Texas Longhorns star quarterback Quinn Ewers declared for the NFL Draft on Wednesday.
Ewers posted a video on his social media pages thanking Longhorns coaches and his teammates for helping him succeed while he played in the burnt orange and white.
"My entire life I have dreamed about playing football on the 40 acres. These past three years have been some of the best years I could have imagined. The relationships I’ve built between coaches and teammates will last forever. I’m truly thankful for the opportunity to play football in my home state, at the best university in the world.
"With prayer and careful consideration, I’m officially declaring for the NFL Draft. Thank you. Hook ‘em."
Ewers made his decision as rumors swirled about whether he would enter the transfer portal instead of declaring for the draft. Ewers had a $6 million offer to transfer out of Texas and play elsewhere next season, On3 Sports reported.
The Texas star’s 2024 season ended in crushing fashion with a loss in the College Football Playoff semifinals against Ohio State.
Ewers had 3,472 passing yards and 31 touchdown passes for the Longhorns this season.
It is unclear where he will land in the draft. Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are considered to be the top two quarterbacks in the draft class, but a few solid workouts in the days leading up to the event could change scouts’ opinions quickly.
"Listen, I saw the f------ numbers, after the fact, you guys kicked our a-- alright? From a viewership standpoint, y’all kicked our a--," James said.
The NBA did have a great day, averaging 5.2 million viewers across their five games on Christmas, the most on the holiday in five years, but the NFL dominated those numbers.
Netflix averaged 24.2 million viewers between their two NFL games on Christmas.
James said having Beyoncé perform during halftime helped the NFL have a good day, despite the non-competitive games.
"You know, the games weren’t as great as they should have been, but when you have f------ Beyoncé come out there. (Patrick) Mahomes and Travis (Kelce) and you guys go there, and kick Pittsburgh’s a--, and you know Beyoncé comes out there," James said.
The Lakers' superstar made the analogy between the NBA and the NFL like a little brother and a big brother fighting.
"But I had, you know, when you go out there with your little brother, and he may get beat up one time, (he’s) like, ‘Hey, we didn’t lose that fight, we here, we stand here, we didn’t lose,’ that’s how I felt I had to stand up. I had to stand up for the NBA," James said while laughing.
With Christmas falling on a Thursday next year, there is a chance the NFL has more than two games during the day as they continue to compete with the NBA for ratings on the holiday.
James’ Lakers are 20-17 this season, and despite just turning 40 years old, James has been productive this season.
James has averaged just under 24 points per game while grabbing just over 7.5 rebounds per game and averaging nearly nine assists per game.
The Lakers’ next game is at home against the Miami Heat at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Bubba Thompson, who was a first-round MLB draft pick in 2017, will trade in his glove for a helmet and some shoulder pads as he’s set to join the South Alabama Jaguars football team.
He will join the team as a walk-on for spring practices, South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite told AL.com. He posted a video on his Facebook page of himself throwing a football at the school’s football facility.
Thompson, 26, has experience on the gridiron. He played football while attending McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Alabama, leading the school to a state title game in 2017.
He then committed to the University of Alabama to play baseball. However, he never enrolled in the college. Instead, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2017 with their No. 26 overall pick and decided to pursue a Major League career.
Thompson didn’t emerge as a superstar. He was a speedster on the basepaths, recording 18 stolen bags in 55 games in 2022. He was with the Rangers in 2023, playing in 37 games. He then joined the Cincinnati Reds last year and appeared in 17 games.
Because he never enrolled in college, he has five years of eligibility. Rivals rated him as a two-star quarterback coming out of school.
South Alabama was 7-6 last season in Applewhite’s first year. They ended the year with a win in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.
Gio Lopez and Bishop Davenport played quarterback for the Jaguars last season.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid knows football. He also knows a thing or two about being a dad.
On Monday, Patrick and Brittany Mahomes announced the birth of their third child in a post on social media. Golden Raye Mahomes was born on Sunday, Jan. 12 and is the couple's second daughter.
They also have a 2-year-old son named Patrick Lavon III, nicknamed Bronze.
