Luka Dončić is focused on the Los Angeles Lakers, but he took time to help lift the spirits of a former Dallas Mavericks teammate who will miss the remainder of the season due to injury.
Veteran guard Kyrie Irving tore an ACL against the Sacramento Kings Monday night, ending his season prematurely and hurting the Mavericks’ playoff hopes.
Dončić posted on his Instagram story a picture of him and Irving embracing with the caption, "You will come back stronger mi hermano!"
Dončić calling Irving his brother in the post clearly shows they remain friends after the shocking blockbuster trade before the NBA deadline last month.
Dončić and Irving were a dynamic duo in the 2½ seasons they played together in Dallas, which included a run to the NBA Finals during the 2023-24 campaign.
Both guards averaged 40 minutes per night, while Doncic averaged 28.9 points per game to Irving’s 22.1 points.
They were opponents Feb. 25 for the first time since the trade, and Dončić had a triple-double — 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists — in the Lakers’ 109-99 victory.
Irving kept the Mavs in it with 35 points, but it wasn’t enough to get the win on the road.
The Mavericks and Lakers face each other again April 9, but it will be without Irving, who doesn't figure to return until some time during the 2025-26 season.
That game will mark Dončić's return to American Airlines Center, where fans held a public "funeral" to cope with the shock of his departure via trade.
Irving is a nine-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA honoree and an NBA champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
In his 14th NBA season, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds over 50 games for the Mavericks this season.
Davante Adams and the New York Jets appear to be headed towards a divorce. On Tuesday, ESPN reported that the Jets plan to release the three-time All-Pro wide receiver.
News of the pending release of Adams comes just a few weeks after the team said they would part ways with veteran Aaron Rodgers. The four-time NFL MVP signal caller and the star wide receiver have maintained a close relationship since they competed alongside one another for eight seasons in Green Bay.
Adams started the 2024 season with the Las Vegas Raiders, but he reunited with Rodgers when he was traded to the Jets in October. Gang Green acquired Rodgers in a blockbuster trade two years ago, but the move did not pan out in the way the quarterback or the team likely hoped.
Moving on from Adams will give the Jets some salary cap relief. New York inherited Adams' contract when he was traded to the team, and his salary was due to account for an estimated $38.3 million on the cap in 2025.
Releasing the six-time Pro Bowl will clear up more than $29 million from the Jets' 2025 salary cap. New York will still have to account for a dead cap charge, albeit the negative charge pales in comparison to what the team would save in 2025.
Shortly after the season ended, Adams suggested his future with the Jets was tied to whether Rodgers returned. The Jets' previous regime brought in some players who played with Rodgers in the past. Before trading for Adams, Gang Green signed Allen Lazard in 2023.
The Jets relieved Robert Saleh of his head coaching duties in October following a 2–3 start to the season.
New York hired Aaron Glenn in January. Darren Mougey was also named the franchise's next general manager that month. Glenn and Mougey will continue to oversee an offseason that is expected to introduce sweeping changes to the Jets.
The Jets were 2-4 prior to Adams' arrival, but their record did not improve much once he joined the team. New York went 3-8 with Adams on the roster and finished with an overall record of 5-12. In 11 games with the Jets, Adams racked up 854 receiving yards.
Garrett Wilson would be the Jets' top receiver once Adams' exit becomes official. Wilson has finished each of his first three NFL seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He also hauled in a career-high 7 touchdown passes.
The Philadelphia Eagles cut one of their key veterans during their Super Bowl LIX run this past season, and his wife appears to be taking it hard.
Darius Slay, the six-time Pro Bowl cornerback, was released by the team as a cap casualty. The Eagles reportedly saved $4.3 million against their cap with the move.
Slay has spent the past five seasons leading an Eagles secondary that anchored the best pass defense in the NFL in 2024.
She also posted on her Instagram Story a picture of her celebrating Super Bowl LIX’s victory with her husband and the caption, "Philly," with heart-hands, broken heart, and teary-eyed emojis.
It’s been said many times, but the business of the game can be cruel. This is yet another example of a tough move having to be made.
Now, Darius Slay will be searching for his third NFL team after spending his first seven seasons with the Detroit Lions, where he earned three of his six Pro Bowls.
In 14 games last season, Slay had 13 passes defended, 49 tackles, one forced fumble, as well as a fumble recovery.
According to CBS Sports, Slay wants to play one more year, and that usually means going to a contender to vie for another Super Bowl ring.
As for teams that can provide that contender for Slay, a Lions reunion makes sense considering they could use help in the secondary. The Pittsburgh Steelers have also been a team suggested, as defensive coordinator Teryl Austin spent time with Slay in Detroit before this position.
Howie Roseman may have one of the most coveted jobs in sports, but he sure knows how to cater to the common man.
Roseman now has two Vince Lombardi trophies on his resume after his Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl last month to prevent the Kansas City Chiefs from winning a third straight.
Roseman won his first title as a general manager seven years ago, when the Birds put a dent in another dynasty, defeating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, 41-33.
