Penn State women’s volleyball head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley made history on Sunday night, three months after being diagnosed with stage II breast cancer.

Schumacher-Cawley, 44, became the first woman head coach to win the national championship since the NCAA tournament began in 1981, when her Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the University of Louisville Cardinals on Sunday, December 22. 

“There have been so many that have been before me that have paved the way for me,” Schumacher-Cawley told ESPN after the win, Penn State’s eighth national championship in history. “I’m so grateful and hopefully there will be more in the future that want to coach and be a part of it.”

After leaving the court, Schumacher-Cawley gushed about the support she has been shown by her Penn State family in the midst of her cancer battle. 

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“I’m so fortunate to be surrounded by so many great people from this team to the staff I have,” Schumacher-Cawley told reporters. “I’m just really lucky to have great people around me that go above and beyond.”

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Schumacher-Cawley also gave a nod to younger cancer patients, who she routinely crosses paths with on her own journey. 

“I am inspired by the young kids that are sick,” she added. “I’m doing treatment at UPenn and every time I walk into the hospital, I walk right past the children’s hospital. Sure, if I can be an inspiration to someone. then I take that. But I feel good and I’m lucky to have the people around me. I think that’s why we’re successful.”

Schumacher-Cawley, a former volleyball player at Penn State who took over as head coach in January 2022, announced she had been diagnosed with cancer in October. 

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“This news has been a lot to process, and as you can imagine, it has brought a range of emotions,” she shared via Instagram. “But I’m approaching this with strength, determination, and an unwavering sense of hope. We will draw inspiration from the many people in our lives that have battled cancer and have emerged victorious.”

She added, “I know this journey will have its challenges, but I also know that with the care and strength of those around me, I am ready to meet it head-on. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the women and men who have gone through this before me. The strength, courage, and determination you’ve shown have not only been inspiring, but you have also helped advance the incredible progress we see in medicine today. Your journeys have paved the way for better treatments and outcomes, and I’m deeply grateful for that.”

Schumacher-Cawley only missed a few practices while jugging her diagnosis and her on-court responsibilities — which didn’t go unnoticed by her players. 

“Even if she’s not feeling well, you would literally never be able to tell,” outside hitter Jess Mruzik told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a story published Thursday, December 19. “She’s always herself and she’s always just fun.”

With controversy surrounding their relationship continuing to build, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and his fiancée, Leanna Lenee, have both excused themselves from the narrative. 

Hunter, 21, a two-way star for the University of Colorado, and Lenee, 23, both deactivated their Instagram and TikTok accounts over the weekend. The Twitch channel belonging to Hunter, where he routinely live streams, is still active.

The pair made the decision to cut the cord on social media in the face of growing debate about their pending marriage. 

Conversation shifted into overdrive at the Heisman Trophy ceremony on December 14 — where Hunter was recognized as the best player in college football — when viewers at home criticized Lenee for not standing up when Hunter’s name was called. 

Heisman Winner Travis Hunter and Fiancee Leanna’s Relationship Timeline

Videos from Heisman weekend also circulated showing Lenee allegedly getting upset at Hunter, with fans believing it was over him not paying enough attention to her at an Adidas pop-up shop. 

On Monday, December 16, Lenee took to her now-deactivated TikTok account to address the multiple controversies. 

“The things that I see people make up is truly crazy, because it’s not what happened,” Lenee said in the video. “I just think people are finding every single little thing and trying to make it something it’s not. Bird brain individuals are just accepting what they see online.”

Lenee attempted to explain her behavior at the Heisman ceremony, simply stating that she wasn’t quite sure how to act appropriately. 

“This is making me so mad because anyone who knows me knows I support Travis in every win, everything he does,” Lenee said. “Because I truly, truly love that man. He is perfect in my eyes.”

She continued, “When his name was called, if you watch the video, you can see me [start to stand], but his mom didn’t get up. So I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I don’t get up. Maybe I just sit here with her.’ So I sat there.”

Lenee also denied that she and Hunter had any sort of heated discussion at the pop-up shop. 

Elsewhere in the video, Lenee pushed back against the claim that Hunter was in a relationship when the two started dating. 

“I don’t do home-wrecking,” she said. “I’m not a side piece. I don’t stand for any of those things. I support women. I would never do that to another woman because I would never want it done to me.”

In fact, Lenee revealed she actually let Hunter’s initial correspondence with her sit unanswered for months because of his relationship status at the time. 

“Travis, when he first ever DM’d me — when we first met, I said I left him in my DMs for two months and people said, ‘Oh, she left him in DMs until she figured out who he was.’ That is not true at all,” Lenee said. “The real reason Travis sat in my DMs for two months is because he DM’d me when he had a girlfriend.”

Lenee continued, “I instantly knew he had a partner. So, I exited the message and he sat there until he was single.”

In the seven-minute TikTok video, Lenee also turned her attention to a previous comment she made about Hunter not being her “type.”

“I did not mean attractiveness,” Lenee said in the TikTok video. “I don’t have a physical type, period. No two men that I’ve previously dated look the same. My first one was a white cowboy. Second one was a Mexican soccer player. And then I dated a Black man who’s a SoundCloud rapper.”

Lenee continued, “I have never dated the same type physically. I don’t care about what people look like or what they can give me. I date people for who they are as a person, how they honor God and how they treat the people around them.”

Hunter, who is widely expected to be one of the top 5 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Lenee made their relationship Instagram official in February 2022 and got engaged two years later. 

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After Heisman weekend, Hunter took to Twitch and revealed that Lenee had cried herself to sleep following the backlash. 

“Y’all hate on me and then y’all go and hate on my girl,” Hunter said on December 15. “Bro, I feel the same thing that she feels. We’re inseparable, bro. We’re with each other. If she’s hurting, of course I’m going to be hurting. If I’m hurting, of course she’s going to be hurting.”

The couple received the support of Colorado quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, who criticized other athletes and celebrities for taking about Hunter in public. 

“All y’all athletes, entertainers, artist etc if y’all genuine trying to holla at trav y’all know how to get  in touch with him or someone around,” Sanders, 22, wrote via X on Sunday, December 22. “At this point y’all just posting for the algorithm trying to look cool.”

Nearly 15 years after their scandalous divorce made headlines, Tiger Woods and his ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, reunited on the golf course. 

Woods, 48, and his 15-year-old son, Charlie Woods — who he shares with Nordegren, 44 — played side-by-side in the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida over the weekend. 

