As Philadelphia Eagle fans face national scrutiny following a viral video of one verbally assaulting a woman, star running back Saquon Barkley has come to their defense.
With the Eagles set to face the Los Angeles Rams in a divisional playoff game on Sunday, Rams player Jared Verse expressed his hatred for Eagles fans in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. Verse's comments came days after Eagles fan Ryan Caldwell was fired from his job when the video of him insulting a female Green Bay Packers fan at a playoff game last Sunday went viral.
"I hate Eagles fans," Verse said. "They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans."
Barkley was asked by reporters about Verse's comments ahead of the game, and suggested that the Rams rookie's decision to say those things was "not smart."
"Probably not the smartest thing to say if you're coming to Philadelphia," Barkley told reporters on Friday.
Barkley cited his previous experience coming to play in Philadelphia as an opponent when he was with the New York Giants from 2018-23.
"I've been on the other side, I've felt some type of way," Barkley said. "I probably wouldn't give them any extra fuel."
Barkley expects Verse will receive an especially rude greeting when he takes the field on Sunday.
"I’m pretty sure Philly fans have seen that comment. It was already going to be loud and rocking, so it’s just only going to add to it," Barkley said.
Verse is just one of the harsh vocal critics of Eagles fans in the aftermath of the viral footage of Caldwell. Verse said even though the game was in Los Angeles, he heard heckling Eagles fans, despite wearing headphones.
"I didn’t even do nothing to em. It was my first time playing. Oh, I hate Eagles fans," Verse said.
The Eagles won that game 37-20, and Barkley ran wild, amassing 302 scrimmage yards, including 255 rushing yards with two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, 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.
"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.
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.
The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching rotation is set to get a big lift. On Friday, coveted Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki announced he will play for the Dodgers.
The 23-year-old took to Instagram to reveal that he is inking a minor-league contract with the organization. Saski's Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, will receive compensation from the MLB franchise.
Saski is the latest Japanese-born superstar to land in Los Angeles in the past year. Last winter, superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined the team. Ohtani was exclusively a designated hitter in 2024, but won his third career MVP trophy. He plans to return to the pitching mound in 2025.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman previously said that signing Sasaki was considered a "major priority." Sasaki met with the Dodgers earlier this week.
The combination of youth and elite level talent made Saski a highly-sought after prospect.
However, the Dodgers were long considered the favorites in the race to land the pitcher whose fastball routinely reaches 100-mph. He can also throw an impressive splitter, which bolsters his potential to be an ace in a pitching rotation.
A long list of MLB clubs submitted information about their respective organizations to Saski and Wasserman, his representing agency, in December during baseball's winter meetings.
While several of those teams were granted in-person meetings, only three organizations made the short list. By January, the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and Dodgers were the final teams under consideration.
The Dodgers' projected pitching rotation already featured Tyler Glasnow, Yamamoto, Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw. Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, also signed with L.A. earlier this offseason.
The Miami Dolphins will travel to Europe in 2025. On Friday, the franchise revealed it was the team selected by the NFL to play in the league's first-ever game in Madrid, Spain.
The NFL did not immediately provide a date for the game, but it will take place during the 2025 regular season. The Dolphins' opponent will also be announced at a later date.
The Dolphins will be the designated "home" team at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the longtime home of Real Madrid CF. The venue features a soccer field that retracts to make way for a field that can be used for American football. The stadium has a capacity of just over 78,000.
"We are thrilled to play the NFL's inaugural game in Spain, a country of rich history, tradition and passion and home to a vibrant Dolphins fan base," Dolphins president and CEO Tom Garfinkel said in a statement.
"There is a hunger for football in this market, and we are proud to join with the NFL in growing the game internationally while engaging with old and new fans alike. With the unique synergy between Miami and Madrid, we believe this is only the beginning for us in this incredible region, and we look forward to bringing the excitement and community of Dolphins football to Spain in 2025 and beyond."
The Dolphins announced their selection to play in Madrid less than a year after the NFL revealed it would host a game at Bernabéu Stadium at some point during the 2025 season. The Dolphins also hold international marketing rights in Spain as part of the league's Global Markets Program.
"The exciting first-ever game in Spain underlines the NFL’s continued commitment to expanding its global footprint and reaching new audiences across the world," said Brett Gosper, the league’s head of Europe and APAC.
Next season's game will mark the Dolphins' eighth on the international stage. The Dolphins are 2-5 in games played outside the U.S., with Miami's most recent appearance in 2023, when they took on the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany.
The NFL has been aggressively expanding its global footprint in search of new fans and revenue streams. Partnering with one of the most successful soccer clubs in the world is a branding bonanza.
"This partnership with the NFL will bring one of the world’s most prestigious sporting competitions to the Santiago Bernabéu, a stadium which has welcomed millions of passionate fans from around the globe to enjoy incredible sporting experiences," said Emilio Butragueño, Real Madrid's institutional relations director.
The NFL can schedule up to eight regular-season games internationally next season. In addition to the game in Spain, London is slated to host three games, while one game will be played in Germany.
The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching rotation is set to get a big lift. On Friday, coveted Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki announced he will play for the Dodgers.
The 23-year-old took to Instagram to reveal that he is inking a minor-league contract with the organization. Saski's Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, will receive compensation from the MLB franchise.
Saski is the latest Japanese-born superstar to land in Los Angeles in the past year. Last winter, superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined the team. Ohtani was exclusively a designated hitter in 2024, but won his third career MVP trophy. He plans to return to the pitching mound in 2025.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman previously said that signing Sasaki was considered a "major priority."
The combination of youth and elite level talent made Saski a highly-sought after prospect. However, the Dodgers were long considered the favorites in the race to land the pitcher whose fastball routinely reaches 100-mph. He can also throw an impressive splitter, which bolsters his potential to be an ace in a pitching rotation.
A long list of MLB clubs submitted information about their respective organizations to Saski and Wasserman, his representing agency, in December during winter meetings. While several of those teams were granted in-person meetings, only three organizations made the short list. By January, the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and Dodgers were the final teams under consideration.
