After knocking out the top-seeded Oregon Ducks in the quarterfinals, the Buckeyes defeated the Texas Longhorns in the semifinal to advance to Monday's championship game. But one member of the Buckeyes, who rose to prominence largely due to his social media presence, will not make the trip to Atlanta for the national title game.
Caden Davis, a former walk-on, has been dismissed from the team, Ohio State Sports Information Director Jerry Emig confirmed to The Lantern.
The sophomore defensive end never recorded a tackle during his brief stint as an Ohio State student-athlete. Davis has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers across popular social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
University officials did not immediately provide details on what led to Davis' dismissal.
At times, Davis' online content would provide followers with behind-the-scenes content of the Ohio State football team and athletic facilities. He would also document his life as a student on the Columbus, Ohio, campus.
As of Wednesday, at least one of Davis' social media bios read, "Ohio State football #61," while other accounts feature references to the football program.
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Davis suggested he was traveling to the Dallas area with the Buckeyes for the semifinal matchup with Texas in the Cotton Bowl. It was later determined that the photos Davis shared were from last season's Cotton Bowl game. Missouri defeated Ohio State in that game.
Ohio State last hoisted the national championship trophy in 2014, which was the inaugural College Football Playoff Championship.
Notre Dame punched its ticket to the national title game by defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the quarterfinals before eliminating Penn State in the semifinal. The championship game kicks off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Philadelphia Eagles fan Ryan Caldwell addressed his behavior at the team's playoff game against the Packers Sunday, when he was seen on video berating a Packers fan who sat near him with vulgar insults.
Caldwell was fired from his job as a project manager at BCT Partners after a video of his insults went viral. He has apologized but also defended himself by insisting his actions "were not without provocation" and that the viral video "does not show the full context" of what happened.
"While attending an NFL game last Sunday to support my beloved Philadelphia Eagles, an incident occurred that I deeply regret," Caldwell said in a statement to the New York Post.
"What began as banter with two Packers fans sitting near me escalated to something more serious, and I said things that were unacceptable. In the heat of the moment, I chose unforgiving words to address one of the fans, Ms. Ally Keller.
"I want to sincerely apologize to Ms. Keller for those words, and to my wife, family, and friends, my former employer and colleagues, Packer fans, Eagle fans, the Philadelphia Eagles, the City of Philadelphia, and all who were offended. That said, there are two sides to every story.
"The video clip circulating online does not reflect the full context of what transpired, and my actions were not without provocation. I will live with this experience, and I am certainly paying a personal price. For those who don’t know me, this incident does not reflect my values or the respect I have for others and is not indicative of the person I am."
The viral video was filmed by Keller’s fiancé, Alexander Basara, and spread rapidly across the internet in the days after the Eagles' 22-10 win.
Caldwell's apology and news of his firing prompted a wave of celebration and mockery by sports fans on social media.
"Ok, that excuse may be ok from a random, drunk dude who wandered into the stadium that day. But someone whose job it was to be inclusive? Hahahahahaha They are now on the job search, and they are gonna have a hard to getting said employment," the user wrote.
Another X user "loved" seeing the consequences that have befallen Caldwell in recent days.
"I absolutely love how Ryan Caldwell, the Philly Eagles fan who abused a woman for no reason, has had his life ‘flipped upside down,’" the user wrote. "Hope it gets worse for you, Ryan."
Another X user described the public response to Caldwell's verbal attack as "social media justice."
"Philadelphia Eagles fan Ryan Caldwell has been FIRED from his job at BCT Partners due to the altercation he had with a Packers fan at last week’s game, which has been playing all over the internet. This isn’t social justice, it’s SOCIAL MEDIA JUSTICE," the user wrote.
One X user wrote that Caldwell's behavior is not an isolated incident, and similar language comes from the mouths of Eagles fans often.
"And Eagles fans wonder why everyone hates them and their team. This is not an isolated incident for someone showing up there to support an opposing team. Stuff like this happens all the time there," the user wrote.
Conservative filmmaker Matt Walsh even weighed in on the controversy.
"A few things here. 1) The Eagles fan is a stupid trashy goon. 2) Don’t bring your fiance to a game in Philadelphia wearing the opposing team’s jersey. You’re asking for something like this to happen. 3) You can’t let a man talk to your woman like that. You’re going to have to live with that shame for the rest of your life," Walsh wrote on X.
Eagles fans have a long history of unruly behavior.
The franchise's former home, Veterans Stadium, had an on-site judicial court and jail cells to deal with law-breaking fans.
During a loss against the San Francisco 49ers in November 1997, one fan infamously shot a flare gun into the crowd. Multiple fights broke out among fans at the game, and team owner Jeffrie Lurie addressed the incident.
