Jake Knapp made PGA National look like your average municipal course on Thursday.
The 30-year-old shot a 12-under, bogey-free 59 in the first round of the Cognizant Classic – formerly known as the Honda Classic.
Knapp came out of the gates red-hot, birdieing each of his first five holes; he had chipped in on two, and on the par-three fifth, he stuck a tee shot from 194 yards away to just three and a half feet.
He came back down to earth temporarily, parring the next three, but he then birdied six of his next seven. He again stuck a tee shot to inside four feet on the par-three ninth, and on the 15th, another par 3, he drilled a birdie putt from over 31 feet away.
Through 15 holes, Knapp was 11 under par, but he would par his next two holes, needing a birdie on the par-five 18th to break 60.
That was no issue. After a 335-yard drive, he hit the green from roughly 200 yards out. He narrowly missed an eagle putt that would have been just the second 58 in PGA Tour history, but it's the 15th 59 ever on tour.
It's also the sixth time in PGA history that anyone has gone 12-under in one round, joining Scottie Scheffler, Jim Furyk (twice), Paul Goydos and Hayden Springer.
It was a 29 on the front and a 30 on the back for Knapp.
Knapp reached each par-5 in two shots, and he knocked nearly 70 feet worth of birdie putts on par-3s and 4s. He then drilled all six of his putts from between 6 and 12 feet on the day.
One would assume correctly that Knapp is the leader in the clubhouse at the moment, with three others closest behind him at eight-under.
Knapp has one PGA Tour victory under his belt – the 2024 Mexico Open, one year and one day to his 59; he competed in his first three majors last year, finishing T55 at the Masters and missing the cut at both the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
WNBA champion Natasha Cloud talked about her passion for social justice on Thursday.
Cloud, who previously spoke out against the U.S. government on social media over the cost of living in May 2024, spoke this week in defense of DEI after President Donald Trump ordered the elimination of several government DEI programs.
"The systems of power are working as they always were intended to work," Cloud told The Associated Press. "And it’s time to break down a system that has only been about White men."
Cloud added that she believes the country is putting "money over people."
"I understand the business aspect and I understand the human aspect," Cloud said. "Too often this country has put the human aspect aside, and put profit and money over people."
The 33-year-old Connecticut Sun guard's previous statement on the cost of living called for Americans of all backgrounds to speak up about the high cost of living.
"At some point we gotta put our differences aside and understand WE ARE ALL GETTING f-----. & idk about yall im tired of this s---. Everybody can eat. They just make us think everyone eating means someone’s taking from your plate. A lie. Our government been taking all OUR food," she wrote on X. "Forreal idc if you’re a republican or a democrat. White black brown..idc what your religion or sexual preference is. Etc.
"If you don’t wanna fight for a stranger than fight for Yourself Your kids Your grandkids Your parents who worked their entire lives to not be able to afford retiring Your sister who pays thousand for insulin that costs dollars to make Your daughter in 100k debt after college."
In that post, Cloud tagged the Democratic Party, Republican Party, former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, while pointing out issues like inflation and the national minimum wage.
But prior to that, in 2020, Cloud sat out the WNBA season to focus on community reform efforts and join the George Floyd protests. She also used her social media platforms that year to call for WNBA arenas to be used as polling locations.
Now, Cloud is just one of the players on the Connecticut Sun calling for political activism at the start of Trump's second term.
Her Connecticut Sun teammate DiJonai Carrington incited fierce backlash by wearing an anti-Trump shirt in January, and a week later she called for WNBA players to "take action."
"We see that some of the policies are already going into action, and, of course, that means that as the WNBA and being at the forefront of a lot of these movements, it's time for us to also take action," Carrington said. "It definitely needs to happen as women, women's rights being taken away, like, now, LGBTQ rights being taken away now. They haven't happened yet, but definitely in the works."
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker stopped at the White House on Thursday to pay a visit to President Donald Trump more than two weeks after losing in Super Bowl LIX.
Trump picked the Chiefs to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. However, the millions of viewers who tuned into the game on FOX and Tubi saw Philadelphia lay the smackdown on Kansas City, winning 40-22, and ending the Chiefs’ chance at three consecutive titles.
Butker seemed to be in good spirits as he met with Trump in the Oval Office. He also took a photo with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
"Harrison Butker stopped by the White House today, and the President couldn't have been happier to say hello," a White House official told Fox News.
Butker endorsed Trump for president during his 2024 election campaign. He called the Republican the "most pro-life president" in an interview on Fox News Channel’s "The Ingraham Angle."
"I’m supporting the president that’s going to be the most pro-life president, and I think Donald Trump is the most pro-life president," Butker said in October. "That's a topic that is the most crucial topic for me. I want us to be fighting for the most vulnerable, fighting for the unborn, and that’s what we should prioritize."
In December, Butker was supportive of Trump’s pick of the Vatican ambassador.
Butker expressed his Christian values in a faith-based commencement speech at Benedictine College last year. He called out former President Joe Biden over his religious views as a Catholic.
Butker wore a tie that had "Vulnerari Praesidio" in cursive during the team’s Super Bowl title visit to the Biden White House in 2023. It's a Latin term that translates to "Protect the most vulnerable." He also wore a gold pin representing the size of a 10-week-old baby's feet.
Fox News’ Pat Ward and Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
California Assembly member Bill Essayli is working to get a bill passed through the state legislature that would ban trans athletes from girls' and women's sports.
Essayli introduced the bill on Feb. 14 amid a flury of controversial incidents in the state involving trans athletes playing on girls' sports teams.
As one of the top Republicans in Sacramento, Essayli believes that the incidents have escalated the issue into one of civil rights for people of all religions in the state.
"Not just for Christians, I hear from Muslims and Jewish Americans as well. People of faith have obviously strong values and morals and beliefs about there being two genders and how everyone was created by God into their perfect body," Essayli told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. "So it is partially a religious civil rights issue."
