Sports
Our guide to every Week 17 NFL game: Matchup previews, predictions and what’s at stake
The Week 17 NFL schedule for the 2025 season continues with some exciting matchups after an eventful Christmas Day slate of games.
On Saturday, the Texans and Chargers will face off in a rematch of last year’s wild-card game. On Sunday, the Seahawks will battle the Panthers, and the Buccaneers will head down to Miami for an intrastate matchup. Then two teams in the mix for the NFC’s No. 1 seed — the Bears and 49ers — will face each other on “Sunday Night Football.”
We have you covered with everything you need to know. Our NFL Nation reporters take you inside the locker room with the best thing they heard this week, and ESPN Research provides a key stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest. Plus, analytics writer Seth Walder makes a bold prediction for each matchup, and fantasy analyst Eric Moody shares fantasy football intel. We also have Football Power Index game projections, and three analysts — Pamela Maldonado, Moody and Walder — give us final score picks for every game.
Let’s get into the full Week 17 slate, which culminates with the “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Rams and Falcons on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)
Jump to a matchup:
HOU-LAC | BAL-GB | JAX-IND
SEA-CAR | ARI-CIN | TB-MIA
PIT-CLE | NE-NYJ | NO-TEN
NYG-LV | PHI-BUF | CHI-SF | LAR-ATL
Thursday: DAL-WSH, DET-MIN, DEN-KC
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET | NFL Network | LAC -2.5 (39.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Texans: The last time Houston played the Chargers, it sacked and intercepted QB Justin Herbert four times in the wild-card playoff game. The 2025 Texans’ defense is even better than last year’s version, so we’ll see how this plays out. Coach DeMeco Ryans called Herbert “one of the toughest quarterbacks in our league.” We’ll see how tough he can be when the NFL’s No. 1 defense rolls into L.A. — DJ Bien-Aime
What we’re hearing on the Chargers: Herbert is coming off perhaps his best game of the season in a win over the Cowboys, which he’ll look to replicate against Houston. “As far as quarterback performances go, that was a Picasso,” Harbaugh said of Herbert’s three-TD, 300-yard passing game against Dallas. — Kris Rhim
Stat to know: The Texans and Chargers rank first and third in the league, respectively, in total defense this season (Houston: 272.3 yards per game; L.A.: 283.1 ypg). — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Texans edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter will both have pass rush win rates over 35%. That’s a big number, as no one hit 35% in Week 16, let alone a pair of teammates. But Houston’s pass rushers against the Chargers’ tackles is a heck of a mismatch. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Texans can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Colts loss. There’s also a bizarre scenario where they get in if the Chiefs, Ravens, Bucs, Bills, Rams and 49ers win in Week 17. The Chargers clinched a playoff spot after the Colts’ loss to the 49ers on Monday night. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
Fantasy nugget: The Chargers might lean heavily on RB Omarion Hampton after seeing how much success Ashton Jeanty and the Raiders had against Houston last week. Since returning from injury in Week 14, Hampton has had at least 15 touches and scored at least 14 fantasy points in two of three games. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Chargers are 16-8 against the spread as favorites under Harbaugh (9-3 ATS as home favorites with three straight covers). Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Chargers 30, Texans 27
Moody’s pick: Texans 21, Chargers 17
Walder’s pick: Texans 23, Chargers 20
FPI prediction: LAC, 51.7% (by an average of 0.8 points)
Matchup must-read: Can Chargers keep up offensive momentum vs. Texans?
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET | Peacock | GB -2.5 (40.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Ravens: RB Derrick Henry needs 64 rushing yards to pass Tony Dorsett and crack the top 10 on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. The Ravens, who need a win to avoid being eliminated from playoff contention, are 17-8 (.680) when Henry rushes for 65 or more yards. The Packers are the league’s 10th-best run defense, allowing 103.8 yards per game. In two games at Lambeau Field, Henry has totaled 185 rushing yards. — Jamison Hensley
What we’re hearing on the Packers: With QBs Jordan Love (concussion) and Malik Willis (shoulder) both suffering injuries last week against the Bears, it’s worth wondering who the emergency quarterback would have been — or might be if necessary Saturday. The team’s only other quarterback (Clayton Tune) is on the practice squad and would not have been eligible to play at Chicago. Perhaps the Packers will activate Tune, but coach Matt LaFleur revealed this week that their top two emergency options are RB Josh Jacobs and WR Jayden Reed. — Rob Demovsky
Stat to know: Henry logged his 40th career game with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing TD against the Patriots, the sixth most in NFL history. With another such game, Henry would tie Jim Brown for No. 5. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell will rip off a 40-plus-yard run. Assuming the Ravens have either a banged-up Lamar Jackson (back) or a backup at QB, the team might need to rely on the ground game more than usual. While Henry is always a threat to rumble for extra yards, Mitchell has the ability to be the lightning to the veteran’s thunder and can break a big one at any moment. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Packers can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Lions loss Thursday. The Ravens would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss or a Steelers win. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
1:55
Why Mad Dog is giving Lamar a pass this season
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and Jeff Saturday debate whether Lamar Jackson should be given a pass if the Ravens miss the playoffs.
