<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-belichick-leaves-new-england-patriots-after-24-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New England Patriots</a> owner Bob Kraft has announced that he will no longer provide funding to Columbia University until the “school can protect its students” amid “extreme anti-Semitism” from pro-Palestinian protestors.
In a message posted on Monday on <a href="https://x.com/StandUp2JewHate/status/1782388392438686076" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a>, the Patriots owner — who’s the founder of The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCASorg) — wrote that he’s “deeply saddened at the virulent hate that continues to grow on campus&#8221; at his alma mater Columbia University and &#8220;throughout our country&#8221; following the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
“&#8230;The school I love so much — the one that welcomed me and provided me with so much opportunity — is no longer an institution I recognize,” Kraft’s statement read. “I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken.”
“It is my hope that Columbia and its leadership will stand up to this hate by ending these protests immediately and will work to earn back the respect and trust of the many of us who have lost faith in the institution,” he added. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A statement from <a href="https://twitter.com/FCASorg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCASorg</a> Founder Robert Kraft. <a href="https://t.co/6fmTGFx06e">pic.twitter.com/6fmTGFx06e</a>
— Stand Up to Jewish Hate #🟦 (@StandUp2JewHate) <a href="https://twitter.com/StandUp2JewHate/status/1782388392438686076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
“It is my hope that in this difficult time, the Kraft Center at Columbia will serve as a source of security and safety for all Jewish students and faculty on campus who want to gather peacefully to practice their religion, to be together, and to be welcomed,” the NFL team owner’s statement concluded.
On Monday, the New York City university moved to remote learning out of safety concerns stemming from pro-Palestinian protests that have unsettled the Ivy League school’s <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2024/04/for-the-first-time-people-were-truly-afraid-antisemitism-hits-boiling-point-at-columbia-university/">Jewish population</a> as the Passover holiday is set to begin, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/columbia-university-moves-to-remote-learning-as-campus-rancor-puts-jewish-students-on-edge">reported</a>.
Minouche Shafik, the president of Columbia University, announced the move in a <a href="https://president.columbia.edu/news/statement-columbia-university-president-minouche-shafik-4-22">statement</a> calling for a “reset” after a rabbi for Columbia and its partner school Barnard College <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/columbia-rabbi-warns-of-extreme-antisemitism-advises-jewish-students-to-return-home-asap">urged</a> Jewish students to go home due to the “extreme antisemitism and anarchy” that the university and New York Police Department could not contain.
“To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,” Shafik said early Monday morning. “Faculty and staff who can work remotely should do so; essential personnel should report to work according to university policy. Our preference is that students who do not live on campus will not come to campus.”
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this piece.

AMFOOT-NFL-PATRIOTS-BELICHICK

NFL Patriots Owner Bob Kraft Yanks Money From Columbia Until ‘School Can Protect Its Students’

NFL Patriots Owner Bob Kraft Yanks Money From Columbia Until 'School Can Protect Its Students'

Columbia University

New England Patriots

Sports

Bill Belichick is out as head coach of the New England Patriots after 24 years and leading the team to nine Super Bowl trips and six rings.
The veteran coach took to the podium on Thursday and told members of the <a href="https://x.com/Patriots/status/1745490547303686547?s=20">press</a> he would be a Patriot forever as he thanked the fans and the organization, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39285303/bill-belichick-leaving-patriots-24-seasons-sources-say">ESPN</a> reported.
&#8220;[Patriots owner] Robert [Kraft] and I, after a series of discussions, have mutually agreed to part ways,&#8221; Belichick said. &#8220;For me, this is a day of gratitude and celebration.&#8221;
&#8220;We had a vision of building a championship football team that has exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I&#8217;m very proud of that. I&#8217;ll always have those great memories, I&#8217;ll carry those with me the rest of my life.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LIVE: Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick media availability 1/11: <a href="https://t.co/A3htiZoUin">https://t.co/A3htiZoUin</a>
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) <a href="https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1745490547303686547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
&#8220;It&#8217;s with so many fond memories and thoughts that I think about the Patriots, and I&#8217;ll always be a Patriot,&#8221; Belichick continued. &#8220;I look forward to coming back here, but at this time, we&#8217;re going to move on. And I&#8217;m excited for the future.”
Kraft followed Belichick at the press conference and said, &#8220;This is a move that we mutually agreed that is needed at this time. What Bill accomplished, in my opinion, will never be duplicated.&#8221;
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&#8220;Coach Belichick will forever be celebrated as a legendary sports icon here in New England, and I believe go in as a Pro Football Hall of Famer on the first ballot,&#8221; Kraft added. &#8220;Why? Because he is the greatest coach of all time. Which makes this decision to part ways so hard.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39285303/bill-belichick-leaving-patriots-24-seasons-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belichick</a> will undoubtedly be in the NFL Hall of Fame for the incredible run he had in New England, which includes six Super Bowl titles, 333 career victories (including playoffs), second only to Don Shula’s 347, and nine conference championships, the most by a head coach in the Super Bowl era.
Speculation that Belichick&#8217;s reign in New England would end has been trickling out all week as reports surfaced that the coach and Kraft had met several times throughout the week.
Belichick leaves the team after a dismal season as New England finished with a 4-13 record. Since the Super Bowl-winning QB <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-brady-posts-cryptic-quote-about-betrayal-after-gisele-bundchen-breaks-silence-on-their-divorce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Brady</a> left the Patriots after the 2019 season, the Patriots have had a losing record three of the last four years, ESPN noted.