California has allowed trans athlete inclusion in girls' and women's sports dating back to 2014 and is currently fighting President Donald Trump to keep that system in place after Trump's recent "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order.
The district Essayli represents, Riverside, has been mired in one of the most nationally-visible controversies after a trans cross-country runner took a varsity spot from a girl at Martin Luther King High School, and a lawsuit was filed after administrators compared "Save Girls Sports" T-shirts to swastikas.
Meanwhile, communities in San Diego, the Bay Area and those in other Democrat-run states across the U.S. have dealt with their own incidents involving trans athletes over the past year alone. Additionally, while data shows the majority of Americans, including Democrats, oppose trans inclusion in girls' sports, most of the party's officials continue to enable it.
"What I've concluded is that this is part of this Marxist agenda to break the family unit and to divide students from their parents, and if the government can basically take over the role of the parent and instill the values and systems into the child, then they feel like they'll be able to control that child for the rest of their life," Essayli said.
"I really believe this is a play for the next generation of Americans and who's going to raise those kids and I think that's what the Democrat party is focused on, I think that's the long game here, they're making a play for the next generation of voters."
Essayli added that he believes the current system is not only unfair to girls, but also to school employees who have to carry out the system, and that it is also unfair to the transgender students themselves.
"They're being misled into believing that if they identify as a female they should have all the rights and privileges as a biological female, and they are being encouraged to join the female sports teams and use the female locker rooms, and I don't think that's a good situation for the child, they are not going to fit into that environment," Essayli said.
"Maybe there's an alternative sports teams, maybe a co-ed sports teams, maybe have their own facilities to change in, I think there are other solutions that make more sense… if you put a boy in the girls locker room, if they're still a boy, it's going to be uncomfortable for everyone… it creates a lot of problems and it's our policy makers who have set up this problem."
In the short term, Democrat support of trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports has been one of the party's biggest vulnerabilities over the last year. A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports.
"Thinking about transgender female athletes — meaning athletes who were male at birth but who currently identify as female — do you think they should or should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports?" the survey asked.
Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports.
Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
Nearly 70% of Americans say biological men should not be permitted to compete in women's sports, according to a Gallup poll last year.
In June 2024, a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago asked respondents whether transgender athletes of both sexes should be permitted to participate in sports leagues that correspond to their preferred gender identity instead of their biological sex. In that survey, 65% answered that it should never or rarely be allowed. When those polled were asked specifically about adult transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports, 69% opposed it.
The issue may have even played a consequential role in November's election.
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them.
Additionally, 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
Despite this, California Democrats and others across the nation continue to fight to keep trans athletes in girls' locker rooms, even at the risk of losing federal funding, as Trump has vowed to cut it to states that defy his executive order.
However, very few have made public statements in support of it, unlike Republicans who have vocally made it a main point of the party's platform over the last year.
"With the Democrats, a lot of them don't want to talk about it, they say it's not a real issue… they seem to want to be avoiding it," Essayli said. "They know the public support it, so they don't want to talk about it publicly, but they continue to push it behind the scenes."
Essayli believes the public will pick up on this, and the issue will ultimately strengthen Republican support in his state.
"I think the Democrats will continue to double-down on this, and that will be to their detriment," Essayli said. "If the Democrats continue to double-down and oppose that and push their radical ideologies, I think they'll continue to lose elections and seats in the legislature."
Matt McGloin, a former college football star and NFL quarterback, was set to be a part of the coaching staff at Boston College starting in 2025, but he abruptly resigned less than three days into the job.
Boston College head football coach Bill O’Brien told ESPN that McGloin resigned from his position as the program’s offensive analyst for family reasons. McGloin was Penn State’s starting quarterback in 2012, when O’Brien was the head coach.
McGloin released a statement on the decision. ESPN reported Monday he was hired to be on O’Brien’s staff.
"This week I made a difficult and life-changing decision without full awareness of the consequences it would have on my wife and young children," he said, via The Times-Tribune.
"I truly believed that my decision to accept a role in Boston would be good for my family, but upon further consideration the timing of such a move proved to be less than optimal. I appreciate your respect for the privacy of my family and me at this time."
The paper noted that McGloin resigned as Lackawanna County commissioner before he reportedly decided to take the job at Boston College. It was unclear if he was going to try to reclaim that position.
McGloin joined Penn State as a freshman in 2009, when Joe Paterno was still the head coach. He emerged as a starter in 2010, sharing time with Rob Bolden.
He broke out during his senior season with 3,271 passing yards and 24 touchdown passes.
McGloin joined the Oakland Raiders in 2013 and was with them for four seasons. He appeared in 13 games and had 1,868 passing yards and 11 touchdown passes.
He did not find the NFL field again after the 2016 season. He briefly played in the XFL with the New York Guardians.
Michigan State Spartans guard Tre Holloman gave college basketball fans a preview of the madness to come in March when the men’s tournament begins.
The No. 8 team in the nation was locked in a battle against the No. 16 Maryland Terrapins. The two Big Ten Conference teams were tied at 55 apiece. Terrapins guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie missed his chance at a go-ahead bucket when the Spartans rebounded.
Holloman got the ball in his hands and launched it from around 65 feet and nailed the shot. His Spartans teammates were jubilant as the crowd in College Park, Maryland, was left silent.
Michigan State won the game, 58-55.
"Every day at home, the night before a game, that last practice, we have the guys go around. Everybody gets a shot at a half-court shot. The last two games, Tre has made two of them. He’s made one (before) each game," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said. "I thought that thing was in when it left. I really did."
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s policies regarding transgender participation in girls' sports as another issue appeared to arise.
