The 2028 presidential election season is far, far away. Yet, Stephen A. Smith, ESPN's notorious hot-take artist, has already decided whether he will run.
The post Stephen A. Smith Makes Decision on Presidential Ambitions appeared first on Breitbart.
President Donald Trump's adorable granddaughter Carolina caught a ride with her grandpa in the presidential limo at Daytona 500 on Sunday.
The post WATCH: Trump’s 5-Year-Old Granddaughter Carolina Catches Ride with Grandpa at Daytona 500 appeared first on Breitbart.
Film director Spike Lee wore a jacket to the NBA All-Star Game with a message demanding slavery reparations.
The post Spike Lee Wears Jacket Demanding Reparations at NBA All-Star Game appeared first on Breitbart.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced legislation to block various agencies from banning the use of lead tackle and ammunition.
The post Sen. Steve Daines Introduces Bill Blocking Bans on Lead Tackle and Ammo appeared first on Breitbart.
Despite a nearly 50-year age gap, Bill Belichick and girlfriend Jordon Hudson may tie the knot.
According to Page Six, the UNC head coach and former cheerleader have "definitely discussed marriage," and it "isn't out of the question."
And, yes, "they would definitely get a prenup," the report says, citing a source.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
There is no rush, though, and Hudson "hasn’t put any pressure on Bill at all to propose, and she feels like it will happen when and if the time is right."
Belichick, 72, and Hudson, 23, met on an flight headed to Boston in 2021 and apparently immediately hit it off.
Hudson celebrated their "meetiversary" on Tuesday. Belichick signed one of her college textbooks on the flight as they sat next to one another.
"Jordon, Thanks for giving me a course on logic! Safe travels!" Belichick wrote in the book, signed Feb. 11, 2021.
CHIEFS GIVE TRAVIS KELCE DEADLINE ON DECISION TO RETIRE: REPORT
The two were first publicly linked last year, three years after meeting on the flight. They apparently had gotten more serious after his breakup with Linda Holliday in 2022.
Belichick was spotted at a cheer competition last year in support of Hudson. Afterward, she attended Tom Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony in June, shortly before reports surfaced she and Belichick had been dating.
The 48-year age gap was the butt of one of Snoop Dogg's jokes during the NFL Honors.
"I've been a football fan for a long, long time. … Bill Belichick's girlfriend wasn't even born yet," Snoop joked.
At the honors, Belichick wore all eight of his Super Bowl rings, including the pair he won with the New York Giants as their defensive coordinator. Hudson wore a national championship ring for cheerleading she won in 2021.
At Sunday's Super Bowl, Hudson wore a customized jacket with logos of the six Super Bowls Belichick won with the Pats.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
On Wednesday, Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajaković described veteran Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson as a "no-class" player after the Cavs' 131-108 win over the Raptors.
Rajaković also suggested Thompson's actions showed a lack of respect.
"I think what Tristan did there was no class and disrespectful," Rajaković said during a postgame press conference. "I'm not going to stand for that, for sure. I love when my team stands up for themselves. That was no class."
Rajaković was irked by Thompson's two-handed slam in the final seconds of the game.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Raptors players Scottie Barnes and Jamal Shead confronted Thompson immediately after the final buzzer sounded, and some fans directed boos at the Cavs big man.
Thompson took to social media Thursday to share his response to Rajaković's remarks. Thompson asserted that the Raptors engaged in a "full court press" even as Toronto was trailing by double-digits late in the game.
LUKA DONČIĆ'S TRADE TO LAKERS COULDN'T BE VETOED, NBA COMMISH SAYS
"You wanna full court press with under a minute left in the game when you get cracked by 30 this will happen to you. Lose for draft lottery and be happy buddy boy. Hopefully you and most of your guys see the light at the end of Bobby and Masai long term plan. Bless up stay warm in MY CITY," Thompson wrote on X Feb. 13.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said he didn't understand Thompson's thought process at the time, but he also did not believe there were "bad intentions" behind the dunk.
