As those in Southern California continue to deal with wildfire devastation, NFL legend Tom Brady is doing his part to help out the relief efforts. 

Brady partnered with Gopuff to deliver $250,000 of free water to those impacted by the wildfires. 

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power continues to send out alerts saying that unsafe water is in the area due to fire-related toxins in tap water. 

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So, customers of Gopuff, which has thousands of employees, 160-plus BevMo! Stores and a corporate office in California can use the code "CAStrong" at checkout to have fresh, and free, still water delivered up to $10.

Also, 30% off essentials, including food, batteries, electrolytes and more, is being offered by the company that also announced a donation of $150,000 worth of essentials last week.

LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES DEATH TOLL RISES TO 16 AS GAVIN NEWSOM FACES NEW FIREFIGHTING FUNDING SCRUTINY

"Our hearts are with the thousands and thousands of people impacted by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles," said Yakir Gola, Gopuff co-founder and co-CEO, in a statement. "We are extremely grateful for first responders’ round-the-clock efforts to keep our communities safe and for our team leaders’ tireless efforts to support our employees in the area. 

"To do our part to support first responders and anyone who’s impacted locally, we’ve partnered with Tom Brady to give away $250K worth of water to those in the LA area and will continue to monitor the situation and support however we can."

Brady joined Gopuff in June 2024 in a multiyear strategic partnership in which he said he would be hands-on with the instant commerce leader. 

"Since my first time using Gopuff, I’ve been amazed by how fast and seamless the deliveries are, offering so many different options right at your fingertips," said Brady in an official press release of the partnership announcement. "I’m excited to be working with the Gopuff team to continue to drive innovation and help create an even better experience for their customers."

California authorities have confirmed a new death toll of 16 as the wildfires continued to rage around Los Angeles on Sunday. Thousands have lost their homes as first responders continue to try to get control over the flames. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom has invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit California amid the wildfires and fighting over budget decisions. The governor has faced criticism for approving a budget that slashed $100 million in firefighting and fire prevention funding.

Newsom did issue an executive order on Sunday to remove some regulatory hurdles and procedures to accelerate rebuilding homes and business faster.

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Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills took care of business in the wild-card round on Sunday afternoon, as they dominated the Denver Broncos, 31-7, to move on to the divisional round. 

The Bills will now host the Baltimore Ravens next week to see who will have a spot in the AFC Championship. 

The Bills were the heavy favorites in this game considering rookie quarterback Bo Nix was going to play his first playoff game on the road against a veteran Buffalo squad when it came to January football. 

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But just like he has all season, this game began with Nix trusting his talent and launching a 43-yard strike to his old Oregon teammate Troy Franklin to put Denver up 7-0. 

However, while the "Bills Mafia" wasn’t too happy about that start to the contest, they knew Allen, their MVP frontrunner, wasn’t going to let them down. 

What ensued was 31 unanswered points by Buffalo, which began with a field goal and touchdown on the team’s first two offensive drives. 

DERRICK HENRY, RAVENS RUN WILD FOR WIN OVER STEELERS IN NFL PLAYOFFS

The first touchdown for the Bills was scored by none other than James Cook, who co-led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns on the season. He capped a 13-play drive with a five-yard barrel into the end zone to make it 10-7. 

Cook finished the game with 120 yards rushing on 23 carries against a Denver defense that has been one of the best in the league all season. 

Thanks to long, methodical Bills drives, the first half ended with Broncos kicker Wil Lutz smacking the goal post with an attempted field goal to tie the game at 10 apiece, and that was just about as close to scoring as the Broncos would see the rest of the game. 

Buffalo scored on every second-half drive except to kneel down at the end of the game, which included touchdown passes from Allen to Ty Johnson on a ridiculous throw and catch from 24 yards out, and Curtis Samuel breaking free for a 55-yard score to truly seal the victory at 28-7 as the fourth quarter began. 

In the end, Allen was an efficient 20-for-26 for 272 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, while also rushing for 46 yards on eight carries. 

Samuel was his best receiver in terms of yards thanks to that huge gain. He finished with 68, while Khalil Shakir had six catches for 61 yards. 

Meanwhile, Nix was 13-for-22 for 144 yards with one touchdown, while also rushing for 43 yards. The Bills were stingy when the Broncos tried to establish a run game, holding the Broncos to a total 79 yards.

