Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the NCAA for its recent revised gender eligibility policy, demanding the governing body begin mandatory sex screening to keep trans athletes out of women's sports. 

The NCAA announced its revised policy on Feb. 6 in response to President Donald Trump's "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order, which was signed just one day earlier. The revised policy states that biological male trans athletes are not eligible to compete in women's competitions, but may continue practicing and receive "other benefits" from women's teams. 

But the policy came under heavy scrutiny by women's rights activists over concerns biological males will use amended birth certificates to gain entry into women's sports. Now, Paxton has joined that list of critics and is taking legal action to try and amend the policy further. 

NCAA RESPONDS AS CRITICS CALL OUT POTENTIAL LOOPHOLES IN ITS NEW TRANS-ATHLETE POLICY 

"In practice, the NCAA's lack of sex-screening has allowed (and will continue to allow) biological men to surreptitiously participate in 'women's' sports categories," the lawsuit states. Additionally, Paxton lays out that the NCAA allows "ample opportunity for biological men to alter their birth records and participate in women's sports."

Former U.S. gymnast and founder of XX-XY Athletics Jennifer Sey supported Paxton's decision to file a lawsuit, she told Fox News Digital. 

"The only reliable way to retain the integrity of women’s sports – ensure they are XX only – is to test for sex. Birth certificates are changeable, but sex is not. It’s a simple non-invasive test. Spit in a cup. That’s it. Athletes are already tested for drugs. Some are weighed to ensure they make weight in their category. This is no more invasive than either of those," Sey said. 

Paxton had filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in December over its previous policy. In that suit, Paxton accused the NCAA of "engaging in false, deceptive, and misleading practices by marketing sporting events as ‘women’s’ competitions only to then provide consumers with mixed sex competitions where biological males compete against biological females."

"The NCAA is intentionally and knowingly jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of women by deceptively changing women’s competitions into co-ed competitions," Paxton said in a statement. "When people watch a women’s volleyball game, for example, they expect to see women playing against other women – not biological males pretending to be something they are not. Radical ‘gender theory’ has no place in college sports."

WISCONSIN BANS TRANS ATHLETES FROM GIRLS’ SPORTS, FOLLOWING TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER 

The NCAA provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the criticisms and insisting that amended birth certificates will not be accepted. 

"The policy is clear that there are no waivers available, and student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or other forms of ID," the statement read. "Male practice players have been a staple in college sports for decades, particularly in women’s basketball and the Association will continue to account for that in the policy."

These specifics are not currently outlined on the official NCAA policy page, as it makes no specific references to birth certificate or ID amendments, or women's scholarships going to trans athletes, per the NCAA's website.

In the U.S., 44 states do allow birth certificates to be altered to change a person's birth sex. The only states that do not allow this are Florida, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Montana. Meanwhile, there are 14 states that allow sex on a birth certificate to be changed without any medical documentation required, including California, New York, Massachusetts and Michigan. 

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Still, Trump and his Department of Education celebrated the NCAA's policy change when it was announced earlier this month. 

"Exciting news! Due to my Executive Order, which I proudly signed yesterday, the NCAA has officially changed their policy allowing men in Women’s Sports – IT IS NOW BANNED! This is a great day for women and girls across our Country," Trump wrote on social media in response to the NCAA's policy change. 

The Department of Education wrote in a post, "NEWS: In accordance with President Trump's Executive Order, the NCAA just announced that 'a student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete for an NCAA women’s team.' The wins keep coming under POTUS’s leadership!"

Neither Trump nor anyone directly in his administration has addressed the recent criticisms of the new NCAA policy over potential amended birth certificates.

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Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta spoke about sexual misconduct allegations against kicker Justin Tucker during a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine Tuesday. 

The Baltimore Banner reported that 16 massage therapists at eight spas have claimed Tucker engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior during spa sessions from 2012-16. 

Tucker has denied all allegations, but DeCosta called the allegations "serious and concerning."

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"The amount of allegations are serious and concerning," he told reporters in Indianapolis. 

"I think we’re fortunate the league is doing an investigation. We’ll wait as patiently as we can for as much information as we can. We’ll make our decisions based on that."

DeCosta added he has met with Tucker and the league since the allegations surfaced, though he didn't disclose specifics about the talks with his kicker. 