A triple-jump record was broken in California girls high school track and field last weekend, sparking the latest debate about trans-inclusion in girls' sports. The issue came as California bucked President Donald Trump’s executive order keeping biological males out of girls’ and women’s sports.
Navratilova, who has championed fairness in women’s sports, took a shot at Newsom on X.
"Seems fair to me, right??? Hey gov. Newsom- @CAgovernor- this is not ok!!! This is not what one would call progressive. In fact it’s regressive AF," she wrote.
The California Interscholastic Federation was among the high school governing bodies in the U.S. that announced plans to continue to allow trans athletes to compete in women’s sports despite Trump’s order and the NCAA’s own policy change – which has also been criticized.
Minnesota and Maine also joined California’s stance.
Attorney General Pam Bondi warned those states earlier this week to comply with Trump’s order or face legal action.
"This Department of Justice will hold accountable states and state entities that violate federal law," Bondi wrote in a letter first obtained by Fox News. "Indeed, we have already begun to do so."
Bondi was referring to the Justice Department’s move to sue Illinois and New York earlier in February for defying federal immigration laws.
"We also stand ready to sue states and state entities that defy federal antidiscrimination laws," Bondi wrote.
Trump directed the Justice Department and the Education Department to prioritize enforcement actions against athletic associations that deny girls an equal opportunity to participate in sports and athletic events by requiring them to compete against boys. Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from Maine schools over its gender-participation policy, which sparked a spat with Gov. Janet Mills last week.
In California, Bondi said the state "should be on notice," amid the Department of Education’s Title IX investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation.
"If the Department of Education’s investigation shows that the Federation is indeed denying girls an equal opportunity to participate in sports and athletic events by requiring them to compete against boys, the Department of Justice stands ready to take all appropriate action to enforce federal law," Bondi wrote.
Bondi said the Justice Department "only wants states and state entities to comply with the law."
"And federal law requires giving girls an equal opportunity to participate in sports and athletic events by ensuring that girls need to compete only with other girls, not with boys," Bondi wrote.
Bondi told Fox News that "this Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law."
"We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s Executive Order protecting women’s sports," she said.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman, Jake Gibson and David Spunt contributed to this report.
"I maintain I did not act inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session, nor have I ever been told I am unwelcome at any massage therapy provider. These claims are simply not true."
Those are the words of Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker in an exclusive statement to OutKick, his first public comments to the media since the initial accusations.
Since January, a total of 16 massage therapists have accused Tucker of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior during sessions from 2012 to 2016 at eight spas in and around Baltimore. Initially, six accusers were included in a report from the Baltimore-area publication The Banner on January 30.
NFL investigators were in Baltimore last week speaking to some of the accusers, ESPN reports. The Ravens could not be reached for comment for this story, but earlier this week at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, general manager Eric DeCosta called the allegations "serious and concerning."
Tucker and his legal counsel, led by Joe Terry of Williams & Connolly's First Amendment practice group, deny all allegations and say they are determined to clear Tucker's name.
"Throughout the last four weeks, I have spent countless hours replaying every interaction I have had with bodywork professionals over the last thirteen years," Tucker told OutKick. "I can assure whoever is reading this that I have never intended to disrespect anyone, cross any boundary, or make anyone feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever."
"It devastates me to know that anyone I have worked with would not have felt respected and valued as a professional, but more importantly as a person, and to anyone who has felt otherwise, I am sorry," Tucker said in his statement, the full text of which can be found below. "I want you to know I am committed to ensuring that everyone I interact with continues to feel that I respect them and care about them as a human being."
Tucker said he began outside massage therapy in 2012 during his rookie season in Baltimore. He said at the time that the Ravens did not provide the services. After years of visiting local spas for his treatments, Tucker says he signed up for in-house massage therapy from RPMotion Therapy, LLC, in the summer of 2016 after buying a home in the suburbs of Baltimore. He and his wife, Amanda, had previously lived in the city in a condo at Ritz-Carlton Residences – where a therapist recently accused him of "exposing himself" during a massage session in 2013.
"G. gave Tucker two massages at the Ritz-Carlton in 2013 and said he repeatedly exposed himself and that she employed an intense massaging technique hoping to make him stop. ‘It was like a game’ for him, she said, adding that he exposed himself ‘more than I could count." She ended the first massage early, she said. After the second massage, he left behind what she believed to be ejaculate. ’It wasn’t sweat. You could tell what it was,' she said," the Baltimore Banner reports.
In response, Tucker's counsel references two sworn declarations from the previous owners of the Ritz-Carlton spa, disputing the accusations levied, which Outkick obtained.
His lawyer also cited Tucker's meticulous tax documents that the kicker kept of each massage session he attended, which they say show him attending the various salons in question well after his alleged misconduct. OutKick wasn't shown these documents.
In one specific instance, Tucker's counsel said the kicker appeared for 14 different sessions at The QG salon in downtown Baltimore after alleged misbehavior. His legal team provided an email statement from one of the accusers telling him it had been "a pleasure working with you" when he canceled his membership on January 5, 2016.
Through an attorney, the owner of QG, Craig Martin, told The Banner he was unaware of any complaints against Tucker.
Tucker and his attorney also deny claims from the salon owners of the now-closed Studio 921 and Ojas that he was banned over his alleged behavior. According to the Baltimore Banner, the owner of Apothecary was the only other spa owner of the eight to confirm hearing about a specific allegation cited against Tucker.
Per his lawyer, Tucker attended the Ojas seven times in 2014 and Studio 921 18 times from 2013 to 2015. Tucker was accused by a therapist at Studio 921, according to The Banner, of "[being] erect for most of the massage session and regularly sought to expose his genitals."
The Banner reported that he was banned from the establishment, but Tucker's lawyers pointed out that Studio 921, which closed in 2023, posted a promotional picture of Tucker on the website Trip Advisor a year after he was allegedly banned. The post remained on the site throughout the life of the business, as seen here.
