(INDIANAPOLIS) — Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon is out for the year after tearing his Achilles, the team announced on Thursday.
Black suffered the injury during practice on Wednesday.
The second-year player started all six games this season and recorded 34 tackles and one pass break up.
We will continue to trust our Lord! He had this planned for me from the beginning. It’s how we respond that matters! Let’s get this W this week!! https://t.co/8iEaxjvj5x
According to ESPN, this is the second serious injury Blackmon has faced in three years. In 2019, while at Utah, he tore an ACL during the PAC-12 Championship game. He recovered and played 15 games during his rookie season last year.
Blackmon becomes the 20th player the Colts have placed in injured reserve since the start of training camp.
(NEW YORK) — The American Athletic Conference has announced the addition of six new schools to its conference.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida Atlantic University, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, The University of North Texas, Rice University, and the University of Texas at San Antonio will join the conference at a date to be determined.
The six new schools will join the nine current members to bring the conference to 15 schools. The conference will compete as a 14 team league in football, and men’s and women’s basketball.
“I am extremely pleased to welcome these six outstanding universities to the American Athletic Conference,” said AAC commissioner Mike Aresco in a statement. “This is a strategic expansion that accomplishes a number of goals as we take the conference into its second decade. We are adding excellent institutions that are established in major cities and have invested in competing at the highest level. We have enhanced geographical concentration which will especially help the conference’s men’s and women’s basketball and Olympic sports teams.”
The conference is replacing Cincinnati, Houston, and the University of Central Florida, which accepted invitations to join the Big 12.
(NEW YORK) — As companies in the U.S. look to vaccinate staff en masse, some employers have achieved high rates of vaccination without major mandates — professional sports leagues.
Several high-profile players have made headlines in recent weeks for not getting the shot, but by and large, the vast majority of their peers have — at greater rates than the general public.
Around 67% of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, leagues such as the NBA, NFL and MLS have rates greater than 90%, with the NHL and WNBA at over 99%.
Some leagues resorted to financial pressure to encourage vaccine uptake. But they also often deployed vaccination campaigns early that relied heavily on education and opportunities for players to connect with trusted medical experts, those involved in the efforts told ABC News.
“As far as the NHL is concerned, this is a very simple and very direct story — you need to educate everybody as to what good public health practices are when you have a pandemic like this, and where someone who is ill can spread that disease to others at the workplace,” Don Fehr, executive director of the National Hockey League Players’ Association, told ABC News.
Meaningful ‘fireside chats’
Back in January, months before the recent season started and COVID-19 vaccines were widely available, the WNBA’s players’ union, WNBPA, started hosting panels with medical experts over Zoom to address players’ questions about the pandemic.
“They were curious about everything related to their public health risk, their public health understanding of the pandemic and then specifically about the vaccines,” one of the experts on the panel, Jessica Malaty Rivera, an infectious disease epidemiologist and research fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital, told ABC News. “They just very earnestly wanted to understand and learn about the stuff that we were sharing.”
Malaty Rivera said she has done these virtual “fireside chat sessions” with several companies and teams, from Patagonia to the MLB’s Washington Nationals, and finds them to be very effective. In talking with the WNBA players, she and the other medical experts crafted a conversation that touched on how the vaccine approval process works and concerns around pregnancy and fertility.
“They applied what they understood and it shows by the vaccination rates,” she said. “We know that it didn’t fall on deaf ears.”
Leagues including MLS and the NHL provided similar opportunities for players to connect with medical experts and ask questions.
For the NBA, an educational campaign was the “crux of our program,” Dr. Leroy Sims, senior vice president of medical affairs for the league, told ABC News.
Starting in February, all 30 teams watched a 20-minute PowerPoint on vaccinations, and the NBA and its players’ association made doctors and scientists available to talk with players as a team and one-on-one if desired. Sims often fielded questions on how the vaccines were developed and approved, the impact on performance and side effects.
“It was a really big effort, but it was the most appropriate thing to do — for us to take that time with our players and our coaches,” said Sims, who noted they did similar sessions with players’ families, the National Retired Players Association and the league’s referees. “No question was out of bounds.”
