Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun has agreed on a five-year, $185 million rookie extension, his agents Sean Kennedy and Jeff Schwartz of Excel Basketball told ESPN's Bobby Marks.

The contract includes a player option in the last year.

The deal comes ahead of a 6 p.m. ET deadline for rookie extensions. Sengun becomes the first player to sign a five-year rookie extension and have a player option since Luka Doncic and Trae Young.

Sengun, 22, blossomed into an All-Star candidate last season -- and earned a third-place finish in Most Improved Player voting -- by averaging 21.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5 assists per game for Houston before his season was cut short by an ankle injury.

He was one of just six players to average at least 21, 9 and 5 last season, with the others being Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Julius Randle.

Sengun was taken with the 16th pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder -- with a pick that originally belonged to the Boston Celtics as part of the deal that sent Kemba Walker to OKC in exchange for Al Horford -- before immediately being rerouted to the Rockets.

He joins Jalen Green, who also agreed to a three-year, $106 million deal on Monday, as members of the 2021 class the Rockets have secured long term.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.

LOS ANGELES -- More than 30 years after they became the first father-son duo to team up in MLB history, Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. will be in the building Tuesday to potentially see LeBron James and Bronny James play in the same game in the NBA.

"I'm actually going to go to the game and I'm going to take my dad," Griffey Jr. said of the Minnesota Timberwolves-Los Angeles Lakers regular-season opener as a guest on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM this week. "First father and son to play baseball, now first father and son to play basketball, so it's a big deal for my dad and I to be there. We made history, now we get to watch history."

The Griffeys were teammates on the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991 and famously hit back-to-back home runs on Sept. 14, 1990. Senior hit his first, and Junior completed the moment.

LeBron and Bronny played together once during the Lakers' six-game preseason schedule but did not link up for any assists in either combination.

Lakers coach JJ Redick, when asked Monday about the possibility of the father-son pair making history against Minnesota, would not confirm his rotation plans.

"Nothing's been finalized for anything yet," Redick said.

The coach previously said he planned to consult with the 39-year-old LeBron and 20-year-old Bronny to get their input on how they would like to execute the highly anticipated event.

Bronny expressed excited about the Griffeys' planned attendance, nonetheless.

"It's going to be insane," he said. "Only two families to do it, so it's going to be a crazy experience, especially with what they've done."

Goal-kicking might affect the decision, with Anscombe not adopting the role for his new club Gloucester.

Anscombe, 33, has not played for Wales since sustaining a serious groin injury before the World Cup victory against Georgia in October 2023.

"He [Anscombe] is not goal-kicking at the moment, so we need to see where he's at in terms of that and how much he's done," said Gatland.

"Gloucester have a couple of good goal-kickers. Gareth is a good goal-kicker but he had that problem with his groin for a long time which kept him out.

"It's just about seeing where Gareth is at this stage."

Thomas, 25, was impressive in the summer with Wales as a goal-kicker but is not the first-choice for Cardiff in this department.

"It is about making sure he gets a volume of kicks," said Gatland.

"I spoke to Matt Sherratt [Cardiff head coach] about how much he'd done.

"It's important he gets up to speed and those players will be working hard."

San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL draft, will miss at least two more weeks with a lower-body injury.

Sharks general manager Mike Grier provided the timeline update for the 18-year-old forward Monday. Celebrini has not played since tallying a goal and an assist in the Oct. 10 season opener against the St. Louis Blues.

Celebrini's goal just 7:01 into that game was the second-fastest in history by a No. 1 pick making his NHL debut, bested only by Mario Lemieux's tally 2:59 into his first game with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1984.

Celebrini claimed the 2023-24 Hobey Baker Award during his one-year stint at Boston University, where he helped the Terriers reach the NCAA Frozen Four and finished with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games.

The European soccer weekend has passed, but it's left us with a ton of things to talk about across the major leagues. In the Premier League, Liverpool edged past Chelsea in a game that honestly showed the best of both sides, while in LaLiga, Real Madrid got another gritty win despite still not looking like the juggernaut everyone expected when Kylian Mbappé joined in the summer.

Elsewhere: Barcelona welcomed back Gavi after a long injury layoff and thrashed Sevilla, Harry Kane scored a hat trick for Bayern Munich to snap his scoring drought, and Arsenal's latest red card nightmare may signal something gloomier about their status as title contenders. There were also talking points galore around Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, Manchester United and more.

It's Monday. Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments in the world of soccer.

Why Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca can both be happy after Liverpool's 2-1 win over Chelsea

It's not a surprise that Arne Slot is pleased. Liverpool won 2-1 to stay top of the table, one point ahead of Manchester City, who had beaten Wolves earlier in the day. His decision to initially rest Luis Díaz and Alexis Mac Allister, both of whom had played midweek internationals halfway around the world, was also vindicated. (Darwin Núñez was also benched at the start, but had to come on in the first half following Diogo Jota's injury.) Curtis Jones, who replaced Mac Allister, showed that he can more than hang in this midfield, while Cody Gakpo showed, again, he's a more than viable option out wide.

But what of Enzo Maresca? He said the performance was "very good" and "if there is a way to lose a game, then this is the way." Is he deluded?

