Before appearing on season 3 of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, Marion Jones had waged plenty of battles in the court of public opinion. 

Jones, 49, won five medals — three gold and two bronze — at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, but was later stripped of the medals after admitting to lying about taking performance-enhancing drugs. 

In addition to giving her medals back, Jones was sentenced to six months in prison in 2008 for her role in the scandal. 

During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly before the Special Forces premiere, Jones said the show gave her the chance to “revisit the intensity level” of her Olympic past. 

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“I think the general public sees us excel in a small window, but you don’t know that from the time that we were 3, 4, 5 years old until whenever our sport ended, we’ve been at that level,” Jones said of her and her Special Forces castmates. “And when you’re removed from it, for whatever reason, and you start life there’s always something, at least for me, like, ‘Ah, there’s something more. I need to be challenged somehow.’”

She added, “No doubt this experience satisfied that for me.”

Special Forces soldier Rudy Reyes exclusively told Us Weekly that he looked at Jones’ appearance on the show as an attempt to rewrite her public narrative. 

“She was the fastest woman on the planet,” Reyes said. “I really, really admired the work and her speed and her training. She had many world records. And then she got hit with the charges for doping, and she really became a scapegoat and a sacrificial lamb and ultimately went to prison.”

Reyes added, “I just love a comeback story. That’s really quintessentially American. We always give someone another chance. And it was really wonderful to see her out there.”

For everything to know about Marion Jones, keep reading. 

Marion Jones Was A Dual Sport Athlete in College

During her time at the University of North Carolina, Jones was also a member of the women’s basketball team in addition to her starring role on the track and field team. 

Jones was on the roster of the Tar Heel team that won the 1994 national title, and was a two-time All-ACC selection and the Most Valuable Player of the 1997 ACC Tournament.

Following her track and field career, Jones played two seasons in the WNBA with the Tulsa Shock from 2010-2011. 

Marion Jones Lied About Her Performance-Enhancing Drug Use for Years

In December 2004, Victor Conte, the founder of a company called BALCO, said he had given Jones four different illegal performance-enhancing drugs before, during, and after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games during an interview on ABC’s 20/20. 

Jones denied the allegations for years, before ultimately admitting to lying to federal agents under oath in October 2007. 

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In a press conference, Jones issued a mea culpa to the American public. 

“It is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust and you have the right to be angry with me,” Jones said. “I have let them down. I have let my country down. And I have let myself down.”

In July 2006, Jones was also linked to a check-counterfeiting scheme in which documents showed a $25,000 check had been deposited into Jones’ bank account. Jones eventually pleaded guilty to her knowledge of the scheme.

Jones was sentenced to six months in jail in 2008 for her involvement in the check fraud case and her use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Marion Jones Has Been Married Twice

Jones got married to shot putter C.J. Hunter in 1998 after the pair met while Jones was a student-athlete and Hunter was a coach at North Carolina. 

At the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Hunter abruptly withdrew from the shot put competition, citing a knee injury. However, the International Olympic Committee announced shortly after that Hunter had failed four pre-Olympic drug tests.

The couple divorced in 2002. After their split, Hunter gave testimony to a grand jury in 2004 saying Jones’ steroid use started well before the Sydney Games. 

Jones would not publicly admit to the drug use until years later. 

Hunter died in 2021 at the age of 52. 

In February 2007, Jones married Barbadian Olympian Obadele Thompson. Jones and Thompson had two children together before the couple divorced in 2017.

Jones also gave birth to a son with ex-boyfriend, Tim Montgomery Jr., in June 2003. 

Marion Jones Now Spends Her Time Paying Things Forward

In 2024, Jones helped launch Driven Performance, which is “dedicated to helping you achieve your potential, and exceed what you thought possible by developing the discipline and mindset to start winning at every area of your life.”

During an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts in July 2024, Jones said she wants people to look at her life and “ultimately come to the conclusion that failure isn’t forever.”

“I would hope that when people see my story ultimately they say, ‘You know what? Yeah, she went through some stuff,’” Jones said. “Lot of it [is] because of her own choices. But she didn’t stay there, and she didn’t allow it all to ultimately consume her.”

As his team prepares for the College Football Playoff National Championship, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is reportedly a hot commodity within the NFL job market. 

Near the top of the list of interested parties is the Chicago Bears, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. 

“The Bears have done extensive research for months on Marcus Freeman,” Pelissero reported on Sunday, January 12. “He is only 39 years old. It would not be a shock if at some point he at least considers going to the NFL.”

Chicago fired head coach Matt Eberflus in November 2024 after a 4-8 start to the season. Interim head coach Thomas Brown finished the season with the Bears, who ended the year 5-12. Brown, the team’s former offensive coordinator, will not return as head coach.

Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman and Wife Joanna's Relationship Timeline

“Freeman is in the midst of a magical run with the Fighting Irish to the National Championship Game,” Pelissero continued. “Obviously unlikely that he would entertain NFL overtures prior to that game.”

Notre Dame takes on The Ohio State University in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, January 20 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, attempting to win the school’s first national title since 1988. 

During an appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, January 13, NFL insider Adam Schefter said, “I have heard that Marcus Freeman is happy at Notre Dame.”

Just weeks ago, ESPN’s Heather Dinich reported that Freeman signed “a long-term contract extension, believed to be a four year extension that locks him up for six more years.” Financial details of the contract were not officially disclosed.

“He did sign that deal recently. I don’t know whether that’s leverage or not. I have no idea. I don’t have direct information beyond that,” Schefter, 58, added.

Freeman confirmed he had signed a new contract with Notre Dame in a December 2024 statement. 

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“The investment they continue to pour into our program is invaluable to our student-athletes and staff,” Freeman said. “This commitment goes well beyond myself, as they are dedicated to ensuring all aspects of our program are competitive within the upper echelon of college football.”

The Bears have already officially completed multiple interviews with potential head coaches to fill their vacancy, including former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. 

The team has an interview scheduled for former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on Wednesday, December 15. 

For now, Freeman remains focused on Notre Dame’s quest for a national title. The College Football Playoff National Championship between the Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes airs Monday, January 20 at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN. 

Rachel Platten basked in positive vibes after her recent national anthem performance was met with mixed reviews. 

Platten, 43, performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the NFL Wild Card playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings on Monday, January 13. 

The moment was undeniably poignant, given that the game had been moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, due to the ongoing wildfires in southern California. In commemoration of the tragedy, the stadium was adorned with signs reading “Thank You Firefighters and First Responders.”

Platten’s actual performance, however, proved to be quite divisive on social media. 

