GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Jordan Love will have to take the next step in his career as the Green Bay Packers' quarterback without his revered position coach, Tom Clements.

On the day when the Packers announced that Clements, 71, is retiring, head coach Matt LaFleur said the next part in Love's evolution as a quarterback is to assume a more vocal leadership role within the team.

"I think the next step is just to continue to evolve as a vocal leader," LaFleur said of Love during Tuesday's season wrap-up news conference.

Clements will go down as the only person to coach Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Love.

This is actually Clements' second or third retirement, depending on how he views it. He initially came to Green Bay as Mike McCarthy's quarterbacks coach in 2006 and left after the 2016 season. Clements was out of coaching for two years until the Arizona Cardinals hired him to work with Tyler Murray, who became Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019.

Clements also coached for the Saints, Chiefs, Steelers and Bills.

Clements told ESPN in 2023 that if he was retired after his first stint in Green Bay, then he was "retired, retired" after the 2020 season in Arizona. That was until Rodgers convinced him to come back to Green Bay in 2022 after Luke Getsy left to become the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator.

"Man, it's been a cool ride with him for the last three years," LaFleur said of Clements, a longtime star quarterback in the Canadian Football League following his college career at Notre Dame.

"Talk about Favre, Rodgers and then the development of Jordan Love. I mean, that's pretty cool. I know he's meant a lot to this organization -- his contributions -- and he will definitely be missed. I can't say enough great things about him. I really appreciate him."

The Packers have several in-house candidates to replace Clements, including assistant quarterbacks coach Connor Lewis and former NFL quarterback Sean Mannion, who joined the Packers' staff this past season as an offensive assistant. Getsy also spent the last portion of this season with the Packers as a consultant after he was fired as the Raiders' offensive coordinator.

Whoever coaches Love next season will be tasked, in part, with helping him take the next step in his career as a starter. LaFleur called Love "an ascending player that is going to get better and better and better" and believes his leadership role will continue to grow.

"I think that just kind of comes with the position naturally," LaFleur said. "I think he's taken steps to get there, but I think he can really demand a lot because the locker room respects him. And they respect him not only as a person but by the work he puts in. He's a grinder. He's one of the guys; I think that's one of his best qualities, is he is one of the guys.

"They all respect him, but I think, when things aren't quite right, I think he can voice that as well. When guys aren't quite doing what they're supposed to be doing, and he's one of the guys to talk to [them] about that. I just think it means more when it comes from your quarterback than it does from me or one of our other coaches."

After a strong finish to his first season as a starter in 2023 that resulted in a four-year, $220 million contract extension, Love missed two games because of a knee injury early in the season and also dealt with a groin injury at midseason. He threw 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in the regular season, but he went the last seven regular-season games without an interception until he had three of them in the playoff loss to the Eagles on Sunday.

The Packers finished an 11-win season on a three-game losing streak, including the playoffs, during which the offense sputtered.

"Do I think he can play better? Absolutely," LaFleur said. "Do I think I can help him out and be better? Absolutely. Do I think we can play better around him? Absolutely.

"I just think it's too much to put it on one person. I really do. I think collectively, we have to be better, and I expect better. We performed at a pretty high level a majority of the season and then took a dive. That's why it feels, I'd say, different than a year ago."

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles coach Nick Sirianni offered a strong defense of A.J. Brown on Tuesday, saying he was "definitely OK" with the star wide receiver reading a book on the sideline in-game, and pushed back on those who speculated what was behind Brown's actions.

Sirianni's comments came Tuesday during a radio appearance on 94.1 WIP after Brown stirred conversation by reading "Inner Excellence" by Jim Murphy on the bench during the Eagles' wild-card playoff win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

"Some guys pray in between, some guys mediate in between. A.J. reads in between. Whatever these guys need to do to put their mind in a place where they can play with great detail and great effort, I fully encourage them to do that," Sirianni said.

Brown had one catch on three targets in the game, leading to questions of whether he was acting out of frustration.

"We don't do any research, and we jump to a conclusion of, 'Oh he must be disgruntled.' That to me is lazy," Sirianni added. "Everyone needs to figure out why he's doing it before they jump to judgment on the man. Because the man, A.J. Brown is a great, great, great person. The man A.J. Brown is the best receiver -- and I'll say it without hesitation -- the best receiver that this city has ever seen ... It's hard for me to watch when people are getting on him without doing the proper research of who the man is and what he's doing in the first place."

Brown explained that he brings the book to every game and reads it because there are passages that bring him a sense of peace. And no, he wasn't reading it because he was discontented.

"I wasn't frustrated at all. I figured that's what y'all probably thought," Brown said Sunday. "Why do you always think I be frustrated? Dang. I like to read."

Brown went on social media to further explain why reading during games works for him. "I use it to refocus and lock in despite what may transpire in the game good or bad," he wrote on X. "People tend to create controversy when they don't know the truth."

