'Protests are not unusual': NFL insists game in Paris will be completely safe — then cancels fan event

The NFL is all systems go for the regular-season game in Paris between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints.

Despite widespread destruction in the streets of France over the past week and an expectation that there will be unrest again this weekend, the NFL said there have been "no disruptions" to speak of league operations.

'We've made all the preparations.'

However, amid the league's attempt to calm nerves in recent days, the Steelers and the NFL have canceled a fan event at a bar in the Bastille area that was scheduled for the weekend because of security concerns.

"Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris," the NFL said in a message to fans, per ESPN.

"Preparations for Sunday's NFL Paris game at Stade de France continue as planned," the statement added.

NFL fan events scheduled for Friday and Saturday are still expected to be held as planned, the league told OutKick.

The cancellation comes after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell delivered a series of odd remarks in which he said that security will be "very high" at the event, but there is essentially nothing to worry about.

"We've made all the preparations. We've been in touch with the appropriate authorities," Goodell said Wednesday, according to CNN, specifically claiming he has spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in recent days.

And even though Paris is just days removed from massive civil unrest, acts of vandalism, and fires set to government buildings, Goodell simply stated, "Protests are not unusual in France."

The commissioner added that he is looking forward to attending the game.

The NFL has remained steadfast in its messaging surrounding the safety of the Paris game despite simultaneously increasing security.

"Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday," the NFL said, according to reporter Adam Schefter. "We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There's been no disruption or impact at league sites."

Schefter also reported that Saints executive Greg Bensel said he concurred with the NFL's decision to march forward with the game.

"Members of our football operations staff and internal security team have been on the ground in France for the past few days, and there has been no disruption or impact at any of our team sites," Bensel remarked.

Stade de France. OEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images

Moreover, the NFL's executive vice president of club business, international, and league events has emphasized that league personnel and security have been on the ground for 10 days ensuring enhanced security around the event.

The executive, Peter O'Reilly, said the league was "obviously being very vigilant" in all of its planning and noted that a large soccer game between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona — two of the most popular teams in the world — had gone ahead earlier this week, at a different stadium.

The NFL has nine international games this season, its most ever, including inaugural games in Australia, Brazil, and France.

The overseas schedule has been widely criticized by analysts like former NFL coach Jon Gruden, who said the league should be growing the game in the United States first.

Radio hosts Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington said players should refuse to play in Paris.

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Philemon 8-16 | Bible Study by Rick Burgess | 10/14/26

The Supreme Court might let states rein in prediction markets — now the NFL supports a crackdown

Certain types of bets shouldn't be allowed, and the NFL says it knows which ones cause the most corruption.

The league is so sure, in fact, it wants the Supreme Court to weigh in on the regulatory issues surrounding prediction markets.

'The NFL's highest priority is preserving the integrity of its games.'

In September, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport asked the Supreme Court of the United States to review a court decision that puts prediction markets under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which makes them only subject to federal regulation.

The petition has since been joined by about 40 states.

The NFL wrote an amicus brief last week in support of New Jersey's petition for SCOTUS to grant certiorari, meaning a judicial review, of platforms like Kalshi, which the league mentioned by name.

The football league argued that prediction markets allow bets that otherwise wouldn't — and shouldn't, in their view — be possible to make on sporting events, due to the impact they could have on the integrity of games.

"Federally designated contract markets (DCMs) like respondent Kalshi" are not "subject to the same rigorous regulatory constructs and oversight provided by state gaming authorities," the NFL wrote.

The league claimed that on the first Sunday of the 2026 NFL season, more than half of all prediction market trading was related to the NFL, $1.8 billion out of $3.3 billion. Simply put, there is a lot of risk that comes out of such a high volume of wagers.

The league says integrity is at stake when bets on injuries, individuals' plays, and referee calls are allowed, all of which they say can be easily known or individually manipulated.

In a media kit outlining the league's approach to betting, the NFL explained the type of bets it believes should be barred.

Bets that are "inherently objectionable" are listed first, which are defined as being "derogatory or inflammatory" and related to player injuries, fan safety, or misconduct.

This would likely include infamous wagers placed on events, like sex toys being thrown on the court at WNBA games.

Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images

Bets based on outcomes that are "100% determinable by one person in one play," like a field goal attempt or pass completion, should also be banned, the NFL says, as should those involving predetermined outcomes "directly related to on-field competition," such as a team's first play being a run or pass.

These and "officiating-related" bets being allowed present an "undue to risk to game integrity," the league says.

"The NFL's highest priority is preserving the integrity of its games," the league reiterated in its brief.

"State and sportsbook protections include bans on manipulable or objectionable bets, information-sharing agreements regarding official league data for accurate bet settlement, and bet monitoring to ensure that league insiders do not trade on material nonpublic information," it added.