I don't think so. Not so much for the underlying stats -- 58% possession at Anfield is nice, as is all that accurate passing, but it's only marginally relevant -- but for the way Chelsea held together and looked disciplined against a quality opponent. They looked like a team; in other games even when they've won, too often it felt it was about their star players doing star player-type things. In fact, their star player, Cole Palmer, was somewhat muted (by his standards, anyway).

And it really shouldn't have been this way, looking at the personnel. Reece James was making his first appearance of the season, Romeo Lavia and Tosin Adarabioyo their second league starts, Malo Gusto was forced to decamp to left back. And yet the system held, with Liverpool forced to defend for longer stretches than they would have liked.

This may have been Chelsea's best performance of the season, and it came without three projected regulars Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernández. The question is how you build on it, especially when you don't know what you're going to get in terms of serviceable minutes from James, Fofana and Lavia.

This is part of the challenge for Maresca, who is dealing with the fallout of the club's "project" that has left him with a young and gifted -- albeit poorly assorted and, in some roles, physically frail -- squad. He put it best in an interview with Sky Italia over the weekend: "I'm in charge of the sporting side, what I can control is the group of players I have and I know where I want to take them."

As for Slot, one thing that immediately jumps out is the huge range of options he has. Some coaches insist on working with a core group of 14 or 15 players. Others say they love having two guys for every position. Slot hasn't weighed in, but the reality is that Liverpool's potential second XI is as good (and as a experienced) as any in Europe. How's this: Caoimhín Kelleher -- Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas -- Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones -- Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo -- Darwin Nunez.

Slot didn't rotate much early on, presumably because he wanted to get the chemistry right. But now it feels as if he has options and flexibility, which matters on several fronts. First, it's obviously a big bonus in terms of navigating a long and fixture-congested season. Second, while some players are inevitably more important than others (Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk spring to mind), nobody feels indispensable to this side. And finally, while some are loath to discuss it, the size and depth of the squad give the club leverage when it comes to their trio of free agents: Salah, Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Both Slot and Maresca are new to their jobs. Both can be pleased with what they saw this weekend, but Slot, clearly, is well ahead, mainly because he landed at a more stable (and better run) club. My colleague Rob Palmer -- standing in for Julien Laurens on Monday's "Gab+Juls Show" -- put it best. I'm paraphrasing here, but in essence Slot is an interior decorator who moved some furniture around and changed some of the decor in a solid, well-built, already beautiful home; Maresca arrived on a building site and had to get to work with lumber, concrete and glass, building from scratch.

Despite win, all is not well at Real Madrid ... and not just because of Ancelotti's tactical tweaks

Carlo Ancelotti has talked all season along about finding "balance," and it's not hard to see why. For all the attacking riches in the shape of Kylian Mbappe, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, these are four players who all tend to gravitate to the left. Throw in the fact that work off the ball isn't always a priority -- especially for the first two -- and it's not hard to see how he'd be tempted to tinker with his formation.

Saturday, away to Celta, a 3-4-2-1 formation that meant Rodrygo was dropped, Bellingham was deployed on the right and Aurélien Tchouaméni operated as a third centre back. Real Madrid won 2-1, but don't let that fool you. One goal was a ridiculous individual effort from Mbappe, while the other came courtesy of a genius assist from substitute Luka Modric who, at 39 -- and officially Madrid's oldest-ever player -- can only be counted on so often. Celta won the xG battle (1.82 to 0.74) and Thibaut Courtois (him again ...) had to make two out-of-this-world saves: one from Williot Swedberg, one from Jonathan Bamba.

One poor performance isn't reason enough to shelve the "back three" experiment, but I'm not sure Madrid have the personnel in terms of sheer numbers to keep this up all year (unless they make moves in January and, remember, they still have to find a solution to Dani Carvajal's absence). That said, he has to try to something.

Ancelotti took it on the chin on Saturday, blaming himself for "not explaining the system well enough to the players." Maybe he'll have time to explain it better ahead of the Clasico this Saturday.

The other glaring takeaway is that while Mbappe (despite his well-chronicled off-the-pitch issues) seemed focused, hard-working and unselfish, Bellingham looked grumpy and off the pace. He has yet to find the right chemistry with his teammates up front, and strops like the one he threw after Vinícius did not find him at the far post in the first half don't help build team chemistry.

Rumors of Harry Kane's demise are greatly exaggerated, but don't let a big win over Stuttgart fool you

There's nothing better than a hat trick to silence the doubters, and Harry Kane did just that, hitting the net three times in Bayern's 4-0 win over Stuttgart. The goals ended a drought that lasted -- including his England appearance -- nearly 400 minutes, which is an eternity for a center-forward of his calibre considering the sort of service he usually gets. It's probably not a coincidence that the spell coincided with Bayern dropping points in three games and England not exactly ripping it up against Finland.

The big win against an overachiever-turned-pretender like Stuttgart is even better news than Kane's hat trick, obviously, but Vincent Kompany will want to treat this game as a learning opportunity. For much of the first half, Bayern were stifled and looked very uncomfortable. João Palhinha, who came on for the injured Aleksandar Pavlovic (he'll miss time with a broken collarbone) looked like a foreign object. The forwards were imprecise, the movement slack. It was only Kane's long-range wonder strike that broke the deadlock, well into the second half, before Bayern's greater individual quality made all the difference.

