As four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers remains in the free agency pool, another potential option may have opened up for him in the NFL. 

The New Orleans Saints could be desperate for a veteran option at the position after news that Derek Carr’s 2025 season could be in jeopardy due to a shoulder injury. 

NFL Network reports that surgery could be an option for Carr, which "threatens his availability for this season."

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Injury was a theme in Carr’s second year in New Orleans last season, as he missed seven games last year due to a concussion and fractured hand. 

Now, with his season in jeopardy, perhaps the Saints could tap into Rodgers to see if the Big Easy is somewhere he’d want to star next year. 

SAINTS' DEREK CARR'S SEASON IN JEOPARDY DUE TO NEW SHOULDER INJURY: REPORT

"Expect to see a report, sooner [rather] than later, that the Saints have reached out," Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said on Friday. "Whether it goes anywhere remains to be seen. However, New Orleans becomes another option for Rodgers."

The New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers were the other two frontrunners for Rodgers, but the former is out of that running after signing Russell Wilson, the Steelers’ starting quarterback, last season, as well as Jameis Winston this free agency period. 

It was expected, then, that Rodgers would be heading to the Steel City, but he hasn’t made his intentions known just yet. The Minnesota Vikings continue to remain an option, but the organization is adamant that J.J. McCarthy, their first-round pick last season who had to miss the whole year due to injury, is their starter heading into camp. 

As for the Saints, Carr’s absence for the season would leave the quarterback position up to Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener, as the depth chart reads. Rattler filled in for Carr during his injuries last year, and it didn’t work out for the 2024 fifth-round pick, as he went 0-6 in his six starts. 

While Rodgers may be an option, the ninth overall pick belongs to the Saints this year, and they will be an interesting team to watch. Could they move up above other quarterback-needy teams to nab their potential quarterback of the future? 

It’s worth noting that Carr has just one year left on his deal with the Saints before becoming a free agent in 2027. 

Rodgers, 41, is coming off a failed tenure with the New York Jets, going 6-12 in his 18 starts with the team. 

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Jose Luis Ballester won the 2024 U.S. Amateur, which granted him a spot at the Masters this year, but the 21-year-old's first time competing in the major on the famed course was overshadowed by a moment during the first-round action.

Ballester seemingly admitted that he had urinated in Rae's Creek at Amen Corner at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday. The Spaniard said he "completely forgot that we had those restrooms to the left of the (13th) tee box," and after playing partner Justin Thomas "had an issue on the green," he said he had taken advantage.

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But as the hours and days following the incident in question passed, Ballester began making it clear that he was ready to put the now-infamous moment behind him.

"I already apologized to the club, and I think we just move on from this moment," Ballester responded to questions about whether Augusta National officials had spoken to him about his actions.

NOTABLE PLAYERS WHO MISSED THE CUT AT THE MASTERS, INCLUDING ANGEL CABRERA IN HIS AUGUSTA RETURN

Ballester also competes in the collegiate ranks for the Arizona State Sun Devils. He arrived at Augusta National on Thursday wearing a hat that said "Sun Devils" upside down.

Friday did not go according to plan for Ballester, as he ended up missing the cut. Nevertheless, he had a positive takeaway and took advantage of the opportunity to learn from Thomas and his other partner, Scottie Scheffler, who has won two of the last three Masters.

"These guys are here especially because of how good they are around the greens, how much knowledge they have, how good they are at perceiving the slopes and reading greens," Ballester said.

"I hit many good shots with drivers and irons both days, but what I felt that those guys are in a completely [different] level from where I am is around the greens."

Last year, amateur Neal Shipley spent his final round with five-time winner Tiger Woods.

Ballester acknowledged the disappointing result at the tournament, but he also expressed optimism about his future. "It was not a great week for me in that aspect, but also looking forward to the next opportunities that I get to see how I compare myself with them," he said.

As of Saturday afternoon, Justin Rose was atop the Masters Leaderboard at 8 under par. Meanwhile, Scheffler was working to move out of a four-way tie for fifth place as third-round action played out. 

Fox News' Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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John Daly isn’t playing in the Masters, but he still had a good week in Augusta.

Daly, 58, made a small fortune at a Hooters located about a mile away from the Masters, selling $40 hats, $10 autographed golf balls and $250 boxes of cigars, among other things. 

Last year at Hooters, Daly’s team told ESPN that he had made $780,000 in sales, and that may increase this year due to the rainout on Monday. 

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Daly hasn’t played in the Masters since 2006, but he still wins every time he goes to Augusta during Masters week.

