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  • Kaytron Allen becomes Penn State’s career rushing leader as Nittany Lions pound Cornhuskers 37-10

    Kaytron Allen becomes Penn State’s career rushing leader as Nittany Lions pound Cornhuskers 37-10

    STATE COLLEGE — Kaytron Allen ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Penn State’s defense played its best game of the season to keep the Nittany Lions’ bowl hopes alive with a 37-10 win over Nebraska on Saturday night.

    Allen, who racked up 181 yards rushing in last week’s win against Michigan State, became Penn State’s career rushing leader with 3,954 yards, passing Evan Royster’s 3,932 set in 2010.

    The senior back plowed through and zipped around the Huskers all night. Allen passed Saquon Barkley on the school’s career rushing list in the first half before eclipsing Royster with a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.

    By then the Nittany Lions (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) had put the game out of reach, scoring on five-straight possessions while their defense stymied the Cornhuskers.

    Allen ripped off a 50-yard run around Nebraska’s left flank on the Nittany Lion’s opening drive to help setup a short touchdown toss from Ethan Grunkemeyer to tight end Andrew Rappleyea.

    Ryan Barker booted a 26-yard field goal, then Nicholas Singleton capped Penn State’s next two drives with 4- and 10-yard rushing touchdowns to make it 23-3 at halftime.

    Emmett Johnson had 19 carries for 103 yards and eight catches for 48 for yards for the Cornhuskers (7-4, 4-4), who have lost three of their last five.

    They didn’t give themselves much of chance in head coach and State College native Matt Rhule’s return to Beaver Stadium.

    Nebraska mustered just 140 yards in the first half, turned the ball over on downs twice and punted twice more. Penn State forced three more turnovers on downs in the second half.

    Kyle Cunanan kicked a 31-yard field goal in the second quarter, but the Cornhuskers didn’t find the end zone until quarterback TJ Lateef scrambled 11 yards through a broken play to cut Penn State’s lead to 30-10 with 0:55 left in the third.

    Allen scored on a 3-yard run to open the second half. He added a 13-yard rushing touchdown early in the fourth, which prompted bundled-up Penn State fans to chant “Terry, Terry, Terry!” as interim coach Terry Smith wiped tears from his eyes on the sideline.

    The takeaway

    Nebraska: The Huskers struggled to move the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and as a result, may have cost themselves a shot at a top-tier bowl game.

    Penn State: The Nittany Lions won back-to-back games for the first time under Smith, but will need to win a third to extend their season and avoid their first losing full-season record since 2004.

    Up next

    Nebraska: Hosts Iowa on Friday.

    Penn State: Visits Rutgers on Saturday.

  • Former Temple guard Hysier Miller bet on his team to lose multiple times, NCAA says

    Former Temple guard Hysier Miller bet on his team to lose multiple times, NCAA says

    INDIANAPOLIS — Former Temple guard Hysier Miller placed dozens of bets on Owls games, including some against his team, the NCAA announced Friday.

    The NCAA deemed Miller, a graduate of Neumann Goretti, permanently ineligible after finding he placed 42 parlay bets totaling $473 on Temple games during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Three of those bets were against his team, the NCAA said.

    Miller started every game for the Owls during those seasons. The NCAA found he used sportsbook accounts belonging to other people to bet.

    Reports: Temple’s connection to a probe into unusual gambling activity may be part of wider ring

    The NCAA’s enforcement staff interviewed Miller on Oct. 10, 2024, and he admitted to placing parlay bets on Temple games but did not remember placing any bets against his team, the NCAA said.

    Additionally, former Temple special assistant coach Camren Wynter and former graduate assistant Jaylen Bond were found to have violated NCAA rules by betting on professional and collegiate sports. The NCAA did not find any bets involving Temple by either Wynter or Bond. Both coaches received one-year, show-cause orders and a suspension of 10% of regular-season contests during their first year of employment.

    The NCAA did not find the three cases to be connected.

    Temple President John Fry and Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson released an announcement Friday, saying the NCAA found no evidence of point shaving or any wrongdoing by the university.

