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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons provided the first major surprise of the NFL draft by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. of Washington with the No. 8 overall pick on Thursday night.

The Falcons extended their recent trend of selecting offensive skill players in the first round by drafting Penix one month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. Using a draft slot normally targeted for players expected to make an immediate impact, the Falcons chose Penix as the long-term successor to the 35-year-old Cousins.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said he never wavered when Penix was available.

“Kirk Cousins is our quarterback,” Fontenot said. “Michael Penix, we’re talking about the future. We’re very excited about that quarterback room.”

New coach Raheem Morris said the Falcons wanted to draft Penix this year because they don’t plan to draft as high as No. 8 again soon. It was a strong prediction for a franchise that hasn’t had a winning season or made the playoffs since 2017.

“We’re talking about winning the (NFC) South and doing some things and going to the playoffs,” Morris. said. “We don’t want to be picking that high anymore. We don’t want to be in that position. … That helped us make that decision.”

Morris said he would be thrilled if Penix is nothing more than an observer the next four years if that means Cousins is thriving as the starter.

“Nothing would make me feel better than watching Kirk Cousins play for four years,” Morris said.

Penix said he looks forward to learning from Cousins.

“I’m blessed with the opportunity,” Penix said. “I’m going to take advantage and make the most out of it. For me coming in behind Kirk Cousins, he’s a guy who has been in the league and … played a lot of football. I’m going to come in and I’m gong to learn, I’m going to learn from him and try to soak in all the knowledge I can.”

The Falcons had been expected to use the pick to boost their pass rush.

The Falcons also focused on offensive playmakers with their last three first-round picks. Tight end Kyle Pitts was the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, followed by wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson, each No. 8, the last two years.

Penix, who will be 24 as a rookie, led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third with 36 touchdown passes. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player.

Penix threw for 255 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as No. 2 Washington fell to top-ranked Michigan 34-13 in the College Football Playoff championship game.

Penix began his college career at Indiana, where he tore his right ACL in 2018 and 2020 and had shoulder injuries in both 2019 and 2021.

Penix said he had a good feeling after working out for Falcons officials, including Fontenot, at Washington.

“They were great,” Penix. said. “They liked how I threw the ball. I feel like I put on a great performance that day in that throwing session. It was kind of quick but we made it worthwhile.”

Still, Penix said he didn’t know if the Falcons’ interest was serious until the call came during the draft. He said he spoke with Fontenot, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.

“To be able to hear that phone call come through It was just a blessing,” Penix said. “They asked me was I ready to be a Falcon. I said absolutely.”

Fontenot said this week he would consider selecting a quarterback high in the draft even when most of the outside focus had been on edge rushers.

“If we see a player that we believe can be a franchise quarterback at any point, whether it’s this draft, next draft, whether it’s a player we can trade for, whatever it is, you have to bring that player in because we’re talking about the next four to five years plus when we’re talking about guys that we’re drafting,” Fontenot said.

The Falcons’ draft won’t by impacted by the NFL’s investigation of the team’s possible violation of tampering policies before signing Cousins, who appeared to indicate he had been in communication with team officials at a time the team would have been permitted to talk only with his agent.

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort played the riverboat gambler in his first draft last season, wheeling and dealing picks during the first round at a dizzying pace.

This time around, he didn’t need to get fancy.

The Cardinals selected receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, hoping the Ohio State star can be the team’s leading playmaker for quarterback Kyler Murray.

“Kyler’s awesome,” Harrison said. “You look at his record from high school and he’s always won, and that’s the kind of guy I want to play with. He’s just so dynamic of a quarterback and I just want to go in there and make his job easier.”

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Harrison has drawn comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald, who was arguably the greatest player in the team’s history after amassing more than 17,000 yards receiving over 17 seasons before retiring in 2020.

Harrison has an impressive bloodline. He’s the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, though considerably bigger than his dad, possessing a rare combination of size, speed and athleticism. He caught 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final season with the Buckeyes.

Harrison said having a dad who knew about the NFL made the draft process much easier.

“I love where my body is right now,” Harrison said. “I love where I’m at going into the season, going into mini-camp, going into training camp.”