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“What in the world was that national anthem performance? ,” one viewer wrote via X. Another said, “Aye brah after everything going on in LA, you couldn’t get a better singer for the national anthem?”

Platten also performed her 2015 hit “Fight Song” before the playoff game. While she sang, a 200-foot “L.A. Together” banner appeared on the sideline as a backdrop prior to player introductions for the teams.  

Via her Instagram Story, Platten chose to focus on the positive reviews of her performance and reposted supportive comments from her fans and followers. 

One viewer said Platten’s performance gave her “chills.”

“The hardest things in life can bring people together in a beautiful way sometimes,” the post continued. “Go Rams tonight .”

Platten also reposted a video of a young boy in a Steph Curry jersey watching Platten’s national anthem intently. 

“Our little patriot loves his country so much,” the post read. “Everytime he hears the National Anthem he claps with excitement, stands at attention with his hand over his heart and makes sure we all do as well .”

How the Sports World Has Been Impacted by the Wildfires in Los Angeles

Prior to kickoff, Prime Video analyst and former Los Angeles Ram Andrew Whitworth addressed the crowd inside the stadium and the millions of viewers watching at home. 

“For the past week, our Los Angeles region has been ravaged by catastrophic wildfires,” Whitworth, 43, said. “Over 150,000 people have been evacuated. Our friends and our neighbors have lost homes and entire communities have been devastated, and there’s still more work to do. The courage and bravery of our firefighters and first responders prove that real-life heroes live among us.”

Whitworth added, “But I believe in the people of Los Angeles. We are strong! We will not be defined by this devastation. We will rebuild L.A. — hand in hand, together. For as long as it takes and whatever it takes, we will build it together.”

The Rams emerged victorious 27-9 against the Vikings, earning them a trip to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Divisional playoff round on Sunday, January 19. 

Playoff football can be stomach-churning for everybody, but one of Kelly Stafford’s daughters had more than nerves to worry about during the Rams’ Wild Card game against the Vikings.

After Kelly, the wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, revealed she and her daughters had spent time at the hospital on Friday, January 10, Kelly said one of her girls was still battling illness, even vomiting while cheering on her dad at the Monday, January 13, playoff game.

“This girl . In the middle of her pukes in the bathroom, ‘Mommy, are we still winning,’” Kelly wrote alongside a picture of her daughter hugging Matthew after the game. “She couldn’t wait to be in his arms.”

Kelly and Matthew, who have been married since 2015, share four daughters: twins Sawyer and Chandler, 7, Hunter, 6 and Tyler, 4. 

Kelly Stafford Briefly Lost 1 of Her Daughters at Rams Game in Arizona

Matthew and the Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings 27-9, earning them a trip to the NFL Divisional Round against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, January 19. 

The game took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, after it was forced to be relocated from Inglewood, California’s SoFi Stadium due to the raging wildfires impacting the greater Los Angeles area.

Kelly shared another picture from the game, showing her on the ground with her daughter in her arms and a bucket — presumably for the aforementioned puke — nearby. 

“Fun to watch my guy, but damn are we glad that game is over,” Kelly wrote. 

Kelly also shared a video from the plane ride back to Los Angeles, with all four of her girls either asleep or watching something on one of their tablets. 

“Almost home,” she wrote, “such damn troopers.”

Kelly first revealed that illness had broken out amongst the Stafford family on the Tuesday, January 7 episode of her “Morning After” podcast. 

“I can’t think straight,” Kelly said. “I currently believe I have the flu. Two of my daughters have the flu.”

Things were so bad that Kelly said Matthew “won’t come close to me, which I completely understand.

Kelly Stafford Says She’s ‘Wasting Money’ Bringing Daughters to Rams Games

Days later, Kelly shared a photo of two of her daughters asleep together in a hospital bed. “Last night was long,” she shared on Saturday, January 11. 

However, the troops rallied and made it to Monday night’s game — with a stop at Waffle House on the way. 

“Found our happy place in AZ,” Kelly wrote alongside a picture of two of her girls sitting in a restaurant booth. The Georgia native added, “My southern is so happy.”

The Rams will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles on Sunday, January 19, with a spot in the NFC Championship Game on the line. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. 

The tragic wildfires that have engulfed large parts of southern California have greatly impacted the sports world and prominent members of the sports community. 

Since a fire first sparked in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, more than 17,000 acres have been burned. Subsequent fires in the region have burned a total of more than 40,000 acres, leaving at least 24 people dead. 

In the aftermath of the blazes, professional sports teams in the area — including the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and NHL’s Los Angeles Kings — have been forced to postpone games. The NFL’s Los Angeles Rams relocated a game altogether, moving their Wild Card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Glendale, Arizona. 

On Monday, January 13, all 12 major Los Angeles-area professional sports teams — including the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels, NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy — pledged a donation of more than $8 million to “support victims in need, as well as those fighting the fires. 

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For more on how the wildfires have impacted the world of professional sports, keep reading.

Los Angeles Rams Relocate Playoff Game to Arizona

The Los Angeles Rams were forced to relocate their Wild Card round playoff game, originally scheduled to take place at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium, to Glendale, Arizona. 

In a game that was as emotional as it was cathartic, the Rams defeated the Vikings 27-9, earning a date with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL’s Divisional Round on Sunday, January 19. 

The crowd was filled with Rams fans, many of whom had made the trip from Los Angeles. Kelly Stafford, the wife of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, was responsible for chartering multiple buses from L.A. to make sure diehard Rams fans could be in attendance. 

“We knew we weren’t just playing for us,” Matthew, 36, told reporters after the game. “We were playing for people back home who needed something to watch and enjoy.”

Lakers, Clippers and Kings All Reschedule Games

The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings were all forced to reschedule games during the ongoing destruction of the fires. 

The Lakers’ home games scheduled for Thursday, January 9 and Saturday, January 11 against the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs, respectively, were both postponed. Meanwhile, the Clippers home game scheduled for January 11 against the Charlotte Hornets was also postponed. Makeup dates for the games have not been announced.

The Los Angeles Kings also postponed their home game scheduled for Wednesday, January 8 against the Calgary Flames. No makeup date has been announced.

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On Monday, January 13, the Lakers and Clippers both returned to their home floors — the Lakers at downtown L.A’s Crypto.com Arena and the Clippers at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome — for games against the Spurs and Heat, respectively. 

“Sports really work well when the team, the organization, has a connection to the city and the fans feel a connection to the team,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said before the game, a 126-102 loss to the Spurs. “And then it just flows in some sort of eternal circle of that. The Lakers have that with the city of Los Angeles. Having played here before and lived here, I’m well aware of that relationship. And part of the reason I wanted to coach here was to participate in that.”

