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Tag: theory

NFL legend Tom Brady fires back at ref-favoritism theory: ‘It’s all BS’

Tom Brady pushed back strongly on the notion of NFL officials’ favoritism toward the Kansas City Chiefs or any other team in the league on Friday, two days before Super Bowl LIX.

FOX’s NFL lead analyst appeared on “Fox & Friends” and was asked about the theory on social media about officials giving favorable calls to the Chiefs.

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Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady makes an appearance on the field before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Jan 5, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, File)

“I think it’s just all BS. It’s just a bunch of noise,” he said. “These refs have very challenging jobs to do. I’m very happy Twitter didn’t exist during the Tuck Rule Game in 2001, let me say that. I would’ve been on the wrong end on a lot of those. But these refs are out there trying to do their very best.

“They got to make decisions in a split second and they’re gonna call what they see and these guys are some of the most professional people on the field. They just want to do a good job like everyone else. And look, sometimes the calls go your way, sometimes they don’t. In the end, over the course of a 140-play game on both sides of the ball, the players have plenty of opportunities to go out there and make an impact in the game, winning or losing and that’s what I’m excited to see on Sunday night.”

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, slides against Houston Texans linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, #39, during the fourth quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 18, 2025. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)

The officiating topic has been talked about throughout the week as questionable calls seemingly took over two of the Chiefs’ playoff wins – against the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell slammed the idea during his pre-Super Bowl LIX press conference earlier in the week.

“This sort of reminds me a little bit of ‘the script,’ right? That I write a script and I have a script for the entire seasons,” he said. “I think a lot of those theories are things that happen in social media, and they get a new life. … Nobody wants it to be their theory.

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

“I understand it. I think it reflects a lot of the fans’ passion. I think it’s also a reminder for us on how important officiating is. I think the men and women officiating the NFL are outstanding. They have the highest possible standards. That’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously, but at the end of the day, it’s something we always have to continue to work on, how we make our officiating better at all times.”

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
Ex-Warriors investor floats theory about NBA, international league competition amid Luka Doncic trade fallout

The dust continues to settle in the days following the shocking trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers formally welcomed the 25-year-old on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis and Max Christie continue to settle into their new surroundings with the Mavericks.

The Slovenian basketball superstar won his first scoring title last season, before leading the Mavs to the NBA Finals. Doncic is also a five-time All-NBA selection and a five-time All-Star.

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A basketball is placed on the court next to an NBA logo during a break in the first half of a game in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Amid his reaction to the blockbuster deal, former Golden State Warriors minority owner and venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya provided some insight about his decision to sell his stake in the NBA franchise.

Palihapitiya revealed the decision partially revolved around his belief the league would soon be forced to contend with a serious competitor.

“I sold my ownership in the Warriors last year, in part, because I was pretty sure competition for the NBA was coming a la LIV Golf vs PGA,” Palihapitiya wrote in a reply on X, formerly known as Twitter, to a post from Texas-based attorney Adam Loewy.

LUKA DONCIC DETAILS LAKERS TRADE ‘SHOCK’ AT INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE

Loewy cited Chris Kratovil, another lawyer, who offered an analysis of the monumental trade involving Doncic. The lawyer theorized that the Mavs decision to move on from Doncic was part of a hypothetical strategy to maintain enough leverage to potentially move the franchise out of Texas if the state does not eventually legalize sports gambling.

Mark Cuban sold his controlling interest in the Mavericks in 2023 to the family of Miriam Adelson. The family owns a casino company. Cuban did remain on as a minority owner, but he is no longer involved in the day-to-day basketball operations.

The Dallas Mavericks logo is pictured on a uniform against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on March 09, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Palihapitiya also suggested LeBron James should be the preferred choice, should the speculative competitor ever materialize.

“The (speculated) antics below only reinforce the likelihood that a group of well heeled investors with $5-10B could quickly stand up a competitor to the NBA. After this trade, they may want to start with Luka and pay him his supermax and get LeBron by making him the commissioner.”