Arizona was in a prime position to get one of the draft’s top non-quarterbacks. The teams with the top three picks all needed QBs, but the Cardinals are set at the position with Murray, who has a $230.5 million, five-year deal that could keep him in Arizona through 2028.

It was the first pick of a vital draft for the Cardinals, who have 10 more picks over the next three days, including the No. 27 overall selection later Thursday. Arizona’s had a 4-13 record in each of the past two seasons.

Ossenfort chose to use the No. 4 pick instead of trading down for potentially more selections.

It was a different strategy from his first season with the club when the Cardinals started with the No. 3 overall selection but made multiple trades on draft night before settling on the No. 6 pick, which was used to select offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr.

Johnson — who also played at Ohio State — started all 17 games at right tackle last season. Harrison said the two have texted back and forth over the past few months, excited about the possibility of playing together.

Harrison should also have an immediate impact, especially considering the Cardinals’ lack of elite receivers. Tight end Trey McBride had a breakout season in 2023 with 825 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Michael Wilson also had an encouraging rookie season with 565 yards receiving.

But the No. 1 receiver spot is up for grabs and the Cardinals certainly hope Harrison can seize it.

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Drake Maye had one word to describe how he felt after finding out he’d be beginning his NFL career with the Patriots.

“Stoked,” he said minutes after New England selected the North Carolina quarterback with the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s NFL draft.

If Maye was feeling the weight of being the quarterback to attempt to revive the six-time Super Bowl champions in the post-Bill Belichick era, he didn’t show it.

Maye becomes the second quarterback taken in the first round by New England since 2021 and will be its latest attempt to find a franchise quarterback following Tom Brady’s departure after the 2019 season. New England traded 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones to Jacksonville earlier this offseason.

“Tom Brady’s the G.O.A.T. It’s easy to say that,” Maye said. “I’m not going to be Tom Brady. I’m just going to try to be Drake Maye. From there I’m just trying to learn from him. and hopefully try to get to know him a little bit. Other than that, try to soak it up and be a sponge. And try to learn all I can from him. He’s the man in that town.”

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Maye checks many of the boxes the Patriots were looking for, with ideal arm strength and athleticism. He also will be coming into a situation in which the entire offence will be learning a fresh system under new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

The Patriots finished 4-13 and missed the playoffs for the second time in three years last season, leading team owner Robert Kraft to decide to part ways with Belichick after 24 seasons and hire his former assistant Jerod Mayo.

Maye’s selection served as the first big decision for director of scouting Eliot Wolf. In addition to coaching, Belichick had been the team’s de facto general manager with the final say in personnel decisions.

For now, Kraft has entrusted that power to Wolf, who will be serving as the lead voice in the Patriots’ draft room throughout the weekend.

Wolf said they have known for “weeks” that Washington would be taking Jayden Daniels No. 2 and their focus shifted to Maye.

Maye’s character stood out throughout the draft process,” Wolf said.

“He was one of the only quarterbacks in this draft that went up there after every loss and handled the media,” Wolf said. “He handled it with grace, with class. There were a lot of times where the reporters were trying to get him to throw somebody under the bus, and he wouldn’t do it. He’s a 21-year-old kid, but he’s very mature and understands what it means to be a leader.”

Mayo said that during Maye’s pre-draft visit to the Patriots’ team facility, one of the things they did was put together a video featuring some of his highlights and mistakes during his college career.

They were impressed how Maye was able to zero in on what he did wrong and explain what should have transpired to make the plays better.

Mayo said it’s also been made clear that Maye wouldn’t be walking into the building as the Day 1 starter.

“We’re not sitting here saying Drake is our starting quarterback. I think he understands that,” Mayo said. “He understands the things he needs to get better at.”

The Patriots have made moves this offseason to allow Maye to ease into a potential starting role.

Before trading Jones, they signed veteran Jacoby Brissett — who was originally drafted by New England in 2016 — to a one-year deal.

But the hope is that Maye will eventually help the Patriots turn the page on their recent misses at finding a quarterback.

New England brought in 2015 MVP Cam Newton in 2020, but he lasted only one season as the starter before the Patriots drafted Jones the following year.