Following a 2-1 road overtime win over the Winnipeg on Saturday, January 11, the Los Angeles Kings’ posted via X, “For LA .”

Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick Loses His Home

Los Angeles Lakers head coach, JJ Redick, lost his home in the fire that destroyed the Pacific Palisades. 

“I went through most of the village and it’s all gone, and I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for something like that,” Redick, 40. told reporters on Friday, January 10. “Our home is gone.”

Redick continued, “We were renting for the year to try to figure out where we wanted to be long-term. Everything we owned that was of any importance to us, almost 20 years together as a couple and 10 years of parenting, was in that house. There’s certain things that you can’t replace, that will never be replaced.”

The first-year NBA coach was sharing the home with his wife, Chelsea Redick, and their two sons: Knox, 10, and Kai, 8.

Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Loses His Childhood Home

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr lost his childhood home in the Pacific Palisades, which was still the residence of his 90-year-old mother, Ann.

“My mom is in good hands, but her house is gone,” Kerr, 59, told reporters on Thursday, January 9. 

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Kerr added, “That’s my hometown. All my friends who are from there pretty much all lost their homes — their family homes, their childhood homes. Our high school is gone. The town looks like it’s just been completely wiped out. It’s surreal and devastating. Fortunately, almost everyone escaped. But it’s hard to even fathom how Pacific Palisades rebuilds and how it becomes a thriving community again. It’s just shocking.”

Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard Leaves Team 

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard left the team on Wednesday, January 8 to be with his family, who owns a home in the Pacific Palisades. 

“You definitely have to take care of home,” Clippers coach, Tyronn Lue, announced. 

Lue added, “Totally had my support 100 percent. Going back, checking on his family and kids, making sure they’re well. And he got back, and they’re doing okay, so just happy and thankful for that.”

Leonard missed the Clippers’ game against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, a 126-103 loss, after making his season debut on Saturday, January 4 after a knee injury kept him out of action.

According to NBA insider Chris Hynes, Leonard’s girlfriend, Kishele Shipley, and the couple’s two children were forced to evacuate the home. 

Per TMZ, Leonard’s home survived the fire and he returned to the Clippers, appearing in the team’s 109-98 win over the Miami Heat on Monday, January 13. 

Chiefs Kingdom will welcome back its most famous member for this weekend’s playoff showdown against the Houston Texans. 

Travis Kelce confirmed that girlfriend Taylor Swift, 35, will be in attendance when the Chiefs host the Texans at Arrowhead Stadium in the NFL Divisional round on Saturday, January 18.

“You know it, baby,” Kelce, 35, said Monday, January 13 on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. “You know it’s playoff football, man.”

Swift was present for all four of the Chiefs’ playoff victories last season, including their Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. 

“I just want to let you know what live bettors do,” McAfee, 37, told Kelce. “They see her walk into that stadium, [they] immediately open the phone like, ‘Yep, Chiefs are about to win.’ That is just literally the feel.”

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The pop star attended seven Chiefs home games during the 2024-2025 season, with Kansas City winning every one. She last appeared at the team’s December 21 victory over the Texans, who the Chiefs will face after Houston defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL Wild Card round on Sunday, January 12. 

Kelce sat out the Chiefs’ regular season finale on January 5 against the Denver Broncos after Kansas City clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and he told McAfee he’s itching to get back to action — while using a Swift lyric in the process. 

| Travis on the PatMcAfee Show where they discussed Taylor’s aura that will definitely be present during play-off football, Travis hinting at Taylor’s new music and how he supports her in the creation process as well as how electric The Eras tour was!

pic.twitter.com/4qctpVQIg5

— Taylor Swift Updates (@swifferupdates) January 13, 2025

“I’m feeling fired up,” Kelce said. “I’m feeling 22 all over again, baby. Let’s go.”

McAfee then sang some of the lyrics to Swift’s song “22,” from her 2012 album Red, while waving his arms back-and-forth.

Kelce smiled and said, “I was hoping you caught the reference, baby.”

McAfee complimented Kelce on being a “gentleman,” a stark contrast to all the “f—boys” Swift has dated in the past. When asked if Swifties can expect any love songs about Kelce in the near future, the superstar tight end remained coy. 

“There might be a few, I don’t know,” Kelce said. “There might be a few.”

When McAfee asked if he had “heard any,” Kelce laughed and said, “You know I can’t say any of that.”

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“I’ll never chime in, but I’m here to support it,” Kelce added. “I’m here to see where it can go, you know what I mean?”

McAfee, a former punter for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, also marveled at seeing the Eras Tour at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium in November 2024. Kelce, who attended the third and final Indianapolis show, was in full agreement. 

“I thought the European crowds were crazy, but I’ll tell you what man. Lucas Oil, I got to go to the last night up there in Indy, and they were lit,” Kelce recalled fondly. “They were going nuts. I’ve seen that thing rocking when the Colts are playing, they might have had that thing rocking even more.”

The Chiefs battle the Texans in the NFL Divisional playoff round on Saturday, January 18 at 4:30 pm ET on ESPN. 

Head coach Marcus Freeman made a meaningful change in his personal life after his professional journey took him to Notre Dame. 

Less than a year after becoming the head football coach at the South Bend, Indiana university in December 2021, Freeman, 39, made the decision to convert to Catholicism.

During a media call in September 2022, Freeman called it “a family decision, a personal decision.”

According to the South Bend Tribune, Freeman was raised in the Christian and Korean church traditions — Freeman’s mother, Chong, was born in South Korea — and his wife, Joanna Freeman, and their children were already practicing Catholics. 

Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman’s Family Guide: Wife Joanna and 6 Kids

Marcus and Joanna, who got married in 2010, share six kids: son Vinny, 17, daughter Siena, 12, son Gino, 11, son Nico, 9, daughter Capri, 7, and son Rocco, 6.

“I tried to keep it as private as I could,” Freeman said of his religious conversion. “Obviously, when you’re head coach at Notre Dame, nothing is private.”

The development was first announced in the bulletin of Freeman’s church, Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Granger, Indiana. 

“Welcome to our newest Catholic, Marcus Freeman,” the bulletin read, which was obtained by the Tribune. “[Father] Bill recently concelebrated in a Mass where Marcus Freeman was received into the Catholic Church. After preparing with [Father] Nate Wills,  C.S.C., chaplain of the Notre Dame football team, Marcus made a profession of faith, was confirmed, and received his First Holy Communion.”