After walking off the 18th green on Sunday, December 22, Nordegren was there waiting for her ex-husband and son. 

In a video captured by Golf on CBS, Nordegren hugged Tiger before turning her attention to Charlie and the couple’s 17-year-old daughter, Sam, who acted as Tiger and Charlie’s caddy for the weekend. 

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren: How They Got Over Scandal to Coparent

Tiger and Nordegren finalized their divorce in August 2010 after getting married in October 2004. The couple’s relationship unraveled after it was revealed Tiger had been carrying on multiple affairs during their marriage. 

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In November 2009, Elin infamously chased Tiger out of the family’s home with a golf club after she found out about her husband’s infidelity. Tiger crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant in front of the house, which would become the catalyst for the couple’s relationship drama becoming public fodder for months. 

Nordegren has since moved on with former NFL player Jordan Cameron, who she has been dating since 2017. The couple share three children together — son Arthur, 5, and daughters Zeta, 2 and Freya, who was born in 2024. Cameron is also the father of a son from a previous relationship. 

Tiger and Charlie, a rising golf star in his own right, lost a sudden-death playoff to two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer and his son, Jason Langer, for the PNC Championship title on Sunday. The tournament is an annual 36-hold exhibition that features familial pairings, usually fathers and sons. 

While Tiger and Charlie might not have emerged victorious, the weekend was still a momentous one for the duo. On Sunday, Charlie hit his first-ever hole-in-one with his Dad there to bear witness. 

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“It’s the most fun I’ve ever had,” Charlie told NBC Sports after the tournament. “On top of that, made an ace. I don’t think I can top that. It was awesome.”

Tiger was asked what it was like to watch Charlie sink the hole-in-one. 

“It’s one of the highlights that we’ve ever had,” Tiger gushed. “We were talking on the hole previous, he made his first eagle. And now he just made his first hole-in-one. It was a magical two hole stretch. I’m just so happy for him and for the enjoyment that we had as a family.”

Tiger added, “It was a lot of fun, As Charlie said, it was back-and-forth. No one made a mistake today. We had to earn it, and that was the joy of it.”

University of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and his girlfriend, Mady Barnes, have already survived one of a relationship’s toughest tests: going to rival colleges. 

Barnes, 21, is currently a student at the University of Oklahoma while her boyfriend, Ewers, 21, is one of the most recognizable faces in college football at Texas. 

Despite the distance and deep-seeded rivalry between their two schools, Barnes and Ewers have managed to make it work since going public with their relationship in February 2023. 

Both juniors at their respective universities, Barnes and Ewers have big decisions ahead of them — including whether or not Ewers will forego his senior season and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, or potentially transfer to another school with quarterback phenom Arch Manning waiting in the wings at Texas. 

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Until then, keep reading for a full timeline of Ewers and Barnes’ relationship.

February 2023

Barnes posted the first picture of the couple via Instagram on a trip to see Ewers in Austin, Texas. 

“Not too bad here,” Barnes captioned a trio of photos. 

With Ewers donning a cowboy hat and Barnes rocking some white cowboy boots, the couple spent time with Ewers’ teammate Gunnar Helm.

May 2023

Ewers posted a series of photos, including one oceanside with Barnes in Delray Beach, Florida. 

“This is how we do it,” Ewers captioned the pictures. 

Barnes also posted a set of images from the trip, including one of the couple cozied up in front of a hotel mirror. 

September 2023

Barnes was on hand for the Texas Longhorns’ season opener against Rice University. 

She posted a picture hugging Ewers as he made his way inside the stadium for the game. 

March 2024

The couple took another sunny vacation together, this one to Turks and Caicos. 

Barnes shared a carousel of photos from the trip, which included one of her perched on Ewers shoulders while the pair posed on the beach. 

May 2024

Ewers and Barnes took the Big Apple in force. 

“Good views & even better food!!,” Barnes captioned a series of photos from New York City via Instagram. 

May 2024

Barnes made another trip to Austin to see Ewers. 

“Atx for the weekend,” she captioned a photo via Instagram of the couple posing with two friends. 

October 2024

In the midst of the football season, Barnes visited Ewers at practice. 

“Keep the weekends coming!!,” Barnes captioned a series of photos, including one from the Texas practice facility. 

The pictures were posted on October 13, the day after Ewers and the Longhorns defeated Barnes’ Oklahoma Sooners 34-3 in the game known as the Red River Rivalry. 

In another photo, a smiling Barnes was seen posing with Ewers outside the Cotton Bowl in Dallas after the big win. 

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has quite the impressive squad off the field, too. 

Freeman, 38, who became the head football coach at Notre Dame in December 2021, married his wife, Joanna Freeman, in 2010. The couple met during their time at The Ohio State University, where Marcus was a star linebacker. 

Joanna, a former news reporter at WBNS-Channel 10 in Columbus, is now a full-time mother to the couple’s six children: son Vinny, 17, daughter Siena, 12, son Gino, 11, son Nico, 9, daughter Capri, 7, and son Rocco, 6.

Marcus also has a daughter named Bria, 18, from a previous relationship. 

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At Marcus’ introductory press conference in South Bend in 2021, Joanna and all six kids were front and center for the festivities. Since then, Marcus has routinely shared family highlights and milestones for Irish faithful on social media. 

For more on the Freeman family, keep reading. 

Marcus Freeman’s wife, Joanna

Joanna has been by Marcus’ side through the ups and downs of his playing and coaching career — but she admitted it hasn’t been easy. 

“We don’t have a super romantic love story,” Joanna told Yahoo Sports in 2021. “We had a lot of breakups and make-ups. We fell hard. We fell fast. We were really young when we met, and in a lot of ways, we really grew and matured into adults together.”

On Mother’s Day in 2024, Marcus paid tribute to Joanna — and his own mother, Chong — and thanked them for all they’ve done for him. 

“I’m so blessed to have these two amazing women in my life,” Marcus shared via Instagram. “They have impacted our family in so many ways with their selflessness and unconditional love.

Marcus Freeman’s son, Vinny

Vinny, 17, is busy following in his father’s athletic footsteps. 

A junior at Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana, plays safety for the school’s football team. 

Vinny is also an accomplished wrestler, making an official visit to Cornell University in August 2024. 

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“They say in order to be the best, you have to beat the best,” Vinny told the South Bend Tribune in February 2024. “I want to be the best.”