Courtland Sutton was Denver’s top receiver per usual, hauling in five catches for 75 yards. 

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NFL officials are expected to be sharp in the playoffs with a shot at the Super Bowl hanging in the balance, but fans found they missed a crucial penalty during Sunday’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos.

The Bills drove down the field right out of halftime. Josh Allen got the offense within a few yards of a touchdown. On third down, Allen was forced to take a sack because there were no receivers open. But there was a reason why no pass-catchers could break away from their defender.

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Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid appeared to be held in the end zone by Denver Broncos defensive back Patrick Surtain II. The officials didn’t throw a flag on the play and the Bills were forced to settle for a field goal to make the game 13-7.

Head referee Bill Vinovich was seen talking to Allen before Buffalo kicked the ball away.

STEELERS' GEORGE PICKENS MAKES STUNNING REMARK AFTER PLAYOFF LOSS VS RAVENS

NFL fans were not happy with the lack of a penalty, especially in such a crucial spot.

Buffalo was looking to stave off any Denver comeback attempt. They were able to score a touchdown in the second half to take the lead. The Broncos had a chance to tie the game but Will Lutz missed a field goal.

Bo Nix started the scoring with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin in the first quarter. The Broncos haven’t scored since.

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Former NFL star Robert Griffin III faced backlash for his post about Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert following the team’s playoff loss to the Houston Texans.

Herbert was roasted on social media for his performance. He was 14-of-32 with 242 passing yards. He had one touchdown pass and four interceptions in the 32-12 loss.

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Griffin added to it with his post on X.

"The national media better hold Justin Herbert accountable for his playoff performances like they do to Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott," he wrote.

Griffin’s remarks didn’t exactly resonate as he was accused of turning the critiques of Herbert into a conversation about race.

PATRIOTS AGREE TO MAKE MIKE VRABEL NEXT HEAD COACH

Neither quarterback mentioned has appeared in a Super Bowl.

Lamar Jackson’s struggle to win big games has been chronicled. He led the Baltimore Ravens to the AFC Championship Game last season but failed to get past the Kansas City Chiefs. Jackson is 3-4 in seven playoff appearances. He has 1,499 passing yards, eight touchdowns and six picks.

Dak Prescott has been injured a few times in his career, which has derailed the Dallas Cowboys’ playoff hopes. He’s 2-5 in seven playoff starts. He had 1,962 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and seven picks. The Cowboys haven’t made it to the conference title game since the 1995 season.

Herbert was praised for having a bounce-back season under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh. But his lack of success in the postseason has been highlighted. He’s 0-2 in two playoff appearances since he entered the league in 2020.

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Marcus Freeman’s stock has increased as he’s led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to the brink of its first national championship since 1988.

The Chicago Bears appeared to have been watching Freeman closely.

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The Bears want to interview Freeman for their head coach position after parting ways with Matt Eberflus in the middle of the 2024 season, the NFL Network reported Sunday. The Bears have not made a decision on Eberflus’ replacement but have been going through the interview process.

Freeman first will have to game-plan for Notre Dame’s national title game against Ohio State. The Fighting Irish narrowly defeated Penn State to get there.

"Obviously unlikely he would entertain NFL overtures prior to that game – a week from tomorrow against Ohio State," NFL insider Tom Pelissero said on the network. "But the Bears have done extensive research for months on Marcus Freeman. He’s only 39 years old. It would not be a shock that at some point he at least considers going to the NFL."

PATRIOTS AGREE TO MAKE MIKE VRABEL NEXT HEAD COACH

Chicago is still set to interview Minnesota Vikings’ Brian Floires, Washington Commanders’ Kliff Kingsubury, Baltimore Ravens’ Todd Monken and Pittsburgh Steelers’ Arthur Smith for the job, according to the NFL Network.

Freeman was named as Brian Kelly’s replacement at Notre Dame after the former head coach took the LSU job.

He is 33-9 as head coach of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are 14-1 this season after going 9-4 in his first full year in 2022 and 10-3 in 2023.

The Bears were 5-12 in 2024 with Caleb Williams in his first season under center.

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Former WWE star known as Melina was reported "safe" on Sunday after concerns were raised over her whereabouts amid the devastating Los Angeles wildfires during the week.

A Matter of Pride Wrestling, which initially expressed fears over the former pro wrestling, offered an update on social media.

