The Kansas City Chiefs have played in the coldest temperatures imaginable for an NFL game, but traveling in that weather was a different story Saturday.
The Chiefs' team plane was stuck on the tarmac at Kansas City International Airport, according to Fox Weather.
The airport announced Saturday afternoon that the airfield is closed due to icing hazards.
"Due to rapid ice accumulation, the airfield at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is currently closed to flight operations," the statement said.
Rapid ice accumulation can cause several complications and possible dangers for planes. Ice on the wings can disrupt airflow and cause a sudden loss of lift, which can lead to a stall or crash.
Planes affected by rapid ice accumulation often stay grounded and are then treated with specialized fluids that melt ice and frost. But in severe conditions, even frequent deicing may not be enough to keep up with rapid ice accumulation.
Kansas City is experiencing a winter storm expected to continue through Sunday.
The Chiefs' plane was supposed to fly to Denver Saturday night ahead of the team's season finale against the Broncos Sunday.
Their flight is delayed for a game that's effectively meaningless to the Chiefs. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce are just a handful of veteran starters who won't even be playing because the team has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
At 15-1, the game is a footnote as the team prepares for its bye in the first round of the playoffs. After that, Mahomes and company will look to finish their quest to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls.
Before that, they will have to figure out travel arrangements for the game in Denver.
The Broncos and their fans are eagerly awaiting the Chiefs' arrival because the game has big stakes for their franchise.
The Broncos will be battling to make the playoffs for the first time since their last Super Bowl win in the 2015 season. With a win, they can clinch the final postseason spot in the AFC. If Denver loses, either the Miami Dolphins or Cincinnati Bengals will claim the final spot.
Dunne placed third in the floor and fourth on the beam with scores of 9.875 and 9.825, respectively.
Dunne's boyfriend, LSU alum and National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, was also in attendance.
Before becoming the No. 1 pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes was the ace of an LSU squad that won the College World Series. Skenes was called up to the big leagues early in the season, started the All-Star Game and finished third in the NL Cy Young Award vote with his 1.96 ERA and 11.5 K/9.
LSU's Aleah Finnegan, an Olympic gymnast from the Philippines, led the all-around with a score of 39.725.
The meet came just days after Dunne and Skenes were out on Bourbon Street, hours before a terror attack killed 14 people in the French Quarter.
Bourbon Street is roughly an hour and a half from Baton Rogue.
But this season has somehow been worse. The Jets are 4-12 heading into their season finale.
And as the Jets prepare for their final game of the season, Rodgers, a four-time MVP, was fined $11,255 for a late hit against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17.
The hit came after Rodgers threw a pick. It was hardly a menacing tackle, but Rodgers was flagged for it.
It's been a roller coaster for Rodgers, who has looked like a 41-year-old quarterback coming off a serious injury but has shown flashes of turning back the clock.
But it does seem fitting Rodgers was fined as arguably the most disappointing season in franchise history comes to a close.
The Jets were trailing 42-0 at one point last week, but they managed to find the end zone twice after Tyrod Taylor replaced Rodgers in the fourth quarter.
The Jets are now in search of their next head coach and general manager. They play the Miami Dolphins Sunday to end the season.
Soccer legend Lionel Messi was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday, but he did not show up to the White House in person to receive the medal from President Biden. Messi was one of 19 recipients of the award, alongside NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
According to USA Today, Messi's management team and his pro team, Inter Miami, informed the White House ahead of time that he would not be able to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts.
Messi came to the U.S. in 2023 to join Major League Soccer's Inter Miami, in one of the biggest superstar recruitments in the league's 31-year history. Messi had only played in European leagues and for Argentina's for most of his career to that point.
"Leo Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional football. He supports health and education programs for children worldwide through his Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador," a White House spokesperson announced as Biden held the medal.
Major League Soccer released a brief social media statement congratulating Messi on the award. Messi himself has not acknowledged the award with a social media post at the time of publication. According to USA Today, the star said that "he is deeply honored and it is a profound privilege to receive the recognition."
The medal is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to people who have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal, public or private endeavors," according to the White House.
Biden's re-election campaign mentioned Messi's arrival to Major League Soccer as a catalyst for soccer's growing significance among U.S. audiences, during the 2024 Copa America soccer tournament in Atlanta in June.
