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Treasury Secretary Bessent discusses economic deal offered to Ukraine’s Zelenskyy

FOX Business correspondent Edward Lawrence breaks down the U.S. treasury secretary’s proposal for a joint economic venture with Ukraine on ‘The Big Money Show.’

EXCLUSIVE: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that funding for Ukraine will come with a new level of “transparency” under the Trump administration.

Dispatched by President Donald Trump as part of an effort to end the conflict with Russia, Bessent spoke with FOX Business correspondent Edward Lawrence in Ukraine after offering an economic investment deal related to rare earth materials to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“I think by going into partnership with the U.S., it gives a new level of transparency to Ukrainian business,” Bessent said. “And the way we are going to structure the U.S. interest in the fund is very high corporate hygiene standards, best practices. And one assumes that will then be transmitted to the larger Ukraine as a whole.”

TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT OFFERS ZELENSKYY AN ECONOMIC INVESTMENT DEAL

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was dispatched to Ukraine as part of an effort to end the conflict with Russia. (Vincent Alban/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Bessent added that the deals the U.S. is involved in will have very high standards and full accountability for any money that the nation is owed.

Zelenskyy said he would review the U.S. proposal and respond by Friday when he meets with Vice President JD Vance in Munich. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also lead the U.S. delegation at the meeting.

JD VANCE, TREASURY’S BESSENT TO MEET WITH UKRAINE PRESIDENT

While details of the deal have not been disclosed, Bessent said that it anticipates that the U.S. is entitled to revenues that Ukraine is already receiving from some resources. He added that the timing of how quickly the deal will be implemented depends on “the appetite for risk-taking” from the parties that want to commit.

“The real payoff will be when the conflict ends and there is the rush to rebuild Ukraine,” the treasury secretary said. Wall Street firms including JPMorgan and BlackRock have reportedly discussed investing in the war-torn region, as reported by FOX Business in 2023.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City on Sept. 19, 2023. (Timothy A. Clara/AFP via Getty Images)

As of mid-2024, Congress has approved $175 billion in aid and military assistance to the Ukrainian government since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

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The economic deal tied to rare earth materials is the first step in Trump’s deal to restore peace between Ukraine and Russia, Bessent said.

When asked how it fits into a greater peace deal, he said, “It will be showing the Russians that we have an enduring alliance with Ukraine, and then more assets that the U.S. government, U.S. entities have on the ground in Ukraine – that should act as a deterrent over the long run to any more incursions by the Russians.”

February 13, 2025
Jalen Hurts dispels ‘tush push’ term, Saquon Barkley discusses role in Eagles’ famed short-yardage play

The Eagles are taking a victory lap. Philadelphia steamrolled the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX this past Sunday, winning the franchise’s second Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Two of the team’s stars, quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley, stopped by “The Tonight Show” on Tuesday to reflect on the big game. “I’ve just been telling people I was trying to process it, and I think when you go into that, you don’t know how you’re going to feel,” Hurts said.

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Football: Super Bowl LIX: Philadelphia Eagles Jalen Hurts (1) and Saquon Barkley (26) in action, celebrate vs Kansas City Chiefs at Caesar’s Superdome. New Orleans, LA. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

“You watch, as a fan, sports and championship games and these iconic moments. And you see the greats and how they handle it, and their excitement and the rush of emotions,” the Super Bowl LIX MVP continued. “And all I could think about was all the hard work. All I could think about was all the effort.”

EAGLES’ SAQUON BARKLEY SAYS MANY GIANTS WERE ‘SUPER HAPPY’ HE WON SUPER BOWL

The Eagles opened the scoring in Super Bowl LIX when Hurts found the end zone via the infamous “tush push.” Over the past couple of seasons, the Eagles have mastered the rugby-style quarterback sneak that has become known as the “tush push” or the “brotherly shove.”

(L-R) Jalen Hurts #1 and Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles react after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

But Hurts suggested that neither name is actually accurate. “I’m not gonna say what I call it, but it’s not that. Everybody came up with their own name for it: the ‘Brotherly Shove,’ the ‘tush push,’ all these different things. It’s not that,” Hurts said.

On short-yardage plays, Hurts typically lines up under center with two or three players behind him. He takes the snap, the offensive line surges forward and Hurts gets a big push from behind. More often than not, the Eagles gain the yardage needed for a first down.

Barkley, who signed a three-year deal with the Eagles last March, admitted that he was surprised to learn the play was not referred to as the “tush push.”