New England Patriots v New York Giants

Bill Belichick Leaves New England Patriots After 24 Years

Bill Belichick Out In New England After 24 Years

Bill Belichick

Superbowl

Tom Brady

U.S.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/travis-kelce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Travis Kelce</a> weighed in on talk of New England Patriots fans booing his girlfriend, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/taylor-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taylor Swift,</a> when she attended their game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday.
During Kelce&#8217;s weekly podcast &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evir0tFk1VI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Heights</a>&#8221; with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, Travis gushed about the 34-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-swift-finally-spills-details-about-travis-kelce-romance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pop singer</a> and shut down the idea that all Patriots&#8217; fans were booing Swift after cameras showed her wearing Chiefs attire on the Jumbotron at Gillette Stadium.
&#8220;They showed Taylor at the game, and I mean you don&#8217;t see an entire home team fan base go insane for somebody wearing the opposite team&#8217;s colors,&#8221; Travis said.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trick Play Touchdowns, Losing Streaks and Greatest Christmas Movies | Ep 69" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/evir0tFk1VI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;It just shows you how amazing that girl is,&#8221; he added. &#8220;They went absolutely insane when they showed Taylor on the screen. There might have been a few Brads and Chads that were booing, but for the most part everybody was f***ing screaming their tail off for her.&#8221;
&#8220;I was trying to keep it cool,&#8221; Travis continued with a laugh. &#8220;I was like, &#8216;Don&#8217;t show your cards, don&#8217;t show your cards.&#8217; It was fun, man. Shout out to the Patriots, New England. Taylor, she&#8217;s on record saying that that stadium is one of the funnest that she&#8217;s played at, so for them to show her is just kind of showing her some love. So shout out to the Patriots for doing that.&#8221;
The &#8220;Shake It Off&#8221; hitmaker recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-swift-finally-spills-details-about-travis-kelce-romance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spilled</a> the details about her romance with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/travis-kelce-spills-details-about-taylor-swift-relationship-and-when-it-really-began" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kelce</a> and said they were already a couple when she went to his first game back on September 24.
Swift, who was named by Time magazine as its &#8220;Person of the Year&#8221; for 2023, gave a wide-ranging interview that included the timeline of her and the Kansas City player&#8217;s relationship, which now dates back to Kelce&#8217;s podcast in July.
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&#8220;This all started when Travis [Kelce] very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,&#8221; Swift said. &#8220;We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I&#8217;m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other.&#8221;
&#8220;By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple,&#8221; she added. &#8220;I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.&#8221;
&#8220;When you say a relationship is public, that means I&#8217;m going to see him do what he loves, we&#8217;re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don&#8217;t care,&#8221; Swift continued. &#8220;The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you&#8217;re seeing someone. And we&#8217;re just proud of each other.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/travis-kelce-reveals-nickname-he-has-for-taylor-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Travis Kelce Reveals Nickname He Has For Taylor Swift</a>

Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce Weighs In On Patriots Fans Booing Taylor Swift