With three under three, Mahomes told reporters on Tuesday that he is content with the size of his family "for right now," but Reid offered a different perspective when talking to the media.
"Yeah, I think he does great with it," Reid said when asked how the veteran quarterback is handling fatherhood. "He came in as Patrick 2pm, now he’s Patrick 3pm."
But for Reid, a father of five, he believes the more, the merrier.
"Once you have three, four and five are easy. That’s what I told him," Reid said with a smile. "You’ve made three, you add a couple more, we’ll talk."
However, the focus now for Mahomes is certainly on the playoffs.
The Chiefs will face the Houston Texans on Saturday in the divisional round hosted at Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs pursue a historic third straight championship.
"I think every year is special," Mahomes said. "Obviously, you want to win three in a row and build those memories with the guys and the community. But every single year is special. And when I look back at all the different Super Bowls that we've won, I look back at special moments that we've had and special games that we've had. And so, we'll try to do the same this year."
The Chiefs enter Saturday’s game well rested after securing a bye as the No. 1 seed.
Shedeur Sanders is likely to be one of the first quarterbacks taken off the board and whichever team lands him will have an intriguing storyline before the start of the season.
For now, all eyes are on his father as the Dallas Cowboys could be trying to lure Coach Prime from the Colorado Buffaloes to the NFL. The elder Sanders had been adamant about not going to the pros unless he could coach his sons.
Dallas has the No. 12 pick of the draft and would likely have to make a move up the board to be in line to select Shedeur Sanders if that was a part of the whole plan.
The star collegiate quarterback spoke briefly with the Dallas Morning News as he attended the Dallas Mavericks-Denver Nuggets game on Tuesday night.
"I think it would be cool. What do you think?" he told the paper.
The Cowboys parted ways with Mike McCarthy after five seasons as the two sides couldn’t agree to a new contract. Dallas has the opening but at least one former player doesn’t really consider it a "coveted job."
Troy Aikman made his thoughts clear about the situation on Monday.
"I thought Mike McCarthy would be the head coach, so this is a bit of a surprise for me today that he’s not going to be… It suggests that there's not a real plan," he said before calling the playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings.
"I do think the Cowboys are obviously a high-profile team. Whoever is the head coach of that team is certainly going to draw a lot of attention, but I think most football people that take over as a head coach they want to do it on their terms and that’s hard to do.
"I love the Dallas Cowboys. I played there for 12 years. I wish them well. To say that it’s a coveted job, I’m not sure I would necessarily agree with that."
Deion Sanders didn’t exactly pour cold water on the notion of taking the job. He confirmed reports Monday he talked with team owner Jerry Jones.
"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing," Sanders told ESPN. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community."
The possibility of Deion Sanders becoming the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys got the NFL world fired up earlier this week as the team parted ways with Mike McCarthy.
Drew Pearson, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Cowboys star, hopped on the Sanders train and expressed his support for Coach Prime going back to the pros to roam the sidelines for the team he won a Super Bowl with in the 1990s.
"I think he's capable," Pearson told TMZ Sports. "There's no question he has the qualifications to do it. He paid his dues. He came through the ranks, and he's proven it each step of the way that he knows what he's doing.
"He's had success in the coaching ranks, from high school to college," he added. "So why can't he be a successful coach in the pros? I think he should be the No. 1 choice for the Dallas Cowboys."
It is unclear how much interest there is in the Cowboys signing Sanders to become the head coach. Sanders has been adamant about staying at Colorado unless he could coach his sons in the NFL.
He confirmed reports that he talked with team owner Jerry Jones about the job but did not exactly say he would not jump at the chance to coach the Cowboys.
"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing," Sanders later told ESPN. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community."
Malkin’s Penguins lost 5-0 to the Senators on Saturday, but the star forward didn’t play due to an upper-body injury.
"We are working closely with local authorities and team security," the team said in a statement late Tuesday night. "Malkin has requested that his privacy be respected during this time, and we will have no further comment on the matter."
KDKA-TV also reported that Malkin’s home security system was down during the robbery and that his safe was left open.
Malkin has been in the NHL for 19 seasons, spending them all with the Penguins. He won the Hart Trophy for the league’s most valuable player in 2011-2012, and has 1,328 points (506 goals, 822 assists) in his career.
