AP Sports SummaryBrief at 10:29 a.m. EST

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa in concussion protocol again

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has returned to the NFL’s concussion protocol. Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Tagovailoa was experiencing concussion symptoms when he met with team doctors on Monday, a day after the Dolphins’ 26-20 loss to Green Bay. Teddy Bridgewater is expected to get most of the first-team reps in practice this week. McDaniel said it is too early to name a starter for Miami’s game at New England on Sunday. It is the second time this season that Tagovailoa has been in the concussion protocol. The protocol itself was changed after Tagovailoa took a hard hit and appeared to show concussion symptoms but remained in a game.

Hackett out as Broncos coach after Wilson’s awful game

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Nathaniel Hackett was fired a day after the Denver Broncos showed more fight on the sideline and in the postgame handshake line than they did on the field in their 51-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Broncos fell to 4-11 with their worst loss of the year. During the game, guard Dalton Risner shoved backup quarterback Brett Rypien and later blamed it on a miscommunication. Risner had gone over to the offensive linemen to implore them to help up quarterback Russell Wilson after sacks. After the game, Randy Gregory threw a punch at a Rams lineman who retaliated. Both were suspended for one game.

Chargers reach playoffs, beat Foles, overmatched Colts 20-3

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Austin Ekeler scored on two 1-yard runs and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018, intercepting Indianapolis quarterback Nick Foles three times to beat the overmatched Colts 20-3. Justin Herbert threw for 235 yards and Cameron Dicker made two short field goals for the Chargers, who won their third straight after getting the help they needed this weekend from Las Vegas, Miami, New England and the New York Jets. Los Angeles won on the road on a Monday night for the first time in more than a decade. Indianapolis lost its fifth straight under interim coach Jeff Saturday.

Women’s sports saw pivotal growth in deals, interest in 2022

Popularity across women’s sports has grown steadily over the past few years and there was pivotal movement in 2022. Several sports and leagues saw growth in viewership and ratings, sponsorship deals and prime-time coverage. The past WNBA regular season was the most watched since 2006. The league has a deal with ESPN/ABC where the company paid the WNBA $27 million in 2021. That number goes up $1.5 million per season until 2025. At the collegiate level, name, image and likeness has been a game changer for female athletes. And women’s soccer has seen increased global revenue from sponsorships and broadcast deals.

Analysis: Some NFL teams won’t reap reward for poor seasons

With two weeks left in the regular season, next year’s NFL draft is starting to take shape. Four of the top 11 picks will go to teams reaping the benefits of a trade. The Seahawks currently hold the third overall selection because Denver traded its first-round pick for Russell Wilson. The Lions own the Rams’ pick that currently stands at No. 7 because of the Matthew Stafford deal that paid dividends in Los Angeles last season. The Eagles have the 10th pick from the Saints, and the Texans the 11th pick from the Browns following the Deshaun Watson trade.

Analysis: In wide-open NBA, uncertainty is only certainty

DENVER (AP) — Boston leads the East and Denver the West in NBA conference races that are wide open with New Year’s Day approaching. How 2023 unfolds could be determined simply by who heals the fastest or who can stay the healthiest. The reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors are missing Stephen Curry, and Phoenix star Devin Booker lasted a little more than four minutes in his return from a groin injury. Domantas Sabonis is day-to-day as the Sacramento Kings try to make the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum has the Celtics humming along, and Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic is threatening to join Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird as the only players to win three consecutive MVP awards.

Pitino’s No. 22 Lobos push their way onto AP Top 25 slate

New Mexico has thrived quickly under second-year coach Richard Pitino. The Lobos are No. 22 in the latest AP Top 25, their first ranking since the 2013-14 season. New Mexico will face Colorado State and Wyoming this week in Mountain West Conference play. The AP Top 25 schedule also includes instate rivalry games featuring No. 5 Arizona against Arizona State, and No. 19 Kentucky against Louisville. And in the ACC, No. 14 Miami and No. 25 North Carolina will look to keep momentum going from win streaks.

Column: Tales from the PGA Tour after fractured year in golf

The year in golf isn’t entirely filled with acrimony caused by the arrival of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. There were plenty of moments beyond the scorecard. AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson writes his annual “Tales from the Tour.” There’s a curious trend in Japan on a first name of several golfers that sounds a lot like “Tiger.” Cameron Young thought he had winning figured out until another Cameron came along. And if anyone wants to know what the wife and caddie of Steve Stricker is thinking as she’s on the bag, their teenage daughter might have found the answer.

Sorenstam recalls trying her hand as European tour caddie

Annika Sorenstam and another Swedish teenage girl decided to caddie at a European tour event long ago. Both had fun and were given used golf balls from the players. Sorenstam decided to go back to practice to become a golfer. The other girl was Fanny Sunesson. She went to the next tournament and eventually was on the bag for Nick Faldo in two of his Masters victories. That turned out to be a good move by both of them. In other golf news, the final world ranking of the year illustrates how much of a dent Saudi-funded LIV Golf made in the game.

Shiffrin takes win No. 78 with 1st GS victory in 2022

SEMMERING, Austria (AP) — Overall women’s World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin has held on to a big opening-run advantage to win a giant slalom. It’s the American’s first triumph in the discipline in more than a year. Shiffrin beat Slovakian skier Petra Vlhová by 0.13 seconds. The result marked Shiffrin’s fourth World Cup win of the season and 78th overall. It left her four short of the women’s record set by her former teammate Lindsey Vonn. It was the 15th GS win in total for Shiffrin but the first since triumphing in France in December 2021. Shiffrin called the win “very special.”