Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw four interceptions in his team's 32-12 playoff loss to the Houston Texans Saturday. Herbert threw just three interceptions during the regular season, joining Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers as the only quarterbacks to throw three or fewer in a season.
But Herbert didn't resemble Brady or Rodgers at any point during his calamitous day Saturday. With four interceptions and just 14 completions on 32 attempts, Herbert had, arguably, the worst performance of his career.
It also dropped him to 0-2 in the playoffs. His only other playoff game was the historic collapse against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 wild-card round.
Herbert was the target of intense criticism on social media during and after Saturday's game.
The play came after Ladd McConkey scored on an 86-yard reception early in the fourth quarter. Cameron Dicker’s extra point attempt was blocked by Denico Autry.
The ball flew high in the air on the deflection and Dicker tried to knock it down, but it bounced off his hands. Ross grabbed it and returned it for the score that pushed Houston’s lead to 25-12.
The NFL began awarding two points for an extra point returned to the end zone in 2015. Before that, a blocked extra point recovered by the defense was a dead ball.
It was the ninth extra point returned for a score since the rule change, according to Sportradar. It happened once in the 2024 regular season when the Eagles did it against Tampa Bay Sept. 29.
With the loss, the Chargers end their season without a playoff win for the sixth straight season. They haven't won a playoff game since Phillip Rivers' last postseason run with the team in 2018, when they beat the Baltimore Ravens in a wild-card game.
The Texans won a playoff game for the second straight year, led by quarterback C.J. Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans.
NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre made his stance clear on a bill being pushed through Congress that would keep transgender athletes out of women's and girls sports.
Favre posted on X Friday, resharing a Fox News interview with Sage Steele and Riley Gaines crediting Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., for introducing the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in an effort to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports nationwide.
"Good on those officials trying to fix this. There’s a clear biological difference between men and women," Favre said in his caption of the video.
Tuberville's measure would maintain that Title IX treats gender as "recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth" and does not adjust it to apply to gender identity. It would ban federal funding from athletic programs that allow biological men to participate in women's and girls sports.
This would apply to biological men and boys who identify as transgender and seek to participate in events and leagues for women and girls.
The measure is co-sponsored by 23 Republican senators.
It is not the first time Favre has weighed in on the issue of transgender athletes in women's sports. The former NFL quarterback spoke out against New Zealands's transgender weightlifter, Laurel Hubbard, who became the first transgender woman to qualify for the Olympics in 2021.
Hubbard competed in men's events before coming out as transgender in 2013.
"It's a man competing as a woman," Favre said in an episode of his podcast at the time, which is now discontinued. "That's unfair. It's not fair for a man, even if this person wants to be a woman or feels compelled. If you want to become the opposite sex, that's fine. I got no problem with it. But you can't compete against … males cannot compete against females.
"If I was a true female — I can't believe I'm saying that — and I was competing in weightlifting and lost to this person, I would be beside myself."
In that podcast episode, Favre also spoke out against transgender BMX rider Chelsea Wolfe, who was selected as an alternate to Team USA's BMX freestyle event. Wolfe was accused of talking about burning an American flag on the medal podium in a social media post, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Favre said Wolfe shouldn't be allowed to compete.
"I wouldn't have her participate in my Olympics. Go participate for somebody else," Favre said. "To say that is such a slap in our country's face. I can't believe this person can be allowed to participate for our country.
"She should be banned."
Favre has previously worked with members of the LGBTQ community, including gay former NFL player Esera Tuaolo. Favre appeared on Tuaolo's podcast in 2020 to discuss head trauma from playing football.
However, Favre was also accused by some of showing anti-transgender behavior during the 2015 ESPY Awards. During the show, Caitlyn Jenner took the stage to accept the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, and Favre was seen slowly clapping. The nature of Favre's slow clap drew backlash from some with pro-LGBTQ beliefs on social media.
But polls today show the majority of Americans oppose transgender inclusion in women's sports, which was a key campaign issue for Donald Trump and other Republicans in the recent cycle.
Nearly 70% of Americans say biological men should not be allowed to compete in women's sports, according to a Gallup poll last year.
In June, a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago asked respondents to weigh in on whether transgender athletes of both sexes should be permitted to participate in sports leagues that correspond to their preferred gender identity instead of their biological sex.
Sixty-five percent answered that it should be never or rarely allowed. When those polled were asked specifically about adult transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports, 69% opposed it.
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America (CWA) legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls and women’s bathrooms," as important to them.
And 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
More than 12,000 homes have been destroyed by ferocious fires that have left at least 11 dead.
A flareup of the wildfire on the city's west side resulted in the latest evacuation order, prompting Santa Anita to cancel this weekend's scheduled horse racing event.
The track in Arcadia, near the smoldering Eaton Fire that decimated Altadena, said Friday it planned to go forward with racing Saturday, depending upon air quality conditions.
However, track officials said Saturday racing would be canceled due to new developments with the Palisades Fire.
Air quality standards at the track remain well within the limits set by the California Horse Racing Board and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, according to track officials. However, organizers were concerned about the growing impact of the fires throughout Los Angeles County.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection confirmed 11% of the Palisades Fire was contained as of Saturday morning, while the Eaton Fire was listed as 15% contained.
The 90-year-old track in Southern California is also being used to support various relief efforts.