The FBI warned professional sports leagues late last month that South American organized criminal groups were behind a string of home invasions, according to ABC News. The report said the groups conduct "physical and technical surveillance" to prep for the burglaries. They use social media to get an idea of where and when a person will be gone from their home, and then they make their mark.
Both the NFL and NBA sent memos to teams about home security measures in November following the break-ins of some of their athletes' homes.
Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce had their homes broken into in October.
While the Cincinnati Bengals were playing against the Dallas Cowboys in December, quarterback Joe Burrow’s home was targeted.
In the NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves Mike Conley Jr.’s home was burglarized on Sept. 15 while he was attending a Minnesota Vikings game.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis had his home broken into on Nov. 2.
Deion Sanders seemed to shoo away any chatter of him coaching the Dallas Cowboys, but one of his former teammates is not buying it just yet.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer, who currently coaches at the University of Colorado, all but confirmed reports that he and Jerry Jones have had dialogue about the open position in Dallas.
Sanders told ESPN the opportunity is "intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community."
However, Sanders' former teammate, Daryl Johnston, said the chances of him heading to the Lone Star State are "legit."
It is not as easy as it sounds, considering Sanders said last week that he would only consider coaching in the NFL if he were to team up with his sons.
"I think if Deion is going to come here, because he seems to have his plan in place - he would love to coach his son, Shedeur, in the NFL. I don’t know if that happens in Dallas," Johnston told OutKick's "Hot Mic." "It’s gonna take a lot of different things to happen."
Johnston also mentioned something rather important - they already have Dak Prescott.
"To me, it would not be a smart thing to do. I think you have to have that conversation up front and go ‘Listen, I know what your plan is, but we just don’t see that working out. So if you’re gonna come here, we really don’t see how Shedeur is gonna be a part of this journey moving forward,'" Johnston said. "You gotta get all that talked about. I just think it’s not good for the franchise moving forward to try to make a move that puts you in a position to bring in Shedeur as your quarterback when you’ve got Dak Prescott."
Shedeur, of course, could very well be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, while Dallas currently owns the 12th spot.
Deion Sanders played for the Cowboys from 1995 to 1999. He was a part of the organization’s last Super Bowl run – in 1995. He was a Pro Bowler in four of those five seasons.
The Cowboys parted ways with Mike McCarthy earlier Monday after five seasons.
Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee dealt with a serious situation when he left Monday night’s playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings at the end of the first quarter.
Rams head coach Sean McVay explained to reporters on Tuesday that Higbee was hospitalized for a chest injury because he was "spitting up a little bit of blood," according to the team’s site.
McVay added that he was optimistic Higbee would be back for the team’s divisional round game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"He has full expectation that he’ll be ready to go, but I do not have any updates from (VP of medicine Reggie Scott) yet. … You felt his presence early. He was on pace to have a really big night, and he still made a huge contribution even just playing a quarter," he said, via The Orange County Register.
Higbee only played three games during the regular season as he recovered from offseason knee surgery. He made his season debut against the New York Jets, and his impact was felt immediately as he had a touchdown catch in the 19-9 win.
He led the team on Monday night with five catches for 58 yards even as he exited early.
Rams star Matthew Stafford managed to go 19-of-27 for 209 yards and two touchdowns. He completed passes to eight different receivers, including Higbee.
A Philadelphia Eagles fan at the center of a vile incident at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday lost his job at a New Jersey-based DEI-focused consulting firm this week.
The fan, who was identified as Ryan Caldwell, was seen in the viral video getting into the face of a female Green Bay Packers fan and calling her a "dumb c---" while her fiancé recorded the situation. He also taunted the man with other disgusting gestures.
The fan and his employer have since "parted ways," the company said.
"We, the management of BCT Partners, have concluded the international personnel investigation regarding an employee who was caught on a video outside of the workplace making highly offensive and misogynistic statements," the company said in a statement Tuesday. "In keeping with our company values, which are firmly centered in respect, dignity, and inclusion, we have decided to part ways with the employee. This separation is effective immediately.