Surely, the first one was great, but it seems like Roseman thinks the second is a bit sweeter.
Roseman was asked what it was like to now win two Super Bowls, and he gave a pretty stout answer.
"The first one," he said before asking if Todd McShay's show was PG or PG-13, "it’s almost like the first time you have sex. You are so glad you had sex, it’s not even the quality of it. The second time, it’s like, ‘Wow, I can actually have fun and enjoy this.’"
Roseman, thankfully, didn't get too further into details. But in this young offseason, he has been putting in some time to really enjoy his work.
The Eagles plan to release James Bradberry and Darius Slay, but reports say reigning Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley has agreed to a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
In fairness to Roseman, the quality of his first Super Bowl title wasn't all that bad after Nick Foles became a Philadelphia hero with an electric performance.
However, it doesn't take much arguing to suggest this past season's core of Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert was better than LeGarrette Blount, Jay Ajayi, Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz, Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery from the 2018 Super Bowl team.
No Senate Democrat on Monday voted in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would keep biological males from competing in women’s and girls’ sports.
A procedural vote took place on the Senate floor and Republicans needed at least 60 votes to break the filibuster. They received 51. Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., voted with Democrats.
Four senators were absent – Democrats Elissa Slotkin, of Michigan, and Peter Welch, of Vermont, and Republicans Shelley Capito, of West Virginia, and Cynthia Lummis, of Wyoming.
Read below for the Democratic senators who decided to keep the bill from advancing.
Baldwin gave a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
"Simply put: it’s not the federal government’s place to tell state and local sports leagues across the country how to do their jobs," she said. "I for one trust our state and local leagues to craft thoughtful policy where parents and players can be involved in the discussion about what is best for our children without interference from the President or Congress."
Cortez Masto said in a statement she supported fairness in women’s sports but drew the line when it came to alleged "government overreach."
"I support fair play and safety and do not support transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports when it compromises those principles," she said in a statement. "I believe local schools, student athletes, coaches, and parents are much better equipped to implement fair, strong policies on this issue than politicians in Congress.
"This blanket legislation would allow anyone to subject girls to invasive physical exams just because of the way they look. That is incredible government overreach and is putting young women at increased risk for abuse and harassment – something I’ve spent my career fighting against."
Durbin expressed similar qualms as Cortez Masto.
"Put yourself in the shoes of these families for just a moment," Durbin said. "Imagine being the parent of a trans kid and telling your child they are not allowed to play on the same sports team as their friends at school because a politician said they couldn’t.
"It’s that personal, it’s that important, and [because of Republicans,] we’re going to vote to give someone unspecified the right to physically inspect a girl or a young woman if the other opposing team accuses them of being transgender. My goodness."
Durbin also pointed to NCAA president Charlie Baker's testimony to lawmakers when he said he believed there were fewer than 10 transgender athletes in collegiate athletics. The organization later changed its policy after President Trump's "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order.
Fetterman suggested in a post on X that he chose to be an ally to the "small" contingent of transgender athletes.
"The small handful of trans athletes in PA in a political maelstrom deserve an ally and I am one. Depersonalized as ‘they/them’ in a political ad, but are just schoolchildren. Empty show votes or cruelty on social media aren’t part of a thoughtful, dignified solution."
Gallego downplayed the issue for his constituents in his state.
"Look, if you’re running and you don’t have any other identity and you’re not known for fighting for people to have a decent living, to buy a home, to be able to bring the American dream to their families, these outside fringe issues are what is going to bring you down," he told NBC News.
"I’m not worried about that, because I communicate with my fellow Arizonans every day that I’m fighting for them to make sure that they get to live the American dream no matter what."
Hickenlooper told NBC News that Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who introduced the bill, was "trying to churn the social wars about something that really doesn’t exist." He said Trump’s ad on trans athletes in women’s sports was only going to work once.
Kaine and Warner released a joint statement, saying Congress needed to focus on other things.
"Right now, Congress should be focused on passing bills that lower grocery prices, not ones that threaten to defund public schools and gut world-class American colleges and universities," they said. "But instead, Republicans are poised to eliminate the Department of Education, while at the same time trying to dictate how individual schools should run their sports programs and subjecting children to uncomfortable scrutiny, invasive questioning, and even harassment. We will be voting to prevent this bill from moving forward and to leave the decision of how to best integrate transgender students into sports in the hands of parents, educators and state athletic associations – not the federal government."
King said in a statement he understood concerns from students, parents and administrators about fairness and physicality differences but voted against the bill anyway.
"However, if one school in Maine decided to include a single trans student on one of their teams, schools across the entire state would lose access to critical funding which would be detrimental to all students, a result disproportionate to the impact of one transgender athlete at one school. While these are complex issues, considerations of fairness and safety in sports are made every day by parents, educators, and school administrators at the local level. We should keep it that way and allow local communities to decide what’s best for their districts and their students, and let states abide by the will of their citizens. In other words, I see this as a state’s rights issue which should not require a one-size-fits-all federal solution. Simply put, it is highly likely this legislation would hurt Maine and Maine students.