Fantasy nugget: Henry has piled up at least 90 rushing yards in three consecutive games. It would be wise for the Baltimore to lean on the run game as the Packers’ defensive front has ranked 30th in run stop win rate (26.9%) since Week 12. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Packers are 0-4 ATS after a loss this season. Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Packers 24, Ravens 22
Moody’s pick: Packers 24, Ravens 21
Walder’s pick: Packers 23, Ravens 17
FPI prediction: BAL, 50.2% (by an average of 0.2 points)
Matchup must-read: ‘No excuses’: How frustrating issues repeatedly derail the Ravens
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET | Fox | JAX -6.5 (47.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Jaguars: QB Philip Rivers‘ return is a fun story, but stopping RB Jonathan Taylor is likely the key to winning in Indianapolis, where the Jaguars have won just twice in their past 11 trips. Taylor has run for 546 yards and four touchdowns (averaging 6.4 yards per carry) in three home games against Jacksonville. The Colts are undefeated in those games. The Jaguars’ top-ranked run defense limited Taylor earlier this month to 74 yards in a 36-19 victory and might need a repeat. — Michael DiRocco
What we’re hearing on the Colts: These teams met just three weeks ago with first place in the AFC South on the line. Now, they square off in a game that can end the Colts’ ever-so-faint playoff hopes and propel the Jaguars toward a division title. The trajectory of these division rivals has shifted significantly over the course of this season, with the Jaguars on a six-game win streak and the Colts dropping their past five. For injury-plagued Indianapolis, the question is whether it can avoid a seven-game losing streak to end the season, which would presumably put organizational changes on the table — injuries or not. — Stephen Holder
Stat to know: Jaguars WR Parker Washington‘s career-high 145 receiving yards in Week 16 were the most in a game by Jacksonville player since Evan Engram had 162 in Week 14 of 2022. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: The Colts won’t record a sack. Indianapolis ranks 32nd in pass rush win rate (28.1%) and red-hot quarterback Trevor Lawrence should have plenty of clean pockets as a result. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Colts could be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss or a Texans win, or in a wild scenario where the Chiefs, Ravens, Bucs, 49ers and Rams win. The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a win and a Texans loss. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
Fantasy nugget: Lawrence finished with a season-high 31.6 fantasy points against a Broncos defense that has been stingy to opposing signal-callers. Lawrence and WRs Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers are now in a favorable spot against a Colts defense that ranks in the top eight in fantasy points per game allowed to WRs. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: Rivers has been a home underdog of at least six points only once in his career (+7 vs. the Broncos in 2013, lost by eight points). Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Jaguars 34, Colts 28
Moody’s pick: Jaguars 26, Colts 20
Walder’s pick: Jaguars 24, Colts 16
FPI prediction: JAX, 59.6% (by an average of 3.3 points)
1 p.m. ET | CBS | SEA -7.5 (42.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Seahawks: Seattle is fortunate the NFL didn’t move this game to Saturday, because it needs all the rest it can get after the overtime thriller last Thursday night. Seattle’s defense was on the field for 88 official plays against the Rams, meaning coach Mike Macdonald’s unit essentially played an extra half of a game on a short week. The Seahawks’ win gave them the inside track at the NFC West title and the conference’s top seed. But if Seattle doesn’t win Sunday, it might have to head back to Charlotte in the wild-card round. — Brady Henderson
What we’re hearing on the Panthers: Hope. Belief. That’s what coach Dave Canales said the Panthers got from Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay to stay viable in the NFC South race. That’s what will fuel them against Seattle. But don’t expect the Panthers to be watching the scoreboard for the Bucs’ matchup against the Dolphins: “We can’t afford to do that,” Canales said. — David Newton
Stat to know: In their win against the Rams, the Seahawks had the largest fourth-quarter comeback by any team versus an opponent eight games over .500 since the 1970 merger. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon will record an interception. Witherspoon has great coverage metrics this season, with a 12% target rate and 0.8 yards per coverage snap allowed, both much better than average for corners. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Panthers can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a Bucs loss. The Seahawks clinched a playoff spot in Week 16 and can clinch the NFC West with a win and losses from the 49ers and Rams. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
1:08
Seahawks coach says Sam Darnold’s confidence resonates with players
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald tells Rich Eisen about the mindset and work ethic that Sam Darnold brings to the Seattle locker room.
Fantasy nugget: In the snap distribution between Panthers RBs Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, Dowdle has handled the early-down work while Hubbard has played most of the third downs. Carolina now faces a tough Seattle in a game where the Panthers could be playing from behind. That would shift the offense toward the passing game, favoring Hubbard’s role. Combined with the Seahawks allowing the fifth-most receiving yards to RBs, Hubbard might be the better play. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Panthers are 10-1 ATS in their past 11 games as home underdogs (5-1 ATS this season). Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Seahawks 31, Panthers 13
Moody’s pick: Seahawks 24, Panthers 14
Walder’s pick: Seahawks 27, Panthers 20
FPI prediction: SEA, 68.3% (by an average of 7.1 points)
1 p.m. ET | Fox | CIN -7 (53.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Cardinals: Though WR Marvin Harrison Jr. said last week that he’ll probably play injured the rest of the season, coach Jonathan Gannon said Harrison’s reps could increase in Cincinnati. Arizona will take his heel injury day-to-day before deciding what kind of pitch count he’ll be on, just as he was last week. But the Cardinals have to balance the value he brings on the field at less than 100 percent healthy against him not being on the field at all. “If we thought that we were endangering him, we wouldn’t put him out there,” Gannon said. — Josh Weinfuss
What we’re hearing on the Bengals: All eyes for the Bengals will be centered on Cardinals TE Trey McBride. He is third in catches (109) and sixth in receiving yards (1,098) — far and away the most by a tight end this season in either category. Cincinnati is the most favorable matchup in the league in two key categories: most receiving yards (1,362) and touchdowns (15) surrendered to opposing tight ends in 2025. — Ben Baby
Stat to know: Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase has had at least 90 receiving yards in all six home games this season and reached 100 in five of those (91 yards on 12 receptions in a Week 8 loss). — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: McBride will record at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Is it even that bold considering the matchup? This is the most productive TE this season against the Bengals, who have given up by far the most receiving yards to the position. — Walder
What’s at stake: Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention, but the Cardinals have officially locked up a top-10 draft selection. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
Fantasy nugget: Bengals RB Chase Brown finished with a season-high 32.9 fantasy points last week. He faces a Cardinals defensive front that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs and that surrendered 29.8 fantasy points to Falcons’ Bijan Robinson in Week 16. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Bengals are 4-1 ATS in their past five games (3-1 ATS since QB Joe Burrow returned). Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Bengals 31, Cardinals 9
Moody’s pick: Bengals 31, Cardinals 24
Walder’s pick: Bengals 24, Cardinals 22
FPI prediction: CIN, 65.2% (by an average of 6.0 points)
1 p.m. ET | Fox | TB -5.5 (46.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Buccaneers: The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Bucs, who had one of the hottest starts in the league through the first half of the season at 6-2 but have dropped six out of their past seven games. Those losses include three straight to divisional opponents in the past three weeks. “We understand we control our own destiny, but our biggest enemy right now is us,” coach Todd Bowles said. — Jenna Laine
What we’re hearing on the Dolphins: QB Quinn Ewers gets his second start after coach Mike McDaniel said the rookie did “as much, if not more, than reasonably expected” last week. Don’t get it confused — he’s playing because McDaniel believes he gives Miami the best chance to win. This isn’t just about development with the playoffs out of the picture. As McDaniel said this week: “I don’t play Monopoly with people’s careers. When I say I think someone gives the best chance to win, I mean it out of integrity.” — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Stat to know: Dolphins RB De’Von Achane leads the NFL with 5.8 rushing yards per attempt this season. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Buccaneers RB Rachaad White will score a touchdown on a screen pass. The Bucs have run 24 screens to RBs this season, the third most in the NFL, and no team has surrendered a higher EPA per play to opponent screens (0.36) than the Dolphins. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Bucs could join the Dolphins in being eliminated from playoff contention with a loss and a Panthers win. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
2:34
Are Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel the right fit for Dolphins?