Perry told OutKick that Tucker's wife, Amanda, had recommended several of the salons to her spouse as they frequently scheduled couples' sessions. Amanda called all the allegations against her husband "false" in an exclusive statement to OutKick:
"The false allegations against Justin have caused so much hurt to our family. I believe my husband, and I love and support him fully."
When asked about the details provided by Tucker's attorneys, Michael Belsky and Catherine Dickinson, the SBWD law firm partners representing most of Tucker's accusers, provided us with the following statement:
"We do not represent the spa owners, only the affected therapists. Whether the owners acted appropriately and in protection of their respective employees when faced with complaints is a question better directed to the them."
Justin Tucker's full statement to OutKick:
From the moment I first arrived in Baltimore in 2012, I felt embraced and supported by this amazing community, which I have come to love so much. Both on and off the football field, I have strived to reciprocate that love and support through hard work and dedication to my sport. I have sought to treat everyone with kindness, dignity, and respect, and to set the type of positive example that makes my family proud to call me a father, husband, and friend and encourages members of this community to be proud to call me one of their own.
It is with all of that in mind that the allegations against me are so shocking and heart-breaking. I maintain I did not act inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session, nor have I ever been told I am unwelcome at any massage therapy provider. These claims are simply not true. Throughout the last four weeks, I have spent countless hours replaying every interaction I have had with bodywork professionals over the last thirteen years. I can assure whoever is reading this that I have never intended to disrespect anyone, cross any boundary, or make anyone feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever. It devastates me to know that anyone I have worked with would not have felt respected and valued as a professional, but more importantly as a person, and to anyone who has felt otherwise, I am sorry. I want you to know I am committed to ensuring that everyone I interact with continues to feel that I respect them and care about them as a human being.
Since I began working as a professional athlete, I came to recognize the importance of receiving consistent professional bodywork. By investing my time and resources to restorative bodywork — with licensed therapists at respected places of business and at my home — during the times where I’m most active as a football player, I have experienced considerable health and athletic performance benefits. Physical therapy and massage therapy are a large part of why I’ve been consistently healthy and available during the football season. In fact, both my wife and I continue to count so many of those professionals as our friends. I absolutely respect the massage therapy profession and more so the individuals who work as massage therapists.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith seemingly agreed with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stance on paying yearly property taxes.
DeSantis proposed the idea of getting rid of property taxes in the state as he talked about establishing a Department of Government Efficiency-like task force to help trim the state’s spending.
"Just for being on your property, you’ve got to write a check to the government every year, so you’re basically paying rent to the government to live on your own property," DeSantis said, via Florida Voice News.
"There’s homestead stuff that helps protect you to a certain extent, but you’re paying more, and a lot of people can’t afford that, so I think that’s a big issue, and I know we’re going to be really looking at ways to bring people relief from that, because I think it’s been really something that’s pinching a lot of homeowners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes," he added.
Smith reacted with one emoji on X, suggesting the Republican governor was on point.
"Property taxes are local, not state. So we’d need to do a constitutional amendment (requires 60% of voters to approve) to eliminate them (which I would support) or even to reform/lower them," he wrote in a social media post.
"We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60%. I agree that taxing land/property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation."
Fox News’ Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Four years prior to representing the United States in the 2024 Summer Olympics, several members of that team - LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid and Bam Adebayo - took part in kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice; Stephen Curry took part in 2021, hours after the Capitol riots.
Upon doing so, there were calls that the two were disrespecting a country that they in fact did not want to be a part of. However, representing the Stars and Stripes on the biggest stage seems to say otherwise.
James and Davis' quest for a gold medal this past summer was featured in a new Netflix documentary, titled "Court of Gold," that followed the American, French, Serbian and Canadian national teams out in Paris.
Director Jake Rogal said he never discussed politics with any of the players, but he was certainly able to tell that they did not take representing their country for granted, despite issues they may have had with it in the past.
"I think you have pride in where you're from, even if you're not happy with how things are," Rogal said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "I think that we're in a polarizing, tumultuous environment. And I think that no matter what, whether you like it or not, this is where you're from, and you want to put your best foot forward in representing that."
It sure seems like most American-born NBA players would prefer the league titles over gold medals, but in the moment, it sure looked hard to tell. In crunch time, especially in the semifinals and finals, anybody could easily see just how important those games were.
However, Rogal said the players find it impossible to compare the two phenomenons.
"I don't know if they compare them, because we asked a question that's similar, and the answer we got back pretty consistently was that they're two different experiences, so you can't compare them," Rogal said. "The NBA championship is a whole season, and you're building up to that, and it's your job. The Olympics are for your country, and it's a quick hit, and it's like, while it's the same sport, it's two different accomplishments … I don't think they're comparable. I think they're both special in their own right for their own reasons."
The Olympics were a far cry from, say, the All-Star break. The closing minutes of the gold medal game, when Stephen Curry lit it up and carried the Americans to the gold, peaked at 22.7 million viewers. It was the most-watched gold medal game since 1996; however, this year's All-Star Game was the second-lowest rated since the turn of the century, with an average of just 4.7 million viewers.
The NBA festivities were trumped by the NHL's 4 Nations tournament, as over 9 million took in the USA-Canada final (although fights and political tensions certainly played roles).
Nonetheless, given the emotions of these past Olympics, Rogal does feel, though, that NBA players would be all for following the NHL's footsteps by introducing an international tournament for the All-Star break.
"I think any time you include country, it raises the stakes. It makes things more appealing. It adds emotion right away. It adds competitiveness," said Rogal. "So, I think getting country competition in the mix at any point is smart. Whether that's at an All-Star Game or at an Olympics, I think that you would get a more competitive response if you do add country into it because it's so personal. I think it could be appealing to them."