"Therefore, I am ultimately not comfortable conditioning all federal education funding on an issue that singles out such a small number of students nationwide – including here in Maine – and takes the decision-making power away from local communities.
"Finally, I find it odd that many of those supporting this legislation have exactly the opposite position when it comes to women’s reproductive choices – that that issue should be left to the states – while the question of transgender athletes requires a federal solution which overrides local control."
Peters told NBC News the issue didn’t appear to resonate with constituents in Michigan.
"This is not really an issue like in Michigan," he said. "People are going to realize that it’s really been an issue that Republicans have been trying to exploit."
Several Democratic senators didn’t release a statement or say why they voted the way they did.
Those lawmakers included Sens. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Chris Coons, D-Del., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Andy Kim, D-N.J., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Ed Markey, D-Mass., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Chris Van Hollen, D-M.d., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
Fox News Digital reached out to those senators for comment.
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would require Title IX to treat gender as "recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth" and would disallow any adjustment for it to apply to gender identity.
The Tuberville-backed bill had more than 40 co-sponsors in the Senate. It would also codify one of Trump's many recent executive orders, giving the policy better longevity.
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."
Meanwhile, a recent New York Times/Ipsos poll found that the vast majority of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, don't believe trans athletes should be able to compete in women's sports.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson and Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
A Minnesota state representative insisted that a bill keeping trans athletes out of girls' and women's sports was "state-sanctioned genocide" during a hearing on Monday.
During arguments for the Preserve Women’s Sports Act in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Rep. Alicia Kozlowski, of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, made remarks that have since gone viral and incited backlash for her labeling of the bill as "genocide."
"Members, make no mistake that this is just another version of state-sanctioned bullying and genocide," Kozlowski said. "And I don't say that lightly."
Footage of Kozlowski's comments have spread across various social media platforms, prompting harsh responses.
One user on X directed critics to the representative's profile on the platform on Monday.
However, by Tuesday afternoon, Kozlowski's X account had been deactivated.
It is not even the first time in the last two weeks that a state Democrat lawmaker deactivated their X account after facing backlash for an aggressive push to protect trans inclusion in girls' sports.
Ryan Fecteau, the Maine House of Representatives' Democratic speaker, deleted his X account last Thursday, 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.
Meanwhile, Fecteau's Facebook and Bluesky accounts were flooded with angry comments from users who condemned the censure, and supported Libby.
And like Fecteau, Kozlowski has been bombarded with angry comments on her other social media accounts that are still active.
The most recent post on Kozlowski's Instagram account alone already has more comments than any other post on her profile.
"You should look up the word genocide and educate yourself before you use it lightly," one user wrote.
Another user commented, "Why do you hate girls having fair competition? Biological males 100% of the time will have an advantage… It's literally in their DNA, which can't be changed. You know own, science and all that."
Kozlowski was one of the 66 Democrats who voted against the bill, keeping it one vote shy of reaching the necessary 68-vote threshold for passage.
The act stated that "only female students may participate in an elementary or secondary school level athletic team or sport that an educational institution has restricted to women and girls."
"Female means a female as biologically determined by genetics and defined with respect to an individual’s reproductive system," the bill states.
In contrast with Kozlowski, many Republicans spoke in favor of the ball, citing the desire to protect women's spaces from biological males.
"We cannot allow our girls to be vulnerable to losing their spot on the team, being on the podium, or to injury by a male teammate or male competitor," said state Rep. Peggy Scott. "That is not safe and that is not fair to our girls."
Former Minnesota Vikings player Jack Brewer joined Riley Gaines at the Minnesota state Capitol on Monday to support the bill. Brewer told Fox News Digital last week that he believed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was "disgusting" for continuing to allow biological males in girls' sports in the state.
"It's absolutely disgusting, and it's why, when you see him and you see his mannerisms and the way he carries himself, you know this guy doesn't appeal to real men and boys who have battled it out on the gridiron, man. I have nothing in common with this guy," Brewer said.
"I think he's a disgrace to the football world to be honest."
The Minnesota State High School League is one of many state scholastic conferences that announced it would continue letting trans athletes participate in girls’ sports, defying President Donald Trump's recent executive order to prevent it.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, though, wrote a letter late last month warning of the consequences of not passing the "Preserving Girls’ Sports Act."
"The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights has begun a Title IX investigation into the Minnesota State High School League," the letter from Bondi read. "If the Department of Education's investigation shows that relevant Minnesota entities are indeed denying girls an equal opportunity to participate in sports and athletic events by requiring them to compete against boys, the Department of Justice stands ready to take all appropriate action to enforce federal law."
Golf legend John Daly revealed his bladder cancer has been in remission for four years.
Daly, 58, talked about finding out he had cancer in a recent podcast appearance that aired last month.
"It was scary," Daly said during an appearance on the "Like a Farmer Podcast." "I was peeing blood, pukin' blood. ... I thought my back was killing me, and I didn't know. And I went in Little Rock, got a checkup and everything on my back and then, was it a neurologist? Doctor saw it and said, ‘You gotta come back.’