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

“I didn’t know if that was what it would be called, but… it’s not called a ‘tush push,’ actually,” Barkley said. When it comes to his role in the “tush push,” Barkley said.

“I think I have the easiest job, to be honest. I’m the one who pushes the tush…”

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Hurts finished the Super Bowl with 221 passing yards and two touchdowns. While Barkley was mostly contained during the game, finishing with 57 rushing yards, he was a key part of the Eagles’ success this past season.

The three-time Pro Bowler rushed for a career-high 2,005 yards during the regular season. He added 499 rushing yards in the Eagles’ four playoff games.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
NASCAR driver Ross Chastin discusses Daytona 500, Super Bowl commercial, and goals for 2025 season

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It is not easy to win in NASCAR, but that is not necessarily acceptable to Ross Chastain.

Chastain has five victories to his resume, and he narrowly missed out on being the Cup Series winner in 2022, finishing in second on the season.

However, on Feb. 16, the Daytona 500 marks a new season and a new opportunity.

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Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Busch Light Flannel Chevrolet, is carried by his crew on stage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 19, 2024 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

“The Daytona 500 is such a big event to kick off the season. To kick off the first points event, the walking out for the Daytona 500, the race is big, but it’s the most nerve-racking for me pre-race, because it’s the whole season,” Chastain said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “When we’re on the pre-race stage, and we walk out, it’s the first time that the season’s starting. So much opportunity is right there in front of me, and I get to try to take it.

“Once I get in the car, it all goes away, I don’t see the grandstands, I don’t think about anybody else. It’s me, my car, my crew chief, and my spotter. That’s it. It’s amazing how the human mind can just block everything. Everything else goes away. And it’s only that car and every detail, every smell, every vibration, every feeling in it. It’s all that to say, at the end of the race, I’m having a Busch Light no matter what.”

In an ideal world, Chastain would have several cold ones to celebrate a win. The driver partnered with Busch Light last year, and that has landed him an acting gig in a Super Bowl commercial this year – the commercial debuted on Wednesday’s edition of “Fox & Friends.”

Chastain said his initial reaction when he got the nod was, “when can we film it?” However, it took him by surprise how much work actually went into it.

Ross Chastain, #1 TrackHouse Racing Busch Light Throwback Chevrolet, races into turn 2 during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 on May 11, 2024 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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“We filmed for hours, a lot of takes. Trying to get the angle right and trying to get my ‘What’s wrong with going in circles?’ It sounds so simple to say, but they wanted it to come across a certain way,” he said. “The take they used was actually pretty early, but we did a lot more seeing what else, you know, what kind of octaves and different tones I could do it in,” he said.

The commercial, though, is just another benefit of being a Busch Light athlete, said Chastain.

“It’s been life-changing, really. What it’s done for Trackhouse, my team and me, it’s solidified us in the sport. This will be my fourth year going into a Trackhouse and second year with Busch Light,” he said. “It’s amazing to see what Justin Marks, our owner, what he’s built, and just how the team operates and what his vision was for Trackhouse was exactly this. It was to partner with brands that believed in the future of the sport.

“There can be negativity around anything, you can pick the happiest idea in the world, and somebody’s gonna have a negative view on it, so Justin has a forward-thinking mindset and does things a bit different, and Busch Light wanted to be a part of that. Justin’s a disruptor, he wants us to come inand do things a different way, and Busch Light lets us be us. They wanted to be with Trackhouse because we were different, because we weren’t what they had seen for so long in a sport.”

Just one week after the commercial, his season will officially get underway, and Chastain has had enough of coming up short in both the big race and the season standings.

“[The goal is] to survive 500 miles. It’s such a grueling race from an attrition standpoint; so many cars crash, we’re so close together. We always think we’re all gonna do better and not crash, but we crash. It’s what NASCAR drivers do. If you’re there at the end like we were last year – I could see the white flag and made a move to try to win and spun myself out. I’ll do that a little differently.

“But no, Daytona 500 is played out the same way. It’s always different. And then, once we go from there through the season, this is our fourth year with Trackhouse, my fifth year with my team, just continue to evolve. I think I’ve got the best team, so it’s all out there. When I walk out for driver introductions, it hits me, this is the opportunity to go take what we want. I’m a competitor, I want to beat all the people in this race.”

Ross Chastain, #1 TrackHouse Racing Busch Light Chevrolet, stands next to the Harley J Earl trophy prior to the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 on Feb. 19, 2024 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Chastain added, “That goal of winning in the competition, it drives me. It’s why I do all this, it’s why I’m in New York today, and brands like Busch Light want to be a part of that. They want to win, as well, they want to win to consumers, sell more beer, and that’s the people I want around me.”