NFL INVESTIGATING JUSTIN TUCKER'S SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS, INTERVIEWING ACCUSERS: REPORTS

"I think in this case we’re awaiting as much information as possible. I met with the league. I believe the league is meeting with other people in Baltimore as well. We’ll wait for the details of that investigation and make our decision based off that."

DeCosta said the team was aware of the allegations published by The Baltimore Banner, and it was the first time the team became aware of the allegations. 

The NFL reportedly began interviewing massage therapists who accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior. 

Last month, the first six alleged victims claimed Tucker exposed himself repeatedly during sessions spanning four years, including his rookie campaign, when the Ravens won the Super Bowl. 

The accusations placed him at four different spa and wellness centers, with claims he would brush the therapists with his genitals and commit other acts of sexual misconduct. 

More massage therapists have come forward since the original Baltimore Banner report with similar allegations. 

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Tucker released a statement through his attorneys last month, calling the accusations "unequivocally false."

"Throughout my career as a professional athlete, I have always sought to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism. I have never before been accused of misconduct of any kind, and I have never been accused of acting inappropriately in front of a massage therapist or during a massage therapy session or during other bodywork," Tucker’s statement said. 

"I have never received any complaints from a massage therapist, have never been dismissed from a massage therapy or bodywork session and have never been told that I was not welcome at any spa or other place of business."

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Travis Kelce hasn’t publicly commented on his retirement since his last podcast episode, but one high-level Chiefs official touched on it Tuesday.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid both spoke about the tight end during media availability at the NFL combine.

"How we left at the end of the season is that he was fired up. He has one more year under contract," Veach said. 

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"Still think he has that fire and desire to play and, as far as I’m concerned there is no deadline I think we left as he’d be back, and we’re excited to get him back and get him going."

Reid said he spoke to Kelce during the team's exit meetings and gave the tight end some advice.

"At this point, get out of town and relax. That's my motto for these guys. They played a lot of games for a consistent amount of seasons here," Reid said, via The Kansas City Star.

"You get to the end, and you've exhausted yourself mentally and physically... step back and take care of that, then we'll talk."

TRAVIS KELCE 'PROBABLY' KNOWS RETIREMENT DECISION ALREADY, HIS BROTHER SAYS

"But for right now, I think that's what he's doing."

Kelce said he was "kicking every can I can down the road" regarding his decision to retire during his last episode of "New Heights."

Kelce was still productive this season, but his yards (823) and touchdowns (3) in the regular season this year were the lowest he has had in a full season. 

The star tight end did say that if he was going to come back, he would not be taking any half-measures. 

"I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be something that – it’s a wholehearted decision," Kelce said.

"I’m not half-a--ing it. I’m fully here for them and I think I can play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or if it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility."

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Buffalo Sabres broadcaster Rob Ray had an understandable hot mic moment during Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers after he took a puck to the face between the benches. 

The unfortunate incident caught the Sabres' legend by surprise late in the opening period.

Ray was struck right above the eye by a deflected puck, prompting the former longtime NHL enforcer to drop some colorful language during the broadcast. 

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"Ah, f---," Ray shouted in pain. 

WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

Players and a team doctor quickly went over to check on Ray, who had a visible gash above his left eye and on the bridge of his nose.

Later in the broadcast, Ray said he received a "couple of little stitches" in the eyebrow area, but he ultimately avoided any major injuries to his eye. 

"That’s not normal," he joked about the "golf ball" sized lump on his face. 

SABRES BROADCASTER BLOODIED AFTER TAKING PUCK TO FACE

Ray is no stranger to injury — neither between the benches nor on the ice. 

He accumulated 3,207 penalty minutes in his 14 seasons with the Sabres organization, setting a franchise record. His time spent in the box also ranks sixth on the NHL career list. 

Ray’s fight style even led the league to introduce a new rule in which players who fought without their jerseys got game misconducts. The former NHL veteran would wear tear-away jerseys, giving him an advantage by essentially freeing his arms during brawls. 

As for his time in the broadcast booth, Saturday was not the first time Ray fell victim to a rouge puck. 

In a December 2023 game, Ray was again struck — almost identically — with a puck right between the eyes. 

In both instances, he returned to action right away. Ray was inducted into the Sabres Hall of Fame last month. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk is a Stanley Cup champion, but it is not even close to being the most memorable moment in his hockey career. 