You can't just explain this away with the absence of Jamal Musiala, either. The worst thing Kompany could do at this stage is rest on his laurels.

Red cards loom large for Arsenal, at Bournemouth and in title challenge too

OK, Premier League referee boss Howard Webb fiddling on his phone with an old-school wired earpiece while William Saliba's challenge on Evanilson went to VAR was not a good look. Maybe put the phone away during the game, or don't sit in the stands if you're going to use it during crucial moments, but make no mistake about it. Given where the foul was committed and where the covering defenders were, that's a red card every day of the week -- and with good reason. It's precisely what we don't want to see: a foul denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Yet when stuff like this happens, you need to react. Arsenal weren't great -- they were missing Bukayo Saka in addition to Martin Odegaard -- but they still carved out two very good chances, which Mikel Merino (making his first start) and Gabriel Martinelli missed. Then again, they were also outwitted on Ryan Christie's set-piece routine -- maybe slow down on the whole "set-piece coach" genius thing for a while -- and gave away a needless penalty to win the game. Andoni Iraola is one of the most underrated coaches around, but Mikel Arteta is correct when he says: "We kicked ourselves in the foot." And he wasn't just talking about Saliba or Leandro Trossard's awful backpass that played him into trouble, either.

Saliba will now miss the Liverpool game, which is pretty much a six-pointer if you fancy yourself a title contender. More to the point, it's still October, and this is Arsenal's third red card of the season. Each has cost them points, and each was largely avoidable. (Arsenal are not a dirty side!) What's more, in the past decade, nobody has won the league while clocking more than three red cards.

Quick hits

10. Gavi returns as Barcelona romp to 5-1 win: You didn't have to be a "cule" to get that tiny bit emotional seeing Pedri trot to the sideline and give Gavi the armband as he made his first appearance in 11 months. We can fret about where he's going to play when he regains match sharpness, but wherever it is, it's going to be a huge addition. Even if he's sharing time, at least initially, with the current regulars, it's going to be a crucial boost in a season where load management and rotating are critical. On the pitch, Sevilla were blown with three first-half goals -- including two from Robert Lewandowski, who now has 14 in 12 games in all competitions -- and there was even time for the youngster Pablo Torre to come on and grab a couple. Barcelona are playing with total confidence and fluidity right now -- keyed by Raphinha, who is arguably playing the best football of his career -- though if you're going to nitpick, at some point they'll need to address the high defensive line. Sevilla could have punished them, and better teams with better forwards will, but that's a concern for another time.

9. Lessons learned for Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham: Like reading the game correctly and taking off your main creative threat in midfield (James Maddison) for someone less gifted, but more physical (Pape Sarr). It's not that Spurs didn't have much of the upper hand in a first half that finished 1-1; it's more the fact that they struggled to stop West Ham's transitions. Pape Sarr addressed that, and in this context, it was OK to sacrifice Maddison's quality because the likes of Heung Min Son and Dejan Kulusevski (again) were running rampant, as Spurs ran out 4-1 winners. It's not renouncing "Ange-ball" -- it's making it more effective by responding to what is actually happening on the pitch.

8. Fonseca's hard line pays dividends as 10-man Milan beat Udinese: Just about every coach talks the talk ("every member of the squad is equally important"), but not everyone walks the walk the way Fonseca does. He could have let the pre-break embarrassment of Milan's silliness against Fiorentina slide. Instead, he acted by dropping Rafael Leão, and he probably would have dropped Theo Hernández too if he wasn't suspended. Milan took the lead through Samuel Chukwueze, played more than an hour with 10 men after Tijani Reijnders' red card, and still saw out a 1-0 win over Udinese. In so doing, they showed the kind of unity, professionalism and grit that their fans have been crying out for all season. Some coaches are indeed as good as their word.

7. Ten Hag finds motivation wherever he can as Man United snap their winless streak: Ten Hag & Co. went into the break a goal down and furious at the referee for twice making Matthijs De Ligt come off the pitch to get patched up after he injured himself in a wild challenge. De Ligt's head and face were covered in blood, and the rules are pretty clear despite Ten Hag's insistence that "it was dry blood." The fact that he was off the pitch when Brentford went a goal up only infuriated him further, and he said the team "used it as fuel" for the second-half comeback that resulted in a 2-1 win. More than the "fuel" argument, I'd chalk it up to the fact that Marcus Rashford on the right can show off his perceptive passing, Alejandro Garnacho is a baller and Rasmus Hojlund is a cool finisher. That, and the fact that Brentford -- when they're missing this many players -- aren't good whereas United kept their belief until the end. Ten Hag can say his job isn't on the line ("fairy tales and lies"), but his state of mind speaks volumes.

6. Leverkusen's big, late break infuriates Eintracht, and rightly so: Sometimes, more than one thing can be true. How the referee did not award Eintracht a penalty after Hugo Ekitike was unbalanced (at a minimum) by Jonathan Tah in injury time is hard to understand. If you were Eintracht you'd be angry, seeing a potential draw at the defending champions slip through your fingers. But hopefully you'd be realistic, too. Bayer Leverkusen had nine shots on target (27 overall) and an xG of 4.21, while missing a penalty to boot, en route to a 2-1 win. In terms of performance, this game should not have come down to injury time.