Jones started strong, earning a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie and seemed like one of the finds of his class.

But he regressed in Year 2 under first-time offensive play-caller Matt Patricia. Jones then struggled again last season after Bill O’Brien returned as coordinator with the Patriots’ offense ranking in the bottom half of the league in multiple categories.

One of the people critiquing Maye on Thursday was Belichick, who was serving as an analyst on ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show” broadcast from the draft. Belichick said he felt the Patriots filled one of their biggest needs by selecting a quarterback. He also identified offensive tackle and receiver as other top needs.

“Drake compares himself a lot to Josh Allen. He’s been doing that for quite a while. We’ll see about that,” Belichick said.

He said Maye’s footwork in the pocket needs to improve.

“Good size, runs well, has good arm,” Belichick said. “Just he hasn’t played very much. He really doesn’t have a lot of experience and he makes some big plays.”

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ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Commanders selected Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

The decision to go with Daniels, the AP’s college football player of the year for his stellar season with LSU, was made after Chicago led off by taking Southern California QB Caleb Williams as expected. Washington went with Daniels over North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Michigan national champion J.J. McCarthy.

Daniels had for quite some time been the favourite to be chosen by the Commanders, though buzz over the past week put that in doubt after reports surfaced that he and his agent were not happy with the team hosting four QB prospects at once. Daniels, May, McCarthy and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. all visited the practice facility and area together, including a group trip to Topgolf.

“Everybody had a great time and it was very beneficial to see everybody in a more relaxed environment,” general manager Adam Peters said last week. “They all got a lot of time individually with their coaches, with us, where they were staggered coming in, too, so it wasn’t like they were sitting in a room together. They all had their own individual time with everybody, so, it worked out really well.”

Well enough to smooth over any issues and make Daniels the centrepiece of the Commanders’ rebuilding process and roster overhaul under Peters and an ownership group led by Josh Harris that has been in charge since August.

“I’m blessed to go wherever I’m called,” Daniels said Wednesday. “Whoever calls my phone, whoever gives the card to the Commissioner that says my name, I’m blessed to go and they’re gonna get my all.”

Short of Williams, a Washington-area native who would have been a no-brainer if the Bears passed on him for some reason, Daniels became the pick after leading the nation in total offence last season with 4,946 yards — 412.2 on average over 12 games. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound do-it-all threat ranked fifth with 3,812 yards passing and with 40 touchdowns trailed just Oregon’s Bo Nix, who played in two extra games. He ran for 10 more.

Daniels, 23, blossomed into a star over two seasons at LSU after transferring in 2022 following three years at Arizona State. He became an increasingly decisive pocket passer as his trust in receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. grew, and he became more adept at buying time by scrambling rather than giving up on plays and taking off running.

It’s unclear if Daniels will play right away, get the chance to compete for the starting job or sit and learn behind veteran Marcus Mariota, who is willing to be a mentor after signing a one-year deal in free agency. Whether it’s Daniels, Mariota or journeyman Jeff Driskel, Washington will have an eighth different Week 1 starting QB in as many seasons after trading Sam Howell to Seattle last month.

Drafted second by Washington 12 years after the organization took Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III out of Baylor in the same spot, the San Bernardino, California, native becomes the face of the Commanders under coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

“I’ve been familiar with Kliff,” Daniels said. “Obviously, his track record with mobile quarterbacks speaks for itself.”

Asked on ESPN after being drafted what the coaching staff can do to get the most from him, Daniels said: “Just believe in me. It’s going to be a grind. We’re going to work. I’m a hard worker, man, so I can’t wait.”

After addressing their most important need with their first selection, the Commanders have eight more in this draft, including five Friday night (Nos. 36 and 40 in the second round, and Nos. 67, 78 and 100 in the third). Peters did not rule out packaging some of those picks to trade back into the first round, a move that could fill a major void at left tackle or elsewhere.

More from Sportsnet

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NFL Draft: Top reaction for every Round 1 selection

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is in the books.

This year’s class is brimming with elite talent all over the field, but it was offence that ruled the draft stage Thursday night. Of the 32 players selected in the first round, a record 23 suit up on offence. Quarterbacks were the biggest story, with six selected within the first 12 picks — another NFL record.