He has endeared himself to fans over the years with his style of play, outfits and colorful personality. 

Daly dresses in flashy attire on the golf course and is always seen with a cigarette in his hand on the course. He revealed that he hates water and that he used to drink 12 to 20 Diet Cokes a day to replace it, in an interview a few years ago. 

TRUMP SHARES MASTERS ROOTING INTEREST AS TOURNAMENT REACHES PIVOTAL WEEKEND

However, Daly has dealt with a litany of health issues over the years. He underwent emergency hand surgery in January.

In February, Daly revealed in a podcast interview that he has been in remission of bladder cancer for four years.

He went to the University of Arkansas on a golf scholarship and qualified for the 1986 U.S. Open as an amateur. He turned pro in 1987 following his career at Arkansas, and joined the PGA Tour in 1991. 

In his career, Daly has five PGA Tour victories, including two major championship wins. 

Daly has earned nearly $13 million in winnings in his career, according to the PGA Tour website, and has only added to his earnings with his annual Hooters appearances. 

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Tennessee is reportedly moving on from starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava a day after the quarterback was a no-show at practice due to NIL contract negotiations.

Head coach Josh Heupel informed the team of the decision to move on from Iamaleava during a team meeting on Saturday morning, according to ESPN. 

Iamaleava’s decision to skip practice and meetings on Friday was the "driver" of the decision to move on, according to the report. 

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Iamaleava's no-show at practice was a "surprise" to the team, according to the report. 

Iamaleava, 20, will enter the transfer portal and look for a new team after just one season as Tennessee's quarteback, according to On3. 

Iamaleava was reportedly set to earn $2.4 million this season but wanted to renegotiate his deal to $4 million per year and skipped practice to holdout for a new NIL contract.

TENNESSEE’S NICO IAMALEAVA UNDER SCRUTINY OVER NIL, PRACTICE DRAMA

The quarterback was the No. 23 overall recruit in the 2023 class, and when he initially signed with Tennessee’s NIL collective in 2022, Iamaleava was set to make $8 million over his college career with the Vols.

He was at offensive coordinator Joey Halze’s house for dinner with his teammates on Thursday night, according to OutKick, which is why his absence from practice and meetings on Friday was such a surprise. 

Teammates were concerned about Iamaleava’s safety, as he had not responded to texts from teammates or officials, according to the report. Not even 48 hours after dinner with his teammates, Iamaleava was no longer with the Tennessee football program. 

In his lone season as Tennessee’s starting quarterback, the six-foot-six quarterback led the Vols to a 10-3 record as a freshman, with 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. 

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MLB umpire Mark Ripperger is receiving praise for how he called a recent game.

Ripperger was behind home plate for Thursday's game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins. While the Royals' shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.'s sacrifice fly broke the tie in the seventh inning, much of the talk after the game was about Ripperger.

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The umpire was credited with calling a "perfect game," which is something that reportedly has happened just one other time in the Umpire Scorecards era.

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Umpire Scorecards compile the major league's advanced pitch-tracking data to rate how accurate an umpire was during a given game. The data also considers how an umpire's call impacts the game. 

Ripperger made calls for 136 pitches on Thursday. According to Umpire Scorecards metrics, he called every pitch accurately.

Kansas City trailed Minnesota by a run on Thursday before rallying in the seventh inning. Royals starter Michael Wacha pitched 5.1 innings, giving up two earned runs. He also struck out four batters.

The Royals' 2-3 win over the Twins on Thursday was followed by a 7-0 loss to the Guardians on Friday.

Former MLB umpire Pat Hoberg is credited with the only other perfect game Umpire Scorecards has recorded. Hoberg accomplished that feat in Game 2 of the 2023 World Series.

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Golf influencer Paige Spiranac had kind words about Nick Dunlap’s performance in the second round of the Masters on Friday after he had a pretty awful first go at Augusta National.

Dunlap became the first Masters competitor in a decade, and the youngest in the tournament’s history, to shoot 90 at the course. He dropped five shots over his final three holes to end the nightmarish Thursday and did not speak to reporters afterward.

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He could have easily withdrawn from the tournament as he fell way off pace to make the cut. However, Dunlap showed his resolve and bounced back.

The 21-year-old carded a 71 in the second round on Friday – one of the best scores for anyone who stepped into the tee box. Unfortunately, the cut line was +2 and he was +17 for the tournament.

"Massive props to Dunlap for shooting under par today after his first round 90," Spiranac wrote on X. "He could have easily WD but he stuck it out and came back with a great round! We’ve all been there. Golf can eat you alive but your next great round is always right around the corner."