"I'm not sure what he was thinking," Atkinson said. "Sometimes, though, you're playing the game, and you just have a reaction. I know with Tristan, there's no bad intention there. I think just sometimes you're playing, and the goal of the game is to score. Unfortunate."
Thompson, who is from Canada, had four points in four minutes. He is averaging 1.7 points and 3 rebounds per game in 28 games this season.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Travis Kelce all but admitted this week he is contemplating retiring after 12 NFL seasons. Apparently, the Kansas City Chiefs don't want to wait very long for his decision.
The star tight end just played in his third consecutive Super Bowl and, at age 35, he has not much left to accomplish in what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career.
Well, the Chiefs have reportedly given him a soft deadline of "around March 14" to make his decision, according to The Athletic.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The date makes sense, as it's two days after free agency officially begins, but arguably more importantly, his $11.5 million roster bonus is due the next day.
A report from NFL.com on Super Bowl eve said Kelce was "expected to take time after the Super Bowl, consider his future and make a decision before free agency."
On the latest episode of his "New Heights" podcast he co-hosts with his future Hall of Fame brother Jason, he said he is "kicking every can I can down the road."
"I am not making any crazy decisions, but right now the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches, understanding there’s a lot that goes into this thing. I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody," Kelce said. "The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body."
"It’s a lot of time in the building. … That process can be grueling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better, and it can drive you crazy," he added. "Right now, it was one of those things where it was driving me crazy this year. It happens as you tail off toward the back nine of your career."
With the Chiefs’ success over the last eight seasons, Kelce has played 25 playoff games, adding nearly a season and half worth of games to the 175 regular-season games he has played in his career.
Clips of Kelce's apparent lack of effort in the Super Bowl have gone viral, with fans thinking he's rather checked out.
Among tight ends in NFL history, Kelce ranks third in catches (1,004) and yards (12,151) and fifth in touchdowns (77). That comes despite 11 tight ends, including those ahead of him in those prior categories, playing more games than him. For reference, Tony Gonzalez, who leads in catches and yards, played in 270 games, 95 more than Kelce.
However, it's clear that he's not his All-Pro self anymore. This season marked the first time since 2015 in which Kelce played in at least 16 games and failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He also scored only three touchdowns in the regular season, the lowest mark of his career outside his one-game rookie season where he didn't take an offensive snap before undergoing knee surgery.
If Super Bowl LIX was the final time fans saw Kelce on the field, it's certainly the end of a legendary career. Kelce has made 10 Pro Bowls and was either a First- or Second-Team All-Pro seven times.
Fox News' Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Linda McMahon made her stance clear on trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports during her confirmation hearing for education secretary on Thursday.
"I do not believe that biological boys should be able to compete against girls in sports, and I think now that certainly not only have the people spoken, because that was something that Trump ran very heavily on, but I believe the court has spoken," McMahon said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America (CWA) legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls and women’s bathrooms," as important to them. And 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
Trump vowed during his 2024 campaign to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports. Trump made good on that promise early when he signed the No Men in Women's Sports executive order on Feb. 5.
Prior to that, the Supreme Court ruled in August to deny a Biden administration emergency request to enforce portions of the former president's Title IX rewrites that would allow biological males in women's and girls' changing rooms.
HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE
And as McMahon looks to get confirmed as education secretary, she insists on carrying out the original mission of Title IX, and keeping women's sports for biological females.
"We are really back to what Title IX was originally established to do and that was to protect social discrimination. Women should feel safe in their locker rooms. They should feel safe in their spaces. They shouldn't have to be exposed to men undressing in front of them," McMahon said Thursday.
"I heard one person the other day say, ‘Well, guys should just hold the shower curtain in front of them so that they aren’t exposing themselves.' I mean really, that's just not what we should be doing. We should be making sure that Title IX, which is the law, should be enforced."
