A woman will umpire a major league game for the first time Saturday when Jen Pawol works the bases during Saturday’s doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and visiting Miami Marlins at Truist Park.
For Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, that announcement Wednesday brought one response: It’s about time.
“That’s great. I’ll be watching,” he said of Pawol, who will work behind the plate Sunday. “It’s good for the game. It’s fantastic.”
The NHL is the only major U.S. professional sport that hasn’t used female officials. The NBA was the first league to break the gender barrier, with Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner calling games in 1997. MLS followed a year later with Sandra Hunter and Nancy Lay-McCormick refereeing separate games on the same day.
The NFL’s first woman official was line judge Shannon Eastin, who made her debut in 2012.
Pawol, 48, was an all-state soccer and softball player in high school in New Jersey. She went on to play Division I softball at Hofstra, then played for the women’s national baseball team. She began umpiring NCAA softball games in 2010 and five years later enrolled in the minor league umpire training academy in Vero Beach, Fla., the first step toward a career in professional baseball.
That earned her a job in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. By 2023, she had worked her way up to triple A, the highest rung on the minor league ladder. Last year she became the third woman, after Pam Postema, in 1988, and Ria Cortesio, in 2007, to umpire major league spring training games.
The careers of both women were later blocked by senior male umpires who, according to colleagues, colluded against them. Postema later filed a federal discrimination suit against the National and American leagues, triple A clubs and the office of umpire development, claiming sexual harassment and gender discrimination. The suit was settled out of court.
Pawol, conversely, said she has received nothing but support, saying the coaches and players have gone out of their way to acknowledge her example as a trailblazer for their daughters.
On Wednesday, Roberts added his name to that list.
“Congratulations to her,” he said. “Baseball has done a great job of being completely inclusive. “
Aug. 6 (UPI) — ESPN announced Wednesday that it has made a non-binding agreement with the National Football League to acquire the NFL Network and some of its other media assets.
The announcement said ESPN, owned by the Walt Disney Company, bought the assets for a 10% equity stake in ESPN.
Other assets included in the purchase are NFL’s RedZone Channel and NFL Fantasy, which are owned and controlled by the league.
The NFL also will continue to own and operate some of its media businesses, including NFL Films and NFL.com.
The two companies also are entering into a second non-binding agreement, under which the NFL will license to ESPN certain NFL content and other intellectual property to be used by NFL Network and other assets.
“Today’s announcement paves the way for the world’s leading sports media brand and America’s most popular sport to deliver an even more compelling experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can,” said Bob Iger, CEO of Disney. “Commissioner Goodell and the NFL have built outstanding media assets, and these transactions will add to consumer choice, provide viewers with even greater convenience and quality, and expand the breadth and value proposition of Disney’s streaming ecosystem.”
“Since its launch in 2003, NFL Network has provided millions of fans unprecedented access to the sport they love. Whether it was debuting Thursday Night Football, televising the Combine, or telling incredible football stories through original shows and breaking news, NFL Network has delivered. The Network’s sale to ESPN will build on this remarkable legacy, providing more NFL football for more fans in new and innovative ways.”
ESPN chair Jimmy Pitaro said he’s excited about the acquisition.
“This is an exciting day for sports fans. By combining these NFL media assets with ESPN’s reach and innovation, we’re creating a premier destination for football fans. Together, ESPN and the NFL are redefining how fans engage with the game — anytime, anywhere. This deal helps fuel ESPN’s digital future, laying the foundation for an even more robust offering as we prepare to launch our new direct-to-consumer service.”
ESPN is 80% owned by ABC, an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, and 20% by Hearst.
The agreements are subject to approval from NFL owners and government regulators.
On Tuesday, Fox announced the streaming service Fox One will go live Aug. 21 ahead of NFL season. The streaming service will broadcast some NFL games.
ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service will be the new home for WWE’s biggest live events including WrestleMania, the companies announced Wedesday.
The Walt Disney Co.’s sports media unit will pay around $1.6 billion in a five year deal with the WWE, which will begin in 2026. The rights fee is nearly double the $180 million a year paid by NBCUniversal, which carried the events on Peacock.
ESPN is launching its new streaming platform on Aug. 21. For $29,99 a month, consumers will get access to ESPN’s channels and other content without a pay TV subscription.
The service will carry the 10 marquee events staged annually by WWE, which include Royal Rumble, Survivor Series and SummerSlam.
The deal comes after ESPN’s announcement that the NFL is taking a 10% equity stake in the unit. In return, ESPN takes over the NFL’s media properties, NFL Network and RedZone, giving the company more live games and exclusive content from the league.
While the WWE’s programming is entertainment with predetermined outcomes, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro told the Times that the live events will help broaden the audience for the company’s new streaming service.
“When you look at the WWE audience it is younger than what we typically see across other sports,” Pitaro said. “It’s more diverse and it is about 38% female which is a higher percentage of what we have at the network level.”
Pitaro noted that having major WWE events scheduled throughout the year will help the new streaming service retain subscribers who otherwise might check out when their favorite sports are not in season.
ESPN has aired wrestling programs in the past. The network carried matches from the American Wrestling Assn., a Minneapolis-based outfit, from 1985 to 1990.
ESPN already has strong business relationship with WWE parent TKO Group Holdings, as the network has carried the company’s UFC events.
The NFL has reached a deal to take a 10% ownership stake in the Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN, the league and Disney announced Tuesday evening, a move that is expected to solidify the sports media outlet’s relationship with the league for years to come.
In return for the equity stake valued at more than $2 billion based on recent valuations of the company, ESPN will take over the NFL’s cable properties including the NFL Network and Red Zone, the popular channel that continuously updates fans on the slate of Sunday contests. The NFL Network also has the rights to seven regular season games.
In addition to the sale of NFL Network, the NFL and ESPN are also entering into a second non-binding agreement, under which the NFL will license to ESPN certain NFL content and other intellectual property to be used by NFL Network and other assets.
The deal is a big win for ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who took over the Disney unit in 2018 with a mandate to improve the company’s relationship with the NFL.
The equity stake comes ahead of ESPN’s move into the direct-to-consumer streaming business this fall, which gives consumers the opportunity to purchase the company’s sports channels without a cable or satellite TV subscription. NFL Network will also be available on the streaming service.
“This is an exciting day for sports fans,” Pitaro said Tuesday in a statement. “By combining these NFL media assets with ESPN’s reach and innovation, we’re creating a premier destination for football fans. Together, ESPN and the NFL are redefining how fans engage with the game — anytime, anywhere. This deal helps fuel ESPN’s digital future, laying the foundation for an even more robust offering as we prepare to launch our new direct-to-consumer service.”