TRUMP SHARES MASTERS ROOTING INTEREST AS TOURNAMENT REACHES PIVOTAL WEEKEND

After Thursday’s disastrous first round, the golf world felt for Dunlap.

I’ve played with him a few times this year, and what a great player, what a great guy," Robert MacIntyre said. "He was struggling out there today, (but) his attitude was solid. He didn’t get in the way. He didn’t lay off anything that was going to affect his two other playing partners because we’ve got a job to do.

"I feel for him today, but he’ll come back."

Dunlap was far from the only one to miss the cut. He talked about his two rounds afterward.

"I had more of a knot in my stomach today than I've ever had starting a round of golf," he said, via ESPN. "I had not a very good gut feeling about it stepping up today. Proud of myself to post something under par."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The cause of death for former NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis was reportedly undetermined more than a year after he died at a Florida home. He was 35.

Davis’ body was found at a home registered to his grandmother in Southwest Ranches, Florida, WSVN-TV reported. No foul play was suspected, police said at the time.

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"Due to the totality of the circumstances, including inconsistencies between the scene and the findings at autopsy, the cause and manner of death in this case is best classified as undetermined," according to ESPN, which cited the Broward County Medical Examiner’s report.

The report noted that Davis had abrasions near his right eye and a hemorrhage in the muscles of his back. A toxicology report also indicated the former defensive back had substances in his system, including amphetamines or methamphetamines.

The Miami Dolphins selected Davis in the first round of the 2009 draft. He was traded to the Indianapolis Colts before the start of the 2012 season, and he had a few great seasons with them. 

NFL GREAT TERRY BRADSHAW CLARIFIES ROLE IN OPENING JAMMED PLANE DOOR AFTER CLAIMS OF HEROISM

He joined the Buffalo Bills after the 2017 season and only made one appearance for them, retiring in the middle of a game.

In 121 games, Davis had 22 interceptions and 395 tackles. He was named to the Pro Bowl while with the Colts in 2014 and 2015.

Former NFL star tight end Vernon Davis, Vontae’s brother, released a heartbreaking statement at the time of his death.

"This thing definitely caught me by surprise. I just don't know what to make of it," Vernon told the Daily Mail at the time. "I'm leaning on the detectives to figure it out, but, right now, we have no answers. 

"They are going to run tests, and they said they'll get back to us. It could be as long as a month, a month and a half, until we know anything."

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Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons blasted the state of college football amid scrutiny over Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava on Friday.

Iamaleava was reportedly a holdout at practice this week as he sought to renegotiate his name, image and likeness deal from $2.4 million to $4 million per year. He had 2,616 passing yards and 19 touchdown passes as the Vols finished 10-3 during the 2024 season.

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As the discourse entered social media, the former Penn State star was unhappy with what college football has become.

"College football a joke now! Yall minds well just make college into a semi pro league! Actually hold players accountable to the contracts they sign!" he wrote on X.

He then responded to another person on X who claimed that college football had always been a semi-pro league and that players were getting paid just illegally.

"Nah college was never about money! College is bout building character!" Parsons wrote back. "I am the man I am today because of the brotherhood and the amazing coaches I’ve had during my time at Penn State! 

"We are failing kids now because life isn’t easy and we are allowing them to quit!"

Iamaleava is just the tip of the iceberg of what could happen in college athletics sooner than later.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti were on Capitol Hill last week to lobby Congress on getting help legislating NIL in college athletics.

NCAA POWER FOUR COMMISSIONERS SAY THEY 'NEED HELP FROM CONGRESS' TO REGULATE NIL, TRANSFER PORTAL

Yormark told Bret Baier on "Special Report" on Thursday that "we need help from Congress."

"From where I sit today, federal pre-emption, having a standardized platform that oversees and governs NIL is critically important," Yormark said. "Today, 34 states see it very differently, and it’s relatively unruly."

"The volume of laws that are being passed on a state level are making it really difficult for us to regulate and compete nationally," added Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. Every single time someone doesn’t like a ruling, or something comes from the NCAA, we end up in litigation. Those rules then get aggregated, and we’re back to the start. 

"We’re hopeful that the combination of what we’ve done in the settlement will give us an opportunity, with some help from Congress, to really put a system in a place that has some stability.

"We’ve crossed the bridge of being willing to provide revenue … but we need to have some structure. We can’t have a system that has complete unregulated movement."

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas took exception to LeBron James shooting shirtless before the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Thomas, an analyst for NBA TV, took issue with James’ alleged lack of professionalism as he warmed up.

