An Instagram page for a film the 44-year-old starred in also announced his death.
"The entire ‘HAPS’ team deeply mourns the loss of Vittorio Pirbazari. Our thoughts are with his family. We will keep you in loving memory - thank you for your warmth, your creative spirit and for being a part of our journey. R.I.P.," the "Haps" Instagram page wrote.
The Instagram post featured a video montage of Pirbazari with a featured photo of him in black and white.
Officials in Costa Rica have confirmed the official cause of death of Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees player Brett Gardner who died under mysterious circumstances on March 21 while on a family vacation.
The initial investigation in the days that followed Miller’s tragic passing focused on asphyxiation, which was later ruled out. The investigation then pivoted to food poisoning as a possible cause of death, but on Wednesday night, Costa Rican Judicial Investigative Agency (OIJ) Director Randall Zúñiga said the toxicology results confirmed that he died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
"It’s important to note that adjacent to this room is a dedicated machine room, where it’s believed there may be some type of contamination toward these rooms," Zúñiga said.
Zúñiga said Miller was tested for carboxyhemoglobin, a compound generated when carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood. The test showed a saturation level of 64%. It is considered lethal when carboxyhemoglobin saturation exceeds 50%.
The Gardner family stayed at the Arenas Del Mar hotel in Manuel Antonio.
Earlier this week, the OIJ suggested that carbon monoxide poisoning was likely the cause of death, but officials at the hotel denied those claims. A hotel spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the levels in the hotel room "were non-existent and non-lethal."
Fox News Digital reached out to the spokesperson again following Wednesday’s announcement.
The Gardner family said in a statement following Miller’s passing that several family members fell ill during the trip.
"We have so many questions and so few answers at this point, but we do know that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Friday, March 21st," the statement read. "Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile. He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day."
Gardner was an outfielder for the Yankees for 14 seasons and was on the team when they won their last World Series title in 2009. He spent his entire career in the Bronx, last playing in 2021.
Fox News' Ashley J. DiMella, Ryan Morik, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Milton’s lone start for the Patriots came in Week 18, when they played the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots won that game 23-16 and Milton impressed in the win, albeit playing against mostly backups and depth players for the Bills as they had clinched their seed in the AFC playoffs.
In the win, Milton completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown, while he ran for 16 yards and a touchdown as well.
The Patriots signed quarterback Josh Dobbs in free agency to be their backup behind Drake Maye, which made Milton available for trade.
With Dak Prescott as the starting quarterback, Milton will slide in as the team’s backup quarterback. Cooper Rush and Trey Lance backed up Prescott last year and the pair started a combined nine games after Prescott sustained a hamstring injury in Week 9 that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
However, Rush departed for the Baltimore Ravens in free agency while Lance still remains a free agent.
With the reported addition of Milton and the departure of Rush, the Cowboys quarterback room now consists of Prescott, Milton and Will Grier. Grier has only appeared in two NFL games since being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2019.
Milton earned the nickname "Bazooka Joe" because of his strong throwing arm. In his final season at Tennessee, he completed 64.7% of his passes for 2,813 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions.
FIRST ON FOX: The 2027 Military World Games will be played in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking the first time the event has ever been hosted in the United States.
The last Military World Games took place in Wuhan, China, in October 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic erupted from that very city, putting the event on ice for what will be an eight-year hiatus.
When the games return in 2027, it will come right in the middle of two major international sporting events that are also set to play in the U.S. – the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
President Donald Trump will preside over each of the events, and while he played a role in bringing the World Cup and Olympics to America in his first term, he has his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to thank for giving the approval of the Military World Games for North Carolina, according to the event's co-chair Eli Bremer.
Bremer told Fox News Digital that Hegseth gave the final approval for the U.S. to host the games.
"His vision for the U.S. military, creating warriors, aligns so precisely with the U.S. military engaging in elite sporting," Bremer said. "I think this aligns extremely well with the new leadership in the military. I think it's a tremendous opportunity for the U.S. military to attract amazing talent into it that aligns with the leadership of Secretary Hegseth and all the way down the Trump administration."
Bremer, a former major in the Air Force Reserves and former modern pentathlete who competed in the 2008 Olympics, recalled his experience competing with athletes from some of America's notable military adversaries in past Military World Games, and believes the 2027 event can help opposing sides humanize each other amid geopolitical tensions.
"As a young officer in the Air Force, I had contact with Iranians and North Koreans who were at those sporting events, so it gave Americans a chance to kind of make contacts with other countries and to show them we're real people," Bremer said.
The games are organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM) the world's second-largest multidiscipline sports organization, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
CISM President Nilton Romil of Brazil told Fox News Digital that there were barriers to bringing the games to the U.S., but the committee powered through a "competitive" process to get it done in America, citing the symbolic importance of global peacekeeping.
"Barriers included the complexity of hosting such a large-scale international event for the first time on U.S. soil. Navigating security, diplomatic protocols, and ensuring infrastructure met CISM standards was key. However, shared commitment and vision made success possible," Romil said.
