Simone Biles was one of the former trainer's many sexual abuse victims; he will spend the rest of his life behind cars after abusing over 100 gymnasts, many of whom were Olympic hopefuls, let alone gold medal winners.
Biles revealed in 2018 that she was abused by Nassar, and in a hearing in 2021, she said the FBI "turned a blind eye" to the allegations.
Jordan Chiles, one of Biles' teammates, was never abused by Nassar, and while the two have made history together, Chiles said that the two have "never" spoken about his abuse of Biles.
"When that whole thing happened, trust me, I was devastated. Still, to this day, I've never talked to her about it," Chiles told People magazine. "I don't think I ever will talk to her about it, because that was her life, and you never know how hard it is on somebody.
"I think just having my presence was the best thing that I could give to her, rather than sitting down somewhere and having a whole conversation because that's very devastating. If we ever have the conversation, I would literally probably cry."
"She is a very, very strong woman," Chiles added. "We both had the same goals. We both had things that we wanted to accomplish, and look at her now, she's a three-time Olympian, she has a husband, she's a dog mom. She's done great things, and she gets to continue on her life without having to really focus on what her past was."
Nassar, who was the lead doctor of the US women's national gymnastics team from 1996 to 2014, was jailed in 2018, and at least 500 people have accused Nassar of assault, dating back to his time at Michigan State.
For the first time in his NFL career, Brock Purdy will have a different quarterbacks coach.
The San Francisco 49ers announced their coaching staff for the 2025 season on Tuesday, and Brian Griese was not on the staff as quarterbacks coach.
The reason for Griese’s absence from the coaching staff is because he decided to end his coaching career after three seasons, per the San Francisco Chronicle.
Griese, 49, was instrumental in the 49ers drafting Purdy, as he gave the former Iowa State quarterback his top grade of all quarterbacks in the 2022 draft, despite being the last pick of the draft.
Griese and then assistant quarterbacks coach Klay Kubiak spoke with Purdy via Zoom in a pre-draft interview.
"I know that we valued the fact that Brock was selfless," Griese said via the San Francisco Chronicle. "He was humble. Relationships mattered to him. You can tell pretty quickly if a quarterback is about lifting up other people around him. Or if it’s about him."
In addition to his selflessness and leadership, Griese also thought highly of Purdy’s accuracy.
Griese nearly stepped away after his first season coaching, but after weighing family considerations, he decided to return.
Now, two seasons after initially thinking about stepping away, Griese has left the team.
Griese passed up on a head coaching interview with the New York Jets for their then-vacant head coaching position earlier this offseason, and now it makes sense as to why he skipped out on the interview.
The 49ers promoted Mick Lombardi, a senior offensive assistant with the team last year, to quarterbacks coach. Lombardi was the Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator for two seasons.
Griese played in the NFL for 11 seasons, winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in 1999. Griese also made the Pro Bowl in 2000.
Across his 11-year career, Griese had 83 career starts and was 45-38, throwing for 19,440 yards with 119 touchdowns and 99 interceptions in his career.
Following his playing career, Griese was an ESPN analyst for 12 seasons and joined the 49ers coaching staff straight from the booth.
The 49ers faltered last season, going 6-11 and last in the NFC West after making the Super Bowl the previous season.
The team will turn to Purdy to help engineer a turnaround, but the quarterback will have to do without Griese by his side.
A win for the Los Angeles Lakers turned ugly afterward as fans brawled outside the arena after the game.
New Lakers point guard Luka Doncic faced his former Dallas Mavericks in Southern California earlier this week, and Doncic reminded the Mavs of what they missed out on.
After banging a three early, Doncic stared down his bench, and Lakers fans chanted "Thank you Nico" to Mavs general manager, Nico Harrison, during the Lakers' 107-99 victory.
However, it was after the game when the real fireworks occurred.
A video from after the game shows a group of people, mostly wearing all black, ganging up one a fan wearing a blue Lakers LeBron James jersey, including one of them stomping on him. As loose articles of clothing are seen scattered on the ground, at least one other fight broke out nearby.
Later on in the video, the fan in the James jersey is seen knocked out on the ground.
It is unclear whether the bulk of fans were Lakers or Mavs fans.
TMZ reports that no arrests were made, but a felony battery report was completed.
Doncic posted a triple-double in the revenge game.
Anthony Davis, who was sent to the Mavs from Los Angeles, missed the contest as he continues to deal with a groin injury he suffered in his Dallas debut earlier this month. However, he got the biggest of several standing ovations after the Lakers aired a lengthy tribute video to the star big man in the first quarter. Davis waved back at the crowd with both arms.
James helped his new teammate by scoring 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter while Los Angeles held on for its third straight win and their 13th in 16 games.
As he deals with a torn ACL that ended his 2024 season early, Stefon Diggs is now reportedly at the center of an extortion lawsuit.