All of the attention has been very good for book sales. "Inner Excellence" took the top spot on Amazon's trending list after previously being ranked 523,497th.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Michael Lewis, who was arrested on a felony charge for allegedly stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark, appeared in court Tuesday and immediately was rebuked by the judge for talking.

When he entered the courtroom at Marion County Superior Court, Lewis sat back in his chair and said "guilty as charged," and he interrupted the court's proceedings multiple times.

"You have a right to remain silent, and I expect you to exercise that on me," Judge Angela Davis said. When Lewis, 55, continued, she told him again to "stop talking."

Davis entered a not guilty plea on Lewis' behalf, stating that she wouldn't accept a guilty plea at an initial hearing. She assigned public defender Gavin Uitvlugt to Lewis's case.

Lewis was ordered held on $50,000 bail, and Davis ordered him to stay away from Indianapolis basketball arenas Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse -- where Clark and the Indiana Fever play their home games -- and to not have any contact with the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Lewis could face up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Lewis is listed in court documents as being a resident of Denton, Texas, but in court he said he lives in his vehicle, which he drove to Indianapolis. Lewis was arrested at an Indianapolis hotel after allegedly posting multiple explicit messages on social media and tagging Clark.

"I'm getting tickets. I'm sitting behind the bench," one message read.

"They said I was sending threatening texts..but the only though on my mind was....CAITLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN," another read.

Additional posts contained sexually violent material.

Prosecutors wrote in court documents that the posts "caused Caitlin Clark to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened" and that an implicit or explicit threat also was made "with the intent to place Caitlin Clark in reasonable fear of sexual battery."

"It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don't," Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said Monday. "In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.

"We commend Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and the Marion County Sheriff's Office for the swift and serious action that led to this weekend's arrest."

Lewis is due back in Marion County Superior Court on March 31 for a pretrial hearing.

In December, a 40-year-old man from Oregon pleaded guilty to stalking UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers and was given a one-year suspended sentence and three years' probation.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Kawhi Leonard is in no rush to break free of the minutes restriction he has been playing under since making his season debut recently.

"I'm taking my time," the LA Clippers superstar said. "I done that in the past and it led me on the bench, so I'm good where I'm at."

Leonard had six points on 3-for-9 shooting and five rebounds in 21 minutes of his third game, a 109-98 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night. He didn't play in the fourth quarter of a game in which the Clippers trailed by 13 early.

"Happy we got the win," he said. "Good team win."

The Clippers are 21-17 and sixth in the West.

"I'm just playing really and trying to do my job to help the team win," Leonard said.

Leonard has totaled 26 points and 10 rebounds in 61 minutes over the three games. The two-time NBA Finals MVP started the season late while needing time to rehabilitate and strengthen his surgically repaired right knee that ended his previous few seasons early.

"I feel good and as long as I'm feeling good on the court, I'm able to move quickly, get to my spots," he said. "That's all I'm looking for."

Leonard's teammates are working to slowly incorporate him into what they built over the early part of the season. They were 19-15 before he came back.

"He's just working his way into conditioning-wise, playing-wise, flow of the game, like all of the above," James Harden said. "He hadn't had a training camp, preseason, none of that, so for us it's just trying to make his job a lot easier."

The Clippers provided few and typically vague updates on Leonard's progress over the early part of the season, when he didn't speak to media.

"Kawhi is one of the best players in the league," center Ivica Zubac said. "When he gets his legs under him and rhythm, he's going to be really good."

Leonard didn't play at Denver last week after wildfires broke out in the Los Angeles area. He left the team to return to his family.

"Just trying to get the family in order, making sure that everybody is settled and safe," he said.

Asked if his house was OK, Leonard responded, "As we know everybody is not OK. You seen the houses burn down, so it's self-explanatory."

LOS ANGELES -- Knox and Kai Redick are two basketball-obsessed kids who had amassed a big collection of NBA jerseys, trading cards and autographs thanks to their dad's careers as a shooting guard, a podcaster and the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

JJ Redick's sons then lost their entire memorabilia collection in the catastrophic wildfires that burned down their family home and much of their neighborhood in Pacific Palisades last week.

After the Spurs beat Redick's Lakers on Monday night, San Antonio stars Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama sought out the Redick boys and presented them with their game jerseys.

Redick, who is close friends with Paul from their seasons as teammates on the LA Clippers, said the 12-time All-Star was aware that his sons lost their basketball memorabilia collection in the fire.

"When you've been in the league long enough, you have this big circle, and it's people you like, people you love and then it's your brothers -- and Chris is in that inner-inner circle of brothers," Redick said after the Lakers' 126-102 loss.

"He called me this afternoon and said, 'Whether you win or we win, Vic and I are going to go over and give the boys our jerseys.' ... I appreciate all the love, and I'm not surprised Chris did something like that."

The gesture put big grins on the faces of the two boys.

