Sports
Patriots stars facing criminal allegations decline to answer questions from reporters about legal troubles
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New England Patriots stars Stefon Diggs and Christian Barmore would not answer certain questions from reporters about criminal allegations against them as they prepare for their final game of the season and the upcoming playoffs.
Diggs and Barmore faced reporters in the Patriots’ locker room Friday, refusing to give any substantial answers when pressed about their legal troubles.
Diggs, who was accused of attacking a private chef during a dispute over money, said it was an “emotional time” for him, adding he’s “sorry I wasn’t available for those couple of days. It’s a different kind of time.”
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“It’s definitely an open case, so I can’t even say anything about it,” Diggs said, adding he would answer any football-related questions.
At one point, when he was asked about the support he’s received from his teammates, Diggs responded, “Is that a football question? Regarding football, I’m going to continue to be the guy that I’ve been.”
Diggs repeated the phrase “Is that a football question?” when he was asked if he had been in contact with Barmore about the situations they are in.
“I try not to be rude. I said it in the beginning,” Diggs continued.
Barmore, accused of domestic assault and battery after his girlfriend told police he had thrown her to the ground, told reporters multiple times, “I’m focused on Miami and playing football.”
Diggs allegedly strangled his female chef over money earlier this month. The woman told police Diggs “smacked her across the face,” that she tried to push him away and that he “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.”
PATRIOTS COACH MIKE VRABEL ADDRESSES CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS AGAINST TWO PLAYERS AHEAD OF PLAYOFFS
Barmore allegedly grabbed a woman’s phone while she was trying to leave his home. The alleged victim then “intended to open the door and scream for help, but Christian grabbed her before she could and threw her to the floor,” according to authorities.
Barmore then allegedly grabbed the victim by the shirt near her neck. Barmore also allegedly told the victim he would have his cousin “f— [her] up.”
The NFL has said both Diggs and Barmore are eligible to play Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
“There is no change to the status of Diggs or Barmore. Both are eligible to play at this time,” the league said in a statement. “Pursuant to the Personal Conduct Policy (attached), consideration for placement on the Commissioner Exempt List may be considered following formal charges in the form of an indictment by a grand jury, the filing of charges by a prosecutor or an arraignment in a criminal court.”
David Meier, one of the attorneys of record for Diggs, confirmed that the veteran NFL wide receiver categorically denies the claims brought against him, adding the dispute was between an employer and an employee.
“Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations. They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated and were never investigated because they did not occur. The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: They are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”
Barmore’s attorney released a statement, saying, “We are confident that the evidence will demonstrate that no criminal conduct took place. Based on the facts and the law, we expect that this personal matter will be resolved in the near future, and both parties will move forward together.”
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New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore and wide receiver Stefon Diggs (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images; Peter Joneleit/AP Photo, File)
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the recent developments.
“I would say not disappointing at all. These are allegations,” Vrabel said when asked how disappointing the “distractions” were ahead of the playoffs. “It’s things that we have to handle, and every day there’s distractions. Some are smaller than others. I’m confident that we’ll focus on the Dolphins, and those two individuals that you mentioned will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.”
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It’s common in sports for a player to provide a gift to a teammate in exchange for the rights to a certain jersey number upon moving to a new team. But what happens if the number a player desires is owned by a mascot?
The same thing, apparently.
Artemi Panarin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings just before the Olympic break, with the veteran winger looking to adopt the jersey number 72 that he wore when he entered the league with the Chicago Blackhawks.
There was just one problem: The Kings’ mascot, Bailey, also already wears the number. The reason? “Because it’s always 72 degrees in Los Angeles.”
So a number trade ensued.
Panarin will wear No. 72, and Bailey received a Rolex.
Our 72s 🖤 pic.twitter.com/mdthCYTJmm
— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 25, 2026
The “trade” actually proved to be a win-win for Bailey. Because the mascot won’t ever be on the ice at the same time as Panarin, it’ll keep wearing No. 72 in the stands.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano has confirmed he will use the friendly against Independiente del Valle on Thursday night as an opportunity to give all players some minutes on the field despite returning to Major League Soccer regular-season action just 72-hours later.
