FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Saturday that Cam Newton is the team's starting quarterback -- repeating what he had said in April when the team drafted Mac Jones in the first round -- but also left open the possibility that things could change if Newton struggles in training camp.

"We'll take a look at the whole situation," Belichick said. "I don't think you want to evaluate players at any position off one or two plays, or maybe a day. So from a consistency standpoint, that's always important. And obviously production. So hopefully those things will be good, and I'm sure it will be a hard decision.

"We'll see how it goes. Let them play, and [we'll] try to do what we feel like is best for the team based on their performance."

When asked if he has an ideal time frame for naming a starter to get ready for the regular season, Belichick seemed to reject the premise of the question.

"No," he answered. "I mean, Cam's our starting quarterback. I think I've said that."

In essence, Belichick seemed to be saying that as long as Newton doesn't have a notable drop-off, he'll be under center when the team hosts the Miami Dolphins in the regular-season opener Sept. 12. That relates to his remarks from the start of training camp when he said all players, including the quarterbacks, have a clean slate and have to earn their spot.

"That's right, everyone does start from scratch. That goes for a lot of other players as well that I'm sure in your mind, you think they are starters, and maybe they are starters and they probably will be starters, but they all have to reestablish their positions," he said Saturday. "That's across the board for the whole team. That doesn't just pertain to one person or position."

Through four training camp practices, Newton has taken all of the top repetitions, followed by Jones.

Newton said Friday that he views it as a competition.

"Ever since I've been here, there's been a quarterback competition," he said. "I think, in essence, that's the underlying Patriot Way. Every position has a competition there, and quarterback is no different."

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens signed outside linebacker Justin Houston to a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

This is a significant move for the Ravens, who added the best available pass-rusher to address the biggest hole on their team. Houston, 32, is a four-time Pro Bowl defender who has recorded at least eight sacks in each of the past four seasons.

Baltimore's pass rush was a major question mark after losing Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue in free agency. The Ravens drafted Odafe Oweh in the first round, but they didn't have anyone on their current roster who had more than four sacks in 2020. Baltimore has also had the fewest sacks in the NFL over the past two years when not blitzing (26).

Houston, 32, received offers from multiple teams but chose to sign with the Ravens because he believed they gave him the best chance to get his first Super Bowl ring, a source said. He visited Baltimore in April, but the sides couldn't agree on the right price until three months later. The Ravens, who were limited by cap space ($8.8 million), have a history of spending more on their secondary than pass-rushers.

The Ravens also showed interest in Houston in 2019 before he signed with the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. In 32 games with the Colts, Houston recorded 19 sacks, 30 quarterback hits, 21 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and three safeties.

Houston joins a Ravens outside linebacker group that includes Oweh, Tyus Bowser, Pernell McPhee, Jaylon Ferguson, Daelin Hayes, Chris Smith and Aaron Adeoye.

MIAMI -- With two new sluggers in place, the New York Yankees are ready to make their playoff drive.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo homered in his Yankees debut Friday night and All-Star outfielder Joey Gallo also suited up with New York for the first time in the opener of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins.

New York obtained Gallo and left-handed reliever Joely Rodríguez from the Texas Rangers for four minor league prospects Thursday. Rizzo's nine-year tenure with the Chicago Cubs ended after he was sent to the Yankees for two prospects.

Entering the weekend series at Miami, the Yankees were 8½ games behind AL East leader Boston and 3½ behind Oakland for the league's second wild card.

"I've been hearing for some time that it was a possibility, that New York was in play for me," Gallo said. "I grew up a huge Yankee fan. My family is from New York. It was pretty surreal they told me I was going to the Yankees. A great opportunity -- it's an amazing team to be a part of. I'm excited."

The addition of Gallo and Rizzo to a lineup that already features Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu and Gary Sánchez provides the Yankees left-handed power the club has lacked this season.

"Lot of heavy hitters," Rizzo said. "Lot of big boys with a lot of clout and walking into a new clubhouse for the first time in a long time is a good feeling. You come in here and you can't help but be excited and can't wait to get out there and play."

Gallo, 27, hit 145 homers in seven seasons with the Rangers and was tied for sixth in the majors with 25 this year. He also is praised for his work in right field.

Gallo started in right Friday night but is expected to play left field fairly regularly with New York.

"That's completely fine with me," Gallo said. "I'm cool with that."

For Rizzo, who had 243 homers in 11 major league seasons, joining the Yankees came with the difficult emotions of leaving the Cubs. Rizzo, 31, was a centerpiece that helped the Cubs end their 108-year World Series championship drought in 2016. Longtime teammates Kris Bryant and Javier Báez also were moved at the trade deadline Friday.

"It's crazy. It's been a lot of talk for years and for it to finally happen, you can't script it," Rizzo said. "We had good memories and friendships that are going to last forever.

"Did a lot of special things in front of a fan base that did not see a World Series in 108 years. Those moments will never be taken away."

With his trade to the Yankees, Gallo also will have a new look. Gone is the beard Gallo has sported for 10 years, in compliance with New York's facial hair policy.