"In spite of the fact that we feel we have made significant strides in recent years with regard to fan conduct at Veterans Stadium, what we witnessed this past Monday was undoubtedly a step backward," Lurie told reporters at the time.
The Eagles host the Los Angeles Rams Sunday for the right to advance to the NFC championship game.
LeBron James celebrated his 40th birthday this past December, while six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan turns 62 next month.
Jordan appeared in 82 games with the Washington Wizards during the 2002-03 season, which turned out to be his final year in the NBA. Meanwhile, James was the top overall selection in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Although the basketball icons did not have the opportunity to go head-to-head during an NBA game, James recently reflected on a time he played a pick-up game with Jordan.
James told brothers Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce that he was a 16-year-old high school basketball star when he met Jordan in Chicago for the pick-up game.
"I was on the court with Michael Jordan, Antoine Walker, Penny Hardaway, Ron Artest, Michael Finley, all these guys," James said during a recent appearance on the Kelce brothers; "New Heights" podcast.
Travis, who is preparing to compete against the Houston Texans in the divisional round this weekend, eventually asked James who was responsible for guarding him during the game.
"Nobody. I was unguardable," James confidently responded.
James admitted that he initially experienced some nerves when he realized he had the opportunity to go up against an NBA great.
"When I finally got out there, I was like, 'I'm busting a--.' I was nervous. I was nervous as hell, being out there with MJ and the rest of those guys. But I was like, 'Oh, I'm about to go crazy.' And I did. I did," James added.
Metta Sandiford-Artest, also known at Ron Artest and Metta World Peace, last appeared in an NBA game in 2017, but he was 20 during the time the aforementioned pick-game took place. He recalled the moment during a May 2024 appearance on Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George's "Podcast P with Paul George."
"Everybody knew who he was. He was already famous. He was bigger than all of us in the gym," Artest said. "So he's coming into the gym, and I'm like, 'All right, cool, I wanna see what he's got.
"And he's cooking. He is 15, or 16. Posting, getting to the basket. And I'm like, ‘This is going to be a huge issue.’"
Artest added that the situation left him motivated.
"He actually motivated me. When I saw that, it motivated me. I'm like, 'I gotta go to work.' He's coming in the league cooking. I was not like that at 15."
James is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time league MVP, and a 20-time NBA All-Star. In his 22nd season in the league, he remains one of the best players in the NBA and is averaging 23.7 points per game this season.
The Lakers were idle on Wednesday night and return to action on Thursday night when they host the Miami Heat.
A tough stretch for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., got worse Tuesday when she watched members of her party vote for a bill she attacked at the expense of widespread mockery.
Ocasio-Cortez's viral rant against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act wasn't enough to convince Democratic allies Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, both of Texas, to vote against the bill. Cuellar and Gonzalez joined 218 House Republicans who voted for the bill that seeks to prevent federally funded educational institutions from allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls and women's sports.
For Ocasio-Cortez, the notion of Democratic congressmen voting for a Republican-backed bill before President-elect Trump even returns to office suggests her party is "not in good shape."
"We can't be ninnies about this," Ocasio-Cortez told The Independent Tuesday. "These are just the early days. Trump hasn't even been sworn in yet, and if a little bitty sports bill was gonna make Dems defect, we're not in good shape."
Ocasio-Cortez advised Democrats not to be "ninnies" the same day she delivered a widely-mocked tirade that contained multiple unsubstantiated claims and unfinished sentences. Her rant prompted multiple viral social media responses that labeled her "the dumbest person in congress."
For Ocasio-Cortez, it marks a poor start to 2025 after a rough 2024. Despite winning re-election to her House seat in New York, Ocasio-Cortez watched members of her coalition, "the Squad," lose their seats, including Jamaal Bowman in New York and Cori Bush in Missouri.
Ocasio-Cortez also lost in her bid to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, getting passed over by Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va.
What's more, Ocasio-Cortez was frequently the subject of viral social media mockery, often for her unchanging stance on transgender inclusion in women's and girls sports.
In November, Ocasio-Cortez reshared a video of Green Party vice presidential candidate Butch Ware speaking out against transgender inclusion in women's sports with a caption that said, "This ticket is predatory and people deserve better." The post prompted heated backlash on social media.
"AOC says it’s predatory behavior to not want men competing in women’s sports. To AOC, acknowledging biological reality is ‘predatory.’ You know what’s actually predatory? Sexualizing children and normalizing pedophilia," conservative influencer and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines wrote on X while posting a Fox News Digital article about Ocasio-Cortez’s comments.
The mockery of Ocasio-Cortez picked up weeks after the election when X users discovered she no longer includes her pronouns "she/her" in her bio.