"We condemn our former employee’s conduct in the strongest possible terms. This individual’s conduct and language were vile, disgusting, unacceptable, and horrific and have no place in our workplace and society. Such conduct is not who we are and not what we stand for.
"At the same time, again, to be true to our values, we can condemn the actions without condemning the individual. None of us deserve to be remembered for actions taken on our worst day. We have offered grace and support to our former employee. We hope that he will grow, and we all can learn from this deeply disturbing incident. That’s what real inclusion is and does. That is also who we are and what we stand for.
"We sincerely apologize to the victim and for the many ways in which these events already have impact so many people. We remain committed to gender equity and fostering a culture of respect and dignity for all."
Caldwell’s tirade was caught as the Eagles topped the Packers in the wild-card game over the weekend. Aside from just calling the woman a "dumb c---," he also called her an "ugly dumb c---." Caldwell asked her fiancé if he was going to do anything about the name-calling, and if not, then he should turn around and watch the game.
The woman’s fiancé identified himself on social media as Alexander Basara and posted the video on social media. He wrote on X he did not want to get into a physical altercation with Caldwell.
He mentioned in one post that he definitely was not going to start painting all Eagles fans with a broad brush.
"A lot of you guys were very nice. Trust me. The normal banter but a handshake at the end. This was out of line tho for sure," he wrote on X.
The Eagles fan was also banned from all games at Lincoln Financial Field, according to USA Today.
In non-New England Patriots fashion, they now have their third head coach in as many seasons (and less than 13 calendar months).
After Bill Belichick manned the sidelines for 24 seasons, the two parted ways in early 2024 and went with Jerod Mayo to replace arguably the greatest coach of all time.
However, after a 4-13 season, Kraft did not like what he saw, fired Mayo and hired Mike Vrabel, who was available last offseason.
Vince Wilfork does not deny that the Patriots are in a better place today than they were two weeks ago, but in echoing former teammate Rob Gronkowski's thoughts on the matter, Wilfork said on Tuesday that Mayo "never had a chance" and that it was all a "setup."
"I think it was BS to pull that. And knowing Jerod personally, I know the conversations," Wilfork told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I know what it is. It’s just hard to fathom, but that’s the business when you deal with certain people. I think it was unfair."
Wilfork noted that Mayo coached "the same s----y roster" that Belichick made and "sucked" with.
"So what do you think Mayo was [going to] do with the same people Bill brought in? Mayo’s the one who found the future quarterback in Drake Maye. It’s just unfortunate. But it’s part of the game, part of the business," Wilfork said.
Wilfork spoke with Fox News Digital at an event where he promoted Tums, as he's on the case to stop heartburn when people stuff their faces at their Super Bowl parties. Tums and DraftKings recently partnered up for fans to hit the app for its Fantasy Foodball Pool, where players can draft their perfect game-day plates for free for a shot at a share of cash prizes.
"Tums goes hand-in-hand with food, and what they were trying to do with Foodball, that’s a perfect collab. … When you have football and DraftKings and the chance of winning something, it keeps it fun," Wilfork said. "You can do this with your friends, have a good time, and everything is themed off food. Something competitive, but it’s light. We talking about food. It’s a great way to bring people together. Food, sports, football, that’s what it’s all about."
Despite letting Mayo go, though, Wilfork said Vrabel is the best guy to get his former Patriots "back on track."
"I’m very happy for Vrabel. I played with Vrabel. He coached me down in Houston – a good friend. I know he checks all the boxes when it comes to running the team. Hopefully, he can get us back on track. It’s time for us to get on track. He’s a good person that can get us back going and on the right direction. But it has a lot to do with that roster," Wilfork said.
Wilfork played in Super Bowls with both Mayo and Vrabel on the same defensive unit and considers them both good friends. Perhaps one could say that it's an odd situation for Wilfork, but he mentioned that it's "not awkward … just facts."
"It has nothing to do with Vrabel as a coach or person. I think he’s phenomenal. He’s the best coach I would have got. I just think it was unfair for Mayo to go through what he went through," he said.