After Messi led Argentina to the World Cup title in December 2022, Biden jokingly wrote, "You know, I think that Messi guy might have a future," in a congratulatory X post.
However, as Messi was absent, Saturday's ceremony also incited controversy. News that Biden would award the medal to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and left-wing billionaire George Soros sparked mass outrage on social media and backlash, especially from prominent conservative figures.
Critics pointed out Clinton's handling of the war in Libya and the attack on United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, as well as her controversial private email server for government business, which prompted former FBI Director James Comey to say publicly that Clinton had mishandled classified information.
The award to Soros, a Democrat megadonor, was slammed based on the billionaire's past campaign funding of progressive district attorneys who have been light on crime, which they say has led to crime waves in Blue cities.
"Seriously, two of the worst people on earth, Online commentator Blake Habyan wrote on X of Clinton and Soros.
Messi has not expressed any prominent political beliefs during his career.
In February 2024, Messi didn’t play in an exhibition match in Hong Kong, staying on the bench during a match between Inter Miami and a local team. After his refusal to play, one of Argentina's friendly matches that was set to be played in China in March was cancelled.
China’s state-run newspaper, the Global Times, published an editorial highlighting a "theory" without evidence that suggested Messi’s actions had "political motives" and that "external forces" wished to embarrass Hong Kong. But Messi insisted that his decision not to play in the match wasn't politically driven at the time.
"I’ve heard people say that I didn’t want to play (in Hong Kong) for political reasons and many other reasons that are totally untrue," Messi said in Spanish in a video with Chinese and English subtitles. "Had that been the case, I wouldn’t have even traveled to Japan or visited China as many times as I have."
Widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi, 37, has set numerous individual records with eight Ballon d'Or awards and eight times being named FIFA's world's best player. He is the most decorated player in the history of professional soccer, having won 45 team trophies, including four UEFA Champions Leagues, two Copa Americas and one FIFA World Cup.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Jordan Whitehead was involved in an auto accident on his way to the practice facility, the team said in a statement on Saturday.
"Due to injuries sustained in the accident, he will not play in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints and has been placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list," the Buccaneers' statement read.
The team signed Ryan Neal off their practice squad to take Whitehead’s place on the 53-man roster.
Whitehead, 27, has been a key player for the Bucs this season, starting all 12 games he has appeared in.
Whitehead has 79 combined tackles with two tackles for loss and one QB hit this season.
The Buccaneers, with a win over the Saints on Sunday, will win the NFC South division and ensure a playoff spot no matter what the outcome is in the Atlanta Falcons-Carolina Panthers game.
Whitehead has been in the NFL for seven seasons. He was selected in the fourth round in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers and was part of their Super Bowl winning team in the 2020-2021 season.
Whitehead started every game in the regular season and playoffs during the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run.
After the 2021-2022 season, he signed with the New York Jets and started every game for the Jets over the course of two years.
After two seasons with the Jets, Whitehead returned to Tampa Bay, signing a two-year contract with the Bucs in the offseason.
Unfortunately, Whitehead was not the only player to get into a car accident this week, as Panthers linebacker DJ Johnson will not play against the Falcons, coach Dave Canales said Friday.
NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre, like many others, wasn’t impressed with Allstate CEO Tom Wilson’s message before the Sugar Bowl this week.
Wilson faced backlash on social media after saying in a video message before Thursday’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal game that Americans should overcome an "addiction to divisiveness" and instead "accept people's imperfections and differences."
His message was a response to a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day that claimed the lives of 14 people and injured dozens more.
"Wednesday, tragedy struck the New Orleans community. Our prayers are with the victims and their families. We also need to be stronger together by overcoming an addiction to divisiveness and negativity," he said.
"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."
Favre posted on X Friday, slamming the statement while also calling out ESPN for not broadcasting the national anthem before the game between Georgia and Notre Dame.
"I heard: There was no televised National Anthem for Sugar Bowl yesterday. Instead a DEI message by Allstate CEO," his post said. "Woke is a joke."
Many threatened to boycott Allstate because of the message, but in a statement to Fox News Digital Thursday, the company clarified Wilson’s stance condemning "violence in all forms."