Ocasio-Cortez is one of many prominent Democrats who remain firmly supportive of transgender inclusion in women's sports, even as the issue proved to be a vulnerability for Democrats in November's election.
Many Democrats who spoke out against the bill Tuesday did not argue on the premise that transgender athletes should be allowed in women's and girls sports. Instead, they argued the measures preventing transgender inclusion will subject girls to genital examinations and sexual predators despite no language in the bill that would suggest genital examinations for girls in sports.
Ocasio-Cortez included that unsubstantiated claim in her rant Tuesday but gave a shout-out to transgender athletes when she yelled "Trans girls are girls!" on the House of Representatives floor.
Ocasio-Cortez has previously co-sponsored the Equality Act, which was proposed in 2019 and has had revisions that "would force public schools to allow biologically male athletes who identify as transgender on girls sports teams." In March 2023, Democrats, including Ocasio-Cortez, proposed a resolution "recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights."
Unlike Ocasio-Cortez, other Democratic House representatives have publicly pulled back on their support for transgender inclusion, including Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.; Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas; and Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y. Still, each of those Democrats voted against the bill Tuesday.
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters viewed "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."
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.
In that survey, 65% answered that it should either be never or rarely allowed. When those polled were asked specifically about adult transgender female athletes competing on women’s sports teams, 69% opposed it.
Three former members of the Indiana men's basketball team have accused former team doctor Bradford Bomba Sr., 88, of sexually abusing them during their playing days.
Longtime trainer Tim Garl is now listed as a defendant, as Flowers said Garl was aware of Bomba's "invasive, harassing, and demeaning digital rectal examinations."
"After his first physical, Flowers's teammates told him he had 'passed' Dr. Bomba, Sr.'s 'test,' and that he would not have to undergo a digital rectal examination again," the lawsuit states, via CBS Sports. "Garl laughed at Flowers and his freshman teammates and made jokes at their expense regarding the digital rectal examinations they endured."
The university officially declined comment but sent a statement from September that said the school was conducting its own independent review on the matter.
The players' attorney, Kathleen Delaney, said Bomba may have sexually abused at least 100 male athletes during his time at the school. Neither Garl nor Bomba's attorney responded to a request for comment.
Bomba pleaded the fifth during a deposition last month.
Mujezinovic and Miller, who played under coach Bobby Knight in the 1990s, also alleged that Bomba conducted prostate exams that were not necessary.
"Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s routine sexual assaults were openly discussed by the Hoosier men’s basketball players in the locker room in the presence of IU employees, including assistant coaches, athletic trainers, and other Hoosier men’s basketball staff," the lawsuit said, via NBC News.
"I’m standing up for all student-athletes who have suffered abuse," Mujezinovic said in a statement. "I hope that more of our former teammates will speak out and share their stories publicly."
"I will never understand why IU leadership did nothing to protect us from what I now understand was sexual abuse," Miller said.
Added Flowers, "I am proud to stand up on behalf of my former teammates and other IU basketball players to seek justice for the sexual abuse we endured as members of the Hoosiers."
Bomba was employed by the university from 1962 to 1970, and again from 1979 until the late '90s.
"He’s continued to come in here, put the work in and that’s not been a question at all. That just hasn’t materialized the way would like it to on the ice. At this level, you get to the point where you have to do what’s right … for him and for us," Dubas said via the Penguins post on X.
The Penguins, like Jarry, have struggled this season, as they are 18-20-8 with 44 points in 46 games and are not currently in a playoff position.
They are trailing the Columbus Blue Jackets by four points for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Due to Jarry’s contract, it will be unlikely a team picks him up on waivers, making it possible for him to be reassigned to the American Hockey League.
Jarry has spent his entire nine-year career with the Penguins, and has a career save percentage of .910 and a career goals average against of 2.74.
Goalies Alex Nedeljkovic (7-7-4, .886 save percentage in 19 games) and rookie Joel Blomqvist (3-5-0, .904 save percentage in eight games) are the Penguins' two goalies, assuming they don’t bring in another option.
The Penguins’ next game is on the road against the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m. ET on Friday.
The Dallas Cowboys reportedly have their eyes set on former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who was let go by owner Woody Johnson just five games into the season.
The Cowboys mutually agreed to part ways with head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday after his contract with the team expired just last week. The decision not to bring McCarthy back came as a surprise to some after he reportedly turned down the Chicago Bears’ request to interview him following the season.
McCarthy had a 49-35 record in Dallas. Despite going 7-10 this season, he led the Cowboys to the playoffs with a 12-5 record in three straight seasons.
Saleh, who previously served as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, has an interview scheduled with the Las Vegas Raiders and is considered the favorite for the vacancy with the Jacksonville Jaguars, replacing Doug Pederson.