The “Get Up” crew discusses whether Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel are part of the long-term future for the Dolphins.
Injuries: Buccaneers | Dolphins
Fantasy nugget: The Dolphins’ defense has allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to WRs but still gave up 19.9 to Ja’Marr Chase in Week 16. That’s something to keep in mind for managers considering starting WRs Mike Evans or Chris Godwin Jr. However, Miami has allowed the seventh-most rushing yards per game this season, which bodes well for RB Bucky Irving. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Bucs have covered seven straight meetings against the Dolphins dating to 1997. Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Dolphins 23, Buccaneers 17
Moody’s pick: Buccaneers 27, Dolphins 23
Walder’s pick: Buccaneers 23, Dolphins 20
FPI prediction: TB, 69.1% (by an average of 7.4 points)
1 p.m. ET | CBS | PIT -3.5 (33.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Steelers: Coach Mike Tomlin laughed when asked if fourth-string LT Dylan Cook will get help blocking Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, who’s on the cusp of breaking the NFL sack record. “Everybody gets help against Myles Garrett,” he said. “I just finished watching San Francisco tape. Trent Williams got help. … It hasn’t slowed down the train. He still has got 22 sacks. … We better put schematics around [Cook]. He better play well, and we better stay out of one-dimensional passing circumstances, and you still might not stop the bomb from going off.” The Steelers have had trouble stopping Garrett in Cleveland recently, as he has recorded five sacks in Pittsburgh’s last two trips to the Dawg Pound. — Brooke Pryor
What we’re hearing on the Browns: QB Shedeur Sanders will make his first start against the Steelers in the home finale. He could join Brandon Weeden and Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the only Browns rookie QBs to beat a Tomlin-led Steelers team. “Obviously, Shedeur did not play in the first Pittsburgh game, so first time versus that group. So you really have to spend a lot of time this week getting to know this defensive front, their coverages, those types of things,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. — Daniel Oyefusi
Stat to know: Garrett is one sack shy of passing T.J. Watt in 2021 and Michael Strahan in 2001 for the most by any player in a single season since sacks became official in 1982. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell will record 60 or more receiving yards. It’s not just because of his amazing catch last week: 20% of targets against the Browns go to running backs (fifth highest), and as good as Cleveland’s defense is, it allows its fair share of yards after the catch. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Steelers can clinch a playoff berth and the AFC North with a win or a Ravens loss. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
2:01
Should the Steelers rest Aaron Rodgers if they clinch a playoff spot?
Dan Graziano and Louis Riddick explain why resting Aaron Rodgers might be a bad idea if the Steelers clinch a playoff spot with a Ravens loss.
Fantasy nugget: Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren (29.1 fantasy points) and Gainwell (23.8) delivered strong Week 16 performances, showing they can coexist in a committee behind an offensive line that ranks ninth in run block win rate (72.2%). They now face a Browns run defense that has struggled in recent weeks and just surrendered 26.4 fantasy points to the Bills’ James Cook. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Browns are 11-21 ATS as underdogs since 2023. Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Browns 31, Packers 29
Moody’s pick: Steelers 20, Browns 13
Walder’s pick: Steelers 22, Browns 19
FPI prediction: PIT, 73.6% (by an average of 8.8 points)
Matchup must-reads: Steelers’ Metcalf suspended two games for fan altercation … Browns’ Schwesinger’s path from walk-on to rookie star … Tracking sack record pace for Garrett (22!)
1 p.m. ET | Fox | NE -13.5 (42.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Patriots: DT Milton Williams practiced for the first time this week since being placed on injured reserve (ankle) four weeks ago. He hopes to be ready Sunday, which would bring much-needed help to a position group that could be without Khyiris Tonga (foot) and Joshua Farmer (hamstring). “I’m feeling good,” Williams said earlier in the week. “Just have to see how it responds. If all goes well, it will be a good thing for the Patriots.” — Mike Reiss
What we’re hearing on the Jets: Despite profound struggles, undrafted rookie QB Brady Cook will remain the starter. In 11 quarters of playing time, he has six interceptions, three fumbles (one lost), 17 sacks and only two touchdown drives. Coach Aaron Glenn has acknowledged that Cook holds on to the ball too long but added, “All of our hands are bloody.” By that, he means everyone — players and coaches — has to do a better job of helping Cook, whose inexperience is glaring. — Rich Cimini
Stat to know: With another road win Sunday at the Jets, the Patriots’ Drake Maye would become the only starting QB under 24 years old to win eight road games in a season since starts were first tracked in 1950. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Jets DT Jowon Briggs will record a sack for the second straight game. Maye is having an MVP-caliber season but sacks have been an area of weakness. He has taken sacks on 8.3% of dropbacks, higher than average. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Jets have already been eliminated from playoff contention. The Patriots can clinch the AFC East with a win and a Bills loss. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
Fantasy nugget: The Patriots have averaged 148 rushing yards per game over their past three contests, the sixth most in the league. New England would be wise to lean on its running game against a Jets defense allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to RBs. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: Home underdogs of seven-plus points are 63-37 ATS over the past five seasons (11-7 ATS this season, 4-14 outright). Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Patriots 35, Jets 10
Moody’s pick: Patriots 27, Jets 16
Walder’s pick: Patriots 24, Jets 12
FPI prediction: NE, 71.4% (by an average of 8.5 points)
1 p.m. ET | CBS | NO -2.5 (39.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Saints: New Orleans is trying to go for its fourth straight win with a roster that continues to get depleted by injuries. Coach Kellen Moore has already ruled out TE Foster Moreau (ankle) and DT Bryan Bresee (knee). The status of RB Alvin Kamara remains up in the air as he has missed four games with a knee injury. Rookie RB Devin Neal (hamstring) was put on IR last week, which paved the way for Taysom Hill to have a big game in the home finale. — Katherine Terrell
What we’re hearing on the Titans: QB Cam Ward is riding a three-game streak with multiple touchdown passes. He has six TD passes over his past three games after posting seven over the first 12. It’s no coincidence Tennessee is 2-1 over the recent stretch, and the team got help from the run game as well. “It was made very easy,” Ward said of the run game’s impact on him as a passer. “Tony [Pollard], the O-line, the run game, that’s why we’re trending upwards. We’ve just got to continue to play complementary football, help the defense out and continue to be balanced on offense.” Pollard posted 100-yard rushing games in each of the past three weeks. — Turron Davenport
Stat to know: Saints QB Tyler Shough has completed at least 60% of his passes in each of his first seven career starts. If he can make it eight, he will tie Joe Burrow for the third-longest such streak to start a career since at least 1950, when QB starts were first tracked. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: The Saints will hold the Titans to under four yards per carry. The Titans have been running the ball well over the past couple of weeks, but the Saints rank fifth in EPA allowed per designed run and lead the league in run stop win rate (36.6%) over the past two weeks. — Walder
What’s at stake: Both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
1:37
Can Saquon find success vs. Buffalo defense?
