Multiple people in the Tampa area have been arrested for their alleged roles in the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 meant to block lawmakers from confirming President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.
However, Tampa FBI field office chief Michael McPherson told reporters on Wednesday that there is currently no credible threat to Sunday's Super Bowl LV matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium.
"We're constantly looking at threats that happen around the country," McPherson said during a news conference, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "There are no credible threats to the Super Bowl, or any related activity, at this moment."
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance for thi s year's Super Bowl will be capped at roughly 22,000 spectators.
The Super Bowl is routinely one of the most secure North American sporting events of any year, and it's worth noting that the NFL completed every postseason round following Jan. 6. The NHL, NBA, and NCAA also went on without incidents.
A college basketball matchup between the George Washington Colonials and UMass Minutemen scheduled for Jan. 6 was postponed, largely because of a Washington D.C. curfew that prevented the game from happening that evening.
The AP added that anybody who attempts to fly a drone at the Super Bowl could face fines of up to $30,000 and possible criminal prosecution.
"The Super Bowl is a no-drone zone," McPherson said. "Leave your drones at home."
More must-reads:
The Washington Commanders have a potentially significant problem on special teams. During Saturday's 30-3 preseason Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, kicker Matt Gay missed a 53-yard field goal wide left at the end of Washington's first offensive possession. Gay finished the preseason 3-of-5 on field goal attempts. He also missed a 49-yarder wide left in preseason Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Gay's struggles continue the chaotic journey for the Commanders at kicker. Last season's Week 1 starter, Cade York, went 0-of-2 in the opener and was promptly released. His replacement, Austin Seibert, was in the midst of a fantastic season through Week 9, going 25-of-27 on field goals and 22-of-22 on extra points before missing two weeks with a hip injury. He was later placed on injured reserve after missing three kicks in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, including a would-be tying extra point following a wild 86-yard touchdown with under a minute remaining. Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph combined to go 7-of-10 on field goals the rest of the season, including each missing a 50-yard attempt. Overall, Commanders kickers struggled from long distance, with the four combining to go 2-of-8 on attempts of 50 yards or more. Only the Philadelphia Eagles had a worse percentage (14.3%) on attempts of at least 50 yards, per Pro Football Reference data. Washington signed Gay to a one-year, $4.25M fully guaranteed contract in late April following the 2025 NFL Draft. Per CBS Sports, it's the largest guaranteed contract for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history. Last season while with the Indianapolis Colts, Gay was 3-of-9 on 50-yard field goals. The Commanders have the talent on offense to be one of the league's top scoring units, so they might not need to convert many tries from over 50 yards. Still, having a kicker who can reliably hit from that distance is an undeniable asset, particularly late in close games or on possessions that stall after crossing midfield. Washington largely has a roster capable of contending for a Super Bowl. But following its final tune-up before the regular season, kicking is a notable flaw.
The Green Bay Packers are about to kick off their 2025 NFL regular season, so it feels like a good time for some of the players to look back at some of the key moments and experiences they’ve had in the offseason. For quarterback Jordan Love and tight end Luke Musgrave, the 2025 NFL offseason will always be one that they’ll cherish — and not just because of anything that’s football-related. Love and Musgrave both got married to their respective longtime girlfriends in the offseason. The signal-caller tied the knot with Ronika Stone in June, while Musgrave and Madi Weisner exchanged vows in July. Ronika Stone’s wedding lookback gets Green Bay tight end’s wife’s reactions Mrs. Love recently shared a post on Instagram that shows a series of snapshots from her wedding with the Packers’ signal caller. “Every detail was SPECTACULAR ,” Ronika wrote as a caption for the post. She clearly is still awed by how her wedding looked that day, with several beautiful flower arrangements adorning the special day. Ronika’s post drew plenty of comments, including one from Mrs. Musgrave, who wrote “UNREAL.” It’s great to see Packers players’ wives showing support for each other just as Love and Musgrave do on the field. For Musgrave, he is looking to have a big rebound in 2025 after only appearing in seven games and coming up with 45 receiving yards with zero touchdowns and only a couple of first downs on seven receptions and 10 targets. The Packers, who will play the Seattle Seahawks at home this Saturday for both teams’ 2025 NFL preseason finale, will face the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field in Week 1 of the 2025 regular season.
