Defender Disasi was also a target for Tottenham.

Major League Baseball announced Monday it fired an umpire for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games.

MLB said umpire Pat Hoberg was also fired for intentionally deleting electronic messages pertinent to the league’s investigation. The league opened up a probe into Hoberg last February after a sportsbook brought it to the attention of officials.

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

The league said that while the probe didn’t uncover evidence he personally bet on baseball or manipulated games, MLB senior vice president Michael Hill recommended on May 24 that Hoberg be fired. Hoberg didn’t umpire last season. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred upheld Hill's decision.

Hobert can apply for reinstatement no earlier than 2026 spring training.

"The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules governing sports betting conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans," Manfred said in a statement. "An extensive investigation revealed no evidence that Mr. Hoberg placed bets on baseball directly or that he or anyone else manipulated games in any way.

"However, his extremely poor judgment in sharing betting accounts with a professional poker player he had reason to believe bet on baseball and who did, in fact, bet on baseball from the shared accounts, combined with his deletion of messages, creates at minimum the appearance of impropriety that warrants imposing the most severe discipline. Therefore, there is just cause to uphold Mr. Hoberg’s termination for failing to conform to high standards of personal conduct and to maintain the integrity of the game of baseball."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

MLB said Hoberg’s friend made 141 baseball bets between April 2, 2023, and Nov. 1, 2023, totaling almost $214,000 with an overall win of nearly $35,000.

Hoberg had been touted as one of the best in baseball. He is among the highest-rated umpires at judging the strike zone.

He had an unprecedented "umpire’s perfect game" when he accurately called balls and strikes on all 129 pitches in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, according to computer tracking.

Hoberg, 38, issued a statement.

"I take full responsibility for the errors in judgment that are outlined in today’s statement," Hoberg said. "Those errors will always be a source of shame and embarrassment to me. Major League Baseball umpires are held to a high standard of personal conduct, and my own conduct fell short of that standard.

"That said, to be clear, I have never and would never bet on baseball in any way, shape, or form. I have never provided, and would never provide, information to anyone for the purpose of betting on baseball. Upholding the integrity of the game has always been of the utmost importance to me. I apologize to Major League Baseball and the entire baseball community for my mistakes. I vow to learn from them and to be a better version of myself moving forward."

MLB said the sportsbook told the league that Hoberg opened an account in his name on Jan. 30, 2024, and an electronic device associated with the account had accessed an account in the name of another person, who had bet on baseball.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

MLB fired umpire Pat Hoberg for "sharing" legal gambling accounts with a poker player who bet on baseball. MLB said there is no evidence Hoberg bet on baseball himself.

Manchester United fear Lisandro Martínez could be set for months on the sidelines with the knee injury he suffered during the defeat to Crystal Palace, a source has told ESPN.

A federal jury has found in favor of the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS in the antitrust lawsuit filed against the two entities by the North American Soccer League.

Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández is on the brink of a transfer to La Liga side Real Betis, a source confirmed to ESPN.

An MLB umpire has been fired after an investigation into his betting accounts.

With the basketball world stunned after Luka Doncic was shipped to the Lakers, it begs the question if another blockbuster trade could come out of nowhere.

The Davis Cup tie between Belgium and Chile descended into chaos after a Belgian player won his match despite shoulder charging his opponent, who pleaded for the match to be stopped.

Christen Goff is "so excited" about her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit return.

Defender Disasi was also a target for Tottenham.

Kansas City Chiefs star DeAndre Hopkins had an inspirational message for young fans who have followed his career since the very beginning.

Hopkins is getting ready to play in his first Super Bowl when the Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Chiefs acquired Hopkins in a trade with the Tennessee Titans before the deadline. He appeared in 10 games and had 41 catches for 437 yards and four touchdowns.

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

He wrote an empathetic post to those children who are struggling like he was.

"To all the kids out there living in small towns, in small houses, with single parents," he wrote on X. "To the kids who see violence, who see loss, who don’t get the resources they deserve, but who still have big dreams. 

"Know that I was a kid in your exact shoes and this week I’m playing in the Super Bowl. Don’t give up, work hard, keep believing. Where you start doesn’t determine where you end up."

HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

Hopkins emerged as one of the top receivers in the league in the prime of his career with the Texans. From 2017 through 2020, he was a Pro Bowler even. He played seven years with Houston, three with the Arizona Cardinals and a season and a half with the Titans.

The Chiefs added Hopkins as they dealt with a slew of injuries to the offense. He may not have been the Pro Bowl receiver, but he did enough to help the Chiefs to a 15-2 record in the regular season.

He will likely be called upon to make one or two big plays against the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday the Department of Homeland Security has "no credible threats" on Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. 

Noem spoke at a press conference ahead of the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. While it's all about football in the "Big Easy" this week, discussions about safety for this massive event naturally came up following the New Year's Day terror attack on the city's historic Bourbon Street. 

Terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar killed 14 civilians and injured 57 others after ramming his Ford F-150 truck through crowds celebrating on the famous street around 3 a.m. on Jan. 1. Jabbar was killed during a shootout with police. 

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

The NFL held a public safety press conference on Monday in New Orleans where Noem spoke alongside Cathy L. Lanier, the league’s chief security officer, Eric DeLaune, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge, Col. Robert P. Hodges, Louisiana State Police superintendent, and Anne Kirkpatrick, New Orleans Police Department superintendent. 

Noem discussed the reality of the danger around the world, but when it comes to events here in the United States, she was clear with how safe the Super Bowl would be. 

HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

"The world is a much more dangerous place, but here in the homeland, we are safe, and I will tell you that right now we have no specific credible threats to this event at the Super Bowl, which I think should give us all a sense of security, but also knowing we will adjust that as needed," she explained. "Today, there are no credible threats that we have that are on the radar for this event that is coming up on Sunday."

Noem also touched on safeguarding "our traditions," like the Super Bowl, when it comes to everyone doing their part to provide a safe environment for those traveling to the city for the big game. 

"[It] exemplifies how we come together to safeguard our traditions," she said. "How we come together to make sure that the public is well-informed and gets the chance to celebrate something that’s very special to us, to our culture, to our people, to our families. But we also do it in a way that is reactive to the current environment we see in the world today."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

New Orleans is expecting upwards of 125,000 visitors to converge on its city limits, beginning Wednesday, where parties, concerts and other events will be happening throughout the week leading up to the game. 

"We’re going above and beyond what we’ve seen in the past when we’ve hosted previously," New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said during a news conference. "We know we’re safer than we’ve ever been before."

Safety will be at the forefront with state, federal and local law enforcement officers with boots on the ground during the Super Bowl, Lanier said, though details about protocol were left unsaid. 

Agencies including the FBI and Secret Service will be around the stadium and downtown New Orleans, per DeLaune. That will include rooftop snipers, BearCat armored SWAT vehicles and more. 

There will also be federal air marshals, who are armed, stationed around the city’s public transportation hubs scanning for suspicious people and activity, while also guarding against drones. There is a ban on drones around the Superdome and downtown New Orleans throughout the week and flight restrictions up to 18,000 feet, per the Federal Aviation Administration. 

New Orleans has already begun starting to shut down, and limit traffic, on roads near the Superdome. DeLaune also mentioned the perimeter of the Superdome will have blast barriers, requiring trucks to go through giant X-ray machines typically seen at border crossings to ensure safety around the site of Super Bowl LIX. 

From bomb-sniffing dogs, to improved security infrastructure, to more manpower and resources, all the stops are being pulled out to ensure the safety of every individual heading to New Orleans to experience the NFL’s final game of the 2024 season. 

This security will carry over into New Orleans’ famous Mardi Gras season, which has already begun. 

"New Orleans will be the safety place to be anywhere in the country," Phillip Constantin, adviser with U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton announced Monday he's stepping down at the end of the season, ending a 23-year career in Tallahassee.

The Warriors are dreaming big as they try to make one more run at a championship.

The Texans hired Nick Caley as their offensive coordinator Monday.

If Garrett should become available, he will become a treasured commodity who can possibly swing a team's Super Bowl chances.

The 19-year-old was also attracting interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

© PA Archive

The WWE on Monday touted historic numbers around the Royal Rumble, which saw Jey Uso and Charlotte Flair win the men’s and women’s marquee matches over the weekend.

The Royal Rumble took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, transforming the home of the Indianapolis Colts into a pro wrestling spectacle. The company announced it was the "most-successful and highest-grossing Royal Rumble" in its history.

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

WWE said the 2025 event drew the largest gate for any single-night event in the promotion’s history. Around 70,342 fans attended the event. The attendance figure sits only behind WrestleMania 40’s Night 1 and 2 attendance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The company added that viewership was up 14% in the U.S. from last year. Bayley and Cody Rhodes each won their Rumble matches and went to WrestleMania 40 to win their respective titles.

WWE said merchandise and sponsorship sales were also up.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Social media appeared to be interested in streamer IShowSpeed’s appearance in the men’s Rumble match. He took the place of Akira Tozawa who wasn’t able to compete in the match at the last second. IShowSpeed entered the ring and did a backflip to hype of the fans. 

But the streamer’s time was short-lived. Bron Breakker bounced off the ropes at full speed and nearly broke IShowSpeed in half with a spear. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque applauded IShowSpeed for his willingness to take the spear.

The moment generated more than 300,000,000 views across social media platforms in less than 24 hours.

The Royal Rumble is the first premium live event on the road to WrestleMania 41. Uso and Flair are guaranteed world title matches. It’s up to them to pick who they will face.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

The gambling ring being investigated for two NBA betting cases also was involved in unusual wagering on at least three men's college programs, sources told ESPN.