A charity drop-off set up at the Rose Bowl was relocated to Santa Anita's south parking lot Friday. Southern California Edison is using the entire north parking lot as its base to restore power to those in affected areas. The track is working with other organizations requesting space.
Morning training will continue as scheduled Saturday and Sunday. The track has its own security staff and does not use local first responders for normal events.
Rescheduled dates for the postponed races are expected to be announced at a later date.
The sports world has felt the impact of the unprecedented wildfires this week. Malibu was one of several areas hit hard by the Palisades fire.
Pepperdine University, which has a main campus on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, postponed its men's and women's basketball doubleheader Saturday. School officials cited the Palisades Fire and travel conditions in Los Angeles.
However, Pepperdine's Malibu campus remains clear of any immediate threats posed by the fire. But access to campus is restricted to the north side. The Pacific Coast Highway south of campus is closed.
Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount are in communication with the West Coast Conference about rescheduling. Elsewhere, the fourth-ranked USC women's basketball team is scheduled to play a Big Ten Conference game against Penn State Sunday night. Officials are monitoring conditions, a spokesperson confirmed.
Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders addressed his former player Travis Hunter's decision to deactivate social media accounts in response to comments about Hunter's fiancée, Leanna Lenee.
Hunter and Lenee’s Instagram accounts were deactivated Dec. 23, days after Hunter won the Heisman Trophy. During the ceremony, social media discussion about the event included several harsh criticisms of Hunter and Lenee as a couple. Hunter's account has since been reactivated.
Sanders gave his reaction to Hunter's situation in an interview on the "Tamron Hall Show."
"It hurt me that he did," Sanders said of Hunter's deactivation. "What the enemy wants you to do is stop."
Sanders criticized Hunter for neglecting the business side of his decision. As a former college and future pro athlete with an NIL valuation of $5.2 million, according to On3.com, Hunter's social media account activity is likely directly tied to endorsements.
"You have endorsements, you have people that have sponsored you to talk about their product," Sanders said. "We have to activate right now."
Sanders was also critical of Hunter for backing down and suggested his response will make him vulnerable to "attacks."
"When somebody stays still, now you got a chance to attack, and I hate the stillness of that. Keep on moving. Don't let the enemy get you while you're still and you're having a pity party on yourself," Sanders said, adding that's what he told Hunter about the situation.
Hunter addressed the situation during a Twitch live stream, saying his fiancée cried herself to sleep and drank due to the backlash.
Lenee previously posted a video on her TikTok account in an effort to end the negativity Dec. 16.
"I’m tired, emotionally and mentally. I’ve seen people trying to make me out to be a person that I am not," Lenee said in the nearly eight-minute clip.
She also addressed the negativity about her response to Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy.
At least one social media video appeared to show Lenee remaining in her seat moments after Hunter was named the 2024 Heisman recipient. Deion Sanders then appeared to prompt Lenee to stand up. Lenee did eventually briefly embrace Hunter before quickly sitting back down during the audience's standing ovation.
Other video footage appeared to show Lenee remaining seated while Hunter greeted and posed for photos with fans at an event in New York City the day after the Heisman ceremony. Some fans attempted to analyze Lenee's demeanor during her time at the event and even suggested she was irritated.
"When his name was called, I instantly was going to get up. If you watch the video, his mom didn’t get up, so I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I don’t get up, I just sit here,’" she said. "As soon as I seen Travis get up, then I thought it was appropriate to stand up, greet him, congratulate him.
"But then there was a camera right in front of Coach Prime, and I knew they were going to film that moment and, because of how people are online, I was like, ‘I don’t want to be in that shot.’ So, I sat down.
"I got out of the camera, purposefully, so they can have their moment. That’s all it was. No one told me to stand up. No one had to tell me to celebrate with him. I was just sitting there crying. I wanted to take it in. I was super excited for him. But I wanted the moment to be about him and his family."
Hunter's teammate, quarterback Sheduer Sanders, has also addressed the controversy. The Buffaloes quarterback suggested critics should stop weighing in on Hunter's personal life.
"All y'all athletes, entertainers, artist etc. if y'all genuine trying to holla at Trav y'all know how to get in touch with him or someone around," Sanders wrote on X Sunday. "At this point y'all just posting for the algorithm trying to look cool."
Hunter and Lenee's engagement was publicly confirmed earlier this year.
Hunter is projected to be a top selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce this week after a 4-13 season, his first full season on the job. Two days later, they let general manager Tom Telesco go after his first year.
It's been reported that Tom Brady, who bought a 5% stake in the franchise last year, will have a big say in who becomes the next head coach. And it's no secret Brady and Sanders have a relationship.
The Raiders also need a quarterback, and Sanders' son, Shedeur, is widely regarded as one of the top two QBs in the class. Some mock drafts have him going No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans.
But Coach Prime recently said there are teams in the league he would not let Shedeur play for.
The father-son duo joined Brady on his "Let's Go" podcast last year. Sanders also recently said the "only way" he would consider an NFL job is "to coach my sons."
The Pro Football Hall of Famer joined Colorado ahead of the 2023 season after spending three seasons at Jackson State. Several Jackson State players followed Sanders to Boulder, including his sons and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who could be a top five pick in April.
The Raiders have interviewed Aaron Glenn, Ben Johnson and Steve Spagnuolo for their open head coaching job, and they're scheduled to speak with Pete Carroll and Robert Saleh next week.