The Jets went 2-3 this season under Saleh before he was fired and replaced by interim head coach and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The team’s struggles only continued to worsen despite the change, leading to another missed playoff season.
Saleh had a 20-36 record with two different quarterbacks: first round pick Zach Wilson and four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Other names mentioned in the Cowboys’ search for a new head coach have included former players Deion Sanders and Jason Witten.
NEXT STEP? – On the heels of the U.S. House of Representatives passing the Protection of Women and Girls In Sports Act, the Republican lawmaker who championed the legislation plans to introduce a joint resolution centering around all transgender athletes' NCAA eligibility. Continue reading …
'DO THE RIGHT THING' – Outspoken former women's tennis star Martina Navratilova chimed in following the largely partisan vote on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. Continue reading …
RAISING CONCERNS – In a social media post, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stated the proposed Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act could "unleash horrific child predators on girls and young women." Continue reading …
RESILIENCY – Fox News Digital spoke with several Chiefs players who reflected on the scrutiny and pressure the team encountered this season amid their pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title. Continue reading …
PUSHING BACK – Eagles coach Nick Sirianni came to the defense of A.J. Brown shortly after the wide receiver became the subject of criticism after cameras showed him reading a book on the sideline during the team's playoff game. Continue reading …
THE BIG GAME – Tubi will stream Super Bowl LIX in February for free on its platform using FOX’s feed of the game, the company announced. Continue reading …
'UNFAIR' – Jerod Mayowas relieved of his duties after just one year at the helm, but the franchise's decision to part ways with the coach did not sit well with the franchise's former star defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. Continue reading …
FROM FOX SPORTS – Michael Vick, Urban Meyer, and Michael Strahan highlight the College Football Hall of Fame's newest class. Continue reading …
FROM OUTKICK – Sam Darnold's first season with the Vikings was a roller coaster, but his subpar playoff performance raised questions about whether he would land a lucrative, long-term contract this offseason. Continue reading …
WATCH NOW – FOX Sports' Chris Broussard suggests Cowboys owner Jerry Jones should go all in to make Deion Sanders the franchise's next head coach. Watch here …
International Olympics Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach says he is not communicating with President-elect Trump before leaving office later this year.
Bach told DPA International News he congratulated Trump on the Republican's election victory in November but has not sought any other communication beyond that.
"I don't think it would be really fair or right, with regard to my successor, to seek contact again now and perhaps influence any decisions that are then incumbent on my successor," Bach said of not speaking to Trump.
The IOC has its own presidential election in March with Bach about to leave office in June.
Bach's lack of communication with Trump comes as the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires have put the viability of Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics in doubt.
As of now, there are no plans to move the 2028 Games out of Los Angeles. The 2028 Games were to be the first in history in which the host city would not have to build any new venues due to the number of stadiums and arenas in the city. But many of the areas where those venues are located have been decimated by fires.
Olympic venues close to areas affected by the fires include the Riviera Country Club, the Olympic Village, Pauley Pavilion and Rose Bowl Stadium.
LA2028 Chairman Casey Wasserman said in a statement he was confident Los Angeles would rally from the wildfires and that they would not undercut the Olympics.
"Los Angeles is defined by its resilience and determination," Wasserman said. "The strength of our communities and our unity in tough times make this city extraordinary, and when Los Angeles welcomes the world in 2028, our spirit will shine brighter than ever before."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom told NBC News the state is "organizing a Marshall plan" to ensure the Olympics can still commence in Los Angeles in 2028.
"President Donald Trump was helpful in getting the Olympics to the United States of America — to get it down here in LA. We thank him for that. This is an opportunity for him to shine, for this country to shine, for California and this community to shine," Newsom said.
"That's why we're already organizing a Marshall plan. We already have a team looking, reimagining LA 2.0, and we're making sure everyone's included."
However, the prospect of the city being able to host the Olympics amid what is projected to be years of reconstruction has been criticized by some.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in an interview with Newsmax he believes the Olympics should be moved to a Republican-controlled city and state.
"I do think the American people rightly see how poorly that state is being run, how poorly these tragic fires have been handled by the governor and, of course, the mayor there in Los Angeles," Jordan said.
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has also suggested the Olympics be moved out of Los Angeles in 2028, suggesting Dallas or Miami as the new host city.
"The Los Angeles Olympics should be canceled," Kirk wrote on X. "If you can’t fill a fire hydrant, you aren’t qualified to host the Olympics. Move them to Dallas, or Miami, so the world’s athletes can compete in a place capable of actually safely building and running something."
Before the fires, Bach expressed confidence in Trump's ability to lead the organizing of the 2028 Olympics in early December.