The NHL veteran appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" on Monday to discuss the 4 Nations Face-Off final, which ended in heartbreak for the Americans following a 3-2 overtime loss to Canada. 

Tkachuk reflected on the tournament, which he had previously called the "biggest game" he has ever played in. 

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"The last two weeks representing my country was something I’ll never forget," he said. 

In his second season with the Panthers, Tkachuk helped the Panthers back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight year, when they defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games to become the 2024 Stanley Cup champions – a first for Tkachuk. 

Even so, Tkachuk was adamant that playing for the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off was still the biggest game of his career. 

"It really was such a big tournament and such a huge stage and something I’ll never forget," he told Fallon.

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"The thing that I’m most proud of with that team was how much pride we showed in representing our country and being Americans. We’re so lucky to be from this great country and to be able to represent [that]."

He continued, "Just to be able to represent and look down and see the USA crest – there’s nothing that’ll beat that. So, it’s incredible." 

Last week’s final came amid heightened political tensions between Canada and the U.S. President Donald Trump teased Canadian lawmakers about the country becoming its "51st state." He also openly called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the "governor" of Canada and threatened a series of tariffs. 

The intensity led to Canadian fans booing the American national anthem before two games in the tournament – something that fueled Team USA on the ice.

The 4 Nations final drew in massive ratings. 

As the first best-on-best tournament in around a decade, the game was watched by 16.1 million viewers in North America for the second-most watched hockey game in the past decade. 

The first? Tkachuk’s Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup finals, which drew in 16.3 million viewers. 

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The Philadelphia Eagles completely stymied the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense in Super Bowl LIX, sacking Patrick Mahomes and causing three turnovers on their way to a big win.

The Eagles were pitching a shutout in the first half but allowed all of Kansas City’s 22 points in the second half. The defense in the final two quarters appeared to be a point of contention with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio despite the dominant display.

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Philadelphia linebacker Jalyx Hunt revealed Fangio did not mince words when he assessed his defensive players. He said on Pete Takes’ podcast that Fangio called the defensive display "unacceptable" after a meeting about the championship parade.

"We have a checklist each game of what we need to do, and if you get a yes in those boxes, nine times out of 10, we win … He circles the second half, and he says, ‘This is unacceptable. Unacceptable. 22 points.’ We won! They didn’t score in the first half, we’re having a meeting after the Super Bowl. He wants perfection," Hunt recalled.

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The Eagles were as close to perfect as they could have wanted.

Mahomes was seemingly going to get his incredible plays in throughout the game. He threw three touchdown passes in the second half despite being down 34-0 at one point. One of them was a 50-yard toss to Xavier Worthy. The rookie had two of the touchdown catches.

The Eagles ended the Chiefs’ chance at three consecutive Super Bowl titles.

Now, it is time for both teams to reload and fill in the holes they may have during the offseason.

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The Atlanta Falcons might not be moving on from Kirk Cousins – yet. 

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said Cousins will remain with the team for the foreseeable future, on Tuesday at the NFL Draft combine, via NFL Network. 

Cousins, 36, was benched in favor of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. after struggling last season. 

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Cousins was benched despite signing a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed prior to last season.  

Things started out well for Cousins and the Falcons, as they were 6-3 and atop the NFC South. 

Then the team imploded as Cousins’ play took a turn for the worse. In Cousins’ final five games as the starter, he threw just one touchdown with nine interceptions as the team went on a four-game losing streak. 

The team was 7-7 when Penix took over for Cousins, with their playoff chances having turned from once strong into a long shot. Penix went 1-2 with two overtime losses in his three starts, and the Falcons missed the playoffs. 

EAGLES' LANE JOHNSON HAS 1-EMOJI RESPONSE TO CALL TO BAN 'TUSH PUSH'

Fontenot praised Cousins for how he handled the demotion. 

"Kirk handled that really well at the end of the season," Fontenot said via NBC Sports. "Obviously, Kirk’s a really talented player, he’s a great man, all those things. Again, he handled that role well at the end of the season."

NFL executives expected Cousins to be released before the quarterback was due a $10 million roster bonus on March 17, according to an ESPN report from December. However, Fontenot’s comments on Tuesday make it seem that Cousins is not going anywhere. 

That $10 million roster bonus will count toward the Falcons' salary cap in 2026, per Spotrac. 