"I don’t question Vrabel’s capabilities. I know he can win. He showed that with Tennessee, going to the AFC Championship in his first year. I know what a great coach Vrabel is. I’m not questioning that whatsoever. I’m very happy and thrilled for the Patriots to land Vrabel.
"I just think it’s unfair what Mayo had to go through. He didn’t have a chance. It was bullcrap from the get-go, and it’s a lot of backstabbing going on. … We’ll see what happens. It’s all part of the game, I guess, but it’s unfair however you slice it. He never had a chance."
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni came to the defense of wide receiver A.J. Brown over criticism toward him for reading a book on the sideline during Sunday’s playoff game.
Brown was seen reading "Inner Excellence" by Jim Murphy and explained after the game he always reads the book to help his mental focus. Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers was just the first time the cameras caught him doing so.
"I'm definitely OK with it," he said Tuesday. "The crazy thing is, he's been reading this book on the sideline for a long time. It just so happened a camera saw it this week. Some guys pray in between, some guys mediate in between. A.J. reads in between.
"Whatever these guys need to do to put their mind in a place where they can play with great detail and great effort, I fully encourage them to do that. I love A.J. He's such a great teammate. I saw Jahan Dotson said something defending A.J. and I thought that was awesome too. Another example of our teammates defending each other.
"We don't do any research, and we jump to a conclusion of, 'Oh he must be disgruntled.' That to me is lazy. Everyone needs to figure out why he's doing it before they jump to judgment on the man. Because the man, A.J. Brown is a great, great, great person. The man A.J. Brown is the best receiver—and I'll say it without hesitation—the best receiver that this city has ever seen...It's hard for me to watch when people are getting on him without doing the proper research of who the man is and what he's doing in the first place."
Brown’s reading escapade helped the book jump to the top of Amazon’s bestsellers list over the course of the night. All of that on top of the win over the Packers.
The Eagles could probably use a little bit more from Brown on the field. He had one catch for 10 yards in the game. He has not had more than five catches since Dec. 22.
Philadelphia will welcome the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round game on Sunday.
UNLV Rebels football head coach Dan Mullen said working as a college football analyst was advantageous as he was able to watch any game and any player he wanted to.
Mullen, who was an analyst at ESPN, appeared on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich" to talk about some of the transfer players he landed since he took over the Rebels job late last year.
"Well, you look at the guys, we actually got two [quarterbacks]. Anthony Colandrea from [the University of Virginia] that I’ve seen make a ton of plays, and Alex Orji; and the greatest thing you have being at ESPN, I’ve gotten to watch everybody play," Mullen said. "You sit in that room all day, and I’m watching every game in college football. I’ve seen them all."
Mullen also talked about what Orji can bring to the table for the Rebels.
Orji was listed as a quarterback while with the Michigan Wolverines, but he had more rushing attempts (78) than pass attempts (48) in his three seasons.
"Alex Orji, I mean, he is undefeated against Ohio State. I mean, he’s won, and … I look at what he does, and you look at the strengths of players, and he was a guy that was head-scratching to me last year, sometimes," Mullen said. "I’m watching him, and I don’t know, I’m not in the game-plan meetings, don’t know everything going on [at] Michigan, but I don’t know that their highlighting his strengths.
"In football, the job of the coach is to put a guy in position to do what he does well. That’s what coaching is all about, and if you don’t do that – you know you’re like, ‘Hey, we have a system, you have to run a system.’ Our system is: What do our guys do well, let’s tweak it as coaches to put them in a position to succeed."
"I was watching some of the games, and I’m saying, ‘Hey, when they put that guy in a position to do what he does well, Ohio State wasn’t tackling him, and they are playing for a national championship.’ But to sit there and put him in a position to do things where you’re not highlighting his strengths all the time is confusing to me."
Mullen last coached at Florida from 2018 to 2021. He was 34-15. Before that, he was at Mississippi State from 2009 to 2017 and was 69-46.
Former women's tennis star Martina Navratilova weighed in on Tuesday's vote on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in the House of Representatives. The Republican majority voted unanimously to pass the bill, but only two Democrat House members voted in favor of it, while the rest did not.