The NFL pushed further restrictions, such as increasing the age requirement of prediction markets from 18 to 21 years old.

Furthermore, the NFL said there simply aren't enough regulators monitoring sporting events at the federal level, especially when compared to state regulators.

"Nevada and Pennsylvania, for instance, have close to 400 employees each. ... The Commission, meanwhile, has only 543 employees covering the entire country and whose responsibilities include a broad range of derivatives beyond event contracts," the NFL argued.

Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images

A Kalshi spokesperson told the New York Post in a statement that its top priority is market integrity.

"That priority is reflected in the fact that every other major sports league and integrity partner in the United States is partnering with Kalshi – including the MLB, NHL, and others," the spokesperson said.

"Contrary to the NFL's statements, the CFTC is actively policing sports-related markets, which are now listed on nearly every U.S. commodities exchange," Kalshi added.

Polymarket told the Post that it shares the NFL's commitment to integrity, stating that as the reason behind its "advanced market surveillance tools" and collaboration with federal regulators.

The NFL has partnerships with three betting platforms for the 2026 season: DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Betting and Gaming.

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The Rick Burgess Show | LIVE | 10/12/26 | Ep. 430

Baltimore Ravens star Marlon Humphrey trashed for meeting with Trump — but another star is backing him up

An athlete attending an event with the president will always drum up noise with liberal media, but it is fast becoming a circus that the pros are tired of fielding questions about.

Look no farther than Baltimore Ravens defensive back Marlon Humphrey, who answered a series of questions about a ride he took with President Donald Trump to a shipyard near Baltimore earlier this week.

'I don't really have any political beliefs.'

Ravens Ryan Eckley, Tyler Loop, Nick Moore, and Humphrey all met with the president on Tuesday before he announced plans to open a shipyard with Anduril Industries that could create over 3,000 jobs in the area.

After Humphrey posted a video of himself riding behind the president in a "very armored vehicle," he faced questions from the media upon his return to team facilities.

"President Trump actually asked us if we wanted to ride with him, and I was not going to turn down a ride with the president," Humphrey said of the video.

"That was quite the experience."

The 30-year-old addressed more questions about his political views, but stated he "did not vote" in the last election, and likely has never voted, before claiming, "I don't really have any political beliefs."

Viewers on social media were irate about the football player's answers and quickly labeled him a pawn of the administration.

"Look in the camera. Stand on it," a Baltimore sports talk radio account wrote.

"He can't even look up," another claimed.

Others called Humphrey a "useful idiot" and a "political prop."

Insults even came from Dallas Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr., who described Humphrey's answers as a "clown show."

However, a former wide receiver from those same Cowboys, Dez Bryant, called out the writer and asked why he was bothered by Humphrey's comments.

"Why does it matter? I'm telling the world now..as soon as I see Trump.. I’m taking a photo with him," Bryant wrote.

"I hope he’s down to have a margarita," the Texas native added.

During the same interview, Humphrey said that he planned to dedicate himself to learning more about politics for the upcoming election.

"I did try to vote this last time, but my absentee ballot didn't come in," he told reporters.

"I do plan on voting the next time around," the star defensive player explained, before adding, "I am extremely uninformed on what laws are going on, to be honest."

Simply put, Humphrey said he planned on making an informed decision on who to vote for based on where his beliefs line up with each party.

Humphrey also spoke about the opportunities for the area itself — Sparrows Point, Maryland — and said that as an investor in local neighborhoods, he was glad there was an "opportunity to have a greater economy" come to the area.

"I believe in the area, and I'm pretty excited for the economy boom that could come from this," he stated.

The interview closed with Humphrey being asked if he had seen any of the reactions to his presidential meeting on social media. The athlete immediately chose a positive route and said he hadn't had the opportunity to react to any "love" he had received online.

"I am on social media at a max of about five minutes a day, so I was not able to interact with all the love I have received," Humphrey said.

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Mike Ditka, iconic Chicago Bears coach, passes away at 86: 'Chicago won't be the same'

The only person who could defeat a hurricane, Coach Mike Ditka, has sadly passed on.

Ditka was described by his family on Friday as their "heart," in words that will strike a chord with football families across the country.

'He was always there.'

Ditka passed away at 86 years old, with the news coming from Jarrett Payton — son of Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton — who delivered the tragic news on Chicago radio this morning.

Walter Payton was the star running back on the 1985 Chicago Bears team that won Super Bowl XX with Ditka as the head coach.

"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka," a statement from the family said, per Payton.

"While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever," the statement continued.

The family's words concluded with "love and gratitude, The Ditka Family."

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While on 104.3 The Score in Chicago on Friday, Payton gave his thoughts on his father's coach.