William Byron’s Daytona 500 celebration took a detour on the way to the Empire State Building this month as he drove through WWE’s "Monday Night Raw" first.
Byron was seen driving the No. 24 car into the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. He popped out of the vehicle along with WWE star A.J. Styles. Byron was then spotted on the broadcast with a WWE championship strapped onto his shoulder.
He told Fox News Digital it was the first time he’s been to a show.
"It was something that I definitely wanted to do," he said. "I thought it was really cool. So, it was neat. I never have been to ‘Monday Night Raw’ before. But I really enjoyed it. It was pretty fun."
Byron said he was a fan of pro wrestling growing up and has a newfound respect for the sport after getting to see it up close for the first time.
"I think it’s really cool. I watched a lot when I was younger: The Undertaker and all the different wrestlers," he said. "So I think it’s pretty neat. I definitely grew a lot of appreciation for it when I got to see it in person. It was pretty exciting, really."
He became a brand ambassador for CELSIUS in the days before the green flag dropped.
"It’s a pretty natural fit for me, just working out pretty often and training for the races, and Celsius encourages all of us to live fit," he said. "So I feel like it’s a really important partnership for me because I use the product a lot, and so I think it fits really well."
A wild story came out of New Jersey high school wrestling over the weekend, as Anthony Knox Jr., the No. 1-ranked 126-pound wrestler in the country, was detained after a brawl involving his dad and other fans at a district tournament.
While his short-term future in the sport has been affected, the long term is a different story for Knox.
Knox had already won his match at the NJ District 25 Wrestling Tournament at Collingswood High School, which pushed him down the path to winning his fourth straight state title in his weight class.
However, after the 190-pound final, a brawl started in the stands, which saw Anthony Knox Sr. at the center of it. His son was seen in video footage of the brawl sprinting up the bleachers to join in.
When the dust settled, both Knox Sr. and Knox Jr. were arrested, according to Jersey Sports Zone.
Knox Jr. has since been disqualified from participating in the state tournament in Atlantic City, but his future at Cornell University, the school he committed to as the next step of his wrestling career, came into question.
Mike Grey, Cornell’s wrestling coach, told NJ.com that he had a "tough conversation" with Knox Jr., and he will still be wrestling for the university in the future.
It may not come next season, as the report added that Knox has discussed taking a year off before enrolling in 2026-27.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) released a statement regarding Knox, explaining their decision to disqualify him from the state tournament.
"Earlier today, I informed the Saint John Vianney High School administration that the student-athlete wrestling in the 126-pound weight class has been disqualified from the NJSIAA wrestling state tournament," NJSIAA Executive Director Colleen Maguire said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"The disqualification was the result of my investigation into an incident that occurred on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at the district tournament hosted at Collingswood High School. I have determined that the disqualified student-athlete violated both the association’s sportsmanship policy and its disqualification rule for leaving the bench area during an altercation.
"I would like to thank the administrators and coaches from our member schools and those spectators who provided written statements and videos to assist the investigation. I also would like to thank event staff security and the Collingswood Police Department for their efficient handling of this incident, which allowed the tournament to be completed without further incident.
"I did not make this decision lightly. I am fully aware of the consequences to the student-athlete. He is a senior, and this disqualification effectively ends his high school career. However, my role is to uphold the integrity of high school athletics by ensuring that all participants adhere to the same rules and are held to the same standards of sportsmanship and safety.
"Let it be clear, the association cannot, and will not, condone actions that violate its sportsmanship policy or its member school-approved rules."
"As many of you know, I have been disqualified from my next two matches due to an unfortunate incident that occurred in the stands at Collingswood HS well after I had finished competing at the district tournament," Knox Jr. wrote. "Like anyone, my only concern at that time was protecting the safety of my family. While I respect the NJSIAA’s decision, my family and I are currently reviewing our options to determine the best course of action moving forward.
"I am disappointed in this outcome, but remain happy and grateful for the opportunities I’ve had. l am committed to supporting my teammates still representing our school and the sport of wrestling with the same passion and dedication that got us here. No matter what happens next, I will continue to train, compete, and push myself to be the best wrestler and person I can be as I continue my career onward at Cornell University.
"Thank you all for your continued love and support. It truly means the world to me. I’m more motivated than ever and excited to prove to everyone what I already know, that I’m the best there is."
EXCLUSIVE: Former San Jose State University volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser is finishing her final semester of college virtually in her home state of Texas after alleged on-campus harassment, online threats and mental health issues that stemmed from the scandal that rocked the school's volleyball program last fall.
Slusser, who is currently suing the school over her alleged experience with former transgender teammate Blaire Fleming, told Fox News Digital that she and her family made the decision because she did not feel safe on the Bay Area campus anymore.
"I would just be walking, and I'd have people say things to me, like I had one girl just scream ‘f--- you!’ to me," Slusser said. "I was in the elevator one time at my apartment and some girls, as they were walking out, were like ‘oh, that’s the girl, you should have slapped her when you had the chance,' so those types of things happened.
"I literally just didn't feel safe. Anytime I left the house, I felt like people were just like staring at me, I felt like I had to watch my back whenever I was on campus."
The college senior first joined Riley Gaines' lawsuit against the NCAA in September, alleging SJSU volleyball coaches and administrators withheld information about Fleming's birth sex from her during their first season together in 2023, all while being made to share changing and sleeping spaces with the trans athlete.
In November, Slusser filed her own lawsuit against SJSU and the Mountain West alongside 11 other conference players and one of her former coaches, alleging Fleming conspired with an opposing player to have her spiked in the face during a match. That lawsuit also alleged head coach Todd Kress tried to have Slusser removed from the team.
Despite this, Slusser continued to play for Kress and alongside Fleming, all while being regularly outspoken in advocating against trans athlete inclusion in women's sports. Her advocacy garnered national media attention.