"I was fixin' to go to Hooters, get some wings in Little Rock, and he called and said, 'No, don't eat anything. Gotta get you back over here.' And I go, ‘Why?’ And [he said], 'Well, you have cancer. You have bladder cancer'. What else can happen, you know?"
Daly said as long as it’s him going through it and not his kids, he can deal with it.
"As long as it's me and not my kids, I can deal with it. So, I go back. They caught it in time. I've been in remission for the last four years, but I gotta get a checkup once a year now — thank God — and not two. Anyone who's got bladder cancer, that thing that goes in your pee-pee don't feel good," Daly said.
"Hey, I just deal with it. You just deal with it, and you try to work around all these injuries and everything, try and play the best you can."
As for his golf game, Daly admitted his health issues don’t allow him to play at the level he once did.
"I can't set goals for golf anymore. Fighting the bladder cancer and all that crap with all the surgeries, it's not an excuse. It's just nobody can play great when they're not healthy," Daly said.
"I get out there, and I do my best I can. But I still wanna play golf. I still wanna play on the Champions Tour. I just wanna compete better, and right now there's no way I can.
"But I'm gonna keep grinding it out 'cause you never know. That putter gets hot. … I don't care if you got one arm, one leg, that putter gets hot you can play some really good golf because we all hit it good."
In addition to his cancer being in remission, Daly revealed he underwent emergency surgery on his hand in January in a post to social media and said he would "be back playing in to time."
The golf icon hasn’t played on the PGA Champions Tour since October.
Daly played at the PGA Championship and The Open Championship last year but withdrew after the first round in both tournaments.
In his career, Daly has five PGA Tour victories, including two major championship wins.
Daly won the PGA Championship in 1991 and then the British Open in 1995. His last win on the PGA Tour was at the Buick Invitational in 2004.
Daly won the 2021 PNC Father-Son Championship with his son, John Daly II.
Daly has earned nearly $13 million in winnings in his career, according to the PGA Tour website.
Duke phenom Cooper Flagg got a standing ovation from the Cameron Indoor faithful on Monday night in what may have been his final home game in a Blue Devil uniform.
Last month, Flagg admitted that he "want[ed]" to come back" to Durham next season – but being the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft doesn't exactly make that likely.
The "Cameron Crazies" know that fact, so as he was taken out of the game in the final minutes, they hit him with chants of "one more year."
Flagg said he "for sure" heard the chants, but was murky about his future with the team.
"I mean, I'm living in the present right now, living in the moment, taking it day by day," he said. "I don't know what the future holds."
"I mean, this is the best place in college basketball for sure," Flagg added. "I've loved every single minute of being here. I've loved everybody I've met, everybody I've been around for this whole year. It's been an amazing year."
When the time came for him to check out with 3:34 left, he slapped hands with teammates Sion James and Isaiah Evans, then started untucking his jersey as he made his way to the Duke bench. He greeted coach Jon Scheyer with a high-five and a hug, then made his way down the bench embracing coaches, staffers and teammates as the crowd began asking for an unlikely second act next season.
"The talent speaks for itself. Love coaching his talent," Scheyer said. "But I love coaching the person. He’s all about the right stuff."
Duke closes out its regular season on Saturday with a trip to Chapel Hill to revisit their rivalry with the University of North Carolina. After that, they're off to the ACC championship before going to the big dance.
If it was his final game at Duke, he gave the fans a nice parting gift, dropping 28 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and dishing out seven assists in their 93-60 win over Wake Forest.
Flagg, 18, has put up 19.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game and is shooting 49.7% from the floor and 38.3% from three-point land.
Saquon Barkley’s dream first season with the Philadelphia Eagles has even more rewards after helping them win Super Bowl LIX.
The Eagles have reportedly agreed to a two-year, $41.2 million extension with their star running back, making him the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history, per ESPN.
No running back has ever made at least $20 million per season.
The report also adds that the contract includes $36 million in guaranteed money as well as escalators of an additional $15 million.
This comes after Barkley signed a three-year deal reportedly worth more than $37.5 million this past offseason, joining the Eagles after six seasons with the New York Giants.
After watching Barkley enter elite NFL company with a 2,000-yard rushing season (2,005) on 345 carries with 13 rushing scores, Eagles GM Howie Roseman wasted no time keeping his top signee of last offseason in the building for more years to come.
Barkley also caught 33 passes for 278 yards with two more touchdowns, ultimately earning him Offensive Player of the Year honors at the end of the season. He was also named a First Team All-Pro on his way to helping the Eagles make a run in the postseason.
Throughout the season, Barkley discussed the dynamic of joining the Eagles, a team that was his rival when he was with the Giants. He also noted on multiple occasions that he wished to be a "Giant for life," but the front office never made him the right deal, leading to free agency in 2024.