The Biden administration education secretary, Miguel Angel Cardona, supported allowing trans athletes to compete in women's and girls' sports.
Cardona helped draft the Title IX changes that would have prohibited blanket bans of transgender athletes on public school teams.
In a June 2021 interview with ESPN, Cardona said "transgender girls have a right to compete."
"Our LGBTQ students have endured more harassment than most other groups. It's critically important that we stand with them and give them opportunities to engage in what every other child can engage in without harassment," Cardona said.
"It's their right as a student to participate in these activities. And we know sports does more than just put ribbons on the first-, second- and third-place winner," he said. "We know that it provides opportunities for students to become a part of a team, to learn a lot about themselves, to set goals and reach them and to challenge themselves. Athletics provides that in our K-12 systems and in our colleges, and all students deserve an opportunity to engage in that."
Now, under the Trump administration, there will be multiple layers of efforts to prevent trans athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports, and McMahon's agenda will be one of those layers if she is confirmed.
A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports.
Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democratic, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The Enhanced Games, the first athletic event in which performance-enhancing drugs will be 100% allowed, has backing from a prominent member of the Trump family.
The brand announced on Thursday that Donald Trump Jr.'s 1789 Capital has co-led a multimillion-dollar Series B round for the Enhanced Games.
Dr. Aron D'Souza founded the event in 2023, and the immediate backlash has been strong. He has been told his idea is unsafe, unfair and a mockery of the real Olympics.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
However, Trump now joins billionaire Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal, among the high-net-worth individuals to invest in the games.
"For over 100 years, elites in charge of global sports have stifled innovation, crushed individual greatness, and refused to let athletes push the limits of what’s possible. That ends now," Trump Jr. said in a statement. "The Enhanced Games represent the future – real competition, real freedom, and real records being smashed. This is about excellence, innovation, and American dominance on the world stage – something the MAGA movement is all about. The Enhanced Games are going to be huge, and I couldn’t be prouder to support this movement that is changing sports forever."
Added D'Souza, "With these powerhouse investors, we’re building something revolutionary – sports without hypocrisy, where the best can actually be the best. Our investors see the future, and they’re backing it with conviction."
Despite the criticism, D'Souza believes his event may be one of the safest in recent memory, as plenty of medical professionals will be on hand, and athletes will go through rigorous testing before they can compete.
"Ultimately, we have one shot to do this right, and if that has any health complications whatsoever, it would not only derail the company and movement we’re creating, but also the social change that we’re attempting to create here," D'Souza said in an interview with Fox News Digital last year.
"Ultimately, what we are doing is heavily destigmatizing performance enhancements and I think unlocking the field of performance medicine, which leads to longevity and anti-aging technologies, and the giant publicity storm that we’ve gone through, there’s so much attention, we know the world’s eyes are on us – we know we have to do this right. We know the expectations are very, very high, and there’s a great prize well beyond the future of the Olympics if we do it right, so we have to do it right."
It remains to be seen when the events will take place.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The Kansas City Chiefs are headed towards a transformational offseason where the bulk of the roster is due to enter free agency. But one of the biggest questions facing the team will be what tight end Travis Kelce decides as far as his future is concerned.
Kelce faced retirement speculation in the lead-up to Super Bowl LIX. Had Kansas City gone on to make NFL history with a third straight championship, many believed he would’ve retired.
But the Philadelphia Eagles threw a wrench into those suspected plans.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Kelce said after the 40-22 loss that he’s going to take time to decide what’s next.
"I know everybody wants to know whether I am playing next year, and right now I am just kicking everything down the road. I am kicking every can I can down the road," he said on the latest episode of his podcast, "New Heights."
But one of Kelce’s current teammates believes the veteran tight end will be back next season.
EAGLES STAR COOPER DEJEAN REVEALS MESSAGE CHIEFS FAN CAITLIN CLARK SENT AFTER SUPER BOWL VICTORY
"Big dog, we – the whole organization – we can’t go out like that," Kansas City defensive end Charles Omenihu said Thursday during an appearance on FOX Sports’ "The Facility."