The wide receiver reportedly filed a lawsuit earlier this week against Mia Jones, who starred on "Basketball Wives Orlando," and another woman, alleging extortion.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Jones punched Diggs in the chest and "threatened (him) with a deadly weapon" as Jones used him as a "tale of abuse to extort millions of dollars."
Diggs is reportedly seeking damages for "defendant misconduct and the destruction of his property."
"There were threats coming from [Jones] that he had to pay her money or she was going to go public and ruin his career," Diggs' attorney Kent Schaffer told the Houston Chronicle on Thursday. "We're kind of at the point where the threats have to stop. That's why the decision was made to go ahead and file. At some point it just has to end."
Diggs and Jones had a "casual" relationship last year before the first alleged incident on June 7, when the two women are said to have entered Diggs' apartment and "refused to leave." On that day, Diggs was allegedly punched, and his watch and gaming system were destroyed.
The women then allegedly tried to extort money from Diggs afterward, which led to "severe emotional distress," according to the Chronicle.
Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans last year, but he tore his ACL in his eighth game of the season in October; he is now a free agent. Prior to that, Diggs, 31, had six-straight 1,000-yard campaigns, leading the league in 2020 with the Buffalo Bills.
He began his career with the Minnesota Vikings, spending five seasons there before heading to Buffalo for four.
Bernie Williams, the four-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, will be down in Tampa, Florida, soon for this year's spring training to see how his old team is shaping up for another season.
While he is down there, though, there might be a pretty stark difference in terms of the appearance of those players due to the scraping of a tradition he was used to during his playing days.
Yankees general managing partner Hal Steinbrenner made the shocking announcement that the no-facial hair policy, which his father, the late George M. Steinbrenner, put in place in 1976, would be no more.
As such, Yankees players, coaches and staff members are allowed to have "well-groomed beards." Newcomers like closer Devin Williams, who has already shaved off his signature beard from his days with the Milwaukee Brewers, are among those who could start letting their facial hair grow out again.
For Williams, it will certainly take some getting used to for the Yankees being allowed to do this, which is why he told Fox News Digital that he had "mixed emotions" about this change – one that ends 50 years of a Yankees staple.
"I have some mixed emotions because, as a young player, it is kinda hard to keep that clean-cut, shaven [look] day after day," Williams said, laughing, as he also discussed his important Tune In To Lung Health initiative. "As a rebel kid playing professional sports, you get all these accolades and you feel like you’re on top of the world and you can do whatever you want.
"But I think that particular rule, first of all, it kept us together as a team – something everybody had to do. It didn’t matter how much money you were making on the team, from the rookie guy, to the highest-paid player everybody had to have that facial hair out of the way. That was one thing that was a common thing for bonding.
"The other side of the coin, it was kind of annoying to get it through day in and day out."
For Williams, the rule was something that made the Yankees stand out other than the signature pinstripes.
"We needed to have this policy, and people loved it," he explained. "‘These guys are so clean cut, and they look so nice. I’d like to be associated with that team because they have this policy, and they want to represent themselves the best way possible.’"
However, the love for the policy has clearly changed since he was last in the game in 2006, and he understands how changing times leads to changed mindsets.
"I get the fact that people are pushing back, we live in a different time, and I guess it’s kinda trendy to have a nice, well-groomed beard or facial hair," he said.
However, where Williams draws the line is where Yankees captain Aaron Judge virtually did when discussing the facial hair rule, potentially giving a free agent second thoughts on joining the organization – which has the most professional sports titles of all-time.
"I think, in my mind and I don’t know how other people take it, facial hair is just a trivial thing," Williams said, smiling. "If you’re gonna not want to play for one of the best franchises in sports because you have an issue with facial hair – I mean, some people can’t even grow a beard properly. So, I think it’s kind of a trivial point, and you have worse issues if you think, ‘I’m not going to play for the Yankees because I’m not going to cut my hair.’ That would be some other problems you have to deal with."
The Yankees are also making some changes to the music played in the Bronx after home losses, showing that the organization is looking to modernize itself a bit.
However, Williams knows the tradition and nostalgia that is the Yankees will remain.
So, perhaps introducing another jersey, something fans have debated about for years, won't be in the cards just yet.
Then again…
"I think if you do it tastefully, you kinda not try to beat people upside the head with a tremendous, sudden change. You do it progressively with good taste, I don’t see anything wrong with that," Williams said.
Williams will have to get a look at the beards first.
Bernie Williams knows many people recognize him for wearing pinstripes, hitting from both sides of the plate and winning World Series titles with the New York Yankees. It is where his main legacy lies in the game of baseball.
However, throughout the years manning centerfield for the Yankees, Williams' love for music, specifically the guitar, was always prevalent.
He recalled to Fox News Digital how, one day in the Yankees clubhouse, rock legend Bruce Springsteen was walking around meeting the players. Usually, the Yankees are the ones being asked for an autograph, but this time, Springsteen was the main attraction as he made his way through the clubhouse.
