Latest news with #FanaticsFestNYC2025
New York Post
20-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
NYC pawn shop owner pleads guilty to fencing Joe Burrow's stolen property
A New York pawn shop owner has admitted to buying and selling luxury items stolen during a nationwide burglary ring, which included those taken last year from the home of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property — including expensive watches, jewelry and handbags — in a Brooklyn federal court, the Associated Press reported. Burrow was among several high-profile athletes whose houses were targeted and robbed by what have been described by the FBI as South American theft crews. 4 Joe Burrow speaks onstage during Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 21, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images The Cincinnati quarterback was playing a road game in Dallas in December when an estimated $300,000 worth of items were taken from his Ohio home. Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and NBA stars Luka Dončić and Mike Conley, were also victimized in the rash of robberies. Three men were arrested and indicted in February by a federal grand jury in Cincinnati, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, for multiple burglaries, including the one of Burrow's home. 4 Joe Burrow looks on before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on January 04, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Getty Images 4 Joe Burrow is pictured during a Bengals practice May 13. AP No sentencing date has been set, but Nezhinskiy faces a maximum of five years in prison and restitution of roughly $2.5 million. The legal New Jersey resident also potentially faces deportation to the country of Georgia, District Judge William F. Kuntz said. 'This defendant ran a black-market pipeline, buying stolen luxury goods from organized theft crews that targeted homes and businesses,' New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Friday in a statement. 'It was a deliberate operation that helped professional burglars prey on innocent people.' 4 Arraignment of Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar at Brooklyn Federal Court. The two are alleged to be running a fencing operation for a South American theft groups in the Manhattan Diamond District. Gabriella Bass Juan Villar, a 48-year-old Queens resident who ran the pawn shop with Nezhinskiy, had previously pleaded guilty in June to the same charge, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 'For more than five years, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy established a demand for stolen merchandise, which allowed South American Theft Groups to profit from repeated burglaries,' FBI assistant director in charge Christopher Raia said in a statement. 'His purchases perpetuated a ripple of criminality targeting residences and businesses across the country.' Nezhinskiy and Villar have not been charged in connection with the burglaries, but in searches of the pawn shop and storage units owned by Nezhinskiy in New Jersey police found sports memorabilia, artwork and other luxury merchandise suspected to be stolen in the robberies. They also uncovered power tools 'consistent with those commonly used in burglaries and opening safes,' according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. During the current season of the Netflix series 'Quarterback,' Burrow admitted that he recently canceled the purchase of a replica 'Batmobile' following the home invasion. 'I just get very uncomfortable,' Burrow said. 'My life is very public. That comes with the job, but there's certain parts of your life that are yours. Your house is one of those.'
Newsweek
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Rob Gronkowski Shares No-Holds-Barred Take on Patriots' 2025 Season
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New England Patriots made a lot of changes during the 2025 NFL offseason. Those changes started at the very top of the team. Right after the final game of the 2024 season, Robert Kraft made the swift decision to fire head coach Jerod Mayo. To replace him, the Patriots moved quickly to hire former New England star linebacker and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. Vrabel will be looking to take the team back to contention. He's a strong head coach who has already made clear changes to the team's culture. Rob Gronkowski speaks onstage at Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. Rob Gronkowski speaks onstage at Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. Photo byfor Fanatics After that move, the Patriots headed into the offseason looking to improve the roster. Read more: Report: Steelers, TJ Watt Reach Historic Contract Agreement New England adopted a very aggressive approach in free agency. The front office made quite a few moves, including signing wide receiver Stefon Diggs, pass rusher Harold Landry III, linebacker Robert Spillane, cornerback Carlton Davis III, offensive tackle Morgan Moses, defensive tackle Milton Williams, and wide receiver Mack Hollins. During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Patriots made more key additions. Will Campbell, the standout offensive tackle from LSU, was their first-round selection. Following all of the offseason movement, team legend Rob Gronkowski has spoken out with a bold take about New England's upcoming 2025 NFL season. "I think Mike Vrabel is doing an excellent job so far. I mean, you really can't question any of the moves that he has done this year in free agency and the draft; I think they smacked it out of the park," Gronkowski said. He continued on, revealing