5. Lautaro Martínez enters the history books for Inter: The 1-0 win away to Roma was a "grown-up" (read: unspectacular and results-focused) performance and Lautaro Martinez was the difference-maker, scoring the only goal. I'm not sure I'd go as far as Simone Inzaghi, who says he's a top five player in the world, but after a slow September, he's hitting his stride nicely and his goal makes him Inter's greatest-ever foreign goal scorer. Roma were poor and fearful, the rumblings among the fans don't help, and Inter took advantage without risking too much.

4. Paris Saint-Germain's youth project continues with Senny Mayulu: Maybe load management for veterans plus kids to eat minutes in Ligue 1 isn't an official Luis Enrique policy. But it's working, in no small part because PSG's homegrown kids are just that good. Warren Zaïre-Emery, Yoram Zague, Ibrahim Mbaye and now Senny Mayulu have all started in Ligue 1 this year ... and all are still teenagers. For that matter, so is Desiree Doue (who is not homegrown). PSG mixed it up against Strasbourg (with six plausible starters left out) and it was Mayulu who stole the show, opening the scoring en route to a 4-2 win.

3. Criticism of Juventus is wide of the mark at this stage in the season: No, Juventus did not exactly turn on the style in their 1-0 win over Lazio on Saturday. The build-up is too slow, and there's a lack of directness. That's not a reason to beat up Thiago Motta, though. Lazio going down to 10 men after 23 minutes didn't help, as their opponents went into lockdown mode. And without Nico Gonzalez, Federico Conceicao and Teun Koopmeiners, they won't have the same attacking oomph, which is understandable. Juve have yet to concede from open play, they're third in Serie A, they've won both their Champions League games, the new boss just arrived ... chill out.

2. Late Stones goal controversy overshadows other issues in Man City's win: It hurts to concede in the 95th minute, but the reality is that John Stones' winner in the 2-1 Manchester City win away to Wolves should have stood: Bernardo Silva was not offside when he was interfering with goalkeeper José Sá (there is no offside on corner kicks) and by the time he could be offside (when Stones headed the ball) he wasn't affecting play. That's pretty obvious. The three points are big for Pep Guardiola, but the game showed there's plenty to work on. For the fourth time in their last seven games, City went a goal down (and it could have been two down, if not for an Éderson miracle) and despite having over 75% possession, they looked sterile with the ball. Credit Wolves, who are much better than the table suggests, but there are things for Pep to work on.

1. Gilmour isn't Lobotka (not yet, anyway) as soft penalty at Empoli keeps lackluster Napoli top of Serie A: Those who only look at results won't care, but I assure you Antonio Conte does, which is why he said "anyone who has a headache can tell me and I'll play someone else." I'm not sure he was talking about anyone in particular (though Romelu Lukaku looked especially off the pace), but when Napoli play like this, he's right to be concerned. A lot of the criticism is directed at Billy Gilmour, handed the playmaking role in Stanislav Lobotka's absence. He wasn't great, but this was his first league start. Let's give him a bit of time, shall we?

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels did not suffer long-term damage to his ribs Sunday, and there's a chance he'll play next Sunday against the Chicago Bears, coach Dan Quinn said Monday.

Quinn called Daniels "week-to-week" with a rib injury that he incurred on his first play from scrimmage, a 46-yard run in which he was tackled from behind by two Carolina Panthers, causing him to fall awkwardly, in Washington's 40-7 victory.

Daniels left the game after the Commanders' first series and did not return.

"We're hopeful he can play," Quinn said, "but we'll also make sure to take every precautionary step and do it smartly for the player and the man."

Washington (5-2) hosts Chicago (4-2) this Sunday in a game that would pit the top two quarterbacks picked in the 2024 draft. The Bears selected Caleb Williams with the first pick; Washington chose Daniels at No. 2.

But that matchup could be put on hold depending on how Daniels fares during the week of practice, starting with the first session Wednesday. After Daniels was hurt Sunday, he threw a warmup pass on the field before Washington's ensuing series. However, he grimaced in pain and immediately headed to the sideline where he slammed his helmet to the ground in frustration.

He spent the second half of the game on the sideline and was seen smiling and engaged. If Daniels can't play, Marcus Mariota would start against the Bears. Mariota replaced Daniels Sunday and completed 18 of 23 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

Quinn said they'll closely monitor Daniels in practice, making sure he can do all they need him to do, from running to throwing.

"He's such a unique player that I want to make sure he can be him fully in his own way and the movements, throwing and all the stuff that would go with that," Quinn said. "I know he'll do everything he can, but I'll trust my eyes. We'll take it every step of the way.

"We're not going to miss one step of this. It's really important to get it right and we will."

Daniels ranks second in the NFL in QBR, trailing only the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen. Daniels has thrown for 1,410 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. He leads the NFL in completion percentage (75.6%). Daniels also has run for 372 yards and four scores.