Williams did not want an autograph on a bat or baseball, though. That was too simple.
"So, I have this Fender Telecaster in my locker and I said to him, ‘Hey, would you please sign this? I’m not going to make you sign a ball or bat. I think this would be really cool,'" Williams said. "So, he signed the guitar saying, ‘To Bernie, if you ever get tired of baseball…’"
Springsteen, a wizard on stage, may have foreseen the sweet-swinging Williams getting into music in the future. It is his musical career, post-baseball, that is being used to honor his late father's legacy, while helping others along the way.
This Friday marks Rare Disease Day, and Williams spoke to Fox News Digital about his work with Tune In To Lung Health, a program created to support patients dealing with interstitial lung disease (ILD), as well as their loved ones.
ILD causes irreversible scarring of the lungs that can make it difficult to breathe – so difficult that many patients are left needing to carry oxygen tanks. The disease affects roughly 50,000 Americans each year, and it has no cure.
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Sr. died in 2001 due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a type of IDL.
"He was the one that taught me how to play baseball," Williams recalled about his father. "He was the one that taught me how to play music with my guitar and all that. All of these things come together full circle with this initiative, where I can really give back to the community, remember his legacy and do great things to my mind as well, being able to feel rewarded as I help other people navigate through these really challenging times."
This program explores how music and breathing can help people cope with both the physical and mental aspects of disease, and it has allowed Williams to connect with patients and caregivers through his music.
"Music has always been a really important part of my life, and as I’ve grown older, I can see how powerful music is in all aspects of life," he said. "You can use it for healing. If you’re emotional, it can get you through hard times. You can use it for working out. The power of music is just so vast, and for me, it just seems like a no-brainer to introduce it and to try to make it part of this campaign, which utilize the power of music to cope with a lot of these things that you have to deal with when you’re going through these interstitial lung diseases like my Dad went through when he was alive."
Through the initiative's website, Williams, who has a Latin Grammy nominee under his musical career belt, loves the different ways patients and caregivers can use music and breathing exercises to better their daily lives.
"Breathing is a huge part of [singing], using your voice as an instrument," he explained. "The application for people that really value every single breath they take and everything going on in their life is really important, too. So, having that information on hand, you can have these exercises to really improve the quality of your life."
Williams said this initiative is "very therapeutic" for him because it allows him to remember those great times with his father through his other passion in life outside of baseball.
In fact, Williams will be at the iconic Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, with his band on March 27 – MLB Opening Day – to play some tunes and have a fireside chat with fans, which will include this initiative.
The signature Jersey Shore venue is the one Springsteen got his start in. It was the start of a pathway to rock greatness, and eventually, to a professional baseball player hungry to share his own music with the world.
They would connect again down that pathway.
"20 years later, I’m playing on stage with him for one of those Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation dinners. [Springsteen] was a guest performer, and he brought me on stage, and we had this great acoustic version of ‘Glory Days’ that we played together, him and his wife. That was a great moment in my young musical career. It’s one of the things I remember and will never forget," Williams said.
Williams will also never forget the man who taught him how to strum that guitar.
"As long as I have a breath, I will try to give people information and try to educate people about what I went through and what my father went through," Williams said.
Ryan Fecteau, the Maine House of Representatives' Democratic speaker, deleted his X account early Thursday morning, just days after censuring Republican Rep. Laurel Libby.
Libby was censured by the Democratic majority Tuesday evening for a recent social media post pointing out that a transgender high school athlete won a girls competition. The censure resolution passed by a 75-70 vote and revoked Libby's speaking and voting privileges.
Fecteau said during a hearing that Libby's rights would not be restored until she apologized, but she told him that night she would not be apologizing.
Libby pointed out that Fecteau’s account had been deactivated in an X post Thursday.
"Apparently Maine’s Speaker of the House didn’t like hearing the voices of the people. … State House Speaker Ryan Fecteau has deleted his X account less than 48 hours after the Democrat Majority’s attempt to cancel me," Libby wrote with a screenshot of his deleted account page.
Fox News Digital reached out to Fecteau for comment.
Fecteau left his Facebook and Bluesky accounts active but has not addressed the situation with Libby or the deactivation of his account. Many of his posts on those platforms have been flooded with comments from those criticizing his decision to censure Libby.
"You're a coward. A spineless, feckless, coward who obviously hates young girls," one user commented on Fecteau's latest Facebook post.
"While screeching that Trump and Republicans are Nazis and want a dictatorship, you silence a Representative for voicing her constituent's valid concerns. Highlighting the usual hypocrisy of Democrats," another Facebook user commented.
Fecteau has served in his role as Maine speaker of the House since 2020. At the time of his election as speaker in December 2020, Fecteau was the youngest active state speaker in the U.S. at the age of 28 and the first openly gay person to serve as speaker of the Maine House.