"It saddens me to give this information to the city of Chicago," he painfully explained. "Everybody knows how much Coach means to me and to my family and to the city, to the Chicago Bears. He has been nothing but an amazing person for my entire family, but also somebody that always made sure that I was OK."

"He was always there," Payton emotionally added.

Ditka became a cultural mainstay in the city of Chicago following the Bears' domination in the 1980s, which turned into international stardom after the Super Bowl win attracted many fans and celebrities to the team.

Actor Bill Murray was often seen with the Bears at the height of his career, while the "Saturday Night Live" sketch called "Bill Swerski's Superfans" told iconic fictional stories about "Hurricane Ditka" and how the Bears could win a NASCAR race if Ditka was driving their bus.

Super Bowl XX. 1985. Ed Wagner Jr./Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service/Getty Images

"Da Bears" is in the common North American vernacular because of Ditka's team, a team he also played on for six seasons in the 1960s.

Ditka spent 10 years coaching in Chicago before rounding out his career as head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999.

He won Super Bowl VI and went to five Pro Bowls as a player and was named to the NFL 100th and 75th anniversary All-Time Teams. He was two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year as well.

His cause of death is unknown at the time of this writing.

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Patriots QB reveals he has taken classes in conspiracy theories — and there's one major US event he is skeptical about

The 24-year-old quarterback for the New England Patriots may be only a couple of years removed from college, but he has still had plenty of time to look into conspiracy theories.

In fact, his time in college actually academically contributed to his knowledge of mysterious events.

'I took a conspiracy class in college.'

Drake Maye spent 2021-2023 at North Carolina and revealed in a recent interview that he has been doing some heavy reading.

Not only did he graduate from college early, the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft earned All-ACC Academic Team honors in 2023 and graduated with a 3.2 GPA.

On Monday, the quarterback let the hosts at WEEI 93.7 FM in on his own secret: "I took a conspiracy class in college."

This meant that Maye was prepared when he was asked by a fan which "wild conspiracy theory" does he rather believe in.

Maye prefaced his answer by saying that he didn't want to get too controversial on the air, and after remarking on the thick New England accent of the caller, he replied: "I don't know about the moon [landing], you know?"

Maye's answer had one radio host elated, who felt he was now in lockstep with his local quarterback.

"I think it's —" Maye began as he pondered the theory. "I can see back in the day of why we would put on the mask if we went there, but I'm not really sure 200% if we went there or not. I wouldn't say I'm leaning one way or the other. I just know I'm a little bit skeptical."

The Huntersville, North Carolina, native seemed fairly well versed in conspiracy theories overall. While Maye said he is "not 200% sure" of the validity of the lunar landing, he did have the opportunity to participate in other wild discussions in college, too.

"Hitler being alive" was another theory Maye recalled hearing in the classroom, and "are birds real?" was another.

Maye described those as "some of the classic ones that you hear about."

The host rejoiced in Maye's apparent revelations and said he believed director Stanley Kubrick was behind the camera for the moon-landing hoax.

But the radio personalities did have questions about Maye's knowledge on birds being fake. Maye answered with the following: "Just, like, the government has a say in some of the, you know, things, you know, birds flying around and whether they're videoing or listening or something along the lines of that."

Fair enough.

HUM Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Belief in the 1969 lunar landing depends heavily on time and geographical location.

While some outlets reported that Americans' doubt in the lunar landings exploded in the 1970s, those numbers cannot be substantiated and may connect public sentiment to the release of the 1978 film "Capricorn One," which focuses on a faked mission to Mars.

A 1999 Gallup poll showed that just 6% of Americans thought the moon landing was faked.

Across the Atlantic, 52% of more than a thousand British people polled in 2016 said the landing was faked.

As for the other side of the Cold War, in 2000, 28% of respondents in a Russian survey said they thought America never went to the moon. Interestingly, 16% said they had never heard of American astronauts landing on the moon in 1969.

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Bible Study by Rick Burgess | LIVE | 10/7/26

Flock of Ravens swarm President Trump in Baltimore: 'Do yall know this guy?'

A day at the docks started with an unexpected meeting with some birds — Ravens, to be exact.

When President Donald Trump arrived in Sparrows Point, Maryland, to announce a new shipyard, he was met by a group of professional athletes.

'He claims that he's a billionaire!'

Trump, who consistently flexes his football knowledge, was greeted by four Baltimore Ravens players before an event announcing a major government investment.

Ryan Eckley, Marlon Humphrey, Tyler Loop, and Nick Moore all met with the president at Tradepoint Atlantic on Tuesday, as Trump was set to unveil plans for a gigantic logistics center in the Baltimore area, about 30 minutes from where the Ravens play.

Humphrey is seemingly the most outspoken of the players, at least politically, and was the only one to post a video online about the interaction.

