The Florida Panthers have signed a quarterback.
Miami quarterback D’Eriq King has become the first college player to sign an endorsement deal with the Panthers, the NHL team announced Monday. King will appear at some Panthers games and events plus engage with fans on social media and produce digital content.
The deal also calls for King to work with the Panthers to develop a merchandise collection, co-branded art and his own exclusive concession menu item to be available at all Panthers home games and events for the coming season.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
“D’Eriq is a superstar both on and off the field and we are excited to reach and engage South Florida sports fans in new ways through this collaborative partnership,” Panthers chief strategy officer Sam Doerr said.
Two more Arizona State assistants on leave
Arizona State has placed two more assistant football coaches on paid administrative leave amidst an ongoing NCAA investigation into the program’s recruiting.
Prentice Gill and Chris Hawkins were the two assistants put on leave, an Arizona State official confirmed Monday. The school did not give a reason for the decision and said it wouldn’t have further comment.
The pair joins tight ends coach Adam Breneman, who was put on paid leave in late July. Gill is Arizona State’s receivers coach and assistant recruiting coordinator while Hawkins is the defensive backs coach.
Yahoo! Sports first reported that Gill and Hawkins had been placed on leave.
Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards said during Pac-12 media days last month that he couldn’t comment on the probe into whether the Sun Devils hosted high school prospects during the NCAA-imposed ban on in-person recruiting during the pandemic.
NFL
Giants take Barkley off PUP list
While he isn’t in football shape and is unlikely to play in a game anytime soon, star running back Saquon Barkley is back practicing with the New York Giants.
The Giants activated Barkley from the physically unable to perform list Monday and had him participate in some light drills as the team opened its third week of training camp.
The move came more than 10 months after Barkley tore the ACL in his right knee in the second game of last season.
“It felt good to just be back out there playing football,” Barkley said after practice. “The most fun part I would say is being back out there with your teammates. Obviously, the next step in my rehab process and just thankful to be able to go back out there and play football with my teammates and be able to get to practice. It’s what I love.”
NBA
Doncic to sign $207M extension
Luka Doncic is set to sign a $207 million supermax extension with the Dallas Mavericks, who sent an entourage to the Slovenian star’s home country to finish off the biggest contract in franchise history.
Agent Bill Duffy told ESPN and The Dallas Morning News on Monday that Doncic and the Mavericks had agreed to terms. The team said a virtual news conference was planned for Tuesday.
News of Doncic’s five-year deal, which will kick in for the 2022-23 season, came as the Mavericks re-signed his most reliable scoring partner in the backcourt, shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., to a $75 million, four-year contract.
The 22-year-old Doncic was an All-Star in his second and third seasons after being named Rookie of the Year in 2018-19. He’s also been first-team All-NBA twice, which makes Doncic the first player eligible for a supermax extension off his rookie contract.
Tennis
Djokovic pulls out of Cincinnati
Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Western & Southern Open on Monday, meaning the next time he will be in action will be as he tries to complete the Grand Slam at the U.S. Open.
The top-ranked Djokovic wrote on social media that he needs “a bit longer to recover and recuperate after quite a taxing journey from Australia to Tokyo.”
He is 21-0 in majors in 2021, winning the titles at the Australian Open on hard courts in February, the French Open on clay courts in June and Wimbledon on grass courts in July. No man had even won the first three major tennis championships — let alone all four — in one season since Rod Laver’s Grand Slam in 1969.
After Wimbledon, Djokovic went to the Tokyo Olympics but did not win a medal. The 34-year-old from Serbia lost to Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the singles semifinals, then to Spain’s Pablo Carreño Busta in the bronze medal match.
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