    This is the latest gambling infraction uncovered by the NCAA, which revoked the eligibility of six men’s college basketball players earlier this month as a result of three separate sports-betting cases that involved a power-conference school in Arizona State and allegations of players throwing games to lose by more points than the spread.

    How a Philly ‘betfluencer’ wound up at the center of an NBA gambling scandal

    That followed nearly three dozen people being arrested last month, including an NBA player and coach, for what federal law enforcement officials described as their involvement in various illicit gambling activities. Just this week, UFC President and CEO Dana White said he was in touch with the FBI regarding a match that involved unusual betting patterns.

    For its part, the NCAA said last month it was investigating at least 30 current or former players for gambling allegations. The NCAA also banned three college basketball players in September for betting on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State.

  • Philly’s Mo’ne Davis selected 10th overall by Los Angeles in first Women’s Pro Baseball League draft

    Philly’s Mo’ne Davis selected 10th overall by Los Angeles in first Women’s Pro Baseball League draft

    Pitcher and outfielder Kelsie Whitmore is returning to familiar surroundings after being selected by San Francisco with the first pick in the inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League draft on Thursday night.

    Mo’ne Davis, meantime, had to wait until the 10th pick before being selected by Los Angeles. The 24-year-old Davis, who’s from Philadelphia, competed at the 2014 Little League World Series at age 13 and became the first girl to win a game and pitch a shutout.

    Whitmore is from San Diego and made her professional debut in the Bay Area with a coed team, the Sonoma Stompers, in 2016. The 27-year-old has won two silver medals representing the United States at the Women’s Baseball World Cup and won gold at the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto.

    Mo’ne Davis will make her return to baseball in a tryout for a women’s pro league launching in 2026: ‘I’m just not done playing at all’

    “You ask a 6-year-old version of me about this opportunity happening right now, she would, one, probably not believe you, but, two, just be so, so, so, so excited for it,” said Whitmore, who in 2022 signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks, becoming the first woman to compete in pro baseball’s Atlantic League. She played for the Savannah Bananas this season.

    Whitmore was among 120 players selected in the six-round draft that also included teams representing New York and Boston.

    Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred opened the draft by congratulating the WPBL for its launch. The league is scheduled to begin play on Aug. 1.

    Each team made five picks per round, with the order of selection determined by a random draw. Teams will cut their 30-player rosters to 15 for the start of the season.

    Mo’ne Davis slides to third base during the first day of tryouts for the Women’s Professional Baseball League on Aug. 25.

    Japan’s Ayami Sato went No. 2 to Los Angeles. The 35-year-old right-hander is a five-time World Cup winner and the only player to earn three tournament MVP honors.

    New York selected U.S. infielder Kylee Lahners with the third pick. Boston chose South Korean catcher Hyeonah Kim at No. 4.

    The startup league had a four-day tryout camp in Washington this summer with more than 600 hopefuls on hand.

    The league is scheduled to play all of its games at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springville, Illinois. Teams will be based there over a seven-week season, split up into a four-week regular season, a week for all-star activities and a two-week playoff.

    The WPBL was co-founded by Justine Siegal, who became the first woman to coach for an MLB team with the Oakland Athletics in 2015. It will be the first pro baseball league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — immortalized in the film “A League of Their Own” — dissolved in 1954.

  • Tyrese Maxey scores career-high 54 points as Sixers outlast Bucks 123-114 in overtime

    Tyrese Maxey scores career-high 54 points as Sixers outlast Bucks 123-114 in overtime

    MILWAUKEE — Tyrese Maxey scored a career-high 54 points and tied the game by hitting two free throws with seven seconds left in the fourth quarter of the 76ers’ 123-114 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.

    Maxey’s previous career high was a 52-point performance in a 133-126, double-overtime victory over San Antonio on April 7, 2024. He also had nine assists and played over 46½ minutes.

    Maxey, who entered Thursday averaging a league-high 40.3 minutes, had played 39 minutes one night earlier in a 121-112 home loss to the Toronto Raptors.

    Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins scored 32 points to match a career high and also had a career-best 14 assists. The Bucks have lost four of their last five games.

    Neither team had its former league MVP available.

    Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, the MVP in 2019 and 2020, got hurt Monday at Cleveland and is expected to miss about two weeks. The Bucks labeled it a left groin strain Monday but have since specified that it’s a left adductor strain.

    Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who won the award in 2023, missed a sixth straight game due to an issue with his right knee.

    Sixers head coach Nick Nurse watches his team during the first half of their win against the Bucks.

    The Sixers (9-6) scored the first five points in overtime on a three-pointer from Justin Edwards — who scored just two points in regulation — and a basket from Maxey.

    Milwaukee (8-8) got the margin down to 113-112 on a driving layup from Rollins with 1 minute, 43 seconds remaining, but Quentin Grimes hit a three-pointer 20 seconds later and Philadelphia stayed ahead by at least two the rest of the way.

    Milwaukee trailed 94-87 midway through the fourth quarter but rallied to take the lead on Myles Turner’s three-pointer with 14.8 seconds remaining.

    The Sixers tied the game with seven seconds left when Maxey drove into the lane, drew a foul, and hit his free throws. Rollins missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

    Paul George added 21 points for Philadelphia. Bobby Portis had 19 and Kyle Kuzma 17 for Milwaukee.

    The Sixers return home Sunday to host the Miami Heat (1 p.m., NBCSP) at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

  • Sixers can’t overcome Raptors’ third quarter surge in 121-112 loss

    Sixers can’t overcome Raptors’ third quarter surge in 121-112 loss

    Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett each scored 22 points and the Toronto Raptors won their fifth straight game, surging in the third quarter to beat the 76ers 121-112 on Wednesday night.

    Jakob Poeltl scored 19 points, and Immanuel Quickley had 18 — hitting two three-pointers in the final two minutes — to help the Raptors (10-5) win for the ninth time in 10 games. Scottie Barnes added 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.

    Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers (8-6) with 24 points. VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes had 21 points each.

    Sixers say Kelly Oubre Jr. suffered sprained knee ligament and will be evaluated in two weeks

    The 76ers led 56-53 at halftime behind 15 points from Maxey. Toronto took the lead with an 18-7 run to start the third quarter, powered by seven points from Ingram. The Raptors outscored the Sixers 44-28 in the period.

    Toronto shot 2-for-15 from three-point range in the first half, then went 5 for 6 from deep in the third quarter. Toronto is 7-3 on the road and 9-2 against Eastern Conference teams.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid (right knee injury management) missed a fourth straight game and his ninth out of 14 this season. Paul George, who made his season debut Monday, was held out as part of management of his left knee injury. The Sixers announced before the game that Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss at least two weeks with a sprained LCL in his left knee.

    Sixers’ Dominick Barlow (left) is defended by Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes during the first half of Wednesday’s game.

    Raptors rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles missed the game because of right knee soreness.

    Up next

    The Sixers will make the trip to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday (8 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Netflix gets Phillies’ Field of Dreams game as part of new MLB media deal

    Netflix gets Phillies’ Field of Dreams game as part of new MLB media deal

    ESPN and Major League Baseball appeared headed for an ugly separation after the network opted out of its rights deal in February.

    Nine months later, it appears to be the best thing to happen to both parties.

    ESPN has a reworked deal that includes out-of-market streaming rights while NBC and Netflix will televise games as part of a new three-year media rights agreement announced Wednesday by MLB.

    Three Nick Castellanos trades that show how little the Phillies should expect in return

    Commissioner Rob Manfred also was able to maximize rights for the Home Run Derby and wild-card series.

    NBC/Peacock will become the new home of Sunday Night Baseball and the wild-card round while Netflix will have the Home Run Derby and two additional games.

    Netflix will have MLB at Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 13 when the Phillies face the Minnesota Twins. It will be the first time the game has been played in Dyersville since 2022.