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"We’re relieved to share that Melina has made contact and is safe. We want to thank everyone for their concern, support, and outreach during this time. Your kindness and compassion means the world to us," the pro wrestling company wrote on X.

Melina Perez 45, was born in Los Angeles and got into the pro wrestling world in 2001.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM

She burst onto the WWE scene when she appeared on "Tough Enough" in 2002 in hopes of earning a roster spot. While she didn’t win the spot, she later was the valet for the MNM tag team of Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury.

She had a successful singles run as she was the WWE Women’s Champion three times and the WWE Divas Champion twice.

Perez also competed for the National Wrestling Alliance and TNA Wrestling.

She wrestled from 2001 to 2021.

The Los Angeles wildfires have killed more than a dozen people and left thousands of structures and acres of land burned.

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Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Malik Zaire fueled the hype for the national championship game on Saturday with harsh criticism of Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.

Howard led the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff semifinal victory over the Texas Longhorns, 28-14. Howard was 24-of-33 with 289 passing yards and a touchdown pass. He also had an interception.

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Zaire was unconvinced Howard would be able to do enough to get over the Fighting Irish on Jan. 20.

"All the great QBs Ohio State has had the last 15 yrs and Howard is def the worst one by far and ostate fans are trying to convince me that he’s gonna lead them to the chip?!?! Lmao ok," Zaire wrote on X. "I’d even take the OG Jalin Marshall at QB before Howard!!!!!!!!"

Zaire added that Ohio State’s loss to Michigan before the College Football Playoff started was more questionable than Notre Dame’s early season loss to Northern Illinois.

OHIO STATE HERO JACK SAWYER REVEALS 2-WORD MESSAGE FORMER ROOMMATE QUINN EWERS GAVE HIM AFTER TOUCHDOWN

"Ok let’s be honest, we got beat by NIU that was embarrassing. But yall got beat by Michigan for the 4th year in a row, at home as a 20+pt favorite, got the flag planted in the middle of yall field and beat up after the game while ya head coach watched….. lmao yall have nothing to tell me about this Ohio state team lmao," he added.

Notre Dame will be looking for its first national championship in the College Football Playoff era, but have to go up against a tough defense and an offense that has the ability to explode for big plays.

The Fighting Irish narrowly defeated Penn State in their semifinal matchup.

Howard has 3,779 passing yards and 33 touchdown passes this season. He transferred to Ohio State from Kansas State.

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The former WWE star known as Melina was reportedly "unreachable" amid the devastating wildfires that left a path of destruction in Southern California over the last week.

A Matter of Pride Wrestling and the Cauliflower Alley Club asked their followers about the location of Melina Perez on Saturday.

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"We’re deeply concerned as WWE Legend Melina has been unresponsive amidst the troubling events unfolding in Los Angeles," A Matter of Pride Wrestling wrote on X. "If anyone has seen or heard from her, please report her safe. Any information helps."

The Cauliflower Alley Club added, "Reading on X that apparently former WWE superstar Melina has reportedly been unreachable amidst the wildfire oubreak in Los Angeles. If anyone knows her whereabouts or can contact her it would be a great relief to everyone concerned about her safely. Please share, Thank you."

Perez, 45, was born in Los Angeles.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM

She burst onto the WWE scene when she appeared on "Tough Enough" in 2002 in hopes of earning a roster spot. While she didn’t win the spot, she later was the valet for the MNM tag team of Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury.

She had a successful singles run as she was the WWE Women’s Champion three times and the WWE Divas Champion twice.

Perez also competed for the National Wrestling Alliance and TNA Wrestling.

She wrestled from 2001 to 2021.

The Los Angeles wildfires have killed more than a dozen people and left thousands of structures and acres of land burned.

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Former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan expressed hope he would get a chance to face off against Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots during the 2025 season.

Ryan reacted on ESPN to the Patriots’ decision to hire Vrabel as the team’s head coach on Sunday. It came one week after New England fired Jerod Mayo.

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"Hopefully, I can kick this guy’s a-- twice a year," he said with a smile.

Ryan had interviewed to be the Jets’ head coach and suggested he was the favorite to land the job. He would replace Robert Saleh, who was fired in the middle of the season, and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, who replaced Saleh.

"The reason I think I'm going to get it is because I'm the best guy for it. It ain't close," he said, via ESPN. "The thing you have to do is, you have to connect with your football team, you have to connect with your fan base. The way they play, that's the most important thing. It's not just the Xs and Os and all that."