Celebrities

Entertainment

Kansas City Chiefs

Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce

A New England Patriots season ticket holder died Sunday night after he was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12533829/New-England-Patriots-season-ticket-holder-53-beaten-death-Gillette-Stadium-Miami-Dolphins-cops-investigation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> punched three times by a Miami Dolphins fan at the Patriots-Dolphins game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Dale Mooney, 53, of Newmarket, New Hampshire, a married father of two children, had attended the game with three friends; they told Mooney’s wife later that they were taunted in the 300-tier section during the game by other fans, WCVB <a href="https://www.wcvb.com/article/foxborough-massachusetts-new-england-fan-death-patriots-gillette-stadium/45194876" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported.</a>
Joseph Kilmartin, who witnessed the incident, said of Mooney, “He basically grabbed another fan. They started tussling around for a few minutes. At one point, another Dolphins fan walked over. He punched him three times, and the man just went out. It was pretty hard to watch.”
“It was really one punch that I saw and the victim got punched really hard on the side of the head, and went down. He&#8217;s a bigger guy but he just crumbled,” a witness told <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/district-attorney-state-police-investigating-fans-death-at-gillette-stadium-during-sundays-patriots-game/3138822/">NBC Boston</a>. “First responders got there and they instantly start doing compressions, they had to lay him out in the aisle between the seats. They were doing compressions by my estimation for easily 10 minutes. It was pretty heartbreaking and the game was still going on so the general public clearly knew what was going on in our section so the game was going on, people are cheering for the Patriots comeback, and this poor guy has passed away before our eyes. It was pretty brutal to watch.”
Mooney was transported to the Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, where he was pronounced dead.
“I just feel numb; I can&#8217;t even believe this is for real,” Mooney’s wife Lisa said. “I don&#8217;t understand why people have to go to that extreme. Why can&#8217;t it just be fun? That&#8217;s all it&#8217;s supposed to be, just a fun family event.&#8221; Mooney said she didn’t know of any medical condition her husband had that would precipitate a blackout, adding that he “has the patience of a saint. &#8230; I don&#8217;t know what happened &#8230; it takes a lot to get him mad.”
 “I would use this terrible situation as a reminder that this is just a game and people are just going to enjoy themselves and cheer on their team but everyone should be able to attend a game and feel safe in their environment,” a fan at the game commented.
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office stated that “the matter remains under active investigation.” A spokesman for the state police sad they were investigating “the facts and circumstances of the man&#8217;s death, including the sequence of events prior to the medical incident.”

Patriots

Patriots Fan Dies After Reportedly Being Punched By Dolphins Fan At Game

Death

Miami Dolphins

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New England Patriots</a> defensive back Jack Jones was arrested this week at Boston Logan International Airport for allegedly trying to bring two firearms onto a plane.
TSA agents found the firearms in Jones&#8217; carry-on luggage when he went through airport security on Friday evening in Terminal B.
The 25-year-old was later arrested by Massachusetts State Police and taken to the State Police-Logan Airport Barracks where he posted bail.
NBC Boston <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/patriots-jack-jones-arrested-after-trying-to-bring-2-guns-onto-logan-flight-police-say/3070548/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Jones was charged with possession of a concealed weapon inside a secure area of an airport, possession of ammunition without a firearm ID card, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.
The Patriots said in a statement that they were aware of the incident and that they were reviewing the matter.
&#8220;We have been notified that Jack Jones was arrested at Logan Airport earlier today,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;We are in the process of gathering more information and will not be commenting further at this time.&#8221;
He will be arraigned in federal court next week.
Social media users pointed out online Friday night that Jones commented last month on Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant being suspended by the NBA for 25 games without pay after he was seen waving a gun in a video posted to social media.
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&#8220;@JaMorant dumb.. you letting social media and yo pride ruin yo real money,&#8221; Jones wrote on Twitter. &#8220;Put them guns down and run that money up. Make one of yo homies sign up for security or concealed carry if you feel like you need it that bad.. but you the bread winner you gotta start acting like it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/JaMorant?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaMorant</a> dumb.. you letting social media and yo pride ruin yo real money. Put them guns down and run that money up. Make one of yo homies sign up for security or concealed carry if you feel like you need it that bad.. but you the bread winner you gotta start acting like it..
&mdash; Jack Jones🏄🏽‍♂️ (@presidentjacc) <a href="https://twitter.com/presidentjacc/status/1658127913001074692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Screen Shot 2023-06-16 at 7.43.41 PM

New England Patriots Player Arrested For Trying To Take 2 Guns Onto Plane: Report