"Do yall know this guy? He claims that he's a billionaire!" Humphrey wrote as a video caption. The video showed the 30-year-old cornerback sitting behind the president inside a moving vehicle.

Humphrey spoke in defense of the president when New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart received criticism for introducing Trump before a rally.

"The fake Trump hate funny to me," Humphrey wrote in May. "Majority voted for him but everybody seem to hate him lol ... Somebody lying."

Win McNamee/Getty Images

The New York Post reported that Humphrey planned to meet with the president to discuss his charity work and the commander in chief's shared passion for football and golf.

"Marlon Humphrey is a great talent, player, and leader for the Ravens," Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz told the New York Post. "He is also widely respected in the locker room and the city of Baltimore."

The new shipyard is being built with Anduril Industries, founded by tech and defense entrepreneur Palmer Luckey. It is expected to create 3,100 jobs and cost $6.6 billion. The money will come in part from the U.S. Navy ($2.9 billion) with the majority from private investment ($3.7 billion),

According to the Guardian, the shipyard will be called "Arsenal Two" and will build torpedo tubes and other parts for Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines.

Taxpayers will reportedly have a "40% stake" in the facility, the president said. However, it will not be operational until 2030.

Humphrey has a history of remarks in support of the president. In February 2025, he wrote on X, "I'm confused how everyone appears to 'hate' Trump but he won the presidency ... Some of yall lying."

Following the assassination attempt against the president in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, Humphrey remarked: "Trump took a bullet for America."

The Ravens are currently 3-1 and will play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Fans accuse Chicago Bears player of performing Muslim prayer during national anthem: 'Is this respectful?'

The last thing the NFL needs is another national anthem controversy.

One online video, however, has the Chicago Bears in the spotlight for a player's actions during "The Star-Spangled Banner," and one online video may be all it takes.

'Don't pray to Allah during OUR national anthem!'

Before the Bears' game against the New York Jets on Sunday, wide receiver Kalif Raymond was spotted alone on the edge of the end zone grass at Soldier Field in Chicago during the national anthem, seemingly praying on his hands and knees.

Raymond rose to his feet for what appeared to be the final 20 seconds of the anthem performance, standing still.

Raymond was spotted performing similar actions before Week 3's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, also at Soldier Field in Chicago

Some fans immediately took Raymond's actions as a sign he is a Muslim.

"Don't pray to Allah during OUR national anthem!" wrote radio host Grant Stinchfield on an X post.

However, other fans quickly pointed to Raymond attending both a private Christian high school in Georgia and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, a private Jesuit college.

In fact, last Thursday the Bears posted a YouTube video with Raymond wearing a microphone on the field, where he is seen saying, "I'm going to thank Lord Jesus first."

Further evidence of his Christian faith comes from 2022, when Raymond said he was "just thankful that the Lord blessed me" after winning a game ball for his performance.

Still, some fans found the display disrespectful to the anthem.

"Is this respectful during the National Anthem?" a post asked.

A reply stated, "Anyone disrespecting the national anthem like this (or kneeling) should be fined and suspended."

The NFL's most infamous controversy came when quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem in 2016. The former San Francisco 49ers player's performance was a vague protest about injustice and police brutality:

"I am not going to stand to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick said at the time.

Many other players protested similarly in subsequent weeks, including retired player Ray Lewis, who joined the Baltimore Ravens' protest but decided to get down on both knees instead.

Other famous prayers in the NFL include former quarterback Tim Tebow, who made his name into a verb by "Tebowing," which meant to take a knee in the end zone to pray after scoring a touchdown.

Amy Lemus/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The NFL rulebook does not specifically mention conduct during the national anthem.

At the height of the kneeling controversy though, outlets referred to a league Game Operations Manual that encouraged players to stand for the anthem but didn't required them to. The NFL vice president of corporate communications confirmed this to FactCheck.org in 2017.

The previously listed operations manual no longer appears online, and the current operations manual mentions the national anthem only with regard to its maximum length.

The Bears organization did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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'Protests are not unusual': NFL insists game in Paris will be completely safe — then cancels fan event

Philemon 8-16 | Bible Study by Rick Burgess | 10/14/26

The Supreme Court might let states rein in prediction markets — now the NFL supports a crackdown

The Rick Burgess Show | LIVE | 10/12/26 | Ep. 430

Baltimore Ravens star Marlon Humphrey trashed for meeting with Trump — but another star is backing him up

Mike Ditka, iconic Chicago Bears coach, passes away at 86: 'Chicago won't be the same'

Patriots QB reveals he has taken classes in conspiracy theories — and there's one major US event he is skeptical about

Bible Study by Rick Burgess | LIVE | 10/7/26

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