As Barkley thrived with Philadelphia, including a game where he almost broke his career high at MetLife Stadium in his first meeting against the Giants, the media and fans alike leaned into the fact that New York was struggling mightily while a former face of their franchise was going to work with a divisional foe.
However, Barkley consistently took the high road, publicly maintaining his focus on the Eagles, and it clearly worked out in the long run.
Barkley proved to be the best running back in the league in terms of production last season, and his new team is compensating him as such for years to come.
As Democratic congresswomen are reportedly planning to wear pink to President Donald Trump's joint address Tuesday to protest in support of women's rights, one Republican senator is reminding them what their party voted against Monday.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., told Time on Tuesday that dozens of her Democrat colleagues will show up to Capitol Hill to wear pink for Trump's speech to "signal our protest of Trump's policies which are negatively impacting women and families."
"Pink is a color of power and protest," Fernández told the outlet. "It’s time to rev up the opposition and come at Trump loud and clear."
In response to this news, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, called out the party for its reported protest attire for women just one day after Senate Democrats voted unanimously against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
"When you see Democrats wearing pink for the TV cameras tonight, remember that 45 of them voted for men to invade women’s sports just yesterday," Lee wrote in response to the Time article on X. "It’s all an act."
The bill failed to clear the key procedural hurdle by a vote of 51-45, along party lines. All Democratic senators voted against the motion to proceed, with the exceptions of Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Peter Welch, D-V.t., who were absent.
So the bill was filibustered and is presumed dead, unless it is re-introduced at a later date.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., did not just vote against the bill, but she also made a mocking "thumbs down" gesture while she voted no.
Many Democrats have since faced a flury of online backlash for voting against the bill.
Meanwhile, Trump passed an executive order to keep trans athletes out of girls' and women's sports on Feb. 5, which has been widely praised by women's rights groups.
Amanda Serrano, whose fight against Katie Taylor at AT&T Stadium in November was one for the ages, has signed a lifetime agreement with Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, the brand announced Tuesday.
The Serrano-Taylor bout, who headlined Madison Square Garden nearly three years ago, was the co-main event along with Paul's eight-round fight against Mike Tyson, who was having his first sanctioned fight in nearly 20 years.
"Signing this lifetime deal with MVP means I can continue fighting – not just in the ring, but for the next generation of women in combat sports," Serrano said in a statement.
"MVP has always been committed to elevating female fighters, from being the first women to headline Madison Square Garden to breaking viewership records for women's sports or making history with 12 three-minute rounds. Together, we’ve shown the world that women deserve equal pay, equal rounds, and equal respect. I’m proud to build my legacy with MVP and excited to stay on after I retire as a fighter to deepen MVP’s impact and help create even more opportunities for women in the sport."
"Amanda Serrano is the heart and soul of MVP. Her relentless drive, historic achievements, and passion for uplifting other fighters are everything we are looking for in both signees and as future decision makers alongside us at MVP," said Paul and co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. "Amanda has paved the way for female fighters worldwide, shattering glass ceilings and demanding equality at every step. We are so fortunate to have her as both a fighter and a trailblazer who will continue to shape the sport long after she retires from the ring. This lifetime agreement is a testament to our belief in Amanda, not just as an athlete but as a visionary leader who will help guide MVP’s future and inspire generations to come."
In an interview with Fox News Digital in February 2024, Serrano said joining Paul's brand was "the best decision I've made in boxing."
"It changed my life totally," she said at the time. "Jake brings eyes to the sport, and I was excited to be a part of it and be the first girl on his undercard. I had to make sure I had to go out there and prove I'm deserving of that position. Jake is just an amazing guy. Nakisa is an amazing guy. And they just want what's best for me.
"They've definitely added more zeroes to my bank account," she added with a laugh. "So I'm truly blessed for that."
Serrano lost to Taylor via a controversial unanimous decision; Taylor won in 2022 with split scorecards. Nonetheless, they garnered over 70 million viewers on Netflix, the most in women's boxing history. Two of Serrano's three losses have come from Taylor, who is 24-1 in her career.
Serrano was bloodied in the fight after an apparent headbutt from Taylor, which cost her a point in the eighth round.
The 36-year-old has 47 victories on her resume, 31 of them via knockout.
Chris Kluwe, a former NFL punter who was recently thrust into the national spotlight after he was arrested at a California city council meeting, voiced his support for lawmakers who blocked the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act from moving forward in the Senate.
Republican lawmakers failed to get the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.
Not a single Senate Democrat voted in favor of the bill. Two Republicans and two Democrats were absent from the vote.
Kluwe, who played for the Minnesota Vikings his entire career, reacted in a post on BlueSky.
"I support and am happy the party came together to stop this," Kluwe wrote. "However, this is what they should be doing on EVERYTHING. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it - we are in an existential crisis as a country. We’re either going to emerge as Americans, or as something else."
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would require Title IX to treat gender as "recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth" and would disallow any adjustment for it to apply to gender identity.