Crime

Football

Former Super Bowl champion Charles Johnson&#8217;s death was ruled a suicide by an apparent drug overdose, according to a report from the North Carolina medical examiner&#8217;s office.
Johnson, a former first-round draft pick who won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2001, was found dead in a hotel room near his Raleigh home on July 17, 2022.
“The only personal items in the hotel room appeared to be two empty bottles of water, an empty travel (sized) bottle of body lotion, an empty travel container, a pair or sandals and a pair of eyeglasses,” the report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh said, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2023/01/09/charles-johnson-ex-nfl-player-died-suicide-july-medical-examiner/11020068002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> USA Today.
“A query of the North Carolina Prescription Monitoring Service showed no active prescriptions. An old (2018) short-term hydrocodone prescription was documented,&#8221; it added.
Raleigh police officers found Johnson when the hotel placed a call for a welfare check after he did not check out on July 17. Johnson reserved the room on July 15, returned home, and then came back to the hotel without his wallet, cell phone, or keys. His car was also left at his home.
Johnson, 50, had been reported missing by his wife, Tanisha, one day earlier. The report also noted that in the week prior to his death that he had been &#8220;acting strange&#8221; and had recently purchased a funeral and cremation service.
The former NFL star suffered multiple injuries during his nine years as a player that reportedly left him unable to play football, USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2022/09/27/charles-johnson-ex-nfl-brain-health-problems-before-death/10439944002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> concerning documents filed as part of a workers compensation case in California. The Steelers disputed his claims but agreed to pay $150,000 in 2013 to settle the case, per the report.
Johnson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Colorado in the first round as the overall number 17 pick in 1994, CBS 17 <a href="https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/super-bowl-winning-receiver-heritage-high-school-assistant-athletic-director-charles-johnson-dies/">noted</a>. The wide receiver also played with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills.
During his five seasons with the Steelers, Johnson finished 10th in the league in yards per reception (16.8) and led the team in receiving yards (1,008) in his third year. He ranks 16th all-time among Steelers receivers, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/01/10/ex-nfler-charles-johnsons-death-ruled-suicide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> the New York Post.
The former NFL athlete was serving as a coach at Heritage High School in Wake Forest, North Carolina, at the time of his death.
&#8220;RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family,&#8221; the school tweeted following the news.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
RIP Coach. You will be missed by so many, especially your Husky Family. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPCJ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPCJ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HuskyFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HuskyFamily</a> <a href="https://t.co/JUfkjELMMB">pic.twitter.com/JUfkjELMMB</a>
&mdash; Heritage Huskies (@heritagehsfball) <a href="https://twitter.com/heritagehsfball/status/1549378901293547522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Charles Johnson

Ex-NFL Player Charles Johnson’s Cause Of Death Revealed

Suicide

It wasn’t just the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-england-patriots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New England Patriots</a> who got torched Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/miami" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miami</a>.
A fire apparently started by a tailgater’s unattended grill destroyed several cars while fans were inside the stadium watching the hometown Dolphins burn the Patriots by a 20-7 score. Photos online showed at least eight cars reduced to charred shells.
“Around 1 pm, a vehicle fire began in a remote Hard Rock Stadium parking lot,” a stadium spokesperson said in a statement. Several vehicles were affected.
“Miami Dade Police Department and Miami Dade Fire Rescue were on the scene,” it continued. “The fire has been extinguished and is being investigated by Fire Rescue. No injuries have been reported and there is no current threat to the stadium.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Dolphins Tailgater Accidentally Leaves Grill On During Game, Fire Completely Destroys 8 Cars (VIDEO) <a href="https://t.co/Xq02NsDGqT">https://t.co/Xq02NsDGqT</a>
&mdash; DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/DolphinsTalk/status/1569109158166777859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
During the game, fans and reporters tweeted about seeing smoke billowing nearby.
“Something is smoking over behind the NorthWest [sic] corner of Hard Rock Stadium … not sure if it’s a fire but it’s gotten thicker over the past five minutes,” tweeted ESPN’s NFL Nation reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said that the cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known. But subsequent reports claimed that a tailgater who was grilling a pre-game feast forgot to shut down the asphalt kitchen before going inside.
Scott Dellorfano told NBC Miami his luxury Mercedes S63 was completely destroyed, and claimed he also had $3,000 cash inside.
“They said a grill caught on fire, it set off another car that blew up and it took our 5 or 6 cars,” Dellorfano said. “That’s what the police told me. I got insurance, you call stadium legal people, and then go from there.”
While a handful of Dolphins fans likely Ubered home unhappy, most were thrilled after the game. It was the debut of new Coach Mike McDaniel, and the defense throttled a New England team that has spent the last two decades owning the Dolphins and most of the rest of the NFL.
New acquisition Tyreek Hill, who previously starred for the Kansas City Chiefs, was his usual electric self, leading the team with 94 receiving yards. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa wasn&#8217;t particularly impressive, but did enough to win.