The new product is aimed at recapturing sports fans who are forgoing cable and satellite services. ESPN has seen its reach in cable decline from 98 million homes in 2013 to around 72 million as a result of cord-cutting.
“Today’s announcement paves the way for the world’s leading sports media brand and America’s most popular sport to deliver an even more compelling experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can,” Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said in a statement.
ESPN has the broadcast rights to “Monday Night Football” and two Super Bowl games in the current NFL contract that runs through 2033 but is expected to be reopened in 2029.
The deal with Disney means the NFL’s other partners — Fox, NBC, CBS, YouTube and Amazon — will be bidding against an entity that the league has a financial interest in next time the media rights come up.
Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman of Fox Corp., told Wall Street analysts Tuesday he is not concerned the NFL’s partnership with ESPN will impact his network’s standing with the league.
“We have a tremendous relationship with the NFL,” Murdoch said. “We appreciate that they are fans of the broadcast and cable networks, and we look forward to working with them and deepening our relationship with them as we move forward.”
LeShon Johnson’s shameful career operating a dogfighting enterprise of immense magnitude is as long as it is grisly, far longer than his stint as a running back, even if his season as the leading rusher in college football is included along with his five years in the NFL.
The Department of Justice announced Monday that a federal jury in Oklahoma convicted Johnson of violating federal Animal Welfare Act prohibitions against possessing, selling, transporting and delivering animals to be used in fighting ventures.
Johnson, who operated in the open plains of east Oklahoma not far from where he grew up, faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, five years for each of the six felony counts. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.
Authorities took 190 pit bulls and other dogs from his property, the most ever seized from an individual in a federal dogfighting case. Many were scarred and injured. Authorities also uncovered treadmills, bite sticks, steroids and records that detailed fight arrangements and wagering.
The verdict culminated a two-year investigation that included raids on Johnson’s properties in Broken Arrow and Haskell, Okla. Operating under the name Mal Kant Kennels, Johnson was found to have bred, trained and fought dogs in multiple states.
The former ballcarrier who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1993, also had a conviction in Oklahoma state court for dogfighting in 2005, which preceded the much-publicized dogfighting conviction of star NFL quarterback Michael Vick by three years.
Twenty years ago, Johnson had a breeding operation called Krazyside Kennels, and its most famous dog, Nino, was the topic of an online narrative that chronicled the pit bull’s fights in several states, his last match approaching two hours despite having his ankle snapped in the first 30 seconds.
When Johnson was arrested in Tulsa in May 2004, agents found a calendar that detailed his breeding and fight schedules. Fights were listed so far back that investigators believed Johnson fought dogs during his NFL career, which ended in 1999.
A 2007 Sports Illustrated story that focused on Vick’s involvement in dogfighting rings included information about Johnson’s case. George Dohrmann — who was a Los Angeles Times reporter before moving to Sports Illustrated — wrote that Johnson was one of several athletes who had been charged with dogfighting or spoken openly of their links to the practice.
“[Fighting dogs] is a fun thing, a hobby, to some [athletes],” an NFL Pro Bowl running back who asked not to be named told Dohrmann. “People are crazy about pit bulls. Guys have these nice, big fancy houses, and there is always a pit bull in the back. And everyone wants to have the biggest, baddest dog on the block.”
Johnson avoided prison after his 2005 conviction, getting a deferred sentence and probation. This time he likely won’t be so fortunate.
“Dogfighting is a vicious and cruel crime that has no place in a civilized society,” U.S. Atty. Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma said Monday. “I commend the hard work of our law enforcement partners in investigating this case and holding the defendant accountable for his crimes.”
U.S. Atty. Gen. Pamela Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel also issued statements condemning dogfighting and lauding the conviction of Johnson.
“This criminal profited off of the misery of innocent animals and he will face severe consequences for his vile crimes,” Bondi said.
Added Patel: “The FBI will not stand for those who perpetuate the despicable crime of dogfighting. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, those who continue to engage in organized animal fighting and cruelty will face justice.”
Johnson was a Green Bay Packers third-round draft pick in 1994 after he led the nation with 1,976 yards rushing at Northern Illinois in 1993. His best day in the NFL came on Sept. 4, 1996, when he rushed for 214 yards for the Arizona Cardinals in a win over the New Orleans Saints, scoring touchdowns of 70 and 56 yards.
Nicknamed “the Cowboy” because he had been a bull rider on the junior rodeo circuit growing up in Oklahoma, Johnson’s NFL career was interrupted by lymphoma cancer in 1998. He made a comeback with New York Giants in 1999 and also played in the XFL for the Chicago Enforcers.
Franchises could see teams based in major cities like London, Tokyo, Cape Town and Miami.
Reports suggest that no club has been set aside for Rees-Zammit.
On his decision to end his NFL career, 32-time capped international Rees-Zammit said on social media: “I’ve got an exciting announcement to make! I’ve decided to leave the NFL and return to rugby!
“It’s been a great experience but it’s time to come home.
“I’ve decided that this is the best time to make this decision to give myself time to get everything in place for next season.
“There’s only one thing that’s on my mind, that’s coming back to rugby and doing what I do best. I can’t explain how excited I am!!
“There’ll be more news to come soon but for now, see you soon rugby fans.”
Walt Disney Co. is expected to announce that the NFL is taking an equity stake in the Burbank-based entertainment giant’s sports media property ESPN, according to people familiar with the plan who were not authorized to comment publicly.
Disney may reveal the deal during its earnings call Wednesday. Representatives at the NFL and ESPN declined comment Friday.
In return for the equity stake, ESPN is expected, at minimum, to take over the NFL’s cable properties including the NFL Network and Red Zone, the popular channel that continuously updates fans on the slate of Sunday contests. The NFL Network also has the rights to several regular season games late in the season.
In addition, the NFL owns the league’s production unit, NFL Films, and NFL+, the streaming service that enables subscribers to watch games and other related content on mobile devices.
ESPN has the broadcast rights to “Monday Night Football” and two Super Bowl games in the current NFL contract that runs through 2033 but is expected to be reopened in 2029. The impending deal with Disney means the NFL’s other partners — Fox, NBC, CBS, YouTube and Amazon — will be bidding against an entity that the league has a financial interest in next time the media rights come up.
Discussions between the NFL and Disney have been ongoing for more than 18 months as concerns heightened about the viability of ESPN when consumers continue to bypass or cancel pay TV subscriptions.
The NFL accounts for the vast majority of most-watched programming on U.S. television screens every year, according to Nielsen. But as the TV business has been fragmented and disrupted by streaming, there are even more competitors wanting their own package of pro football games.