The Minnesota Vikings are tied for the second-best record in the NFC this year, but their first playoff game will be on the road.
That's because the one team ahead of them is the 15-2 Detroit Lions, who won the NFC North with a victory over Minnesota in Week 18.
The Lions earned a top seed and a bye, while the Vikings head to Arizona to face the Los Angeles Rams. The game was originally scheduled for LA, but it was moved due to wildfires.
It's not the first oddity in the NFL playoffs. In the past, seven-win teams have hosted wild-card round games.
However, that could change soon.
According to CBS Sports, the NFL will take another look this offseason at changing its playoff format.
Jonathan Jones of CBS said one proposal is to give the top four teams based on winning percentage home games, instead of automatically giving them to division winners.
If that system were in place this year, it would mean the Lions, Vikings, Eagles and Commanders would host games on the NFC side. For the AFC, it would be the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens and Chargers.
The Commanders and Chargers are on the road this weekend against the Buccaneers and Texans, respectively, because the latter two teams won the NFC and AFC South divisions.
Jones later added, though, that team owners have not shown "much of an appetite" to change the format.
Ahead of winning the division, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown suggested change.
"Obviously, if you win the division, you should obviously make a playoff spot, but having a 14-win team having to go on the road is kind of crazy. But I guess I don't make the rules," he said at the time.
The last time the playoff format was changed was ahead of the 2020 season, when it was expanded from 12 to 14 teams. That resulted in just one team in each conference receiving a first-round bye as opposed to two. It also led to six wild-card round games, instead of four.
Jack Sawyer became an Ohio State legend Friday night with his scoop and score at the expense of his former roommate.
On 4th and goal, Sawyer evaded blockers and forced a Quinn Ewers fumble, which Sawyer picked up and took 82 yards to the end zone to help the Buckeyes to a 28-14 win over Texas and a spot in the national championship.
When Ewers spent his lone season in Columbus before transferring to Texas, Sawyer was his roommate.
So, Ewers couldn't help but jab Sawyer when they spoke on the field.
"He was walking off, he said ‘screw you’ and started laughing," Sawyer told ESPN.
"That's my boy. Obviously, we were roommates when he was here. Got a lot of respect for him and the rest of the Texas team."
The Longhorns had a chance to tie the game, but a nightmare ensued. After getting stuffed on first down at the goal line, Quintrevion Wisner lost seven yards on a second-down toss, putting Texas in trouble. A third down pass fell incomplete. And Sawyer's scoop and score happened on fourth down.
Hoping for a miracle, Ewers threw a pick on the next drive, and, just like that, it was all over.
Before the game, Ewers implied he expected to be playing in the NFL next season. So, it will be interesting to see if his plans change.
Now, the eighth-seeded Buckeyes will face No. 7 Notre Dame Jan. 20 in the national championship. Despite Ohio State's lower seed, sportsbooks have the Buckeyes as a favorite by over a touchdown.
Saturday's Lakers game was postponed, and James sent a message on X.
"I pray this nightmare ends soon! So many prayers," James posted with several praying hands and fingers-crossed emojis.
James joined the Lakers in 2018; his eldest son, Bronny, played high school and college basketball in the area before being drafted by the Lakers last year. His younger son, Bryce, who currently plays for Sierra Canyon, the same school as his older brother, has committed to play at Arizona.
An emotional Redick opened up about losing his home in the flames.
"We were renting for the year to try to figure out where to be long-term, and everything we own that was of importance to us — almost 20 years of being together and 10 years of parenting — was in that house," Redick told reporters on Friday. "There's certain things you can't replace. They'll never be replaced.
"The material stuff is whatever. My family and I, we're processing the self side, the individual side of losing your home. You don't ever want to wish that on anybody. It's an awful feeling to lose your home. . . . Not sure I've wept or wailed like that in several years."
Monday night's Vikings-Rams NFL playoff game was moved from Inglewood to Arizona because of the fires. Two Clippers games, a Kings game and the Rose Bowl half-marathon and 5K were also postponed.
Former NFL player Robert Quinn was arrested in South Carolina early Friday morning over his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run crash involving multiple vehicles, according to reports.
The former Rams’ defensive end was taken into custody by law enforcement in North Charleston at around 2 a.m. after police say he attempted to leave the scene of a crash that he is accused of causing, FOX 4 reported.
Online jail records show that Quinn, 34, was booked into the Charleston County Jail on one charge of leaving the scene and one charge of reckless driving.
According to reports, the incident took place at a car dealership. The North Charleston Fire Department arrived on the scene first and told police that the suspect, later identified as Quinn, appeared to be trying to leave the scene in a different vehicle.
FOX 4 reports that a pickup truck registered to Quinn crashed into a car, causing that vehicle to hit two more vehicles. Police said video evidence showed Quinn’s truck veering on the road before eventually driving onto the dealership property.
According to the report, Quinn had visible injuries to his face, and his speech was slurred. He was also allegedly uncooperative with law enforcement and was eventually removed from the car he was in before being arrested.
Friday’s arrest comes just 18 months after the former NFL player was arrested for a similar situation in August 2023 when he was accused of hitting four cars before fleeing the scene, WMBF reported.
Quinn last played in the NFL during the 2022 season.
A first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, he played the majority of his career with the Rams. In 2018, he was traded to Miami, where he led the team with 6.5 sacks. He was traded to the Cowboys the following season where he again led the team in sacks with (11.5).