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February 6, 2025
Mavericks GM discusses ‘tough decision’ to trade young superstar Luka Dončić

The Dallas Mavericks did the unthinkable overnight by trading Luka Dončić.

It’s perhaps the most stunning trade in NBA, and maybe sports, history – there had been no rumors about this at all, and Dončić is still just 25 years old and a perennial MVP candidate.

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So, why would the Mavs move on from him? Especially after an NBA Finals appearance.

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Luka Dončić of the Dallas Mavericks reacts against the Thunder during the Western Conference playoffs at Paycom Center on May 9, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

Well, general manager Nico Harrison admitted shortly after making the trade that he was concerned about the team’s defense, a bugaboo of Dončić’s. Trading for Anthony Davis surely helps in that area.

But Dončić is – well, was – a franchise cornerstone.

“I understand why [fans] would be shocked, initially,” Harrison told the Dallas Morning News.

“But I do believe that we positioned ourselves to win now and also win in the future. And that’s ultimately the goal and why we’re here. It’s one of those things where it’s my job to make the tough decisions that put our goals first and foremost.”

Aside from the defense though, Dončić would have been in quite a contract battle with the Mavs. His $207 million extension is set to expire this year, and he was due for a supermax that was worth over $340 million. Plus, he was soon able to opt out of any other deals. So, Harrison wanted security.

Luka Dončić of the Mavericks handles the ball against Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on Feb. 26, 2023, in Dallas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

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“We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract,” Harrison said. “And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”

And with the speculation that the Mavs were upset with Doncic’s conditioning, it appears the stars aligned for Dallas to move on from him.

The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks took on Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick. To settle it all out, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

Luka Dončić of the Mavericks smiles before the game against the Orlando Magic at American Airlines Center on Jan. 29, 2024, in Dallas. (Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

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The Slovenian led the NBA with 33.4 points per game last season and won’t turn 26 until later this month. In his career, he averages 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, putting himself in the MVP conversation every year of his young career.

Meanwhile, Davis finished in fourth place in the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year voting last year, and is averaging over 25 points and 12 rebounds this season.

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February 2, 2025
Tom Brady’s former teammate, Rob Gronkowski, discusses how Patrick Mahomes can dethrone Brady as NFL’s GOAT

Patrick Mahomes is on the fast track of surpassing Tom Brady as the NFL’s greatest ever.

With a win in this year’s Super Bowl, Mahomes would become the first player to win four rings before turning 30.

And if you compare the quarterbacks’ first seven full seasons, Mahomes’ numbers trump Brady’s.

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New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) and quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrate after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the third quarter of the 2018 Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Eagles won 41-33. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)

Brady won more than half of his rings after turning 37, cementing himself in the conversation. But the chatter will be hot and heavy if the Kansas City Chiefs can finish a three-peat, something no team has done in the Super Bowl era.

Rob Gronkowski had a front-row seat for Brady’s illustrious career, winning four titles with him, three in New England, and one more in Tampa Bay.

“Good thing I went back to football and did that,” Gronkowski recalled in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

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But even Gronk knows his quarterback might be in trouble. However, it will be tough, and there’s a reason why Brady has the upper hand for the time being.

“In order for Patrick Mahomes to dethrone (Brady), it’s gonna be tough because Tom beat him twice in playoff football. We absolutely demolished Patrick Mahomes,” Gronkowski said, referring to the 2021 Super Bowl.

Advantage, Brady.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) after the Super Bowl Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. Tampa Bay won 31-9. (AP Photo/Charlie )

But that doesn’t mean there’s no chance for Mahomes. Gronk said Mahomes doesn’t even need to match Brady in titles before being in the conversation.

“He’s gonna have to win about five, six championships in order to get in that conversation of being the greatest ahead of Tom Brady,” Gronk said.

ROB GRONKOWSKI TAKES NFL OFFICIALS TO TASK OVER ALLEGED CHIEFS FAVORITISM

Those sentiments echo those of Victor Cruz, who already has Mahomes as the “No. 2” to Brady.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after a touchdown run by running back Kareem Hunt during the first half against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif.,Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

“To me, I can’t put him above [Tom] Brady just yet, but he’s right there. He’s 1A, 1B for me,” Cruz told Fox News Digital in October.

“If he gets to five and he continues to keep his team relevant year in and year out, when we look up at the numbers, it’s gonna be insane just to see where he nets out and just to see when it’s all said and done where he is, because what he’s doing thus far, it’s pretty special.”

