Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua has been sued for alleged assault and battery by a woman who alleges he bit her on the shoulder on New Year’s Eve and made an antisemitic remark. 

The lawsuit was filed this week in Los Angeles, according to TMZ. The suit also cites gender violence and negligence.

Plaintiff Madison Atiabi and her attorney, Joseph Kar, claim Nacua made an antisemitic exclamation that emotionally distressed her when they were together in Century City. 

She says Nacua bit her and left teeth marks on her shoulder when they were in a van together later in the night, and she claims Nacua also bit her friend’s thumb.

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Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 28, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has already strongly denied Nacua made any antisemitic statements. He described the bites as “horseplay.”

McCathern, said “the whole claim is nothing more than a shakedown attempt” and that the bite “left nothing more than a temporary mark,” according to TMZ.

Nacua previously apologized for performing an “antisemitic” act on a YouTube stream in December. Nacua discussed touchdown celebrations on YouTuber Adin Ross’ stream.

RAMS STAR PUKA NACUA ACCUSED OF BITING WOMAN, MAKING ANTISEMITIC REMARKS: REPORT

NFL Network reporter Jamie Erdahl interviews Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua after a game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Many, however, believed the celebration perpetuated a harmful anti-Jewish stereotype.

In the video, Ross instructed Nacua to spike the ball, flex and then rub his hands together. Ross, who is Jewish, has referred to the movement as his own “dance” or “emote.”

Nacua received pushback and issued an apology.

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Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams runs downfield during the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium Oct. 2, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

“When I appeared the other day on a social media livestream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration. At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people,” Nacua said in a “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” graphic. 

“I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Joe Flacco may be 41 years old, but he still thinks he has plenty left in the tank.

The Super Bowl XLVII champion signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals to be Joe Burrow’s backup, but he wants much more than that.

“Not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit,” Flacco said.

Joe Flacco of the Cincinnati Bengals throws a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter of the game at Paycor Stadium on Oct. 16, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

He then added a parting shot at just about every team in the league.

“And believe me, I wish I was the guy somewhere, and I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy,” he said.

Flacco started last season for the Cleveland Browns and was their Week 1 quarterback, but with two rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the wings, the writing was on the wall.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Dec. 7, 2025. (Mark Konezny/Imagn Images)

Cleveland traded him to Cincinnati after Burrow suffered a serious turf-toe injury, and he found some success. Flacco played well despite going 1-5 as a starter with the Bengals. He threw for at least 200 yards in four of his six starts, and the Bengals’ offense averaged more than 27 points per game.

But with his success, despite his wishes to be a starter, it’s a good consolation prize.

“I feel like I have unfinished business. That’s part of why I’m here and still playing and doing all those things…” he said. “I had a lot of fun with Joe, and Joe’s the guy.”

Flacco, who was Super Bowl MVP with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2012 season, has played for the Broncos, Jets, Eagles, Jets again, Browns, Colts, Browns again and the Bengals.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) throws a pass against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium on Nov. 2 2025. (Katie Stratman/Imagn Images)

He has thrown for 48,176 yards, 272 touchdowns and 172 interceptions in 19 seasons. He is 10-6 in the playoffs with 3,530 yards passing, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former Ontario Hockey League (OHL) player Jacob Winterton, the older brother of Seattle Kraken center Ryan Winterton, has died after his battle with cancer, the league confirmed in a statement Wednesday. He was 25. 

“The OHL is saddened by news of the passing of former Flint Firebirds and Oshawa Generals forward Jacob Winterton, taken far too soon following a battle with cancer at the age of 25,” the OHL’s statement said. 

Jacob Winterton of the Oshawa Generals skates against the Mississauga Steelheads during a game at Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Oct. 25, 2019. (Graig Abel/Getty Images)

“The OHL sends thoughts and condolences to the Winterton family, as well as Jacob’s friends during this difficult time.”

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Winterton, who celebrated a birthday in January, played two seasons in the OHL, including time with the Firebirds during the 2018-19 season and with the Generals during the 2019-20 season. He registered 18 goals, 19 assists and 37 points in 125 games before moving on to play four seasons at the University of Guelph.