In 2022, the NFL awarded the rights to its Sunday Ticket package to Google’s YouTube TV. The seven-year deal for the package, which gives viewers access to out-of-market network TV broadcasts of the league’s Sunday afternoon games, underscored the migration of younger viewers to streaming platforms for video viewing.
Netflix, the world’s largest subscriber-based online video service, has the rights to Christmas Day games, which last year drew tens of million of viewers to the streamer, which has been building up its live programming business.
ESPN has long been the most expensive part of the pay TV bundle, currently getting close to $9 per subscriber. It is now in around 73 million homes, down from 98.5 million in 2013.
Traditional television is losing ground to streaming. Earlier this year, Nielsen reported that TV consumption through streaming services had exceeded broadcast and cable viewing combined for the first time.
ESPN is adapting to the streaming landscape, launching its first stand-alone direct-to-consumer product that will give consumers access to all of its channels without a pay TV subscription. The service will cost $29.99 a month.
TV ratings for ESPN have improved and ad sales have remained strong as advertisers value audiences who watch live programming.
Disney’s stock price fell about 2% to $116.59 on Friday as the broader markets absorbed the pain of President Trump’s new tariffs and weak jobs data.
ESPN is run by Jimmy Pitaro, who has been considered a potential internal candidate to replace Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger when he retires at the end of next year. Disney’s share price has risen 5% so far this year.
CANTON, Ohio — Trey Lance welcomes any opportunity that comes his way — a vexing four NFL seasons have only made him more eager — so Thursday night felt especially good.
Lance, the onetime third overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers, is battling for the Chargers’ backup quarterback job, and he made a compelling case in the Hall of Fame Game against the NFC darling Detroit Lions.
Although he didn’t put up gaudy numbers — completing 13 of 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns — he was as relaxed and at ease in front of the crowd of 18,144 at Tom Benson Stadium, as refreshing as the gentle evening breeze after a day of sprinkling rain.
“I was excited that we got this fourth preseason game,” Lance said after the 34-7 victory. “If I could play four games I’d be fired up about that.”
Lance, competing with Taylor Heinicke for the backup job to Justin Herbert, is on his third NFL team since being drafted in 2021. He was sidelined by injuries with the 49ers, then unseated by Brock Purdy. After that, Lance was a third-stringer for two seasons in Dallas. And keep in mind, he only played one full season at North Dakota State.
NFL analyst Sam Monson crunched the numbers and came up with this forehead-slapping stat: Lance has thrown a total of 781 pass attempts since he was 16. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, for instance, had 664 last season alone.
“He had the same kind of composure and poise and was just in control,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said of Lance after the game. “There’s a presence that I’ve been seeing all camp. He’s had a heck of a camp, and then he went out in the game and did that. Just the feeling of — he needs game reps, and you know he’s going to get them. It’s a great start for him tonight.”
Chargers quarterback Trey Lance passes in the first half of the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.
(David Richard / Associated Press)
As for that relatively minuscule number of pass attempts since high school?
Lance just turned 25 in May.
“Gosh, to be 25 again,” the coach said. “Wow, that’s the fat part of the bat, you know, for a quarterback. Excited about where he’s headed, happy to be in the middle of that story too. Just keep rolling. More reps next week.”
Here are five observations from the Chargers’ preseason opener:
After participating in the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP), Rees-Zammit was initially signed to the Kansas City Chiefs, but was cut after failing to impress during pre-season appearances in 2024.
Rees-Zammit then joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he spent the entire 2024 season as part of the franchise’s practice squad.
Despite being eligible for elevation to the Jaguars’ active 53-man roster on two occasions as part of the NFL’s IPP player rules, the Jaguars never opted to elevate Rees-Zammit, including at both of their international games in London.
The Welshman temporarily left the franchise at the end of the 2024 season, but was soon re-signed as part of the expanded off-season roster.
Reports out of the Jaguars’ training camp in July suggested Rees-Zammit had missed practices due to a lower back injury, and his future with the franchise was placed in doubt.
And on Thursday, Rees-Zammit announced his decision to leave the NFL and return to rugby.
Before leaving rugby union in January 2024, Rees-Zammit had won 32 caps for Wales.
His former club, Gloucester, return to Premiership action on 25 September, while the United Rugby Championship season starts the following day.
Every fall, more than a million young Americans don helmets and padded shoulder pads to play high school football. But this year, questions are intensifying over the risk youth athletes face from repeated head injuries after a gunman who played football in Southern California claimed he suffered from a degenerative brain disease.
After killing four and taking his own life, Shane Tamura — a former varsity player at two Los Angeles-area high schools — left behind a three-page suicide note, authorities say, alleging he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
“Football gave me CTE,” Tamura reportedly wrote. “Study my brain please.”
It remains unclear whether the 27-year-old actually suffered from CTE, because the disease can only be diagnosed definitively through brain dissection. However, the claim comes at a time of growing concern over the health risks of contact sports in high school — football in particular.
Caused by repeated head injuries, including concussions and non-concussive impacts, CTE tends to be mostly diagnosed in those who have played football for a decade or longer. However, four years of high school football could expose a player to CTE, said Chris Nowinski, co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit group that supports athletes and others affected by CTE and concussions.
“The odds of having CTE are best correlated to the number of seasons played,” Nowinski said. “The best window we have is we have studied 45 former high school players who died before 30, and 31% had CTE.”
The issue of chronic brain injury and youth football has been a heated one in Southern California.
Facing political pressure last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to veto any legislation that sought to ban youth tackle football in the state. Citing parental freedom to decide on which sports their children can participate in, Newsom said he would work with legislators to strengthen safety in the sport.
Currently, California maintains protocols for student athletes who experience concussions or a head injury during a game. Those measures include removing the student from play and evaluation from a licensed health care professional.
The California Youth Football Act also limits full-contact practices for youth football teams to no more than 30 minutes a day for no more than two days per week. It also bans full-contact practices for youth football teams during the off season.
While such laws attempt to limit the risk of injury, experts say the threat cannot be removed entirely.
“What ends up mattering more than anything else, really, is just how long you’re playing, how many hits to the head you’ve gotten over that time, and the intensity of those hits to the head that you experience: Those are what play the biggest role in someone’s risk,” said Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, chief of brain injury rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School.
“So can a high school player get it? Yes,” Daneshvar said.
Tamura appeared to blame the NFL for his condition, according to officials, although he never played football beyond high school.
Experts say players such as Tamura, who is listed in online playerprofiles as performing offensive and defensive roles, are particularly at risk for CTE.
“On his online Huddle profile, it says he was also a defensive back, and he was clearly a very good running back, which would have twice the exposure,” Nowinski said.
It could take from two to six months for scientists to determine whether the gunman actually suffered from CTE, experts say. Such an examination however would require the family’s permission.
