AP Sports SummaryBrief at 1:02 p.m. EST

Franco Harris, Steeler who caught Immaculate Reception, dies

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris has died. He was 72. Harris’ heads-up thinking authored the “Immaculate Reception.” It is considered the most iconic play in NFL history. Harris ran for 12,120 yards and won four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s. The team’s dynasty began in earnest when Harris decided to keep running during a last-second heave by Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw in a playoff game against Oakland in 1972. His catch and run off a deflected pass gave the Steelers their first-ever playoff win and is forever immortalized as the Immaculate Reception. Harris’ son, Dok, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his father died overnight. No cause of death was given.

AP source: Mets swoop, snatch Correa for $315M, 12-year deal

Carlos Correa has agreed to a $315 million, 12-year contract with the free-spending New York Mets after his pending deal with the San Francisco Giants came apart over an issue with his physical. The agreement was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical. Details were first reported by the New York Post. Correa is an All-Star shortstop but would play third base for the Mets. Correa’s addition would increase the Mets’ luxury tax payroll next year to the $385 million range. That would put them on track to pay a record tax of about $110 million.

Black head coaches in FBS drop slightly heading into 2023

Deion Sanders was the star attraction in this year’s class of new Black coaches at major college programs. But the Colorado coach was one of just three Black candidates hired by Football Bowl Subdivision schools in the recently completed cycle for the 2023 season. There will be 14 Black coaches at 133 FBS teams next season unless there are additional changes. That’s roughly 10.5% of all coaches and a drop from 15 at the start of this season. The other new Black coaches are Ryan Walters at Purdue and Kenni Burns at Kent State.

Colts bench Ryan for 2nd time, will give Foles starting job

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Nick Foles will replace 37-year-old Matt Ryan as the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback Monday night, interim coach Jeff Saturday has announced. Saturday made the move four days after the Colts blew a 33-point lead in a 39-36 overtime loss at Minnesota — the largest comeback in NFL history. In Indy’s previous game, at Dallas, the Colts gave up 33 fourth-quarter points largely because of four turnovers. The Colts are hoping Foles can make more vertical plays and play with more efficiency than Ryan has this season. Ryan leads the NFL with 18 giveaways.

EXPLAINER: Inside the proposed sale of the Suns and Mercury

Mat Ishbia’s career basketball statistics at Michigan State went like this: He averaged 0.6 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Not exactly record-setting numbers. But this is the number he’s about to be known by in the game — $4 billion. Ishbia’s offer to buy the majority stake of the Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, valuing them at $4 billion, is the biggest such deal in NBA history. The agreement means that embattled owner Robert Sarver’s era leading those franchises is about to end, once the league signs off on the sale.

Judge appointed Yankees captain after reaching longterm deal

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge has been appointed captain of the New York Yankees after agreeing to a $360 million, nine-year contract to remain in pinstripes. Judge became the Yankees’ first captain since Derek Jeter retired at the end of the 2014 season. New York had six previous captains in the Steinbrenner family era: Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry, Don Mattingly and Jeter. Judge homered in his first big league at-bat for the Yankees in 2016, and the 6-foot-7 outfielder has become a larger-than-life figure in the Bronx.

Verlander: Cohen persuaded him Mets are building a winner

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander says owner Steve Cohen and his willingness to spend his hedge-fund fortune on building a World Series-contender is the reason he joined the New York Mets. The team introduced Verlander at a news conference on Tuesday. Verlander agreed to a $86.7 million, two-year contract on Dec. 5. It’s part of an offseason spending spree in which the Mets have committed $476.7 million on seven free agents and added starting pitchers Kodei Senga and José Quintana. Verlander turns 40 in February and will take Jacob deGrom’s spot in the rotation.

Cubs, All-Star SS Swanson finalize $177 million, 7-year deal

CHICAGO (AP) — All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson is joining the Chicago Cubs, finalizing a $177 million, seven-year contract. The addition of Swanson is the biggest of three major moves by the Cubs since the end of the season. Right-hander Jameson Taillon signed a four-year contract worth roughly $68 million, and 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger got a $17.5 million, one-year deal. The 28-year-old Swanson is coming off perhaps his best big league season, hitting .277 with 25 homers and a career-best 96 RBIs in 162 games for Atlanta.

Walk-off Sunday: 3 games end with TDs on 1 day for 2nd time

For the second time ever Sunday, three NFL games ended with a winning touchdown on the final play on the same day. Chandler Jones returned a botched lateral 48 yards for a TD to end regulation and lift Las Vegas over New England, Rayshawn Jenkins had a pick-6 in overtime to push Jacksonville past Dallas, and Jerick McKinnon scored on a 26-yard run in OT to give Kansas City a win over Houston. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the only other day three games ended with a go-ahead touchdown came on Sept. 17, 1995, when Emmitt Smith, Rod Smith and James Hasty did it.