As the national debate over trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports has reached a boiling point in recent weeks, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has been uncharacteristically quiet on the issue. Now, conservative influencer Riley Gaines has extended an invitation to the congresswomen to join the other side of the issue. 

"I absolutely believe that AOC, of course she has a platform, she's in a position of influence and power, and I believe she could influence the Democratic members to cross the line and return to sanity. I do believe there is an obligatory responsibility from every member of congress," Gaines told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. 

Gaines believes that if Ocasio-Cortez were to suddenly take a stand against trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports that it would be "performative" but that it would still benefit the congresswoman's political reputation. 

"While I don't agree with many other things outside of this issue that AOC stands for, I would certainly applaud her or any Democrat [for speaking out against trans inclusion]," Gaines said. 

"I don't believe AOC is out of contention for running for president in 2028, and if that's the case, [trans inclusion in women's sports] is certainly something she would want to distance herself from." 

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Ocasio-Cortez last spoke out on the issue directly when the House of Representatives voted on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act on Jan. 14. That day, she gave an impassioned, controversial speech on the House floor, where she claimed that the bill would empower child sexual predators and that "trans girls are girls." 

The speech ignited immense backlash and mockery, including by Democrats, one of whom told Fox News Digital they and others were unregistering from the party in response. 

Since then, President Donald Trump has passed an executive order banning trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports nationally, and the NCAA has amended its gender eligibility to comply with the order. Meanwhile, multiple Democrat states have openly defied Trump, prompting federal investigations against those states and potentially cuts to funding in response. 

On Monday, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act will get a vote on the Senate floor. 

Ocasio-Cortez has not weighed in on the issue, despite being a notable advocate for trans inclusion in the past. She has only referenced a recent exchange between Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills on the issue with a Bluesky post that says, "that's how it's done." However, she hasn't addressed Trump's order or the issue of trans inclusion as whole in detail. 

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During a virtual town hall hosted by Ocasio-Cortez on Feb. 21, she did not address the issue despite Fox News Digital submitting a question on it. Ocasio-Cortez's office has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the issue by Fox News Digital over email. 

Ocasio-Cortez did mention the overall subject of Democrat support for the trans community during an interview on "The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart" podcast on Jan. 23. 

"When we allow ourselves to constantly be distracted by these culture wars around trans people, it's a new thing every day, and the answer isn't that we just let those people be attacked, it's that we say, ‘What are you doing, man?’ I think we need to make standing up for those folks just such an afterthought that it's not even a debate," Ocasio-Cortez said. 

"Like, we need to understand and see the bait for what it is, but we don’t take the bait by letting those rights just erode and go by the wayside."

But Gaines is not surprised by Ocasion-Cortez's, and other Democrats', sudden distance from the issue of trans inclusion in girls' sports.

"We shouldn't be surprised this is the position AOC is taking," Gaines said. "Number one, cancel culture is losing its grip, and number two, it means they're trying to distance themselves from their voting records or whatever that may be, because they know that this is a losing issue. And it shows they just have no conviction. From the inception, this issue has been a farce." 

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Ocasio-Cortez has previously voted in favor of multiple bills that would enable trans athletes to play in women's and girls' sports nationwide, including the Equality Act and the Transgender Bill of Rights. The congresswomen previously suggested that the Green Party was "predatory" in an X post responding to 2024 Green Party VP nominee Butch Ware speaking out against trans inclusion in women's sports. 

Before that, Ocasio-Cortez even criticized former President Joe Biden, who made multiple efforts to enable trans inclusion, for not doing enough to enable it. 

In April 2023, when Biden proposed a Title IX change that would outlaw bans on trans athletes in girls' sports but would allow for bans on students "based on a set of sex-related criteria unique to their community," Ocasio-Cortez called it a "disgrace."

"Absolutely no reason for the Biden admin to do this. It is indefensible and embarrassing," she wrote on X that month. "The admin can still walk this back, and they should. It’s a disgrace." 