"We are very confident there with regard to the steps and efforts being undertaken," Bach said at a news conference after an executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland. "We saw also that President-elect Trump repeatedly declared his support for the Games, which we never had any doubt because he has declared this support from the very beginning."
Bach added that Olympic leaders are "very confident and relaxed" about working with Trump.
Trump and Bach last met in June 2017 at the White House when discussing a bid to bring the Olympics back to Los Angeles. Trump has taken credit for securing the 2028 bid. However, Bach did not speak flatteringly of Trump after that first meeting.
"Pray for our world," Bach was heard to say on a cellphone call later that day in Washington, D.C.
Now, Trump will have the task of leading America's hosting of the Olympics after one of the worst disasters in the host city's history. He will have to make decisions without any consultation from the sitting IOC president until a new one is elected.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said he was "fuming" after getting pranked by several kids into believing Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had accepted the Bears’ head coaching job.
Williams went viral this week after a video surfaced showing a group of young kids texting him as Johnson.
The rookie quarterback, believing the kids, jumped on a FaceTime call, where the prank was revealed.
Williams appeared to laugh off the encounter on the call, but in an appearance on the "St. Brown" podcast with Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, he revealed just how upset he was after the prank.
"That whole night I was getting texts. I was obviously getting spam calls from all my friends, like, ‘No way,’" Williams recalled. "I didn’t respond to one text. I was so mad. Pissed!"
Williams said he knew the kids were filming and was "trying not to flip out," but it was a different story when he hung up.
"When I got off the call, I was fuming. I wanted to smash some s---. I was fuming," he said, laughing about it.
Williams doesn’t know how they got his number, which he claims to have had at least 15 years.
"The text was so official. Like I’ve gotten that text from college coaches and other coaches before getting drafted and all of that. … It looked mad professional," Williams said, adding he has since changed his phone number.
"I don’t know. I’ve had the number for probably 15 years. I don’t have it no more. New number. But I’ve had it for 15 years and so. I don’t know. Somebody must’ve gave it to them. Somebody must’ve said something, or he got lucky and just dialed the number."
Despite his immediate reaction to the prank, Williams did give the young fans some credit.
"I ain’t gonna lie. It was a classic prank. It was a Grade A, S-tier prank. I gotta give them props. I wasn’t locked in in the moment."
It could be argued Sam Darnold cost himself a lot of money over his last couple games, but one Minnesota Vikings legend says Darnold's done enough to remain the team's quarterback.
In his first 16 games, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft rewrote his story, throwing for 4,153 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 68.1% of his passes. All of those numbers were, by far, career highs.
But in his final two games — one in which he could have clinched the top seed and the other a playoff game — he threw for just one touchdown pass and 411 yards and led his offense to just 18 points.
Darnold looked in those final two games like what he was known for before arriving in Minnesota, and there are now calls for the team to move on to J.J. McCarthy, the quarterback they selected with the 10th pick last year.
But former Vikings running back Chuck Foreman thinks Darnold did enough to remain the starter.
"The guy comes into the league, he's drafted by a team that has no talent, he gets labeled. Goes to another team with no talent, gets labeled more. Then he goes to San Francisco, a winning team to get behind the coach that shows him the way … and then he comes here with Kevin, and he takes them to another level," Foreman told Outkick's "The Ricky Cobb Show."
Foreman shifted blame for the two losses to Minnesota's offensive line rather than Darnold, who, he said, was helpless against the Lions and Rams.
"The pressure he was under, I only see one or two other quarterbacks that could have any kind of escapability with that, and that's Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen," Foreman added.
"I'm signing him, I'm hoping they can both come together in the middle. I understand the money part, but I hope Sam understands his career has been revived right here. And he's got a following here. Make adjustments next season, but I think he should be the guy."
Darnold is a free agent after the season and is a candidate for a franchise tag. His previous highs in yards and touchdowns were 3,024 and 19, respectively, in 2019 with the team that drafted him, the New York Jets.
Former Notre Dame women's basketball coach Muffet McGraw has revealed the details of Caitlin Clark's decommitment from her program during the star's recruiting process in 2019.
McGraw appeared on the "Good Game With Sarah Spain" podcast on Tuesday, and said that if Clark followed through on her commitment to Notre Dame, then McGraw might still be the coach there. McGraw retired from coaching in April 2020, just months ahead of Clark's freshman year.
"I may still be coaching if Caitlin Clark came to Notre Dame," McGraw said.
McGraw says she received a verbal commitment from Clark to play at Notre Dame, but it never felt certain.
"She committed to us, but I had a feeling it was kind of a soft commitment when she did, because she couldn't decide, couldn't decide," McGraw said. "And then finally she said, 'I want to come.' But it wasn't like 'I'm coming!' It was kind of like ‘I made the decision.’"