“The Oshawa Generals are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former General Jacob Winterton. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and the greater hockey community,” the team said in a statement posted on X. 

“Jacob and his family are in our thoughts today. Condolences from the Firebirds as we lose one of our own far too young,” the team said in a separate post. 

Jacob Winterton of the Oshawa Generals skates with the puck during an OHL game against the Guelph Storm at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, Dec. 15, 2019. (Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)

WILD GM BILL GUERIN CALLS WRITER JESSI PIERCE A ‘RAY OF SUNSHINE’ AFTER HEARTBREAKING DEATH INVOLVING HER KIDS

Ryan Winterton, who followed his brother into the OHL before making his NHL appearance, took a temporary leave of absence to “attend to a family matter,” the team announced Monday.

On Tuesday, Ryan Winterton shared a heartbreaking farewell message to his older brother. 

“Today I lost my best friend. You weren’t just someone I loved, you were someone I looked up to, someone who guided me, believed in me, and helped shape the person I am today. Watching you fight so hard and still having to say goodbye is a pain that never really fades.

Ryan Winterton of the Seattle Kraken skates during warmups before a game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Jan. 14, 2026. (Rich Graessle/NHLI/Getty Images)

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“I’ll miss your voice, your advice, and the way you made everything feel a little less heavy. Some days will be harder than others, but I’ll hold on to the love, the lessons, and the memories you left me with. You’ll always be a part of me, in everything I do. Forever loved, forever missed. Until we meet again Cobs.” 

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The New Orleans Saints have reportedly made an addition to their quarterback room.

The team signed Zach Wilson to a one-year contract, according to multiple reports.

Wilson, 26, spent last season with the Miami Dolphins and will serve as the backup quarterback to Tyler Shough.

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Miami Dolphins quarterback Zach Wilson looks to throw a pass against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Jan. 4, 2026. (Brian Fluharty/Imagn Images)

The Saints will be Wilson’s fourth team in four seasons. He spent the first three years of his career with the New York Jets after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

After three disappointing seasons with the Jets, they traded him to the Denver Broncos in April 2024. The Broncos declined Wilson’s fifth-year option, and, after the season, he signed with the Dolphins.

Wilson has seen little game action over the last two seasons and didn’t play at all with the Broncos in 2024. With the Dolphins last season, he appeared in four games, completing 6 of 11 passes for 32 yards.

COWBOYS STAR DAK PRESCOTT’S EX POSTS ABOUT ‘GROWTH’ DAYS AFTER COUPLE SPLIT BEFORE WEDDING

Miami Dolphins quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Tua Tagovailoa talk on the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh Dec. 15, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

With the Jets, Wilson started 33 games, going 12-21 while completing 57% of his passes for 6,293 yards with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.

Wilson will join Shough and 2024 fourth-round pick Spencer Rattler in the quarterback room.

Shough impressed in his nine starts last season. The Saints went 5-4 in his starts while Shough completed 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards with 10 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also ran for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

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Miami Dolphins quarterback Zach Wilson looks to throw a pass against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Jan. 4, 2026. (Brian Fluharty/Imagn Images)

Shough battled numerous injuries throughout his college career. He sustained a broken left collarbone in 2021, reinjured that same collarbone in 2022 and broke his fibula in 2023.

The Saints hope he remains healthy as they look to win the NFC South next season and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

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Reports that first surfaced in January saying Bill Belichick would not be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame sparked strong reactions across the sports world.

Despite winning two Super Bowls as an assistant and six as Patriots coach, Belichick reportedly fell short of the Hall of Fame’s 50-vote threshold, raising questions about the voting process. The Pro Football Hall of Fame unveiled its 2026 class at NFL Honors — a list that did not include Belichick.

ESPN reported that Belichick was initially “puzzled” and “disappointed” by his omission and questioned what more he needed to do to be inducted immediately. While Belichick has largely avoided publicly addressing his Hall of Fame status, he offered a measured response Tuesday when asked about the controversy.

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North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick with the team before the game at Kenan Stadium. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

“I’m focused on coaching this team and focused on getting Carolina football to the highest level I can. That’s what I’ve always… I focus about what I can do, and things that are not in my control, I don’t worry about,” he told reporters as North Carolina opened spring camp.