    Netflix also has the first game of the season on March 25 when the New York Yankees visit the San Francisco Giants. It also has the Home Run Derby and will stream an MLB special event game each year.

    The three deals will average nearly $800 million per year. ESPN will still pay $550 million while the NBC deal is worth $200 million and Netflix $50 million.

    How ESPN benefits

    ESPN, which has carried baseball since 1990, loses postseason games and the Home Run Derby but gains something more valuable for its bottom line by becoming the rights holder for MLB.TV, which will be available on the ESPN app.

    ESPN also gets the in-market streaming rights for the six teams whose games are produced by MLB — San Diego, Colorado, Arizona, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Seattle.

    Even though ESPN no longer has Sunday Night Baseball, it will have 30 games, primarily on weeknights and in the summer months.

    Baseball is the second league that has its out-of-market digital package available in the U.S. on ESPN’s platform. The NHL moved its package to ESPN in 2021.

    Welcome back, NBC

    NBC, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, has a long history with baseball, albeit not much recently. The network carried games from 1939 through 1989. It was part of the short-lived Baseball Network with ABC in 1994 and ’95 and then aired playoff games from 1996 through 2000.

    Its first game will be on March 26 when the defending two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks.

    The 25 Sunday night games will air mostly on NBC with the rest on the new NBC Sports Network. All will stream on Peacock.

    Bryce Harper, Phillie for life? Scott Boras insists the star and the team are still on the same page

    The first Sunday Night Baseball game on NBC will be April 12 with the next one in May after the NBA playoffs.

    The addition of baseball games gives NBC a year-around night of sports on Sundays. It has had NFL games on Sunday night since 2006 and will debut an NBA Sunday night slate in February.

    NBC will also have a prime-time game on Labor Day night.

    The Sunday early-afternoon games also return to Peacock, which had them in 2022 and ’23. The early-afternoon games will lead into a studio whip-around show before the Sunday night game.

    NBC/Peacock will also do the Major League Futures game during All-Star week and coverage of the first round of the MLB amateur draft.

    Don’t forget the others

    The negotiations around the other deals were complicated due to the fact that MLB was also trying not to slight two of its other rights holders. MLB receives an average of $729 million from Fox and $470 million from Turner Sports per year under deals that expire after the 2028 season.

    Fox’s Saturday nights have been mainly sports the past couple of years with a mix of baseball, college football, college basketball, and motorsports.

    Apple TV has had Friday Night Baseball since 2022.

    The deals also set up Manfred for future negotiations. He would like to see MLB take a more national approach to its rights instead of a large percentage of its games being on regional sports networks.

  • Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers rally for 110-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers

    Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers rally for 110-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers

    Tyrese Maxey scored 39 points, Paul George had nine points and seven rebounds in his season debut, and the 76ers rallied for a 110-108 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

    Quentin Grimes added 19 points and Andre Drummond had 14 points and 18 rebounds while filling in for Joel Embiid.

    James Harden scored 28 points for the Clippers, who have lost eight of nine. Harden became the 11th player to eclipse 28,000 career points with a first-quarter layup.

    Derrick Jones Jr. sat out after injuring his knee in Sunday’s 121-118 loss at Boston. The Clippers also were without Kawhi Leonard (ankle/foot sprain) for the seventh straight game.

    Embiid (right knee injury management) sat out for the third straight game and eighth of 13 this season.

    Los Angeles controlled the first 3½ quarters and led 91-81 with 8 minutes, 44 seconds left on Ivica Zubac’s 10-footer. But the Sixers used a 14-3 run over the next 2:49, capped by Maxey’s layup, to go in front 95-94. It was close from that point.

    Drummond made two free throws to put the 76ers ahead 110-106 with 1:08 left. Kobe Sanders made a pair of free throws with 13.8 seconds left to pull the Clippers within two before officials whistled Kris Dunn for a foul on Maxey. But that was overturned to a steal by Dunn after a challenge by the Clippers, giving L.A. a chance to tie or win.

    Harden misfired on two three-point attempts in the final seconds.