Navratilova has also taken a firm stance against trans inclusion in women and girls' sports while previously criticizing Democrat lawmakers for supporting it. That criticism continued on Tuesday in a series of posts on X.
"Shame on the Democrats who really don’t care about women, girls, and their safety, fairness," she wrote in response to the news that only two Democratic House members voted in favor of the bill.
In another post, Navratilova insisted that there must be more than two Democratic House members who oppose trans inclusion and that those members should "grow a spine."
"More Dems need to step up here. I know many who agree but are scared to speak up because of re-election. I say do the right thing. Grow a spine," she wrote.
This is not the first time Navratilova has ripped the left for their different views on the issue.
In a December post on X, the tennis legend said she was "mad" that Republicans have tackled the nationwide controversy rather than Democrats, the party which she has aligned with.
"And I am so mad that the Republicans captured this issue – shame on all the elected Democrats who keep silent on this!" she wrote.
The tennis legend appeared at the Independent Women's Forum's "Take Back Title IX" rally in June, as she and other prominent women athletes pushed back on the Biden administration’s Title IX rewrite.
There, she shared her experience of being attacked by other liberals for her stance on trans inclusion.
"Now, it’s, ‘Oh, you’re a homophobe.’ Go figure. I’ve been out since ’81, yeah, I’m a homophobe," she said. "‘You’re a bigot, you’re a transphobe, you’re a Nazi, you’re a fascist, you’re a communist,’ everything and everything in between. And this is coming from the left. I am the left! My people are turning on me. They’re turning on us, women, who speak up for women’s sex-based rights."
Before that, Navratilova called Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo, who competed in the Paralympics as a trans woman, a "pathetic cheater." In March, she made a plea to "keep women's sports female."
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
"I’m good with three for right now," he told reporters on Tuesday. "We’ll see down the line maybe, but my goal was always three, so we’ve had three, and we’ll stick there for a while and see if we need to come back and get another one later on."
The family has two children already – Bronze and Sterling. Mahomes talked about how Brittany was doing after the birth of their newborn and how the other siblings are handling it.
"It’s been cool. I mean, I’m just supporting. Brittany crushed it," he said. "It’s been cool to welcome another baby girl in our family and see how my other kids react to her and having baby sissy and stuff like that. It’s been a lot of fun, and it was cool that football was on TV when I was in the hospital, so I got to watch a little bit. Brittany was kind enough to let us watch football as she was getting ready to give birth to our second daughter."
Mahomes added that he could not say whether it has become easier to manage since Brittany has been handling the workload of managing the children at home.
"I don’t even want to say that because Brittany’s doing everything, so I’m just trying to be supportive," he said. "No, it was cool that we got the bye (week) just because you can kind of really focus in on just being at the hospital and being in the moment.
"It’s a special moment that I know a lot of dads and moms have experienced, and you don’t forget about that stuff, so I’m glad I was able to be there and supporting the best way I can."
Mahomes now has to focus on the task at hand on the field – defeating the Houston Texans and moving on to the AFC Championship potentially for the seventh straight time.
Former ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele said the network deserved to be crushed for failing to show the national anthem on its main channel ahead of the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans after the terrorist attack that took place in the city just the day prior.
Steele appeared on "OutKick the Morning" and appeared flabbergasted over ESPN failing to show the national anthem on that day, which the company chalked up to "timing issues."
"It was so egregious, and I tweeted about it and I put it on my Instagram, and I really do try and stay away from too much that revolves around my former employer. That life is gone, and I am so glad to be past it, grateful for those years. I couldn’t help it Charly, because it was such, to me, a blatant decision to skip," Steele told host OutKick’s Charly Arnolt on Tuesday.
"You are a mile away, maybe less than in New Orleans, from where all of those people were murdered on the morning of what was supposed to be the game that was airing on ESPN. And you chose to ignore it when people are suffering and it’s so much bigger than football? They were crushed. They were crushed, and deservedly so, for not doing it."
Steele said ESPN showing the pregame prayer last week was a reaction to the backlash it received over the Sugar Bowl.