In addition to the roster bonus kicking in, Cousins’ $27.5 million base salary, which he would receive if he stays on the Falcons' roster, would make him an incredibly expensive backup quarterback. 

Complicating matters for the Falcons is if they want to move on from Cousins via a trade, the quarterback would have to waive his full no-trade clause. According to the ESPN report, Cousins is not expected to waive it to help the Falcons. 

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Whether it’s called the tush push or the brotherly shove, the Philadelphia Eagles’ famous play is going to be a talking point in the offseason once again.

The Eagles utilized the play to its fullest extent during the 2024 Super Bowl run all the way to winning a championship. And it’s become a point of contention within the NFL as The Athletic reported the Green Bay Packers submitted a proposal to have the play banned.

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Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson offered a one-emoji response to the report.

Outgoing Packers president CEO Mark Murphy revealed in his monthly Q&A column why he wasn’t a fan of the play before the Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

"There is no skill involved and it is almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less. The series of plays with the Commanders jumping offsides in the NFC Championship Game to try to stop the play was ridiculous," Murphy said. "The referee even threatened to give the Eagles an automatic touchdown if the Commanders did not stop it. 

"I would like to see the league prohibit pushing or aiding the runner (QB) on this play. There used to be a rule prohibiting this, but it is no longer enforced, because I believe it was thought to be too hard for the officials to see. The play is bad for the game, and we should go back to prohibiting the push of the runner. This would bring back the traditional QB sneak. That worked pretty well for Bart Starr and the Packers in the Ice Bowl."

The NFL Competition Committee is likely going to have to decide what to do with the play. The best retort to defending the Eagles on those short-yardage situations is to not let them get into that scenario in the first place.

Before the Super Bowl, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters it wasn’t really about the play but the players who execute it.

"It’s always a topic for conversation: Should this play be banned? But the success we have is not replicated always throughout the entire league," he added, via Pro Football Talk on Feb. 6. "We saw it last week with the game we’re studying, Kansas City against Buffalo, stopped them in a critical situation. 

"I guess I’m lobbying to never change that rule because we’re successful at it, but we’re successful at it because of the guys we have up front."

Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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The Washington Commanders have granted two-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Allen permission to seek a trade, per multiple reports. 

Allen, 30, has spent his entire eight-year career with the Commanders after being drafted by the team in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. 

The Commanders plan to do right by Allen in ensuring he moves to a good team, whether that be via a trade or free agency, per NFL Network. 

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Allen has been a team leader on the Commanders and has become a respected voice in the locker room. Allen has one year left on his contract, and his $15 million salary is not guaranteed. 

Last season, Allen played in just eight regular-season games due to a pectoral injury. Despite the injury, he came back and played in all three of the Commanders’ playoff games in their surprise run to the NFC Championship.

In the regular season, Allen registered three sacks, and in the playoffs, he had one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits. 

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While Allen missed time last season, he has been very durable in his career, starting no less than 15 games in a season for six years in a row after only playing five games his rookie year. 

Across his eight-year career, Allen has 42 sacks in 109 games played. 

Allen has a $22.3 million cap hit should he be on the roster in 2025, according to Spotrac. Because of the team's strong depth at the defensive tackle position, it appears to make Allen expendable.

The Commanders have star defensive tackle Daron Payne under contract through the 2026 season and spent a second-round pick on another defensive tackle, Johnny Newton, in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Allen’s cap hit is the third highest on the team, behind Payne and wide receiver Terry McLaurin. 

Newton played 16 games, registering two sacks in his rookie season. Next season, he will likely be tasked with supplanting Allen. 

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Chris Kluwe, the former NFL punter who was carried out of a California city council meeting in protest of a "MAGA" plaque in front of a library, floated the possibility of running for office.

Kluwe’s protest stemmed from the plan to have a plaque outside a Huntington Beach library. The plaque has the acronym "MAGA" on it which read the words "Magical," "Alluring," "Galvanizing" and "Adventurous." It is also the acronym for President Donald Trump’s campaign message, "Make America Great Again."

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The incident went viral last week, and he opened up about the idea to TMZ Sports.

"Personally, I do not want to run for public office because I do not want power. That's not something I desire," the former Minnesota Vikings player told the outlet. "I want everyone to be able to live their own life, free to live their life without other people harming them. Unfortunately, we're in a position where it looks like I might have to run for public office.

