AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:08 a.m. EST

The AP NFL MVP finalists are Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Saquon Barkley are finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards.

Josh Allen and Jared Goff also are MVP finalists while Burrow is also in the running for Comeback Player of the Year.

Ja'Marr Chase and Derrick Henry are the other finalists for the Offensive Player award.

The winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb.

6.

A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.

Jaguars on the verge of hiring Bucs OC Liam Coen as their head coach, AP source says JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

(AP) The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the verge of hiring Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Liam Coen as the eighth head coach in franchise history.

Coen left Jacksonville without a contract, but a person familiar with the search says it's expected to come together Friday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side has confirmed the decision.

It would cap a covert operation that included owner Shad Khan moving on from general manager Trent Baalke and Coen reversing course with the Buccaneers.

Khan fired Baalke on Wednesday to clear a path for Coen to land in Jacksonville.

LeBron James picked for 21st straight All-Star Game, extending NBA record LeBron James is extending his All-Star records.

The NBA revealed the starters some of them, anyway for the revamped All-Star Game on Thursday night, and there wasnt much in the way of surprises.

James is now officially an All-Star for the 21st year.

The other starters are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Ichiro Suzuki wants to have a drink with writer who left him off Hall of Fame ballot COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.

(AP) Ichiro Suzuki wants to raise a glass with the voter who chose not to check off his name on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Speaking through a translator, Suzuki says: I would like to invite him over to my house, and well have a drink together, and well have a good chat.

Suzuki had been to the Hall seven times before attending a news conference with fellow electees CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.

The trio will be inducted on July 27 along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, voted in last month by the classic era committee.

Bills might be better, but Chiefs are favored for a reason LAS VEGAS (AP) The Chiefs are slight favorites to beat the Bills on Sunday and get a shot at winning an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl.

But that doesnt mean Kansas City is the better team.

One bettor at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas placed a $1.3 million money-line wager on the Chiefs.

Caesars Sportsbook head of football Joey Feazel said action has been active on both sides.

The Chiefs are favored by 1 1/2 points at Caesars.

BetMGM Sportsbook lists the Chiefs as 2-point favorites.

Welcome home, Wemby: As expected, Spurs' star gets a hero's welcome in Paris PARIS (AP) The first enormous roar from the crowd came before the game even started.

All Victor Wembanyama needed to do to get the fans in Paris into a full-blown frenzy was, it turned out, say hello into a microphone.

The roar just from that lasted about 30 seconds.

Welcome home, Wemby.

For the first time as an NBA player, Wembanyama played in his homeland on Thursday the star attraction in this two-game set of games between San Antonio and Indiana, a series that concludes on Saturday night.

Ludvig Aberg, Lanto Griffin share lead after fierce coastal wind interrupts Farmers Insurance Open SAN DIEGO (AP) Ludvig Aberg and Lanto Griffin shared the lead Thursday at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open after ferocious wind forced an 86-minute delay and prevented dozens of players from finishing the second round.

First-round leader Aberg fought to a 3-over 75, while Griffin had a 72 to sit even with Aberg at 6-under 138.

Danny Walker was 5 under, while Chris Gotterup had a 69 to match the days best round and join Hayden Springer and Sungjae Im at 4 under.

The players battled strong, inconsistent wind gusts measured at more than 35 mph on the famed coastal course better known for foggy marine layers than disruptive weather.

Some gusts moved stationary balls and ripped hats off heads before marshals suspended play.

Recording captured ex-interpreter impersonating Ohtani to transfer $200,000, prosecutors say Federal prosecutors say a nearly four-minute audio recording allegedly captured Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara impersonating the baseball star on a call with a bank as he attempted to transfer $200,000.

The recording referenced in a court filing Thursday by federal prosecutors is being used to back up a push for a nearly five-year sentence for Mizuhara.

He previously pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers star.

Mizuharas attorney did not respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.

Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to spending millions from Ohtanis Arizona bank account to cover his growing gambling bets and debts with an illegal bookmaker.

Scott's $72 million, 4-year contract finalized by Dodgers, who spent $452 million on 8 players LOS ANGELES (AP) Reliever Tanner Scotts $72 million, four-year contract has been finalized by the Los Angeles Dodgers, raising the World Series champions offseason spending to $452 million on eight players.

Scott was a first-time All-Star last year, going 9-6 with a 1.75 ERA and 22 saves in 24 chances for Miami and San Diego, which acquired him on July 30.

The left-handed 30-year-old struck out 84 and walked 36 in 72 innings.

Scott is 31-24 with a 3.56 ERA and 55 saves for Baltimore, Miami and San Diego.

Welcome to the mobile age: NFL conference title games filled with dual-threat QBs ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.

(AP) From Buffalo's Josh Allen facing Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, to Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts going up against Washington's Jayden Daniels, the NFL conference championship games are abundant with dual-threat quarterbacks.

It's a reflection of the NFL, perhaps, entering a mobile age for quarterbacks who are just as capable of winning games rushing as they are passing.

The four players combined for 2,359 yards rushing during the regular season, by far the most of any final foursome of NFL quarterbacks.

Former NFL quarterback and current TV analyst Matt Ryan calls it the natural progression of the position..

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