what he believes the goals need to be for the Patriots in 2025. "What we've really got to see now, is how coach Vrabel can bring this team together, so they can have that chemistry to go out and play together, as a team. And go out there and win games, and possibly have a shot at making the playoffs and winning the division," he said. "And if not winning the division, at least getting a Wild Card so that they can compete in the playoffs. That's what he has to do." Read more: Shedeur Sanders Steps Up for Victims of Devastating Cleveland Fire Those are high expectations for a team that was a Week 18 win away from being the worst team in football last season. However, with the roster improvements and the new head coach in place, New England should take a step forward. Everything will begin for the Patriots with a Week 1 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders at home on September 7. For more New England Patriots and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Caleb Williams Set For Success In Second Season With Bears
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Caleb Williams speaks on stage for the Franchise Faces panel during ... More Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by) Sooner or later, the Bears are going to find a more accommodating home than Soldier Field, where Chicago players have been forced to suffer through 'Bears weather' since 1971. Maybe George Halas and Dick Butkus liked the bare-bones stadium but certainly not the quarterbacks. Given their salaries and standing, the likes of Jim McMahon, Jay Cutler, Jim Harbaugh, Erik Kramer and Mitchell Trubisky couldn't complain too much about freezing temperatures and winds blowing off Lake Michigan. But backup quarterback Tyson Bagent no doubt spoke for his predecessors when he discussed the playing conditions. "Oh my gosh, man, we should've been indoors about 25 years ago," Bagent told David Kaplan on a Chicago podcast. 'Goodness gracious. No 4,000-yard passer … my (butt). You all go stand outside. You all go stand out there … the chilly is fine but that wind has got a mind of its own.' Carl Williams, Caleb Williams' father, told author Seth Wickersham that Chicago is 'where quarterbacks go to die.' Soldier Field is part of that story, for sure, but through the years the Bears' coaches and general managers have not set up their quarterbacks for success. Kramer holds the Bears record for passing yardage, and he set the mark in 1995, before the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning turned the NFL into a high-octane game. The Bears have finished in the top 10 in offense only once in the 21st century. While Williams suffered through a 5-12 rookie season, his passing yardage (3542) was the fifth most in franchise history. That's a sign of progress, and new head coach Ben Johnson see it as the start of a sea change. 'I love the opportunity to come on in and change that narrative,' Johnson told reporters in May. 'That's where great stories are written. We're looking to write a new chapter here — 2025 Chicago Bears — and looking forward to the future.' Outside of enclosing Soldier Field, the Bears have done just about everything possible to help Williams become their first quarterback who consistently succeeds while throwing the ball. George McCaskey and the team's ownership opened their wallet to hire Johnson, who became a highly attractive coaching candidate while orchestrating Detroit's dynamic offense. General Manager Ryan Poles used trades and free agency to overhaul the middle of the offensive line, then selected intriguing targets Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III in the draft. Johnson is working with a rebuilt coaching staff that includes former Raiders and Saints head coach Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator, whiz kid Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator and former Ohio State All-Big Ten player J.T. Barrett as quarterbacks coach. Finally Poles acknowledged a missing piece from Williams' rookie season by signing 37-year-old quarterback Case Keenum as a mentor and sounding board. There's no way Williams can succeed if he is again chased around the field while searching for open receivers. The Bears hope new linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman will help cut their sack total drastically — after 68 last season, that isn't a big ask — but Johnson knows Williams will once take some hits and miss connections with receivers. That's why he began working with Williams early on his demeanor, helping him to gain more understanding of his leadership role. According to Sports Illustrated, Johnson showed Williams video from last season where he let his frustration — sometimes exasperation — show while on the field. 'Body language is a huge thing,' Johnson said during OTAs. 'We don't want to be a 'palms-up team,' where we're questioning everything. … To me, that's a little bit of a sign of weakness. We don't want to exhibit that from anybody on the team.' You know who else showed a lot of emotion during his rookie season? Josh Allen, the four-time All-Pro who has taken Buffalo to the playoffs in each of the last six seasons. Allen threw more interceptions than touchdowns as a rookie but produced four 4,000-yard passing seasons by the time he was 27. Williams is sure to experience more growing pains in his second season. But Poles and Johnson have put him in a position where his confidence should grow throughout the year, hopefully heading into high-stakes games in December. He'll have to tame the Chicago winter, sure, but don't be surprised if he surpasses Kramer's passing record. The arrow points up.