Quinn said the injury would not alter their desire to call quarterback runs for Daniels, who fooled the Panthers defense on the 46-yard run and wasn't touched until nearly 40 yards downfield. Running back Austin Ekeler served as a lead blocker around the end. Daniels leads the NFL with 66 rushes, two more than the Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson.

"That's not the type of design run we would move away from," Quinn said. "From a design standpoint it was good; he just fell awkwardly. It was not a function of running [inside] and getting hit by a defensive tackle. It was a downfield run that in a lot of ways would've felt like a scramble if you just saw the second half of the play and not the first half."

Quinn also said Daniels already wore protective padding over his ribs and would not require more. Quinn said Daniels remained upbeat.

"He was doing great today, and he was the same way last night," Quinn said. "That's really how he's wired."

WNBA players have opted out of their current collective bargaining agreement and face the prospect of a work stoppage if they don't negotiate a new deal with the league by the end of the 2025 season.

The elected members of the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) announced Monday that players are seeking "a business model that reflects their true value, encompassing higher salaries, enhanced professional working conditions, expanded health benefits, and crucial investments needed for long-term growth."

Players had until Nov. 1 to opt out of the current deal, which was set to expire in 2027 and will still be in effect until Oct. 31, 2025. The two sides have a year to come to an agreement.

Citing higher television ratings, attendance figures and franchise values, the union said the time is right for renegotiating with the league and owners. The league also recently entered into a historic 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon Prime and NBC for $200 million a year.

"This is a defining moment, not just for the WNBA, but for all of us who believe in progress," WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm said in a statement. "The world has evolved since 2020, and we cannot afford to stand still. If we stay in the current agreement, we fall behind.

"Opting out isn't just about bigger paychecks -- it's about claiming our rightful share of the business we've built, improving working conditions, and securing a future where the success we create benefits today's players and the generations to come. We're not just asking for a CBA that reflects our value; we're demanding it, because we've earned it."

The WNBA moved to all charter travel for the first time this season and is expanding to 13 teams next season, with Golden State joining the league. In 2026, Toronto and Portland also will launch WNBA franchises.

"The players made the decision to opt out of the last CBA to realign the business and save the league from its own limitations," WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said. "Today, with a stronger foundation and new investments flowing in, they're opting out again -- this time to fully professionalize the league, secure proper wages, improve working conditions, and lock in meaningful benefits.

"As a union, we serve at the behest of the players, and for them, this is all about business -- their business."

Players are prepared to negotiate for as long as it takes, union sources told ESPN's Chiney Ogwumike, even if it means a work stoppage.

"With the historic 2024 WNBA season now in the books, we look forward to working together with the players and the WNBPA on a new CBA that is fair for all and lays the foundation for growth and success for years to come," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.

The union said it was hoping for a new economic model that transforms the current system, which imposes arbitrary and restrictive caps on the value and benefits of players. The players want an equity-based model that grows and evolves with the league's increased business success.

Other areas that the union would like to see improved include salaries, retirement benefits, and child care and family planning benefits.

"This isn't some sudden wake-up call. It's the culmination of what we've been driving for over the last several seasons," WNBPA first vice president Kelsey Plum said. "We've played a key role in the league's historic growth and now we're breaking free from the current system to demand full transparency and an equitable stake in the business we've helped build."

New York Liberty star and players union vice president Breanna Stewart characterized communication with league as good earlier this month.

Engelbert said at her state-of-the-league address before Game 1 of the Finals that she has engaged with union leadership through the year.

"I suspect that given the transformation of the league that we've been working so hard on, building this long-term economic model, we've already returned to the players through charter, through increasing playoff bonuses a couple years ago by over 50%," she said. "So we'll continue to do that, and when we get to the bargaining table we'll continue to talk about the issues that are most important to the players."

ESPN's Alexa Philippou and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Less than 24 hours after wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk injured his right knee against the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Francisco 49ers got the bad news they were expecting.

Aiyuk suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will require surgery and end his 2024 season after just seven games, a source confirmed to ESPN.

On Monday, further tests confirmed what Niners coach Kyle Shanahan was expecting on Sunday night. After a 28-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Shanahan said all signs pointed toward an ACL but a closer look was still needed and that the Niners were "praying" they were wrong. They weren't.

Aiyuk's injury happened with 48 seconds left in the second quarter. Quarterback Brock Purdy squeezed a pass to Aiyuk between Kansas City defensive backs Chamarri Conner and Trent McDuffie for a gain of 15 yards. As Conner and McDuffie converged on Aiyuk, his knee appeared to hyperextend.

Niners medical personnel immediately ran on the field to tend to Aiyuk, who stayed down for a couple of minutes before slowly limping to the sideline and the blue medical tent. He was soon taken to the locker room on a cart and a return to the game was ruled out to open the third quarter.

Aiyuk had two catches for 23 yards at the time of the injury in midst of a relatively slow start to the season. With his season over, Aiyuk will not be able to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight year. He had 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to a second team All-Pro nod last year.

The Niners signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million extension in August after an extended contract dispute. He finishes this season with 25 catches for 374 yards and no scores.