The Dodgers' projected pitching rotation already featured Tyler Glasnow, Yamamoto, Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw. Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, also signed with L.A. earlier this offseason.
University of Wyoming women's volleyball player Macey Boggs testified at a state senate hearing about her team forfeiting two matches to San Jose State in 2024 during a controversy involving transgender player Blaire Fleming.
Boggs, one of 11 former or current Mountain West volleyball players engaged in a lawsuit against SJSU and the conference, spoke in support of a bill that would require participation in athletic competition be limited to an athlete’s biological sex at birth in the state.
But for Boggs, no amount of legislation will give her another opportunity to compete in the volleyball postseason. Wyoming's two forfeits to SJSU Oct. 5 and Nov. 14 cost the team a chance to make the Mountain West Tournament, and her career is now over.
"My team was punished with two losses for refusing to play against a male athlete on an opposing team, an injustice that ultimately kept us from competing in the Mountain West Tournament." Boggs said. "I was stripped of a chance to play my final collegiate matches because we faced a situation no woman should ever have to face, either compete against a team rostering a male athlete on a woman's scholarship or forfeit the rest of our season. No woman should have to face such a decision.
"We deserve to compete against athletes whose biology matches our own, not against a male standard."
Sacrificing a chance to compete for a championship to ensure the safety of her and her teammates left a lasting impression on Boggs she won't soon forget.
"My team was told we didn't deserve safety on the court, that we weren't important enough for fair competition and that women should remain silent for the benefit of men," she said. "This issue is about more than just wins and losses. It's about whether we respect women and girls."
Wyoming Republican state Sen. Wendy Schuler, a former college athlete, is the sponsor of the bill and chair of the Senate Education Committee. Boggs urged the state legislators to pass the bill to protect future women's athletes from similar situations. The bill passed in a 4-1 vote.
There are already 25 states with laws in place to prevent transgender athletes from competing in women's and girls sports. A bill to prevent it on the national level has already passed in the House of Representatives.
Boggs hopes her experience can bring lawmakers to ensure it doesn't happen anywhere else.
"While it may be too late for me to finish my career on the terms that my team earned, it's not too late for the young girls coming up behind us," she said. "It is fundamentally unfair, unsafe and a violation of women's rights to force women to compete with or against biological males."
Boggs expressed her belief that sex is determined by birth and "not by feelings."
The other plaintiffs in the lawsuit are SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser, Alyssa Sugai, Elle Patterson, Nicanora Clarke, Kaylie Ray, Sia Li'ili'i, Sierra Grizzle, Jordan Sandy, Katelyn Van Kirk and Kiersten Van Kirk. Former SJSU assistant volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who was suspended by San Jose State after filing a Title IX complaint alleging the university gave favorable treatment to the trans player, is also a plaintiff.
Former NCAA swimmer and prominent conservative influencer Riley Gaines, who regularly organizes with other women's athletes affected by transgender inclusion and who is leading a lawsuit against the NCAA over the issue, revealed her account of what the players went through, based on discussions with them, during a hearing in Idaho Jan. 9.
"They were emotionally blackmailed into believing they were the problem," Gaines said of the players, adding Boise State was the only university that showed administrative support to players who wished to forfeit.
"The overwhelming majority of them did not want this brought upon them. No one asked for this. This is not a situation they wanted to be in," Gaines added. "These girls were terrified. They were terrified to stand tall. They were terrified to stand up for themselves. They were terrified of the things that would potentially come if they merely said ‘men and women are different.’"
Marshi Smith, the co-founder of a legal advocacy group, the Independent Council on Women's Sports, testified that the female athletes who joined the lawsuit felt threatened by retaliation from their university if they spoke out against transgender inclusion.
"What will they do to us for speaking up?" the players often asked, according to Smith.
Smith elaborated on these players' questions in a follow-up statement to Fox News Digital.
"They’re often terrified of losing scholarships or being kicked off their teams. At San Jose State, administrators exploited these fears by telling them to stay quiet because it’s Blaire Fleming’s story to tell, not their own," Smith said.
Louisiana Tech head volleyball coach Amber McCray confirmed to Fox News Digital that her team did not know about the situation involving Fleming's natural birth sex, and it did not find out until the day after the match via rumors from parents.
LA Tech athletic director Ryan Ivey suggested in emails obtained by Fox News Digital that if officials had known Fleming's natural birth sex, the team "would have sought "a different outcome."
Slusser, who alleges she had to share bedrooms and changing spaces with Fleming in the lawsuit, has told Fox News Digital the experience has been "traumatic."
"This season has been so traumatizing that I don't even have a proudest moment," Slusser said.
SJSU has also acknowledged a recent exodus of volleyball players who entered the transfer portal. Nearly every remaining player who is still eligible is looking to leave the program.
"Student-athletes have the ability to make decisions about their college athletic careers, and we have the utmost respect for that," a statement said.
The women's basketball community has been rocked by the public revelation of Caitlin Clark's stalker. Other players in the sport are now speaking up about their own fears and experiences with security and privacy breaches. News of Clark's stalker came out just one month after a man pleaded guilty to stalking UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers.
Ahead of the opening week of the upstart 3-on-3 league, Unrivaled, many of the WNBA players participating spoke about the issue.
Connecticut Sun player DiJonai Carrington, who gave Clark a black eye in their playoff series in September, told The Associated Press she has received cyberthreats and needs to be on the lookout for other threats when she goes out in public.
"It’s super unfortunate that it’s going on, but I think as the game grows, it’s going to continue to happen because some people are just crazy and aren’t in their right mind and need to be held accountable for those things," Carrington said. "But I don’t think it’s going to stop, honestly. We have to do stuff and go above and beyond and try to protect ourselves."
New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart says she and other players have had to be conscious of how they use social media to make sure they aren't giving away their whereabouts in real time.
"We have a ton of security here, and you see them everywhere," Stewart said. "Making sure that whether we post pictures or social media, nothing is real time because that’s when it’s like they’re really able to figure out where you are."