Who was delivering that message was also important, Sims and Malaty Rivera said.
“The thing that allowed us to achieve the numbers that we have achieved, in part, is the relationship. The doctor-patient relationship is dynamic, it’s engaging, it’s a two-way street,” said Sims, who is a former team physician and was with the players in last season’s “bubble.” “It’s built on trust.”
The panels for WNBA players featured female scientists who are women of color — which Malaty Rivera said was also “meaningful” for the league’s athletes, who are predominantly women of color.
“When you talk about science communication you have to think about the message, the messenger and who’s receiving the message,” she said.
No mandates, but pressure
Some leagues have required staff in close contact with players to be vaccinated. The athletes have yet to face similar mandates, though there have oftentimes been strong incentives to get the shot.
In the NFL, for instance, teams could face potential forfeits and lost paychecks for outbreaks among unvaccinated players. As of July 22, when the policy was announced, 75% of players were partially vaccinated. As of Oct. 7, a month into the regular season, 93.3% of NFL players were vaccinated, the league said.
Unvaccinated players in the NHL and NBA, which both kicked off their seasons this month, could also face docked pay if they are unable to play due to local COVID-19 regulations. Around 96% of NBA players have been vaccinated, with that number expected to climb, league Commissioner Adam Silver said this week. Still, a vocal minority has made headlines for not getting the shot, notably Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving. The decision makes him ineligible to play any home games at the Barclays Center, which under New York City regulations requires proof of vaccination for entry, and could potentially cost him millions of dollars.
The Nets decided to bench him entirely unless he gets vaccinated. He has not been allowed to practice with the team and did not play in the team’s season opener Tuesday night in Milwaukee.
Beyond the threat of financial losses, unvaccinated players may have to follow stricter COVID-19 protocols, such as more frequent testing and stricter masking and social distancing measures.
MLB relaxed some protocols for teams with at least 85% of players and coaches vaccinated; just a handful of the league’s 30 teams failed to reach that threshold by the end of the regular season earlier this month.
Unvaccinated MLS players have a different set of COVID-19 protocols, including more frequent testing, and are not allowed to engage in any “high-risk behaviors,” such as attending concerts indoors, Johnny Andris, deputy general counsel for the MLS Players Association, told ABC News. Over 95% of players are vaccinated.
“There were enough carrots involved such that the sticks weren’t really needed,” Andris said.
Recognizing ‘outsized influence’
Other factors may have also helped boost vaccination rates among professional athletes.
MLS players were “very eager to get vaccinated,” particularly after the pandemic disrupted the previous season, Andris said.
“MLS was just two or three weeks into the season before things shut down,” he said. “The players went right into the ‘bubble’ tournament down in Orlando, played the rest of the season after that under these really strict protocols. … I think that whole experience made guys want to get back to normal as soon as possible.”
This year’s season, which began in April, has seen breakthrough cases, as was expected, though teams haven’t had to cancel or postpone games due to an outbreak, Andris said.
The realities of the job — from frequent travel to close contact with other players while maskless — may have also helped spur vaccination, NHLPA head Fehr said.
“In normal workplaces, you can engage in a number of practices. You can work remotely. You can wear masks. You can socially distance at the office, etc., etc.,” he said. “You can’t do that on the ice.”
Athletes may have also embraced their standing as role models in getting the vaccine. The WNBA, which wrapped its postseason earlier this week, did a COVID-19 vaccine public service announcement with four players in April, partnered with the Black Women’s Health Imperative to support their vaccination efforts and, like other leagues, held community vaccination sites ahead of the 2021 season.
“We saw our role together with the WNBPA as providing players with the best possible information about the vaccine, and I’m proud of and commend the players for their leadership in getting the vaccine while also serving as role models,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement to ABC News.
Silver, the NBA commissioner, told reporters this week he would like to see all players vaccinated in part because they have an “outsized influence on the rest of the public.”
“I think it’s a public service of sorts,” he said, “particularly to young people who might not see the value of getting vaccinated.”