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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First, the Chiefs will have to get through the Philadelphia Eagles, who the Chiefs beat two years ago in the Super Bowl to get Mahomes his second title. He earned his third last year against the San Francisco 49ers, the same team Mahomes beat for his first ring.

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February 1, 2025
Ex-NFL player Kyle Rudolph discusses Vikings’ QB decision, referees, the Super Bowl and NFL Draft giveaways

Kyle Rudolph left the Minnesota Vikings a couple seasons before they went 14-3 in 2022, when they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Giants.

Two seasons later, they had almost a carbon copy of that campaign. This year, they went 13-4 but had another first-round playoff exit.

“You got to make the plays when it matters most, and they just didn’t do it each of those last playoff games,” Rudolph told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

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Now, the Vikings have to decide whether to keep Sam Darnold or hand the keys to the offense to J.J. McCarthy.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph (82) catches a pass for the winning touchdown over New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) during overtime of a NFC wild-card playoff game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Chuck Cook/USA Today Sports)

Minnesota drafted McCarthy with the 10th selection of last year’s NFL Draft, and he was in the running to start until a knee injury in the preseason ended his season. That gave the nod to Darnold, who took advantage of the opportunity and had, by far, the best season of his career.

Darnold was playing himself into a lucrative contract until his final two games. Now, who knows what he’ll get on the open market?

At the very least, he may get a decent deal like Baker Mayfield’s. But even that might be a lot for Minnesota, Rudolph said.

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“Well, I think it really, so much in football comes down to the money piece. You know, when you have a salary cap, and you’re trying to build a roster, unfortunately, you have to make decisions that are solely based on the ramifications of the salary cap and what that does for your roster,” Rudolph said.

“So, when you look at Sam Darnold and the year that he had in Minnesota, there’s just so many factors that go into it ultimately for Sam. Does he want to go to the highest bidder? Do I think Minnesota can be the highest bidder? No, I do not. You have so much other talent on that roster that they would like to keep and have to pay. If that’s what Sam decides, and he wants to go to the highest bidder, I don’t think Minnesota has a chance.

“If Sam says, ‘I love playing for Kevin O’Connell. This is the best year of my career. He brings the best out of me, I love being on this team,’ I think he would have to take some sort of a discount. And then the third piece that comes in is, ultimately, you always have the franchise tag.

“So, if they were decide to franchise tag Sam, they could keep him on that one-year franchise tag deal. But, again, that makes things really, really tough on the salary cap because that’s a one-year full salary cap hit. So, it’ll be interesting what they decide.

Kyle Rudolph explained why he believes it’s “really tough” to see Sam Darnold returning to the Vikings last season. (Imagn)

“To this point, Kevin [O’Connell] has proved that it really doesn’t matter who the quarterback is. Jaren Hall, Josh Dobbs, Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold — he’s going to get the most out of him, and they’re going to go win football games.”

The Vikings will be home watching the Philadelphia Eagles try to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs, who are in their fifth Super Bowl in the last six years with a chance to three-peat.

It’s widely been argued Kansas City has the refs on their side. But Rudolph disputed the idea of any conspiracy or favoritism.

AARON RODGERS’ EX TEAMMATE THINKS QB ‘CAN STILL GET IT DONE’ WITH NFL FUTURE IN QUESTION

“If you go and look at the statistics and dive into kind of like where are the Chiefs compared to every other team in the NFL in terms of calls for and calls against, they’re kind of right there in the middle of the pack,” Rudolph said.

“But what is different about the Chiefs, they’re on national TV almost every week. They’re playing in primetime a whole lot. They’re always making deep playoff runs, five out of six years in the Super Bowl. Obviously, you have all the off-the-field publicity with Travis [Kelce] and Taylor [Swift] and Patrick’s stardom. It’s just, you see it a lot more.

Referee Carl Cheffers speaks to Patrick Mahomes during a break in the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

“They look for things that trigger, ‘Oh, that’s a foul. That’s a penalty.’ It’s the slightest jersey grab, but that’s something that triggers their psyche to say, ‘Oh, I saw that jersey grab, I’m throwing the flag.’ It’s just an immediate reaction to them. So, no, I don’t think there’s favoritism. Obviously, in the world that we’re in today, if that were ever to be the case … we have all the resources in the world to find out … right? We would know.”

