2 lead.

D-backs pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth to finalize the scoring. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 2-for-3 with a run for the visitors.

–Field Level Media

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Padres' Walker Buehler looks for better results vs. Giants

MLB: Chicago Cubs at San Diego PadresApr 28, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler (10) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

A pair of two-time All-Stars accustomed to big-time winning will look to wipe out losing records when Walker Buehler and the San Diego Padres continue a brief three-game road trip against Logan Webb and the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

The Giants snapped a six-game losing streak in Monday’s series opener, riding Trevor McDonald’s pitching to a 3-2 victory. It was San Francisco’s third win in four meetings with San Diego this season.

Buehler (1-2, 5.40 ERA) will take the mound in San Francisco for the 10th time in his career. The right-hander has gone 6-2 with a 3.65 ERA at Oracle Park and 7-3 with a 3.00 ERA overall in 15 appearances (13 starts) against the Giants in his career.

In his first season with the Padres, Buehler has struggled in his past two starts, lasting a total of 7 1/3 innings in a pair of 8-3 losses to the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs.

“Just not good enough,” Buehler told reporters after his most recent outing a week ago against the Cubs. “Got to get deeper and get more efficient. We’ve kind of established that the stuff has improved, and I’m in a lot better spot. But I haven’t quite had that one that it all kind of clicks together in terms of the execution.”

Buehler will be facing a Giants team that has totaled just 12 runs in its last seven games.

San Francisco went homerless while going winless on a six-game trip to Philadelphia and Tampa Bay last week, a drought Casey Schmitt ended in the first inning of Monday’s win.

The Giants have won their past three home games. The long flight home from Florida and a change of scenery was just what the doctor ordered, Schmitt said.

“The big thing was to flush that road trip. Obviously it didn’t go any way we wanted it to go,” Schmitt said. “It’s a new series, a new day.”

No doubt, Webb (2-3, 4.30) also would be perfectly happy to turn the page after having nothing to show for a pair of hard-luck efforts in his past two outings. The right-hander allowed just four runs over 14 innings to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Phillies in those starts, games the Giants lost 3-0 and 3-2.

Webb would like nothing better than to get the level of support he received when he pitched in a 9-3 win at San Diego in the first week of the season. It improved his career record against the Padres to 5-5 with a 3.23 ERA in 18 games, including 17 starts.

Schmitt got the loudest of San Francisco’s six hits in the series opener on Monday and Luis Arraez chipped in with a pair of doubles and scored twice. The biggest news of the night offensively, however, was the two-RBI performance of Rafael Devers, who hadn’t had a multiple-RBI game since April 8.

Playing first base, Devers responded on a day when the Giants promoted one of their top prospects, Bryce Eldridge, who is seen as the future of the first base position in San Francisco.

Eldridge was used as the DH in his big-league season debut Monday, going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.

The 21-year-old, who got 37 plate appearances last season, has never faced Buehler.

–Field Level Media

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Former WNBA MVP Tina Charles retires after 14 seasons

WNBA: Washington Mystics at Connecticut SunAug 21, 2025; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles (31) reacts after his basket against the Washington Mystics in the second half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Eight-time All-Star and former WNBA Most Valuable Player Tina Charles announced her retirement Tuesday after 14 seasons with six teams.

Charles, 37, is the league’s all-time leader in made field goals (3,364) and rebounds (4,262) and ranks second with 8,396 points behind only Diana Taurasi (10,646).

The 6-foot-4 center posted Tuesday on X that she had “experienced the highest highs and lowest lows, and I’m thankful for all of it.”

“At some point, you have to edit your life,” Charles wrote. “Not everything and not everyone is meant for the whole journey. Growth requires honesty, and for me, that meant recognizing when my impact was being called in a new direction.”

Charles never won a WNBA championship but won two national championships at UConn and three Olympic gold medals with Team USA.

The No. 1 pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun, Charles won 2010 Rookie of the Year and 2012 Most Valuable Player honors. She led the league in scoring twice and rebounding four times while making nine All-WNBA teams and four All-Defensive teams. She twice won the Dawn Staley Award for community leadership.

Charles averaged 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in 473 games (464 starts) with the Sun (2010-13, 2025), New York Liberty (2014-19), Washington Mystics (2021), Phoenix Mercury (2022), Seattle Storm (2022) and Atlanta Dream (2024).

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday.

“Tina Charles has defined excellence and consistency throughout one of the most remarkable careers in WNBA history. From earning unanimous Rookie of the Year honors to being named league MVP, to becoming the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder and second all-time leading scorer, Tina’s impact on the game will be felt for generations to come.

“Beyond her extraordinary accomplishments, Tina has represented the very best of the WNBA throughout her career. Through her leadership and dedication to giving back — including her work with her Hopey’s Heart Foundation — she has made a meaningful impact far beyond the game, earning the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award twice. On behalf of the WNBA, I want to thank Tina for her lasting contributions to the league and the sport of basketball. Her legacy will be defined not only by her excellence on the court, but by the standard she set as a leader, a teammate, and a champion for the communities she touched.”

–Field Level Media

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