Quinn also played for the Bears and Eagles, reaching the Super Bowl in 2023.
EXCLUSIVE: In October, players on the University of Nevada Reno women's volleyball team were engaged in a highly publicized dispute with its university and athletic department over whether to play a match against San Jose State University.
San Jose State, at the time, rostered a trans athlete.
The Nevada players approached university administrators privately to express their desire to forfeit the match and join four other programs that refused to play SJSU. But Nevada did not honor that request and instead released a statement insisting it would play the match. Nevada also insisted its players would be allowed to skip the contest without facing discipline.
The team ultimately forfeited the day before the match was scheduled to be played, due to not having enough players. However, the university has said it had discussions with the players about potential "legal issues" that would emerge if the match were not played.
"University administrators met with the Nevada volleyball team and discussed scenarios of what could happen if they chose not to play. One of the scenarios that was discussed revolved around possible legal issues for violating the Nevada Constitution," read a statement that was provided exclusively to Fox News Digital by the University of Nevada, Reno.
The state's constitution was revised in 2022, when Democrat lawmakers voted to adopt the Equal Rights Amendment, which added gender identity to its list of diversity classifications that are protected under state law.
"The University of Nevada was prohibited by laws and regulations to forfeit for reasons related to gender identity or expression. As a State university, a forfeiture for reasons involving gender identity or expression could constitute per se discrimination and violate the Nevada Constitution," Nevada's statement read.
Nevada's statement was in response to allegations made by co-founder of the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS), Marshi Smith.
Smith met and spoke with multiple players on the Nevada team during ther dispute, and heads the legal advocacy group that has brought a lawsuit against San Jose State and the Mountain West conference for its handling of the situation involving the trans athlete.
"At UNR, school administrators warned athletes they could face legal action if they refused to compete against SJSU’s team, which included a male starter," Smith told Fox News Digital.
The dispute between the players escalated into a national controversy that even garnered mainstream political attention in the weeks leading up to November's election.
Nevada players, including captain Sia Liilii, spoke out publicly against the university multiple times for its refusal to forfeit the match. Trump's Director of National Intelligence presumptive nominee Tulsi Gabbard and former Nevada U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown even visited the team for a photo-op and interview.
The scale of the controversy only heightened as the Oct. 26 match date approached. On Oct. 22, Nevada and San Jose State announced that the match would be moved from Nevada's campus in Reno to San Jose State's campus in the Bay Area in California, claiming the location change was "in the best interest of both programs and the well-being of the student-athletes, coaches, athletic staff and spectators."
But then, the day before the match, Nevada announced that its team would forfeit, citing the fact that it didn't have enough players who were willing to participate. Nevada took a loss on its record, for the match, then went just 1-7 to finish the season.
Nevada players previously spoke about pressures they faced from the university to play the match in a press conference at their university. It was held the day of the originally scheduled match on Oct. 26.
Liilii broke down in tears from the minute she took the podium while she recounted her experience telling school officials she didn't want to compete against a transgender player.
"We felt unsafe and dismissed," Liilii said, sobbing. "We met with our school officials to give them our team's new statement, but they wouldn't even hear it. We were told that we weren't educated enough and that we didn't understand the science. We were told to reconsider our position."
Nevada sophomore Masyn Navarro alleged her teammates had been told to "stay quiet" about the controversy during the press conference.
"It should not be this difficult to stand up for women. However, we will now take this opportunity to stand up as a team, as some of us have been told to stay quiet," Navarro said.
Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the allegations that were made at the press conference.
"I did not tell, and am unaware of any member of the athletics administrative team telling members of our women’s volleyball team that they ‘weren’t educated enough,’ that they ‘didn’t understand the science,’ that they should reconsider their position or that they should ‘stay quiet’ regarding their participation in an Oct. 26 match that was scheduled against San Jose State University."
Rempe said she had offered an apology to the players regarding how they were informed that the university planned to proceed with the game, even after the players had voted to forfeit.
"On Oct. 14 and Oct. 22, I spoke with the team for less than five minutes each time and those gatherings were operational in nature. At all three meetings, I shared our genuine apology for not sharing the statement released on Oct. 3 in advance of their match against UNLV. As has been stated on multiple occasions, we continue to support the rights of the volleyball players who choose and choose not to participate," Rempe said.
Article I, Section 24 of the Nevada Constitution provides that "Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by this state or any of its political subdivisions on account of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ancestry or national origin."
But Liilii is now one of 11 former or current Mountain West volleyball players engaged in the lawsuit against San Jose State and the Mountain West for its handling of the situation involving the trans athlete.
San Jose State co-captain Brooke Slusser leads the suit and is engaged in a separate lawsuit against the NCAA citing her experience of having to share a team, bedroom and changing spaces with the trans athlete while knowledge of the player's birth sex was actively withheld from her for an entire season by the school and conference.
The other players on the plaintiff list are Alyssa Sugai, Elle Patterson, Nicanora Clarke, Kaylie Ray, Macey Boggs, Sierra Grizzle, Jordan Sandy, Katelyn Van Kirk and Kiersten Van Kirk. Former SJSU Assistant volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who was suspended by San Jose State after filing a Title IX complaint alleging the university gave favorable treatment toward the trans player, is also a plaintiff.
Smith told Fox News Digital that some athletes have expressed fear of retaliation by their schools when deciding whether or not to seek their help.