Breanna Stewart and her wife, Marta Xargay, were victims during the WNBA Finals in October, receiving threatening anonymous emails after Game 1.
Clark's fever teammate, Aliyah Boston, called the conditions she and other players face "super scary."
"It’s super scary, and I feel bad for Paige, Caitlin, (Breanna) and everyone’s family because that’s not something that you ever want to experience," she said. "But I think everyone around us do a great job of trying to make sure we feel safe and making sure that they’re responding to everything. If we’re unsure of anything, they are on it. They know exactly what to do."
Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier said the league has had meetings with players recently.
"I think it’s scary. Just naturally, with us being more available to people, things like that happen," Collier said. "We did have a safety meeting the other day."
The Texas man identified as Clark's alleged stalker, Michael Lewis, entered Marion County Superior Court, leaned back in his chair and told Judge Angela Davis he was "guilty as charged," earlier this week.
Davis suggested to Lewis he exercise his right to remain silent and entered a not guilty plea on his behalf because she wasn’t going to accept anything else in an initial hearing.
Lewis was ordered held on $50,000 bail and to stay away from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Hinkle Fieldhouse, where the Fever and the Butler Bulldogs play, respectively. Clark’s boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, is an assistant with Butler’s men’s basketball team.
Lewis, 55, was charged with stalking and threatening sexual battery or death, FOX 59 reported, citing court documents. The charge is a felony, and he could face up to six years in prison if convicted.
Lewis allegedly sent Clark sexually explicit messages through his X account. One message said he had been driving around her house multiple times and encouraged her "not to call the law just yet." He also allegedly spoke of going to a Fever game and sitting behind the bench.
Authorities said they talked to Lewis about the messages Jan. 8, according to the news station. He reportedly told authorities he was going to Indianapolis for a vacation and downplayed the number of messages he sent to the WNBA sharpshooter.
"It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don’t," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said, via FOX 59. "In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence."
College football players and coaches have spoken openly and on the biggest platforms this season about their faith, and on Monday, two teams that have led that conversation will face off in the national championship.
Ohio State is the favorite heading into the title game, but for many players it's their faith, not stats and analytics, that’s the driving factor behind their confidence on the field.
In a series of interviews with Sports Spectrum this season, several Buckeyes players spoke about turning to their faith and how doing so has impacted their performance on the field.
"I would say for the past couple years we’ve kinda been – there’s kinda been a number of players on the football team who have restored their faith in Jesus Christ. And that was something that was big for me my freshman year," star receiver Emeka Egbuka told the outlet in November.
Egbuka, a graduate student, recalled in his interview the turning point for him. He was invited to attend a mass by his fellow teammates and said it was the first time he had felt a true connection to his faith.
"Ever since then, my life has been changed. A complete 180, and I have a similar testimony to a lot of players on the team. We’ve been praying for a type of revival like this on our team, and we decided to share with everybody what God has been doing on our football team."
Egbuka said he opted against going into the NFL Draft last season because he felt a calling that was "bigger" than football.
"I felt the Lord was leading me back to Ohio State for another year. I felt the Lord asking me a question, testing my heart: ‘If you do come back for this next year, you’re going to have this massive platform, you’re going to have tons of following, you are going to have these accolades – this name to live up to, and you can do one of two things with that moment. You can either use it to glorify me or to glorify yourself,’ so I saw it as somewhat of a challenge and something that I had to do."
Star running back TreVeyon Henderson told the outlet in a separate interview that despite his standout rookie season, which included success and NIL deals, he had turned to his faith following an injury.
"He saved my life from going down that road of destruction. He saved me. He put me on this path of everlasting life . . . you see so many people go down that large path of destruction, but I’m so thankful that Jesus, He rescued me from that path and put me on His path."
And just last month, tight end Gee Scott Jr. said that this season has been highlighted by massive change spiritually.
"I would just say there’s been a mass herd of people who are making the public declaration to yield their life to Christ, which I commend so much, because, especially at this age and in 2024, the world that we live in right now, there’s so many things that you could allude or surrender your life to, there’s so many things that you can give your life to."
Just this week, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard praised both teams for speaking so openly about their faith, and he believes that it's a big reason as to why they are the two teams battling it out for college football’s biggest prize.
One of the preeminent voices in college basketball is returning to the air after a nearly two-year absence. Dick Vitale's most recent television assignment for ESPN was April 3, 2023.
Vitale was on the call for the international broadcast of that season's men's basketball national championship game between the UConn Huskies and San Diego State Aztecs.
The Hall of Fame broadcaster is scheduled to resume his analyst duties when Duke goes up against Wake Forest Jan. 25 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The 85-year-old's return comes after he faced four different types of cancer over 3½ years.
Vitale had his most recent medical procedure last summer after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer. Earlier this month, the legendary broadcaster declared he was cancer-free.
In 2021, months after undergoing a handful of surgeries to remove melanoma, Vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma. The next year, he announced he was cancer-free. In 2023, Vitale learned of his vocal cord cancer diagnosis, and he underwent radiation treatment.
"I am absolutely ecstatic, and I can’t believe this is happening after going through five major vocal cord surgeries, 65 radiation treatments and chemotherapy for six months," Vitale said in a statement.
"It’s been a very tough journey, but all of the prayers and messages from the beautiful fans have inspired me. I can’t thank Jimmy Pitaro and all of my ESPN colleagues who I consider my second family enough for the love they showed me through such a tough time. I just hope that I can offer the people some basketball insights that can bring even more excitement to the game."
Pitaro, ESPN's chairman, said Vitale "is one-of-a-kind."
"There is no better ambassador for the sport of college basketball than Dick Vitale. Even while navigating his own health challenges, Dick continued to look for ways to give back and help others, inspiring us all," Pitaro said in a statement. "Dick is one-of-a-kind, and we can’t wait to have him back doing what he loves most on ESPN on Jan. 25."
Vitale has been with ESPN for more than four decades, joining the network during the 1979-80 college basketball season. He has since called more than 1,000 games.