On Tuesday, Fecteau passed Libby's censure based on the premise her social media post about the transgender athlete identified a minor with a photo and included the athlete's name.
Libby's post identifying the trans athlete came last Sunday when she pointed out that a transgender track and field athlete had taken first place at a Maine girls pole vault competition after competing as a boy just one year earlier.
"It's a remarkable double standard as there are public photos of this individual in many places on social media and even some posted by his school, and, so, yes, this post went viral, but this was an individual who participated in a public event, who publicly stood on a podium and accepted a championship medal that rightfully belonged to the girls standing on the second-place spot," Libby told Fox News Digital.
During Tuesday's vote, Libby also approached the House floor with a prepared seven-page speech on the importance of protecting girls and women's sports from transgender inclusion. However, throughout the night, her microphone was consistently turned off when she was trying to deliver that speech.
"I was completely unable, from my first sentence, to get a word out, before the other side was shutting me down," Libby said, adding she had never seen anything like that happen during her tenure in the Maine legislature.
Libby's revelation of the transgender athlete ignited national conversation and coverage of the state's policy on trans inclusion after Maine announced it would not comply with President Donald Trump's recent "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order.
Trump then vowed to cut funding to the state for refusing to follow his order during a gathering last week of governors at the White House.
On Friday, Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it did withhold federal funding from the state. Then, Trump and Mills verbally sparred at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of governors.
Just hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would be investigating the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports and potential Title IX violations.
While the experts debate whether NFL Draft prospect Travis Hunter should be deployed as a full-time offensive or defensive player, the former Colorado star views himself as a two-way player.
"Did some meetings at receiver. Did some meetings at DB. So, still up in the air," Hunter responded to questions at the NFL Scouting Combine about playing significant snaps on offense and defense in the pros.
"They say, 'Nobody has ever done it, for real, the way I do it,' but I tell them, 'I'm just different.'"
Hunter played wide receiver and cornerback at Jackson State and Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders. While Hunter is projected to be a top 10 draft pick, it remains unclear whether the team that selects him will view him primarily as a one-way player.
Hunter excelled on both sides of the ball in the college ranks, playing more than 700 snaps on offense and defense. He was named the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner in December.
"I do a lot of treatment," Hunter added on Thursday. "People don't get to see that part. What I do for my body to make sure I'm 100% each game. I feel like nobody has done it. I know I can do it. I did it at the college level where you really get breaks. There are a lot more breaks in the NFL."
He finished last season with a career-high 1,258 receiving yards and was credited with four interceptions as a defensive back. Those numbers contributed to Hunter earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was also the recipient of the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the season's top college football receiver.
Hunter has not participated in drills at this week's combine, but he confirmed he has interviewed with teams.
Two-way NFL players have been a rarity. Chuck Bednarik was the league's last full-time two-way athlete. Bednarik was a linebacker and offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1949-62.
Sammy Baugh and Don Hutson are also notable former two-way stars. Baugh was a quarterback, defensive back and punter. Huston spent his entire NFL career with the Green Bay Packers, playing receiver and safety. He later had a stint as a Packers assistant coach.
The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 24-26 in Green Bay.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski added Wednesday that Garrett was a part of the "present" and "future."
Garrett is under contract with the Browns for two more seasons under a five-year, $125 million extension he signed in 2020. However, he has no more guaranteed money remaining.
The Browns are coming off a 3-14 season, their worst since a 0-16 campaign in 2017, Garrett's rookie year. Quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled mightily in 2024 and tore his Achilles to end his season prematurely. He then underwent surgery on his right Achilles in January, putting into doubt his availability for the 2025 season.
Garrett has made the playoffs twice in his eight-year career. He has had double-digit sacks in seven consecutive seasons, and 14-plus in each of his last four.
Fox News' Scott Thompson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Gracie Hunt, the daughter of Kansas City Chiefs chair and CEO Clark Hunt, took a look back at the team's eventful February, which included a crushing defeat in Super Bowl LIX.
Hunt took to Instagram on Thursday and said she remained "thankful for every moment" amid reflection on some of the highs and lows she experienced during the Chiefs' playoff run.
"The February Files: Feeling thankful for every moment that shapes life’s beautiful mosaic—the tough, the painful, the joyful, and everything in between," she captioned the social media post.
The Chiefs heiress also expressed gratitude for the individuals who "make it all worthwhile."
"Most of all, I’m grateful for the incredible people who make it all worthwhile," she wrote under a photo gallery that featured some snapshots of her visit to New Orleans, the site of this year's Super Bowl.
Kansas City's hopes of winning three consecutive Vince Lombardi trophies were dashed by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jalen Hurts threw two touchdowns and was named Super Bowl MVP after the Eagles cruised to a 40-22 win over the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes had a poor showing in Super Bowl LIX, finishing the game with two interceptions.
While Hunt admitted the game's result was disappointing, she remained "proud" of the season the Chiefs had.