"To be clear, Allstate CEO Tom Wilson unequivocally condemns this heinous act of terrorism and violence in all forms. We stand with the families of the victims, their loved ones and the community of New Orleans. The reference to overcoming divisiveness and negativity reflects a broader commitment to fostering trust and positivity in communities across the nation," the statement said.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, plowed through a crowd of people on Bourbon Street using a pickup flying an ISIS flag. He was declared dead after exchanging gunfire with police.
The FBI labeled it an act of terrorism and found some potential improvised explosive devices around the French Quarter and in Jabbar’s vehicle.
Olympic athlete Fred Kerley was arrested Thursday night, and several videos of the encounter went viral.
Bodycam footage showed the 2024 bronze medalist getting tased by police, while another angle showed one officer throwing punches while others held Kerley down.
Kerley was taken into custody after police said he grew agitated when he was trying to get to his car, which was near the location of an active police investigation.
Bodycam footage obtained by TMZ Sports shows Kerley talking to police before turning to another officer, who placed a hand on Kerley's chest, which Kerley knocked away. The officer then pushed Kerley with his other hand before chaos ensued.
Former Miami Marlins star Jazz Chisholm Jr., who now plays for the New York Yankees, criticized police for their actions.
"Miami Beach police always looking for a way to put there [sic] hands on athletes! Sorry this happened to you Fred!" Chisholm posted to X.
Kerley faces charges of battery on a police officer, corrections officer or firefighter; resisting an officer without violence; and disorderly conduct. He was released on his own recognizance.
Kerley's arrest Thursday led to him facing domestic violence and robbery charges from an incident in May, when police issued a probable cause alert to their system. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital, Kerley and his wife got into a verbal, and then physical, dispute in May, on his birthday, when Kerley's wife was in contact with an "unknown person on Instagram."
Kerley, the affidavit says, approached his wife aggressively, and she punched him out of fear, according to the affidavit. Kerley then allegedly "grabbed the victim, pushed her to the ground, encircled his arm around her neck and impeded her breathing."
The affidavit says Kerley then stole his wife's cellphone after placing her in a second chokehold. Kerley was not present when authorities arrived, and witnesses became uncooperative, police said.
The woman Kerley was with Thursday, Cleo Rahman, was also apparently arrested, and the two are said to be dating. Rahman wrote "free my man" as her caption to the video of the officer punching Kerley.
"So as we tried to move around to our car, the police officer decided to push my boyfriend and move him out of the way, and it started a big fiasco," Rahman, a rapper who goes by DJ Sky High Baby, told NBC Miami. "We were simply just trying to get to the car. We weren't trying to obstruct justice or anything like that. It's just crazy to the extent that it (took) four police officers to try to detain him. It was absolutely crazy."
Kerley won a bronze medal in Paris in the summer in the 100 meters, while teammate Noah Lyles earned his first Olympic gold. Kerley won the 2022 world championships in the event and silver in the Tokyo Olympics, and he also has world championships in the 4x400-meter relay in 2019 and the 4x100-meter relay in 2023.
Kerley was a part of the 4x100-meter team in Paris that was disqualified due to a botched handoff. Noah Lyles figured to be a part of that team but fell ill with COVID, which contributed to him falling short in the 200 meters, an event for which he was the heavy favorite.
The New Orleans Saints have pledged to donate $1 million to relief efforts for the victims of the terror attack in the French Quarter on New Year's Day.
Fourteen people were killed, and dozens were left injured, after a man drove along Bourbon Street in a white pickup truck, donned with an ISIS flag, at dangerous speeds.
The French Quarter is less than two miles away from Caesars Superdome, where the Saints play their home games.
"Our community has experienced an unimaginable tragedy and our collective hearts are broken as we mourn for the victims and survivors on the New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans," Saints owner Gayle Benson said in a statement. "As a league, our cities and teams compete at the highest levels of competition and share spirited rivalries. Our staffs and players work tirelessly towards achieving our goals and we share in victories and defeats.
"However, through football we are also united and we stand arm-in-arm against all forms of hatred. We will vanquish terror and fear with an unwavering resolve and purpose rooted in love, compassion and kindness. Our focus has always been on providing aid quickly and effectively, and we are grateful for the collaboration with both the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) and United Way to ensure that these funds reach those who need them most."
Because of the attack, the Sugar Bowl, which was played at the Saints' stadium, was postponed a day. The stadium was filled with heightened security, but that did not stop fans from packing the house anyway.