    In addition to Embiid, the Sixers were missing Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain) and Adem Bona (right ankle sprain).

    George sat out the first 12 games while recovering from offseason left knee surgery. The nine-time All-Star played 21 minutes.

    Up next

    The Sixers will host the Toronto Raptors at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Vikings’ Carson Wentz to IR with shoulder injury that requires season-ending surgery, source says

    Vikings’ Carson Wentz to IR with shoulder injury that requires season-ending surgery, source says

    MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings placed quarterback Carson Wentz on injured reserve on Monday after he gutted out a shoulder injury during the last 2½ games of his five-game fill-in for J.J. McCarthy.

    The former Eagles quarterback will have season-ending surgery on his left, nonthrowing shoulder, according to a person with knowledge of the plans who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Vikings had not yet announced those details.

    McCarthy, who suffered a high sprain of his right ankle during the second game of the season, was already on track to return to action this week when the struggling Vikings (3-4) play at division rival Detroit.

    Wentz, who signed with the team he grew up rooting for in neighboring North Dakota the week before the regular season began, went from veteran backup to starter after McCarthy went down. The Vikings went 2-3 with Wentz, including a 37-10 blowout by the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday. He was first hurt in the first half on Oct. 5 in London against the Cleveland Browns.

    Wentz was under heavy pressure that night, with starting tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill and original starting center Ryan Kelly all sidelined by injury, and he took several hard hits that had him wincing. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he was told by the medical staff that Wentz wasn’t risking further damage by staying in the game, so he decided not to expose undrafted rookie backup Max Brosmer to the pass rush behind a patchwork offensive line and kept Wentz in until the final drive.

    The Eagles beat the Wentz-led Vikings 28-22 on Oct. 19. He completed 26 of 42 passes for 313 yards and two interceptions against his former team.

    Wentz, who was the second pick in the 2016 NFL draft by the Eagles, extended his league record by making Minnesota the sixth team he has made at least one start for over the last six seasons.

    The Vikings used the open roster spot to claim former Green Bay Packers tight end Ben Sims off waivers. Tight end Josh Oliver was forced out of the last game with a foot injury.

  • FIFA opens second phase of World Cup ticket sales

    FIFA opens second phase of World Cup ticket sales

    FIFA began the process of selling another 1 million tickets for next year’s World Cup on Monday, with the opening of a new ticket draw marking the start of the tournament’s second phase of sales.

    The World Cup will take place this summer in 16 cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, including in Philadelphia, where six matches will be played at Lincoln Financial Field.

    This draw, which runs through 11 a.m. Friday, includes a domestic exclusivity time slot for residents of the three host countries. Fans from those countries, whose entries are selected out of this draw, will have the opportunity to buy single-match tickets for games taking place inside their home nation.

    The phase is open to all fans, regardless of which country they live.

    “We already have seen massive interest from around the world for this tournament, and especially from within the host countries as Canada, Mexico and the United States prepare to host the biggest FIFA World Cup yet,” said Heimo Schirgi, the tournament’s chief operating officer. “This second phase, with its host country domestic exclusivity time slot, will allow us to say ‘thank you’ to these local fans, while ensuring global opportunity as well.”

    The U.S. launches a continent-wide bid for the 2031 women’s World Cup, and Philadelphia wants in

    Those fans from the U.S, Canada and Mexico who enter the draw before it closes Friday have a chance to receive, through what FIFA says is a randomized process, a time slot during which they can buy tickets starting on Nov. 12. Those slots will be issued through Nov. 15. Fans who win those chances will receive word at least 48 hours before their time slot opens.

    Residents of the three host countries — the U.S., Canada and Mexico, in that order — purchased more tickets than those from any other nation in the initial phase of ticketing. England, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Argentina and France, in that order, rounded out the top 10.

    Once the domestic exclusivity time slot ends, more fans will be eligible to obtain a purchasing slot starting on Nov. 17. Additional tickets will be made available in subsequent phases, FIFA said.

    FIFA announced earlier this month that more than 1 million tickets have already been sold for next year’s World Cup, with people from 212 countries and territories having already purchased. So far, 28 of the 48 spots for teams in the field have been filled.