"Praise Him when you win. Praise Him when you lose," the former Miss Kansas USA winner began on Instagram. "It wasn’t the result we were hoping for, but so proud of this team’s heart and the incredible season we had," she wrote on Instagram on Feb. 10.
She also said Chiefs Kingdom consists of the NFL's best fans and declared the Chiefs will "be back."
The Chiefs front office will be tasked with making improvements to key areas of the roster as the team pursues a fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance.
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is set to get a vote in the U.S. Senate on Monday. The bill would establish a stronger federal precedent to keep trans athletes out of women's and girls' sports as multiple states defy President Donald Trump's recent executive order to address the issue.
But despite a Republican majority in the Senate, the bill will still need support from seven Democrats in order to beat the filibuster and reach the president's desk. In the House of Representatives, all but two Democrats voted against the bill.
For women athletes across the country who have been impacted by trans inclusion, they are holding out hope that more Democratic senators will break from the party's general stance.
Former San Jose State University volleyball player Brooke Slusser, who was at the center of a widely-publicized national controversy in the fall after suing her school, conference and the NCAA citing her experience with a trans teammate, is asking those Democrats to consider the well-being of their daughters and other young female athletes across the country.
"Do they have kids? Would they ever want their daughter having a man swinging a crazy ball straight at their face when they're a child? Maybe even unknowingly, and then they can never play sports again," Slusser told Fox News Digital of her message to those Democrats. "How can you think of that and still want to fight for something that could potentially injure and end a young athlete's career? And overall, that it's just not fair. I feel like I could go on and on to them about it. I just don't see how they could support it."
Slusser's lawsuits allege she was made to share changing and sleeping spaces with trans teammate Blaire Fleming during their first season together in 2023. After months of speaking out against trans inclusion and garnering national media attention, Slusser recently made the decision to leave SJSU's campus after facing alleged threats and harassment from other students over her stance.
Still, she doesn't regret any of it due to her activism helping to inspire legislative changes, including potentially the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
Meanwhile, fellow women's athletes Payton McNabb and Selina Soule went to the White House on Thursday to meet with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondie and several other state attorneys general across the nation to share their stories and to lobby for the national banishment of trans athletes in girls' and women's sports.
Soule is a former high school track and field athlete and four-time National Qualifier who was forced out of a regional championship due to two trans athletes taking women’s spots and who lost out on the chance to earn attention from college scouts and potential scholarships because of those snubs. It was a consequential turning point in her life that set her on the path to activism; she first started speaking out against trans inclusion to local media in 2018.
"I would tell all of those senators that are unsure about this bill to think about your daughters, think about your nieces and granddaughters. Would you want them to be forced into a situation where they have to compete against someone who is physically superior to them? Would you be okay with them sharing a bathroom, changing next to a man, sharing a bed with a man if they didn't want to?" Soule asked.
"If you say no to any of that, then vote for this bill to protect women and girls."
McNabb, a former volleyball player who received a spike to the head from a transgender player when she was 17 that caused brain trauma and a neck injury, wants to remind the Democrats that most Americans, including the majority of their own voters, oppose trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports, according to various data.
"The time is now to vote and to stand up for women and these basic rights that they deserve, because the majority of America agrees with this, and a lot of Democrats agree with this as well, but I don't understand why they won't vote on it, they try to push this agenda so hard," McNabb said. "Think about your daughters, think about every woman in your life, because this affects them and their vote matters, and they need to vote for them."
McNabb and Soule hope that their conversations with the state attorneys general on Thursday will ultimately result in conversations between those attorneys general and Democratic senators in their states, and get the bill enough votes to make it to Trump's desk.
Prominent Republican leader Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., does expect the bill to get some bipartisan support, she previously told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
"I would expect there would be, I would hope there would be," she said.
"Many of my friends who are Democrats will tell you that they think Title IX is a thing and to have biological males competing against women is inappropriate, and they want opportunities for their daughters or nieces or granddaughters, and it's frustrating to them when they hear about or witness a transgender male playing in a women's or girls' league."
A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports.
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.
When in Florida, watch out for gators on the golf course.
Unless you’re Bill Horschel.
Horschel, a Florida Gators alumnus, knows all about real-life gators meandering onto the course. That’s what happened at PGA National Thursday during the first round of the Cognizant Classic.
Horschel was spotted with his 60-degree wedge shooing a gator approaching him during his round, and he entered the clubhouse tied in 16th place with a 5-under performance.
Looking unbothered, Horschel poked at the gator, and it retreated to the water.
After the round, Horschel spoke about the moment that went viral on social media.
"I'm not afraid of gators," Horschel said, via ESPN. "Listen, as I tell most people, I said, 'They're more afraid of you.' The majority of the time, they're only going to come after you during mating season where they're a little aggressive, and then if you're around their nest when they've got some eggs. The majority of the time, they're fine."