High school athletes who are playing football warrant greater study and treatment, Daneshvar said.
“Of the 3.97 million football players in this country, those that are playing at the college and the professional level are less than 4%, so we’re talking about over 96% of people are playing at some youth or high school level,” Daneshvar said.
“Although they’re likely to be at lower risk, based on the fact that they likely have played fewer years than someone who plays at the collegiate pro level, their numbers are greater.”
One of the most well-known cases of a young football player who developed severe CTE is Aaron Hernandez, a tight end in the National Football League who played three seasons with the New England Patriots until his 2013 arrest in the murder of fellow football player Odin Lloyd.
Hernandez was convicted in 2015, and when he died at the age of 27, researchers at Boston University studied his brain and diagnosed him with CTE Stage 3, caused by repeated head trauma.
“When you see someone with Stage 1 and a couple of microscopic lesions, it’s tough to make an interpretation as to how that might affect their behavior,” Nowinski said. But with a person with Stage 3, such as Hernandez, he said, “you can be confident he was not the same person at 27 as he was at 15. Everybody in Stage 3 has some level of symptoms and impairment. “
The disease starts with small lesions developing in the prefrontal cortex, along the brain stem, which sets off a chain reaction that slowly kills brain cells. It’s a reaction that can continue to spread long after repeated impacts stop, Nowinski said.
If scientists determine that Tamura had CTE, Nowinski stressed that did not mean the brain disease caused him or others to commit crimes.
“It’s very clear that most people who have developed CTE have not become murderers, and most people have not had extraordinary psychiatric symptoms that involve them to have involuntary psychiatric holds,” Nowinski said.
However, other forms of brain damage could have affected his behavior.
“CTE is not the entire story,” Nowinski said, noting that experts have identified at least 15 other types of changes to the brain that are associated with traumatic brain injury and repetitive traumatic brain injury. “Even in the absence of CTE, it doesn’t mean that brain damage can’t be driving this. And in many cases, we think that the non-CTE changes are more profound than the early stage CTE changes in people who are young, who have changed”
Diagnosing CTE is a complex process and involves the study of more than 20 regions of the brain, Nowinski said.
First, the brain is preserved in formalin for two weeks. When it is pulled out, it is examined for patterns of atrophy or old contusions. Then, the brain is sliced up and very thin sections are put on glass slides and stained with antibodies that help make abnormal proteins visible.
There is currently no treatment for CTE, but Daneshvar said it should not be viewed fatalistically.
“We have many patients who are experiencing symptoms that may be associated with CTE pathology, and we’re able to identify their symptoms and treat them, and they get better,” he said. “If somebody has a severe depression, there are medications and interventions we can do to help manage their depression.”
As another high school football season approaches, California legislators are proposing Assembly Bill 708, which would allow youth players to wear padded helmet add-ons that are sometimes worn by NFL players. Such equipment is currently prohibited.
The US football league has previously faced legal challenges over its failure to address players’ concussions.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said that a gunman who killed five people, including himself, sought out the headquarters of the National Football League (NFL), which he blamed for the brain injuries he suffered from.
Adams said on Tuesday that a note carried by the shooter, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, suggests his target was the NFL.
“The note alluded to that he felt he had CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy], a known brain injury for those who participate in contact sports,” Adams told CBS News. “He appeared to have blamed the NFL for his injury.”
But Tamura appears to have arrived at the wrong floor of a New York City office tower and instead opened fire in the offices of a real estate firm, on top of shooting people in the ground-floor lobby.
Police officers work near the scene of a shooting in Manhattan on July 28 [Eduardo Munoz/Reuters]
The NFL has previously faced litigation relating to concussions suffered by football players.
The organisation, which oversees professional US football, has denied any link between conditions like CTE and its sport, but it has nevertheless paid out more than $1bn to settle concussion-related lawsuits.
Monday’s shooting has also renewed debate about mass shootings and access to firearms in the US. Tamura reportedly entered the building with an AR-15-style rifle.
The NFL’s headquarters are located in a skyscraper that it shares with other firms.
Tamara is believed to have started shooting as he entered the lobby of the skyscraper. Then, police believe he took the wrong elevator, arriving at the 33rd floor, which contained the offices of Rudin Management, a real estate firm.
There, he opened fire once more and then took his own life.
Among those killed in the shooting was a 36-year-old police officer named Didarul Islam, who had come to the US from Bangladesh and had been on the force for three years.
Other victims include security guard Aland Etienne, Julia Hyman of Rudin Management, and an executive at the BlackRock investment firm, Wesley LePatner.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated in a memo that there would be an “increased security presence” at the organisation’s offices over the coming weeks.
Tamura is a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, with a history of mental health issues. He never played in the NFL, but he did play football in high school.
The news outlet Bloomberg reported that Tamura’s note alleges that his football career was cut short by a brain injury.
The note also called for his brain to be studied. CTE can only be diagnosed through an autopsy.
This Morning presenter Dermot O’Leary has reportedly landed a role away from ITV as a quiz show host alongside Sam Quek in a new Channel 5 programme
This Morning presenter Dermot O’Leary ‘lands major new Channel 5 gameshow’(Image: ITV)
This Morning star Dermot O’Leary has reportedly landed a role as a presenter on a new Channel 5 sports-themed gameshow from the same creators as hit shows, Gladiators and The Wheel. The 52-year-old star is known for presenting the likes of The X Factor, This Morning, The One Show and more.
And now, he’ll try his hand as a quiz show host alongside Olympic hockey star Sam Quek. The Hungry Bear-produced show is an American football-themed programme that is said to still be in its early stages, with sources claiming Dermot and Sam have good chemistry for it.
Dermot O’Leary has reportedly landed a new hosting gig
“The show is at pilot stage but Dermot and Sam have really good chemistry so everyone is excited about taking this to a full series at some point,” a source claimed to The Sun.
“Hungry Bear are the masters in this realm, and NFL is such a growth area.” The Mirror have reached out to Channel 5 for comment.
Meanwhile, Sam is known for her stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! where she reached the final four. She was also a guest panellist on sports panel game show Play to the Whistle and BBC’s A Question of Sport
It’s said Sam Quek is also joining the programme(Image: PA)
She’s also bee the presenter on sports shows, such as The NFL Show, rugby union on Channel 5, field hockey on BY Sport and football for Channel 4. Most recently, she was a contestant on the 22nd series of Strictly Come Dancing/
It comes as Olivia Attwood has her eye on former X Factor star Dermot’s role on This Morning, expressing that she’d love to host alongside Alison Hammond on the show.
She is already a regular on the Loose Women panel and has been since 2023 but now Olivia is taking the plunge and moving on to her next venture.