Vitale was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in September.
The Dallas Cowboys are looking for new leaders to save them from disarray. One of their old leaders thinks he has some solutions.
Former Dallas linebacker and Hall of Famer Demarcus Ware told Fox News Digital he may look to join the next Cowboys coaching staff under a specific condition. He wants his former teammate Jason Witten to be the team's head coach.
"I'm vouching for him right now to be head coach, he might vouch for me to come over and some kind of defensive coach," Ware said in an exclusive interview. "There is a 94% chance that if Jason Witten becomes head coach, that Demarcus is very interested in coming over there as well."
Witten has been a head coach at the high school level since 2021, when he took over Liberty Christian High School in Argyle, Texas. Witten reportedly turned down multiple assistant coach openings with NFL and college programs to take the Liberty Christian job, according to ESPN.
Meanwhile, Ware served as a pass-rush consultant on the Denver Broncos coaching staff in 2018.
If Ware were to join a hypothetical coaching staff led by Witten, Ware says he would prioritize the handling of current star linebacker Micah Parsons. Ware says the Cowboys' defense has lacked the "lightning bolt" from Parsons that it needs to compete for a Super Bowl.
"If he can become consistently on the field and play like he plays at the beginning of the season, he's like the electricity that the team needs to just wake up," Ware said. "If we can get him consistently playing on defense, they would win more football games and take the pressure off [quarterback] Dak Prescott."
If a staff led by Witten and Ware materializes, Ware suggests that Parsons won't be doing a podcast every week during the NFL season, as Parsons has done since the start of the 2023 season, when "The Edge With Micah Parsons" launched on Bleacher Report.
"He probably won't be doing it during the season, I know he won't be," Ware said. "Because he'll be too focused on getting to the quarterback and just wreaking havoc in the backfield."
Ware says that having a weekly podcast during the season isn't something he would have done in his career, especially early on. Ware believes it is a "hard" balancing act for Parsons.
"That's very hard," Ware said of Parsons' overlapping football and media obligations. "There's some things that you probably can't say and questions that will be asked to sort of press you to make press."
During one episode of Parsons' podcast in November 2023, following a game against the Carolina Panthers in which he threw up on the sidelines, Parsons revealed that his teammates had pressured him into overdosing on C4 Energy powder before the game, which caused him chest pain and eventual nausea. He ended the story by suggesting he had caved to "peer pressure."
In an episode in September of that year, while discussing the relationship between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Parsons encouraged other NFL players to pursue relationships with high-status celebrity women, and specifically named Zendaya as someone they should pursue, despite the fact that Zendaya has been in a long-term relationship with Spider-Man actor Tom Holland since 2021.
Parsons has since faced pushback from his own teammate over his decision to do an in-season podcast. That criticism came during a separate podcast appearance by Cowboys safety Malik Hooker.
"My advice would be for Micah, it would be: Just make sure we’re all right, and being where your feet are," Hooker said in a June 27 interview on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast. "Because if we’re out working, and the run game’s terrible, but you’re doing a podcast every week — and you know the run game is terrible — then what are you really caring about? Are you caring about the crowd that’s watching your podcast, or are you caring about the success of our team, and the Super Bowl that we’re trying to reach?"
When Parsons was pressed by reporters about the distraction his podcast might pose during training camp on Aug. 21, the star pass rusher became passionately defensive.
"I don't think no one really cares about what I'm doing on a Monday afternoon when I'm at home with my kids," he said. "So, why would they care if I'm on Xbox? I think we all get our own free time. When y'all away from here, are y'all thinking about me at home? I would hope not.
"I try not to say (anything) controversial, but everyone always is gonna be drawn to something. They're going to try to take one thing. We all have opinions. We're not going to agree to what everyone says. That's life."
Parsons went on to have his worst season as a pro in the months that followed. He put up career lows with 12 sacks, 43 tackles and 23 QB hits, while playing in a career-low 13 games. He missed games to injury for the first time in his NFL career. The team had its worst season since he joined in 2021, finishing with a 7-10 record, resulting in the departure of head coach Mike McCarthy.
Now Parsons goes into the offseason bracing for a coaching change for his first time as a pro. He is also seeking a contract extension that some experts have projected could exceed the largest for a defensive player in league history. That record is currently held by San Francisco 49ers star pass rusher Nick Bosa, who signed a five-year, $170 million deal in 2023.
Parsons' current salary with Bleacher Report is currently unknown. However much it is, it is supplementing a base NFL salary of just $2.2 million in 2023 and $2.9 million in 2024. However, that number will jump to $24 million in 2025 under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Then he'll be a free agent, and he could get paid far north of that number.
If Ware ends up on the Cowboys' coaching staff, Parsons may end up having to sacrifice his Bleacher Report salary while his NFL base pay increases.
Still, Ware suggests he would have no problem with Parsons doing a podcast in the offseason.
"Having a podcast, doing those types of things, I just won't do them during the season. Because I'm focused all on football and winning football games and making the championships, but afterwards, we can talk all we want to about whatever sports, whatever it is we're doing," Ware said.
"When I win a lot, I can talk a lot."
Ware's approach with Parsons is just one part of his greater outlook on the Cowboys defense and what he would try to bring as a coach on staff.
"Staying focused at the end of the season when it matters," Ware answered when asked what the Cowboys' defense has lacked in recent years. "Because usually most of the distractions happen at the end of the season because you're balling . . . everyone has their hand out to you."
Ware learned the consequences of a lack of focus ahead of the playoffs during his playing career with the Cowboys. He says that the most difficult playoff moments he experienced were consequential losses to the New York Giants.
"The most difficult playoff losses? You kidding me? Both the losses to the Giants!" Ware said. Then they went on to win the Super Bowl, and that was probably one of the hardest things."
The Cowboys lost to the Giants in the 2007 NFC Divisional round, when the Cowboys were 13-3 and favorites to make the Super Bowl, while the Giants were a 10-6 Wild Card team. The Giants won 21-17, en route to a historic Super Bowl XLII win over Tom Brady and the undefeated New England Patriots.