"He’s a Hall of Famer from the moment he says, ‘I’m done.’ But I think Trav has a lot left. I think Trav is an extreme competitor. I think he’s somebody that loves the game, and I think in the storied career he’s had, going out like that – in my opinion, wouldn’t be something that he would do."
Omenihu said that despite the changes that are sure to come in the offseason, Patrick Mahomes is enough of a reason for Kelce to stay.
"I believe that he’ll be back. I believe that he’ll give it one more go."
A team source told The Athletic on Friday that the team has given Kelce a deadline of mid-March to make a decision.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The lasting memory Patrick Mahomes left of the 2024 NFL season is that he ultimately lost.
He failed.
That, rather than continue his chase of Tom Brady's record seven-ring Super Bowl domination and set an unprecedented mark by winning three consecutive championships, Mahomes fell short. And not just fell short because his team betrayed him, but because he played poorly and wasn't what anyone, including himself, expected.
So, yes, bitter disappointment.
And do you know how, amid all that defeat and failure and disillusion, Mahomes handled the moment?
Like a champion.
He took his beating, as did all the Kansas City Chiefs in that 40-22 final that wasn't really as close as the score, and handled it like a grown man afterward. Like a professional.
Like a winner.
Mahomes sought out opposing quarterback Jalen Hurts, shook his hand and offered congratulations. He also shook hands with a couple of other victorious Philadelphia players, including offensive tackle Lane Johnson, and then he ran off the field.
No big deal?
Tom Brady didn't shake Nick Foles' hand after the Eagles beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. Kyle Shanahan didn't shake Andy Reid's hand after the Super Bowl a year ago. It's the classy thing to do, but sometimes the pain and frustration of the moment wipe away the veneer of good sportsmanship.
Because losing these games hurts. A lot. And Mahomes has now lost two of them, including one to Brady in Super Bowl LV.
"Um, I mean, both sucked," Mahomes said. "There’s no way around it. Anytime you lose a Super Bowl, it’s the worst feeling in the world. They’ll stick with you the rest of your career.
"I mean, these will be the two losses that will motivate me to be even better for the rest of my career, because you only get so few of these, and you have to capitalize on these, and they hurt probably more than the wins feel good."
Let that marinate for a moment.
The losses elicit a greater lasting feeling than the victories. And yet, amid that kind of personal emotional cataclysm, Mahomes came to the podium to face reporters and answered about 14 questions or so with patience and class.
He talked about Jalen Hurts winning it all.
He talked about Travis Kelce possibly retiring.
And he addressed his rough outing by actually taking responsibility for the loss.
"I threw two interceptions," Mahomes said. "I threw a pick-six, and I threw a pick that they returned to the 5-yard line, and they scored immediately after, so when you give a team 14 points, especially a really good football team, a Super Bowl football team, then not a lot of good things happen.
"And so, that’s why I take ownership in this loss more than probably any loss in my entire career, because I put us in a bad spot, and even though we put up some stats at the end of the game, those stats didn’t really matter, because I’d already kind of lost the momentum for this entire team."
At the beginning of Super Bowl week, Mahomes was asked multiple times about his faith. And he boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus Christ. He talked openly about God.
He said he wants to use Jesus as an example of how to live his life.
And, predictably, the haters said that's easy to do when your team wins 15 of 17 regular-season games and two playoff games after that. It's easy to be close to God when the breeze of consecutive Super Bowl wins is at one's back.
But what about the rough times?
Where was the quarterback's God Sunday evening while he was getting sacked six times? And where did this mess of a game leave Mahomes and his professed faith?
The answer to both questions is exactly where it all was before the game.
God apparently allowed the Chiefs to take one on the chin. They say setbacks are a set-up for a great comeback. I believe that's in the Gospels somewhere because Jesus suffered unspeakable punishment on the cross on Friday and died, but didn't stay that way very long.