"The significance is historic. Western allies have long been active members of CISM, and the U.S. has supported the mission from the beginning. Now, hosting the Games on American soil extends a clear message: the West is committed to global peace and unity, not just through strategic alliances, but through shared human values.
"By hosting the Games, the USA is demonstrating leadership in promoting peaceful international military engagement beyond defense cooperation—through athletics, cultural exchange, and global solidarity."
Three of the last four MWGs were hosted in BRICS nations, with China hosting in 2019, Brazil hosting in 2011 and India hosting in 2007. By coming to the U.S., the event will be hosted in a G7 nation for the first time since it was hosted in Italy in 2003.
For many Americans who are both veterans and former athletes, the 2027 games will mark a proud milestone.
Former U.S. Olympian Chad Senior, who competed in the 2004 and 2000 Summer Olympics in modern pentathlon, and served in the Iraq War and Afghanistan War as an Air Force special operations veteran, told Fox News Digital that the games will come at an important time, as he sees the military in the U.S. becoming more "partisan."
"Policies in this administration are changing, and I don't think people are in the middle of it, they're either solidly against it or solidly embrace it," Senior said.
"Will it change people's minds? I don't know. I think that's why they have these World Military Games. Any time that different miliaries can get together in a friendly environment of sports versus on the battlefield I think is a positive thing for all of us."
Former U.S. Senator from Colorado Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and served in the Air Force, celebrated the selection of Charlotte for the next MWG.
"I was thrilled to hear that the World Military Games are coming to the United States. As one who served our country in the Air Force during the Korean War and represented our country on the judo mats at the 1964 Olympic Games, I believe there is a direct correlation between the discipline and dedication required to be an elite athlete or member of an elite fighting force and competition always pushes both to higher levels of performance," Campbell told Fox News Digital.
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin moved to within three goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring mark as he netted his 892nd goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.
It was the Capitals’ lone goal in their 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes. He nearly scored two in the game but was stopped at point-blank range by goalie Frederik Andersen in the second period. He ended up beating Andersen on a 5-on-3 power play later in the second.
"We have a pretty good chance in the second, first shift a breakaway," Ovechkin said. "And in this game, if you have a chance, you have to use it and I think all goalies play well tonight."
Ovechkin acknowledged the playoff atmosphere in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the third period, eight players were given game misconducts after multiple fights broke out.
"We understand there's a possibility to see them in the playoffs," Ovechkin said. "It was a playoff atmosphere out there."
Washington and Carolina are the two top teams in the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals have 105 points and the Hurricanes have 96.
"The GR8 Chase" is still on, at least for seven more games. Ovechkin could close out the record by the end of the weekend with a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night and then a road game against the New York Islanders on Sunday.
Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals was once thought to be unbeatable but Ovechkin is set to defy the odds.
"(The record) feels like it's right there," Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk said. "He feels like he's still scoring every night. It’s been huge for us and awesome for him to see that he’s still doing it at this torrid pace."
The Los Angeles Dodgers heated up during the World Series and have yet to cool off.
The Dodgers improved to 8-0 on Wednesday night when Shohei Ohtani hit a walk-off home run to lift the team to a 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers are off to the best start ever by a defending World Series champion.
"Overall, not just tonight, there is a really good vibe within the team," Ohtani said through a translator after the game. "So I just think that’s allowing us to come back in these games to win."
Ohtani’s 399-foot shot sent the Dodgers faithful into a frenzy. The reigning National League MVP is 10-for-30 to start the season with three home runs and three RBI. He is batting .333 with a 1.126 OPS.
"He keeps getting into these situations and moments where you’re expecting the unthinkable out of him and he rarely disappoints. That's really saying something," Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said.
Michael Conforto and Tommy Edman had home runs as well.
Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Shortstop Nick Allen was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI as well.
Dodgers starter Blake Snell lasted all of four innings. He allowed five runs on five hits but was not charged with an earned run. Braves starter Bryce Elder went four innings as well, allowing three runs on three hits. He struck out three batters.
The Braves fell to 0-7 to start the season. Five of their seven losses came by three runs or fewer.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova slammed USA Fencing after a female fencer took a knee when she refused to compete against a transgender athlete at an event over the weekend.
Stephanie Turner made the decision not to compete against trans athlete Redmond Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland. Instead, she decided to take a knee. The referee dealt Turner a black card, which represents the most severe penalty in the sport. She told Fox News Digital she was then escorted out of the event and was made to sign a document acknowledging the penalty.
The moment went viral on social media on Wednesday, and Navratilova, who has become a champion of fairness in women’s sports, weighed in.
"This is what happens when female athletes protest! Anyone here still thinks this is fair??? I am fuming… and shame on @USAFencing, shame on you for doing this. How dare you throw women under the gender bulls--- bus!!!" she wrote on X.