However, the issue of trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports has become a widely opposed issue over the last year, and data suggests  that it even affected the outcome of the 2024 election. 

A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found that 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 that transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women. 

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."

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There is plenty of movement to ban one of the many keys to the Philadelphia Eagles' success, but President Donald Trump is not among those who want it out.

Trump saw it first-hand when he attended the Birds' Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month. Jalen Hurts scored the first touchdown of the game with it.

The Spectator asked Trump for his feelings on the play that has garnered controversy, and it doesn't sound like there will be an executive order to get rid of it any time soon.

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"I wouldn’t ban it," Trump said. 

The Eagles have used the play constantly since Hurts became the full-time quarterback, and over the last three years, it's hit at a roughly 90% clip. And while other teams have adopted it, nobody has come close to mastering it like Philly has.

The one thing Trump would ban, though, is "this horrible kickoff rule."

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"First of all, it’s the opposite of football. Second of all, it’s actually more dangerous, because you’re actually going into each other without any defense or anything," Trump said. "It’s much more dangerous. It is so terrible. You know, when in football, when the ball moves, you’re supposed to be moving. This ball is up in the air, and they’re all saying it is so horrible to watch that. And I told that to Roger Goodell."

The Green Bay Packers issued a proposal to ban the tush push, and Falcons head coach Raheem Morris added earlier this week that it "should have been illegal three years ago."

The new kickoff rule was implemented ahead of this past season, and Trump has not been a fan, from day one.

Trump has said he would invite the Eagles to the White House to commemorate their Super Bowl win.

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Matthew Stafford is not going anywhere. 

The star quarterback and the Los Angeles Rams agreed to a restructured deal Friday that will keep Stafford in California, the team announced. 

The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants were in trade talks with Stafford’s camp, but the quarterback ended up taking less to stay with the Rams, according to the NFL Network. 

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Stafford and the Rams were one play away from knocking off the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC divisional round before falling short. 

In that loss, Stafford completed nearly 60% of his passes while throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns despite less-than-ideal weather conditions. 

The Rams won the NFC West last season, going 10-7 and defeating the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round before eventually losing to the Eagles. 

Stafford, 37, was good last season. The Rams were 10-6 in his starts (Stafford rested in Week 18), and Stafford completed nearly 66% of his passes for 3,762 yards, while throwing 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. 

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While Stafford will be back with the Rams, Cooper Kupp likely will not be. The team is looking to trade him.  

Despite potentially losing Kupp, Stafford still has Puka Nacua, a 2023 fifth-round pick who has developed into a star, to throw to. 

Stafford won a Super Bowl with the Rams in his first season with the team after being traded from the Detroit Lions prior to the 2021 season and will hope to bring another to Los Angeles with his return. 

The Raiders and the Giants now figure to look to free agency or the NFL Draft to solve their quarterback woes. 

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"Hard Knocks" is reportedly turning to the college ranks, but not necessarily by choice.

Front Office Sports (FOS) reported Friday that the HBO series' offseason edition will highlight Bill Belichick and his new gig with the University of North Carolina.

It is certainly an intriguing storyline, but it apparently comes after the network could not find an NFL team to be featured following the backlash the New York Giants have gotten because of it.

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The G-Men were the first team to be featured in the new offseason edition of the show, and cameras captured Joe Schoen, now infamously being quite at ease with Saquon Barkley not returning to the team.

Barkley, of course, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, a move that John Mara said on the show that would give him a "tough time sleeping." Barkley then went on to have maybe the best season ever for a running back.

He became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season, set the record for most rushing yards in one year, including the playoffs, and was named the Offensive Player of the Year. To put the icing on the cake, he also won the Super Bowl.

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While Barkley found immense success in Philly, the Giants had arguably their worst season in franchise history, going 3-14 with four different starting quarterbacks. They also missed out on the first overall pick after winning their Week 17 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

FOS said the "Joe Schoen debacle" deterred teams from being featured. Unlike the training camp edition, there are no "requirements" to bring features in either the offseason or regular season versions of the show, so teams have more freedom to be featured.