Fans of This Morning will know, that Dermot host Friday episodes alongside Alison. In a recent interview with Closer magazine, Olivia spilled her excitement, saying how she couldn’t wait to present the show with the former Big Brother star.
Speaking about her new role, she told the publication: “Everyone’s been so welcoming.” She added: “The whole team’s been lovely, and I’m just excited to get stuck in and learn from people I really admire.”
When touching on who she’d love to present with the most, Olivia said: “If I ever get to host with Alison, I’m so sure we’d just laugh for two hours straight. Probably three.”
In America, the NFL laps every other sport. Around the world, where its product is labeled “American football,” the NFL has largely failed to export its massive domestic popularity.
When the Olympics called, the NFL said yes. In 2028, the L.A. Summer Games will include flag football — and a selection of NFL players. How better to sell your sport internationally than to attach it to the world’s largest sporting event?
Baseball is, uh, still thinking about it.
Two years after we first started talking about whether major leaguers would play in the 2028 Olympics, Major League Baseball still has not said yes, and now the NFL and its publicity-gobbling machine is threatening to steal the spotlight.
If MLB withholds its players, the NFL will steamroll whatever collection of minor leaguers and collegians appear on the Olympic diamond. So will the NBA All-Stars competing for basketball gold.
If MLB agrees to let its players participate — and Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper have made clear they want to compete — hardly anyone will care about flag football.
“Wimbledon will end, they’ll come here. The Tour de France will end, they’ll come here and compete. Obviously, men’s and women’s basketball will have the greatest basketball players in the world. So we think that a sport like baseball ought to have the best players in the world playing.”
Here is a statistic the NFL could never match: Of the rosters announced for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, one in three players was born outside the United States. Those players represent eight different countries.
MLB has leveraged that global marketing opportunity into the World Baseball Classic, which has grown over two decades from a curiosity into a must-see event. The WBC returns next spring.
“I think it’s eventually going to get moved to the middle of the season,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa told me at Saturday’s Futures Game. “I think it’s going to be a monster event moving forward.”
The only difference between a WBC in the middle of the season and the Olympics in the middle of the season: MLB controls the WBC.
Dodger Stadium will host six games during the 2028 Olympics, but will MLB players be on any of the teams participating?
(Mike DiGiovanna / Associated Press)
That is not a good enough reason for MLB to skip the Olympics. The best interests of baseball cannot always be measured in today’s dollars.
Should major leaguers participate in the Olympics?
“Oh, yeah,” DeRosa said.
“It’s not that simple a question,” said Tony Clark, executive director of the players’ union, onSaturday.
Clark said the union has had “encouraging informal conversations” with LA28 officials. What Clark would like to see from MLB is an actual plan — all the logistics for all the players, as the NBA and NHL provide when their players participate in the Olympics.
MLB has its own logistics issues too. For instance, if MLB skips the 2028 All-Star Game to accommodate the Olympics, how does the league compensate Fox? The league’s media contracts expire after the 2028 season, so the 2029 All-Star Game might not be available to Fox, and MLB would rather not refund the big bucks.
This much is set, according to Wasserman: The Olympic baseball tournament would cover six days at Dodger Stadium, with a six-team field. The United States would automatically qualify as the host country. The 2026 WBC could serve as a qualifying tournament for other countries, although that is more concept than certainty at this point.
What did Wasserman say in his pitch to major league owners?
“What an incredible opportunity to elevate the sport in a city where you have one of the great cathedrals of the sport,” he said. “There is no better chance to tell the global story of baseball than from the Olympics in Los Angeles.
“They understand that. We could have another Dream Team, or two, depending on the countries. That is a vehicle to tell the story of baseball around the world, and that is really powerful.”
To his credit, commissioner Rob Manfred gets that.
“We do see LA28 as a, you know, real opportunity from a marketing perspective,” Manfred told the Associated Press Sports Editors in April.
Logistics aside, Manfred needs to convince the owners — his bosses — that interrupting the regular season is worth it. If the Games were held halfway around the world, shutting down the season for two weeks might be problematic.
But in Los Angeles, for one week? Kill the All-Star Game for a year, and start the regular season three days early, or finish it three days late.
Wasserman said he has had “pretty consistent dialogue” with the league.
“We hope they get to the right answer, which is Major League Baseball players being eligible to play,” Wasserman said.
“We’ll be as patient as we need to be to get to the right answer.”
The wrong answer: The world is watching the Olympics, and MLB is giving us the Colorado Rockies.
The twins who played Ross and Rachel’s baby on Friends have shared where they are now 22 years after the iconic show ended – and they’ve gone down very different career paths
Twins who played Rachel and Ross’ baby in Friends share surprising career change(Image: Warner Bros. Studios)
The unforgettable episodes of Friends that took us on an emotional journey with Ross and Rachel, played by David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston. The couple who were famously ‘on a break’ and each other’s ‘lobsters’, also brought us the joy of baby Emma Geller-Green.
Twin sisters Athena Conley and Alexandra Conley were just six months old when they took on the role of the beloved baby from the end of season 8 through season 9. So what actually happened to the actresses who played the tiny tot?
Fast forward to today, and the twins are now 23 years old and thriving. And they look part on their sitcom experience very fondly.
Hailing from Long Beach, California, the sisters landed the part after their mother learned of the audition through a friend in a twins club.
In an interview with People, Athena revealed: “So she told my mom about it and she was like, ‘You should just take your daughters to L.A. just for one day.’ And it wasn’t far from us at all, so she did.”
After having their photos taken at the audition, the twins and their mother were on their way out when they received the news that they had been cast.
They went on to appear in 10 episodes, before being replaced as the show required an older actress to portray Emma as she grew.
Alexandra opened up to People, revealing: “It’s actually crazy because growing up, I always just knew I was on Friends, but I didn’t really know what that meant.
“It didn’t hit me, I think until like maybe like middle school or even like early high school, how big that was.”
The twins have since become “obsessed” with the iconic sitcom and are regular viewers.
Despite their early brush with fame, they’ve stepped back from acting to focus on their new careers as recent university graduates.
Alexandra has made Los Angeles her home, where she’s carving out a career in social media and marketing for a cosmetics company. Her Instagram is a vibrant collage of travel snapshots and snippets of social gatherings with mates.
She’s also quite the dancer, often teaming up with her sister for dance videos. Alexandra’s influence extends to a collaboration with Kim Kardashian’s Skims, which she promotes on her TikTok account.
Athena, on the other hand, has settled in Denver and seems to be thriving in her busy life.
Her professional path has led her to a role as an investment control reconciler at a financial firm. Impressively, she’s also a cheerleader for the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
Alexandra doesn’t hold back in expressing her admiration for Athena, proudly supporting her from the stands and declaring herself her sister’s number one fan.