NFL: SEP 11 Patriots at Dolphins

SEE IT: Cars Torched After Tailgater’s Grill Sparks Huge Fire At Dolphins-Patriots Game

Cars Torched After Tailgater's Grill Sparks Huge Fire At Dolphins-Patriots Game

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-england-patriots">New England Patriots</a> head coach <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-belichick">Bill Belichick</a> runs a notoriously tight ship, but one former player just revealed the desperate lengths he said he once went to avoid getting fired by the legendary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nfl">football</a> icon — he crashed his car.
Rich Ohrnberger played for the Patriots on and off for three seasons from 2009 to 2011. One of the rules in the Patriots organization has been to never be late for a meeting or practice. One morning during his rookie year, the right guard found himself in a precarious situation with his back against the wall.
Ohrnberger, co-host of the &#8220;The Hartman and Rich O Show&#8221; in San Diego, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2022/08/05/patriots-rich-ohrnberger-bill-belichick-wrecked-car/10246737002/">recalled</a> on Thursday, “You don’t want to be the guy wandering into a squad team meeting with Bill Belichick and the rest of the squad team looking at you.&#8221;
“I wake up, my phone died overnight, and I realize I wake up to the sound of chirping birds and not my alarm going off, and I am frantic,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;I don’t even bother looking at the clock.”
&#8220;I had this sinking feeling in my stomach,” Ohrnberger said. “Like ‘I’m gonna get cut. Like, he’s not going to have me on this football team come tomorrow. What do I do?&#8217;”
That&#8217;s when he decided to make a last-ditch effort to conjure up an excuse that might not get him fired. He said he rammed his vehicle into a van.
&#8220;I see a church van in front of me that&#8217;s all dinged up. It&#8217;s got the black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. I&#8217;m like, &#8216;I&#8217;m gonna hit this car.&#8217; I&#8217;m gonna rear end this car. I&#8217;m gonna hit this car because it&#8217;s better to pay the insurance or peel off this guy a couple hundred bucks than embarrass myself for being late to this Patriots team meeting,&#8221; he explained.
Then, the NFL rookie realized that he had hit an elderly man, which he felt awful about.
&#8220;I rear end this poor old man, who by the way, was like minutes from being 100 years old,&#8221; he added.
Once Orhnberger arrived at the Patriots facility, he spoke with Belichick&#8217;s assistant before seeing his offensive line coach, Dante Scarnecchia. His boss wasn&#8217;t buying his story.
&#8220;First one in there was Dante Scarnecchia, my offensive line coach,&#8221; Ohrnberger continued. &#8220;He goes, &#8216;How&#8217;s it going, speed racer?&#8217; I was like, &#8216;What&#8217;s that?&#8217; He says, &#8216;Running a little late this morning?&#8217; I was like, &#8216;Dante, I got into an accident.&#8217; He&#8217;s like, &#8216;Yeah, yeah, yeah. That stuff may fly at IBM if you&#8217;re one of those geeks working on the computers and stuff. That stuff doesn&#8217;t work here. You be on time from now on.'&#8221;
He didn&#8217;t get fired. He went on to play for the Arizona Cardinals and San Diego Chargers before exiting the NFL after the 2014 season.

Former Patriots Player Claims He Crashed His Car To Avoid Getting Fired By Bill Belichick

Super Bowl legend Buccaneers star Rob Gronkowski announced he was retiring once again from the NFL and said he was able to walk away from professional football knowing he &#8220;gave it everything I had.&#8221;
The Pro-Bowl 33-year-old tight end of the Tampa Bay team posted a lengthy letter on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfE8oI1OhE7/">Instagram</a> Tuesday about how he dreamed in college about one day being able to play for the Buccaneers, and said the opportunity he had in Tampa Bay for the last two years was more than he ever could have hoped for.
&#8220;In college, I was asked to write about a dream job opportunity that I wanted to pursue and where the location would be,&#8221; Gronkowski wrote. &#8220;Every time I had to write about my future, no matter what, I picked being a professional football player.&#8221;
&#8220;For that assignment though, we had to pick the location,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So I wrote that I wanted to play in Tampa for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for many reasons, the sunny weather being #1. I completely forgot about writing this report until 2 years ago when I had the opportunity to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And let me tell ya, the journey in Tampa over the last 2 years has blown away what I originally wrote about in college, big time.&#8221;
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&#8220;And for this, I want to thank the whole entire first class Buccaneers organization for an amazing ride, trusting me to come back to play and help build a championship team,&#8221; Gronk continued. &#8220;I will now be going back into my retirement home, walking away from football again with my head held high knowing I gave it everything I had, good or bad, every time I stepped out on the field.&#8221;
He concluded his post by noting that the &#8220;friendships and relationships&#8221; he made there will last forever. He also wrote about the opportunity he was given to come out of retirement and win another &#8220;championship.&#8221;
The former New England Patriots star previously walked away from professional football briefly in 2018 due to injuries before coming out of retirement to join his old pal Tom Brady, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34126136/tampa-bay-buccaneers-te-rob-gronkowski-retiring-nfl-second">ESPN</a> noted. At the time, Brady had left the Patriots and signed with the Buccaneers. The pair ended up leading their team all the way to the Super Bowl and winning, beating the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2021. During his career, Gronk won four Super Bowls, three with New England and one with the Bucs.
No word yet on what his next plans will be.