That’s not to say Horschel wasn’t being cautious. He made sure not to aggressively try to poke the gator. He was calm and collected, just as he's been during many pressure moments during his PGA Tour career.
The gator emerged as Horschel finished his sixth hole during the round, and he found the gator while walking to the next tee box.
"He was going nowhere good," Horschel added. "So, I just went over there, helped the cop."
Horschel ended his day with four birdies, one eagle and one bogey. The bogey came on the par-4 second hole, but he eagled the par-5 third to get back under par.
Horschel birdied holes eight, nine and 10, and, after cooling off a bit on the back nine with some pars, he finished his round with a birdie on the par-5 18th.
While this would’ve been a great round in any other tournament, Horschel has some catching up to do because Jake Knapp shot an amazing 59 to put him in the lead after Round 1 at 12-under.
The closest to Knapp are Daniel Berger, Russell Henley and Sami Valimaki, all of whom are at 8-under.
Reports circulated Thursday that Travis Kelce was returning for another NFL season, and it sure seems like the reports were accurate.
While Kelce has not publicly spoken on the matter, the X page for his podcast with brother Jason Kelce posted that Travis would be returning in 2025 for his 13th season.
"From the desk of @tkelce: ITS TIME FOR YEAR 13," the post said, adding there would be a "full breakdown" on the decision on next week's episode.
Attached to the post was a video of the legendary scene from "Wolf of Wall Street" in which Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, announced he was "not f---ing leaving" after he considered resigning from Stratton Oakmont while being investigated.
The video has Kelce's face superimposed over DiCaprio's, and the faces of Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, Jason Kelce, general manager Brett Veach and owner Clark Hunt superimposed on the characters of Belfort's colleagues at the now-defunct firm.
WARNING: LANGUAGE BELOW NSFW
Pat McAfee insinuated he had spoken to Kelce via text.
"'My dog!!! I’m coming back for sure. Going to try and get into the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop,'" McAfee said during his show, saying the text was from a "source."
"'Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle!!!!'"
With Kelce seemingly returning for a 13th season, the Chiefs can go about the rest of the offseason without having to make any big additions at tight end.
Although not the offensive force he had been, Kelce last season was still productive with 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage and touchdown numbers were the lowest of Kelce’s career over a full season.
In the Chiefs' AFC divisional round win over the Houston Texans, Kelce turned back the clock with a vintage performance, catching seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.
However, in the Chiefs' defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in this month's Super Bowl, Kelce only caught four passes for 39 yards, and he made all of his receptions with the game already decided.
Kelce was open about considering retirement after the Super Bowl. Reports circulated before the game that the result of the Super Bowl could factor into Kelce's decision.
Among tight ends in NFL history, Kelce ranks third in catches (1,004) and yards (12,151) and fifth in touchdowns (77).
Fox News' Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky has been criticized by fellow Canadians for his apparent support of President Donald Trump.
Trump has drawn disdain from the country up north for saying it should become the "51st state" and initiating tariffs on Canadian goods.
Before the 4 Nations Face-Off championship between the U.S. and Canada in Boston, Gretzky was named Canada's honorary captain, and he received backlash.
That prompted hockey legend Bobby Orr, a fellow Canadian, to write in the Toronto Sun that he was disappointed when he read criticism about someone he considers one of the "greatest Canadians ever."
"How fickle can people be, when someone who has given so much time and effort to Canadian hockey is treated in such a way," Orr’s column said. "Listen, we all have our personal beliefs as they pertain to things such as religion and politics. Wayne respects your right to such beliefs – why can’t you respect his?"
Janet Gretzky, Wayne's wife, saw Orr's column, and she reacted on social media.
"Thank you Mr. Bobby Orr. Your words mean the world to Wayne and his family , i have never met anyone who is more Proud to be a Canadian and it has broken his heart to read and see the mean comments . . He would do anything to make Canadians Proud , with his Love for Hockey and his Country," Janet wrote in an Instagram post in which she shared Orr's column.
One user commented, "You cant be a great Canadian if you support trump who trying to destroy canada its that simple."
Another wrote, "Written from one Trumper for another. If Wayne is so proud, maybe he should make a public statement denouncing your friend’s call to annex his homeland. Thanks would speak louder than anything a fellow Trumper could write about him."
Trump recently said he asked Gretzky to become the next "governor of Canada" after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would be resigning.
But after Gretzky expressed support for "Canada remaining a separate Country, rather than becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State," Trump declared Gretzky a "free agent."
"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.!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Wednesday.
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 Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a major announcement on Thursday, saying they will be reinstating former head coach Jon Gruden’s spot in their Ring of Honor.
Gruden was removed in 2021 after resigning from his position as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after emails with racist, homophobic and misogynistic language came out in multiple reports.
Since then, Gruden’s only position in the league was as a consultant with the New Orleans Saints. Then, he became a member of the media, starting his own YouTube channel and recently joining Barstool Sports.