The bill was introduced by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and has more than 40 co-sponsors in the Senate. It would also codify one of Trump's many recent executive orders, giving the policy better longevity.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order last month to prohibit biological males from competing in women's and girls sports. The order would withhold federal funding from states that continue to allow transgender inclusion in women's and girls sports.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is calling on NBA officials to whistle traveling, one of the most basic rules violations in basketball, more often.
Kerr, 59, was assessed a technical foul during the third quarter of the Warriors' 119-101 win over the Charlotte Hornets Monday after what he thought was an obvious travel wasn’t called.
"I don’t understand why we are not teaching our officials to call travel in this league," Kerr told reporters after the game. "They do a great job and work their tails off and communicate well, but I see five or six travels a game that aren’t called.
"You know it's a problem when there are like a hundred fans in the stands and every coach on the sideline when I'm watching film and everyone is (signaling for a travel call). Everyone is seeing it, so we are clearly not teaching as a league our officials to look at the feet."
Kerr called out his own team, saying he saw the Warriors commit four traveling violations that were not called in their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday.
Kerr said a change regarding traveling violations needs to happen "for the good of the game."
"The entire game is based on footwork," Kerr said. "We need enforce traveling violations, and we are not doing it. And I don't understand why. ... These (officials) are awesome. They do a great job, and they have a million things to watch, but footwork is the entire basis of the game, and we need to call traveling. It will be a much better game if we clean it up."
The Warriors play the New York Knicks Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, and Kerr will likely be monitoring traveling calls.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., made her position visibly clear on whether she believes women and girls should be protected from trans inclusion in sports.
Warren was seen giving an exaggerated thumbs down gesture while voting no on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act Monday night.
Warren held her thumb down for several seconds in the face of the clerk tallying her vote. The clerk even had to tell Warren, "I got you," to assure her that her vote had been counted as the senator held her gesture for an exaggerated amount of time.
Footage of the senator's gesture prompted widespread backlash on social media, especially by women's rights activists.
Independent Council on Women's Sports co-founder Marshi Smith condemned Warren in a response on X.
"Hard to believe someone could hate little girls who just want a spot on the girls’ team and the girls’ podium this much," Smith wrote.
The British U.K.-based feminist YouTuber Kellie-Jay Keen questioned how anyone in the U.S. could vote for someone like Warren in an X response.
"Why would any woman in the USA continue to support these woman hating a--holes?" Keen wrote.
Feminist author Kara Dansky, a Democrat, replied to the clip by posting a long X response that included a note she wrote to Warren ahead of the 2020 election.
"The Democratic party is pushing the narrative that ‘transgender’ and ‘queer’ belong in the same category as gay rights, and that is problematic for several reasons: (1) it is not true, (2) it is bad for women and girls, and (3) it is likely to lead to a loss in 2020," Dansky posted.
Fox News Digital reached out to Warren's office for comment.
Warren has a history of support for trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports and even once called legislation to prevent it "cruel."
In February 2020, Warren condemned an Arizona state bill, the Save Women's Sports Act, that would have prevented biological males from competing in girls' sports.
"Trans athletes are not a threat," Warren wrote on X (then known as Twitter). "We need to protect trans kids – and all LGBTQ+ kids – and ensure they feel safe and welcomed at school. I urge the Arizona legislature to reject this cruel bill."
Now, Warren has helped prevent a bill that would offer female athletes the same protections on a national level.
Republicans needed 60 votes but only received 51. No Democrats sided with Republicans on the bill. Two Democrats were absent from the vote, as were two Republicans. The bill failed, 51-45.
During a recent interview on CNN's "The Arena with Kasie Hunt," Warren was asked why she thought Democrats lost to President Donald Trump in November, and if the party had moved too far to the left culturally. Warren's response indicated that she didn't believe that was the case.
"I think the problem is we didn't make clear what we fight for and really get out there and fight for it. Our job right now is pretty straightforward. Just tell the truth," Warren said.
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."
Meanwhile, a recent New York Times/Ipsos poll found that the vast majority of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, don't believe trans athletes should be able to compete in women's sports.
Last month, a Gallup poll also showed a 45% plurality of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents saying they wanted the party to become more moderate, an 11-point increase since the beginning of President Joe Biden’s term in 2021.
The Democratic Party has largely struggled since Trump’s election in 2024. In a Quinnipiac University survey conducted during Trump’s first week in office, only 31% of respondents had a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party.
Now, with Senate Democrats voting unanimously to block the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, many activists, including Riley Gaines, have vowed to help unseat the senators who prevented it from passing.
Former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya theorized Tuesday why Senate Democrats failed to break a filibuster and express support for keeping biological males out of women’s and girls sports.
No Senate Democrat voted in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to break a filibuster.
Republicans needed 60 votes but only received 51. On the same day, in Minnesota, House lawmakers there voted against the Preserving Girls’ Sports Act. Each Democratic lawmaker in the state voted against the legislation.
"Part of me is starting to think they didn’t want to give the president a ‘W’ the day before he is going to address Congress tonight, that joint session of Congress," Tafoya told Dakich. "And so they all just — and, seriously, politicians collude — and they all got together and said, 'We can’t do this. We can’t give him this win, so let’s just vote no.' And they stick together, man. They stick together."
Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Liish Kozlowski likened the Preserving Girls’ Sports Act to "state-sanctioned bullying and genocide" during a debate about the legislation Monday, according to OutKick.
It’s the same type of language Hannah Edwards, executive director of Transforming Families, used in a news release from Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Leigh Finke in January after Trump signed an executive order targeting federal funding of transgender healthcare.
"It’s ridiculous, and I’m trying to get my head around, like do people really buy into this, that this is some sort of trans genocide because boys shouldn’t play in girls sports?" Tafoya said. "It makes no sense. We have some pretty radical Democrats here in Minnesota, I mean, like really radical. And so that’s what we’re dealing with.
"I don’t know how that language is received by the average person. If I’m considered the average person, I think that person’s a lunatic suggesting that. I don’t know how these people keep getting elected."
In one of Pete Rose's final known interviews just 10 days before his death, he talked about his potential Hall of Fame induction.
Rose, who died at 83 in September from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, came to a conclusion about his Hall of Fame chances.
"I’ve come to the conclusion, I hope I’m wrong, I’ll make the Hall of Fame after I die," Rose said to sportscaster John Condit in footage aired on "Fox & Friends" for the first time on Tuesday.
"Which I totally disagree with because the Hall of Fame is for two reasons: your fans and your family," he said in the clip. "It’s for your family if you’re here. It’s for your fans if you’re here, not if you’re 10 feet under."
"What’s the point? Because they’ll make money over it? The Hall of Fame is for what you did on the field, not what you did off the field."
Rose would undoubtedly be in the Baseball Hall of Fame if his statistics on the field outweighed breaking the golden rule in the sport.
Rose is MLB’s hit king, with 4,256 career hits. He was the National League MVP in 1974, was a 17-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion, and three-time batting title winner.
However, the Cincinnati Reds star became a polarizing figure when news of his gambling on games rocked the sports world. Rose received a lifetime ban from MLB in 1989 due to his gambling.
In the exclusive interview, Rose said he was not bitter about his banishment from Cooperstown.
"When you make a mistake, don’t be bitter to other people. I wish I hadn’t made the mistake, but I did, it’s history, get over it."
"I didn’t hurt any of my fans by betting on the game of baseball, and by the way betting on the game of baseball to win. Every game I played in I wanted to win. I happened to win more than anybody else, but that’s OK, not bad," Rose said with a smile.
President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post last Friday night that he will sign a complete pardon for Rose.
"Major League Baseball didn’t have the courage or decency to put the late, great, Pete Rose, also known as ‘Charlie Hustle,’ into the Baseball Hall of fame. Now he is dead, will never experience the thrill of being selected, even though he was a FAR BETTER PLAYER than most of those who made it, and can only be named posthumously. WHAT A SHAME!" Trump posted.
"Anyway, over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete PARDON of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING. He never betted against himself, or the other team. He had the most hits, by far, in baseball history, and won more games than anyone in sports history. Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy a--, and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!"
Rose applied for reinstatement in 2020 and 2022, especially with legalized sports betting happening across the country. However, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred denied both requests, pointing to the Veteran’s Committee for any Hall of Fame discussions regarding Rose. Manfred also shot down any speculation about Rose’s reinstatement in 2023, as the league had partnerships with sportsbooks.
Manfred is reportedly considering a petition from Rose’s family to have him posthumously removed from baseball’s ineligible list. Which would potentially open the door for Rose to make the Hall of Fame and make his conclusion about his enshrinement true.
Although he isn't in the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Reds inducted Rose into their own hall of fame in 2016, retiring his No. 14. He made several appearances in MLB ballparks in recent years before his death.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will reportedly miss the remainder of the NBA season after he suffered a knee injury during a game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.
Irving was diagnosed with a torn ACL, ESPN reported.
Irving, a nine-time NBA All-Star, fell and landed awkwardly on his knee in the first half of Monday's game. The Mavs star was in visible pain as tears ran down his face. He was able to remain in the game long enough to make both of his free throw attempts, before he was helped off the court.
He was then ruled out for the remainder of the game.
"That's just who, I mean, Kai's a tough guy," Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. "I asked him as they were taking him off the court, 'Are you good if you leave without shooting? You're ruled out.' So they took him to the free-throw line, and he shot the free throws and then we got him out."
Irving appeared to suffer the serious injury when he was fouled as he drove to the basket. The 2016 NBA champion's right foot landed on the foot of a Kings player during the play, causing him to lose his balance.
The Mavericks did not offer an update about Irving's status after Monday's game, but Kidd described it as an unfortunate moment.
"Just unlucky," Kidd said. "I hope that he's healthy, that it's not serious."
Irving grabbed his knee and stayed on the hardwood for several minutes after he hit the floor.
Following Monday's matchup with the Kings, Irving is averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game this season. He has become the focal point of Dallas' offense since superstar guard Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers early last month.