Aiyuk's ACL is the latest in an increasingly long list of injuries to key 49ers. Running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles tendinitis), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (torn Achilles), defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (torn triceps) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (torn ligaments in his wrist) are among the other important Niners to miss a significant amount of time.

"It sucks," center Jake Brendel said Sunday. "Any injury like that to one of your weapons on offense or defense, it just sucks. I feel like as a roster, we just have to respond. Whoever's next on the roster needs to step up and make sure that there isn't a setback and productivity on offense."

The news of the extent of Aiyuk's injury was first reported by Fox Sports.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler contributed to this report.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Fresh out of the injury tent and trying to hold a four-point lead over the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield lowered his shoulder and hurled himself into cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

It was the Bucs' franchise QB trying to set the tone as running back Bucky Irving took the handoff for a 31-yard gain. Mayfield would find tight end Cade Otton five plays later for an 8-yard touchdown.

On the play where he got hurt, Mayfield spun and ducked his way out of would-be sacks by cornerback Alontae Taylor, but he fell on his stomach after his foot was caught behind by defensive end Carl Granderson.

The NFL's touchdown leader through the first six weeks of the season may have gotten the wind knocked out of him on that play, but he bounced back just like Tampa has all season -- through injuries, losses and adversity.

Now, the Bucs (4-2) are set for a big test on "Monday Night Football" (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN/ESPN+) when they host the Baltimore Ravens (4-2), but thus far, their calling cards have been their multiplicity on offense with coordinator Liam Coen's constant motions and shifts, plus aggression on defense with coach Todd Bowles' elaborate blitz packages.

On a deeper level, their identity has been their "resiliency," according to Bowles.

While he joked Thursday about Mayfield sounding like Rocky Balboa after the QB was described as showing "tenacity" and "grit" as a scrambler, the notion was spot on. Mayfield averages 6.5 yards per carry when leaving the pocket, fifth most in the league among quarterbacks with 20 or more rushes coming into Week 7.

As a whole, Mayfield leads a group that has shown it's been pretty tough to rattle, and the team embodies the scrappiness of their QB and the heart of their coach.

Two major hurricanes affected the Tampa Bay region in a span of 14 days, with the second one forcing a teamwide evacuation that sent 300 members of the organization and their families with 30 pets to New Orleans. Receiver Mike Evans said the Bucs were playing for something "bigger," and, in a week where they had to practice at Tulane University, they were able to come away with a 51-27 win over the Saints.

"It was kind of weird," left tackle Tristan Wirfs said. "I mean we found out on like Sunday night or Monday, like, 'Yeah, we're leaving Tuesday.' We're like, 'What do you mean?' So just that quick turnaround, like, 'Pack your stuff up, pack your families up. We're going.'"

WHETHER OR NOT that evacuation set the tone for a chaotic second quarter is up for debate -- as some Bucs players say the Saints were provoking them -- it certainly didn't help their circumstances in a crucial game where falling to 0-2 in the NFC South would be less than ideal.

"I mean, it's sudden change. That's part of football, that's part of life," Bowles said. "Things are going to happen to you daily that you're going to have to make adjustments to, and you're going to have to keep your composure when you're doing them."

After jumping out to a 17-0 lead, things unraveled quickly. Mayfield threw three interceptions -- two were tipped -- and Rashid Shaheed returned a Jake Camarda punt 54 yards for a touchdown. The Bucs also racked up seven penalties in those 15 minutes, as chants of "Who dat! Who dat!" engulfed the Caesars Superdome as they headed to the locker room down 27-24.

"[Bowles] basically told us, 'Just keep your composure. They can't beat us,'" defensive back Tavierre Thomas said.

Mayfield added, "It comes down to guys being able to hit the reset button, knowing it's a tight game and saying, 'Hey, if we just do our job, we're going to be all right.' Having that mindset of 'one play at a time.'"

Bowles' demeanor resonated with his coaching staff and players, and he made technical adjustments to squeeze the pocket so quarterback Spencer Rattler could no longer escape on bootlegs.

They stopped dropping their outside linebackers into coverage. And they started running the ball more while continuing to rely on their screen game.

"I mean if you see our coach on the sideline, he's pretty much the same the whole game," Irving said. "It is always great to have a coach that stays calm and collected during them times."

Cornerback Zyon McCollum, who missed a tackle on KhaDarel Hodge's game-winning 45-yard touchdown in overtime against the Falcons in Week 5, notched a crucial interception in the fourth quarter. Bowles had supported McCollum after the Atlanta loss, saying he played it correctly, going for the ball despite missing the tackle. His uplifting cool carried over.

"It's everything," McCollum said of that support. "If I don't have my confidence, if I'm not playing confident, I'm a completely different player."

IT'S WITH THAT same steadiness and resilience that the Bucs have managed to pull off major wins against the Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles this season, despite not being at full strength for any one of those games.

Against Washington, they were forced to rely on backup safety/nickelback Christian Izien as an outside cornerback after McCollum, Bryce Hall and Josh Hayes all exited the game with injuries. The last time Izien played outside cornerback? His sophomore year of high school. He then spent the next four games subbing for All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot).