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"I just totally 100% object to this," Thomas said. "If I were the GM or coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this. I mean, we’re a professional NBA league. We ain’t summer league. We ain’t at the YMCA."

Thomas agreed with Steve Smith when he said he thought the NBA should go back to making players wear suits.

"I just think the professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much," he continued. "Look, I like LeBron, I’m a fan of his so forth and so on. But to walk out on the floor before a game with no shirt on and shoot – I mean come on man. Where we at? What we doing?

EX-NBA STARS CALL OUT JA MORANT OVER GRENADE CELEBRATION

"Adam Silver, if you want to fine somebody, fine that. Put a fine on that."

James appeared to respond to Thomas’ comment in a post on X after the Lakers won the game, 140-109.

"Man I was going to say something but it’s useless at this point in my career! Anyways more important CONGRATULATIONS JJ on a 50 win season in the WEST & Post Season nod!" he wrote.

James had 14 points, eight assists and four rebounds.

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Tom Brady rarely heard cheers when he was in New Jersey playing in the NFL but the environment at the American Dream on Friday night was completely different than what it was at MetLife Stadium during his career.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion opened a CardVault by Tom Brady premium trading card store at the American Dream. It’s the first flagship store located outside of the Boston Area.

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Brady fans wearing New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers gear flocked to the enormous shopping center and filled all three levels just to get a glimpse of the legendary quarterback. He spoke to co-founder Chris Costa for a brief Q&A session before he had a treat for the fans.

He showed off his legendary arm, firing footballs into the crowd – not showing any signs of rust. Fans were extremely excited about the possibility of catching a football from one of the greatest players of all time.

Brady spoke about some of the favorite trading cards in his collections. One, a dual autograph with San Francisco 49ers legend Joe Montana, and the other he has of teammates Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker.

He talked about his admiration for Montana first.

TOM BRADY OPENS CARDVAULT SPORTS CARD STORE AT AMERICAN DREAM, OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HOBBY

"The San Francisco 49ers were the team to beat in the NFL and they had a tremendous run from the early 80s through the late 90s – they were a dynasty. When you grow up in the Bay Area and you have that, it gives you a lot of reasons to love sports and love football," he said. "And that’s when I fell in love with football, because of Joe Montana. And he’s still my idol today.

"He was an incredible quarterback and he set the tone every single day for what greatness really looks like. And every pro football player, every quarterback that’s ever played in the NFL understands how talented and how poised this guy was. This guy was a champion – four Super Bowl wins in for Super Bowl appearances. Nobody performed in Super Bowls as great as this guy and the fact that I’m on a card with him signed, it had to be in my collection."

Brady then talked about how he needed to rely on his teammates when the Patriots came back to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

The Patriots famously trailed 28-3 when they stormed back to stun the Falcons and win the Super Bowl title in overtime.

"It’s 2016, the end of the season, came down to one game against the Falcons and it was pretty rough being down 28-3," he recalled. "But I had a group of teammates that never quit and we did fight to the end. We played our butts off for the last 18 minutes of that game and went from what would have been the toughest loss of my career to the greatest victory that maybe the sport has even seen.

"And we get to make jokes with Falcons fans for the rest of our lives."

CardVault by Tom Brady offers rare and premium trading cards for hobbyists who want to elevate their collections. The store also provides an environment for collectors of all kinds.

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The 2025 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, and one of this year's top prospects dropped a hint about which team he hopes to land with.

Former Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter is widely projected to be one of the first players off the board April 25, and the New York Giants have the third overall pick. 

Carter added to speculation that he hopes to wear a blue uniform in his rookie season by sharing an image of Giants great Lawrence Taylor on social media.

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The photo of the Hall of Fame linebacker on Carter's X account Friday was accompanied by the quote, "Once a Giant, always a Giant." Late Giants owner Wellington Mara has been credited with coining the phrase.

This week's visit is not the first time Carter has interacted with the Giants. The star edge rusher also had breakfast with Giants head coach Brian Daboll earlier this month, according to multiple reports.

FOX NEWS DIGITAL SPORTS 2025 NFL MOCK DRAFT 2.0: ABDUL CARTER MOVES UP, SAINTS MAKE SURPRISE

Taylor was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He played for the Giants for the entirety of his storied 13-year career and is widely considered to be one of the best players to ever wear a Giants uniform.

Taylor's 132½ sacks rank second on the Giants' all-time list. The 9½ sacks he had during his rookie season in 1981 aren't included in the total because sacks weren't considered an official statistic at the time.