"The most common first question we hear from NCAA female athletes seeking support is: 'What can my school or the NCAA do to retaliate against me if I speak out against allowing men in women’s sports?' They’re often terrified of losing scholarships or being kicked off their teams," Smith told Fox News Digital.
"The first reassurance we provide is that these athletes have a Constitutional right to free speech. They can speak out or forfeit in protest against discrimination, Title IX violations, or increased safety risks when competing against a male athlete—without fear of retaliation, regardless of the lies their schools may tell them."
The Hawks were greeted by a winter storm when they returned to Atlanta early Friday morning after a lengthy west coast road trip.
While the majority of the storm had moved out of the Atlanta area by Saturday morning, the hazardous icy conditions it left behind prompted NBA officials to postpone the Hawks' scheduled home game against the Houston Rockets.
The league said the decision had been made "to prioritize the safety of the players, fans and staff due to the severe weather and hazardous icy conditions in the Atlanta area." The Rockets' flight arrived in Atlanta before the postponement was announced.
Power outage numbers around Atlanta crept up Friday night as falling trees on power lines became a widespread issue. More than 110,000 customers were without electricity, mostly in the Atlanta area.
The hazardous icy conditions in the southeastern portion of the U.S. come amid a vastly different set of extremes on the west coast. Southern California continues to grapple with devastating wildfires that were sparked earlier this week in greater Los Angeles.
On Friday, the NBA announced the Lakers and Clippers home games scheduled for Jan. 11 would not go on as initially planned due to the ongoing wildfires.
"The NBA and the Clippers and Lakers organizations have been in communication with local officials in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the ongoing situation in the Los Angeles area and the game postponements ensure no resources will be diverted from the wildfire response efforts," the league said in a statement.
The Lakers' home game against the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 9 was previously postponed.
The NBA also announced that the National Basketball Players Association would donate $1 million to the American Red Cross and other organizations to assist in disaster relief efforts.
The Lakers have played home games in downtown Los Angeles for several decades. The Clippers stopped sharing an arena with the Lakers at the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, when the franchise moved to the $2 billion dollar Intuit Dome in nearby Inglewood, California.
It remains unclear whether conditions will result in the postponement of additional Lakers or Clippers home games. The rescheduled dates for the postponed Hawks, Lakers and Clippers games will be announced at a future date, the league said.
The Hawks are scheduled to host the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 14.
Legendary Colorado football coach Bill McCartney, who led the program to its only national championship, died Friday night after a long battle with dementia, his family confirmed in a statement. He was 84.
McCartney, the winningest coach in Colorado history, died "peacefully" surrounded by his family, the university said in a statement.
"Our father surrendered his life to Jesus at 33 years old, setting a trajectory for our family and many others. We share his faith in Jesus and truly believe our Dad has been reunited in Heaven with his beloved bride and our Mother, Lynne Marie," the family’s statement said.
"Coach Mac touched countless lives with his unwavering faith, boundless compassion, and enduring legacy as a leader, mentor, and advocate for family, community, and faith. As a trailblazer and visionary, his impact was felt both on and off the field, and his spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those he inspired.
"While we mourn his loss, we also celebrate the extraordinary life he lived and the love he shared with everyone around him. We are grateful for the outpouring of prayers and support during this time and ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult moment."
McCartney coached at Colorado from 1982-94, leading the Buffaloes to three Big Eight titles, 10 consecutive winning seasons and a national championship in 1990.
Decades later, his 93-55-5 record as the winningest college football coach in Buffaloes history still stands. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
"I am very saddened at the passing of Coach Mac," said CU athletic director Rick George, who McCartney hired as a recruiting coordinator in 1987.
"I was fortunate to be able to say goodbye to Coach in person last week. Coach Mac was an incredible man who taught me about the importance of faith, family and being a good husband, father and grandfather. He instilled discipline and accountability to all of us who worked and played under his leadership. The mark that he left on CU football and our athletic department will be hard to replicate."
McCartney is most remembered for the 1990 season, when he led Colorado to an 11-1-1 record and a win over Notre Dame to claim the program's only national title.
Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning shared a text he got from his father, Archie Manning, on social media on Saturday.
"FYI – (Notre Dame quarterback) Riley Leonard and (Ohio State quarterback) Will Howard were roommates at (the) Manning Passing Academy last summer! Archie," Archie sent to Eli.
Eli captioned his post highlighting his Dad’s funny texting habit.
"Thank goodness my Dad writes his name after he sends me a text. – Eli," Manning posted to X.
While exposing his dad’s text habits to the world, Manning also provided Archie’s anecdote about the upcoming national championship game.
Will Howard’s Buckeyes took down Archie’s grandson, Arch Manning, in the College Football Playoff semifinal on Friday.
The Buckeyes beat the Longhorns 28-14, with the Longhorn’s comeback attempt thwarted by defensive end Jack Sawyer when he stripped Quinn Ewers and picked up the fumble for an 83-yard touchdown, sealing the game.
Arch had one run for eight yards, converting on fourth down in the second quarter, but that was all the action he saw in the loss.
With starting quarterback Quinn Ewers potentially going to the NFL, Manning could end up starting for the Longhorns next season.
As for Leonard and Notre Dame, they took down Penn State 27-24 after an eventful fourth quarter.
The Manning Passing Academy has clearly helped both Leonard and Howard.