Former NCAA fencer Juliana Peceli also weighed in.
"As a retired D1 @NCAA fencer, I was forced to compete against men who claimed to be women. Female athletes dedicate our lives to our sport, only to have men take our spots, our titles, and our future," she wrote on X.
"Kudos to the women who refuse to accept this injustice."
USA Fencing responded to the incident in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day," the statement read.
"We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves. It's important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is by respectful discussion based in evidence."
A USA Fencing spokesperson also told Fox News Digital that Turner was not penalized for her stance against trans inclusion, but simply for refusing to fence.
"In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to any personal statement but was merely the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE rules clearly prohibit," the spokesperson said.
"According to the FIE (International Fencing Federation) Technical Rules, specifically Article t.113, a fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason. Under these rules, such a refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to maintain fair competition standards and preserve the sport’s integrity."
Turner told Fox News Digital she was a lifelong Democrat, but the idea of having biological males in women’s sports never sat right with her. She said she identifies as a "new Republican conservative."
"I voted red down the ticket this year," Turner said. "It was like waking up to the lies of the mainstream media… Just to watch so many of my friends have this glassy-eyed look while just defending this policy because their brains can not manage the possibility that their party or their position has been wrong on this, and perhaps this isn't a civil rights movement, and they have been misled."
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
The WWE Hall of Fame will feature an illustrious 2025 class which will be inducted during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas on April 18.
Paul "Triple H" Levesque, Michelle McCool, Lex Luger, The National Disasters tag team (Earthquake and Typhoon) and, for the first time, an Immortal Moment. The match between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 will be enshrined.
Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes will be in the city to prepare for his title defense against John Cena at WrestleMania 41. Rhodes, a future Hall of Famer himself, talked to Fox News Digital about current WWE stars who should be enshrined immediately once their careers are over.
"I feel like there are certain people who should immediately go into the Hall of Fame when they’re done wrestling, and love him, hate him or indifferent, John Cena would check a box as somebody who should immediately go into the Hall of Fame. Also, Randy Orton should check a box as somebody who should immediately go into the Hall of Fame," Rhodes said.
He also made a case for his brother, Dustin.
Dustin Rhodes, as he is known in pro wrestling circles, was mostly known in WWE as Goldust. The character was a top midcard performer during the WWE’s Attitude Era whose character was completely different from his father, the legendary Dusty Rhodes.
Dustin Rhodes had multiple stints in WWE, holding the Intercontinental Championship three times and the Hardcore Championship seven times. He was also a three-time tag-team champion. He also had stints with TNA Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and is currently an All Elite Wrestling competitor.
"And I’ve oftentimes said my brother. I feel like he had more if an important role in the Attitude Era and moving forward," Cody Rhodes told Fox News Digital. "And I think he’s extremely talented. I think I’d like to see that not just because I believe he deserves it, which he does, but I’d love to see the family just more added. The Hall of Fame doesn’t mean the same to everybody if that makes any sense. To my family, the Hall of Fame is the thing – the title and then the Hall of Fame."
"My dad going in was such a huge deal. So, I’d love to see him joined by my brother. But yeah, Randy is somebody I’ve been thinking about a lot too. We got a lot of hopefully future Hall of Famers with us."
Rhodes, who spoke to Fox News Digital on behalf of WWE’s partnership with Clash of Clans, will be in the main event of WrestleMania for the third straight year.
The biggest story of the MLB opening day weekend was the New York Yankees mashing the Milwaukee Brewers, and some of those in pinstripes were using "torpedo bats," which caused a viral sensation.
Massive debate over the torpedo bats, which have the barrel more toward the middle of the bat instead of at the end, filled social media as the Yankees filled the seats in the outfield with baseballs. They hit a team-record nine home runs in the 20-9 victory in their second game of the season, and a few more were hit in the 13-2 rout the following day.
While some saw it as cheating, the bat was proved legal under MLB’s rule book. Still, some pitchers were not too happy, including Brewers stud reliever Trevor Megill, who watched his teammates have issues throughout the weekend.
"I think it’s terrible," he said, via The New York Post. "We’ll see what the data says. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I feel like it’s something used in slo-pitch softball. It’s genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide."
CC Sabathia was at Yankees spring training watching hitters like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger and Anthony Volpe using the bats. As a former pitcher himself – he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame earlier this year – Sabathia’s thoughts on the matter carry some weight.
"I think it’s great," he told Fox News Digital while discussing his partnership with Xyzal as the new season begins. "I think so much stuff has been innovative for pitchers. We have so many things where the stuff is getting better, guys are throwing harder than ever. To see some of these hitters take a little bit of an advantage back – not even with the torpedo bats. The batting machine, the ‘Trajekt,’ to see where the ball is coming out of. You get to see the spin rate of some of these guys.
"If it all helps, I think for the longest time we’ve been trying to figure out how to get offense back in the game. Move the pitcher’s mound back, make the baseball bigger, all these different things to come back. You know how good pitching is. We get one good thing for hitters and then everybody freaked out. But everybody freaked out because it was the Yankees."