Following a stretch of five consecutive wins, the New York Yankees have endured a frustrating stretch against their archrivals, the Boston Red Sox, suffering back to back defeats. The losses, which continue to highlight the team's struggles against top teams, have slipped the Yankees to 69-59 on the season, dropping them to third in the American League East. During this slump, shortstop Anthony Volpe has struggled—plagued by a drastic offensive woes, a spate of mental and defensive miscues, and growing displeasure from fans. Volpe's production has dipped this year: so far, he has put up a .209 batting average with 18 home runs, 65 RBIs and 56 runs scored in 127 games. Aaron Boone Signals Possible Anthony Volpe Benching Amid Slump Amid Volpe's inconsistencies, manager Aaron Boone made interesting remarks, alluding to what could be his fate on the team in the coming weeks. Ahead of Saturday's home game against the Red Sox, Boone acknowledged in a team update that giving Volpe a day off could be in play soon. That’s a significant development, especially considering Volpe has been an every day player. His offensive slide has been alarming: since August 2, he’s slumping to a .127 batting average, .179 on-base percentage, and .254 slugging percentage. Fans have even booed him following errors and strikeouts in recent games. Boone’s remarks come amid increasing scrutiny. Despite ongoing struggles in the field—Volpe leads all American League shortstops in errors and ranks near the bottom in advanced metrics like Defensive Runs Saved—Boone has been consistent in his support. Back in July, he called Volpe a “top shortstop” and has continued to express belief in his potential. Providing him a mental and physical reset with a day off may be both a strategic move and a show of confidence in his ability to rebound. Yankees Continue to Seek Stability in the AL East The Yankees continue their showdown with Boston on Saturday, a game with increasing postseason ramifications. With just weeks left in the regular season, New York is fighting to tighten its grip on the AL Wild Card picture, standing just ahead of the Red Sox despite recent stumbles A bench day for Volpe could shift the dynamic in the lineup and defense, hopefully bringing sharper focus to a team that has leaned too heavily on home runs. The Yankees remain a playoff-caliber roster, but smoothing out lapses—especially at shortstop—will be vital if they intend to turn their best promise into playoff success.
Kevin O'Connell opened his press conference after Friday night's preseason finale in Tennessee by discussing the difficulty of trading away Harrison Phillips, a team captain who had started every single game for Minnesota over the past three seasons. "Did want to start out just talking about Harrison Phillips for a quick second," he said. "Obviously, a tough move to make considering just how impactful he's been to the Minnesota Vikings and our organization, on and off the field. First free agent we signed when Kwesi and I got here, and he was the first one we signed for a reason. The type of man he is, the type of teammate, the type of leader. "Moves like that are not made without a lot of thought. I got a chance to spend a lot of good time with Harrison, and I also had a chance to talk to (Aaron Glenn) and (Darren Mougey) in New York about the type of player they were getting. I know he'll have the same impact there, in a new regime there. As they build their culture up, Harrison Phillips will be great for it." The Vikings clearly felt Phillips was expendable due to the additions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, as well as the progress shown by a wave of young defensive tackles on their roster. But to deal away an impact starter so close to the start of the season comes with some risk. Phillips' departure also creates a void of leadership, although O'Connell doesn't sound too concerned on that front. "The thing that you have to understand, in the (DT) room, acquiring veteran presences like JA and Grave, they've really been immediate impact players on and off the field," he said. "Guys that have sustained it and done it at a high level for a really long time. That doesn't go into the hard decision like that, as far as the leadership goes, but you do know that we've got some ascending players on our roster, offensively and defensively, that are ready to assume that void. We've gotta make sure we're on top of that because of his impact." Injury updates O'Connell also gave some updates on a few young players who got banged up in Friday's game. OLB Tyler Batty (right knee) will be evaluated via MRI. RB Zavier Scott (right ankle) had an early 23-yard run but then left the field limping on one of his next carries. DT Elijah Williams (right hamstring) is a candidate to make the roster in the wake of the Phillips trade, but he could also potentially begin the year on IR (designated to return) if he has a hamstring strain. All three of those players have impressed over the course of training camp. Roster cutdown day is Tuesday, which will mean lots of difficult choices for the Vikings as they go from 90 players down to 53. More Vikings coverage
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!