While trade rumours ruled the lead-up to draft night, Thursday didn’t pack quite as much drama as was projected. But there were still plenty of moments that garnered big reactions around the league — including a few head-scratchers.

Here’s a recap of every selection of Round 1, and a roundup of the best reactions and insights online for all 32 picks.

1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): Caleb Williams, QB, USC

2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, UNC

4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

5. Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

6. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

7. Tennessee Titans: JC Latham, OT, Alabama

8. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

10. New York Jets TRADED to Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

11. Minnesota Vikings TRADED to New York Jets: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, T, Penn State

12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

13. Las Vegas Raiders: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

15. Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas

17. Jacksonville Jaguars TRADED to Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

19. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington

21. Miami Dolphins: Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

23. Minnesota Vikings TRADED to Jacksonville Jaguars (from Houston; pick originally belonged to Cleveland): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

24. Dallas Cowboys TRADED to Detroit Lions: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

25. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Graham Barton, C, Duke

27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri

28. Buffalo Bills TRADED to Kansas City Chiefs:

29. Detroit Lions TRADED to Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

30. Baltimore Ravens: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

31. San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida

From what I've been told, the Niners have been on the phones all night — up until and through their pick at 31 — exploring trades for both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.

Considering the Ricky Pearsall pick, I'd imagine they're not done exploring those trades.

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) April 26, 2024

32. Kansas City Chiefs TRADED to Buffalo Bills TRADED to Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

More from Sportsnet

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Caleb Williams, welcome to Chicago.

The expectations are clear, become the franchise quarterback the Bears have craved for years and lift the founding NFL franchise to the top of the league. Other than that, there’s no pressure at all.

“I don’t think of it that way,” Williams said after the Bears took him with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night. “That may be the narrative. For me, I handle my job, I be a great teammate first and foremost.

General manager Ryan Poles made a half-hearted attempt during the week to play things close to the vest when it came to the first pick by telling everyone to “tune in” as he smiled.

The real mystery, of course, wasn’t whether they would kick off the festivities by taking the elusive, rifle-armed QB; it was what they would do with the No. 9 pick. The Bears took Washington All-American Rome Odunze, giving them another potential play-making receiver to go with DJ Moore and six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen. They also have a third-rounder (75) and a fourth-rounder (122).

As for Williams?

“I handle business on and off the field and then I go to work,” he said. “I enjoy what I do. I love what I do. I’m in there with my guys and my guys are seeing me, they see how hard I work, their guy, their QB, and we go get it. We go win games together. That’s the biggest thing is winning games together because I can’t win a game by himself. Keenan Allen can’t win a game by himself. And so making sure that we’re all together, offence, defence, special teams, and we go get it.”

Chicago has just three playoff appearances since the 2006 team reached the Super Bowl and failed to advance in the postseason twice in that span. The Bears are 10-24 in two seasons under Poles and coach Matt Eberflus. But they see themselves as a playoff contender after going from three wins in 2022 to finishing 7-10 last season.

They’ve made some big moves this offseason, acquiring Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers to team with Moore and then adding Odunze — who led the FBS with a school-record 1,640 yards receiving last season — to the mix. Above all, they hope they have their franchise quarterback. If Williams delivers, he’d be in rare territory in Chicago.

Jim McMahon helped the 1985 team shuffle to Chicago’s lone Super Bowl championship before injuries took their toll on The Punky QB. Jay Cutler set the franchise’s all-time passing record following a blockbuster trade from Denver, though his tenure didn’t quite meet the mile-high expectations, whether it was because of his supporting cast, coaching or his own shortcomings. But mostly, the quarterback spot has been a source of frustration in Chicago.

Williams said recently on The Pivot Podcast that he hopes to spend 20 years with one team and chase Tom Brady’s record seven Super Bowl wins. The Bears would be happy if he develops in ways former starter Justin Fields and Mitchell Trubisky never did after being taken with high draft picks.

Williams comes with the resume and tools.

He has the arm strength and ability to avoid defenders, to extend plays and make throws on the run. He’s also strong in the pocket, an area where Fields struggled, and he’ll be throwing to some experienced targets. Besides Allen and Moore, Williams will also have two productive tight ends in Cole Kmet and newcomer Gerald Everett.