As a sophomore, Vinny finished with a 34-4 record. 

Marcus Freeman’s daughter, Siena

Siena, 12, became a beloved part of the Cincinnati Bearcats football family when Marcus was the school’s defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020. 

“Wild Card Sunday with the Fam!,” Marcus shared via Instagram in January. In the accompanying photo, Siena could be seen posing with members of the football team while holding her sister, Capri. 

Marcus Freeman’s son, Gino

Marcus also passed down his love of football to his son, Gino, 11. 

“It’s officially football season for the Freeman’s,” Marcus posted via Instagram in July 2018, showing Gino and brother Vinny wearing football helmets and posing with their father.

Gino had some solo time with his Dad in May 2019, when they attended a Cincinnati Reds baseball game together. 

“Reds game with G,” Marcus wrote via Instagram. 

Marcus Freeman’s son, Nico

Nico, 9, celebrated his 4th birthday with some pizza, his siblings and a group of friends — including then Cincinnati head coach, Luke Fickell — in July 2019.

“Happy 4th birthday to our Nico!” Marcus shared via Instagram, showing off a picture of the whole crew. 

Marcus Freeman’s daughter, Capri

Capri, 4, met her smiley siblings in June 2017. “Welcome to this world and our family Capri!!” Marcus wrote via Instagram along with a photo of Capri being held by her brother Vinny and her sister, Siena, with her other brothers, Gino and Nico, sitting on the couch beaming. 

All the kids were, of course, decked out in University of Cincinnati gear. 

Marcus Freeman’s son, Rocco

Shortly after being born, Rocco, 6, celebrated the holidays with his parents and five siblings. 

“Merry Christmas from the Freeman Crew!” Marcus posted via Instagram in December 2018.

The black-and-white photo showed the entire family standing in front of a fireplace lined with stockings. 

Livvy Dunne can officially add “college graduate” to her growing list of accomplishments. 

Dunne, 22, officially graduated from Louisiana State University on Thursday, December 19. In a series of photos posted via Instagram, the gymnast and TikTok star showed off her diploma while wearing her cap and gown on the school’s campus. 

“Forever LSU,” Dunne captioned the carousel. 

Dunne graduated alongside LSU gymnast Alyona Shchennikova, who were both members of the school’s national championship winning squad in April. 

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The official LSU Gymnastics Instagram account congratulated the two graduates with a post on Thursday. “Happy Graduation Day to these two ,” the caption read alongside a photo of the pair. 

The big accomplishment was celebrated by some of Dunne’s famous friends, who left their enthusiastic comments on her post. 

Dunne’s fellow Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Olivia Ponton wrote, “livy !!!!! congratulations!!!” Dunne responded, “I love u liv.”

TikTok star Katie Feeney commented, “Congratulations beauty!!.” Model Grace Boor wrote, “Omg congratulations .”

In a TikTok video posted on Tuesday, Dunne hinted what comes next for the social media superstar. 

“Now time for grad school:),” she wrote in the video’s caption. 

While Dunne’s undergraduate career is in the rearview mirror, her time in Baton Rouge is not. In July, she would return for a fifth and final season with the LSU gymnastics team. 

“This past year I found a renewed love of the sport. I had trained a lot in the off season, so I felt really strong and healthy from the start and ready to contribute,” Dunne said at the time. “I really enjoyed the dynamic of the team this year and it all came together well. Winning the national championships was a great team accomplishment, but I feel like I have more to give as an individual competitor.”

She added, “I’m a completely different person than I was 4 years ago. I’ve learned how to juggle so many responsibilities, how to chase big dreams, and how to stay calm in the face of difficult challenges.”

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Dunne is currently dating Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes, who was named National League Rookie of the Year in November. 

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly at the ESPYs in July, Dunne explained how they make their relationship work given their hectic schedules. 

“We’re always in different states,” Dunne said of Skenes, 22. “We try to see each other as much as possible, especially while it’s my offseason during the summer. When it’s his offseason, he’ll come to LSU and visit me.”

Dunne and the LSU gymnastics team begin their 2025 season on January 3. Skenes and the Pirates begin their spring training schedule on February 22 before opening the regular season on March 27. 

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff revealed he was once the target of a home break-in that sounds eerily similar to the recent robberies involving Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow. 

“I got broken into when I was a rookie,” Goff, 30, told reporters on Wednesday, December 18. “Same way. So I was on the road, broken into, stole some stuff.”

Goff’s rookie season came in 2016 after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Rams. He was traded to the Lions in 2021. 

“It wasn’t national news because I was a rookie who wasn’t playing,” Goff continued. “But I was glad it wasn’t national news because it’s violating. So ever since then, when I’m on the road, there’s people there.”

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Goff made his NFL debut in November 2016 after taking over for Case Keenum, who started at quarterback for the Rams first nine games of the season. 

The thieves, who were never caught, stole some electronics and shoes from Goff’s home. 

“It was weird,” he said. “They could have taken more and they didn’t. It was bizarre.”

Goff, who married wife Christen Harper Goff in June, insisted having security on the premises while he’s traveling was “kind of a no-brainer.”

“We’re on the road, we’re on TV, everyone can see where we’re at publicly, so it’s like everyone knows you’re not home,” he explained. “So once that happened, I was like, it’s not worth just trying to save money. Just do it and hire the guys and they stay there, they’re at the house and are there to guard it.”

The homes of Kelce, 35, and Burrow, 28, were both targeted while both players were away playing for their respective teams. 

Kelce’s residence in Leawood, Kansas, was robbed on October 7 while he and the Kansas City Chiefs were playing the New Orleans Saints at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. 

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Police reported that $20,000 was taken and a rear door was broken. In November, police in Rhode Island recovered a watch belonging to Kelce taken during the burglary.

The Ohio home of Burrow was robbed on December 9 while he and the Cincinnati Bengals were in Texas to play the Dallas Cowboys. Model Olivia Ponton, who was at Burrow’s home at the time, told police the home had been “ransacked.”

In addition, the Belton, Missouri, residence of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was broken into on October 6, the day before the robbery at Kelce’s home. 

Investigations into the break-ins at the residences of Kelce, Burrow and Mahomes remain ongoing. 

Christmas came early for the Cincinnati Bengals offensive line, all thanks to quarterback Joe Burrow.