"I didn't know they were huge fans like this, but JJ is a person that I like and who was directly impacted by this," Wembanyama said. "So if I can make those kids' day, I'll do it."

Paul, who was Redick's teammate for four seasons with the Clippers, swelled with emotion when discussing his relationship with Redick and his family.

"You play a lot of years in this league and some guys are just teammates, but JJ is part of my family," Paul said. "So, him and his wife, those kids -- Knox and Kai ... I know a lot of people lost family members, homes, stuff like that. It hits different when the people are close to you.

"So me and JJ are ultimate competitors. As close as we are, we hate to lose, win, or whatnot. But I actually told him today that I wanted to do that for his boys. I know how big of basketball fans they are. It's a tough situation."

Redick said a few of his players had been under evacuation warnings in recent days, and one couldn't make it to work on time because of activity around his home. Redick and his family lost almost everything they owned in their rented home.

"I've been overwhelmed with the amount of support and love and generosity that people have shown to me and my family, and really all families that have been affected by this," he said.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler reiterated to team president Pat Riley in a face-to-face meeting last week that he wants to be traded, league sources told ESPN.

Butler told Riley that he will not sign a new deal in Miami and that he intends to use his $52 million player option for 2025-26 in the offseason only as a trade maneuver, sources said.

Butler's seven-game, team-issued suspension from the Heat -- for what was termed "detrimental conduct" -- ends Thursday, at which point Miami will be faced with finding a path forward for Butler, with options including a return to the roster or a trade. Heat officials will meet later this week to discuss the best route with Butler, who requested a trade earlier this month, league sources said.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and players such as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo have spoken in the past week about finding clarity and eliminating the distraction of Butler's circumstances during his absence.

The Heat, 20-18 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, have gone 3-2 so far on their current six-game road trip. They finish the trip Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, then host the Denver Nuggets on Friday in Miami.

"This is what we wanted, just to get back on the road, get away from all the chaos," Herro told reporters after Saturday night's win over the Portland Trail Blazers. "Rallying around each other, making it about the guys that are here now. We got enough."

The Heat suspended Butler on Jan. 3, saying in a statement, "Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers."

Spoelstra said the day after Butler's suspension that the team aimed to "quiet all the distractions."

The Heat have engaged with multiple teams on Butler trade scenarios and have received offers but have been hesitant to negotiate further, sources said. Riley has not shown an urgency in these talks, as the trade deadline looms Feb. 6, sources added.

ESPN reported on Christmas Day that Butler prefers a trade out of Miami, with the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets as desired destinations. One day later, Riley issued a statement that said, in part: "We will make it clear -- we are not trading Jimmy Butler."

In the midst of that, Butler was sidelined. After 13 days away from the team due to what was called an illness and reconditioning period, Butler had two low-impact games in his return. Butler scored nine points in 25 minutes in a Jan. 1 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and then nine points in 27 minutes in a blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers one night later. He took a total of 11 shots over those two games.

One issue that led to Butler's decision to request a trade, sources said, was an implication from team officials that he hadn't played his hardest in the Heat's victory over the Pelicans on New Year's Day. Butler had made clear to the Heat before his suspension that he planned to partake in team activities while his status is in limbo, sources said.

Butler is in the final year of a contract that pays him $49 million this season and has a player option for 2025-26. His suspension is slated to cost him $2.35 million, but the National Basketball Players Association filed a grievance, calling the suspension "excessive and inappropriate."

Butler, 35, is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting a career-best 55.2% from the field this season -- but his 10.5 field goal attempts per game is his fewest since 2013-14. In his career, Butler has been selected to five All-NBA teams, including three during his Heat tenure. His teams have made the playoffs in 12 of his 13 seasons, including the five previous campaigns with Miami, which he has led to two NBA Finals and one additional Eastern Conference finals.

Former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz died last week of an apparent drug overdose, according to a Phoenix police report obtained by the Baltimore Banner.

The police report said Matusz's mother found him in his home on Jan. 6 when she went to check on him. The report states that Matusz, who was 37, was on his back on a couch with a white substance in his mouth and aluminum foil, a lighter and a straw on the floor near his hand.

There were no apparent injuries, trauma or signs of foul play, according to the police report. But as part of the death investigation, Matusz's body was taken to the medical examiner in Maricopa County.

Matusz, the No. 4 pick in the 2008 MLB draft, spent almost his entire eight-year career with the Orioles. He pitched in 279 games for Baltimore, making 68 starts.

He eventually became a reliever and was most known for his success against Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who went 4-for-29 (.138) with 13 strikeouts in his career against Matusz.

Matusz pitched in the 2012 and 2014 postseason for the Orioles and was traded to the Atlanta Braves in May 2016 and released a week later.

He signed with the Chicago Cubs, where he pitched in the minors except for one three-inning major league start on July 31, 2016.

Matusz's pitching career ended in 2019.