Carter racked up 23 sacks during his three seasons with the Nittany Lions and received Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors after a strong 2024 campaign.

Carter battled through a shoulder injury during the College Football Playoff. It was also recently revealed he is dealing with a stress reaction in his foot. However, it remains unlikely Carter will need to undergo surgery to address the issue, ESPN reported.

If Carter ends up with the Giants, he would join a defensive line that already features Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence.

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This weekend at Augusta National looks like it will be one for the ages.

The leaderboard is stacked with golfers who have combined for 10 major championships all within three shots of each other at the top, and the players at even par (eight shots back) or better have a combined 24 major wins.

Fifty-four players made the cut Friday, and the playing has been superb. The cut line was a mere 10 strokes back of the lead. It's a long shot for those guys, but they're not out of it.

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It has the attention of President Donald Trump, an avid golfer.

Fox News Digital's Paulina Dedaj was on Air Force One with the president Friday and asked Trump who he'd "like to see win the Masters."

He's apparently rooting for everybody.

"They're all friends of mine. They have some great ones. Scottie Scheffler's great. Bryson [DeChambeau] is great. Justin Rose, they're all friends of mine," he said. 

"It's going to be a very good Masters. Looks like it's going to be a very good Masters. Some fantastic golfers at the top."

RORY MCILROY, BRYSON DECHAMBEAU SURGE; JUSTIN ROSE HOLDS SLIM MASTERS LEAD AT MIDWAY POINT

He's right. Justin Rose's 8-under leads the pack, while DeChambeau is a stroke back. McIlroy is two shots behind the leader along with Corey Conners.

Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry and Matt McCarty are all sitting at 5-under par. Other big names within striking distance include Viktor Hovland and Jason Day at 4-under; Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Reed and Collin Morikawa at 3-under; and Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman six back at 2-under.

Major champions at 1-under or even include Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham Clark.

A win for Scheffler would make him the first back-to-back winner at Augusta since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. Meanwhile, McIlroy is making his 11th attempt to complete the career grand slam and is still eyeing the long-coveted green jacket.

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The Masters is where the best hope to bring their A-game, but it doesn't always happen.

This year's leaderboard is stacked with players with a combined 10 major wins inside the top five, including two-time winner and reigning champion Scottie Scheffler.

As with every golf tournament, though, there are some big names that did not advance to the weekend.

Here are some players headed home early from Augusta.

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Cabrera, the 2009 green jacket winner, was back at Augusta for the first time since 2019 after serving time in prison for assault and intimidation. He was asked by reporters if he "deserved" to be playing in this year’s Masters given his time spent in jail for his crimes. All winners have a lifetime exemption into the tournament. 

His response? 

"Why not?"

He was 11-over in his two rounds, tied for the second-worst score.

The 2020 Masters winner’s weekend ended in heartbreak. Johnson was 1-over going into 18, but a costly double bogey sent him below the cut line. It’s his second straight missed cut at Augusta. In 2023, he finished tied in 48th. His best finish since winning was tie for 12th in 2022.

Koepka attacked the majors in 2023, finishing tied for second at Augusta and winning the PGA Championship. Last year was the opposite, and this week at Augusta was a continuation. Like his LIV mate Johnson, Koepka was in line to play the weekend, being even-par through the 16th, but after bogeying 17 and a quadruple-bogey on 18, his tournament score rocketed to 5-over. 

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Fans are still waiting for Zalatoris to make the jump, but it didn’t happen this week. Zalatoris opened the day 2-over and parred his first 10 holes, but he bogeyed 11 and double-bogeyed 12 and 15, all but putting him out of the race. His week ends 8-over.

After tying for fifth at the Genesis, Finau has played some weak golf, not finishing inside the Top 30 in any of his last five tournaments. He grinded and got below the cut line at one point but was unable to hang on.

Henley was a sleeper by many to make a run at a green jacket (including us). But, from the jump, he struggled. An 8-over 80 put him in desperation mode Friday, and while he went 5-under for a 67  Friday, his 3-over for the tournament wasn’t enough.

Mickelson’s double-bogey on the par-5 15th dropped him below the cut line. He then bogeyed 16 and 18 to fall well short. He shocked the world with a second-place tie two years ago after an awesome final round, but he has been unable to find that same magic since.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw's recent trip to Pittsburgh lasted much longer than he anticipated, thanks to a jammed boarding door.

The plane departed from Dallas-Forth Worth. Bradshaw was traveling to Pittsburgh Thursday to attend a celebratory dinner Friday for former Steelers teammate Mel Blount, USA Today reported.