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Houston 9, Boston 1 (Houston leads series 3-2)
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Atlanta 9, LA Dodgers 2 (Atlanta leads series 3-1)
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Chicago 94, Detroit 88
Charlotte 123, Indiana 122
Washington 98, Toronto 83
Philadelphia 117, New Orleans 97
Memphis 132, Cleveland 121
Minnesota 124, Houston 106
New York 138 Boston 134 (2OT)
San Antonio 123, Orlando 97
Utah 107, Oklahoma City 86
Denver 110, Phoenix 98
Sacramento 124, Portland 121
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Philadelphia 6, Boston 3
St. Louis 3, Vegas 1
TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Appalachian St. 30, Coastal Carolina 27
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Chicago 4, Cincinnati 3
CF Montreal 1 Orlando City 1 (Tie)
New York City FC 1, Atlanta 1 (Tie)
New England 3, DC United 2
Miami 3, Toronto FC 0
Los Angeles FC 3, FC Dallas 2
Minnesota 3, Philadelphia 2
Columbus 1, Nashville 1 (Tie)
LA Galaxy 3, Houston 0
Seattle 1, Colorado 1 (Tie)
Vancouver 3, Portland 2
San Jose 4, Austin FC 0
(NEW YORK) — After several months of confidential negotiations, the NFL and attorneys for former players have reached an agreement that will end the controversial practice of race-norming in the league’s landmark concussion settlement program.
The deal, which was filed under seal but obtained by ABC News on Wednesday, also outlines a process for reevaluating past claims for compensation that may have been affected by race-based adjustments to cognitive test scores, which sources familiar with the matter say could result in hundreds of millions of dollars in additional payouts to former players and their families.
Following an ABC News investigation earlier this year, which uncovered emails and data suggesting that the league’s protocols made it more difficult for Black former players to qualify for compensation, the federal judge overseeing the program ordered the NFL and attorneys for former players into mediation to “address the concerns” about the use of race-norming.
The judge later granted a petition to intervene from attorneys for two Black former players, Kevin Henry and Najeh Davenport, who had filed a lawsuit challenging the terms of the original settlement.
Both the league and the class counsel for former players initially defended the practice but ultimately reversed course and sought to reform the program in the face of mounting public pressure and scrutiny.
Spokespersons for the NFL and the attorneys for former players have not responded to requests for comment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Houston 9 Boston 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final L.A. Dodgers 6 Atlanta 5
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Milwaukee 127 Brooklyn 104
Final Golden State 121 L.A. Lakers 114
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Buffalo 5 Vancouver 2
Final San Jose 5 Montreal 0
Final SO Dallas 2 Pittsburgh 1
Final Florida 4 Tampa Bay 1
Final Washington 6 Colorado 3
Final New Jersey 4 Seattle 2
Final Detroit 4 Columbus 1
Final Nashville 2 Los Angeles 1
Final N-Y Islanders 4 Chicago 1
Final OT Minnesota 6 Winnipeg 5
Final Edmonton 6 Anaheim 5
(NEW YORK) — Family members of a former NHL player who had cocaine and fentanyl in his system when he died are now speaking out to warn people about the risks of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.
Jimmy Hayes, a 31-year-old father of two who played seven seasons in the NHL, was found dead at his home near Boston on Aug. 23.
His death was ruled accidental.
“I hope getting Jimmy’s story out there can save someone’s life,” Hayes’ father, Kevin, told the Boston Globe. “If this can save someone from the pain, great. It’s just so sad. I pride myself on being pretty mentally strong. I’m a street guy. But there’s just no formula for this. You have a beautiful, all-American boy who made a terrible mistake and it cost him his life.”
Hayes’ wife, Kristen, told the Boston Globe she was “completely shocked” that her husband’s death was drug-related, telling the newspaper, “I was so certain that it had nothing to do with drugs. I really thought it was a heart attack or anything that wasn’t that [drugs].”
Hayes was a Boston native who played over 300 games in the NHL for four different teams. His dad Kevin told the Boston Globe that Hayes came to him over a year ago and told him he was “hooked” on pain pills, and later sought treatment.
“So he gets help and everything was on the path to recovery, I thought,” said Kevin. “But this [expletive] is so powerful.”