"I literally had just gotten a haircut [the day of the trade], the beard trim, everything," Gallo said. "And three hours later, you're traded and you're going to New York. Ah man, I guess I have to shave. So I went home and had to do it on my own. That's one of the rules to play in New York. I don't mind doing it. I haven't seen my face in about 10 years."

Gallo will wear his customary uniform No. 13 with the Yankees, previously worn by Alex Rodríguez. Rizzo, who wore No. 44 with the Cubs, had no choice but to switch because the club has retired the number in honor of Reggie Jackson. Rizzo will wear No. 48.

"Kind of slim pickings around here, for the right reasons," Rizzo said.

At the trade deadline Friday, the Yankees also obtained left-hander Andrew Heaney from the Los Angeles Angels for minor league right-handers Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero. Los Angeles will send the Yankees $500,000 on Sept. 15, offsetting part of the $2,322,581 remaining in Heaney's $6.75 million salary.

An eight-year major league veteran, Heaney was 6-7 with a 5.27 ERA in 18 starts for the Angels this season.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery next week, sources told ESPN, after attempts to rehabilitate a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow left him still in pain.

While there remains a possibility that Dr. Keith Meister, who will examine Glasnow next week, will recommend against the procedure, the likelihood is that the ace of the Rays' pitching staff will miss the remainder of the 2021 season -- and perhaps all of 2022 as well.

When healthy, Glasnow, 27, has been a star for Tampa Bay. In 37 starts over the past three seasons, he is 16-4 with a 2.80 ERA and 290 strikeouts in 206 innings. Injuries have vexed him since 2019, however, and the hope is that the elbow procedure will allow him to reach his elite potential long term.

At 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, Glasnow cuts an imposing figure on the mound -- and his raw stuff is even scarier. His four-seam fastball averaged 97 mph this season and regularly touches 100 mph, and he added a hard slider this season to complement a dastardly curveball that he used as his strikeout pitch.

The diagnosis of the partial tear in Glasnow's UCL came soon after Major League Baseball said it planned to enforce its foreign-substance rule. Glasnow was critical of the on-the-fly implementation of the rule, saying his inability to use a grip agent forced him to hold the baseball differently, leading, he believed, to the injury.

Though some pitchers have continued to play with partially torn UCLs, the majority wind up undergoing Tommy John surgery, a procedure in which a surgeon takes a tendon from inside the body or from a cadaver to hold the elbow together. Over the course of the rehabilitation process, the tendon morphs into a ligament and stabilizes the elbow, which bears the brunt of strain and stress during pitching.

Pitchers typically take a minimum of 12 months to return from Tommy John, and the timing of Glasnow's leaves open the possibility that he could return to the Rays for the pennant race next season. If he does choose to avoid surgery at this point, Glasnow could continue rehabbing for the next few months and reassess over the winter. Going into the 2023 season healthy, however, is an imperative for Glasnow and the Rays. It will be the last season before he hits free agency.

Giant thrower was joined on podium by training partner Simon Pettersson after first field events final of the Tokyo Games

Daniel Ståhl lived up to the mantle of favourite as he took Olympic discus gold thanks to a 68.90m throw in Tokyo on Saturday (July 31). With Swedish team-mate Simon Pettersson earning silver, it was an historic result for the Scandinavian nation and their joy was clear. “We are Swedish vikings!” Ståhl roared on his victory lap.

It was the first Swedish one-two in an Olympic athletics event since the 10,000m race walk at the 1948 London Games when John Mikaelsson and Ingemar Johansson took gold and silver.

In the men’s discus itself, the only Olympic medal that Sweden had won prior to this year was bronze from Ricky Bruch in 1972. Ståhl, 28, also became the first Swedish male athlete to win Olympic gold at a Summer Games since sailing duo Max Salminen and Fredrik Loof in 2012.

The stats don’t end there, either. Ståhl struck Sweden’s first athletics gold at the Olympics since Athens in 2004 when the golden generation of Carolina Klüft, Stefan Holm and Christian Olsson took the heptathlon, high jump and triple jump titles.

During that period people were asking what the secrets of Swedish athletics were. Those successes petered away, however, but have now returned in force – in the men’s discus at any rate.

Ståhl has been world No.1 in recent seasons and was reigning world champion going into Tokyo. His second attempt was enough to take the title, with Pettersson earning silver with 67.39m and Lukas Weishaidinger winning bronze for Austria with 67.07m.

Kristjan Čeh, the Slovenian who many thought would be Ståhl’s toughest rival, had a big foul in the first round but he wound up fifth with a best of 66.37m.

“Amazing. I am very happy,” said Ståhl, who did not make the final in Rio five years ago. “There was a lot of hard work and fun on the way. I am extremely proud.”

Both Ståhl and Pettersson are coached by Vesteinn Hafsteinsson and they peaked to perfection in Japan.

On trying to prepare during a pandemic, Ståhl added: “Sweden had different rules in early 2020 and so we have been training as usual, but keeping distance. We have been lucky. We have been kicking ass.”