Then, after a tense and dramatic wait, McGraw found out she would miss out on Clark, who announced her commitment to Iowa on Nov. 12, 2019.
"After that, we waited and waited for her to announce it, because as you know, we're not allowed to announce anything. The players have to do that themselves," McGraw said. "So she made the announcement a long time after that, I kept saying 'When is it coming out?' And then when she made the announcement, she was going to Iowa. But of course she called me to tell me."
McGraw's retirement came shortly after the end of the 2019-20 season, five months after finding out she wouldn't be coaching Clark, ending a 33-year run that included two national championships in 2001 and 2018.
McGraw went on to call Clark's decommitment from her program in favor of Iowa, "probably a pretty good decision."
Clark previously told ESPN that her own family wanted her to play for the Fighting Irish.
"My family wanted me to go to Notre Dame," Caitlin said. "At the end of the day they were like, you make the decision for yourself. But it's Notre Dame! 'Rudy' was one of my favorite movies. How could you not pick Notre Dame?"
Clark then spoke about her experience visiting Notre Dame and her consideration of playing for the Fighting Irish during an interview on the "New Heights" podcast on Jan. 2. She said she ultimately made the decision not to play there because of a feeling in her gut.
"I could feel it in my gut, I was like ‘Ahh, I’m not supposed to go there,'" Clark said.
"I basically narrowed it down pretty early on when I was going through my college recruitment that I wanted to be like in the Midwest, just kind of a homebody. Family person. Just wanted to stay fairly close to home. So that narrowed a lot of stuff down."
Clark then played her entire four-year college career for the Hawkeyes, where she broke multiple program and NCAA records, including the all-time leading scoring record among all college basketball players, men or women, in history.
Clark also met her current boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, while at Iowa. McCaffery played on Iowa's men's basketball team for his father, head coach Fran McCaffery.
Meanwhile, without Clark, Notre Dame fared OK, but not nearly as well as Iowa. Under the leadership of current head coach Niele Ivey, the Fighting Irish made the NCAA tournament three years in a row from 2021-24, but they lost in the regional semifinal all three times, while Clark led much deeper tournament runs in 2023 and 2024.
Clark led Iowa to two straight national championship game appearances, en route to becoming the No. 1 overall selection by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft. McCaffery was already in Indiana working on the Pacers' coaching staff, and they are still in the city together as he now works on Butler's men's basketball coaching staff.
Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year, was selected to the All-Star team, led the WNBA in assists, and helped lead the Fever to the playoffs in her rookie season.
Clark was also named Time magazine’s Athlete of the Year for 2024.
Tubi will stream Super Bowl LIX in February for free on its platform using FOX’s feed of the game, the company announced.
Viewers will be able to watch the game on Feb. 9 when they sign up via email registration. There will be no Multichannel Video Programming Distributor authentication or credit card sign-up needed to be able to watch it.
The FOX Sports pregame show will also be available for fans tuning in to watch the game. A second stream on Tubi will also include the Tubi Red Carpet event, hosted by Olivia Culpo at 3:30 p.m. ET, and the FOX Deportes Spanish language feed.
The Super Bowl's kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
The ability to have a free and easy way to watch the Super Bowl would try to cut into the illegal streams that are set up for the game. About 17 million people watched the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory over the San Francisco 49ers illegally last year.
Additionally, those who have to work on game day will be able to watch from their mobile phones or tablets. About 28 million will be working on Super Bowl Sunday when the game kicks off at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Those who have cut cable out of their lives will also have a new avenue to watch the game as well without committing to another subscription.
It’s unknown which two teams will be playing in the game, but it’s sure to draw a large audience as it does every year. The NFL said last year that 123.4 million viewers tuned in for the game across all platforms.
Salt Lake City police said in a news release they received a 911 call around 3 p.m. Monday, and officers were dispatched to the scene and checked the area but could not find the pedestrian or the passerby who reported the incident.
Police said officers received information later in the evening from a nearby business, which said it had info likely associated with the crash.
After discovering that Heineman was the pedestrian, police said the Swedish hockey player did not show any signs of serious injuries and was being attended to by team doctors.
FIRST ON FOX: Just one day after Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., got the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act passed in the House of Representatives, he already has plans to introduce a resolution to further tackle the issue of trans athletes in women's sports.
Steube will be introducing a joint resolution alongside Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., that will call on the NCAA to revoke eligibility of trans athletes who compete as women. It would also call on the NCAA to create new policies that would forbid any future trans-identifying males from competing as women, and push all their member conferences to do the same, according to a draft of the legislation obtained by Fox News Digital.
Unlike the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, this resolution would directly address the issue of trans inclusion at the college level and would also affect schools that aren't federally funded.