The message added, “Please pray for Marcus, and his family, as they celebrate and continue this journey in faith!”

Before he converted, Freeman reinstated the tradition of pre-game Mass for the Notre Dame football team for the first time in 11 years. 

“What better time is there to go have Mass?” he asked the National Catholic Register in August 2022. “What better time to be able to really be on the edge of your seat to get every word that comes out of the priest’s mouth and to be as close to God as you can?”

Freeman added, “That’s important for me. I want our guys to wonder about what it means to embrace Jesus Christ.”

Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman and Wife Joanna's Relationship Timeline

The coach and his program are currently preparing to face The Ohio State University in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, January 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, attempting to secure Notre Dame’s first national title since 1988.

After Freeman’s squad defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday, January 9, securing their place in the title game, Freeman became the first Black coach to ever lead his team to the National Championship — but he had no desire to hog the spotlight. 

“I’ve said this before, I don’t ever want to take attention away from the team,” Freeman told ESPN’s Molly McGrath. “It is an honor, and I hope all coaches — minorities, Black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter, great people — continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this. But this ain’t about me. This is about us. We’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s so special.”

Notre Dame and Ohio State battle in the National Championship game on Monday, January 20 at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN.

Sydney Thomas, the ring girl who went viral during the Jake Paul–Mike Tyson fight on Netflix, revealed that a prominent college football coach recently slid into her DMs. 

During an appearance on the “Like A Farmer Podcast” on Sunday, January 12, Thomas, 21, was asked to name “the biggest celebrity” to reach out after the November 2024 boxing match. 

“I have some names, I just don’t know that I want to expose them,” Thomas said with a laugh. 

Podcast host Pat Spinosa encouraged Thomas to be candid, saying, “It’s not a bad thing, they might have just reached out and said hello.”

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Thomas ultimately declined to answer, so she was then asked to at least reveal the “craziest DM” she’s received since the fight. 

“We’ll just say this,” said Thomas, currently a student at the University of Alabama. “It was from another SEC football team coach. They just DM’d me ‘Roll Tide.’”

“Roll Tide” is the rallying cry used by Alabama fans, a reference to the school’s nickname, the Crimson Tide. SEC is short for Southeastern Conference, the athletic conference home to Alabama and schools like Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma and LSU. 

“I’m not going to say what coach it was, but they’re an Alabama fan now at least,” Thomas added. “We’ll let everyone else figure out who it was.”

In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly shortly after the fight, Thomas hinted that some celebrities have already attempted to shoot their shot with the college student. 

“My DMs are just insanely flooded right now,” Thomas said in November. “There’s definitely been some pretty big names and brands that have reached out.”

While Thomas said she didn’t want to disclose any of the names for “privacy reasons,” she joked that “the DMs and all that are just going crazy right now.”

When she woke up the morning after the fight, Thomas said she instantly knew her life had dramatically changed. 

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“I woke up and saw how my followers had gone up, and then saw all the news articles that had been written about me,” Thomas told Us. “I refreshed my feed and it was just pictures of me and memes and everything. I think that was the moment for me where I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, like I really am going viral.’”

Thomas added, “It is very overwhelming. But at the same time, I’m also very blessed and very grateful. You know, what a ‘problem’ to have.”

The college student — who plans on graduating in spring 2025 with a degree in management and entrepreneurship — has been proactive in making the most of her viral fame. 

In December 2024, Thomas signed with CAA Sports, a talent agency that represents athletes including MLB star Shohei Ohtani, NBA star Devin Booker, NHL star Sidney Crosby and WNBA star Cameron Brink.

Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer struck while the iron was hot following his incredible touchdown in the College Football Playoff semifinal. 

After Sawyer, 22, returned a fumble for 83 yards and a game-clinching touchdown against Texas on Friday, January 10, the college football star quickly dropped some merchandise to celebrate the instantly-iconic moment. 

The NIL Store is now home to the exclusive release of Sawyer’s “Scoop N’ Score” merch, a reference to his sack of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers which resulted in the touchdown. 

A black hoodie, black crew sweatshirt and black tee featuring images of Sawyer’s big play are available for purchase in the store. The items retail for $64.99, $54.99 and $39.99, respectively. 

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Per Sawyer’s deal with The NIL Store, the shop also offers jerseys, sweatshirts and shirts featuring Sawyer’s name, image and likeness. (In 2021, a law went into effect allowing collegiate athletes to profit by selling their NIL rights.)

The Ohio State star also has deals with Wendy’s, The Players Trunk clothing store and Ricart Automotive, according to his Instagram. 

Sawyer’s touchdown, which came with just over two minutes remaining in the game as Texas was driving for a potential game-tying touchdown, secured Ohio State’s trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, January 20. 

The Buckeyes will battle Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, hoping to secure the school’s first national title since 2014. 

After the game, Sawyer told ESPN’s Holly Rowe about the magnitude of the moment. 

“This means everything to me,” Sawyer said. “God’s blessed this team with so much talent. I kind of blacked out when I ran over and I picked it up. Coach put us in a great position. I mean, I was just put in a good position by the coaches and I saw the ball pop right to me after I tackled him.”

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Sawyer added, “I was just thinking I gotta keep staying on my feet because like I said I almost blacked out when I saw nothing but green grass ahead of me.”

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day couldn’t help but praise Sawyer, who made the decision to return to Ohio State for his senior season despite an attractive NFL Draft profile. 

“To make a play like that in that moment,” Day, 45, told ESPN. “You want to leave a legacy behind? You become a legend. He just became a legend at Ohio State.”

Ohio State and Notre Dame go head-to-head in the National Championship game on Monday, January 20 at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN.

Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown understands the importance of knocking out a few pages of a book whenever you can — even on the sidelines of an NFL playoff game. 

Brown, 27, was caught by Fox cameras reading while sitting on the bench of the Eagles’ Wild Card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, January 12, which raised some eyebrows of football fans watching at home. 

“Reading a book instead of screaming at your quarterback for missing you on a long touchdown,” one viewer wrote via X. “AJ Brown is an A+ teammate and a scholar.”

Another joked, “Packers are so ass AJ Brown started reading a book mid game .”

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As it turns out, Brown’s reading material came with a specific purpose. The wide receiver was reading from a self-help book called Inner Excellence, which he said he brings with him to every game for “peace.”

“That’s the first time I heard y’all got me on camera,” Brown told reporters after the game. “It’s got a lot of points in there … it’s a lot of mental parts about it. For me, the game is mental. I believe I can do anything and everything.”