While Leonard threw two interceptions in the win, he did enough to take down Penn State as he threw for 235 yards and a touchdown, while rushing the ball for 35 yards and a touchdown as well.
For Ohio State, Howard threw for 289 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the win that included a big fourth down conversion on a quarterback run in the fourth quarter.
The two roommates from the Manning Passing Academy will face off against each other on Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard says his non-throwing hand is "fine" after fans on social media couldn’t help but notice a rather unusual-looking lump on his hand during the Buckeyes' win over Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night.
Howard, 23, appeared to sustain an injury to his left hand during the first half of the game.
CBS Sports reported that the knot on his hand formed after he appeared to hit his hand on the helmet of a Longhorns player.
Social media erupted over the bizarre-looking injury as the lump seemed to grow larger.
ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe said during the broadcast that Howard did not receive any treatment for the lump during that game. After Ohio State’s victory, ESPN’s Jake Trotter reported that Howard told him his hand is "just fine."
Howard was 24-of-33 passing for 289 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Now in his first season with the Buckeyes after entering the transfer portal last season, Howard has given Ohio State a chance to win its first national title in over a decade.
The Buckeyes will take on Notre Dame in the national championship game on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.
Vice President-elect JD Vance, a proud Ohio State alumnus, said back in August that this Buckeyes team might be "the best" he’s seen in some time. That will easily be settled when Ohio State takes on Notre Dame in the national championship game later this month, and Vance wants to be there to see it.
The former Ohio senator then posted a meme in response to his own post on X with his two options: "Attend your own inauguration" or "Go watch the Buckeyes win a national title."
The Buckeyes will have the chance to battle for the program’s first national title since 2014 after they defeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Thursday night. Meanwhile, Notre Dame, who defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday, is on the hunt for its 12th overall title and its first since 1988.
Vance will be rooting for his Buckeyes in Washington as Trump is sworn in to a second term in the White House.
Women's basketball players at Columbia Bible College (CBC) in British Columbia, in Canada, have signed a letter responding to an opposing team that is refusing to play games against CBC over alleged abuse against a transgender player.
Vancouver Island University (VIU) announced on Thursday it will not play its two games against CBC this weekend after an incident in the last meeting between the two teams in October, alleging that a CBC coach treated the trans athlete in a way that violated the Coach's Code of Ethics. VIU has asked its conference, the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST), not to penalize its team for not playing the games due to the nature of the situation.
VIU's transgender player, Harriette Mackenzie, has made public statements alleging that CBC coaches and players behaved in an abusive manner.
The letter by the CBC players, obtained by Fox News Digital, condemns VIU's team for "personal attacks," "defamatory comments" and even "comments that incite violence," against their coach.
"Videos and letters posted by members of the VIU women’s basketball team over the past three months have directly violated multiple rules stated in Article 17.2 of the manual. Various posts have included 'personal attacks,' 'defamatory comments,' 'lack of respect towards the PACWEST,' and led to 'comments that incite to violence and/or hatred' directed at our coach," the letter read.
"Any and all allegations made by VIU players regarding our team and coach should have been directly communicated to PACWEST officials alone, they should not have been uploaded publicly to social media."
The letter even called the VIU players' statements "misinformation."
"The attack on Coach Claggett’s character, and the character of our team, over the past three months has been based on misinformation and one side of a complicated scenario," it read.
Mackenzie posted a video to the athlete's Instagram page on Oct. 30, alleging that Columbia Bible head coach Taylor Clagett "cornered one of our athletic staff and went on a tirade about how I shouldn’t be allowed to play."
Mackenzie said she was also deliberately fouled to the ground by a Columbia Bible player.
"I got two-hand chucked to the ground by No. 13 without a play on the ball in sight, then head coach Clagett can be seen applauding in support," the trans athlete said.
Mackenzie helped lead the Mariners to the 2022-23 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association national championship. This season, the athlete is second in the PACWEST in scoring with 16.1 points per game and third in rebounds with 9.4 per game, as VIU is 11-1 in the conference. Mackenzie is also second in conference in shooting percentage at 49.7%.
"I believe all trans people should be included in sport. But it's especially infuriating to me, because I'm playing — and being forced to play — at a major biological disadvantage," Mackenzie said in the video. "I never went through a male puberty. I only went through a female puberty. And I don't have ovaries, I don't have testicles, so I have zero way of making any testosterone."
The CBC players' letters also claims that the VIU team has violated standard procedure for canceling games, and the PACWEST has not held VIU to the proper standards.
"In the past when a team has refused to participate and travel to a scheduled game they have received 0 points in the classification. By postponing the games this weekend PACWEST has contradicted the standard operating procedure. There has been no clear rationale provided to our team to justify this departure from normal procedures," the letter read.
"Additionally, Article 13 section 9.1.1 states that if a team cannot make a scheduled game the coach or athletic director is to contact the opposing director of athletics to ‘indicate the reason for their inability to meet their scheduled commitment.' To our knowledge, this requirement was not met."
The CBC players, who have stayed silent to this point, believe they no longer can.
"Up until this point we have stayed silent. We have shown respect to the PacWest and VIU over the past few months by staying off social media and voicing our concerns through official channels. The VIU women’s basketball team has not shared this same respect towards PacWest or CBC and has communicated primarily on social media," the letter read.
"Their behaviour has been rewarded in how their refusal to play this weekend has been handled. We are writing this letter to ensure that our voices are heard in this conversation, and that the respect we have shown throughout this process is not mistaken for passivity."