UNC GM MICHAEL LOMBARDI CLAIMS ‘FAKE STORIES’ HELPED UNDERMINE BILL BELICHICK’S DEBUT SEASON

Belichick led North Carolina to a 4-8 record in his first season coaching in Chapel Hill, but a string of off-field headlines largely overshadowed the program.

During last year’s widely discussed “CBS Sunday Morning” interview, Jordon Hudson faced accusations that she attempted to exert control during the former NFL coach’s sit-down. The interview was part of a promotional tour for Belichick’s new book, “The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football.” Hudson, 24, has drawn attention for dating 73-year-old Belichick for more than two years.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick and girlfriend Jordon Hudson look on from the sideline vs TCU at Kenan Memorial Stadium. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The viral moment sparked questions about Hudson’s involvement in both his personal and professional life and whether it could affect football operations.

Belichick has previously dismissed the increased attention on his personal life. “Sometimes it’s noisy, and sometimes it isn’t,” he told ESPN last summer. “Sometimes with the Patriots it was noisy, too.”

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick directs his team during the game against Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sept. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

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Earlier this month, UNC general manager Michael Lombardi recently addressed the scrutiny and outside criticism that surrounded the program last season, defending the team’s response amid what he characterized as inaccurate accounts.

“All during those stormy times, all during when the boat was getting capsized, when people were attacking us with fake rumors and fake stories all over — nobody’s corrected them yet, but that’s OK, we understand — our players hung together,” Lombardi told the “Pat McAfee Show”.

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The Cincinnati Bengals added key depth behind Joe Burrow on Wednesday.

The Bengals announced that they re-signed 41-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco to a one-year deal. The contract is for $6 million, but is worth up to $9 million with incentives, according to ESPN.

“I love the building,” Flacco told the team website. “I enjoyed being there, and I’m excited about being back with the fellas.”

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Dec. 7, 2025. (Mark Konezny/Imagn Images)

The Bengals acquired Flacco after he was benched by the Cleveland Browns after four starts. Burrow was hurt at the time, and Jake Browning, who was the backup before Flacco arrived, had underwhelmed.

Flacco made six starts for the Bengals and played well, despite the team having a 1-5 record in that span. He completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,664 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, and the Bengals offense averaged more than 27 points per game.

Making Flacco’s performance more impressive, he played through a sprained AC joint in his shoulder with the Bengals.

Flacco was looking to find a starting job in free agency, but after not getting one, he struggled with the reality that he might not play at all.

COWBOYS STAR DAK PRESCOTT’S EX POSTS ABOUT ‘GROWTH’ DAYS AFTER COUPLE SPLIT BEFORE WEDDING

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco warms up before the Steelers game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Nov. 16, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

“I don’t know what Plan A was. It’s tough to kind of say exactly what that looked like, so you kind of just have to go with the flow a little bit,” Flacco said. “I have good feelings there. The hardest thing for me is probably coming to grips with the fact that I might not play.”

The veteran quarterback didn’t want a repeat of last season with the Browns, when he was benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel after four games.

“I felt like I had to be careful with some certain decisions. I don’t want to be in another situation where I’m going and playing four games like I did last year in Cleveland. I was a little bit nervous about that for whatever reason, and kind of getting thrown under the bus. I think there was a time to be that guy, but I don’t know if I was willing to do that. It just felt right in the gut,” Flacco said.

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Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco runs off the field before a field goal attempt against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Oct. 16, 2025. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Flacco, at 41, is the oldest player to ever play for the Bengals.

He is 14th on the all-time passing yards list and just 1,824 yards away from 50,000.

In a perfect world for the Bengals, Flacco never steps on the field because that would mean Burrow remains healthy all season. However, if Burrow gets injured, they can trust that they have a capable backup who can lead the offense at a high level.  

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Tiger Woods made his return to golf on Tuesday night, participating in The Golf League (TGL) Finals, and he had a supporting cast in the stands.

His girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, and her daughter, future University of Miami golfer Kai, had front-row seats at SoFi Center to take in the action.