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Brown explained that the book helps him “refresh every drive, regardless if I score a touchdown or I drop a pass, I always go back to that book every drive and re-focus.”

After the game, Brown showed reporter James Palmer a number of the passages from the book that he has highlighted. 

One of them read, “We’ve all had times when everything came together in perfect harmony: sacred moments, when we were totally immersed in the experience and felt fully alive. When these moments occur, we wish, even for a split second, we had the courage to pursue this risky path with all our heart.”

After Brown’s viral moment, Inner Excellence — which was written by professional baseball player Jim Murphy and released in 2020 — hit No. 1 on the Amazon Books Best Sellers List. 

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Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was asked about Brown’s reading habits during his postgame press conference on Sunday, saying “I’ve never seen him read.”

“I’ve seen him with the book in his hands,” Hurts, 26, continued. “Everybody has a different thing, finds their flow in different ways. That’s how he chooses to do it.”

Hurts and Brown only connected for one completed pass during Sunday’s game, but the Eagles managed to defeat the Packers 22-10. 

They advanced to the NFL Divisional Round on Sunday, January 19 against the winner of Monday, January 13’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings. 

Before finding themselves at the epicenter of the college football world, Ryan Day and his wife, Nina, were just two kids playing tee-ball in Manchester, New Hampshire. 

Day, 45, is now the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, and Nina, whom he married in June 2005, recently reflected on their time coming of age together in the Northeast. 

In an August 2024 interview with Columbus’ WBNS 10TV, Nina said she and Ryan grew up in Manchester “about a mile-and-a-half away from each other.” They went to the same elementary school, middle school and high school and college, with both Ryan and Nina attending the University of New Hampshire, where Ryan was the quarterback on the football team. 

“There was a note we saved — I think I was in 7th grade — that I wrote and I said I was going to marry Ryan,” Nina said. “We’ve always been best friends.”

Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman and Wife Joanna's Relationship Timeline

Nina even pulled out a photo from 1985 when they were on the same youth tee-ball team. “This is Ryan, this is my twin sister, Kelly, and that’s me,” she said while pointing out the threesome.

Before Ryan was named head coach at Ohio State in 2018, his coaching career took him and his growing family — he and Nina are parents to son RJ and daughters Grace and Nia — all across the country, from collegiate stops at schools like Boston College and Temple, to NFL coaching jobs with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. 

“Within a 15 year span, we moved 11 times,” Nina told WBNS. “In that time, we had 3 children. So, it was a lot. From the year we got married to probably when we got to Ohio State, every year or every two years we were moving. It was very unstable for a long time.”

For a full timeline of Ryan and Nina’s relationship, keep reading.

2005

Ryan and Nina got married while he was working as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida. 

“We dated off-and-on and then once we graduated college, we just got back together and the rest is history,” Nina told WBNS.

She added, “There was always a comfort level with him. We’re still best friends. I think that’s the best way a marriage can be. You’re with your best friend every day.”

2009

The couple welcomed their first baby, son Ryan Jr. (RJ, for short), during Ryan’s time as wide receivers coach at Boston College. 

Nina admitted that being a coach’s son wasn’t always easy for her son growing up. 

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“From 1st to 5th grade, he started a school in one state and ended in another school in another state,” she told WBNS. “He was in seven different elementary schools.”

She added, “But it’s made him so much more resilient.”

RJ is busy following in father’s footsteps as a quarterback at DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio. 

2011

Ryan and Nina welcomed their first daughter, Grace, while Day was still working at Boston College. 

2014

The couple welcomed their third child, daughter Nia, after Day had returned to Boston College as the school’s offensive coordinator following one season as the offensive coordinator at Temple University. 

2020

Ryan lived separately from Nina and his three kids for three months during the COVID-impacted college football season to minimize the threat of contagion. 

“It hasn’t been easy,” Nina told The Columbus Dispatch in January 2021. “Most of my life I could plan things and look ahead to the next week or the next three or four games. This year we’ve just literally lived hour by hour. I mean, every hour something comes up, and I hold my breath every time I see my husband’s name on my phone because I think, ‘Oh, goodness. Now what?’”

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Nina candidly admitted it was even more difficult to have her husband in the house after the Big Ten suspended the start of its season in the wake of the pandemic. 

“Those were very difficult weeks,” Nina said. “Even though he was home for the first day of school for the first time ever, and even though he could make the kids’ soccer and football games on the weekends and pick them up from school, it was a huge void. And it was extremely difficult to be around Ryan those weeks.”

2023

Before the start of his fifth full season as the head coach at Ohio State, Ryan shared a photo via Instagram of his family coming home from vacation side-by-side with a picture from the same location, four years prior.  

“Time flies,” Ryan wrote. “1st Pic: Winter of 2019 before first season as HC. 2nd Pic: Today on our way back to Columbus. 5th season right around the corner! Stronger than ever. Go Bucks!!”

2025

Nina and Grace were photographed celebrating with Ryan on the field after Ohio State defeated the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl. 

Kelly Stafford came through in the clutch for Los Angeles Rams fans trying to see their team in the playoffs. 

After the Rams home playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings scheduled for Monday, January 13 was relocated to Glendale, Arizona due to the wildfires in southern California, fans called on the organization to provide transportation for season ticket holders who had been left stranded. 

That’s when one of them received a DM via Instagram from Stafford, the wife of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. 

“I will gladly rent a charter bus for fans! There and back! Lemme know!” Kelly messaged a Rams superfan named Robert. 

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Robert responded, “Omg no way?! We would appreciate that so much! We just want to be there!!!!! Praying for your safety .”

The plan was quickly set in motion, with Kelly offering to charter a second bus after demand was so high. 

“We all love and appreciate the Staffords for everything they do for the Ramily,” Robert posted via his Instagram Story. 

Kelly indicated she’d be in attendance at the game in Arizona with her four daughters, as well. Via her Instagram Story, she shared an old video of her girls — twins Sawyer and Chandler, 7, Hunter, 6, and Tyler, 4 — cheering on Matthew at the Rams game in Glendale against the Arizona Cardinals last year. 

“Heading back there soon with these cuties ,” Kelly posted. 

During a press conference on Thursday, January 9, before the game against the Vikings had officially been relocated, Matthew — who noted the wildfires had briefly knocked out the power at his family’s home — addressed the devastation impacting his community. 

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“It’s a tough thing to watch on the news, to be around, to see,” Matthew told reporters. “Driving around seeing all that, it’s just really sad to see what’s going on. Obviously, a bunch of people doing everything they possibly can to try and get things under control and get people back to normal as quickly as possible.”