But the Buccaneers have had a change of heart, and they released a statement on their decision.
"Jon Gruden was initially inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor based on his many accomplishments during his seven seasons as our head coach and he remains a significant figure in the history of our franchise," the team’s statement read.
"Upon further reflection, we have decided to reinstate him into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor."
Gruden’s tenure as Tampa Bay's head coach from 2000-08 featured the organization’s first Vince Lombardi Trophy for winning Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.
The Bucs went 57-55 in the regular season, as well as 3-2 in the playoffs, during Gruden's seven seasons with the team.
Raiders owner Mark Davis recently commented on Gruden’s resignation in 2021, which prematurely ended his tenure with the club that had signed him to a massive 10-year contract in 2018.
Davis said he believes Gruden’s departure set the organization back quite a bit.
"He was someone that I brought in and really expected to be that person on the football side that would bring stability to the organization," Davis said to media members when introducing Pete Carroll as the Raiders' new head coach late last month. "He had a 10-year contract and all that — and his head was chopped off."
Gruden, who is suing the NFL, had his emails leaked, which saw him use derogatory remarks directed at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, among others.
But Gruden has tried to remain in the game as best he can, now in his media gig, and the Buccaneers appear to be letting bygones be bygones.
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley was on the call for his alma mater Auburn’s men’s basketball game Wednesday against Ole Miss, and he didn’t mince words about the state of college education.
He specifically addressed cost.
Almost unprovoked, Barkley began sharing his opinion about the name, image and likeness (NIL) system in college sports, saying he doesn’t thinks it's sustainable.
"I think we have to have a talk about college basketball," he said. "I don’t think the model of NIL is sustainable. Listen, I want all these kids to get whatever they can get. But asking colleges to come up with $20, $30 million a year, especially some of the smaller schools, I don’t think that’s a sustainable model."
NIL has been a controversial topic, and critics of the system say it creates inequality because bigger schools can outspend smaller ones during the recruitment of top prospects, which Barkley alluded to.
And while Barkley wants the student-athletes to get paid, he thinks the price of tuition at schools around the country is too expensive.
"I love these kids. I want them to do well. But you got to understand, I try to tell people, most of these kids gotta get a free education, which is by far the most important thing," Barkley said. "Because one of the great travesties of this country is what we’re charging kids to go to college. We need to find a way to make sure the smaller schools can compete."
The Education Data Initiative found that college tuition inflation has averaged 3.63% annually from the 2010-11 school year to 2022-23. And the cost of tuition at a public, four-year school or university has increased 36.7% from 2010 to 2023.
In the past, college athletics provided a chance for a free education, mainly at Division I schools and universities with scholarships. But student-athletes making money through NIL has been a decades-long conversation, especially considering the profits institutions make off certain programs that have national appeal.
Just a couple of weeks have passed since the New York Jets revealed their intentions to move on from Aaron Rodgers.
"…. We met with Aaron and shared that our intention was to move in a different direction at quarterback," newly hired Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey said in a joint statement on Feb. 13.
Glenn was in Indianapolis this week for the annual NFL Scouting Combine, where he acknowledged that the franchise's decision to part ways with the veteran quarterback left some Jets players "upset."
Quinnen Williams was among those who appeared to disapprove of Rodgers' departure, with three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman using a thumbs-down emoji on social media after news of the split surfaced. Williams also wrote, "another rebuild year for me I guess," on X, formerly known as Twitter, in an apparent reaction to the Jets' decision.
Glenn said he had a private discussion with Williams about his reaction. He also made it clear that the Jets' priority is to win football games.
"Yes, I have talked to him," Glenn told reporters. "And listen, I understand the reaction of the players, but I'll say this: Every decision that me and [general manager Darren Mougey] make is to win and to win now.
"So, I understand it, but again: Listen, this is not going to be the last decision I make that's going to upset some people, and that's OK. But as men, we talk about it. We make sure we keep it in-house, and that's what we're going to continue to do."
After his 2023 campaign was cut short by injury, Rodgers played in all 17 games this past season. While he finished with 28 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, his overall performance did not appear to meet the Jets' expectations.
The Jets finished with a 5-12 record. Mougey also addressed reports that said Rodgers was given an "ultimatum" about his appearances on "The Pat McAfee Show."
"I will say this – There was never an ultimatum or rules of engagement for Aaron to potentially join the Jets," Mougey said. "That never happened. AG and I had a lot of dialogue, a lot of conversations, a lot of good thoughts and just felt, at the end of the day, it was the best thing for the Jets moving forward, to go in a different direction at the quarterback position."
Rodgers has yet to make any public comments about his breakup with the Jets. Mougey said the team expects to designate the Super Bowl winning signal caller as a June 1 cut. The move allows the Jets to split the salary cap hit over a two-year period.
Also at the combine, Glenn doubled down on his statements from his introductory press conference about fielding a high volume of Rodgers-related questions.
