KYLE HIGHTOWER Sports Writer.

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) runs the ball back for a touchdown against Washington Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (6) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Patriots offense shines in 48-18 exhibition win over Commanders, as Washington rests starters, vets

Rookie TreVeyon Henderson had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the game, quarterback Drake Maye added a 5-yard touchdown run and the New England Patriots beat the Washington Commanders 48-18 in the exhibition opener for both teams. Henderson also had an 18-yard run. Maye completed 3-of-5 passes for 12 yards in two series of work. It added up to a promising glimpse of a new-look offense under new coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Washington rested a total of 30 players, including their projected starters and most of their veterans.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, left, chats with Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla at the football team's NFL training camp, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics sign coach Joe Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension

Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens has said throughout the offseason that that team wanted Joe Mazzulla to be its coach for a long time.  It made that more than a proclamation Friday, announcing it has signed Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension. Length and details of the new deal were not released. The 37-year-old Mazzulla is coming off his third season as Boston’s coach and has guided the team to the playoffs each season, including the franchise’s 18th NBA title to cap the 2023-24 season. Under Mazzulla, the Celtics have won at least 57 games each of those seasons and topped 60 victories in each of the last two.

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Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft walk on the field before the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Bronze statue of Tom Brady to be unveiled before Patriots’ exhibition opener

Tom Brady left his imprint all over the New England Patriots’ record books during his stellar two-decade run with the team. Now, he is set to become the first player in franchise history to be honored with a statue. The bronze statue will be unveiled Friday before New England’s exhibition game against the Washington Commanders. Brady will be on hand for the ceremony, which is scheduled to include an address to fans. Fans are being allowed into the plaza in front of Gillette Stadium four hours before the game to accommodate what is expected to be a large crowd.

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FILE - Trainers help Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum (0) off the court after he was injured during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the New York Knicks, May 12, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

Celtics’ Brad Stevens shuns idea team is in a rebuild with Jayson Tatum out

The Boston Celtics face major changes after Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles injury during the Eastern Conference semifinals. Brad Stevens, the team’s president of basketball operations, confirmed tough decisions were necessary, including trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. The moves brought down the team’s payroll and avoided penalties under the NBA’s second salary cap apron. Stevens emphasizes the team is not rebuilding but retooling, with Jaylen Brown stepping up as the focal point while Tatum recovers. Both players are already rehabbing, with Brown nearing full clearance. Stevens remains optimistic about the team’s potential despite the challenges ahead.

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Boston Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins (73) throws against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins defends discrepancies about his father playing for Yankees

Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins made some headlines prior to his first career start against the Yankees last week when he said he’d rather retire than pitch for New York. Now he’s explaining why the claims he made about his father once playing in the minors for Boston’s longtime rival aren’t the intentional fabrication that a New York newspaper report says. Dobbins says the references he made stemmed from stories passed along from his father when he was a kid and nothing more. He says he understands the fervor his comments created and says his focus now is on his upcoming matchup with the Yankees this weekend.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) stands with teammates during an NFL football practice, Monday, June 9, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs keeping his discussions with team about viral boat video private

New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs is declining to share specifics about his conversations with coach Mike Vrabel and the team in the aftermath of a viral video that showed him passing what appeared to be a bag of pink crystals to women on a boat last month. He confirmed the occurrence of internal discussions, but wouldn’t say want those conversations entailed. But he says he has made progress on returning from offseason knee surgery and plans to get full medical clearance in time for the start of training camp in late July.

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Omer Shem Tov, front right, a former Israeli hostage who survived over 500 days in Hamas captivity, gets a pat on the chest by Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks, front left, after delivering a ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Red Sox and the New York Mets at Fenway Park, Monday, May 19, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks calls out ‘vile’ social media messages directed to him, his family

Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks took to social media to express his displeasure about death threats he says he received following Boston’s most recent loss the the New York Mets. In a post on Instagram, Hendriks said comments were directed at both him and his family. He described them including attacks on him as a cancer survivor. Hendriks, a 36-year-old reliever who previously battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma, has appeared in 11 games this season. He’s 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA. The incident comes less than a month after Red Sox All-Star Jarren Duran said a fan near the dugout in Cleveland directed inappropriate comments at him.

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