After the national anthem, chants of "USA!" rang out from the crowd - a moment of silence for the victims preceded the anthem.
The Saints played their final home game of the season back on Dec. 29. They will wrap up their season in Tampa Bay against the Buccaneers.
Sonny Smart, the father of Georgia football coach Kirby Smart, died early Saturday morning from complications related to hip surgery he had after falling the day before the Sugar Bowl, the university confirmed.
Sonny Smart was injured in New Orleans on New Year’s Day before the start of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game between Georgia and Notre Dame, which had been postponed to the following day after a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street claimed the lives of at least 14 people and injured dozens more.
He died shortly after midnight surrounded by his family.
"Sonny fell while walking during the day on New Year's Eve in New Orleans and fractured his hip. He was hospitalized and underwent hip surgery; unfortunately, complications arose. He fought valiantly but was unable to overcome his injuries," the statement read.
"The Smart family expresses their heartfelt gratitude to the Ochsner hospital and medical staff for the exceptional care provided to Sonny. Additionally, they ask for your continued prayers for those affected by the tragic events that occurred in the early hours of New Year's Day."
According to ESPN, Kirby Smart spent part of New Year’s Day at the hospital with his father after the Sugar Bowl was postponed. He returned shortly after Georgia’s 23-10 loss to Notre Dame.
Sonny Smart was a longtime high school football coach in Alabama and Georgia. He also played football at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
Since the firing of head coach Robert Saleh in October, Ryan has been very open about wanting a chance to coach the Jets again.
"I’d like to, there’s no doubt about it, I’ve let everyone know that I definitely would be interested in that job, even though I’ve got a great gig," Ryan said on Barstool Sports’ "Pardon My Take" in November.
Ryan is currently an analyst for ESPN and has been with them since April 2017. Despite loving his job in the media, he would love the chance to man the sidelines again in East Rutherford, NJ.
"I think I have some unfinished business, especially with that franchise. That particular franchise, you know, my dad [Buddy Ryan] was there forever, he won a Super Bowl, and it’s super close to me. I would get back in it if I thought I could make a difference and I think I could make a big difference with that team," Ryan said.
The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since Ryan led them to consecutive AFC Championship Games, which were in 2009 and 2010.
After the Jets fired Ryan in 2014 after going 4-12, he was hired by the Buffalo Bills.
Ryan was with the Bills for nearly two seasons, before getting fired after Week 16 in his second season after going 15-16 with the team.
The Jets have already interviewed former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel for the position.
The Jets are currently 4-12, with their final game coming at home against the Miami Dolphins, who are fighting for a playoff berth.
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II was the latest victim of the infamous and expensive annual rookie dinner – only his teammates decided to also throw in a little prank.
Every year, NFL veterans are treated to a dinner where they typically order high-priced items on the menu, and the team’s respective rookie will foot the bill. Those bills can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Murphy, who was drafted by the Seahawks with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 draft, was up to pay his rookie dues when he received the shock of a lifetime.
The total, with gratuity added, was over $38,000. But it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for Murphy to cover.
The former Texas standout signed a four-year contract worth over $16 million with an annual salary of just over $4 million.
The Seahawks were eliminated from the playoffs last week following the Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Arizona Cardinals. They will close out the season with a game against the Rams on Sunday.
This is the time of the year when a lot of college football players will declare for the NFL Draft.
A lot of players will post a statement that they are grateful for their college experience, and that they are looking forward to what the future holds in the NFL.
But University of Washington linebacker Drew Fowler announced that he was declaring for something other than the NFL in his post.
"When I first committed here in 2019, I talked about taking ‘the road less traveled.’ Boy, did I have any idea what that would truly mean. Playing through 4 head coaches, 3 athletic directors, 4 coordinators, and a global pandemic, my experience at UW has been nothing short of special," Fowler said in his statement.
Fowler would go on to thank his coaches, academic advisors, athletic trainers, his teammates and everyone else who helped him along the way, and then concluded his statement with a curveball.
"With that being said, I’m officially declaring for the job market. In other words, I need a job. If you are anybody you know has an employment opportunity, I am your guy. Gritty, hardworking, sneaky athletic, locker room guy, will bring my lunch pail to work," Fowler wrote.
"My LinkedIn is updated, and I am #OpenToWork."