Sunday's grand victory surely came.
Mahomes, meanwhile, thanked God after the Kansas City loss. He thanked God "for every opportunity he has given me."
That doesn't change the fact the Eagles were better. It doesn't change the fact Mahomes went home with an L.
But neither did that loss change the fact Mahomes took the setback like a champion.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The NFC East was showcased in two of the final three games of the 2024 NFL season.
The Philadelphia Eagles topped the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship before eventually defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The Eagles had a veteran team with an incredible defense that tormented Patrick Mahomes all night on their way to a win. The Commanders got very close to making the Super Bowl for the first time in over 30 years with a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels.
With Philadelphia and Washington being the talk of the NFL, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott expressed optimism on Tuesday about his team’s chances of making their mark.
"I feel like we've competed with the Eagles and beat them for the most part when we've played them," he told reporters at an event for the upcoming Children’s Cancer Fund gala, via ESPN. "I don't want to say, 'Check the record,' when the other guy is holding the trophy, right? So credit to them. They've earned it, and they deserve it by all means. But, yeah, [we're] very close."
Dallas did suffer a rash of injuries during the 2024 season that took them from a 12-5 playoff team to a fledgling 7-10 team.
JETS GAVE AARON RODGERS ULTIMATUM ON 'PAT MCAFEE SHOW' APPEARANCES: REPORT
"Especially even watching the NFC Championship and those two teams -- teams that we battle against each and every year a couple of times," he added. "As I said, [I] feel confident that we've gotten the better part each and every time. But just seeing such a dominating fashion, credit to them. It's our turn, and it's on us."
The Eagles routed the Cowboys in both of their matchups in 2024. Prescott did not play in either game as his season ended in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons.
Dallas had a wild win over Washington in Week 12 but lost in the season finale against them.
The Cowboys will enter the 2025 season with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer at the helm and a few question marks as star players like Micah Parsons in trade rumors.
Former Cowboys star Dez Bryant told Fox News Digital he did not expect Dallas to be back in the fold anytime soon.
"I don't expect the 'Boys to be good for the next couple years. You need good role players, you need more star players, especially in today's NFL. Teams are loaded. You can't have just one receiver. You got teams with three ones, two ones. The Cowboys only got one one. And the rest might be threes. I don't see us getting better." he said.
"It's not anything personal. It's just the writing on the wall."
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce isn’t making any decisions on his potential retirement – yet.
Kelce, 35, opened up about what his NFL future holds during a recent episode of "New Heights."
"I know everybody wants to know whether I am playing next year and right now I am just kicking everything down the road. I am kicking every can I can down the road," Kelce said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The three-time Super Bowl champion completed his 12th NFL season, which ended with a 40-22 demolition by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
"I am not making any crazy decisions, but right now the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches, understanding there’s a lot that goes into this thing. I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody."
"The fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body."
"It’s a lot of time in the building… That process can be grueling. It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it can drive you crazy. Right now, it was one of those things where it was driving me crazy this year. It happens as you tail off toward the back nine of your career."
With the Chiefs’ incredible success over the last eight seasons, Kelce has played 25 playoff games, adding nearly a season and half worth of games to the 175 regular season games he has played in his career.
Kelce was still productive this season, but his yards (823) and touchdowns (3) in the regular season this year were the lowest he has had in a full season.
In the Super Bowl, Kelce had just four catches for 39 yards, all of which came with the Chiefs trailing by multiple touchdowns.
"As you see yourself or feel yourself not having this success that you once used to have, it’s a tough pill to swallow," Kelce said.
"To not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your team is counting on you, those are all extremely hard things – it’s just a tough reality."
The star tight end said he was going to take some time to figure it out.
"I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be something that – it’s a wholehearted decision," Kelce said.
"I’m not half-a--ing it. I’m fully here for them and I think I can play. It’s just whether or not I’m motivated or if it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person to take on all that responsibility."