    The start of ticket sales doesn’t take away from how there are unique questions for consumers heading into the tournament, particularly about how they’ll get visas, if necessary, to visit the U.S. as the country cracks down on immigration. An international friendly match between defending World Cup champion Argentina — featuring Lionel Messi — and Puerto Rico was moved from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., because of lagging ticket sales that some believe were in response to the immigration crackdown.

    Based on the listed stadium attendance figures, there are roughly 7.1 million seats to fill for the 104 matches for the tournament around 16 North American venues. It is unknown how many of those seats will be available for sale to the public.

    Ticket data has shown that the lowest-priced seats — set at $60 — were available for at least 40 matches. Almost all seats for the vast majority of matches were set at a much higher price. The opening match for the U.S., to be played at Inglewood, Calif., had prices ranging from $560 to $2,735 when sales opened. On the resale site, at least one ticket for that opening U.S. match on June 12 was listed for more than $60,000 earlier this month.

    Fans with the option to purchase could choose seats in one of four categories; Category 1 is what FIFA officials call the best seats, Category 4 is somewhere around the tops of stadiums. Ticket costs are expected to fluctuate as soccer’s biggest event utilizes dynamic pricing for the first time.

  • Former Jets center Nick Mangold dies of kidney disease at age 41

    Former Jets center Nick Mangold dies of kidney disease at age 41

    Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold, one of the franchise’s most popular and decorated players, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 41.

    The Jets said in a statement on social media that Mangold died Saturday night from complications of kidney disease.

    His death comes less than two weeks after the two-time All-Pro selection announced on social media that he had kidney disease and needed a transplant. He said he didn’t have any relatives who were able to donate, so he went public with the request for a donor with type O blood.

    “I always knew this day would come, but I thought I would have had more time,” he wrote in a message directed to the Jets and Ohio State communities.

    “While this has been a tough stretch, I’m staying positive and focused on the path ahead. I’m looking forward to better days and getting back to full strength soon. I’ll see you all at MetLife Stadium & The Shoe very soon.”

    New York Jets center Nick Mangold lines up against the New England Patriots on Dec. 27, 2015.

    Mangold said he was diagnosed with a genetic defect in 2006 that led to chronic kidney disease. He was on dialysis while waiting for a transplant.

    “Nick was more than a legendary center,” Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “He was the heartbeat of our offensive line for a decade and a beloved teammate whose leadership and toughness defined an era of Jets football. Off the field, Nick’s wit, warmth, and unwavering loyalty made him a cherished member of our extended Jets family.”

    Mangold was a first-round draft pick of the Jets in 2006 out of Ohio State and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times. He was enshrined in the Jets’ ring of honor in 2022.

    He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and their four children Matthew, Eloise, Thomas and Charlotte.

    Mangold was the anchor of New York’s offensive line his entire playing career, with all 11 seasons spent with the Jets. He started every game during his first five seasons and missed only four games in his first 10 years before an ankle injury limited his final season, 2016, to eight games.

    He was released by the team in 2017 and didn’t play that season. The following year, he signed a one-day contract with the Jets to officially retire as a member of the team.

    “Absolutely gutted,” former wide receiver David Nelson, who played with Mangold for two seasons, wrote on X. “One of the best guys I’ve ever met — true legend on and off the field.”

    Mangold’s No. 74 jersey remained a popular one for fans to wear at games, even nine years after playing his final NFL game.

    His long, blond hair and bushy beard made him instantly recognizable and his gritty, outstanding play on the field made him a fan favorite. He was active with charitable events and often dressed as Santa Claus for the team’s holiday celebrations for children.

    “Nick was the embodiment of consistency, strength, and leadership,” Jets vice chairman Christopher Johnson said in a statement. “For over a decade, he anchored our offensive line with unmatched skill and determination, earning the respect of teammates, opponents and fans alike. His contributions on the field were extraordinary — but it was his character, humility, and humor off the field that made him unforgettable.”