Jeff Saturday and Louis Riddick discuss what Saquon Barkley can do against a Bills defense that has struggled to stop the run.
Fantasy nugget: Saints WR Chris Olave posted season highs in targets (16) and fantasy points (36.8) last week and is well-positioned for another big performance against a Titans defense that has allowed the fourth-most receiving yards per game to WRs. TE Juwan Johnson, who finished with 16.9 fantasy points last week, is also in a favorable spot, as he and Olave lead the Saints in targets. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Titans are 9-23 ATS since the start of last season, the worst record in the NFL. Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Titans 27, Saints 24
Moody’s pick: Saints 21, Titans 17
Walder’s pick: Saints 26, Titans 16
FPI prediction: NO, 56.0% (by an average of 2.4 points)
Matchup must-reads: Saints’ Hill reflects on ‘special day’ with his future uncertain … Saints’ Olave said he contemplated retirement last year
4:05 p.m. ET | CBS | LV -1.5 (41.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Giants: This game may be looked at as the fight for the No. 1 overall pick, but the Giants are more interested in snapping a nine-game losing streak. Another loss ties the franchise record of 10 straight losses, which was set last season. “I really don’t think we talk about that part too much about the draft positioning and wanting a certain pick or anything like that,” WR Wan’Dale Robinson said. “I think we just want to go out there and play our best football and go out there and get a win.” — Jordan Raanan
What we’re hearing on the Raiders: Does coach Pete Carroll care if a win weakens the team’s chances of claiming the No. 1 pick? Of course not. Las Vegas made strides offensively in last week’s loss. Carroll wants to build on that performance to snap the Raiders’ own nine-game skid. “I’m not really that concerned about any of that, and I don’t think you want me to be,” Carroll said. “We’re going to go play and play the best we can play and see what happens.” — Ryan McFadden
Stat to know: Raiders QB Geno Smith‘s 15 interceptions this season are tied for the most in the NFL (with Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa). — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Giants QB Jaxson Dart will record a QBR over 60. He’s coming off a game in which he recorded a 4.7, with an inefficient day off of a conservative game plan against the Vikings. I’m willing to bank that was defense specific, and the Giants will let him loose against Las Vegas. — Walder
What’s at stake: ESPN Analytics gives the Giants a 61% chance to win in Week 17, which would put the Raiders in a prime position to earn the top pick in April’s draft. Entering Week 16, Las Vegas had a 39% chance to earn the No. 1 overall pick. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
Fantasy nugget: Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty finished with 25 touches and 31.8 fantasy points last week, his second-highest total. The timing is ideal, as the Raiders now face a Giants defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to RBs. Jeanty should be able to capitalize on the soft matchup. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Giants are 1-5 ATS against teams with losing records this season. Read more. — ESPN Research
Maldonado’s pick: Giants 20, Raiders 19
Moody’s pick: Giants 24, Raiders 20
Walder’s pick: Giants 27, Raiders 14
FPI prediction: NYG, 53.4% (by an average of 1.5 points)
Matchup must-reads: NFL execs, coaches: What is the state of the Giants roster?
4:25 p.m. ET | Fox | BUF -1.5 (43.5 O/U)
What we’re hearing on the Eagles: This matchup features two of the NFL’s most prolific rushing QBs in Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen. Hurts has been more selective with his feet this season and is on pace for career lows for rushing attempts and yards since taking over as the full-time starter in 2021. He has stepped it up of late, though, rushing 14 times for 79 yards over the past two games. Expect that trend to continue as the stakes rise around playoff time. — Tim McManus
What we’re hearing on the Bills: RB James Cook III has the lead in the battle for the rushing title (1,532) over the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor (1,489), and continuing his success on the ground could go a long way against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Eagles have allowed 123.5 rushing yards per game (21st) and given up first downs on 27.6% of rushes (27th). “[Cook] had some big games last year, but the look in his eye each week, the intensity that he shows up with, it’s really been influential on our whole football team,” coach Sean McDermott said. “Guys see that. That’s kind of a little bit unique for a running back position player to have that type of impact on the whole team.” — Alaina Getzenberg
Stat to know: In 2023’s Week 12 battle between these two teams, Hurts and Allen both finished with multiple passing touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns, marking the first game in NFL history where opposing players accomplished that feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. — ESPN Research
Bold prediction: Allen will rush for at least 60 yards. The Bills receivers are going to be outmatched by the Eagles in this game, so it could fall even more than usual on the shoulders of Allen to generate production. — Walder
What’s at stake: The Eagles have clinched a playoff berth and the NFC East. If the Bills lose, they will be out of contention for the AFC East title, but have still clinched a playoff berth. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research
Fantasy nugget: The Bills’ defensive front has allowed the third-most rushing yards per game and now has to deal with Eagles RB Saquon Barkley, who has logged at least 20 touches and 17 fantasy points in three consecutive games. Barkley remains the focal point of a Philadelphia offense that’s finally settling into an identity with the playoffs approaching. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody Betting nugget: The Eagles are 5-0 outright as underdogs since the start of last season, including playoffs (4-0 in regular season). Read more. — ESPN Research Maldonado’s pick: Eagles 19, Bills 16 Matchup must-reads: ‘Been there, won that’: Eagles clinch NFC East again … Will Bills defense’s reliance on second-half adjustments be Achilles’ heel in playoffs? 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock | SF -3 (51.5 O/U) What we’re hearing on the Bears: The Bears clinched their spot in the postseason after beating the Packers and seeing the Lions lose to the Steelers. That’s step No. 1 for coach Ben Johnson, who long preached the need to get to 11 wins to get into the playoffs. The Bears can wrap up the NFC North on Sunday and are still in play for the No. 1 seed. All it takes is wins over the Niners and Lions, coupled with Seattle losing one of its remaining two games (at Carolina and versus San Francisco). “There’s a million things that we have to continue to work on and we’re still playing meaningful football right here and right now,” Johnson said. — Courtney Cronin What we’re hearing on the 49ers: San Francisco has won five straight games by double digits and clinched a playoff spot, but Chicago will be one of its toughest tests since both teams are fighting for the No. 1 seed. What’s more, this game offers a good test of where both teams stack up in the wide-open NFC. “The challenge is just winning one game at a time and try to be the best that we can going into the playoffs,” QB Brock Purdy said. “We know what’s at stake with the first seed and all that, but we can’t get our minds wrapped around just that. … So, we have to be locked in.” — Nick Wagoner Stat to know: The Bears have six wins after trailing in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter this season, the most by any team in a season since the 1970 merger. — ESPN Research Bold prediction: These two teams will combine for at least 70 points. If the Bears can’t generate turnovers, then there will be very few stops in this game. This is also due to how well the Bears run the ball and the 49ers pass the ball, plus the weaknesses of both defenses (turnovers aside, for Chicago). — Walder What’s at stake: The Bears can clinch the NFC North with a win or a Packers loss. The 49ers have clinched a playoff berth. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research Fantasy nugget: The Bears defense just held the Packers offense scoreless on 10 plays inside the 10-yard line. This is something to keep in mind for managers starting 49ers players like Purdy, RB Christian McCaffrey, WR Jauan Jennings or TE George Kittle. Don’t bench them, but the matchup is tougher than it might appear. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody Betting nugget: The 49ers are 4-1 ATS this season when the line is between +3 and -3 (5-0 straight-up). Read more. — ESPN Research Maldonado’s pick: 49ers 44, Bears 23 Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN | LAR -8.5 (49.5 O/U) What we’re hearing on the Rams: RG Kevin Dotson is doubtful to play this week, coach Sean McVay said. Dotson left the Rams’ loss to the Seahawks with an ankle injury and was in a walking boot and on crutches after the game. “It’ll be hard for him to make it this week,” McVay said. Dotson ranks 25th out of 62 qualifying guards in run block win rate (71%). — Sarah Barshop What we’re hearing on the Falcons: Coach Raheem Morris once had to go head-to-head with Rams QB Matthew Stafford every day in practice, so he knows what’s in store for Atlanta. Morris referred to Stafford as “weapon X” this week and said Stafford is “probably the MVP.” The Falcons have to be wary, because though they are second in the league in sacks (50) — their highest total since 1997 — Stafford has been sacked the ninth-fewest times (19) among qualified QBs. — Marc Raimondi Stat to know: Assuming he starts on Monday, Falcons OT Jake Matthews would tie the fourth-longest streak for consecutive starts by an offensive lineman since the 1970 merger, according to Elias. — ESPN Research Bold prediction: The Rams will score at least 42 points. If they can put up 37 (granted, with overtime) against the Seahawks defense, then there’s no limit against a normal defense. The Falcons are the second-most blitz-heavy defense in the league (36%) and the Rams are even more efficient passing against the blitz (0.30 EPA/P) than they are otherwise. — Walder What’s at stake: The Falcons have been eliminated from playoff contention, and the Rams have already clinched a berth. See Playoff Machine. — ESPN Research Fantasy nugget: The Rams backfield has evolved into a committee between Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Corum has logged at least 11 touches in three straight games and scored at least 13 fantasy points in each. He has also found the end zone in four consecutive games, putting him in a strong spot against a middle-of-the-road Falcons defensive front. See Week 17 rankings. — Moody Betting nugget: Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is 5-10 outright and ATS on “Monday Night Football,” but he is 5-1 outright and ATS in his past six instances in that role (2-0 with Falcons). Read more. — ESPN Research Maldonado’s pick: Rams 34, Falcons 24 Matchup must-reads: Rams falter against Seahawks, take a hit in NFC standings
Moody’s pick: Bills 28, Eagles 24
Walder’s pick: Bills 24, Eagles 21
FPI prediction: BUF, 50.3% (by an average of 0.0 points)
Moody’s pick: 49ers 30, Bears 17
Walder’s pick: 49ers 40, Bears 30
FPI prediction: SF, 61.4% (by an average of 4.4 points)
Moody’s pick: Rams 31, Falcons 20
Walder’s pick: Rams 42, Falcons 20
FPI prediction: LAR, 71.6% (by an average of 8.7 points)
Sports
Travis Kelce addresses retirement question once more after playing potential final Chiefs home game
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Kansas City Chiefs fans are usually amped for a playoff run as the regular season comes to a close, but Christmas night at Arrowhead Stadium didn’t have those implications as they won’t be making the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Yet, it was an emotional night as a cornerstone of the franchise perhaps played his final home game.
Tight end Travis Kelce walked off the grass on GEHA Field following the 20-13 loss with one of those familiar, take-it-all-in moments that veterans who might be calling it quits on their storied career do. He high-fived fans as he walked to the tunnel and likely heard a bunch of kudos, appreciation and pure admiration despite the result of the game.
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Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs is introduced prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Eric Thomas/Getty Images)
Kelce, who finished with five catches for 36 yards as third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun played due to multiple knee injuries for Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew, is expected to announce his intentions, if any, to play in 2026.
Retirement has always been in the cards, and he’s admitted that he would let the Chiefs know his intentions before the new league year begins in March.
“A whole lot of emotions,” Kelce said at the podium during a post-game press conference, per ESPN. “You’ve got everybody in the world watching you. You get to go out there with the young guys on prime-time television. Young guys getting an opportunity to taste what this NFL life is like.”
TRAVIS KELCE HELD WITHOUT TOUCHDOWN IN POSSIBLE FINAL HOME GAME AS BRONCOS NARROWLY TOP CHIEFS
Of course, reporters had to follow up on what Kelce might do with his career.
“I’ll let that be a decision I’ll make with my family, friends, the Chiefs organization when the time comes,” he replied.
Kelce was introduced before the game along with the rest of his offensive teammates, and the Arrowhead Stadium crowd erupted, understanding the circumstances of what they were potentially witnessing.
It’s those moments since the very beginning of his career, which now has three Super Bowl rings on the shelf along with a likely trip to Canton, Ohio, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that Kelce never takes for granted.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates after catching a run during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)
“You only get a few of those where you get to stand there and appreciate [60,000], 70,000 Chiefs fans cheering for you,” he explained. “I always embrace that moment.
“You feel the generations of happiness and the love that [the fans] have. It’s a beautiful thing, man.”
Kelce’s fiancee, music megastar Taylor Swift, was present to watch her future husband in his element in Kansas City for what could be the final time.
Before their relationship took the world by storm, Kelce’s stardom quickly rose on that field, catching 645 passes during Chiefs home games, including many playoff bouts on their way to Vince Lombardi trophies.
The Chiefs will end the 2025 season, a disappointing one by their standards, on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders, where there is a question whether Kelce will even play. He does need just 10 yards to hit 13,000 for his career.
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If he doesn’t play, Kelce would finish with 839 yards and five touchdowns on 73 catches in 16 games. And then fans will start to look at what his final career stats could potentially be, including the second-most receiving yards by a tight end in league history at 12,990.
But it’s currently all just potential. Kelce knows a decision must be made, but it will be on his time as he sits through the pros and cons of playing in what would be his 14th NFL season.