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"I hate that because I want to sit at home and play video games. And if you are a good public servant, you serve the public. And it is an exhausting, demanding job. That means you care about everyone. You have to care about their issues and you have to find ways to help try and solve those issues."

Kluwe added he already had calls with Democratic Party "operatives" and added that something had to change within the party itself.

"But the thing that I firmly believe is that what our current Democratic Party is doing is not working. And it's time for the old guard to leave. It's time for new faces to take over," he said.

He added that he had no reservations about his "peaceful civil disobedience."

Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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Georgia Bulldogs football head coach Kirby Smart sideswiped Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel during a recent coaching clinic.

Smart was speaking when four former collegiate quarterbacks popped up on his screen – Alabama’s Bryce Young, LSU’s Joe Burrow, Texas A&M’s Manziel and Auburn’s Cam Newton. He asked what each quarterback had in common.

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One person yelled out "Heisman." Smart said that was a good answer. Each player did win the Heisman Trophy during their time in college. Someone else said "champion" and that appeared to be a bridge too far for Smart.

"Champions? He ain’t no champion. Champion of what? Champion of Fireball," Smart said of Manziel. "Alright, alright, alright, alright, I’m gonna go here for you. There’s Heisman. Right? They all had great days vs. our defenses. All four of them when off on us in some way shape or form."

The clip went viral on Monday.

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Manziel struggled with drug and alcohol addiction during and after his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns. He reflected on the roots and impact of his addiction in a Q&A with students and those in recovery at the University of Alabama’s VitAL health conference back in August.

Manziel indicated during the conference that alcohol no longer had a place in his life. He also indicated the experience taught him a new way to manage any potential future success. He surrounded himself with consultants who pushed back on him when necessary. He said he learned that from having too much unanimous support from those around him in the past. 

"I started to develop and have a lot of yes men around me," Manziel said. "I think at the head of that group of influences was myself, and managing success now is not a solo thing. You need to have a support system and lean on things in your life."

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Eddie Hill, a former NFL running back who played for the Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins, has died, one of his former teams announced on Monday. He was 67.

The Dolphins announced Hill’s death in a post on social media.

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"We are saddened by the passing of former Dolphins running back Eddie Hill, who played for the team from 1981-84," the team wrote on X.

No official cause of death was announced. Nearly eight years ago, Hill opened up to the Sun-Sentinel about his health issues and revealed he had battled brain cancer. He told the paper he believed he was also dealing with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, which is believed to be caused by repeated blows to the head.

"Every life has a purpose and football was one of those biblical, scriptural things that I learned early in life that applied to me, the gift," he told the paper in May 2017, adding he had no regrets about playing the sport.

BILL DEMORY, FORMER JETS QUARTERBACK, DEAD AT 74

"And recently, in the last 10-15 years, I’ve learned that purpose and I live that purpose."

The Rams chose Hill in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft out of Memphis. 

He played for Los Angeles for two seasons, including a Super Bowl appearance in his rookie year. The Rams fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIV.

He was traded to Miami before the start of the 1981 season. He played four more years with the Dolphins before calling it a career.

He appeared in 75 games and had 443 rushing yards with two rushing touchdowns. As a special teams player, he had 17 total kick returns for 330 yards.

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Golf influencer Paige Spiranac was among those who took AimPoint to task over the weekend and now has put together an idea to make the game more fun.

Spiranac, who vowed her latest hot take would "ruffle some feathers," said in a video Monday that the tee boxes golfers start from should be determined by a player’s handicap and "not personal preference."

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"The tee box that you play at a golf course should be decided by your handicap, not your personal preference," she said in a video posted to her Instagram. "If you show up to the golf course without a handicap, then you should play the forward tees. If you want to play the tips, then you have to be a sub-3 handicap. 

"I think this will improve pace of play and people will have a lot more fun. And it will also take away the decision on where they want to play or not play. It’s decided by your handicap. And if you want to play forward, fine. But you can’t play back until you improve your handicap."

Spiranac called for the ban of the AimPoint method, which finds a putting line on a green, in the professional ranks.

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She later said her issue really was with the pace of play.

"In all seriousness, there’s nothing wrong with AimPoint," Spiranac wrote on X. "The problem is when it’s not taught correctly which will slow down pace. 