Irving's injury marks the latest setback for the Mavericks, who have already played the past couple of weeks with Anthony Davis. Dallas acquired Davis in the blockbuster Doncic trade.
The center suffered an injury in his Mavericks' debut on Feb. 8. The Mavs return to action on Wednesday when they take on the Bucks in Milwaukee.
NBA figures have jumped into a "face of the league" debate just weeks after the criticism the All-Star Game received in comparison to the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
A former first-round draft pick out of North Carolina made his case about who he believed the face of the NBA is – Caitlin Clark.
"THE FACE OF THE NBA IS CAITLIN CLARK!!!" ex-NBA guard Rashad McCants wrote in a post Saturday on X. "Yea I said it!!!! She has handled criticism better than the people you consider THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!!!! @CaitlinClark22 your the GOAT!!!"
McCants then pointed to the latest news about exhibition games the Indiana Fever will be a part of.
The Fever will play an exhibition game against the Brazilian national team in Iowa before the WNBA season begins. Tickets for that game sold out in under an hour. Furthermore, the Chicago Sky moved their home games against the Fever from the Wintrust Arena to the United Center.
"Like I said THE FACE OF THE NBA!!! This is the metric. Sold out in minutes. Preseason!!! We witness her get blitz by peers, alumni, randoms, politicians, and above all else women!! She never ran from the challenge. Accepted it and rose above it! Goat!"
Last week, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards said he didn’t want to be the face of the league. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James empathized with that.
"Why do you wanna be the face of a league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s--- on everybody?" James asked reporters Thursday.
"That responsibility – it’s just weird. It’s weird energy from the people that… I don’t know."
James said he understood where Edwards was coming from with his remarks.
"(Anthony Edwards) said he don’t want it. I mean, obviously, I didn’t ask for it; but I knew there was a responsibility for me – not only to my family, my friends, my community, and whoever that was gonna follow my journey throughout my career, not only to Ohio when I started there – but all over America and all over the world when I travel all over the world," he said.
"I’ve always taken that seriously and understood from the beginning what being a professional is all about and being a role model is all about… I feel Ant. I understand. I completely understand. It’s just weird energy when it comes to that."
Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
Former ESPN broadcaster Keith Olbermann slammed Pat McAfee and called on the company to fire him on Monday following the WWE commentator’s remarks about Canada.
McAfee called Canada a "terrible country" after wrestling fans in Canada booed "The Star-Spangled Banner" performance ahead of the Elimination Chamber premium live event over the weekend. He sounded off about the backlash he received during his episode of "The Pat McAfee Show."
"A lot of us tried to warn the new espn management that the day would come when this idiot would draw them into a permanent political controversy and they could either be subsumed by it, or fire him," Olbermann said in response to McAfee’s Monday remarks. "That day is today. Fire him."
"Now, Canada, listen, there’s been some things said to me from Canadians that I guess I respect because of the passion that you have for your country — which I hope you understand that I was showing the same for mine," McAfee explained on the show. "You booed my country."
"I understand, now, from the Canadians that they have a lot more passion for their country than I could have imagined. A lot of terrible things have been said about me, and I understand it," McAfee continued.
"I didn’t say Canadians were terrible. I said your country was. You booed us. I said you were terrible. Let’s shake hands and move along. I still love Canadians… I hope it gets settled."
Boos from Canadian fans during the U.S. national anthem began amid President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods. The president paused them in February but had it start this week.
The boos continued during the 4 Nations Face-Off, leading to a fight between American and Canadian NHL players in Montreal.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Payton McNabb, a former high school girls volleyball player who was severely injured when a transgender opponent spiked a ball in her face, will be one of President Donald Trump’s guests at his joint address to Congress on Tuesday night.
McNabb suffered the injury when she was a junior at Hiwassee Dam High School in Murphy, North Carolina, and has helped lead the charge to keep women’s and girls’ sports fair. She was one of the athletes who attended Trump’s event when he signed the "No Men in Women’s Sports" executive order.
She told Fox News on Monday she was stunned to hear she received the offer.
"It's just such an incredible honor, and I'm so thankful, and I can't believe I'm getting invited. I know that President Trump really supports what we've been fighting for and what I've been advocating for for over two years now," she said. "And he's really big on getting men out of women's sports and out of their spaces.
TUNE IN: LIVE COVERAGE OF TRUMP'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TUESDAY NIGHT ON FOX NEWS
"So, I think this is just his way of letting us know that he sees us and he's with us, and I'm just so thankful for that."
On the play in question, McNabb said she suffered a concussion, brain bleed and permanent whiplash. Later, she said she dealt with partial paralysis and vision problems.
McNabb said she did not expect Trump to talk about her story, but it would be "insane" if he did.
"I know that he's addressing a lot of important things. So, I'm not going to assume anything. But if he does, then I'm going to be so thankful and just really, really happy."
Trump is expected to outline his domestic and foreign policy plans with the Department of Government Efficiency expected to play a big role in the speech.
Fox News’ Caroline McKee contributed to this report.