"So, I absolutely think that this was a reaction to that. I think it actually went overboard … show the national anthem," she said. "Do you need to show the prayer? And I also believe that the prayer was – they said it was to pray for the victims of the California fires as well as the terrorist attack in New Orleans. [We're] a little late for that."
"Listen, I pray every single day. I pray for those people constantly, so I guess we shouldn’t be focused on that," Steele continued. "But from a business perspective, what are we doing? Just be consistent. And I guess it wouldn’t be a good thing if they were consistent in this case, would it? Because they [would’ve] continued to do the wrong thing for humanity."
"That’s what this is. This is bigger than business, this is bigger than sports. It’s about humanity, and I guess [I] wasn’t surprised by what happened at the Sugar Bowl. I was just so sad and disappointed because this is the reason why, one of many reasons why, ESPN as a whole is no longer what it once was."
A sixth person was arrested in the betting scheme that saw Jontay Porter banned for life from the NBA.
Porter, who is facing criminal charges himself, was barred from the NBA after it was revealed he bet on the NBA and was involved in a scheme in which conspirators would profit based off information given by him.
Court documents revealed this week that Porter texted those involved in the scheme, with one text saying that betting on his "unders" propositions would reel in "big numbers."
"No blocks no steals. I’m going to play first 2-3 minute stint off the bench then when I get subbed out tell them my eye killing me again," Porter is said to have texted Shane Hennen, the latest person arrested, on Jan. 26 before his Toronto Raptors played a game.
Hennen was arrested at a Las Vegas airport on Sunday before he was set to board a one-way flight to Colombia.
Earlier last January, Porter also texted, "I went back to the locker room to get eye checked on. Idk if imma play much more. I'm Not starting second half. But if it's garbage time I will shoot a million shots."
Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces over 20 years in jail, although prosecutors believe he will be sentenced to around four. His sentencing will be on May 20.
In court in July, Porter said he agreed to withdraw early from games to get out from under large gambling debts so he and co-conspirators could win bets on his performance.
"I know what I did was wrong, unlawful, and I am deeply sorry," he said.
Porter received a lifetime ban on April 17 after the NBA found in an investigation that he had disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and bet on games in violation of league rules. The NBA prohibits players from betting on the league or any of its properties.
The NBA said it found that, from January to March of this year, while Porter was either with the Raptors or its G League team, Raptors 905, he placed "at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s betting account."
Porter's lawyer, Jeff Jensen, said in June that Porter had been "in over his head due to a gambling addiction" but was getting treatment and cooperating with law enforcement.
One of Porter's brothers, Coban, began serving a six-year sentence in April for a fatal DUI crash. Another brother, Michael, is a mainstay with the Denver Nuggets.
The Kansas City Chiefs' quest for an unprecedented third consecutive Vince Lombardi Trophy begins in earnest on Saturday when they welcome the Houston Texans to Arrowhead Stadium for a playoff game.
The Texans upset the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round over the weekend, which punched their ticket to the divisional round. Travis Kelce, 35, has been in the NFL for more than a decade, but the Chiefs star tight end told ESPN's Pat McAfee he still feels like he has the energy of a young athlete.
Kelce actually mentioned a specific number — 22 — when he was asked about how he felt as the Chiefs head into the playoffs. "22" is also the title of one of pop star Taylor Swift's songs from her album "Red."
"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22," he said in a nod to one of the song's lyrics this week during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" this week.
Kelce and Swift have been romantically linked for more than a year, with the singer making routine appearances at Chiefs games since the 2023 season.
Kelce was recently named to his 10th consecutive Pro Bowl. But, he likely hopes to skip the event and in favor of competing in the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Although Kelce fell short of the coveted 1,000 receiving yards mark this past regular season, he appeared to round into playoff form as the year progressed.
He finished the Chiefs' Christmas Day victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers with 84 receiving yards and a touchdown reception.
Kelce has been a key part of three Super Bowl winning teams, including the Chiefs win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII and last year's title run. No NFL team has ever won three consecutive Super Bowl titles.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the NFL's most heralded franchises, winning six Super Bowls in its history. But in recent years, the franchise has become accustomed to flaming out in the postseason.