Burrow, 28, gifted his linemen with authentic Japanese Katana swords on Thursday, December 19. 

The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. reported each sword was unique and came with its own story. Burrow laid them all out in a room and had his linemen pick their favorite. 

“Joe does a great job at buying gifts that are extremely meaningful,” left tackle Orlando Brown told Dehner. “The fact that he bought me a sword, it’s the most ancient form of respect.”

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Last year, Burrow gave his entire offensive line cruise trips — but insisted he wouldn’t be joining his teammates on the open seas. 

“I don’t like boats, not a boat guy,” Burrow told reporters at the time. 

Burrow added, “You’re stuck out there. What if something happens?”

NFL quarterbacks buying their linemen lavish gifts has become the trendy norm these days, with some of Burrow’s leaguemates already coming through in the clutch this year. 

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gave his linemen multiple items including silver Rolex watches, Normatec Elite compression boots, white framed sunglasses and black cowboy boots from Lucchese. All of the gifts were packed into red Yeti Tundra Haul coolers.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, meanwhile, gave all of his linemen brand-new Toyota trucks.

“Boys, I just want to say Merry Christmas [and] I got some gifts for you guys,” Purdy, 24, said in a Thursday, December 19, video shared by the team. “Sorry for the wait, but if you want to follow me outside. Let’s go.”

Once outside, the linemen were greeted by a fleet of trucks all fitted with giant red bows. 

“Let’s go, Toyota, baby,” Purdy said. “Alright, so we got five Sequoias, five Tundras. You guys can check ’em out, but these are yours, so merry Christmas. Appreciate you guys. Thanks for all you do.”

What NFL Stars Have Said About the String of Burglaries Targeting Players

As for Burrow, gifting the swords comes on the heels of a break-in at his Ohio home on December 9. 

While Burrow and the Bengals were in Texas to play the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, his residence was targeted. Model Olivia Ponton, who was at Burrow’s home at the time, told authorities the place had been “ransacked.” 

Burrow addressed the break-in on December 11, saying he felt like his “privacy has been violated in more ways than one.”

The Bengals return to action on Sunday, December 22, against the Cleveland Browns. 

2024 was supposed to be a year of milestones for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. 

Johnny was set to enter his third season with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets and welcome his third child with his wife, Meredith Gaudreau. Matthew was getting set to move on from his coaching job with the North American Hockey League’s Philadelphia Rebels and welcome his first baby with his wife, Madeline Gaudreau. 

On the evening of August 29, that all ended in an instant.

The night before their sister Katie Gaudreau’s wedding, Johnny and Matthew were struck and killed while riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Sean M. Higgins, the man who hit the brothers with his Jeep, was drunk at the time of the accident and remains in prison on multiple charges, including two counts of vehicular homicide. 

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Johnny was 31 years old. Matthew was 29. 

The unspeakable tragedy sent ripples through the hockey community and the sports world at large. An emotionally cathartic memorial service was held for Johnny and Matthew, who were once teammates at Boston College University, on September 9 at St. Mary Magdalen Parish outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It was at their funeral 12 days later, which was attended by a large group of Johnny’s former Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames teammates, that Meredith announced she was pregnant. 

“We’re actually a family of five,” Meredith — who shared daughter Noa, now 2, and son Johnny, now 9 months — said during her eulogy. “I’m in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise, but again, John was beaming and so excited.”

Meredith added, “I was so nervous because this was, again, a total surprise. But his reaction was just immediately kissing me and hugging me even though I was driving the car. After the initial excitement sank in, every time he looked at me, he would say, ‘You’re nuts, you know that? Three kids?’”

During her eulogy, Madeline discussed the sobering, alternate reality that had been laid at the feet of herself and her soon-to-be-born baby boy, who will be named Tripp. 

“Matt will surround his son for the rest of his life.” She added, “I’m so thankful God gave us a child, a little Matty, to run around for life, to carry on his legacy. Tripp will know how much his father loved him, and I promise to do all the things with him we talked about.”

In the weeks and months that followed, the Gaudreau family and the hockey world made a concerted effort to keep the memories of Johnny and Matthew alive. 

Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey, where Johnny and Matthew grew up playing hockey, paid tribute to the brothers in a ceremony on September 13, which was attended by their parents, Guy and Jane. 

More than a dozen Blue Jackets — plus their wives and girlfriends — attended Noa’s second birthday party on September 30. “We love you all,” Meredith wrote via Instagram alongside a picture from the party. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart really special group that will forever be family to me and my babies.”

During the Blue Jackets’ first regular season home game since the tragedy, Johnny’s good friend Sean Monahan — who played with Johnny in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and signed with Columbus to play with his buddy again — scored and pointed to a banner honoring Johnny inside Nationwide Arena. 

The Most Emotional Moments From Johnny Gaudreau's Family's Calgary Return

Perhaps the most stirring tribute came on December 3, when the entire Gaudreau family returned to Calgary, where Johnny spent the first nine seasons of his NHL career. 

A pregame video honored Johnny’s legacy, the family took to the ice inside the Scotiabank Saddledome for a ceremonial puck drop, Guy showed up in the Flames locker room to greet many of his son’s former teammates — and Meredith even got a tattoo of Johnny’s signature, her first, to honor her late husband. 

While the depth of Johnny and Matthew’s deaths is almost unspeakable, there is some light at the end of this tunnel. 

After her brothers were killed hours before her wedding in August, Katie Gaudreau has set a new wedding date. Katie and her fiancé, Devin Joyce, are set to tie the knot on July 11, 2025 in Philadelphia. 

Deion Sanders offered to make sure Travis Hunter was primed and ready for marriage in a resurfaced video following relationship drama involving Hunter and his fiancée, Leanna Lenee.

Sanders, the head football coach at the University of Colorado, joked about the seriousness of Hunter’s relationship with Lenee, who was still his girlfriend at the time. 

“He just ain’t said I do yet,” Sanders, 57, said in the September 2022 clip posted by Well Off Media. 

At the time of the video, Sanders was still the head football coach at Jackson State University, and Hunter, now 21, was on the roster. (They both jumped to Colorado at the end of the 2022 season.) 

Heisman Winner Travis Hunter and Fiancee Leanna’s Relationship Timeline

“I think he done got married on us and ain’t told nobody,” Sanders joked. Hunter and Lenee, 23, got engaged in February 2024 after making their relationship official in March 2022. 