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Then see how your choice ranks and share the results with your friends.
Check back each day this week to pick your Most Memorable Moments of 2025.
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Someway, somehow, “What is a woman?” became one of this decade’s defining cultural questions. And now, the nation is in a full-scale legislative war over the argument of whether males should be allowed to play women’s and girls’ sports.
In 2025, that war escalated to historic heights.
President Donald Trump returned to office and unleashed a volley of countermeasures to “save women’s sports.” But many Democrats fought back, even as a majority of their base sided with Trump on the issue, per multiple polls.
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And on the front lines, activists, athletes, celebrities and journalists dug a deepening cultural divide. Emotional arguments made their way to school board meetings, live interviews, the chambers of the capitol building, and plenty of social media threads.
January
Weeks before Trump’s inauguration, The New York Times put out a poll that found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don’t think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women’s sports.
“Thinking about transgender female athletes — meaning athletes who were male at birth but who currently identify as female — do you think they should or should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports?” the survey asked. Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports.
Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE
It was seen as one of the scapegoat issues highlighted for the Democrats’ sweeping 2024 election defeat.
One of the first bills the GOP-controlled House of Representatives passed in the new year was the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” on Jan. 14, which sought to establish a national policy that only females could compete in women’s and girls’ sports at tax-payer-funded institutions.
The bill passed the House with the support of two Democrat representatives. But party leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were hard nos, making unsubstantiated arguments that the bill would somehow enable sexual predators to give genital exams to children. No language in the bill included any mention of genital exams.
The argument proved to alienate some Democrat voters, as the party saw waning public support and net losses in voter registration throughout the first month of the year.
February
Trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order on Feb. 5 to tackle the issue, as the bill wouldn’t reach the Senate for another month and a half.
The NCAA complied the very next day, changing its policy to only allow biological females to compete in women’s sports across the college sports landscape.
But a handful of Democrat-controlled states did not comply, and instructed their public schools to continue following state policy that allows males in girls’ sports. California, Maine, Minnesota and Illinois were among those states.
Maine’s defiance of the order allowed for almost immediate consequences, when a trans athlete won an indoor girls’ track and field state championship. The incident ignited attention from the Trump administration and a heated political feud within the state.
Maine lawmaker Laurel Libby was censured by the Democrat-controlled state legislature, and quickly became a symbol for conservative resistance in the state.
Trump engaged in an in-person spat with Gov. Janet Mills during a bipartisan meeting of governors at the White House on Feb. 21 after threatening to cut funding from the state. There, Mills defied Trump’s order to enforce the executive order right to his face, so the president threatened to cut federal funding to Maine right to her face. Trump’s department of Education launched a Title IX investigation into the state later that day.
But some Democrat-controlled states, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, complied with the order, passing reforms to their high school policies that complied to only allow females in girls’ sports.
March
Senate Democrats united to block the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” on March 3, via the filibuster. It left the floodgates open for states to defy Trump’s executive order, and ensured thousands of American public schools continued to let males in girls’ sports.
Minnesota’s legislature blocked a similar bill that would have protected girls’ sports on the state level that same week.
Later that week, at Trump’s Joint Address to Congress, former girls’ high school volleyball player Payton McNabb was a guest attendant, sitting right next to second lady Usha Vance. When Trump introduced McNabb and her story of suffering permanent brain damage when she was spiked in the face by a transgender opponent, only the GOP side of the room applauded her. The Democrats remained seated and silent.
It was one of the many controversial points of etiquette exhibited by Democrats during the speech, alongside not applauding childhood cancer patient DJ Daniels, and Rep. Al Green, D-Tex., being escorted out for shouting and pointing his cane at Trump early in the speech.
Just days after that, California Gov. Gavin Newsom threw a wrench into the debate when he, as one of the top figures within the Democrat party, hosted Charlie Kirk on his podcast and admitted to believing trans athletes in women’s sports was “deeply unfair.”
The comments pushed the conversation around the
Meanwhile, the feud within Maine had only just begun.
Libby filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn her censure on March 11. It would eventually go all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Trump administration made a series of unmet ultimatums with Maine’s educational agencies. Behind the scenes, Maine’s Department of Education was actively instructing schools not to follow Trump’s executive order, as seen in public records obtained by Fox News Digital. By the end of the month, the state had been referred to the Department of Justice after noncompliance.
The March exchanges between Trump and Maine even included a temporary funding freeze to the Maine University System, before the system proved that it hadn’t been allowing males in women’s sports, and wouldn’t be going forward in compliance with the NCAA’s new policy.
But another institution got a much more consequential funding freeze.
The University of Pennsylvania saw $175 million in federal funds frozen as part of an investigation into the state’s handling of infamous trans swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022. It would be one big domino in reaching a historic resolution, which came later in the year.
April
On the first day of April, California’s Democrat-controlled state legislature blocked two bills that would have banned males from girls’ sports in the state.
Every Democrat voted against it, with Assembly member Rick Chavez Zbur arguing that one of the bills “is really reminiscent to me of what happened in Nazi Germany in the 1930s.” Zbur said this while in the presence of a descendant of a holocaust survivor, who had to excuse herself from the chamber, according to GOP Assembly member Kate Sanchez.
Newsom, who had admitted he didn’t think males in girls’ sports was fair the previous month, told reporters he “didn’t pay any attention” to the bills the following day.
“Well, I didn’t pay any attention to the committee yesterday. I was, literally, spent most of the day talking about LA fire recovery with our teams. And progress is being made there, by the way, but we’re starting to run up into some of those ‘abundance’ conversations around permitting that’s already starting to take shape, where most of my focus was yesterday,” Newsom said.
Meanwhile, April 1 also saw the neighboring state of Nevada’s high school sports league take action to change its policies to ban trans athletes from high school sports, complying with Trump’s
On the second day of April, a budding hero was born when footage of fencer Stephanie Turner kneeling to protest a trans opponent at a USA Fencing event went viral. Turner was penalized and disqualified for refusing to face the trans athlete, and became a sudden martyr at the heart of the national “save women’s sports” movement.
Turner’s protest became a global news story that ignited widespread backlash against USA Fencing and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). It would eventually culminate in a federal investigation and hearing the following month.
And on that same day, Trump’s administration cut USDA funding directly to Maine, escalating the ongoing feud with the state.
Just two days after that, the Department of Education and Department of Justice announced it would be jointly launching a Title IX task forced dedicated to protection of women’s and girls’ sports and private spaces across the country. The move sent a message that the Trump administration was doubling-down on addressing the issue, as states continued to defy the White House.