"Thank you, Husky Nation."
Washington lost to Louisville 35-34 in the Sun Bowl on Tuesday, ending Fowler’s college career.
Fowler played for five years, all with Washington, and had 42 combined tackles with one tackle for loss in his career.
Now he will look to take his talents to the job market.
Tim Kennedy, a Green Beret and former UFC star, revealed in a social media post late Friday that he had once been partnered in a military reality television competition with the suspect involved in the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion.
In a post on Instagram, Kennedy shared that more than a decade ago he competed in the History Channel’s "Ultimate Soldier Challenge" alongside Matthew Livelsberger, a U.S. Army service member from Colorado.
"13 years ago I competed in a shooting competition on History Channel called ‘The Ultimate Soldiers Challenge.’ My partner in this competition was Matt Burg (aka Matt Livelsberger). Last night when I saw old photos of him on the news, I put together that it was the same guy."
Kennedy said in the post that he was "flabbergasted" to learn that Livelsberger was the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on New Year's Day.
"He was a sincere, hard-working, talented, and competent Special Forces operator. I am flabbergasted and heartbroken to hear the news," he continued. "None of this makes sense and I, like many others, are confused and want answers."
Police said Livelsberger, 37, was shot in the head in what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot prior to the detonation of the vehicle. He was identified by his tattoos, credit cards and a military identification found with him.
Livelsberger was a U.S. Army special operations soldier who had several addresses associated with him and was on leave from Germany, where he was serving with the 10th Special Forces Group.
Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Starling, a high school cross-country runner at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, lost her spot on the varsity team earlier this season to a transgender transfer student.
Multiple parents of students at Martin Luther King have told Fox News Digital that the school has allowed the trans athlete to compete on the varsity cross-country team despite missing practices for academic reasons. These parents include Starling's father, longtime firefighter Ryan Starling, and construction subcontractor Dan Slavin, father to Kaitlyn, another runner on the team.
"The fact that the male athlete was able to compete while attending less than 25% of the practices is not fair. In what era, on what team, in what sport can you barely show up to practice and still compete?" Dan Slavin told Fox News Digital. "It is not fair, and it is not right to those who work hard every day for the entire season."
Both families are currently engaged in a lawsuit against the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD).
Ryan Starling told Fox News Digital that the loss of his daughter's varsity spot disrupted his entire family emotionally, as cross-country played a pivotal role in her life. And then when his daughter and other girls on the team confronted their school administrators about it, he claims they were told "transgenders have more rights than cisgenders."
"It's been told multiple times to not just Taylor, but her sister," Ryan Starling said, adding that Taylor is one of three triplets, and all three are active on varsity sports teams. "All the administrators at Martin Luther King have stated this comment, and the Title IX coordinator for the Riverside Unified School District has stated ‘that as a Cisgender girl, they do not have the same rights as a transgender girl' to multiple girls, not just our daughters, but multiple girls on campus."
An RUSD spokesperson declined to give official comment on Ryan Starling's claims in a conversation with Fox News Digital.
The RUSD previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that its handling of the situation has been in accordance with California state law.
"While these rules were not created by RUSD, the District is committed to complying with the law and CIF regulations. California state law prohibits discrimination of students based on gender, gender identity and gender expression, and specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in physical education and athletics. The protections we provide to all students are not only aligned with the law but also with our core values which include equity and well-being," the statement said.
In California, a law called AB 1266 has been in effect since 2014, giving California students at scholastic and collegiate levels the right to "participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records."
California Code of Regulations section 4910(k) defines gender as: "A person’s actual sex or perceived sex and includes a person’s perceived identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with a person’s sex at birth."
California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Bylaw 300.D. mirrors the Education Code, stating: "All students should have the opportunity to participate in CIF activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s records."
The RUSD also placed blame for its handling of the situation on officials in Washington, D.C., and California's state capital, Sacramento.
"As these matters play out in our courts and the media, opposition and protests should be directed at those in a position to affect those laws and policies (including officials in Washington D.C. and Sacramento)," their statement read.
But Starling, Slavin, other students and their families have been ready to do far more than simply send a letter to their local legislators.
Taylor and Kaitlyn ignited a viral trend in their communities when they showed to school in November wearing shirts that read "Save Girls Sports." Martin Luther King administrators allegedly confronted the girls about the shirts, comparing them to swastikas, according to their lawsuit against the district.
