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Chicago Bears’ Kyler Gordon, left, tries to stop Green Bay Packers’ Chris Brooks during the first half Nov. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, file)

Brooks stays

with Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Running back Chris Brooks has agreed to a two-year, $4.85 million contract to stay with the Green Bay Packers, according to his agency.

One West Sports Group issued an X post Wednesday announcing Brooks’ deal.

Brooks was set to become a restricted free agent if he hadn’t agreed to a new contract.

Brooks, 26, rushed for 106 yards on 27 carries and caught 13 passes for 91 yards last season while working as one of the backups to Josh Jacobs. He ran for 183 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries with Green Bay in 2024 after playing nine games with the Miami Dolphins as a rookie in 2023.

The Dolphins had signed Brooks as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after he played for California (2018-21) and BYU (2022).

Lou Holtz

dies at 89

(AP) — Lou Holtz, the College Football Hall of Fame coach who led Notre Dame to a national championship and won 249 games over 33 seasons at six schools, has died. He was 89.

Notre Dame announced on Wednesday that Holtz died in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by his family. Spokeswoman Katy Lonergan said a cause of death was not provided by the family.

Holtz became the first and so far only coach to lead six different teams to bowl games during a career in which he compiled a record of 249-132-7. At Notre Dame, he went 100-30-2 in 11 seasons.

Rams, Chiefs

strike a deal

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Chiefs and the Rams have agreed on a trade to send star cornerback Trent McDuffie to Los Angeles in exchange for several draft picks, three people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade has not been finalized. Kansas City is expected to get the 29th overall pick in the upcoming draft, and the Rams will also send fifth-round and sixth-round picks this spring along with a third-round pick next year.

The deal would fill the Rams’ biggest roster need by adding an elite cornerback to their mediocre secondary.

Judge leads

WBC roster

(AP) — Aaron Judge will captain a loaded U.S. roster at the World Baseball Classic. The Americans are chasing their first title since 2017.

The tournament opens today at the Tokyo Dome, then moves into games in Houston, Miami, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. plans to lean on stronger pitching, with Logan Webb, Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Nolan McLean lined up to start.

Japan, led by Shohei Ohtani, enters as defending champion with Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting Friday. The Dominican Republic brings a star-heavy lineup. Australia debuts top amateur draft pick Travis Bazzana.

Stewart says

players unified

MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Breanna Stewart, who teamed with fellow WNBA star Kelsey Plum on a letter to the players’ association this week expressing concerns about the state of labor talks with the league, says she feels better about where things stand and is convinced players are still unified in what they want in the next collective bargaining agreement.

Stewart was part of a call with other members of the players’ executive committee on Tuesday night, hours after the letter that she and Plum wrote to WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson — one where they expressed “serious concerns about how (the union) is handling the current negotiations.”

Wrexham to

play in NY

WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — Wrexham will play Liverpool in a friendly match at Yankee Stadium as part of its East Coast tour this summer, and by that time the fast-rising Welsh club will know if it has reached the Premier League. Wrexham has earned an unprecedented three straight promotions and is playing in the second-tier Championship for the first time since the 1980s.

Its surge up the English soccer pyramid, documented in the Emmy-winning “Welcome to Wrexham” TV series, began in 2022 with promotion from the non-league fifth division.

Wrexham’s three-match tour, announced on Wednesday, begins July 25 against Leeds at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Liverpool game is July 29.