Belichick was off the NFL sidelines last year for the first time in nearly five decades, but he signed on to join UNC in December. He interviewed for at least two NFL jobs last offseason, but was not selected.

Despite the highly-publicized (hindsight 20/20) mistake, Mara opted to keep both Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.

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Canadian driver Amber Balcaen may not have been racing in the Daytona 500, but she still felt President Donald Trump's energy when he arrived at Daytona International Speedway. 

"I’m Canadian, but I’ve never experienced anything like that. You could feel the energy and even still talking about it, it gives me chills. It was really neat," Balcaen said during a recent appearance on OutKick’s "OutKick The Morning with Charly Arnolt."

"I raced the day before, so I didn’t get to hear him over the radio, but I was listening, and I can’t even imagine how the drivers must have felt in that moment."

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Balcaen, 32, raced in the ACRA Menards Series the day prior to the Daytona 500, which Gus Dean won. 

Balcaen said Trump’s presence added even more to what is already an awesome atmosphere.

"The Daytona 500 is known as the great American race. It’s NASCAR’s Super Bowl. So to have Donald Trump, or the President of the United States there, I mean the energy is already absolutely electric on that day at Daytona. But to have the President there, it just added another level."

NASCAR STAR WILLIAM BYRON DISHES ON TRUMP'S VISIT TO DAYTONA 500

Trump became the first president to attend the Daytona 500 twice when he visited the racetrack earlier this month.

After talking with some drivers on pit lane, he rode in the presidential limousine, "The Beast," as it took a pace lap before the green flag flew. 

William Byron won the Daytona 500 for the second time in his career and talked to Fox News Digital earlier this month about what it meant having Trump in attendance. 

"It was pretty neat," Byron said. "I think anytime you can have a sitting president come and see your sporting event, it is very special. And for him to take the time to do that was really cool. Just to be able to see the motorcade go across the track and just the various things that he did when he was there was pretty cool. 

"Brought a lot of energy and excitement to the race before it started."

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report. 

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The Georgia House recently passed the "Riley Gaines Act," which aims to prohibit transgender athletes from competing against biological girls and women.

The bill is named after Gaines, the host of the "Gaines for Girls" podcast on OutKick, who has been a champion for keeping biological males out of girls' and women's sports ever since competing against Lia Thomas, a trans swimmer who won an NCAA title three years ago.

Representatives voted 102-54 for House Bill 267 on Thursday.

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While all 54 no's came from Democrats, three of them voted to pass; zero Republicans voted no, and of the 10 who did not vote, nine were Democrats.

The measure moves to the Senate, which has passed its own separate legislation.

"Female athletes deserve fair competition and that means the chance to maintain the women’s divisions distinct from men’s categories," said Republican Rep. Josh Bonner of Fayetteville, the bill’s sponsor.

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Georgia's high school athletic association currently bans transgender students from participating in sports based on their gender identity; 25 other states have laws restricting sports participation by trans athletes.

Democratic Rep. Karla Drenner of Avondale Estates said the bill is "calculated, dangerous, deeply discriminatory piece of legislation that goes far beyond the realm of athletics."

"Let’s call this the erasure of transgender Georgians act today," said Drenner, who was the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the legislature when she was elected in 2000.

Several states, despite President Donald Trump's executive order, have allegedly continued to allow transgender athletes to compete against biological females; the Department of Education has launched Title IX investigations into California, Minnesota and Maine for doing so.

Trump threatened Maine governor Janet Mills with a lack of federal funding if the state continued to ignore Trump's order.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Potential No.1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders, spoke to reporters on Friday at the NFL combine and did not lack confidence. 

Sanders, 23, said he knows he can turn an NFL franchise around.