Since June 2017, all places within Canada explicitly within the Canadian Human Rights Act, equal opportunity and/or anti-discrimination legislation prohibit discrimination against gender identity or gender identity expression. This law protects the inclusion of all trans athletes in women's and girls' sports.
In the U.S., President-elect Trump has vowed to ban trans athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports. Trump has also repeatedly suggested that Canada join the U.S., potentially as the 51st state.
ESPN's coverage of the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas on Friday night included the airing of a prayer on the field before the game.
The prayer was read by former chair of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, Fred McClure, immediately after a moment of silence to recognize those who have been killed by the ongoing California wildfires and the deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans on Jan. 1 that killed 14 innocent people.
"Loving father, we seek your blessings today for all those gathered here and especially for those on the field as we come together to celebrate the 89th Cotton Bowl Classic, we lift up the young men representing the Ohio State Buckeyes and the the Texas Longhorns. Keep them safe from injury and harm. Instill within them a deep respect for one another, and reward them or their perseverance," McClure said.
"We are grateful for the freedom and the privilege that we have in this nation to compete and connect through sports. Yet we are mindful of those who are unable to participate due to violence, poverty or discrimination. Lord, stir our hearts to tear down these barriers by striving to give our best, treating others with dignity and respect, and reflecting your grace and kindness in all that we do. Now receive all your glory, your power and your honor forever, amen!"
Ohio State went on to beat Texas 28-14 to advance to the national championship game against Notre Dame.
ESPN's airing of the pre-game prayer comes after a week of immense backlash for the network's decision not to air the national anthem ahead of the Sugar Bowl game in New Orleans, which was postponed from Jan. 1 to Jan. 2 after the New Orleans attack.
The backlash prompted the network to air the Sugar Bowl's national anthem later in the week during a Thursday edition of "SportsCenter." Still, many fans considered the network's gesture too late at that point. The network also made sure to air the national anthem ahead of Thursday's Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame.
ESPN wasn't the only company to prompt fierce backlash for the presentation of the Sugar Bowl, either.
Allstate CEO Tom Wilson ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media with a video statement addressing the terror attack in New Orleans just ahead of the Sugar Bowl, of which Allstate is the official corporate sponsor. In the video, Wilson suggested Americans have an "addiction to divisiveness" and must "accept people's imperfections and differences."
"Our prayers went to victims and their families. We also need to be stronger together by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity. Join Allstate working in local communities all across America to amplify the positive, increase trust and accept people's imperfections and differences. Together we win," Wilson says in the video.
Many fans insisted they would be canceling their Allstate insurance plans after the video aired.
Allstate later deleted the video from its social media accounts.
Less than three weeks ago, the New York Giants had control of the NFL Draft board and tentatively held onto the No. 1 pick. Then, they scored 45 points, their most in over 10 years, and won.
The Giants are now in line to pick third in the draft, and many experts say two quarterbacks, at most, are worthy of being selected early on.
The two teams ahead of the Giants — the Titans and Browns — are likely in the quarterback market.
It was the worst Giants season in a generation. Their .176 winning percentage with their 3-14 record was the fourth-lowest in franchise history. And, yet, owner John Mara made the unpopular decision to keep both head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
Firing Daboll, however, would have meant the Giants would have had, not including interims, their fifth head coach in 10 seasons. That's not an ideal process, especially considering Tom Coughlin manned the station for 12.
And while Giants fans may not like the decision, Victor Cruz understands it.
"I think, at some point, you gotta provide some continuity, right? You can't just keep firing every coach. You gotta give some guys a little bit of a runway to figure out if they're the guys," Cruz told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
Cruz said players, especially the veterans, "love" Daboll, which led to Mara's decision. But they need to contend next year if Daboll and Schoen want to survive.
"I'm not saying we got to go win 13 games, 12 games, but we have to at least be in a competitive state next year so that the fans can have a better taste in their mouths," Cruz said. He even admitted the tandem could survive if the Giants "suck" again.
"I think it depends on what level of suck are we, right? How much do we suck? Are we 3-14 again, or are we 9-8? 8-9? Are we in that middle tier to maybe we’re a couple pieces away?" he said.
"Now, if we’re a three-win team next year, you gotta blow it up, because clearly it's not working. But if we're that middle tier — 9-8, 8-9, in contention — maybe a wild-card spot and we’re right there in it, then I have a different taste. Then I'm like, 'OK, I commit to them. Let's figure out what we need to get over that last hump.'"
The G-Men aren't likely to sniff a Super Bowl for a while, so perhaps the players will be throwing some parties for the big game this year. Cruz is, and he's partnered with Finish Ultimate dishwasher detergent ahead of traveling to New Orleans next month. The brand is giving away a $10,000 prize so fans can host the Super Bowl party of their dreams.
"As I’ve transitioned into my retirement and chilling and posting things at the crib, it just helps getting the tough stains out. It helps when I'm making food, different food is here, and we got those tough stains on those dishes," said Cruz.
"Finish Ultimate is just the way to go to get the tough stains out, and I wouldn't use any other brand than Finish Ultimate."
The Giants' focus is on the draft, and even if the Titans and Browns do let Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders fall to the Giants, Cruz would say thanks, but no thanks and aim for a familiar name.