"Also a player who is slow will always be slow with or without it. My issue is when they are so conditioned to use AimPoint that it’s a habit they have to use even on tap ins. Trampling around the golf hole is not it."

Spiranac is a former collegiate golfer who has found success on the influencer side of social media. She boasts more than 4 million followers on Instagram and more than 1 million on TikTok.

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President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have come under increased scrutiny over spending cuts in certain sectors of the federal government and other issues since Inauguration Day.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Musk, reported that it has saved around $65 billion. DOGE said the savings estimate came from a "combination of fraud detection/deletion, contract/lease cancelations, contract/lease re-negotiations, asset sales, grant cancelations, workforce reductions, programmatic changes, and regulatory savings."

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"We are working to upload all of this data in a digestible and fully transparent manner with clear assumptions, consistent with applicable rules and regulations," DOGE said on its website.

Each cut drew a massive response from all corners of the government and social media. 

Trump has been working on a Russia-Ukraine peace deal, dealing with illegal immigration and going toe-to-toe with governors over trans-athlete participation in women’s and girls' sports, among other issues.

POTENTIAL NO 1 OVERALL PICK SKIPPING NFL COMBINE WORKOUTS DUE TO INJURY

At least one former NFL star came to the defense of Trump and Musk on Monday.

Le’Veon Bell, the former Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets star, suggested on X he could not understand the hate directed at both the president and the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and X.

"Elon doin too much for this world for yall to be hatin," he wrote before adding, "Trump doin too much for this world for yall to be hatin."

Musk agreed with Bell’s take.

Bell supported Trump’s presidential run and spoke at a rally for him before joining him at a Steelers game.

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Penn State’s Abdul Carter, who many experts believe will be gone in the first five picks of the 2025 NFL Draft, will not be working out at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week due to a shoulder injury. 

Carter will be participating in the league’s physical exams and interviews with teams in Indianapolis. 

Carter’s shoulder injury is nothing new, as he played through it in the team’s Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame. He did, however, get cleared to start training again recently.

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Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN his client intends on being available for his Nittany Lions Pro Day. 

"We fully expect Abdul to be recovered in time to work out at his pro day at Penn State, and he will perform at a very high level," Rosenhaus told ESPN.

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Rosenhaus will also send a letter to all 32 NFL teams from Dr. Dan Cooper, who said Carter has been cleared to resume training, per ESPN. 

Carter isn’t the only top prospect not participating in workouts at the combine, as running back Ashton Jeanty and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, both considered first-round talents, will do the same as Carter. 

For many prospect experts, Carter is the best defensive end in this year’s draft and arguably the best defensive player available. 

He recorded 24 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles and four passes defended for the Nittany Lions in a season in which they made the College Football Playoff. Carter was crucial in Penn State winning the Big Ten title as well as their CFP run until the Fighting Irish stopped them. 

Mock drafts from various outlets have Carter as high as first and second overall, while others have him as low as No. 7. 

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Matthew Stafford, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback who could be on the trade block this NFL offseason, reportedly wants to be paid more heading into his 17th season. 

During "Good Morning Football" on Monday morning, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reported that the Rams and Stafford have a "fine relationship." 

However, he wants to be paid more – among the top quarterbacks in the league to be exact. 

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"This is nothing between them personally," Schrager said about Stafford and the Rams. "This is a money issue. Matthew Stafford wants to be paid what he thinks he’s worth. He wants to be paid more than $50 million."

The Rams did give Stafford permission to discuss a contract with other teams this offseason despite being under contract for another two seasons before he’s set for free agency. 

According to Sports Illustrated, quarterback-needy teams like the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers have contacted Stafford. 

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Schrager adds that teams are willing to pay Stafford more than the Rams are willing to offer him. 

For the 2025 season, Stafford carries a $49.67 million cap hit, per Spotrac, and it goes up to $53.67 million in 2026. 

The Giants are an intriguing team in terms of trading for Stafford because they own the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. However, Schrager said the Giants would never get rid of that pick for Stafford, but perhaps a second-round pick could be involved. 

As for the Steelers, they were a playoff team last season with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson playing under center for them. Maybe Pittsburgh is willing to pay big money for a quarterback with a Super Bowl pedigree to make a playoff run they haven’t had since 2016, when they lost in the AFC Championship.