"I don't want to disrespect any of the players we have on our team, and it kind of p---es me off and some of the other players that that's what we all talk about," Glenn said. "You have Quinnen Williams, you have Quincy Williams, you have an AVT [Alijah Vera-Tucker] and now you have Joe Tippmann. All those guys need to be respected as far as winning games also."
Rodgers' exit leaves the Jets quarterback room thin. Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor remains under contract with the team. Glenn described Taylor as "a good player," but stopped short of declaring him as the team's starter for 2025.
The Jets currently hold the No. 7 pick in next month's NFL Draft.
"I couldn’t be more confident that this will be a non-factor where he’s drafted," Carter’s agent Drew Rosenhaus said on Thursday via ESPN.
"He will put on a show at his pro day."
Carter, prior to the discovery of the stress reaction, was not going to work out at the NFL combine due to a shoulder injury. He played through that condition in Penn State’s loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.
The star defender was recently cleared to resume training. Carter’s shoulder injury will not stop him from performing at a "very high level" in his March 28 pro day, Rosenhaus said.
Carter was the Big Ten’s top defensive player in 2024 with 68 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks last season.
In his career, Carter has 39.5 tackles for loss, 23 sacks and 14 passes defended.
The 21-year-old is likely to go in the first few picks of the NFL Draft, but Carter thinks he should the top pick.
"I feel like I’m the best player in the country, and the best player should be picked first," Carter said on Wednesday speaking to reporters. "It’s the work I put in with my dad, who trained me, and all the sacrifices I made, I know I’m the best."
Should he leapfrog Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and the top two quarterbacks in the class, Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, Carter would be just the fourth defensive player to go No. 1 overall since 2007.
Jadeveon Clowney in 2014, Myles Garrett in 2017 and Travon Walker in 2022 are the three defenders to have been selected with the top pick since 2007. Each was chosen primarily because of his pass-rushing ability.
"Defensive players impact the game just as much as the quarterback," Carter said. "All the teams that have won Super Bowls, they have that one standout player. I feel like I’m that."
Only time will tell whether the Tennessee Titans, who hold the No. 1 pick, will use the top selection on Carter on draft weekend.
Caitlin Clark is coming home, and it's the hottest ticket in town.
Clark will return to the University of Iowa with her Indiana Fever for an exhibition game against the Brazilian national team, just before the start of the WNBA season.
The tickets went on sale on Thursday, and the 15,000 tickets sold out in 42 minutes.
Clark became the face of women's basketball at Iowa with her record-setting college career. She left Iowa as the NCAA's all-time leading scorer for both men and women, and while she came up short in two national title games, her mark on the sport was well planted.
Clark returned to Iowa earlier this month to see her famed No. 22 retired by the program. Her last home game with the Hawkeyes was on March 3, 2024, a 93-83 win over Ohio State, who had been ranked second in the country. (Iowa was fourth.)
Last year, Clark parlayed her illustrious Iowa career into becoming the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft for the Fever. After a 3-10 start, she and the Fever turned things around, and Indiana was able to make the playoffs.
Clark's Fever sold 90 times more tickets on StubHub this year than in 2023; the team with the second-highest increase was Angel Reese's Chicago Sky, and the Fever's sales were nearly double (93% more).
Several WNBA playoff games without Clark still had fewer viewers than Clark's regular-season games, and the Clark-Reese battles had viewership that hadn't been seen in over two decades.
Clark was named the Rookie of the Year for her historic campaign, during which she set the record for the most assists in one season in league history. She even set a single-game record with 19 assists and also became the first rookie to record a triple-double, registering two of them.
Clark received the most votes for the All-Star Game and was just the fifth rookie in league history to make the All-WNBA first-team.
The Brazilian team will also head to LSU to face Reese and the Sky. The team features Reese's WNBA teammate, Kamilla Cardoso, who with South Carolina defeated Clark and Iowa in the 2024 national championship to complete an undefeated season.
"My dog!!! I’m coming back for sure. Going to try and get into the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop," McAfee read during his show. "Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle!!!!"
McAfee then added, in his own words, "I think you can say Travis Kelce is coming back to play football yet again."
NFL Network also reported Kelce would return as well
With Kelce seemingly set to return for a 13th season, the Chiefs can now go about the rest of the offseason without having to make any big additions at the tight end position.
Albeit not being the offensive force he has been in his career last season, Kelce was still productive as he had 97 catches for 823 yards with three touchdowns. The yardage and touchdown numbers were the lowest of Kelce’s career in a full season.
In the Chiefs' AFC Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans, Kelce turned back the clock with a vintage performance, catching seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.
However, in the Chiefs' defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, Kelce only caught four passes for 39 yards, with all of his receptions coming with the game out of hand.
Patrick Mahomes took to social media to react to Kelce’s supposed return.
The ten-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion is already considered one of the best tight ends of all time, and will have Canton, Ohio waiting for him when he decides to retire.