Matthew added, “Every time we suit up, we’re the Los Angeles Rams. We play for the people in this community. The people in this community support us. This week will be another example of that, obviously. Hopefully a great escape for people who have been going through a lot of tough times.”

The Rams-Vikings Wild Card playoff game kicks off from Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium on Monday, January 13 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.

© Courtesy of Kelly Stafford/Instagram

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard had quite the cheering section at the Orange Bowl on Thursday night — including his longtime girlfriend, Molly Walding. 

Walding was in the stands at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium next to Leonard’s parents, Chad and Heather, for the Fighting Irish’s dramatic 27-24 victory over Penn State, which earned Notre Dame a trip to the College Football National Championship on Monday, January 20. 

“PINCH ME!!!!!!! ,” Walding posted via her Instagram Story, showing a wide shot of Leonard, 22, and his teammates celebrating on the field under a shower of confetti. 

Walding eventually found her way to Leonard after the game and posted a selfie of the happy couple via her Story. “I’m GIDDY! Turning dreams into reality!!!!!!!! ,” she captioned a photo. 

Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard and GF Molly Walding's Relationship Timeline

During his postgame interview with SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang, Leonard said he was anxious to see Walding and give her an orange that he was saving from the team’s postgame celebration. 

“I’m looking for my girlfriend, hopefully I can give her one,” Leonard said. “She loves oranges…Let’s hope we find her right now.”

Leonard and Walding, currently a student at Auburn University, have been dating since December 2017, when they were students together at Fairthorpe High School in Fairthorpe, Alabama. 

Their friendship dates back even further, as evidenced by a picture Walding posted via Instagram in September 2016 when the two were students at Fairthorpe Middle School. 

When the couple celebrated their six-year anniversary in December 2023, Leonard gushed via Instagram, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. Happy 6 years.”

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As for Leonard’s on-field performance on Thursday night, it came with a bit of a scare. Near the end of the first half, the quarterback was pulled from the game due to concussion protocol after taking a big hit. Backup quarterback, Steve Angeli, executed the team’s final drive of the half in Leonard’s absence. 

However, Leonard returned for the second half after being cleared and helped lead Notre Dame to the school’s first national championship game since 2013. 

“I knew I was going to get back out there,” Leonard told ESPN after the game. “Obviously, safety first on the football field. I just kind of had to prove to everybody that I was fine. I got up a little wobbly, but it’s all good.”

Notre Dame will play the winner of the other College Football Playoff semifinal between Ohio State and Texas — who face off in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, January 10 — when in the National Championship from Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20. 

Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman was coaching in the Orange Bowl with a little extra fire in his belly following comments made at his expense by Penn State coach James Franklin. 

At a Wednesday, January 8 press conference ahead of Notre Dame’s 27-24 victory over Penn State on Thursday, January 9, Franklin, 52, ribbed Freeman — who turned 39 on Friday, January 10, just hours after the biggest win of his career — about his age and said, “I mean, I look at the hairline on this guy. Envious of his hairline in a lot of ways.”

Freeman appeared to take the jokes in stride at the press conference, but after his team’s victory on Thursday night, Freeman’s players revealed it was quite a different story. 

“He was angry,” Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts told The Athletic. “He was angry with the press conference thing, whatever was going on between that. He was mad about that. All the anger went toward us and that anger went onto the field.”

Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman and Wife Joanna's Relationship Timeline

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love indicated he was similarly ticked off by Franklin’s comments, telling The Athletic, “I’m not gonna speak on their head coach.”

“We felt like their team didn’t really respect us,” Love, 19, said. “We wanted to come into this game and make a statement. Be the aggressors. Dominate them physically. That’s the message. Be physical and play violent. The whole game.”

Inside the Notre Dame locker room at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium, Fighting Irish linebacker Jack Kiser noticed the clock read 12:17 a.m., meaning it was his head coach’s birthday. 

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“Let’s just say that 17 minutes ago coach Freeman turned 39,” Kiser, 24, told The Athletic. “So he’s not that young guy that a lot of people treat him as. Guys want to play for coach Freeman, and when you put gas on that fire, it can get really explosive in this locker room.”

Notre Dame’s win over Penn State earned them a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship, which goes down Monday, January 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. They will face the winner of Ohio State–Texas, who battle on Friday, January 10 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

Freeman did not address Franklin’s comments after the game, but he did acknowledge the significance of Notre Dame’s win — which meant Freeman will become the first Black coach in history to coach in a college national championship game. 

“I’ve said this before, I don’t ever want to take attention away from the team,” Freeman told ESPN’s Molly McGrath. “It is an honor, and I hope all coaches — minorities, Black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter, great people — continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this. But this ain’t about me. This is about us. We’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s so special.”

Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman has had his wife, Joanna Freeman, by his side for every step of his gridiron journey. 

Marcus, 38, and Joanna met during Marcus’ time at The Ohio State University, where he was a star linebacker from 2004 to 2008. According to Yahoo! Sports, the two were introduced by Marcus’ best friend, Calvin Pruitt, while Marcus and Joanna lived in the same Columbus apartment complex. 

At the time, Joanna was studying at nearby Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. She would go on to become a news reporter at WBNS-Channel 10 in Columbus before she and Marcus started their family together. 

Marcus was drafted in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears — and would later sign to the practice squads of the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans that same year — though he never saw any NFL game action. 

Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman’s Family Guide: Wife Joanna and 6 Kids

His coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Ohio State before seeing stops at Kent State University, Purdue University and the University of Cincinnati. Marcus was named Notre Dame’s head coach in December 2021. 

Along the way, Joanna has been there for all of it — including the Freemans becoming the parents of six children together: son Vinny, 17, daughter Siena, 12, son Gino, 11, son Nico, 9, daughter Capri, 7, and son Rocco, 6.

For a full timeline of Marcus and Joanna’s relationship, keep reading. 

2007

Marcus and Freeman welcomed their first child, son Vinny. Now a junior at Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana, Vinny plays safety for the school’s football team He is also an accomplished wrestler, making an official visit to Cornell University in August 2024. 

2010

The couple got married just months before Freeman’s coaching journey began as an assistant at his alma mater, Ohio State. 

2012

Marcus and Joanna welcomed their first daughter, Siena, while Marcus was the linebackers coach at Kent State University. 

2013

The couple’s second son, Gino, was born while Marcus was the linebackers coach at Purdue University. 

By July 2018, Marcus already had both Gino and Vinny following in his footsteps. “It’s officially football season for the Freeman’s,” Marcus posted via Instagram, showing the brothers wearing football helmets and posing with their father.