The Browns have Deshaun Watson under contract, but after re-tearing his Achilles during rehab, their quarterback situation is in limbo heading into 2025. Finally, the Raiders, now under the leadership of legendary coach Pete Carroll, are a rebuilding squad that could use more senior leadership in the locker room, and Stafford certainly fits the bill. 

But like Schrager said, the Rams and Stafford don’t have a spoiled relationship, and perhaps they can work something out. 

If $50 million is the starting point for Stafford, only nine other quarterbacks in the NFL are due to make that in 2025 – Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is top of the list at $60 million per season. 

The only quarterback making above $50 million on that list with a Super Bowl ring like Stafford is Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, who got his first Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LIX. 

And while that’s all going on with Stafford, the Rams also made it clear that veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp, long one of his quarterback’s most-trusted targets, is on the trade block. He isn’t expected to be at training camp with Los Angeles but rather a different team when a desirable trade package is presented. 

The Rams have young star Puka Nacua, who developed strong chemistry with Stafford in just two seasons, on the roster. However, Demarcus Robinson, who was WR3, is an unrestricted free agent, as well as Tutu Atwell, the team’s second-round pick from 2021.

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The 4 Nations Face-Off was a massive success for not just the NHL, but the game of hockey as a whole. 

But NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman isn't sure the tournament will be making a return during the 2025-26 season. 

Making an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show," Bettman explained why the league will have to think long and hard about how the tournament would fit into next year’s schedule due to the Winter Olympics and World Cup of Hockey also being played. 

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"The success has been so quick and overwhelming," Bettman said. "We’ve got a lot of things to consider and sort out, including what our All-Star game looks like going forward. But, look, it was all good."

The 4 Nations Face-Off was played in place of the traditional All-Star Game this year, and it featured world teams from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland. 

Bettman called it a "quick appetizer" for the other international hockey that will be played in the coming years. The Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, will kick off in 2026, and the World Cup of Hockey will return for the first time since 2016 in 2028 and will continue every four years afterward.

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The NHL previously didn’t allow its players to participate in the last two Winter Olympics. But the league will again allow its players to do so, starting next year in Milan.

In terms of the World Cup of Hockey, Bettman said the goal is to "do a full World Cup, like you see in soccer." The tournament will be in Europe as well as North America. 

So, while Bettman said he wasn’t sure if the 4 Nations Face-Off would be back, he told Eisen that he was asking "the absolute right question."

"I don’t have all the right answers yet," Bettman continued.

The 4 Nations Face-Off was a tremendous success, especially considering how dull sports fans have found some All-Star Games, especially in the NHL and NBA in recent years. 

There was a true sense of pride from all four countries, including the championship final between Team USA and Team Canada, which ultimately ended with Connor McDavid scoring the game-winning goal in overtime.

Because of the success, hockey fans believed it only made sense for the league to continue building upon the inaugural tournament. 

Bettman and the rest of his high-ranking executives will work to see if there is a solution that keeps the tournament from being a one-off moving forward. 

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INDIANAPOLIS – It's a different time in America and the idea that the Philadelphia Eagles would skip another trip to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory with President Donald Trump isn't the reality we're in anymore.

That was the case in 2018.

Not in 2025.

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The Eagles, winners of their second Super Bowl in seven years after beating the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month, would love to visit Trump this time around. 

"We would be honored to visit the White House," a club source told OutKick. "It's one of the things we had looked forward to doing, and we look forward to receiving the invitation."

That's the thing: The White House has yet to extend the invite. 

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Seems streamlining a bloated government, saving billions, trying to broker peace in the Middle East and Ukraine and rooting for the USA hockey team takes up a lot of time. But the invite will surely come, and this time it will be accepted.

There were rumors and a false report from earlier this month that the Eagles had voted against making the trip.

OutKick founder Clay Travis put out that fire Monday morning.

That report seemed plausible because the Eagles and Trump had failed to come to terms on a visit after they beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2018. Amid the kneeling controversy, several players voted not to attend.

The plan then had been to send a smaller contingent of players for the ceremony, but the visit was eventually canceled. 

Then the White House rescinded the invitation.

In a statement from the White House at the time, the situation had been described as the Eagles players disagreeing "with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country."

 So that trip never happened.

But this is a new day in America, folks.