Steube's earlier bill only provides that it is a violation of Title IX for federally funded education programs or activities to operate, sponsor or facilitate athletic programs or activities that allow individuals of the male sex to participate in programs or activities that are designated for women or girls.
But this resolution could extend to private institutions that compete in the NCAA. The issue of trans inclusion at the women's college level has been a mainstream political issue during the Biden administration, highlighted by controversies involving trans swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022 and trans volleyball player Blaire Fleming in 2024.
"Women’s sports were created to ensure fairness and opportunity for female athletes,"Steube told Fox News Digital. "The NCAA’s discriminatory policy jeopardizes that fairness, putting women at a competitive disadvantage while creating safety threats. Denying biological reality erases decades of progress for women in sports and undermines the very foundation of Title IX. I'm honored to join Senator Blackburn in introducing this resolution to show that Congress stands strongly with women."
The NCAA has enabled and protected trans athletes in women's sports with its current policies.
NCAA President Charlie Baker faced questions and criticism from Republican lawmakers for these policies during a congressional hearing on Dec. 17. He repeatedly cited federal law and recent rulings of federal courts that have enabled it.
On President Biden's first day in office, he issued an executive order to allow and protect trans inclusion in women's sports. And during December's hearing, Baker referenced "five lawsuits in the last 18 months" that have enabled trans athletes to compete against biological females. However, there have not been any rulings that have explicitly instructed the NCAA to allow trans athletes to compete against females or share women's locker rooms.
If Steube's bill becomes law, Baker and the NCAA will be tasked with enforcing the new mandates, just as he claimed to be enforcing the previous ones under Biden.
One of the groups that lobbied heavily for this resolution was the Concerned Women for America (CWA), which has taken up the issue of trans athletes competing against women at the NCAA level as a core mission throughout Biden's term.
Current CWA legislative strategist and former NCAA women's athlete Macy Petty told Fox News Digital that she attempted to deliver a letter on this issue to NCAA Board of Governors Chair Dr. Linda Livingstone last year, but was dismissed and that Livingstone "didn't even look me in the eye."
"The NCAA continues to fail their responsibility to protect female athletes and are the foremost leader facilitating this discrimination. They’ve proven an utter disregard for the safety and dignity of their athletes they govern," Petty said.
The NCAA may soon have to answer to a new set of rules once the Trump administration begins.
President-elect Trump himself vowed to ban trans athletes in women's sports as president during his 2024 campaign, and it became one of the key issues for him and other Republicans in their sweeping November victory.
The issue became so prominent that the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act was the first priority of the 119th Congress and passed the House with unanimous support from Republicans and even two Democrats.
With a Republican majority in the Senate as well, both of Steube's proposals could be approved during Trump's first year in office.
Several Olympians will receive new medals after complaining that their hardware from the 2024 Summer Games in Paris have already begun to tarnish, according to the French mint that produced the medals.
The Monnaie de Paris, which produced 5,084 medals for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, told The Associated Press that it will replace medals after several athletes complained that they had already begun to deteriorate as early as August.
"The Monnaie de Paris has taken the issue of damaged medals very seriously since the first exchange requests in August, and has mobilized its internal teams," the French mint said.
"Since then, the company has modified and optimized its relative varnishing process. The Monnaie de Paris will replace all damaged medals at the athletes’ request during the first quarter of 2025."
According to the AP, the French mint declined to comment on the exact number of medals it would be replacing, but a French outlet reported the number was over 100.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it was working with the French mint to ensure the medals are made in an "identical way to the originals."
"The Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is working closely with the Monnaie de Paris, the institution tasked with the production and quality control of the medals, in order to appraise any issues with medals to understand the circumstances and cause of any damage," the IOC said in a statement to Front Office Sports.
"Damaged medals will be systematically replaced by the Monnaie de Paris and engraved in an identical way to the originals."
American skateboarder Nyjah Huston was among the athletes to complain about the medals tarnishing. After winning bronze in the men’s street event, Huston took to social media just days later to reveal how his medal had deteriorated.
"Alright, so these Olympic medals look great when they are brand new," Huston said in a video posted on Instagram.
"But after letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for a little bit and then letting my friends wear it over the weekend, they are apparently not as high quality as you would think."
French swimmers Yohann Ndoye-Brouard and Clément Secchi also recently complained about their medals chipping.
The medals were crafted to include polished chunks of iron taken from the Eiffel Tower which were saved from renovations.
Texas Longhorns star quarterback Quinn Ewers declared for the NFL Draft on Wednesday.
Ewers posted a video on his social media pages thanking Longhorns coaches and his teammates for helping him succeed while he played in the burnt orange and white.
"My entire life I have dreamed about playing football on the 40 acres. These past three years have been some of the best years I could have imagined. The relationships I’ve built between coaches and teammates will last forever. I’m truly thankful for the opportunity to play football in my home state, at the best university in the world.