"I think we should get one of those veteran guys in free agency, build our roster for another year, be competitive the next year and then go all in on Arch Manning the next year after that," Cruz said. "Now, we accrued a team through the draft and free agency. We have a year of a draft to put the guys in contention, to build our roster to the right way, build depth in all these positions. … Then, we go get a quarterback in free agency and see what happens."
So, who does Cruz want at No. 3?
"I like Travis Hunter. You put him with Malik Nabers and give him some plays on defense? Come on. It’s hard to pass that up. That’s that game changer I'm talking about. That's that guy that you can't game plan for. Imagine a team having to game plan for a guy on defense, and then be like, ‘Oh, by the way, he’s gonna play 30 snaps on offense.’ He’s a guy that can really do some good things for us.
"He’s a great personality. He’s a great kid. Gonna have a ton of fun out there, And he and Malik Nabers together, seeing their energies and picturing that together not only on the field, but marketing galore off the field, those guys are going to be crushing it in New York City.
"And I just think that them two together could also help each other, feed off of each other, and help each other grow simultaneously so that they can be together and face all the ups and downs that are going to come. And they could be the glue that keeps that team together and keeps everybody positive."
The NBA announced that Saturday's home games for both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers have been postponed amid the wildfires sweeping through Southern California.
The Lakers were scheduled to host the San Antonio Spurs while the Clippers were set to host the Charlotte Hornets.
The league has not yet announced makeup dates for the two games, and the league did not disclose if more games will be affected by the fires, as both teams have home games scheduled for Monday and Wednesday and the Lakers have another home game on Friday. The two teams are also supposed to play each other in Inglewood, California, on Jan. 19, when the Clippers will host.
"The NBA and the Clippers and Lakers organizations have been in communication with local officials in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the ongoing situation in the Los Angeles area and the game postponements ensure no resources will be diverted from the wildfire response efforts," the league said in a statement.
Some members of both teams are directly dealing with the impacts of the wildfires, including Lakers coach JJ Redick, whose family's rental home in Pacific Palisades burned on Tuesday night, destroying many of their belongings.
"I was not prepared for what I saw," Redick told reporters. "It’s complete devastation and destruction. I had to go a different way to the house, but I went through most of the village, and it’s all gone. I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for something like that. Our home is gone."
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, which is the players' union, announced on Friday a $1 million donation for immediate relief to the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen and other organizations working to provide assistance to the victims and recovery efforts.
The donation was meant "to support those affected by this disaster," the league said, adding that it is "working with the Lakers and Clippers on ways to support longer term assistance and rebuilding efforts."
The Lakers also had a game previously scheduled for Thursday against the Hornets postponed as well, but it has not yet been rescheduled.
The Lakers are scheduled to host the Spurs again on Monday, when the Clippers are set to host the Miami Heat. On Wednesday, the Lakers are scheduled to host the Heat and the Clippers are scheduled to host the Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers are also slated to host the Nets on Friday.
The Clippers said they anticipate that the games starting Monday will be played as scheduled.
"The health and safety of our community and our fans remains our highest priority," the team said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yesterday — 10 January 2025Latest Sports News Today on Fox News
Whatever Ryan Day said to his team after losing to Michigan obviously worked.
After calls to fire their head coach after Thanksgiving because of their fourth straight loss to the Wolverines – and this one easily the worst – the Buckeyes are off to the national championship after Friday night's 28-14 Cotton Bowl Classic win over Texas.
After Ohio State took a 21-14 lead with 7:02 to go (on a drive that included a huge 4th down conversion), Texas got down the field quickly in response, largely in part to a 34-yard catch by Gunnar Helm. After back-to-back defensive pass interferences in the end zone, the Longhorns had a fresh set of downs at the goal line. It was a matter of time before the game was tied, but then, a nightmare occurred for Texas.
After getting stuffed on first down, Quintrevion Wisner lost seven yards on a second-down toss, putting Texas in trouble. The third down pass fell incomplete, and on fourth down, Ewers lost a fumble that was forced, and picked up, by Jack Sawyer, who took it 82 yards the other way for a touchdown.
In what seemed to be like another overtime game for the Longhorns, their season flashed before their eyes with the snap of a finger. In hopes of a miracle, Ewers threw a pick on their next drive, and just like that, it was all over.
The Buckeyes got on the board first, scoring a touchdown right after stopping Texas on 4th down. The Longhorns offense was stalled throughout the first half, but they tied the game with 29 seconds left in the half, and were ready to go into the locker room with the game knotted at seven.
Ohio State, though, was not. Right after a touchback, Will Howard dumped a pass off to TreVeyon Henderson, who got some blocks up front and scampered 75 yards to the house, giving the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead into the locker room. It's rather easy to point at the two plays that cost Texas their season, with hindsight being 20/20.
Both teams exchanged punts for most of the third quarter, but with just over three minutes to go, Ewers found Jaydon Blue for their second touchdown connection of the night, tying the game. But then came the Buckeyes score to make it 21-14.
Prior to the game, it was revealed the Ewers said he expected to be playing in the NFL next season, so it will be interesting to see if his plans change.
Now, it'll be the eighth-seeded Buckeyes against No. 7 Notre Dame on Jan. 20 – score one for the expanded playoff.
Just like Ohio State, the Fighting Irish suffered an embarrassing loss of their own this season, dropping a contest at home to Northern Illinois back in September. But, it's been 13 straight wins since then.