James’ trusted business partner, Maverick Carter, is pursuing $5 billion in capital from investors with the goal of launching a new basketball league outside of North America, Front Office Sports reported. James is not believed to have any involvement in the international basketball league effort.

After an influx of apparent phone calls, Palihapitiya made another post on X which outlined what an international basketball league that directly competes with the NBA could entail.

Donic reacted to the trade, saying he was initially in a state of disbelief. “You can imagine how surprised I was,” Doncic said on Tuesday. “I had to check if it was April 1. I didn’t really believe it.”

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The superstar has begun to recover after his first two days in Los Angeles, and he’s growing increasingly excited about a new chapter with James and the Lakers.

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

“It was a big shock,” Doncic said. “(Dallas) was home, so it was really hard moments for me. … (But now) I get to play in the greatest club in the world, and I’m excited for this new journey.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 5, 2025
Chiefs owner dismantles conspiracy theory about refs’ favoritism: ‘You almost have to laugh’

Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt shut down the conspiracy theory that the referees are helping the team win.

Hunt, 59, said he thinks that people are using the referee favoritism theory as an excuse as to why the Chiefs have been so successful.

“You almost have to laugh at it, because you know how everybody in the NFL wants to compete to win, and that’s true of our guys as well. The referees are doing the best job that they can. If you look at the stats or a lot of stats, that shows that we’ve been on the wrong side of calls as often as we’ve been on the right side.” Hunt said in an interview with NFL Network.

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Kansas City Chiefs executive Clark Hunt during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Caesars Superdome. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

“There’s definitely no conspiracy, right? It’s the nature of the game. And when you start having a lot of success, people like to start making excuses for why you’re having the success.”

In the Chiefs’ win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship, there were two calls in particular that drove the conversation regarding the referees.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s failed fourth-down conversion on a QB sneak became a hotly debated topic because some observers questioned whether the Chiefs actually stopped him short of a first down.

Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy’s reception while battling with Bills safety Cole Bishop for the ball in the first half also had fans skeptical that the referees made the right call because it looked like Bishop had a good hold on the ball.

Regardless of the penalties that draw the ire of fans, one of the main reasons for the Chiefs’ sustained excellence is quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ play in the playoffs.

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Patrick Mahomes talks to referee Clete Blakeman prior to the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

“I think it’s true of all the great ones, and it really doesn’t matter what sport we’re talking about. Basketball, football, hockey, soccer, baseball, the great ones in the most important moments are at their very best and Patrick has shown that every year. Regardless of his stats during the regular season, he always elevates his game when we get to the playoffs, and he’s definitely done that recently. Hopefully, that will continue through this weekend,” Hunt said.

If Mahomes continues his level of excellent play in the postseason, the Chiefs will have a good chance to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

Hunt said anytime you have a chance to play in the Super Bowl it is special, but this Super Bowl means a little more because of a chance at making history.

“Any opportunity you have to play in the Super Bowl is always special. Obviously, this year has a little bit more too it because we have a chance to make history. It’s something that we’ve been aware of the whole year. Coach Reid has done a great job of keeping the guys focused because you don’t get here unless you pay attention each week, take that week’s opponent as seriously as you can and play your best football. And here we are, we’ve got the opportunity and I know our guys are excited about it.”

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

Super Bowl LIX is now under a week away, and conversations about the officiating won’t go away anytime soon, with special attention being paid to each call, or non-call.

The Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

FOX’s Super Bowl coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage can also be streamed live on Tubi for the first time ever.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

February 4, 2025
NFL’s Roger Goodell slams ‘ridiculous’ theory around Chiefs ahead of Super Bowl LIX

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attempted to dismantle any notion of favoritism from officials toward the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday during his pre-Super Bowl LIX press conference.

Goodell was asked about the theory of NFL officiating, which stems from the insinuation that the Chiefs are on the receiving end of favorable calls during games. It came to light during the team’s playoff wins over the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills.

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a news conference, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt York)

But Goodell dispelled the idea.