"We went from Jackson State to Colorado and changed two programs back-to-back. You don't think I could come to an NFL franchise and change a program again? It's history, it's always going to repeat itself," Sanders said. 

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"If you ain’t trying to change the franchise or the culture, don’t get me. So, you should know history repeats itself over and over and over, and I’ve done it over and over, so it should be no question why NFL franchises should pick me."

One key to turning a franchise around is strong leadership, which the Colorado star quarterback said is his best trait.

"I would say being a leader, that’s my best trait overall, because everything is mental. So, if I play my game from the neck up, I got to be able to adjust to my players, to have them have relatability for them to get to know me, for us to make everything smooth. I came from an HBCU and then went (to a Power Four conference), those two types of different players, and it’s very diverse, and getting to know people, talk to people and making everything genuine," Sanders said.

"That’s why when I’m here interacting with people, I love interacting with people so they can truly get to know me and not just know clicks or anything like that."

Sanders highlighted the importance of being in a strong mental headspace on the field as well. 

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"It’s extremely important to keep your mental in the best place because that’s where my game is played. My game is not played from my legs and not even just my arm. So I know longevity, the all-time greats. What’s Tom Brady's best trait? His mental. He’s able to think. So if you have those traits of greatness and I know where I’m heading, then why wouldn’t a franchise pick me? You’ve got the ultimate cheat code."

A lot of experts have said the top two quarterbacks in this class, Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward, are not as good as the quarterbacks in last year’s class.

The 2024 quarterback class included Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., JJ McCarthy and Bo Nix, with a few of those quarterbacks having immediate success in their rookie season.

While Sanders may not have been selected high in last year’s class, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year questioned those who do not see him as the top quarterback over Ward in the 2025 draft class.

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"When people say I'm not one of the top quarterbacks or the top quarterback, what are y'all going based off of? Because I did it year after year after year, and you see the progression.  Obviously, it has to be some kind of external hate that you have for the family, for the last name, for anything, because I know I’ve proven myself on the field."

Last season with Colorado, Sanders threw for 4,314 yards and 37 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, helping lead the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record and a bowl game appearance. 

Sanders’ play is a big reason the team improved to 9-4 after going 4-8 the prior season; Colorado was 1-11 the year before the Sanders family came over. 

There are a few quarterback-needy teams at the top of the draft that could select Sanders or Ward. The Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are unsettled at the quarterback position and have the first three picks in the draft. 

Only time will tell where Sanders ends up, and if he does indeed turn that franchise around. 

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Following Michigan's huge upset over Ohio State during Rivalry Week, they attempted to plant a school flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium, and it did not sit well with the Buckeyes.

Members of both teams got into an all-out brawl that got to the point where police on the field used pepper spray to break uo the fighting.

That decision prompted some controversy, but according to The Athletic, reviews by two Ohio agencies say that law enforcement was justified in its actions.

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"Several people were on the ground, police officers were being pushed and shoved by large, highly trained and skilled division one football athletes in full football game attire," Ohio State University police detective Douglas Cunningham wrote in his department’s report. "The players had the advantage in both size, strength, conditioning, protective gear and they outnumbered the police presence trying to suppress the growing threat."

Cunningham said he used pepper spray to "assist in gaining compliance from the aggression/resistance of the surging crowd," as initial attempts to "suppress the aggressive, combative and growing crowd and to regain order" did not work.

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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day defended his players after the melee, saying, "These guys were looking to put a flag on our field, and we’re not going to let that happen."

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, who waved goodbye to Buckeyes fans in the crowd after the Wolverines' final stop, took the high road following their 13-10 win.

"It was emotion on both sides. It can’t happen. . . . We got to handle it better," Moore said.

Michigan running back Kalel Mullins, who ran for over 100 yards in the contest, said the moment was "bad for the sport" and "classless" for the Buckeyes to take it to that level.

Each school was fined $100,000 for the brawl. Nobody was suspended.

It was the fourth year in a row that Michigan defeated Ohio State after the Buckeyes had won 15 of 16 meetings. But the Buckeyes got the last laugh, going on a run to become the national champions.