Williams had 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions during three seasons at Oklahoma and USC. He threw for 72 TDs and just 10 interceptions in two years with the Trojans. He also showed the ability to run, scoring 27 rushing touchdowns in college.

Williams followed coach Lincoln Riley from Norman to Los Angeles and won the Heisman in 2022. He threw for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions to lift USC from four wins in 2021 to 11 and an appearance in the Cotton Bowl.

Williams put up big numbers again last season while the Trojans struggled to an 8-5 record with one of the nation’s worst defences. He threw for 3,333 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions in 12 games. He did not play in the Holiday Bowl.

Williams is the third player drafted by the Bears with the No. 1 pick — and their first since 1947. George Halas gambled on Oklahoma A&M halfback Bob Fenimore despite a knee injury that cut short his senior season. The former All-American lasted just one year in the NFL.

Chicago’s only other No. 1 pick was Michigan halfback Tom Harmon in 1941. The 1940 Heisman Trophy winner declined to sign with the Bears, saying he was finished with football. Harmon served as a pilot in World War II and eventually played two seasons for the Los Angeles Rams before moving on to a career in broadcasting.

The Bears had the top pick again Thursday because of the blockbuster trade with Carolina for Moore a year ago. The Bears sent the Panthers the No. 1 selection in 2023 and got their first-rounder this year. Carolina finished with a league-worst 2-15 mark.

More from Sportsnet

NFL Draft Results: All the picks from the first round

NFL Draft: Top reaction for every Round 1 selection

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One of the best days on the sports calendar is finally upon us — the first day of the NFL Draft.

It projects to be a loaded class, rife with quarterbacks and offensive skill position studs, so any team hoping to become more explosive on that end could have a big night ahead.

Here is a complete list of every pick made in Round 1.

First Round

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
6. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
7. Tennessee Titans: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
8. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
10. Minnesota Vikings (from N.Y. Jets): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
11. New York Jets (from Minnesota): Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
15. Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
17. Minnesota Vikings (from Jacksonville): Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
19. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington
21. Miami Dolphins: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Minnesota): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
24. Detroit Lions (from Dallas): Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
25. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Graham Barton, C, Duke
27. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri
28. Kansas City Chiefs (from Buffalo): Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
29. Dallas Cowboys (from Detroit): Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
30. Baltimore Ravens: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
31. San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
32. Carolina Panthers (From Buffalo): Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

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NFL Draft: Top reaction for every Round 1 selection

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles and wide receiver A.J Brown have agreed to a three-year contract extension that includes $84 million in guaranteed money, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke Thursday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the financial terms were not announced.

Brown is set to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL at $32 million a season and he could earn as much as $96 million over the life of the extension.

Brown had 106 catches for 1,456 yards receiving last season after he had 88 catches for 1,496 yards in 2022 in his first season with the Eagles.

The Eagles acquired Brown in a trade with the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 draft and was signed to a four-year deal worth $100 million.

Tennessee drafted Brown in the second round of the 2019 draft and he instantly became one of the top receivers in the game. He topped 1,000 yards receiving each of his first two seasons and had 869 in just 13 games in his third season.

It was the big move of draft night for the Eagles, who held the No. 22 overall pick.

The Eagles now have their top wide receivers signed for several years. They signed DeVonta Smith to a three-year contract extension that included $51 million guaranteed through the 2028 season earlier this month. The move included the Eagles picking up the fifth-year option on Smith’s 2025 season.

KANSAS CITY — A painful error led to the Blue Jays’ first loss of the week and an avoidable rookie mistake contributed to their second.

As for the third? It’s hard to find much fault with how the Blue Jays played in a bizarre, rain-shortened 2-1 loss to the Royals Thursday but it counts the same in the standings nonetheless. 

Trailing by just one run on a day some top Royals relievers were unavailable, the Blue Jays felt they had a chance to come back and win once the rain cleared. Instead, they were told the field was unplayable — too loose — even after the rain stopped following a three hour, 38 minute delay. After just five innings, the game was over.