"With prayer and careful consideration, I’m officially declaring for the NFL Draft. Thank you. Hook ‘em."
Ewers made his decision as rumors swirled about whether he would enter the transfer portal instead of declaring for the draft. Ewers had a $6 million offer to transfer out of Texas and play elsewhere next season, On3 Sports reported.
The Texas star’s 2024 season ended in crushing fashion with a loss in the College Football Playoff semifinals against Ohio State.
Ewers had 3,472 passing yards and 31 touchdown passes for the Longhorns this season.
It is unclear where he will land in the draft. Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are considered to be the top two quarterbacks in the draft class, but a few solid workouts in the days leading up to the event could change scouts’ opinions quickly.
"Listen, I saw the f------ numbers, after the fact, you guys kicked our a-- alright? From a viewership standpoint, y’all kicked our a--," James said.
The NBA did have a great day, averaging 5.2 million viewers across their five games on Christmas, the most on the holiday in five years, but the NFL dominated those numbers.
Netflix averaged 24.2 million viewers between their two NFL games on Christmas.
James said having Beyoncé perform during halftime helped the NFL have a good day, despite the non-competitive games.
"You know, the games weren’t as great as they should have been, but when you have f------ Beyoncé come out there. (Patrick) Mahomes and Travis (Kelce) and you guys go there, and kick Pittsburgh’s a--, and you know Beyoncé comes out there," James said.
The Lakers' superstar made the analogy between the NBA and the NFL like a little brother and a big brother fighting.
"But I had, you know, when you go out there with your little brother, and he may get beat up one time, (he’s) like, ‘Hey, we didn’t lose that fight, we here, we stand here, we didn’t lose,’ that’s how I felt I had to stand up. I had to stand up for the NBA," James said while laughing.
With Christmas falling on a Thursday next year, there is a chance the NFL has more than two games during the day as they continue to compete with the NBA for ratings on the holiday.
James’ Lakers are 20-17 this season, and despite just turning 40 years old, James has been productive this season.
James has averaged just under 24 points per game while grabbing just over 7.5 rebounds per game and averaging nearly nine assists per game.
The Lakers’ next game is at home against the Miami Heat at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Bubba Thompson, who was a first-round MLB draft pick in 2017, will trade in his glove for a helmet and some shoulder pads as he’s set to join the South Alabama Jaguars football team.
He will join the team as a walk-on for spring practices, South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite told AL.com. He posted a video on his Facebook page of himself throwing a football at the school’s football facility.
Thompson, 26, has experience on the gridiron. He played football while attending McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Alabama, leading the school to a state title game in 2017.
He then committed to the University of Alabama to play baseball. However, he never enrolled in the college. Instead, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2017 with their No. 26 overall pick and decided to pursue a Major League career.
Thompson didn’t emerge as a superstar. He was a speedster on the basepaths, recording 18 stolen bags in 55 games in 2022. He was with the Rangers in 2023, playing in 37 games. He then joined the Cincinnati Reds last year and appeared in 17 games.
Because he never enrolled in college, he has five years of eligibility. Rivals rated him as a two-star quarterback coming out of school.
South Alabama was 7-6 last season in Applewhite’s first year. They ended the year with a win in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.
Gio Lopez and Bishop Davenport played quarterback for the Jaguars last season.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid knows football. He also knows a thing or two about being a dad.
On Monday, Patrick and Brittany Mahomes announced the birth of their third child in a post on social media. Golden Raye Mahomes was born on Sunday, Jan. 12 and is the couple's second daughter.
They also have a 2-year-old son named Patrick Lavon III, nicknamed Bronze.
With three under three, Mahomes told reporters on Tuesday that he is content with the size of his family "for right now," but Reid offered a different perspective when talking to the media.
"Yeah, I think he does great with it," Reid said when asked how the veteran quarterback is handling fatherhood. "He came in as Patrick 2pm, now he’s Patrick 3pm."
But for Reid, a father of five, he believes the more, the merrier.
"Once you have three, four and five are easy. That’s what I told him," Reid said with a smile. "You’ve made three, you add a couple more, we’ll talk."
However, the focus now for Mahomes is certainly on the playoffs.
The Chiefs will face the Houston Texans on Saturday in the divisional round hosted at Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs pursue a historic third straight championship.
"I think every year is special," Mahomes said. "Obviously, you want to win three in a row and build those memories with the guys and the community. But every single year is special. And when I look back at all the different Super Bowls that we've won, I look back at special moments that we've had and special games that we've had. And so, we'll try to do the same this year."
The Chiefs enter Saturday’s game well rested after securing a bye as the No. 1 seed.