However, with that attention later came fear for her safety. Slusser alleges that she received multiple threats leading up to her decision to leave campus this semester.
"I had some threats coming in too, so you never know what people will do," Slusser said. "People threatened to confront me on campus, and just those types of things."
However, Slusser added that she did not report most of these incidents to the university administrators.
"I didn't because everything that was happening, it almost became like a norm, so I can't really do anything about what people are saying to me, and as long as they aren't laying their hands on me they can say whatever they want," she said.
San Jose State is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for potential Title IX violations that occurred during the program's handling of Fleming, and university President Cynthia Teniente-Matson told Fox News Digital that the university will cooperate in the process.
In the 2024 election cycle, 98.71% of San José State University employee donations went to Democratic candidates in federal elections, while just 0.91% went to Republicans, according to data from Open Secrets.
A San Jose State spokesperson provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing Slusser's situation, insisting the university would have taken action had the matter been reported. She simply opted to return home instead.
"San José State takes these matters seriously and would follow-up on any complaints or issues that are reported to us or we have information about," the statement read. However, for Slusser, even if the university had taken action to address the threats, the mental toll of the experience with Fleming and her coaches weighed too heavily on her to remain in California.
"It was probably the most traumatizing thing I've ever gone through in my life," Slusser said. "I was so drained, and I feel like for so long, I was just running on the adrenaline of trying to get through it and I honestly would say I was kind of numb to everything for a while, and I really did lose myself. I'd like to consider myself a pretty happy person, and I wasn't that person for a while."
Slusser is not the only one from last year's team who has distanced themselves from the university in the aftermath of the scandal. Nearly every player from the 2024 squad that had remaining NCAA eligibility entered the transfer portal shortly after the season ended in December.
Former assistant head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who was the only coach on staff to speak out against the university's handling of Fleming and filed a Title IX complaint against the school, did not have her contract renewed by SJSU after it expired in January.
Batie-Smoose then suffered a vandalism incident when her home was shot at by a pellet gun earlier this month. Police have not determined a suspect or motivation, but Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital she believes she was targeted for her recent advocacy against trans inclusion.
For Slusser, however, the silver lining to the experience lies in the national impact she has made in the conversation surrounding trans inclusion in women's sports and recent legislative changes that have been made to address it.
"I went through a lot having to do this, but there still isn't a second where I've second-guessed it or wished I had never done this. It was hard but I knew it would be.. and there's still so much that needs to be changed, but there's definitely great baby steps in the right direction," Slusser said.
President Donald Trump passed the "No Men in Women's Sports Act" on Feb. 5, and one day later, the NCAA amended its gender eligibility policy in response to the order.
Still, many states in the U.S., including California, have refused to comply with Trump's executive order so far and are continuing to allow trans athletes to compete in women's and girls' sports.
"I get DMs from younger athletes weekly basically saying ‘I’m going through this, I've seen everything that's happened to you, how did you handle it?' and it makes me so sad that even young ladies in athletics are having to go through this so much," Slusser said.
"It honestly makes me so angry because I just genuinely don't comprehend how someone can not understand it this strong… It boggles my mind that they are still even trying to fight for it when everyone knows it's wrong."
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is set to get a vote in the U.S. Senate within the next week after passing in the House of Representatives, as Republican lawmakers aim to establish a stricter national precedent to clamp down on trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports across the country.
However, the bill will need support from several Democratic senators in order to beat the filibuster and make it to Trump's desk.
The new football year is nearly upon us, and NFL teams searching for a reliable QB1 will have several palatable options long before they get to draft night.
There are a number of quarterback-needy teams following this offseason — some in search of a starter, others in search of a reliable veteran.
Regardless of the need, this year’s free agency market appears to have a little something for everyone.
Sam Darnold, once a sought-after pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, finds himself atop the quarterback options in free agency after a breakout season with the Minnesota Vikings.
After signing a $10 million, one-year deal with Minnesota, Darnold led the Vikings on an impressive run throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He became the first quarterback to win 14 games in his first season with a team and just the fourth in NFL history to have at least 12 games with multiple touchdown passes and passer rating of at least 100 in a season.
Despite a rough finish, which included a playoff loss, Darnold will likely be a starter regardless of where he lands — which could very well still be in Minnesota.
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t had a solid quarterback option since Ben Rothelisberger’s retirement in 2022. This year, the team had two viable options but neither truly panned out.
Justin Fields is one of them.
Fields joined the Steelers last season after being traded away by the Chicago Bears. Despite losing the starting role to Russell Wilson, Fields started the season after Wilson was sidelined after re-aggravating an injury.
The two split time in the season, with Wilson ultimately taking over again in the final stretch of the season. Fields finished the season with six starts and 1,106 passing yards, five touchdowns and 1 interception in 10 games.
The Steelers expressed Tuesday their desire to sign one of the two quarterbacks due to enter free agency. Exactly who that is remains a mystery, but Wilson will surely be the more sought-after option if he does hit free agency.
After healing from a calf injury sustained during training camp, Wilson returned as starter for the final 11 games of the 2024 season. He completed 63.7% of his passes for 2,482 yards, with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 155 yards and two scores.
Despite his accolades and consistency, team president Art Rooney II has said that age could play a factor in the team’s decision. Moving on from Wilson would clear the veteran to reunite with former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who joined the Raiders last month.
Not yet a free agent, Aaron Rodgers will likely land a starting job if he chooses to return next season. With one year left on his contract, he’ll likely be released after the NFL's new league year begins on March 12 as a designated post-June 1 cut.
The Jets again fell short even with a four-time league MVP, but Rodgers still put up respectful numbers — 3,897 passing yards and 28 touchdowns.
Bill Belichick has always asked a lot of his players while coaching the New England Patriots, whether it was a Super Bowl, a regular-season game or just a training camp practice.