Hayes is the latest well-known celebrity to die with fentanyl in his system.
The singer Prince fatally overdosed on fentanyl in 2016.
“The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams died in September of a drug overdose which included fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
In February, Dr. Laura Berman, a nationally known relationship and sex expert, shared a warning for parents when her 16-year-old son died after taking what she described as fentanyl-laced Xanax from a person he allegedly met on Snapchat.
What to know about the dangers of illicitly manufactured fentanyl
In the United States, illicitly manufactured fentanyl is the primary driver of the significant increases in drug overdose deaths in recent years. More than 93,000 people died of a drug overdose last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In September, the country’s top law enforcement officials announced the seizure of more than 1.8 million counterfeit pills during a coordinated series of law enforcement raids throughout the country since early August.
The pills are often made to resemble real prescription opioid medication like Oxycontin, Vicodin and Xanax or stimulants like Adderall, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Most are made in Mexico, with China supplying the chemicals.
“We cannot stress enough the danger of these counterfeit pills,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said at a Sept. 30 press conference. “We’re seeing these pills being illegally sold in every state in the United States. They are cheap, they are widely available, they can be purchased online and on social media — so through people’s phones, and they’re extremely dangerous.”
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is used frequently in medical settings. Developed for the pain management treatment of cancer patients, it is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the DEA.
“It is a very good and effective medicine at relieving pain in appropriate quantities managed by anesthesia,” said Dr. Kimberly Sue, medical director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition and an addiction specialist at Yale University. “What we’re seeing in the opioid overdose deaths in this country is related to fentanyl that is obtained outside of the context of medical prescriptions, usually on the street.”
In the case of an overdose death, fentanyl can cause a person to stop breathing, according to Sue.
Sue said that when people take medications that are not prescribed to them, they are playing “Russian roulette,” given the prevalence of illicitly manufactured fentanyl on the streets today.
“In the case of a pill that you buy off the street, people should assume there is fentanyl present even if it is labeled as some other medication,” she said. “I’ve taken care of many patients who think they’re buying an oxycodone or heroin and there’s nothing in it. It’s just fentanyl.”
Sue stressed that there are now resources like fentanyl test strips, which identify the presence of fentanyl in unregulated drugs, and naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, that can help save people’s lives.
“These are really tragic deaths because they are preventable,” said Sue. “I tell my patients, ‘You have to use all these strategies to try to stay alive and keep your friends alive.'”
If you or someone you love is in need of help, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit HERE to reach SAMHSA’s 24-hour helpline that offers free, confidential treatment referral and information about mental and/or substance use disorders, prevention and recovery.
ABC News’ Luke Barr, Quinn Owen and Alexander Mallin contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Atlanta 5, LA Dodgers 4 (Atlanta leads series 2-0)
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Ottawa 3, Dallas 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Jacksonville 23, Miami 20
Baltimore 34, L.A. Chargers 6
Cincinnati 34, Detroit 11
Green Bay 24, Chicago 14
Indianapolis 31, Houston 3
Kansas City 31, Washington 13
LA Rams 38, NY Giants 11
Minnesota 34, Carolina 28 (OT)
Arizona 37, Cleveland 14
Dallas 35, New England 29 (OT)
Las Vegas 34, Denver 24
Pittsburgh 23, Seattle 20 (OT)
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Chicago 80, Phoenix 74
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
New York 1, New York City FC 0
Vancouver 2, Sporting Kansas City 1
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
LA Dodgers 2, San Francisco 1 (LA wins 3-2)
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON
Atlanta 127, Miami 92
Brooklyn 107, Minnesota 101
Denver 113 Oklahoma City 107 (OT)
Sacramento 116, LA Lakers 112
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Buffalo 5, Montreal 1
Ottawa 3, Toronto 2
Columbus 8, Arizona 2
Florida 5, Pittsburgh 4 (OT)
Dallas 3, NY Rangers 2 (OT)
Carolina 6, NY Islanders 3
Tampa Bay 7, Detroit 6 (OT)
Final Seattle 4 Nashville 3
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 28, Philadelphia 22