Rob Gronkowski-2

‘I Gave It Everything I Had’: Super Bowl Legend Rob Gronkowski Announces He’s Retiring From NFL Again

Buccaneers’ Rob Gronkowski Announces He's Retiring From NFL Again

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eleven-year NFL veteran and three-time Super Bowl champion Matt Light announced that he’s running for a seat on the Foxborough, Massachusetts, school board after seeing what his children have gone through in the public school system. 
Light, who doesn&#8217;t align himself with a party, took major issue with the mandatory mask-wearing for children. While Foxborough schools are no longer requiring children to wear masks, Light is looking forward, for when the next thing pops up.
“I would be talking to friends of mine in the Foxborough area, where we still live, where I played for a long time, and I would be telling my friends and other family members that have kids in the school system here that ‘This isn’t right what is happening,’” Light told <a href="https://www.newsmaxtv.com/Shows/Spicer-and-Co/vid/1_hcwzr6oa">Newsmax</a>. “What our kids are going through as they go to public schools shouldn&#8217;t be happening. How is this possible?”
He calls his candidacy an opportunity to &#8220;give back&#8221; and share an unheard perspective.
“And you know it’s something that people tell me like, &#8216;hey you don’t have to worry about that anymore. It’s over,'&#8221; he <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/former-patriot-matt-light-running-for-foxboro-school-committee-time-to-serve/2691331/">said</a>, according to NBC Boston. “But what happens the next time?… And I’ve never been an anti-masker. I’ve been an anti &#8216;tell me what to do and expect me to fall in line.&#8217;”
Light will be looking to unseat either chairman Robert Canfield or Brent Ruter, who defended mask-wearing for children at school throughout the pandemic, according to <a href="https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/coronavirus/ex-patriot-matt-light-running-for-seat-on-foxboro-school-board/article_655082e6-6bd4-56fc-9b45-3b0937bdd51d.html">The Sun Chronicle</a>. Light has four children, including three who are currently going through the Foxborough school system, with the annual town election being held on May 2. 
&#8220;There’s been a lack of leadership in this country because it’s been too easy to walk away from it,” Light <a href="https://www.newsmaxtv.com/Shows/Spicer-and-Co/vid/1_hcwzr6oa">said</a> on Newsmax. “I’ve always told people, if you were the person selling tickets at Gillette Stadium when we were winning championship after championship, that’s the easiest job in the world. But when things get difficult, like we’ve seen over the last two years especially, we need our leaders to stand up and lead. That’s what we’ve lacked here. At least in Foxborough and so many other school systems across the country.”
In a guest column for The Foxboro Reporter, Light said that he’s most interested in working at the local level, where he can make the largest impact. 
“It became apparent that all of the greatest changes happen at the local level,” Light <a href="https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/coronavirus/ex-patriot-matt-light-running-for-seat-on-foxboro-school-board/article_655082e6-6bd4-56fc-9b45-3b0937bdd51d.html">wrote</a>. “The men and women who shaped our country with the freedoms we now enjoy were business owners, teachers, pastors, laborers and many others who got together to discuss the problems of the day and then put their solutions into action.”
“I actually really love the idea of working at the local level. I’m also a big fan of being part of a team and understanding my role — or as one guy used to tell me — how to ‘Do your job,’” Light <a href="https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/coronavirus/ex-patriot-matt-light-running-for-seat-on-foxboro-school-board/article_655082e6-6bd4-56fc-9b45-3b0937bdd51d.html">added</a>, referring to longtime Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
In his interview with Newsmax, Light highlighted the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of children around the country, telling Newsmax that his son has a heart condition, and that his concerns went largely unheard by the school system during the pandemic
“I want to say to everybody in Foxboro, and people throughout the country, that we cannot allow what’s happened over the last two years in this pandemic to be brushed under the rug,” Light said. “We have to hold ourselves accountable. There were too many things that happened during this pandemic that affected kids negatively, that put kids in the mental institutions, that led to suicide rates that skyrocketed. It’s too easy for our leaders — the people that were supposed to be fighting for our kids — that sat by and allowed the state to make these decisions. And gladly gave up the power at the local level so that they wouldn’t have to make a decision. That’s not leading.” 
“So, we need to make sure that we can learn from those mistakes, because there’s one thing that history has told us — we will definitely repeat these if we don’t have a real conversation,” Light continued. 
Light is a member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. He spent his entire 11-year career in New England, winning nine division championships, and going to five Super Bowls. 
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