Defending champion leads Jamaican clean sweep of the medals and equals the second-fastest time in history

Elaine Thompson-Herah successfully defended her 100m Olympic title in astonishing fashion as she broke the Games record to win gold in Tokyo.

The woman who achieved the 100m and 200m sprint double in Rio five years ago clocked a remarkable 10.61 (-0.6) – equalling the second-fastest time in history – to see off the attentions of fellow Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.74) and Shericka Jackson (a PB of 10.76) as the top six finishers all shattered the 11-second barrier on Saturday night in Japan.

It is the third time Jamaica have competed a clean sweep of the podium positions in an Olympic event after also doing so in the women’s 100m in 2008 and men’s 200m in 2012.

Marie-Josée Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast was fourth in 10.91, followed by the Swiss duo of Ajla del Ponte (10.97) and Mujinga Kambundji (10.99).

Expectations had been high that Dina Asher-Smith would be firmly in contention too but the world 200m champion failed to qualify for the final following an injury-affected run in the semis. Instead it was Daryll Neita who became the first British sprinter to make the women’s Olympic 100m final since Jeanette Kwakye in 2008, and she came home in eighth in 11.12.

Neita had actually reacted quickest to the gun, with 2008 and 2012 champion Fraser-Pryce – who ran 10.63 at the Jamaican Olympic Trials earlier this year – faster than Thompson-Herah out of the blocks. However, as the field got fully into their stride and reached the halfway mark, it was the defending champion who began to take control.

She has been beset by injuries in recent years – admitting that an Achilles problem almost prevented her from competing in Tokyo – but the 29-year-old looked in supreme form as she established a gap on the field and blasted her way into the history books, breaking Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old Olympic mark.

Thompson-Herah screamed as she crossed the line and the enormity of what she’d done began to sink in.

“I knew I had it in me but obviously I’ve had my ups and downs with injuries. I’ve been keeping faith all this time. It is amazing,” she said of her performance, with her attention now switching to the 200m.

“I’ve been injured so much. I’m grateful I could get back on the track and get back out on the track this year to retain the title.

“I could have gone faster if I wasn’t pointing and celebrating early. But that shows there is more in store so hopefully one day I can unleash that time.

“I couldn’t find the words. I screamed so loud because I was so happy.”

Fraser-Pryce, however, found herself towards the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, despite becoming the first athlete to win four Olympic medals in the women’s 100m.

“Of course you are disappointed, you know,” said the 34-year-old world champion. “The aim of an athlete lining up, of course, is always to win but that didn’t happen tonight.

“But I am still very grateful to make the finals and to be able to stand at the podium at my fourth Olympic Games. Putting it in perspective, I am really grateful for the opportunity that I had tonight.

“I am really excited that female sprinting is going to another level, you know, and that is truly remarkable, it speaks to the depth that we have in terms of females.”

This had been an event which looked ready to match the pre-Olympic hype right from the word go, given how fast the heats – Ta Lou equalled the African record with 10.78 on day one – and semi-finals proved to be.

Fraser-Pryce had been quickest in reaching the final, winning her semi in 10.73 from Kambundji’s 10.96, while Thompson-Herah had clocked 10.76 in winning her race and Ta Lou and Jackson were both awarded 10.79 in the second contest. Prior to Tokyo, there had only been five times below 10.80 ever recorded at the Olympics.

The day had got off to a turbulent start as Asher-Smith failed to make the final, coming third with a time of 11.05 in the opening semi-final.

The British champion later revealed, however, that her below-par showing had been down to the hamstring tear she suffered in the process off winning the national title in Manchester last month and has opted to withdraw from the 200m. 

While there was despair for Asher-Smith, and her fellow Briton Asha Philip was also eliminated after coming eighth in the second semi with a time of 11.30, a run of 11.00 in the closing qualifier proved enough for Neita to progress.

While there had been delight at reaching the showpiece, however, Neita admitted to being less than happy with her finals performance.

“I’m so disappointed,” she said. “I’m not happy with that at all. That’s not what I came here to do.”

Spain ended a 21-year wait to reach the men's Olympic football semifinals as substitute Rafa Mir scored a hat trick to secure a 5-2 victory over Ivory Coast in extra-time on Saturday.

Winger Max Gradel appeared to have secured Ivory Coast's place in the final four when he made it 2-1 with an added time strike, only for Mir to score almost immediately at the other end and force extra-time.

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Ivory Coast's fate was sealed when defender Eric Bailly, who scored their opening goal inside 10 minutes, turned from hero to villain as he conceded a penalty with a bizarre handball inside the box.

Mikel Oyarzabal slotted the ball home from the spot in the 98th minute before Mir added two more goals past an exhausted Ivory Coast defence to put the result beyond doubt.

Victory ensures Spain return to the semifinals for the first time since claiming silver at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Spain, the last European team to win a men's football Olympic gold in 1992, will face Japan after they beat New Zealand in their quarterfinal.