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Well, feels that way for some folks. Black, Hispanic and other minorities voted for Trump in record numbers in the last election.

There is no kneeling for the anthem controversy going on right now.

And there is hope an economy that hurt a lot of people the past four years under Joe Biden – including a lot of people blue cities such as Philadelphia – can be fixed.

The Florida Panthers became the first pro team to visit the White House since Trump began his second term to celebrate their 2024 Stanley Cup victory.

And Tiger Woods, a 2020 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, has recently spent time with Trump as well. 

Trump, we believe, is a big-time sports fan. He attended the Super Bowl game the Eagles won. And he could be the most sports-minded president in memory.

So, now that the Eagles have signaled they'll attend, you better believe Trump will issue the invite.

It should be something to see ardent Democrat party supporter Jeffrey Lurie, the Eagles owner, gift Trump with an Eagles jersey.

Cats and dogs getting along.

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Longtime Cleveland Guardians owner Larry Dolan has died at age 94, the team announced Monday. 

The Dolan family is the longest-tenured owner in franchise history, and its patriarch is a lifelong Clevelander who influenced his community both on and off the field over the years.

"We are saddened by the loss of our Dad, but lucky to have him as part of our lives as long as we did," Dolan’s son, chair and CEO Paul Dolan, said in a statement. "He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who was passionate about his family, work, our community and his love of our local sports teams, including owning the Cleveland Guardians."

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The Guardians added a video to its announcement of Dolan’s death, saying "Cleveland sadly lost one of its own today."

"Born in Cleveland Heights in 1931, Lawrence J. Dolan invested his entire life in Greater Cleveland and impacted our community on so many levels," the narrator says over a montage of Dolan pictures. "From his service to our country as a first lieutenant in the United States Marines, his many philanthropic acts in kindness, his career in law, business, education and sports, many benefited from his engagement, influence and passion, especially in the world of sports."

Dolan was a multi-sport star at Saint Ignatius High School, playing both running back and defensive back on the football team and starring as a catcher on the baseball diamond.

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"He was blessed to realize two dreams [of] almost every Cleveland athlete of his generation: to play on the field at Cleveland Stadium, where his boyhood idol, Lou Boudreau, starred, and to own one of our city’s professional sports teams," the narrator continues.

"In February 2000, he purchased his beloved hometown baseball team. We are forever grateful for his passion and supporting the Northeast Ohio community and the Cleveland Guardians organization."

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred also released a statement on Dolan, expressing his condolences to the family and organization. 

"I am saddened by the passing of Cleveland native Larry Dolan, whose family's quarter-century ownership has made their hometown team a consistent winner and a staple of their community," Manfred wrote in a statement. "Larry was a lifelong baseball fan who served our country as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marines. He strongly believed in mentoring young people and using the Guardians as a way to impact Greater Cleveland."

Dolan purchased his hometown team for "323 million from Richard Jacobs, and he saw Cleveland post 14 winning seasons and nine trips to the postseason since then."

In 2016, they reached the World Series as the American League pennant winners but fell to the Chicago Cubs at home in a thrilling game.

Paul Dolan ultimately took over as the primary owner of the franchise in 2013, eventually overseeing the team's name change to Guardians in 2021.

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A scary moment occurred near Kent, Indiana, as a bus carrying the Indiana University Indianapolis men’s basketball team caught fire on the way back from a road game on Saturday. 

The team was returning from its game against Northern Kentucky when a mechanical issue caused the bus to catch fire. 

The entire team and staff evacuated the bus safely, according to a post from IU Indy Athletics on X. The post also mentioned another bus was en route at the time to pick them up for the trip back to Indianapolis. 

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Photos were provided to Fox News Digital by IU Indy Athletics, which showed the bus completely burnt and charred from the flames that engulfed it in the middle of the highway. 

Another photo showed bellowing black smoke rising from the bus, which caused some obvious traffic on the highway.

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The Jaguars fell to the Norse, 71-67, in Highland, Kentucky, before the ride home. 

IU Indy is 9-20 overall on the year (5-13 in conference play). They’ve had a rough go of late, losing four of its last five games.

Only two games remain in the regular season, both of which will be at home in Indianapolis. 

They will face Robert Morris this Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Their final home game of the season, which will also be Senior Day, will be against Wright State on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.

The Horizon League Tournament, the conference in which the Jaguars play, begins on March 4. 

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