Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Trevor Bauer reveals he’s signing with Dodgers

The top pitcher on the free-agent market is heading to the defending World Series champions. Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer announced at the end of a YouTube video on Friday that he has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. COVID-19 Super Bowl has look of a quarterbacking classic

America's biggest sporting spectacle will play out in a mostly empty stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday with more cardboard-cutout fans than real ones taking in the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With COVID-19 restrictions limiting attendance to 25,000 living, breathing spectators sprinkled among 30,000 happy-faced cutouts, the atmosphere inside Raymond James Stadium - which has a capacity of 70,000 - will be largely manufactured. Brady on verge of turning lowly Bucs into Super Bowl champs

When Tom Brady left the Patriots after two decades for the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason, he said he was doing so to see "how great I can be". That led to raised eyebrows as well as a few eye rolls among NFL fans. Djokovic, Nadal top seeds at delayed Australian Open

Eight-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia was named top seed, while Spain's Rafael Nadal was seeded No. 2 in his quest for a record 21st grand slam title, when the Australian Open draw was announced Friday. The annual opening grand slam event of the year, held at Melbourne Park, is slightly delayed in 2021 as a precaution because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will begin Monday and run through Feb. 21. NFL: Protesting players 'on the right side of history,' union says

History has time and again vindicated players who take a stand for social justice, leaders of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) said ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl in Tampa, despite being suffering criticism and even abuse from fans. Colin Kaepernick created a fire storm of controversy in 2016 when he knelt during the pre-game playing of the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. Tough Australian Open road ahead for Serena Williams’ pursuit of 24th major

Serena Williams' road to her 24th career major singles title could involve meetings with several other players with Grand Slam titles on their resumes at the 2021 Australian Open. Williams, who will try for the 11th time to match Margaret Court's record for career Grand Slam titles, was seeded 10th when the draw for 2021's first major was made Friday. The 39-year-old American is in a half of the draw that features seven Grand Slam champions, including four former world No. 1s. Andreescu's coach set for Australian Open after COVID-19 setback

Canadian Bianca Andreescu's coach Sylvain Bruneau, whose positive test for COVID-19 was among those that ultimately sent more than 70 players into a 14-day quarantine ahead of the Australian Open, said on Friday he was ready to lead his player. Bruneau was one of the five passengers from three charter flights that last month carried players to the year's first Grand Slam, starting on Monday in Melbourne, who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

NFL: Super Bowl fans wait hours for glimpse of glistening trophy As anticipation builds in Tampa, Florida, before Sunday's Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the hometown Buccaneers, all eyes are on the Vince Lombardi trophy - unless, of course, you refuse to stand hours in line to see it.

Fans visiting the free Super Bowl LV Experience theme park along the Tampa Riverwalk were waiting up to four hours this week to get close to the 22-inch (56-cm), 7-lb (3-kg) glistening block of silver carved into the shape of a regulation size football atop a kicking tee, which will be hoisted by the 2021 National Football League champions. Chiefs eager to close out 'Run it Back' season with Super Bowl win

"Run it back." Those three words formed the mantra the Kansas City Chiefs adopted this season in their bid to become the first team in 16 years to repeat as Super Bowl champions and position themselves as the NFL's next dynasty. The Chiefs, who ended their 50-year wait for a second Super Bowl title in 2020, can achieve the rare feat of repeating as champions when they face the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in the NFL's showcase event. NFL: A-listers stay home as health crisis dims Super Bowl celebrity spotlight in Tampa

The Super Bowl's annual celebrity circuit has all but gone quiet in Tampa, Florida, this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps A-listers and party-hungry fans at home. With a limited crowd allowed to watch the hometown Buccaneers take on the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa can expect far less revenue - and socializing - than in years past when the rich and famous would descend on private jets to promote epic bashes ahead of American sport's biggest game.