One former Patriot said he witnessed Belichick’s stern coaching almost immediately after getting drafted.
"I guess we’ll start with how Bill put me in fat camp," ex-Pats running back Stevan Ridley, a third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by New England, said on the "Games with Names" podcast with Julian Edelman.
Ridley said Belichick put him in "fat camp" because he was "overweight" for an NFL running back coming out of LSU.
So, how much weight did Belichick want Ridley to cut?
"You have that meeting where you come in there, and you’re a rookie. And he gives you your playing weight. And he brought me into the office because I go into the weight room, and [former Patriots strength coach Harold] Nash said, ‘Hop on the scale, Ridley,'" Ridley told Edelman.
"I hopped on the scale, and I’m about 235, 238 pounds. I played at LSU around 230 as a running back. Eight pounds is a lot, bro."
Ridley said the Patriots obviously knew he was a bigger running back, and he clearly did something to be drafted in the third round.
But Ridley claims Belichick told him he had to get his playing weight down to 220 pounds.
"How? I said, ‘You’re tripping, bro.' I said, ‘Nah,’" Ridley recalled. "[Nash] said, ‘Don’t ask me. I’m telling you what the boss man said.’"
Ridley went to Belichick’s office to hear from the head coach himself.
"I walked in and said, ‘Coach, I need to talk to you about this weight. And he said, ‘What’s the number? I can’t really remember what I had.' Two-twenty, that’s impossible. And he looked at me, and he said, ‘Well, Rid, I mean, really, I think it’s only about $563 per pound per day that you’re overweight. So, it’s really up to you.’
"I can do quick math. I’m a third-round draft pick, I ain’t got money like that. So, fat camp I went."
Ridley got to working on his weight, and it paid dividends after he made it to Belichick’s preferred playing weight of 220.
Despite what Ridley thought at first, it worked out for him.
"Quick as a cat, man," he said, laughing, when Edelman asked how he felt. "Freaking nasty, dude. Once I got to that playing weight, I was like, ‘Hey, Bill knows what the hell he’s talking about.’"
Ridley played four years in New England, running for 2,817 yards, including 1,263 his sophomore campaign during the 2012 season, which included 12 of his 22 career rushing touchdowns with the Patriots. Ridley was a part of the 2014 Patriots squad that shockingly defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the 2015 Super Bowl thanks to Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception.
Ridley then played for the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers after his Super Bowl-winning final season in New England.
A group of surfers, lifeguards, and other concerned individuals recently gathered around American pro surfer Makai McNamara after he was knocked unconscious. McNamara was wiped out by a massive wave at Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii, which is widely considered one of the world's most dangerous surf breaks.
According to Island News, McNamara was a frequent Banzai Pipeline visitor and was hit by the large wave this past Sunday. The aforementioned group of responders helped McNamara reach safety on the shore.
Eli Olson, who also surfs professionally and is described as a friend of McNamara, said the ordeal was a "freak accident."
"It was just a bad wave, kind of a freak accident, and he went head first into the reef," Olson told Island News. He also described McNamara as "one of the best [surfers] out there."
Olson estimated McNamara was underwater for two minutes before anyone was able to reach him. He also noted that responders attempted "CPR compressions" during the rescue.
"He was underwater for close to two minutes before I got to him. First thing, I just wanted to like keep his head above water so he didn't take more water in," Olson said. "I gave him a couple [of] breaths. Try to give him a couple [of] compressions."
He added, "We're getting hit by waves out here. We're getting kind of recycled in the waves and then we got him in life first, did another round of CPR compressions, and he started coughing up water."
McNamara was able to eventually regain consciousness when he was "brought him back to life on the sand," Surfer reported. McNamara was later transported to a local hospital where medical personnel placed him in an induced coma for three days.
McNamara's father Liam provided an update on his son's status 24 hours after the harrowing incident.
"It's been 24 hours since the incident, and he's on his road to recovery," he said in a video posted to Instagram. "He feels your energy. He feels your love. He feels your positive vibes, and we appreciate each and every one of you for your support."
"I thank the lifeguards and everybody who helped, so many people. Thank you so much for helping save my son," Liam continued.
"The next two days he’ll be here in the hospital, and we just need the continued prayers and positive energy," he added. "Makai's a strong young man, and he's going to get through this."
Meanwhile, Olson described the rescue as a "team effort" and expressed his hopes that Mcnamara makes a "full recovery."
"All that matters is Makai makes a full recovery and we can laugh and share waves with him soon," Olson noted via Instagram Stories.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is proud of the polarizing "tush push" and finds that calls to ban the play are "a little insulting."
Speaking to the media at the 2025 NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Sirianni addressed the recent controversy surrounding the Eagles' signature play.
For Sirianni, the Eagles have perfected the play, making it look easy. But make no mistake, that has required a ton of work.
"I almost feel a little insulted because we work so hard at that play. The amount of things that we’ve looked into how to coach that play, the fundamentals, there’s a thousand plays out there, but it comes down to how you teach the fundamentals and how the players go through and do with the fundamentals."
He continued, "It’s a little insulting to say, ‘We’re good at it so it's automatic.’ We work really hard at it."
The "tush push" has become a favorite for Philadelphia in the red zone. Quarterback Jalen Hurts scored the first touchdown of Super Bowl LIX utilizing the play. But for some around the league, the play has become an issue.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday that his team submitted a proposal to ban the play, which will be reviewed by the NFL Competition Committee. The play has previously been discussed, but this marks the first formal complaint to ban it all together.
Other teams have attempted to use the play, but none as successful as the Eagles.
And Sirianni doesn’t believe they should be punished for that.
"There’s just so much time put into it. The fact that it's a successful play for the Eagles and people want to take that away, I think is a little unfair."
After previously referring to Wayne Gretzky as the "governor of Canada," President Donald Trump has declared the NHL legend a "free agent."