Former Dallas quarterback Tony Romo threw a game-ending interception in the final seconds to seal the game, and was heavily scrutinized for failing to deliver a win after he was seen on a vacation in Cabo, Mexico, with his then-girlfriend Jessica Simpson, during the team's first-round bye week. Witten was on the vacation with them.
But Ware believes that the bye time off was detrimental to the entire team, not just Romo and Witten.
"I don't think it was about the trip, it was about the break," Ware said. "We have what we call mojo, and no matter what teams do, you have that 'it' factor. We had that. But when you take time off, sometimes a team can lose that . . . we should have practiced each and every day just to keep our minds and bodies sharp, but something really light instead of sitting or taking a vacation. Because when we went back, I could tell something was missing, and that was the edge that we had.
In 2011, the Giants and Cowboys met in the final week of the regular season with a division title on the line. The Giants won that game 31-14, en route to another Super Bowl championship against Brady and the Patriots.
Ware went on to leave the Cowboys for the Denver Broncos in 2014 and won the first and only ring of his career in Super Bowl L a year later.
The Cowboys have not been to a Super Bowl since the 1995 season.
But Ware might get the chance to help break that drought if the Cowboys hire Witten as their next head coach.
Los Angeles Rams rookie Jared Verse is making his feelings about Philadelphia Eagles’ fans abundantly clear.
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times ahead of Sunday's NFC Divisional Round matchup, Verse spoke bluntly about his feelings towards the Philadelphia fan base.
"I hate Eagles fans," Verse, who attended three years of high school in Pennsylvania, told the outlet.
"They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans," he continued.
Even seeing the Eagles team colors will draw a reaction out of the Rams star rookie.
"When I see that green and white, I hate it. I actually get upset. Like, I actually get genuinely hot."
The Rams are hoping Verse will channel his anger towards the Eagles fans when he is on the field, as the team is traveling to Philadelphia to try and upset the Eagles.
The two teams faced off in Week 12 in Los Angeles, where the Eagles, and running back Saquon Barkley, dominated.
The Eagles won that matchup 37-20, and Barkley ran wild, amassing 302 scrimmage yards, including 255 rushing yards with two touchdowns.
Verse said even though the game was in Los Angeles, he heard heckling Eagles fans, despite wearing headphones.
"I didn’t even do nothing to ‘em. It was my first time playing. Oh, I hate Eagles fans," Verse said.
Eagles’ fans might reciprocate their hate for Verse if he plays as well as he did in the Rams 27-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday.
Verse recovered a fumble from Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and took it to the house for a 57-yard touchdown.
Verse’s play in the regular season has him on the shorttlist to potentially win defensive rookie of the year, as Verse had 4.5 sacks with 66 total tackles and was named to the Pro Bowl.
The Rams are playing the Eagles at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, where the rookie is sure to hear the noise from Eagles fans.
Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN football analyst Dan Orlovsky offered his thoughts about whether Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce could retire sooner rather than later.
Kelce, 35, recently wrapped up his 12th season in the league. He finished the regular season with 823 receiving yards, which marked the second consecutive year the star tight end did not reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark.
While Kelce did receive Pro Bowl honors for a tenth straight year and remains a productive player, he is certainly closer to the end of his football career than he is to the beginning. All of this comes as the Chiefs pursue an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl championship. Should the Chiefs ultimately hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy next month, Orlovsky believes that calling it quits could become "a very real thing" for the seven-time All-Pro.
"Kelce is fully capable of being the difference-maker. I think he’s got one great run left," Orlovsky said on ESPN's long-running daytime program "First Take."
"I think if he goes and has that vintage Kelce performance, which I fully, one, think he’s capable of, and two, will do, and they go on and three-peat, I think retirement becomes a very real thing for Travis Kelce.
"There would be nothing else to accomplish. He’d be arguably the greatest tight end of all time. He would be the tight end that was part of [Chiefs] only three-peat in the history of the NFL. He’s obviously later in his career. I don’t think there would be anything left. And I think he’s got one, elite, great, difference-maker, vintage, ‘Oh my Gosh, he did it again’ run left in him."
Kelce has contended with questions about when he will decide to bring his NFL career to a close. During a recent appearance on "The Stephen A. Smith Show," he admitted that his thoughts on retirement tend to fluctuate, but he plans to "re-evaluate" things once he heads into the offseason.
"I love everything that I’m doing … but at the end of the day, I’m not having that extreme success on the field," Kelce said. "I’m excited for these next couple of games … to finish this season off. I’ll re-evaluate it like I always do, [and] I’ll probably tell myself how much I love this thing, and I’ll come back next year."
The NFL veteran added that pop star Taylor Swift continues to offer her full support as it relates to his playing career. "She’s fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game," Kelce told Smith.
"I got all the support in the world to keep chasing these dreams," the three-time Super Bowl winner said, before noting that the "Anti-Hero" singer "loves coming" to games to watch him and the Chiefs play.
The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens face off in the most anticipated game of the NFL’s divisional round matchups this weekend. But Sunday’s contest will have an added layer of difficulty due to frigid temps and winter weather conditions expected around kickoff.
The Bills host the Ravens in Buffalo at 6:30 p.m., and players can expect a not-so-warm welcome when they arrive at Highmark Stadium.
FOX Weather reports freezing temperatures in the mid-teens with snow expected throughout the game. An arctic blast is expected to hit the area early Sunday morning and last throughout next week.
According to the National Weather Service Buffalo, the wind chill could reach single digits by kickoff, the beginning of a cold front that is expected to get significantly colder in the days that follow.
While the Bills are no stranger to the winter conditions, the Ravens seem optimistic about their chances.
"You have to operate under duress. The duress of the opponent, it's also the duress of the environment. And it’s really the noise as much as anything, especially for the offense," Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said this week.
"But that’s a two-way street. We have it at our stadium — our defense has to operate that way, too. Both groups have to deal with communication, with noise."
Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said he’s looking forward to the snow, adding, "It gets cold enough in Baltimore, so I don’t think it will be much different."
Sunday’s game will have an additional layer of interest because Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are considered the favorites for this year’s league MVP.
Earlier this season, the Bills struggled to stop Derrick Henry, who ran for 199 yards, including an explosive 87-yard touchdown run in the Ravens' 35-10 win. But the Ravens are not far removed from the heartbreak of a 2020 divisional round loss to Buffalo.
A Green Bay Packers fan that shared a video of his fiancée getting berated by a Philadelphia Eagles fan during the NFC wild-card game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday has now found himself at the center of controversy over accusations that he sought out the interaction in order to record content for social media.
Alexander Basara and his fiancée, Ally Keller, attended Sunday’s game in Philadelphia, but their experience supporting their team was soured when an Eagles fan, identified as Ryan Caldwell, lashed out at Keller and Basara in a vile tirade.
Caldwell was heard calling the woman an "ugly dumb c---" while Basara recorded the interaction. He also taunted Basara with other disgusting gestures as Basara attempted to defend Keller.
The interaction led Caldwell to being fired from his job at a New Jersey consulting firm. He was also reportedly banned from attending games at Lincoln Financial Field.
Social media praised the move by Caldwell’s former employer and sympathized with Basara and Keller. However, as the story continued to unfold this week, several people on social media began to accuse Basara of seeking out such an interaction in order to record content.
In a GoFundMe campaign set up by Basara, he asks supporters to help send him to the game.
"If you didn't know, I'm born and raised in PA, and actually 1 hour from the Eagles stadium. So I ask of you, the fans... send me to Philly. Send me into the belly of the beast. I've done it multiple times repping the Packers proud, and I am fully ready to do it again," he wrote.
"I've been cursed at, stuff thrown at me, and even my first ever cheesehead ripped off my head and thrown into a fire bin while supporting my team in Philly. But I'm sure as hell not scared to do it again."
According to Basara’s account on X, he describes himself as a "daily Packers content creator" and runs a YouTube account.
In response to the video and GoFundMe campaign, social media users called Basara out.
"Influencers do things on purpose to go viral," former "America's Next Top Model" winner Adrianne Curry said in a post on X. "He knew this would happen so allowed his girl to be a piñata for aggressive drunk men at a sporting event to film....all to go viral for clicks and likes. Read the last paragraph."
Basara responded to Curry’s post denying the allegation, saying he was vlogging a normal game-day experience.
"You should maybe try and not speak on things you have no idea about. I was there and making a NORMAL GameDay vlog, just as I did in Green Bay last month. I wanted to showcase the NORMAL banter of Eagles fans, which 99% of the time, we got," his post read. "Then this guy wouldn't stop, and it only got worse and worse. Way to defend a PoS for whatever your point here is…"
The two exchanged in a back-and-forth, and Basara accused Curry of "victim blaming."
However, Curry was not alone.
"Grow up bro YOU KNEW what it was going to be like," one person wrote on X.
"You’re a packers ‘Content Creator’ who went into the stadium with a full body cam. Me thinks you were looking for something like this to happen," another posted. "Your wife didn’t deserve this and didn’t deserve not being stuck up for either."
Basara denied the accusation on social media. He did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
American tennis star Taylor Fritz is the latest athlete to contribute to the relief funds for the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.
Fritz, 27, said on Thursday that he is donating the prize money he earned for his first-round victory at the Australian Open – about $82,000 – toward the relief funds.
"I mean, I feel like it’s really the least I can do," Fritz said.
Fritz was born in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and is still based in the state.
"Obviously, ‘SoCal’ has been my home forever. I still spend a lot of time in LA, but I lived in LA for quite a while. I have friends impacted, family not so much. I had some family have to evacuate. The house that my brothers grew up in burnt down. Obviously, they’re not living there anymore," Fritz said after reaching the third round at Melbourne Park with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory over qualifier Cristian Garín of Chile.
"A lot of people are affected by it. I feel like if you’re in a place to help, then you should."
Authorities have not determined a cause for the major blazes in what is on track to become the nation’s costliest fire disaster, with at least 27 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed.
Fritz is not the only tennis player with connections to the Los Angeles area who is competing at the Australian Open.
Naomi Osaka, a four-time major champion, said she sent someone to retrieve her 1 ½ year-old daughter’s birth certificate from their California home in case it got caught up in the fires.
Tristan Boyer, a 23-year-old from California, who had a first-round win but lost Thursday, said his father had to evacuate their house in Altadena.
"We have friends and family who are homeless now. It’s really, really devastating to see," Boyer said. "Obviously, trying to do what I need to do to prep and play tennis, but control what I can control in this moment. But it’s hard for sure."
Fritz, the No. 4 ranked player in the tournament, will take on Gaël Monfils on Saturday for a berth in the fourth round, but his mind will still be on what is happening back home.
"I just want everyone to obviously stay safe," Fritz said.
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh met with first responders in California this week to personally thank them as they continue to battle devastating wildfires burning in Los Angeles that have claimed the lives of at least 27 people.
In a video shared by the team on social media Thursday, Harbaugh is seen greeting firefighters and law enforcement on the ground.
The former Michigan coach shook hands and spoke with several first responders, and even stopped to take a few pictures.
Before the Chargers’ Wild Card game against the Houston Texans, Harbaugh told the media that the situation in California was at the forefront of his mind, adding that he was "inspired" by the dedication of first responders and the selflessness of neighbors.
"Heart goes out, prayers, abundant prayers for all those that have been affected by this tragedy," he said, according to the team’s website. "Also just been inspired greatly by the first responders, the firefighters and the residents that have pulled together, had each other's back.
"It's been tremendously inspiring," he continued. "Abundant prayers and thoughts to all that are in this fight. You see neighbors on top of houses, helping fellow neighbors, it's truly inspiring."
Last week, the Chargers pledged $200,000 in targeted funding to the American Red Cross, LA Fire Department Foundation, Team Rubicon and pet rescue organizations sheltering animals that have been displaced by the wildfires.