“This sort of reminds me a little bit of ‘the script,’ right? That I write a script and I have a script for the entire seasons,” he said. “I think a lot of those theories are things that happen in social media, and they get a new life. … Nobody wants it to be their theory.

“I understand it. I think it reflects a lot of the fans’ passion. I think it’s also a reminder for us on how important officiating is. I think the men and women officiating the NFL are outstanding. They have the highest possible standards. That’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously, but at the end of the day, it’s something we always have to continue to work on, how we make our officiating better at all times.”

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is shown after defeating the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship on Jan. 26, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

The two calls in their win over the Texans ignited a firestorm. The penalties were called after hits on quarterback Patrick Mahomes. A few questionable calls in the win over the Bills also raised eyebrows, too.

FOX NFL analyst Rob Gronkowski told Fox News Digital he noticed officials were a bit more “lenient” toward the Chiefs.

Regardless, Goodell defended officials and highlighted the competition.

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

“If you look at the Chiefs’ record, which I think is an amazing thing,” he said. “People talk about the competitiveness in our league, the Chiefs with their 15 wins, 11 of those 15 games were within one score. I think that talks about the competitiveness of our game and the importance of how we officiate but also the competitiveness of how we play it.”

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 4, 2025
CIA releases new analysis on COVID origins favoring lab leak theory

The CIA has changed its assessment on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, now favoring the lab leak theory. Under its new director, John Ratcliffe, the agency released an assessment on the origins of COVID-19.

The review was ordered by former President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan toward the end of Biden’s time in office.

Analysts made the assessment with “low confidence” despite former CIA director Bill Burns, who remained agnostic on the origins, telling the agency it needed to look at the existing evidence again and come down on one side or the other.

Security personnel stand guard outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan as members of the World Health Organization team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus made a visit to the institute in Wuhan in China’s central Hubei province Feb. 3, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

JOHN RATCLIFFE SAYS US FACES ‘MOST CHALLENGING SECURITY ENVIRONMENT’ EVER IN CONFIRMATION HEARING

The agency has maintained for years it did not have enough intelligence to conclude whether COVID originated in a lab or a wet market in Wuhan, China. Despite the new assessment favoring a lab leak, there was no indication of new evidence.

“CIA assesses with low confidence that a research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting. CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible,” a CIA spokesperson told Fox News.

“We have low confidence in this judgment and will continue to evaluate any available credible new intelligence reporting or open-source information that could change CIA’s assessment.”

Ratcliffe, who was confirmed Thursday, has long been a proponent of the lab leak theory. In an interview with Breitbart, Ratcliffe framed the assessment of COVID’s origins as part of a broader strategy “addressing the threat from China.”

He also said he wants the CIA to “get off the sidelines” and take a stand.

John Ratcliffe appears for a Senate Intelligence confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

WHO RENEWS CALLS FOR CHINA TO SHARE DATA ON COVID ORIGINS 5 YEARS LATER

In a March 2023 Fox News piece co-written with Cliff Sims, Ratcliffe accused the Biden administration of trying to keep a growing consensus around the lab leak theory quiet by suppressing “what can clearly be assessed from the intelligence they possess.”

He also cast doubt on the notion that the CIA did not have enough evidence to come to a conclusion about the virus’ origins.

“The CIA is the world’s premier spy agency. Its reach is unmatched, its ability to acquire information unrivaled. And yet here we are three-and-a-half years later and there is ample public reporting that the CIA just doesn’t have enough information to make an assessment. This is utter nonsense,” the March 2023 piece says.

A sign about COVID-19 testing is displayed outside a COVID-19 testing site as a health walker collects testing tubes in Wheeling, Ill., Dec. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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In the same piece, Ratcliffe and Sims dismissed the idea that the virus emerged naturally, claiming there was “a complete absence of intelligence or scientific evidence” pointing to that conclusion.

When he testified before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic in April 2023, Ratcliffe said the lab leak theory was “the only explanation credibly supported by our intelligence, by science and by common sense.”

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

January 26, 2025