Justin Trudeau announced his plan to resign as Canada's prime minister earlier this year, prompting Trump to ask Gretzky if he wanted to be the country's "governor" after Trump called for Canada to become the "51st state."
However, Trump said in a Truth Social post Wednesday his "friend" is "somewhat ‘low key' about Canada remaining a separate Country, rather than becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State."
"Wayne Gretzky is a fantastic guy! They call him, ‘The Great One,’ and he is. He could run for any political office in Canada, and win. Wayne is my friend, and he wants to make me happy, and is therefore somewhat ‘low key’ about Canada remaining a separate Country, rather than becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State, paying much Lower Taxes, a Free and Powerful Military, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economy," Trump wrote on Wednesday.
"Wayne and Janet, his wonderful wife, love Canada, and they should only support Canada, and whatever else makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy. He’s the Greatest Canadian of them all, and I am therefore making him a ‘free agent,’ because I don’t want anyone in Canada to say anything bad about him.
"He supports Canada the way it is, as he should, even though it’s not nearly as good as it could be as part of the Greatest and Most Powerful Country in the World, the Good Ole’ U.S.A.!"
While speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago last month, Trump said Gretzky was "not too interested" in becoming Canada's "governor," but "he probably would have liked statehood."
Gretzky attended a victory party for Trump's 2024 election win after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris. Gretzky was spotted wearing a MAGA hat shortly afterward and attended Trump's inauguration.
The NHL's all-time points leader was named Canada's honorary captain for the 4 Nations Face-Off final against the Americans. Canadian and American fans booed each other's national anthem during the tournament due to political tensions between the countries.
There's a fairly decent chance that Max Scherzer, 40, is out of the majors by the time it's implemented full-time (although commissioner Rob Manfred wants it next year). But he got a glimpse of the system in his spring training debut on Tuesday.
One of Scherzer's pitches was challenged by a batter (the batter won), and Scherzer was clearly annoyed by the fiasco — while the system is in its rookie stages, it's taking a little bit longer than the 17-second average it's taken in the minors.
Later on, the new Toronto Blue Jay seemed to sarcastically challenge a pitch of his own — he lost.
"I'm a little skeptical on this. I get what we're trying to do here, but I think major league umpires are really good," Scherzer said after his outing. "They're really good. So what are we actually changing here? We know there are going to be strikes that are changed to balls, and balls that are changed to strikes. ... So we're going to basically be even. So are we actually doing to improve the game? Are the umpires really that bad? I don't think so."
"Can we just play baseball?" he added. "We're humans. Can we just be judged by humans? Do we really need to disrupt the game? I think humans are defined by humans."
This spring, teams will get two challenges per game, but are able to retain each challenge won. Only the batter, pitcher, or catcher can challenge a call, and it must be immediately after the call with no help from the bench or other players.
It is yet another big change to the sport commissioned by Manfred, who implemented a pitch timer, larger bases, and shift limits in 2023. However, fans seem to like the changes, as attendance increased in each of the last two years.
Taylor Swift watched the Kansas City Chiefs' hopes of a three-peat fizzle earlier this month when the Philadelphia Eagles steamrolled the Chiefs to win the 2025 Super Bowl.
Swift traveled to New Orleans in support of the Chiefs and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. At one point, Swift was shown on the Caesars Superdome big screen at the game.
Some fans inside the building appeared to disapprove of Swift's presence and promptly directed some loud boos at the music star. During his visit to Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid complimented how Swift handled criticism.
Reid described Swift as a "good girl," saying she has used the right approach when she's faced scrutiny.
"She’s a good girl," Reid told Pro Football Talk. "She handles that whole thing the right way. That’s a tough deal. She does a great job of handling it."
Reid also lauded Kelce for his response to the increased noise.
"Kelce, I think, does a great job with handling it," the coach added.
Reid suggested that critiques of NFL players' loved ones often come with the territory.
"She’s part of the team and, like the other girlfriends and wives, they’re part of it. And that’s all part of the process."
The boos targeting Swift appeared to coincide with some of the boos Chiefs players had to contend with from a seemingly pro-Eagles crowd as they emerged from the tunnel before the Super Bowl kicked off.
Swift and Kelce have maintained a relatively low profile since the Super Bowl. On Feb. 18, the "New Heights" podcast announced there would not be a new episode that week.
"No new episode this week, but WE’LL BE BACK with offseason episodes with amazing guests soon," the podcast's official account posted to social media.
Travis and Jason Kelce routinely post new episodes of the podcast on a weekly basis.
Much of the chatter about Travis lately has been about whether he will return to the Chiefs next season. During a recent "New Heights" episode, Kelce said he was "kicking every can I can down the road" as it relates to his retirement decision. He turns 36 in October.
Reid said he urged Kelce to take some time to "get away" before making a decision about his football future.
"I told him ‘Get away. Don’t think about all that. Just relax man. Chill down, and then we got time for that," Reid said at the combine. "I know it’s out there that there is a deadline, but he and I talk all the time. So, I’ll figure it out from him."
The Super Bowl loss also brought Kelce's 12th NFL season to a disappointing end. He finished the regular season with 823 receiving yards, the second consecutive year the star tight end did not reach the 1,000-yard mark.
Last month, during an appearance on "The Stephen A. Smith Show," Kelce admitted his thoughts on retirement tend to fluctuate, but he plans to "reevaluate" during the offseason.
The NFL veteran also said Swift continues to offer her full support for his playing career.
"She’s fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game," Kelce told Smith. "I got all the support in the world to keep chasing these dreams."
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach suggested Kelce is leaning toward playing in 2025.
"How we left at the end of the season is that he was fired up. He has one more year under contract," Veach said.
"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 (it) as he’d be back, and we’re excited to get him back and get him going."