AARON RODGERS STILL HAS 'A LOT OF JUICE LEFT IN THE TANK,' NFL LEGEND BRETT FAVRE SAYS

Aside from showing his confidence, Ryan even offered a pitch – one that took direct aim at quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 

"Clearly, when you have a guy that doesn't show up for mandatory minicamp – and, by the way, he's your quarterback, coming off an injury – I think that's an absolutely ridiculous message you send to the team," Ryan said of Rodgers missing mandatory minicamp over the summer for a trip to Egypt. 

"If he comes back, things would be different. If he's back, it ain't gonna be the country club, show up whenever the hell you want to show up. That ain't gonna happen. I'll just leave it at that."

Ryan was 46-50 as the Jets’ head coach and was the last to lead the Jets to the playoffs.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes didn’t mince words when he revealed why he sat the team’s leading scorer, Chaz Lanier, in Saturday’s win over the Texas Longhorns.

Lanier had 10 points in 34 minutes as No. 1 Tennessee won 74-70 over the Longhorns. He’s averaging 19 points per game. Barnes said he removed Lanier after he didn’t shoot the ball on a play designed for him.

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"I took him out the first play of the second half because he didn't shoot the ball," he said, via CBS Sports. "That play is designed for that shot. I told him, 'If you're not going to do what you're getting paid to do, then you're going to sit over here.' Because he is getting paid to do that."

Barnes’ "paid to do" remark raised eyebrows in the name, image and likeness era. No head coach had been as blunt as Barnes was after the win.

CAITLIN CLARK'S IOWA COACH SAYS TEAM IS NOW MISSING LEADERSHIP AFTER CLARK'S DEPARTURE

Lanier has a $1.7 million NIL valuation, according to On3 Sports.

"I've told Chaz all along, he doesn't have to score the ball for us to win," Barnes added. "He's going to have to help those guys by learning how to screen, gonna have to learn to cut harder, learn to do his work early coming off screens, because he kind of gallops a little bit."

Tennessee is 15-1 on the year and 2-1 against SEC opponents.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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NFL fans will be watching closely this offseason what Aaron Rodgers decides to do with the next step in his career – will he pursue another year in the league or call it quits?

Rodgers had a tumultuous two years with the New York Jets, playing only one full season and throwing for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns. The team was 5-12 on the year. If he chooses to play again, Rodgers would be 42 years old come next December.

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Brett Favre, Rodgers’ predecessor with the Green Bay Packers, told TMZ Sports in a recent interview he thinks there’s still some juice left in the 10-time Pro Bowler.

"I think I'm right in saying that he has a lot of juice left in the tank," he said.  ""... I just think he still can play. You saw it this last game. You go, 'Well, where's that been?' 

"That's the Aaron Rodgers we know. He's making all the throws, guys are responding to him, love playing with him. Where's that been all year?"

Favre admitted he was "wrong" about how he thought Rodgers would have fared with the Jets.

SUPER BOWL CHAMP'S SON DELIVERS BRUTAL KNOCKOUT IN LACROSSE FIGHT

"If there's any little inkling in him that wants to play and prove that he can still do it at a high level, then I would say do it," he added.

Rodgers showed glimmers of what he could bring to the table, but the lack of consistency ultimately plagued the offense.

On top of that, the Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas in the middle of the season.

Both the Jets and Rodgers have a ton of decisions to weigh in the next couple of days and weeks.

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Mike Vrabel is returning to Foxborough to lead the New England Patriots on the sidelines instead of on the defense.

Vrabel agreed to become the Patriots’ next head coach on Sunday one week after the team fired Jerod Mayo following a win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 18, according to multiple reports. He reportedly agreed to a multi-year contract to lead the team.

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The Patriotsl later announced the decision.

Mayo had only one season at the helm in New England after being tapped to replace the legendary Bill Belichick. Now, another former Patriots player is set to lead the charge.

Vrabel had been the favorite to land the job once New England announced Mayo’s dismissal. New England interviewed several candidates, including Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, longtime NFL assistant coach Pep Hamilton and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.

STEELERS' GEORGE PICKENS MAKES STUNNING REMARK AFTER PLAYOFF LOSS VS RAVENS

Vrabel was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2017 to 2023, leading them to three playoff appearances and an AFC Championship Game in 2019. He was 54-45 with the team before departing the organization after a 6-11 season in 2023.