Hunter, who was sitting in Sanders’ office, laughed off the remark and said, “Nah, not yet.”

“Let me know,” Sanders said. “Because I’m gonna do your prenup for you.”

Sanders then held up a stack of four books on his desk and boasted, “It’s gonna be about this thick.”

The coach showed a copy of the book The Little Engine That Could to the camera and joked, “This is gonna be the cover of it.”

The comments made by Sanders took on a new light after Hunter and Lenee’s relationship came under fire following the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday, December 14. Hunter took home the prize for college football’s top player at the event, defeating Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and Miami’s Cam Ward.  

The behavior of Lenee throughout the weekend made just as many headlines as Hunter’s victory. 

Lenee was attacked on social media for appearing to argue with Hunter at an Adidas pop-up shop before the ceremony and then criticized for not appearing to show the proper amount of enthusiasm when Hunter’s name was called as the Heisman winner. 

In a video posted via TikTok on Monday, December 16, Lenee addressed the controversies head-on.

“The things that I see people make up is truly crazy, because it’s not what happened,” she said. “I just think people are finding every single little thing and trying to make it something it’s not. Bird brain individuals are just accepting what they see online.”

Lenee said she was never angry with Hunter at the pop-up shop and alleged lip readings of the incident had things all wrong. 

“People are saying that I’m like, ‘What am I supposed to do, just sit here?’” she explained. “That’s not what I said, first of all. I said, ‘Baby, do you want me to sit here or do you want me to go with the family or do you want me to come with you?’ Because what y’all don’t know off of a seven-second clip is those weren’t fans, by the way.”

She continued, “He had finished meeting with the fans. I was there the entire time taking pictures, talking to them, everything. The girls that were there, they work for Adidas. So we were taking pictures for a social post. That’s who those people were. I wasn’t annoyed with no fans. At all. I’m never annoyed with fans.”

As for the awkwardness after Hunter won the Heisman, Lenee said she simply didn’t know what to do with herself. 

“This is making me so mad because anyone who knows me knows I support Travis in every win, everything he does,” Lenee said. “Because I truly, truly love that man. He is perfect in my eyes.”

She continued, “When his name was called, if you watch the video, you can see me [start to stand], but his mom didn’t get up. So I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I don’t get up. Maybe I just sit here with her.’ So I sat there.”

Elsewhere in the seven-minute TikTok video, Lenee denied the rumor that she and Hunter started dating when he was still in a relationship. 

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“I don’t do home-wrecking,” she said. “I’m not a side piece. I don’t stand for any of those things. I support women. I would never do that to another woman because I would never want it done to me.”

Lenee also addressed a comment she made saying that Hunter wasn’t her “type,” with critics saying she only started dating Hunter once she realized his proficiency on the football field. 

“I did not mean attractiveness,” Lenee said. “I don’t have a physical type, period. No two men that I’ve previously dated look the same. My first one was a white cowboy. Second one was a Mexican soccer player. And then I dated a Black man who’s a SoundCloud rapper.”

Lenee continued, “I have never dated the same type physically. I don’t care about what people look like or what they can give me. I date people for who they are as a person, how they honor God and how they treat the people around them.”

Josh Allen is one of the frontrunners for NFL MVP this season, and he credited his new fianceé, Hailee Steinfeld, with helping him get there.

“She’s been a huge part,” the Buffalo Bills quarterback, 28, told The Associated Press on Wednesday, December 18. “The morale, the support. When I get home, she’s my biggest fan, my biggest supporter.”

Allen added, “She’s just the best.”

The sentiment was shared by Allen’s teammate, Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins, who said “there’s something about” the stability that Steinfeld, 28, has been able to provide.

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“When you’re in this world that we’re in, and a lot of people pulling at you and a lot of sources of ups and downs of a roller-coaster, and you have that one stable person that you can rely on and go home and hug and get a laugh no matter what, I think that’s dope,” Dawkins told the AP. “And that’s what I think is going on.”

The Bills, who clinched the AFC East division for a fifth consecutive season on December 1, return to action on Sunday, December 22 when they host the New England Patriots. 

Allen proposed to Steinfeld on November 22, during the Bills’ bye week, after more than one year of dating. The couple announced their engagement a week later, with a simple post via Instagram. 

“ 11•22•24 ,” Allen wrote alongside a picture from the oceanside proposal, which happened in Malibu. 

During the Bills’ 35-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on December 1, Josh told Sunday Night Football sideline reporter Melissa Stark that Hailee was “very” surprised when he dropped to one knee, adding that the couple is “still figuring out” a wedding date. 

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In a couples Q&A for Steinfeld’s “Beau Society” newsletter after the engagement, Allen admitted he was “very nervous” she was going to find out about the proposal. 

“It was hard to keep secrets from you and have other people in your life keep secrets from you,” Allen explained. “Then, multiple times throughout the day a song would come on and I would tear up thinking about how special our day was going to be.”

Allen said he “couldn’t wait any longer” to pop the question and told Steinfeld he “can’t wait to start a family with you.”

“You said yes, and that was all that mattered to me. And the sun was out,” he recalled. “It feels unbelievable to be engaged to someone who is so special and loving and caring and gorgeous and fun and happy.”

After being on the scene of the terrifying break-in at Joe Burrow’s home earlier this month, model Olivia Ponton is getting back to her routine. 

“The year is coming to the end, so the ‘new year, new me’ motto will be coming into play soon,” Ponton, 22, said in a Tuesday, December 17, TikTok video. 

Dressed in a cozy black hoodie, Ponton shared “the things I do in my life to make my health and wellness journey a little bit easier” with her 7.6 million followers. 

Ponton admitted she lacks “gym motivation 99% of the time,” so she recommended “some kind of energy, caffeine” to get the fitness vibes flowing. “Chef’s kiss,” she said. 

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The Sports Illustrated model then showed how she makes some electrolyte-infused water every morning before detailing what she brings with her as she heads out the door. 

“Something that really helps my life is these little, individual plant protein packets,” Ponton said. “I literally will put them in my pockets or the little part of my pants when I’m going to the gym, so that way right after my workout I can actually have one.”

Ponton complained that when she’s in New York, she struggles to find “a good protein shake.”

“Just a protein shake,” Ponton explained. “I don’t need fruit in it. I don’t need any other things.”

In a separate TikTok video posted on Wednesday, December 18, Ponton took the process into her own hands. 