Darrell Doucette didn’t mean any disrespect. All the U.S. flag football star wanted to do in an interview that went more viral than any of his numerous highlights was to fight for his sport.
So when he told TMZ in 2024 that he is “better than Patrick Mahomes” at flag football for his IQ of the sport, the generally soft-spoken Doucette wasn’t trying to issue any challenges. Watch the two-time world champion throw touchdowns, catch them, snap the ball and play defense all in the same game and it’s clear he prefers to let his game speak.
“It wasn’t about me vs. them,” said Doucette, who is known in the flag football world by his nickname “Housh.” “It was about flag football, putting eyes on this game.”
With preparations ramping up for the 2028 Olympics, flag football just wants its respect.
Respect for the sport that is no longer just a child’s stepping stone to tackle football.
Respect for its established players who have already won every tournament there is and have eyes for more.
U.S. wide receiver Isabella “Izzy” Geraci runs with the ball during a game against Australia at the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s not your mom’s flag football anymore,” said Callie Brownson, USA Football’s senior director of high performance and national team operations.
Flag football has graduated out of backyards and into the Olympics, where the sport will debut in L.A. More than 750 athletes from 10 countries from the youth level to senior national teams gathered at Dignity Health Sports Park last weekend to preview the Olympic future at USA Football’s Summer Series, where the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams played friendlies against Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan.
The sport’s growth domestically and internationally came in part through major investment from the NFL, and the league could play a major role in the Olympics: NFL players are allowed to participate in Olympic competition. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was among the NFL stars who immediately took notice as the NFL most valuable player said he would “absolutely love” to play if given the opportunity.
“So it’s not us vs. them or them vs. us. It’s us together as one teaching each other.”
— Darrell Doucette, flag football star, about NFL players potentially competing in the sport at the 2028 L.A. Olympics
Doucette loved hearing the conversation. The New Orleans native grew up playing the sport when seemingly no one else bothered to care. To hear NFL players taking an interest now? It feels like all he ever wanted.
“We’re welcoming those guys,” Doucette said. “We don’t have no issue with it. We just want a fair opportunity. We want those guys to come out and learn because there’s things that we’re going to need to teach them … and there’s things that they can teach us. They can teach us how to run routes and how to cover and do other different things. So it’s not us vs. them or them vs. us. It’s us together as one teaching each other.”
U.S. wide receiver Ja’Deion High evades an Australian defender during the USA Football “Summer Series” at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Olympic flag football is played with five players per side on a 50-by-25-yard field. Teams have four downs to reach midfield and four more to score from inside midfield. The basic tenants of offensive football remain the same from its tackle counterpart: throw, catch, run.
But players don’t juke the same way their tackle counterparts can, wide receiver Ja’Deion High said. When the former Texas Tech receiver was learning the sport, he was stunned when defenders still pulled his flag after what he believed were his best moves. He had to learn flag football’s unique hip dips and flips to keep his flags away from defenders.
The adjustment on defense could be even more difficult. Defenders cannot hinder an opposing player’s forward progress. The NFL’s most mundane hand-check would draw a penalty in flag football.
“The athletic ability [of an NFL player], I’m not questioning,” said defensive back Mike Daniels, a former cornerback at West Virginia. “But the IQ aspect, the speed of the game is completely different.”
USA Football, the governing body of U.S. flag football responsible for selecting the national team, has not outlined how NFL players will fit into the tryout process for the 2028 Olympic cycle. But with the Games scheduled for July 14 to July 30, the one-week flag competition could overlap with the beginning of NFL training camps. Even preparations to learn the new sport and practice its unique schemes would take valuable offseason time away from NFL players.
U.S. wide receiver Laval Davis, left, attempts to catch a pass as an Australian player defends during the USA Football Summer Series on Sunday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley was ready to burst into patriotic song at the mention of representing the United States in the Olympics, but when reminded that he might have to miss part of training camp for it, he backed off immediately. He spoke directly into a video camera to assure Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh that the job that pays him $5.4 million on a four-year rookie contract is all he needs.
USA Football has remained in contact with the NFL about how to integrate professionals, said Brownson, who worked for the Cleveland Browns for five seasons, including three as the assistant wide receivers coach. With the Games still three years away, USA Football is focused on keeping doors open to all prospects and offering educational opportunities for potential players to become familiar with flag football.
“The cool thing about our process is when you come out to trials, there is no name on the back of your jersey,” Brownson said. “You get a number and you have the same opportunity to try out as the person next to you. … We’ll just be excited to have the best team that we could but I always do and will always stand up for who we currently field.
“They’re the best flag football players in the world, both men and women, and they deserve their flowers, too.”
The U.S. men’s national team is the five-time defending International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world champions. Since Doucette made his national team debut in 2020, the U.S. men are undefeated in international tournaments with gold medals at two world championships (2021, 2024), the 2022 World Games and the 2023 continental championship.
U.S. wide receiver Amber Clark-Robinson scores a touchdown against Australia at the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)
Led by quarterback Vanita Krouch, the women’s team is 33-1 in the last six years. The U.S. women have won three consecutive IFAF world championships and the 2023 continental title while finishing second at the 2022 World Games.
Krouch has become an international flag football star after a four-year basketball career at Southern Methodist. Examining talent transfers from other sports has helped strengthen the USA Football athlete pipeline as the organization researches the best qualities for flag football.
Baseball and softball players who can whip passes from odd arm angles can thrive in a game that features multiple quarterbacks. The U.S. national teams have former basketball, soccer and track and field stars.
The sport values agility and elusiveness. While the NFL’s 40-yard dash is the premier test for speed, it may be less valuable in flag football, Brownson said. The perfect flag football player combines that straight-line speed with quickness.
“There’s such an art and a craft and a different style of dance that we do,” Krouch said. “I say tackle football is like hip hop, krump dancing. … We ballet dance. It’s finesse, it’s clean, it’s creative.”
The quarterback served as an offensive coordinator in the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl, the first version of the All-Star game to feature a flag football format. Leading the NFC team to victory, Krouch loved sharing flag football’s unique route combinations. She noticed how the NFL’s best showed their respect for her sport by enthusiastically learning the different nuances.
The Pro Bowl experience was one of many surreal moments for Krouch in her nearly two-decade career of playing flag football. From playing in a local league, the 44-year-old has become a multi-time gold medalist. She never thought this sport she sometimes teaches in her elementary physical education classes could become this big.
U.S. defensive back Laneah Bryan, left, tries to pull a flag off an Australian player during the USA Football Summer Series on Sunday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
The announcement that flag football would officially debut in the 2028 Olympics brought it to even greater heights. No question Krouch wants to play in the Games.