New York Post
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter speaks out on Angel Reese drama with Robert Griffin III
The daughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. has weighed in on the ongoing drama between WNBA star Angel Reese and former NFL quarterback and former ESPN host Robert Griffin III. King's daughter, Bernice King, responded to a post by Griffin that said, 'We need more people ready to build bridges between us and not walls to divide us. Advertisement 'The only way to find unity is talking through our differences in opinion and life experiences to find the best way forward.' King wrote, 'I agree. That's why I suggest you call Angel Reese and stop posting about her.' King's post prompted a wave of viral reactions and debate by online users. Reese even shared a post from another user that referenced the situation. Advertisement 'When MLK daughter gotta tell you to shut tf up talking about Angel,' said the post Reese shared. Griffin claimed Thursday someone from the Chicago Sky star's 'inner circle' told him the WNBA forward 'hates' Caitlin Clark. 5 Chicago Sky's Angel Reese dribbles the ball up the court during a game against the Dallas Wings on July 9, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Griffin wrote several paragraphs on social media, first coming to the defense of Reese after a racist image of her NBA 2K26 appeared. He said there was 'no place for racism in the world' and that Reese 'should never be called or depicted as a monkey.' Advertisement He added that he was quiet about Reese because of the hate he and his family received over the most recent discourse in May after a contentious moment between the two WNBA stars. 'That will never be OK with me. I never attacked her or her family when I stated and backed up with clear basketball evidence that Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark. It's sports. Everybody won't like each other,' he added. 'People in Angel's inner circle called me and told me I was right, and Angel Reese has grown to hate Caitlin Clark because of the media always asking her about Caitlin and being constantly compared to her. 'Some people made it about race, but I never did and never will. Instead of becoming the villain in anyone's story, I decided to just not. All that being said, Angel Reese or any Black man or woman should never be called or depicted as a Monkey. Ever.' 5 Robert Griffin III speaks to an audience during Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center in New York on June 20, 2025. Getty Images for Fanatics Advertisement 5 Dr. Bernice King attends the 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service at The King Center on Jan. 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Ga. Getty Images Reese appeared to respond to Griffin's remarks in a separate post. 'lying on this app when everybody know the first and last name of everybody in my circle for clout is nastyyyy work,' she wrote. Reese's mother also claimed Griffin was lying about talking with the basketball player's 'inner circle.' 'Whomever U say 'called' U is not in her circle 2 speak on her feelings towards a media/fandom made up beef,' she wrote. 'Just stay on that side bc the doors are closed over here.' 5 Angel Reese drives past a Dallas Wings player at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Ill. on July 9m 2025. NBAE via Getty Images 5 Robert Griffin III on the sidelines during an NFL game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Az. on Dec. 12, 2022. Getty Images Griffin fired back. Advertisement 'I spoke up in support of Angel Reese against racism not to start drama,' he wrote on X. 'But I won't let anyone twist the truth just because it's inconvenient to them. Instead of trying to check me, just tighten up your circle. 'They calling me and saying you hate Caitlin Clark, not the other way around. I have zero interest in being the villain in anyone's story. I just want to have fun, tell the truth and celebrate sports. But I won't pretend or lie just to protect feelings.' Griffin made the initial claim that Reese 'hates' Clark after the Sky and Fever stars got into a heated skirmish in May.
New York Post
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Tom Brady's reps push back on report that he's ‘too old' for Sofia Vergara: ‘Pure fiction'
Tom Brady's reps are pushing back on a report that claimed the former NFL star isn't interested in dating actress Sofia Vergara because she's 'too old,' calling it 'pure fiction.' Observers have been watching with a keen eye on the pair since they were spotted together on the superyacht, the Luminara, in Ibiza, Spain, earlier this month. But any suggestion that Brady would say anything regarding her age is not true, the rep for the QB told People. Advertisement 5 Tom Brady speaks onstage during Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 22, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images for Fanatics 'Tom never said, nor would he ever say, anything like this. It is pure fiction,' the rep said. Page Six reported Wednesday that the seven-time Super Bowl champion and the 'Modern Family' star were getting flirty aboard the superyacht about a week ago, and one source described the situation as a 'summer romance.' 'He asked to switch seats to sit next to her at dinner,' the insider told the outlet. Advertisement 5 Sofia Vergara poses in a pattern swimsuit promoting Walmart on her Instagram stories July 9, 2025, in Ibiza. Instagram/Sofia Vergara 5 Sofia Vergara and Tom Brady pictured out partying. Sofia Vergara/Instagram The pair was photographed sitting next to one another during a dinner as singer J Balvin had his arm around the two as he was kissing Vergara's forehead. Advertisement The photo quickly set the internet ablaze. The two-day jaunt on the boat was a star-studded affair that also included Patrick Schwarzenegger, Tessa Thompson, singer Anitta and supermodel Irina Shayk, with whom Brady once shared a fling. 5 Sofia Vergara presents TOTY at the Four Seasons Hotel at Four Seasons Hotel on July 2, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. FilmMagic Brady, 47, and Vergara, who recently turned 53, are both on the open market after they split with their respective spouses in recent years. Advertisement Vergara and ex-husband Joe Manganiello had their divorce finalized in 2024, while Brady and Gisele Bündchen ended their marriage in 2022. 5 Tom Brady, wearing Oakley Meta glasses, attends Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images for Fanatics Brady has made headlines recently, dancing it up at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's wedding in Venice, Italy, in June and being photographed on a yacht with the likes of Kate Hudson and Dakota Johnson. He was also getting in some quality time with his daughter, Vivian, while in Ibiza.