The Herons will play the rescheduled preseason friendly in Puerto Rico on Thursday night before traveling to Orlando on Sunday to face Orlando City.
“This game clearly gives us the opportunity to, first, give minutes to guys who have perhaps had fewer minutes in the preseason and in the last game we played. But yes, we’re going to try to give everyone playing time,” Mascherano said on Thursday morning.
“We need to give the whole squad some opportunities.
“Obviously, being careful because then, in 72 hours, we have a very important game, where beyond the loss against LAFC, those of us who have been here at Inter Miami for a while know that regardless of a loss or a win, the next game is always the most important, and the next game is always the one we have to win.”
Inter Miami was originally set to face Independiente del Valle on Feb. 13, before the club, in collaboration with the event promoter and government of Puerto Rico, opted to postpone the event after Lionel Messi suffered a hamstring strain.
“Hi everyone, I wanted to send this message to the people of Puerto Rico and all the people that will be going to the training session and game,” Messi said in a video.
“To be honest, during the last game in Ecuador I concluded with a muscle strain, which is why I left the field early. So, together with the people of the organization and Inter Miami it was decided to suspend this game. We hope it can be reprogrammed, and we can see each other.
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Visit you soon. Sending a hug to you all and thank you for all the love that you always give. I hope we can do it in the future, all the best.”
Messi has since returned to action, playing the full 90 minutes in the team’s MLS season opener against Los Angeles FC on Feb. 21.
Mascherano later emphasized that he’ll use the friendly in Puerto Rico to prepare the players for Orlando City at the weekend.
“We’re trying to use today’s match, beyond the fact that it’s a friendly, to see certain things, to see players we perhaps haven’t had the opportunity to see in terms of playing time, and use this game to prepare for the match on Sunday,” he said.
Mateo Silvetti, however, stands as the only player mentioned by Mascherano to be in doubt for the game after he suffered a strain over a week ago. The coach confirmed the team will evaluate his condition before deciding whether he features against Independiente del Valle.
Sports
Jontay Porter, who was given a lifetime ban by the NBA for gambling, makes pro basketball comeback in USBL
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Jontay Porter, whom the NBA banned for life for gambling in 2024, is making his return to the court.
Porter, 26, is going to the Seattle SuperHawks, a member of the re-created United States Basketball League. The SuperHawks announced Porter’s signing on Wednesday. The team begins its season on March 7.
Porter is currently awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to a related federal charge. In July 2024, he pleaded guilty to a federal court in Brooklyn to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, a sentence that carries up to 20 years in prison.
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Jontay Porter (34) of the Toronto Raptors warms up before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. The game was played in Portland, Oregon, on March 9, 2024. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
However, Porter is expected to get a sentencing of between 3 and 4 years. The former Toronto Raptors player was accused of manipulating his performance in coordination with gamblers to win prop bets during two games in the 2023-24 season.
Porter also won $22,000 by gambling on 13 NBA games that he didn’t play in, which is a violation of league rules, according to an NBA investigation.
Jontay Porter (34) of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball during a game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. The game was played in Detroit, Michigan, on March 13, 2024. (Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images)
Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York indicted dozens of others based on the investigation that began with Porter. Miami Heat guard Terry Roziers, former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chancey Billups and former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones were all indicted as part of the expanded investigation into Porter.
Porter spent two seasons in the NBA. He signed with the Memphis Grizzlies as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri and played 11 games with them in the 2020-21 season. After spending two years out of the NBA, he played 26 games with the Raptors in the 2023-24 season.
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Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors fights for a rebound with Lindy Waters III of the Oklahoma City Thunder during a 2023–2024 NBA regular-season game between the Raptors and the Thunder in Toronto on March 22, 2024. (Zou Zheng/Xinhua via Getty Images)
In 37 career NBA games, Porter averaged 3.7 points per game.
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