But the competition at tryouts every year gets 10 times harder, two-time national team member Ashlea Klam said. The 19-year-old plays flag football on a scholarship for NAIA-level Keiser University and recognizes no one is guaranteed a spot each year as the talent pool grows. It will be even more difficult to make the 10-person Olympic roster.
As each year’s tryouts get more competitive, Doucette sees his hope for the sport coming true. He knows the better prospects are a sign that more people are paying attention to flag football. If in three years at BMO Stadium, the eyes are fixated on another quarterback leading the United States at the Olympics, Doucette will consider that still mission accomplished.
“No matter if I’m a part of the team or not, I will still be around the game,” Doucette said. “That’s my goal is still to be there, in general, no matter if I’m playing or watching.”
WAILUKU, Hawaii — The Rams returned to Southern California nearly a decade ago intent on capturing the heart of NFL fans in Los Angeles.
Now, with two Super Bowl appearances, one championship and a still glistening-like SoFi Stadium, they have their eyes set on a larger territory: the world.
“In the journey to growing your brand globally, there’s never an ‘Aha, this is a perfect moment,’” Rams president Kevin Demoff said as he stood on the field at War Memorial Stadium after a workout attended by several thousand fans. “But I think this is a great step.”
The Rams’ reach is expanding well beyond the United States.
As part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, the Rams in the last decade were granted rights in Mexico, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
In February, the NFL announced that the Rams in 2026 would be the home team for the first NFL regular-season game in Australia. The game against a still-to-be determined opponent will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
On Thursday, Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner, offensive lineman Steve Avila and tight end Davis Allen left Hawaii to travel to Melbourne for a family-friendly fan combine that was expected to draw thousands at Margaret Court Arena.
“While many many people travel to L.A. and we have many of our international fans come to a game at SoFi every year, putting it in somebody’s backyard makes it that much more accessible,” said Stephanie Cheng, the Rams’ head of international and special projects.
The Rams have sent ambassadors abroad before. Former running backs Steven Jackson and Todd Gurley made trips, and former safety Nick Scott accompanied the Super Bowl LVI trophy on a tour of Australia and Mexico.
Last March, safety Quentin Lake visited Japan. Though he was not there in an official capacity with the Rams, the fourth-year pro attended fashion week, an Ohtani-crazed Dodgers game against the Cubs and participated in other cultural activities.
Lake’s father, Carnell, a former NFL safety, played a 1996 exhibition game for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Chargers at the Tokyo Dome.
During Lake’s own trip, he worked out with Tokyo University defensive backs.
“You would think in Japan, they don’t know football over there,” Lake said. “But they were doing drills and I was genuinely impressed. They’re playing football there in pads and helmets and I was like, this is insane. … That really gave me an appreciation that football is expanding.”
Rams safety Quentin Lake recently got a taste of how popular football is in Japan.
(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)
Jamison Collier, who describes herself as “just a super fan,” serves on the Rams’ fan council in Australia.
Collier’s husband, Zachariah Sepulveda, grew up in Orange County, “so his whole family supports the Rams,” she said.
The couple played together on a mixed rugby team. But one day, after seeing a team playing American football, Sepulveda decided he wanted to play. After one season, he encouraged his wife to try a training session.
“I was hooked,” she said.
Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata, an Australian who grew up playing rugby, made it to the NFL through the league’s International Player Pathway Program. Now, he is a Super Bowl champion.
The Rams’ scheduled game in Australia has created new fans, Collier said.
“Having Jordan Mailata play for the Philadelphia Eagles was a great way for the league to get exposure in Australia,” Collier said. “But the Rams have really capitalized on that by being, ‘Oh, well, look at that, we’re going to come play.’
“So people that were kind of just getting their foot in the door of watching the game have gone, ‘OK, well I don’t have a team. The Rams are coming. They’re my team,’ which is how a lot of people tend to get into a team. Over here, it’s one that’s close to your home, or the first game you go to.”
The Rams are not the only team expanding their brand in Australia. The Eagles, the Seattle Seahawks and the Las Vegas Raiders also have marketing rights.
Charlotte Offord, general manager of NFL Australia and New Zealand, said the NFL fan base has grown from 5.7 million to 7.5 million in nearly three years.
The Rams were the first team to open the market, and have grown it through player appearances, social media channels, books, watch parties, flag football and cheerleading clinics.
“Australian fans love sports so much, but they want the authentic product,” Offord said. “And so it’s not about an Australian talking about the Rams to another Australian. They want an American voice. They want the authentic players, the real players… which really brings to life the Rams brand.”
By setting up a Super Bowl watch party in Australia a few years ago, and then winning the game, the Rams “couldn’t have asked for a better entry into the market,” said Lucas Barclay, vice president and general manager of the 160over90 agency that helps market the Rams.
And Los Angeles as the “gateway” to the United States for Australians taking direct flights also gives the Rams an advantage, he said.
“The majority of people fly through L.A.,” he said, “and therefore L.A.’s become known as that team, that if you’re going to an NFL game or want to start to discover or uncover the NFL, then the Rams themselves are the team to do it.”
As the Rams prepare for their 10th season in L.A. since returning, they are anticipating another potential Super Bowl run.
Demoff noted that the fans who wore Rams T-shirts and jerseys as 5-year-olds in 2016 are now teenagers. In 10 years, those fans could be season-ticket holders to see the Rams play at a stadium that will also host the World Cup next year and the 2028 Olympics.
“I don’t think you look at the first decade and say, ‘Check, we did that,’” Demoff said. “We’ve had amazing growth, and when I look at all our metrics in terms of fandom and growth, I would say they’re certainly where we had hoped they would be.
“But I still think we can push for more.”
Locally and globally.
The goal is to be “the world’s team,” Demoff said.
“To be truly part of Los Angeles, you have to be part of the globe,” he said. “And as we’ve looked at our international efforts, we’re excited about the foothold and what we’re trying to gain, but there’s a lot more work to do.”
The Love Island contestants have only been in a villa for a week – but they’re already spilling all their deepest secrets to one another, as Toni opens up on her NFL encounter
22:25, 18 Jun 2025Updated 23:07, 18 Jun 2025
It’s been an eventful week in Love Island – with the Islanders engaging in some intense conversations. Yesterday, Yasmin asked whether Dejon would have a threesome with her and Toni, and today the conversation continued with Toni’s shock revelation.
During a chat at the beanbags during tonight’s episode, the naughty trio were back with their intimate conversations, as Toni made a wild confession.
The star, who resides in Las Vegas told Yasmin and Dejon she had previously had a threesome with an NFL player and a p**n star. That’s not all, as she said the encounter took place in a room full of people.