Mike Tomlin has been at the helm since 2006 and coached the team to one of those Super Bowl titles. While Tomlin has still never ended a regular season with a losing record, it has now been eight years since he led a team to victory in a playoff game.
The Steelers are one of the most stable franchises in the league, having only had three head coaches over the past five decades. Nevertheless, the lack of recent success in the playoffs has prompted some concerns about whether Tomlin should remain in place.
Yet Tomlin shrugged on Tuesday when asked if it feels as if the Steelers are "stuck" after they were dominated by the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round on Saturday.
Tomlin then acknowledged the disappointment everyone involved with the Steelers were feeling following the early playoff exit. "I definitely don’t feel in the mood for optimism or the selling of optimism," he said. "I don’t know that that’s appropriate. You know, it’s disappointing not to be working. And so that’s where we are."
And while changes are certainly coming to the coaching staff — most likely on defense after the Steelers were gashed during a five-game freefall through the standings — Tomlin doesn’t appear to be going anywhere as he enters the first season of a three-year extension he signed last June.
Tomlin believes he's still "capable" of helping Pittsburgh end its longest playoff victory drought since the "Immaculate Reception" more than a half-century ago.
Yet he also finds himself entering a third offseason in four years with questions at quarterback. Skylar Thompson, who signed with the Steelers on Tuesday, is the only quarterback under contract for the 2025 season. Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen — all of whom played during the 2024 season — are all scheduled to become free agents when the new league year begins in March.
While Wilson and Fields both expressed interest in returning and Tomlin said the team is "open to considering those guys," there’s also the very real chance they begin 2025 with their fifth different Week 1 starter in as many seasons.
Though the offense made progress — particularly during a midseason stretch in which Wilson won six of his first seven starts — the Steelers averaged just 14.2 points during their late swoon, hardly good enough to advance to the divisional round or beyond.
Tomlin also acknowledged he understands there is discontent growing among the fanbase during what can best be described as his team’s "Groundhog Day" era.
"I understand the frustrations," he said. "And to be quite honest, I share it."
The 12th-winningest coach in NFL history — he will reach the top 10 if the Steelers win at least eight games in 2025 — doesn’t believe his message has lost its effectiveness, in part because he believes that is a small component of his job. The vast majority is on schematics, preparation and talent development and in those ways he believes the team has evolved.
"I’m open to adaptation and change and have been," he said. "And so it’s not a new discussion. It’s not like I’ve been doing the same things over (and over)."
Tomlin remains intent on trying to be a part of the solution in Pittsburgh, saying teams with job openings that might inquire about his willingness to move on should save their time.
"I have no message," Tomlin responded via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette when asked if he had a message to any team potentially looking to acquire him in a trade. "Save your time."
Brazilian Olympian Bruno Lobo rescued a drowning woman off the coast of Sao Luís, Brazil on Jan. 10, and gave all the credit to God for putting him in position to perform the heroic deed.
"The day that God used me as an instrument to save this young woman, all honor and glory to Him," wrote in a post on Instagram (translated from Portuguese).
Lobo, who is also an orthopaedic doctor, competed in kite surfing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He is also a two-time Pan American Games champion.
At the time of the rescue, he was busy training, he said in the video. Lobo claimed that he went into the ocean at around 5:40 p.m. local time "to do the last test."
"It was a cloudy day, wind conditions were not the best, but I decided to test the support that had arrived, it was the first day using this material, I set the camera to record and went towards the coast," he said in the video.
"After sailing a few meters, I heard a cry for help and looked at the girl who was drowning. I quickly approached her with the kite. I tried to calm her down and asked to climb on my back. She was quite tired and without power. I used the equipment to bring her safely to the sand," Lobo continued.
Lobo used his gear to help bring the woman back to shore, and then lifeguards gave her further assistance.
"Olympic kitesurfer Bruno Lobo jumped into action when he spotted a woman struggling in the ocean while training with his new camera off the coast of São Luís, Brazil. Using his kite, he carried her safely to shore," the statement read. "Great job Bruno."
Bruno concluded his video with a warning to fans and viewers.
"Be warned about the dangers of the sea, rivers and any place you don’t know because the current in some places tends to be very strong!"