The Yankees were not the only team with players using these bats. New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm and Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner were among many others on different teams seen using the different bat to start the 2025 campaign.
Sabathia, though, got to witness the onslaught of offense from the Yankees this past Saturday, when they lit up their former teammate, Nestor Cortes Jr.
However, while the bats are catching flak for that performance, Sabathia thinks it was the Brewers' pitching that should be blamed.
"For me, I was at the game when Nestor started the other day when they hit the nine homers. It was exciting, but when I went back and was sitting home watching the game, every one of those pitches that was thrown was right down the middle," he said. "So, I don’t know if it was the torpedo bat or the Brewers pitching, but those pitches I probably could’ve gotten a hit that day."
The debate may continue as the season goes on, but as long as it is within the rules, Sabathia is all for it, even if some of his fellow pitchers would rather see the traditional barrels on bats moving forward.
FIGHTING ALLERGIES WITH XYZAL
During his illustrious career, allergies were always something Sabathia had to worry about. Like so many, the spring can be tough with allergy symptoms coming with the change of season, and Sabathia used to need a shot from his team's medical staff to cope with them.
Now in retirement, the luxury of a team of doctors and staff is gone, and Sabathia needed to find the right medication to battle those symptoms, especially with golf being his latest sports passion.
Xyzal, who he is now partnered with, was the perfect remedy.
"My allergies have been horrible my whole life. When I was a kid, I’d go to school with rolls of toilet paper," he said, laughing. "My allergies were super, super bad. …So, the first thing I was just trying to find different stuff. I came across Xyzal and figured out you can take it at night."
Now, Sabathia, as well as his 14-year-old son Carter, have made it part of their nightly routine to ensure they can get through baseball season without those pesky allergy symptoms.
Trey Hendrickson has spent his past four NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. The star pass rusher has just one year remaining on his contract with the Bengals and recently requested permission to seek a trade.
Despite the trade request, Hendrickson hopes to remain in Cincinnati.
"However it shakes out, there's nowhere I'd rather be," he said in early March.
During the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Bengals director of personnel Duke Tobin suggested the team and Hendrickson's agent were making progress on a new contract for the star defensive end.
However, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn's recent comments at the league's annual meeting did not give credence to Tobin's remarks. Blackburn's words prompted a frustrated Hendrickson to call out the organization for an apparent lack of communication in recent months.
"That was a little disappointing, because communication has been poor over the last couple months," Hendrickson told "The Pat McAfee Show" in reference to Blackburn's remarks.
"That's something that I hold in high regard. They have not communicated with my agent directly. It's been something that's been a little bit frustrating."
Hendrickson added that talks with the Bengals have largely been "here and there."
Hendrickson finished each of the past two seasons with 17½ sacks. His estimated base salary of just over $15 million for next season pales in comparison to his counterparts. Myles Garrett agreed to a record-breaking contract extension with the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason. The deal will pay Garrett roughly $40 million annually.
Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby inked a three-year extension last month and will make an estimated $35.5 million per season.
"I think he [Hendrickson] should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn't think he'd be happy at," Blackburn said Tuesday. "I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he's not, you know, that's what holds it up sometimes. So, you know, it takes him to say yes to something. And, also, we have all the respect in the world for him. He's been a great player. We're happy to have him. And so maybe we'll find a way to get something to work. We're just gonna see where it goes."
Despite the latest turn of events, Hendrickson said the "line of communication" remains open on his end.
"They're more than welcome to call me," Hendrickson said. "I've had my cellphone, same cellphone number since high school. Open line of communication is always open with me and my agent. So, if they have anything they'd like to discuss, we've been nothing but willing to listen."
Hendrickson made it clear he was looking for a long-term contract, not a short-term deal.
"We don't have any desires of being highest paid or, you know, first in line," he said. "I'm not going to go into all the details, but, like, there are things that I'm willing to do and willing not to budge on. I don't think I want to play for incentives that will be out of my control. I don't think I want to play (on a) short-term contract. ... I would like to tell my wife, 'Here's where we're going to live. Here's where we're going to build a family together.' You know?"
"The values of diversity and inclusion are central to the culture of the NBA, WNBA, and our other leagues and will remain core to our business and our workplace," the email said.
Other American sports organizations have taken steps to distance themselves from DEI.
MLB has removed "diversity" references from its careers page entirely.
The General Services Administration announced changes in February to the Federal Acquisition Regulations meant to align with the president's executive order aimed at restoring merito and ending discrimination in the public and private sectors. The move reverses previous Biden administration executive orders that made it mandatory to consider DEI when reviewing contract proposals.
Under Trump, language associated with DEI principles was also ordered removed from any federal acquisition, contracting, grant or financial assistance procedures.
After the New York Yankees set an MLB record with 18 home runs in their first four games, several of which were hit with torpedo bats, one pitcher wants to level the playing field.