“Me, p**n star, NFL player, infront of a whole party,” Toni admitted. Dejon and Yasmin were left in shock as Dejon asked: “Everyone was watching?!” Toni then confirmed they were, although she didn’t reveal the name of the NFL player.
Toni made the shock revelation in a conversation with Dejon (Image: ITV/Love Island)
Like Dejon, fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter to express their shock as one tweeted: “nfl player??? #LoveIsland” tweeted one shocked fan, while another penned: “in front of everyone with a p**n star & NFL player wtf?!”
However, Dejon’s Meg was left less than impressed with the chat, as she pulled Toni and Yasmin for a chat. She told them she didn’t appreciate the trio having sexual chats, deeming it “disrespectful”.
The group failed to make amends during their chat – as Meg told the rest of the girls she felt like “a mug”.
It’s not the first time Dejon has been in trouble this week. Dejon, Harry and Shea landed in hot water when their plan was exposed during Monday night’s challenge. The trio ‘rigged’ the game to make sure they kissed who they fancied. Dejon kissed Malisha, Harry kissed ex Shakira, as Shea kissed Tommy’s partner Megan.
Meg was left less than impressed with Dejon’s conversation with Toni and Yasmin(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
It didn’t go down well with Helena, Meg and Megan, who decided to get revenge on the boys with their own ‘gameplan’. Before new bombshell Harrison arrived in the villa with Toni, the trio decided to pretend they were interesting in getting to know him to scare the boys.
“Even if we don’t think he’s [Harrison] fit, shall we be like, ‘Oh he’s a bit of me’?” Helena asked the girls, as Meg agreed: “All this game playing they’ve been doing [the boys].”
However, it looks like their gameplan may have back fired, as the boys also had Harrison on their mind. Tommy wondered if Harrison will come in and try to break up a strong couple, but Dejon added: “To be honest, the more he does, the more leeway we’ve got to cause havoc!”
Harry then responded: “If he goes and kisses Helena, I’m flying mate! That’d be so good, I didn’t even think of that!”
Longtime NFL executive Brian Rolapp has been introduced as the PGA Tour’s first chief executive officer.
While news of that move had leaked last week, another tidbit emerged on Tuesday from the official announcement, as the tour revealed that Commissioner Jay Monahan will step down at the end of next year after transferring his day-to-day responsibilities to Rolapp.
“A year ago, I informed our Boards that upon completing a decade as Commissioner, I would step down from my role at the end of 2026,” Monahan said in a statement released by the PGA Tour. “Since then, we’ve worked together to identify a leader who can build on our momentum and develop a process that ensures a smooth transition. We’ve found exactly the right leader in Brian Rolapp, and I’m excited to support him as he transitions from the NFL into his new role leading the PGA TOUR.”
Monahan, who was named the organization’s fourth commissioner in January 2017, will shift his focus to his roles on the Tour’s policy and enterprises boards during the remainder of his time with the group.
“Commissioner Monahan is an incredible leader, and it has been a pleasure getting to know him throughout the interview process,” Rolapp said in the PGA Tour’s statement. “I greatly appreciate his commitment to making me successful in the role and look forward to working with him in partnership throughout this transition.”
Rolapp has been with the NFL since 2003, most recently serving as its chief media and business officer. Multiple media outlets reported last week that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had sent out a company memo regarding Rolapp’s upcoming departure.
“Brian’s appointment is a win for players and fans,” 15-time major championship winner Tiger Woods, a member of the Tour’s search committee that unanimously recommended Rolapp for the job, said in the same statement.“He has a clear respect for the game and our players and brings a fresh perspective from his experience in the NFL. I’m excited about what’s ahead — and confident that with Brian’s leadership, we’ll continue to grow the TOUR in ways that benefit everyone who loves this sport.”
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of former NFL superstar Antonio Brown stemming from an altercation outside a celebrity kickboxing event last month in Miami.
Brown is charged with the first-degree felony of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm. A judge from the 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County signed the warrant Wednesday.
The warrant, which has been viewed by The Times, states that once Brown is arrested, he will be held on a $10,000 bond before being released and under house arrest before a trial.
Just before midnight on May 16, the warrant states, Miami police were dispatched to a location on NE 67th St. in the Little Haiti neighborhood in response to a report of gunshots being fired in the area.
Brown had already been detained by off-duty Florida Highway Patrol officers serving as security for the amateur boxing event held in the area. One of those officers stated that “several patrons from the event identified Mr. Brown as the shooter and informed him that Mr. Brown was armed,” the warrant states.
After being patted down and deemed to be unarmed at that point, Brown was released “due to the absence of identified victims at the time.”
A Miami police review of surveillance camera footage revealed that an altercation between Brown and another man took place before the shooting. The footage showed Brown striking the man with a closed fist, and a fight that involved additional individuals ensued, the warrant states.
Security broke up the fight, according to the warrant, but Brown “appears to retrieve a black firearm from the right hip area” of one of the security staff members and ran with the gun out of the parking area in the direction that the man he was fighting with had gone.
The warrant states that “cell phone video obtained from social media” shows Brown advancing toward the other man with the gun in hand and captures “two shots which occur as Mr. Brown is within several feet” of the other man, who can be seen “ducking after the first shot is heard.”
In a May 21 interview with a police detective, the alleged victim identified Brown in the surveillance video and said they had known each other since 2022, the warrant states. He also indicated he possibly had been grazed in the neck by one of the bullets, was in fear for his life during the incident and went to a hospital afterward to treat his injuries.
Brown appeared to address the alleged incident in a May 17 post on X.
“I was jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me,” Brown wrote. “Contrary to some video circulating, Police temporarily detained me until they received my side of the story and then released me. I WENT HOME THAT NIGHT AND WAS NOT ARRESTED. I will be talking to my legal council and attorneys on pressing charges on the individuals that jumped me.”
Brown posted on X several times on Friday, with none of those posts mentioning the arrest warrant. One seemed to indicate he’s not in the U.S. at the moment — it features a video of a grinning Brown riding a bike with the hashtag #lovefromthemiddleeast.
A seven-time Pro Bowl receiver, Brown played nine of his 12 NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2020 season. He made a bizarre, shirtless exit from the field during a regular-season game Jan. 2, 2022, and has not played since.
He has a history of legal troubles. In 2019, Brown was sued by a former trainer who said he sexually assaulted her multiple times. Brown denied the allegations. The lawsuit was settled out of court in 2021.
In 2020, Brown pleaded no contest to burglary and battery charges connected to an altercation with a moving company. He was ordered to serve two years of probation and 100 hours of community service, attend an anger management program and undergo psychological and psychiatric evaluation.
Brown was suspended for eight games in 2020 for multiple violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Also, in October 2023, the former star wide receiver was arrested for failing to pay child support.