They did not get the result they wanted, as Woods’ Jupiter Links, with Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner, lost to Los Angeles Golf Club, with Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. LAGC made three straight eagles to close out a 9-2 victory in Woods’ first competitive golf action in over a year.

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Vanessa Trump and Kai Trump attend the match between the Jupiter Links Golf Club and the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 23, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Cliff Hawkins/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)

The 15-time major champion and Vanessa Trump have kept their relationship relatively quiet. When they went public last year, Woods asked for privacy. 

Both Vanessa and Kai attended the Genesis Invitational last month at Riviera, which Woods hosted. Vanessa and Kai attended other TGL events earlier this month as well, including a match in which Kai chatted with Travis Kelce.

Woods announced his relationship with Vanessa Trump, Donald Jr.’s ex-wife, on March 23, 2025.

“Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts,” Woods wrote in his post.

A report in July said the two were “very serious,” and “wedding bells” could be chiming, but nothing along those lines has been made public.

Tiger Woods talks with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, after a match against Boston Common Golf at SoFi Center on March 17, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (James Gilbert/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WITHDRAWS FROM PGA EVENT JUST 2 WEEKS BEFORE MASTERS TO WELCOME SECOND CHILD: REPORTS

Woods’ son, Charlie, and Vanessa’s daughter, Kai, are both competitive golfers. Kai has committed to play at the University of Miami, while Charlie will attend Florida State. 

Charlie and Kai played in the same tournament in June.

After his highly publicized divorce from Elin Nordegren, Woods was linked to Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn in the 2010s. He was dating Erica Herman at the time he won the Masters in 2019, but they, too, had a very public breakup that included sexual harassment allegations and an NDA lawsuit filed by Herman. 

Woods and Nordegren have appeared to get along in recent years, as they co-parent Charlie and Sam Woods.

One step in Woods’ return is complete as he aims to play at the Masters in two weeks. He has yet to commit, but it’s tough to imagine Augusta National without the five-time green jacket winner.

Tiger Woods congratulates Justin Rose of Los Angeles Golf Club, who won the TGL finals at SoFi Center on March 24, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Greg Lovett/Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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Woods last competed on the PGA Tour in the 2024 Open Championship.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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TORONTO – Macklin Celebrini is often looking down on the bench.

The San Jose Sharks star centre isn’t in pain or checking his laces. He’s usually going over what just transpired — on an iPad.

“If a play didn’t work out how I wanted,” Celebrini explained. “Or if one of my teammates was talking to me about something and I didn’t see it, I think it’s good just to be able to go back and look.”

Technology and sports have countless intersections. One trend in the NHL over the better part of the last decade has been the use of digital tablets in-game that can provide coaches and players with near-instant replays.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is a big fan.

“Love the iPad,” he said. “We have a rule on our team where you only get to watch it during TV timeouts … you don’t want to be on the iPad when you’re trying to make a change.”

That’s where the bench balancing act comes into play.

“Sometimes we feel as coaches we’re working at the Apple Store when the guys are asking for iPads, but I get it, in a sense,” Sharks bench boss Ryan Warsofsky said. “I don’t really appreciate it when they look to see how much they missed the net by.”

Seattle Kraken captain Jordan Eberle said there’s no such thing as too much information, but tablets can become a distraction.

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“The game is so fast, mistakes are going to be made,” he said. “If you’re looking on the iPad to see the mistake, it should already be forgotten and move on to the next shift.”

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New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said while there are plenty of benefits when it comes to parsing technique or structure, the tech can be overused.

“A goalie that made a big save or you flubbed on a pass — don’t waste your time on that,” he said. “Let’s stay in the moment and then move quickly on.”

Keefe, however, added the league’s younger generation grew up with screens and expects immediate intel from the video coaches splicing tape.

“They’ve come up in an era where they’re used to having things at their fingertips,” he said. “They want the information.”

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy will only really look at the iPad, which officials also use at the timekeeper’s bench on coach’s challenge and other replays, after specific sequences.

“I’m not a huge believer in nitpicking every shift and saying, ‘Why didn’t you pass it to me right here?’” he said. “I’m sure they have plenty of clips of me not passing to them, too.”

Celebrini’s screen time last season as a rookie got some attention.