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LSU pole vaulter Dillon Reidenauer is reportedly one of two people who were killed in a car wreck on the school's campus earlier this week.

Reidenauer, 18, was in a car that was struck by a 23-year-old motorcyclist, who also died, according to WBRZ in Louisiana.

The outlet reported that Bodhi Linton, the rider of the motorcycle, was traveling north on Nicholson Drive near Tiger Stadium when Linton T-boned the car, and both vehicles burst into flames.

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"We are devastated by the tragic passing of Dillon Reidenauer, who was taken from us much too soon," LSU track and field coach Dennis Shaver said in a statement. "Everyone in our LSU Track & Field family is keeping Dillon’s loved ones in our thoughts and prayers, as well as those of the other individual lost in the incident.

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"We will do everything we can to make sure our student-athletes and staff have the resources they need to process the grief of this terrible loss. I would also like to thank Texas A&M for offering their support and compassion as we are on the road at College Station for the SEC Championships."

Reidenaur was a native of nearby Abita Springs and was pursuing an interior design degree at the school. She was in her first year at LSU.

She starred in high school, finishing second at the 2024 LHSAA State 5A Championships with a clearance of 3.64 meters. As a junior at Fontainbleau High School, she placed fourth at the state meet.

Linton's mother died in a motorcycle crash of her own back in May.

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Even arguably the greatest gymnast to ever exist was not safe from Larry Nassar.

Simone Biles was one of the former trainer's many sexual abuse victims; he will spend the rest of his life behind bars 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.

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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. 

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"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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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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."

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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."

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

YANKEES ANNOUNCER MICHAEL KAY REATS TO TEAM'S ‘SEISMIC’ FACIAL HAIR POLICY CHANGE

"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.

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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. 

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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. 

NESTOR CORTES SAYS YANKEES WERE ‘THE BETTER TEAM’ IN 2024 WORLD SERIES VS. DODGERS

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.

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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. 

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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. 

Libby provided a statement to Fox News Digital, condemning Fecteau and the other Democrats enabling trans inclusion in the state. 

"The voices of Maine girls and my voice are being silenced. The speaker is feeling the pressure, and instead of listening, he is ignoring his constituents. It is incredibly out of touch to push for a policy that 80% of Americans disagree with, will cost our state crucial funding, and crush the hopes and dreams of Maine girls," Libby said.

"I will continue to fight against this incredibly harmful ideology because boys have no place in girls’ sports. I will not apologize for speaking the truth because the girls of our state deserve so much better. Speaker Fecteau knows this but refuses to listen."

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.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

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. 

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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.'"

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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.

WHY TWO-WAY STAR TRAVIS HUNTER CAN AND SHOULD PLAY BOTH WAYS IN THE NFL

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.

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Myles Garrett is apparently serious about getting out of Cleveland.

Weeks after officially requesting a trade from the Browns, Garrett is reportedly not open to an extension with the team.

To take it a step further, Cleveland.com reported that Garrett and his camp have "slammed the door" on contract talks.

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The 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Pro issued a statement earlier this month, saying he wanted to play for a contender.

However, earlier this week, Browns general manager Andrew Berry insisted the team is not interested in trading the star defensive end.

"We can’t imagine a situation where not having Myles is best for the Browns," Berry said Tuesday at the NFL combine.

TRAVIS KELCE'S PODCAST CONFIRMS HIS NFL RETURN WITH NOD TO LEGENDARY 'WOLF OF WALL STREET' SCENE

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.

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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.

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"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."

CHIEFS GM TALKS TRAVIS KELCE'S FUTURE AMID RETIREMENT RUMORS

"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. 

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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.

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"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.

DEMOCRAT VOTERS ABANDON PARTY AFTER AOC, JEFFRIES SAY ANTI-TRANS ATHLETE BILL EMPOWERS SEXUAL PREDATORS

"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.

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