"Let them use whatever bat they want. Let’s just allow pitchers to use whatever hitters have in the on deck circle," Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm posted on X this week. "And not check us like we are criminals every time we walk on or off the field. I’m just a pitcher but I’m assuming better grip helps ya swing harder…"
Umpires check pitchers before they enter games and between innings for substances. The inspections have led to several ejections, and, in turn, 10-game suspensions. "Spider Tack" became a popular fad, but pitchers have often used a combination of their own sweat and rosin to create stickiness.
Strahm added that "some of that stuff was a bit much," but added, "just whatever a hitter can use to grip a bat better we can use too."
The torpedo bats have a barrel in a different location. Instead of being at the end of the bat, the barrel is closer to the handle, which gives the bat a bowling pin shape. Some players make contact with the ball more on the label instead of the traditional barrel of the bat. The torpedo bats move the barrel to the label, so when they make contact they barrel up the baseball more.
The uniquely shaped bats dominated conversation among players and fans this weekend after the Yankees’ offensive eruption.
"I think it’s terrible," Brewers relief ace Trevor Megill told the New York Post of the bats, which are legal. "We’ll see what the data says. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I feel like it’s something used in slo-pitch softball. It’s genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide."
The Yankees are not the only team using the bats. The MLB social media account posted a brief explainer to X about the torpedo bat and highlighted four players from four teams who use them — Francisco Lindor, Yandy Diaz, Anthony Volpe and Ryan Jeffers.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz decided to try a torpedo bat in the Reds’ game Monday against the Texas Rangers after watching the Yankees' offensive onslaught. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double and seven RBIs in the Reds’ 14-3 win over the Rangers.
MLB Rule 3.02 states, "The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood." The rule also says "experimental" bats can’t be used "until the manufacturer has secured approval from Major League Baseball of his design and methods of manufacture."
Fox News' Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
The NFL could soon launch a professional women's flag football league.
The new league would likely aim to support the sport's long-term growth, and it could also be backed by some high-profile investors. Tennis icon Serena Williams and her husband and tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, via their 776 investment firm, are in talks with the NFL about the venture, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
The NFL is reportedly weighing at least 10 proposals, including TKO Group Holdings, former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry's Avenue Capital Group and partners Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz.
TKO is a conglomerate created by Endeavor, which resulted from the 2023 merger between WWE and UFC.
The Michael Strahan-backed media company SMAC Entertainment, as well as Connect Ventures, have also submitted pitches to the league, per Bloomberg. Connect Ventures was formed via a partnership between talent and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and venture firm New Enterprise Associates.
The NFL has long supported the growth and momentum of flag football, particularly youth participation in the sport. The league's NFL Flag initiative has provided funding for the sport for several years.
Flag football is expected to be featured in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. However, it remains unclear whether active NFL players will be permitted to participate in the Games.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the attention flag football is receiving at this week's annual meetings in Florida.
"It’s clear there’s a lot of interest in a pro flag league," Goodell said during a press conference. Goodell also confirmed the league has received proposals from potential investors.
Goodell also discussed pro flag football during February's Super Bowl in New Orleans.
None of the potential interested parties immediately responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Information regarding the required amount for an investment in the potential new league was not made available.
Flag football is considered a global sport and is played in approximately 100 countries.
There are 14 U.S. states that have sanctioned women's flag football at the high school level, making it a varsity sport. A limited number of colleges have official women's flag football teams.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday a pause and an ongoing review of federal funding to Maine after the state refused to provide equal opportunities to women and girls in educational programs.
The state has refused to comply with President Donald Trump's February executive order to ban trans athletes from girls and women's sports, prompting immense federal pressure. Trump initially vowed to cut federal funding to the state if it refused to comply with the order during a Feb. 20 speech.
USDA secretary Brooks Rollins said the state must agree to protect female athletes from trans inclusion before funding is restored.
"In order to continue to receive taxpayer dollars from USDA, the state of Maine must demonstrate compliance with Title IX which protects female student athletes from having to compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males," Rollins wrote in a letter to the state.
"In addition, USDA has launched a full review of grants awarded by the Biden Administration to the Maine Department of Education. Many of these grants appear to be wasteful, redundant, or otherwise against the priorities of the Trump Administration. USDA will not stand for the Biden Administration’s bloated bureaucracy and will instead focus on a Department that is farmer-first and without a leftist social agenda."
Maine GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby was one of the key figures in bringing attention to the state's trans inclusion issue, when she made a social media post identifying a transgender track and field athlete at Greely High School had taken first place at a Maine girls pole vault competition after competing as a boy just one year earlier.
Libby's revelation of the trans athlete ignited national conversation and coverage of the state's policy on trans inclusion. Libby was censured by the Maine House Democrat majority for her post on the premise that she identified a minor, but she has since filed a lawsuit to have the censure lifted.