"While we're currently experiencing unprecedented conditions that seemingly cannot get any worse as we deal with multiple fires across our region, we're also witnessing our community at its very best," Chargers owner Dean Spanos said in a statement. "The bravery, selflessness, courage, sacrifice and compassion on display over the past 24 hours by first responders, good Samaritans, friends, family and neighbors alike has been remarkable."
Officials in California say over 30 people are still missing as the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire continue to burn. Those two fires have collectively burned nearly 38,000 acres. The Palisades fire is at 27% containment, while the Eaton Fire is at 55%.
After knocking Tennessee out in the first round, the Buckeyes blew out the top-seeded Oregon Ducks in the quarterfinals. Ohio State then defeated the Texas Longhorns in the semifinal to advance to Monday's championship game.
Quarterback Will Howard will be under center when Ohio State meets Notre Dame in the highly-anticipated title game.
Howard spent four seasons at Kansas State. However, he entered the transfer portal in 2023. In Jan. 2024, he revealed his intentions to make the move to Ohio State. Howard went on to have the best regular season of his college career in Columbus, Ohio.
The 23-year-old has thrown for a career-high 3,779 yards and 33 touchdowns against 10 interceptions during his first year at Ohio State. Howard has also used his legs this season, rushing for seven scores.
This year's Buckeyes roster features multiple players, including Howard, who are outspoken about their personal faith. Howard's on-field interview after Ohio State's aforementioned commanding win over Oregon at the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day was one of many moments in which the quarterback put his beliefs on full display.
"First and foremost, I gotta thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for giving me this opportunity to be on this stage in the Rose Bowl," Howard said. "Younger me would be in awe right now."
Shortly after the Buckeyes were upset by their top rival Michigan in late November, Howard referenced his faith as he was asked to share his reaction to the defeat.
"I sat back and thought the opportunity that I have here and what I’ve gone through this year, the ups and the downs, everything has been for my own good," he said via Columbus news station WCMH, before reaffirming his unwavering faith. "I know that God is putting those obstacles in front of us to grow us and there’s a reason for it. I’m going to just trust the plan."
He added that having an unshakable "trust in the Lord" has proven to be beneficial in his life.
"We got to trust in the Lord and lean on Him no matter what, through the ups and the downs," he told NBC4. "I tried to just get into my Bible and pray a little bit. Just come back to the Lord and say, ‘I need You.’"
"When you come to Him in a humble way, it changes your perspective. I lay it down for Him and say, ‘God, I trust You. I don’t know why this happened but it happened for a reason. I’m going to trust it.'"
Howard and several of his Buckeyes teammates arrived at preseason workouts wearing "Jesus Won" T-shirts.
The College Football Playoff National Championship game kicks off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Jackson Mahomes, the brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, posted a farewell video on his TikTok account on Tuesday.
TikTok appeared to be set for a Sunday shutdown barring any last-minute action from the Supreme Court. The High Court is set to weigh the TikTok ban on Friday. It is unclear if the ban will be implemented or put on hold until President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Mahomes, who has more than 1.1 million followers on the app, had a few more mirror-dancing videos ready to go for his supporters.
"Since the app is getting banned I thought yall would miss your favorite (creator) on the platform!" he captioned one of the videos.
Mahomes has mostly kept his nose out of trouble during the 2024 season. However, prior to the start of the NFL season, he had been under the spotlight and in trouble with the law.
Mahomes was accused of grabbing a woman by her neck and forcibly kissing a woman at the restaurant in February 2023.
He pleaded no contest to a single count of misdemeanor battery in March 2024. He was then sentenced to six months of probation.
The Chiefs are in pursuit of a third straight Super Bowl title and there’s little doubt that Mahomes will be there, along with his sister-in-law, to support the quarterback and the team.
Aaron Rodgers on Thursday condemned the arsonists responsible for some of the wildfires that started the deadly Los Angeles wildfires and lamented the immense loss in the area,
Rodgers spoke about the destructive infernos that hit the county last week that left more than two dozen dead with thousands of structures burned to the ground in an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show." He said residents in the area are going through a "tough time."
The New York Jets superstar curtailed himself from criticizing leaders and lawmakers and focused his attention on those who allegedly started the blazes.
"There’s a lot of arson, and people have been caught doing it, people have been caught walking around blow torches and different s--- which is crazy, and it’s inhumane is what it is, and it’s sickening and then the looting that’s gone on," he said. "People impersonating firefighters, people starting fires and to loot the same areas. There’s a lot of things that really make you question humanity in general, and it’s a bad look because have people have lost their lives, people have lost their houses, their homes, their memories, everything, the pets. And then you have people who are legitimately starting fires in areas.
"The Runyon Canyon fire, that was an arson. There was a fire that was actually started real close to my house that was arson that thankfully got put away really quick, so that’s the s---ty part about all this."
Rodgers relished the fact that residents have come together to help each other out in trying times.
"The beautiful part is the way that so many people have come together and have gotten meals together and supplies together for these incredible men and women fighting these fires," he said. "The people who are flying these planes, I saw this incredible video probably about a week ago of the f---ing most beautiful drop from a plane that absolutely doused this fire.
"There’s a lot of really talented people who have been working on this, putting in crazy freaking hours, so my heart and my hat is tipped to the incredible men and women who are putting in crazy hours, not just from Southern California, but the people that came down from Northern California and other states and supplies have been given in for those people has been amazing."
Rodgers did mention that he knew a lot of people who lost their houses and possessions, including actor Miles Teller. He said when he arrived back in Los Angeles, the first thing he did was to call him as they have been friends for nearly 20 years.
"… I called to just check on him and that’s when it really hit home," Rodgers said. "Like this is legitimate, they didn’t have a chance. They had a short amount of time, they got everything they could, they got Buggsy (their dog) and what little they could fill in a car and got out, so that’s the reality.
"But the reality is there’s thousands of people like that who’ve been dealing with that, got displaced, lost everything, and like you said there’s some people that somehow won the lottery and their house got missed."
Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden took the state of college sports to task Thursday.
Gruden, the former head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appeared on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich" and lamented the lack of relationships being built between college athletes and coaches.
He said those types of relationships can’t be built in a short amount of time.
"The repetition is the mother of learning," Gruden said. "Right now you’re just seeing a bunch of rental clubs. You ever play golf and get a set of rental clubs? It’s like, ‘I don’t know how to hit this club. I never putted with this putter.’ You make a lot of excuses.
"That’s what I’m seeing in college sports right now. Everybody is looking out for the transfer portal and how much NIL money we deserve. It’s kinda sickening really."
The name, image and likeness era coupled with the transfer portal grinds the gears of some coaches in college football.
Duke men’s basketball coaching legend Mike Krzyzewski acknowledged to Fox News Digital in October he didn’t have an answer for how to tame the NIL era despite believing in the good that comes with it.
Former Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban ripped NIL in February.
The controversy surrounding Philadelphia Eagles fan Ryan Caldwell for berating a female Packers fan during a game is just the latest incident of scandalously unruly fan behavior in sports.
Other deranged fans have engaged in physical altercations with athletes, with one incident even resulting in the stabbing of an athlete.
Fox News Digital recounts the five most infamous fan moments in the history of sports.
During Game 6 of the 2003 National League Division vs. the then-Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman reached out and grabbed a ball that could have been caught.
At the time, Chicago had a 3-0 lead and could have clinched a trip to the World Series with a win. Bartman interfered with a foul ball hit by Marlins hitter Luis Castillo that Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou was trying to catch for an out. But by snagging the ball out of the air before Alou could catch it, Bartman cost his own team a chance at a precious out. It would have been the second out of the inning.
But instead, the very next pitch to Castillo was wild, and the Cubs defense suffered a collapse that resulted in eight runs. The Cubs then lost the series in Game 7, and the franchise's nearly century-long World Series title drought extended. Bartman's incident became an infamous moment in what is considered to be one of the great curses in sports history.
The franchise's lack of championships from 1909 up until 2016 was associated with the superstition known as "The Curse of the Billy Goat," which stems from a 1945 incident when a fan was denied entry to a game because he had a goat with him.
Bartman's actions were not rooted in malice, but the consequences, aftermath and imagery of him at that game is what has made the incident so infamous.
Details of Bartman's personal life were made public, and he actively avoided any public attention for years after the incident. He declined multiple offers for interviews and opportunities to appear in documentaries.
Caldwell is far from the first Eagles fan to exhibit questionable behavior at a game.
In 1997, during a Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers, one mischievous Eagles fan shot a flare gun into the stands full of other fans, endangering multiple lives.
After the flare was shot, multiple fistfights broke out around the stadium as most of the violence was directed at 49ers fans by Eagles fans.
"There were a large number of fights and acts of intimidation, many directed at fans in 49ers jerseys," the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote at the time.
After the game, Eagles owner Jeffrie Lurie was forced to condemn his own fans.
"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 franchise's former home, Veterans Stadium, had an on-site judicial court and jail cells to deal with law-breaking fans.
A 2004 game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers devolved into one of the ugliest moments in NBA history when a player started attacking fans.
There were just seconds left of the game when the fight began, but the conditions got so hostile that the game was never finished.
The fighting all began with a foul. After the players started battling it out on the court, it wasn't long before the fight escalated up to the stands as spectators began throwing drinks and trash at players. Pacers forward Ron Artest was at the center of the chaos as imagery of him swinging his fists at the Detroit fans became a disturbing staple of NBA lore.
As the Pacers made their way back to the locker room, they had to cover their heads to be shielded from the liquid and trash being thrown their way.
Several fans were banned from Pistons games for life because of the incident. Nine players were suspended without pay for a total of 146 games, according to the source. The five players were charged with assault.
In 1974, the Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians) held an event known only now as "10-Cent Beer Night." The team sold beers for $0.10 each for a game against the Texas Rangers on
The promotion drew a crowd of 25,134 fans to Cleveland Stadium, and many of those fans ended up on the field in a riot in the ninth inning.
After eight previous innings that saw drunken fans set off firecrackers and streak nakedly across the field, a game-tying rally by Cleveland in the final inning unleashed chaos. After the game was tied, a fan ran onto the field to try and steal Rangers player Jeff Burroughs' cap right off his head.
In response, Texas manager Billy Martin and his players ran onto the field to protect Burroughs, but that only provoked even more drunken Cleveland fans to get involved. A horde of attendees armed with knives, chains and clubs made out of torn-up pieces of seats rushed the Texas players.
Some fans even threw steel folding chairs at players, and Cleveland relief pitcher Tom Hilgendorf was hit in the head by one.
The Cleveland players wielded their bats to help defend the Texas players from their own drunken fans.
The teams fled the field through the dugouts in groups, then locked themselves in their clubhouses. But rioting on the field continued for at least another 20 minutes as police and security tried to subdue the rioters. Only nine fans ended up getting arrested.
Chief umpire Nestor Chylak eventually declared the game to be forfeited by Cleveland, granting Texas the win.
Yugoslavian women's tennis star Monica Seles was stabbed by a fan of one of her biggest rivals at the 1993 Citizen Cup in Hamburg, Germany.
During a break after winning a game in the quarterfinal match against Magdalena Maleeva, who was the world No. 1 at the time, a fan of German player Steffi Graf ran onto the court and stabbed Seles in the back while she sat courtside.
The man was named Günter Parche, and police determined that he intended to injure Seles so that Graf could reclaim the No. 1 spot. Parche was eventually sentenced to two years' probation and psychological treatment.
Seles, meanwhile, was rushed to the hospital and required several weeks for her injuries to heal. However, it would be two years before she returned to tennis. She also vowed to never play in Germany again due to the fact that Parche was given minimal punishment.
"What people seem to be forgetting is that this man stabbed me intentionally, and he did not serve any sort of punishment for it. ... I would not feel comfortable going back. I don't foresee that happening," she told the BBC.