If Kelce does decide to retire, he will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will go down as one of the best tight ends to ever play in NFL history.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The U.S. Department of Education is calling on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to revoke the titles and championships awarded to transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports during the Biden administration.
The post Department of Education Calls on NCAA, NFHS to Strip Awards ‘Misappropriated’ by Trans Athletes appeared first on Breitbart.
The Virginia High School League (VHSL) said Monday it will abide by President Trump's new Title IX rules that prohibit transgender athletes.
The post Virginia High School Sports Authority to Comply with Trump’s Ban on Trans Athletes in Women’s Sports appeared first on Breitbart.
Tennis icon Serena Williams had a brief cameo during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday and ESPN's Stephen A. Smith has claimed that would be grounds for divorce.
The post ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Says He’d Divorce Serena Williams for Super Bowl Halftime Show Cameo appeared first on Breitbart.
The mother of Marc Fogel, an American who had been detained in Russia since 2021, is expressing relief and gratitude to President Donald Trump for securing his release Tuesday.
"(Trump) promised me he would get him out, and he kept his promise," Malphine Fogel told "America Reports." "I can't thank him enough."
Marc Fogel, a history teacher who was working at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, is heading back to U.S. soil after Russia released him following talks with Trump administration officials. Fogel was serving a 14-year sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.
His mother, Malphine, met with Trump before his fateful rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, asking the then-presidential nominee to not forget her son’s name. He assured her that he would bring her son home.
Now, Malphine is celebrating that fulfilled promise.
RUSSIA SAYS US RELATIONS ‘ON THE BRINK OF A BREAKUP,’ WON'T CONFIRM TRUMP-PUTIN TALK
"I met with President Trump, and he was just as cordial as he could be," Malphine Fogel recalled of the Butler meeting. "He told me three different times, 'If I get in,' he said, 'I'll get him out' and I really think he's been instrumental."
Besides wanting to thank Trump "profusely" for his work in bringing her son home, Malphine Fogel also expressed gratitude to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others who worked on the case.
She described the relief she felt after learning her son would soon be home.
"It was a total surprise when he called, and he said he was in the Moscow airport," the joyous mom. "So, that meant that (they) had taken him out of the prison to Moscow. ... The last week or so, for some crazy reason, I had a better feeling about things, but I hadn't heard from him in a week, so I thought that was odd and when he called this morning, it was just a total shock."
Fogel said her son will be "sore from all the hugs" he receives once he lands in the United States.
"It's just an unbelievable situation right now," she said. "We're just waiting and waiting to get him into the U.S. I think the first thing he'll do is stoop down and kiss the ground."
Fox News Digital's Greg Norman contributed to this report.
There was an exodus of disgruntled Dallas Mavericks fans at American Airlines Center on Monday night as security was seen escorting several people out of the arena after they called for general manager Nico Harrison’s job following the Luka Doncic trade.
Security escorted out several fans that either held up "Fire Nico" signs or shouted out the phrase during the Mavericks’ one-point loss to the Sacramento Kings.
During a karaoke segment where fans sang along to Whitney Houston’s "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," one man was shown on the Jumbotron mouthing the phrase "Fire Nico."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The camera quickly panned away.
That same man was also seen holding a sign with the same phrasing. He and another man holding the sign were later seen being escorted away from their seats in a video shared on social media.
According to The Dallas Morning News, two more fans were escorted out in the fourth quarter. Each time, the escorts were met by boos from fans in the surrounding area.
Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season and helped the Mavericks reach an NBA Finals appearance, but was dealt away to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most controversial trades in recent memory.
Fans have since expressed their disdain for Harrison, the mastermind behind the trade, prompting the organization to reportedly increase his security before Saturday’s game over the weekend.
The Lakers acquired Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks got Anthony Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles' 2029 first-round pick. To complete the deal, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.
But Davis sustained a groin injury in his debut for Dallas and will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
With the Matthew Stafford trade rumors abuzz, the New York Giants made a move that added fuel to the fire.