“We’re going to make my post-workout smoothie together,” Ponton said in the video, fresh from the gym. 

Simply put, Ponton blends together water and two scoops of chocolate protein powder to achieve her perfect shake. 

“That is literally so easy,” Ponton said, “and I think it’s like 20 grams of protein. The model also hinted that the smoothie can make for a nice “sweet treat” in the evenings. 

The videos marked Ponton’s return to social media after the break-in at Burrow’s Ohio home on December 9. 

Ponton called police to report the burglary at the home of the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback. She told authorities she noticed a “shattered bedroom window” and that a room had been “ransacked.”

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In a separate 911 call, Ponton’s mother, Diane, told a dispatcher, “Someone is trying to break into the house right now. My daughter is there. This is Joe Burrow’s house. She is staying there. He’s at the football game.”

At the time of the break-in, Burrow and the Bengals were in Texas to play the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. 

A police report referred to Ponton as being “employed by Mr. Burrow” and the two have not publicly addressed the status of their relationship. 

The investigation into the break-in at Burrow’s home remains ongoing. 

Dennis Rodman responded after his daughter, soccer star Trinity Rodman, called out his parenting on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.

“He’s not a dad,” Trinity, 22, said during the Wednesday, December 18 episode. “Maybe by blood, but nothing else.”

Hours after the episode dropped, Dennis — who shares Trinity and son DJ, 23, with ex-wife Michelle Moyer — took to social media with a message for his daughter. 

“Sorry I wasn’t the Dad you wanted me to be but either way I still tried and I still Try and Never will Stop,” Dennis posted via Instagram on Wednesday night. “I will keep Trying even when you’re being told as an adult not to respond to my phone calls.”

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On the podcast, Trinity said Dennis has been “trying to call” her lately and she’s been answering “for my conscience.”

Dennis continued: “I’m always here And tell you all the time rather it’s your voice or voicemail how proud I am,” I always had one wish and it was I wish my kids would call me and come see me. Hopefully one day I can get that.”

Dennis said he watches Trinity — who was a member of the Team USA women’s soccer team that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics — play soccer “all the time.” Although, Dennis said he recently had a negative experience when he traveled to see her in action.

“Actually flew in to watch you play and was told not to show up bc who I was with instead and me just wanting to support you,” Dennis wrote. “So I watched you from my hotel balcony just to make everybody happy.”

During Trinity’s rookie season with the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2021, Dennis made a surprise appearance at one of her games that left Trinity rattled. 

“I think it’s like halfway through the first half and I hear [his voice],” she said on “Call Her Daddy”. “I’m like, oh my f—ing gosh, like, there’s no way this is happening right now. Mind you, I haven’t seen him in or talked to him months.”

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After the game, Trinity recalled being “mad” about the entire situation. 

“I was like, ‘You took this happy moment for me,’” she continued. “Like you f—ed with my head again.” 

Ultimately, Trinity managed to compose herself and have a nice moment with her father. “I cried and I was super happy. I was like, let’s take the positive of it. He’s here,” she said. 

After that fateful meeting, however, Trinity said she didn’t hear from Dennis for over two years. 

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Pro golfer Rory McIlroy had Charles Barkley requesting a mulligan after asking a question about McIlroy’s eating habits on the course. 

McIlroy, 35, teamed up with Scottie Scheffler to battle Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in The Showdown, an 18-hole exhibition match that aired live on TNT and TBS from Las Vegas’ Shadow Creek Golf Club. 

Before the match began, Barkley, 61, asked McIlroy a question from the studio as the Irish golf star walked down the fairway. 

“I noticed you’re eating a snack now,” Barkley said. “How much in a regular round do you eat?”

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Without hesitation, McIlroy answered, “Not as much as you, Chuck.”

Barkley let out a good-natured laugh and told McIlroy, “OK, I’m on a diet!”

Last year, Barkley revealed that he had lost 65 pounds after he combined diet and exercise with Mounjaro, the FDA-approved diabetes drug that helps with weight loss. 

The ribbing between McIlroy and Barkley mostly earned approval of viewers at home. “They make a good team,” one fan wrote via X, while another said, “This is the stuff we tune in for.”

However, not everybody thought McIlroy’s joke was funny. “Rory is pretty immature, don’t you think?” one person commented. 

In August 2023, Barkley and McIlroy joked about the former NBA star’s weight loss after running into each other at The Tour Championship. 

“My doctor told me there ain’t no fat old people,” Barkley told McIlroy in a video posted via X by CBS. “He told me to get my fat ass in shape.”

As for Tuesday night’s Showdown, McIlroy and Scheffler, 28, who were representing the PGA, handily defeated DeChambeau, 31, and Koepka, 34, who were representing the Saudi-backed LIV Golf. 

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McIlroy’s victory came shortly on the heels of the three-time major champion revealing he planned on playing a lighter schedule during the upcoming 2025 season. 

“There’s a few tournaments that I played this year that I don’t usually play and that I might not play next year,” McIlroy told The Telegraph in November. 

He added, “At this point in my career … Hey, I’m 35 and have been out here for 17, 18 years, so I’m just going to go to the places that I enjoy and where I play well. Look I’ve done the hard slog, I’ve done that sort of 25 to 30 events a year. And I’m not getting any younger.”

The declaration came after a tumultuous year for McIlroy off the course. In May, McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife, Erica Stoll, after seven years of marriage. However, McIlroy dismissed the divorce less than a month later and the couple, who share daughter Poppy, remain together. 

ESPN’s Malika Andrews got candid about criticism she’s received about a perceived racial bias in her reporting. 

Andrews, 29, appeared on NBA star DeMar DeRozan’s mental health conversation series, Dinners With DeMar, where the NBA Today and NBA Countdown host explained how she’s been forced to confront the narrative. 

“The hardest part for me sometimes is stomaching falsehoods, particularly this, ‘You hate Black men,’” Andrews told DeRozan, 35. “That couldn’t be farther from the truth. And using my family or the way that my family looks as some sort of evidence of that. That is just untrue. And it’s just unkind.”

Andrews comes from mixed race parents and married fellow ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin, who is white, in August.

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“It is hurtful, and I think that’s OK to say sometimes. It hurts,” Andrews admitted. “It doesn’t matter if it’s someone who is credible or someone with a big platform or if it’s someone in their mom’s basement just firing off a post. Sometimes it is hurtful when that seeps through, particularly for me when it’s not true.”