"Governor Janet Mills and Maine Democrats have chosen to dig their heels in and embrace radical left-wing ideology over the safety and rights of Maine women and girls. Despite repeated warnings from President Trump, Maine Democrats continued to defy federal law, forcing Maine girls to unfairly compete against biological males," Libby told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
"As a result, Maine's Democrat majority has poised Maine students to lose hundreds of millions in federal funding, starting with our USDA funding, instead of championing Maine girls by adhering to federal law. I continue to stand firmly with Maine girls and President Trump in the pursuit of sanity and fairness. I implore Maine Democrats to abandon this incredibly harmful and radical gender ideology for the sake of our students."
More potential sanctions could be coming to the state in the next week.
The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) on Monday advising a final deadline of April 11 to address the issue or risk a second referral to the Department of Justice. The Department of Health and Human Services already referred Maine to the DOJ last week.
Wednesday's announcement is not the first funding freeze USDA announced regarding Maine.
The department paused funding to the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public universities in the state, on March 11 while it conducted a review of the system's compliance with Title IX.
Funding was restored to UMS just days later and the USDA announced the system was in full compliance.
But the major issue involving trans athlete inclusion in Maine is at the high school level. In addition to the incident involving the pole vaulter at Greely High School, other instances have impacted multiple girls across the state who have had to compete with and share locker rooms with biological males.
Maine teen Cassidy Carlisle previously told Fox News Digital about how she had to share a locker room with a trans student while in middle school, then had to compete with another trans athlete in Nordic skiing last year.
"The defeat that comes with that in that moment is heartbreaking," Carlisle said. "I'm just in shock in a way. I didn't believe it. … I didn't think it was happening to me."
"I stayed silent for a while," Carlisle said. "It's very hard to speak up if you don't have a platform to do it on. … Backlash is a huge thing. I'm a high school student. No high school student wants to be hurt or yelled at or said mean comments by people. And the reality of it, with the state that I live in, that could very much happen."
A survey by the American Parents Coalition found that out of about 600 registered Maine voters, 63% said school sports participation should be based on biological sex, and 66% agreed it’s "only fair to restrict women’s sports to biological women."
The poll also found that 60% of residents would support a ballot measure limiting participationinwomen’s and girls sports tobiological females. This included 64% of independents and 66% of parents with kids under age 18.
The New York Mets won’t tolerate players not giving 100% on the field.
Mark Vientos, the Mets’ budding star third baseman, was publicly called out by his manager after not running hard during a ground ball to third base on Tuesday.
During the Mets’ loss to the Marlins, Vientos was jogging to first base when Miami’s Graham Pauley fumbled the ball. Vientos noticed and kicked it into another gear, but it was all for naught as Pauley threw him out on what should’ve been an error.
Vientos told reporters on Wednesday that he wasn’t just reprimanded by his manager, Carlos Mendoza, but also team captain Francisco Lindor and first base coach Antoan Richardson after the game for not running hard on the groundout.
"It’s unacceptable," he told reporters. "It won’t happen again."
Vientos admitted that he wasn’t trying to run his hardest when he saw the ball chop down to third base.
"I hit it to third base and kind of started jogging out of the box, coasting," Vientos explained. "Then, I heard the crowd giving a reaction like he dropped it, but at that point, it was too late. I should have been sprinting from the [start], right when he hit it."
Vientos blossomed for the Mets last season, having a breakout year with a .266/.322/.516 slash line, 27 homers and 71 RBI over 111 regular-season games.
He got hot in the postseason as well, going 18 for 55 with five homers and 14 RBI in the Mets’ run to the NLCS.
It’s been a slow start to the 2025 campaign for the 25-year-old, as he has just two hits over 19 at-bats in five games.
Women's fencer Stephanie Turner took her mask off and got a knee in front of her transgender opponent.
Ahead of a bout at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland over the weekend, Turner, 31, made the decision not to compete against trans athlete Redmond Sullivan. And Turner also wanted to make sure her refusal was caught on video for the world to see.
Turner came to the decision the night before the event when she checked the competition pools and saw that she would be competing against Sullivan, whom she had read about in an article last year.
"I saw that I was going to be in a pool with Redmond, and from there I said, ‘OK, let’s do it. I'm going to take the knee,'" Turner told Fox News Digital.
Turner went through all her warm-ups that day and went on to fence in four bouts before her matchup with the trans athlete. When it came, she was "nervous and shaky," but was sure about her decision.
"I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women's objections regarding [its gender eligibility policy]," Turner said.
"I took a knee immediately at that point. Redmond was under the impression that I was going to start fencing. So when I took the knee, I looked at the ref and I said, ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women's tournament. And I will not fence this individual.'
"Redmond didn't hear me, and he comes up to me, and he thinks that I may be hurt, or he doesn't understand what's happening. He asks, ‘Are you OK?’ And I said, ‘I’m sorry. I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you."
And right after that, Turner's punishment by USA Fencing commenced.