The Giants hired Stafford’s brother-in-law, Chad Hall, as their assistant quarterback coach, per ESPN.
Hall is reuniting with current Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. The trio spent time together with the Buffalo Bills.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Hall was the Bills' wide receiver coach while Daboll was the offensive coordinator, and Schoen was the assistant general manager with Buffalo. Hall spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars as their wide receiver coach.
Stafford’s wife and Hall’s sister, Kelly, had a caption in one of her recent Instagram posts that added to the trade rumors.
"Future might be blurry but the present is always clear with you," Kelly’s full caption read below the blurry picture of her and Matthew.
Cooper Kupp, one of Stafford’s closest friends on the team, posted on X last week that the Los Angeles Rams are seeking to trade him.
Kelly expressed her thoughts about the Rams moving on from Kupp during a recent episode of her "Morning After" podcast.
"I will say, the trading away of Cooper, I am a little confused because we were one play away from the NFC Championship and I think if we go, we win," Kelly said.
"… And there’s now talk about trading your quarterback away. I don’t get it."
Kelly even went a step further, saying if Matthew decided against playing for the Rams that she would be "good" with it.
"I love the life that we have built here. With that being said, I love an adventure. I am all for it. Right now, if the Rams decided that they wanted to trade [Stafford], or Matthew decided he didn’t want to play for the Rams, I’m good," Kelly shared.
After releasing Daniel Jones in November and with both Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito hitting free agency, the Giants currently don’t have a quarterback on the roster.
The Giants do have the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft and are rumored to have interest in Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders as they look to find their franchise quarterback.
The Rams gave the Philadelphia Eagles their toughest test en route to winning Super Bowl LIX when they lost to them 28-23 in the NFC Divisional round.
In that loss, Stafford completed nearly 60% of his passes while throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns despite less-than-ideal conditions.
Stafford, 36, was good last season. The Rams were 10-6 in his starts, and Stafford completed nearly 66% of his passes for 3,762 yards, while throwing 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The United States Department of Education is calling on the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to strip the records and awards "misappropriated" by transgender athletes competing in girls and women’s sports less than a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order effectively banning them from competition.
The statement follows a letter sent by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) to the NCAA and the NFHS on Tuesday urging the organization to "restore to female athletes the records, titles, awards, and recognitions misappropriated by biological males competing in female categories."
The statement went on to call on the organizations to strip any accolades from those athletes that "unfairly competed against girls and women in athletics," adding that doing so would align the groups with the new policy.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" order on Wednesday, which will require entities that receive federal funding to align with Title IX, which the Trump administration changed last week to recognize protections on the basis of biological sex — undoing former President Joe Biden's 2024 rewrite.
Surrounded by female athletes, Trump declared at the signing ceremony that "the war on women’s sports is over."
In response to the executive order, NCAA President Charlie Baker later released a statement stating that the Board of Governors would review the executive order and take steps to align the organization’s policy in the coming days.
"We strongly believe that clear, consistent and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, President Trump's order provides a clear, national standard," the statement read.
"The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in the coming days, subject to further guidance from the administration. The Association will continue to help foster welcoming environments on campuses for all student-athletes. We stand ready to assist schools as they look for ways to support any student-athletes affected by changes in the policy."
The following day the NCAA officially updated its gender eligibility policy that "limits competition in women's sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only."
Candice Jackson, Deputy General Counsel, said in a statement Tuesday that the NCAA’s decision to change its policy was only the first step.
"The next necessary step is to restore athletic records to women who have for years been devalued, ignored, and forced to watch men steal their accolades. The Trump Education Department will do everything in our power to right this wrong and champion the hard-earned accomplishments of past, current, and future female collegiate athletes."
The executive order has been met with pushback.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) said it will continue to follow the state's law that allows athletes to participate as whichever gender they identify as, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital last week.
The Education department’s latest plea is also expected to be met with similar rebuffs.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Login