They were also without starting right tackle Luke Goedeke for four games after he suffered a concussion in Week 1, with Mayfield taking five sacks against the Lions but coming away with a 20-16 win. By that game's end, they were without defensive tackle Vita Vea, who suffered a sprained MCL, in addition to defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, their 2023 first-round draft pick, who had missed five games with a calf injury. They had to rely on backup Greg Gaines and practice squad callup C.J. Brewer.

They've gotten unexpected contributions from defensive lineman Logan Hall, who sacked Kirk Cousins twice in Week 5 and has three sacks this season after missing the opener with a foot injury.

Sean Tucker, their third-string running back whose career was stifled by a heart condition discovered at the NFL combine in 2023, had a career day against the Saints -- rushing for 136 yards and a touchdown and adding 56 receiving yards and another score in his first extended action with Rachaad White out because of a foot injury.

His counterpart, Irving, a 2024 fourth-round draft pick, currently leads the team with 328 rushing yards and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

"You've got to adjust. You have to adjust," Bowles said of injuries. "And guys make the team for a reason. You've got to know why they've made your team and put them in position to make plays. Everybody's dealing with that and everybody's adjusting differently. We like where we are right now."

Bowles' defense will be tested by the Ravens, who lead the league with 453.7 yards per game. Baltimore is the only team to score more touchdowns than the Bucs (20) on offense at 21, and Jackson has been the catalyst as he continues to make a case to repeat as the NFL's MVP.

"First, you've got to pray," pass game coordinator/inside linebackers coach Larry Foote said. "You've just got to pray. You've got to hope and you've got to wish. It's going to take a group effort -- even the [safeties]. Everybody is going to have to be responsible for him. At the end of the day, when he drops back and decides to run, it's going to be a challenge. When he does get tackled, it's a shoestring tackle -- that's when the prayers are going to be needed."

If the Bucs can escape with a win, they would be 5-2 heading into a rematch with the Falcons (4-3) in Week 8 and a chance for redemption with first place in the division on the line.

It was after the two-minute warning in Dallas, when the Baltimore Ravens needed one more first down to secure a 28-25 win over the Dallas Cowboys, that quarterback Lamar Jackson decided to work his magic.

Lining up in the pistol formation, Jackson gave such a convincing fake handoff to wide receiver Zay Flowers on a jet sweep to the left that blitzing Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson flew past Jackson to tackle Flowers. Dallas linebackers Marist Liufau and Eric Kendricks both overpursued wide to chase Flowers, leaving a lane open inside for Jackson to run for 10 yards and seal another victory against another perplexed NFC team.

"I was looking the wrong way a couple of times," Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged afterward.

The fake for the first!

Lamar Jackson seals the @Ravens win in Dallas.

: #BALvsDAL on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/TMyQhkVhz8

NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024

If Harbaugh, who has watched all 5,457 snaps of Jackson's career, still gets fooled, imagine what it's like for defenses who have never or have rarely faced him. When the Ravens play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), Jackson brings a flair for unpredictability and an aura of dominance over the NFC that has made NFL history.

Jackson's 22-1 record (.957) against the NFC is the best by any starting quarterback in interconference games since 1970 when the AFC and NFC were created, according to ESPN Research. Bob Griese, who quarterbacked the Miami Dolphins in the 1970s, has the second-best interconference record at 21-4 (.840).

Last year, he covered his ears with his hands when a reporter asked about his near-flawless mark against the NFC. He wanted to avoid the jinx at all costs.

But, earlier this week, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player offered an explanation for why he has held the upper hand on the NFC.

"It's probably because we see each other [every once in a while], so it's hard to game plan for us," Jackson said.

The level of difficulty is ratcheted up for NFC teams, who typically face him once every four years and are unfamiliar with his dual-threat ability. Defensive coordinators pour over hours of film trying to figure out ways to contain one of the few quarterbacks who is as much of a threat to throw a 30-yard pass as he is to run for the same yardage.

Teams use wide receivers and running backs as their scout team quarterback to try to mimic Jackson's speed in practice. In 2019, which was Jackson's first full season as NFL starting quarterback, the Pittsburgh Steelers flew in Taryn Christion, a former South Dakota State quarterback (and current ice fisherman), 874 miles from Sioux Falls to assume the role of Jackson for three practices.

But, until a defender steps on the field against Jackson, he doesn't truly understand the challenge of stopping him. He can beat teams in so many ways -- from designed runs to deceptive run-pass options to elusive scrambling to throwing from inside the pocket after a play-action fake.

"It's the shock factor of his ability when the ball's in his hands, whether he's throwing it or running it," said former All-Pro safety Eric Weddle, who was on the Los Angeles Rams team that lost to Jackson and the Ravens 45-6 in Week 12 of the 2019 season. "He's just so electric."

Since Jackson entered the league in 2018, he's the only quarterback to produce more than 30 completions of 25-plus yards and over 25 runs of 15-plus yards against the NFC. In the Week 2 win in Dallas, Jackson ran for 87 yards and a touchdown while going 12-of-15 passing for 182 yards. In a Week 6 victory against the Washington Commanders, he threw for 323 yards by keeping the defense off balance with play-action fakes and converted a third down in the third quarter with a 33-yard run.