Then, more and more students began to show up each week wearing the shirts, as the school had to alter its dress code and start placing students in detention for wearing them. This didn't stop the shirts from spreading and growing. It became a weekly ritual for hundreds of students every Wednesday to show up wearing the shirts support of the girls and their messaging, and many of them created viral social media posts on it.
In early December, the school administrators gave up on their efforts to discipline students for wearing the shirts. Sources told Fox News Digital that more than 400 students have shown up wearing the shirts at a time, and students at other schools in the district have started to wear them to class.
While this was happening, Taylor was also taking steps to reclaim her varsity spot, according to her father. Ryan Starling says it was a "transformative" experience and motivated her both athletically and academically. She has since earned her spot back on the varsity team, and her father says she even beat the trans athlete in a recent competition by more than three seconds.
"She has had so much support from her friends, where her friends were wearing all the t-shirts," he said.
The Starling family haven't received only positive attention, as Ryan Starling says there have been multiple concerning negative messages and even a threat. The family had to delay their recent family vacation to accommodate Taylor's safety for a trip to the state competition, as her parents didn't feel comfortable allowing her to travel alone.
"There was some negative stuff online, there was some threats of violence towards our girls, there was different stuff, and we just didn't feel comfortable leaving Taylor for a day and a half and having her fly out a day later so she could run at state, so we chose to stay all together as a family and support Taylor, and then we delayed our vacation to the first of the year," Ryan Starling said.
The situation came to a potential turning point during a five-hour RUSD school board meeting on Dec. 19. Outside the office, there were competing protests between activists and parents wearing the "Save Girls Sports" t-shirts, and LGBTQ activists.
Sources have told Fox News Digital that the LGBTQ activists at the event were harassing the protesters on the other side, and even disrupted a women's prayer group during a prayer circle prior to the meeting.
Then inside the meeting, parents and opposing activists gave impassioned speeches on their thoughts on the situation, with multiple speakers yelling in hysterical tones. But Ryan Starling, who stayed for the whole meeting, got a glimmer of hope toward the end of the meeting. He says that after it was over, a newly-inducted board member spoke to the girls who were there to protest the trans athlete, and that the new board member suggested that their problem would be solved once President-elect Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
"Don't worry girls, we have your back, wait till January 20th," the new board member said, according to Ryan Starling.
Trump has pledged to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports, and the new Republican-controlled congress has indicated an intention to do so as well.
The House rules package for the 119th Congress was posted this week, and the first step in its order of business is a bill that would bring about Title IX revisions that would only allow athletes to compete in the gender category that they were assigned at birth.
However, California and Governor Gavin Newsom have vowed to resist the incoming Trump administration.
With a playoff berth on the line, the Miami Dolphins are likely to be without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa against the New York Jets on Sunday.
Head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters in his press conference on Friday that "it is unlikely Tua will see any action."
Tagovailoa being sidelined for the second straight week with a hip injury means the Dolphins' playoff hopes rest in the hands of Tyler "Snoop" Huntley.
In the Dolphins' 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns last week, Huntley completed 22–26 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown while running the ball seven times for 52 yards and a rushing touchdown.
In the four games Huntley has started in relief of Tagovailoa, the Dolphins are 2-2.
If the Dolphins beat the Jets, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos, then the Dolphins will be the No. 7 seed in the AFC, with a matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
Should the Broncos beat the Chiefs, and as has been widely reported, the Chiefs are resting their starters, then the Broncos will advance regardless of the outcome of the Dolphins-Jets game.
Should the Dolphins make the playoffs, however, Tagovailoa said he will be playing.
"If the cards play out the way they should, and the way we know and think they can, I’m going to be available next week. "There’s no ifs, ands or buts allowed. I’ll be playing. That’s for sure," Tagovailoa told reporters Friday.
With Tagovailoa unlikely to play, his final regular-season stats conclude by completing 72.9% of his passes for 2,867 yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions across 11 games.
Tagovailoa missed time earlier in the season after suffering a concussion against the Bills, in Week 2 and didn’t return to play until the end of October in a loss against the Arizona Cardinals.
Last year was the only time Tagovailoa started every game in a season, as he has missed time with injuries in his five-year career.
NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre expressed confusion and skepticism about the details related to the deadly New Year's Day incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas.
In an X post Friday, Favre asked followers "what's going on" with the terror attack in New Orleans that killed 14 and the Cybertruck bombing outside Trump Tower in Las Vegas that killed one.
"What’s going on with the New Orleans and Trump Hotel story? A lot of information and hard to sift through to see what’s real!" Favre wrote.
Many of Favre's followers responded, sharing similar skepticism.
"Whatever the FBI says, believe the opposite!" one user wrote.
Another user responded, advising Favre and others to "ignore the media."
"None of it. Take in the event. Ignore the media," the user wrote.
More details about the two attacks have emerged in recent days.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the man who plowed a rented pickup truck into New Year's revelers on New Orleans' Bourbon Street Wednesday, and Matthew Livelsberger, the man eyed in the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas hours later, were both Army soldiers who served at Fort Liberty and deployed to Aghanistan in 2009, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Las Vegas, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said that while both men served in Afghanistan in 2009, any potential ties there were still under investigation
"We don't have any evidence that they were in the same province in Afghanistan, the same location or the same unit," McMahill said. "Again, something else that remains under investigation."
A defense official told Fox News there was no evidence based on their military service that the attacks were related. While both men served at Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, they were there at different times. The North Carolina base is home to more than 50,000 service members.
The FBI released surveillance images of the New Orleans attack that show Jabbar just about an hour before he allegedly sped a rented Ford pickup through a crowd of Bourbon Street revelers in an attack officials say was inspired by the Islamic State.
More than 30 others were injured. Despite previously investigating the possibility of accomplices in the attack, the FBI said Thursday the bureau is confident Jabbar acted alone.
The FBI recovered a black ISIS flag from Jabbar's rented pickup truck that was used for the attack.
"This investigation is only a little more than 24 hours old, and we have no indication at this point that anyone else was involved in this attack other than Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar," FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia of the counterterrorism division at FBI headquarters said Thursday.
"The FBI is surging people and assets to this area from across the region and across the nation. Special agents in field offices across the country are assisting with potential aspects of this investigation and following up on leads. Additional teams of special agents, professional staff and victim specialists continue to arrive to provide more investigative power and assistance to the victims and their families."
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., initially voted for Jim Jordan for speaker of the House Friday, but President-elect Trump was able to convince him to change his vote — while working on his golf game.
In Trump's first phone call to Norman, Trump was hitting the links.
"He said, ‘Look, I’m in the middle of a golf game.' That was the first time I talked to him," Norman said, via MediaIte.
"He said, ‘Well, you did vote for Nikki Haley.’ I said, ‘Yes, sir, I did. We’re with you now.' And I said, 'We will be with Mike Johnson.'"
Trump owns numerous golf courses, one of which was the site of a second assassination attempt on his life in the summer. Trump's USGA handicap was once as low as a 2.5, and he claims to have recorded eight holes-in-one.
Trump also spoke with Keith Self, R-Texas, on the phone in an effort to sway Self's vote, sources told Fox News Digital.
Self confirmed to reporters he had spoken with Trump by phone multiple times Friday.
"I talked to him a couple of times today," Self said. "We had a lively discussion."
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., connected Trump with Self and Norman by phone after they voted against Johnson, the sources said.
Johnson won the House speakership in the first round of voting, after it initially appeared he might lose.
Self, Norman and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., each voted for lawmakers other than Johnson, appearing to put the speaker's gavel out of reach.
But House leaders did not formally close the vote while figuring out a path forward. GOP lawmakers were told to be on the House floor immediately in preparation for a second vote.
That second vote did not occur, however, and Johnson was sworn in as speaker Friday afternoon.
Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
The new Republican-controlled Congress will hear arguments on a bill that would seek to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women's sports in its first 100 days after voting yes on a new rules package Friday.
The 119th Congress approved the new rules package after re-electing Mike Johnson as House speaker. A bill to address the issue of gender identity in sports was listed as the top priority.
"A bill to amend the Education Amendments of 1972 to provide that for purposes of determining compliance with title IX of such Act in athletics, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth," the first point in the final section of the package states.
Democrats have previously introduced multiple bills to protect transgender inclusion in women's and girls sports on a national level, including the Equality Act and the Transgender Bill of Rights. The Biden administration took multiple steps to enable transgender inclusion via executive orders, including an order on his first day in office in 2021.