New England Patriots v Pittsburgh Steelers

Three-Time Super Bowl Champion Running For Local School Board

Wednesday morning, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores joined the crew on ESPN’s “Get Up,” to discuss the class action lawsuit against the NFL, the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Dolphins. Flores is accusing the league of racial discrimination in its hiring practices. 
“Because we need change,” Flores <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1488899241799995396?s=20&amp;t=8i_xv-_nYs74TTEKFMMCfQ">said</a> when asked why he filed the lawsuit.  “That was the number one reason. And I know there is a sacrifice, there’s risk to that. But, at the end of the day, we need change. I know many very capable black coaches, some on my staff, who if given an opportunity, are going to go and do a great job on their interview.” 
“We need to change the hearts and minds of the people making those decisions,” Flores continued. “That’s why we filed the lawsuit.”
Flores alleges that the Giants interviewed him while already intending to hire Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, in order to satisfy the Rooney Rule requirements. 
According to NFL <a href="https://nflcommunications.com/Pages/NFL-EXPANDS-ROONEY-RULE-REQUIREMENTS-TO-STRENGTHEN-DIVERSITY.aspx">communications</a>, “the Rooney Rule is an NFL policy requiring every team with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one or more diverse candidates.”
The suit shows text messages between Flores and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, in which Belichick &#8220;mistakenly disclosed&#8221; to Flores that the Giants had decided to hire Daboll. Belichick reportedly believed he was texting Daboll instead of Flores. 
&#8220;Disbelief. Humiliation. That was a tough pill to swallow,&#8221; Flores <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33200663/brian-flores-trust-was-lost-miami-dolphins-100k-per-loss-tanking-offer-owner-stephen-ross">said</a> of his reaction to Belichick&#8217;s messages. &#8220;I have a great amount of respect for Bill and Brian Daboll &#8230; I was upset that I wasn&#8217;t getting a true opportunity to show what I can bring to a team.&#8221;
&#8220;Those text messages confirmed what a lot of us minority coaches already feel,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That we&#8217;re going into these interviews and they&#8217;re shams.&#8221;
Flores also alleges that in a 2019 interview for the Broncos head coaching position, “then-General Manager, John Elway, President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Ellis and others, showed up an hour late to the interview.”
“They looked completely disheveled, and it was obvious that they had [been] drinking heavily the night before,” the suit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-miami-dolphins-head-coach-brian-flores-sues-nfl-alleging-racial-discrimination-in-hiring-process">states</a>. “It was clear from the substance of the interview that Mr. Flores was interviewed only because of the Rooney Rule, and that the Broncos never had any intention to consider him as a legitimate candidate for the job. Shortly thereafter, Vic Fangio, a white man, was hired to be the Head Coach of the Broncos.”
In the suit, filed in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Flores makes the claim that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pressured Flores to “tank” during the 2019 season, to the point that Ross offered Flores $100,000 for each loss during the season. He also claims that “Mr. Ross began to pressure Mr. Flores to recruit a prominent quarterback in violation of League tampering rules” at the end of the 2019 season. 
Flores was fired as head coach of the Dolphins in January, following two winning seasons as head coach in Miami. It was the first back-to-back winning seasons for the organization since the 2003 season. 
Flores claims that as a result of refusing to recruit the quarterback, he was “treated with disdain and held out as someone who was noncompliant and difficult to work with.” The suit alleges that the Dolphins labeled Flores as “difficult to work with” through the media. 
&#8220;That was a conversation about not doing as much as we needed to do in order to win football games,&#8221; Flores <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33200663/brian-flores-trust-was-lost-miami-dolphins-100k-per-loss-tanking-offer-owner-stephen-ross">said</a> Wednesday. &#8220;Take a flight, go on vacation, I&#8217;ll give you $100,000 per loss — those were his exact words. I deal in truth, I tell the players this, as well. I&#8217;m gonna give you good news, bad news — but it&#8217;s going to be honest.&#8221;
&#8220;To disrespect the game like that, trust was lost, and there were certainly some strained relationships, and ultimately, I think that was my demise in Miami,&#8221; he continued. 
The Giants and Broncos have denied the allegations, as have the Dolphins. 
“We vehemently deny any allegations of racial discrimination and are proud of the diversity and inclusion throughout our organization,” the Dolphins <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brian-flores-nfl-lawsuit-racism-coaches-miami-dolphins-5cb23b8c357e0dd885b6ce791ac29bf4">said</a> in a statement. “The implication that we acted in a manner inconsistent with the integrity of the game is incorrect. We will be withholding further comment on the lawsuit at this time.”
Flores is still in the running for the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans head coaching openings.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