"Redmond says to me, ‘Well you know, there is a member on the board of directors here who supports me, and there is a policy that acknowledges me as a woman, so I am allowed to fence, and you will get blackcarded,’ and I said, 'I know," Turner said.
Minutes later, the referees dealt Turner a black card, which represents the most severe penalty, leading to expulsion from the tournament or event for serious rule infractions or unsportsmanlike behavior.
Turner said she was then escorted to the bout committee where she had to explain what she did. She says the members then handed her a copy of the association's transgender policy and made her sign a document acknowledging the black card. Turner said she signed the document under objection.
Then, Turner was escorted out of the venue, she said.
USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the incident.
"USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day," the statement read.
"We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves. It's important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is by respectful discussion based in evidence."
A USA Fencing spokesperson also told Fox News Digital that Turner was not penalized for her stance against trans inclusion, but simply for refusing to fence.
"In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to any personal statement but was merely the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE rules clearly prohibit," the spokesperson said.
"According to the FIE (International Fencing Federation) Technical Rules, specifically Article t.113, a fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason. Under these rules, such a refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to maintain fair competition standards and preserve the sport’s integrity."
Turner said she has not heard anything back from the organization since the incident.
It was an incident she had actively tried to avoid at prior events. Turner said she previously refused to enter multiple past fencing events that included other transgender fencers that she knew about. It's an issue that she made an effort to stay on top of for her own awareness and safety.
"In previous years when I had known about transgender fencers being present, I just wouldn't register, but for this one, Redmond must have signed up after me," Turner said.
"I was like, ‘You know what, I’m just going to give it to God. If this person shows up to my event and is on my script, then I would take a knee, and that would be God's will.'"
It was not a decision she came to lightly, however.
Turner paid close attention to the "protect women's sports" movement that has emerged in recent years, and the backlash and harassment faced by the women who took part in it. She recalled the story of Riley Gaines being held hostage and assaulted at San Francisco State University in April 2023.
The idea of the backlash haunted Turner, but wasn't enough to stop her from taking the knee.
"It will probably, at least for a moment, destroy my life. I don't think that it's going to be easy for me from now on going to fencing tournaments. I don't think it's going to be easy for me at practice," Turner said. "It's very hard for me to do this."
For Turner, one of the sacrifices she is most concerned about is impeding the friendships she has with people in the LGBT community, who she said don't currently know about her stance on the issue.
As a lifelong Democrat, Turner insists she never opposed LGBTQ people. But the issue of trans inclusion of women's sports has driven her away from supporting the party, and she now identifies as a "new Republican conservative."
"I voted red down the ticket this year," Turner said. "It was like waking up to the lies of the mainstream media… Just to watch so many of my friends have this glassy-eyed look while just defending this policy because their brains can not manage the possibility that their party or their position has been wrong on this, and perhaps this isn't a civil rights movement, and they have been misled."
Turner added that she fully supports President Donald Trump cutting funding to states that allow trans athletes to compete in women's and girls sports.
"Something needs to be done, and there are activists who have embedded themselves in authoritative positions in sports bodies."
Earlier this week, Cleveland Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam all but admitted regret in acquiring Watson and then inking him to a fully-guaranteed $230 million deal.
"We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun. We thought we had the quarterback. We didn’t, and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole," he told reporters from the annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. "Listen, I’ve said this I think numerous times, Deshaun Watson was an entire organization decision, and it ends with (co-owner) Dee (Haslam) and I, so hold us accountable."
Well, shortly after those harsh comments, Watson took to Instagram to show off the work he's been putting in his Achilles rehab.
In the social media post, Watson shared 20 photos of his rehab, mostly in the gym working out shirtless in the Browns' facility.
"maybe, if I weren’t built for this, I’d let it phase me .." Watson wrote.
Watson was suspended to begin his tenure in Cleveland and only appeared in six games in 2022. The following season, he was held to just six games again. He then only played seven games in 2024 after he suffered a ruptured Achilles during a home game. He ruptured the Achilles again earlier this year.
In his final season with the Texans in 2020, he led the NFL in passing yards. But since then, he's yet to throw for 1,200 in any season. He didn't play in 2021.
The Browns have re-worked Watson’s contract twice since December with void years being added through 2030 to give them some financial flexibility to spread out dead money on the contract instead of taking a massive hit in one season. Watson is slated to be a free agent after the 2026 season.
All signs point to Cam Ward going first overall to the Tennessee Titans, but Shedeur Sanders will likely be available to the Browns with the second pick. However, they haven't exactly showed their hand at all, considering Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter will also likely be on the board.
"I think the message is if the right person’s there, we’re going to take him," Haslam said recently. "If not, we’ll figure it out for a year or two until we get the right person. There’s good football players in this draft, and we’ve got to make sure we get the right ones for us."
