Aaron Rodgers says his decision to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers is centered on his love for the game. The four-time NFL MVP signed a one-year deal to join the Steelers earlier this month and joined his new teammates on the field for the opening day of minicamp.

The 41-year-old Rodgers spent most of his time getting to know his surroundings, but head coach Mike Tomlin said Rodgers is the team’s starting quarterback. Rodgers said the decision to come back for a 21st season was not driven by ego but what was best for his soul.

“A lot of decisions that I’ve made over my career and life from strictly the ego, even if they turn out well, are always unfulfilling,” Rodgers said after the first day of Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp. “But the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling. So this was a decision that was best for my soul.”

Rodgers added another ring to his collection before he even signed with the Steelers. He mentioned that he got married “a couple months ago.”

Rodgers was spotted wearing a ring on his left ring finger in a photo the Steelers shared after the 41-year-old signed a one-year deal to join the team for the 2025 season. When asked if the ring was an indication he was married, Rodgers replied, “Yeah, it’s a wedding ring.” He wore the ring while participating in drills with his new team.

Rodgers has revealed little about his bride.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Coach Sanders misses Boulder camps

Deion Sanders has not attended football camps in Boulder, Colo., this spring.

The University of Colorado said it couldn’t comment on a reason for his absence. ESPN, citing a source it did not name, said Sanders has been ill and out of the office recently.

Over the weekend, his son Deion Sanders Jr. posted a livestream video on YouTube in which he said his father remains at his Texas home and “feeling well,” according to USA Today. His son added in the video: “He’ll tell y’all soon enough what he’s going through.”

Sanders is required to operate a minimum of three on-campus football camps, according to the contract extension he signed in March. Sanders’ deal runs through the 2029 season and made him the highest-paid football coach in the Big 12 Conference.

The 57-year-old Sanders has struggled with his left foot since having two toes amputated in 2021 because of blood clot issues while at Jackson State.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

World Series broke viewer, crowd records

The Women’s College World Series has set viewership and attendance records.

ESPN said in a news release that the average of 1.3 million viewers across 15 games on its platforms was the most-watched World Series ever, surpassing the record set in 2021.

Game 3 of the championship series, Texas’ 10-4 win over Texas Tech for its first national title, was ESPN’s most watched NCAA softball game ever with 2.4 million viewers. The previous high was 2.3 million for the 2007 Game 3 between Arizona and Tennessee.

Games 1 and 2 both set championship series records with 2.1 million viewers each. Overall World Series viewership was up 24% from last year.

WNBA

Dream defeat Fever missing injured Clark

Allisha Gray scored 23 points, Brionna Jones added a season-high 21 and the Atlanta Dream beat Indiana 77-58 as the Fever again played without Caitlin Clark, who was missing her fifth consecutive game with a left quadriceps strain.

Gray contributed a steal and a blocked shot in an 11-0 run in the third quarter that gave the Dream a 47-37 lead. Gray’s 3-pointer stretched the lead to 54-42 late in the quarter. Atlanta outscored Indiana 23-9 in the decisive period.

Natasha Howard had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Fever.

NBA

Edey’s ankle surgery could sideline him

Zach Edey could miss the start of the 2025-26 season after the Memphis Grizzlies rookie center had surgery on his left ankle.

Edey needed the procedure to repair and restabilize his ankle after spraining it again during offseason training last week. The Grizzlies said the 7-foot-3 Canadian would be evaluated again in four months, which is less than two weeks before the 2025-26 season opens Oct. 21.

Wembanyama heads to a temple in China

The San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is in the midst of what’s expected to be a 10-day stay at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou, China. The temple is a place that welcomes visitors who wish to study Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine and more.

The NBA China office confirmed that Wembanyama is at the temple, and some Chinese media also confirmed his presence there with the temple itself.

Wembanyama is expected back in the U.S. in the coming weeks and likely will be with the Spurs’ delegation that goes to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas next month.

MILB

Saints lose to Indians in walk-off on the road

The Saints and the Indians started slow Tuesday in what turned itno a 3-2 loss for St. Paul in Indianapolis.

The Indians didn’t get on the board until the fourth inning, and the Saints waited until the ninth inning to tie it with a double on a fly ball from Edouard Julien. The Indians finished it in the tenth, and the Saints’ Kyle Bischoff (4-1) recorded the loss.

— Staff report

BRIEFLY

F1 >> A new street circuit in Madrid will make its debut on the Formula 1 schedule in September of next year, replacing the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Soccer >> Boos rang out as England left the field after a 3-1 loss to Senegal in a friendly which marked the first defeat of Thomas Tuchel’s tenure as coach, and the first time a team from Africa has recorded a win over England.

SOCCER >> Australia has qualified for its sixth straight World Cup with a 2-1 comeback win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

— From news services