New York Giants v Miami Dolphins

‘We Need To Change The Hearts And Minds’: Brian Flores Discusses Lawsuit Against NFL

Buffalo Bills

On Tuesday, legendary and iconic NFL quarterback Tom Brady, who played in 10 Super Bowls and won seven, more than any player in NFL history, announced his retirement, but despite the fact that he played 20 of his 22 years with the New England Patriots and won six of his seven Super Bowl rings with the team, left them out of his announcement, instead focusing on his current team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“He thanked his Buccaneers teammates; Bucs fans; the Tampa region; Buccaneers ownership; general manager Jason Licht; head coach Bruce Arians and the rest of the coaching staff; all of the franchise’s employees; his longtime trainer Alex Guerrero; his agents Don Yee and Steve Dubin; his parents and the Brady family; and finally, his wife Gisele Bundchen and his three kids,” <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/02/01/tom-brady-retires-no-mention-of-patriots-in-announcement/?utm_source=NYPTwitter&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow">The New York Post</a> pointed out.
Several hours later, however, Brady gave a shout-out to the New England Patriots.
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<a href="https://t.co/ZUmmELuTbd">pic.twitter.com/ZUmmELuTbd</a>
&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1488522551110377481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://t.co/W4KdLqM7be">pic.twitter.com/W4KdLqM7be</a>
&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1488522661542178827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://t.co/o9tXgE1Slj">pic.twitter.com/o9tXgE1Slj</a>
&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1488522766169088008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1488522862772244484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1488522932720652292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Thank You Patriots Nation ❤️
I’m beyond grateful. Love you all. <a href="https://t.co/kXm2ET27Dk">https://t.co/kXm2ET27Dk</a>
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1488569747910406147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In 2020, when Brady left the Patriots, he thanked their fans, owner Robert Kraft, and coach Bill Belichick, writing, “FOREVER A PATRIOT,” and adding, “LOVE YOU PATS NATION.”
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FOREVER A PATRIOT <a href="https://t.co/QSBOJBs4uy">pic.twitter.com/QSBOJBs4uy</a>
&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1239895289424642050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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LOVE YOU PATS NATION <a href="https://t.co/lxSQZmnjPL">pic.twitter.com/lxSQZmnjPL</a>
&mdash; Tom Brady (@TomBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1239895697207549952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Patriots responded to the retirement announcement with a tweet saluting Brady, writing, “It was quite the ride. Thank you and congratulations.”
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It was quite the ride.
Thank you and congratulations, <a href="https://twitter.com/TomBrady?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomBrady</a>. <a href="https://t.co/0gPwUROEkz">pic.twitter.com/0gPwUROEkz</a>
&mdash; New England Patriots (@Patriots) <a href="https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1488538765450780685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Patriots owner Robert Kraft issued a statement saying:
<blockquote>Words cannot describe the feelings I have for Tom Brady, nor adequately express the gratitude my family, The New England Patriots and our fans have for Tom for all he did during his career. A generation of football fans have grown up knowing only an NFL in which Tom Brady dominated. He retires with nearly every NFL career passing record, yet the only one that ever mattered to him was the team’s win-loss record. In in 20 years as a starter his teams qualified for the playoffs 19 times. He led his teams to the 10 Super Bowls, winning an NFL record seven championships. 
In a team sport like football, it is rare to see an individual have such a dominant impact on a team’s success. You didn’t have to be a Patriots fan to respect and appreciate his competitiveness, determination and will to win that fueled his success. As a fan of football, it was a privilege to watch. As a Patriots fan, it was a dream come true. I have the greatest respect for Tom personally and always will. His humility, coupled with his drive and ambition, truly made him special. I will always feel a close bond to him and will always consider him an extension of my immediate family.</blockquote>
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A privilege to watch and a dream come true.
Statement from Robert Kraft on Tom Brady: <a href="https://t.co/YsXbvFx12d">https://t.co/YsXbvFx12d</a> <a href="https://t.co/r6zIMHKCU1">pic.twitter.com/r6zIMHKCU1</a>
&mdash; New England Patriots (@Patriots) <a href="https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1488541547754921987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement saying:
<blockquote>Tom Brady will be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play in the NFL. An incredible competitor and leader, his stellar career is remarkable for its longevity but also for the sustained excellence he displayed year after year. Tom made everyone around him better and always seemed to rise to the occasion in the biggest moments. His record five Super Bowl MVP awards and seven Super Bowl championships set a standard that players will chase for years.</blockquote>

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