On April 16, the Trump DOJ announced it was suing Maine for refusing to comply with Trump’s executive order. Turner was present at the press conference to announce the lawsuit. The suit is set for its first hearing in January.
Later that month, Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison went on the offensive, announcing he was suing Trump and the DOJ in order to protect the state’s policies that allow males in girls’ sports.
May
On May 7, the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) brought the legislative war to the halls of congress with a hearing titled “Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” Marjorie Taylor Greene used the platform to hammer national governing bodies, specifically subpoenaing USA Fencing Board Chair Damien Lehfeldt.
Lehfeldt, who had previously avoided voluntary testimony, was forced to defend his organization’s inclusion policies while sitting just feet away from fencer Stephanie Turner and former volleyball player Payton McNabb.
The hearing put the growing partisan rift on display. Republicans tore into Lehfeldt’s social media history and the organization’s policy, while lauding McNabb and Turner as heroes for their activism. Democrats didn’t direct any questions toward Turner or McNabb, and instead only made exchanges with other witnesses in defense of policies that enable trans inclusion, while also criticizing Trump on other issues.
On May 20, the Supreme Court ruled in the legal battle between Libby and Maine’s Democrat-controlled legislature. In a 7-2 emergency ruling, the High Court ordered the Maine House to immediately restore Libby’s voting rights, which had been stripped since February after she refused to issue a “forced apology” for a social media post identifying a transgender athlete.
Libby, who had been silenced for over 80 days and missed hundreds of legislative votes, including on the state budget, hailed the decision in an interview with Fox News Digital as a “civil rights win” for both her constituents and for women’s sports advocates nationwide.
On the high school front, the spring sports season saw multiple controversies garner national attention as trans athletes advanced to state championships in multiple girls’ sports.
In Minnesota, a trans softball pitcher garnered national notoriety amid dominant performances throughout the season and going into the playoffs, and prompted a lawsuit by three anonymous female players.
In California, a trans track and field athlete’s dominance caused postseason meets to devolve into political rallies. As the athlete progressed through the postseason, and close to a championship, the situation eventually caught Trump’s attention.
On May 27, Trump escalated the situation with a Truth Social, writing a “transitioned male athlete” was “practically unbeatable” and called the situation “NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.” He even wrote that he was “ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow” the athlete to compete and threatened to cut off California’s federal funding “maybe permanently” if the state didn’t fall in line.
Within hours of Trump’s post, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) buckled under the pressure, announcing a desperate “pilot entry process” for the state championships. The new rule dictated that any “biological female” who narrowly missed qualifying because of a transgender competitor would be allowed to compete anyway. Furthermore, the CIF declared that if a trans athlete won a medal, the highest-finishing biological girl would also receive a gold medal.
The rule change would result in shared podium finishes when the athlete ultimately won two gold medals and one silver at the state championships in Clovis on the final day of May, capping off a championship meet that featured multiple competing protests, an airplane banner that advocated for the protection of girls’ sports, and even the arrest of a pro-trans protester for alleged assault of an opposing protester.
June
In the aftermath of the track championships, on June 2, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Trump DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, issued a hard June 9 deadline for every public school district in California to “certify in writing” that they would not follow the state’s gender identity rules.
Meanwhile in Minnesota, the transgender pitcher was leading a dominant postseason run, securing their school’s first-ever state tournament berth with a shutout victory in the sectional final.
The trans athlete would go on to lead their team to the state title, and the online reaction would domino into a much larger cultural event.
On June 9, Olympic gymnastics legend Simone Biles ignited a viral social media feud with Riley Gaines. Reacting to the Minnesota controversy and Gaines’s advocacy, Biles posted a scathing message on X, calling Gaines “truly sick” and suggesting she “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”
The post backfired on Biles, drawing a mountain of backlash from conservative athletes and fans who accused Biles of abandoning the very women she inspired. Biles’ own former Olympic teammate, MyKayla Skinner, even publicly condemned Biles as a “bully.”
Biles ultimately settled for apologizing to Gaines.
Amid the chaos of the feud, it was revealed that USA Gymnastics deleted its transgender participation policy. It foreshadowed a much larger change that would come to USA Gymnastics the following month.
July
On July 1, the University of Pennsylvania reached a resolution agreement with the Trump administration’s Department of Education after a Title IX compliance battle rooted in the Lia Thomas controversy. UPenn agreed to bar transgender athletes from women’s teams and to revise its women’s swimming record books, erasing Thomas’s marks from the program’s history.
The settlement carried a blunt political message: if an elite university could be forced to retroactively “correct” what the government said was a Title IX violation, any school in the country could be next.
San Jose State University, which was embroiled in a similar national controversy in 2024 over Blaire Fleming, has also been under investigation since February. SJSU came under heavy scrutiny in July amid Fox News Digital reporting of how an investigation into misconduct allegations was carried out.
The White House, Department of Justice and multiple members of congress condemned the handlers that enabled the situation at SJSU.
On July 3, the U.S. Supreme Court of the United States agreed to take up multiple high-profile cases involving state bans on transgender athletes. The cases — Little v. Hecox from Idaho and West Virginia v. B.P.J. from West Virginia — asked the justices to decide whether laws prohibiting transgender girls and women from competing in girls’ and women’s sports violate the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause and federal civil rights law, Title IX.
On July 9, just like it had against Maine in April, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education (CDE) and the CIF, alleging that the state’s policies allowing transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports violated Title IX.
The lawsuit also clarified what the Trump administration wanted the fight to be about: not just “sports fairness,” but civil rights enforcement.
Arguably the biggest quake of the year on the issue happened on July 21. That day, the USOPC updated its athlete safety policies to comply with Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order.
USA Fencing, the subject of widespread criticism after Turner’s protest, was one of the first US Olympic organizations to publicly announce it had updated its gender eligibility policy to comply with the USOPC’s new guidance.
By the end of July, the movement to “save women’s sports” had all the momentum. But resistance remained.
August
On Aug. 1, Wagner College quietly reached a resolution with the Trump administration to address the fact that the school rostered the transgender fencer that Turner protested earlier in the year. The private Staten Island school agreed to revise its athletic policies to comply with the administration’s interpretation of Title IX, barring males from women’s teams and aligning itself with the NCAA’s updated standards, similar to the resolution with UPenn.
The Wagner resolution was notable not because of the school’s size or athletic profile, but because it reinforced a growing pattern: universities were increasingly choosing settlement over resistance.
But resistance came via the trans athletes themselves.
A pair of trans athletes began to file their own lawsuits against institutions in response to allegedly being kept out of women’s events. Trans athlete Evelyn Parts sued Swarthmore College for alleged removal from the women’s track and field team, but the lawsuit also claimed Parts was added back onto the team later in the season, despite the NCAA’s new guidelines.