Bradshaw was seated near the front of the plane, according to reports. At some point during the trip, the door malfunctioned. 

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Selah Holland, a passenger traveling on the same flight as Bradshaw, told KDKA 5 the pilot informed everyone onboard that the stuck door was eventually opened "thanks to the strength of one of our passengers."

"The pilot announced, and you could kind of hear he was chuckling as he said it, but he said, 'Thanks to the strength of one of our passengers, we were finally able to get the door open,' and I think we all knew he was alluding to Mr. Bradshaw," Holland said. 

However, Bradshaw took to social media Friday to clarify the role he played.  

"Just to set the record straight," he wrote on an Instagram post, "I did nothing to open the door on the plane!" 

The 76-year-old former quarterback then credited the maintenance personnel. 

"The maintenance crew had it open in 15 [minutes]."

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Holland also noted that several Steelers fans were on board the flight, and comments were made in jest about Bradshaw getting out of his seat to potentially knock down the door.

"There were a lot of Steelers fans on board, of course, so it was kinda funny because I think people had been making jokes that he should help bust down the door," Holland said.

Bradshaw spent his entire storied NFL career with the Steelers, winning four Super Bowls in six seasons with the franchise. Bradshaw and Blount played for Pittsburgh from 1970-1983. Blount, who played cornerback, is also a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

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We are in for one of the all-time greatest finishes at Augusta.

The leaderboard is stacked with golfers who have a combined 10 major championships all within three shots of each other at the top, and the players at even par (eight shots back) or better have a combined 24 major wins.

Fifty-four players made the cut Friday, and the playing has been superb. The cut line was a mere 10 strokes back of the lead. It's a long shot for those guys, but they're not out of it.

Here's what happened at Augusta National at the midway point of the 89th Masters.

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After double-bogeying two of his final four holes Thursday, McIlroy came out ready to pounce. He mastered Amen Corner and the entire course, for that matter. He shot a 6-under 66 and opened up his back nine with four consecutive threes, including an eagle on 13, and went bogey-free in the round. He now sits at 6-under for the tournament.

DeChambeau came out firing early, birdying three of his first five holes and four of his first eight to get to second at one point. He cooled off on the back nine, however, shooting even par to finish 4-under on the day and sit at 7-under through two rounds.

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Justin Rose twice reached 9-under for the tournament after birdies on the par-3 12th and 16th. But he bogeyed 17 and gained just a stroke in his second round. He has a one-shot lead.

By the time those three golfers were finished, though, reigning champion Scottie Scheffler was through just seven holes, and no one is ever safe when he’s on the course. But he had an inconsistent day, putting up six birdies and five bogeys. Overall, it added up to 1-under on the day, and he’s three behind Rose.

DeChambeau wasn’t the only LIV star to have shot a low number, though. Tyrrell Hatton found himself right in the thick of it. Hatton birdied 7, 8, and 9 to get in the mix, and, at one point, he was tied for second. But he had back-to-back bogeys on 16 and 17, and instead was tied with Scheffler, Shane Lowry and Matt McCarty in fifth place at three back.

Corey Conners held his own on day two, shooting 2-under on the day. He is tied with McIlroy in third, two strokes behind the leader.

Other big names within striking distance include Viktor Hovland and Jason Day at 4-under; Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Reed and Collin Morikawa at 3-under; and Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman six back at 2-under.

Major champions at 1-under or even include Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham Clark.

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Bernhard Langer was one stroke away from history at the Masters Friday.

Langer, 67, needed to make par on the 18th hole at Augusta National to remain at 2-over, remain below the projected cut line and become the oldest player to make the cut in Masters history. 

Langer hit the fairway on the par-4 18th, but his approach shot fell off the side of the green and rolled into a seating area.

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As Langer walked to his ball, he received a standing ovation from fans who saluted the 1985 and 1993 Masters champion. He announced that this year’s tournament was going to be his final competitive appearance at Augusta. 

Langer chipped his third shot just past the fringe of the green and left himself a lengthy par putt. It was a good one, but not good enough. It rolled just past the hole and narrowly missed the requisite par to make the cut. 

Langer tapped in for bogey and walked off the 18th green for the final time as a competitor to another ovation. As he walked off, he was greeted by his family and fellow Masters winners. 

MAX HOMA DROPS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE AFTER MAKING CUT AT MASTERS, HIS FIRST IN NEARLY 9 MONTHS

Langer talked about what he has felt over the last couple of days.

"A lot of gratitude. It's been tremendous to be here 41 times," Langer told ESPN after the round.

Langer said the support he received from fans and his family has been "unbelievable."