However, those efforts have stalled over the last year, as Democrats have pulled back on their support for transgender inclusion amid immense backlash in a heated election year. Biden's Department of Education even withdrew its proposed rule that would have outlawed states from banning transgender athletes from women's and girls sports in late December after it was initially proposed in April 2023.
Now, after President-elect Trump and other prominent Republicans vowed to take action to ban transgender athletes from women's sports prior to the election, there is a timeline for when that action may begin.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., celebrated Friday's vote and will be reintroducing the bill included in the rules package, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
"The radical left is not in step with the American people on the issue of protecting women’s sports," Steube said in a statement released Friday.
"Americans have loudly spoken that they do not want men stealing sports records from women, entering their daughters’ locker rooms, replacing female athletes on teams, and taking their daughters’ scholarship opportunities.
"My legislation stands for truth, safety, and reality: men have no place in women’s sports. Republicans have promised to protect women’s sports, and under President Trump’s leadership, we will fulfill this promise."
This bill ensures that biological females compete against other biological females in women’s sports that are operated or sponsored by a recipient of federal funding.
Other women's activist groups have also celebrated the impending legislative action on the issue after a year of multiple controversies involving transgender athletes competing against and sharing locker rooms with biological women and girls across the nation.
The Concerned Women for America (CWA) provided a statement to Fox News Digital, praising the prioritization of the bill.
"There’s no question this ought to be a legislative priority in the 119th Congress. The Biden administration and company have launched a full-scale attack on women’s dignity. Leadership must act promptly to restore sensibility to public policy and immediately take young girls out of the disastrous fires of woke ideology," CWA Legislative Strategist Macy Petty told Fox News Digital.
"No little girl should see the most powerful politicians in the world vote to put men in her locker room. Not in the Land of the Free. It’s cowardice and disgusting. But it’s the reality of our political landscape. Last Congress, the House passed similar legislation on strict party lines. One party voted that women deserve private spaces, one didn’t."
Conservative advocacy group Heritage Action for America released a statement Friday celebrating the vote.
"Today, the House also considered the rules package for the 119th Congress that includes significant legislative priorities for Heritage Action, including the SAVE Act and the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act. Congress must now begin the work to enact a bold conservative agenda. We congratulate Speaker Johnson on his re-election to speaker of the House and look forward to working with all members of the 119th Congress to enact conservative policy wins," the statement said.
A national exit poll conducted by the 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."
Rumors had swirled for weeks that star forward Jimmy Butler wanted out of Miami — it even got to the point where the Heat released a statement saying it had become a distraction, and that they wouldn't trade him.
Well, in the span of a week, the team has since done an about-face, admitting in another statement on Friday that Butler has asked to be moved, and they will look to fulfill that request.
In that same statement on Friday, the Heat announced they have suspended Butler for seven games "for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks."
"Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers," the Heat said on Friday.
Butler's agent had shut down reports by ESPN that he wanted to be traded, but it seems like it's always been the opposite.
Butler will not be with the team for its home game Saturday against the Utah Jazz and then the totality of a six-game road trip that will include games against the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers.
In theory, the earliest that Butler could play again for the Heat is Jan. 17 at home against the Denver Nuggets — but he has likely played for Miami for the final time.
Butler is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in his sixth season with the Heat. He has played in two NBA Finals with them, losing both.
It wouldn't be the first playoff seeding oddity. There have been 7-9 teams who have won divisions, which means they automatically hosted playoff games.
But with his team in danger of losing just three games but not being at home on wild-card weekend, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown says the format needs to be revamped.
"It's crazy. I think the rule should be changed," St. Brown told reporters this week. "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."
The NFL and MLB have similar formats in which top seeds get a bye, and all division winners have home-field advantage in the first round. The NBA seeds based on standings in the conference regardless of division, while the NHL does a combination of conference and division standings but with no byes.
St. Brown says his team has nothing to worry about anyway.
"Either way, I think we'll be fine. Whether it's going on the road or having a bye week and playing at home, we're built for either or," he said.
The Lions and Vikings kick off in Detroit Sunday. The Packers, also in the NFC North, sit at 11-5 and are the sixth seed heading into the weekend.