2015

Marcus and Joanna welcomed their son, Nico, while Marcus was still working at Purdue. He would become the defensive coordinator at the University of Cincinnati in 2017.

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“Happy 4th birthday to our Nico!” Marcus shared via Instagram in 2019, showing off a picture from a birthday celebration that included then-Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell. 

2017

The Freemans welcomed their second daughter, Capri, into the world. 

In a picture shared by Marcus via Instagram, all four of Capri’s siblings smiled and posed with their baby sister shortly after her birth. 

“Welcome to this world and our family Capri!!” Marcus wrote.

2018

Marcus and Joanna’s sixth baby, son Nico, was born shortly before the holidays. 

“Merry Christmas from the Freeman Crew,” Marcus shared via Instagram in December 2018, showing off his entire family smiling in front of a fireplace full of stockings. 

2020

Marcus celebrated the couple’s 10th wedding anniversary with a slideshow of images from their life together. 

“Celebrating 10 years of being married to the love of my life and the glue to the Freeman family,” Marcus wrote via Instagram. “Happy anniversary Jo!”

2021

The entire Freeman family was on hand when Marcus signed a contract to become the 30th head coach in Notre Dame history. 

“My family and I want to thank everyone for their overwhelming support,” Marcus wrote via Instagram. “This is a special community and we’re blessed to remain a part of it. To my guys — let’s go get this win! Go Irish!”

2023

Marcus celebrated Mother’s Day with a picture of Joanna and his mother, Chong Freeman. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing Moms out there, today we celebrate you!” he shared via Instagram. “I’m especially grateful for these two special women — my wife, Joanna, and my Mom!”

2025

Joanna and all six kids celebrated on the field with Marcus after Notre Dame defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, earning them a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals. 

As the number of prominent female reporters continues to grow across the NFL, Prime Video’s Kaylee Hartung gushed about the supportive community they have created with one another. 

“It’s so cool,” Hartung, 39, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of Prime Video’s first-ever playoff game broadcast between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, January 11. “It’s the most special group of women I’ve ever gotten to consider myself part of. I feel so lucky.”

Hartung is joined on the sidelines for Prime Video’s NFL coverage by Taylor Rooks, with Charissa Thompson anchoring the network’s coverage during pregame, postgame and halftime. 

“It’s so genuine among us,” Hartung explained. “Charissa, Taylor and I all have very different skill sets. We have very different personalities. I think we’re able to work together and support each other in a way that is so special. There’s no competition. We are each other’s biggest cheerleaders.”

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Across the networks, other female reporters in places of prominence include Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews and Pam Oliver and CBS’ Tracy Wolfson and Kay Adams, who anchored Netflix’s inaugural Christmas Day coverage.

“We all just really get along and like each other,” Hartung told Us. “Charissa and I were friends before we were ever on Thursday Night Football together. I had never met Taylor before the first time everyone got together. But it was instant for all of us.”

Hartung, who also works as a contributor on NBC’s Today show, counts Sunday Night Football sideline reporter Melissa Stark as another encouraging colleague. When the duo worked together during the NFL Divisional Round playoff game between the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit’s Ford Field in January 2024, Hartung had a full circle moment of gratitude.

“We were sitting in the shuttle [on the way to the stadium] and I teared up in the cheesiest, silliest, most completely raw, emotional way,” Hartung recalled. “15-year-old me never could have imagined this. Melissa has been so supportive of me and I just appreciate that I can call her a friend. We’ll compare notes if I’ve got a team before her or if she’s got one before me.”

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Hartung also shouted out NBC’s Maria Taylor and ESPN’s Laura Rutledge, with whom she helped launch the SEC Network in 2014.

“I feel so lucky that our friendships have all endured,” she said. “I hope that we set an example for women younger than us. It’s such a competitive environment and there are only so many opportunities. But there is enough to go around.”

Hartung added, “At the end of the day, one of the things we all have in common is that we are all nice, welcoming, good people who are excited for each other’s successes and excited to cheer each other on.”

Hartung will be on the sideline for Prime Video’s first-ever playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, which streams live on Saturday, January 11, at 7:30 pm ET. 

Before their teams square off in the Orange Bowl, Penn State head coach James Franklin admitted Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is living his follicle fantasy. 

During a Wednesday, January 8, press conference ahead of the game on Thursday night, Franklin, 52, revealed football wasn’t the only thing on his mind when the two coaches addressed the media. 

“It’ll be a great game,” Franklin said. “We’re really, really excited about competing. I’m looking over here at Marcus. How old are you now, Marcus?”

“38,” Freeman said with a slight smile. 

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Franklin, who is bald, responded, “I mean, I look at the hairline on this guy. Envious of his hairline in a lot of ways.”

Outside of complimenting his physical appearance, Franklin said Freeman has done “a phenomenal job” this season with the Fighting Irish, who earned a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals after wins over Indiana and Georgia.

Penn State earned its Orange Bowl trip following victories over SMU and Boise State. The winner of Thursday’s game will advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the winner of Ohio State and Texas, who play each other in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, January 10. 

In guiding Notre Dame to the semifinals in his third season as head coach, Freeman has seen his notoriety explode. On Wednesday, Freeman was named the winner of the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award.

Freeman was able to celebrate his team’s Sugar Bowl win over Georgia alongside his wife, Joanna, and their six children: son Vinny, 17, daughter Siena, 12, son Gino, 11, son Nico, 9, daughter Capri, 7, and son Rocco, 6.

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After the New Orleans-hosted game was delayed due to the truck attack on New Year’s Day, Freeman admitted his staff was slightly behind the eight-ball — but he fully expects his team to be ready for the challenge that Penn State poses. 

“I think the coaches, we probably were a little bit behind to start just because of the travel and in that aspect, but physically our guys were good,” Freeman told reporters on Wednesday. “Our guys were good, and we’re going to be ready to roll. But we’ve got to utilize, as you just said, every minute we have from now until tomorrow night at 7:30.”

He added, “That’s the mindset that we all have — is every minute we’ve got to utilize. We didn’t have two extra days, so let’s utilize this time that we have physically and mentally to make sure we’re prepared to go tomorrow night.”

The Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State kicks off Thursday, January 9, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. 

New York Jets star Sauce Gardner has been sued for falsely claiming a Buffalo Bills fan had an OnlyFans page during an online spat. 

Gardner, 24, was named in a lawsuit filed by Kalli Mariakis in Morris County, New Jersey Superior Court last month, Us Weekly confirms. 

