The Earthquakes made a move ahead of today’s MLS transfer deadline to shore up their leaky defense, acquiring left back DeJuan Jones from the Columbus Crew in exchange for general allocation money and an international roster slot.

The Quakes will send out $175,000 in general allocation money for this season and $250,000 in 2026 funds, plus the roster slot for this season.

Jones has started three matches and subbed into two more, recording one assist this season. He was not in the Crew’s squad for their most recent match on Saturday against Miami. The 27-year-old Lansing, Michigan native is in his seventh MLS season and played under Quakes coach Bruce Arena with the New England Revolution for his first five seasons, including a 2021 Supporters’ Shield. He won the Leagues Cup last season with Columbus.

“DeJuan Jones is a welcomed addition to our team. He is an experienced player in the league and has the versatility to play in both our backline and midfield,” Arena said in a club statement.

Jones has eight goals and 18 assists in 157 career MLS appearances and 10 caps for the United States men’s national team. He got his first call-up for the USMNT in a pair of January 2023 friendlies and recently played in two more friendlies this January under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The move continues San Jose’s trend of swapping assets for former Arena players after adding defender Dave Romney and midfielders Ian Harkes and Mark-Anthony Kaye in a December deal with the Revolution, then bringing in goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. from New England in a separate deal.

It also follows Saturday’s loss to Sporting Kansas City in which the Quakes allowed five goals, several on obvious defensive lapses. San Jose has given up 17 goals on the season, third-worst in all of MLS.

Earlier this week, the Quakes loaned homegrown 18-year-old defender Oscar Verhoeven to San Diego in exchange for $100,000 in GAM, with a purchase option.

— Michael Nowels

NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting for Aaron Rodgers to decide whether he wants to play in 2025. Yet coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan stressed Tuesday that Rodgers’ uncertain status will not impact how they approach this week’s NFL draft.

The Steelers have the 21st overall pick in Thursday night’s first round and have needs across the roster, most notably along the defensive line and at quarterback, where Mason Rudolph and Skyler Thompson are the only two players under contract.

Khan said the plan is to have that number double by the time the team reports to training camp in late July.

The 41-year-old Rodgers toured Pittsburgh’s facility in March and said last week that he remains in contact with the Steelers, but added that current circumstances in his personal life have taken precedence over whatever might be left of his career.

BROADCASTING

Mike Patrick, ESPN’s first play-by-play announcer for its NFL coverage, has died. He was 80.

Patrick’s physician and longtime friend sent a text to friends of the longtime announcer that Patrick passed away in Fairfax, Virginia, on Sunday due to natural causes. Patrick joined ESPN in 1982, and was with the network for 35 years while also announcing college football as well as men’s and women’s basketball.

GYMNASTICS

Simone Biles is unsure whether she will compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

For now, the most decorated gymnast of all-time has other priorities and is listening to her body, too.

“I’m really trying to enjoy life, to spend time with my husband (Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens), go support him at his games, live my life as a woman,” she said in an interview with French sports daily L’Equipe. “I’ve accomplished so much in my sport. For me to come back, it would really have to excite me.”

The 28-year-old will be in Los Angeles for the Games but does not yet know in which capacity.

“Whether on the apparatus or in the stands, I still don’t know that,” she told L’Equipe. “But 2028 seems so far away, and my body is aging. I felt it in Paris.”

The American gymnast won three gold medals and a silver at the Paris Olympics, taking her career tally to seven Olympic golds and 11 medals overall.

MOTORSPORTS

NASCAR driver Katherine Legge said she has been receiving “hate mail” and “death threats” from auto racing fans after she was involved in a crash that collected veteran driver Kasey Kahne during the Xfinity Series race last weekend at Rockingham.

Legge, who has started four Indy 500s but is a relative novice in stock cars, added during Tuesday’s episode of her “Throttle Therapy” podcast that “the inappropriate social media comments I’ve received aren’t just disturbing, they are unacceptable.”

Legge became the first woman in seven years to start a Cup Series race earlier this year at Phoenix. But her debut in NASCAR’s top series ended when Legge, who had already spun once, was involved in another spin and collected Daniel Suarez.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Cincinnati football player Jeremiah Kelly died unexpectedly at his residence early Tuesday, the athletic department announced.

The school did not disclose a cause of death, and the city of Cincinnati police department did not immediately return a message.

The freshman from Avon, Ohio, was a 6-foot-3, 320-pound offensive lineman. He helped Avon High School to a 16-0 record and a state championship in 2024. He was an early enrollee who was participating in spring practice.