Rudolph spoke to Fox News Digital on behalf of his own charity, Alltroo, where fans can donate to the campaign, and in turn, those dollars go directly to players’ charities. But Rudolph and his partners have added a couple of twists.

This year, with just a $10 donation to Alltroo, fans can win both a trip to the Super Bowl with Drew Brees in New Orleans and an opportunity to announce a draft pick in Green Bay later this year if they donate to a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee’s charity.

Considering that 94% of people who donate to Alltroo had never donated to a nonprofit before, Rudolph says it’s a “win-win” for everyone.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph before a game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Harrison Barden/USA Today Sports)

“What we wanted to create was an opportunity for die-hard sports fans, not just the high-net worth individuals or the big corporate brands, to have an opportunity to support us. And then the flip side is people are winning once-in-a lifetime experiences and items that may be out of reach.

“So, trying to create that win-win scenario where we’re raising additional funds for charity that wouldn’t otherwise be, and then, ultimately, offering these once-in-a lifetime experiences to fans that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it,” Rudolph said, noting that Super Bowl prices are “insanely out of price for a lot of people.”

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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“Whatever you’re willing to donate to these players’ causes, 100% of the proceeds will go directly to these player causes. So, we can just be the vehicle that passes through these donations and then, at the end of the day, a lucky fan’s gonna have the opportunity to go up there and announce a draft pick at the draft and realize someone else’s dream.

“So, all in all, super cool for me to have the opportunity as a former nominee to really spearhead this initiative on behalf of the league. For as little as a $10 donation, you have a chance to win.”

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February 1, 2025
Bills GM Brandon Beane discusses controversial 4th-down play in AFC title game: ‘He got that’

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane heard what the league office had to say, but he still believes his quarterback picked up a crucial first down in the AFC Championship.

The Bills were crushed by the Kansas City Chiefs once again in the playoffs, falling just short of a Super Bowl appearance in a 32-29 loss on the road this past Sunday.

One of the most controversial plays from the game was a fourth-and-inches quarterback sneak by Josh Allen. In real-time, it appeared that he made the gain, but referees called him short, forcing a turnover on downs to the Chiefs.

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen walks off the field after the AFC Championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Five plays later, Patrick Mahomes rushed into the end zone for his second rushing score of the game to take a seven-point lead after a two-point conversion.

Other than the controversial spot, the play prior, where Dalton Kincaid appeared to pick up the first down, is just as questionable. And replay shows a Chiefs player was lined up in the neutral zone when Allen took the snap on the sneak attempt, which should’ve been flagged for a first down.

Beane discussed that particular sequence of events on Thursday.

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“It’s frustrating,” he said, per SI.com. “There’s only so much I can say. We work with the league to try to get clarity. I’ll give them credit. They’ve taken our calls. They’ve sent video and things like that. If you’re talking about like the fourth-down play, I feel like [Allen] got that. I still feel like he got that. I felt that in the moment and nothing has changed my mind on that.”

Earlier in the game, a crucial replay review confirmed a catch by Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy, and it also bothered Beane. Defensive back Cole Bishop went up with Worthy for an interception, and it appeared both of them had their hands around the ball as the tip of the pigskin hit the ground.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen dives for a first down against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Like the later play, it resulted in a Chiefs touchdown as Mahomes scampered into the end zone.

“The play that we challenged was a good challenge,” he explained. “I’m not sure either player had possession on the Bishop-Worthy play when the ball touched the ground.”

Some fans have accused referees of favoring the Chiefs during this Super Bowl run, with another controversial call coming in the divisional round against the Houston Texans.

Will Anderson Jr. was called for a personal foul, a 15-yard penalty, for a hit to the head on Mahomes despite replay showing that wasn’t the case. Nonetheless, the third-and-long that wasn’t converted on an overthrown pass gave the Chiefs more life on their drive.

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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Officiating will be a storyline heading into this matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, especially after fans believed their previous Super Bowl meeting two seasons ago ended controversially after James Bradberry was called for holding JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The penalty set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal to start this streak for the Chiefs.

Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox and streaming exclusively on Tubi.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 30, 2025
Ex-NFL star Clay Matthews discusses responsible gun ownership as a father, raising sons to be hunters

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Ever since he retired, Clay Matthews has spent plenty of time on the field – just not the gridiron.

The Green Bay Packers legend is not only part of a legendary football family, but he was raised a hunter and is doing the same for his children as well.

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Matthews was one of four ex-NFL players nominated for Colt’s Safety Impact Award, designed to elevate and amplify nonprofit organizations that are pushing the envelope in firearm safety and education.