Another trans athlete sued a smaller school that was not part of the NCAA, Westcliff University and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA), alleging removal from the women’s volleyball team.
Later in the month, Trump suggested that the U.S would push for mandatory gender testing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, framing the move as a necessary safeguard to protect women’s sports on the world stage.
The statement marked the administration’s clearest signal yet that its definition of sex would not stop at American schools or governing bodies, but would be carried into global competition.
That philosophy went into effect on the global level that same month. World Boxing, the international governing body for the sport of boxing, announced a new policy mandating sex testing to ensure only females compete in the women’s category.
The change came a year after the world watched Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, two boxers who previously failed sex tests, win women’s Olympic boxing gold medals in Paris, prompting global backlash.
September
Two girls’ high school volleyball players in California thrust their school district into a national spotlight when they stepped away from their team in protest of a trans athlete, and later filed a lawsuit against the school district over their alleged experience with the trans athlete over the previous three years.
One of the girls, a Muslim American, added a new layer to the debate by pointing out that sharing a locker room with, and changing in front of, a male was a violation of her religious beliefs. Many critics on social media pointed out how the Democrats’ ongoing support of trans athletes in girls’ sports was now also compromising a person who belonged to a group they also claimed to champion in recent years.
Newsom’s office ultimately addressed the situation and suggested the state’s growing wave of trans athletes competing in girls’ sports, and opposition to it, was not his responsibility.
“CIF is an independent nonprofit that governs high school sports. The California Department of Education is a separate constitutional office. Neither is under the Governor’s authority. CIF and the CDE have stated they follow existing state law — a law that was passed in 2013 and signed by Governor Jerry Brown (not Newsom) and in line with 21 other states. For the law to change, the legislature would need to send the Governor a bill. They have not,” Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital.
Another high-profile Democrat distanced themselves from the topic that same month. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, in her book “107 Days” set the record straight on her stance on the issue.
“I agree with the concerns expressed by parents and players that we have to take into account biological factors such as muscle mass and unfair student athletic advantage when we determine who plays on which teams, especially in contact sports,” Harris wrote.
Toward the end of the month, a lawsuit brought by Gaines and a group of other current and former female college athletes against the NCAA over their experience competing against Thomas and other trans athletes reached a crucial procedural turning point.
U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson issued a ruling on Sept. 25 that dismissed most of the plaintiffs’ claims against the NCAA and other defendants, but allowed a central Title IX claim against the NCAA to proceed to the next phase of litigation.
Gaines’ attorney Bill Bock told Fox News Digital that a key condition to settle the lawsuit would be the NCAA agreeing to a consent decree.
October
In early October, a coalition of Minnesota school board members launched a formal appeal to state authorities to bar transgender athletes assigned male at birth from competing in girls’ sports, urging compliance with a recent federal Title IX finding that the state’s inclusive policy violated federal nondiscrimination standards.
Signers — representing roughly 40 school districts across the state — sent a letter to the Minnesota Department of Education, the Minnesota State High School League, the state attorney general, and the governor calling for state policies to align with the federal government’s position and avoid the loss of education funding.
Minnesota had been one of the states most resistant to complying with Trump on the issue, and dying on that hill was starting to garner backlash from educators within the state, just as it had in Maine and California.
Weeks later, the Supreme Court cases set to define the future of transgender athlete bans continued moving forward. In Little v. Hecox, a federal judge rejected an attempt by transgender plaintiff Lindsay Hecox to dismiss the case before the justices could rule, despite arguments that the dispute was moot. The decision ensured Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act would remain before the Supreme Court alongside West Virginia v. B.P.J.
Culturally, the movement to “save women’s sports” gained another high-profile ally. Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner announced she had joined XX-XY Athletics, a brand and advocacy group dedicated to protecting women’s sports based on biological sex.
In late October, USOPC leadership publicly acknowledged that sex-testing policies used internationally were being discussed at the highest levels, while stopping short of endorsing mandatory testing in the U.S. The comments signaled that even as the administration pushed for harder biological standards ahead of the 2028 Olympics, Olympic leadership remained cautious — aware the global and legal stakes were only rising.
Then, in the final days of the month, seemingly out of nowhere, Ocasio-Cortez went after Gaines, who had just given birth, in a series of disparaging social media posts.
Gaines initially posted a photo featuring Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Gaines wrote, “We’re being destroyed from within.”
Ocasio-Cortez responded, “Maybe if you channeled all this anger into swimming faster you wouldn’t have come in fifth,” referencing Gaines’ fifth-place tie with Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships.
Ocasio-Cortez later suggested Gaines should “get a real job.”
Gaines challenged the congresswoman to a debate on the subject, to which Ocasio-Cortez never accepted.
November
Early in November, reports indicated the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was actively considering changes to its transgender eligibility framework, moving away from its long-standing hands-off approach that left decisions to individual sports.
The shift came amid growing pressure from international federations that had already adopted sex-based eligibility rules, and with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics looming.
On Capitol Hill, 130 congressional Democrats filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court urging justices to strike down state laws barring transgender athletes from women’s sports. The brief argued such bans violated Title IX and equal protection, formally aligning Democratic leadership with the legal effort to preserve trans inclusion as the high court prepared to hear the lawsuits of Idaho and West Virginia.
The list of signees included Ocasio-Cortez, Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi and other members of the Democrat party’s left wing like Ilhan Omar and Jasmine Crockett.
The Democrats who had suffered so much scrutiny for dying on the hill of trans athletes in women’s sports dating back to the last election cycle weren’t backing down. They doubled-down.
At a World’s Strongest Woman–affiliated competition, backlash erupted after a transgender athlete competed in the women’s division. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into the event, examining whether allowing a male athlete to compete violated state law.
Meanwhile, USA Fencing, which had been the target of months-long backlash following the Turner incident, put out a statement suggesting it was looking to turn the page after a change to its gender eligibility policy and leadership.
“We recognize the challenges of the past several months and are focused on moving forward with integrity, transparency, and a clear vision for the future,” read a statement provided to Fox News Digital
December
As 2025 came to a close, December proved to be a quieter month on the culture war’s front lines.
The Supreme Court cases remained center stage in the conflict, and saw a handful of famed athletes jump into the fight.
Super Bowl-winning head coach Barry Switzer and 31 Olympians signed an amicus brief in support of the legal defense to “save women’s sports.” The signees also include 12 Olympic medalists, including eight gold medalists.
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The brief has a total of 124 signatures, which also includes the family members of athletes who signed.
The cases are set for oral arguments on Jan. 13, 2026, and could prove to be the most consequential turning point to date in the nation’s new obsession over who gets to compete in women’s sports.
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