“It was pretty public that I used the iPads quite a bit,” he said. “I think I got caught (on camera) every time I used it, so it looked like I was on it more than I was.”

Anaheim Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, who played more than 800 NHL games and owns over 1,000 victories behind the bench, has had a front-row seat to plenty of change in hockey.

“Not a fan (of iPads),” said the three-time Stanley Cup winner, who mostly searches out replays for calls by on-ice officials. “I’m not gonna discourage it, but I don’t promote it.”

Devils centre Jack Hughes said screen use can negatively impact players in the moment.

“You miss a big chance, and you’re upset about it,” he said. “You go back and look at look at it, but then you just get more frustrated. Every guy’s different, but think it’s very useful for some parts of the game.”

“Anything’s good in moderation, right?” New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle added. “But you don’t want to be like a little kid out there on his iPad.”

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, another former NHLer from a different era, noted players are sometimes only interested in tablet-based replays when it makes them look good.

“I love the iPads,” he said in a muted, sarcastic tone. “They want the iPads after a shift when they have a scoring opportunity, but they don’t want the iPad when they screwed up defensively.

“That’s when the assistant coach goes down and shows them.”

TIME CRUNCH

The NHL’s return to the Olympics offered fans a riveting mid-season tournament. That 2 1/2-week break has also left coaches with even less time for on-ice preparations throughout 2025-26 due to a compressed schedule that offers little wiggle room.

“Our morning skate is, a lot of times, our practice,” Quenneville said. “We just go 15, 20 minutes.”

He added that making sure players are ready for important games down the stretch is paramount.

“The other team’s in the same boat,” Quenneville said. “Rest, I think, is probably not a bad idea … we’ve been trying to be aware of that.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

Puka Nacua’s attorney is firing back against a woman who alleged the star Rams receiver made an antisemitic comment and bit her during a New Year’s Eve gathering, claiming the allegations are an attempt at a money grab.

In response to Madison Atiabi seeking a restraining order against Nacua, 24, in Los Angeles on Tuesday, attorney Levi McCathern said the two-time Pro Bowler “denies these allegations in the strongest possible terms” and his team “will be filing a defamation lawsuit and pursuing all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”

“Let’s be clear about what this case is — and what it is not. This matter is not sexual in nature, nor does it involve any allegation of domestic violence. If it did, the filings would look very different. They do not. It also doesn’t involve any elements of antisemitism. A completely sober witness has stated unequivocally that Puka never made the comments Ms. Atiabi claims,” McCathern said in a statement obtained by TMZ.

Atiabi alleged in her filing that during the dinner on Dec. 31, 2025, Nacua was “extremely touchy with the girls and had said ‘F–k all the Jews’ in the course of his conversation when he was at the other side of the table.”

Atiabi, who said in the filing she is Jewish, “was immediately offended and emotionally distressed.”

As the night continued, it’s alleged in the documents Nacua “began behaving in a strange, erratic, and physically intrusive manner.”

He’s accused of biting the thumb of Atiabi’s girlfriend and also biting Atiabi “on her left shoulder, on the scapula, with such massive force to leave a complete circular impression of all of his teeth as marks on her skin,” according to the restraining order request.

In the weeks following the alleged incident, Atiabi claims she and her attorney, along with Nacua, McCathern and the athlete’s “crisis team,” met for a March mediation conference, with Nacua’s team allegedly threatening to “contact TMZ and other press and media outlets and to disseminate false, inaccurate, and/or deliberately exaggerated public statements about the events of December 31, 2025,” the outlet reported.

McCathern pushed back, suggesting it’s a shakedown.

“In the months that followed, our office was contacted with demands for millions of dollars in exchange for not publicizing these allegations. That is not a legitimate legal claim — it is blackmail,” the statement read.

“The timing of the claimant’s recent legal action — nearly three months after the alleged incident and just says after JSN [Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba] record breaking [$168 million] contract as a wide receiver — further underscores the complete lack of credibility behind these accusations.

“Puka denies these allegations in the strongest possible terms. We will be filing a defamation lawsuit and pursuing all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”

The California Post reported Tuesday a judge has denied Atiabi’s restraining order request temporarily, with a hearing set for April 14.