The only NFC team to defeat Jackson was the New York Giants, who had an advantage that others did not. In that 24-20 win two years ago, New York's defensive coordinator was Don "Wink" Martindale, who went against Jackson every day from 2018 to 2021 when he was Ravens defensive coordinator.

What's the best advice Martindale can give to NFC teams who are about to go against Jackson?

"Good luck," he said.

IN A RAVENS' 31-24 victory against the Arizona Cardinals last season, Cardinals outside linebacker Cameron Thomas bull-rushed Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley backward into Jackson. It looked like it was going to be a sack before Jackson thought quick on his feet -- well technically, off it as well.

When a backpedaling Stanley accidentally placed his left foot into Jackson's left leg, Jackson lifted it up in the air and whipped a 5-yard touchdown pass on one leg to tight end Mark Andrews.

Lamar to Mark Andrews evens it up in AZ.

: #BALvsAZ on CBS
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Quwvdzpx7G pic.twitter.com/MBrddBbhT9

NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023

Jackson seemed to have an answer whenever the Cardinals tried to make him uncomfortable.

"When we took one thing away, they did another," Arizona linebacker Jordan Hicks said. "When we took that thing away, they did the other. It's part of the chess match."

One of the biggest adjustments for NFC teams is how Jackson keeps plays alive. Defenses are used to seeing quarterbacks get rid of the ball after they hit their third or fifth step in their dropbacks. With Jackson, this can be the start of another memorable highlight.

Whether he's lifting up a leg, sidestepping a pass rusher to buy more time in the pocket, or stiff-arming a defensive end while rolling to the sideline, Jackson's pass plays are longer than most quarterbacks', which puts pressure on defensive backs to stay with a wide receiver or tight end in coverage. Jackson's average time before a pass against the NFC is three seconds, the most all time by an AFC quarterback since Jackson's first season in 2018.

"It's backyard football," Weddle said. "Everything is so regimented at the NFL, and the ball comes out at this [average] time. Well, it goes out the window when you play these guys that can extend the play."

LAST CHRISTMAS, THE San Francisco 49ers had trouble getting Jackson to the ground unless they had extra help.

On Baltimore's second drive of the game, Jackson ran backward so quickly to avoid pressure that umpire Alex Moore lost his balance and fell to the ground. Jackson then tripped over Moore in the end zone and flipped the ball away, which resulted in intentional grounding and a safety.

Lamar Jackson was called for intentional grounding and a safety on this play #BALvsSF pic.twitter.com/zJdeGfFURu

ESPN (@espn) December 26, 2023

By the end of the Ravens' 33-19 win, the 49ers were the ones scratching their head over their game plan. When they watched Jackson's previous games, Jackson was sitting in the pocket and not looking to run. When the San Francisco pass rush collapsed around him, he flipped back into run mode by finding the open lanes to escape and throwing passes on the move.

"I think he adjusted how he played throughout the year on tape," 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said. "The way he could change the way he played was super impressive."

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has called Jackson a "two-play quarterback." When the original play call breaks down because of defensive pressure, Baltimore runs its scramble drill where Jackson moves around with some improvisation and looks to find a receiver downfield.

In that game against the 49ers, Jackson was 10-of-12 for 132 yards and a touchdown when pressured. That was the most completions and second-most passing yards when pressured in a game in his seven-year career.

"There's a calmness to him now," Martindale said. "When he scrambles, he still keeps his eyes down the field and makes some great throws. He's my favorite quarterback to watch."

IT WAS SHAPING up to be yet another win for Jackson in 2022, when the Ravens held a 20-17 lead at the Giants with three minutes left in the game. Then, Jackson suddenly stumbled at a time when he usually hits his stride.

On third-and-5, Jackson wasn't anticipating the shotgun snap, which sailed past him. After recovering the loose ball, he rolled out to his right to avoid pressure and threw a pass while on the run into double coverage. Jackson's interception set up the Giants' go-ahead touchdown.

Any hope of coming back vanished quickly, when Jackson was stripped from behind by edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux two plays after getting the ball back. It was an uncharacteristic two turnovers in 90 seconds for Jackson, whose perfect record against the NFC ended with a 24-20 loss to the Giants.

Martindale contends the Giants "got lucky." It was recently in Week 5 when he watched Jackson turn a fumbled snap into a jaw-dropping touchdown pass in Cincinnati.

"I think the biggest thing is your mindset going against him," Martindale said. "I was preparing [the Giants defenders] for 'Look, he's going to make plays. This guy is spectacular. Just go play the next down.'"

Jackson has since won 10 in a row against NFC opponents. He has completed 69.2% of his passes against the NFC, throwing 14 touchdowns and three interceptions.

With Jackson having another MVP-like season, the Ravens (4-2) have won four in a row and have placed themselves back among the top Super Bowl contenders. Jackson remains one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks, ranking eighth in passing yards per game (254.83) and 14th in rushing yards per game (67.17) through Week 6.

Even those close to Jackson don't really know how to beat him, which makes it an even tougher task for others.

"I know [playing Jackson has] got to be very difficult," Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. "How you stop him? ... I think that's still trying to be figured out. So I couldn't give a valid answer, but I know there's a lot of frustration."