FOOTBALL
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield plans to kneel during the national anthem this upcoming season to support protests of social injustice, police brutality and racism.
In answering a post from a fan on his Instagram account Saturday that pleaded with him not to kneel, Mayfield responded: “Pull your head out. I absolutely am.”
Mayfield has been outspoken about the need for more understanding and justice in the nation following the killing of George Floyd, a black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis.
On Friday, Houston Texans Coach Bill O’Brien said he would kneel with his players if they chose to do so during the anthem.
Earlier this week, while not going as far as O’Brien, new Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear he would back his players in any peaceful demonstrations.
SOCCER
GERMANY: Leon Goretzka scored in the 86th minute and Bayern Munich took another step closer to a record-extending eighth straight Bundesliga title by beating Borussia Monchengladbach, 2-1.
The win kept Bayern seven points ahead of Borussia Dortmund with three rounds to play. The Bavarian powerhouse can seal the title Tuesday with a win over Werder Bremen.
ITALY: Dries Mertens set a club record by scoring the decisive goal as Napoli advanced to the Italian Cup final by playing to a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan.
Mertens equalized before halftime by finishing off a splendid counterattack, and eclipsed Marek Hamsik as Napoli’s leading scorer with his 122nd goal in all competitions.
Napoli advanced 2-1 on aggregate, having won the first leg 1-0 in February.
ENGLAND: A Norwich player who was announced Saturday as testing positive for the coronavirus played in a practice game at Tottenham on Friday as teams prepare for the resumption of the Premier League this week.
The unidentified player was one of two new COVID-19 cases detected after 1,200 people were tested at the 20 clubs on Thursday and Friday. Players and club staff are being tested twice a week.
The Norwich player will not be available for his team’s restart game against Southampton on Friday. He has to self-isolate for seven days and then return a negative test before resuming training.
AUTO RACING
XFINITY: A late caution flag gave Harrison Burton new life, and he took advantage.
Burton used the inside line to grab the lead on the final lap as he won the Xfinity Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway – denying, among others, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Noah Gragson, who seemed to be in full command with seven laps remaining.
Burton, Gragson and Austin Cindric were three-wide going into the last lap, and it was Burton – the 19-year-old son of former Cup star Jeff Burton, who wound up in front in a wild finish.
Cindric was second and Gragson third, two spots ahead of Earnhardt, who made his third Xfinity Series appearance since retiring as a full-time Cup Series driver in 2017.
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