Former NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant criticized Andrews during her coverage of the NBA Draft in 2023, arguing that she spent time discussing criminal charges brought against draft pick Brandon Miller, who is Black, while not covering an alleged relationship between a minor and draft pick Josh Giddey, who is white. 

“I advise you not to make this a black or white thing,” Bryant, 36, posted via X at the time. “Your parents really raised you wrong and just because you went to a private school don’t make you better. You appeal and I know your kind. You just a puppet. I dont know how a former or current nba player could sit there across from you and look at you with some kind of respect.”

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While vehemently disagreeing with opinions like Bryant’s, Andrews acknowledged her journalistic track record isn’t spotless. 

“We all have jobs to do and we do our best — I try to do my best — to show up every day in a way that you guys know what I’m about,” she told DeRozan. “That doesn’t mean that I’ve covered every story perfectly. It doesn’t mean that I don’t make mistakes. But I think I’m pretty good at saying to you guys in particular, ‘Could have been better there.’”

She added, “As social media continues to be bigger in the world, that kindness and that humanity I worry sometimes we are losing.”

Nearly three weeks after suffering a gnarly burn from a Starbucks drink, Danica Patrick is — at long last — almost in the clear. 

Patrick, 42, offered an update on the burn area via her Instagram Story on Tuesday, December 17, which came at the hands of a scalding hot Americano.

The former NASCAR driver showed off an image from “Day 19” of the saga, which showed a dramatically reduced burn and scarring area on her thigh. Patrick revealed she had been using Meplilex Ag, a form of antimicrobial foam dressing. 

“Sealed it right up,” she wrote. 

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Patrick noted the awkward angle of the photo, writing, “Yes, my pants are around my ankles. Relax. ”

In addition to the most recent update, Patrick also posted a six-picture story arc of the burn’s journey via her Instagram Story on Tuesday. 

“Thank God it’s ski season! ,” she wrote. “Since I love the sun, and not sunscreen .”

Patrick gave her first burn notice on December 1, sharing a shocking photo via Instagram Story of the circular burn mark on her leg. 

“Day 1 coffee burn,” Patrick posted alongside the picture. She added “Starbucks .”

Patrick asked her followers, “Anyone else think their hot water is way the hell to [sic] hot?” 

On the third day after the incident, Patrick posted another image of the burn area via Instagram Story, which showed a bright red circle with an area of scarring beginning to form. 

“Day 3,” she captioned the picture, which included a meme of Kristen Wiig’s Target Lady character from Saturday Night Live looking on in horror. 

On Day 4, Patrick took to Instagram Story again, showing how the burn area had begun to peel. 

The latest update comes on the heels of Patrick’s relationship with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers being brought up in the three-part Netflix docuseries Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, which premiered on Tuesday. 

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In discussing his discomfort with the level of fame he was thrust into after winning the Super Bowl in 2011 with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers, 41, said, “I didn’t do myself any favors with some of the girls I dated after that who were in the public eye.”

Photos from Patrick’s relationship with Rodgers were shown in the series, alongside images of Rodgers’ other famous exes, Olivia Munn and Shailene Woodley. 

Patrick and Rodgers dated for more than two years before breaking up in July 2020.

Since ending her professional racing career in 2018, Patrick has transitioned into a broadcasting career, most recently covering F1 for the UK’s Sky Sports. 

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PETA has responded to the report that Michael Vick has been named the new head football coach at Norfolk State University. 

In an exclusive statement to Us Weekly, the animal rights organization said, “As long as Michael Vick’s new position doesn’t put him within shouting distance of any dogs, PETA wishes him no ill.”

Vick, 44, pleaded guilty in 2007 to being involved in an illegal dog fighting ring that operated out of his Virginia home. He spent 21 months in prison.

Per an agreement with authorities before sentencing, Vick agreed to deposit nearly $1 million in an escrow account to reimburse others for the costs of caring for the confiscated dogs from his property. 

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In 2011, Vick supported the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which established federal misdemeanor penalties for spectators of illegal animal fighting and made it a felony for adults to bring children to fights. The law was passed in 2012.

Vick — who played a total of 13 seasons in the NFL, including seven after he was released from prison — announced his new coaching position via social media on Tuesday, December 17.

“It’s an honor to announce that I’ll be the new head coach of Norfolk State University…looking forward to coming back home,” Vick shared on Facebook. 

Norfolk State is a historically black FCS school in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference located in Norfolk, Virginia, Vick’s home state.

Though the move has not yet been officially announced by the school, The Virginian-Pilot was first to report the news on Tuesday. The outlet said an introductory press conference is expected within a week. 

Tommy Reamon, Vick’s former high school coach at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia, told The Athletic on Tuesday that he has been advising Vick and plans on joining his staff at Norfolk State.

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“I am so excited for him to do this because I think he’ll be a great coach,” Reamon said. “He’s so personable, and he is charismatic. You’ve gotta be charismatic [to coach] in 2024, and that’s why he is gonna win. I’m excited to watch him as he communicates with the children.”

Reamon added, “Michael has the voice. People are gonna relate to him especially when we get in these houses.”

Vick will replace head coach Dawson Odums, who was 15-31 in his four seasons at Norfolk State.

After a celebrated two-year collegiate career at Virginia Tech, Vick was drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001 and was a superstar in the NFL until the dog fighting conviction temporarily derailed his career. He returned to the field in 2009, playing with the Philadelphia Eagles for several years before spending a season with the New York Jets and then the Pittsburgh Steelers. He officially retired in 2017. 

On the day his brother Aaron Rodgers’ docuseries hit Netflix, documenting the downfall of their relationship, Jordan Rodgers was living his best life across the pond. 

Jordan, 36, and his wife, former Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher, celebrated the holidays in England on Tuesday, December 17, which JoJo, 34, adorably documented on social media. 

“London in December >>> ,” JoJo captioned a video, which showed the couple gallivanting around Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. 

The pair were seen drinking cocktails at an ice bar, riding an inner tube slide and taking in the festive holiday scenery.

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In the comments of JoJo’s post, however, Jordan joked that the night might have eventually taken a turn. 

“The roller coaster AFTER the bratwurst was a decision ,” he wrote.

Jordan and JoJo met and got engaged on season 12 of The Bachelorette in 2016 and got married in May 2022. 

The couple’s relationship was a hot topic on Netflix’s three-part docuseries Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, which premiered on Tuesday. 