Green Bay Packers Clay Matthews, #52, is victorious during game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Sept. 9, 2012. (John Biever /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Matthews has backed Project ChildSafe, a charity that he says hits close to home as a father of three children all under the age of 10.

“This was a natural fit to work with Colt to come together on something that means a great deal to me, to give back and promote this education of firearm safety,” Matthews said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

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“[Project ChildSafe does] such an amazing job at this comprehensive education, from providing free locks for firearms to actual safes, working with local law enforcement, it was just a no-brainer… Project Child safe just really designated with me.”

Fans can vote for their favorite player until Friday on safetyimpactaward.com, and for every vote cast, Colt will donate $1 (up to $10,000) to the winner. Plus, if a safety happens in Super Bowl LIX, fans will have a chance to win $100,000.

“This is a competition after all, so I’m asking you to vote for my charity,” Matthews quipped, as he is up against Fletcher Cox, Joe Thomas and Adam Vinatieri.

Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, #52, leaves the field after their game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Mark Hoffman / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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Matthews said his soon-to-be 10-year-old son wants to go deer hunting soon, while his 5 year old “wants to sit in the blind for turkey hunting season this upcoming year.” The kids also get dressed up in “camo and blaze orange” quite often, he admits.

“People can guess what type of family we are,” he joked.

However, with that comes a lot of responsibility, and Matthews gave advice to his fellow firearm owners on how to keep everyone safe.

“First is have them locked up at all times. My kids from a young age have been brought up around firearms, whether it be hunting, recreational shooting, clinking, whatever it may be, but they understand dad’s in charge of that. You don’t have free rein. They’re completely locked up. I’m in charge of that,” Matthews said.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, left, points to Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers after giving him a championship belt after the win against the Pittsburgh Steelers during Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Feb. 6, 2011. (USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis. via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

“And just the attention to safety, really, knowing where the barrel is pointed, finger off the trigger, stuff that seems easy for most gun owners, but when you’re raising children to be in that lifestyle to shoot firearms, you’ve just gotta teach and ingrain at a young age.

“My father did a fantastic job with me. I know I was the kid, ‘Dad, can I see this? Can I see that?’ ‘No, no, no.’ But when I got out there, there was a responsibility that I felt I had growing up in that environment, and hopefully my kids will have the same.”

Ahead of their deer hunting day, Matthews said he will be taking his oldest son out for practice – likely after a flag-football game.

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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“I was raised in Southern California, so I didn’t have the opportunities to be out in the field all the time, but I’ve always had this drive to the outdoors and firearms,” he said. “So for me, I love sharing this with them.”

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January 29, 2025
Ambassador of Riley Gaines Center discusses ‘violent’ protests during fairness in women’s sports rally

An ambassador for the Riley Gaines Center at the Learning Institute held a fairness in women’s sports rally earlier this week, but she was bombarded by “violent” protesters.

Olivia Krolczyk was at the University of Washington this week to speak about transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports, but she was met with plenty who opposed her.

“As soon as I arrived on campus, I was immediately met with confrontation. I had signs and flyers everywhere across campus telling me to leave, rallying people for the protest. It was insane – you couldn’t walk 10 feet without seeing them,” Krolczyk told OutKick’s Charly Arnolt on Friday.

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Olivia Krolczyk held a rally that was bombarded by “violent” protesters. (Riley Gaines Center)

Krolczyk then said there were 100 protesters “line-dancing to country music, which seems a little weird. Usually, that’s a conservative thing, is country music.”

She said the protest was initially peaceful.

“However, it went from 0 to 100 in five minutes. It turned absolutely violent when Antifa showed up. We ended up having about 200 protesters,” Krolczyk said.

Riley Gaines is sworn in during a House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing on Capitol Hill Dec. 5, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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“Immediately, the fire alarm was pulled, the doors were blocked, and no one could get in or out of the building. We were essentially held hostage inside the event space. We only had 10 security officers compared to 200 protesters, so there wasn’t much we could do.

“The protesters were certainly violent. They were breaking windows, throwing in noisemakers that screech really loud, pulling the fire alarms constantly, wasting the fire department’s time.”

According to her bio on the center’s website, Krolczyk joined the center upon receiving a failing grade for using the term “biological woman.”

Olivia Krolczyk said 200 protesters protested, with some breaking windows and pulling fire alarms. (OutKick)

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She then posted about the experience on TikTok, which got 6 million views, but it was deleted for “community guideline violations,” and she was permanently banned.

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January 24, 2025