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
"The Raiders Family mourns the passing of John Vella, a standout on the dominant Raider offensive lines of the 1970s and a starter on Oakland’s Super Bowl XI Championship team," the statement read. "Vella originally joined the Raiders as a second-round draft selection in 1972 out of USC, where he earned consensus All-American honors as a tackle in 1971.
"A versatile performer and a ferocious competitor, Vella played both guard and tackle, seeing action in 84 games with 48 starts in eight seasons with Silver and Black. He finished his career with Minnesota in 1980. The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with the Vella family at this time."
Vella’s Raiders defeated the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1976 AFC playoffs before the team dominated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI, 32-14.
He played on the same offensive line as Art Shell and Gene Upshaw. Each were tasked with stopping the pass rushers trying to get at Ken Stabler. Wide receivers Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch were the main targets on those Raiders teams.
After his playing days were over, he returned to the Oakland area to start a business. John Vella’s Raider Locker Room sold Raiders memorabilia and gear.
A 16-year-old track athlete was killed during a championship meet Wednesday morning in Texas by a member of another team, officials said.
Frisco Police confirmed the student-athlete died "despite lifesaving measures." The suspect, 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, has been charged with first-degree murder.
A student from Frisco Memorial was the victim, according to local reports. Frisco Memorial Principal Brook Fesco wrote in an email obtained by Fox News Digital that Austin Metcalf, a junior at the school, had died Wednesday.
The incident occurred at about 10 a.m. at Kuykendall Stadium at the University Interscholasic League's District 11-5A championship meet. Anthony attends Frisco Centennial, roughly 7 miles away from Frisco Memorial.
According to the Frisco Independent School District, the meet was suspended shortly after the incident. The ISD added that the stadium "was immediately secured, and students were released and sent back to their home campus on FISD buses with expediency."
In her email, Fesco said the school "will acknowledge Austin’s death during 2nd period and will offer support throughout the day," adding counselors would be available.
"As a parent, your guidance and support will be important in helping your child process grief. Talking about this together, face-to-face, will give you a chance to discuss how your family understands and copes with loss. You may also want to discuss with your child how to be a supportive friend to classmates," Fesco wrote. "This loss might remind your student of past losses as well. The most important thing you can do is provide your child a chance to be heard and to express their feelings."
"The Frisco Police Department grieves with all those affected by this devastating loss and extends its deepest condolences to the victim’s family, students, and staff who are experiencing unimaginable pain," the department said in a statement. "The department is collaborating with the Frisco Independent School District and will continue to provide any support they need during this incredibly difficult time."
Metcalf, who also played football at the school, participated in both the boys shot put and discus events earlier in the day, with threw distances of 39 feet, 9¾ inches and 86 feet, 4 inches, respectively.
Anthony ran the boys' 100-meter dash in 12.38 seconds and was scheduled to compete in the long jump.
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE – Amid Maine's dispute with President Donald Trump's executive order concerning the participation of transgender athletes in women's and girls' sports, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the states "noncompliance" with Title IX rules to the Justice Department for enforcement. Continue reading …
THERE'S AN EXPLANATION – Maine school officials offered an explanation for its "noncompliance with Title IX" as the Trump administration referred the state to the Justice Department following the state's refusal to bar transgender athletes from women's and girls' sports. Continue reading …
PLACING BLAME – RepublicanRep. Laurel Libby pointed the finger at Maine Gov. Janet Mills and the state's Democratic lawmakers after the Trump admin referred Maine's ‘noncompliance with Title IX’ to the Justice Department.Continue reading …
TAKING A STAND – In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said a state law that permits biological males to compete with biological females contradicts the "spirit and intent of Title IX." Continue reading …
FINAL WARNING – The U.S. Department of Education issued a letter to the Maine Department of Education which advised a final deadline of April 11 to address the issue or risk a second referral to the Justice Department. " Continue reading …
WHITE HOUSE VISIT – The Eagles accepted an invitation to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. Eagles owner Jerrery Lurie described the upcoming visit as a "time-honored tradition" and made it clear that acceptance of the invitation was not politically motivated.Continue reading …
'FOOTBALL TYPE OF PLAY’ – Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce addressed the health and safety concerns surrounding the tush push amid talks to potentially outlaw the play.Continue reading …
COLLEGE BASKETBALL CROWN – Cincinnati notched a decisive win over DePaul in the first round of the College Basketball Crown, while UCF pulled away from Oregon State. The Bearcats and Knights will go head-to-head on Thursday. Continue reading …
FROM FOX SPORTS – In an exclusive interview, FOX Sports learned how Vincent Jordan singing "LeBron, LeBron, LeBron James" over and over again in a rhythm and blues style, became a TikTok sensation. Continue reading …
FROM OUTKICK – The controversial tush push is safe, at least for now. NFL owners agreed to table a vote on a proposal to ban the short-yardage play from the league. Continue reading …
WATCH NOW – FOX Sports' "The Facility" reacts to reports that the Dallas Cowboys have offered Micah Parsons the largest non-QB deal in NFL history. Watch here …
