Digest

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Payton to earn $17m to $20m per year

The Denver Broncos are making Sean Payton one of the highest-paid coaches in NFL history with a contract worth somewhere between $17 million and $20 million per season, 9News and NBC Sports reported.

Payton was introduced by the Broncos on Monday.

NBC Sports put the price tag at $18 million per season on at least a five-year contract. Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reportedly was the highest-paid NFL coach at $15 million to $18 million per season.

Payton, 59, was seeking a deal worth $20 million to $25 million, according to Pro Football Talk.

The Broncos and New Orleans Saints agreed to compensation last week that cleared the path for Payton to be hired by the Broncos. Denver traded a first-round pick in 2023 — No 29 overall — and a second-round pick in 2024 for Payton and a third-round pick.

Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots becomes the third-highest paid coach with a reported $12.5 million per season. Seattle's Pete Carroll ($11M) and San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan ($9.5M) round out the top five, reportedly.

Brady not joining FOX until 2024

Tom Brady will take the 2023 football season off, delaying his debut as a FOX Sports analyst until the 2024 season, he said Monday.

Brady, 45, made that announcement on Colin Cowherd's show on FOX Sports Radio, "The Herd."

The quarterback, who said last week that he is retiring after 23 NFL seasons, signed a reported 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX before the 2022 season to become its lead analyst. There was no set start date other than post-retirement.

Brady said Monday that he appreciated FOX giving him time to adjust after the 2022 season, which was both professionally and personally trying for the seven-time Super Bowl champ.

Kevin Burkhardt and analyst Greg Olsen, who took over as the top broadcast team when Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left FOX, will call Super Bowl LVII on Sunday.

Brady said he'll be tuning in.

"I'll be 50 percent watching the game, and 50 percent listening to those two," Brady said.

BOXING

Joshua's comeback trail starts on April 1

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will launch his comeback with a fight against American boxer Jermaine Franklin in London on April 1.

Joshua hasn't fought since August, when he lost for a second straight time to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia. The British fighter had relinquished his WBA, WBO and IBF belts to the same opponent in September 2021.

"A New Dawn," Joshua wrote Monday in a tweet which contained a poster for the fight against Franklin taking place at the O2 Arena.

Joshua has a 24-3 record.

SOCCER

Barca's Busquets set to miss first United clash

Sergio Busquets is a doubt for Barcelona's Europa League clash with Manchester United after the Catalan club confirmed Monday he has sprained his ankle.

Reports in Spain say Busquets is poised to miss between two and three weeks after going off early in Barca's 3-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday at Camp Nou.

The Barcelona captain, 34, remains a key player for Xavi Hernandez and has made 27 appearances this season.

Busquets will miss Sunday's visit to face Villarreal in La Liga, and is not likely to return to face Manchester United at Camp Nou on February 16.

The second leg is at Old Trafford on Feb 23 and is a more realistic target for the veteran midfielder.

Marsch sacked by PL struggler Leeds

Jesse Marsch was sacked as Leeds manager on Monday after the American failed to halt the struggling club's slide towards the Premier League relegation zone.

Leeds' 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on Sunday left it just one place above the bottom three after seven league games without a win.

"Leeds United can confirm head coach Jesse Marsch has been relieved of his duties," the club said.

Leeds last won a match in the Premier League on November 5, a dismal run that prompted fans to call for Marsch to be sacked after the Forest defeat.

They got their wish just 24 hours later, with the 49-year-old relieved of his duties after only a year in charge at Elland Road.

"Jesse joined the club in February 2022 and was instrumental in keeping the club in the Premier League on the final day of last season," the statement said.

Agencies