Sports
Federal lawsuit by Iowa college athletes dismissed
A federal lawsuit brought by more than 35 Iowa college athletes against state investigators was dismissed Wednesday, as a judge ruled that the investigators had immunity in obtaining the athletes’ sports wagering data, even though their search would be classified as unconstitutional.
In April 2024, current and former athletes from the University of Iowa, Iowa State and Ellsworth Community College filed the lawsuit, alleging that state criminal investigators violated their constitutional rights by using geolocation software, without warrants, to track activity on their cell phones from inside the schools’ athletic facilities. The investigation resulted in some criminal charges but more so the loss of NCAA eligibility, which ended the college careers of several athletes.
Agents from Iowa’s Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation, had access to geolocation software through the Canadian company GeoComply, which tracks users from major online sportsbooks such as DraftKings and FanDuel. The athletes’ lawsuit alleged that while search warrants were obtained for their cell phones, those warrants were “invalid and unconstitutional” because the information used to justify them was acquired without a warrant.
U.S. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger wrote in her ruling that the state’s search was unconstitutional when applying Fourth Amendment principles, but that DCI investigators had qualified immunity because the plaintiffs’ rights had not been clearly established at the time of the probe. Seven Iowa officials were named in the lawsuit, including DCI special agent Brian Sanger, who spearheaded the investigation into athlete wagering.
“Plaintiffs do not cite to any controlling authority or a robust set of persuasive authority clearly establishing this right, nor could they,” Ebinger wrote. “The ability to surveil a person’s historical geolocation data using an app’s verification system is novel and courts have yet to reach a consensus on the constitutionality of such searches.”
She later added: “Because the unconstitutionality of the historical geolocation searches defendants conducted was not clearly established, defendants are entitled to qualified immunity.”
Ebinger also ruled that the state had immunity to obtain subpoenas for defendants’ information even though the search was unconstitutional, as those rights had not been established at the time. And because match fixing is a felony in Iowa, the subpoenas “did have a lawful purpose,” she wrote in the ruling.
Sixteen of the plaintiffs in the federal case faced criminal charges, and 12 of them pleaded guilty to underage gambling. Four athletes were charged with identity theft, a felony, but their cases were dismissed after prosecutors in Story County, responding to arguments raised by defense attorneys, filed a motion noting that new evidence showed state investigators “exceeded the scope of its permitted use” of GeoComply’s program.
The wagering data from athletes included a few bets on events involving their teams or others at their schools, or professional sports games. The NCAA prohibited all such wagers.
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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye made his case for the NFL MVP award on Sunday as he threw five touchdown passes in the team’s demolition of the New York Jets.
Four of Maye’s five touchdown passes came in the first half.
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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye warms up before an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
He found tight end Austin Hooper on a 2-yard touchdown pass to start the game. Then, he lit it up in the second quarter. He connected with Rhamondre Stevenson, Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry for touchdown grabs as the Patriots took a 35-3 lead into the locker room at the half.
Before he was taken out of the game, Maye found Efton Chism III for a 10-yard touchdown grab.
Maye finished the game with a perfect passer rating (157.0). He was 19-of-21 with 256 passing yards and was only sacked once. Joshua Dobbs subbed in for Maye before the game was over.
NFL LEGEND MAKES BOLD TRAVIS KELCE PREDICTION AS CHIEFS STAR MULLS FUTURE
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) is run out of bounds by New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin)
Patriots won the game, 42-10.
Maye became the first Patriots quarterback to throw five touchdown passes since Tom Brady did it in 2017. Brady did it in a win against the Houston Texans on Sept. 24, 2017. Brady had 378 passing yards in that game.
Unlike Brady, Maye isn’t putting up 300-plus yards through the air regularly. He only had one this season despite being a contender for the MVP. He did it for the first time last week against the Baltimore Ravens. He was 31-of-44 for 380 yards and two touchdowns in the 28-24 win.
The Patriots moved to 13-3 on the season with the convincing win over the Jets. It’s the first time they’ve reached at least 13 wins in a single season since the 2016 season. Brady led the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory that year.
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New England will wrap up the season at home against the Miami Dolphins next week.
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New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young made an incredible play on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward dropped back to pass in the second quarter, but the Saints’ pass rush quickly descended on him. Ward tried to make a move around one defender but didn’t see Young in his blind spot.
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New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) returns his strip for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Young ripped the ball out of Ward’s hands and took the ball to the end zone for a Saints touchdown. It helped cut their deficit to 13-10.
Young, the No. 2 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, joined the Saints after the 2023 season. He only had one fumble return for a touchdown in his career — his rookie season when he was with the Washington Commanders. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year that season.
He came into the game with seven sacks, three pass breakups and 28 tackles.
New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) celebrates his strip and touchdown return with cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
NFL LEGEND MAKES BOLD TRAVIS KELCE PREDICTION AS CHIEFS STAR MULLS FUTURE
Young’s play would be the lone highlight for the Saints’ defense in the first half. Tennessee took a 20-10 lead into the locker room after Ward bounced back with a touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor before the break.
New Orleans has struggled for most of the season, but the defense was supposed to be something to take pride in. The Saints entered the game eighth in yards allowed and 14th in points allowed.
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So far, that kind of defense hadn’t shown up in Nashville.
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk was back on the ice with the Florida Panthers on Sunday, appearing at practice for the first time this season and more than four months after he had surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
Tkachuk has not played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, when the Panthers clinched their second consecutive title by again topping the Edmonton Oilers. He went through the summer trying to rehab but eventually decided that he needed the surgery.
“He looks awesome,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “Good to see him back out there. He brought us some energy today, that’s for sure.”
Tkachuk was wearing a yellow noncontact jersey, an indication that he’s not yet ready for game action. Florida plays host to Washington on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday, then will be the home team for the NHL Winter Classic at the Miami Marlins‘ ballpark against the New York Rangers on Friday.
The Panthers are scheduled to practice at the ballpark on Thursday, but there’s no guarantee that Tkachuk will play Friday.
“There’s a whole bunch of things he’s got to get through. The question is, is there enough time,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “He might be healthy enough or close to enough that he could play, but we’re not guessing on this. … As much as we like the spectacle of it and we’d love for him to be a part of it — it would be great for the game to see him out there — the Florida Panthers need him healthy for the rest of the year.”
After the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup in June, Tkachuk revealed that he had sustained the injuries while playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He missed the final 25 games of the regular season but returned for Game 1 of the Panthers’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tkachuk had 23 points — eight goals and 15 assists — in 23 playoff games, including seven points in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers have been without a slew of key players all season, including captain Aleksander Barkov. They entered Sunday tied for the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, only five points out of the lead in the Atlantic Division.
Florida has gone through this season with the expectation that Tkachuk would be back on a “December-ish” timeline. He has said he wants to play in the Winter Classic, the Panthers’ first outdoor game, and for Team USA at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.
“We will enjoy the talent upgrade,” Maurice said. “He’s a great player. But it’s the personality more. He’s chirping on the ice, right? He’s giving it to guys. They’re laughing. He’s bringing a little joy to everyone. He’s funny on the bench. He has an incredible emotional IQ in terms of the game of hockey. When nothing needs to happen, he doesn’t do anything. When something needs to happen, he figures out the right way.”
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