The two-time Masters champion was in a strong position to make the cut, but a double bogey on the 15th hole was a major blow to his chances of making the cut. 

Langer said he had a "horrible finish" when referencing his miscues on the 15th and 18th holes. 

Fred Couples, who holds the record for the oldest to make the cut at Augusta, also had a chance to rewrite his own record, but he also finished poorly with a 4-over for the first two days.

Langer made his Masters debut in 1982 as Germany's first-ever participant in the prestigious tournament. 

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A federal judge said the Trump administration must lift their freeze on federal funding to Maine.

The ruling reads that the USDA "must immediately unfreeze and release to the state of Maine any federal funding that they have frozen or failed or refused to pay because of the state of Maine's alleged failure to comply with the requirements of Title IX."

The administration is also "barred from freezing, terminating, or otherwise interfering with the state of Maine's future federal funding for alleged violations of Title IX without complying with the legally required procedure."

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The USDA announced the funding freeze and a review of federal funding to Maine earlier this month after the state refused to provide equal opportunities to women and girls in educational programs.

The state has refused to comply with President Donald Trump's February executive order to ban trans athletes from girls' and women's sports, prompting immense federal pressure. Trump initially vowed to cut federal funding to the state if it refused to comply with the order during a Feb. 20 speech. 

Maine officials filed a lawsuit against the USDA on Monday following the agency’s decision to freeze funding to the state.

The state accused the USDA of "withholding funding used to feed children in schools, childcare centers, and after-school programming as well as disabled adults in congregate settings," an argument the judge agreed with.

The judge noted that the freeze was due to Title IX violations, but it "restricted" the ability to "provid[e] meals to children and vulnerable adults."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME, recently called for the issues between the administration and her state to be "resolved," saying that she would continue to fight for federal funding for the state while also being against transgender athletes in biological female sports.

The Department of Education also launched an investigation into the state due to the issue.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to the Department of Justice Friday for continuning to allow trans athletes to compete in girls sports. 

It's the second DOJ referral the state's educational institutions have faced in the last month over the issue, after the Department of Health and Human Services referred MDOE, the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School March 28.

After Trump signed an executive order to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports Feb. 5, Maine was one of the many states that openly defied the order. The state's divide on trans inclusion was then brought to light when Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby identified a trans athlete in a social media post who won a girls pole vault competition for Greely High School that month. 

Libby was censured by Maine's Democratic majority and Speaker Ryan Fecteau for the post, which has prevented her from carrying out other legislative actions to serve her constituents.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson and Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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The battle between the Trump administration and the state of Maine is approaching two months amid the Pine Tree State continuing to allow transgender athletes to compete against biological females.

Maine officials on Monday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in response to the agency’s decision to freeze funding to the state for its refusal to reverse its transgender athlete participation policy in schools.

The state has been under federal pressure in recent months to protect female athletes from trans inclusion after several controversial incidents involving trans athletes and an ongoing feud between President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills. 

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, though, understands both sides of the coin, and wants it all to end.

"The conflict between how the State of Maine and the Administration interpret Title IX needs to be resolved," Collins began in an X post on Friday. "I agree with the federal government’s position that biological males should not compete in girls and women’s athletics. Policies to the contrary violate the original intent behind Title IX. 

"People who are transgender deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. But that does not change the fact that Title IX mandated equal access to athletic resources and facilities on the basis of sex – not on the basis of gender identity. Safe and fair athletic competition has been one of the keys to the success of Title IX. While I will continue to advocate strongly for federal funding for Maine, I disagree with the state’s position and instead support the original intent behind Title IX."

The Department of Education has also launched an investigation into the state due to the issue.

NCAA POWER FOUR COMMISSIONERS SAY THEY 'NEED HELP FROM CONGRESS' TO REGULATE NIL, TRANSFER PORTAL

The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday for continuing to allow trans athletes to compete in girls' sports. 

It's the second DOJ referral the state's educational institutions have faced in the past month over the issue, after the Department of Health and Human Services referred MDOE, the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School on March 28.

After Trump signed an executive order to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports on Feb. 5, Maine was one of the many states that openly defied the order. 

The state's divide on trans inclusion was then brought to light when Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby identified a trans athlete in a social media post who won a girls' pole vault competition for Greely High School that month. Libby was subsequently censured by the state legislature.

Libby filed a lawsuit last month, which seeks to have her voting and speaking rights restored. She was originally told she would have her rights restored if she apologized for the post. Libby has said she will not apologize, but has said she is willing to drop the suit if her censure is dropped.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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USA Fencing has acknowledged a forthcoming federal investigation into an incident that occurred at one of its events where a women's fencer was punished for refusing to face a transgender competitor. 