He spent last season as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns.

As a player, the linebacker was with the Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. He won three rings with the Patriots while playing for Belichick.

New England will have the No. 4 pick of the NFL Draft after going 4-13 in 2024.

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The National Lacrosse League can put together an NHL-style brawl every once in a while and Friday night two players dropped the gloves and threw fists during a game.

Toronto Rock defender Elijah Gash went punch-for-punch with Buffalo Bandits defender Zack Belter in the third quarter. Belter came after Gash following a big hit from the Rock star. It was full tilt after that.

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Gash gained the upper hand as they both dropped their gloves. He connected with a right hand and dropped Belter to the mat.

Gash is the son of former NFL fullback Sam Gash. The ex-NFL star won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. 

He played in the league from 1992 to 2003 with the Ravens, New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

DERRICK HENRY, RAVENS RUN WILD FOR WIN OVER STEELERS IN NFL PLAYOFFS

Toronto led at that point, but Buffalo won the game 15-13.

"Great teams find a way to win at the end of the day," Buffalo’s Dhane Smith said, via the team’s website. "We’re a great team, and they’re trying to find out their identity. 

"At the end of the day, we need to win games like that, and we were able to do that tonight, so we have to look forward to Philadelphia now."

The Bandits are 4-0 to start the year and the Rock are 0-5.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday night in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, 28-14.

The Steelers came alive in the third quarter with two Russell Wilson touchdown passes to make the game interesting as Ravens running back Derrick Henry ran all over the Pittsburgh defense. Outside those two touchdowns, the Steelers couldn’t generate any offense.

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Baltimore outgained Pittsburgh 464 yards to 280, with each team having nine drives in the game.

George Pickens, the Steelers wide receiver who has been very outspoken about his team’s performances in recent weeks, had one more jab for the offense.

"Yeah, I’ve seen signs of growth, for sure," Pickens said when asked about the offense, via Pro Football Talk. "From past – first year I’ve been here, just way more growth, for sure."

But did that make him optimistic for the future?

MIKE VRABEL IN NEGOTIATIONS TO BECOME NEXT PATRIOTS HEAD COACH: REPORT

"Uh, nah," he said.

He didn’t elaborate on the comments. He led the team with five catches for 87 yards and caught one of Wilson’s touchdown passes.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin put the blame on his shoulders. The loss made it six straight in the postseason.

"I’m just assessing what transpired tonight," Tomlin said. "As I told you guys earlier in the week, those are my bags, not this collective’s bags. And so my energy is on that group in there and what they were willing to give and the journey that we’ve been on this year, and certainly it came to a disappointing end tonight."

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As OutKick reported on Thursday, Vancouver Island University's women's basketball team refused to play against PACWEST conference opponent Columbia Bible College, alleging that the Christian school created an unsafe environment because VIU has a transgender player. 

Vancouver Island released a statement saying that its players don't feel safe playing at Columbia Bible College. 

"Intimidation, harassment, and discrimination have no place in athletics," the statement read, according to Fox News. "VIU stands in full support of our student-athletes and affirms the right of all athletes to compete in an environment that prioritizes their safety and well-being."

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CBC immediately denied the allegations that they created an unsafe environment, and countered by saying that they had put measures in place for additional security for the games against VIU. 

The "intimidation, harassment and discrimination" allegations stem from multiple incidents in late October when the two teams first played one another this season. 

Vancouver Island transgender player, Harriette Mackenzie, said in an Instagram video that the CBC coach, Taylor Clagett, went on a "tirade" to a VIU staffer complaining about the team having a male on its women's basketball team. 

Mackenzie, who leads VIU in points, rebounds and blocks and is the tallest player on the team, further said that CBC players attempted to injure the transgender athlete with purposeful flagrant fouls. 

The players from the Christian school released a statement of their own, signed by every player, defending their head coach and denying the accusations made by Mackenzie and VIU. 

"Coach Claggett has repeatedly shown respect for all athletes from many backgrounds throughout her career as a youth and college coach. We have the privilege of interacting with Coach Claggett on a daily basis and know that the concerns she has voiced are rooted in a care for the safety of her team," the statement, which was sent to OutKick, said. 

"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." 

Normally, in this situation, those games would count as forfeit losses for Vancouver Island, the #5 team in the CCAA. However, the PACWEST decided to simply postpone those games for the time being, something that Columbia Bible College said represented a double-standard. 