The lawsuit stems from an August 2024 interaction via X, where the NFL star posted a picture of an empty room and wrote, “Do I even have to say what I’m getting built at my new house?”

In response, Mariakis — who calls herself a member of “#BillsMafia” in her bio on X — responded, “A simulator to teach you how not to commit pass interference or defensive holding.“

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The next day, Gardner responded, “I’m sure your husband wouldn’t like it if I told him you’d [direct messaged] me your OF link, would he?” (“OF” is widely known as an abbreviation for OnlyFans, a platform for adult content creators.)

Mariakis responded to the Jets player, “Why don’t you send the link then? He’s waiting! I would love to know what it is myself! Nice comeback @iamSauceGardner but what a shame it’s a big fat lie!“

In the lawsuit, Mariakis denied ever having an OnlyFans page, calling Gardner’s post “knowingly false and malicious.” Mariakis also said her husband and daughter have been subjected to “harassment and disparagement.“

A glance at Mariakis’ Instagram page shows many of her posts flooded with comments about the Gardner incident. “Where’s the OF link,” one person wrote in the comments section of a July 2024 photo of Mariakis and her husband. 

On a photo of a reclining sofa Mariakis was attempting to sell in September 2024, another user commented, “sauce gardner owns u.”

The 15-page lawsuit also named Barstool Sports, founded by Dave Portnoy, as a defendant. 

After Mariakis’ exchange with Gardner went viral, Barstool posted an article with the headline: “If You’re a Married OnlyFans Model Who’s Been DMing Sauce Gardner, You’d Be Wise Not to Troll Him About His Coverage Skill.“

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The lawsuit argued the article was “not only false and misleading, it was intentionally based upon a falsehood, whose truth would have defeated its central message: ‘Don’t mess with Sauce Gardner on or off the field.’”

Us Weekly has reached out to representatives for Gardner and Barstool Sports. 

Mariakis is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

Gardner was selected 4th overall by the Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft. In May 2022, he signed a four-year contract worth $38.7 million guaranteed.

Kayla Nicole candidly expressed why she was overcome with emotion during a recent food run.

Nicole, 33, the ex of Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, posted a video via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, January 8, showing the model clearly upset while sitting in her car. 

“Oh my God, y’all. Can I just be honest for a second?” Nicole said “I just pulled over to get some food in this restaurant. Had to take my food to go because I started just crying uncontrollably, which is very on brand for me.”

Nicole added, “I said it once, I said it again. I am an empath through and through. I feel things so deeply.”

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At the root of Nicole’s emotional state, she explained, were the wildfires that continue to ravage the greater Los Angeles area.

“The state of my city right now,” Nicole continued. “I have family members that are displaced. I have people in my life whose homes are in danger. I know people directly whose homes have burned down.”

Nicole did not mention if she was under threat of evacuation, but noted how the fires have allowed her to feel gratitude for everything she has. 

“I don’t think until moments like this we truly understand the magnitude of the blessing it is to have a home, to have a place to call home,” she said. “A lot of people lost everything last night and I can’t imagine what that feels like.”

Nicole then led a prayer for “anyone else that may still be in harm’s way. I want to pray for our first responders. I want to pray for the people that have been impacted, who already wil have to put their lives back together.”

After the prayer, Nicole wiped away tears before ending the video. 

Nicole, who dated Kelce, 35, on and off for five years before breaking up for good in 2022, is currently appearing on season 3 of the Fox reality series Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. 

During the Wednesday, January 7 premiere episode, Nicole addressed the scrutiny she’s faced given Kelce’s relationship with his new A-list girlfriend. 

“He’s dating Taylor Swift,” Nicole said. “I just get a lot of s— online because he’s dating such a mega superstar.”

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Later in the premiere, the Special Forces soldiers pulled up an article from The Independent with the headline: “Travis Kelce’s ex Kayla Nicole asks trolls to ‘leave her alone’ as Taylor Swift releases new album.”

The article came out shortly after the release of Swift’s album The Tortured Poets Department in April 2024, Nicole posted via X: “There’s just no way I can fully digest all these new albums. I’m still on Cowboy Carter.”

Nicole then fired back at critics who perceived her message to be a direct shot at Swift. 

“I’m unproblematic. Mind my business. Never respond to the constant vitriol,” she posted. “Solid as they come & don’t expect a pat on the back for it either. Just know everyone has a breaking point & would love for ‘yall’ (because you know exactly who you are) to leave me alone.”

Almost two years after officially retiring from the NFL, Tom Brady proved he’s still got it. 

The seven-time Super Bowl champion posted some impressive pictures via Instagram on Tuesday, January 7, showing off his beach body during a football game in the sand with his 17-year-old son, Jack. 

“The playoffs roll around and you can’t help but see how the ol’ arm feels ,” Brady, 47, captioned the post, which included photos of himself shirtless in a pair of fitted swim trunks. 

In 2022, before retiring from the NFL, Brady signed a 10-year broadcasting deal with Fox Sports, reportedly worth $375 million. He’ll be in the booth alongside play-by-play partner Kevin Burkhardt for the Wild Card playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers on Sunday, January 13. 

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As for the beach photos, Brady’s former New England Patriots teammate Danny Amendola, who knows a thing or two about playing with the former quarterback in the postseason, commented, “Playoff time brodie.”

Brady gave a peek into his exercise and fitness routine last year, joking via Instagram in September, “Color analysts have to stay in shape too!”

“Added some swimming into the workout routine this year,” he explained. “Great muscle resistance and some aerobic cardio all at once.”

As for Jack — who Brady shares with his ex, Bridget Moynahan — the teenager has also enjoyed spending some time with his famous father on the basketball court over the years. 

“I’m gonna need a few more sessions to be able to keep up with this kid soon ,” Brady shared via Instagram in September 2023 after some hardwood action together. 

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In a birthday post for Jack via Instagram in August 2024, Brady called his son “the kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful 17-year-old I know.”

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“You are truly a blessing in my life and I am so grateful to watch you mature into a young man,” Bray continued, “Your love of family, friends, school, athletics, hard work and dedication to everything you put your energy into are just some of your amazing qualities. I love spending every minute with you and I cherish our time together.”

Brady — who also shares son Ben, 15, and daughter Vivian, 12, with his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen — recently admitted it “sucks” to be his son. 

“There’s a lot of challenges I faced as a kid,” Brady said during an appearance at the Fortune Global Forum in New York City in November 2024. “My kids naturally are gonna be faced with their own challenges, and they gotta figure out how to overcome them. I’ll be there to support them and I’ll be learning along the way with them.”