The investigation, which will be carried out by the newly-formed Title IX investigations team in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice, was announced on Friday by Education Secretary Linda McMahon. 

The incident, which occurred at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland on March 30, saw female fencer Stephanie Turner take a knee in protest of trans competitor Redmond Sullivan. Turner was then disqualified from the event and escorted out of the venue.

USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital saying it will cooperate with the investigation. 

"USA Fencing will respond and cooperate to any inquiry as required by law," the statement read. 

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The incident involving Turner quickly drew national attention after a video of her taking a knee to protest Sullivan went viral. The footage ignited widespread awareness and backlash against USA Fencing's gender eligibility policies. 

Turner told Fox News Digital that she came to the decision to take the knee the night before the event, when she checked the competition pools and saw that she would be competing against Sullivan.

"I saw that I was going to be in a pool with Redmond, and from there I said, ‘OK, let’s do it. I'm going to take the knee,'" Turner said. "I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women's objections regarding [its gender eligibility policy]."

WHO IS STEPHANIE TURNER? WOMEN'S FENCER WHO KNELT TO PROTEST TRANS OPPONENT AND IGNITED GLOBAL AWARENESS

USA Fencing first enacted its current trans-inclusion policy in 2023. It allows transgender athletes to compete in the women's category at both the junior and senior level after completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment. Proof of compliant hormone therapy must be provided prior to competition, but the organization has taken even further steps to prioritize its trans competitors. 

In November 2022, it announced a policy to give preference when selecting host cities for national tournaments to states without laws that "harm members of LGBTQ communities" and states that do not "have laws undermining the reproductive health of women." That policy went into effect in the 2023 season, the same year it changed its gender policy. It later released a list of states that it intended to "avoid where possible" and the states that it flat out would not allow hosting major events.

This past December, a nonprofit fencing organization, the Fair Fencing Organization, penned an open letter to USA Fencing Board Members urging the re-evaluation of its stance on several issues, including transgender inclusion. Just days later, however, board members voted against several motions to approve an all-female task force to re-evaluate and revise the current transgender policy, in an 8-3 vote. 

Now, after siding against women fencers seeking protection from trans inclusion, USA Fencing faces potential federal sanctions.

This Title IX investigation will be one of the first missions for the newly formed Title IX investigations team, which was officially formed last week. The initiative was announced last Friday with the mission to "protect female athletes, from the pernicious effects of gender ideology in school programs and activities."

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Bryson DeChambeau had a great second round at the Masters Friday, shooting a 4-under 68.

However, fans were upset they couldn’t watch him because he was neither in one of the featured groups fans could watch on the Masters app nor shown much during ESPN’s coverage of the major tournament.

Rapper Lil Wayne took to social media to express his frustration about not being able to watch DeChambeau.

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"The Masters blew it (with) this lack of coverage on Bryson!!! They gotta stop (hating) on the LIV s---. This man is killin’ it out there and I can’t watch," Wayne posted to X.

On the Masters website, the three featured groups that were followed while DeChambeau played were Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler’s groups.

As DeChambeau climbed the leaderboard Friday, fans who watched the website struggled to find the LIV star because he wasn’t shown with the featured groups. 

"I cannot believe Bryson DeChambeau is not a featured group today at the Masters. He’s electric to watch!" One user posted to X. 

MAX HOMA DROPS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE AFTER MAKING CUT AT MASTERS, HIS FIRST IN NEARLY 9 MONTHS

"Bryson DeChambeau is arguably the most popular golfer in the world and I can’t seem to find a way to see him hit a shot on ESPN’s coverage right now," another user posted. 

One person even went as far as calling the Masters app a "travesty."

"Second day in a row you don’t get any coverage of Bryson DeChambeau the (Masters) App and it’s people are a travesty," the user posted on social media. 

ESPN+ broadcast portions of the tournament until 3 p.m. ET, when the main broadcast moved to ESPN. By that time, DeChambeau had already been through 16 holes.

At the time of this writing, DeChambeau was 7-under in the tournament and alone in second place, one stroke behind Rose.

At the Masters last year, DeChambeau finished in a tie for sixth place after he shot a 65 in the opening round. While he didn’t win at Augusta National last year, DeChambeau did win a major tournament, the U.S. Open, by one stroke over McIlroy. 

DeChambeau was the 2016 Masters low amateur winner and hopes to finish strong and take home a green jacket in his ninth Masters start. 

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