"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 statement said. 

It seems clear that Coach Claggett doesn't believe that biological men, like Mackenzie, should be competing in women's sports. That's the majority opinion of most American citizens, although Canada tends to lean more left than the United States, so perhaps there are fewer citizens who hold that common-sense belief in the neighboring country. 

But the picture painted by the CBC players isn't unlike the one often seen in American sports when women stand up for themselves and their sports and demand that biological males compete against other males and not against females. They're faced with harassment and calls of "bigotry" for simply wanting fair competition. 

It's unfortunate that the players and the coach have faced "derogatory messages" for their stance, but that's the reality. And, as CBC pointed out, the PACWEST appeared to show favoritism towards VIU, likely because the conference fears backlash from the trans mafia if they don't comply with their demands.

That's how these people often get their way. They use bullying tactics to force opponents into silence. But the players for Columbia Bible College decided not to be quiet. Good for them. 

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The Baltimore Ravens were built to run, and that's exactly what they did to win their first playoff game of the year.

Baltimore combined for 299 yards on the ground (they were at 300 before the final kneel), with Derrick Henry garnering the majority, in their 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.

The Steelers offense was blanked the entire first half, punting on each of their four drives. The Ravens were a different story; the first time they had the ball, they drove 95 yards down the field, and Lamar Jackson found Rashod Bateman for a 15-yard touchdown. In the second quarter, it was another 13-play drive (all runs), and this time, it was Henry punching it in. 

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Then, with two seconds left until both teams went into the locker room, Jackson evaded pressure and found Justice Hill to make it 21-0 and give the Ravens over 300 yards of offense. The first half differential in the first half was 19-2 in favor of Baltimore.

The Steelers weren’t dead yet, though. Despite being pinned at their own 2-yard line, Russell Wilson dropped three third-down dimes to keep the drive alive, the final one being a 30-yard touchdown to Van Jefferson to get Pittsburgh on the board in the third. However, Baltimore answered right back, as Henry scampered for a 44-yard score.

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Wilson, though, threw another touchdown in a bucket, this one to George Pickens, to again make it a two-score game with 3:24 left in the third. 

Although the Ravens offense slowed down in the second half, Pittsburgh was unable to do much in the fourth quarter, turning the ball over on downs midway through the quarter in an effort to make it a one-score game, and Pickens' touchdown would wind up being the final score of the game.

In all, it was 186 yards on the ground for Henry on 26 carries, two of which found the end zone. Jackson added 81 rushing yards (while also going 16-for-21 for 175 yards through the air). 

Baltimore now awaits their divisional round opponent, but in all likelihood, it will be the Buffalo Bills. With a surprising Buffalo loss to the Denver Broncos, though, they'd face the Houston Texans.

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The New England Patriots are in talks to hire Mike Vrabel as the team's next head coach, according to The Boston Globe. 

Vrabel is the favorite to get the job after former head coach Jerod Mayo was fired Sunday after just one season. 

Vrabel is a member of the Patriots' Hall of Fame for his eight seasons with the team. He won three Super Bowls with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick during his New England career from 2001-08. 

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Vrabel was 54-45 in six seasons as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-2023, including three trips to the playoffs and one to the AFC title game.

Vrabel was fired by the Titans after the 2023 season, then spent 2024 in a part-time role as a coaching and personnel consultant with the Cleveland Browns. 

NFL DRAFT PROSPECT KYREN LACY WANTED FOR NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN FATAL HIT-AND-RUN

Vrabel was projected to be a top head coaching candidate in 2025. He has also interviewed with the Jets and the Bears. 

The Patriots have also interviewed Ben Johnson, Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton for their head coach opening. 

Vrabel was born in Ohio and was an All-American during his standout playing career with the Ohio State Buckeyes in the mid-1990s.

Vrabel ended his pro career with 769 tackles, 57 sacks and 11 interceptions. He received All-Pro honors for his standout 2007 season with the New England Patriots.

The Patriots are 8-26 the past two seasons with Bill Belichick and then Mayo as their head coach.

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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. 

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Saturday's game also featured a unique moment in NFL playoff history. 

Houston’s D’Angelo Ross returned a blocked extra point for two points in the fourth quarter, the first such play in NFL postseason history.

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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. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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."

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Wildfires have ravaged neighborhoods across Los Angeles in recent days.

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.

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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.

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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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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