Their request made to McCathern for comment was not immediately returned.

Nacua, the Rams’ fifth-round pick in 2023, apologized this past December when he agreed on a livestream to perform a touchdown celebration that featured an antisemitic trope.

Could the NFL’s current media rights model, which may add even more players with a new deal expected at some point this year, make its way into college sports? 

As both deals currently stand, the NFL has a unified structure, where it splits revenue evenly across its 32 teams. Meanwhile, college football is fragmented, with conferences such as the SEC and Big Ten seeing more lucrative deals compared to others because of its teams’ popularity and bigger budgets. 

There has been debate about unifying the conferences to negotiate a single TV rights deal, but while some are for it to disperse money and help every school be competitive against the powerhouse programs, others view it as a complicated problem without a simple solution. 

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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts with the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

Making an appearance on OutKick’s “Hot Mic,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., was asked his thoughts about the NFL’s potential problem as it looks to renegotiate its media rights, where streaming platforms could make fans pay more to consume the sport. 

Tuberville explained why he’d rather that than a different future that has been suggested by some in college sports.

“Antitrust stepped in for the NFL back in the early ‘60s,” Tuberville said, referencing the 1966 AFL-NFL merger, which came after Congress allowed an antitrust exemption to combine TV deals. “Basically, the AFL and NFL got together with the federal government and [the latter] said, ‘You’re a monopoly. We’ll give you that opportunity. Go get you one TV contract with one or two TV providers, and you can do it all together.’ That’s the reason they’re making $300-$400 million dollars at the beginning of the year before they even snap a football. Antitrust really helped the NFL.

BROADCASTER TIM BRANDO SUGGESTS SPORTS FANS GET CONFUSED WHERE TO WATCH GAMES AS STREAMING TAKES OVER

“So, a lot of them want to do that in college. I’d rather do that at the end of the day in the future than have people buy college sporting programs. You’re hearing that now, some of these schools are worth $200-$250 million and some of these billionaires come in and buy them and basically run everything. We don’t need to get into that. This is amateur sports, and let’s keep that way as much as we possibly can.”

Could high-profile boosters with billions in net worth, or private equity firms, get their hands on media rights in the future of college sports, especially in football? Tuberville hopes that’s not the case, but if it were to happen, big-name programs could look to become a team like Notre Dame, which serves as an independent that negotiated its own media rights with NBC through the 2029 season. 

But Notre Dame is not part of a conference despite pressure to join one over the years. They reached a deal with the ACC to play 5-6 rotating games each season, but they remain outside the rest of the conference. 

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) arrives for a Senate Republican Caucus luncheon at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on April 2, 2025 (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

If billionaires were to come in and buy the rights to college programs, and essentially run everything to Tuberville’s point, what’s to say higher valued programs, like the University of Texas, Ohio State and the University of Georgia, won’t start driving up asking prices for their media rights with networks? 

So, Tuberville would rather see the NFL model in college football, and so would prominent Texas Tech billionaire booster Cody Campbell, who serves as head of the board or regents for the university. 

Campbell has lobbied Congress to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, called the SAFE Act, to allow college sports to band together and negotiate TV deals as a single group, citing self-commissioned research that showed the deal could be worth around $7 billion. In turn, it would help schools like Texas Tech and others not be heavily reliant on their high-profile boosters to compete with the finances of top programs, which can shell out bigger NIL payouts to top talent coming out of high school and the transfer portal. 

But a study was commissioned by the SEC and Big Ten, which found allowing conferences to pool together media rights would generate less revenue than if they were to continue the current structure in place now. In fact, this study showed that the rising rate of SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 media rights would eventually outperform the $7 billion projection over the next decade from Campbell’s report. 

Campbell responded to this report, believing that “those who first made the mess and profit handsomely from the status quo do not want to fix it.”

 U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) speaks to reporters as he returns to his office at the U.S. Capitol on February 10, 2026 in Washington, DC (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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At the same time, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in October 2025 that Campbell possesses a “fundamental misunderstanding of the realities of college athletics.”

While it is, and will remain, a major debate in the ever-evolving universe that is college sports, Tuberville would rather see the adoption of the NFL’s model than have independent programs running rampant for years to come.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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