“The entire day was handled kind of poorly,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “In my opinion, the field was significantly better (in the early evening) than it was in the third, fourth and fifth innings.” 

“It’s a (crappy) way to lose a game.”

The field was undoubtedly soggy by early evening, but as Schneider noted, Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette “fielded a ball through a lake” to end the fifth inning. At least in the early evening, no rain was falling anymore.

“First things first, you don’t want to get anybody hurt,” Schneider said. “We obviously wanted to play and if it was deemed playable we would have loved to continue to play, but the league and the umpires, they don’t want to have anyone injured on their watch.”

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But while the Royals happily leave for Detroit, it was a frustrated Blue Jays team that packed its bags at Kauffman Stadium.

“That’s terrible,” one player said. 

Now 13-13, the Blue Jays head back to Toronto having lost four of their last five after a Salvador Perez two-run homer off Jose Berrios made the difference Thursday.

Offensively, the Blue Jays’ bats were characteristically quiet as they scored just one run on three hits in the series finale. But they were facing Royals ace Cole Ragans and they only had five chances to bat before the rain arrived — the minimum allowed under MLB rules.

But it’s hard to pin this loss on the offence when the umpires determined the left side of the infield simply wasn’t safe enough to continue beyond five innings.

“The whole third base area was so spongey and soft that I couldn’t imagine Bo Bichette or Bobby Witt Jr. trying to field the ball to their left or right and planting and trying to make a successful throw,” umpiring crew chief Chris Guccione told a pool reporter. “That’s not good for the game, and for sure, the safety of the players is the No. 1 priority. We want to protect those guys.”

On the mound, Berrios was stellar, allowing only three hits on a day the rain fell steadily. But since he hung a slurve to Perez with a runner on in the first inning, the Royals took an early lead against Toronto’s opening day starter.

“It was a tough day out there, but we figured it out and competed,” Berrios said. “My grip (was a challenge), but also my spikes didn’t feel comfortable because it was wet and I was slipping.”

In total, the right-hander threw 67 pitches, walking three while striking out one, but Ragans was that much more effective. The only run the left-hander allowed came in the fourth inning, when Justin Turner doubled to left-centre and scored on an Ernie Clement RBI single.

And really, that was it. No drama and no mental mistakes but no offence to speak of and no win, either. A road trip that started in promising fashion with consecutive wins in San Diego ends with three straight losses.

As silver linings go this is a small one, but it’s worth noting that the rain provided the entire Blue Jays bullpen with a day off before Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers arrive in Toronto for three days starting Friday.

That’s especially noteworthy as Bowden Francis was placed on the injured list with right forearm extensor tendinitis before Thursday’s game. Under those circumstances, Yariel Rodriguez will no longer be part of a tandem and will instead operate a little more like a traditional starter, likely going 4-5 innings at a time.

Eventually, the Blue Jays hope to have upward pressure from Alek Manoah, whose rehab work continued Wednesday with a three-inning appearance on a chilly day in Buffalo. The right-hander threw 88 pitches while allowing six earned runs on seven hits, including two home runs, and four walks.

“Not ideal,” Schneider said. “A lot of pitches. I know it’s cold, but it wasn’t the next step forward that we were hoping for.”

The conditions made it tough for Manoah to grip the ball at times, but team decision makers wanted to see better command regardless. The Blue Jays are still making plans for Manoah’s next appearance, but it’ll likely come at triple-A sometime next week.

More pressing, though, it the question of how soon the Blue Jays can start scoring runs in bunches. Thursday’s game marked the 17th consecutive time they’ve failed to score more than five runs — a problematic streak that puts extra pressure on the pitching and defence even when they’re leading.

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Golden State’s Stephen Curry led the league in clutch scoring this season, and now he’s got another trophy to add to his collection.

Curry was announced Thursday night as the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, adding that award to a resume that includes two MVPs, an All-Star Game MVP, an NBA Finals MVP, a Western Conference Finals MVP and nine All-NBA selections.

The award is named for Jerry West, someone Curry knows well and someone who once was a consultant for the Warriors.

“When you see him in person you realize how much basketball matters to him, how competitive he is, how much he wants to win no matter what seat he’s in,” Curry said of West on the TNT telecast where the award was announced. “And that rubbed off on our organization during that time. … Any time Jerry West says something, you’re going to listen.”