Aaron, 41, now the quarterback for the New York Jets, called The Bachelorette “a bulls— show” and took direct aim at a scene from the season’s hometown dates, when Jordan introduced JoJo to the brothers’ parents, Ed and Darla. 

In the scene, two symbolic chairs were left empty at the dinner table, meant to be for Aaron and Olivia Munn, his girlfriend at the time.

“They all agreed this was a good thing to do?” Aaron said on the series. “To leave two empty chairs at a stupid dating show that my brother just went on to get famous — his words, not mine.”

Aaron said the dinner scene was filmed in the middle of the NFL season when he was still playing for the Green Bay Packers and he was “never asked” to attend. 

“Not that I would’ve gone,” he said with a laugh.

Elsewhere in the Netflix series, Aaron hinted at when the cracks in his relationship with Jordan began to show. 

“It wasn’t like I was super duper close with everybody in the family. I was close with my little brother,” Aaron said. “But in actuality, it goes back to stuff from high school that kind of made me feel distant. Stuff in college, stuff post-college.”

Aaron has largely been estranged from his entire family — including Jordan, his parents and his older brother, Luke — for decades. 

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However, Aaron did offer a small glimmer of optimism about what the future might hold for the family.

“As much as they might not like what they see, [I have] love, respect and gratitude for how I was raised because it wouldn’t have turned me into who I am today,” Aaron said. “People ask me, ‘Is there hope for a reconciliation?’ I say, ‘Yeah, of course. Of course.’”

He added, “I don’t want them to fail, to struggle, to have strife or any issues. I don’t wish any ill will on them at all.”

All three parts of Aaron Rodgers: Enigma are available to stream now on Netflix. 

After celebrating his milestone 65th birthday, Magic Johnson is proving age is just a number. 

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the NBA Hall of Famer — who turned 65 in August — explained how an appreciation for regimen has him laughing in the face of Father Time. 

“I feel great!” Magic boasted. “Although I am retired from basketball, I still follow a very strict fitness routine — a mix of cardio and weightlifting — which consists of getting a good night’s rest, waking up early to exercise regularly, and healthy eating. Health and wellness are in my DNA so I don’t think that will ever leave me.”

Although Magic said he and his wife of 33 years, Cookie Johnson, follow “different fitness routines,” he credited her with keeping him on track. 

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“We both hold each other accountable to complete our respective workouts, in addition to eating healthy and staying as active as possible,” he explained. “Even when we’re on vacation, we still prioritize our fitness regimen — it’s ingrained into our lifestyle.”

Magic and Cookie’s accountability likely came into play when the couple took a multi-week pre-birthday trip throughout Italy and Croatia, which they both documented extensively on social media.

The former Lakers legend also explained how a dedication to health and wellness has turned into a full-fledged family affair passed down to their children: sons Andre, 43, and EJ, 32, and daughter Elisa, 29. 

“Everybody’s path is different when it comes to fitness and eating healthy and that’s what happened with our kids,” Magic explained. “Cookie and I encouraged our kids to work out and be active, but they fell in love with exercising and eating healthy on their own time. It takes incredible discipline, focus and drive to want to work out daily.”

Now, Magic is helping to pass down that knowledge and passion to a younger generation through his investment company, Magic Johnson Enterprises. The group has partnered with F45 Training to donate more than 4,000 F45 Fit Kits to support the health and wellness of kids and teens across the nation.

Each kit contains equipment like jump ropes, cones, agility ladders that can be used in age-appropriate workout routines.

“I love that they provide a great workout and can be used inside and outside,” Magic said. “That’s the great thing about the F45 Fit Kits — they help us go back to functional movements. With a jump rope, cones and agility ladders, we’re offering kids the opportunity to be creative when it comes to doing fitness routines that work best for them — regardless of their level or where they may have to exercise.”

Recipients of the kits included the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the NFL’s Washington Commanders — both teams in which Magic has an ownership stake — in addition to the Crenshaw (CA) YMCA and various Boys and & Girls Clubs in California and D.C.

“The hope is to touch as many kids as possible with F45’s inventory because exercise and movement are so crucial for kids, especially nowadays with childhood obesity on the rise,” Magic noted. “While we started with Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, and teams that I own in California and D.C., the goal is to continue to identify organizations across the nation that could utilize the F45 kits for kids in need.”

Lauren Wood revealed how she and Odell Beckham Jr. — her ex and father to her 2-year-old son, Zydn — are still competitive after their split.

“We both compete for time with Zydn,” the Ridiculousness cohost, 31, exclusively told Us Weekly about her coparenting relationship with the NFL star, 32. “We both want more of it, but we just never get enough of it. It’s almost like we have an innocent competition going on.”

Wood went on to explain that the pair “both have crazy schedules,” adding that her ex is “always on the road” and “working all the time.”

“And so am I,” she added. “We just kind of make it work between us. I don’t look at co-parenting as a choice or an agreement. It’s more of a duty and a privilege to share within the love that we both have for our son.”

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The couple split in September 2023 after nearly four years of dating. They welcomed Zydn, their only child together, in February 2022.

“With the new skills Zydn will develop in our care, we’re like, ‘Oh yeah, look what I taught him,’” Wood said. “He’s just becoming a little genius from both sides. We’re learning to respect each other’s limitations and advantages. We just divide and conquer.”

As for the current status of Wood’s relationship with Beckham Jr. — who was released by the Miami Dolphins on Friday, December 13 and is currently on the hunt for a new team — she said the pair have “always been cool.”

“We’re a family first, regardless of where we’re living,” said Wood, who resides in Arizona. “We’re a family. We have a unit. It’s our child and we put him first. We respect each other. Zydn is a testament to how Odell and I co-parent in our relationship.”

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Wood boasted that her relationship with Beckham Jr. pushes back against the narrative that “coparenting sucks.”

“I think we’re doing a great job, honestly,” Wood said. “The moment Zydn leaves for his Dad, I already miss him. I know Odell feels the same. We’re aligned in our beliefs. I’m a firm believer that a child needs both parents. Odell thinks the same thing.”

Wood also joked that she’s “not mad” about the days Zadyn is with his father and she gets time to focus on herself.

“I neglect so many of my own tasks and my own self-care for the sake of my child,” she admitted. “I’m like, ‘Look, you do me a favor and I’ll do you a favor.’ We’ll hop back and forth.”