Curry was one of three finalists, along with Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Curry led the league in clutch scoring — defined as points in the last 5 minutes of fourth quarters or in overtime, with the score differential in the game being five points or less — with 189, seven more than DeRozan. Gilgeous-Alexander had 112 points in those “clutch” moments, seventh-most in the league.

The voting was close, with Curry getting 45 first-place votes and finishing with 298 points. DeRozan got 34 first-place votes and had 272 points in the balloting, with players earning five points for a first-place vote, three for second place, and one for third place. Gilgeous-Alexander had 160 points.

Curry — a four-time champion — said he’s been watching the playoffs, and thinking ahead to what Golden State needs to do before next season. The Warriors were eliminated from postseason consideration by losing in this year’s play-in tournament.

“We’re not that far off, even having tried to stay at this level and at this peak for so long,” said Curry, who will play for the U.S. at the Paris Olympics this summer. “There’s going to be some tweaks, we know. When you lose, you have to look yourself in the mirror and say ‘What can we do to get better, what holes can we fill.’ Thankfully, we have some time to figure that out.”

The award was first handed out last year when Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox won the inaugural trophy — named for West, the league’s original “Mr. Clutch” — with Miami’s Jimmy Butler second and DeRozan third. Gilgeous-Alexander was seventh in the clutch voting last year and Curry tied for ninth.

There were 23 players up for the award this year, that list being put together by a balloting of coaches. From there, a panel of 99 reporters and broadcasters who cover the league made the final selection; their ballots were due last week before the start of the play-in tournament. NBA awards take only the regular season into consideration.

Curry was the third player to be announced as an award-winner by the NBA this week, joining Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey (Most Improved) and Minnesota’s Naz Reid (Sixth Man). The next award comes Sunday when either Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault, Minnesota’s Chris Finch or Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley will be revealed as Coach of the Year.

The schedule for distributing the other individual awards has yet to be revealed by the league. The ones awaiting scheduling are Rookie of the Year (San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren or Charlotte’s Brandon Miller), Defensive Player of the Year (Wembanyama, Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert or Miami’s Bam Adebayo) and Most Valuable Player (Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Dallas’ Luka Doncic or Gilgeous-Alexander).

Additionally, there are the All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams that will be released as well.

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With the PWHL’s inaugural regular season a week away from its conclusion, it’s time to start handing out some hardware.

The league revealed 10 unique awards to be handed out annually, recognizing achievements made on and off the ice.

Headlining the end-of-season accolades for years to come will be the Billie Jean King MVP award. For the post-season, the PWHL will hand out the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award.

“It is only fitting that the league’s most valuable players will be recognized with awards that reflect the leadership of Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations in a statement. “To have these awards named in their honour advances the sports legacy of these pioneers, who have devoted themselves to women’s equal rights in sports.”

Here’s a full list of the awards up for grabs:

Billie Jean King MVP Award

Awarded to the player considered most valuable to their team’s success throughout the regular season.

Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award

Awarded to the player considered most valuable to their team’s success throughout the playoffs.

Forward of the Year

Awarded to the forward who showcases the most outstanding ability at the position throughout the regular season.

Defender of the Year

Awarded to the defender who showcases the most outstanding ability at the position throughout the regular season.

Goaltender of the Year

Awarded to the goaltender who showcases the most outstanding ability at the position throughout the regular season.

Rookie of the Year

Awarded to the player who showcases the most outstanding ability throughout their first regular season of professional play. Players eligible for the Rookie of the Year Award must be competing in their first season of professional hockey in North America and begin the season in their 25th birth year or younger. For the inaugural season, players born in 1998 and later are eligible for the Rookie of the Year Award.

Coach of the Year

Awarded to the head coach whose contributions most impacted their team’s on-ice success throughout the regular season.

Community Leadership Award

Awarded to the player whose leadership extends beyond the ice to foster positive change in the community.

Points Leader

Awarded to the player with the most points scored at the conclusion of the regular season.

Top Goal Scorer

Awarded to the player with the most goals scored at the conclusion of the regular season.

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